“Each Realm divides into three Stages, which then can divide into a variable amount of Ranks, depending on the Stage. Each Stage can utilize a different form or different usage of Heavenly Energy, but in essence, it will always come down to gathering that energy, which is why a Gathering Technique is the first Technique any Cultivator should learn. Now, you are still a few weeks from your fourteenth Nameday, but I can start teaching you the basics of a Gathering Technique I know of called the Cycle of Breath.”

Hunter and Kai were sitting cross legged on the ground outside of their house. Hunter was pouring information onto Kai while the thirteen-year-old sat there in rapt attention, trying his best to soak up everything he was being taught.

“The truth is, the breathing exercise I’ve had you work on over the last few years is the Cycle of Breath’s most basic form. However, when you try it this time, instead of focusing on filling your lungs with air, focus on the Energy surrounding you.”

Kai tried to do as he was instructed. He breathed in and out, using the same rhythm he’d built up over years of practicing the exercise. He focused on an unseen Energy, one he’d been able to detect over the last few months since he’d left Novan. However, once he tried to pull it in through his mouth, he was unable to grasp it, almost like trying to grab a handful of water.

After a few more minutes of being unable to absorb Heavenly Energy, Kai looked up, dejected at his failure.

“I’m unable to do it Master,” he said.

Hunter burst out in a deep laugh before saying, “Of course you cannot do it yet, boy. You haven’t formed a Connection to the Heavenly Energy yet. However, the fact that you are even able to detect the Energy a few weeks before your fourteenth is an astounding fact. Moreover, practicing like this every single day will help you kickstart your growth in a few weeks.”

Kai nodded in acceptance and then after a moment of pondering, said, “Master, I have a question. When I was fighting the Green Maned Wolves and then again when I was fighting bandits, there was a moment when I could feel this barrier in my mind, but when I tried to push through, I was rebuffed.”

Hunter’s eyes widened before he said, “Boy, do you know what you did then? You somehow touched on the sword mysteries of the Earth Level, because of your total understanding of the Forms you had learned. I’ve taught you that the Forms are only the first level of understanding of the sword. In time, once you master them, you will finally break through that barrier into the Earth Level.”

Kai resolved then, to train even harder than he already had been, to master the rest of the Forms and break through to the Earth Level as quickly as possible.

The duo spent the next few bells reviewing the details of the Naming Ceremony that would occur that night.

“The Naming Ceremony is held on the first night of each year. Every thirteen-year-old must have one if they are to become a powerful Cultivator in the future. The process is a little different in the cities of the Kingdom as the parent normally holds one for their child two nights before they turn fourteen. In Brasbury, they decided a long time ago to hold one at the beginning of each year for every thirteen-year-old from the villages instead.

It was the sixth bell after noon when Hunter finally let Kai go into the village. He’d been anticipating this day since he’d come back home because after tonight, he would finally have a Second Name.

Most of the thirteen-year-olds tonight would receive the Second Name of their parents. However, for the few orphaned or adopted children like him, they would be Named tonight by the Seer of the village.

When Kai had asked Hunter if he could take his name, all he’d been told was, “You do not want the burden of carrying it,” whatever that was supposed to mean.

It was with great anticipation then, that Kai went down to the village. As he neared it, he could tell from the sounds that the Season’s Eve celebrations had begun. Walking down the streets, Kai saw the people in a much more merry mood than when he had arrived with the caravan almost a week ago. In turn, this brightened his own mood and made him more confident in his plans for tonight.

He stopped at the jeweler’s shop first, where he picked up a package a small, brown package. The streets had started to become more packed by this point and Kai had to force his way through to the center of the village where the real celebrations were starting up.

In the outskirts of the Central Square, there were stalls from both the villagers and the caravan set up, with many flocking to buy things for the Eve Festival. There were also competitions set up: from footraces to sword fighting. And of course, the crown jewel of the celebration was the Dance Pavilion that was set up in the very center of the place.

Kai took his time perusing the stalls, looking for things to buy that would benefit him, since he had money from his trip to Novan. He bought a new wrap for Cohen’s sword hilt and a new lantern that he knew Hunter would appreciate.

It was almost four bells later, after he’d also watched some of the competitions, that he finally headed towards the large Pavilion in the middle. A few minutes of maneuvering and another few minutes of searching yielded him a sight that made him open his mouth in wonder.

Mera was wearing a forest green dress decorated with silver glitter. Her hair was free from the braid she normally wore and was running down the length of her back. Looking at his own light green dress tunic, Kai felt underdressed for the occasion.

However unlike the confidence that her dress seemed to exude, Mera herself looked almost out of place in the corner of the pavilion. Kai could tell she was nervous from the way she kept fidgeting with her fingers. The nervousness could’ve resulted from the fact that in just a few hours, she would be Named or it also could’ve occurred from the conversation with the boy in front of her.

Taran Protir was the son of the village’s master of arms. He’d received the name Protir in last year’s Naming Ceremony and had already reached the Second Rank of the Meridians Stage in the last year. His prospects as a Cultivator were high within this village, to say the least.

His appearance also had all the girls in the village falling for him. Unfortunately, his personality was fickle and slimy, and he was an ass to those he believed didn’t deserve his presence.

Kai and Mera had made fun of Taran for years and it was obvious to him that Mera was searching the crowds for anything that could get her out of that most likely one sided conversation.

So of course, the first expression on her face when Kai approached the both of them was relief, followed by a different type of nervousness. He mentally sighed in relief at seeing that the anger that had exuded from her when they had last met had disappeared or at least started to melt away.

Kai was able to catch the last bit of their conversation.

“Of course, this is a dancing Pavilion. If my Lady would…”

Kai cut him off, knowing that the fool would get angry at his interruption.

“Mera, can we talk?” Nodding his head towards Taran, he added. “In private, preferably.”

Kai could feel Taran heating up in anger but before he could say anything, Mera grabbed Kai’s left arm and said, “Yes, yes, let’s go.”

She dragged him out of the Pavilion and started forcing her way through the rising crowds, her vice grip refusing to let go of his arm. Once they left the crowds, Mera kept pulling him down the streets. Kai wanted to ask where they were going but he felt it prudent to keep his mouth shut until they reached wherever she was taking him.

Minutes later, they left the village and kept walking, towards the snowy woods. It took a few more minutes, but Kai finally recognized where Mera was taking him when they stepped into a clearing. It was the same area where they’d met up every day after his training for years.

A few minutes passed in awkward silence before Kai said, “Mera, I…”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. “Wait. Let me go first.”

She pulled away from him, taking in a deep breath before starting.

“Look, when you fought that guard over a year ago and left with the caravan, I was upset because I didn’t know why you’d decided to go. I was confused, but at the same time, I wanted to understand you better, so I decided to take up the sword. I asked father and he helped me start training with the master of arms, which is also the reason Taran keeps hounding me since he’s seen me training with his father so much. But that doesn’t really matter.”

“What matters is,” she continued with a deep breath. “I started to understand that feeling that you probably got a year ago, that drive to better yourself. I wanted to master the Forms as quickly as possible because I started to understand why you left the village. You wanted to hone yourself and your blade in real life situations that you couldn’t experience here. And then, time passed and you didn’t come back in six months like I thought you would and I was upset at first, and then afraid something had happened to you. I’d started to tell myself that when I got strong enough, I’d go out and find you. And then, out of the blue, you suddenly showed up from the woods like a ghost and I had no idea what to say. Sure, I was angry, but I was angry at the fact that your disappearance had upset me so much. I wasn’t truly angry at you, but I decided to take it out on you, and for that, I’m sorry.”

Kai stepped over to her and gripped her shoulders. She hung her head and refused to look at his face, as if afraid that he would be angry at her now. He used his right hand to tilt her face up towards him.

“I’m sorry too,” he finally decided to say.

And then they stood there for a few minutes in amiable silence, just appreciating the way the stars filled the night sky. Suddenly, Kai remembered his package and stepped away from Mera, pulling it out of a hidden pocket.

He cleared his throat and said, “Uhh, I got you a gift for the First Season. I had planned to give it to you tomorrow after the Naming Ceremony, but now seems like a good time as any.”

Her face shined in the moonlight as she quickly grabbed the small cube from him and ripped the brown packaging from the gift. A few seconds later, Mera was holding a small, red, velvet box.

She slowly opened the top and gasped in surprise. Sitting inside was a small silver bracelet, an ordinary circlet except for the green gem like thing inlayed into it. Looking closer however, there were small lotus designs etched into the silver part and the emerald colored gem was the middle of one of the designs.

“I didn’t know the exact size of your wrist, but I gave the jeweler an approximation. If you want to resize it, he says he’ll do it for free, though that’s not really surprising since I let him keep the rest of the Core.”

Realizing he was rambling, he finally asked, “So, uhh, do you like it?”

Mera snapped her head up to look at him, her light brown eyes glittering the shining moonlight.

“I love it,” she finally said in a breathy whisper, and slipped on the bracelet. It was a perfect fit.

She suddenly ran forward and wrapped her arms around Kai. He sighed in relief as he held his best friend close to him. Mera stepped back after a few seconds, her face having fallen once again.

“What’s wrong?” Kai asked in concern.

“How am I supposed to give you my gift after that? Compared to this beauty, mine seems underwhelming.”

“You got me a gift?”

Mera glared at him. “Of course I got you a gift, you fool. This is our first Naming Ceremony and our first New Season together in almost two years.”

“Then I don’t care what it is,” Kai said with a relieved chuckle. “I know I’ll love it either way.”

She pulled out a package and handed it to him. After opening it up, he grabbed the gift out of the box it was in. She’d given him a glass eagle, one the size of his hand. It’s wings were splayed out and it had its beak open in a cry. It was a decoration, one that he could hang from the ceiling of a house.

“I know, I know, it’s really nothing compared to this amazing bracelet you’ve given me. Puts me to shame really, but I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

“No need,” Kai said with conviction. “I love it. There is no need to give me anything else. This is perfect.”

“I do have a question though,” he said after a slight pause. “Why an eagle?”

“It’s been a favorite of mine for a long time, you know that. The eagle symbolizes freedom and well, that’s always intrigued me. What would it be like to have wings and soar through the skies? You do know the story of the Eagle With No Wings right?”

She gasped in surprise after he shook his head before she said, “Fine, remind me later to tell you that story.”

“And this gem, what exactly is it?” Mera asked Kai.

“The Core of a Green Maned Wolf, the first beast I’ve ever killed. I was given a suggestion to give this Core as a gift to someone and well, you were the only person I thought of.”

“Damn it Kai,” Mera said, stomping her foot in anger. “That makes my gift seem even more tame in comparison. You didn’t have to give me such a nice bracelet.”

Kai reassured her for a few minutes that the glass eagle was an amazing gift before they once again settled into a comfortable silence. They looked at the stars, searching for familiar patterns. Mera shivered at some point, her dress obviously not enough to keep her warm, and so Kai pulled her close, letting his body heat warm her up. She resisted at first, embarrassed, before Kai firmly told her that they would go back to the village early so that she wouldn’t catch a cold and so, reluctantly, she settled into his arms.

It was a few bells later, a quarter of a bell before midnight, that they heard a loud booming sound and saw a bright red light in the sky near the village.

Kai sighed and unwrapped his arms from around Mera. Looking towards the village, he said, “It’s time. Our Naming Ceremony is about to start.”