Sachihiro

Ikigai debuted her first night at the fight club admirably. Accepting a challenge from Saida, a promising young Barbarian that fights like a demon and already at the cusp of his tier one at only about 25 years on Gaia. Armed with her slender long-sword Claw and lightly armoured in a light steel breastplate she got her ass handed to her by the promising young Viking.

Nothing I didn’t expect and she took the lose reasonably well as for the first time in a long time she experienced a challenge worthy of her that doesn’t involve her risking her life trying to complete the Dawn Tree Dungeon. I still can’t believe I once held that thing in my hands with how widely it has spread and how powerful it has become but whatever.

*

Everything is being rushed but I am all for it as the First Horde prepares to go to war. Barbarians have never been ones to keep standing armies as every single Barbarian is a warrior when called to arms but with the growth of Paradisum and the ore trade a lot of the ways we used to do things have needed to change, one such change was the creation of the Hordes.

The Hordes are compiled of the known or named warriors that can follow orders, the battle maniacs and the veterans of previous battles. They go away for a month each year to train together in a secluded area only known to the War Chiefs and the sidhe. Once returned they meet on a daily basis for a few hours at their Campus at the north edge of Libero the Outer-City.

Besides that they live relatively mundane lives except that they can no longer give or take challenges lest they show their training. Horde members train alone in their Campus and have already begun a culture of choosing mates amongst their own ranks adding to the sense of mystique their secrets seem to promote. To join the Horde is currently no big honour because they have never had the chance to prove themselves before the mistake of the Maori and assembly of this Host.

Now though for the first time the Horde is moving and with their movement, my plans go array as this may be the only chance for my family to travel back down to Pangaea with a large enough group of people to make the trip safe for the little ones. The demands by the Tundra were made and rejected by the Maori, our declaration of hostilities quickly followed and within a ten-day the one thousand five hundred strong Horde force will move for the first time in the history of Paradisum.

Following in their wake will be the rest of the Tundrians eager for a fight in the red and black regalia of Paradisum provided by the Council. And I say Tandrians and Horde because both forces both consist of more than just Barbarians and Highlanders out for blood because of the history. Each unit of twelve within the Horde has at least one fae, elf, beastmen or similar person with racial traits specialised for stealth or speed. A magic user of some kind in each unit, which in most cases is not a Barbarian.

Besides the mobilisation of the First Horde while the second and third remain, and the mobilisation of the battle-hungry, adventure seekers, fighting enthusiast and the outraged that make up the rest of the seventeen thousand strong force. Preparing to go to war I am mobilising my entire family to go down to the home we built in the Foothills closer to the Conclave. Using the shadow of the Host as protection we can travel almost all the way to the Erebus Forest before we have to go our separate way.

Thus everything is being rushed, like the mating ceremony of my first daughter Vigdis Saya van Damage taking place at this very moment. I’ve spoken with the young man several times and he seems to have a good head on his shoulders and vast potential for growth as all transitioned earthlings do. He and his friends managed to survive nine fights in the arena the six months they’ve been here which speaks well of their characters and prowess. But I hesitate to trust earthlings because of the many stories Shravanthi told me of the place.

To be fair though I doubt any of them would have found a way into Gaia had they been the way lovely Shrava described. Maybe all fathers are supposed to be suspicious of men that come for their daughters...

After the ceremony it will be my match with Selah in response to the challenge she gave, I’m still not sure what to do with the girl after I beat her but killing her is out of the question as the aura coming off her mother and aunt puts them as very powerful tier one Awakened. They’re probably high on the Jotnar tribal packing order as well judging by the markings visible on their skin and the presence of a known Jotnar elder with them.

I watch the young bare-chested man fight Mira for the privilege of mating Saya knife to knife and Mira holds nothing except her magics back lest she kills him. He keeps a low stance, left hand over the long cut oozing blood across his ribs, and limping on his bruised leg but also try to feign being more hurt than he actually is.

He jabs low with a feign before spinning in a flipping reverses kick that makes me grin, but Mira dodges it easily. Had this been about killing him or defeating him she could have ended the spectacle there and then but she moves in instead, punching Michael in the throat and slashing at his side. He grunts as his blood sprays from the wound like a geyser but it quickly slows as his innate body manipulation skills show their use.

He is turning a moment later trying to take advantage of her being so close but he is blocked forearm to forearm, a low kick folds his left knee putting it flat on the ground. He blocks a punch to the face but is immediately levelled by a kick at the back of the head. The sound of his skull cracking from the kick is audible to everyone watching the ceremony in the sands of the Council Building causing his friends to flinch but none step forward, good. I can see the worry on Nikita’s eyes as he groans on the floor breathing in sand, blood and dust.

The pride in Saya’s eyes is evident for all as the now dizzy Michael tries to stand, first on hands and knees in a display made comical by his swaying even in said position. But his dagger is still in his hand even while his nose bleeds yellow and red blood, a clear indication of brain damage. He eventually manages to stand on swaying legs and takes up a stance on swaying feet facing Mira with crooked eyes from the kick.

Her next attack is stopped cold by an intervening Saya and the two women face each other without words before Mira backs away with a bow. The is an audible exhale from Nikita before she folds her arms across her chest, all sign of her previous worry gone from her face. Chief Stomm steps forward to complete this part of the ceremony.

‘’The intended has proven himself able to protect his mate to be and be protected by his mate to be, a union worthy of our blood, our ancestors and the gods. I ask again, are you Michael willing to be joined to this woman in spirit and in blood?’’

‘’...I am,’’ a still swaying Michael manages to say before stumbling and needing help staying upright.

‘’And you Vigdis, are you willing to be joined to this man in spirit and in blood?’’ Stomm asks looking at Saya sternly as he does in all his officiating of mates.

‘’I do,’’ my little girl says without hesitation and there is both pride and dread whirling within me. But as I look at the couple holding each other before me all my emotions consolidate into one and all I have is pity for Michael and pride in my little girl.

Da brings the family ceremonial dagger forward and both their palms are cut and their wounds are joined so their blood mixes. ‘’Repeat these words to each other, Í accept you as my mate’.’’

‘’I accept you as my mate,’’ they say simultaneously.

‘’Again,’’

‘’I accept you as my mate,’’

‘’Again,’’

‘’I accept you as my mate,’’ and with those words something happens that all of us already mated have felt before. There is a feeling as the land acknowledges them as a mated pair, as their blood connects them ensuring the mixibility of their seeds and health of their spawn to be. They look at each other’s eyes and I imagine they think they share a secret only they can feel, but most of us have.

I look at my five mates simultaneously and we connect mentally, like holding hands mentally we acknowledge each other without any words needed to be reminded of our own matings. I look up and my eyes connect to da’s, who acknowledges me with a nod. All my children are now officially van Damage, whether male or female. Surprisingly I had very little resistance when considering how traditional tribesmen usually are.

I step forward and rush towards my baby girl and the new addition to the family, enfold the kids in a hug and everyone else is on them a moment latter congratulating and wishing them well. There are a lot of people present to witness but also because I am due to fight Selah the Twin Blade in another hour. After that, we have to get back to packing what is and isn’t going down with us.

I trust the Nine to protect the city if all else fails because they’ve invested too much into this project of theirs of mixing with ‘mere mortals’ for them to let it all burn when the Gates open. But I’d still rather be closer to the Conclave where I know the entire organisation is preparing to face the coming struggle. Besides, Deep Keep is a fortress and our backup point if the Den falls, right?