Book 5. Chapter 27: Auril Training

Book 5. Chapter 27: Auril Training

Jake sat with Tanda in his lap, his mate happy to help him with training. Breathing together, they found harmony in their hearths and connected to the world.

Clan Hart were all sitting in their Refuge, within their training room. A few days had passed since closing the Greater Rift, and they were moving up in all of their skills. Focusing on them, their goal was to squeeze out every bit of strength they could for the Dungeon Raid.

But they were also getting much needed rest and relaxation. They were currently training, but this activity was quite calming. For all but one of them.

Tanda frowned at Fhesiah. I thought you would be good at this, werent cultivators all about breathing and sitting? After that, you just ask the energy nicely to move.

Berri nodded. Yeah! Its easy. You just

Fhesiah sighed. I dont need to hear your advice again, it is not helpful. Blood, how did you get the hang of it?

Blood chuckled. I guess as a dragon, you are used to everything bending to your will? Maybe you would have better luck as a kitsune? I just pretend the energy is Berri, and coax the energy to do what I want with good feelings and compliments. When that doesnt work, I use a threat, but with auril it doesnt come to that.

Fhesiah closed her eyes, and Jake was going to offer to find resonance with her to help, I can try to

She smiled as she moved the energy around inside her a fair amount more rapidly, Thanks, husbandbut I got it. I just imagined the energy was yours. Remembering that the energy was from you in some way really helped me.

Fhesiah had already been able to move around auril, but using her [Advanced Energy Control] skill, to impose the powerful will of a Tier 3 cultivator. This had its own limitations, so now she was learning to use it the proper waylike the beastkin themselves.

Now, Clan Hart was all learning to use Auril as if they were a beastkin. Their hearths all pulsed along with Tandas heartbeat, the auril spreading along their bodies as they allowed it.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

The energy filled them with strength, and increased their bodys vitality. They had taken to eating more auril beast meat, and consuming Fhesiahs crafted pills. They lacked an auril heart, but their hearths were acting similar to one, thanks to their connection to Tanda.

Their body was storing more of this aurilnot at the level of a beastkin, but it was slowly improving them just the same.

Jake asked Fhesiah, Doesnt this energy harm your cultivation? I thought purity was an important aspect of making you one with the heavens.

Fhesiah smiled. Normally, this would be true. Its beyond my understanding, but it seems this hearth the Framework helped me form is truly special. The auril energy of the ravenwolves is merely seeping into my spiritual temple, enhancing the mysterious scripts within on both sides. The dragon souls and auril are enhancing my dragon half, and now the auril and holy energy of Bastet is enhancing my kitsune. Its forming and enhancing the delicate balance.

Jake supposed that the ravenwolf auril had the life component for what seeped into the body, but also the deathly spiritual component. Her hearth was separating that out, and applying it to each of her bloodlines.

Ophelia was moving through martial forms, already having a decent hang of utilizing the energy. She had spent a bit more time with Tanda over the last few weeks before the Greater Rifts, and thus was quite ahead of them.

She was already nearing the fourth level, greater than most Clan Heads were when they first joined the Framework. Practicing her auril manifestation, her shield was becoming more solid and effective as she went along.

Jake was practicing with the auril energy, but also with his Hearth Control and Advanced Energy Control. Zhuge Liang had hinted that he could use harmony with the skill to direct the energy, and he was having decent results. His goal was to combine all the energies, similar to how he did when he branded Bree.

With that, it was nothing but a tiny spark or flame to make the brand and through his connection directly to her soul. It was not something that could with any proficiency reach outside his body, and it was not enough to truly harm an enemy. He hoped, as he mastered these capabilities, he could make a truly powerful flame.

Tanda actually blazed forward with her understanding and usage of Advanced Energy Control, thanks to this. Unfortunately, Qi did not seem to be something you could find harmony with on its own, without your body becoming one with the heavens like cultivators.

However, Fhesiah thought it might be possible to find harmony with attuned Qi. Tanda in particular may be able to utilize Death Qi in this fashion, her soul being already attuned for it. How she would use that was well beyond them at the moment.

Her hearth ivy vines had really grown through her body in these past few weeks. Following the bones of her limbs, they wrapped around her rib cage, arms, and legs.

Jake examined Tanda with his Arcane Eye, finding the various energies of his family flowing through her body. Watching the pulses of auril running through her body, he could certainly tell what was within her vines remained stable.

Using the mana through these paths, she had a much easier time of using it without being disrupted by her heart.

It made things easier for her, but she still had to learn to use mana and runes from scratch. This was a process that took weeks and months, but they hadnt had a whole lot of time to practice without it being disrupted until now.

Jake and the rest would need to find their own way to get around the difficulty. For most of them, they easily expelled mana through their body in any direction before forming them into runes or spell forms.

The magical focus within their mythical weapons made it easy to just will the mana all into that one area, and it would take the path of least resistance to accomplish their intentions. Tandas vines were similar in this, that she could send the mana down them easily.

Mana and the other energies were stored within the flowers of the vines, allowing her to have a little more at her beck and call. It wasnt as much as a core, but more flowers appeared to be sprouting, which would increase her capacity.

Continuing his harmony with Tanda in his lap, he helped her through the various runes, and a few rune words. Tanda easily followed his will to the letter, creating runes in sequence. It was like she was an extension of himself, an extra magical limb on his body.

Berri snorted. Whatever. I can hug him anyway. Like this!

Jake wasnt sure what she was going to do, but he was surprised when over their bond, it felt like Berris soul enveloped his own, and he felt a loving embrace. His body was not touched beyond where he was sitting wrapped within her tail, but he felt her hugging and kissing him all over his body.

He tried to return the feeling to both Blood and Berri, and he thought he only barely managed. Berri was somehow beyond his understanding.

Mmm, that felt wonderful, milord. Dont mind hershes always like that. I know youll master it quickly.

He spent some more time with his snake lovers before they moved on to training with Fhesiah. Ophelia joined him on his lap next, the two finding resonance in their hearts and hearth flickering. Their harmony and resonance was getting closer and closer to the peak.

Soon, they would practice the void body tempering technique together. Her soul would be tempered, together along with Tandas and Jakes.

Jake asked, Are you worried about the dual cultivation with Tanda present?

Ophelia smiled, and shook her head. It feels a bit weird, but us girls are close. We do see ourselves as your sister-wives, doing our best to help each other and get along. I trust Tanda a lot, both in battle and with my feelings. I trust Fhesiah, Blood and Berri too, but I cant help but feel glad its her, first. Were closer.

Do threesomes in your romance books not really happen at all?

She blushed. Um I may have read a few where Jacob had both Lady Valkyrie and her handmaiden, a few times. There were also a few that Fhesiah tried to get me to read, and well, they were a little over the top, but

Just let me know if youre not comfortable. We can certainly set things up where you two dont need to touch, and Im sure Fhesiah could set things up in such a way that its like youre in your own space.

Its fine. Tanda and I often sleep together when youre with Fhesiah and Bloodberri, though its just cuddling. Its justsomething Im not used to, yet.

Jake nodded. He certainly couldnt imagine getting it on with his girls in the same room with his brother or best friend, or something like this. It was difficult to draw a true parallel in his mind because there was no way hed ever share any of his girls, but he guessed the weirdness was mostly in the unknown or awkwardness. She would get over it quickly in the heat of the moment, no doubt.

Still, he certainly didnt want to force her if she didnt want to, even if it would strengthen them. Fhesiah could craft a truly special environment where even if they were inches away, they could be separated.

He could feel Ophelias concerns over their bond, but they were small. The concerns about the difficulty of practicing the odd technique was actually greater than the idea that Tanda was going to be there, for her.

When Tanda made to rejoin Jake for training, Ophelia began to stand up, but Tanda stopped her with a fluffy paw and a wagging tail. Lets do it together! I bet itll be more fun that way!

Ophelias eyes narrowed, but she smiled as she shifted to the right side of Jakes lap. If that was Fhesiah offering, Id think there were some ulterior motives. I can tell you want to ease my worries. Thanks, Tanda.

Tanda giggled, as she arranged herself on Jakes left side of his lap. Jake was then wrapped in feathers and slender yet powerful arms, the two girls crowding him in their embrace. They once again matched their hearths flickering together, finding resonance.

Using their [Energy Sharing], they even practiced moving their mana or auril between one another. Following Jakes lead, Tanda managed to add her runes to their group spells. Despite not being aided by the Framework, her runes still coalesced along with theirs.

Jake could tell some power was lost, the Framework not aiding in the power of the spell. They bypassed the need for [Advanced Runic Magic], and so there was a sort of cost for not following the rules.

Still, Jake could see Tandas skill advancing rapidly, as she submitted to his will and formed the runes with mana as if she were an extension of Jakes own body.

Ophelia marveled at Tanda. Let me try that too? That looks fun.

As if Tanda and Ophelia were his own magical arms, he began casting spells with both of them.

Tanda giggled, as she and Ophelia stood up. Lets try it the other way? But Ill move the auril around you as you move.

Jake chuckled. Alright. Turnabout is fair play, after all.

He submitted to their will, moving the energy around as if doing their bidding for a timelike he was their puppet. All in all, he felt that it was a very helpful practice. He got to feel exactly how Tanda moved it, and even stood up and moved at her behest, and danced with the two girls.

Ophelias usage of the energy was different too, and it was like he could find a happy medium between the two, or see steps to take to improve. It wasnt as easy as he could just reproduce them instantly, but he knew he would move quickly through the skill levels of Auril Manipulation.

He said, This was fun. Its good to have a little more time to unwind, even if while training.

Ophelia smiled, as she cleaned herself and changed into a new set of clothes. Thats right! Im excited about whats next. Its time for a crafting frenzy!

Tanda smiled. I cant wait to help! Lets go!