Chapter 2: Martial Son

Mes was the first that stepped forward to welcome Zetsa and Zax. "Big sissster Zetsa, I did as you bid. Martial uncle isss one hisss way".

"Good". Zetsa smiled and squeezed Zax's arm to release him of the bewilderment.

Under the large pavilion, the other four figures lowered the wooden cups in their hands to the table at the center of their gathering, got up and approached the two arrivals.

"Elder Martial sister Zetsa".

"Elder Martial sister Zetsa".

Two of the four lowered their heads and said in union while one, a bird type beast, just performed the same greeting gesture.

The three were three humanoid beasts. The biggest one was nearly four meters tall, with yellow spotted fur over his body and a jaguar head. The second biggest was the same height as Mes, around two meters tall, and another lizard type beast but of different species. Her scales were fiery crimson and two silver horns grew out from the sides of her lizard head. The last of the three shared a similar height with Zetsa and was the bird type beast that stayed quiet. Her body was covered by dark blue feathers, she had two black eagle legs, which complemented her griffon head, and her upper limbs looked like folded wings that made up the shape of two arms.

"Zax, these are my junior Martial brothers. This one is Tularg, he is a Dotted Jaguar", Zetsa gestured over the jaguar head beast. "After me he is the oldest. Rarahel is the third youngest and is a Silver Horns Dragon". Next she gestured over the silver horns beast. "Mes, that you already know, is the second youngest. His species is Thousand Meters Viper. And Shulip is the youngest, Lakes Griffon". Last was the beast type bird.

"Greetings, senior Martial brother Tularg, senior Martial sister Rarahel, senior Martial sister Shulip, this one is Zax Zel, nice to meet you!" As he done in front of Mes, Zax lowered his head to pay his respect to the three beasts.

"Little brother Zax". Tularg offered his hand for Zax to shake. He learned of this ritualistic greeting that was common in humanity's territory from his big sister Zetsa.

Zax reached for Tularg's hand and his hand instantly swallowed within the animalistic grip. The pressure of the grip was a bit strong, but the sensation of physical contact with such of a formidable wild existence gave Zax a rush of excitement.

"Can't take it back now, big sister Zetsa". Rarahel said. Although she was of the same type of beast as Mes, she did not seem to have any speech impediment.

"Little Rara, stop antagonizing your elder sister". The final, fourth beast, came forward and as he did, the other three made way.

"Elder Martial brother Simel", Zetsa said respectfully. "The issue between me and little sister Rarahel is personal. Please forget what she said".

As he heard his big sister talk, Zax realized two important things. The first was that the ape type beast, Simel, was one of the three elder apprentices of his big sister's Master, and was genuinely grander than Zetsa herself. The second thing was that, despite her greeting, between his big sister and that silver horn Rarahel was a cold and complicated relationship.

"Nonsense, little Zetsa!" Simel raised his voice in disagreement.

Though he was the eldest of the present apprentices of the same Master, his appearance as a beast could only be counted as meager in comparison to the other four beasts. Being a Silver Skin Gorilla, most of Simel's body looked like that of a hairy muscular silvery man, around a meter and ninety centimeters tall, with a piece of leather cloth covering the loincloth and a gorilla head. Nonetheless, his tone of voice possessed a unique noble sound and his demeanor when he spoke his mind was highly oppressing.

"When brothers and sisters fight, parents are punished!" His words held meaning that was mutual to all of his junior apprentices and there was nothing else he needed to add to make them submit.

"Greetings, senior Martial brother Simel, this one is Zax Zel, nice to meet you!" Zax hurriedly said when Simel disregarded the others and approached him.

"Hmm..." Was Simel's first response after an azure luster gleamed in his eyes. 'I see what uncle talked about ... brave boy!' He said to himself. 'Poor sister... ' He thought back to how Zetsa must feel, knowing for what she brought him.

"Say, little brother", Simel turned to Zax. "What kind of beast's meat, did little sister Zetsa made you eat on your journey here?"

"What?" Zax was dumbfounded by the question and why it was asked. It was true that on their way to this cave Zetsa hunted and cooked for him some beast's meat, but was it safe to admit it to another beast?!

"Big brother Simel, we had no time to properly search for something special ... the best was a shallow water turtle". Zetsa answered in Zax's stead.

"'Shallow water turtle'? Ba!" Simel spat. "Don't reduce yourself again for this crappy wild beast, little sister Zetsa. Listen up, little one", he turned to Zax. "If our Master will truly accept you, I personally will take you for a hunt, and so will the others!" Simel promise was absolute and even the others had to give their consent, primarily because it was an actual tradition that started by their eldest Martial brother.

"Martial uncle!" Simel suddenly turned and called out. The other five, excluding Zax, were a bit slower to call in the same obsequious conduct.

'Big sis's Martial uncle? Is he the one who found me?' Zax pondered. For a few seconds now his big sister's brothers and sisters kept their bowing posture in austerity. They did not emitted mist or soul energy; however, the air they were giving became tense and sultry, so much that Zax found himself spellbound with his gaze to the ground.

"Martial nephews and nieces". A husky voice broke the silence and the six apprentices straightened, Simel first, Shulip last and Zax imitated.

The imperious figure of Martial uncle overshadowed the impression that Zax received from the five beasts apprentices. Martial uncle figure was completely black from his hoofs to the tip of his crown like set of horns atop his stag head. Except for his posture only his burly torso looked like that of a man, though it was coated by shining black fur. These two features of him were the sole indications that he, too, was a humanoid beast.

"Zax, he is my esteem Martial uncle Kartius, hurry up and greet him!" Zetsa urged Zax.

"Greetings, senior Martial uncle Kartius, this one is Zax Zel, nice to meet you!" Zax said and as he lowered his head again he had an acute feeling that something was off with this Martial uncle, yet he could not determine what it was.

"Joined me around the table". Kartius told Zax and the others and proceeded to sit next to the table.

"Martial uncle, what about Master?" Zetsa asked. She hopped that her Master will be more amenable toward her brother if he will meet him and see in him what he saw in her.

"Big brother won't come". Kartius said bluntly.

"Did you not call him, Mes?" Zetsa looked at her Martial little brother heatedly, pondering if he had the audacity to disobey her in fear that their Master will catch on about him doing something stupid.

"No, no, no, big sissster Zetsa! Martial uncle toldsss me not to call Master!" Mes said defensively.

"Indeed I told him". Kartius responded to Mes's imploring gaze for help. "Zax's stay here was left for me to decide". Saying so far, the six apprentices understood their Master's intention.

Zax was allowed to stay in the cave, but his cultivation will not be supported by Master's care.

"Martial uncle Kartius!" Zax abruptly raised his voice firmly, shocking the six.

Which one of them, ever in his or her life, dared raising their manner of speech in front of their Martial uncle?

"Please allow me to stay and train and become as strong as my big sis ... No! Stronger than anyone here!"

"Zax!" Zetsa barked.

"Bahaha!" Simel burst out laughing.

"How impudent!" Rarahel criticized.

"Ssss, future Martial brother Zax, ssss". Mes was also amused.

Tularg and Shulip preferred to keep their opinion privately.

Zax ignored everyone but Kartius. He thought that it will be more appropriate for him to bow his head when he opened his mouth and shocked everyone, but an audacious feeling in his heart instructed him to stay unyielding as his will and the person that he aspires to be.

"Boy", Kartius said and everyone fell silent. "Don't let your condition abolish rational thinking. I see that your soul is at the top of level D. That fast of a progress combined with the only other path that you have, certainly makes you a promising practitioner of the Martial path. But, the path to becoming stronger is embedded with more than just the difficulty of cultivation. On your own territory it won't mean much, but here it's a different matter. I'll say without beating around the bush, stay here and it's more likely that you will lose something important or die by someone else, sooner than you may imagine!"