The Tan'Mara ... .the ancient art passed down from our ancestors… no, from all ancestors across the five main races. Whether you are a Durvakian, Elemarit, Etherian, FaunDrakin, or even GarganTra, you must learn this art at a young age. It doesn't matter if it's taught by your parents or your friends, ya must learn it, Human. Grak'Mar raised his right palm and revealed a symbol.
"This is the symbol of our Durvakian race," he said. "It can only be obtained once ya have mastered the Tan'Mara. And if ya ask any race who has mastered it, they too will have a symbol, one that matches their own kind."
Nibsken nodded and showed his own hand, revealing the same Durvakian mark. "Every race has their symbol once they master it."
Grak'Mar continued, "If Might is a blessing given by Him, then the Tan'Mara is an art we created ourselves."
Kael nodded slowly. "So… how am I supposed to train this… Tamana thing?"
"It's called Tan'Mara, genius human," Nibsken said with an irritated sigh.
"Well, yeah, the Tan'Mara thing. How do I learn it? Are you going to teach me?" Kael asked curiously.
Suddenly, the bushes surrounding them rustled violently, as if thousands of unseen eyes were staring at them.
"I'll teach you, human," Nibsken said, "but first we need to deal with the Infected Trevians."
"Wait, they're already here!? I'm not ready. How am I supposed to fight—"
"Relax, human. First, we get inside these pillars," Grak'Mar said.
They stepped into a circular formation of seven crystal pillars. A thin ring of wind-type Might spun gently around them. The swirling current acted as bait, drawing in the Infected Trevians that could sense even the slightest disturbance in Might.
"As soon as the Infected Trevians stepped inside this formation, Nibsken would shut off his wind-type Might. We don't have much Might energy to maintain this formation," Grak'Mar explained to Kael.
Suddenly—
Krek! Krek!
A sharp cracking noise echoed through the forest, like branches snapping violently.
"What was that sound?" Kael whispered.
"Well, human, that's them." Nibsken grinned, lifting his chin. "Come here, Infected Beast!"
His expression shifted into something serious. The Durvakian symbol on his palm glowed faintly.
Nibsken lowered into a horse stance and clenched his fist like someone was ready to fight.
Then
KREEEEK!
A thin, thorn-covered silhouette with blazing red eyes darted into the circle. The moment it spotted Kael, it lunged at him with terrifying speed.
Kael panicked, his legs frozen.
KREEEEK!! it screeched.
Just as Kael braced to dodge—
THUD!
The Infected Trevian collapsed to the ground.
Kael blinked. Nibsken was suddenly standing right in front of him, his leg extended as if he had just finished a kick. A faint white smoke drifted off Nibsken's right foot.
Kael looked down.
The Trevian lay motionless, its neck twisted unnaturally, clearly broken.
"How's that, Ogre?" Nibsken asked smugly, lowering his foot.
"Hah! You actually have something to show, Goblin!" Grak'Mar laughed while holding back several more Infected Trevians with one massive hand and his axe. They struggled at the edge of the circle, waiting for Nibsken to finish teaching Kael the Tan'Mara.
Kael stared wide-eyed. "Is… that what you guys called Tan'Mara?"
"Yeah, human! But it takes a long time to be able to do that" Nibsken answered proudly.
"Woah! I wanna do that too, Nibsken!" Kael exited.
"Hahaha! You're fired up, human!" Nibsken laughed loudly.
"Alright, then. Let me show you the most basic thing first."
He lowered into a stable stance. "Make your stance like this."
Kael followed, crouching slightly to match him.
"Good. Now you're in a ready position," Nibsken said. "I'll teach you how to throw your first punch."
"Alright, Nibsken. I'll follow."
Nibsken nodded. "Maintain your stance. Clench your right fist… turn it upside down… then pull it back to the side of your chest."
Kael followed carefully, though his posture was still shaky.
"Now open your left palm like this, aim it toward your enemy."
Nibsken demonstrated.
Kael mirrored him, pointing his open palm toward the Infected Trevians that Grak'Mar was holding back.
Alright… now listen, human," Nibsken said. "If ya wanna attack, you push ya right hand forward, and at the same time, retract ya left hand back to its first position of Ya right hand, then return to your side, like this."
He demonstrated the movement slowly and cleanly.
"Ogre! Give me one!"
"Alright!" Grak'Mar replied. He released one of the Infected Trevians into the circle.
KREEK!
The creature rushed toward Nibsken like a rabid animal.
Nibsken stepped forward and punched. His movements were smooth, almost like flowing water. But the moment his fist connected with the Trevian's face—
THUD!
Another Trevian collapsed.
Kael stood frozen, shocked speechless.
"Well, human," Nibsken said proudly, "that's how ya do it. But before I let you punch any of them, you'll punch the air until I say stop. I want ya form perfect before you fight one of these things."
"Alright, Master of Tan'Mara," Kael said, eyes gleaming.
"Hahahaha! Good, human!" Nibsken laughed.
Kael and Nibsken began training intensely, punching left and right in rhythm.
ZAAP! ZAAP!
Nibsken made a sharp sound with every punch, and Kael copied him exactly, repeating the motion nonstop. Meanwhile, Grak'Mar casually held back several Infected Trevians with one hand and an axe, as if they weighed nothing.
As they continued training, the once-quiet forest grew louder. People of different races wandered nearby, attempting to hunt Trevians or gather rare forest resources like berries. But due to the spread of the Infected Trevians, those resources had become scarce and their market price had skyrocketed.
Some considered chopping down a few trees, but that would only draw more Infected Trevians, making things harder. So they simply gathered what they could.
Around them, hunters of many races prowled the forest, seeking silver coins from captured Trevians or sometimes, just testing their Might for fun. Occasionally, Grak'Mar greeted them, explaining the situation.
"So, you're using Infected Trevians for training, huh?" asked a fire elemental, his bird-like humanoid companion perched nearby.
"Yeah, that human just wanna train Tan'Mara," Grak'Mar replied while holding a few Infected trevians.
"Oh, Tan'Mara, huh? Well, he better train hard for that," the fire elemental said.
"Ya he has a long way to go," Grak'Mar smiled and nodded.
"We usually hunt here, so don't worry too much about us. Just keep training," said the black hawk FaunDrakin, his large yellow beak and black feathers gleaming. Then they walked away.
"That Ogre is quite strong…..," The fire elemental praises Grak'Mar as he walks away with his friend.
Grak'Mar still held three Infected Trevians in one hand, standing effortlessly. The creatures struggled as if trying to push a rock, but he simply crushed them with his bare hands and waited for the next wave. The other hunters proved more effective today. Since they were still near the forest entrance, only a few Infected Trevians appeared.
ZAAP! ZAAP!
`Kael's punches echoed through the clearing.
Nibsken turned to watch him. Kael's form and stance were improving. Sweat drenched his head, but he pressed on, his blue eyes shining with limitless ambition.
Nibsken smiled. Kael's technique wasn't perfect yet but he was trying. Trying to become what most races feared. Trying to achieve what every other race desired but didn't dare pursue. He had no Might, yet he refused to rely on excuses. Every punch, every motion, was proof that his strength came from determination, ingenuity, and sheer willpower, a human forging his path where even the strongest feared to tread.
He had been given Might by no one but he had determination. Everyone could see it. Nibsken knew Kael was strong. Just hearing that this human wanted to become a Realm Protector without a single ounce of Might in his body, that was the bravest thing anyone could attempt.
"Alright, human! I think that's enough."
"Enough? You think I'm ready to fight an Infected Trevian like that?" Kael asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"I don't know… but we can try, right?" Nibsken replied.
"Wait, Nibsken, I'm—"
"One Infected Trevian, Ogre!" Nibsken said to Grak'Mar in a tone like ordering a drink.
"Glad you asked, Goblin! I just got one who wanted to enter the cage. There ya go!" Grak'Mar release the Mishanter into the cage.
KREEEK!
One Infected Trevian lunged at Kael as Grak'Mar tossed it into the cage.
Kael reacted immediately, waiting for the perfect timing. Then he delivered the punch taught by Nibsken.
ZAAAAP! Kael screamed, just as Nibsken had instructed.
His fist connected with the creature's chest. It felt like hitting a tree branch, hard, unyielding and painful. The Trevian recoiled slightly, but it wasn't finished.
Kael glanced at his front hand. The skin was scratched.
The creature lunged again. KREEEK!
Kael wavered. His horse stance faltered he didn't know if he could handle this second assault.
"Human! Maintain your stance!" Nibsken shouted.
Kael nodded, took a deep breath, and steadied himself.
KREEEK!
The Infected Trevian charged once more.
Kael swung with his left hand, hitting the same spot on its chest. KREEEEK!
The creature shrieked, its hard, log-like chest bruising under Kael's fist. His hand trembled from the impact, but his eyes remained locked on the Trevian, unwavering.
The fight continued with the same rhythm, Nibsken and Grak'Mar watching closely.
ZAAAAP!
KREEEK!
ZAAPPP!
Kael's hands were red and nearly bleeding, sweat streaming down his face. He moved constantly, yet maintained his stance with fierce determination.
Forty punches later, the Infected Trevian's chest was destroyed. It collapsed to the ground, leaving visible red marks across its chest, Kael's own blood.
Kael had won, but he lay gasping on the ground, staring at his wounded hands.
PANT! PANT!
"YAAAA! I won!" Kael shouted, clenching his fists despite the pain, blood dripping onto his face. The exhilaration of victory overpowered the hurt.
"Ha! Good one, human!" Grak'Mar cheered, celebrating his success.
Kael struggled to stand, his fists throbbing.
"Are you okay, human?" Nibsken rushed toward him.
"Yeah… Nibsken… but I don't think I can continue my training."Kael looked at his bleeding hand.
"Yeah… that looks bad, human," Nibsken admitted.
"Alright, we should end ya training and heal ya hands," Grak'Mar said, standing tall.
The forest was quiet now; the hunters had cleared out the remaining Infected Trevians.
"Alright then…"
With that, Grak'Mar deactivated the crystal pillars surrounding him by touching the crystal pillars one by one. The structures sank back into the earth. He dropped to one knee, panting, completely out of breath. Even holding a static structure for just two hours had drained a huge portion of his Might energy.
If he had to maintain something like this for days… especially against the Mishanter…
That was a truly terrifying thought.
"So, human," Nibsken asked, "how are we going to heal your hands? Might doesn't work on ya, right?"
"Yeah… but remember how I healed Reyvik's burn injury back then?" Kael replied.
"Oh, that forest-dog burns his hand, right?" Nibsken teased, mocking Reyvik.
"Yeah… I can use that method for myself as well. The liquid from that plant that grows beside Might crystals," Kael said.
"Okay then! Where can we get it for ya?" Nibsken asked.
"Well, I think I extracted a few bottles of it. They should be in the underground level of Kallidorra Forgehold. I'm pretty sure I put them in a box on my desk," Kael replied.
"Well, I'll ask Liraen to pick them up for ya before your Bilah training, then…" Nibsken suggested.
"Yeah, thanks, Nibsken," Kael said, smiling faintly.
They packed their things and left the forest. Kael's hands were bandaged with pieces of Grak'Mar's cloth. They still throbbed with pain but as the saying went, no pain, no gain.