Titan's Throne

Chapter 14- Harmonization

 Chapter 14- Harmonization

Bastian had requested to the General that they stay at the inn for a few days longer. Although the General was at war, so far there had only been minor skirmishes. The real battles had yet to come.

Bastian had told Ben to leave on the next day. He wanted Ben to go the enemy's headquarters and find out as much as he could. This was Ben's specialty, so he was happy to be of use. He immediately left on horseback.

Ben was not a member of the Flaming Winds Army, nor was he well known, so his travels were likely to go unhindered. He then left the majority of the coins he had with Bastian. Bastian gave those coins to V for safe keeping. She could also use them as she wished. This amount of money was not really anything to the two.

....

Inside their room, Bastian was sitting cross legged on the floor. His eyes were closed. Beads of sweat had covered his face, his expression showed deep concentration. V was standing next to him, her arms crossed, looking down on him as if he was her servant.

Bastian opened his eyes and sighed heavily. "It's impossible V. It's not working."

"How? With a soul as powerful as yours, this should be as simple as breathing!" said V, rather displeased.

Since yesterday, V had been trying to get Bastian to achieve Harmonization, so he could begin cultivating. She had assumed that perhaps he did not know how to properly use his Soul Force. So she spent hours, explaining the depths and difficulties of cultivation.

Bastian already knew most of this, due to his background but he humored her and nodded his head like a good boy.

There were however, a few interesting things he did not know. He had always been taught that whether or not one becomes a warrior or a mage depended on one's body. The individual could not decide. V told him otherwise.

According to her whether or not one becomes a warrior or a mage, in other words, whether or not one used qi or mana, was decided by how one guided his or her World Energy during its first circulation.

Apparently warriors had a shorter route, one that never went past one's neckline. Mages on the other hand, had long routes, which always went past the neckline, sometimes even going near their brain. Going to one's brain was not advised in the slightest. One mistake could kill an individual.

Before all of that though, one must achieve Harmonization. This was a state where World Energy transforms one's body, and enters into a harmonious relationship with it. If one possessed two or more affinities, then not only must world energy harmonize with one's body, but the different elemental energies must harmonize with each other, which was far more difficult than normal Harmonization.

Especially in Bastian's case, Water and Fire could not mix. They repel each other. So they were very difficult to harmonize. In such cases, one usually used Soul Force to force the elements into harmony. This was called Forced Harmonization, and it was usually frowned upon by cultivators.

The reason was because people, who used Forced Harmonization, were weaker than those who did it normally. It also shortened one's lifespan. Thus it was used as a last resort. Sebastian's family in the past had forced the boy to attempt it, but alas, his affinity for both elements was too high. The World Energy in his body was too pure for his soul to achieve Forced Harmonization.

V believed Bastian's soul was strong enough, so she pestered him into trying it. Bastian agreed and tried for many hours but failed.

I can even guide world energy into another person's body, why can I not do this in my own? Even if I had perfect affinities for both elements, this should not be as difficult.