Rise(Calypso/Kenichi)

It had been a few days since Kenichi had leveled his fellow cultivator in the midst of his excitement, forcing her to be on bed rest for a few days. He was not a man of many regrets but perhaps this would be his only one. It was not honorable to overpower those trying to reach their way to the top. He wanted to see Calypso succeed on her path and be a great Gandr.

Fortunately, he made sure she was accommodated well and made sure his mother or their servants tended to clean or replace her pillows when they could. Kenichi was training within his room, repeating a series of push-ups. He was shirtless because his training involved a lot of sweating - most forms did - and he hated the idea of having to wash clothes if he didn't need to. Whenever Calypso woke back up, she was free to treat herself to what she wanted. Food, meal, or even a new pair of clothes. She could even be mad at him for taking her out of commission for a few days.

With the arrival of Hvit's presence, the atmosphere of the room had shifted tremendously. It was if a ruler had descended to pass judgment. Her aura, both glorious and terrifying, was a true sight to behold. Kenichi rose up from the ground to face the woman as he listened to her speak. He was uncertain if he had met the woman before and yet she seemed very much familiar with him. Even so, a few words stood out to him.

"Passion, unbridled and undirected."

"Her Presence."

There was only one woman who he recalled had left enough of an impact on him to learn from. He was no fool. He made the conclusion as soon as she finished that last sentence. Ulv Auber. The rival he could never usurp but one he admired endlessly all the same. The apex he only dreamed of reaching.

He bent down on one knee, fist to palm, as a form of respect to the woman's presence. He gazed at her quietly as he spoke.

"It is true. I learned nothing from my many spars with that grand woman. I lost myself to the excitement of a spar and sidelined my fellow cultivator, sister Calypso, for a few days. I don't house many regrets within my heart, but in order to learn, I must let this one linger."

He took the time to gaze into her eyes and ask one question that ate away his current curiosity. "Those words you uttered just now match only one woman in my mind. You were familiar with Ulv, too?"

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwHHagLkmtE)

Kenichi found himself awed by the sudden transition of the atmosphere as the terror that once assaulted his senses now found itself swept away by gentle grace. She still stood as magnanimous as ever but there was no longer a terrifying aura that surrounded her. Her beauty was otherworldly and her pale complexion made her almost seem as if she were a phantasm created from the mind.

His attention was captured with her words at the mere utterance of Ulv's name. The Bear Queen spoke of Ulv and how her passion, though a mighty thing, became a troubling bane due to being unable to control it properly. This advice held meaning to Kenichi far beyond anything else.

He had never found a warrior who captivated his spirits and humbled him as much as he did with Ulv. Even beyond her godlike martial prowess, the woman wore kindness on her sleeves and healed him every time, encouraging him to face her until he broke through. A small tear ran down his face as he rose up, kowtowing before the queenly woman yet again.

"Though I only knew her for a short time, Ulv was a woman who left a significant impact on my soul. Her passion and spirit for life, to say nothing of her techniques, had left an imprint on my spirits. I thank you for gracing me with your presence, Hvit. I wish to be an honorable fighter, to help my fellow cultivators, and rise together in unity. My lack of self-control could've killed a woman who has yet to truly live. Your advice will never leave my spirits. I must control my passions and not let myself be consumed by them."

Kenichi truly meant every word of what he had said as if the woman's presence was akin to a god that had granted him with significant, life-altering advice - which to him, simplistic as it was - was not that far off. He posed one more question that had eaten away at him for months.

"Do... do you know what happened to Ulv? Being so connected to her, did she sever ties with you or... did something else happen to her? I tried to bury it at the bottom of my heart but seeing you now, I only desire to know if she is still among us or if she met her end..."

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwHHagLkmtE)

As the woman crouched down beside him, Kenichi turned to face her with an undivided focus in his eyes. Hvit was a wise woman and it was only respectful to listen to wise spirits when they aimed to teach you a lesson. Each word that danced from her lips made the entire retelling feel as though he was listening to a legendary yet cautionary tale about what it meant to give your all to the world, only for the world to turn its back on you when you needed them the most.

Another tear formed in his eye, one shed in mourning for the woman who had given so much and received nothing at the end. Part of him wished that he had formed a stronger bond with her, that he could've told her how much she meant to him and her impact on his life.

Would that have changed anything? They had only known each other for a few months, whereas the bonds she shared with the others seemed to last much longer. If there was one relief to be found in all that she had said, then it was the peace she found in death.

The weight had finally been released from her shoulders and she could rest in peace. For a warrior of her mettle, a painless death was well-deserved. Kenichi, in all his passion, held back any further tears. It was unbecoming of a man to look so lowly before a regal entity as was the woman who was beside him. Ulv would have likely punched him, too. He knew on some base level that she'd likely tell him to keep on going on his path and control himself, to balance his fury with his gentle spirit. It was a true blessing to see Hvit, to be given this closure, and for her to bestow upon him a necessary knowledge.

"It pains me to know she had endured such a vicious cycle towards the end of her life. What a horrifying fate. To offer the world your heart and yet they spit on it in your time of need. Admiration compels me to say she certainly deserved better but I... am content in knowing she met a peaceful end and that you still live on, Lady Hvit. I am honored you felt I was worthy of sharing your presence, to say nothing of this revelation of Ulv's passing. I will miss her, no doubt, but if I could honor her memory and the lesson you've bestowed upon me, I would consider that true progress. Will I ever see you again?"

Kenichi was not certain of how long Hvit would remain here but he was a man who wore bonds on his sleeves. She took time out of whatever she spent her day doing to give him life advice. He did not take such matters lightly.

It was a revelatory morning for the young martial artist but one he hardly rejected. Hvit's advice had given him a glimpse into Ulv's world and closure for the space the woman held in his own. Even if she wasn't a role model, he had always viewed her as a woman who enjoyed life to the fullest. There was a profound beauty in the way she approached her obstacles in life.

In any case, Hvit had said something that caused a warm smile to form on his face. He had no intentions of treating Calypso with anything but kindness. If she so desired, he would be a guiding force, a stepping stone for young gandr on her way to greatness.


"As a man, my honor would never allow me to make a false promise but I can say... I have nothing but kindness in my heart for my fellow cultivator. Her spirit is truly astounding! That she houses such a regal existence within her body - even more so. To guide others to the precipice you dream of reaching should be a goal any man or woman should aspire to, and I am no different. I'll just... tone it down when we spar again," he quipped with a sheepish laugh.