20 Cultivation! (2/2)

The other nobles followed closely behind. Finally as he reached the altar, the anvils reached the last two statues. These were not smiths but, as Darius assumed, were actually Spirit Knights. The knight statues then took up the sword and shield, faced the Spiritsmiths and took a knee, bowing their heads to the Smiths.

The white carpet that was laid on the path between the statues leading up to the altar went was in the form of a capital 't'. So the man gestured with his hand for Darius to kneel at the far end of the room to the left. Lara kneeling and the other nobles kneeling beside him.

”Stretch out your hands.” the man's clear voice rang out. And two spheres appeared in each one Darius' hands. They resembled giant, magical marbles. One was slightly reddish, while the other was a pale grey. As Darius held them he could feel there was something about them. It was as if there was something inside them.

”Now cultivate.” he simply said as he walked off.

Darius looked at Lara and the other nobles. Who seemed to be in deep concentration.

”What does he mean by 'cultivate'?” he looked down at the two spheres in his hands, and immediately recognized one of them. It was the one he had made earlier in the arena. It felt alive in his hands as the orbs vibrated.

Darius put the other one down and focused on the one he'd made. The energy he could feel sent ripples throughout his entire body. He closed his eyes and focused on it. He could feel the energy fluctuating inside. He could see it in his mind as the energy began to travel up his arms and down his body, stopping just below his navel. Just as he began to feel a warm sensation there, something else happened. The energy exploded inside of him. Spreading like wild fire throughout his body. Darius suddenly stood up. He could feel a rush of energy coursing through his veins.

”Whoah!”

He had never felt anything like this in his life. He could feel it as it entered every fiber of his being. The energy was becoming his own. The first orb was depleted, so Darius grabbed the next one, cupping it in both hands he absorbed all the energy contained inside him. The other nobles began to feel the exact same thing. An energy rushing through them.

His heart raced and Darus felt something he had never felt before. He felt the urge to fight. He picked his hammer up, eager for something to kill with it.

The man reappeared behind them. ”For those of you that will be going on to the next trials, you Spirit Knight training will begin now.”