Eske's UnoNE

Eske reaches for Silfu's hand taking it in as he slowly started to close his eyes a bit. It was a bit unnerving as he had to surround himself in a somewhat tranquil environment that will enable you to focus exclusively on the task at hand and avoid external stimuli and distractions, or at least he that's what he heard. (1)

Naturally, he was already somewhat attuned with natural energy as he drew it into his body constantly, and expelled it out, but he never exactly fully allowed it to sink in until now. A small breath escapes his mouth after he noted how uncomfortable every was after he was set in motion, but he was reassured by the World Tree behind him, it was more of a calming feeling than anything he's really felt beyond today. (2)

As for the training, one would have to remain still, right? Eske could not properly recall doing such a thing as he was always active, but that was how he had used to absorb natural energy throughout his pours in his body. Right now, he was in a perfect meditative space underneath the World Tree. A small breath escaped his mouth as he started to clear away some of the distractions in his mind around him, but when he did this, when he could no longer hear anything, he felt a heavy sense of isolation. Perhaps he was not used to this feeling? Maybe just the thought of nearing nothing, seeing nothing, etc. just made him feel empty inside? (3)

He did not exactly know as a cold breath escaped his mouth as he started to relax his senses briefly to become more aware of the sounds of nature around him. He sighed to himself as he started to relax a bit while taking in the sounds around him from the snow melting and falling onto the leaves, the birds nesting within the tree to the wolves being on the move in the distance. He never fully realized how nature truly connected everyone in a different plane after he opened himself to it all. (4)

A small breath left the Quraishi’s mouth as he attempted to circulate and properly become ‘one with nature’, but something still bothered him greatly. Was it Kaine again? It was impeding his progress during this meditative practice after all. He sighed to himself as he simply wanted to focus on what was around him as he took in more of the vast natural energy being supplied around him by the World Tree. (5)

Now that was a feeling he could not quite describe; it was like a dam being ruptured open and water just spewing out of the opening. At first, Eske was overwhelmed by it all, it was intoxicating to the Quraishi as he could take in such refined natural energy, and properly mold it into his body and contain it into something new. (6)

A breath released from his mouth as he could feel himself starting to get a bit more uncomfortable with the task. His body is in a comfortable position that he could sustain for a reasonable amount of time, he couldn’t properly focus his mind as he was more distracted about the feeling of fire within him and the taught of him becoming a bit more like Kaine, if that was possible if he gained more power. (7)

A breath escaped his mouth as the element of flame started to slowly kindle within him as he continued to clear the turbulence in his mind. He heard that he’d be able to find peace under a tree or sitting on some lush grass in a favorite corner of a garden, but really all he could feel was the snow melting under his near and the overwhelming energy being stored in his body involuntarily. (8)

The wildfires continued to conflagrate in his mind as the overabundance of energy continued to weigh on him heavily. He once again felt the temptation to take in more than he wanted to do so, did not know what came over him, was it just the nature of being a Quraishi kicking in again? He knew he felt it before, but this time was overwhelming. (9)

Eske’s breathing became more erratic as he broke his concentration and broke off a bit. He needed to calm himself, or something, just getaway. He could feel his temptations as a Quraishi rising to gain more power, but why was he like this? Was it because he was getting more energy flown through him by Silfu? (10)

Honestly, he was scared to see what would happen, mostly scared of himself. He knew the capabilities he could possibly wrought; it all went back to two individuals, Hafgrim and Kaine. Their presence still ruled over his mind as he attempted to regain his composure as he thought of the last time, he saw them. (11)

He remembered an influx of emotions overtaking him at once at one point. He had to grip his chest a bit to slowly calm himself down as he splashed water on his face a bit as he shook his head a bit. He needed a way to overcome this if he wanted to progress through his, and it was not like he could challenge and fight Hafgrim himself or Kaine who abandoned his duties during the war. (12)

He also knew that Quraishis were naturally like this at some point in time. But who did he have to crush to get there? Why? His greatest fear was if he truly would end up losing himself if he did this or not. He knew he’d eventually have to take more lives to reach such a goal, but... was he truly okay with stepping on others to further his goals? (13)

In all honestly, Eske did not know. At some point in time, he was content with his current progress before he felt like it was simply not enough anymore. But would he lose the friends he made? Make more enemies? How would the people he knew currently view him upon taking the Path of Power that all Quraishis would eventually take? (14)

These questions continued to plague his mind before he sighed to himself. The flame nature that was in his body warmed him a bit despite the cold as he removed his fur clothing. If he were going to walk such a path, he would just take the plunge, he did not want to lose what made him after all. When he returned, he was a bit calmer, he still did not have the answers to his question, but he did not want to idle forever until he came up with a solution, he just wanted to be like the flames and set those thoughts ablaze with the path he chose. (15)

Taking Silfu’s hand again, he released a breath as he sat himself down again as he slowly closed his eyes. He returned to the place that could truly calm himself as he started to focus his thoughts once again. He heeded Nano’s advice about returning to their roots as humans, back to nature, given what he was meant that he was a bit closer to this goal like the Lycans and Nagas after all. Given his natural ability to absorb natural energy he could take in more than required for Humans, but what if he were able to mold it? (16)

He did not know the outcome, but he at least knew he was able to control his urges a bit if he is able to pass this trail. When his mind was calm, he could feel at peace again, when he was still he could focus on his surroundings of nature, he could once again hear the animals within the world tree, the wolves and mammoths in the vast area of Vetur, among other things. (17)

He sighed as he was feeling a vast array of information just from meditating. He didn’t quite get it, but he felt like a calm flame igniting around his body warming himself as he continued along the path of meditating. From where he sat, he could feel the others around him, and all the way in Jontar where he could sense Valymr and Aksi, and another? He did not know them, but he could sense some familiarity to them as he released a breath as he truly felt a tranquil warming presence around himself. (18)

A calming breath continued to circulate through as he continued to explore his warming feeling, was it the flame he continued to avoid? He had to accept such a nature as it was apart of himself, and nature as it acted like a natural recycling agent however, if left unkept it would lay waste to around it conflagrates those around it. He wanted to accept such a dangerous element. Eske found that fire was misunderstood as such, but he soon released a breath, he knew he had to make this an extension of his own being like Kaine did with the nature of wind. (19)

He released a breath as he started to feel more attuned with fire. He knew the duality it was with it as without nothing to tame it fire would spread and destroy everything in its path as he continued to think of this concept as some did think of fire being the destroyer of life, but Eske wanted to further this as fire was life given its capabilities. (20)

He muttered a small mantra to himself as he continued his meditation, he did this whenever he could feel his focus starting to wane before it would drift to the depths he just came back from. Eske released his thoughts out through the various natural energy that was building through him. He sighed as he continued to remain still as he attempted to balance the natural energy within himself. (21)

First, he had to do the rather easy task of seeking balance with himself and the energy itself, which was a lot easier said than one as he had to circulate the energy in his body, knead it and feed it to the fire within, if he fed it too much it would go berserk causing his mind to flush with power and consume more, while too little would send his body into a weakened state. He also ran the risk that he could possibly petrify and turn into stone, something he didn’t want to happen. (22)

Eske never truly knew why he was never thought this by Skaupr or Kaine, maybe he simply was not ready? He would not know, but he did know he still craved power, but he had to simply gain it. He did not want to fight that craving anymore because he could not bear with it any longer, and it was simply apart of him. So, he figured he would just accept that reality. (23)

Knowing this much about himself, he felt pretty at ease with himself, but he still needed to change, at least he felt like it. He still had some issues attempting to better himself through meditation as he felt a bit more peaceful, but he was also uncomfortable. Admitting this to himself, he felt as though he had to continue to grow because he felt this way. (24)

Eske straightened himself as he meditated relax his torso with the only slight effort being used to maintain his balance. Whenever he felt tension, relax the area. If he could not relax it without slumping, he repositioned his posture as he continued to remain still as he circulated the natural energy through his body. (25)

Once Eske has grown accustomed to meditation, he started to see a vivid image of fire. When he stared at the image, he felt a relaxing sensation, yet he was also feeling alert as he reached his hand towards the fire. Was this the combination of natural energy inside him? What would happen if he touched it? (26)

When he breathed, he became aware of the rising and falling of his abdomen as air breathe in and out. As he did this the flame lighten before diming along the time he cycled through breathing. He stretched his hand towards the fire as he allowed it to bathe in his hand. (27)

The fire felt warm, it did not burn his body as it slowly crept up from his hand up to his arm. Was this how Kaine felt when he finally learned to completely understand the capacity of natural energy? Maybe? He could not find him, after all, to really confirm this. All he knew was his own experience and how it would shape him. (28)

Eske with his realization concluded, he wanted to become more like fire, wild, but warm, destructive yet natural. But most importantly, powerful. He clasped this feeling in his hand as he felt himself surging with understanding, mostly of himself and now Quraishis are, at least this was his own conclusion of things to come. (29)

When he opened his eyes, he did not immediately feel a change in himself, but he did feel different, he felt warmer ever since he touched that ‘fire’ within himself. "I see." He told himself as he released a hot breath from his mouth. "So, this is what it feels like, I can somewhat understand Kaine, in a sense." (30)