Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water

Chapter 254: Master Lorcan of Fogbeach

The sea breeze of Fogbeach was quite pleasant to Lassim as his water mana connection and bond to Mari seemed invigorated being so close to such a large body of water once more.

The air of Fogbeach carried the tang of salt, the crisp freshness of the ocean, and a strange, electric hum that seemed to hang in the air.

The further he walked into the coastal city, the more he could feel the underlying presence of the lightning-infused runes that coursed through the architecture that seemed out of place with the other coastal beach cities he’d visited so far.

The city, with its tall stone walls and runic designs, was clearly built with the Lightning Sect’s influence in every inch of its construction.

Fogbeach stretched along a wide coastline, the beach itself dotted with fishing boats, merchant vessels, and further out on the horizon, the faint shapes of larger ships drifting lazily in the water. The docks were bustling with workers loading and unloading crates, but there was a certain quiet efficiency to their movements that made Lassim feel the place was a well-oiled machine.

While the city wasn’t grand or sprawling, it was certainly large enough to house several thousand people comfortably, and the pristine streets and well-maintained buildings gave an impression of wealth despite its remote location.

Lassim followed the Spirit Ascension guard who had greeted him, his gaze wandering to the city’s inhabitants. They seemed calm, going about their daily routines without much concern for the devastation that had befallen other parts of the continent during the war.

It was strange to think that while the Lightning Sect’s headquarters had been ravaged by the conflict, this city had remained untouched, its citizens largely unaffected by the chaos that had engulfed the Southern Continent.

"Fogbeach seems really peaceful," Lassim commented as they made their way through the streets, the soft hum of the runes beneath their feet barely audible.

The guard nodded. "It is. We were fortunate to have been spared the brunt of the war, though it’s thanks in no small part to Master Lorcan’s presence. He’s kept the city stable and well-protected. The pirates and merchants that come through know better than to cause trouble here.

Though, with the recent changes in Sitnalta’s protection fees towards the merchants, we’ve had a few issues with the rising costs of goods."

Lassim raised an eyebrow. "Sitnalta? What do you mean protection fees?"

The man nodded in reply, his expression growing slightly more serious. "Yes. They’ve been increasing their fees for maritime protection. As I’m sure you’re aware, it is dangerous to cross the sea from any other continent and one of the common things to do is seek escorts from Sitnalta or to have the merfolk manipulate the waters to speed up the journey.

It’s becoming harder for merchants sailing through these waters to us, and that’s impacting our economy as they just tack on the cost of the escorts to the buyers.

He sighed, continuing, "We’re pretty much stuck with paying for whatever price they’re asking since a lot of what they bring are things we can’t buy here. The war may not have touched us directly, but it has affected the region in other ways.

The justification is that they don’t want to be implicated in whatever is going on down here and they’ve labeled the southern continent as dangerous to get close to."

Lassim frowned slightly, taking in the information. It made sense that even a peaceful city like Fogbeach wouldn’t be entirely immune to the ripple effects of the sect war, but it was still surprising that they hadn’t requested any assistance at all from the Lightning Sect.

The fact that they hadn’t sent for help at all was one of the reasons why Volten had sent him here in the first place. Fogbeach was an anomaly, and Volten left a note in the file that said Master Lorcan was known for being somewhat stubborn when it came to accepting additional influences or favors from the sect.

"I see," Lassim said thoughtfully. "Well, that’s part of why I’m here. Sect Master Volten wanted me to check on things, see if there’s anything that can be done to help. Perhaps we could send a liaison to Sitnalta or a message to let them know the war is over, but I’ll need to meet with Master Lorcan to make sure."

The guard gave a knowing smile. "Master Lorcan’s not one to ask for help, even when it’s needed. But I think you’ll find things are running smoothly enough without it. He’s just… a tough man."

They arrived at the central tower building of Fogbeach—a large, imposing structure that overlooked the city from its highest point like a lighthouse. Lightning runes pulsed along the outer walls, forming a latticework of power that protected the building from both natural and magical threats.

It was an impressive sight, the energy within the runes thrumming with a gentle hum, giving the whole tower an aura of power and authority.

"Master Lorcan is inside," the man said, gesturing toward the heavy wooden doors that led into the tower’s main hall. "He’s already expecting you, so just head on in."

Lassim thanked the man with a nod and pushed open the doors, stepping into the cool interior of the tower.

The hall was wide and sparsely decorated, but the same intricate lightning runes that adorned the city’s buildings were etched into the walls and floors here as well. The faint crackle of energy was ever-present, like the distant rumble of thunder, and it gave the space a quiet, almost meditative atmosphere.

At the far end of the hall, seated behind a simple wooden desk, was a man. The man looked up as Lassim approached, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the young cultivator.

He was the City Master, Lorcan.

Lorcan’s appearance was striking—he had the appearance of someone who might have been in his forties, with a youthful face and strong build, but there was an undeniable air of age about him. He’d certainly be in the later half of his 5,000s, certainly much older than his own parents by Lassim’s estimate.

His dark purple, nearly black, hair was streaked with two or three strands of silver near his temples, and his eyes, bright and sharp like lightning itself, looked carefully at Lassim.

Lassim couldn’t help but feel a slight jolt of awe as he stood before the Spirit Transcendence stage, level 8 cultivator. There was a calmness to Lorcan, a sense of effortless control that radiated from him.

This was a man who had not only mastered his power but had learned to live with it, to integrate it into every aspect of his being.

"You must be Lassim," Lorcan said, his voice low and steady. He rose from his seat and gave a polite partial head bow nod. "Volten’s new personal disciple, as I’ve been told. Welcome to Fogbeach."

Lassim returned the nod, standing tall and respectful. "Thank you, Master Lorcan. I’ve come on Sect Master Volten’s orders to check on Fogbeach, to see if there’s any assistance you might need."

Lorcan chuckled softly, the sound like the distant roll of thunder. "Always checking in, isn’t he? Well, I’ll save you the trouble. Fogbeach is fine. We’ve had no trouble with the sect war, and while the economy is a bit strained due to Sitnalta’s rising fees, we’re managing."

Lassim raised an eyebrow. "No trouble at all? Not even with pirates?"

Lorcan shrugged. "The pirates know better than to mess with us. I’ve made sure of that personally. And as for the economy, well… that’s a problem beyond our control. But we’re adapting. There’s no need to trouble the sect with it."

The answer was almost too nonchalant, and Lassim couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of frustration.

It was clear that Lorcan was confident in his ability to handle things, but was he really doing everything he could to help the people of Fogbeach? And what about the long-term effects of the war? They should accept help if they need it!

"I’m sure you’re doing an excellent job, Master Lorcan, but the Sect Master wanted me to make sure everything is running as smoothly as possible. If there’s anything at all that Fogbeach needs, even if it’s just additional guards or resources, the sect is ready to provide it."

Lorcan’s eyes flickered with amusement, and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Volten sent a good one, I’ll give him that. Persistent, too. But I assure you, we’re fine. The city runs smoothly under my watch, and I’ve dealt with far worse than a few pirates and rising trade costs."

Lassim frowned slightly, but before he could respond, Lorcan gestured toward the window behind his desk, which looked out over the city and the sea beyond. "Come, take a look."

Lassim stepped forward, peering out over the city.

The view was stunning—the sun had begun its slow descent toward the horizon, casting a warm golden light over the rooftops and the sea. The waves lapped gently against the shore, and in the distance, ships moved slowly across the water, their sails catching the evening breeze.

"Fogbeach has become a city of peace under my watch for the last several thousand years," Lorcan said quietly, his voice becoming pensive and adapting a pensive and reflective tone. "While we’ve been fortunate to avoid the devastation that’s struck other parts of the continent that I’ve read about in the sect’s reports… That doesn’t mean we’re idle.

We’ve built this place to be self-sustaining, to weather whatever storms come our way. The people here are strong. They don’t need handouts from the sect."

Lassim was quiet for a moment, taking in the view.

He could sense the pride that Lorcan had in the city, the way he spoke about it as if it were his own creation, something he had nurtured and protected for years. And perhaps that was true.

"I understand, Master Lorcan," Lassim said carefully. "But even if you don’t need help now, the sect is here to support you. And it’s my job to make sure that Fogbeach remains strong."

Lorcan gave him a sidelong glance, his lips curling into a small, approving smile. "You’ve got a kind head on your shoulders, boy. But trust me when I say, Fogbeach is in good hands."

Lassim nodded, though he still felt a bit unsettled by Lorcan’s confidence. He knew the Spirit Transcendence cultivator was powerful, but he couldn’t couldn’t argue with the visible prosperity and happiness he’d seen in just the first few minutes—Fogbeach was thriving, and the people seemed content.

As they stood there in silence, watching the sun dip lower in the sky, Lassim’s mind wandered back to his real purpose for being here.

The official business of checking on Fogbeach was mostly complete, but he still had another goal in mind—his own growth.

"Master Lorcan," Lassim said slowly, turning to face the older man. "I plan to take another day or so to check your words and explore the city before I report back that I’ve completed my task of assessing the city’s situation. If there’s nothing we can do to aid you, I’ll report back that everything seems to be in order. But I was hoping… I could request something else from you."

Lorcan raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Oh? And what might that be?"

Lassim took a deep breath. "I was wondering if you would be willing to spar with me. My official business was to check the status of the city, but as you can tell, I’m sure Volten would’ve also assumed how our meeting would go.

Unofficially, I’m here to learn and experience the fighting styles and techniques of some of the sect’s strongest warriors that have lots of experience refining their own battle arts. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to see how someone of your caliber fights."

Lorcan’s smile widened, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and approval. "Ah, so that’s what this is about. Well, I must say I’m a bit surprised. Who would’ve thought I’d be up for consideration as one of the sect’s ’strongest warriors’, but I do suppose I’ve got quite a bit of experience."

Lorcan studied him for a moment, then gave a slow nod. "Very well. I’ll spar with you. But don’t expect me to go easy on you just because you’re Volten’s disciple or because you’re just in the Spirit Ascension stage.."

"I wouldn’t dream of it," Lassim said with a sly smile. He was looking forward to giving the old man a nice "shock" when he went all out. He was still stronger than Lassim by several levels, but Lassim was close enough to potentially catch him by surprise.

Lorcan gestured for Lassim to follow him as they left the tower and made their way to a secluded training ground on the outskirts of the city.

It was a large, open space, surrounded by tall stone walls etched with more of the familiar lightning runes. The air was thick with the scent of the sea, and the ground beneath their feet was solid stone, smooth and polished from years of use with the nearby guards barracks adjacent to it.

As they stood opposite each other, several of the city guards with the day off peeked out the windows and started shouting out as a crowd began to form.

Across from Lassim, Lorcan’s expression was calm, but there was an undeniable intensity in his gaze. This was a man who had lived for millennia, was taut and ready.

Lassim, meanwhile, summoned and gripped his halberd tightly, the familiar weight of the weapon that always felt perfectly balanced grounding him as he prepared for the spar.

Lorcan gave a small nod, his eyes flickering with lightning as he adjusted his posture to a wide stance with hands and fingers open wide, "Whenever you’re ready."

Lassim took a deep breath, activating his [Tempest Steps] as his body became a blur of motion, lightning crackling around him as he launched himself forward.