Theon's fingers traced the ancient runes etched into the cover of the book as he opened it, the pages within illuminated by a faint, otherworldly glow. The text, written in a language he had never seen before, seemed to shift and pulse with life, as if the words themselves were imbued with the power they described and the heaven shattering secrets they held. But…
'....'
'I can't read it…..'
Theon couldn't read it.
'...'
Theon almost wanted to facepalm for foregoing such a simple fact, but it was too late and there was no point to the action. He had assumed he would be able to read it since he had understood King Lunfen when he spoke…..Theon replayed the memory. No, the ghost's lips hadn't matched the words. Some translation magic then, one that clearly didn't extend to written text.
Moving on Theon began to scan the pages, his eyes darting over the shifting text, searching for anything that might stand out—keywords, diagrams, anything that could offer a clue. The text was complex, but there were patterns that began to take shape in his mind.
The diagrams saved him.
As he flipped through the pages, he spotted a series of intricate diagrams—drawings of a human figure surrounded by swirling lines, marked with points along what looked like channels within the body.
'Meridians.' Theon thought.
King Lunfen had mentioned that his Lu would be circulated in his meridians, so where else would the things which act as channels for his vital energy be if not in his own body.
The meridians were depicted by lines in the body, mirrored on both sides, running from the head to the arms and then to the feet through the torso. They were like an extremely simplified, singular version of blood vessels. The figures were accompanied by blocks of text, likely instructions or explanations, but they were as incomprehensible as the rest of the book.
Still, the diagrams were something tangible, something he could try to understand. He studied them closely, noting the positions of the lines and points on the figure. The patterns were deliberate, flowing in circular motions that seemed to mirror the concept of momentum that Lunfen had described.
'This must be how the technique works,' Theon mused. The lines represented the flow of Lu through the body, and the points were likely key locations in the practitioner's meridians that needed to be activated or stimulated in some way.
The text around the diagrams might hold the answers, but without understanding the language, Theon was left to piece things together from the images alone. He flipped to another page and found a different diagram—this one showing a figure in various stances, the lines of Lu flowing more intensely, almost like a surge of energy that amplified the body's natural movements.
'Momentum…' Theon recognized the idea immediately. The stances were designed to create and harness momentum, likely to kickstart the technique that relied on momentum. He began to understand, at least on a surface level, how the [Momentus Flow Art] might function. The practitioner would align their movements with these pathways, using momentum to guide the Lu through the meridians, creating a self-sustaining cycle of energy.
But there were still so many gaps in his understanding. He needed more than just intuition to grasp this technique—he needed to decipher the text, to understand the instructions that accompanied these diagrams.
But he had no way to.
Nonetheless he pressed on, continuing to read and scrutinize the tome, trying to understand anything he could.
His nail traced a channel running from wrist to heart. The ink shimmered where he touched.
Then the pins-and-needles began.
A crawling sensation up his forearm. On instatic, he tried to pull his fingers back but his fingertips were stuck fast—not glued, but magnetized on the page. The current hit without warning. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever felt before—a flow of energy that surged through him, tangible and undeniable. He could feel it moving, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat, as if it had a life of its own.
"Wha—?"
Theon's eyes widened in shock as the warmth intensified, flowing through his body with increasing speed. He looked down at his arm, expecting to see something—anything—that might explain the sensation, but there was nothing. His skin was unchanged, no visible marks or signs of what was happening inside him except his wounds which seemed to be closing up and healing.
Yet the feeling persisted, growing stronger with each passing second. It was as if something within him had been awakened, some dormant force that had lain hidden until now. Theon could feel the energy moving, circulating through his body in a way that felt both foreign and oddly natural. It flowed along the pathways he had seen in the diagrams, tracing the routes of the meridians, activating points that he had only just begun to understand.
The truth settled in his bones before it reached his mind.
This was Lu.
This was cultivation.
But Theon hadn't done this consciously. He hadn't tried to manipulate the Lu or force it through his meridians, afterall he didn't know how to. It was happening automatically, as if his body knew what to do, even if his mind didn't.
Theon focused on the sensation, trying to understand what was happening. The energy was not just flowing through him; it was being absorbed into him, becoming a part of him. His body was taking it in, converting it into something that felt vital, essential. He could feel his strength increasing, his senses sharpening, his mind clearing. It was as if the energy was enhancing him, making him more than he had been before.
'Is this what cultivation feels like?' Theon wondered, a mixture of awe and apprehension filling him.
As the energy continued to flow, Theon could feel his understanding deepening. The diagrams in the book, the stances, the concept of momentum—it began to make sense. This was what the [Momentus Flow Art] was about, this seamless, passive flow of energy that moved without effort, without conscious thought. The technique wasn't just about harnessing momentum; it was about becoming momentum, letting the energy move through him in perfect harmony with his body and mind.
His hand jerked back instinctively, severing the connection. The flow of energy slowed, then gradually faded, leaving him feeling both exhilarated and drained. The warmth subsided, but the memory of it lingered, as the slight glow of the diagram dimmed.