Cultivator in a Zombie Apocalypse

Chapter Sixteen - Roots of a Man

Sweat trickled off of the round, reddened face as it twisted into a grimace and a small whimper passed through the man's usually curved upward lips. Ren Zexian watched him carefully. Awakening the dormant spiritual roots within an adult man was not an easy thing to do, in his old world no one would consider doing such a thing, such was reserved for children whose bodies were still considered adaptable. However, this was not his world and doing this could either improve the man's chances of survival or destroy the spiritual roots altogether and leave him weakened. Let it be said that Ren Zexian did warn the man, Patrick, before proceeding to give him the Root Origin pill from his small stock of pills hidden in his interspacial pouch.

So far, the man was doing quite well, but Ren Zexian was on the alert for any possible changes to his condition. Patrick had been dealing with the effects of the pill for close to half an hour now, but this was not a bad sign. It would have been a sign that the pill had not been effective should he had roused from his stupor too soon, but should he linger too long, it could be a sign of rejection.

A small gasp escaped the man and his complexion began to change, the heat in his cheeks cooling, though his eyes remained closed. Ren Zexian placed his fingers upon the other's wrist and sent his spiritual awareness into his body. Ah, his roots were responding, now they were at a critical juncture. Either the two roots awakened or they died. Ren Zexian pushed a little of his energies through the man, trying to unblock his meridians, so that the expected surge of energy within the man had somewhere to flow through and could begin to circulate. This would help prevent an inner eruption and ruin the hard work Patrick had put in so far.

The two men remained in the meditative state for yet another hour, before Ren Zexian finally pulled away with a slight sigh. "Well?" Dexter, who had appeared in the doorway during this time, asked. "How did it go?"

Dexter would admit to no one that he was accepting the Asian man's strange ways and knowledge. He, himself, had only tried the meditation technique Ren Zexian had told to him a couple of times, as well as a little on the roof beneath the warm rays of the sun, and already he felt some small improvement. Okay, so it was no miracle solution like those in manga's or anything, but an improvement was an improvement, no matter how you looked at it.

Ren Zexian gave a small, content smile. "Patrick appears to have been successful," Ren Zexian replied, honestly.

Dexter frowned slightly as he stared at the man, whose eyes were still firmly shut, as if trying to find any difference. "Really? Then why is he still out cold?" He questioned. As if on cue, Patrick let out a soft snore, his jaw falling slack as he slumbered, still in a cross legged position. "Never mind. So what sort of powers will he get?"

"His roots are of Grounding and Spark," Ren Zexian answered, softly, rising to his feet quietly so not to disturb the sleeping man.

"So...." Dexter tried not to roll his eyes. Ren Zexian was definitely a man of riddles and Dexter was a blunt man and preferred a more direct dialogue.

"Grounding... this is an ability that can negate flight, causing a pull to the earth," Ren Zexian explained, this sort of thing was more difficult to explain in this world. In his world, this was common knowledge, after all.

"Wait.. that sounds like... gravity? He can effect gravity?" Dexter's jaw dropped and he glanced at the smaller man, who was slowly slumping towards the ground as he slept.

"I'm not sure about this word," Ren Zexian admitted. Dexter shook his head, also conscious of the language barrier.

"What about the other; spark?" Dexter decided to ask.

"''Tis a weaker version of your own," Ren Zexian replied. "It effects only his body and not his surroundings. Others would be considered a waste root due to it's weakness. However, I believe that it is still of use."  Indeed, when used correctly, it could envelope the man's frame in a tight field of lightning, shocking or stunning any who attempted to touch him with hand or sword.  But it would never be projected, like the lightning that came from Dexter's fingers.