the ones chosen by Jafari

The great humbler

Bleux arrived a few hours later in the Kalu (the town with old people) than Jaren did. Like the group before them they got picked up by the caned man and dropped of by the training facility. Since then he went through almost the same experience as Jaren.

Though he did a few things different, unlike jaren he didn't attack their masters. No, he could've been compared to an A plus student. He wasn't the strongest, but he most definitely was the most inspiring and obedient when he needed to be. When the young goblins too tired to do their daily training, he would be there to motivate them and help them stand when they fell. And though he didn't interact with Jaren much Bleux observed quietly as jaren did his own thing. He didn't judge his previous partner, but Boksen did often.

Saying things like, 'look at that fool, of course that dumbas doesn't know anything but fighting and killing.' or 'Its going to be a matter of time before he is going to kill someone again.' Bleux didn't join Boksen in his badmouthing. He didn't feel like that at all about Jaren. Though he did feel betrayed be him, Jaren was still his first friend, and brother and wasn't ready to dismis him as the trash Boksen portrayed him as.

All the interactions the two leaders did have were forced, as the two of them were pushed longer and harder than the other goblins. Often being kept on the training grounds long after the others were sleeping. Being made to spar with eachother until their body was score.

You see, there was a reason why their skin color was dark, there was a reason why they were taller, there was a reason why they were more mascular than the others of their age.

It was because they were in line to become the Kuwabara. And even if they weren't explained fully to what that was, it was the reason why the masters expected a lot more from the both of them. And pushed them to be a shinning example for the other students.

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When master Sou came back to the group, they lit a few torches and he led them deeper into the forest. They traveled for a good while, and at a certain point Sou held his fist in the air stopping the group and hissed, 'We are now in their territory, so be quiet now!' So the group moved in silence from that point onward. It's not as if they had a choice, Sou shushed harshly when he heard one of them talk to loud. It made the students tense, but they weren't complaining.

The master had told them weeks before arriving that these where dangerous woods, where dangerous creatures lured. And with one mistake from a dumb goblin he could get hurt or even die. Sou called these woods 'The Great Humbler.' where young students would come face to face with the reality of this world. Though the master didn't tell them in detail why they needed to be quiet or afraid. What he did say was when they would arrive they could see themselves.

Sometimes master would stop the group out of a hunch, then he would look behind him, next to him, studied everywere were a predator could be, then resumed walking more aware. This time he did it cause he heard a twig snap somewhere ahead. 'It seems,' The master tooted his nose in the air, sniffing five times. 'that one of them finally slipped.' His face seemed crazily ready for violince in a happy kind of way.

He told the kids to stay back and pulled out a sword that was strapped on his back, then rushed away from the torchlight into the darkness. What followed was a terrifying sound from the creature that was further ahead. A low frequency drum that traveled for miles.

You could hear Sou grunt as he chopped at the creature, or when he got knocked into something. The creature still screeched angerly but the master screamed back loudly. After a while it got quiet and to make sure the master wasn't dead Jaren -followed by Gooba and Pipin- went into the darkness to check.

Jaren didn't see it all but he saw the master bending over panting over a dinosaur like creature that lied on the dirt; a green scaly skin with a body that could just as tall as jaren himself, sharp claws on small arms and big legs, with a tail so big it could break bones. It's eyes were still open, leaving a haunted look on the creature.

When the master saw jaren looking he told him to get the rest of the group to see what happened. When they arrived all of them encircled the body, Sou took a torch from a student and held it over the creature. 'Take a good look at this kids,' The master began, while going down to his knees. There was a deep fleshwound on its thigh of the predator 'a Slizard, one of the many residents of these woods.'

He went over the whole body of it while saying, 'Its sleek lightweight body is built for speed and only speed, making these effective ambush predators.' Sou then moved the torch to it's head that was long and narrow, its snout was somewhat flattened. Jaren looked in the Slizards eye while Sou moved the torch over it. Then he saw the pupil dilate. He looked at the master with suspicion, though the master ignored his glare.

Sou continued, 'The wise ones have said that these creatures only see in a tunnel vision, that this thing makes his attack fast and fierce ' He looked at all the students then stood on is feet. 'They don't have a eye for anything except for their prey when they start their ambush.'

He started pacing around the Slizard 'Luckily it has a few weaknesses. If they get attacked before they can attack you can catch them of guard and strike them down fairly easy. It's light weight can also work against it in a straight up brawl. Jaren looked to the creature again and saw the toe of it twitch. It was fast enough for no one else to notice but he didn't let it slip his vision. 'Be prepared,' he wispered to both Pipin and Gooba 'this is definitely going to end badly.'

Now the master was backing out of the circle of students while still looking at the dinosaur like creature. 'But even with all those drawback it's still a formidable fighter. I am an experienced Chakati warrior, and fought on many battlefields, just one of these can't give me a challenge.' It was as if he looked at all of the goblins individually. 'But for you, for you it will be different.'

The Slizard spun on the ground swinging around it's tail at the goblins knocking them back. Pipin and jaren were prepared and jumped back just in the nick of time. Gooba though was too slow to evade the attack and closed his eyes for the incoming rib cage breaking swing. But right when he expected to have the air be blown out of him, it stopped. When he his eyes again to see what happened, Boko stood infront of him with the tail in a deadlock. 'Don't worry,' he said. 'I got it.'

He grunted the last sentence as he swung the creature in the air then slammed it to the ground. Jaren glanced at bleux that was further back from him and knew he was just as prepared as he was, that he sent Boko to catch the tail. The Fierce leader didn't allow himself to be distracted for to long and saw that Pipin was waiting for a signal. Jaren gave it, and in a flash the ninja joined Boko in the match, giving a nice roundhouse to the slizard snout when it stood up again, striking it down once more.

This all didn't go unnoticed by the master who was looking from a distance. Standing proudly as he watched his student coordinate their assaults. 'Most of the time they attack in groups,' Sou began. 'But I'm sure this one wandered from the group. That is why we all stick together in the Humbler, if we get caught alone by these while they are all together... Death is assured.'

There was no response but he knew that they were listening. His words at this moment could give off important info to more weaknesses of the Slizard. Pipin didn't know when but at some point he was joined by Eli, and with their similar level of agility they bounced of eachother nicely.

After some time the slizard was tired, backed to the wall and screeching to it's enemy as a last ditch effort to scare them off. Boko didn't mind, walking towards it proudly, slamming both his fist onto the dino when he was close enough. This time though, it didn't stand up. Boko then looked to Gooba, possibly scanning his body for injuries, but that made the scrawny kind of nervous. 'You good?' the big goblin asked. 'Yes, thank you Boko!' Gooba replied.

The three fighters then all looked at Sou for approval, the rest looked at him with out of shame that they couldn't help. After some time the master said, 'Wel done you three,' he then turned his head to the two leaders. 'The two of you will make some great generals in the future.' He then looked at the rest of the group, but then a eerie smile appeared on his face. 'Don't worry, you'll all have the chance to prove yourself in the future. This won't be our last visit to The Great Humbler.'

He saw a level of shock on some goblins, a hint of happiness on the others, the four squad leaders had their eyes glowing with opportunity, the two leaders seemed unfazed. Not what he expected, definitely what he wanted. 'Were still not done, though it is a good find but I did not come here for a mere slizard. Let's go!'

Sou didn't say so but not that much later, the students could tell that they arrived where they needed to be, it was obvious. A flower field. Thousands upon thousands of tulips lied Infront of them. And all of them where giving of light. One side was giving up a orange light, the other side a purple one. They were all lined up to seem like a ying yang symbol. Jaren was curious to know how in this new world they came up with the symbol, but he stayed quiet and sniffed the air curiously to find out what sweetness tickled his nose. The purple side gave of a vanilla kind of smell and the orange side gave apple pie type of scent. Both of them mixed to gave of a unique taste in the air.

The glow shimmered in the eyes of Jaren, and by the sounds of amazements from his peers, he safely could asces that all of them were bewildered. Master Sou stood infront of them all in a strong and composed way.

'The Great humbler is what I call it,' Sou began. 'But in actuality we, the Kalu people, have a different name for it. The Cursed Woods. A far more fitting name.' he waved his hand in the air to the show the grandiose as he explained, 'The amount of beasts in here far exceeds just the Slizard we saw earlier. Mysterious creatures that could instantly kill even me or show you wonders that that you didn't think was possible. And with the fact that it's frequently misty here it all makes a bad combo. That's why it isn't that uncommon here to just stumble upon the corpse of a fellow goblin.' He held his middle, index fingers and thumb at his side.

'Three, there are still three reasons why we come in here, even with all these reasons to stay out.' he turned to the kids and held his arms out asif to embrace. 'You all are the first reasons. Just like in the baby woods the danger of the Humbler is an amazing place to turn young Kalu boys into full fledged Chakati.' Everyone listened attently and jaren just as much. This has been the first time that he actually got explained something in the new world. He couldn't mis a sliver of information, for he still wanted to be smarter and better than his peers.

Sou then waved looked into the depths of the woods and said, 'These woods are also our natural protection from the other tribes. Many times have they tried to invade Kalu but not once have they been successful with their invasion into the Humbler. Even when Kalu was in rule of the foolish Kuwabara Batu,' He stared at Jaren for a moment, and Jaren could see that the master was feeling on the knife he gave him earlier. Confusion ran through his mind as to why master looked into his soul.

'could penetrate these woods.' he finished. Jaren was confused more than before. Who's Batu, there are other tribes, what even was the Kuwabara, and if they had something like that where was the current one, dead? The master didn't wait for the questions that the students had 'These woods may house devil's,' Sou continued 'but their our devil's. The Final reason.' he turned to the flower field 'are The Sky Tears . These are our most valuable resources and also or most protected, beloved... Tastiest.' He then straightened his posture again and pointed to the flowers. 'I will explain to you all what they mean to us Kalu.' He grinned. 'And more importantly us Chakati. But what all of you need to do today is to pick yourself six Tears, we wil need them tomorrow.' The obiediënt goblins did what they were told, walked past the Master, started picking the flowers.

Before their fingers gripped the pedicels the master interupted once, and said, 'Do not just pick flowers, young Kalus. Pick with all your intentions, and most importantly your heart. You will not impress anyone with your choice, so why not make it personal.'