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 Three years ago. Just over three years had passed since Pü had been transported to the Eternal Garden. Three years during which the divine creature had helped him develop his kamic powers. The aim was to make him as experienced a magician as Grandma Bä-Bä and his mother were. Admittedly, he was still a long way from matching them. But the results were there. It had all begun with that first duel, in which the Kami had not sought to defeat him, but simply to evaluate him. This was followed by a gesture as symbolic as it was essential for what was to come: the Kami delicately placed a claw on his forehead and, without any further ceremonial formality, gave him his blessing. The operation was remarkably brief and had no immediate effect Pü had felt nothing. On this occasion, the Kami had confirmed what he already knew, namely that the seed of life, buried in the brain of each homin, was what enabled them to imprint their will on the Sap, to manipulate it, and thus modify the properties of the spiritual particles that constituted and surrounded them. In other words, to practice magic. What he didn't know, however, was that the seeds of life were natively restrained. Limited in their abilities. In practical terms, blessing a homin therefore consisted in awakening his seed of life. Once the homin's potential had been unleashed, his mastery of magic could in principle reach a degree approaching that of the Kamis, albeit irremediably limited by the physical nature of his body. That was the theory…. For in practice, developing such powers required several lifetimes of hard labor. Pü had learned this at his expense: to scratch the surface of his potential, he had to like relearn how to walk.
-Much of the learning involved training the mind, in the form of long meditative sessions. Although meditation was widely practiced in his tribe, often in association with prayer, Pü had never excelled at the exercise. Apart from moments of great danger, when losing concentration could have serious consequences, focusing on the present moment and preventing his mind from drifting from idea to idea, from navigating between the future and the past, had always seemed an arduous task to him. And yet, that was what it was all about: focusing on the here and now and expanding awareness of oneself and one's surroundings. Opening up to Atys to the point of being able to distinguish the network of Sap that irrigated it, and into which homins instinctively breathed their will in order to alter physical reality. Obviously, the learning process was gradual: feel the Sap flowing inside you, feel the Sap flowing around you, and finally visualize it flowing through matter in the form of a titanic network of light that replaced the tangible world. The exercise was made easier by the Kami, who, with a simple physical touch, could temporarily heighten Pü's new senses, as had happened when he had teleported him from Zoran to the Eternal Garden.
+Much of the learning involved training the mind, in the form of long meditative sessions. Although meditation was widely practiced in his tribe, often in association with prayer, Pü had never excelled at the exercise. Apart from moments of great danger, when losing concentration could have serious consequences, focusing on the present moment and preventing his mind from drifting from idea to idea, from navigating between the future and the past, had always seemed an arduous task to him. And yet, that was what it was all about: focusing on the here and now and expanding awareness of oneself and one's surroundings. Opening up to Atys to the point of being able to distinguish the network of Sap that irrigated it, and into which homins instinctively breathed their will in order to alter physical reality. Obviously, the learning process was gradual: feel the Sap flowing inside you, feel the Sap flowing around you, and finally visualize it flowing through matter in the form of a network of light that replaced the tangible world. The exercise was made easier by the Kami, who, with a simple physical touch, could temporarily heighten Pü's new senses.
 For over two years, Pü did nothing but meditate. Over time, the length of his sessions increased, until they extended over several days without interruption. By developing his perceptive abilities, Pü found that it was now much easier for him to act on the spiritual particles that constituted and surrounded him. He had become more precise in the way he imprinted his will on the Sap that irrigated him, more conscious of what he was doing. While he had previously been able to strengthen certain parts of his body and heal his wounds instinctively, he now understood the underlying mechanisms and could use them for other purposes. Thus, when meditation enabled him to reach high levels of consciousness, he became able to do without food and water, using the Sap directly to nourish his metabolism. Unfortunately, this required great psychic stamina, which Pü did not yet possess. And even if, according to the Kami, his advances were exceptionally fast, the day when he would be able to stop eating for good was still a long way off.

@@ Строка 16: / Строка 16: @@
 The homin in black stared at Pü with sparkling eyes. The Zorai bowed and adopted a posture identical to that of his adversary, placing his sword at hip height, pointing towards him, and his rondache at chest height, slightly tilted to the side. For a few moments, he watched the Kami attentively, trying to guess his first move. Then a memory struck him: that of their very first duel.
-Three years ago. Just over three years had passed since Pü had been transported to the Eternal Garden. Three years during which the divine creature had helped him develop his kamic powers. The aim was to make him as experienced a magician as Grandma Bä-Bä and his mother were. Admittedly, he was still a long way from matching them. But the results were there. It had all begun with that first duel, in which the Kami had not sought to defeat him, but simply to evaluate him. This was followed by a gesture as symbolic as it was essential for what was to come: the Kami delicately placed a claw on his forehead and, without any further ceremonial formality, gave him his blessing. The operation was remarkably brief and had no immediate effect Pü had felt nothing. On this occasion, the Kami had confirmed what he already knew, namely that the seed of life, buried in the brain of each homin, was what enabled them to imprint their will on the Sap, to manipulate it, and thus modify the properties of the spiritual particles that constituted and surrounded them. In other words, to practice magic. What he didn't know, however, was that the seeds of life were natively restrained. Limited in their abilities. In practical terms, blessing a homin therefore consisted in unleashing its seed of life. Once the homin's potential had been unleashed, his mastery of magic could in principle reach a degree approaching that of the Kamis, albeit irremediably limited by the physical nature of his body. That was the theory…. For in practice, developing such powers required several lifetimes of hard labor. Pü had learned this at his expense: to scratch the surface of his potential, he had to like relearn how to walk.
+Three years ago. Just over three years had passed since Pü had been transported to the Eternal Garden. Three years during which the divine creature had helped him develop his kamic powers. The aim was to make him as experienced a magician as Grandma Bä-Bä and his mother were. Admittedly, he was still a long way from matching them. But the results were there. It had all begun with that first duel, in which the Kami had not sought to defeat him, but simply to evaluate him. This was followed by a gesture as symbolic as it was essential for what was to come: the Kami delicately placed a claw on his forehead and, without any further ceremonial formality, gave him his blessing. The operation was remarkably brief and had no immediate effect Pü had felt nothing. On this occasion, the Kami had confirmed what he already knew, namely that the seed of life, buried in the brain of each homin, was what enabled them to imprint their will on the Sap, to manipulate it, and thus modify the properties of the spiritual particles that constituted and surrounded them. In other words, to practice magic. What he didn't know, however, was that the seeds of life were natively restrained. Limited in their abilities. In practical terms, blessing a homin therefore consisted in awakening his seed of life. Once the homin's potential had been unleashed, his mastery of magic could in principle reach a degree approaching that of the Kamis, albeit irremediably limited by the physical nature of his body. That was the theory…. For in practice, developing such powers required several lifetimes of hard labor. Pü had learned this at his expense: to scratch the surface of his potential, he had to like relearn how to walk.
 Much of the learning involved training the mind, in the form of long meditative sessions. Although meditation was widely practiced in his tribe, often in association with prayer, Pü had never excelled at the exercise. Apart from moments of great danger, when losing concentration could have serious consequences, focusing on the present moment and preventing his mind from drifting from idea to idea, from navigating between the future and the past, had always seemed an arduous task to him. And yet, that was what it was all about: focusing on the here and now and expanding awareness of oneself and one's surroundings. Opening up to Atys to the point of being able to distinguish the network of Sap that irrigated it, and into which homins instinctively breathed their will in order to alter physical reality. Obviously, the learning process was gradual: feel the Sap flowing inside you, feel the Sap flowing around you, and finally visualize it flowing through matter in the form of a titanic network of light that replaced the tangible world. The exercise was made easier by the Kami, who, with a simple physical touch, could temporarily heighten Pü's new senses, as had happened when he had teleported him from Zoran to the Eternal Garden.

@@ Строка 62: / Строка 62: @@
 As expected, the two elemental forces collided, and the effect was cataclysmic. The impact generated an explosion of steam that propelled fragments of ice and glowing orbs dozens of meters into the surrounding area, echoing all the way to the heart of the Eternal Garden. Immediately, a thick, damp, whitish haze enveloped the space, fettering Pü's vision. The Zoraï, who had barely regained consciousness, was trying to extricate himself from his frozen prison without causing further damage to his body. He was aided in his task by a flaming rain that fell on him. Under normal circumstances, he would have tried to dodge such an attack, but at this precise moment, it seemed like a miracle. Not only did Pü have to melt the layer of ice covering his skin, he also had to repair the extensive damage left by the cold bite… A few seconds passed, and finally, pushed to the extreme of his ability to channel the Sap, the Zoraï collapsed to one knee. He was freed. Freed, but only partially restored. Out of breath, he threw his amplifiers to the ground, drew his sword and clutched his rondache to his right arm with difficulty. He was exhausted. He had never cast a spell of such power. And while he was stunned to have succeeded in countering the Kami's attack, the feat had drained him of all his strength. From now on, and probably until the duel was over, he could no longer rely on the powers of the Sap.
-:"''You're outstanding, my boy! That display of strength was simply breathtaking. I could never have imagined, just a few months ago, that you would reach such a level. However, while I must congratulate you, I would also like to remind you that this duel is not yet over. The remainder of the confrontation will probably be decided by force of arms, and will depend entirely on your determination. I place my trust in you."
+:''"You're outstanding, my boy! That display of strength was simply breathtaking. I could never have imagined, just a few months ago, that you would reach such a level. However, while I must congratulate you, I would also like to remind you that this duel is not yet over. The remainder of the confrontation will probably be decided by force of arms, and will depend entirely on your determination. I place my trust in you."
 But Pü wasn't determined. He was weary. What little motivation he had left was evaporating, like the ice that still covered his body in places. All around him, the clearing that had once glowed with greenery had turned into a devastated expanse, marked here and there by frozen patches and blazes, all surrounded by a dense, opaque mist. On closer inspection, this desolate landscape accurately reflected the condition in which he found himself, both physically and mentally. And despite this, his ordeal was far from over… Pü stood up, closed his guard and firmed his supports. It didn't matter whether he chose to give up or continue the confrontation: only the Kami would determine when this duel would end. A reality he had already experienced to his cost the past times. Aware of his inability to triumph, his only wish now was to see this confrontation come to a conclusion. To put a swift end to this umpteenth failure. To achieve this, he would have to fight with such tenacity that the Kami would not spare him. He would have to fight until he fell from exhaustion. To the brink of death. It was at this precise moment of reflection that the divine creature chose to emerge from the heights of the fog. Having reverted to its homin form, it attempted to strike him with a powerful upward heel strike, which Pü just managed to parry with his rondache. Leaning on the shield, the homin in black nevertheless managed to keep his balance and destabilize the Zoraï, who almost fell backwards. Landing gracefully in front of him, he took advantage of his loss of balance to strike him with a violent shin kick right in the ribs. Pü, unable to withstand the impact, was thrown several metres and crashed heavily to the ground. Unable to repair his wounds, he could only endure the pain. The homin in black, who could have seized the moment to deliver the final blow, froze instead. He stared at the Zoraï with his big white eyes. Then, a sword and a rondache materialized in his hands, and he finally began to advance towards him. Slowly. As Pü had expected, his opponent intended to keep the duel going as long as possible. He would have to endure this ordeal to the end. So he got up, despite the pain, and charged at him.
@@ Строка 73: / Строка 73: @@
 <center>[[file:Sep-chap-2-3-8.png|40px]]</center>
-:"''My boy, can you hear me?"
+:''"My boy, can you hear me?"
 Lying down on a fluffy pile of moss, Pü took a few moments to gather his memories. When the most recent ones came back to him, he instinctively ran his hands over his chest. No wounds. Nor on the rest of his body. So, he had for the first time actually tried to commit suicide, and had narrowly failed. Disoriented and nauseous, Pü struggled to his feet. His throat tightened as he spoke.
-:"''Can you tell me what happened after… you know?"
+:''"Can you tell me what happened after… you know?"
-:"''Hard to say, my boy. As you seemed to lose your footing, I tried to keep your consciousness awake and your concentration intact. But you didn't seem to hear me. You were like… somewhere else. Then suddenly, the homin in black rushed at you, chest out, as if looking for the wound. Your sword sank into his heart and you lost consciousness. As for the Kami, he returned to his original form, treated you and then vanished. He has also asked me to inform you that you are free to leave the Eternal Garden. According to him, you now have all the tools you need to wage the Sacred War on your own."
+:''"Hard to say, my boy. As you seemed to lose your footing, I tried to keep your consciousness awake and your concentration intact. But you didn't seem to hear me. You were like… somewhere else. Then suddenly, the homin in black rushed at you, chest out, as if looking for the wound. Your sword sank into his heart and you lost consciousness. As for the Kami, he returned to his original form, treated you and then vanished. He has also asked me to inform you that you are free to leave the Eternal Garden. According to him, you now have all the tools you need to wage the Sacred War on your own."
 Stunned, Pü staggered back to his feet.
-:"''What? But that's not what I remember. It was… It was I who threw myself on his sword. I… I wanted…"
+:''"What? But that's not what I remember. It was… It was I who threw myself on his sword. I… I wanted…"
-:"''Yet that's not what happened, my boy. I can vouch for that. Given the state you were in, you must have been hallucinating. In fact, despite this inexplicable outcome, I'd like to offer you my congratulations. You've been remarkable every step of this way."
+:''"Yet that's not what happened, my boy. I can vouch for that. Given the state you were in, you must have been hallucinating. In fact, despite this inexplicable outcome, I'd like to offer you my congratulations. You've been remarkable every step of this way."
-:"''The Kami. He… he'll be back?" stammered Pü, still disoriented."
+:''"The Kami. He… he'll be back?" stammered Pü, still disoriented."
-:"''Certainly, my boy. He simply feels that he has completed your training. As promised, he intends to leave you free to forge your own destiny, and has no intention of interfering in the decisions of the Sacred Warrior. However, for reasons as yet unknown to me, a singular and exceptional link seems to unite you to him. For this reason, I am convinced that your paths will soon cross again."
+:''"Certainly, my boy. He simply feels that he has completed your training. As promised, he intends to leave you free to forge your own destiny, and has no intention of interfering in the decisions of the Sacred Warrior. However, for reasons as yet unknown to me, a singular and exceptional link seems to unite you to him. For this reason, I am convinced that your paths will soon cross again."
 }}
 {{NavChap|[[Chapter II·II - The interpreter]]|[[The Sacred War#Table of contents|Table of contents]]|[[Chapter II·IV - Doomed to live]]}}

@@ Строка 64: / Строка 64: @@
 :"''You're outstanding, my boy! That display of strength was simply breathtaking. I could never have imagined, just a few months ago, that you would reach such a level. However, while I must congratulate you, I would also like to remind you that this duel is not yet over. The remainder of the confrontation will probably be decided by force of arms, and will depend entirely on your determination. I place my trust in you."
-But Pü wasn't determined. He was weary. What little motivation he had left was evaporating, like the ice that still covered his body in places. All around him, the clearing that had once glowed with greenery had turned into a devastated expanse, marked here and there by frozen patches and blazes, all surrounded by a dense, opaque mist. On closer inspection, this desolate landscape accurately reflected the condition in which he found himself, both physically and mentally. And despite this, his ordeal was far from over... Pü stood up, closed his guard and firmed his supports. It didn't matter whether he chose to give up or continue the confrontation: only the Kami would determine when this duel would end. A reality he had already experienced to his cost the past times. Aware of his inability to triumph, his only wish now was to see this confrontation come to a conclusion. To put a swift end to this umpteenth failure. To achieve this, he would have to fight with such tenacity that the Kami would not spare him. He would have to fight until he fell from exhaustion. To the brink of death. It was at this precise moment of reflection that the divine creature chose to emerge from the heights of the fog. Having reverted to its homin form, it attempted to strike him with a powerful upward heel strike, which Pü just managed to parry with his rondache. Leaning on the shield, the homin in black nevertheless managed to keep his balance and destabilize the Zoraï, who almost fell backwards. Landing gracefully in front of him, he took advantage of his loss of balance to strike him with a violent shin kick right in the ribs. Pü, unable to withstand the impact, was thrown several metres and crashed heavily to the ground. Unable to repair his wounds, he could only endure the pain. The homin in black, who could have seized the moment to deliver the final blow, froze instead. He stared at the Zoraï with his big white eyes. Then, a sword and a rondache materialized in his hands, and he finally began to advance towards him. Slowly. As Pü had expected, his opponent intended to keep the duel going as long as possible. He would have to endure this ordeal to the end. So he got up, despite the pain, and charged at him.
+But Pü wasn't determined. He was weary. What little motivation he had left was evaporating, like the ice that still covered his body in places. All around him, the clearing that had once glowed with greenery had turned into a devastated expanse, marked here and there by frozen patches and blazes, all surrounded by a dense, opaque mist. On closer inspection, this desolate landscape accurately reflected the condition in which he found himself, both physically and mentally. And despite this, his ordeal was far from over… Pü stood up, closed his guard and firmed his supports. It didn't matter whether he chose to give up or continue the confrontation: only the Kami would determine when this duel would end. A reality he had already experienced to his cost the past times. Aware of his inability to triumph, his only wish now was to see this confrontation come to a conclusion. To put a swift end to this umpteenth failure. To achieve this, he would have to fight with such tenacity that the Kami would not spare him. He would have to fight until he fell from exhaustion. To the brink of death. It was at this precise moment of reflection that the divine creature chose to emerge from the heights of the fog. Having reverted to its homin form, it attempted to strike him with a powerful upward heel strike, which Pü just managed to parry with his rondache. Leaning on the shield, the homin in black nevertheless managed to keep his balance and destabilize the Zoraï, who almost fell backwards. Landing gracefully in front of him, he took advantage of his loss of balance to strike him with a violent shin kick right in the ribs. Pü, unable to withstand the impact, was thrown several metres and crashed heavily to the ground. Unable to repair his wounds, he could only endure the pain. The homin in black, who could have seized the moment to deliver the final blow, froze instead. He stared at the Zoraï with his big white eyes. Then, a sword and a rondache materialized in his hands, and he finally began to advance towards him. Slowly. As Pü had expected, his opponent intended to keep the duel going as long as possible. He would have to endure this ordeal to the end. So he got up, despite the pain, and charged at him.
 This was followed by a highly technical duel, during which Pu had to push his limits once again. Unable to heal himself, he welcomed the Kami's blade without batting an eyelid, when it managed to get past his guard and pierce his skin. Of course, he was aware that the blows dealt to him were perfectly controlled: the master wasn't trying to kill the disciple. Nevertheless, his attacks remained highly brutal. On a few occasions, he himself managed to scratch the Kami's black skin. A meagre success, given the scale of the task. All the more so as the fight dragged on and on, and the Zoraï was slowly losing his footing. Put end to end, the numerous gashes that pockmarked his body represented a substantial loss of blood. As the seconds ticked away, the decisive blow drew closer. With each spurt of blood, the imminence of coma threatened. Soon, he would be released from this interminable duel. The long-awaited moment would finally arrive. To close eyes. To rest.
@@ Строка 71: / Строка 71: @@
 Instantly, an oppressive vise gripped his throat and his heart flinched. Ending it all now seemed so easy. All he had to do was make the divine creature's blade pierce her heart. Especially since, as far as he knew, Kamis were not capable of bringing the dead back to life. Normally, when a death impulse took hold of Pü's mind, it was accompanied by a profound feeling of anguish, which prevented the act from being carried out. But this time, the anxiety disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. And if the Voice tried to intervene, aware that a new crisis was on the way, she strangely fainted, at once. Barely lucid, mechanically parrying the attacks of the homin in black, Pü stared haggardly at the creature's black mask. It was so like his father's. So like his own. At this thought, his opponent's skin turned blue, and he saw his image superimposed on that of the divine creature. In total confusion, on the verge of unconsciousness, Pü felt as if he were fighting his double. And his own reflection seemed pitiful. It was unbearable to see himself struggling to fulfill the destiny to which he was destined, when all those who mattered to him were no more. Was he condemned to endure this pain for the rest of his life? To be constantly reminded of the burden he had to bear every time he saw the reflection of his mask? No, the prospect seemed intolerable. He didn't mind becoming the Kamis' puppet, as long as his memory was erased and he was completely reinvented to become the prophetic warrior they dreamed of. Yes, there was no other choice. For he could no longer stand himself. But was he really ready to give up the memory of his mother and brother, however painful? Impossible, too. It was all he had left. So there was only one way out: end this miserable existence, here and now. Without further thought, and with a light heart, Pü threw himself against his duplicate's sword the moment it was raised. The moment the blade sank into his chest, a smile of relief lit up his mask.
-{{WIP}}
 <center>[[file:Sep-chap-2-3-8.png|40px]]</center>
-« Mon garçon, m’entendez-vous ? »
+Lying down on a fluffy pile of moss, Pü took a few moments to gather his memories. When the most recent ones came back to him, he instinctively ran his hands over his chest. No wounds. Nor on the rest of his body. So, he had for the first time actually tried to commit suicide, and had narrowly failed. Disoriented and nauseous, Pü struggled to his feet. His throat tightened as he spoke.
-« Peux-tu me dire ce qu’il s’est passé, après que… Tu sais ?
+:"''Can you tell me what happened after… you know?"
-— Difficile à dire, mon garçon. Alors que vous sembliez perdre pied, j'ai tenté de maintenir votre conscience éveillée et votre concentration intacte. Mais vous ne sembliez pas m’entendre. Vous étiez comme... ailleurs. Puis soudainement, l’homin en noir s'est précipité sur vous, poitrine en avant, comme s'il recherchait la blessure. Votre épée s'est enfoncée à l'endroit de son cœur et vous avez perdu connaissance. Quant au Kami, il a ensuite repris sa forme originelle, vous a prodigué des soins, puis s’est volatilisé. Il m'a également chargé de vous informer que vous êtes libre de quitter le Jardin Éternel. D’après lui, vous disposez désormais de tous les outils nécessaires pour mener la Guerre Sacrée en toute autonomie. »
+:"''Hard to say, my boy. As you seemed to lose your footing, I tried to keep your consciousness awake and your concentration intact. But you didn't seem to hear me. You were like… somewhere else. Then suddenly, the homin in black rushed at you, chest out, as if looking for the wound. Your sword sank into his heart and you lost consciousness. As for the Kami, he returned to his original form, treated you and then vanished. He has also asked me to inform you that you are free to leave the Eternal Garden. According to him, you now have all the tools you need to wage the Sacred War on your own."
-Stupéfait, Pü se releva en titubant.
+Stunned, Pü staggered back to his feet.
-« Quoi ? Mais, ce n’est pas dont je me souviens. C’est… C’est moi qui me suis jeté sur son épée. Je… Je voulais…
+:"''What? But that's not what I remember. It was… It was I who threw myself on his sword. I… I wanted…"
-— Pourtant, ce n’est pas ce qu’il s’est passé, mon garçon. J’en atteste. Vu l’état dans lequel vous étiez, vous avez dû halluciner. D’ailleurs, malgré ce dénouement inexplicable, je tiens à vous adresser mes félicitations. Vous avez été remarquable à chaque étape de cette épreuve.
+:"''Yet that's not what happened, my boy. I can vouch for that. Given the state you were in, you must have been hallucinating. In fact, despite this inexplicable outcome, I'd like to offer you my congratulations. You've been remarkable every step of this way."
-— Le Kami. Il… Il reviendra ? bégaya Pü, toujours déboussolé.
+:"''The Kami. He… he'll be back?" stammered Pü, still disoriented."
-— Assurément, mon garçon. Il estime simplement avoir achevé votre formation. Comme promis, il compte vous laisser forger librement votre destinée et n'envisage pas de s'immiscer dans les décisions du Guerrier Sacré. Toutefois, pour des motifs qui me restent encore inconnus, un lien singulier et exceptionnel semble vous unir à lui. Pour cette raison, je suis convaincu que vos chemins se croiseront à nouveau prochainement. »
+:"''Certainly, my boy. He simply feels that he has completed your training. As promised, he intends to leave you free to forge your own destiny, and has no intention of interfering in the decisions of the Sacred Warrior. However, for reasons as yet unknown to me, a singular and exceptional link seems to unite you to him. For this reason, I am convinced that your paths will soon cross again."
 }}
 {{NavChap|[[Chapter II·II - The interpreter]]|[[The Sacred War#Table of contents|Table of contents]]|[[Chapter II·IV - Doomed to live]]}}

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 As expected, the two elemental forces collided, and the effect was cataclysmic. The impact generated an explosion of steam that propelled fragments of ice and glowing orbs dozens of meters into the surrounding area, echoing all the way to the heart of the Eternal Garden. Immediately, a thick, damp, whitish haze enveloped the space, fettering Pü's vision. The Zoraï, who had barely regained consciousness, was trying to extricate himself from his frozen prison without causing further damage to his body. He was aided in his task by a flaming rain that fell on him. Under normal circumstances, he would have tried to dodge such an attack, but at this precise moment, it seemed like a miracle. Not only did Pü have to melt the layer of ice covering his skin, he also had to repair the extensive damage left by the cold bite… A few seconds passed, and finally, pushed to the extreme of his ability to channel the Sap, the Zoraï collapsed to one knee. He was freed. Freed, but only partially restored. Out of breath, he threw his amplifiers to the ground, drew his sword and clutched his rondache to his right arm with difficulty. He was exhausted. He had never cast a spell of such power. And while he was stunned to have succeeded in countering the Kami's attack, the feat had drained him of all his strength. From now on, and probably until the duel was over, he could no longer rely on the powers of the Sap.
-Mais Pü n’était pas déterminé. Il était las. Le peu de motivation qui lui restait était en train de s’évaporer, telle la glace qui recouvrait encore son corps par endroit. Tout autour de lui, la clairière, qui rayonnait auparavant de verdure, s'était muée en une étendue dévastée, marquée ici et là par des plaques gelées et des brasiers, le tout cerné par une brume dense et opaque. À bien y regarder, ce paysage désolé reflétait précisément la condition dans laquelle il se trouvait, à la fois physiquement et mentalement. Et malgré cela, son épreuve était loin d’être terminée… Pü se releva, ferma sa garde et raffermit ses appuis. Peu importait s'il choisissait d'abandonner ou de poursuivre l’affrontement : seul le Kami déterminerait quand ce duel prendrait fin. Une réalité qu'il avait déjà expérimentée à ses dépens les fois passées. Conscient de son incapacité à triompher, son unique souhait était désormais de voir cette confrontation se conclure. Pouvoir mettre rapidement fin à cet énième échec. Afin d’y parvenir, il devrait lutter avec une ténacité telle que le Kami ne le ménage pas. Il devrait se battre jusqu’à tomber d’épuisement. Jusqu’aux portes de la mort. C’est à ce moment précis de sa réflexion que la créature divine choisit de surgir des hauteurs du brouillard. Ayant repris sa forme homine, elle tenta de lui asséner un puissant coup de talon ascendant, que Pü réussit à parer de justesse avec sa rondache. Prenant appui sur le bouclier, l’homin en noir parvint cependant à garder son équilibre et à déstabiliser le Zoraï, qui manqua de chuter en arrière. Atterrissant avec grâce devant lui, il profita alors de sa perte d’équilibre pour lui asséner un violent coup de tibia en plein dans les côtes. Pü, qui ne réussit pas à encaisser le choc, fut projeté sur plusieurs mètres et s’écrasa lourdement sur le sol. Incapable de réparer ses blessures, il ne pût qu’accepter la douleur. L’homin en noir, qui aurait pu profiter du moment pour porter le coup final, s’immobilisa pourtant. Il fixait le Zoraï de ses grands yeux blancs. Puis, une épée et une rondache se matérialisèrent dans ses mains, et il se mit finalement à avancer vers lui. Lentement. Comme Pü s’y était attendu, son adversaire comptait faire durer le duel le plus longtemps possible. Il devrait supporter cette épreuve jusqu’au bout. Alors il se releva, malgré la douleur, et fonça sur lui.
+:"''You're outstanding, my boy! That display of strength was simply breathtaking. I could never have imagined, just a few months ago, that you would reach such a level. However, while I must congratulate you, I would also like to remind you that this duel is not yet over. The remainder of the confrontation will probably be decided by force of arms, and will depend entirely on your determination. I place my trust in you."
-S’en suivit une passe d’armes d’une grande technicité, durant laquelle Pu dut repousser une nouvelle fois ses limites. Incapable de se soigner, il accueillait la lame du Kami sans ciller, lorsque celle-ci réussissait à passer sa garde et à perforer sa peau. Évidemment, il avait conscience que les coups qui lui étaient portés étaient parfaitement maîtrisés : le maître ne cherchait pas à tuer le disciple. Néanmoins, ses attaques demeuraient d'une grande brutalité. Lui-même, à quelques reprises, réussit à érafler la peau noire du Kami. Une maigre réussite, face à l’étendue de la tâche. D’autant que le combat s’éternisait, et que le Zoraï commençait doucement à perdre pied. Mises bout à bout, les nombreuses entailles qui hachaient son corps traduisaient une perte de sang substantielle. À mesure que les secondes s'égrenaient, le coup décisif se rapprochait. À chaque gerbe de sang qui jaillissait, l’imminence du comas menaçait. Bientôt, il serait libéré de cet interminable duel. L'instant tant espéré allait enfin se concrétiser. Fermer les yeux. Se reposer.
+But Pü wasn't determined. He was weary. What little motivation he had left was evaporating, like the ice that still covered his body in places. All around him, the clearing that had once glowed with greenery had turned into a devastated expanse, marked here and there by frozen patches and blazes, all surrounded by a dense, opaque mist. On closer inspection, this desolate landscape accurately reflected the condition in which he found himself, both physically and mentally. And despite this, his ordeal was far from over... Pü stood up, closed his guard and firmed his supports. It didn't matter whether he chose to give up or continue the confrontation: only the Kami would determine when this duel would end. A reality he had already experienced to his cost the past times. Aware of his inability to triumph, his only wish now was to see this confrontation come to a conclusion. To put a swift end to this umpteenth failure. To achieve this, he would have to fight with such tenacity that the Kami would not spare him. He would have to fight until he fell from exhaustion. To the brink of death. It was at this precise moment of reflection that the divine creature chose to emerge from the heights of the fog. Having reverted to its homin form, it attempted to strike him with a powerful upward heel strike, which Pü just managed to parry with his rondache. Leaning on the shield, the homin in black nevertheless managed to keep his balance and destabilize the Zoraï, who almost fell backwards. Landing gracefully in front of him, he took advantage of his loss of balance to strike him with a violent shin kick right in the ribs. Pü, unable to withstand the impact, was thrown several metres and crashed heavily to the ground. Unable to repair his wounds, he could only endure the pain. The homin in black, who could have seized the moment to deliver the final blow, froze instead. He stared at the Zoraï with his big white eyes. Then, a sword and a rondache materialized in his hands, and he finally began to advance towards him. Slowly. As Pü had expected, his opponent intended to keep the duel going as long as possible. He would have to endure this ordeal to the end. So he got up, despite the pain, and charged at him.
-Pour toujours ?
+This was followed by a highly technical duel, during which Pu had to push his limits once again. Unable to heal himself, he welcomed the Kami's blade without batting an eyelid, when it managed to get past his guard and pierce his skin. Of course, he was aware that the blows dealt to him were perfectly controlled: the master wasn't trying to kill the disciple. Nevertheless, his attacks remained highly brutal. On a few occasions, he himself managed to scratch the Kami's black skin. A meagre success, given the scale of the task. All the more so as the fight dragged on and on, and the Zoraï was slowly losing his footing. Put end to end, the numerous gashes that pockmarked his body represented a substantial loss of blood. As the seconds ticked away, the decisive blow drew closer. With each spurt of blood, the imminence of coma threatened. Soon, he would be released from this interminable duel. The long-awaited moment would finally arrive. To close eyes. To rest.
-Instantanément, un étau oppressant enserra sa gorge et son cœur tressaillit. Mettre fin à tout cela maintenant semblait si facile. Il lui suffisait de faire en sorte que la lame de la créature divine perce son cœur. D’autant qu’à sa connaissance, les Kamis n’étaient pas capables de ramener les morts à la vie. En temps normal, lorsqu’une pulsion de mort s’emparait de l’esprit de Pü, celle-ci s'accompagnait d'un profond sentiment d'angoisse, qui enrayait le passage à l’acte. Mais cette fois-ci, l’anxiété disparut aussi vite qu’elle était apparue. Et si la Voix tenta d’intervenir, consciente qu’une nouvelle crise était en train de survenir, elle s'évanouit étrangement, sur-le-champ. À peine lucide, parant machinalement les attaques de l’homin en noir, Pü fixait le masque noir de la créature d’un air hagard. Il était si semblable à celui de son père. Si semblable au sien. À cette pensée, la peau de son adversaire se teinta de bleu, et il vit son image se superposer à celle de la créature divine. En proie à une confusion totale, au seuil de l'inconscience, Pü avait l’impression de combattre son double. Et son propre reflet lui paraissait pitoyable. Se voir ainsi s’échiner à lutter, afin d’honorer le destin auquel il était promis, alors même que tous ceux qui comptaient à ses yeux n’étaient plus, lui était insoutenable. Était-il condamné à endurer cette douleur jusqu'à la fin de ses jours ? À se rappeler sans cesse le fardeau qui lui incombait chaque fois qu'il croiserait le reflet de son masque ? Non, cette perspective lui semblait intolérable. Devenir la marionnette des Kamis ne le dérangeait pas, dès lors que, mémoire effacée, il serait  entièrement réinventé pour devenir le guerrier prophétique dont ils rêvaient. Oui, il n’y avait pas d’autres choix. Car lui ne pouvait plus se supporter lui-même. Mais était-il véritablement prêt à abandonner le souvenir de sa mère et de son frère, aussi douloureux soit-il ? Impossible, également. C'était là tout ce qui lui restait. Ainsi, il n'y avait qu'une seule issue : mettre fin à cette existence misérable, ici et maintenant. Sans plus de réflexion, le cœur léger, Pü se jeta contre l’épée de son double au moment où celle-ci fut brandie. Au moment où la lame s’enfonça dans sa poitrine, un sourire de soulagement illumina son masque.
+For ever ?
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 For, despite the mages' ability to control the heat of the fire they generated, as well as its burning capacity, Atys, made up exclusively of plant matter, remained a world prone to uncontrollable fires, . At least, this was what homin societies, most of them pyrophobic, believed. Only the Fyros people, who had elevated the mastery of fire to an art, seemed to have triumphed over this instinctive fear, deeply fixed in every homin since birth. This made the Fyros Empire particularly dangerous, both for its enemies and for itself. The siege of Zoran by Fyros armies in 2328, which resulted in the burning down of the Great Library, and that of the Coriolis Amber Mines, this last caused by Fyros miners within the Empire itself, bear witness to this. During their lifetime, the ancestors of the Pü tribe also used to tell tales of how the dead stump in which they all lived had been destroyed by a Karavan fire-breathing machine. As protectors of Atys' ecosystems, the Kamis abominated fire. It was therefore unlikely that the Black Kami would push his training to the point of setting the Eternal Garden ablaze. However spectacular his magic might appear, it was likely that the combustion capacity of the flames he would generate would be kept to a strict minimum, and that he would take advantage of the pouring rain to limit their spread. No, it wasn't likely, it was certain… Well, was it really? Although Pü had overcome his instinctive fear of fire, one doubt remained. There was no such thing as zero risk. Especially as the Kami could easily vaporize the water falling from the sky, if he so wished. Pü therefore had to do everything in his power to parry the attack. In truth, this was the only reason which might explain why the divine creature had decided to generate fire, even though it was not at all his custom to do so: to encourage Pü to seriously consider this duel.
-Ralentir. Refroidir. En cet instant, l’esprit de Pü était entièrement gouverné par cette idée. Les yeux toujours fermés, il entama un mouvement lent et méthodique de ses bras. Aussitôt, les particules spirituelles qu’il brassait par milliards répondirent à son ordre mental et diffusèrent son commandement. La température chuta brusquement, un froid mordant s’abattant autour de lui. Au sol, l’herbe et la mousse trempées se couvrirent de givre, tandis que les fleurs colorées dont la Voix aimait tant vanter la beauté se retrouvèrent immobilisées dans une étreinte gelée. Des cristaux de glace se formèrent dans l’air à mesure que la pluie se changeait en neige et en grêle, tissant un voile scintillant entre le Zoraï et l’éclat lointain et rougeoyant du Kami. L’attaque incandescente était imminente, Pü le savait. Il n’y avait plus de temps à perdre. Alors, il éleva sa focalisation à une intensité jamais atteinte auparavant. Par le biais de la Sève, les particules spirituelles répondirent à sa volonté et cristallisèrent instantanément la clairière où se déroulait le duel en un paysage d'un blanc immaculé. La température, qui venait de chuter de plusieurs crans, poussait Pü dans ses derniers retranchements. S’il s’était jusqu’alors efforcé de maintenir son corps à une certaine température, sa magie était désormais en train de se retourner contre lui. Il n’y arrivait plus. Le froid perçant parvenait à s’infiltrer dans ses os tandis que sa peau bleu foncé pâlissait à vue d’œil. D'artisan de cette toile immaculée qu'il avait lui-même élaborée, Pü se muait peu à peu en une figure intégrée dans l'œuvre. Il devenait la pièce manquante de ce paysage figé et glacé. À mesure que son esprit s’engourdissait, la véracité de la théorie s'imposait. Et si c’était précisément cela ? La solution. Lâcher prise. Ralentir. Refroidir.
+The Zoraï closed his eyes once more and concentrated intensely. He perceived the Sap circulating nearby and tried to imagine the billions of spiritual particles it irrigated, making up both the air he breathed and the vegetal carpet on which his feet rested. As a child, his mother had taught him that matter was made up of tiny physical and spiritual particles interacting with one another, and that temperature was intimately linked to their agitation in the vacuum that hosted them. The more mobile these particles were, the higher the temperature of the body they constituted. So when a homin breathed into the Sap his desire to see the sawdust under his fingers ignite, or the moisture in the air freeze, he was actually ordering the spiritual particles to cause the other particles to accelerate or slow down, without even knowing it.
-Dans la perception de Pü, les quelques instants qui suivirent s'allongèrent, se figeant en une éternité silencieuse et gelée. Ce qu’il avait souhaité tant de fois ces derniers mois était enfin arrivé : il était comme mort. Il ne sut donc pas comment il perçut l'instant décisif, englouti dans l'obscurité de l'inconscience, au cœur d'un monde de rêves emprisonné par les glaces. Mais il le perçut. Ses paupières durcies par le froid se brisèrent au moment où la créature divine expulsa un gigantesque geyser enflammé en direction du sol. Figé dans un étau de nacre, les yeux ensanglantés, Pü dirigea son regard vers le ciel sans que le reste de son corps ne bouge. Donnant tout ce qu’il put, il imprima alors un ultime ordre mental au flux de Sève qui le traversait. Instantanément, sa volonté se propagea droit vers la langue ardente du Kami. La vague de froid s’éleva et le rideau de pluie se cristallisa, formant une fresque étincelante dans son sillage. Une dernière vision de tranquillité, préambule à l’imminent chaos.
+Slow down. Cool down. Right now, Pü's mind was entirely governed by this idea. With his eyes still closed, he began a slow, methodical movement of his arms. Immediately, the spiritual particles he was stirring by the billions responded to his mental command and broadcast it. The temperature dropped abruptly, a biting cold descending around him. On the ground, soaked grass and moss were covered in frost, while the colorful flowers whose beauty the Voice so loved to praise were immobilized in a frozen embrace. Ice crystals formed in the air as the rain turned to snow and hail, weaving a shimmering veil between the Zorai and the Kami's distant, glowing radiance. The incandescent attack was imminent, Pü knew. There was no time to lose. So he raised his focus to an intensity never seen before. Through the Sap, the spiritual particles responded to his will and instantly crystallised the clearing where the duel was taking place into an immaculate white landscape. The temperature, which had just dropped several notches, was pushing Pü to the limit. He had been doing his best to keep his body at a certain temperature, but now his magic was turning against him. He couldn't do it any more. The piercing cold was seeping into his bones, and his dark blue skin was paling visibly. From being the craftsman of this immaculate canvas he had created himself, Pü was gradually becoming an integral part of the work. He was becoming the missing piece in this frozen landscape. As his mind grew numb, the truth of the theory became clear. What if that was it? The solution. To let go. Slow down. Cool down.
-Car comme escompté, les deux forces élémentaires se percutèrent, et l’effet produit fut cataclysmique. L’impact engendra une explosion de vapeur qui propulsa des fragments de glace et des orbes incandescents sur plusieurs dizaines de mètres aux alentours, et dont l'écho retentit jusqu'au cœur du Jardin Éternel. Aussitôt, une brume épaisse, humide et  blanchâtre enveloppa l'espace, entravant la vision de Pü. Le Zoraï, qui avait à peine repris conscience, cherchait à s’extraire de sa prison gelée sans causer davantage de dommages à son corps. Il fût aidé dans sa tâche par une pluie enflammée qui s’abattit sur lui. En temps normal, il aurait souhaité éviter une telle attaque, mais à ce moment précis, celle-ci avait une allure de miracle. En effet, Pü devait non seulement faire fondre la couche de glace recouvrant sa peau, mais aussi réparer les nombreux dommages laissés par la morsure du froid… Quelques secondes passèrent, et finalement, poussé à l'extrême de sa capacité à canaliser la Sève, le Zoraï s'effondra sur un genou. Il était libéré. Libéré, mais seulement partiellement rétabli. Hors d’haleine, il jeta ses amplificateurs au sol, dégaina son épée et accrocha difficilement sa rondache à son bras droit. Il était épuisé. Jamais il n'avait incanté un sort d'une telle puissance. Et s’il était stupéfait d’avoir réussi à contrer l'attaque du Kami, l'exploit l'avait vidé de ses forces. Désormais, et probablement jusqu'à la fin du duel, il ne pourrait plus compter sur les pouvoirs de la Sève.
+In Pü's perception, the few moments that followed lengthened, freezing into a silent, frozen eternity. What he had wished for so many times over the last few months had finally arrived: he was as good as dead. So he didn't know how he perceived the decisive moment, engulfed in the darkness of unconsciousness, at the heart of a dream world imprisoned by ice. But he perceived it. His cold-hardened eyelids shattered as the divine creature expelled a gigantic flaming geyser towards the ground. Frozen in a mother-of-pearl vise, his eyes bloodshot, Pü looked up at the sky without the rest of his body moving. Giving all he could, he gave a final mental command to the sap flowing through him. Instantly, his will shot straight to the Kami's fiery tongue. The cold wave rose and the curtain of rain crystallized, forming a glittering fresco in its wake. A final vision of tranquility, a prelude to imminent chaos.
 « Vous êtes exceptionnel, mon garçon ! Cette démonstration de force était tout simplement époustouflante. Jamais je n'aurais imaginé, il y a quelques mois à peine, que vous atteindriez un tel niveau. Cependant, bien que je me doive de vous féliciter, je tiens également à vous rappeler que ce duel n'est pas encore achevé. La suite de l'affrontement se jouera vraisemblablement à la force des armes et dépendra entièrement de votre détermination. Je place ma confiance en vous. »

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 Magically generating fire required disposition of a material base. Thus, to form a fireball, one had customary to rub one's palms on the ground. By infusing the Sap flowing through his hands with the desire to see the sawdust clumped beneath his fingers ignite, the magician became able to modify the properties of the spiritual particles that made up the matter, and thus generate flames that he could project more or less far away. Although years of experience enabled the magician to modify this way of doing things, one condition remained: the use of solid matter as a starting point. However, having seen him at work on a single occasion, Pü knew that the Kami adopted a much freer approach. His technique consisted of two successive stages. The first consisted in absorbing air at breakneck speed and in unbelievable quantities, without his body undergoing the slightest deformation. The main consequence of such air compression was a significant increase in his internal temperature. The second step was to magically ignite the air inside his body - air, not solid matter, as homins were forced to do. The heat generated by compression in the first stage maintained a continuous flow of fire, which the divine creature could propagate in the form of gigantic incandescent waves. One of the side-effects of such air absorption, causing a temporary drop in atmospheric pressure around the Kami, was an intense hissing sound. This was what Pü had heard. The Zoraï stood up, unhooked his amplifying gloves from his belt and slipped them on. He wouldn't have needed to amplify his ability to manipulate the Sap in a simple duel, but this divine creature was a different kind of opponent. By the way, Pü felt she was taking unreasonable risks…
 {{WIP}}
 Le Zoraï ferma une nouvelle fois les yeux et se concentra intensément. Il perçut la Sève qui circulait à proximité et tenta d’imaginer les milliards de particules spirituelles qu’elle irriguait, composant aussi bien l’air qu’il respirait que le tapis végétal sur lequel ses pieds reposaient. Enfant, sa mère lui avait appris que la matière était composée de particules physiques et spirituelles minuscules interagissant les unes avec les autres, et que la température était intimement liée à leur agitation dans le vide qui les accueillait. Plus ces particules étaient mobiles, et plus la température du corps qu’elles constituaient était élevée. Ainsi, lorsqu’un homin insufflait à la Sève son désir de voir la sciure accumulée sous ses doigts s’enflammer, ou l’humidité de l’air geler, il ordonnait en réalité aux particules spirituelles d'entraîner l’accélération ou le ralentissement des autres particules, et cela sans même le savoir.

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 Pü shrieked and retaliated with a violent upward thrust of his rondache. But unlike the blow he had delivered at the start of the duel, a powerful shockwave of magic erupted as the rondache struck the Kami's sword. In less than three seconds, the spell Pü had just cast with one hand, without a magic-amplifying glove, propelled the homin in black some ten metres into the air. For a fleeting moment, the rain, which had gained in intensity during the sparring, even seemed to suspend itself around the Zoraï. This was yet another illustration of his growing ability to manipulate the Sap. With each passing month, he pushed further his mastery of the spells he had been taught as a child, and the use of amplifiers became less and less crucial. Taking advantage of the distance he had managed to create between himself and the Kami, the Zoraï stared at his left arm, focusing on its stump. The missing hand grew back in a flash. He then picked up his sword, ready to receive another assault from the Kami. Except that the Kami still hadn't fallen back. Raising his head, he found him levitating, much higher than where he had been thrown, hidden behind the curtain of rain now falling from the sky. The Kami, who had resumed his original appearance, was gaining altitude as he stared down at Pü, who managed to make out those big white eyes only up to a certain distance away. Although the divine creature had told him that he would one day be able to feel the Sap flowing over great distances, he was still far from being able to do so. Even so, Pü sheathed his weapons, knelt on the damp ground and closed his eyes. If there was one thing he'd learned in recent months, it was that there were no inappropriate times to meditate.
-Générer magiquement du feu nécessitait qu'on dispose d’une base matérielle. Ainsi, pour former une boule de feu, on avait coutume de frotter ses paumes sur le sol. En insufflant à la Sève qui s’écoulait entre ses mains la volonté de voir la sciure agglutinée sous ses doigts s’enflammer, le mage devenait capable de modifier les propriétés des particules spirituelles qui composaient la matière, et ainsi de générer des flammes qu’il pouvait projeter plus ou moins loin. Bien que les années d’expérience permettent au mage de modifier cette manière de faire, une condition subsistait : l’utilisation de matière solide comme point de départ. Or, pour l’avoir déjà vu à l’œuvre une unique fois, Pü savait que le Kami adoptait une approche bien plus libre. Sa technique se composait de deux étapes successives. La première consistait à absorber de l'air à une vitesse folle et en quantité invraisemblable, et cela sans que son corps en subisse la moindre déformation. La conséquence principale d’une telle compression de l’air était l’augmentation importante de sa température interne. La seconde étape consistait à enflammer magiquement l’air situé dans son corps, et non pas de la matière solide, comme y étaient contraints les homins. La chaleur engendrée par la compression lors de la première étape permettait de maintenir un flux continu de feu, que la créature divine pouvait propager sous la forme de gigantesques vagues incandescentes. L’une des conséquences secondaires d’une telle absorption de l’air, à l’origine d’une diminution passagère de la pression atmosphérique autour du Kami, était un sifflement intense. C’était cela que Pü avait entendu. Le Zoraï se leva, décrocha de sa ceinture ses gants amplificateurs et les enfila. S’il n’aurait eu nul besoin d'amplifier ainsi sa capacité à manipuler la Sève lors d’un simple duel, la créature divine était un adversaire d’un tout autre ordre. Pü considérait d’ailleurs qu’elle prenait des risques déraisonnables…
+Regulating his breathing, he concentrated on his body, his immediate surroundings and, despite the distance, on the location of the divine creature. Before realizing that this was unnecessary. In fact, a distant but powerful whistling sound reached his ears, like a furious wind compressing the air. Pü reopened his eyes and looked up. He understood what the Kami was up to.
 En effet, malgré la faculté des mages à maîtriser la chaleur du feu qu’ils généraient, ainsi que sa capacité de combustion, Atys demeurait un monde propice aux incendies incontrôlables, étant constituée exclusivement de matière végétale. C’était en tout cas ce dont étaient convaincues les sociétés homines, pour la plupart pyrophobes. Seul le peuple Fyros, qui avait érigé la maîtrise du feu en art, semblait avoir triomphé de cette peur instinctive, profondément enracinée en chaque homin dès sa naissance. Cela rendait l’Empire Fyros particulièrement dangereux, autant pour ses ennemis que pour lui-même. Le siège de Zoran mené par les armées fyrosses en 2328, qui avait entraîné la destruction par le feu de la Grande Bibliothèque, et l’incendie des Mines d’Ambre de Coriolis, causé par des mineurs fyros au sein même de l’Empire, en témoignaient. De leur vivant, les ancêtres de la tribu de Pü avaient aussi l’habitude de raconter que la souche morte dans laquelle tous vivaient avait été détruite par une machine cracheuse de feu de la Karavan. En tant qu’entités protectrices des écosystèmes d’Atys, les Kamis abominaient le feu. Il était donc invraisemblable que le Kami Noir pousse son entraînement au point d’embraser le Jardin Éternel. Aussi spectaculaire que puisse paraître sa magie, il était probable que la capacité de combustion des flammes qu’il allait générer serait maintenue au strict minimum et qu’il profiterait de la pluie battante pour en limiter la propagation. Non, ce n’était pas probable, c’était certain… Enfin, l’était-ce réellement ? Pü avait beau avoir vaincu sa peur instinctive du feu, un doute subsistait. Le risque nul n’existait pas. D’autant que le Kami pouvait aisément vaporiser l’eau qui tombait du ciel, si tel était son désir. Pü devait donc faire tout ce qui était en son pouvoir pour parer l’attaque. C’était d’ailleurs la seule raison qui pouvait expliquer pourquoi la créature divine avait décidé de générer du feu, alors que cela n’était pas du tout dans ses habitudes : inciter Pü à considérer sérieusement ce duel.

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 Too late. The Kami's black sword severed his left hand, disarming him in the process. Pü cursed himself and chased away the parasitic memory. If he didn't retaliate within three seconds, the Kami would strike a decisive blow and the duel would end piteously.
-Pü prit une grande inspiration. L’air se chargea en influx d’énergie.
+Two.
-Une.
+One.
-Il recula sa jambe droite, la fléchit, et amena son bras valide contre son flanc droit, comme s’il s’apprêtait à lancer la rondache qui y était accrochée.
+He drew back his right leg, bent it, and brought his good arm against his right flank, as if preparing to throw the rondache hanging there.
 Zero.
-Pü poussa un cri et riposta d’un violent coup de rondache vertical et ascendant. Mais à l’inverse du coup qu’il avait porté au début du duel, une puissante onde de choc magique jaillit au moment où la rondache toucha l’épée du Kami. Le sort que Pü venait d’incanter d’une seule main, sans gant amplificateur de magie, et en moins de trois secondes, propulsa l’homin en noir d’une dizaine de mètres dans les airs. Durant un fugace instant, la pluie, qui avait gagné en intensité durant la passe d’armes, donna même l'impression de se suspendre autour du Zoraï. Là était une nouvelle illustration de sa facilité grandissante à manipuler la Sève. Chaque mois qui s'écoulait, il repoussait plus loin sa maîtrise des sorts qu’on lui avait enseigné durant l’enfance, et l'usage des amplificateurs devenait de moins en moins crucial. Profitant de la distance qu’il avait réussi à créer entre lui et le Kami, le Zoraï fixa son bras gauche et se concentra sur son moignon. La main absente repoussa en un éclair. Il ramassa ensuite son épée, prêt à recevoir un nouvel assaut du Kami. Sauf que celui-ci n’était toujours pas retombé. Levant la tête, il le trouva en lévitation, bien plus haut que l’endroit où il avait été projeté, dissimulé derrière le rideau de pluie qui tombait désormais du ciel. Le Kami, qui avait repris son apparence originelle, prenait de l’altitude tout en fixant Pü, qui réussit à distinguer ces grands yeux blancs jusqu’à une certaine distance seulement. Si la créature divine lui avait fait savoir qu’il lui serait un jour possible de sentir la Sève couler sur de grandes distances, il était encore loin d’en être capable. Malgré tout, Pü rengaina ses armes, s’agenouilla sur le sol humide et ferma les yeux. S’il avait bien appris une chose ces derniers mois, c’est qu'il n'y avait pas de moments inappropriés pour méditer.
+Pü shrieked and retaliated with a violent upward thrust of his rondache. But unlike the blow he had delivered at the start of the duel, a powerful shockwave of magic erupted as the rondache struck the Kami's sword. In less than three seconds, the spell Pü had just cast with one hand, without a magic-amplifying glove, propelled the homin in black some ten metres into the air. For a fleeting moment, the rain, which had gained in intensity during the sparring, even seemed to suspend itself around the Zoraï. This was yet another illustration of his growing ability to manipulate the Sap. With each passing month, he pushed further his mastery of the spells he had been taught as a child, and the use of amplifiers became less and less crucial. Taking advantage of the distance he had managed to create between himself and the Kami, the Zoraï stared at his left arm, focusing on its stump. The missing hand grew back in a flash. He then picked up his sword, ready to receive another assault from the Kami. Except that the Kami still hadn't fallen back. Raising his head, he found him levitating, much higher than where he had been thrown, hidden behind the curtain of rain now falling from the sky. The Kami, who had resumed his original appearance, was gaining altitude as he stared down at Pü, who managed to make out those big white eyes only up to a certain distance away. Although the divine creature had told him that he would one day be able to feel the Sap flowing over great distances, he was still far from being able to do so. Even so, Pü sheathed his weapons, knelt on the damp ground and closed his eyes. If there was one thing he'd learned in recent months, it was that there were no inappropriate times to meditate.
+{{WIP}}
 Régulant sa respiration, il se concentra sur son corps, son environnement immédiat, et, en dépit de la distance, sur l’endroit où se trouvait la créature divine. Avant de se rendre compte que cela n’était pas nécessaire. De fait, un sifflement lointain mais puissant parvint à ses oreilles, comme un vent furieux comprimant l'air. Pü rouvrit les yeux et leva la tête. Il comprenait ce que le Kami était en train de manigancer.

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 Much of the learning involved training the mind, in the form of long meditative sessions. Although meditation was widely practiced in his tribe, often in association with prayer, Pü had never excelled at the exercise. Apart from moments of great danger, when losing concentration could have serious consequences, focusing on the present moment and preventing his mind from drifting from idea to idea, from navigating between the future and the past, had always seemed an arduous task to him. And yet, that was what it was all about: focusing on the here and now and expanding awareness of oneself and one's surroundings. Opening up to Atys to the point of being able to distinguish the network of Sap that irrigated it, and into which homins instinctively breathed their will in order to alter physical reality. Obviously, the learning process was gradual: feel the Sap flowing inside you, feel the Sap flowing around you, and finally visualize it flowing through matter in the form of a titanic network of light that replaced the tangible world. The exercise was made easier by the Kami, who, with a simple physical touch, could temporarily heighten Pü's new senses, as had happened when he had teleported him from Zoran to the Eternal Garden.
-Finalement, ce n’est qu’au cours de la dernière année que le Kami commença à inclure des entraînements physiques et des duels à l’apprentissage de Pü. Année durant laquelle le Zoraï avait entamé l'intégration de ses nouvelles aptitudes dans sa pratique des arts martiaux. Entrevoir le chemin de sa progression l’avait d’ailleurs conduit à de sombres conclusions : en refusant qu’il soit béni enfant, Grand-Mère Bä-Bä et sa mère l’avaient privé de dons qui auraient pu lui permettre de tous les sauver. C’était en tout cas ce dont il s’était persuadé. Trois années s'étaient écoulées depuis que Pü avait assisté au massacre de sa tribu. Trois années au cours desquelles son état mental ne s’était pas amélioré. Trois années au cours desquelles les crises suicidaires s’étaient succédées.
+For over two years, Pü did nothing but meditate. Over time, the length of his sessions increased, until they extended over several days without interruption. By developing his perceptive abilities, Pü found that it was now much easier for him to act on the spiritual particles that constituted and surrounded him. He had become more precise in the way he imprinted his will on the Sap that irrigated him, more conscious of what he was doing. While he had previously been able to strengthen certain parts of his body and heal his wounds instinctively, he now understood the underlying mechanisms and could use them for other purposes. Thus, when meditation enabled him to reach high levels of consciousness, he became able to do without food and water, using the Sap directly to nourish his metabolism. Unfortunately, this required great psychic stamina, which Pü did not yet possess. And even if, according to the Kami, his advances were exceptionally fast, the day when he would be able to stop eating for good was still a long way off.
-« Le Kami vous invite à rester concentré sur le moment présent, mon garçon. Tout comme moi, il perçoit que le poids du passé alourdit votre esprit et que de sinistres pensées vous submergent. »
+Finally, it was only in the last year that the Kami began to include physical training and duels in Pü's apprenticeship. It was during this year that the Zoraï began to integrate his new skills into his martial arts practice. Insights into his own progress led him, for that matter, to some grim conclusions: by refusing to allow him to be blessed as a child, Grandmother Bä-Bä and his mother had deprived him of the gifts that could have saved them all. Or so he had convinced himself. Three years had passed since Pü had witnessed the massacre of his tribe. Three years in which his mental state had not improved. Three years in which one suicidal crisis followed another.
-Pü soupira. Cela faisait un mois qu’il n’avait pas combattu le Kami. Et si tous ses entraînements étaient particulièrement éprouvants, aucun n’atteignait l’intensité de ces duels. Pour espérer ne pas se faire terrasser au moindre coup, le Zoraï devait se donner à fond. Or, il manquait grandement de motivation. Son état dépressif rendait tout difficile. Il était las et avait longtemps eu envie de tout arrêter. Pourtant, il tenait toujours bon. Grâce à la Voix. Essayant de chasser les pensées le parasitant, Pü ferma les paupières et prit une grande inspiration. Il se concentra alors pleinement sur les sensations de son corps : le rythme de sa respiration, la douceur de l’herbe sous ses pieds, le poids de son épée dans sa main gauche, celui de la rondache sur son bras droit, les picotements des brins de paille qui constituaient son pagne, le bruissement des arbres qui dessinaient la clairière où il se tenait, le sifflement du vent, le chant des insectes, les cris lointains des izams et la fraîcheur de gouttes naissantes sur sa peau. Il commençait à pleuvoir. Lorsqu’il rouvrit les yeux, Pü examina la posture peu conventionnelle que l’homin en noir venait d’adopter. Il s'était mis en position accroupie et avait posé ses poings contre le sol en espaçant ses bras à largeur d’épaules. Pü comprit ce qui se tramait dès lors qu’il vit la Sève bouillonner dans les jambes de son adversaire, ainsi que dans le bras tenant l’épée. En temps normal, lorsque Pü sondait le Kami avec son nouveau sens, il ne distinguait rien de plus qu’un bloc homogène de lumière. En revanche, lorsque la créature divine revêtait sa forme homine, elle poussait le détail au point d’en reproduire l’anatomie. Ainsi, le Zoraï devenait capable de distinguer la manière dont la Sève circulait dans son corps. Ne quittant pas le Kami des yeux, Pü resserra sa garde, se pencha légèrement en avant, écarta ses jambes et abaissa son centre de gravité. Il était prêt.
+:''"The Kami invites you to stay focused on the present moment, my boy. Like me, he perceives that the weight of the past weighs down your mind and that sinister thoughts overwhelm you."
-« Que le duel commence ! » tonna la Voix d’un air théâtral.
+Pü sighed. It had been a month since he'd last fought the Kami. And while all his training sessions were particularly grueling, none matched the intensity of these duels. If he was to avoid being knocked down at the slightest blow, the Zoraï had to give it his all. But he lacked motivation. His depressive state made everything difficult. He was weary and had long wanted stop that all. Yet he was still holding on. Thanks to the Voice. Trying to banish the thoughts parasitizing him, Pü closed his eyelids and took a deep breath. He then focused fully on the sensations in his body: the rhythm of his breathing, the softness of the grass beneath his feet, the weight of his sword in his left hand, that of the rondache on his right arm, the tingling of the straw strands that made up his loincloth, the rustling of the trees that outlined the clearing where he stood, the whistling of the wind, the song of insects, the distant cries of izams and the coolness of incipient drops on his skin. It was starting to rain. When he opened his eyes again, Pü looked at the unconventional posture the man in black had adopted. He had crouched down and placed his fists on the ground, spacing his arms shoulder-width apart. Pü understood what was going on as soon as he saw the Sap bubbling up in his opponent's legs, as well as in the arm holding the sword. Normally, when Pü probed the Kami with his new sense, he could distinguish nothing more than a homogeneous block of light. However, when the divine creature took on its human form, it went into such detail as to reproduce its anatomy. In this way, the Zoraï became able to distinguish the way the Sap circulated in his body. Without taking his eyes off the Kami, Pü tightened his guard, leaned forward slightly, spread his legs and lowered his center of gravity. He was ready.
-Sitôt le signal émis, l’homin en noir se propulsa parallèlement au sol en direction de Pü, l’épée brandie en arrière. La manière et la vitesse à laquelle la créature divine avait bondi étaient irréelles. L’objectif de ces duels n’étaient pas d’offrir à Pü des combats équitables et réalistes, mais de le soumettre à des épreuves aussi aléatoires que périlleuses, afin de le contraindre à exploiter ses capacités naissantes de façon innovante. Pü, qui avait infusé tout ce qu’il pouvait de Sève dans son bras droit, réussit à repousser l’attaque verticale et plongeante d’un coup de rondache. Sous la violence du choc, ses pieds s’enfoncèrent dans le tapis végétal. Le Kami, qui fut écarté de quelques mètres, repartit à la charge tout aussi vite. S’en suivit un échange de coups acrobatiques, durant lequel la créature divine ne cessa d’utiliser les pouvoirs de la Sève pour repousser les limites physiques de sa forme homine, obligeant Pü à traquer constamment le flux d’énergie. À voir bondir le Kami ainsi, Pü repensa à son duel contre le général Sirgio di Rollo, qui avait eu lieu dix années auparavant, et à la pirouette qui lui avait assuré la victoire.
+:''"Let the duel begin!"'' thundered the Voice theatrically.
-« Mon garçon, restez concentré sur le combat ! »
+As soon the signal issued, the homin in black propelled himself parallel to the ground towards Pü, sword brandished backwards. The manner and speed with which the divine creature leapt was unreal. The aim of these duels was not to offer Pü fair and realistic combat, but to subject him to trials as random as they were perilous, in order to force him to exploit his budding abilities in innovative ways. Pü, who had infused all he could of Sap into his right arm, managed to fend off the vertical, plunging attack with a rondache blow. Under the force of the impact, his feet sank into the ground. The Kami, who had been knocked back a few metres, was just as quick to charge again. This was followed by an acrobatic exchange of blows, during which the divine creature never ceased to use the powers of the Sap to push back the physical limits of her homine form, forcing Pü to constantly track the flow of energy. Watching the Kami leap like that, Pü thought back to his duel with the general Sirgio di Rollo ten years earlier, and the pirouette that had ensured his victory.
-Trop tard. L’épée noire du Kami trancha sa main gauche et le désarma par la même occasion. Pü se maudit et chassa le souvenir parasite. S’il ne ripostait pas dans les trois secondes, le Kami porterait un coup décisif et le duel se solderait piteusement.
+:''"My boy, stay focused on the fight!"
 Deux.