Iansan

When the people of Natlan think about the Collective of Plenty, the first thing that springs to mind is the tribe's culture of fitness — followed shortly by mental images of towering, muscular, chiseled physiques...

Many first-time visitors to the Collective of Plenty, therefore, are surprised to learn that the current leading light of the tribe's fitness scene is about as far away from those mental images as it's possible to be. As tall — or short — as a child, the young lady in question is positively scrawny when compared with most of her peers.

This young lady — whose unimposing frame gives the impression that a strong gust of wind might well blow her away — is the head coach of the fitness club at the Collective of Plenty: Coach Iansan.

At first, many visitors had assumed that the tribe were merely playing a trick on outsiders.

But in due course, there was ample opportunity for newcomers to witness Coach Iansan directing training sessions — and the aftermath, with her students collapsed exhausted on the floor while she herself had hardly broken a sweat.

Eventually, with the eyes of all Natlan watching, Iansan proved her prowess on the greatest stage, setting an all-time victory record in the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame.

And now, Iansan is widely recognized as the gold standard for trainers in Natlan. She has even set up her own special training camp to teach the techniques required to attain victory in the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame.

Folk are shocked by Iansan's strength and curious as to its source. There are rumors that she has an unusual lineage, one which bestows her with extraordinary strength, but also uncommon shortness.

Whenever outsiders to the tribe attempt to confirm these rumors with the Collective of Plenty, however, their questions are met by little more than icy stares and an equally frosty answer:

"Hmph, she trains hard."

Having met their perfunctory burden of manners, the people of the Collective of Plenty will then return to working out, leaving behind befuddled outsiders who are unsure exactly what they did to cause offense.

And so new rumors begin to spread, ones that claim Iansan's power is derived from a secret tribal weapon belonging to the Collective of Plenty — a weapon that they are forbidden from talking to outsiders about.

Whenever such rumors begin to do the rounds, Iansan is quick to seek out the curious questioners.

"You too can be as strong as me. Join my training academy and I guarantee you results!"

Once their shock has faded, most people decline the offer. Perhaps they don't believe that Coach Iansan can really guarantee success, or perhaps they've already heard stories of just how grueling her training really is.

The rumors surrounding Iansan continue to swirl and spread. On the rare occasions when she isn't training and has the time to pay them heed, Iansan can only sigh and shake her head.

"I keep telling them it's down to the training... Why doesn't anybody listen?"

For as long as she can remember, Iansan has known that she will never grow any taller.

The "Blood of Egungun" runs through her veins, as it has through the veins of countless generations of her family. Her ancestors never grow to be taller than children.

The tribespeople of the Collective of Plenty are the biggest and strongest in all of Natlan, yet Iansan and her family are anomalies. Their bloodline has thwarted all hopes of them ever becoming as formidable of stature as their tribal peers, while providing them with no obvious boon in return. Compared to the curse of their bloodline, even the tainted bargains of fairytale witches seem fair by comparison.

Fortunately, the tribespeople of the Collective of Plenty are accepting and kind. After taking Iansan's family in, they have never treated them with prejudice, instead adopting a protective attitude. Whenever war broke out, Iansan's ancestors have always been kept from the front lines, serving as medics and cooks. They are not as courageous or nimble as the warriors of the tribe, having developed a habit of keeping their heads down and sticking to routine.

Ever since Iansan can remember, she had helped her parents with their work. But compared with her parents' diligence, she had felt a persistent restlessness that seemed to call her toward the battlefield. Whenever she had the chance, she would always head toward the sound of the latest battle to await the returning warriors. Not that her waiting bore fruit — concerned tribal guards always returned her to her parents long before she could get near the fighting. It seemed that her fate was to follow in the footsteps of her parents and live the life predetermined for her by the "Blood of Egungun."

Until, that is, an unexpected event that shocked the whole tribe occurred — she was chosen by the ancient name "Power" to serve as its vessel.

Iansan was as shocked as the rest of her tribe, but the inscription on the ancient name was clear beyond doubt. Overnight, Iansan became the center of attention, but most of the gazes that now fell on her were far from kind. For the Collective of Plenty, the ancient name "Power" was especially significant — representing unrivaled honor and unparalleled responsibility. Most of the tribe looked down on Iansan, both in terms of her ambition and stature. They questioned not only whether she deserved this honor, but also whether she could live up to its expectations.

But those most troubled by this turn of events were her parents, who — despite their hard work — had always been content knowing their place in society. They knew they could offer no help to Iansan in this matter, and could not even speak of it for the longest time. When they finally broached the subject with their daughter, it was to express their unconditional support for whatever path she chose.

And so, a few days later, Iansan approached Acatl — who was both the tribal chief and head coach of the Collective of Plenty's fitness club at the time.

"Coach, I want to train!"

In the Collective of Plenty, fitness is sacrosanct, second in importance only to the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame. The tribespeople advocate for a universal focus on working out and take great pride in the results of their training.

Despite this, when Iansan appeared at the hallowed tribal training grounds, there was much grumbling from her peers. "This kid should quit before something happens," many thought. After all, to most observers, Iansan working out wasn't a question of suitability, but one of basic safety — some of the weights being thrown around weighed more than she did!

Her fellow fitness enthusiasts collected all the entry-level equipment they could and placed it in front of Iansan, explaining that it represented the threshold required to join the club. They thought this would dissuade her, but Iansan merely selected a small barbell and put all of her effort into trying to lift it. Before the plates had even left the ground, the gathered crowd heard the loud crack of creaking bones, and rushed forward to stop Iansan...

It was weeks before Iansan could get out of bed and walk by herself, and even that was only due to her father's skills as a medic — otherwise, she might have been bedridden for months. Upon hearing that Iansan was getting better, Acatl paid her a visit. Ever since failing to stop Iansan from hurting herself, Acatl had been facing much criticism from the tribe. Iansan was worried that his visit was a personal attempt to persuade her to abandon her chosen path.

"So, fitness has a threshold?"

"Fitness isn't a question of credentials, it's a question of choice."

Acatl assuaged Iansan's concerns before telling her the story of the founder of the Collective of Plenty's fitness club.

This great warrior, Meztcala, was once chief of the Collective of Plenty. He had a mighty physique and a strength seldom matched before or since. Back then, the tribe had experienced much upheaval since its founding and was yet to establish a firm foothold by the slopes of the Sacred Mountain. He used his prodigious strength to conquer monsters and magma alike, while protecting his people day and night. At that time, the Sacred Mountain had just entered a new eruption cycle. As volcanic activity became more and more intense, even Meztcala, strong as he was, began to feel tired and overwhelmed. In the face of growing pleas for shelter from his people, he knew he alone could not weather the storm, yet he never abandoned them.

"You can all become like me. You can all choose to become like me!"

He made the tribespeople his students, taught them his training techniques, and then led them against the dangers that threatened their tribe. Through countless grueling trials, the people of the Collective of Plenty learned that they too had the strength and power to protect their homeland. By the time Meztcala grew old and succumbed to the irresistible force of time, his students had surpassed him and now formed a protective barrier around their tribe. In the end, the tribespeople of the Collective of Plenty established a secure and peaceful homeland at the foot of the great volcano.

"That is the origin of our fitness club, and the words I just told you are a warning passed down by Meztcala himself. If anyone claims that training has a threshold, do you think he would agree?"

"Iansan, I've heard about your troubles lifting even the most basic training equipment. This doesn't mean you lack the credentials to train, it simply means that everyone else lacks the ability to train you. Your physical condition is beyond the boundaries of practically any fitness trainee's personal experience. And so, it would be remiss of me not to point out that training, for you, will be a very difficult path to follow."

"However, the path you take is ultimately a choice that only you can make."

After Acatl had left, Iansan lapsed into a multi-day silence, as she had when she first discovered her ancient name. Eventually, when she emerged from her solitude, it was to seek out Acatl once more.

"Coach, I want to train!"

With that, Iansan returned to the tribal training grounds. But this time, she was not met with a pile of weights and equipment designed as a deterrent. Instead, the members of the fitness club brought Iansan to a freshly prepared patch of ground, far from the dangerously heavy, swinging weights of the main workout area. In this space, they had prepared for Iansan her own personal place to train, complete with everything she might need.

This time, their gazes contained more than just concern for her safety. Now, there was a hint of admiration as well — for they all understood that this young woman had actively chosen to walk a lonely path of training.

In her early days at the fitness club, Iansan's determination to train and become stronger never faltered. Yet her indomitable willpower did nothing to lighten the pain and soreness that frequently racked her body, nor the persistent injuries.

In those days, a culture of competitive perseverance permeated the club, with members measuring their success by the levels of burning pain in their muscles. Many of the trainees preferred to chase improvement by challenging their absolute limits.

Iansan's injuries were almost wholly brought about by trying to imitate this style of training.

Once, while recovering from an injury, Iansan — hobbling on crutches — passed the packed training grounds and stopped to stare at the equipment. She suddenly realized that she no longer felt the excitement and enthusiasm towards the challenge these objects once presented, rather, she could only feel the aching pain in the joint she'd recently dislocated.

That was the first time Iansan truly felt like she wasn't cut out for fitness training.

After a week of staying inside and shutting out the outside world, Iansan's mother — torn by her daughter's obvious anguish — tried her best to comfort her.

"There are many ways we can't compete with others, but we have our own talents. For example... treating injuries and cooking food..."

Iansan's mother fell silent. If the experienced trainees at the fitness club couldn't help guide her daughter to success, what chance did she have, as someone who had never trained a day in her life? But to her surprise, the blazing fires of determination began to burn anew in Iansan's eyes.

"You're right. We can treat injuries and cook food!"

After a month of recuperation, Iansan returned once more to the training grounds. This time, she walked straight past the experienced trainees, who were flexing and flashing poses at each other, and straight past the piles of equipment that had so tormented her before. This time, she picked up a pot and began to train — moving around, taking notes, and cooking.

Her training seemed far more leisurely than before. She followed her routine and completed a few sets of the same exercises each day. At the same time, she somehow seemed busier: as though every hour of every day had been planned out. She appeared to have lowered her expectations, rarely pushing herself close to her limits — unlike the other fitness club members. And yet, her expectations also seemed somehow to be more stringent, as she no longer missed a single day's training, all while cooking her own meals and strictly regulating her diet.

After weeks of this strange behavior, people started to notice. Rumors began to circulate that Iansan had found the secret to overcoming the limits of her bloodline. They flocked to her unusual training sessions, and gathered around as though watching a piece of performance art...

"In the simplest of terms, my strength comes from a well-scheduled workout routine, controlled caloric intake, and precise supplemental nutrition."

The curious onlookers dispersed, disappointed with Iansan's explanation. The philosophy she had described to them did not seem to offer even the slightest challenge. They couldn't fathom how something so simple could allow Iansan to break through the limits of her self.

What none of them seemed to have noticed was that ever since shaking up her training regimen, all of Iansan's fitness metrics had been steadily improving — from running farther, to performing more pushups. Perhaps this was because the other trainees didn't care much for that sort of data, but to Iansan, these gradual improvements were solid and consistent, like steel folded over and over — each tiny milestone building towards a fundamental change.

At that time, Iansan had no idea that she had already introduced a brand-new concept to Natlan — the science of nutrition. All she knew was that she had finally found a mode of fitness training that suited her individual needs.

Iansan's friendship with her saurian companion stems from a tradition of the Collective of Plenty — the people of the tribe enjoy wrestling with Tatankasaurs, with victory in such contests being a mark of great honor. A little while after joining the fitness club, Iansan also attempted this feat, but try as she might, she couldn't so much as budge a single adult Tatankasaurus. Fearing that her attempts were likely to end the same way as her brushes with equipment at the training grounds, her more experienced peers introduced her to Emela. Emela had been orphaned not long after her birth, and was taken in by the tribe. She was a baby Tatankasaurus, and it seemed more fitting for Iansan to train with someone of her own size.

One child had lost the care of her parents, and the other had been coddled a little too much by hers. There was a natural rivalry between the two — one that only intensified once they were assigned as training partners. They both poured everything they had into their first duel, one regretting how they had lacked the strength to protect their parents, the other wishing to gain the strength to protect her own. In the end, they both fell, exhausted, to the floor, with no clear winner left standing.

From that moment on, their rivalry officially began.

Once Iansan found a method of training that suited her, though improvements came slowly, she gradually managed to push beyond her limits. During that time, she was in the lead.

But as Emela moved out from under the shadow of her parents' passing, she began to thrive in the light, until eventually, she surpassed Iansan, and had her eating her dust.

By this point, Iansan's progress had gradually attracted the attention of the entire tribe. In an unexpected turn of events, she ended up defeating the chief of the Tatankasaurs and eventually took over from Acatl as the head coach of the fitness club.

Emela's own progress was likewise exceeding everyone's expectations. She had long since grown larger than any other Tatankasaurus in the tribe, and rose to become their new chief.

All the while, their rivalry continued. Both of them seemed desperate to constantly surpass the other, leaving their rival to play catch-up.

Despite this intense competition, when they were not challenging each other in contests of strength, Emela would allow Iansan to ride on her back as they explored the wilderness together.

Once the war to repel the Abyss invasion had ended, Iansan's students brought her to the place where Emela was buried. They felt a great sense of responsibility for the fact that Iansan had not seen her dear friend one last time before her passing.

"There were so many enemies, she must have known that she wouldn't return if she charged in... If you'd been there with her instead of us, you could have stopped her..."

"No. If I'd been there with her, I would've charged, right by her side. We'd have raced to see who could reach the enemy first."

Iansan laid down a flower for her old friend and uttered, for the first time, the unspoken rule that was at the heart of her and Emela's rivalry —

"Only by taking the lead can you protect the ones you've left behind."

As the horns sounded to herald the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame, Iansan returned to the Stadium of the Sacred Flame once more to set a new record for consecutive victories.

People no longer questioned her credentials as the head coach of the fitness club, nor did anyone dare mock her unassuming stature. While others may express shock at her results, Iansan remained unmoved — she simply focused on updating her training plans and recipes, unceasing in the implementation of her fitness philosophy.

What did surprise Iansan, was that everyone discussing her bloodline now suddenly expressed envy towards her "gift." Most members of other tribes knew nothing of Iansan's family background, nor had they witnessed her hard work. Amazed by her achievements, they began to grasp for explanations. In the midst of this speculation, rumors abounded that the "Blood of Egungun" was a mark of innate power, one that bestows otherwise unattainable strength for the price of a lifetime of being unable to grow.

Even more shockingly, Iansan's vanquished opponents readily accepted the truth of this "gift," not only praising Iansan's talents, but also claiming it as justification for their losses.

Only Iansan remained silent, her frown deepening at these rumors that she had at first ignored.

Not long after, the trainees of the Collective of Plenty's fitness club began distributing flyers at the Stadium of the Sacred Flame. Upon receiving these flyers, most people assumed they were invitations to some sort of tribal event, but when they read the contents, their mouths were left agape in shock...

"The Pilgrimage Victors Academy is looking for students! Any tribe, any age, any gender! You too can become a record holder with a winning streak!"

After confirming that these flyers did indeed come from Iansan, shock turned to confusion. By now, everyone knew about the "Blood of Egungun" — what sort of training could possibly help them overcome the disadvantages of their own unremarkable bloodlines? Everyone assumed that this must be Iansan playing a prank.

But then Iansan appeared, both to deny the rumors and to hand out flyers in person. Some curious souls even visited the address on the flyers and discovered that Iansan had relocated the fitness club from deep within Collective of Plenty territory to a spot much closer to the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, seemingly in preparation for taking on trainees from other tribes.

Not many were swayed by Iansan's flyers, but an intrepid few made their way to the newly relocated training grounds. Most of them were limited by their own physical shortcomings but yearned to become stronger, just as Iansan once had. The only difference was that these people had let themselves be held back by their own uncertainties. Iansan's guiding principle was to provide them with the motivation to move forward, while showing them the path.

"I won't deny it, talent is important. It decides how fast we walk on the paths we choose... but it cannot decide how far we can go."

After a year of quiet persistence, these pioneering trainees emerged as outstanding competitors in the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame — just as Coach Iansan had promised. Under her dedicated tutelage, countless students achieved their own breakthroughs, some of them going on to surpass even their coach's abilities.

Even so, skeptics were still the majority, not that this caused Iansan much concern — more and more trainees were signing up for her academy. On her next round of flyers, she added a new line:

"You need not be born with power. Toil is what truly imparts strength."

Iansan understood that by breaking through the limits of her self, she had already lived up to her ancient name, yet she still wished to push herself further. The line she had added was her personal footnote to the ancient name of "Power." There would come a day when she would prove her philosophy to all of Natlan, just as she had already done with the Collective of Plenty.

For a long time, Iansan's patterned skull has been something of an icon. It is said that its original owner was a Tatankasaurus who tragically died young. Perhaps Iansan keeps it to commemorate this unfortunate child.

One day, a group of trainees — approaching from a distance — noticed Iansan training on her own. They were shocked to discover her skull grunting like a live Tatankasaurus. It appeared to be cheering her on.

"So... it's not dead?"

"Oh, I still haven't introduced you all! This is Alaye, you can think of it as my training partner. It's a little shy, so usually it only speaks when no one's around."

And so Iansan began to tell her astonished students the story behind her skull. One day, Iansan's saurian companion, Emela, came to ask her for help. Emela had encountered a Tatankasaurus spirit lingering over its remains, unwilling to journey on to the Night Kingdom. Iansan sought out the help of Citlali from the Masters of the Night-Wind and asked her if she could weave her magic with the Tatankasaurus's remains, much like creating a Tzitzimitl. And so, the Tatankasaurus spirit was bound inside its skull, where it would neither lose its way nor fade with time.

When she had finished speaking, Iansan caressed the skull gently, as though comforting it.

"Whenever I'm working out, it gives me encouragement. It must have wanted to grow into a strong, dashing adult Tatankasaurus like its peers. That's why it wasn't ready to leave."

Long before Iansan took over as head coach of the fitness club, an immensely heavy barbell had been given a place of honor at the center of the training grounds.

It was rumored to have been left there by the original founder of the fitness club. Only someone who had attained the pinnacle of strength would be able to lift it, and doing so would cement their place as the new leading light of Natlanese fitness. As such, lifting this barbell was the ultimate goal of all the club's members. And yet, no one had ever succeeded.

Whenever a new challenger would approach the bar, everyone would gather around to discuss — and wager on — the outcome. For the tribespeople of the Collective of Plenty, lifting this barbell was proof that one embodied the pinnacle of fitness. It was a challenge that everyone wished to pass, and one that garnered a huge deal of speculation as to who would finally be the one to do so.

Then one day, Iansan herself approached the bar and stood there, lost in thought. Those nearby could see the yearning in her eyes and did their best to persuade her not to try.

"Do you know what sort of power it would take to lift this bar?"

There was doubt in their voices, but also concern. Everyone knew that if Iansan tried to lift the barbell, the resulting injuries would be far worse than any she had suffered when she first started training.

"It would take the 'Power of a Thousand Days'!"

That is how Iansan answered them.

The gathered onlookers exchanged puzzled glances — none of them knew what the "Power of a Thousand Days" was. Most assumed it must be some new esoteric training philosophy Iansan was dabbling in. After ensuring that Iansan wasn't about to do anything that might hurt herself, the crowd dispersed. None of them had noticed the yearning in Iansan's eyes turn to a steely determination.

For the first set of 100 days, Iansan trained as usual, repeating the same self-assigned routine of bland, boring exercises — nothing that would draw anyone's attention — persisting day after day, just as her ancestors had always persisted in their labor. Soon, everyone had forgotten about her words before the barbell and everything at the fitness club returned to normality.

By the third set of 100 days, Iansan's training was finally showing signs of change. Perhaps because of the increased intensity, she was plagued by injuries during this time, yet shrugged each one off in short order. This may have been due to the healing skills she had acquired from her parents, or it may have been down to the unusual food she was cooking for herself. She was still sticking mostly to the same old exercises she had assigned herself — slowly grinding out set after set in an unnoticed corner and abstaining from displaying her gains like most of her fellow club members.

By the fifth set of 100 days, the fitness club's members were flexing their muscles and discussing which of their peers needed to get back on the gains-mobile after taking it too easy for too long. This ebb and flow of effort was common at the fitness club, but as most members were familiar with dozens of different programs to get "muscles in a month," it seldom took them long to go back to being ripped after a short period of slacking off.

By the seventh set of 100 days, a few more observant trainees had noticed that something was different — not that they could pinpoint exactly what it was. It was only when a club member, who had been away from the tribe for over a year, returned and yelped out his surprise that a shocking revelation was made — Iansan was now using the same fitness equipment as everyone else! This change had taken place over the last several hundred days, so gradually that no one had noticed.

By the ninth set of 100 days, someone finally stumbled across the training plan that Iansan had made for herself. Thinking back to her words from over two years ago, those who had persuaded her not to try lifting the barbell were no longer so certain. It was as though Iansan's months and months of silent grinding had pulverized their concerns into dust.

By the final 100 days, the once-unnoticed corner where Iansan trained had become the focal point of everyone's attention. At some point in the preceding weeks and months, she had become the flexer-in-chief of the fitness club. The other members gathered around and gasped in admiration at her recent triumph over the chief of the Tatankasaurs. Not that Iansan paid them much mind — she was single-mindedly focused on steadily executing her training plan, keeping her head down, and sticking to her routine.

When the thousandth day rolled around, almost three years in the making, Iansan finally returned to stand before the barbell. Everyone in the tribe with even a passing interest in fitness was there to watch, eagerly awaiting the miracle that was due to take place before their eyes. This time, no one was discussing the outcome — everyone who had witnessed Iansan's hard work over the preceding years already knew what was about to unfold.

As Iansan approached the bar, to her surprise, she found a twinkling Vision hanging from it — who knew when it had been put there?

Iansan understood this was proof that she was staring down the imminent fulfillment of her wish. Yet to her, this was just a "target" on her training plan. Perhaps, in Iansan's world, there was no difference between the two.

Iansan removed the Vision and then lifted the barbell, with as much ease and certainty as if it was merely another item on her training plan.