"Your father would like to see you."
The monk said, while glancing at the flickering White Flame. Ren suddenly emerged from behind one of the various monastery pillars. He walked up to Aokai with an utterly blank face. Aokai walked towards Ren, but was told to wait patiently by the monk. As Ren finished approaching, he gently patted Aokai on the head while gazing over to the now night sky.
"There is a destiny for all of us. Aokai."
Ren drew a deep sigh and begun to usher conversation with his fourteen year old son. "Your brother is an utter disappointment", Ren said to Aokai. The young Ch'ien-Ji shook his head questioningly, "Huojin?". Ren solemnly nodded to Aokai. "He is a failure and has gone astray from the divine path set by the stars that the Jeoungs must follow. Your mother shows a support for him, though." Aokai calmly stepped forward, but was blocked by the monk's arm. "He has a year to decide whether or not to conform to his destiny. But you Aokai. You are above him, I know." Ren said with a slight smile. The fatherly figure to Aokai raised his palms and snapped his fingers, speaking the phrase, "Kaze ni kaminari". A few seconds later a harsh wind blew through the monastery. The curtains concealing the entrance were blown away by a powerful current, and the night sky was vibrantly visible to Aokai. Turning around, Aokai absorbed the sight and heeded the next words his father said carefully.
"The stars have spoken and I have rightfully heeded the call."
Ren drew a deep breath, ceasing his casting, "You must become a proper Majutsu under my tutelage, do not stray from what is destined for you, do not fall to the lowly level of your brother." Then Ren stepped forward to his son, the monk moving away immediately, bowing his head as Ren placed a caring hand on Aokai's right shoulder. "I understand" the fourteen year old told his father. "Then we'll begin. You can halt your normal studies tonight, for we establish your connection now, and begin theory immediately." Ren said to Aokai. Aokai admittedly was confused by this whole new idea, although accepting it out of pure fear of exile. Ren then looked towards the ghostly White Flame and the elderly monastery monk, "Would you mind preparing some tea? And for the Loong's sake don't let it get cold." Ren said, smiling. The monk then hurriedly starting off to do so.
"Now take a seat on one of the pillows and begin meditating."
Aokai then sat down on one of the cozy and comfortable pillows and focused his attention directly to the ghostly White Flame located in the centre of the monastery, channeling out all of his worries and fears through the meditation technique. The Ch'ien-Ji would then feel an unnerving force enter his soul, feeling quite strange, as if opening his conscious to a whole new reality. Ren was carefully summoning Exist essence and imprinting it unto Aokai to first sensitize him to the Exist. Aokai felt uneasy, but focused unto the White Flame as much as he could, this moment would be the first magical experience he would go through in his lifetime. Aokai felt as if he was being watched by a thousand eyes as this process ran through him, for the first time in his life he felt a true connection to something beyond his Alorian understanding.
"Well done, Aokai."
Ren said, disrupting the Exist influxation and allowing Aokai to return back to normal. Aokai felt a little strange, he opened his eyes and stood up; slightly dizzy, the Monk had returned with a tray of spearmint tea. "You are well on your way to becoming a proper Majutsu," said Ren as he accepted the tea off the tray, calmly sipping as he watched his son. Aokai looking up to the monk and shaking his head, confusedly, "I've gotten three for a reason," said the Monk, Aokai then shrugging and following after his father. The steam from the tea eerily stemming upwards as Aokai continued speaking with his father. "There is an incredible journey ahead of you, filled with learning, power, and equal amounts of danger. It is important you understand how to defend yourself." Ren said, sighing, and then sipping the mint-ish tea once more. "I feel strange.", Aokai said to Ren in response, "I'm not surprised, that's quite normal, do not worry."
"You will start full on studies tomorrow."
"And do not forget to meditate as much as you can.", Ren said to Aokai. "Understood. But what happened to Huojin?" Ren retorted angrily, "I do not want to talk about him any further, but he is a failure, to the Jeoungs, the Loong, and the entire monastery." Aokai looked horrified with the sudden flash anger of his previously calm father, "I am sorry for asking then, father…". Ren then nodded and proceeded to walk over to the White Flame. "This is the culmination of every monk who has lived, served, and inevitably died for the monastery Your grandfather rests here, amongst the stars through this flame. It is sacred. Did you know this?"
"You should know that, as you will be studying magic here."
Aokai shook a bit, frightened by this sudden announcement, "I understand.. father." Ren smiled at Aokai, "Good." The monk from before then trailing off to put away the tray from earlier. "Slacking will not be tolerated when you study under me. You must devote all your attention to the work I give you and do it greatly. Faltering is unacceptable. You will have to work hard and meet my standards to progress." Aokai, felt as if he was a fish right in front of a shark, horrified and incredibly nervous. Magic was such an elusive and foreign thing to him, despite it being so widespread in the Isles.
"Rest. You'll need it for tomorrow, I guarantee that."
Ren said to Aokai solemnly. "Head off to your mother, she has prepared your room as I asked her to, and you won't have to worry about your chores anymore as you'll have plenty to do at the monastery." Aokai walked up to Ren calmly, looking at his father, "Do you plan on teaching my sisters?" Ren smiled at Aokai, "No, they will be taught Healing Magics from your mother, I will be teaching you magics, that control the wind. Personally at that, as your brother refuses to listen." Ren said with a frown. Aokai blinked.
Ren patted Aokai's head and reassured him with a warm smile, "You'll be fine as long as you give your full effort. I promise you. We, as a family are some of the strongest celestial magic users on the Isles. It's in your blood, Aokai." He said, "Now there's a carriage down the stairs that will take you back to our estate gardens and from there you can walk, your mother will be waiting for you, get some rest for tomorrow, son." Aokai nodded at Ren with a frown, and begun to walk down the long steps towards the carriage, heading off home to rest for tomorrow.
Last edited:
