It's been two years since Ven's life has turned upside down and was transported to this new world. During those two years, Ven has been training with both Kia and Nyx, perfecting his combat skills and building his body, with Enishi and Ezreal, overseeing his progress. When Nyx, Enishi and Kia aren’t training with Ven, they get sent out on missions on the Tower’s behalf. They never tell Ven what the missions entail and Ven never asks. He just assumes that whatever they are out doing, is for the greater good. Well, so he hopes. He has since formed a bond with the trio and he spends his nights telling them stories of how he grew up in Japan and telling them about his favorite animes and comics. They're all fascinated by the other world and they ask Ven many questions about it. He loves it when they ask him what a television is, what a camera and a cell phone are, the internet, movies, and Kia's favorite topic, the food. This is the first time that Ven has ever shared his passions with others besides his mother. This is the first time that he has ever felt that he wasn't being judged for who is he is. For the first time, he has friends and they all see him as a younger brother, although Enishi's and Ven's relationship is a bit strained compared to the other two. The rest of the inhabitants living at the Tower still don’t involve themselves with Ven because they are still afraid of what he is; Ven no longer seems to care. His relationship with Lox has grown more negative over the years. Lox is a Water Madokai, and his skillset has grown so much that he has caught the eye of Ezreal and is now his prized possession. With two years of training under his belt, Ven is no longer the shy, wimpy sixteen-year-old kid. He is now eighteen-years old, officially a young adult and every year on his birthday, Ven plants a flower in the Tower's garden to honor his mother; Enishi, Nyx & Kia know to leave him alone for the day but they always drop off a birthday gift for him. Although more mature and more confident in himself, Ven still sometimes question his ability and at times, he still feels afraid. He also still has a bit of a temper. Enishi notices this, which is why he has been slow to train his wielding skills, which annoys Ven.
*Training grounds*
“Good Ven! Good!” Kia exclaims, clapping her hands.
Ven and Nyx are outside sparring, with Enishi supervising.
“About time you have improved,” Nyx taunts, lowering his hands after blocking a kick from Ven.
Ven huffs and puffs, attempting to catch his breath. He wipes the sweat from his brow. “You still feel like a damn rock Nyx. Can’t break your defense.”
“That’s because I have YEARS of training my friend. Think I would let a kid take me down? Never!” Nyx replies.
“It’s because you have heavy ass feet so when you put your foot down, it literally sinks into the Earth,” Kia teases.
“Shut up Kia,” Nyx blows a gust of wind at her and she laughs.
“When is the wedding?” Ven teases.
Kia rolls her eyes. “I would rather eat a fried duckmuffin than marry Nyx.”
“Oh ya? But I bet you wouldn’t hesitate to marry E-“
*SPLASH*
Nyx gets hit in the face with water.
“Hush!” She shouts.
“Are you two done? Interrupting my meditation.” Enishi comments. He is sitting underneath a tree with his eyes closed.
“Want to stop doing that and come control your woman?” Nyx jokes.
Enishi opens his eyes and stares at Nyx for a moment and then busts out laughing and so does Nyx.
Kia rolls her eyes and says, “You two are so immature.”
“Whatever love triangle you three have is immature,” Ven comments.
“Ha! There is no triangle. Just two clowns that won’t admit their love for each other,” Nyx says and points at both Enishi and Kia. “We all know the truth. You two make a great couple and your children won't be THAT ugly.”
Kia rolls her eyes and blushes and Enishi glares at Nyx and he just laughs.
“ANYWAY!” Kia yells, changing the subject. “Nish, I think Ven is ready to begin wielding training. He has every stance down and his hand-to-hand combat skills are amazing. Scary actually, I didn’t think that he would progress so quickly but then again, he is a Tenari. I think he’s ready.”
“I agree,” Nyx says.
“So do I!” Ven chimes in.
Enishi looks at both Nyx and Kia. “Can I speak with the two of you, alone?”
“Why can’t I be a part of the conversation? It’s about me is it not?”
“I need to speak with the two of them, it does concern you but you do not need to be part of it,” Enishi replies.
“Why do I get the feeling that you are holding me back on purpose?” Ven pesters.
Enishi raises his eyebrows. “Not at all. I’m just not sure if you are truly ready.”
“I’ve been training for two years Enishi.”
“That’s not the point, Ven.”
“Then what is the point?” Ven challenges.
“Wielding is not something you rush into. Plus, there are other things at play here that I need to consider before I put you in a situation.”
“A situation? Care to enlighten me?”
“No,” Enishi says sternly.
Ven growls. “I’m sick of the secrets Enishi.”
“As am I,” Enishi replies. “You will train when I say so. Nyx. Kia. A word.”
Enishi turns his back to Ven and walks away. Nyx and Kia follow behind Enishi, leaving Ven cursing behind.
Enishi, Nyx and Kia walk at least a mile away from Ven so that their conversation wouldn’t be heard. Nyx quickly hops on a cloud to scan the area to make sure that Ven did not follow them. After not detecting him, he joins Enishi and Kia.
“Enishi. Is it that time?” Nyx questions as he gets off the cloud and walks over to him.
“It is,” Enishi replies dryly.
Kia sighs heavily and folds her arms. “So, it begins.”
“We know what the boy is capable of. Have you seen how quickly his skills have improved in such a short time? It’s incredible,” Nyx says.
Enishi nods. “That’s why I’ve been putting off his training but I don’t think I have much of a choice now. We have until after the ceremony. That leaves us nine months.”
“Do you think that’s enough time?” Kia inquires.
“It will have to be.” Enishi folds his arms.
“We’ve been planning this for a long time. You cannot put off his training any longer. If he doesn’t learn to control it now, who knows what can really happen. You have to remember that his power has been dormant for a LONG time. Once it's awakened, well, I don't think any of us would be able to stop it. You all see his temper,” Nyx points out.
“Indeed. Dammit.” Enishi rubs his temple.
“The ceremony. Do you think it’s a good idea to have him participate? I know you all see what I see when he fights. His movements, his power. It’s unnatural. I haven’t seen something like this since…. But it’s different.” Kia says and shudders.
Enishi looks down. “It’s the only way to see if my suspicion is correct, although I know that it is. We just have to hope that things don’t get out of control and everything goes according to plan.”
Nyx growls. “I hope you’re right about this. I’ve been waiting. Twelve long years.”
“We all have.” Kia says as she gives Nyx a reassuring squeeze on his arm.
“I’m going to need you two.”
“As always,” Nyx and Kia say in unison.
Enishi smiles.
*An hour later*
Enishi, Kia and Nyx return from their private conversation and find Ven under a tree napping peacefully.
“Ven,” Kia says.
Ven opens his eyes and finds the three of them standing over him.
“Yes?”
“Your training starts now,” Enishi says.
Ven sits up immediately. “Really?! Why the sudden change of heart?” He smiles widely.
“Don’t worry about it. Come.” Enishi motions for Ven to follow him.
“You two have fun.” Kia calls after them.
Enishi takes Ven to an open field surrounded by nothing but rocks, dirt and dry grass.
Enishi and Ven stand across from each other. Enishi has his arms folded and stares Ven down.
“Are you ready for lesson one?” Enishi asks.
“Yes.”
“Take your stance.”
Ven does what he is told.
“Breathe in and out. Deeply yet slowly. Control your breaths. Good.”
Enishi circles Ven as he remains in his fighting stance. He then walks away from him abruptly.
“Where are you going?” Ven asks, with confusion all over his face.
“To take a nap. You stand there and breathe. I’ll come back to check on you in an hour or so.”
“Are you kidding me?!” Ven yells after him.
“Nope. Focus. See you later.”
Enishi waves and Ven groans in response.
*Four hours later*
Enishi returns to where he left Ven and to his surprise, he finds Ven still standing and breathing.
“Are you serious right now?! You said an hour or so!” Ven shouts as Enishi approaches.
“Right. An hour or so,” Enishi replies.
“It’s nighttime!” Ven snaps, pointing at the glowing moon.
Enishi tilts his head. “Your point?”
Ven growls in response. Enishi circles Ven, eyeing him up and down.
“What are you a vulture?” asks Ven.
"I don't know what that is. I would assume that a vulture is an animal?" He continues to circle him. He then stops and folds his arms. “Just like I thought. You moved.”
“What?”
“I told you to stand and breathe. Not move. You moved so that means you disobeyed me so that means you will be punished. Instead of breathing for an hour, you can stay here all night and breathe.”
Ven twists his face. “How the hell do you know I moved?”
Enishi points to Ven’s feet. “The dirt tells me all.”
Ven looks down and notices the kicked up dirt from his foot and sucks his teeth, looking down in shame. “I replanted my feet. That is all.”
“So, you did move.”
“Well, yea but-”
“So you have to stand all night.”
Ven groans. “Come on!”
Enishi shrugs. “Already failing the first lesson.”
“How is me standing here breathing a lesson?”
Enishi rubs his temple and sighs. “You’re impossible. Do what I say and don’t question me. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Enishi turns his back to Ven and walks away and Ven sticks his tongue out at him.
*The next morning*
Enishi returns to Ven and finds him still in position. He greets him, and then circles him, making sure that he did not move.
“Good job. You didn’t move this time. How do you feel?” Enishi asks.
Ven gives Enishi a piercing stare. He now has bags under his eyes and his legs are wobbling. “I want to go to sleep.”
“Why didn’t you sleep?”
“I’m standing up? Do I look like a horse to you?” Ven asks sarcastically.
Enishi shakes his head and replies, “More like a jackass to me. We have those animals here too.”
Ven growls at him.
“You can rest now,” Enishi says, chuckling.
Ven collapses to the floor and mutters something to himself.
“You have thirty minutes before you have to stand again.”
Ven raises his eyebrows. “You have got to be kidding me. What is the point of this?”
“You want to learn how to wield right?”
Ven nods in response.
“So do what I say.”
“How the hell does standing and breathing help me?”
“You ask a lot of questions,” Enishi says. He walks over to Ven with his arms folded and stands over him.
“If I don’t ask, I wouldn’t know anything, now would I?”
“Touche,” Enishi smirks. He kneels down next to Ven. “Lesson one. As a fire Madokai, breathing is extremely important. As you use your ability, your body temperature skyrockets and it can exceed a temperature of one-hundred fifty degrees. Breathing can help decrease your body temperature naturally, so if you do not know how to breathe and control your temperature, you can possibly incinerate yourself, from the inside. You must be able to control your body temperature at ALL times. That means when you’re at play, at rest, exhausted and etc. you need to be in a controlled state. And since your power has been dormant for so long, you are at a serious risk of killing yourself. So, if I tell you to stand and breathe, you stand and breathe. Got it?”
Ven's eyes widen. “Got it!”
“Breathing is the first step. Once you learn how to do that, then we can move on. There is a reason why I am the last person you train with. You’ve built your body with Nyx so that your body will be able to handle your ability. Combat with Kia so you know how to move and use your body. Me, you put it all together. Plus, you are aware that the ceremony is approaching?”
***Ranking Ceremony***
Held every thirty years at the Tower. The purpose of the ceremony is for the current masters to decide who will be taking their place as a member of the council and become a new master. The recruits, normally a group of twenty, are put through three challenges.
Challenge 1: Locate an item hidden in the Meridian Forest
Challenge 2: Kill and deliver the head of a Madrigoat (A rabid goat-like creature that stands ten feet tall and weighs over eight-hundred pounds)
Challenge 3: A battle royale
The top three students will become masters and serve a term of fifty years on the council once they reach the age of thirty. Until then, they will serve as a member of the Scout Regime.
The only rule is to not kill each other.
“Yes. I’m aware. But why should I even participate? I thought you all needed me to defeat “The Dragtagon Wielder” who has yet to even show his or herself,” Ven says sarcastically, making air quotes.
“Yes, we do but, what other way to test your abilities than to see where you actually are? Plus, if you do actually somehow die during the ceremony, then we would know that you weren’t the right one to help us.”
“Wow!”
Enishi shrugs. I’m just being honest.”
“Did you compete in the ceremony?”
Enishi nods. “Nyx, Kia and I all did. That’s why we are part of the Scout Regime”
“Who won the battle royale?!” Ven asks excitedly.
“The strongest one out of all of us.”
“Kia?”
“No.”
Ven cocks his head. “Then wh-?”
“Enough.” Enishi raises his hand to silence Ven.
“You’re so mysterious.”
“It keeps things interesting. Now come on, let’s breathe.”
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