Chapter 9: The Monastery

As they entered the training field, Bjorn saw about twenty students, all young adults. “These must be their best disciples,” he thought to himself. He'd only ever known one mage—his master—so he was curious to see how he compared to others.

Adept Arthur clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. “Alright, everyone, gather round. This is Wildheart, Grandmaster Stormshadow’s disciple,” he said, gesturing toward Bjorn.

The students reacted with a mix of excitement and whispers. Word had spread quickly, and the idea of training with the personal disciple of a grandmaster was causing a buzz of enthusiasm.

Adept Arthur was about to continue when a young novice stepped forward, eager to challenge Bjorn. "Can I fight him?" she asked.

Adept Arthur looked at Bjorn, who nodded in agreement. He was also excited to test his skills against someone new. "Take your positions. Non-lethal spells, just sword arts and movement techniques," he instructed.

The young girl had blonde hair and big brown eyes. She was shorter than Bjorn, but her presence was undeniable. She took a calm stance with her rapier, while Bjorn adopted an aggressive one with his longsword.

“Fight!” Adept Arthur called out.

Bjorn attacked with explosive power and speed, swinging his sword with force. The girl moved with graceful fluidity, her strikes calm and controlled, as if she were flowing like water. The first few exchanges were tentative, each gauging the other’s skills.

As they grew more comfortable, the fight escalated. Bjorn's attacks became more forceful, but she expertly evaded them, her movements precise and unpredictable. He was amazed by her agility and wanted to see more of her technique. She had a way of slipping out of tight spots, always keeping him on his toes.

After a few minutes, they began to incorporate their movement techniques. Bjorn activated his Lightning Demon Arts, giving him bursts of speed. His opponent countered with her Nine Flowing Steps, making her seem like a blur. The pace quickened, and the fight became a dazzling display of speed and skill.

Despite her agility, Bjorn’s aggressive style proved superior. With a quick move, he disarmed her and had his sword at her neck, forcing her to concede. The crowd murmured in approval as the fight ended.

“My name is Hana. I hope we can spar more,” she said, bowing in acknowledgment.

Bjorn returned the bow, noticing the other novices watching with newfound interest. Most of them used similar techniques but with varying levels of skill. Bjorn's style was unique—powerful and dominating.

The rest of the evening was filled with sparring matches. Bjorn fought until he was exhausted, taking on challenge after challenge. He managed to defeat them all, earning valuable experience fighting against mages and gaining the respect of his peers. By the end of the night, he knew he'd made an impression.

In the following weeks, Bjorn trained and sparred with the mages of the monastery. He was fascinated by their strength and unique fighting styles, especially Hana who left an impression on Bjorn.

She is clever, strikingly beautiful, and approaches her training with a ferocious zeal.

As he learned from them, he realized the potential of mastering multiple elements and set his sights on acquiring the water source scroll. Bjorn knew that adding the water element to his lightning and shadow would greatly enhance his abilities.

One day, he approached Adept Arthur with his request. "Adept, how do I get the water source scroll?" he asked as he entered the adept's office.

Arthur looked puzzled. "That would need Grandmaster Waterfox's approval," he replied. "Give me a few weeks, and I'll see what I can do."

Bjorn was hesitant to wait that long. "How about this? The water source scroll in exchange for a wind source scroll," he said, producing a wind scroll he'd found in a bandit hideout.

Arthur's eyes widened. This was a rare find, and he knew it would make an excellent reward for one of the monastery's talented disciples. He took the scroll from Bjorn. "Wait here," he instructed, leaving the office.

A few minutes later, Arthur returned with a water source scroll. "Follow me," he said, leading Bjorn to the area where new initiates attempt to access their source.

Arthur gave Bjorn some advice as they walked. "This should be easier for you, seeing as you've already accessed your lightning source," he said. "There are books in your room that explain how to open a source. Your food will be delivered to your doorstep each morning."

As they approached the sector where the initiates lived, Bjorn saw hundreds of small huts, each home to hopeful initiates attempting to access their sources. Some spent years trying, only to give up in frustration. Arthur's voice was weary, hinting at the struggles he'd seen.

Arthur wished him luck and left. Bjorn entered his designated hut and immediately studied the water source scroll, watching it disintegrate just like his first two scrolls. He then began reading the books on how to access the source, learning that it required attuning his body to the essence and circulating it through his meridians.

He sat in meditation, focusing on his body, but it was challenging. The energy from his lightning and shadow essence surged powerfully, but the water essence was faint and distant. After several minutes, he felt a soothing energy but found it blocked by a barrier. He worked to draw essence from the source, but it was slow and laborious. He considered using one of the essence pills he'd found with the wind scroll but decided against it. This was an opportunity to learn without relying on shortcuts.

It was nearly midnight when he decided to get some sleep. A clear mind and a rested body might yield better results. The next morning, he awoke to find a basket of fruits, bread, and a jug of water at his doorstep. After a hearty meal, he returned to his training. He tried everything he could think of, even attacking the barrier with his lightning essence, but progress was minimal. By sunset, he had made some progress, but it was almost imperceptible. While his lightning and shadow flowed like a river, his water essence was like a sporadic drop.

As he contemplated this, his thoughts turned to his forbidden source—the swirling, dark energy that seemed to devour everything around it. What if he used a small trickle of it to break through the barrier?

He carefully drew on a minute amount of the forbidden source, directing it towards the barrier. The moment it touched the barrier, it tore through it like a blade, devouring the obstruction and creating a much wider pathway. Bjorn's eyes widened in both excitement and fear. Stormshadow was right—this was a violent, dangerous source. He would need to be careful not to let it consume him.