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The courtyard was soon filled with students of the academy. All of them eager to learn what was spoken of higher than all the subjects combined. “Is everyone here to start the lesson?” The master finished his body count, pulling his hands from his coat he turned around to the stone wall at his rear.

This stone wall was about twelve feet wide and eighteen feet tall, a waterfall running right down its center. With the master’s hand raised to the waterfall; a yellow magic circle began to write itself upon the wet stone, revealing what was beyond. Behind the waterfall was a staircase leading underground. “Follow me everyone. And do not forget to watch yourselves; Giants and Behlisans! Some student chuckled as they started making their way into the wide entrance and descent into darkness.

Torches were held by a few students down the ranks of the line. The staircase seemed to go on forever. Anxiety in the group started to grow as a few needed to stop and give their sore legs a rest. Not too long after that the few in front including Nora reached the bottom of the tunnel and into an enormous ruin temple. The size of a small valley on its own filled with light, forests, animals, lakes and hills. “And this is supposed to be a ruined temple?” A Kelkian gazed in awe.

“If you all thought the front door was nice…” A Minotaur threw his arm around his girlfriend and they all stared at the beauty before them in this mysterious new world.

The whole class was now at the base of the tunnel. Before they could all take in what was around them. A voice shattered the silence. “This temple was the very birthplace of ‘The Court of Mountain Born’; the court may have been established in Adelaar, our capital. But here underneath the village of Cheveyo is where the forefathers of our court first gathered and agreed on the contract. They later on created Adelaar as the capital, building the enormous stone eagle that towers over the whole city. The village of Cheveyo; meaning the bear, used to be the symbol of ‘The Court of Mountain Born’.” The master turned to the luscious vision before him, refilled with the memories of this sacred place.

“It was the eagle they had chosen to represent because of its nature. Soaring high above our people with eyes filled with protection, and with the infliction of fear to all that oppose us. Untouchable in our mountain height. The guardian that flies above any other.” Turning back again to the students he gave a satisfactory and proud grin.

“What I am going to teach you all is something that is completely different from anything that any of you have learned here at the academy before. Some of you have probably heard of it and a few of you have learned a thing or two outside here.” The master pulled over his hood and with outstretched arms he yelled. “Harume”.

As the echo of the word travelled within the ruin; a blue crest began to illuminate on his breast as threads of blue whisked along and off his body. When the threads stood static; blue energy illuminated between them creating an ethereal armor around the Ancient’s body. “This is the power of Nen my students.” He cried over the loud thundering of its massive power.

“Nen comes from the energy that lies within us, encircles us and connects life itself as it does the elements. Nen is something that is not gained through skill and practice alone, but from learning, understanding and accepting about oneself as well as overcoming ones limitations.” The master put his hands together and slowly separated them. Forging a spinning sphere between his palms, growing larger the farther he had them apart.

“The ethereal armor around my body is a reinforcement type nen ability. There are six different categories of nen; reinforcement, emission, materialization, manipulation, transformation and specialization.” The master took the time to show the students an example of each, leaving the students in awe by summoning ethereal beasts before them and creating water out of nothing.

“The reinforcement category is the focus of nen to increase ones aura strength for greater physical and ethereal capabilities. One can increase the size of the aura around their fist making their attack a much larger one. As well as increasing their defense like I had done with armor. Emission is the separation of aura from ones own. A projectile category that ‘emits’ and separates energy from the aura.” The ancient looked pleased by the excited faces surrounding him.

“The creation of an object out of nothing is a perfect example of materialization. Manipulation involves manipulating objects with ones conscious, reading ones thoughts and other telekinetic styles. Transformation is a unique one of its own; this is the shape shifting of ones aura. The components of ones aura can represent that of an element or etc., as well as transform ones aura in the shape of an ethereal dragon with themselves protected at the center.” The ancient stretched his hand high and called another word in an ancient language as his aura stretched and exploded into an ethereal dragon, surrounding him with outrageous thundering power.

The dragon’s mind and actions seemed to be connected to the master’s, this was the reason why Nora did not fear it. Never in her life had she seen anything quite like this and she could feel her body start to numb. “There is power like this in the world? I would have never imagined anything like this.” Nora pushed through the students standing rigid in amazement to reach the front.

“So, you are going to teach us this magic?” Cried one of the centaurs in the back. Everyone stopped and listened for the master’s reply hoping it was true.

“There is very little I can teach you my students. The nen courses through all things with life. For you to gain access to its power, you all first need to gain access to yourselves. Search deep for who you are, understand yourself and accept your faults with means to do better in the future. Those are things that I can not teach you. But I shall do my best to help guide the ones who need it.” The master looked at his watch, sighing.

“That is all the time for today. Academy dismissed.” The students followed the ancient back up the staircase and out into the courtyard.

“Man, the walk down the tunnel took up most of the lesson time.” A few students were grumbling as they walked by the master, sitting on a bench underneath a gazebo coated with aged vines.

Nora had so many questions she wanted to ask him. How would she overcome the restrictions she has put on herself over time as well as find who she really is. It did not sound as easy as it did in the ruins. Walking over to the master he noticed Nora and invited her to sit.

“I have questions for you master. I know you have explained already, but…” Nora turned her head away embarrassed, she sounded ridiculous to ask something that he already put so simply.

“Please, call my Kael.” He looked up at her frustrated by being taken away from his book. Realizing right away how rude he had just been, he too felt embarrassed.

“Do not turn your head away from me Nora I am sorry, there are no bad questions. Here let us take a walk I will try to help as much as I can.” The two smiled at each other, stood up and they walked in deep conversion with the enormous stone bear towering the village watching over them.