Hana stood before the Elder Council, She was nervous. Elder Terrins pointed toward her "You." His finger drooped and he leaned back into the pillow.
"I prefer not to walk the same path as those that came before me, but I don't know what I am good at. I love reading, most of my time is spent in books." She looked down, slightly embarrassed about her habits.
Elder Olear cut in, "An honest child. Know this, outside of the Sect, honestly like this can get you killed. Beware your future and know when to hold things back."
"Leave her alone." A voice came from the side, it was the instructor from the entrance exams. "She was the our best participant, innocence is treasured in this Sect, especially by the Truthers. Do not spoil such a good mind." He stood tall by the doorway and watched the other Elders.
"This is a matter of the Elders, you are not qualified to make statements in this regard. However, in the spirit of understanding, I will reiterate your words." She tossed her dress to the side and stood up. "Do not disparage our Disciples, for they are our future." Elder Caylaer turned toward Hana and approached.
"Child. Remain Calm." She placed her hand onto Hana's shoulder and forehead. Hana's thoughts were immediately known.
'Do not reveal my identity, by order of the Emperor' Hana remembered what her father drilled into her again and again. She replayed the phrase in her head in his voice. Elder Caylaer took a double take, it put her in an awkward position.
"Settle down child, allow me to do my work." Elder Caylaer dove further into Hana's mind. "I believe she would do well wherever we place her but an aptitude and appreciation for study and memorization is most useful in the building of formations. If formations are not what interests you, I suggest going to the Mi Family Fighting School to learn how to build techniques."
Hana thought it over, the Elder had already released her shoulder and mind. "I would choose the path of least resistance, so place me where you will. I come to learn, not pick and choose." Bowing graciously toward Elder Caylaer, Hana knelt back beside the other core disciples.
"What a marvelous attitude" Elder Kesra walked in from the back of the room, she had been watching. "Very well, we will let the Gods of Chaos choose for you." Kesra pulled a coin from her pocket. It was a Silver Dollar, one of the few that made it to Shiyan. "Heads, you go to the Mi family, Tails, you come with me."
'Huh?' Hana was confused. She didn't understand what was happening and remained still, she stopped breathing.
"Alright!" Flipping the coin through the air, it landed on the stone floor and came to a stop. "Tails" Elder Kesra passed a token over to Hana. "Class starts in one hour. I suggest you follow beside me until then.
Hana graciously took the token and placed it into her ring. "Disciple Greets Teacher."
'Polite? Great.. just what I needed, another tipsy toed flower.' Elder Kesra felt pity for her disciples, for some reason, no matter how hard she looked Elder Kesra was unable to find a extrovert in her students. All of them preferred to stay inside and read. 'don't disparage the students..' The phrase replayed in her head. 'Maybe its better this way, she's already has a summoned creature, to build a formation like that would take considerable time to perfect'
"You all may go after I finish explaining, do not miss your studies. Student's who are missing will be searched for, all periods of self-isolation and mediation must be logged with the Sect." She held up one finger, "In one months time, you will be challenged for your position. This will happen every month, forever. All Inner sect disciples have the opportunity to challenge each of you for your position, title and privilege. This makes things competitive and fair chance opportunity. There are only forty Core Disciple slots, the sect leaves five open for special cases but never more." A look of pity washed over her face and then she perked up to continue. "Inner Sect disciples will fight to take that position from you, to maintain your position and privilege you may face opponents consecutively, if you pass all five matches and another challenge is accepted, you will be exempt from further competition in the future. If you fail after accepting a sixth challenge, you will be brought down to the Outer Sect for punishment. The lives of our disciples are not cheap, we spend time, energy, resources and our very souls to prepare you for life. I am a Truther, if you should believe anyone's words besides your own, you would be smart to believe mine." Elder Kaylaer stood next to Elder Kesra, "Sister, I will see you tomorrow." Bowing to Kesra, Kaylaer turned illusory and fell through the floor.
Elder Kesra grabbed Hana by the Arm and they both disappeared from view. A sharp wind blew by and a thunderous boom could be heard. Hana was no longer standing in the room with the Elders, they were inside of another room. A formation on the floor dimmed its light and Elder Kesra stepped down. "Did you like it? Its my teleportation formation. Most of my students get disoriented at first, how are you feeling?"
Hana shrugged, "Doesn't feel any different than a normal teleportation." She looked at the stone base and the spellwork carved into it, a capsule of fluid was standing nearby, it was black and seemed to move in the light.
'Well well well, this student might just be useful after all.' Elder Kesra kept walking down the corridor. "Come along, this way, this way." She waved her new student into the primary chamber of the Formations Lab. It shared some space with the Alchemy Department, Development sometimes took the cooperation between departments and division was always ferreted out when it came to inner sect matters. The biggest issues between departments would usually be the acquisition and disbursement of materials.
The Lab was tidy, books covered one wall, copies. A yellow crystal sat on the counter, it was flat and had lines crossing it in patterns. Small dots connected the crystal and the series of lines surrounding its edge.
On another counter, near the far end of the room was a much larger book, it contained notes that magically organized themselves on enchanted pages. Beside it sat a strange looking Poocha woman, she had mechanical things on her shoulders that draped down her back. Hana assumed they were some sort of wings, the long flat bars extended down to the floor and floated near her shoulders, thick lines of energy could be seen in the glow down their center.
'mechanical wings' Hana stared at the bars. They were floating freely, a small band of the woman's energy kept them tethered to her back. She wanted to touch them but the woman turned toward Hana. She took there motionless, staring at Hana's wings.
Each of them were fascinated, the smiled at each other and laughed.