Had he been to a big city or a capital, Isaac probably would have thought much more carefully and studied Rebecca more carefully.
In a world where magic exists, mages are bound to a grand future and to manipulate forces far beyond the common peasantry. Also, those who had a future as a mage had to be carefully selected.
Many are the stories in which the apprentices turned the worst and went on an adventure strewn with darkness. In a city and urban climate, the big cities had much more to do with individuals whose hearts may be as black as the depths of caves. The greed and pride of men, the soul stained by aristocrats and nobility, so many reasons for a person to give in to their shadow.
However, things were different in a small, remote, independent village. Things were calmer and much more honest and straightforward. What had to be said was, there was no room for doubt or disagreement.
Maintaining a tense climate in a village where cohesion is synonymous with protection from the monsters and lurking bandits is an important task for common and individual security.
He was certain that Rebecca, after her training, would return to her village and help it to the best of her ability. Isaac thought so, however, he did not know the future of the young woman and did not want to one day have to pursue and kill her. It was not in his plans.
So, before receiving his answer, he added.
- "Know that by becoming my apprentice, you will have to make an oath that will follow you throughout your life. The knowledge and practices that you will learn from me cannot be divulged to another, to be used to do harm, revenge or hatred "he said.
Although Isaac understood very well that life included times of sadness and longing for revenge, he didn't want what he was teaching her to be used for that. He didn't forbid her to seek revenge, that was not the goal.
He was simply trying to prevent her from using his knowledge to things that would force him to come and correct. After all, he had become World Administrator, this responsibility would theoretically therefore include the fact of having to balance and eliminate possible threats to the stability of the world.
That's what he was planning to do. For the way he was going to force Rebecca to obey his oath, he had an idea.
Rebecca answered after some time of reflection.
- "I agree to become your apprentice" she said deeply, kneeling down. Her dress now covering her legs entirely, she bowed her head.
The idea had occurred to him when he had studied the phenomenon that had happened earlier with Rita about his voice. An ability he nicknamed "Voice of the Spirits" where his voice carried a certain mana charge and had enough strength to bend even weaker spirits.
He intended to use the same principle but this time with more force and energy. He then began to concentrate his mana in his vocal cords, trying to mingle his voice with mana.
Isaac's eyes then took on a bluish tint as his aura began to illuminate the surroundings barely lit by the last rays of the sun. Around him, Fabien and Rita decided to move back, seeing him channel a great power of energy, while Rebecca remained on her knees, her eyes raised towards her master.
Isaac inhaled for a moment before starting to speak, his voice heard directly and only by Rebecca's mind which immediately shuddered.
- "Everything you learn from me and what you can learn from the Garden of Origins cannot be disclosed to others by any means possible without my direct authorization, you will not be able to use what you have learned to seek revenge or by hatred towards anyone or anything without my direct permission. "
The surrounding mana suddenly whirled around and the wind started to pick up in the house. Isaac's clothes began to move in the air as in water. In front of him, Rebecca's eyes shone with the same light as her master's and a faint white aura emanated from her skin.
Once Isaac's speech was over, Rebecca's skin suddenly lit up and forced Rita to close her eyes for a moment before opening them again. In front of her, Rebecca was still on her knees and nothing had changed, but something seemed different about her aura.
Trying to verify, the elder activated her mana vision before her eyes widened. The young woman's mana vessels were charged with a strange white energy that flowed alongside her mana.
The energy seemed to be a part of herself. Rebecca then got up before bowing respectfully in front of Isaac who nodded positively. He had felt that all of what he had soaked in his voice had been absorbed by the young woman's body. After observation, he had confirmed that his mana had mingled with hers.
But not only. In Rebecca's circuit, new mana vessels had been created. These new vessels barely visible continuously produced white mana which then circulated in the body of the young woman.
To be sure it had worked, he approached Rebecca's ear.
- "We are leaving at dawn tomorrow" he said. "Say goodbye to your loved ones."
Obeying her master, Rebecca nodded quickly then walked over to the old woman who had a curious look. She strained her ears, expecting the young woman to say something to her.
- "I'm his apprentice, grandma! Finally! I have a master! We're going to --..." she began before stopping. No more sound came out of his mouth. Surprised and confused, she turned to Isaac.
- "The oath applies to everything I teach you, including such trivial information. I allow you to disclose it to Rita" he said finally with a smile.
Immediately, Rebecca's voice was loosened.
- "... - leave tomorrow at dawn" she said, taking a deep breath. Her gaze was full of fear but also curiosity. Would she be able to cast such a spell? She had no idea but hoped one day she could.
Rita on her side was stunned. She had read stories about spells that could bind an individual to a magical contract, she had never heard of magical oaths. She was very curious but above all a little disappointed. She had hoped that Rebecca would one day be able to teach future generations if one day mages were born in their village.
But now it was impossible, at least without Isaac's permission.
For his part, Isaac began to walk outside and went out for a moment to get some fresh air under Fabien's watchful eye. Rita stopped Rebecca from following him and gave her a soft, warm look.
- "Stay with your family tonight, I'm going to ask to organize a banquet for you tonight! We're going to celebrate your admission and the start of your apprenticeship. Go tell your parents!" said the old woman with enthusiasm.
Rebecca nodded and left the house before being surprised not to see Isaac anymore. "He's already gone? But where? He's way too fast !!" she thought before looking up.
Above, ten yards away, Isaac floated in the air and continued to climb, an open book floating beside him, his gaze serious. "He looks focused, I'm not going to disturb him" she finally told herself before running towards her house. She had to do her business and say goodbye to her parents and friends.
She was sad and wanted to cry as she broke the news to her parents, but she was also very excited about her trip. She would be the first person to set foot in the sanctuary. A shrine where even Kings were not allowed to enter.
It was both an honor and an opportunity that her parents did not dare to take. They helped her pack her things before they all left for a banquet Rita hosted quickly. All the families brought meals and prepared meals for the evening.
Gradually, the square in front of the house became more and more crowded and many people gathered. Late at night, the chants of the villagers filled the air, pints of alcohol in their hands. Rebecca was among them, despite being quite young, she was used to this kind of party.
There was a banquet every time people left or returned from a big hunt. However, this banquet was different, she was the star, the one who was leaving.
Above the revelers, Isaac floated about fifty meters under the light of the moons with his book open to the page of heavenly prayers. He didn't want to join in with their party, he wasn't interested and didn't belong.
He wanted to know how they worked and what they did. He wanted to know more about this famous Sun God. "Feel the scriptures" he thought.
A lot of things could be interpreted by that. Like when reading a book and feeling emotions, intonation or training are many tools that allow a writer to convey emotions. Short sentences for quick and succinct scenarios and longer sentences for rested and admiring scenes.
However, in this case, the interpretation was quite different since we were talking about a text imbued with magic, rather with divine energy, and he was unable to read it.
Isaac therefore set out to expand his aura and try to delve directly into the emanation of energy that the inscriptions produced. Since he had to feel the text, the right thing to do would therefore be to go directly to feel the divine energy stored inside.
Immediately the inscriptions began to glow and the book emitted a faint divine energy. Golden filaments began to come out of the pages and began to intertwine with the white filaments of Isaac's aura.
Puzzled, a new scent suddenly reached his nostrils. Like the time he had discovered mana, that scent was special, he had never met it. It suggested the smell of honey, the scent of flowers when spring came. It was a slightly disturbing and unique blend.
He was trying to savor and dissect the scent he could smell when suddenly, his aura began to violently surround the book. The contained divine energy was suddenly sucked in by the filaments which also began to take on a golden aura.
Isaac was surprised at first, sensing a new and alien energy entering his aura. It was a new sensation he was experiencing like the first time he had felt mana flowing through his body.
The golden energy that entered his body was special. It was very hot without burning him. She was warm but gentle. After a few seconds, the book was totally drained of its energy and the inscriptions suddenly disappeared from the pages.
However, Isaac didn't have time to deal with it. His eyes were now blazing with a powerful golden glow and his aura had also changed color, taking on a golden hue.