The cloud of dust and leaves settled and they found themselves amid a partly destroyed area of a forest.
The logs of wood were thick and sturdy yet they were crushed by the weight of that huge monster.
Elric had started walking towards a dark area shadowed by tall trees and their leaves.
Though it was dark, small patches of light that escaped the leaves visibly dim lit the area.
Jin and Keir followed behind Elric as they hopped over the crushed trees.
In the mind of the two boys, they were still wondering what had just happened.
They rode a humongous black dragon while struggling to grab on. A single slip could have ended their life forever and now they are amid an unknown dark forest.
They started to doubt Elric.
Why would they not?
For hours as they passed lakes, hills, and different forests of different kinds of trees.
As they walked the sunny yet chilly weather turned dark and damp.
Grey clouds started to hover over their heads and the roar of thunder could be heard from a distance.
The wind blew and made clouds of black dust covering their visions.
Luckily Keir had the senses of a true beast and used them to continue their walk behind Elric.
The winds blew harder. Huge trees could be seen bowing to the wind.
It was no longer a heavy breeze.
It was now the stormy wind that blew.
Keir and Jin didn't seem to get some rest after that crazy ride with the dragon and the long hours of walk.
Their clothes fluttered in the violent wind as they protected their eyes from the dust.
Keir used his sharp vision to follow Elric while he tightly grabbed Jin's arm and pulled him by his wrist.
Elric stopped and pulled out the advertised parchment and raised it high in the fierce wind as the piece of paper fluttered uncontrollably.
Moments later the darkness of the clouds and dust vanished and the heavy wind became soft breeze and the destination unveiled itself to the three visitors.
They saw the blue sky patched with dancing clouds and an unending vast field of green land.
They looked around and saw an unexpected scene. They were not alone, people of various ages and cultures were present.
Some wore funny clothes while some wore loose and baggy clothes with wide sleeves similar to Jin and Elric.
Some wore light armor plates while a few wore heavy amour with fancy colors and designs.
For Keir however, the people were not the only thing he thought was weird and unexpected. Keir felt an uneasy feeling. He felt he did not belong there, his instincts of a beast told him that as if he was about to be harmed by someone from that crowd. The feeling was somewhat familiar to him as if predators were gauging his capability though it disappointed them as Keir's presence was bare to none.
It was the same as when he met Oscar on the training grounds.
Presence is when one wants to exist, the person carves the fact that they are alive and they exist in their body which arises the presence of a being.
His instincts told him to escape without telling him how.
As cold sweat ran down his neck and spine as he sensed sharp glares and gazes at him.
As Jin looked around, he saw carriages made of gold and red with lavish patterns of nobles and shining armored people staring at him.
Though no one approached any other person, their existence was enough to tell another that they are present. They were present in that situation to take action anytime if anything were to happen.
There was silence between everyone but they spoke with their presence itself.
The situation was kind of tensed and pressurizing with all the gazes but it all crumbled down when a spoke from the high lifted groundlike stage.
"We welcome you to the entrance of the Red Leaf sect, without any more delay we will begin the appraising immediately.
As you can see there are many tents installed. Please get in those and follow the instructions given and then you would be handed options to join which faction you would like to join."
The person said as he got off the stage-like ground and hurried to one of the many tents.
Half a dozen figures who wore black cloaks and dark hoods to cover their faces spread into the crowd and started to separate the people into groups into which order they would be getting the tents to appraise their attributes.
The cloaked figures had a bright red symbol of a leaf on their back representing the sect they belong to. Keir felt a different sort of feeling towards them, he felt an ominous presence behind their cloaks though all they did was directed the crowd.
After a long wait, it was finally Keir's turn to enter the leather tents.
As he entered the dark tent he saw another cloaked figure sitting on the floor with four different piles of parchments beside them.
The person gestured for him to sit on the floor in front of him with his legs crossed.
Keir sat on the floor and saw a similar translucent stone with a faint white glow in it.
He went and grabbed the stone and before even a second passed sharp blades of bright light beamed out of the gaps of his palm.
He dropped the stone and saw the same warm blue light shining out of the bright red stone with a black liquid-ish substance dancing within it.
As the figure saw what was in front of it, it let a chuckle out of his hooded face.
Keir looked at the figure calmly looking at the shining stone waiting for it to stop glowing and he asked.
"What's funny?"
"Your attribute. You ain't gonna last much a longer boy."
The man said.
Keir brushed off his words as he was handed one of the many parchments.
Keir stood up and left the dark tent and realized that everyone had finished their appraisal and they were waiting for further instructions with parchment in hand as they read it.
He met up with Elric and Jin and found them reading Jin's parchment together.
As Keir unrolled his parchment while Elric and Jin's attention switched to his.
"What are your choices?"
Elric asked, curious.
"Let me give it a read."
Keir replied.
'Choose one of the following factions that you would like to join. (Once joined, you won't be able to switch factions hence you must choose carefully.)
The Bushin faction-
This faction requires a calm mind and any attribute other than Divine is accepted.
The Bushin Faction mainly focuses on martial arts that can be achieved through Qi, though it does not research deep into Qi and its meaning the faction finds efficient ways to use Qi to improve physical performance and techniques of one's martial form.
The Bunshin's methods are rough and fierce but very safe to the mind and body
The Shensi faction.
This Faction requires a very calm and curious mind to explore Qi and its meaning.
Any attribute except Divine is accepted.
The Shensi factions focussed on researching Qi and its meaning while cultivating it inside one's body slowly and steadily.
Shensi's methods are slow and calm while being absolutely effective.
The Hunlun Faction.
This faction accepts only demonic and elemental attributes.
It requires a curious and strong mind.
The Hunlun faction stresses on improving the capability of the mind and body while studying deep into Qi itself.
The Hunlun faction requires an understanding of Qi and trains one to use Martial spells.
The Hunlun's methods are rigorous and risky with large progress of growth.'
The parchment concluded.