"I can sense it!!" Rodney said in excitement.
This past few days have been nothing less thanhard and intense training for the teenager. Yang would get the lessons with his students done and over with and then Rodney woul come over for his own private session. And as the days passed, during the course of their training they both began to know each other well.
Rodney's view about Yang changed and so did Yang's. They both began to grow mutual respect for one another. And instead of the competitive drive in Rodney, he actually wanted to learn from this great man. They would go over the normal physical training which involved Rodney learning timing, precision, power and all sorts. And surprisingly, Yang found Rodney to be a natural talent as he was learning things at a fast pace. He had even caught up with what he was teaching his main students.
Despite this fast smooth progress that Rodney enjoyed. He Still couldn't get the hang of CHI. The other training they'd do after the physical one. Rodney knew the basics to it as Yang had explained to him in details. But he just couldn't get it right. Hours upon hours of acute concentration and deep breathing seemed like it wasn't paying off until it finally did. He could now sense this CHI energy inside of him. Although very little, he would just have to make the best of it.
"You said CHI was supposed to be raw form of Mana Right?" Rodney asked Yang as they took their usual break they had in between the Combat training and CHI training. This was so the body wasn't too beat up for the long and mentally exhausting process that is associated with CHI.
"Yes, you are correct. I did say so" Yang replied as he drank tea from a mug. Rodney had one that he was drinking too. It was safe to say the young teen was being heavily influenced by Yang. Which he didn't mind as at this point, he was making significant progress and this was all because of one person. So if it meant following and doing everything this man did, then sure he was ready to.
"Is that why they are splitted into two,Black and White?" Rodney then asked. And almost instantly, yang gave the teenager a questioning look. He was confused for the most part. First of all the kid could see what this energy looked like which was pretty remarkable. As he had spent a great deal of his time only able to feel the energy before being eventually able to see what it looked like. This kid was cutting corners and jumping past the hurdles that took most a life time to achieve. But then on the other hand, Rodney had said something that wasn't quite there.
"Black... You saw a black energy?" Yang asked to confirm he didn't mishear the other.
"Yes, the two seem to be antagonising one another. You know the first time I started this training, what I saw was the black one first but it was only for a moment. Now I see both of them. Only the black one is larger compared to the white one. Is that normal?" Rodney asked seeing that as he went about his story, Yang looked to be more concerned than ever.
"Black energy, that is only associated with demons. But how... Oh no, it can't be, can it?" Yang thought as he looked at Rodney. They both spent a significant amount of time looking at each other with no one saying anything to the other. It was getting quite uncomfortable for Rodney before he eventually decided to ask.
"It's not normal right, I have a bad CHI or something. Just tell me if I'm going to die". Rodney said not removing his eye focus from Yang's even once while he said those words. Yang on the other hand didn't know how to tell Rodney what he suspected. But Even if he was right, didn't that mean Damien and Tofu were right too. And wouldn't this have brought about immeasurable changes?. This were all the conflicting thoughts running through Yang's mind.
"Listen Rodney, I have grown to trust you and believe in you. But I need to ask you a question. Do you ever feel like you are not exactly in control?" Yang asked looking to see if Rodney's demeanor would change.
"Not in control, does he know about my passing out situation?" Rodney thought before he answered yang.
"You mean like me being possessed?". Rodney asked with a frown hoping that his guess was wrong and that the older guy was referring to something else entirely. He waited for that laugh or smile that Yang would give him each time he over shot and went wild with thing, but it never came. Yang had simply just looked at him with an emotionless face and that was all the answer Rodney needed.
" How... How is that even possible!!?" Rodney asked as it was hard for him to digest immediately.
"Has anybody told you about demons before?". Yang asked.
"Yeah, powerful evil cursed beings. Who wouldn't know about demons?. But wait why did you ask. You don't think I'm possessed by a demon do you, they aren't real right?" Rodney asked fearing the answer he would receive. So far, since he's been here not a lot of things made sense.
"Not the point, but do you know anything about the shadow knight?" Yang asked another question with a more straight face now.
" Shadow knight. Isn't that what that the preacher back then kept calling me?" Rodney thought to himself. "No I haven't. What about him?" Rodney lied as he wasn't sure if Yang was leading him on and was just pulling him in to get information he wasn't exactly sure he should share.
"It just crossed my mind. But do you know why this place wasn't this way before?" Yang asked as he didn't want to pry further. He thought it only made sense that the boy had no idea about the shadow Knight,very few people did in the first place.He simply stood up from his position and Rodney knew it was one of those talk moments that was coming.
"Hmm, he definitely knows something. But if he won't say then I won't force him. I just have to find a way to speak to that preacher guy" Rodney thought as he watched Yang stand up backing him.
"I thought you were about to narrate the story of how here became how it was?" Rodney asked. Yang then turned around with a slight chuckle before he started.
"Yes...A long time ago, a war broke out between two demons. Kravenus who wielded the power of absolute darkness. And Arishna the lord of heat. Kravenus and Arishna fought so much they broke into this realm. And the longer they fought the more things began to change from being normal.This fight between these two was so fierce as neither side wanted to lose. And this fight attracted the attention of other beings.This resulted in Arishna receiving external help. His back up came in the form of heavenly bodies, corrupted angels that sought after what Arishna wanted as well, the mana cyrstal. And the only way they could get it was if they could get past kravenus the gate keeper"....
.." So they joined forces and fought against kravenus and his alliance. And somehow they managed to get the Mana crystal. But they couldn't get rid of kravenus completely. So they decided to trap him. Joining forces together, they were able to seal up kravenus's soul along with the eight demons that fought along side him. But this seal wouldn't hold kravenus forever as it required great amount of energy to keep kravenus inside. So Arishna decided to use the Mana crystal to keep the seal active"..
.."Not too long ago, the Angels that fought along side with him, wanted the Mana crystal for themselves which led to another war pushing Arishna to do something he would regret. He used the Mana crystal to fight the angels and at that point, kravenus's soul along with his companions broke out. But instead of fighting head on like the last time, they did something drastic. Giving up their essence to destroy this world along with everything in it. But that didn't work, instead it changed the world even more. Leading to what you now see today boy". Yang said
Rodney had paid attention all through not drifting away for a second. The story felt like one of those animes he would watch back at home. Only he could be potentially involved in it. But there were lots of questions in his mind that he felt needed answers.
"So, what is this Mana crystal anyway?" Rodney asked .
"The Mana crystal is the main source of mana energy. It releases mana to the world it finds itself and like I told you when leaving organisms die, their mana leaves them and returns back to the source". Yang explained.
"What about me. How has this all got to do with me?". Rodney asked still not getting the whole point.
"I'm not totally sure about this, but I believe you have a demon inside of you. Well not inside of you, more like part of you now". Yang said looking straight into Rodney's eyes.
"So ...you are saying I have a demon inside of me. How would you know that?" Rodney asked with a questioning look on his face.
"Not outrightly, but it is the only explanation I see here. You see demons are the only ones with the black energy. And you happen to have one, and from what I know, you are not a demon yourself". Yang replied.
"Have you seen one before?" Rodney asked out of curiousity.
"Do you really need that information?". Yang replied rather sharply.
This whole thing just didn't make sense. Given how absurd it sounded, the crazy thing was it wasn't sounding like a lie. And Rodney was more inclined to believe than not. Moreover, he had done things that would suggest he was possessed but hearing it from someone confirming one of the thoughts he has had about some " strange" events that has happened to him made him more confused. It wasn't like the idea of being possessed never crossed his mind, Infact it did when his faction members told him about his deed that he couldn't remember. That was the time he considered the possibility. But seeing no backbone to such thoughts he quickly discarded it as it made less sense the more he thought about it.
"So why hasn't this Arishna done what he wants with the Mana crystal since there's no one to stop him anymore?" Rodney asked but then realizing something, he added..
.." Wait what is the point of the whole struggle for the crystal again?" Rodney asked realising he had no idea about it.
"The simple answer is unlimited power. With the mana crystal, he would be do unimaginable things. But the end goal of his is what I don't know. As for why he hasn't done much over time, I believe the Mana crystal has been damaged to some degree. You see, the thing is kravenus and the other demons did transform not only this world, but the things in it too. And I believe it affected the crystal just as well". Yang explained.
"Okay, so... I can't help but wonder, how do you know all this?" Rodney asked Yang again.
"That is not important to you like I said. What you should know is that, the bond the demon might have created with you, might not be let's simply put, a symbiotic one" Yang said with a straight face.
"What do you mean by that?" Rodney said now getting worked up by all this. He was only a kid,that got forcefully involved in all of these mess that doesn't even remotely concern him.
"Sooner or later it might take over. And now while I'm not exactly a hundred percent sure about that, it is a possibility. It is a demon Rodney, you don't expect it to be subservient to the host's body, now do you?" Yang said looking at the kid closely.
"So i could potentially lose myself?" Rodney asked.
"Yes, that. But maybe you can delay this process. You are practically using borrowed power. And you have the potential to grow stronger if it takes more control. But that is at the risk of losing your own consciousness and letting it dominate your body". Yang said.
" How... Do I delay this?" Rodney asked with a shaky voice as he lacked the strength to come to terms with all the information he was getting.
"Keep in touch with your CHI. Make it grow faster and stronger than that dark energy. That is the only way". Yang said .
" I never asked for this. I won't let you take control. Someone needs me to come home and I must return!" Rodney thought to himself and with that he got up and walked back into the compartment in the dojo where they practiced CHI. Yang who saw the boy stand up and walk in first by himself today could only smile.
"I'm sorry, I did not tell you everything. Its better you find out on your own." Yang thought as he followed the boy in.
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