"It is time."
When Eiseldawn suddenly announced that one fine morning, Aster couldn't help but feel relieved, because for the past few weeks he had done nothing else but train.
Looking back at the passed time, from the minute he was awake to the moment the sun set, his limits had been pushed further than he had ever thought possible. By now, he was sure the peaceful meadow he now called home was splattered with his sweat and tears, each foot of growing flowers and flowing reeds now as familiar to him as if he had been borne there.
At first, most nights ended with him crying himself to sleep. Despite willingly throwing himself into the torturous training and ending most days with both his body and mana severely exhausted, he was still haunted by the memories of that treacherous night. He could still recall his father's last smile as he faded from his view during the shifting of the array. He could still taste the vivid-red mana of his mother's magic as she took her final stand in the midst of carnage, the crimson flowers blossoming around her like a halo.
More than anything, it was the certainty that he was now all alone, with no roots to anchor him, that scared him even more. Even the fact that he was in the presence of one of the most legendary spellcasters in all land, an opportunity many would gladly kill him for, did nothing to assuage his pain. His heart still ached for a home that was no longer there, for warmth that he would no longer feel.
Still, he couldn't deny his growth, and at this point, he might as well call it a complete transformation. His little stunt with the starite stone had given him more benefits than he could currently comprehend, and with his relentless practice, he could now easily summon his mana, possessing enough control to form the damnable cloak that had previously stumped him. In fact, with the spell now under his complete control, he found he could easily manipulate it to completely hide his presence, sound, and ultimately his scent, something his previous incantation of the spell naturally struggled with.
But his control over mana didn't completely end there, as pulling a strand of it from within has now become as easy as breathing for him. To further increase his mastery, his master had challenged him to always manifest a thread of mana around him while he did any kind of physical exertion, such as running, jumping, or even eating. To say it was hard would have been an understatement but Aster had completely embraced it, being willing to do anything and everything in his power to obtain the strength to achieve his goals...but mostly to keep his nightmares at bay. His best days were when he would get so tired that he quickly fell into a dreamless sleep. But that boon was rarely offered, and so in his mind, Aster used it as an excuse to further motivate himself, pushing himself harder, especially on days where he felt like giving up.
When the morning of the day finally came, it caught him off guard. On more than one occasion, his master would flit off to the forest, sometimes for several hours at a time, all in an effort to prepare him for something he had no idea about. The morning had at first started on a bad foot, as his previous night had proved to be one of the worst ones, where he was abruptly shaken awake by the hollowed-out screams of several of his family members' corpses, all clamoring for vengeance, death, and blood.
Groaning as the first lance of bright light from the horizon pierced through his eyes, he was still struggling to shake away the grogginess when those three words completely jolted him awake.
"Wake up, child. It is time," Eiseldawn repeated.
It only took him a few more seconds for his mind to catch up. His eyes widened and he jumped to his feet, his exhaustion and nightmares already forgotten.
Throughout the weeks, his master had kept a tight lid on what he was doing, which had both grated his nerves and filled him with a sense of anticipation. The small piece of information he had managed to wheedle out of him was the fact that the entire preparation taking place represented his third and final choice. One that he would have to make after everything was made clear. The first choice, where he chose his path, seemed simple enough, while the second one inherently carried some risks but with rewards that were admittedly very generous, as even till now he was still discovering new facets of the changes he had gone through after his foray into the starite stone. He knew he should be wary of anything his master might offer, but he also wasn't stupid enough to deny himself the chance to advance, grow, and evolve. He had tasted the fruits of the gamble he had previously taken and a part of him—a small part that scared him even now—wanted more and the day that he would finally find out what it was, was here.
His master, Eiseldawn, was standing next to the golden tree, his hand passing over the countless small streams that lit up the bark of the trunk. It had taken him a long time to realize that the countless flows of light cascading down the tree from the golden leaves above were tiny rivulets of markings, one rushing by so fast that he was sure that if it weren't for his new heightened senses, he would have never deciphered their true form. Each root, bark, and swaying leaf were riddled with such things, and when he finally got the courage to ask him, all Eiseldawn said was that the tree, with its unending halo of golden light, was an anchor for his soul. Aster didn't know exactly what it meant, but he got the feeling that somehow the tree was what kept him alive and sane, which should have been impossible according to what he had heard over the years from stories of shades going insane and unleashing their madness and malice on folks unlucky enough to cross their paths. This, ironically, was what exactly happened to his pursuers for what felt like a long time ago.
Reminded of them, Aster looked over the meadow in the direction he had stumbled from when he had decided to chase an ethereal song that was seemingly stuck in his head. At the time, he did not know it but the very decision (which he sometimes wondered if it was truly made by him or the song) had placed him on the direct path to an encounter that forever changed his life. He was glad he never hesitated to take the opportunity offered but the price was something he tried not to think too much about. He sighed as he brushed off the helplessness he felt. So far, everything was going well but what were the old folk tales he used to read always said? A gift freely given demands a price in equal measure. But instead of meeting some old crones or witches of unearthly beauty tempting him with enchanted sweets and untold riches, he was facing an old, undying monster that cleverly concealed his madness within. He stifled a shiver that coursed through him as he recalled the day he had nearly died because of his carelessness. He would never forget the first time he got a glimpse of it all those days ago.
Brushing off his concerns, he began the day normal enough. After a heavy breakfast and a quick bath, his master made him meditate for only a little while before he ran around the meadow in a slow jog. His master emphasized that today he wanted him in his peak state so following a beaten path around the groove, Aster took great care to make sure he didn't exhaust himself in any way. A quick jog was followed by simple exercises meant to limb his body, followed by practicing his manipulation over mana only to a certain degree. When the sun had nearly set and Aster had been given more than enough time to wander around and rest, he was finally summoned by Eiseldawn, who now stood besides a clearing of more than a few meters in front of the golden tree, his face solemn and his robe ever-fluttering in the wind.
"The time has come," he dramatically began, "for you to take the final step. With this choice, you will fully become my disciple, as you will finally walk down a path very few have trodden upon."
By now, Aster would have rolled his eyes if he wasn't aware of his master's penchant for theatrics. Instead, he only patiently waited for him to continue, his anticipation and nervousness were the only things that kept him still.
"Before you take the step, though, I will have to lay down each of the options before you and what each will demand of you personally." He paused, "Child, are you ready?"
Aster closed his eyes, taking his time to still his emotions before he opened them and nodded.
"Yes, I am ready."
Eiseldawn gestured to the ground. "Then sit and listen carefully. Make sure you make this choice out of your own volition or it all wouldn't matter at the end."
With a flick of his hand, a short mound of earth rose behind Aster while, on Eisel's side, roots pierced from the ground to form a chair of strange design peppered with rapidly growing golden leaves. For a moment, Aster felt like he was standing before a golden throne but his reverie was swiftly broken when his master, already on the chair, snapped his fingers at him to follow which he quickly obliged.
A short moment passed where they stared at each other until Eiseldawn finally broke the silence.
"Child, what sits before is a major threshold unlike any you will surely face in the future. On the other side lies power, strength you can barely conceive. It cannot be compared to what came before but for this to work, I have to make sure you understand exactly what you are offered…and its ultimate price."
A moment passed until Aster felt compelled to answer.
"I understand, master."
The shade nodded and now he settled comfortably into the chair before he began.
"Most people knew I was the ordained disciple of the famed Forefather, but very few actually understood what it meant. At this point, I wonder if any are left of those who remember him." For a moment, his eyes turned wistful before he snapped out of it. "He was a great man, with a vision so high that I had no hopes of ever comprehending it, but he demanded much from those lucky enough to learn from him."
Aster unwittingly leaned forward, eager to hear more about the famed figure that most people now would consider to be a myth, when his master's gaze landed on him with a smile.
"Depending on your final choice, you will eventually come to learn more but for now, let's focus on what is right in front of you." With one sentence, Aster's burgeoning questions were quickly shot down. However, he would forget all about them as with his master's simple gesture, balancing scales made of golden light appeared before him. From all appearances, they looked like ancient scales, with a beam on a pivot point along with two metallic golden pans hanging from each end. But what interested him was a tiny golden rod in the middle, placed on top of the beam and in front of a small panel with two sides. The left side glittered like stars in the dark sky, while the right one was a stormy gray, one that kept shifting and twirling in a wavering cadence.
"These scales represent the weight of the choices ahead of you." Eisel began as the golden scales glimmered under the setting sun. "The first choice in your grasp," he said as the pan on the left manifested a small starite on top of it that immediately titled the scales slightly towards the blanket of twinkling stars. "...is the one that would immediately set you free. With what you currently have, your advance to the 4th Order is all but guaranteed. You could become a mage of power, with your strength soaring compared to others around you, and your vengeance could be achievable with enough time and resources. But I'm afraid that's where your journey would end. To become a saint would require an opportunity that you might or might not have, even with that treasure in your possession, as it would still require a significant effort and will to push through. While very few astrologers are famed for their strength, your foray into the starite stone along with your astral gift will make it harder for your enemies to completely catch you unaware." He paused before he continued. "But with freedom comes the price of uncertainty. I would not be involved in your path, and so while you might end up great, the true secrets of cultivation would be hidden from you. Or you might struggle enough to uncover them. Regardless, your journey to sainthood will lie on the scales and you will find it much harder to advance beyond the peak."
Feeling overwhelmed by the sudden deluge of information, Aster could barely form a coherent thought until one thing jumped at him, and it was something he had never thought was possible.
"Beyond the peak...you mean beyond sainthood?" he croaked. "Is that even possible?"
Eiseldawn's eerie eyes bored into him.
"Despite what most people think, sainthood is not the end of one's path, just as heralds are not at the end of their journey. There are paths higher than you can possibly fathom but for now, all you should know is that should you make this choice, this is what most assuredly waits for you."
Aster got closer to the radiant scales. By now, the sun was truly disappearing on the horizon and so the scales shone with a soft light within the small clearing. He was staring at the measure on the top of the beam, where the swaying needle had barely moved from its center, when an idea occurred to him.
"The measure... does it show what I think it does?" Aster tried to put into words what he was thinking but surprisingly, his master nodded.
"It shows all of your future potential and more, or at least what you will be able to attain in the absence of a tremendous opportunity. What I have taught you might be enough to make you strong in the eyes of many but it's still insufficient to meet my standards. There is so much I can offer, so much you can learn and all of it will be covered with the second choice, the one that I will now start to explain."
With a snap of his fingers, a gleaming feather of crystalline blue, red, and gold popped into existence on the other side of the scales. The radiant feather burned with a golden flame that trailed through the air, leaving out little motes of mana that sparkled and glinted like gold dust. As the feather slowly alighted on the glinting pane, Aster saw it abruptly tilting the scales heavily to its side, the golden needle more than half way through the turbulent grays, denoting how much of a difference existed between the two choices.
"The second choice entails what I would be able to give you and its price. You will fully be able to become my student, to truly learn and train under me, and to progress your strength to heights unimaginable. You will be privy to secrets you would have never known otherwise and be completely transformed inside and out. Your journey would carry you to places you would normally have never been able to step into, see sights that would completely widen your horizons and witness magic that would utterly change your perception of the cosmos. But with such an opportunity comes a heavy price. Just as it was demanded of me when I was officially ordained to Forefather, you too shall have to swear a soul oath to be of service to me for years to come until you achieve sainthood, and to not divulge all that you see, hear, and learn until with my express permission. This might seem harsh at first glance but know that it will all be worth it in the end. The oath would be followed by a special ritual as the rite of passage, one that would not only deepen your potential but also increase your strength by building a foundation that would utmost guarantee your ascension to sainthood. I would not be lying when I say such a ritual will take a heavy toll on your body, despite my best efforts to mitigate it but by now you know how it is done. You can never obtain something for nothing." His golden eyes tore into him as he continued, "Now, child, what do you choose?"
Aster closed his eyes after he took a long, hard look at the shifting scales. Pushing the theatrics aside, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he realized that this was it; the third choice. Before him, he could envision a junction of two roads. One that led seemingly to an easier path, where he could set out on his own and take his time to familiarize himself with what he had gained, free of any pressure or responsibilities. He would be free of the undying shade, unchained from all of the conspiracies and secrets that he had uncovered just by the short time they had spent together. Or he could take the darker road, one that would sacrifice his precious freedom for more power. He could uncover secrets that the powerful hold and be able to delve deeper into the mystery of his family's sudden demise with the help of the mysterious benefactor. The road seemed pricklier, filled with shadows, darkness, and a lot of chains, but at the end, Aster could see a far-away telltale of a golden light. One road offered freedom for less, while the other offered more at the price of his freedom. Deep down, he knew which option he was going to take but before he could make his final decision, he needed to understand one thing.
"What is a soul oath?" he asked.
Eiseldawn's lips quirked up, forming a secret smile.
"A soul oath is a vow, a promise taken upon one's soul. One that cannot be forced upon the other; one that needs to be taken willingly. Unlike any other magical bindings or contracts, it's almost unbreakable from all fronts. As such, it is not to be taken lightly, as once broken, one risks splintering their soul or worse. It's an oath made in the light of the cosmos itself and thus, just like nature seeking balance in all things, it demands a counterpoint to weigh against. That means while I will require you to take the soul oath willingly, I will also have to take it in turn to make it valid." Eiseldawn's eyes twinkled, "What do you think? A soul oath for your services and secrecy, in return for mine to uphold my teachings during this time, help you with your quest wherever possible and provide protection when absolutely needed." He looked at him with kind eyes, even though something else flashed deep inside.
"So what is your choice, child?"
Aster's throat closed up when the gravity of the situation finally sank in. A part of him was relieved when he heard that the soul oath had to go both ways for it to be viable. But it was not until a full picture was painted before him that he truly understood the risks that came with it. An irrational fear was borne inside of him, and he felt as if he was signing his life away but he had to quell it before he made a mistake. He had made a promise once before that he would take whatever it took to avenge his family. He hardened his heart. This was what it meant, as even with a soul oath or not, he already knew which road he was going to take regardless.
"I choose... the second option." Aster finally said.
The shade wreathed in the golden robes took his time to answer.
"Are you absolutely sure about this child? Once this choice is made, there will be no turning back, lest you end up dead or worse."
Aster had no idea what could be worse than death but he nodded with gusto even as his insides melted with dread.
"Of that, I'm sure."
Eiseldawn stared at him until he suddenly clapped his hands with glee.
"Then, with that out of the way, let's discuss our soul oath."
The minutes that followed saw them both pouring over the finer details of the oaths they had to take. Eiseldawn was adamant about the time, as he repeatedly assured Aster of his confidence for him to reach sainthood once he had undertaken the ritual, while Aster tried to make sure he also had time of his own to pursue his goals. Looking at the big picture, Aster discovered the soul oath was heavily in his favor, even when his efforts to push against the protection clause yielded no results. Apparently, his master felt like he wouldn't learn to stand on his own two feet if he required protection on every turn, which led to the loosening of other clauses, which ultimately concluded with both of them scrapping almost all of them in favor of making their soul oath as simple as possible.
Once they were done, each satisfied with their side, Eisel had a few things to say.
"Make sure you speak your words clearly and with intent. Rarely can soul oaths be redone once taken."
He made both the throne he sat on and the stump disappear, as he settled on the ground, crossing his legs and motioning for Aster to do the same. Once he did, he placed his left hand on his chest while he stretched his right hand towards Aster, his eyes clearly intuiting for him to follow. After Aster repeated the same pose, Eisel made him take a deep breath before he started.
"Now repeat after me...upon my soul, I swear, I Aster descendant of the house of Arius promise to learn and to provide all that I can within reason up to until I reach sainthood as an official disciple ordained to the one named Eiseldawn. In addition, I swear not to divulge all that I see, hear, and learn in any way shape or form until with his express permission in return for the resources and wisdom promised, for this is the path I have chosen. May this oath be etched in my soul."
The moment Aster finished, he felt a sudden weight settle deep inside of him, one that sought of any falsehood in his words. Once it was satisfied, it turned to the other side, Aster instinctively knowing what it was waiting for as Eiseldawn began his part of the oath.
"Upon my soul, I swear, I Eiseldawn, an orphan, and the only ordained disciple to the Forefather in all of Shorelands, vow to take Aster, the descendant of the House of Arius, under my wing as my ordained disciple, teach him all that I can, and protect him when absolutely needed in return for the services rendered up until sainthood is reached, for this is the path I have chosen. May this oath be etched in my soul."
Aster felt the burden inside of him reach deep into Eiseldawn until it latched on to the weight of the words he uttered. After it was tested against and found true, a swirl of blue and golden mana emanated from both of them as a strange marking, one that felt as old as time itself, formed above them. Staring in wonder, Aster felt almost naked to his soul as the mysterious marking rippled in silence before it cracked in the middle, each half flying to the opposite side.
His vision swam as he felt the marking burrow deeper into him through his chest. He gasped when it finally settled, immediately sensing some kind of bond between him and the shade. He could feel with all of his certainty the heavy oath he had taken but he could also sense that it was somewhat lax. His words had tightened him to Eiseldawn but he could still breathe, even though he instinctively understood the price he would pay for going back against his word. Something along the lines of a shattered soul.
"How do you feel?" Eiseldawn asked after a slight grimace crossed his face.
Aster struggled to put what he felt into words.
"It's strange…I can feel a bond to you…but it's also not tight somehow."
Eiseldawn smirked in response. "You are lucky, child. Soul oaths are a fickle thing and should be taken with care. If I had demanded servitude instead of service, you would have had no choice but to be my slave for all the coming years. But such a thing would defeat the purpose of training under me. I needed someone with potential, someone capable and willing enough to accompany me in achieving my goals, not someone who followed me due to being forced rather than by choice. Limiting one's choices too much does nothing but hinder their future path. As mortals, we are not meant to be held under someone's will, and such actions almost always lead to ruin one way or another."
A chill did cross Aster's back at Eiseldawn words but he took the lesson for what it was and decided to focus on something else.
"So what now?"
Eiseldawn stood and faced the clearing.
"Now... the ritual begins."