Akaji silently sat in the back of a horse-drawn cart, his wrists still bound by metal manacles. Three guards watched him warily, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of suspicion and hostility. One of their comrades lay unconscious at their feet, as a stark reminder of Akaji's capabilities.
As the cart rattled through the town's streets, the night air was filled with the sound of wooden wheels creaking and horses' hooves clattering on the cobblestones. The town was quiet, with only a few pedestrians milling about. They pointed and whispered as the cart passed, their faces illuminated by the faint moonlight.
The cart turned a corner, and the magistrate's office came into view. The building loomed before them, its wooden facade adorned with intricate carvings and a large, iron-reinforced door.
The guards reined in the horses, and the cart came to a stop outside the office. One of the guards grasped Akaji's shoulder firmly, his hand like a vice.
"Get out," the guard growled, hauling Akaji to his feet.
Akaji stumbled slightly, his legs stiff from the ride. The guards surrounded him, their eyes watchful, as they led him towards the magistrate's office.
The iron-reinforced door creaked opened and they lead him inside with a firm hand on his shoulder.
As the he guards led Akaji through the office, navigating a maze of dimly lit corridors and cluttered rooms. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and dust. They passed by rows of wooden desks, where scribes and clerks worked late into the night, their quills scratching across paper.
Finally, they reached the magistrate's office, a large, ornate door adorned with intricate carvings of dragons and phoenixes. One of the guards rapped on the door with his knuckles, and a low, commanding voice bade them enter.
The guards pushed open the door, and Akaji was led into the magistrate's office. The room was spacious, with high ceilings and large windows that overlooked the town. The magistrate sat behind a massive, ornate desk, sipping tea from a delicate ceramic cup.
He was an elderly man, with a shock of white hair that fell to his shoulders. His eyes, however, were piercing and sharp, gleaming with a silver light that seemed almost otherworldly. He regarded Akaji with a calm, calculating gaze, his expression unreadable.
Magistrate Shen nodded to the guards. "Release him."
The guards stepped forward, unlocking the shackles that bound Akaji's wrists. As the metal fell away, Akaji rubbed his wrists, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.
"Leave us," Magistrate Shen said, his voice firm but polite.
The guards bowed deeply, their faces expressionless, before backing away and disappearing into the shadows.
Magistrate Shen gestured to a low, cushioned stool opposite his desk. "Please, Akaji, sit."
Akaji sat, his eyes fixed on the magistrate. Magistrate Shen's hair was styled in a distinctive, wispy fashion, reminiscent of a crane's feathers. His long, silver locks were pulled back into a tight, braided queue, revealing a pale, gaunt face with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline.
Magistrate Shen poured a cup of tea from a delicate, ceramic teapot. The aroma of jasmine and green tea wafted up, filling the air with a soothing scent.
"Drink," Magistrate Shen said, simply taking a sip of his tea. Akaji took up the cup and peered at the steaming brown liquid skeptically seeing this the magistrate looked annoyed. " I said to drink boy if I wanted you dead you'd be dead already" he said.
Hearing this Akaji brought the cup to his lips and drank the tea in one gulp grimacing at how bitter it was seeing his reaction the magistrate took another sip of the bitter liquid. " Alonmg leaves their good for calming ones nerves" he said before placing down his cup and fixing Akaji with a piercing gaze.
" I've heard about what happened in the forest from your friends and Ryujin but I'll now hear your version of the story" he said looking at Akaji who began explaining what happened when he was finished the magistrate poured himself another cup of tea and sighed.
" Im too old for this, you've picked a loosing battle young one, you all should have just stayed out of the sects way and what's more youve fought and defeated their star pupil and brought dishonour to them and insult they won't soon forgive or forget" he said.
" But honoured magistrate they attacked us first unprovoked!" Akaji protested and the magistrate fixes him with a stern gaze. " Nothing is truly unprevoked, you all broke not only the warrier sect laws but also our villiage laws by unlocking your auras without permission" he said looking blankly at Akaji who shifts unmofortably.
" Normally the punishment for this would be to be charged with treason and be exiled or executed but in light of you defeating Ryujin and your massive aura pressure I've willed it not to be so but first someone would like a word with you" the magistrate looked towards the door.
" You may enter" he called out and soon the sliding doors slide open and Lui Wong entered bending his massive frame to step through the massive door way. " Thanks Shen I know I could count on you to write this wrong" he said walking into the room and past Akaji picking up his tea as he passed and sipping it.
" Bah it tastes like shit!" He said throwing the cup through a window he then turned and looked at Akaji with a fake smile. " So your the one who's the cause all of this Akaji I believe? I heard you took out my son with a cheap trick shot". Akaji began looking around desperately for an escape his gaze landed on magistrate Shen who closed his eyes seemingly unbothered.
Soon master Wong laughed " Not bad kid not bad it takes series guts to not only unlock your aura by using chi shards but also to fight my son" he then reached over to ruffle Akaji's hair but soon his hands began squeezing tightly like an eagles talons.
" I'd like to see those guts" he said squeezing tighter. Akaji struggled to breath as Wong continued squeezing causing his ears to ring looking up into his smug face something roared within him and soon a blast of pure white chi roared from out of Akaji and slammed into master Wong slamming him through one of the paper walls of the magistrates office.
Akaji's fiery white aura continued to flare around him as he breathed heavily as he felt blood trickling down his head from wear Wong had crushed one of his ears who blazed into the room with murder on his face as his own green aura was fully activated.
" You little labour caste shit" he said striding thunderously towards Akaji who looked up at him. He could feel his titanic aura pressure as master Wong strode murderously towards him but despite that he still stood up and faced him readying himself for his final stand.
Seeing the determation on his face Wong stopped briefly. " I have to hand it to you kid your braver than those two twerps atleast you'll die with some semblance of honour" he said. Hear this Akaji's anger grew even more " If you touch either one of my friends I'll gut you myself" he said.
Wongs eyes widened incredesly " You little" he said pulling back a chi infused palm to strike Akaji. But in a flash of golden light magistrate Shen was Infront of Akaji holding Wangs hand with a single hand with the other behind his back shocking both master Wong and Akaji who stares at magistrate Shen with his mouth agape.
" I'm disappointed in you Wong is this how a sect master should act? by acting this way and Infront of me no less you bring great dishounor to not only to the sect but also your clan" he said he then tightened his fist and this caused Wong to grunt before magistrate Shen let's go and Wong stepped back messaging the hand that the magistrate had grabbed.
Soon magistrate Shen placed both his hands behind his back before walking back over at sat down. Staring them both down. " Now it's painfully obvious to me that we've an impasse" he looked at master Wong. " You want to avenge what happened to your son but also to defend your sects reputation".
He then looked at Akaji his silver eyes glinting " And you young Akaji you not only broke one of our villages core rules, assaulted the son of a sect master, but in doing so transformed yourself into a combat asset for the villages benefit" he then stroked his beard as he contemplated his descion as both Akaji and Wong waited for the magistrates ruling.
He then opened his eyes and then spoke " In light of these circumstances I Herby place you Akaji the clanless into the service of master Lui Wong of the Thunderfall sect and as the highest aura pressure of your family I Herby proclaim you as their patriarch your family will be joining you in servitude" he said.
This caused Wong to laugh and Akaji's mouth to fall open in disbelief. " Servitude like slavery?" He questioned he then stood up in disbelief. " Magistrate you can't allow this" he argued but the magistrate only looked at him calmly.
" My descion is final Akaji" he said. Akaji then dropped himself into his chair in disbelief as Wong laughed. " Welcome to the real world know kid! What you thought you would wound my son, and shame my clan and sect and you wouldn't be punished well done Shen well done I'll gladly accept these peasants as my slaves I'm sure his mother and sister can have some uses" he said.
Hearing this Akaji's temper flared once more but a stern look from the magistrate calmed him. The magistrate then looked at Wong and tilted his head in confusion. " Slaves what's this talk about slaves?" He questioned.
Wong then stopped laughing and looked at him. " What are you going in about?" He asked cautiously. " I did say young Akaji must serve you but as a disciple".
" WHAT!?...".