Two Days Later...
The days following were rather daunting and a new experience to all. Kime's lesson had left them more confused than expected. In theory it seemed simple; scribble certain glyphs into the ground, do the set hand seals, apply intent and personal understanding and—
Boom—
You've got your set of runes...
Most of that wasn't really a problem, anyone could draw up glyphs or do hand seals, the hard part was in comprehending intent and applying personal understanding. As easy as it sounded, that was what had kept them from getting it done.
Their deadline was tomorrow.
Along their two day trials, Itekan, Itoyea and Kutote had come to understand that runes weren't sustained through SE, they attempted infusing their set with SE while constructing their runes but nothing had happened.
It was like pouring a jug of water into the space left behind by a sea. And they also realized it wasn't so my h about the quantity of SE infused but the quality of SE generally.
Kutote theorized that Runes didn't operate under classical energy systems; that is it didn't use SE.
They were back to square one.
It was at this point that Itekan went to meet Headmaster Kime.
Itekan wasn't sure he'd reply after all this was a test to see if they were worthy of learning about runes.
But he'd come to understand something about Kime during the 3 months he, Itoyea and Kutote had spent with him back in Cindergate town.
Kime loved and appreciated questions.
It was worth it, he reasoned and went knocking. Kime's door opened unceremoniously this time. The pictures on the wall and the high ceiling decor were all gone.
Within was a completely blank dark office.
'An illusion?' Itekan wondered what the decor the last time had truly been, had Kime simply missed his officer's decor from Four Stars Academy.
He didn't think so, Kime was a lot of things, but he wasn't vain.
In the centre of the dark small office was Kime hunched over his desk attending to the files scattered about.
It appeared even now that he was away from the academy he still was busy with work.
"Sorry Headmaster, if you're busy—"
"No. Sit. I'll be done here in a moment." Kime said and a couch appeared by the wall. Itekan sat knees closed feeling self conscious.
A few minutes later and Kime looked up from what he's been doing.
"Yes, Itekan. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Master Kime, we've been trying the runes thing for a while now. But we haven't been able to create one. We tried infusing—"
"Let me stop you there. Listen I want to tell you a story. A blind boy once asked his equally blind father what the color of his Tekler was. The father responded that is was a bright blue.
"Indeed it had been a bright blue when he had ordered it 12 years ago. However, 12 years of use and wear had turned the bright blue of the Tekler to an uncharacteristic rustic brown.
"Tell me was the blind father truly wrong or was his olden perspective of what the Tekler should have looked like what was wrong.
"I say neither really are wrong. This is how it works with Runes. I perceive my reality as sunny and I have a great day. I perceive my reality as dark and my day becomes terrible. Reflect on this. It defines intent.
"What you need to understand is that Runes are not simply energy, they are an authority. You don't demand authority. You attain authority and then personalize it. What I want you to do now is pierce through all normal methods. Think outside the box and then outside the plane of the box." Kime told Itekan who at some point had stopped listening and was frozen as if he was near achieving a sort of enlightenment.
All he needed was a push.
Kime could see it.
Itekan meanwhile was lost in his Mindseye. He pondered on the story Master Kime had just told him.
What he'd really been telling him was he needed to first understand what Power meant to him. His understanding of power directly translates to his intent.
Do that allowed him to perceive the real meaning of power to 'him' and thus elevating him to a level of authority where he could influence—
Itekan's body released both SE and Shadow energies with such a rush that it seems unnatural.
Kime watching him from outside smiled. He'd done it. He'd grapes the first concept. He was on his was to gaining authority.
Itekan meanwhile felt his growth deepen, what really was power to him. Is Power just about strength or it something else. Is Power all consuming or is it Self conscious?
These questions flooded his mind as he attempted to really define power.
At the end of it all he came to a conclusion.
Power is... Adaptation.
This was the single result of his entire years worth of experience. Every fight, every choice was tied to this one concept.
To him Power bends, Power evolves, Power responds.
His fights especially against Shzekcl had shown that he doesn't dominate situations by brute force or fixed will, but by becoming what the moment demands.
To him that was what power really was.
The ability to adapt.
In the same moment it came naturally, his hands wove through the hand seals and the glyphs on the ground responded.
A kanji appeared above his head shimmering brightly in the dark room.
変力
Itekan felt the world was different somehow. It felt like he had been transformed from an observer to a panelist. Like hed before now he'd been looking at things from a lens but now he saw everything from above.
Like a god watches his people.
'So this is authority... No bad. I can get used to this' Itekan mused gently
Kime had a gentle smile, 'This is just the beginning. I will show you what authority really is' he thought silently as he guessed Itekan's thoughts through his face alone.
It seemed like things were about to change in completely radical ways.
.
.
.
Spiritual Energy (SE)
Spiritual Sea (SS)
Spiritual Signature (SST)