The runes over Theo's arms gave off a small glint as the morning sun shrouded them with warmth. He still found it hard to believe that just five days before his arms were completely bare of flesh and his body was charred black. Now, with the help of the Oath formation and a healing herb, his flesh had regenerated. It wasn't perfect as he would be left with massive scars across his body, but the fact that he healed at all was miraculous.

Theo ran his index finger across his left arm, following the branching path of one of the newly formed runes, while thinking back at what had happened.

After breaking the formation, Dean and the kids were taken to the Medicine hall and immediately treated. He, on the other hand, had been transported to a higher floor in the central tower by Junn and Tint.

The room was bare except for the countless runes and a single altar-like structure at its center. Tint laid him on it and then the room became alive. Trails of purple energy filled the room and embraced him—bringing him comfort.

Theo had only felt as if thousands of ants crawled on his body—the flesh on his skin regenerating—then he was filled with strength. Immediately after he asked how it was possible to heal such massive wounds in a short amount of time and why they didn't use it on Loki or the others.

All Junn and Tint had said was that the formation was left to protect the holders of the Oath and it was possible to use it to heal them. But even as miraculous as the Oath formation was, it couldn't heal everything. IT couldn't restore the loss of life force nor could it restore a broken core…

Looking at the downcast expressions of Junn and Tint and their constant apologizing, it had finally hit him. The snapping feeling he had felt had been his core breaking. He had lost his strength.

Theo shook his head clear of the memory and looked within himself—glancing at his core. All of his fractures were there, only doubled as his core was now split perfectly in half—almost too perfect. Too unnatural. Theo refused to believe he was done for so once again—for the hundredth time—he tried to cultivate. He hoped that maybe the constant attempts at cultivating would allow some qi would stay, but it was useless. The qi always escaped immediately after entering his core, leaving him with only the feeling of power. But the reality was that he only had his physical prowess.

He would never be able to use qi again.

Why did it snap, he thought as he grasped his hair and tugged hard, Why? Just when I tried changing and doing what was right I get punished. Was I right? Or are the heaven's punishing me…

A soft and raspy voice brought him out of his mind. "What is troubling you, Theo…"

"Loki!" Theo said, shocked. After being healed, he had heard that Loki was on his dying breath. Feeling guilty for not visiting him even once after he gave him so much—his Oath runes, the years of mentorship and the feeling of having a father—Theo decided to spend every day at his side and watch him pass. He had never expected Loki to still hold enough strength to talk. No, it was just that he didn’t want to talk. Once he did…everything would become real. He would never escape being a cripple. As long as he refused to speak of it…

Loki gave a warm smile and asked again. "What is troubling you? You wouldn't be here to watch an old man leave this world if there wasn't anything on your mind. Speak."

Theo closed his eyes. He didn’t want to see that smiling face... Finally, he gave a heavy sigh and he started talking. "Loki, I'm sorry I never came to visit…everything has been so…different."

"Don't worry about it, boy. I knew that would be the case. All the new information and secrets of the sect would have kept you busy. In fact, I hoped you didn't get to see me as I died…" his eyes wavered a bit as if he meant to cry then they cleared, though a longing gaze remained as he looked at Theo. "But that's not the only thing on your mind, so tell me what else is bothering you."

You could always see right through me, Loki. Theo thought, sighing again. He had seen Loki as his father more than he did a mentor and he had always been there for him. I guess I have to tell him. I can’t escape the truth…

"I think it was wrong for me to accept the Oath…" he finally said.

"What?" Loki said with shock followed by intense coughing. Then he glared at him. "You better explain."

"I don't know what to do, Loki. I have done nothing since I accepted the Oath. I hesitated when I was needed the most which ended causing harm to several boys and elders. And even when I tried helping, I failed and the heavens punished me by snapping my core and taking my strength. I'm useless now, there is no point in me staying as a Council member. I will pass my runes to someone else—"

"You will do no such thing!" Loki said powerfully as he sat up and grabbed him with a strength that a man on the verge of death shouldn't have.

"But I'm—"

"You are not useless, Theo. Junn and Tint told me what you did in order to save the boys. The way you stood up against them. The sense of duty you portrayed. Those are the qualities that I saw in you and the reason I choose you to succeed me. That is something to be proud of and I’m sure what happened is not heaven’s punishment."

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"What's good about my actions if I can't use qi? I'm a cripple."

Loki took a deep breath and laid back on the bed—looking exhausted. "So what? Qi doesn't make a man. What's important is the actions they take, the people they save and most of all what one thinks of himself. You have performed amazingly. Now the only thing left is for you too see that and embrace it. I think there is no better man to take my place than you, Theo. Besides, not all is lost. There is still the Oath. It will give you strength."

Theo was taken aback. "The oath?"

"I'm sure you realize now that the Oath is so much more than just runes on our bodies that prevent us from betraying the sect. After all, we even stopped everyone for a brief moment as you took your oath, communicated with you even when you were away and healed your wounds. The oath is this entire tower. No, it is the entire sect.

"It is a massive network of formations—each with their own unique purpose—left behind by the founder for us to use. By being gifted the runes and accepting them into our bodies, we are granted access to all of this. However, most of the formations are so complex we could never begin to understand. We couldn't even start the simplest ones with all our qi without it taking a heavy toll. Yet, I think that there is a way to control them. Even if we lost so many records over time, I remember my grandfather tell me stories about ancient times and the many different ways of cultivation. Not just qi, but many other forms of energy. I thought them fairy tales, but as I came across the Oath formations I realized that my grandfather might have been right.

“The oath can’t take qi so something else must drive these formations. If you can figure it out…then you can still continue to follow your heart and protect the sect in your own way."

Theo was stunned by the amount of new information Loki was giving him. If there is a way to control the Oath, then maybe I can still…

"Loki placed a hand over Theo’s and the final small purple rune on Loki's hand shined bright. "As I got closer to death, I began feeling something within me…an energy. A source of power. Each day I could sense it a bit stronger and at one point I managed to control it. The sensation was unlike anything I've ever felt. Perhaps it's just the delusion of a dying man or maybe it's what we call the soul. But this energy might be what's needed to run the oath…” He looked into Theo's eyes and the same tremble and longing from before surfaced again. "Theo, I always saw you as my son. I hope you can control the oath with this parting gift. "

With that, a weird energy began to embrace Theo. It brought him comfort—that of a father's embrace—before it vanished.

As Theo glanced at Loki, he thought he saw the faint outline of another Loki; standing, smiling and nodding at him before it disappeared. Tear's welled up in Theo's eyes as he realized that Loki was dead.

Loki had sacrificed the last spark of his life in order to help him.

##

Dean glanced at Kael with worry. Five days. He thought. Five days and he still hasn't woken up. Just what is wrong with him?

Robin couldn't understand the reason why. Kael had no wounds on his body, yet he hadn't woken up since he was broken out of the formation. Not only him, but Brin was unconscious as well. He had even scanned them with the best formations of the Medicine hall and used high-quality herbs, but even with no physical problems, they remained in their slumber. The only thing left to do was wait. Wait until they woke up.

Nar was the exception, however. He was healing well and was fully conscious, though he did seem to be extremely depressed as if he lost something very important.

Dean himself, on the other hand, was brimming with energy and life. It was as if something liberated him when his core was broken. He felt an immense power. Something that he never imagined he could hold. He felt that he could even take on those of the eighth mending or above. But that didn't matter. He never wanted strength. All he wanted at the current moment was for Kael to wake.

"Kael," Dean said. "You have to wake up. You have too…"

A small groaned escaped Kael. Then his eyes fluttered as he tried opening them.

"Kael!" Dean yelled excitedly, before calling out to a disciple waiting. "Go get Robin now! Kael is waking up."

##

Kael couldn’t believe what they had told him. Immediately after waking up, he had asked about the test and its outcome. Dean had told him everything. That Nar and Brin had been hurt. That the formation had malfunctioned…Yet, strangely, Kael could only think that he passed the test and lasted until the end. He hadn’t failed to live to his father’s legacy. He was a genius.

"So you can't remember what happened during the test?" Robin asked, bringing Kael out of his sense of accomplishment and reminding him of the situation. As Robin continued to examine him he felt guilty for not feeling worried about Nar; as he should be.

"Yes," Kael responded. "For some reason, I feel that everything is fuzzy. The memories are there yet they feel strangely damaged and out of my control. What about—"

"Don't strain yourself, Kael." Dean interrupted him before he could ask about Nar. "It doesn't matter that you can't remember."

"Dean is right. Don't force yourself to remember or it might have adverse effects on your body. For the moment I want to keep you here just to be safe. Hopefully, my worry is for naught and you would be out of here in no time."

"What about Nar?" Kael asked worriedly. "You mentioned that he was heavily wounded. Is he really all right?"

Dean gave a light smile then ruffled Kael’s head. "Nar is fine. He was already dismissed from the medicine hall and is in his private room. There is no need to for you to worry. Though you might want to visit him after you get out, he seemed to be depressed that his beast didn't make it."

Nar's fox died? Kael thought, then…no!

"Dean,” Kael asked frantically, “is Eztli all right? He wasn't hurt right?"

"Eztli?" Dean asked raising one eyebrow.

"Eztli, my rabbit. Is he all right?"

"Oh, yes. Your rabbit is stable now. He was, however, heavily wounded and is currently unconscious. We don't when he will wake."

Hearing that Eztli was fine caused him relief. He was teaching him cultivation and even though he said he was leaving soon he helped him heal his leg. Suddenly, a small sharp pain overtook him for a split moment as a memory tried to resurface. He grabbed his head and grimaced slightly.

Then it was gone.

What was that? Kael wondered as he felt a sudden fear of something—though he didn’t know what. Shaking his head free of thoughts he turned towards Dean and asked.

"Can we go see Eztli?"