Rin’s head rests gently against Khan's chest, her tears finally running dry. She can hear the gentle breathing, the hum and beat of his heart. The whole while Khan can't help but wonder if Rin would ever be okay again, that the grief they were sharing was harder for someone so gentle. Hard-headed as he was, he wasn't blind to the unique suffering she was experiencing. Knowing that they'd have to work with Kyouji hurt, the sheer unfairness of it all- it strained her.

“We’ve only got 5 minutes left, we have to meet Master Tenzin for training…” Khan whispers softly. His left hand runs gently through her hair, his right holding her close at the waist. “I’m sorry, I know it's not fair. I know we haven't really been able to take the time to process it all, and I'm sorry for that.”

Rin slowly shakes her head before looking up to meet Khan's gaze.

“It's fine, I just…” she trails off. Rin reaches up and rubs her eye, strands of lavender drooping over her face. “I miss them, Khan. I miss Johan's stupid puns. I miss Kiki’s pranks. I miss Ming-Ming’s ghost stories. I just keep wishing they were here.”

Khan reaches up, his left hand gently brushing the strands of Rin’s hair away until they rest behind her ear.

“I know, they deserved better than that. More than that bastard gave them.”

Khan closes his eyes as the seconds quietly pass. Rin breathes deeply, only shakily letting the breath go in small puffs of exhalation.

“How could Master Brock say that about them?” she asked, though more so to herself than to Khan. “Do we mean nothing to him? All he seems to care about is the sanctum, as if the rest of us are just…add-ons. What if something happens to us? What if we die on this mission? Would he even care?”

Khan considers Rin’s words with a deep breath, the full gravity of them only hitting him when he recalls what Kyouji had said during their battle. He tightens his hold of Rin, resting his chin on the top of her head as he breathes a heavy sigh.

“I don’t know,” he says bluntly. Khan slowly rubs her back as he tries to find some explanation for it all, why their Master was so uncaring. “But I promise, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. You’re gonna come back home alive, okay?”

He pulls back slightly to look Rin in the eyes, their gazes locking. Rin’s expression softens with a flicker of doubt and concern, but when she feels Khan gently pat her head she slowly nods.

“This is what I was talking about before…” she mutters softly with a sniffle.

Khan raises an eyebrow at that.

“About what?”

Rin brings a hand to Khan’s chest resting her palm over his heart. She thinks back to their argument back in the city.

“You’re sweet,” she whispers gently.

Khan’s gaze softens too, closing his eyes for a moment before looking away from her.

“We should go.”

Rin sees him erect those familiar walls of his, blocking her out again. She vents a small sigh before nodding and slowly pulling herself free of Khan’s embrace and hopping off the side of the bed.

“Let’s go then, shouldn’t keep Master Tenzin waiting..."

Khan wonders if he did something wrong, or worse, if there was something he hadn’t done right. Yet, he leaves no more time for himself to wonder as he stands up and gestures for her to lead.

“Right behind you,” he murmurs.

Rin nods before sliding their room’s door open and stepping out into the hall and making her way for the 2nd chamber of the sanctum. The two of them walk alongside one another, every so often casting a glance the other’s way, as if checking to see if their counterpart was still there. As they walk together Khan gently nudges her arm, flashing a faint smirk.

“Don’t let my looks distract you too much,” he taunts in a low and smooth voice. His red eyes display a minor level of confidence as he speaks to her. “I wouldn’t want to beat you because you didn’t have your head in the fight.”

Rin manages an almost inaudible giggle before playfully pushing him. He knew her, and she appreciated that about him.

“Pfft, as if.”

“I don’t know Rin, I’m pretty confident this time. I’m up by one anyways, right?”

Rin rolls her eyes.

“Don’t even try it you little devil. I won our last match, remember? We’re tied, it’s 4,263 both ways.”

A small chuckle escapes Khan’s lips as he rubs the back of his neck with a faint grin.

“You’ve been keeping the exact score? You really are a nerd, you know that?”

“F off, somebody’s gotta do it. If I didn’t you’d act like you’re up 5 points,” she snapped playfully before sticking her tongue out at him.

Khan would feign surprise.

“Oooh, Rin, since when did you start cursing?” he asks teasingly. “So unlady-like.”

“I didn’t cuss, I kindly told you to F off. Unlike you I have manners,” she says with a huff.

Khan scoffs at that, his grin brightening a bit as their footsteps echo throughout the hall.

“We can’t all be heir to the prissy Murasakishi Clan. Who cares about being proper when you can tell it like it is?”

Rin turns her nose up at that.

“Are you suggesting that I’m pompous?”

Khan would fill the hall with an echo of hearty laughter.

“Of course not, your majesty, I would never…” he sarcastically replies with a smirk.

They pass a painting that shows Master Yuze and Master Brock standing alongside 11 other men and women, a real professional-looking gathering. The picture catches Khan’s attention for a moment before his eyes return to his friend. Rin noticed where his attention had gone, quietly turning to look at the painting herself. The two of them slow their walk for a moment.

“Khan, are you…are you mad at me?” she suddenly asks.

Khan’s eyes widen slightly at the randomness of the question, though figures the painting and their conversation had brought it on.

“What? Why’re you asking something like that now? Hey, if it’s about me calling you prissy I was just teasing. Don’t take it so seriously, kay?”

Rin shakes her head, quietly grabbing her left arm at the elbow and rubbing it with a somewhat shy glint in her eyes.

“No, I just…I sometimes think things between us would be better if I was, you know, normal.”

“Cut that out,” he interjects. Khan gently taps her arm and leans closer, his eyes showing no hint of deception to them. He meant every word that was about to come out his mouth. “Rin, you’re perfect the way you are.”

Rin pauses, her expression softening into something more surprised and hopeful.

“But I-”

“But nothing. Listen, being a noble isn’t a bad thing. It’s part of your identity. You wouldn’t be the Rin I know if you weren’t. I’m glad that you didn’t have to live the life I did, most people in my clan did and they’re worse for it. No opportunities, no money, and only but so much education. The Fēng Clan could’ve been among the greatest in Gaea if we just had the chance to be something more than warriors and assassins. You’re a Murasakishi, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” Khan stops inching closer to her and gently pokes Rin’s forehead as if softly reprimanding her for where she had let her thoughts run off to. “The Rin I know is an emotional wreck of a princess, and I love her for it.”

Rin’s eyes widen at that, looking into Khan’s red orbs. She slowly reaches up and gently grasps the hand that poked her, her grip kind and gentle. Khan’s breath hitches slightly at the sparks that fly through his palm upon Rin’s touch.

“Khan,” she murmurs with a quiet affection. The princess of the Murasakishi Clan finds herself staring, their gazes locked and affixed to one another. Without a single word spoken they capture more of the other’s meaning, from the glimmer of silent trust in their eyes to the tender touch of their hands. Yet, neither acts on these things.

Khan wants to pull away. He wants to deny the contact between them, but he doesn’t. He looks down at their interlaced fingers and feels the growing warmth between them, built upon brick by brick in their closeness.

“Sorry…” he mumbles under his breath.

“No no, it’s fine, I know what you meant. It’s beautiful actually. Thank you…for being here with me, reminding me that someone cares.”

His eyes strain for a moment, studying her face closely.

“Always,” he whispers.

They let go of one another, the two of them continuing on their way through the sanctum. Their steps echo throughout the corridor like small thunderclaps that trail and linger through the halls until they finally reach a side room that leads into the 2nd chamber. A scent of chai and mahogany filled the air, a pleasant aroma that set their loins ablaze with intrigue. The 2nd chamber is a stark contrast from the 1st. Instead of being akin to a lobby it was a place of numerous training dummies that came in all shapes and sizes and weapon racks lining the walls. There were flickering lanterns that swayed to and fro along the ceiling and pillars of the chamber, and a menacing revolving metal dome in the chamber’s center that served as a mini-stadium for spars. Despite the scent of chai and mahogany the air still carried the underlying odor of dried blood, though great efforts had been made to mask it. Yet, the chamber was clean, even if quite dangerous-looking.

“Hn, the Dyad’s come back to the Hall of Champions!” yells a deep guttural voice.

Khan and Rin look across the chamber to see a man with a visage that placed him in the same middle-aged group as Master Yuze. Yet, his physique was anything but lean. Crash landing before the two students was a bulky 6’5” man with muscles that tensed somewhat under an open red tunic with large tears where the sleeves should be. He wore black pants and matching Tai Chi slippers. His blonde hair would be as wild as Khan’s own style if not for the small topknot bun it held at the top of his head. His eyes were a vibrant green, and his face- while marred with numerous puncture scars- was still sharp and cleanshaven as if to denote he took care of himself in spite of his roughness. His most extraordinary feature? His four arms.

“My favorite Demi-Asura, what’s up Master Tenzin, you’re looking good.”

“Khan, manners!” Rin quietly hisses after gently elbowing him in the side.

Master Tenzin steps towards them with a great grin, his footsteps slightly shaking the floor as one of his four hands scratch under his chin.

“Hn. Fuck all that trivial crap, only one thing matters in this chamber. I wanna know how strong you two have gotten.”

Rin and Khan go silent for a few moments, their eyes displaying a mix of trepidation and pride. Khan turns to Rin as if asking her if she could be the one to answer. She doesn't respond beyond a simple nod.

“Well, um…Kyouji was strong, even for a 0th Degree. Could destroy a city in a single strike if he wanted. He had the ability to quickly improve his combat attributes and skills in the midst of a fight. So I’d say we’ve grown quite a bit from the experience.”

Master Tenzin quietly listens with a small nod as his grin fades, absorbing every detail Rin gives him. The Master of the Hall of Champions was intrigued by the idea, his eyes studying Rin and Khan with a keen eye for the subtle changes in their qi.

“Heh, that’s putting it mildly. I’d say that fight made you three times stronger. Yeah, I’m liking the feel of your qi, it’s amazing! You two have been working hard. Now…”

Master Tenzin flashes a wild smirk, his body tensing up in excitement as he looks his students over. He raises his four hands up slightly, as if grabbing the air itself in his palms as a smile of hunger spreads onto his face.

“Lemme see what you two can do!” he orders.

Khan and and Rin take a nervous step back, their eyes widening slightly at the overflowing force of his qi. The air around him shudders and crackles with power, beads of sweat trickle down the cheeks of the duo.

“You…you want us to fight you, Master?” Khan asks with a hint of trepidation to his voice.

“Of course! We’re cultivators, we grow through experience, through combat! Any codger can do alchemy or read texts of power, but the art of war is where the real warriors are made! I want you two to show me, right now! First to hit the floor loses, no techniques- just glorious melee. I’ll only use two arms and I’ll even lower my qi down to your level so it’s fair!”

Khan feels his competitive spirit flicker at the sound of that, his lips curving into a smirk as he enters a fighting stance.

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“I like the sound of that. You’re on!”

Rin grimaces before entering a fighting stance of her own.

“Don’t take him lightly Khan, even with handicaps he’s still Master Tenzin.”

Khan nods in understanding. Master Tenzin raises one foot before slamming it onto the floor like a Sumo wrestler as his eyes flash for a moment.

“Time to raise some Hell!” Tenzin roars.

The two students charge at their Battle Master, Rin lunging at him from the left and Khan swinging from the right simultaneously- a low roundhouse kick and boxing cross.

“Mach 84, nice, very nice,” Tenzin whispers. He raises his right leg, performing a shin block to defend against Rin’s kick. His raises his left arm, using his palm to block Khan’s cross. “But hesitation delayed that kick’s impact.”

Tenzin plants his raised foot down before using his other leg to deliver a big boot kick to Rin’s stomach. She grunts, hunching over as the wind is knocked out of her. She gasps for air, her feet sliding across the floor of the chamber. Then, without missing a beat, the Battle Master turns and leans into Khan’s guard with an uppercut. Khan is knocked off his feet, doing a flip as he falls backwards to land on his feet a few feet away.

“And you shouldn’t let your other arm drop during a cross. You need it to defend yourself if it fails,” Tenzin finishes criticizing before stomping his foot again. Tenzin’s wild smirk borders on maniacal. “Again!”

Khan wipes his chin clean of spit.

Rin straightens her posture.

Their gaze harden as they take the Battle Master’s advice in stride, red and blue eyes now locked on their teacher.

“Ah, there they are. You two are finally looking like proper warriors. Come on, show me what you can do!”

Khan looks at Rin with a nod. She nods in understanding before Khan dashes towards Tenzin, coming in with a jab aimed for the Battle Master’s face. Tenzin sidesteps the punch then grabs the wrist, pulling it down then throwing a gut punch that Khan narrowly blocks with his free hand’s palm. Rin attacks from behind, leaping and spinning for a roundhouse kick aimed for Tenzin’s neck.

“Good, use numbers and positioning against me!” Tenzin compliments as he applies wrist control on Khan coupled with the Master’s greater weigh to pull him in and toss him into Rin’s kick. The kick slams into Khan’s face, bashing him to the side and leaving him staggered. Tenzin pulls on Khan’s wrist to flip his student over his head and slam Khan onto the floor backfirst. “But your timing is off.”

Rin attacks with a cross that Tenzin easily blocks with a palm before delivering a palm strike to her stomach, she’s winded again. He takes advantage, checking her cheek with a quick haymaker that sends Rin rolling across the floor. The two students are left groaning in pain on the floor as Tenzin’s wild smirk remains plastered to his face.

“Good try you two, I reckon either one of you could body Kyouji if you fought him again.”

Rin coughs, her vision blurring for a moment as she manages to sit up a bit and look the Battle Master in the eyes.

“Ah…didn’t think the gap would be this great with our levels equalized,” Rin murmurs in a somewhat raspy voice before coughing again.

Khan remains on his back, his eyes looking up at the ceiling in a slight daze.

“Fuck that hurt…thought you said you’d go easy.”

Tenzin lets out a hearty chuckle before stepping away from the two and dusting off his hands.

“That was me going easy,” Tenzin replies calmly. He walks over to one of the training dummies positioned around the chamber and leans against it. “You two are strong, the strongest 0th Degrees in the sect. Master Yuze thinks you two are the most talented kiddos of your level, and I’m inclined to agree. But Rin, you’re too hesitant and afraid of failure. The only things that should be on your mind in a battle, are victory and the fight itself. Then there’s you Khan, you’re hindering your performance with improper form. You can’t expect to win with the mistakes you were making.”

Both students go quiet, slowly sitting up until they’re sitting crisscross on the floor. When he’s sure he has their undivided attention Master Tenzin looks at the dummy he’s leaning on, taking a step in front of it and placing two fingers to the core of the chest.

“Your problems in battle are counterparts, just like you two. It’s why I call you two the Dyad.”

The Battle Master demonstrates a one-inch punch on the dummy with slight hesitation, showing the reduced impact behind the blow due to the delay.

“Rin, your biggest flaw is your mentality- yin.”

Tenzin then demonstrates a one-inch punch but without his dominant foot leading and without the snap of an impact, doing much the same.

“Khan, your biggest flaw is your form- yang.”

Tenzin then enters a firm position, his dominant food leading as he performs the one-inch punch without even a hint of hesitation or clouded thought. His intent is like adamantine, and his form is flawless. The dummy is blown away before bouncing back into place.

“Two parts that make up a greater whole, mental and physical. Y’see?”

Rin and Khan nod in unison, their eyes silently widening in awe at the Battle Master’s display of proper power behind a strike.

“Now, which of you can tell me why these factors are so important?”

Rin’s the first to raise a hand, with Khan awkwardly lowering his arm.

“Because qi is as much about mental control as it is about enhancing the body.”

Master Tenzin nods with a grin before pointing at Rin.

“Why?” he asks knowingly.

Rin pauses for a moment, briefly stumbling with her answer before she realizes the point Tenzin’s making about her. Rin draws a breath, focusing her thoughts.

“Uh…because qi is meta-physical energy, and techniques of a qi user aren’t just physical but are dreams and desires made manifest onto reality. It’s like a painter shaping our world with details they choose to add in.”

Tenzin’s grin grows into a smile.

“Precisely! Qi is meta-physical. For example, when Khan uses Brave Crusher he’s technically manipulating gravity, right?”

Both Rin and Khan nod.

“Well, yes, but also no. He is manipulating gravity, but that gravity is being made real by his desire directing his qi. When we cultivators use a technique we’re using qi to make real our desire. That’s why all cultivators don’t just train or study to learn new techniques, they develop them through a subjective interpretation of qi. We’re blurring the boundaries of reality and unreality through qi techniques. Think of a car. The cultivator is the engine, qi is the fuel. If that’s the case, then the world is the track, and techniques are the performance on it.”

Rin looks down at her hands, wondering what endless depths of potential she had. Khan on the other hand still seemed puzzled. He raises his hand, catching Master Tenzin’s attention.

“Yo, Master.”

Tenzin points at Khan with his smile brightening, happy to see the boy is engaged.

“Ask away Khan.”

Khan nods and lowers his hand.

“I don’t really get the whole grading system of cultivation, Rin and I are called 0th Degrees but I don’t really get what that means. Why not call us 1st Degrees?” Khan asks with a slight tilt of his head. Tenzin chuckles softly at the boy’s question before walking over to the Dyad and offering them each a hand to get them on their feet. Rin and Khan take one hand each, being pulled up and rising from the floor.

“It’s simple, Khan. Because you haven’t reached the first infinity yet. You’re both in a perfect state of equilibrium. Your training up until recently has only been conditioning and philosophy, the simple stuff.”

The Battle Master’s answer grabs the attention of both students, even Rin who was more studious was curious of what Tenzin meant.

“Infinity?” she asks gently.

Tenzin nods, letting go of their hands and stepping away.

“Yes, infinity. Cultivator levels are categorized by Degrees as you two know, but Degrees are simply expressions of infinity. A 0th Degree next to a 1st Degree is like an atom next to a universe. You two being called 0th Degrees is because you’re at the fundamental stage all cultivators start at, which means you ain’t reached a level of infinity yet,” Tenzin explains while dusting his hands and rolling his shoulders.

“Wait, so…1st Degrees are on a higher plane compared to me and Rin?” Khan questions with a hint of awe in his voice.

“Hn, at a minimum,” Tenzin hums with a nod before walking deeper into the chamber and gesturing for his students to follow him. Rin and Khan follow the Battle Master, walking past training dummies and dozens of training equipment sets until they reach the large spherical cage of twisted metal in the center of the 2nd chamber. “And 1st Degrees are only the first step on a long road. There’s fifteen Degrees in total, and they’re broken into groups of five.”

Tenzin holds up the 5 fingers of one hand in front of them as he turns to face them.

“The Basic Cultivations; 1st Degree all the way up to 5th Degree. Their names are Initiate, Neophyte, Acolyte, Foundation, and Apostle.”

Tenzin holds up a second hand, displaying all five fingers.

“The Super Cultivations rank from 6th Degree to 10th Degree. The names of those are: Herald, Hierophant, Essence Formation, Nascent Soul, and Saint.”

Rin and Khan step a bit closer, watching closely as Tenzin holds up a third hand.

“The last group are known as the Greater Cultivations, and they rank from 11th Degree to 15th Degree. But their names are a mystery.”

“Woah, so Degrees span a lot of levels of power,” Khan says with an excited grin.

“It’s not just about power, Khan. He’s talking about deeper understandings of qi,” Rin lectures before locking eyes with Tenzin. “So, we’re that far from our goal right now.”

Tenzin nods, his expression becoming a bit more serious.

“You two wanna become Fighting Gods, right? Well then, stop letting those flaws of yours hold you back. Get stronger, much stronger, and surpass everyone you can. The race to the spot of Fighting God is nightmarish, but I see true talent in you two. You can do it, but only if you two can avoid being killed along the way.”

Khan perks up at that, his smile brightening a bit at the Battle Master’s faith in them.

“We’ll do it, Teach. No way we’re gonna let ourselves die.”

Tenzin smirks at the boy’s confidence, letting out a small chuckle before reaching out and patting Khan’s head then ruffling his hair.

“Good, I’ll be counting on you two to get strong. Then, when you two reach my level let’s have an all-out fight. There’s no greater pride for a Master than to see his students surpass him.”

Rin found herself smiling, though with a bit more subtlety than Khan.

“We’ll try to make you proud, Master Tenzin.”

Tenzin reaches out with another one of his four arms, patting Rin’s head as well.

“Even better, now I’ve got something to look forward to,” Tenzin says before pulling his hands from their heads.

Khan’s eyes light up like fire.

“Hey, Master, quick question.”

“Hm? What’s up, brat?”

“If there are so many Degrees of cultivation, what level are you and the other Masters at? Who’s the strongest after Master Brock?”

Tenzin enters a loud fit of laughter as he considers the question. It was one he had asked himself many times before. Cultivators never stay at one level of strength for long, there’s always a higher level- which naturally made the question somewhat difficult to answer.

“Hn, well there are lots of Masters in the sect, but if I had to give my ranking I’d say I’m in the top 5 alongside Yuze. We were rivals when we first came here, and we’re both 6th Degrees, but Grandmaster Brock? Pfft, he’s…he’s a damn monster. The guy’s gotta be at least an 8th Degree.”

Khan and Rin were left in a quiet awe, trying to imagine what sort of power the Grandmaster of their sect actually wielded. Based on Tenzin’s description it all made sense now, the fear Brock’s appearance had instilled in Kyouji with but a glance. Their teacher was a monster of a man, the Scar-Eyed Demon.

“That explains why everyone’s so piss scared of him, I mean, I knew Master Brock was strong but I didn’t know just how strong,” Khan whispers while rubbing the back of his neck with astonishment behind his red eyes. There was a wonder there that both intrigued and worried Rin, a fascination with power. It was a fasincation all cultivators felt, the road to the title of Fighting God demanded as much. Yet, Rin saw the growing ambition in him kindle like crimson flames. Her attention was snapped back to the conversation at Khan’s next words. “So, what Degree was Master Brock when he killed that giant? You know, the one that wanted to eat our Spiral-World 800 years ago?”

Tenzin rubbed his chin with a thoughtful expression, his other three hands scratching the top of his head in various places as if trying to find the best way with which to answer Khan’s question.

“Ah, you’re talking about how he got his other nickname ‘Killer of a Trillion Lights’.”

Khan quickly nods, leaning forward so he can better hear Tenzin’s words. Rin wondered why Khan took such an interest in as disastrous a showing as the one Master Yuze had told them about. Tenzin didn’t seem bothered, so he answered honestly.

“Hn, well, what Master Brock did was wipe out a giant the size of a universe. People often mistake him snuffing out a trillion regions for being the most impressive part about it, hence the nickname. But it’s not, a 1st Degree could easily do that. No, what’s impressive was the act of killing the giant.”

“Makes sense, the giant was larger than a Spiral-World,” Rin said with a nod.

“Yeah okay, so a 1st Degree could wipe out small chunks of a Spiral-World- what about killing the giant?” Khan questions with a slight tilt of the head.

Tenzin walks up the spherical cage of metal in the center of the 2nd chamber and starts tugging on some chains that keep the door locked, getting it ready for use.

“He was still considered a student, so 2nd Degree.”

“Only 2nd?!” Rin asks with wide eyes. “To cause such destruction at only the 2nd level, it’s- it’s unreal.”

Tenzin smiles and nods.

“People with power receive everything. There’s never time to question your stance in this World or any other, you simply do what you can to achieve your goals. Grandmaster Brock slew that giant 800 years ago, and wiped out all the regions it had consumed in the process, but he saved our entire World. There are many other cultivators out there who have similar stories, grand tales of crushing strong enemies that threatened what they protected.”

“But destroying that much, isn’t that beyond what we should do as cultivators? What about restraint, and carving out new possibilities through our power?” Rin asked with a cautious expression.

“I get it,” Khan interjected while lowering his head. “Master Brock made a sacrifice for the good of everyone, wipe out a trillion regions to save infinitely more. Not something I’d ever wish for anyone to have to do, the guilt of living on after doing it has gotta be immense.”

Tenzin’s lips curve into a sad smile, pleasantly surprised to see Khan was more understanding of what sort of situation their sect faced all those centuries ago.

“As a cultivator you have to learn to…compartmentalize in a way. You can’t let things like guilt stop you from doing what needs to be done. Hesitation leads to death, and death is the ultimate enemy of any cultivator.”

Khan’s eyes lit up at that, both with a hint of trepidation and intrigue. A bead of sweat trickles down Rin’s cheek, seeing the fire in Khan only being stoked. Rin felt that she could somewhat read what Khan was feeling, the excitement that burned in him now. There was certainly something about the idea of reaching such cosmic levels of force that would attract any cultivator, she’d by lying if she said otherwise.

“Can you help us reach the next level Master Tenzin?” Khan asked gently with a hopeful determined spark behind his eyes. “We only have a week before we go after Kyouji’s boss.”

Tenzin goes quiet for a few moments, then nods in understanding.

“Yes, I’ve heard- Sire. I don’t know her myself, but she sounds like a big deal. Yuze told me she’s in charge of an organization past the Great Mud River to the north, at an old lodge. That’s a long journey though, 10 days at least.”

“An old lodge inside a peach tree grove, yes,” Rin confirmed softly. “It’s not going to be a fun trip.”

Khan clenches his hands into fists.

“Which means if we wanna be tough enough to fight Sire we’re gonna need to try and reach 1st Degree in one week.”

Tenzin finishes pulling the chains from the cage, letting them clatter to the floor with a noise that echoed throughout the 2nd chamber. Rin flinches somewhat at the noise, then again when she saw the Battle Master’s incredulous stare.

“Khan’s right. We only have a week to get as strong as we possibly can. It may not be ideal, but we need to reach the 1st Degree.”

“If it were any of your peers I’d say it’s impossible…” Tenzin replies with a firmness to his voice. His expression doesn’t seem to carry much faith in their ability to achieve such levels of power in only a week. “But you two are the most talented 0th Degrees in the sect. Alright, but I’ll be pushing you beyond your limits. I won’t coddle you, understand? We’ll be kicking your training into overdrive. I’ll be expecting you two to spar inside the Cage of Screams whenever you have training in the 2nd chamber.”

Rin showed signs of being nervous, but drew in a deep breath as she readied herself for what was no doubt going to be her most grueling week of training yet. Then, she turned her head, only to see Khan giving him a smile of confidence. That damn boy, always wearing certainty like a shield. If nothing else it brought her some peace of mind, to know she wouldn’t be facing the challenge alone. A faint smile spreads across her lips before she speaks.

“Right, let’s do this.”

Both students approached the Cage of Screams as Tenzin unlocks and opens the door, pulling it open and allowing Khan and Rin to walk inside.

“Stay strong kiddos, use every second like it’s your last.”