After the revelation of the demonic bond’ necessity if they wanted to survive longer than a month, the rest of Master Rokyn’s speech was rather banal. Most of the normal student duties that were part of attending the Ember Academy, such as working to maintain the grounds and other chores, were suspended for the first month to give the initiates as much time as possible to focus on their cultivation, and their training on techniques would begin immediately.

“I want to be clear on something,” Master Rokyn said. “If you reach your last day, and you have not mastered three fire techniques, but you have shown enough strength where we think it’s not foolish, you’ll still be allowed to face down a demon. However, if you reach your last day and you have not reforged your body into something hardier, you will not be allowed to even attempt.” Someone caught his attention, and Master Rokyn’s tail lashed the air. “Ah, the first to ask the question. Your name?”

“Syrenis. And...you clearly know what I wanted to ask.” Syrenis leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. “Why not? If we’re going to die anyway, why not allow us to try?”

“That is a good question, Syrenis. Why not, indeed? Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to why we would rather you die than attempt unprepared?”

Another student went forward, a woman with straight, golden hair pulled behind her head in a tight ponytail, which aided in giving her an overall air of being serious. Or maybe that was just in the lines of her lips and eyes, which seemed to be etched in acid on steel. Xander had never expected to see someone with golden hair, but...it made sense. Given how few people became Broken, the Ember Academy would have to pull from across the entire Empire, and maybe even recruited people from outside the Empire. “Olena,” she said, and her voice matched her expression perfectly, crisp and unyielding. “Because if we are too weak to finish in that time frame, you would rather we die than allow us to weaken your school.”

“Olena.” Master Rokyn drew out her name, as if trying to fix it better in his mind. “No, but I see the thought that led you there. However, no matter what other deficiencies might be present, if you can survive the final trial you are strong enough to continue with us.”

A man raised his hand for permission to speak. He was the smallest of the students here, although the lines around his eyes helped offset the appearance of youth, and he kept his hair shaved down - likely to also avoid that comparison, if Xander had to guess. He was the color of sand, only broken by scar lines that stood out in stark, pale contrast. “Dhomyn,” he said, and his accept was thick even on that one word. “Because if we fail, the demon does not.”

“A bit simplistic, Dhomyn, but still correct.” Master Rokyn nodded. “Demons gain a stat called Presence when they feed on mortal life. Humans provide the greatest benefit to their Presence.” A slight nod to Syrenis and the Ogreblooded student. “The other Sacred Peoples are close, and we’d like to avoid feeding you to them for the same reason, but for some reason the benefit from eating a human is greater. Regardless, if a demon gets a high enough Presence, it will be able to manifest on the world of its own volition. So... if you don’t have the minimum strength needed for success to be possible, we will let you die rather than risk a free manifesting demon.”

Master Rokyn let those words settled in, then smiled and clapped his hands. “I trust that you will find yourselves sufficiently motivated with that knowledge! Now, to get access to the refined body you’ll need to challenge a demon, you’ll have to advance back to Steel rank - which will take time, but we will be able to assist with accelerating that process. You will be given a sacred fruit for your first meal every day, and that will help you reach Steel that much quicker.”

Xander gaped at that, and a couple of gasps told him he wasn’t the only one. He risked a quick sideways glance at Anoki, and was relieved to see he was similarly shocked. Apparently, even most Academies couldn’t afford that level of expense.

“One thing I should mention before I go on - all of you were at different levels when you were Broken, so at some points I will say things you already know for the benefit of anyone who doesn’t know. It will be helpful to pretend there is a particularly dense child in the room and I am patiently explaining basic concepts to them. Therefore, for that hypothetical child - a sacred fruit is fruit from a tree that has existed so long, it managed to begin natural cultivation on its own. They are rich in ardor, and cycling while digesting one helps with making a foundation quickly. They are rare and valuable, which is why everyone who knew what they were showed shock we’d be giving them out daily. Do not think this is because we are more generous than other schools! They give out one fruit per week per student in most cases. We just give you all your first year in a month, to accelerate your progression.”

Xander raised a hand, glad to finally have a question that didn’t seem like it would get him laughed at.

“Yes, you. Name first.” Master Rokyn said.

“Xander. And doesn’t daily fruit consumption pose a risk to damaging our foundation? Especially with it all ready being weakened.”

Master Rokyn nodded. “Xander. A fair question. Eating sacred fruit that often can damage your foundation - although not in a way that leaves you Broken. It will just halt future advancement. But when you claim your Demon and form your Goetica with it, the first thing that will happen is your foundation will be shattered and reformed in the best possible condition. That is why we take the risk, because it is no risk to those that live - and future advancement hardly matters to those that fail.”

A grim answer, but one that lined up with what Xander had been thinking. He flicked his eyes to check his stats again, only focusing on the refinements.

Refinements

Stage

Details

Body

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Reforged

Steel

Enhanced muscle density

Sight

0

Hands

0

Feet

0

Mind

0

Heart

Pillbeating

Stone

Stops in 30 days

Channels

Restored

Stone

Cycling Efficiency -50%

Core

Broken

Stone

Nonfunctional

Soul

Twiceborn

Stone

Foundation -20

The “refinements” on his heart, channels, core, and soul had been bothering him. Now that he knew about the pact... actually, he had Master Rokyn’s attention. Better to just ask. “If I may ask a follow up?”

Master Rokyn’s eyes sparkled. “Better than that, I’ll answer what it would have been. Yes. In addition to rebuilding your foundation and repairing your soul, your demon will repair your heart and rejuvenate your channels, bringing you almost back to full functionality. Your core, however, will be replaced - it will become a gate, and be your link to your demon. With time, you can develop a core of your own alongside the gate, but that is an advanced technique we don’t even try to teach until the Ivory stage at earliest. Did I have your question right?”

Xander nodded. “Thank you for your instruction,” he said, and didn’t ask any of the other questions that burned at him. How a gate worked, what a Goetica was, more about these demons... all of that were things he’d need to know to complete the final Trial, but were not pressing pieces of information. Once they started the technique training, Xander could practice them more in his own time - but he didn’t want to waste too much time before that asking endless questions.

“Now,” Master Rokyn said, clapping his hands together again. “Who is bored with questions and answers all ready? No need to raise your hands. That was rhetorical. I’m sure we’d all rather go to practical application - namely, your first technique.” Master Rokyn held out his palm, and a small pillar of flame leapt from it. Xander leaned forward, noting that the wizened elder had also tensed the muscles in that arm, as if pushing back against something. “This is the most basic of our Lash techniques. The technique is technically known as Jettison the Broken Flame, which is why we simply call it ‘Jetflame.’” Master Rokyn closed his hand, smothering the fire. “Jetflame is not just a simple fire Lash. Any buffoon with fire ardor can form a burning fist or throw an orb of flame - and we will teach you those, so you do not look like a buffoon, although I expect those of you who are more reckless to learn them on your own and likely develop some interesting scars in the process. Now, you! Name, and tell me the four components of any Basic Technique - and no points for Ardor, that is the fifth component.”

Lilyn perked up when he pointed at her and quickly gave her name before listing them. “Space, weight, time, and flow, Master,” she said, adding a small bow at the end.

“Excellent. But can you tell me the components of each of those?” Master Rokyn said, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

“Space is direct or indirect. Weight is strong or light. Time is... uh... quick or sustained?”

“Sudden, not quick, but you’re close enough I’ll count it.”

Lilyn bowed her appreciation for the leniency. “Flow is broken into bound and free,” she said, finishing the grouping.

“Well done,” he said with a nod. “You are correct. And I see some of you making faces - yes, there are more components, but Lilyn correctly identified the ones I was seeking, the Basic Techniques. Now, flow is the more interesting one. Most who study flame ardor believe that flame must always be free. If you place dry paper too close to a flame, no force will keep it from alighting, correct?” Mastery Rokyn looked over the class. “That was a question. You should nod or shake your head. Don’t worry about being wrong, I know of Jades of Flame paths that would insist that was correct, and I want to prove a point, yes?”

Xander nodded, because it was what he would have expected, though he was curious where Master Rokyn was going with this.

“And!” Master Rokyn said. “To add to that, flame cannot be bound because if you try to trap it with something it cannot burn, it will go out, yes? Put a glass over a candle and soon you’ll only have smoke, correct?”

Xander nodded right away this time, as he knew he was supposed to, and he would put out his candles in that manner - it was safer than blowing on them and risking the flames flickering.

“That is the belief. And that is the secret of Jet. You can apply a bound flow to fire, but the fire will fight you every step of the way. And that struggle produces force.” Master Rokyn pointed both his palms down, and jet techniques leapt from both palms, much stronger and brighter than before. He started to rise into the air as the fire roared around him, and Xander could see where the force Master Rokyn was exerting struck the floor of the arena, shoving dirt out of its path in two little circles.

“Demons are like flames,” he said, shouting to be heard over the roar of his flames. He closed his palms and cutting off the fire, allowing himself to drop to the floor. “They will fight against the bond every step of the way. To master a demon, you must first master a bound flow of fire. For the other components, Jet is direct, strong, and sustained. Does anyone not know how to form a basic technique?”

No one raised their hands, and Master Rokyn nodded.

“I am glad to hear that. Now.” he started to point to students two by two, matching them with peers in pairs. Xander silently prayed he would get paired with Lilyn or Anoki, but Master Rokyn put the two of them together. Xander, instead, was paired with Dhomyn, who looked about as happy with the pairing as Xander felt. “Go with the student I have placed you with to part of the Arena. I will wander amongst you, to see how your attempts are going. Direct, strong, sustained, and free flowing flame will produce quite the blaze, so I fully expect that I’ll need to reverse time in the arena at the end of the day for those of you who were maimed or killed in the trials.”

Xander studied Master Rokyn’s face for any sign of levity. There was nothing there to indicate he was anything other than deadly serious. With sympathetic looks from both Anoki and Lilyn, Xander stood and walked over to Dhomyn.

The Ogreblooded sighed and stood up. “Let’s get this over with.”