Now alone before the pillar guardians with only the odd Rice Guru as a witness, Sorah bowed towards the engraved doors that towered three times his height. Carved from amber pine - one of the realm’s most hallowed trees - they thrummed with ancient energy.
“Venerable gatekeepers, grant this unworthy pilgrim access to the sealed shrines. I, Sorah Kyoshin of noble Aoi’s lineage, request judgment from my ancestors whether our family’s peerless weapon deems me suited as the new guardian.”
The gigantic doors rumbled deeply before swinging open. The Rice Guru hopped excitedly and waved Sorah onwards.
“Ooo exciting! None have passed Layer One’s sentinel in a while. Seems they detected sincere filial piety despite your tattered robes.” Rice Guru danced around the groaning entrance. "Now comes the entertaining part! I shall accompany you as an observer should second judgment allow.”
Together they hobbled through the vaulted opening, entering a glowing antechamber lined with benches encircling engraved murals depicting Aoi’s many miraculous deeds across the realms. A towering azure crystal formation resembling blooming lotus petals dominated the room's centre, bathing everything in warm aquamarine radiance.
The blooming crystal formation marked what peasants called the Sage Lotus Curse Seal - a terrifyingly powerful energy mechanism Aoi had harnessed from beyond the Aether Planes and brought back through the Ethereal Rifts during his adventures. Its embryonic origins remained shrouded in mystery, but tremendous forces dwelled within this crystalline matrix.
Legend warned only Aoi’s bloodline may attempt to harness the Sage Curse Seal's power under dire need. However, utilizing its arcane enhancement required ironclad mental and body conditioning to avoid burnout or corruption. Many ambitious practitioners had succumbed to unstable mutations while trying to master its reality-bending applications across the generations.
Sorah observed this lost legacy warily. Had his father’s mighty deeds in trying to manipulate such cosmic scale power hastened aged decline? What nightmares had stoked Aoi’s hidden dread towards an unchecked ambition that he sealed even family heirlooms from adolescent Sorah after his mother's untimely death?
Before the towering azure crystal, a stone altar had a long hollow ceremonial engraving with elemental icons. This space marked where Aoi's esteemed weapon Dawn Sky Crusher normally rested when not defending their people. Now Sorah must prove himself worthy to draw forth this weapon into the physical realm.
The Rice Guru hopped onto the central altar, sitting casually while pulling various fruits and vegetables from its robe.
"Well well! Always impressed by whoever gains an audience here. Your father completed construction seemingly overnight after that nasty business with you-know-who towards the end.” He leaned over peering down curiously. “Now then, place your palm firmly atop this hand-plate to initialize the Ascension Gauntlet! Destiny awaits our entertainment!”
Sorah swallowed nervously. What awaited now that none returned speaking of the perilous trials? Steeling his nerves, the aged master lowered himself stiffly onto the stone base, laying his weathered palm flat against a glowing sigil. Bright aquamarine beams projected instantly from the crystal overhead washing down like a luminous waterfall scanning him from head to toe. The chamber rumbled loudly.
[ANCIENT SAVIOUR BLOODLINE DETECTED. INITIATING ASCENSION GAUNTLET PER CODEX AA-Z1]
Sorah barely processed events before collapsing forward suddenly, plunging down through hidden crystal tiles that opened underneath into deep glowing passageways resembling veined marble. Plummeting headlong through psychically reactive mineral deposits, Sorah felt foreign energies invading his mind and body unprecedented outside lightning tempests during peak summer months patrolling the outer isles.
Yet dropping rapidly through swirling tunnels negated panic as sorcerous liquids buffeted him ahead mercilessly. He relaxed his mind and body to the experience. Subtle sensations amplified from his tingling skin - each nerve awakened towards long dormant ancestral memories. Sorah perceived eyes beyond time and space evaluating his worthiness through temporary symbiosis.
Moments later, his body emerged from liquid limbo, free-falling onto surprisingly soft moss within a cavernous chamber shaped akin to a colosseum arena. Glowing hieroglyphs floated lazily around a vaulted ceiling wreathing everything in gentle turquoise and emerald radiance.
“We have crossed the gateway hurdles towards the second vault, honoured gatekeepers!”
Sorah glanced up sheepishly to find the Rice Guru somehow already perched casually atop a nearby giant mushroom chewing a yam while observing him intently. It waved a stubby root appendage encouragingly.
“Many candidates were found lacking and never progressed beyond initial judgements. Take pride in that accomplishment at least!"
Sorah tested his bruised shoulders and knees, wincing slightly from earlier grievous wounds. Oddly enough, the lethal Qigong combinations unleashed during his brief clash against Colonel Dravenik’s horrifying Titan Avatar were less strained. Perhaps those liquid tunnels possessed restorative properties on bodily ailments? Regardless, no moment to dwell on unexpected fortune.
Rising gingerly, the aged martial artist limped towards three arched doorways comprising the arena’s far boundary. Each pulsated with distinct elemental hues - cerulean wisps, emerald traces and violet embers respectively. Above them floated an inscription in the ancient Cloud Script that Sorah struggled to translate. Sensing his squint, the Rice Guru casually tossed aside gnawed corncobs before translating helpfully.
"It says - 'Beyond lie the Trials of Body, Heart and Spirit.' Each gate leads towards an aspect of self the ancients deemed crucial towards harnessing true power wisely." The Rice Guru leaned forward with sudden seriousness.
"Now heed me Sorah, for I guarded your father's steps across reality's tangled tapestries. What awaits in those proving grounds manifests directly from psychic forces run amok during his many quests safeguarding creation’s vulnerable balance."
The odd scarecrow figure dimmed briefly to intone ominously, "The immortal Sage Curse grants phenomenal enhancement by siphoning wielder lifeforce itself as fuel... but all who dared its uncontrolled power faced twisted fates, unless they are accustomed to the 5 Legendary Dances of the Titan Avatars! You must prove stronger than ambition's temptations before claiming esteemed birth rights."
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Sorah met his guide's warning gaze unflinchingly. "The 5 Legendary Dances of the Titan Avatars? What are those?”
“Patients…” responded Rice Guru. “Only if you are deemed worthy will we speak of that topic.”
Sorah nodded and added, “You have my vow o’ custodian - I seek salvation for the innocent, not personal glory as the Elders constantly accused due to resentment over father’s feats. Now please, what precise dangers lurk beyond?"
The Rice Guru cackled approvingly. "Straight to business then! Of course you need only overcome each cursed obstacle using traditional techniques without actually destroying them lest that fury will re-channel somewhere randomly across existence. Receive punishment without hatred and the trial renders complete."
He hopped down, hobbling over to pat Sorah's shoulder. "As for lethal embodiments spawned... well, no spoilers! Best discover those absurdities yourself. My role is ensuring you survive the overall experience should deficiencies manifest under duress."
Sorah smiled wryly, confidence rising from his guide's candour. Had not countless roaming years honed reactive adaption towards any spontaneous crisis? He shall meet fate's whims this hour with balance worthy of Master Aoi's legacy. There existed no other options now.
The aged grandmaster bowed towards the three glowing gates, silently praying for the ancestors to bless his desperate cause, then limped purposefully towards the azure portal representing the Trial of Body. Physically pushing limitations was the basics for any martial upbringing. What shape might materialize reflecting proportions gained and lost battling time's inevitable erosion?
The crystalline doors pulsed brighter upon sensing imminent entry. Sorah leaned his weight forward supported by his staff. Refracted light washed over him as the gateway transitioned fluidly between realities.
Emerging within a smaller circular arena resembling Cloud Hamlet’s old training pits, Sorah glanced upwards reflexively judging features for tactical advantages should opponents utilize aerial abilities or environment manipulation.
Rather than open sky, this battleground opened to a domed ceiling etched extensively with Cloud Script lineages and tactical Archives. Glowing emerald veins threaded across stonework pulsing slowly to maintain the pocket dimension’s structural integrity. Such shielded isolation likely prevented unauthorized viewing or direct interference. The raised ring perimeter held various weapons displays and baroque obstacles providing unpredictable navigation.
“Hmm... so our esteemed judges intend on forcing reliance on fundamental skills over preferred tactics it seems,” Sorah thought aloud while gauging the surroundings. “No matter... let us see what horrors manifest first!”
Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!
Rumbling sounds directed his gaze leftwards where a fresh opponent materialized suddenly into existence - a 15-foot tall humanoid creature comprised entirely of constantly shape-shifting glyph characters coloured golden amber! They assembled instantly into a thickly muscled masculine powerhouse form before solidifying with a resonating gong.
The augmented entity thudded firmly onto the stone tiles, targeting Sorah with blazing eyes. It then stretched gigantic arms wide, emitting languages from a hundred different tongues vying chaotically for dominance as easily understood universal meaning.
“Puny elder! None withstand the Ascendant Phoenix style and live!! Your fragile shell cracks under true might!!” To demonstrate this brazen claim, the amber giant lunged forward devastatingly fast for its size, crossing half the arena instantly to smash the ground where Sorah rolled evasively mere seconds earlier!
The force from the blow exploded outwards, shattering thick granite blocks and launching rubble across adjoining rooms. Sorah barely spun his staff overhead to deflect the worst fragmentation, though smaller debris pelted painfully against unprotected limbs.
[2-Hit Incurred!]
[Vast difference in strength and mobility confirmed!]
His opponent possessed outright superior attributes for direct confrontation - likely some psychic manifestation of peak martial capacity achieved during fiery youth. Sorah urgently cycled his internal chi energy to numb battered shoulders, buying precious seconds to adjust his strategy before renewed assault came thundering overhead.
The amber glyph creature had already leapt high and began morphing its leading forearm into a spiked battering ram easily Sorah’s own height to pulverize this frail oldster!
Timing his evasion perfectly, Sorah dove sideways again allowing the piledriving smash to crater tiles where he crouched milliseconds earlier. Ignoring protesting joints, Sorah intuited angles for counter leverage, spinning deftly to attack back his opponent’s extended wrist joint using the Finger Fangs technique!
[5-Hit Combo!]
[2-Hit Combo!]
But piercing blows scarcely landed before the giant withdrew its embedded arm and hardened its skin abruptly into scales that shed all damage. Unfazed by Sorah’s desperate strikes, it pressed aggression swiping back and forth trying to smash or grapple this nimble fool who dared challenge supreme talents!
Frantically Sorah side-flipped between clamping fists heavy as boulders, utilizing years spent honing evasive footwork and subtle misdirection against Titans during Cloud Patrol skirmishes. Each momentary opening allowed only desperate fingertip blocks against jackhammer fists before rolling clear again.
“Is running all you can muster, feeble leaf-lover?” The amber behemoth pressed its size advantage, corralling Sorah against the arena’s walls whenever possible before unleashing savage kicks which cracked stonework and shattered ornamental weapons displays.
[Block Failed!]
[Defence Broken!]
Sorah panted heavily as droplets of blood splattered the floor from his reopened wounds. He somersaulted brainstorming options while avoiding the giant’s relentless attacks.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“That’s it! Don’t let it catch you.” The Rice Guru kept cackling amused whenever Sorah narrowly dodged lethal blows by a hair’s breadth. He knew the dojo master was deliberately being herded near environmental debris during brief offensive lulls. All to gather vital intelligence under extreme duress!
Sure enough, Sorah manoeuvred the rampaging colossus directly before ruptured pipes now spewing scorching steam...then suddenly side-rolled away shouting, “Reversal Technique!” while slashing his oak staff towards the jets as a distraction.
Scalding vapour erupted point-blank range into the giant's face who reflexively staggered backwards from the unexpected agony. Sorah had already kicked off adjacent pillars to land solid flying heels directly onto its sternum off-balance!
Bam!!
The unexpected Ryu Counterblow smashed the creature ass-over-teakettle backwards while gripping its smoking chest in disbelief. But Sorah allowed no respite, twirling his wooden weapon to intensify focus chi... then slashed down unleashing the Azure Tempest Gust Barrage which pummelled his opponent with countless micro-vortices!
Bam! Bam! Bam!
[12-Hit Combo!]
[15-Hit Combo!]
[32-Hit Combo!]
[Attack Power Increased By 10%]
“Grawl!” Forced onto the defensive completely, the reeling giant crossed its forearms to guard against the punishing tornado flurry aimed precisely along meridian channels to maximize internal injury without penetrating hide.
Sorah judiciously divided sustained exertion between Wave Breaker stance and well-timed Flying Spear Palm blasts to prolong offensive momentum while the glyph creature skidded further towards the arena boundaries. Just a bit more now...!
[41-Hit Combo!]
[45-Hit Combo!]
[Attack Speed Increased by 3%]
[56-Hit Combo!]
[62-Hit Combo!]
Sensing itself against the far ring perimeter about to trigger containment wards, the giant creature swept both arms violently outwards and dispelled Sorah’s whistling Azure Tempest Gust Barrage long enough to backpedal evasively further. It eyed this persistent elder warily through the dissipating gale-winds and steam, reassessing tactics against such unpredictable techniques executed in tandem for debilitating effect.
‘Interesting...this one wields considerable skills alongside bizarre counter manoeuvres built upon years battling mighty foes,’ whispered an intrigued chorus of alien thoughts drifting from the giant humanoid still wreathed completely in shape-shifting glyph characters.
Sorah leaned heavily upon his staff. He was feeling exhausted as he prolonged the battle against a mystical embodiment that had boundless stamina. He ignored the throbbing agony from his left shoulder and kneecap nearly wrenched loose during that last Ryu Counterblow attempt. No chance remained to defeat this entity in direct confrontation. Its innate priority was clearly overpowering challengers through resilience and dominating strength. Time only worked against the weary martial artist as seconds stretched painfully.