Yan P.O.V.
When the first rays of sunlight broke over the campus, I was already awake. I can't recall the exact day when I created my morning routine, but I can swear that since then, not a single day has passed without me honoring my body, mind, soul, and spirit.
As always, after opening my eyes, I remained in the fine line between conscious and unconscious for no more than five minutes. Counting the seconds, training my will and resolution before slowly getting out of bed. I got dressed, then I arranged my sheets, caressing the lone pillow with regret. Every morning I woke up alone, it was the same - a heavy burden pressing on my chest, an unforgiving lack of something burning me from the inside.
Since I started to delve deep into the core of my being, since I began to practice and be conscious about my own truth, I have reached a conclusion: I was never meant to be alone. Every time I gazed at my empty bed, void of her presence, my heart ached. When the sheets on my bed weren't used to cover her nakedness, my hands trembled. I don't know her, but I want her with all my being. I see her in every woman I meet, but not every woman i meet is her. And not every woman I sleep with could ever take her place and enter my heart.
But I need them, maybe even more than they need me, because without them, I might not live long enough to meet her.
I firmly believe that I can truly be at peace only with her. The priests said that peace is achieved by being alone, and that my beliefs are wrong. Fuck the priests. The way is never the same for everyone, because everyone's truth is different. And I rarely saw a priest in true peace, but I saw many lying to themselves.
After not finding her for twenty years, I've realized something. Everyone has negative patterns and unresolved problems incorporated in their being. And that creates faults in character, that creates distance and pain in relationships. Knowing that, I understood that I could never eat the sweet apple without being able to reach it. I could never have the woman I want without being a match for her.
That gave me motivation as my truth, pushing me to improve myself. I've told myself that if I want her to surrender her body, mind, spirit, and soul to me, then I have to be strong enough, conscious enough to protect and make her happy. To at least not hurt her. And to achieve that, I had to train every part of my being, not just the body.
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Omniscient P. O. V.
Yan exited the room after a cold shower, clutching the guide in hand as he followed the map towards the training facility. A few students, like himself, had already woken to practice before starting the regular day. The left court was much larger than Yan had expected, and the training facility proved to be one of the few amazing things he had ever seen. Not only was it equipped with last-generation apparatus, but it also had special rooms where one could practice alone and absorb SE with the help of the runic symbols engraved in the floor.
Yan's morning practice consisted of a maximum of 45 minutes of strength training and 15 to 30 minutes of stretching and equilibrium exercises. He never liked to be a steady fighter, but a quick and agile one. After finishing his training, Yan took another cold shower, followed by a few minutes of pranayama breathing. When all was done, he put on the Azure Academy uniform before heading to the dining hall to eat breakfast.
The atmosphere wasn't quiet, with all the students coming to enjoy the first meal of the day. The dining hall was huge, with enough room to accommodate more than three hundred people. Following Jack, Yan filled his plate with everything he wanted. His diet was restricted only by what healthy foods he felt like eating that day, as he believed that his body knew what it needed better than any diet created.
Of course, while having a roommate, Yan didn't miss the opportunity to ask Jack about all the things he was curious about. As such, he found that roommates were always from the same class, and that meant he didn't have to worry about getting lost in the massive building of Azure Academy.
The second one entered the academy building, his nostrils were caressed by the pleasing smell of incense. A fragrant shield against the unseen, with calming effects over the busy minds of the students.
"Who's that?" someone asked as Yan arrived in the middle of the class, following Jack.
"The new guy," Jack said with a smile. "My roommate."
"Transfer student?" someone voiced his thoughts.
"Transfer student?"
"He's cute."
"Welcome to the academy, the place where you're forced to cook your own food and pay a fortune. At least the girls here are top level," said a student approaching Yan. "I'm Klaus Barta, nice to meet you."
"Don't let the teacher hear you, Klaus. Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't receive food any longer." Laughed an Italian student named Stefano D'Angelo.
"I'm Yan, Yan Rain. Pleased to meet you, all."
"Yan, I know this might sound stupid, but do you know how to cook?" Klaus asked.
"Hei, hei," Jack butted in. "Don't play that card, I found him first."
"What are y'all doing there?" asked a student halting at the door for a moment.
"We have a new colleague," replied a girl in the front row.
"New colleague?" the student asked. He resumed his walk, arriving closer to the gathering and spotting a familiar face. "Yan?"
Yan turned his head, his expression changing at the sight of the person calling him.
"Ah, cousin. I didn't expect to meet you so soon. How are you, still in one piece?" Yan asked full of sarcasm.
Their gazes locked, both wearing cold smiles on their faces.
"I never expected for you to make it here after not showing up at the exams. School started more than a month ago, are you so poor at remembering dates?" Damian, Yan's cousin asked.
"I had to do something that required my full attention, but now, I'm here. Aren't you happy to see me, cousin?"
"Recuperating you want to say, right?" Damian asked. "But it was for the best. After all, you wouldn't have passed the exams with your skills."
"Wow, wow, wow," Klaus got between them as everyone else stepped back, watching from a distance. "I get that you have a beef with each other, but I don't want for all of us to be punished because of you. Calm down!"
"Hm." Damian puffed annoyed, knowing that he was below Klaus in status and strength, so he had to respect him. "Do you want to fight me in the arena?" he asked Yan.
"I just got here, cousin. Why so anxious? We'll have plenty of time for that," Yan responded, knowing he might not be a match for the current Damian.
"Loser," Damian said, heading to the back of the class to his seat.
"Yan, come," Jack motioned for Yan to follow to their seats as well. "What's your deal with Damian? He usually doesn't act like this," he whispered.
"Family problems, different views on how things should go," Yan replied, not wanting to give much details.
Jack nodded in understanding.
Not long after, the teacher entered the class, making all the males stop their activities and focus.
"Good morning," Chen Ling, one of the few women teaching in the left court, greeted.
"Good morning, teacher Ling," the class responded in one voice.
Chen Ling was definitely less than thirty. Blessed with generous forms, she always carried herself with poise and elegance. Today, her long black hair was neatly tied back in a sleek ponytail that cascaded down to her torso, emphasizing her allure and professional demeanor.
A pair of refined glasses rested gracefully on her nose, lending an air of intellect and sophistication to her presence. But what Yan remarked the most was her vibrant aura. Exhibiting calmness and gentleness, her energetic field was well balanced. Few exorcists had the ability to read auras, even less to interpret it. But Yan was one of them, a gift from birth, even though he wasn't yet that proficient at interpretation.
"I was informed that this class has a new student named Yan Rain," Chen Ling said with her usual, feminine but confident voice.
"That would be me," Yan replied, getting up lazily.
"Mr. Rain, please come in front of the class and present yourself," Chen Ling instructed.
Yan did as told, exchanging gazes with his teacher as he passed by. Hands behind his back, chest pushed forward, he charmingly looked at the female students as he introduced himself.
"It is my pleasure to be here and meet you all. As you already heard, my name is Yan Rain. You can call me Yan. I'm a twenty-year-old Rank C exorcist specialized in attack. My primary weapon are those twin pistols." Yan opened his jacket, revealing the shoulder holster with the Astral Seraphims.
"I also know a thing or two about runes. Hope we'll all get along well." Yan finished his introduction with a short bow.
"Thank you very much." Chen Ling clapped her hands. "Let's welcome Mr. Rain with a round of applause," she said, and the students followed her example.
"So sweet, thank you, you're all so kind," Yan used a trained smile to look moved while waving his hand at his colleagues.
All under Damian's grim expression, who was forced to endure this facade. Their gazes met for a brief moment, and after that, Yan's smile became more genuine.
"Alright, Mr. Rain, please return to your seat. I have prepared a few very interesting things to share with you today," Chen Ling said to the class.
"Teacher," Yan approached with confidence. "I would like to have the pleasure of knowing your name."
"Oh, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Chen Ling, I'm a teacher in the left court specialized in spiritual communication. My classes are mostly about entities, so you won't learn any attack-oriented stuff, but what I teach can help you in all areas, depending on how you use what you learn."
"By your specialty being spiritual communication, are you saying that you can interact, understand, and control self-conscious entities?" Yan asked. "Also, does that mean that your sixth chakra is open?"
Chen Ling looked at Yan with wide eyes, not expecting to be questioned in such a manner. On the other hand, Yan gazed profoundly into Chen Ling's eyes, absorbed by their gleaming, oceanic blue color. He found her interesting as a spiritual communication specialist, hoping that she could answer his long-tormenting questions.
Yan had heard the saying "The eyes are the gate to the soul," but he never understood its meaning. Gazing deeply into the black pupils of Chen Ling's eyes, he felt absorbed by them, pulled by a strange power so gentle that it made him want to bend and place a kiss on his teacher's forehead. However, his dreamlike state was ended in a second by a flicker of light in Chen Ling's glasses. Yan took a step back, even though he was at a respectful distance, blinking rapidly as his vision was gone for a few moments.
So the glasses are in fact an artifact protecting her from mental attacks or something, Yan thought. To think that they'll react to my gaze... He laughed inwardly. It means I'm on the right path.
"Forgive me, I didn't expect to be asked something like this all of a sudden," Chen Ling said, her blurry figure appearing in Yan's eyes.
"No, no, no, it is totally my fault for acting in such a direct manner," Yan said. "The truth is I'm very curious about such things, and as my family lacks this knowledge, I tend to grab any opportunity to learn more."
"I'm glad you possess interest for such things considered peculiar by most. Unfortunately, today's class is not about that. But I will hold a few courses on those subjects, and I will do my best to answer your questions at that time. How does it sound?" Chen Ling asked.
From her words, Yan understood that the number of students attending the classes mattered for the teachers. He thought that their salary was probably influenced by it.
"Then I will gladly wait for that time," Yan said. "I have one last question, teacher Chen Ling. If I ever encounter difficulties in my practices, I will ask you to spare some time to guide me. I will be sure to repay your kindness."
"Usually, students receive guidance from their chosen mentors. They can ask other teachers as well, but only in the ten to fifteen minutes reserved after the classes. If you want to learn from me more than I teach in class, then you'll have to become my pupil. Depending on your scores, I will decide if to accept you or not. Now, please return to your seat," Chen Ling explained with a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice.
She definitely wasn't pleased by a student who made her waste important time from her lecture by not knowing the basic rules of the academy.
"Teacher, forgive me for being disrespectful, but we came here to learn, not to hear our colleague's thoughts. Time is important for both the teachers and students. My colleague should've read the rules, not expect teacher Chen to offer him guidance," Damian intervened.
"There is no harm, he just-" Chen Ling was about to say something, but Yan cut her words.
"My colleague is right. It is no one's fault but mine for transferring here at this time. I should've familiarized myself with the rules before speaking," Yan said. "Please, teacher Chen, forgive me." He cupped his hands, making a respectful bow. "Please, my colleagues, forgive me as well." He repeated the same apology, facing the class before walking in silence to his seat.
But there was no shame on his face and posture; on the contrary, Yan walked as if nothing had happened. After all, he had dodged the bullet shot by Damian there, and by doing so, he was sure to earn extra points in the people's eyes. No one could find fault in his manners, but all could nod to his resolve.