We decided to wait a week before my family attempted the spirit summoning [Ritual]. That would give their bodies time to process the meals laced with core spice Lin Li, and Bao had created. It also gave time for us to see if we could find a cultivation technique that my brother and sister could use. One that didn't require a spirit root and instead focused on chakras.

I had to admit to a bit of trepidation about how Spirit contracts with children would play out. I wasn't proud of it, but waiting for a week, allowed other families to attempt forging a contract first.

It might have been selfish, but I agreed with my parents' reasoning when they suggested it. I did not want my younger brother and sister to play guinea pig. I hoped nothing untoward came of any attempt at forming a contract, but I would feel better knowing that some of the kinks would be worked out of the process when they made an attempt.

If there were risks, I'd rather those risks be discovered before Geon and Syha formed a contract. It also didn't hurt to give the awakening meals longer to clear their chakras and forge pseudo-Qi channels.

I was glad we had waited, and I was even happier that those children that made the attempt were successful. We soon discovered that anyone that attempted to form a contract was able as long as a Spirit like Toi or Maeko guided the contract formation.

One point of interest was the shape of the Spirit that contracted with an individual. The spirit that a person contracted with fitted the criteria and was influenced by the mind of the person forming that contract. For younger children, the first few who had completed the [Ritual] contracted Spirits with almost cartoonish partners.

Pegasus. Unicorns. One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater. And for one little girl, a pink flying pony that left a trail of glitter as it flew.

Toi quickly suggested that children under a certain age be guided while the contract is forming with their parents' prompts. They would be asked a series of questions that would help them attract a Spirit that was more appropriate.

Geon's [Ritual] went off without a hitch. He had been asked questions that allowed him to focus on a spirit that would protect him as I conducted the [Ritual]. His spirit took the appearance of Storm, not a bad choice in a companion he may need to rely on for a very long time. He'd named his Roc Spirit, Lightning, once he realized the Spirit could shoot bolts of lightning.

"Syha," I said, gaining her attention. She had been allowed to watch as Geon formed his contract and had shown a real issue in how things worked. I recognized that glimmer of excitement. It was the same excitement I'd felt when I discovered Alchemy.

I would bet spirit stones that Syha would grow only more interested in arrays as she grew. I made a mental note to talk to Aki about some introductory material that a young child might find interesting and that my parents would consider educational.

"Who is the smartest person you know?" I asked once she entered the [Ritual] circle, and I began activating the array.

"Mommy," Syha answered without hesitation, not even bothering to spare a glance for our Father.

"Why is Mommy the smartest?"

Stolen story; please report.

"She helps people! People try to trick her or yell at her, but Mommy is smart! And I heard the teacher say that she hated when Mommy came to school. She said it was like talking to a Prosore because she is so smart."

"A professor?" I asked, clarifying her statement.

"Yeah! That."

"Who is the strongest person you know?" I moved on to the next question, leaving my Mother to wonder which teacher Syha might be speaking of. Toi, Ming, and Na had devised a list of questions that, when asked, managed to focus a child's attention in a manner that worked.

The questions would probably be tweaked over time, but ever since this set of questions had been developed, we had stopped seeing flying pink ponies forming contracts with the young.

"You are sister!"

"Why am I the strongest?"

"Member when those bad people tried to hurt Mommy and Daddy? They tried to burn Mommy's business. But you just when bang! Pow! And they fell over. I was scarededed when I saw that, but I saw what you did. I nose that sister is the best."

"What is Daddy the best at?" I asked, coming to the end of the questions, watching as the spiritual sparks that were swirling around Syha began to change. More and more sparks faded away until only a few remained, growing brighter with each question asked and answered.

"Daddy is the bestest at hugs!" Syha boasted proudly. "When I'm sad or when Geon is mean to me, Daddy always gives cuddles until I feel better."

"Do you love Daddy?"

"Yes! Daddy is the bestest," she assured me.

"Who else do you love?"

"Mommy. And you. And Storm. And Sensei Rhia. And my friends, Ching, Hong, Xue."

"What about Geon?" I asked, smiling widely at her omission.

"I s'pose," she reluctantly admitted. "But not today. Today he was a poopie! He said a mean ghost was going to grab me."

"He was just teasing you. There are no mean ghosts here," I promised, watching carefully as the final flurry of spirit activity amongst the few sparks that remained was resolved, and a contract was formed.

"Close your eyes, tight," I said, leading her to finish the [Ritual], "you should be able to hear a voice, a new friend that will always be with you."

"A new friend," she whispered as her eyes slammed closed so tightly she appeared constipated.

That final spark waiting to finalize the contract offered a tendril of ectoplasm, a tentative brush against Syha that triggered the astral body she had formed. It wasn't as powerful as her Dharmic body would be. It was the body that every individual formed at birth. The body that allowed for dreams.

And it was enough.

Enough to maintain cohesion as the tendril of ectoplasm was accepted, the connection between the astral and the spirit formed, and Syha gasped in surprise and happiness.

"Sing, Sing!" Syha cried with delight as she opened her eyes at the same time her spirit manifested.

"Oh, you're pretty!" She exclaimed. "I'm Syha. We are going to be the bestest friends," she declared.

I had to admit that the small spirit that had taken shape seemed ideal for Syha. The spirit appeared young, not much older than Syha herself. Toi had already informed us that each spirit could grow over time, and even Toi herself would continue to grow as I increased my cultivation realm.

The first Spirit and individual formed a contract with would almost always be the one closest to a person's needs. If a person was lucky enough and talented enough to form more than one spirit contract, each proceeding spirit could be shaped to fit a niche requirement.

Toi had filled the need for knowledge and understanding I needed of the Mystic Realm. She was the ideal blend of skilled practitioner and font of knowledge, which would help me bring the techniques and skills I had discovered in that realm to my world.

Syha had found herself a playmate. A young Elf girl. Another child that would serve to protect her without scaring her. A Spirit that few would see. An invisible friend that would appear as nothing more than an imaginary friend to those not aware that a Spirit contract had formed.

But as she grew, as her needs evolved throughout her life, her new playmate would become more. She would evolve into more than her protector, confidant, and advisor. I was almost as happy as Syha as I took a mental snapshot of my family and their newly contracted Spirits.

Each spirit was another link in the defensive chain of protection I was trying to forge for my family. I couldn't be around all the time, but it was comforting to know that they now had guardians that could be.