The children glance at each other before Ceris steps forward and says, ‘He’s right Uncle. I can feel it whenever Father forces me to absorb Qi or Mana. The Sand energies in my body began to fight them and recently it feels as if my blood has even begun to fight them as well. I'm scared uncle, whenever Father leaves once he’s done forcing us to practice, me and brother have to purge the energies or it gets even worse’ Ceris manages to speak clearly before trailing off quietly near the end as she shakes in fear clearly lost in a memory.
‘Ceris, Ceris! What happened? Did you harm yourself because of us child!’ Barrack asks in an almost panic.
‘It’s not that Uncle or rather not mostly that. Father… caught us purging our energies once. He forced us to drain all the pure elemental energies out of our bodies and then pull in Qi and Mana. He forced us to absorb, cycle, and then drain Qi and Mana in our bodies for days. It was, I don’t know how to describe it. It felt as if our bodies were collapsing, we thought we were going to die. Father only stopped when our bloodlines exploded out. It’s why we’ve been able to turn into Fire or Sand, Father took it as a sign that our bodies had accepted the energies and told us to train down here.’ Evan answers for Ceris as she calms down.
‘Does that mean forcing them to do that managed to strengthen their bloodlines? Possibly due to the extreme internal battling?’ Seren asks as he glances at Fairs only to be shocked into silence as he sees the fury on his face.
With a tight face Fair answers, ‘Indeed, the natural tendency for Mana and Qi to subsume other energies and fight against that is considered an effective if difficult training. However in the case of children like Celis and Evan, it is nothing less than toture. To the point that if we hadn’t told the city folk that we would attempt to get the children out of here peacefully that I would be contacting Braz now to inform him to prepare to take the city lord and lady to the academy for judgement. After all it’s well known that the academy has taken on the role of protecting those who use alternate or as we prefer ancient energies. As it is, children, we do have a plan to attempt to have you two leave the city peacefully but we also have the entire city's support to get you out of here less than peacefully if needed. So, what do you want to do? Do you wish to come with us? Don’t worry about any fallout, the academy watches for its own if you choose to come with us.’
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Once again they glance at each other before answering, ‘We want to go but we don’t want our home to fall apart just so we can go. Please help us leave peacefully, this is our home, our people. We don’t want to burn these bridges.’
‘Very well, Seren explain the plan please. After all, nominally you were supposed to be in charge this whole time. It’s just that circumstances changed and you didn’t have the knowledge to handle it, but now we’re back in your field so please go ahead.’ Fairs pushes him forward while chuckling while the other three turn to stare at Seren who has had very little presence this whole time.
‘Oh, well, ahem.’ He coughs into his head before beginning. ‘We were planning to get the entire city to gather in the city square after we sneaked you two out of here. With you two being meant to be hidden we're taking the bet that having you out in public while we’re here would be enough to draw your father out where we could we force him into a corner by having the two of you publically ask him for his permission to attend the academy.’
Ceris pouts before speaking, ‘That's a mean way to do it, do we have to to do it that way?’ as she finishes Evan places a hand on her shoulder while glancing at Seren hoping for a different plan.
‘It’s not that we can’t make a different plan but we have to head back to the academy soon and doing things this way while I’ll admit it's a dirty way to play it’s also the best way to not set off a civil war as the two of you leave.’ Seren answers while Fairs begins to speak again.
‘As it is because of the actions your father took with the way he trained the two of you I’m obligated to inform the school. Once they hear, even if the two of you choose to not stay here, the academy will send out master levels to come and make sure that ancient energy users are being treated fairly. Doing so would of course be a huge slap in the face to the face of the city lord considering our previously extremely close relationship. It could easily lead to the dissolution of the current alliance we have. If you two do choose to come then we can avoid that, your father will still receive a personal visit but with you two coming with us we could have it be a private one rather than a public one.’ Fairs explains further so they can understand the situation they’re in.
While the two of them clasp hands they both answer, ‘Okay, What do we need to do?’