Deacon slowly walked past the now occupied training yard. He remembered sparring with the old man and now it was a tent city for refugees. Were the other guilds also helping? Deacon would have to ask about it later. Suddenly a stiff boot hit him from behind sending him sprawling to the ground. Limbs all askew, he turned over to see who kicked him. It was Amanda.

“Do you think I forgot your little comment about telling us what’s wrong with you?” Amanda said while lifting him off the ground.

“Why do you keep hitting me? You’re not even mind controlled anymore.” Deacon replied.

“Answer the question.” Ralph said getting an arm under him.

“I’m being devoured from the inside by holy energies. It seems I’ve absorbed too many diverse sources and they are waging a war inside my body.” Deacon blurted out once they reached the staircase and he sat down.

“Isn’t there anything we can do about it?” Ralph asked.

“I have one option, but I hesitate to do it. It comes with its own risks.” Deacon responded.

“Then perhaps I can give you a new option, cotton head.” Came the voice of Old Pai Mei. All three of them looked up to see Old Pai looking at the training yard disapprovingly and stroking his beard with one hand.

“Master Pai Mei, I didn’t anticipate seeing you today.” Deacon said getting to his feet just to bow before his teacher.

“Your training has fallen behind by a week. Once I was informed you were awake, I came to see what shape you were in. Jacob mentioned you were instrumental in stopping the invasion. My family is grateful for that. I would expect nothing less from a student of mine.” Remarked Old Pai Mei.

“You mentioned another option?” Amanda asked.

“This one is very direct. Allow me to see your arcane conduits. These are the paths your elemental energy should flow through. Of course you don’t use the basic elements like most monks, the concept should be the same. Consider them the veins of your arcane energy.” Old Pai said as he placed his hand on Deacon’s chest. As he began his technique, Deacon visibly shuttered. The air around Old Pai began to stir. Amanda and Ralph took a step back and began directing people using the stairs to give them a wide birth.

Pai Mei searched through Deacons conduits in his mind’s eye. He could see areas that were sparking with arcane energy. As he traveled the pathways he was drawn to the center of the array. In a crystal lattice he could see Zageracks slumped over the side of chair. It was in a humanoid form that only Pai Mei would recognize. A skeleton of a lizard lay across the chair with a green outline of a humanoid seated atop the bones. The fingers ended in sharp talons and a green tail rested over the back of the chair. The spirit didn’t appear as solid as Pai Mei remembered but it was definitely his mentor, Zageracks Slayer of the Unworthy. Behind the chair and outside of the lattice spinning counterclockwise were four distinct halos. One was green, one orange-blue, one yellow, and one black. Each one was sending waves of energy through his conduits. This was the problem. Deacons entire system of arcane conduits was breaking down slowly. If he didn’t know better, he’d say they were fighting for dominance.

“Student Pai Mei. Hear me.” Came a voice from the specter sitting on the bones.

“Master, what is happening to Deacon?” Old Pai Mei asked.

“He has absorbed the arcane energy of too many hells. The deities are playing games with this one. They know if I try to save him it will cost me too much to linger. They do not like that I ruined their plans. You must convince him to accept my offer.” Explained Zageracks.

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“Why does he delay? Has he no fear of death?” Old Pai Mei queried.

“He is an idiot. Our fates are tied together now but he sees treachery at every turn. I have not earned his trust.” Answered the specter now with eyes a light and emerald horns emerging from its head.

“I will do my best. He is a stubborn one. Reminds me a lot of you.” Old Pai Mei said chuckling.

“Go, he can not remain in this state much longer. I have prolonged the inevitable long enough.” Said the dragon flicking an arm at the presence of Old Pai Mei.

Pai Mei found his consciousness whisked back to the guild hall. The entire exchange took place within a few heartbeats. He looked around finding Amanda and Ralph directing traffic while Deacon was breathing heavily. Pai Mei considered how to convince his student that the dragon was trustworthy. Deciding that the truth was the best course of action he asked Deacon to take a walk.

“Where are we going?” Deacon asked.

“Wherever you sleep at night. I need to tell you how I came to learn at the feet of a dragon.” Old Pai Mei said hoping a flight of steps at a time.

“Not fair!” Deacon yelled.

“That is impressive.” Ralph said helping Deacon up the stairs.

They all eventually made it to Deacons room. Pai Mei asked the other two adventurers to leave stating he would take it from here. They shrugged and went back downstairs. Deacon opened the door and they both went inside. Old Pai looked around the room stroking his beard making disappointed clicks with his mouth. That sound started to grate on Deacon’s nerves, so he decided to start this conversation.

“You had something you wanted to tell me?” Deacon asked scowling.

“Do not rush an old man. I do not tell this story often and want to make sure you get the finer points through that thick cotton head of yours.” Old Pai Mei replied.

Deacon folded his arms just before a spike of pain shot through his leg. Seeing the discomfort on his face, Pai Mei began his tale. Pai Mei was a failed student of the Sand Tempest school of fighting monks. He spent his youth training to become a disciple of Noa the Cyclone, headmaster of the Sand Tempest. When he was ready to take his disciples test, he was denied the opportunity. They said he wasn’t a good fit, and he would never grow his skills great enough. When he protested, he was challenged by one of the younger students to ritual combat for his position in the schools ladder of seniority. This was a customary practice. What was odd was it was happening right then and there. Pai Mei assumed it would be a standard challenge but as he was about to win, he felt a shock from behind. This gave his opponent the opportunity he needed to turn the tide. While Pai Mei’s muscles were convulsing from the now obvious lightning-based attack, his opponent Ben Fong beat him unconscious. That was far further than a standard challenge should have gone. The elder students overseeing the fight did not stop it once he was incapacitated. He awoke several days later wrapped in bandages. They told him he was being kicked out of the school for cheating during his challenge. Before he could protest, he was tossed out on the street. They didn’t even give him his belongings.

Battered and bruised he traveled the streets of the Sun Spire Oasis begging for food. Pai Mei was at his lowest point after two years like this. After he healed enough to move normally again, he joined a caravan heading east across the Sand Ocean. He was a bit rusty, but he could still fight. There were moves he could no longer perform based on the scar tissue in his body. Was that intentional? Did they injure him this way on purpose? He vowed silently over the weeks of travel to get his revenge on the school that betrayed him so completely. He wished he knew why they did this to him but that was a stray thought beneath a volcano of rage.

During a guarding mission with the caravan they were attacked by bandits. They killed almost everyone leaving Pai Mei as the last man standing. Bleeding from various cuts, he did his best to keep ruffians at bay with gusts of wind and careful applications of his aura techniques. Finally the leader of the bandits stepped forward. He was a hulking brute with a massive club. Obviously, he out leveled Pai Mei but he took a fighting stance anyway. His death would be talked about by generations of bandits after this. The bandit leader stepped forward to take a swing when his face went pale as if all the blood had drained from it. He dropped his club and sprinted in the opposite direction. He was quickly joined by the remaining thieves before cone of green energy and the sound of wailing souls spread over Pai Mei’s head stripping the fleeing bandits of their souls. Those souls then flew back over Pai Mei who spun around to see what nightmare was behind him. The souls of the bandits flew right into the maw of an enormous dragon. From head to tail it must have been several miles long. The jaws clamped shut and one monstrous eye turned its gaze on him. Sand ran from top of its body back down to the dunes all around Pai Mei. A voice then entered Pai Mei’s mind.

“I am Zageracks, Slayer of the unworthy. Rejoice little human, for you are worthy.” Said the Dragon.