Alleviation
"Well, the reason their seeds are notably weak, where even air at the ground level can pressurize them to the point they flatten down, is simple... it's because everything has a nature, which is balance." Ciemnosc said, but his words were no longer about the records. The headmaster heard them and understood, he was now about to presence Ciemnosc's brains and thoughts, and given how he had listened the boy speak so much before and with such normalcy as if he wrote those records himself, headmaster Clann placed extra attention on whatever Ciemnosc had to say right away.
“Mhm,” the headmaster reacted unknowingly, nodding and assenting without interrupting the boy.
“The carnivorous plants in the world of cultivation have been there since the beginning of history. There aren’t many who can speak the same of the current flora or even fauna. Even the anthropomorphic neighbors of the academy have recently begun building their own high-end organizations, beginning to take the reins of the world in the west.”
“But most Creatures of today weren’t here hundreds of thousands of years ago, while the carnivorous plants have been so for millions and millions of years. Yet, their seeds are so fragile that they should’ve been given their extermination death sentence long ago.”
“Even when just air can crush these seeds slowly, the carnivorous plants like many other plants and herbs, are aware of their breathing and growing self since their seedling stage. Only when they are bathed by enough passing pure energy through the air that they begin attaching themselves to dirt, sand, and even underwater. But their seeds have always remained weak and vulnerable, even when mutating, which happens once every million years according to even more of those records.”
Ciemnosc took a look at the seeds in the headmaster’s left hand, they were still somewhat soaked, and by ordinary water for that matter. They were also barely noticeably moving, as if shy and trembling all around, shaking left and right as a tiny aperture could be seen in the middle of each seed.
“They are peeking out already, I think they like me.” Ciemnosc said, but deep down, he knew those little, tiny seeds did indeed like him as he felt their ‘wants’ of seeing him for whatever reason. Either because of his charming voice or because he gave them some kind of unique feeling; sensation.
“Oh, right! I didn’t even notice. I guess I must have taken some already slightly old, I soaked them in a little bit of water because I figured they looked dry.” The headmaster spoke this time, not like an old geezer but as a renowned botanist of sorts, a truly great gardener whose experience and knowledge could be confirmed by Ciemnosc who also felt these seeds were dry just before being wet.
“Everything has its balance, and unlike the ordinary mortals think, which is portrayed in their works; always.” Ciemnosc looked into the night sky again, with his eyes more than clear despite being lifeless and darkest. “It’s not because they have great potential that they are so weak, it isn’t even one of the small reasons why the seeds are like these.”
The headmaster listened silently, his gaze on his seeds that were trembling and trying to tumble about, but more gentle this time.
“The balance of the carnivorous plants is that they have so much to learn from and ‘eat’ from, but that they are still of a nature that attaches them to their kin and other beloved entities in their life. They can feed themselves, even if it is just by fasting with pure energy. Though that method is the least satisfactory, second only to eating ‘spicy’ things, it keeps them alive and healthy. It’s just their instincts that aren’t satiated.”
“Just like how human beings can’t stop thinking about reproducing themselves, especially bored ones, these types of plants won’t ever stop eating, and cultivating. But their cultivation is related to one of the most pleasurable sensations, unlike most flora and fauna. And their instincts are those of recognizing allies, but in the end, their seed stages are so… pathetically pitiful.”
“That,s why…” Ciemnosc stepped forth, his right hand so gently grazing with his fingers at a seed, which then stopped moving about and calmed down as if feeling at ease. Picking it up with his index and middle finger, Ciemnosc brought it up in the air to his eyes level where he could see the tiniest tendrils he has ever seen in his life yet moving agilely and with a mind of ‘its’ own.
“They need to be cared for,” Ciemnosc slowly placed it back down on top of the headmaster’s left palm, also finishing his words. “They can live alone but they need love, bonds, and purpose.”
The headmaster: “...”
“Ciemnosc, you are one of the most wonderful persons I have ever found in my life.” The headmaster’s stern voice came out, his eyes clear and humble still, but they looked at Ciemnosc with even clearer respect right now.
“These hands of yours, even those fingers. They have taken so many lives that not even all of the students’ kills of the enemy in this war and before it started, and that’s a huge comparison.” The headmaster shook his head, arguably noticeably with his eyes still sternly locked onto Ciemnosc’s eyes, who in return looked back at the headmaster’s eyes.
“But it is also these hands that can treat life so gently, with such care, and holding no temptation of any sort whatsoever.” The headmaster kept looking at Ciemnosc, his sternness changing to that of respect.
“...” - “...” Both old and young one then fell silent, the headmaster took the remaining few steps forward to stand beside Ciemnosc, both then looked at the garden with a few pine trees at their extreme front.
“Was the garden planted all around with those seeds?” Ciemnosc asked a few moments like these later, his voice dividing the quiet of the world to the quietness that his voice brought. The headmaster turned to look at him without saying a thing, returned his gaze to the front, and then chuckled at a very low volume. “Ke-heh, yes. Everywhere.”
“...” Both the young one and the old one knew Ciemnosc was just asking out of courtesy, his Spirit Sense wasn’t a secret to the staff of the academy, and he was known to be the one and only all-rounder in the entire world and history of the world in Craftsmaking; creating.
They stood together, for a slightly long period of time, just looking all around and everywhere. The seeds in the headmaster’s left hand were now tranquil, mostly still but still somewhat ‘breathing’. All of it; until the headmaster stored his jar and took out a few items from his Covert Space bag before passing them to Ciemnosc on his right.
“... They are your insignia, to show that you are not only the Rocaloi Academy’s first Genius but also its first Gifted. Though you are now ‘only’ a Gifted, this one is much more elevated than a Genius. Now, who can stop you if you cheekily try to steal some students away into war? The war you’re fighting in the stead of all the old fogeys who know not a thing about how to win it.”
The headmaster wanted to just quietly, hushingly say without meaning anything else. But in his heart, he couldn’t just leave it like that and proceeded to go on.
“With this, you are now a cornerstone of the Rocaloi Academy, young boy.” The headmaster made gestures with his hands after giving the boy his new insignia and a few smallish scrolls. Those gestures were as if he was touching Ciemnosc’s chest, his heart in particular, and trying to resuscitate him but just never touched him. “The students are a cornerstone, we old fellows of the academy, and taking care of the students who in turn take care of the academy are also a cornerstone.”
“And the future possible allies of the academy will also be its cornerstone. Never did we ever think of bringing this world into progress alone. Despite knowing we could be affronted by the east for taking you in, we still did it for the sake of the world, Gifted Ciemnosc.”
“Now that there is war, and only because they forced us into one, we couldn’t let our fate into better hands than yours, boy.” The headmaster said, standing back up straight and looking at the sky but for only a few moments.
“The academy counts on only you to not remain stagnated in this place anymore. Otherwise, I’m afraid we would still be here hundreds of years from now if you weren’t here, Ciemnosc. It’s all thanks to you, which is why, when the other columns of the academy begin cracking, I hope you can keep the roof stable and them from wavering.” Headmaster Clann looked back down at Ciemnosc, who looked up into the sky as well and also changed his eyes to the oldie.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“I’m taking a lot with me, back to my base. You’ll need to start building more bases around the areas I signaled you all to take constant care of. Those points, the armored cars can just go through without much difficulty, but if the other side is prepared enough, and decides to go all out, you can do nothing to stop them from reaching the academy’s territory in just a few minutes at most from the center of the Region.”
Ciemnosc said, flatly and without consideration. But the headmaster only felt his back grow cold, and his left hand holding the seeds could feel it too, shivering a little on his palm. But Ciemnosc still wasn’t done.
“I expect to find no troubles at all when studying the grand array. With time, I can build one similar, I’m only worried about whether or not would the academy be able to collect all necessary resources when that time comes.” Ciemnosc’s words made the headmaster’s heart shake, his eyes widened, but this time in quite an alarmed manner as he stared dumbly at the boy!
But, once again, Ciemnosc wasn’t done!
“You better start producing more and more armored cars, and whatever derivates you chose to build. The ships I’ve given you need to be finished by me, or they would just be bigger and slower ships than those from the major organizations; as well as bigger targets for destruction. And you can’t use them well without me teaching, so just lend the materials to me and the academy will soon triumph in getting the Little Lake to finally have an owner.”
Ciemnosc’s voice resounded, like simple water flowing through, and coldly as if at the end of the flowing water a mountain of ice was becoming bigger as more and more water came into touch with it.
“... I see, all right.” The headmaster was silent for quite a bit of time again, his mouth was left ajar this time as he looked at Ciemnosc who looked flatly and lifelessly back at him no matter what even while speaking such shocking, absurd things like they could never go wrong. But the headmaster himself knew that Ciemnosc himself didn’t have such thoughts and thinking, no, Ciemnosc was more… of a monster than a credulous guy.
“... You grew carnivorous plants before?” The headmaster spoke a few minutes after when silence returned and eased his palpitating heart that couldn’t help but visualize it. Could Ciemnosc perhaps allow him to be the one in charge when the shocking events in the future would be recorded as ‘typical’ history from the world that already belonged to the Rocaloi Academy? How many have dreamed of this…?
“Yup, but I ended up giving them all to Tini. She likes them, especially the 2 who mutated with Fire element. The others, she keeps them close to where… arr… her private possessions are, intending t keep me away from taking a look. But she doesn’t know that they are the ones helping me know of a few things about her…” Ciemnosc said, pouting and smelling his philtrum by the end of his words.
Just as the headmaster was cordially nodding several times in response and about to say something in agreement, he stopped as he went stiff, before shaking his head with rolling eyes.
“... You should take a bit of time around, before returning. Other than studying the grand array, you know?” The headmaster could only find these words, the bravery to speak again and the deep tone to utter them out his throat after a few more minutes of silence.
“Oh, I know,” Ciemnosc replied, he finally no longer stood on the very same spot that he has been standing on since he took and returned that one seed from the headmaster’s left palm and placed his hands in his humble pants’ pockets.
“Why plant them the normal way?”
The headmaster: “...!”
His eyes were more than widely opened and somewhat bloody, veins so red but thin and yet they were so visible within his white sclera. Slowly turning his head to his right, to take a look at Ciemnosc who had just now asked him the impossible: a question out of curiosity and wanting to know from him; and felt like he was given an immortal-leveled chance!
“Ahem, well you know… sometimes, you won’t realize that you shouldn’t use a golden hoe to dig up feces. Why is it different to kill someone weaker than you using your full strength than defeating an enemy with outside strength?” The headmaster spoke shamelessly, not giving a feces about the disparity from his behavior before, and just continued; the oldie.
“Using one’s strength to kill a weaker opponent or predator in the pyramid is respect and both resilience and awareness. But using outside strength to deal with such opponents or predators is not only insulting of one’s capabilities and denigrating to said enemy, it is also wasting the time, effort and will of that outside force; or forces.”
“Ciemnosc, if one wants to get something done, would you agree to use any means possible?” The headmaster said, feeling as if he was seating in his younger days with now deceased but then alive friends and drinking.
“...” Ciemnosc shook his head, his eyes narrowing and his eyes turning colder. “It’s different being cruel to being ruthless, emotionless to calculative or scheming, and evil from pure cowardice.”
“Mn, nice words kid.” The headmaster felt something stuffed in his head hearing the words of the boy but, brushing it aside, he continued with his answer. “Then you would rather go through hardship, being forced to endure personal torment and learning on your own than smooth travels, letting others suffer instead of yourself and be taught. Isn’t that right?”
“Mhm,” Ciemnosc assented once more, his head nodding like a child being told obvious things about good or wrong; whether that is even right or superficial.
“Then why would you use your Power Energy, Powerful Stones, and array formations just to take care of life so directly and invasively? There are ways for anything, but cultivators are getting used to automatization and such ways are being looked down on, just as cultivators look down on ‘mortals’. When we are all killable, even the highest beings and existences…”
“You see, the academy received a few guests almost 16 years ago, where everything was being prepared for that one thing that occurred almost 2 years ago. They made me see what I couldn’t before, even before you came.” The headmaster raised his left hand, and he and Ciemnosc could now see tiny tendrils coming out of the already tiny seeds.
“The idea of cultivating, farming and taking care of a garden, in the normal way. It wasn’t that I suddenly wanted to do it because I’m old, but it is somewhat around there.” The headmaster’s eyes were content and glad when seeing the seeds, about to sprout. But his entire persona and the Power Energy within him running unknowingly murky were so sad to see; in Ciemnosc’s eyes.
“I had many fellow students who were so into alchemy, forging, and the studies of the Spirit Sense that I became influenced by them. None of them were even remotely good for another profession in Craftsmaking, while I seemed to gain a lot from them, but nowhere near as learning, like you do, or even a millionth of what you are capable of, child.”
“But,” the headmaster’s eyes were the same for the seeds, but saddened to the world. “They were really incompetent when it came to cultivating. They were so eager to continue, and there was this architect who even took after some ancient teaching within the Academy’s Library. You should visit it, it’s filled with knowledge from all around the world.”
“Every ten years, hundred years, and on special occasions at any time; the Rocaloi Academy has silently accepted students all around the world. We have images of the seas and of the lands, there are some continents that share the same piece of land and those who are one altogether; but all form always and only the same Region that the world has since times immemorial.”
“It’s like they can’t go against it, even when there have been attempts to join Regions, the people wake up. The ‘mortals’ that everyone treats like garbage raises and the world, nature too, collapses in their aid and rages with them. Is a thing this ‘jail’ has never seen and despite the billions of… deaths over history… it’s beautiful.”
“They were not, their deaths, they…” The headmaster’s eyes seemed gone, but still content and glad towards his ‘children’. “The oldest lasted 350 years old, one who was going to become the first Genius of the academy. Though there have been many people like that in the world, I couldn’t even compare to this old, forgotten pal of mine.”
“He died many times early - than he should have.” The headmaster turned wholly silent, eyes narrowing quite a lot but not entirely, and set down on his left hand.
“Ciemnosc, never stop yourself… from anything.” Headmaster Clann’s neck disappeared as he looked at the seeds which he brought, just now, close to his left chest. “Whether is killing, just kill. Whether is loving, just act. And if it is facing… anything; problems, enemies, forces… don’t ever hide.”
“Having children is the universal law, and the greatest sin is for a parent to cease existing before their children. Still, I think the saddest of sins is never having something and someone… not even at least one of those. And that the worst sin is the one of never having had children, certainly… I think that one is the worst…”
“...” Ciemnosc looked at the desolate figure, humble, not proud but proud at the same time and… simple, too simple.
“You know, I wouldn’t mind planting a few carnivorous plants in the future. Maybe when the war is over? By then, I’m sure I’ll have enough time and my forces would be expanding without me holding their hand.” The boy said after a few seconds of silence, his hands back again behind his back and facing the garden which had already been infested with seeds; seeds that were seemingly writhing with anticipation under the scanning of his Spirit Sense.
“Mm, that’ll be alright to have. Then, well… one last thing.” The headmaster seemed to recuperate himself, never once noticing Ciemnosc’s eyes and their shock when he spouted words as a piece of advice; or several.
“Though the old greedy ones are ‘some’, they have ideals. They may not be aware of the dangers, or choose not to… But they are just that, ‘some’. While my academy sins of neutralism, we are still the larger party among the fewer ones who are active.”
The headmaster sat down softly, his right hand searching for another good spot without many other carnivorous plants’ seeds while the seeds on his left hand were becoming visibly excited. He raised his head, and with a forced, large smile with extremely narrowed eyes, he told Ciemnosc. All meanings becoming secrets between their eyes.
“That also means only ‘one’ kind of person is needed for the entire panorama to change, in whichever favor such person is looking at it.”
…