Yu cleaned out Bai’s basket of sand and returned him to it while wiping herself and him off as best she could. She then sat down by Bai and petted and comforted him, waiting for her master’s explanation.
For two more silent hours she waited until her master’s voice rang out, “I did not think you would last so long.”
Yu looked at him and still said nothing.
Long Bingwen turned his hairless head and face to her then and, showing absolutely no expression, he offered, “You may ask your questions now.”
Yu asked a question in response to his permission. “Is there a limit to the number I can ask?”
He raised a single… eyebrow? Eye ridge? Eye? Yu mentally sighed.
“If I said you could only ask two, what would be the first?” he asked her.
Yu had had plenty of time to consider this, so she said neutrally, “You aren’t mad at all, are you?”
Suddenly Long Bingwen’s face was full of expression. The previously impassive façade melted away, and the truth appeared. Yu saw the terrifying visage of a man with no constraints. A man who knew the world was his for the taking if he wanted it, and there was little anyone could do to stop him.
And then his entire form began to glow silver and the world around them just stopped. Everything except the three of them was frozen. The sand blowing below and around them was still in mid-air. The few clouds in the sky no longer shifted in the air as the wind no longer moved. It was as though the very world had halted at his whim.
“And your second question?” His reverberating voice was terrifying in its surety. Power echoed from it.
Yu gulped and asked, “How many people know?”
His face relaxed then and he offered the smallest of smiles. “Meixiu told me you were brilliant, but I doubted. A mother’s judgment cannot be trusted after all.”
Yu exhaled in relief and bowed from her seated position. “Thank you, Master.” Then she looked back up at him. “And thank you for leaving those things for my family.”
His smile widened slightly. “You do not miss much, do you? What gave it away? I am confident it was not the incident just now.”
“Your control at my home when you drove us to our knees,” Yu answered immediately. She was referring to his visit when he had come to take her to the sect where she would spend her next years, perhaps even a decade or more. “A madman would have crushed the table along with me or crushed us all, but done nothing to my family. Instead, you used exactly the amount of force to bring every individual to their knees and nothing else in the courtyard was affected.”
“What else?” he asked, still smiling.
“The clothes,” Yu answered. “It was too mad. Too intentional. And then too easily resolved.”
“Good. Anything else?”
“Your scene at the end, gifting so much to my family while searching for the sword. The head was a nice touch.”
“Well done.” Then he shrugged. “He was an old fool who angered the wrong individual. I have been looking for just the right opportunity to get rid of that thing for years. And the last?”
Yu thought for a few moments. “Did you expose yourself in those ways to see if I would see through your charade?”
Looking pleased, but not necessarily with her, he said, “I did. I am actually impressed. You cannot truly understand what I mean by this, but that does not happen often.”
Then his hold on the world released and they were moving again. When he spoke again, his tone had changed to the one Yu’s mother adopted when she was lecturing about cultivation.
“The Spatial affinity has indeed driven many insane. Our family, yours on your mother’s side I mean, has a gift for its many forms. It is why our family is respected and feared. The affinity is also often misunderstood, which you will appreciate later. Some few can use it to see through time, forward and back. Some use it to control time, as you saw just now.
“All who use it can move themselves or objects through space instantly and create pockets of space, although the distance and size are determined by affinity strength. The control of gravity, or the force that holds us to the world and gives things weight, is rare, but some have it. As I said, we will get into all of that later.”
“That was what you used before at my home and on the mantis?”
He nodded. “Yes. Spatial is the strangest and most feared affinity besides Chaos, which only devils and their blood cultivators use. Never mind them though. In between your other studies, we will work together to discover your strengths and weaknesses and help you learn to master your affinity.”
Not having a clue what he was talking about regarding devils or blood cultivators, Yu could only bow again. “Thank you, Master. I look forward to learning.”
And she really did too. Of course, she was scared as well. Yu did not want to go mad.
As if reading her mind, he said, “Seeing the future is the most dangerous part of using our affinity, and the shock and fear is what has driven some into guilt or anger-driven madness.”
Yu gulped at that. “I’m okay without knowing the future then.”
He looked at her for a moment. “Perhaps. Your mother has a minor gift for it. Did you know that?”
Her mother could see the future? Her shock must have shown on her face because her master did not wait for a reply.
“Whatever you are thinking, the answer is no. She cannot control it. It comes upon her at the gods’ will. I cannot see through time at all, but nobody outside of a few in our clan knows that. I play the madman to increase their fear of me. And, of course, to encourage those who wish to bother me with annoyances to leave me alone.”
He stopped and raised his eye ridge again, clearly waiting for a question.
“Master, why both? It seems like so much work. Isn’t your power alone enough?” Yu was honestly baffled by his whole facade.
He nodded. “You might think so, but the more strength and renown you have, the more people come to ask things of you.”
Obviously, he shared this with her knowing she would not tell anyone. She had her own secrets, after all. Yu was fully aware nobody would believe her anyway. And he could always just make her vanish into space or whatever.
“Good,” he said with a smile that wasn’t really a smile. “I see you understand.”
Hoping to change the topic to something lighter and less threatening, she looked up at him. “I don’t think I’ll suffer from too many people bothering me for that reason, Master.”
He barked out a single laugh. “I wouldn’t be so sure. But back to business. Tell me, what has your mother told you about your family and its affinity?”
“Umm… Almost nothing, Master. Just that it’s a secret I have kept since we discovered I have it.”
Her master’s face became pensive, and he looked at her as if examining something. But oddly, he didn’t seem to be looking at her but more around her. “I wonder at the strings that surround you,” he muttered. “But how much does she know?”
Then focusing entirely on Yu again and obviously seeing her confusion, he explained, “You could have been born to any of the Long clan, but you went to the one who was almost guaranteed not to expose you to them. That is both excellent and frustrating. While you are a good fit for my plans thanks to their non-interference, you require an education of even the most basic knowledge that is taught to our children from the moment that they can comprehend language.
“As I do not have the time or inclination to get into it too deeply, I will tell you what I can now, and it will be up to you to figure out the rest. Then we will discuss how the world will perceive your… status.”
Without giving her a chance to speak, he went on. “The Spatial affinity is a secret from all but the highest echelons of our society. And by that, I mean only the leaders of the highest-ranked clans are aware of its existence. There are rumors, of course. We allow them. Such gossip, usually wildly inaccurate, only aids in obfuscating the existence and true nature of the affinity. The Long clan is the primary wielder of this affinity because we kill any who we find that have it who are not individuals we approve of.”
Yu felt her jaw drop at this statement. Clearly he believed she was going to speak because he raised his voice slightly, looking firm. “Do not ask questions. This is not up to you, nor am I interested in hearing your questions or objections. You are not qualified to even speak. Simply listen.”
Yu clicked her mouth shut and nodded, not satisfied in the least, but too intimidated to object.
“It is one of the reasons I am displeased about your hair and eyes. For older members of our clan, the hair can be dismissed as aging. But you are far too young for that excuse. We could shave it off…” Yu knew the horror must have shown on her face. Thankfully he continued, “…but that too would be too conspicuous as you are a girl. Which is not the only way your gender is going to be a pain, for that matter. But we will discuss that later when you mature a bit. Your eyes will be nearly as much of a problem as your hair. Thus, we are simply going to have to claim them as hereditary and not an indication of affinity. If anyone asks, simply ignore it or act as if it has no importance.”
Yu was shocked into silence as much by those rather blunt comments as by the surprise that her hair and eyes would be a problem. Despite her state, her master continued without pausing.
“I am sure you wish to know why any of this matters. All I will say at this time is that the Spatial affinity is so tightly controlled because of its power and impact. You will learn about that when you start training in its use. Until then, know that less than a handful of students and elders will attach any significance to this color beyond idle gossip; even less will know of the possible associated affinity, and likely none will be able to identify it on sight. However, what they will be able to see are its effects, especially when wielded by an untrained novice like yourself – thus you are not to use it publicly. Understood?”
Yu nodded. That made sense at a logical level, even if she was not particularly satisfied with the lack of details or the way he felt he could make such decisions without even getting her input.
“I can see that look on your face, and I don’t care how you feel about any of this. Do what you are told. The Long clan eliminates anyone they deem a threat, and if you risk exposing the Spatial affinity, I will not protect you from them. You will disappear,” and he leaned forward as if to emphasize the point and said slowly, “as will anyone you expose it to.”
Thinking of her brother, her family, or any innocents she happened to be near, Yu could only nod, hoping she wouldn’t be responsible for the deaths of others.
He nodded once in response and continued in a more neutral tone. “Having said all that, I will tell you how our relationship will work. Or specifically, how my relationship with you will work. Again, this is not up for debate and your opinion is not welcome. My singular goal is to protect you from outside forces by hiding your Spatial affinity and meridian count. That is all. I will not protect you from being bullied. I will not interfere if the instructors are being unfair.” He sneered as he said the final two words.
“You will be just another disciple. The reality is, coddling one such as yourself is a mistake. Your brother has been given the same warning.” Then he squinted down at her. “You will grow through the pressures my sect will place on you. And grow you must to fulfill your responsibilities to me. Is any of this unclear? Do you object?”
Knowing she had no choice, Yu said, “No, Master,” as she shook her head.
Despite the threats with regard to her affinity, she had been prepared, at least a bit, by her parents for his approach toward her. She honestly did not object to not being set apart or treated differently. The truth was, she had always grown through adversity.
“I will leave you at the entrance, have you processed, and then you will follow all the same rules and regulations of the sect as the rest of the useless brats there,” her master continued. “That said, you are not to show any part of your God Sign to anyone under any circumstances. Nobody must even see that it is silver. I have already passed word to all the staff and elders.”
He waited for her confirmation, and she nodded.
“Good.” He touched the black carved dragon medallion attached to the right breast of her black robes, and the outer ring glowed gold. “That badge you wear is a symbol of your station in the sect. You will notice it has three concentric circles. The outer, which you see in gold, symbolizes you as an outer sect disciple. The middle is for an inner sect disciple, and the center circle turns gold if you become a core disciple. Between the first two rings is a set of ten characters, one through ten. They symbolize your placement in your level of the sect. If one is lit up, you are in tenth position, and if ten are lit, then you are in first.”
Seeing her mouth open to ask what that meant, he said, “Don’t ask. It will all be explained. Between the second and third rings are five symbols used only by direct disciples of sect leaders. One means you are a disciple of an outer sect elder, two for an inner sect elder, three for a core elder, four for a vice leader, and five for the leader. It will only show when you touch it and need it to show. Do not abuse this. I will be notified every time it is used, and if you call on me without need, I will not. Be. Pleased. In fact, you are only to call upon your position as my direct disciple in the direst of emergencies and when you need to deny showing your Sign. Do you have any questions about anything I have said?”
“Yes, Master. How will I know when it is time to train with you?”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“You will be notified,” was his rather uninformative answer.
Yu assumed all the details of the day-to-day would be explained to her eventually. Beyond that, she did have one other question.
“I was told you would provide guidance on my classes, how my affinities will be exposed, how my Qi types will be used, and such.”
His strange smile returned. “Ah, yes. Show me your full God Sign so I can determine what is best. Schedules are provided for new disciples after three days of becoming familiar with the sect. I will have yours provided for you as well.”
Yu’s parents told her that her master was to be trusted, so she said, “Sign,” and mentally willed it to face him.
Name: Yu
Clan: Fenghuang
Clan Rank: Young Mistress
Sect: Black Dragon Sect
Sect Points: 0
Disciple Level: Outer Sect Disciple
Disciple Rank: {Calculating}
Age: 15
Meridians: 4/156
Qi Type:
Granted: Ether
Blessed: Aura, Mana
Qi Affinity:
Primary: Spatial
Secondary: Lightning, Earth, Water, Wood, Fire, Darkness
Cultivation Level:
Stage: Meridian Forming
Body: 96 | Mind: 93 | Spirit: 201
Martial Forms: Kung Fu: (Adept), Tai Chi: (Initiate)
Weapon Capabilities: Hook Swords (Adept), Bow (Initiate), Whip (Initiate), Jian (Initiate), Dual Jian (Initiate), Staff (Novice), Spear (Novice)
Qi Skills:
Aura:
Grade 1:
– Qi Construct (Initiate), Flame Thorns (Initiate), Stunning Grasp (Initiate), Fire Sword (Novice), Fire Shield (Novice), Flaming Acceleration (Novice), Fire Summoning (Novice)
Mana:
Grade 1:
– Qi Construct (Initiate), Follow the Water (Initiate), Regeneration Vines (Initiate), Bolt Strike (Initiate), Soothing Flow (Novice), Nature’s Blessing (Novice), Flashing Burst (Novice), Shadow Meld (Novice), Silencing Darkness (Novice), Stone Spike (Novice), Water Control (Novice)
Ether:
Grade 1:
– Qi Construct (Initiate), Beast Bonding (Novice)
Grade {unknown}:
– Enchant Lightning* (Novice)
Status: None
Honors: *Tribulation Supplicant
Titles: The Corrupted, The Blessed, Tiger’s Blood
Yu was surprised to see the unfamiliar information about the sect.
Her master said off-handedly, “As long as you wear that badge, your Sign will show the information it provides about your place in the sect. And more later.”
He scanned her silver Sign up and down and shook his head. “I have never seen its like. Four meridians at fifteen years old and an adept twice over. How close to sixteen are you?”
“I only just turned fifteen a few months ago, Master.”
“Outstanding. You will provide a great boon to my plans. If I thought it would work, I would simply throw resources at you and stand back, watching as the world falls apart around you. Unfortunately…” He sighed and shook his head. Then he shrugged. “Ah well.”
Not knowing what to say to such a statement, Yu did what she usually did in similar situations and remained silent.
“I have a few ideas about your schedule now and will have it fully planned out by the time your Welcoming ends. That is the first three days of being introduced, by the way. Anyway, my first instinct is to simply throw caution to the winds on your affinities and place you in classes for all of them. The surprise will also distract others from your more annoying aspects – such as your hair and eyes.
“On the downside, your skills are a little slim, which is not a surprise given your age, family, and where you come from. Work hard to gain more. Your Sign will be consolidated to make it easier to read later. For now, just do not allow your Sign to show any skills at all unless you ask for specific criteria.”
Remembering what her parents had said about consolidating her Sign, Yu simply said, “Yes, Master.” Of course, she had no idea how to do that, but hopefully, the sect would teach her.
“Good. You will learn what to do about your bond as well. Is it Ether-bound or talisman-bound?”
“He’s Ether-bound.”
“Wonderful!” And he really did look joyous for the first time. “He will grow with you then.”
Abruptly, he turned away from Yu and faced forward again. “I recommend you rest and meditate. You will certainly need it. You have a few hours until we arrive, even at this speed. And you will not speak of the prior incident until given specific instructions to do so by me. Now, stop wasting time and prepare yourself.”
Shrugging, Yu sat with Bai’s basket before her and watched her bonded partner. She remembered his mother, who she believed was a friend and hoped was well. The last Yu had seen of Ebony, the massive grade 5 Shadow Panther, she had just given birth to Bai. Yu wondered if she was still grade 5. She had given Ebony the grade 6 beast core she had acquired as a gift from another grade 6 beast, a Vermillion Bird, in the hope that it would help Ebony grow strong enough to defend her territory.
Yu shook her head at the memories. That whole experience was a bunch of convoluted events that involved being corrupted as a child through incidents she still had no idea about, being healed by a mysterious tiger she barely remembered and a heavenly tribulation she didn’t remember at all, being able to cultivate after which she was abandoned in the forest by her mad old bat of a teacher, and finally fighting and nearly dying to yet another grade 6 demonic beast. Of course, in the midst of all that, she had befriended Ebony, the mysterious tiger’s wife, and been asked to bond with Bai, their tiger son.
Yu sighed. My life is so complicated.
Hoping for, if not peace, then at least normalcy, Yu looked down at the black tiger with white stripes and stared into his mismatched eyes. When he had first opened his eyes and Yu had seen one solid glowing red and one solid crystal blue, she was concerned he might have vision problems. But that was soon put to rest when he clearly saw her fingers as she played with and teased him.
Yu fed him her Qi, which was the only thing he had eaten since they had bonded, then played with him for a while, showing him the world as it rushed by below them. Still quite young, he fell back asleep quickly, and so Yu did as her master recommended, closing her own eyes and meditating on what was to come.
***
“Wake up, disciple.”
Yu’s eyes opened to a world of cold and gray. Looking around, she could no longer see the ground and sky but only gray and white mist. There was a bubble of power that appeared to be keeping the clouds and moisture at bay, but she still felt a frigid breeze. Not that it bothered her with her physique.
Yu picked up Bai and stood to bow to her master. “Yes, Master?”
“We are approaching the sect.” Then he turned to her, and she could see a sly smile. “You will want to see it from here.”
Nothing changed for a while, and Yu was beginning to wonder if her master had been planning some sort of test when they finally punctured the clouds. What she found above were a cloudless blue sky and a bright yellow sun. She looked down and saw the layer of clouds they had just exited, looking now like fluffy gray dirt.
But the most amazing sight was not the view of being as close to the Heavens as she ever had been, but of a single mountain penetrating the clouds. Oddly, it did not seem to end in a point but in a jagged horizontal irregularity, making it appear as though something had broken the tip off for simply having the temerity to be too close to the Heavens.
As they rose higher and drew closer, Yu realized how incorrect her perspective had been. The mountain had looked to her to be about as wide as her home city when she had first seen it. But as they approached and it kept growing larger and larger, Yu realized that she had no reference for how absolutely colossal the thing was. She felt like a single grain of rice in a patty many li long and wide.
Finally, they rose and crested the jagged edge and Yu gasped, holding Bai a little tighter. The image before her was far beyond anything she could have imagined.
The mountain was not flat. In fact, it was not a mountain at all. It was a gigantic volcano, with orange and yellow liquid that bubbled and boiled in its depths. While impressive, that was not what caused Yu’s mind to marvel. What made her gasp in awe was what was inside the volcano, seemingly floating far above the magma.
Within the crater were fifteen islands suspended a li above the roiling liquid. Yu did not know how they floated in midair, nor whether they were smaller individual mountains that had been created or brought from elsewhere. Or perhaps they were parts of this mountain that had not fallen into the magma below but had instead been suspended somehow. Whatever the answer, the scene was simultaneously breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
Taking a breath, Yu blinked and tried to examine the volcano with a little less wonderment. She saw that there appeared to be a center mountain and two circles of rock spanning out from that center.
The ring in the middle, clearly the largest in both width and height, had the appearance of a city, likely half again as large as her home city. Looking closer, Yu noticed the city’s layout actually resembled the black medallion on her chest. It was arranged in staged rings of buildings. The only difference was that the city had one extra outer ring, so there were four rings in total. It was clear each ring had houses and businesses, and the closer they were to the center, the more luxurious and impressive the structures were.
Oddly, each of the inner three rings seemed to be slowly spinning in different directions. Only the outer ring did not rotate as, sprouting from that unmoving circle, there were fourteen fingers that Yu could tell acted as bridges with people walking and running and riding beasts across, allowing them to reach the individual floating islands or mountains or whatever they were.
Upon a more focused inspection, Yu saw that the outer ring of mountains was actually attached to the wall of the larger volcano, and they were evenly distributed around the inside edge. Each of the mountains appeared like mini towns themselves, housed buildings and roads, and had barely visible people moving about. Weirdly, each mountain was unique in its appearance. Some looked peaceful and normal, others strange, and a few looked downright dangerous.
From the angle she had flying toward it with her master, Yu could see the mountain farthest from her on the outer ring was above an area bright with magma. The distance it floated above the magma did not seem to matter as it splashed against the conical bottom, clearly heating it enough to cause fires above. Those flames were prevalent throughout the areas on top, including on the roads and between burning, ash-covered buildings, and some even seemed to float in the air. The fires gave off a constant flickering light, creating a violent yet surreal image.
To the right of that was a mountain over an area of magma churning with even greater power and pressure. Yet this island did not seem to have the protection of a solid conical bottom like the prior one. Instead, the constant splashes of magma somehow seemed to be absorbed and funneled through the island to the top. The entire island glowed, not with flickering flames, but with a constant orange halo of magma rivers that flowed like water and reflected off the buildings, every one of which was made of glistening steel. At the very back, against the larger volcano wall, was another, smaller volcano that leaked magma, which flowed down and throughout the steel island town below. Strangely, Yu noticed that some of the lava flows actually led into buildings and then seemed to stop. Overall, the image was terrifying and exciting at the same time.
Moving on, the first thing Yu could make out about the next mountain to the right was that it appeared to be a part of the large outer wall rather than simply attached to it. It was also substantially larger than the prior two, but only because the rock beneath it was at least twice as deep and appeared to be protecting it from the bubbling and splashing heat below. Inside the island, massive stones were everywhere – jagged, round, smooth, and rough, interspersed between stone buildings and streets. There was nothing but stone everywhere Yu looked, from large scraggy points to smooth carvings of animals and people. Even from above, Yu could see a tall, exquisitely carved statue of a man battling a lizard four times his size. The detail drew her eye and nearly made her believe it was two beings of flesh and blood.
Pulling her gaze from the statue to the next city, Yu saw that the bottom of this mountain was deep with stone to protect it from the heat like the prior one. However, unlike the last, this island’s mostly flat surface was filled with life. It appeared to hold a forest with trees covering nearly every bit of the stone. At first, Yu wondered why this island had no buildings, but then she saw a flicker of movement and noticed that people were moving inside and coming out of the largest trees. She realized then that all of the buildings were made from living trees, and all the roads and walkways were their roots. Yu scanned the mountain, trying to figure out how all the plant life was kept alive amidst the heat. She could not figure it out until they passed over the very right-hand side of the mountain when she saw water flowing from a sort of channel carved out of the larger volcano wall. That water splashed into small creeks and brooks that Yu had missed before because they blended in so well.
Tracing the channel to its source, Yu realized it led to the next island in her examination. The first thing she saw was a large rainbow caused by the spray of water as it fell from the edge of the greater volcano. The waterfall was many times larger than the one she had jumped off years ago to escape a tide of infuriated demonic beasts. This one led to a large pool which itself led to smaller waterfalls, which fed rivers, tributaries, ponds, and a single azure lake. The buildings seemed to be made of a smooth, polished, transparent substance Yu had never seen before. Overall, the island was a shocking blue amidst the dark gray, brown, and orange of its surroundings.
That mountain would have stood out the most if not for the next one over, which was whiter than the last was blue. It appeared like a frozen wasteland, with buildings made of ice in the same way the other had been made of trees. Yu couldn’t figure out how it stayed cold until she saw a chunk missing from the greater volcano wall and a blizzard blowing freezing air through it. She suspected many enchantments were also at play to allow flowing water, ice, and magma to coexist in a single volcano. Yet, clearly, nature itself had been harnessed to create each of these separate ecosystems.
The next was less a mountain and more a number of thin and tall peaks with winds whipping through the channels between. The winds closer to the icy mountain were cold but got progressively warmer as the distance increased, resulting in turbulent currents where they met. Objects were flowing amidst the winds, rising and lowering as the gales increased and decreased. Yu squinted her eyes, trying to make out what was floating, and found it was… well… everything. Including people. Stones, buildings, members of the sect, anything and everything floated up and down. Yu gasped when she saw a tiny person leap out of a hole in a building, but not only did they not fall but instead were caught in a gust and rose to a higher level to enter another building. Honestly, that looked like a lot of fun to Yu, and she hoped she would be able to try it.
Forcing herself away from her imagined flights, Yu focused on the final island of the outer ring. It was a mountain obscured by a massive black cloud, constantly flashing with bursts of lightning that struck somewhere hidden underneath. Nothing could be seen beneath the cloud, so Yu could only imagine the brutal strikes the island below was absorbing.
Those mountains by themselves would have been enough to make Yu gasp. But that was not all. There was another smaller ring that appeared to rotate with the moving rings in the center between the inner city and the greater outer islands. Three islands rotated so that they were always in the sun and were almost too bright to look at, being filled with glass and crystal that refracted and reflected the rays of sunlight. The other three were always in the shadow of the large center island or the larger volcano and were so dark Yu could not see enough even to make out shapes. Each of those six islands was minuscule compared to the rest, the largest being only about the size of her father’s palace.
And finally, only now coming into view because of the angle of their flight, Yu saw the last two islands, which were about the size of the smallest light and dark ones. One was floating above the middle of the center island, while the other was suspended below by three glowing chains that must have been as thick around as the island itself. Both islands were domed on the top and bottom, almost appearing like eggs. The one above was made of crystal and the one below of solid corrugated stone or metal of some sort.
“Impressive, is it not?” her master asked amid her musings.
Yu could only nod, speechless.
“On that tall one, all the way at the top, is my humble abode, and at the bottom is the testing center where you will be tested.”
Yu just nodded again. She was struggling to absorb it all. Then she recognized what her master had just said and turned to him. “Tested?”
“Why yes,” he responded huffily. “You don’t think everyone who applies for a sect just automatically gets in, do you? There are finite resources, you know.” Then he shook his head and mumbled something to himself.
Yu turned back, examining the bottom island that was so close to the magma below. This was by far the object nearest to the surface of the bubbling orange liquid. She thought she saw a thin line of something leading down into the magma, but it was hard to tell for sure.
Knowing there was no point in asking, she didn’t bother inquiring about the test. He wouldn’t tell her. She moved her eyes away from the “testing center” and returned to look at the rest of the islands and the magnificent creation before her. It was beyond her ability to fathom how something like this had ever been created.
After allowing her time to contemplate what she was seeing, Yu’s master said, “It is ridiculous for me to ask, but I will. Tell me what you see and why it is as it is.”
Yu spoke almost as if in a daze, still looking everything over and gathering more details with each pass.
“The outer islands are the eight standard affinities matching the affinity wheel. They are likely training and professional areas. The inner are obviously Light and Darkness, although seeing detail is challenging. The center is the city for general commerce and the primary living quarters, matching up with the medallion. I assume they equate to sect level. From here, I can’t give much more detail about the specific islands.”
“Good, but obvious. Now tell me what you did not tell me. They are called mountains in the sect, by the way, and are identified by their affinity.”
Yu finally pulled her gaze away from the most amazing thing she had ever seen. “All I have are guesses.”
“Guess, then.”
“The affinities are isolated from each other intentionally. Possibly for competitive reasons? How that works with multi-affinity students I can’t figure out.”
“I see. Anything else?”
Yu scrunched her face but said after a moment, “I’m sorry, Master. I can’t think of anything else.” She had no idea what else she was supposed to glean by simply glancing at it from afar.
He nodded and turned away. “Time to let you go.”
And they descended to the center island.