"When I pull the metal from the fire, look at the color. See what color it is? Compare it to when we first started working." Silas looked down at his young apprentice, Reiko.
Silas grabbed what appeared to be red rocks. He splattered the chips on the metal before he clanged his hammer down on the metal. He pushed the stones into it and forming everything into the shape he wanted it to be. Reiko stayed on his knees in front of the fire, working the bellows and keeping it at the temperature his master wanted it to be.
Arcanists were well-respected tradespeople because many relied on the weapons and armor they created imbued with magical properties. Not only could Sacred Artists use these items, but arcanists could scribe runes into them. The runes would pull the natural aura from the world and power the spirit stone inside the item, allowing it to activate for non-Sacred Artists.
"Now, make sure you look at the coals in the fire." He made sure his apprentice was watching the heat source. By now, his apprentice knew what Silas was looking for and how hot the different colors would be. Silas would have kicked him from his instruction if the boy didn't understand after the months he had been working with him.
Silas was a large man, built like a bear, with the sort of physique that could just explode in power and exude strength. He was short, though, which was probably why he was barrel-chested. The taller, powerful men could never quite pull off the same sort of physique. He was bald and clean-shaven. Most everyone in the village had dark hair and kept it longer.
Silas was a jade-level cultivator, well past physical cultivation, although he continuously worked on it. Silas was in the middle ranks of spiritual cultivation. He enjoyed wrestling and was good at hand-to-hand combat, and then he also had his hammer. He could also project his madra outside his body and make attacks like that. Though, truth be told, he hardly did things like that. His goal was to eventually be one with his madra.When a cultivator went so far with their body cultivation, their body could start taking on aspects of the element they cultivated. In Silas's case, his skin would take on natural metallic qualities. He had heard that one of the old instructors at his old school, the School of the Jade Mountains, had reached such a stage. He hadn't been able to see him to check and congratulate him on such a feat.Reiko was built opposite Silas, tall for his age and thin. He probably wouldn't be as physically strong as Silas or capable of the same martial style. That was why Silas had a friend coming to town to help with that. Agile and quick, the way most Sacred Artists were in the realm. Then, once Reiko bulked up through blacksmithing or being an arcanist, he would be a worthy foe.
Silas and Reiko worked a little more, with Silas heating and forging the metal before dipping it in a bucket of oil to cool and cure the metal. Finally, he'd look down at Reiko with a soft smile and give him a wink.
"Come, we've done this enough for today. Cool the fire and clean up," Silas instructed Reiko before moving over and taking off the leather apron he wore, hanging it on a hook on the wall.
Reiko set about doing the tasks his master had laid out for him. Silas left the forge, moving through the main room of the foundry, entering a small room off to the side in the back. In this room was a large barrel that he had scripted twofold. One script was to keep the barrel full of water, and the other script kept the water in the barrel cold. He filled a couple of mugs sitting on a shelf by the barrel and grabbed one before he went to sit on a bench.
Silas sat in thought and relaxed, waiting for Reiko to do his chores before he came in and sat with him. Kio was coming down from the mountain and figured it was finally about time to let Reiko grow his core. The other boys, Reiko's age, who had taken to the Sacred Arts, had their cores already, and Silas was tired of getting grief from Reiko's father. The father always knew best. Silas rolled his eyes and took another drink of the water before sighing.
Still, it was time for Reiko to grow his core and set his path in stone. Silas purposely has been waiting for Reiko to learn the most and have his channels built as much as he could. Sacred artists who rushed cultivation never got very far in their path, so Silas wanted to ensure Reiko took his time. He also had some things to do to get ready for Reiko to form his core. Silas had to talk to his sect, The Divine Body Sect, then to figure out which element would be best for Reiko. Silas wanted to finish the little surprise for him.
After entering the room, Reiko grabbed the mug Silas had made and looked over to his master. He took only a drink from the cup before pouring it over his head to cool himself from the fire. Reiko grabbed a towel then and passed a damp one to Silas.
"Do you think we'll be able to train my martial ability as well today?" Reiko looked to Silas, hopeful, as he dried himself off.
Silas chuckled softly and shook his head, wiping his sweat away with the cold, damp towel Reiko had given him, "No, not today, Reiko. You're not built for my style. I could keep training you, but I want you to have a better foundation for what you'll eventually be able to do. I have a friend coming to town, and they're going to take over that side of your training. She taught at the School with me and is an exceptional fighter."
Reiko frowned a little but tried to hide it behind his mug. Silas looked at him and shook his head, "Do not be discouraged, Reiko. You will be swift and agile. I am slow and clunky," Silas shrugged and raised a hand to pat Reiko on the back.
Silas looked to Reiko now, narrowing his eyes. Silas reached out with his spirit, sensing his young apprentice. "How has your channel formation been coming along?" He finally asked after staring for several long moments.
Reiko knew the real question his master was asking him. Reiko was being made to cultivate every morning and before bed by Silas. There weren't enormous benefits without a core. Still, it would help Reiko expand his ever-growing network of madra channels and reinforce them to stop problems down the line.
Reiko nodded his head eagerly. "It's been going great. I meditate and try to cultivate as much as I possibly can. I think I'm ready to form my core?" Reiko answered his master's question with a question of his own.
Silas eyed Reiko for another long moment before cracking a smile and standing. Reiko was about thirteen now. It was time for him to truly become a sacred artist. Silas stood and grabbed his sect robes from the hook in this room. Cream-colored inner robe with a dark brown outer.
The robe colors were because The Divine Body Sect fell under the ox star sign in the sky. Each sect in the realm fell under one sign in the sky. With the Oxen being mostly earthly creatures, it was odd that Silas practiced metal, but both were strong, so it made sense to Silas.
Also, it was what his father had set him up with before Silas went to finish his training at The School of Jade Mountains. It was there he officially left his father's sect and joined The Divine Body Sect. The ox also symbolizes strength, durability, patience, and endurance, all earth's and metal's shared qualities.
Throughout the mortal plane, there were regions in the empire they lived in on the continent of Paimon. There was a sect that ruled each region, and then some smaller sects claimed other star signs. Most of the sects played nicely with each other. The regions all fell under the Emperor, based in the north in the capital city of Pyanza, Zhangshu.
Once Silas was dressed, he clapped Reiko on the shoulder and gave him a nod. "Yes. I believe you are ready to form your core. My friend will be here tomorrow, and you'll be on your way to being a true Sacred Artist. We shall do it on the hill with the cherry blossoms overlooking the village. Meet me there at dawn. I must get things prepared. You go about your chores and see if your mother needs anything. Make sure you cultivate tonight."
Reiko looked up at Silas with a broad smile. Silas just nodded once more before leaving the room and walking through the foundry and leaving. Silas would have to go to the Sect house in the village and get Reiko in as a member. This way, he could present his apprentice with the robes in the morning once he formed his core.
He walked through the village to the Sect House. His foundry and the Sect House were on opposite sides of the village. He walked along the dirt paths, keeping to one side when a farmer was coming with a cart or a carriage. He'd nod and greet people he walked by. His role as village protector made him aware of the people in the village.
The houses and buildings along his route were typical of any village. Simple wooden buildings with straw roofs. Some of them had paid Silas or a scribe to carve runes into their houses to provide extra protection from the elements, intruders, or whatever else. He had one person who paid him to carve runes so that it was colder inside their house than outside. Silas smirked, remembering the day he did that. It was Reiko's first day with him, and it took a while for the boy’s nerves to calm.
The Sect House building looked similar to any of the other houses or shops. It was a little bigger and had some ox wood carvings. The roof steepled at a high angle. In the larger cities, the sect houses were enormous. They provided hot food and places to stay for members of the sect, but this being a small village, it didn't need to be that extravagant.
Silas walked in, and the inside matched the out. It was nice, but simple. Nothing too extravagant, but everything was made from fine products. The rug under Silas's boots to the wood used to carve the front counter when you walked in. The windows were spotless, so you could see the people walking along doing their daily routines.
"Greetings, Master Silas," a voice came from behind the counter.
Silas looked up, smiled, and returned the bow the woman gave him with his hands clasped before he spoke. "Greetings, Mina. How are you today?"
"I'm doing well. What can I do to assist you, Master Silas?" Mina asked. She had short cropped hair in the style of some men in the village. When asked, she said she kept this style so hair was never in her face during a fight. Her brown eyes looked at Silas and she smiled.
Silas approached the counter and lifted his hands, setting his palms on it before explaining. "Well, tomorrow is the big day for my apprentice, I think."
He smiled proudly, nodded his head, and threw the idea out there. "I know it's a little unorthodox, but I'm hoping to get him into the sect early. Present him his robes tomorrow when he's grown his core."
Mina paused for a moment and frowned a little, "Uhhhh…."
Silas lifted his palms in concession before he spoke. "Like I said, I know it's unorthodox. I know the sect likes to have their new members a little further along before they bring someone into the outer sect. I feel like I'm powerful enough with my cultivation level and place in the sect. Can you grant me this small favor, though?"
Silas was reaching, and he knew it. In the grand scheme, the Sect Elder probably couldn't even point to where Kyoto was on a map. Let alone care enough to grant Silas his request because he was the Village Protector. Mina still looked a little unsure of what to do before she responded. "I'll have to send words to the Elders in Okuhama. See what they say," she finally explained to him.
Silas smiled and nodded. "Very well, very well. Make sure you tell them Silas Zhao, a jade-level sacred artist, wishes to bring his apprentice into the sect."
Mina winced, hearing Silas give his full name, and Silas frowned. He hated trying to throw around his father's name like that. He wanted nothing to do with the family he left back in the north. His father was the head of a different sect, usually at odds with The Divine Body sect. Not at war, mind you, but they never really got along.
Mina pulled out a piece of parchment and scrawled a note:
"Silas Zhao, village protector of Kyoto at the base of The Jade Mountains, wishes to bring his apprentice Liu Reiko into the outer sect.
• Mina, sect representative, Kyoto village."
When she finished writing, she rolled it up and reached into a cabinet behind her, pulling a small lantern that matched the sect colors—brown and cream. She stuffed the letter into the lantern and made it rise with a pulse of madra until it disappeared.
Silas smiled at her and bowed his head once more. "I'm sure they'll get back to you with an answer quickly," he said confidently.
It took only a few minutes of uncomfortable staring at each other before a lantern, matching the one she sent, lowered and dissolved, leaving a scroll on the counter in front of them.
Mina grabbed the scroll, unrolled it, and read. "While it is a little unorthodox, we believe Master Zhao has earned our trust. Present him with the necessary things and give him a set of robes for the apprentice."
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Mina looked up and stared at Silas, kind of surprised. "You knew they'd say yes, didn't you?" she asked him.
Silas shrugged and answered, "I had a feeling. I wasn't sure, of course, until just now."
He tried to shake the pit in his gut. He was almost positive they allowed it because they thought he'd say something to his father. They didn’t want to anger the Elder from a rival sect they already had a rocky relationship with. Little did the Council of Elders know he hadn't spoken to his father since he showed up at The School when he was still a boy.
Mina finally shrugged, figuring there was no point in doubting the will of the Council, no matter how unorthodox their decision might be. She moved into another room, and when she returned, she had a package in her hands—folded sect robes for Reiko. Mina knew the boy Reiko and had met him a few times when he came with Silas to the Sect House.
Silas took them and held them under his arm while she kept working. She grabbed another scroll and scribbled a welcome letter to Reiko, welcoming him to the outer sect. She then rolled it shut and sealed it with a brown wax stamp that had the logo of the sect—an ox with its head lowered and one of its front hooves lifted. Mina held the scroll out for Silas, which he took, bowed once more, and left the building.
With one of his chores done, Silas headed home to see Himari, his wife. He still smiled at the thought of her. Silas looked around the village and started heading toward the base of the Jade Mountains, where his home was. As he was heading home, an elderly woman was selling steamed dumplings, and Silas stopped.
He juggled the packaged robes and the scroll in his hand while he reached for a small purse hanging from his belt. Pulling it open, he grabbed a few small coins and handed them to the woman, smiling. The woman was old, walked hunched over, hair gray and messed up. She had been cooking dumplings and selling them on the streets for as long as anyone could remember. She sold pork, chicken, and beef dumplings, which came with this delightful sauce that Silas could never entirely place the flavor of. All he knew was that he had to get some dumplings whenever he saw the woman. Now with three new paper boats to juggle, he headed home.
He moved up the path and into the large house when he passed through the gate that surrounded his property. It was larger than most of the houses the villagers had, but it was still small compared to some other Elders' homes. Silas frowned a moment and pushed the thought from his mind about being unable to give Himari a child like they had wanted. It was the whole reason they left the School in the first place, to have a family.
Upon entering the house, though, he heard laughing. Silas cocked an eyebrow and moved past the sunken living area and into a side room from the kitchen. It had a large table where he found his wife and his old friend, Kio. He walked into the kitchen and smiled, seeing his old friend.
"Kio, you're here early," Silas exclaimed as he entered the area, setting the packages of food and the bundle of robes on the table.
"Yes, I found her wandering around at the base of the mountain in a field of hay. She didn't seem like she knew how to find our little village," Himari answered him and stood and wrapped her arms around him softly before giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Well, it's been so long since I've received an invitation." Kio looked at them both and stood from her seat.
Once Misumi left him, she went to get some utensils for the dumplings, and Kio and Silas embraced for a moment.
"It is good to see you, my friend," Silas looked at Kio for a moment.
The woman was beautiful. She always had been. Mole above her lip, deep almond eyes you could get lost in. If you asked her, it was just because of the cultivation, which Silas doubted. She looked every bit of the fairy that was her reputation. Even when they were young, when they first met, he thought she was, though they were children.
"So, who's this boy you're training?" Kio asked as Silas grabbed the packages of dumplings and opened them up, letting the sweet salty smells flow through the room. "Nevermind, tell me after we eat. It's been forever since I've eaten something good."
Misumi laughed and placed a set of chopsticks at the three places they'd sit on the table. She also had a large bowl of rice and three smaller empty ones. Setting everything on the table, the three sat and had dinner together. Everyone helped themselves to dumplings and some rice.
It wasn't long before Silas returned to the kitchen and grabbed some plum wine infused with aura. He poured each of them a glass from a bottle and then sat back down, looking at Kio, taking a sip.
"The boy's name is Reiko, and he shows amazing promise. He is dedicated and works hard. I haven't let him grow his core yet. I'm purposely making him go slow and develop his channels as much as he can. He's built like a twig, though, and shows an affinity for water, which is why I need your help," Silas looked at Kio, taking a drink of his wine.
Kio laughed, "and you're too big and sluggish to teach him?"
Misumi put a hand on Silas's shoulder, looking at him, trying to hide her laughing from behind her wine glass. Silas just frowned and almost blushed a little. They could hear him mutter something about 'damn water artists,' which only sent them laughing even more.
"Anyway, I was hoping you'd be his martial instructor. Help me fine-tune him when you can come down that glorious mountain?" Silas asked his friend.
Kio nodded, "of course. If the boy catches your eye for talent, then I'm sure it will be worth it. Why don't you get him admitted to the School?"
The School of Jade Mountains was the School she was referring to, the School Misumi and he used to teach at, and Kio was currently an instructor.
"Eventually, maybe he isn't ready for that yet. Once I give him a stable foundation, I think he will be ready," Silas gave a firm nod, thinking it over.
"Makes sense, and you know they'll take anyone you send up. They probably won't even really even test him. Do you have anything to do to get ready?" Misumi asked, looking at Silas leaning back in her seat a little.
"Well, that's another thing I could use some help with. I need to finish up the picks I've made for him," Silas answered Misumi but was looking at Kio with a smirk.
Kio rolled her eyes and stood up. "Alright then, let's get to your foundry and finish these up so we can get some sleep tonight."
Misumi laughed and shook her head. "You guys have fun. I'll be downstairs with my herbs and Shu."
Shu was a phoenix that Misumi kept in a cage in the basement. It was a magical spirit beast, and it was still relatively young. Its tears and feathers were next to priceless, giving Misumi an edge in her alchemy.
"Yes, my love. We shouldn't be too late. I almost have them ready to give to Reiko," Silas leaned down and kissed his wife on her forehead.
She reached and embraced him before he turned and left the house, with Kio following closely behind. Misumi would be left to tend to her gardens and make pills or elixirs, whatever she needed to fill orders for the Alchemists Guild or to sell in the village.
The pair got about halfway through the village before Kio spoke. "So, you're happy down, aren't you? You have a wife and an apprentice. Your nice little foundry as an arcanist."
Silas took a long moment to answer. They were at his foundry, and he unlocked the door and opened it for Kio to enter.
"I am happy. Misumi is more than I could ever hope for. She is my everything," Silas explained to Kio as he walked over to the forge and lit the fire. "Not everything is perfect, though."
Kio moved with him and stood at the workbench near the forge. "Oh?"
"We've been down here almost a full year now. The whole idea was for us to wed and to have children, but…." Silas trailed off a moment, looking to the forge and then up to Kio before shrugging a little. "I guess maybe it isn't for us."
Kio stood there and frowned slightly, unsure of what to say. "Silas…."
Silas held a hand up and interrupted her, "No. Amitabha has the monks to the south would say, right?" Silas looked at her and smiled.
"Come, I have the metal forged for the picks, and I have some wood for the handles. Just need to polish it and then set the metal in the handles," Silas stood and showed her the pieces.
"Picks, huh?" Kio took the hint that Silas didn't want to talk about the sad things anymore, and she grinned mockingly at him.
Silas shrugged a little, "In the right hands, they can be excellent weapons. A little unconventional, but deadly. With Reiko working in a foundry and training as an arcanist, he'll be strong. Even without being a sacred artist and having madra, he'll be stronger than most. With his build type and your training, he'll be deadly quick as well."
Kio nodded along and looked at the heads of the picks, picking them up and studying them. "Beautiful work, Silas, you even found a spirit stone?"
The heads were bright silver and had flecks of brilliant red stone running through the metal. Once they were polished up, the red would really pop. Next to them, there was black polished wood that they would set them and cast into.
"A pack of wild boars was outside the village a little while ago. Their alpha was a lower level spirit beast. It was crazy aggressive, fire-aspected," Silas explained to her.
"Alright then," Kio nodded. "Let's get to work."
It didn’t take the two Sacred Artists long to finish the picks since Silas had most of the word finished already. Didn’t mean they weren’t tired the next morning, however. A night of staying up and catching up with the going-ons in each other’s lives with Kio. The three of them slept little.
They woke and went through the village to Cherry Blossom Hill, moving through the downtown area. They passed Elder Hall, where the Elders did their business. The public was able to speak of their grievances at weekly meetings. They would also hold monthly closed-door meetings to plan things for the village.
It was only because of his power that they considered him an Elder in the village. Silas was the village protector. He was the head of a small force of cultivators who defended the village from threatening spirit beasts, potential robbers, or whatever else might threaten them. He didn't go to the weekly meetings. Instead, Silas sent his lieutenant in his place. Master Silas had to go to the monthly ones where he'd mostly sit and offer his advice, only to be ignored. While powerful, the other Elders considered him too young to provide real insight into how to run a village.
Finally, to the west were the docks. The village had a decent fishing community and trade since they were on the ocean. The anglers were hardened individuals who traveled up and down the coast, fishing, selling, and trading. They brought some notoriety to the village. The sun finally broke the horizon, and Reiko watched it rise, deeply inhaling the morning air. He admired the water, where the sun's light still had not reached yet, and hardly noticed the people coming up the hill's path.
They walked up the hill, with Kio walking shortly behind Silas. Silas was carrying a bucket Reiko would need to wash himself after forming the core. The core pushed impurities from the body and left one covered in crud, a stinky mess. Silas also carried a leather roll with the picks he and Kio finished making and the paper-wrapped bundle of Reiko’s new robes and admission into the Divine Body Sect.
Silas was dressed in his usual sect robes with a simple pair of boots. Kio looked like she was about to go on a secret mission. She wore the cowl to her black robes over her head and a scarf wrapped around her face, covering it from view.
Finding Reiko at the base of Cherry Blossom Hill, Silas put a hand on his shoulder, “Reiko.” Silas spoke as the pair walked up behind the boy, who was staring off, startling him.
"See, Kio? He is a stunning warrior already. He'll be great for your dodge and parry lessons." Silas looked back at Kio with a grin.
Reiko blushed and pressed his palms together, bowing to his master. "Good morning, Master Silas. You startled me."
"I'll dodge and parry your slow self all day, Silas." Kio removed her hood with a teasing grin, looking over at him.
Reiko opened his eyes wide, taking in Silas’s friend. She folded her arms across her chest and looked Reiko over before returning her gaze to Silas. "You're right. He's a bean sprout. No wonder you couldn't teach him anything." She looked at Reiko and winked.
Reiko stared into her brown eyes for a moment before remembering himself. He clasped his palms together and bowed toward her, keeping his back straight, "Master Kio, it's a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to your training."
She approached the boy and put her soft hand on his shoulder. "I'm not your master; Silas is. Call me…." she thought it over a moment, "... Auntie Kio, or just Auntie."
"Yes, ma…. Auntie." Reiko paused before he corrected himself with how she said she wanted to be called.
"Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it." She smiled, looking down at him.
"You may dodge and parry me, but he can already wipe the floor with you from what I've taught him," Silas interjected. He walked up from behind her and put the packages in the bucket, placing them all on the ground.