Black Lotus training room

Seshwan sat on the floor staring at his hand. Electricity sparked from the tips of his fingers; arcing from his index finger to his thumb. Electricity rolled across his skin in waves.

Those present stared in shock and jealously.

Seshwan looked up toward the guild members surrounding him, then back at the lightning in his hand. He spoke after a moment still gazing at his energy in physical form.

"Master Hilliard, you said this is bad? That earth and lightning will just cancel each other out if I try to use them in tandem?" Seshwan asked, confused by his current achievement.

"Yes, that's exactly right. Like trying to use water and fire in tandem. The two just don't merge and have positive effects."

Seshwan stood, still staring intently at his hand. He winced as he felt a familiar pain surge from deep within him. This pain was an unpleasant reminder, he had experienced it every time he trained before he had met Walter. The pain returned briefly as the lightning energy coursed through his veins and throughout his body.

The pain soon changed to nothing he had ever experienced before. Every cell in his body began to cry out in agony. Rolling energy coursed through Seshwan's limbs, constantly flowing upward toward his torso. With this amount of power flooding his essence realms, Seshwan started to feel numb. Seshwan broke out into a cold sweat as his Essence Realms felt as if they would rupture as a wave of power and pain tore across his chest.

Seshwan collapsed forward to the floor writhing in pain. All he could manage was a miserable cry as he coughed out a mouthful of blood.

“Seshwan! What’s happening!” Water pleaded. He dropped to his knees by Seshwan’s side. Though he didn’t dare to touch him while his body coursed with energy.

“No one is to touch him, only he can help himself get through this. Either he will die or he will forcibly tame this new essence.” Master Lotus said, watching with a look of horror spread across his face.

Within Seshwan’s consciousness, there was nothing but darkness, his mind was tranquil, though he knew his body was in extreme pain.

‘I must have passed out.’ He thought

As his consciousness floated in what felt like a void an irrefutable light suddenly illuminated the space. A massive lightning bolt flashed across space.

“Boy! Are you just going to waste your life waiting for your body to tear itself apart?” A familiar voice spoke from an unknown place.

A dark grey ball floated before Seshwan as if it had just appeared.

“Well? Is this it was I this wrong to trust you?” The voice spoke again.

“Who? Who’s there?”

“Who indeed? Wake up Seshwan, tame that energy or you and your dragon will die. He also trusted you. Now enough of this. AWAKEN!”

Seshwan awoke in his body, the pain returned for the moment being. He climbed on all fours, blood leaking from his nose and mouth. ‘What the hell just happened? I can’t quite recall.’ he thought in a frenzy as he tried to forcible contain the energy.

Returning to his seated position he activated his earth essence. All the loose earth around him fluctuated rising into the air and circulating his body.

The lightning began to arc to the stones and dirt around him. With every bolt arcing away from him his body felt warm and the pain became slightly more bearable.

The pain eventually subsided as the lightning converged to one spot and formed a ring of yellow energy around his right ring finger.

Once Seshwan came to his senses he realized most of the guild was now gathered around him with faces showing great concern and fear.

"Seshwan you’ve formed the Lightning first stage Realguard. You’ve survived." Master Lotus praised, while he patted Seshwan on the back.

‘Truly this youth has a gift from the gods. Without a technique, he had formed his real guard through his methods. A truly frightening ability.’ Master lotus though.

In reality, anyone could manage this. As training techniques and different styles skills were rewritten by sage stage essence users. Not many of the old techniques could be easily accessed or even still existed. If Seshwan continued to the sage ranks of his cultivation, he could record and produce hundreds of abilities and training methods to be spread across the globe.

"Masters I…, I’m not sure what I’ve just done. I feel as though I may have a much better grasp on my essence now. Though I’m still confused. Are you sure I couldn’t use these two essences together in combat?" Seshwan asked.

Within his head, Drax spoke. "These men are right. You cannot conduct and manipulate lightning if you have the insulation of your earth element active. The lightning will be grounded and be effective. Like you just experienced. If you hadn’t activated your earth element when you did you would have died."

The tingling sensation of this old dragon’s voice in Seshwan head gave his chills making the hairs on his arms stand on end.

Seshwan thought more about it. 'I’ve defiantly made progress but I’m not sure how something feels different. I feel as though lightning and earth may work together. For now, I'll train them separately but someday I'll be the first to use both.'

Master Crest spoke up interrupting Seshwan's thoughts. "A country in the west beyond Deshan territory studied this in great length the fact that you have both now will defiantly slow your cultivation down. But in combat with practice, you could switch between the two elements quickly to launch solo attacks or defend. You just can't strengthen your earth with lightning effects like you can with ice and water."

Seshwan nodded in agreement. "Masters I'd like a combat lightning technique if we have one. I already have my [Tectonic shell] and Guardian knight training so I'd like to learn about being a Striker as well."

Walter tossed a scroll to Seshwan. "Here Sesh that's the [Flash] technique that Xerxes learned. As for real combat techniques sadly were fresh out. You'll need to find a way to manipulate your essence to compensate."

Seshwan gritted his teeth as he whipped the blood from his face. 'shit I was hoping for some kind of attacking skill or ability. Guess this will do for now.'

Seshwan cupped his hands as a sign of respect and thanks for the help. "Thank you masters I shall return to training."

One full week of training had come and gone. Amongst the group, Vanessa and Elise had a level four apprentice essence and had both learned the basics for their new abilities.

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Colm and Xerxes had not made much progress in cultivation but Colm could now successfully grapple and counter against Xerxes. Which to him was a massive improvement. Seshwan had successfully opened a new path for his cultivation.

"You children have missions and training to get to in other parts of the country some further than that. Or did you forget? Are you planning to lay around the hall for a month because you had a heist that I'd call mediocre at best?” Master DeRosa said as he stepped into the training room. "Sure you completed the job but you broke guild rules and almost got caught. Don't forget your plan could easily have been foiled by one misstep. You got lucky. Get your jobs completed then you can be lazy."

Master DeRosa was not one to usually reprimand anyone or even speak up in the first place. As he was a lazy womanizer having him speak about completing a job and training was almost laughable.

Walter agreed with him, however. "He's right. Seshwan you still need to notify your uncle you'll be leaving for a while. And the rest of you need to prepare for your respective journeys. That's it for training for now."

"Yes sir."

The number of people in the training room dwindled till only Colm and Vanessa were left. Colm was packing his kit into a sack and Vanessa sat cross-legged to the side.

"Hey, Vanessa?"

"Yes, Colm what would you like?"

"You’re going with Sesh and Xerxes on their trip right?"

"Yes, I swore I'd follow Seshwan for a while till my debt is repaid. Why do you ask?"

"It's just I have an uneasy feeling and was wondering if you'd like to switch with me. You can stay and train and I'll accompany Sesh."

Vanessa stood up her slender frame and modest curves dramatically accented by her training clothes. She wore her hair tied back in a braid. Colm couldn't help swallow hard while just looking at this deadly beauty. Though for once he looked up from her body and noticed she had pure blue eyes and an eyebrow piercing he had not seen when her hair was down.

"Colm! Eh!" Vanessa snapped her fingers toward this boy of a man. "Didn't you hear what I told you? Or am I just that captivating to a boy like you?"

Colm blinked a moment realizing he had been staring. "Come again?"

*Sign. "I said I'll be accompanying those boys. That was the whole purpose of sticking around and these last few days of training. Plus, I'm stronger than you. So I'm sorry but I can’t switch." Vanessa said, all this neither mockingly nor condescendingly.

"Okay, I understand. Good luck then." Colm collected his pack and left the room.

Vanessa got cleaned up and changed into her normal wears. With a thought in her head. 'He's kind of cute when he doesn't get his way.' But she quickly shook that idea out of her head.

Scarlet cove docks

Seshwan had collected his noble clothing and wears from Walters shack again and had returned to the surface. The air was fresh and clear. He could sense another presence like he had when he was in the sewers this one was not the same. The energy it projected was far away and of a different variety.

Nearby Walter was leaned against a post waiting for Elise to arrive so they could depart.

"Hey, Walter I feel a pressure I've never felt before on the surface. It's like the air is heavy. And I can feel a surge of power as I breath?" Seshwan asked confused. He had never experienced this before.

"Kid I don't know what you're talking about I've never heard of that before. It could have to do with your naturally formed essence though." Walter rubbed his chin as he thought about Seshwan's words. "After I return from Commons we will travel through Deshan to the west there's a country called Solstice out that way that has arch sage rulers that may be able to answer your questions."

Seshwan nodded "Sounds good. Okay Walter I'm going to head off to uncles to break the news to him and collect equipment for the journey."

Walter walked over and hugged Seshwan around his waist. 'Wow, he looks like a little kid.' Seshwan couldn't help thinking.

Walter stepped back "It's customary in the north to have a manly hug before a journey. Then again it's also customary to sacrifice cows and make their stomachs into instruments soo. Well, whatever has a good trip and stay safe."

"You too; good luck and stay strong" Seshwan turned and headed up the tiers toward home.

Walter pause at Seshwan’s farewell. ‘Nah, he’s just a noble’s brat, he can’t be one of them.’

City lord’s residence; top tier of Scarlet Cove

Seshwan approached the home of his uncle. A cathedral-like mansion that towered above all other structures surrounding. This massive estate built of white stone stood as a symbol of power and authority over the city.

The city lord mansion was the third-largest structure in the city next to Scarlet fortress and the treasure vault, though it was of newer origin. The doorways and windows were boldly accented with modern Tudor arches. The exterior was embellished with many marble pillars lining the walls. A red clay roof had been recently added with the modernization of construction. The use of clay tiles had slowly become more prominent for roofs and cladding homes.

Seshwan arrived at the main door. A large bronze coated mass that both served as a gate and at a decorative piece. Above the door, depicted in a tile mosaic; a radiant shield. This shield symbolized the royal family's Guardian hall controlled this residence. The guardian hall served the empire as the strongest defensive force and was unrivalled in their defensive capabilities. The sect’s current master was the emperor’s youngest brother Julius Jade; Seshwan's uncle and his current guardian.

Seshwan took a deep breath and pushed the door open with one hand. On a normal day, he could hardly move the door and required aid but his body had begun to change as he cultivated more and more. 'I've gotten stronger; ‘I'll have to hide this from an uncle or he will become suspicious.'

Seshwan walked through a massive one hundred square meter courtyard toward the main hall. All around him servants worked weeding gardens and cleaning the many winding pathways.

One servant stood to meet Seshwan. "Young lord, you've been gone a few days the master is furious you must go see him immediately!"

This servant’s name was Jerome he was a middle ages man, with a weak frail body but he was highly intelligent and keen. His eyes and mind were sharp. The guardian family had employed him to serve as a worker not to work but to ensure the rest of the workers were well treated and no abuse went unreported.

The empire has always promoted slavery and the employment of serfs. Though they were still humans and deserved some level of respect. Though any demi-humans that were enslaved did not enjoy the same treatments.

"Thank you Jerome I shall see him at once." Seshwan nodded and continued to the hall to face his uncle.

Upon entering the main hall Seshwan noticed the serfs were hard at work cleaning the entire hall. The towering marble column and alabaster floors were spotlessly polished and gleamed with radiant lustre.

"Boy!" A booming voice echoed from the end of the hall. Lord Julius stood next to his throne which he governed from. The hulk of a man wore traditional light armour and robs. With an earth tone tan tint to the light scales on his armour pauldrons.

In the empire, all active warriors wore a set of white robes with a set of scaled light armour. Even in times of rest and peace, a warrior must be ready at moment’s notice. Another philosophy held by the empire cherishes its martial strength.

"My dear uncle a pleasure to see you!" Seshwan smiled and bowed his head.

Seshwan was still in a positive attitude about his recent breakthrough, the last month he had seen the return of his essence and with it his confidence.

"How dare you? My brothers’ trash son was taken in out of pity. How dare you disappear for more than a week and casually stroll into my hall and greet me! You should be begging for forgiveness." Julius spat as he yelled across the hall.

Seshwan was once again reminded that this was not a home he could freely leave or return to. He had avoided his uncle while in passing, had him approve the order for a birthday gift that led to the vault being opened.

Julius calmed himself, "A shipment of goods that were meant to reinforce Blackridge went missing from a secure vault. The acting master of the wardens and the Cloaked hall are sending representatives to investigate the theft. Which means more of your siblings are on their way to visit."

Seshwan felt as if he had been hit in the stomach by a maul. How was he to know that the empire would send investigators to find the supplies? 'Damn merchants reported it missing instead of covering it up. I guess they aren't as prideful as I thought.'

Julius approached Seshwan, walking across the hall. "You look ill. Is it shame you feel knowing you will be facing your brothers no longer as a Jade?"

Julius leaned in close and meet Seshwan's gaze. "You've shamed the name Tiberius and the reputation of the Guardian sect. I can understand why you'd feel shame."

Tears began to gather in Seshwan's eyes as he was relentlessly tormented by his uncle.

Within Seshwan there had always been an idle ember, a spark of pride he had always tried to hold onto, through his toughest years it endured. That ember had grown with his achievements recently; into a small flame. As the two stared at one another Seshwan felt that flame grow making it more difficult to suppress words within him. Words burned within his throat trying to be free.

Finally, he couldn’t contain himself. "Uncle, I don't give a damn about that name or your Guardian hall!"

Julius without hesitation backhanded Seshwan across the hall. Sending him flying into a column. "Ungrateful trash. Don't show your face while the young masters are here. Count yourself lucky your mother ordered me to not kill you."

Seshwan stood as blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. The crumbled stones that shattered from the column when he impacted clattered on the floor all around him. His anger had evolved into an inferno within his essence realms. Though he stood no chance in a fight with his uncle. Seshwan had a newfound resolve to destroy this empire that trampled the weak.

"Uncle I will not show my face. I came home to only collect my things. I'll be leaving for an extended period and I may not return. As you've said I don’t deserve the name Tiberius so from this day forward I renounce it! As for the investigators I don't give a damn about who comes if they come looking for me they will not find me. Goodbye uncle" Seshwan stood tall and walked toward the door.

Julius laughed. "Such hubris to talk like that to me! Good riddance, I hope when you return you've learned something in the ways of respect."

Seshwan at one time couldn’t even stand to utter a word before his uncle. These last few weeks of success had inflated his trampled ego. Reminding him of the days when his mother had praised him as a genius. He had his former life stolen from him, taken by some unknown hand. His confidence had begun to be restored now, Seshwan was sure he could reclaim his status of genius or even better. This coupled with the rage within him would become the driving force into the future.

‘I will destroy this temple you’ve built and created my own in my image.’

Seshwan collected what he had in the armoury. A suit of medium plate mail pure white with gold trim and black seems. The helmet he left behind. The helmet was created with a golden eagle and a radiant shield. These two things were once a symbol of power for him during his youth now they were nothing more than a mortal reminder.

Along with the armour, he retrieved a sword and medium iron shield. During this trip, their party would no doubt require a knight if they encountered enemies. Though he liked to sneak and play the rogue, that style didn’t suit him.

Once all his belongings were collected he set off to meet up with his companions. With one last look, Seshwan walked away from his former life completely.