The Founding Factions of Mythorus Academy!
Corven made it to the area of the forest where he was instructed to before Athan left, and who he saw…
"Shifu Wang?" Corven stared wide-eyed at his Combat Training Instructor. "You're my step-in Master?"
Instructor Shifu was dressed in black educated robes, with blue trimming and blue designs of dragons etched into it. He had black pants and matching sandals, his sheathed Jian sword, Golden Dragon Fang, at the base of his waist. He raised a brow upon Corven's words, as if surprised, but Corven knew he was a mid-level Chaotic Ranker—there was no way he didn't sense Corven's approach.
"Mister Corven… You're 3 minutes late," Shifu looked at his watch. "And yes, I will be your stand-in Master for the next few weeks. Now, sit in front of me—our first lesson will now begin."
Without much word, Corven stepped before the Chinese man, sitting down in a meditative stance. "What now?"
"Now…" Shifu joined him beside Corven, also in a meditative stance. "Now we focus. We look past our mana, our core—we look deep in our beings to feel the energy known as Ki."
"Ki?" Corven thought, curious. "Like Dragon Ball Z ki or something?"
Shifu Wang merely side-eyed Corven before answering. "Similar premise, but not so simple. Ki is the Primal Pulse of all things living—it is the vital current of the body mirrored by the world around them."
It isn't just simply life energy. It is the manifestation of matter itself. To manipulate it is to use the vital currents around you and within you to access the Primal Pulse. With its flame, you can be stronger, faster, more aware of your environment."
"To harness Ki, I will show you a breathing technique," Shifu Wang stated, matter of factly. "Ki Breathing Technique. Follow my breathing patterns. Feel the ki that lives in all things, biotic and abiotic."
By this time, Corven was in deep concentration —- He had been unknowingly for 30 minutes now. He searched within himself, looking past the affinities, past the mana, past the soul. He searched and searched, scanning the very building blocks of his being and environment.
'Fascinating,' Shifu thought. 'He's reached a state of focus that most who practice ki manipulation would take months to reach. And he's only done it in a single half hour. Will he be able to sense his flame of ki tonight? He's only just learned about it not even an hour ago —- It takes masters and natural born talents of the path of years to actually sense the flame of ki… Will he learn to sense it in one night?'
Corven searched. And searched. Eventually, he had an epiphany. He realized that Ki wasn't just sourced in the soul—it was expressed through the body, mirrored by the soul, but sourced at the very base of the atom. It was the building blocks of matter—a flame that was ignited by the dawn of creation and will continue to flare until creation ceases to be.
With this realization, Corven found it—the flame of his Ki, at the atoms of his being. Instantly, he opened his eyes, feeling the flame ignite within his being.
'This boy…,' Shifu thought, impressed. 'He's ignited his flame, something that takes the best of students years to do. He's done it in just a few hours. He's… a genius…..even amongst geniuses. No wonder that monster took him on as his student. Monsters recognize monsters—and this monster…?'
Corven was ecstatic. He could feel the energy known as Ki flaring through himself, making him faster and stronger, more aware to an extent his Shadow Sense couldn't match. It felt like he was living in a new world before being introduced to color. To say he felt clever was an understatement.
Yet just as it started, it ceased. Corven's enhancement ceased flowing through him. He felt himself slower and weaker than he was even before he accessed the strength boosts. It left him fast, too, like a poured cup of water down the drain.
And it left Corven feeling like he had a hangover.
"What's going on? What happened? I— I had it," he muttered, confused.
Shifu, having observed the boy's reaction, decided to offer his own wisdom on the matter.
"Ki is like a fire," Shifu explained. "You must nurture it with wood for it to grow. If you ignite it too hot, too fast, it'll burn out, leaving you empty. And you don't want that. If you're empty enough, you can cease to exist. It's a dangerous endeavor, but, with proper tutelage and mastery, its results are limitless."
Corven was slightly trembling, but not in fear— but in anticipation. To him, this was merely another skill he'd added to his belt. He'd master it and use it on his way to the top. Clenching his fists, he made a silent promise to do just that.
"With proper Ki control, punching through stone towers and crushing mountains in half with one hand is very much possible," Shifu Wang explained. "There are 7 stages to Ki control. First, is the Ki Awakening Stage, in which you are at right now. In this stage, you become aware of your inner pulse, and are only able to use it in short bursts or in times of desperation, often unconsciously. This is the stage all beginner Ki manipulators start at, though it takes them much longer to reach it than it did you."
'Was that last part shade?' Corven thought privately, his head going over Shifu's tone and words in confusion….Or wanting to. Sadly, Shifu did not give Corven much time to process his remark as he continued on with his explanation. He had to file the thought away for later contemplation.
"Next is the Ki Channelling Stage," Shifu Wang said. "This is the stage of basic control over Ki, in which you are consciously guiding Ki through your body, focusing on basic circulation and self-enhancement. Your ki output is stronger than the earlier stage, as is your strength and speed. It is basically an enhancement of physical attributes.
"Stage 3 is called 'Flow State Harmonization Stage,' and it basically allows for the Ki within your body to move in perfect harmony with the heartbeat and breath, creating a type of synergy of mind and body that allows for a state of inner equilibrium. At this stage, you can call on greater amounts of Ki, gain a minor healing factor and improved reflexes. Manifesting Ki-based basic skills like Ki armor and shockwave Ki strikes become possible. However, the drawback is that disruption in the rhythm can break the flow, leaving you vulnerable in battle, much more so than the other two stages.
"Stage 4 is 'External Manifestation', in which you learn how to project Ki from the body, creating Ki blasts, barriers, or even enhancements for artifacts and weaponry. In this stage, adding your ki to battle items are quite possible and quite usefully unique to this level of ki manipulation. This stage is also the stage most ki users find themselves pinnaclising on.
"The 5th Stage is a stage only those at Cosmic Rank are typically able to reach. It's called the 'Synesthetic Pulse Integration Stage,' and it… well, you aren't quite ready to hear about it yet. The 6th and 7th stages are the stages of the Celestials and the Gods respectively. They are known as the 'Essence Unleashed Transcendence Stage' and the 'True Resonance Ascendance Stage.' You do not yet have the necessary power levels to learn about these stages yet."
"And you do?" Corven said, biting back a bit on reflex.
"I—" Shifu began, before shaking his head. "Some knowledge can only be acquired when you have the necessary power to comprehend it or, at least, grasp the basics of. Besides, the first 4 stages of Ki manipulation is all you can currently achieve, at least until you reach the Transcendent stages.
"My homework for you is to practice your Ki breathing technique I showed you earlier. At the speed you're making progress at, you'll reach the 2nd stage by the end of the month."
"Another thing—the War Games start in two days' time. I'd advise you to get to practicing tactics with your Faction soon. This year's War Game will be quite different from last year's— for one thing, it will include 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years at once."
As his stand-in Master began walking away, Corven thought to himself, "War Games? What's this about?"
Corven spent the rest of the night cultivating in his room, the windows open to let in the nighttime/early morning air. He didn't feel tired, as he had a clone sleeping in his place. Turns out his clones experiencing sleep equated to Corven experiencing sleep.
His shadow clone ability was truly a broken ability.
He attended his classes during the day, his evident dark elven ears and increased otherworldly beauty not going unnoticed by the women — and men — of the academy. He was already quite handsome even before he assimilated Ashenborn's bloodline — becoming a Dark Elf had only enhanced the appeal and beauty that was already there. And, while the sharpened ears came as a shock to most, many just brushed the revelation off as Corven previously hid his elven heritage before.
While his beauty attracted many girls and some boys to him, it also caused a majority of the student male population to instantly dislike him even more than they had before. A few even challenged him in the Training Grounds, but Corven either ignored them or beat them into the ground, unrecognizably damaging many of the students who he did fight and terrifying the ones who he ignored.
Corven didn't really like having his study time interrupted. It was widely known by then. He had spent his time after class in the library of the academy, studying all the topics and fields he could get his hands on, simultaneously to doing his studies, often learning everything the books and scrolls the Library contained with a single touch or just straight reading them; he liked doing both.
Granted, he couldn't access the higher floors of the Great library. As Student Points and Faction Points(which he didn't lack) were needed alongside certain permissions from at least 2 different faction heads — And this was only for first years to access it. The second years had access to the 3rd floor of the library, while the third years had access to the 4th and 5th floors. The fourth years had access to the 6th, 7th and 8th floors of the Great Libraries. The 9th and 10th floors, however, were heavily restricted, even against some instructors. Even 4th years needed certain permissions from at least 5 different faction heads, Student Points, Faction Points and the Academy Principal and Vice Principal.
In essence, it was a whole process that Corven didn't feel like dealing with. Thankfully, he was content with the first and second floors… At least, for the moment, anyway. After all, all he needed for his academics for the moment are on the 1st and 2nd floors, anyway.
It wasn't like he was wasting time doing this, either. In his Shadow Space, he had increased the number of training clones to 9, each practicing different skills and abilities, including his shadow manipulation skills, his cultivation, his swordfighting capabilities and his ki breathing technique. He even had one other clone sleeping in his bed constantly to replenish his energies and he had another helping him read his pile of books with him. He could still summon 5 clones in case of emergency, so he wasn't worried about falling behind his peers in the slightest, let alone getting ambushed in the Library.
Crowrella, in crow form, rested on his shoulder as he read his book, 'The Founding of Mythorus Academy; A Look At The Founding Factions Within'. It was an interesting read.
Apparently, the Academy started out oriignally within five factions — The Heavenly Faction, the Mystic Faction, the Psychic Faction, the Nature Faction, and the Shadow Faction — each with their own founders, each specializing in the namesake affinities of their faction. The other three factions came to be later on:
During a time of great strife, when great and terrible monsters ruled the planet of Mythos and the Great Houses held minor influence over the land, five powerful cultivating masters united their wisdom together to create the very first Academy for cultivators and practitioners.
Forming the Heavenly Faction was a Valkyrie known as Ylvaestra Gaetir, a.k.a. the "Wolf of the Heavens," before she ascended to Odin's domain in Asgard. This warrior fae was one that embodied the might of the celestial wolves in the field of battle, utilizing her blade with the precision and deadliness of a wolf warrioress. Her founding the Heavenly Faction was a mere reflection of her battle prowess and identity as a warrior.
The founder of the Mystic Faction was none other than the faction head, Madea Helios Jr.'s great-grandmother, Circe — a daughter of the Sun Titan Helios, and a powerful witch and titaness, who was legendary for her time. It was said she trained under the legendary titanness, Hecate, who, a child of two titans and a student of the mystic primordial, Luna, became an avatar of magic before her own ascension, making Circe the first student to a divine avatar of magic.
There were no spells she couldn't cast, no solution she couldn't find, and no fight she couldn't win with her magic and, being the daughter of the Sun Titan, Circe's flame magic was unparalleled for her time and allowed her the moniker, "The Pyric Queen of Magic", and she would eventually go on to find House Helios (a noble house of witches and pyromancers in Mythos), before ascending to higher realms herself, her mythic flame fueling her being and her flame everlasting in legacy and potency.
The founder of the Nature Faction was a nature magic practitioner named Viridella Mossara Rae. She was a druidess and sorceress-healer of House Rae, and she had many suitors due to her loving and caring nature and unmatched beauty. She was revered for her love of the natural mysticism of Nature and its balance, and was particularly skilled in Nature magic, utilizing the spirits and the elements of Nature to aid her in her endeavors. As a master healer, there was no ailment she couldn't cure, and her special trait of being able to counter any curse thrown her way was one that was renowned by all in her time.
It is rumored she has a hidden grove hidden somewhere within the Nature faction manor's many forgotten/hidden chambers, with unascended fragments of her soul still keeping it alive, and those who enter must pass a test after fulfilling certain conditions — But no one knows how certain that is, not even the students of the Nature Faction, who lost the Chamber of Viridella's Hidden Grove long ago. Supposedly, those who pass, receive the rumored Viridella's Blessing, increasing their power and potential greatly.
The founder of the Psychic Faction, Elysia Vespera Luminaris, was a highly ranking warrioress and talented noblewoman of a minor branch of House Luminaris before her ascension. With an affinity for lunar magic, telekinesis, telepathy, and light manipulation, she was unmatched in all of her affinities, except by Queen Diana Luminaris, the then matriarchal queen of House Luminaris. Elysia was an unknown type of elf — and a powerful one that shared traits to many older members of House Luminaris. Not many who challenged her lived to tell the tale, but all who did spoke volumes of her warrioress's prowess and noble demeanor.
Corven had to re-read that. 'Luminaris? She was a noblewoman and warrior? Was she related to Celeste? An aunt, perhaps? It said she was an elf of an unknown species—Could they be referring to a Moonborn Elf?'
Corven thought before shaking his head. "Probably. Most of the people here don't even recognize a Dark Elf—They wouldn't recognize a Moonborn Elf, either; they're too rare. Not even more than 20 escaped the Sealing, one of which was Peter. who was an unawakened Moonborn Elf thanks to not being able to bathe in the lunar lake House Luminaris uses to fully awaken their elven heritage in the Shadow Realm. Some of the others were his mother and her two personal guards, one of which must've been Elysia, which, according to this book, she ascended when Peter's mother died. They probably only knew that she wasn't a typical form of elf, unique then the ones found outside the shadow realm."
After thinking this over, Corven continued reading his book:
The last of the original five founders of Mythorus Academy was Illyana Nightshade, the elusive founder of the Shadow Faction. A Dark Elf of unmatched talent, she was both a deadly assassin and a formidable warrioress, her movements as fluid as mist and her strikes as precise as a blade's whisper. Her affinity for shadow magic made her a phantom in combat—unseen, unstoppable, and utterly merciless.
Illyana possessed an extraordinary command of darkness, necromancy, and black magic, mastering each to a degree few dared even study. Her speed and precision in battle were said to rival the divine, and she carried herself with the cold grace of one who had long accepted death as both weapon and companion. In her lifetime, she never failed a mission, and those who witnessed her work often spoke of her as something far greater than mortal.
Before her mysterious disappearance, Illyana left behind no ties, no lineage, and no trace of origin. She was the most enigmatic of all the founders—an immortal shadow whose past was lost to time. No one knew where she came from, only that the only legacy she left behind was the Shadow Faction itself.
"She sounds awfully a lot like an Umbrovante noble…Or what I'd imagine those of my lineage to be like. If she wasn't a dark elf…But even then, it's possible she could've been both, right?" Corven muttered almost silently to himself. "There's so little on her…Perhaps I should inquire about her to Athan? I'm sure the upper levels of the Great Library must have something on Illyana Nightshade."
"Corven, are you ready?"
A sudden voice knocked Corven from his thoughts. Irritated, Corven asked "Ready for what?"
Looking up, he saw Jabari standing before him, dressed in light but expensive looking Egyptian-styled crimson and green-brown armour.
"The War Games," Jabari said, his voice brimming with excitement. "They start today! The strongest members of every year in each Faction are holding private meetings to plan their strategies for the battles ahead. The Shadow Faction's lead students are already gathering — and as the top of the Year Ones, you, me, and Celeste are required to attend. With Cimon still in a coma and Achlys off-campus, that makes us the strongest currently present. The War Games begin in just a few hours."