The next morning…
"Wake up Aerin, it's time for your second day of school." Arthur yelled.
I'm awake, I'm awake. I'll be down in a minute.
"You better hurry or you'll be late for school!" Arthur replied.
I know, I know. I'm coming down now what's for breakfast.
"What else your favorite noodles." Arthur said.
Thanks old man. I'll eat and head out.
Several minutes later…
See ya old man.
"Be safe Aerin and don't get into any trouble." Arthur responded.
I won't, see you later old man.
At assassin school…
"Today marks the beginning of your lessons in Praxis. Your first task will be to create a fireball. The second will be to form a clone of yourself. The third will be to sense Aru.
There are two types of Aru: Physical and Nature. Physical Aru is the energy you are born with — it resides within you. Nature Aru is the energy that exists throughout the world. It is present everywhere, even in places where nothing else exists. Nature Aru can be absorbed to temporarily increase an individual's Aru." The teacher explained.
"Anyway that's enough of an explanation. First up is Aerin." The teacher said.
Aerin walks up to the front of the class…
"Ok Aerin, so what you want to do is visualize the manifestation of fire in your hand." The teacher explained.
Yes sir.
Aerin then closed his eyes imagining a spark turning into a dense flame…
Like this?
"Very good." The teacher said.
"Now imagine a copy of your body and soul and project it forward." The teachers explained.
Aerin then imagined that he had and extension of his body and soul and projected it forward…
"Very good!" The teacher replied, enthusiastically.
"Now for the last but most difficult task, sensing Aru. I want you to imagine yourself and your surroundings. Try and get an almost third-person perspective of you and your surroundings. Then I want you to concentrate on the feeling you had right before you were able to make the fireball and clone, the energy-like feeling. Concentrate on that feeling inside your body, but also expand it outwards. Try and sense that energy in your surroundings," the teacher explained.
Aerin then began to concentrate, his perspective shifting from his body to his surroundings, then the energy in his surroundings, and then he sensed it…
Is this Aru? It almost feels like there is something occupying the same thing as everything else, even our bodies.
"What, you sensed it on the first try? That is Aru, but how did you sense it on the first try?" The teacher asked, baffled.
I don't know. I just did.
"Well you passed. You are free to go home. You will be assigned a team and instructor tomorrow." The teacher explained.
At home…
Old man I'm home.
"Aerin come have a seat. We need to talk." The old man said.
Ok. What's up?
"Aerin I have brain cancer." The old man said reluctantly.
What? Isn't that the incurable disease.
"Yes. It is, but it can also lead to memory loss ." The old man explained.
"I have at most three months left to live. I'm sorry Aerin." The old man said sadly.
It's ok. We will just have to make the next three months unforgettable.
"What do you want to do today Aerin, we still have daylight." The old man asked.
I want to ask you about my parents if you don't mind.
"I had a feeling this question would come up sooner than later. Well where do I begin." The old man said.
To be continued…