Content Warning: There are pictures in this update that I edited with motion blur that may cause motion sickness. Please proceed with caution.
Lavender!
Hm…
“Laaaaveeendeerrr! Wake up!”
Lavender groaned as she blinked awake. “Kashvi…?”
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Kashvi giggled.
“What time is it? It’s too early…”
“Sleeping in won’t do if you’re going to be with the Seekers for the duration of your pilgrimage! They’re quite strict with their schedule, so get up! Breakfast is ready!”
At the mention of the Seekers, the tendrils of sleep washed away. “I’ll get ready!”
“Good morning, Diego,” Lavender greeted Diego, the monastery dog. He let out a soft bark in reply. “Good morning, everyone.”
She received gentle good mornings from the monicus as she sat down amongst them.
“They’re waiting downstairs for you,” Lakandiwa said.
“Oh, uhm, they’re not going to join us for breakfast?” Lavender then, sputtered, “D-Do they even eat?!”
Everyone laughed. Lakandiwa said, “Of course they do, that’s why Lawa and I woke up early to make breakfast. They tend to get up early.”
“They said to fill you up,” Chief Song chuckled, “it seems like they’ll be giving you a hard day today, Ms. Lee.”
Lavender finished her breakfast. She went down to the prayer room and saw two figures meditating in front of the image of the Watcher. She hesitantly stood there.
“Come. Meditate with us,” a female voice said. Her voice was smooth and cool. It has a tad bit of sharpness to it.
Lavender sat behind her. She took notice of the other Seeker’s ear. Pointy. A vampire.
“…I’d guard the monastery with Diego. And Seeker Mata too…”
She tried not to think about what Kashvi said last night and joined them in meditation.
“Lavender Lee,” the female Seeker regarded her. “I am Iris. The First Seeker.”
“My name is Mata,” the vampire Seeker said. “The Second Seeker. I could hear your thoughts earlier, Lavender. Yes, I’m a vampire. It’s a long and old story.” He gently smiled.
“You are summoned to train,” Iris said. “You are the second Pupil that we will train, and the Watcher deemed it that you are ready to receive the Gift she will bestow upon you – a portion of her power. There are no longer wars waging between Circle Mages and…other races…and you might be thinking that this is useless.”
“But this is a gift from the Goddess,” Mata continued, “It is not useless. You will be able to use it, no matter how small the actions are. This training is not just any training – it is also our observation whether your strength and your character passes our judgement. The Gift is too much to bear – your predecessor had become greedy and abused it.”
“You have shown us promising faith and goodness, and I trust you will not disappoint us. This pilgrimage will test you, whether you will stay as the Pupil or not.”
“What happens if you didn’t see me as…promising?” Lavender anxiously asked.
Iris replied, “That mark on your back will vanish, and you will no longer hear from us in your mind. Our connection will be severed.”
Mata sensed her anxiousness. His gentle voice soothed her. “But we believe in you, Lavender. You are a good child.”
Iris nodded. The corner of her lips curling up. “And you’re a spellcaster. You have a background with magic. Unlike your predecessor.”
Her first training was to spar with Iris. Lavender was surprised that the First Seeker is a spellcaster – no, a mage. She could see the difference between a spellcaster and a mage – Iris fought differently, her moves were precise and firm. To Lavender, it is a sign that the Seeker is battle-hardened.
Lavender stood no chance with this, she’s not as strong as the sages, especially since she was trained not for battles but only for decent defense and only for practice. She was never trained for fighting.
“You are not taking this seriously,” Iris clicked her tongue.
“But I am!” Lavender panted. “That’s what they taught me!”
“What the Sages taught you is not enough. You cannot use the Gift half-heartedly. It is good they taught you basic practices, but you need better offense and control. Again!”
Lavender doesn’t know the time now, but apparently, it’s lunch. Mata placed down a blanket and a basket of lunch that Lawa had prepared. Iris had finished already, so Lavender sat alone, eating her food. Not that she minded. She couldn’t really talk because she’s famished. It’s her third helping.
“I think you went hard on her,” Mata chuckled. “Were you that excited?”
“Who wouldn’t? It has been a while since I could spar with another mage,” Iris huffed, but she was smiling.
“But she’s a spellcaster, not a mage.”
“Same thing,” Iris looked at him. “The difference is that spellcasters limit themselves. They don’t want to follow the path the Circle Mages had gone.”
Mata hummed.
“You cast like a child!” Iris yelled.
Lavender let out a shout of frustration as she fought back, but before she could retaliate, the Seeker’s magic lifted her up in the air...
This will hurt like a bitch tomorrow...
“Oh, welcome home. I’ll fix something for you,” Kashvi smiled. “Crimson tea, Seeker Mata?”
“Yes please.”
Lavender floated on the bath pool. The warm water soothed her aching muscles. “My arms huuuuurrrttt! I feel so exhausted!”
Mata went in the pool. Lavender felt her body feeling warm. “Woah, what are you – ”
“Taking a bath,” Mata titled his head, confused. “This is a communal bath.”
She chuckled awkwardly. “Oh. Oh yeah. Hahaha. Yeah…”
Iris finally joined them. The Seekers stood on one side of the pool, quietly scrubbing their limbs. Lavender stood an arm’s length away from them.
“Uhm.”
They looked at her.
“Do you always bathe together?”
“Yes,” Mata said, still confused. “Why?”
Iris huffed. “Whatever you’re thinking, you must shed those thoughts. These thoughts will hinder your control with the Gift. This is a communal bath. Even the monici bathe together.”
Lavender pouted, “I know that…!”
She splashed Iris.
“You cast like a child, you act like a child,” Iris said, putting emphasis on every child she said. She splashed her back.
Mata laughed.
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