Chapter 7: In the Mountains

Running down the hallways, Mia giggled as the priestesses she passes, reminds her about the rules. But she couldn't care about the rules now, she had just finished her classes and she's already late. Her sister is on her way to her daily training down the mountains with Master Chi. Today is her first day of training down the hills.

"Pardon me," she said as she almost bumped into a Feather priestess who had piles of blankets at hand.

"My goodness, Mia dear!" the priestess almost lost her balance.

"I'm sorry!" she waved her hand, not stopping a second. It is not the way of a priestess but just for today, she must disobey. Seeing her sister off is more important to her.

"Lithea! Lithea!" Mia shouted, nearing the door. She saw Lithea walking towards the carriage.

"Wait up!" she stopped and panted in front of Lithea, "let me see you off."

Lithea scoffed, "you're causing trouble again."

The younger one pouted, "I just want to see you off!"

"Alright, alright," Lithea soothed her down, rubbing her head. "I will be back at night. I'm not quite sure what time, if it is late, don't wait for me."

"But I want to hear stories of your training," she put her head down, playing with her fingers.

"I'll be back."

That was the last thing Mia heard from her sister. Ever since she started going down the mountain to train with Chi, she's never said a thing to her. She would sleep as soon as she comes home, and wake up to do her usual routine at the temple, with no rest, she would be going on with her day.

Watching her sister work so hard without knowing the reason why, she worked harder than she ever did and took her lessons seriously. And when it was her time to choose the path she's taking, she decided to continue walking on the path she's been taking, being a priestess.

Lithea is now already ten years old, she's been training nonstop every single day. Whether under Chi's supervision or not, she doesn't stop. She keeps applying everything he taught him every week to keep improving. And no matter how much hardship Chi gives her, she won't cave in. Instead, it would just motivate her even more.

For a year, Chi would come teach her every day, himself. But when his work was done at the council's hall, he would only meet her twice a week to teach her and take a look at her improvement. To his surprise, she's capable of anything by herself.

Up in the highest place of the sun mountain, where it is cold, burning her lungs. But this would help her once she's on mission, to better her endurance. And, since she's meditating for over three hours a day, it makes her concentrate on her breathing as well.

"Lithea," Chi said after Lithea finished her meditation.

She hopped off the boulder she's sitting on and walked towards Chi.

"We're not going to focus more on combat techniques," he began and wore a serious face, "you'll have to meditate while you practice combat."

She tilted her head.

"Go and meditate again," he looked at the boulder she'd been on moments ago, "now."

Although she's confused, she followed his instructions and meditated. As she entered the zone, a bright white light with an indescribable warmth inside her began to flow all over her body. She's already entered the highest level of concentration they use in meditating, as she broadened her mind, she felt something strange.

"Ugh!" she groaned, Chi kicked her on her right shoulder while meditating.

"Again!"

"What?"

"AGAIN!"

She decided to ignore the pain and climbed up the boulder again. And once she entered the highest form of concentration, she felt a pain on her back this time. She almost fell off the cliff had she not broken free from her concentration on time and grabbed on something to keep her from falling.

Chi peeked and watched her struggle with one hand at the bulging stone.

"Again," he stepped back and waited for Lithea but as she was appalled at how he didn't do anything to help her, she stayed there for a few minutes and Chi peeked again.

"Time is ticking, Lithea."

She grunted and used her threads as a rope to climb back up.

"I have to do this again?"

Chi didn't open his mouth and just nodded towards the boulder.

Lithea exhaled before climbing back up to the boulder, "I'll get it this time."

Once again, she entered the zone. She tried to take part of her mind to be on guard, and luckily for her, it worked. She felt something coming but the direction confused her, she concentrated on knowing where it was. But the moment she's sure where it would hit her, it was already too late.

Chi's punch hit the right side of her head, she only got the chance to touch his fist before she flew right on the next boulder.

"Ack!" her eyes widen, she's not there yet.

Lithea fell on the ground coughing. Her back hit the boulder hard.

"Stand up."

Chi was coming towards her.

"Don't dally."

She growled before going on all fours to try to stand up but Chi sent her flying again by kicking her stomach.

"Agh!"

She felt so helpless. She had always known the training would be brutal but this is not what she'd imagine. How could Chi beat her up so mercilessly? Has he gone mad? Did he regret his decision of taking them in?

She had so many questions running in her mind, was it wrong for her to be an adventurer?

Lithea could see herself falling. If she doesn't act now, the impact would be too great, she could break a few bones.

"Get it together!" Chi shouted.

She gasped and tried to summon her threads, wrapping her whole body with it to cushion her when she fell. But before she could meet the ground, Chi stomped on the ground and a series of arrows began to shoot at her.

Wait, no. Those are threads manipulated to form into arrows.

"No!" she tried to multiply the shield she had on but it was already too late, she fell on the ground. Arrows hit her thighs and her arms.

Chi sighed, "You're not calmed. After all those meditations? What have you been doing?"

'What have I been doing?'

Lithea tightened her jaw as tears escaped her eyes.

"If this is all you got after all those years, stop this nonsense at once and go back to the temple."

Anger is evident in her eyes, those questions are what she had been asking herself for years. She wasn't good enough. She's all talk. Maybe Chi was right.

The sun starts setting and the orange hue spreads throughout the smooth blue skies. She tried to look at the sun and its color reminded her of the blood their parents spilled, trying to save her and her sister. Is this alright? For her to just sit by and just let it go? To not avenge her parents' innocent deaths?

She can't back down now.

"I—"

Chi looked at her, waiting for her next words.

"I'm done." She sat up and formed a fist.

"Very well," Chi started walking down the mountain.

"I'm done being distracted," he stopped his pace, "I will now give it my all."

He brought his hands at his back and looked down, "Child," he turned towards her.

"You know this will only get harder."

She nodded.

"Very well," he turned again and started escaping towards the temple, "get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll start your real training."

Staying true to his words, Lithea indeed went through a very harsh training. Everything Chi throws at her is real, he doesn't hold back whenever they have to fight each other. Lithea on the other hand, had gotten used to fighting and can somehow block Chi's advances.

She knows she's not as strong as him but her powers are equal to divine rank. If she can master the combat skills, she could become the candidate of being the next Divine Priestess of the temple along with Nuri. But that's not something she should put too much thought into, she is to become an adventurer and if time comes, they cannot persuade her to stay.

Chi coated his fists with divinity and aimed for her shoulder blades to keep her down for a few minutes, unbeknownst to him, Lithea had coated her skin with invisible thread barrier. A kind of thread only few people know how to create. And in her case, she wasn't taught how to create one.

He shifted his stance before dashing towards her. He expected her to have another delayed reaction but in order to make her learn, he won't minimize his power. The monsters she's seeking for are stronger than him after all.

But to his surprise, Lithea's eyes lightened and blocked his fist with her bare hand.

A loud bang echoed through the mountain area, when his fist met her palm, Chi blasted away along with some trees and boulders around them. It is so powerful, he wasn't able to react.

Lithea realized what happened and summoned a sturdy thread to create a lasso to pull Chi back. The impact was so strong, the wind kept pushing him away from her. The animals around the area were all panicking with the sudden earthquake.

With two huge mana going on against each other, this is a normal effect. But what surprises Chi was how Lithea was able to stop his divine fist with bare hands.

Lithea increased her strength by distributing mana to her body to pull Chi back and when she successfully did it, he was kneeling on the ground, panting heavily. This is something he wasn't prepared for, he'd probably die if they keep going.

"Your mana," he coughed in between his words, "we have to do something for you to properly control it.

"I shouldn't stop you from meditating. We have to train your mana and your fighting skills separately."

Lithea nodded and looked at her palm. Does she really possess so much power inside her?

"I shall come back next week, meditate as much as you can. Try to go inside and reach for your mana," even without his divinity being awakened, he can see hints of her mana swirling around her, "make a connection."

Lithea answered with a firm nod.

Not wanting to disappoint her master, wherever she goes, whatever she does, she tries to juggle meditation with chores inside the temple. She has to know how to control her power, if not, they might not let her go.

Every free time she gets, she'd find a secluded area to meditate. It has become a part of her daily routine whenever Master Chi isn't present to spar with her. Her diligence has shown results, she can summon enough mana to support her, and Chi has seen such improvements.

The day has come again for Lithea to meet up with Master Chi, he will be testing her battle skills against those who have weapons. She must meditate to avoid spilling more mana than she would be needing.

She climbed on top of a boulder and sat down. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the scent of the mountain and entered the zone.

Lithea is one of the fastest learners Chi has ever trained, her movements are precise and she copies everything perfectly. What she sees, she can immediately mimic the movement and apply her own strength to it. She would listen attentively and would not hesitate to experiment things on her own to improvise.

Although he was a very strict teacher towards Lithea, and although it is against him to take her on seriously during training, Chi was proud for her to remain calm and sensible over the years they took on this route.

Chi climbed up the highest point of the mountain with a shaft at hand to support his weight. He's getting older, and all this training with Lithea had gotten his bones weak. She gobbles him during training like a monster eating a high quality meat. She's strong and has gotten stronger.

Chi saw the small child with cute round but sharp black eyes, meditating on top of the boulder. She would tie her hair into a knot during their training but today, she kept it in a low ponytail.

He smiled.

'I would like a request, would you take me in as a student?'

Lithea small voice repeated in his mind. She made that request ten years ago, now, she's grown into a fine young woman.

The wind blew hard and Chi almost lost his balance. He quickly summoned his mana on his legs and gripped hard on his shaft while he hid his face behind his free arm.

He shouted, "Lithea!"

Lithea gently opened her eyes, the wind took away her hair tie, the smooth silky pale hair of the young lady tangoed with the leaves.

She has completed her ten years of training, and as she is now sixteen years old, the temple is now preparing for her most awaited decision.