Mountain of The Moons • Book 1

Chapter 5

"You two have chosen willingly to come and train at the Yabune Temple is that correct?" The smaller and much older woman who sat across from us asked.

She was a small framed older woman with salt and pepper hair that looked very long despite it being pulled back into a neat bun. She was probably in her late 50's from what I could tell. A curvier red haired woman who looked to be in her early 30's sat next to me and Minoru had been sat next to Yami.

"Yes." Yami and I both said as we sat next to each other. The other two people had seemingly come out of no where but they had been watching Yami and I like hawks.

We stuck close together and frankly I think it was because we were both a little intimidated. We were in a room with three people who I could now see were dressed in all green which meant they were the Masters here. They all looked at us very intently and I felt like I was under a heavy surveillance. I saw Jun stood off the side as he had also been earlier.

I didn't know who he was, but he had been clearly someone they trusted because he was escorting me and hovering over me constantly. He was supposed to be just a level below the others and it made me wonder how long he had been here. He looked to be a little older than I was, but the three Masters were older than he was by at least a decade and the other students one level below him looked to be the same age as him and us. The red hair woman looked to be the youngest but her eyes spoke her age.

"We promise we didn't come to cause any trouble." Yami said speaking for the both of us.

"I can see from her mind that much, but what is concerning is I can't see yours." Minoru said frustratedly. "That is typically a sign that you've been up to no good."

"Or it means one of his ancestors has been stripped of their connection." The red haired woman said next to me. She was somewhat childish with her mannerism and I suppose she was the youngest, though I would expect someone who was a Master to be a bit older, but I didn't know all to much about what went on here.

"What does that mean?" Yami asked looking really worried because Minoru seemed to be upset with Yami. "I don't think my parents even knew about all this, I didn't even know."

"It means that someone in your family line may have committed a crime against us and it resulted in severed ties between your family and the gods. Typically in the past this would mean you were forbidden from training at any of the temples within the factions, but for the last century or so those rules have been adapting with the times. We all go through an initiation ceremony. If you pass, you are given back your connection and you can stay." Chunami explained and the other two were both looking at her intently.

"Chunami." Minoru snapped.

"Some people still have a prejudice against old ways." She said glaring at Minoru, but she spoke to Yami. "If the gods accept you to train here, then you can stay."

"We'll see what Daigo says when he returns." Minoru said looking away clearly unhappy about something.

"Enough you two." The woman who Minoru had referred to as Uba said. She was an older lady but she wore her hair up and fashioned like the ladies in town would when they were going out to the fancier parties. "The boy said he deviated from his family years ago, if he himself truly is of pure mind and heart than its probably best he left as a child, any influence wouldn't have been permanent."

"That's what he says." Minoru mumbled.

"The girls mind says its true yes?" Uba asked.

"The girl has hardly any knowledge of the boy. They met only days ago." He argued back and I looked to Yami because there was nothing I could say or do to save him. They could read my mind and see my thoughts so it wasn't like I could lie for him like I had before on the train.