Mountain of The Moons • Book 1

Chapter 14

"Makio, stay a moment would you?" I heard as it was about to leave to meet Yami.

Jun was out of the temple so I didn't have tutoring. Jun was away with Minoru, but the reasoning wasn't very sufficient but I'm sure it was something private. Jun usually told me things but he had acted very weird about this one. I only wondered if this was about what had happened here a few days ago.

"Rumi go with Yori and Fiora." Uba directed as she saw Rumi stay by my side.

I looked to Rumi who I usually walked with to and from my classes since we had been partnered up. She looked to me with expectant eyes, but then nodded. She rushed after the two girls and I stayed back as the class left the room. It was a nice day out so I could feel a nice cool cross breeze coming through the open entrances.

Yami had also not been in classes the last few days so he was also not here in class. He claimed to have not felt well but he insisted that we still hang out after classes. He claimed it 'would make him feel better' so I wasn't sure how sick he really was. Though I had only seen him once in the last 2 or 3 days.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked her as most of the class was gone.

"No, not at all." She said with a soft smile as she walked over towards the shrine on the northern end of the room. "I wanted to ask you a few things if that is alright with you."

"Oh, of course." I said feeling a little nervous.

My performance in her class was all but disappointing recently. I knew I was struggling and Jun was trying his best to help me but something with me wasn't clicking. I was gathering the content with no problem but the actual practice itself was pitiful. I just didn't have the mental capacity or power to do all of this.

"Have you been well? Would you say you're comfortable here?" She asked me and my eyebrows furrowed as I watched her kneel in front of the shrine which was lit with candles at almost every hour of the day.

"Yes, very. It's lovely here." I said which was true enough. Even with everything going on seemingly in the background, I really enjoyed classes here.

Though it had only been maybe a month or 2, I had started to feel at home. I had made a few friends in my classes, I had started to develop serious feelings for Yami, and I had started to really take pride in my classes. Despite me struggling with this subject I had still learned a lot. The biggest shock for me was realizing that this was hardly the school I thought it was.

"I'm worried about your progress in my class, your other teachers have you as one of their strongest students given how little time you've had here. I know it's not for lack of effort but it is enough of a setback to have me concerned." She pointed out and I felt a heavy weight in my chest.

"I've been studying extra hard with Jun and he's trying his very hardest but something just isn't clicking." I said in a quiet voice.

"I don't doubt your efforts dear. Come, sit." She said and I joined her on the mat. She took a deep breath and her eyes closed. "I worry something deeper might be at hand."

"What do you mean?" I asked not understanding.

"Connecting with the spirits in itself isn't usually where my students struggle." She said as she looked up. "The spirits are always open to giving their strength and powers to their children it's learning how grow stronger and control it is where I expect to see a struggle. It's rare to see someone incapable of using their powers at all."

"I promise I'm trying." I said in a weak voice.

"Like I said, that much is clear. I'm worried about why you can't seem to access your powers." She said looking to me.