Abyssal (ManxMan)

Ready

Ready

Kai entered a gigantic hall in the center of Erasmus' castle. Here, he was going to train and learn how to master his power from this day onward. The hall was cold and smelled of dust. There were no jellyfish chandeliers -or jellyliers for short as he now liked to call them- on the ceiling. Instead, large purple braziers hanging from the stone columns holding the ceiling up lit the massive space, casting an eerie purple light all over the large square stone tiles lining the floor. Kai noticed that the stone was stained a dark red in some spots.

The double doors he'd entered through magically closed with a decisive thud.

He turned around and faced Erasmus with a raised chin, squared shoulders and fisted hands. Let's begin," he said with a determination he hadn't felt in a long time, if ever. He was resolved to master this power bestowed upon him against his will -and without even his knowledge for most of his life.

It was about damned time, and there was no other choice.

Hakan needed him.

"Not so fast, my Prince."

Kai lifted a questioning eyebrow at his tutor, slightly annoyed by the proverbial wrench lodged into the iron-clad wheels of his resolve.

"We must lay down some ground rules, first." Erasmus looked apologetic, but this seemed to be something he would not relent on. He looked equally resolved.

"Rules?" Kai echoed dubiously. "What kind of rules?" No hitting below the belt? No eye gouging?

"Rules for our protection."

Kai simply stared. 'Our' seemed like a stretch; the Spirit would not allow any harm to befall Kai. Technically.

"I must admit these rules are more to protect me than to protect you. I'm well aware that you're... well-protected, but I'd like to survive your tutorship, your Highness."

Kai said not unkindly, "I'll be the one to decide that."

Erasmus flinched.

A few days ago, Kai would have immediately regretted his bluntness and would have rushed to soothe Erasmus' hurt feelings. The Kai of today would tell him to suck it up. These people -his people- had sucked out every ounce of kindness out of him until there was nothing left but a raw dullness. Erasmus and Ryodan now needed to understand and acknowledge that they were here to serve him and not the other way around, and that they were to never make a single decision for him ever again, especially one relating to his mother and Hakan.

If they ever overstepped these boundaries again, Kai would not only leave them to die, but he would kill them himself.

"State your rules." Kai commanded, his voice echoing in the hall.

The mage hesitated for only a second. "One," He held up a finger. "It's only ever you and me in these training sessions. No one else can be present, including your mother. She won't like what she'll see."

Kai nodded. Something told him that this wasn't going to be easy, or even pretty, so it was best that his mother didn't linger on the sidelines. She would only distract him.

"You listen to my instructions only. No one else's." Erasmus paused, inhaled, exhaled and then said, "Not even the Spirit of the Sea."

Deep inside Kai, the Spirit rumbled exactly like a dragon and his inner black pool rippled. Needless to say, the Spirit was unhappy by this particular rule. But, surprisingly, it did not protest.

Kai did. Frowning, he demanded, "Why not?" Considering it was a source of power and magic, wouldn't the Spirit be an excellent teacher, probably even more knowledgeable than Erasmus ever could be? It didn't make any sense why Erasmus would dictate such a thing.