"Initiate Disciple greets Sect Master," both boys recited.

　　She held a hand to her head, "Raise your heads. You`ve been speaking to me for years. My status being revealed changes nothing." Both boys stole a glance at one another before they raised up. Zelek rubbed a corner of his forehead where a small blue line had appeared. He gave the edge of the table a slight nudge in disgust.

　　"To what pleasure does Sect Master bless us with her presence?" Enril asked.

　　"To start, you took a precious object from the temple that I need back." She held a hand out.

　　"I thought treasures we found in the temple were ours to keep?" Zelek`s sarcasm was palpable.

　　"Yes, that`s correct. However, this specific treasure was not meant to be obtained, so I will be reclaiming it." She wagged a finger at Zelek.

　　Enril rustled in his pouch and produced the stone. Bright, blinding light emitted from it. "You mean this? I`m sorry if this is rude, but could you enlighten us as to what this is, Sect Master?" He placed the stone in her hand.

　　"This is a Radiant Stone. When meditating near it, you will notice an increase in the amount of riken you can absorb, especially if you`re familiar with circulating light-attribute riken. It also serves as a handy lantern." She smiled as she retracted her hand. Cradling the Radiant Stone like a child, Ying Yue stood and walked across the room to an ornate wooden box with golden trim on a shelf. She unlatched the hinge and placed the stone inside. As the box closed, the light faded. "Enril, you`ve incurred a loss, but I will compensate you."

　　"Sect Master is beyond generous, thank you." Enril bowed his head.

　　"Your reward will match Zelek`s, a voucher for one hundred pills for your clan, and your status will elevate from Initiate Disciple to Core Disciple." Enril thanked her with a half-bow. "Now, you two belong to the Foon Clan. No one was supposed to inform you, per the request of your Patriarch, but I think you have the right to know. The Phizen Clan is pilfering land from your clan. Your Patriarch and Elders have been attempting to stymie them, but they`ve only seen moderate success. It is not a question of if, but rather when the Phizen Clan will claim all that belongs to Foon."

　　Without hesitation, Zelek declared, "We need to reach the Expression Realm. Although I`m not familiar with the Phizen Clan, they must be formidable. Patriarch Xing is the sole Expressionist of our clan. If we were to return before reaching that realm, our impact on the battlefield would be negligible. We would tarnish the name of Foon and squander the resources invested in our growth." Zelek`s tone was calm, but his eyes blazed with determination.

　　"Seems you`ve wised up since meeting with Wantu." Ying Yue held up three fingers. "If you fail to reach the Expression Realm in three weeks, you may as well say goodbye to your clan and plan to rebuild in the future. We will have a discussion when you boys ascend. Whether that`s sooner or later than three weeks is up to you."

　　"Thank you, Sect Master." Both boys bowed and Ying Yue waved them off.

　　As the two were about to exit, "Oh, and keep those beads on your wrists until you ascend," she said. Both boys nodded.

　　"Three days remain& I`m starting to lose hope, Brother," Enril said, his fist buried in the dirt.

　　"We can`t give up. I can feel it, we`re close. Come on, let`s roll our Filters," Zelek urged, motioning Enril to the flat stone in the center of the yard first.

　　"I`m sorry, Brother. I just want to go back and help the clan. It`s torture to think of them while we sit here wasting time." Enril said as he took his seat, his Filter materializing overhead.

　　"Focus on that feeling, that yearning. Use it to will your Filter to roll high. What`s your highest value face after today`s stipend?" Zelek asked.

　　Enril`s Filter emitted a soft glow and started rotating at a rapid rate. "I have two faces at thirty-six, some between ten and thirty, and the rest are less than ten. What about yours, Brother?"

　　"Forty is my largest. The rest of my Filter is just like yours. If it wasn`t for my Reserve being larger, we`d be an exact match." Zelek pumped his fist. "If we can just ascend to the Expression Realm&"

　　"Here I go, wish me luck." Enril`s Filter rotated even faster and a gust of wind swelled around him.

　　"You don`t need luck, Brother, for I know you are blessed by Heaven. I believe in you." Zelek stood with his eyes transfixed on Enril`s spinning Filter.

　　Enril cleared his mind of all errant thoughts. He envisioned his clan`s territory. Desire burned in his heart, and he tried to fuel his Filter with it. He felt his Filter come to a halt, but the rush of riken didn`t follow. He opened his eyes to see Zelek scratching his head with a perplexed look. A crack of thunder rang out, and both their heads jerked skyward. Dark and angry clouds gathered, threatening to swallow the sky. Purple lightning rippled between clouds as rain and hail began to pelt the ground.

　　"Your goal is to withstand the assault for as long as possible. The longer you survive, the more benefits you`ll reap," Ying Yue said, appearing behind Zelek. She clasped her hands in silent prayer while observing the clouds.

　　Enril nodded to her and focused his riken, activating his StreamLine Stance. The first bolt of lightning dropped. He danced around the courtyard and garden, bolt after bolt, he evaded. The lightning ceased with a final, large bolt, but hail and ice spears replaced it. Enril fished a token from his pouch and poured his riken into it, producing a whip of wind. Before any projectile could reach them, he deflected or crushed them. In a short minute, the frigid projectiles ceased. Sweat grew on his brow as fatigue started to set in his muscles, though he had received no physical injury yet.

　　"You`re doing great, I believe in you, Brother," Zelek hollered across the courtyard. A warm pang shot through Enril`s heart as he prepared for the next obstacle. Vicious winds whipped and formed into a tornado that bee-lined at him.

　　"Two phases of the trial without damage, that`s impressive. I wonder how he`ll handle th-" Ying Yue froze as she watched Enril move over three hundred meters in a single step, straight into the eye of the tornado.

　　"He can utilize his Maneuver better than anyone I`ve seen. I hope my talent can match his," Zelek said.

　　Ying Yue`s mouth hung agape. While she had watched the two boys for years, she knew little of their behaviors. The most her knowledge extended to was that the two were inseparable since birth and held a talent not seen often in the Foon Clan.

　　The Foon Clan had never caught her attention, the most she knew was a tale of one member who left the Vale three decades ago. These two boys had changed her opinion, that there must have been hidden potential no one else saw. What intrigued her most though, was their relationship. Each boy thought they were the other`s inferior. They didn`t appear to hold disdain or jealousy, only a pure love of competing with the other.

　　She knew the Ten Heavens Council had taken a special interest in their generation as well. Enril and Zelek displayed many talents in the Boundless Temple. Zelek`s power and Reserve size overshadowed Enril`s, but Enril made up for it in utility and technical combat. Each boy held a unique advantage over the other, forming a perfect rivalry. In one hundred matches, she guessed Zelek would emerge victorious in fifty-one.

　　With a soft smile at Zelek, she directed her observation back to Enril. From within the tornado, he had begun to circulate his riken. Without warning, a bolt of lightning crashed down the center of the tornado. Enril managed to raise his arms for cover just in time, minimizing the damage. The tornado erupted into flames, obscuring Zelek`s vision of Enril. He jumped forward, but Ying Yue pulled him back. "What are you doing?" She asked.

　　"He`s in danger, I have to help him," Zelek said as he tried to wrench himself free from Ying Yue`s iron grip.

　　Her icy gaze penetrated Zelek`s heart. "No, you cannot interfere. If you did, Heaven would reject and crush him. He`d suffer a fate worse than death." She released her grip once he calmed himself. He stood, gnashing his teeth, as he waited for Enril to emerge.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it`s taken without the author`s consent. Report it.

　　The fiery tornado unraveled, revealing a new flame. Within the inferno, a golden glint caught Zelek`s eye, and a loud cheer escaped him.

　　"Not bad, three stages and minimal damage. There`s no doubt he has talent. The real question is how much farther can he go," Ying Yue pondered.

　　"How long does this go on for?" Zelek swallowed but felt a lump forming in his throat.

　　"It ends when the person is exhausted. This is known as Heaven`s Baptism. Heaven showers you with various attributes of riken. It`s an opportunity to demonstrate your resolve." Her voice trailed off as a new obstacle challenged Enril.

　　Enril resumed his dance amidst a fresh onslaught of icy spears and bolts of lightning. He thought it was trivial at first, but he learned otherwise as a bolt of lightning glanced off his enhanced arm. The lightning chased him, changing direction as he Maneuvered. Bitter winds began to accompany the strikes of lightning and icy spears. The wind graced his face and hands with small scratches. After deflecting a spear, he Maneuvered three times in succession, only to be caught off guard by an abrupt change in the ground`s slope. The ground had begun to take shape as four inclines rose from the ground. With him at the center, the lowest points, the ground threatened to swallow him whole as the slopes grew steeper. He searched for a gap, a crevice, anything that would allow him to escape. He groaned when he realized the only choice available to him. He set his feet on one slope and Maneuvered to the top. From the peak, he could see the entire sect and its surrounding areas. He was level with the peak of Mount Churei. Worry gripped his heart as he surveyed the devastation to the sect. He shook his head, resolving to address it later.

　　A sudden flash of light blinded him, and a resounding clang of metal disoriented him. He teetered on the sheer edge of the slope. His vision recovered just enough for him to orient himself, allowing him to slam his foot into the side of the wall of earth, and Maneuver straight at the ground. A fresh gust of wind slowed his descent as he reached the ground beneath the cliff edge. No sooner had he landed than another flash robbed him of his vision. Something solid struck his leg, then his arm, then his stomach. Each strike reverberated with a metallic clang.

　　Each time his vision would begin to recover, another flash robbed him of it. He attempted to Maneuver away, but without sight, he would crash. After ten attempts, he came to a halt. His white robe was torn and stained red. Shades of black and blue adorned his body. Enril fell to his knees. A large metal rod formed of riken crashed down from the sky, pinning him to the ground. He tried to push against the weight of the rod but found himself exhausted. The rod dissipated as he collapsed. The chaos of the Baptism faded, giving way to greenery as the scorched lands recovered and the ground leveled itself.

　　A column of radiant light beamed down upon Enril. His damaged flesh knitted itself whole, dark bruises faded back to his normal peach-toned skin, and his exhaustion dissipated. Upon regaining his strength, he felt a deep urge to meditate.

　　The riken of the world flooded his body, threatening to rupture his Reserve. His Stream overflowed as the riken rippled through it. Jolts of pain shot through him as the riken rushed through. In his heart, he did not panic, something told him this was necessary. Visions of his clan and Zelek flashed through his mind. Then he saw himself standing in front of them. If he didn`t endure this pain, how could he stand in front of them proud?

　　He invited the riken in, drawing it into himself faster than before. His Filter, which proudly displayed the number thirty-six since he rolled, shimmered with a final flash. Heaven`s Baptism ended, and his Filter returned to his body.

　　"Congratulations, Core Disciple Enril, you`ve reached First-Step Expression Realm. How do you feel?" Ying Yue offered a smile as she folded her arms. Zelek ran up behind her and bounced from foot to foot as he waited.

　　"Thank you, Sect Master, you`re too kind. I feel reborn. Has riken always felt like this?" Enril clenched and unclenched his fists. His skin seemed to have a slight light to it, as if something glowed from within.

　　"My turn!" Zelek exclaimed as he brandished his Filter. Enril and Ying Yue both looked at him, confused by his confidence. Before either could ask what he meant, his skin began to shimmer with enhancement. "Brother, you were so far ahead of me with mastery of your breathing. That`s the secret to entering the Expression Realm. My reward from the temple helped me understand this and showed me how far ahead you were. I need to join you in the Expression Realm for the sake of our clan. Wish me luck," Zelek said as his Filter began to spin.

　　"You don`t need luck, Brother. If I am blessed by Heaven, then you must be loved. I believe in you, just as you believe in me," Enril said just before Zelek`s Filter revealed his roll, a forty. As with Enril, the normal rush of riken was absent. "Where are the clouds?" Enril asked, gazing at the sky. A moment later, he felt the air quiver.

　　Ying Yue bit her lip as she looked around. She had heard rumors about the Baptism being different for each Seeker, but she hadn`t seen one take this long to begin. "Core Disciple Zelek, you will do your best to obey my command. Whatever happens during this, do not lose faith in yourself." She let out a heavy sigh before grabbing Enril and leaping back a kilometer.

　　"Sect Master, please, what`s happening? Will he be all right?" Enril struggled to free himself from her grip, but she held tight. A beam of light bright as the sun shot from the heavens and engulfed the field in flames. "No, no, no. Please, let me go help him," Enril begged.

　　"You two are the same, aren`t you? He wished the same when it was your Baptism. I will offer you the same choice. If you try to help him, he will suffer a fate worse than death," she said.

　　Enril swallowed, his throat dry, and looked to where Zelek had been standing. The column of light faded, and Zelek`s figure came into view.

　　He stood, crouched but slumped, his arms overhead for cover. The upper half of his robe had evaporated from his body. His arms were twisted to unnatural angles and charred. His legs wobbled as he took one step forward. One foot after the other, he continued forward. Blades of ice formed and attacked, but no contact was made with his body.

　　"Heaven will have to try harder than that. That technique is pure brilliance." Enril pumped a fist into the air.

　　Ying Yue let out a small giggle, wondering what technique could be so profound as to instill Enril with such confidence? She turned back to observe.

　　Wire-thin threads of riken defended Zelek from the icy onslaught. With each blade`s strike, a new thread formed to his defense. He defended from this assault for three minutes before it ceased.

　　"I`m impressed by his resolve. For how exhausted he is, I wouldn`t be surprised if he had collapsed after that first strike," Ying Yue commented.

　　Zelek took another step, searching for the next attack, but none came. His body began to feel heavy. Each step was more laborious than the last. Though his Reserve still had a quarter left, he felt slow. Another step, and he collapsed. His body dug into the dirt as if an invisible weight pressed on his back. He tried to inch forward by pushing with his legs and sliding across the dirt.

　　Enril`s eyes darted from Zelek to Ying Yue and back. "When can we help him? He`s battered and bloody."

　　"On the path of a Seeker, one must persevere regardless of their condition. Whether he realizes this truth or not, he`s living it," she said.

　　Enril locked his gaze back to Zelek and said a silent prayer as he watched.

　　Pain shot through Zelek`s broken arms every time he inched forward. Seconds felt like minutes. At last, the pressure let up and he was able to move unrestrained. As Zelek struggled to his feet, he sighed in relief. As soon as he stood upright, lightning cascaded down from the cloudless sky. With a grace more divine than Enril`s StreamLine Stance, he weaved through the bolts. Tridents of ice soon followed. Heaven was forcing Zelek to make split-second decisions. Should he allow the lightning to strike or the trident? With each decision, a new wound would appear on his body. After ten steps, he was a bloodied mess. With a final roar, Zelek collapsed.

　　The Baptism was complete.

　　"I must say, you two are enigmas. To possess such resolve and tactical insight at your age," Ying Yue remarked as she landed next to Zelek with Enril in tow. Enril watched and waited as a beam of light shone from Heaven, making Zelek whole again. Once recovered, Zelek sat and meditated, just as Enril had.

　　By harnessing the world`s riken, Zelek`s skin gained the same hue as Enril`s. He opened his eyes and looked at Enril, "I can`t say I enjoyed the process, but it`s shown me how much harder I have to work," he said.

　　Enril looked to Zelek with teary eyes and said, "Brother, you know what this means, right?"

　　Zelek stepped forward and embraced Enril. Choking back tears, Zelek said, "We can join our clan as proud warriors and help." He released the embrace. "We shouldn`t waste any more time, let`s go."

　　Ying Yue stepped in front of the two. "Not so fast. Another part of the process remains. You both have your beads, correct?" Both boys held up their wrists. "Hold the bead in your hand and infuse it with riken," she said. The boys did as they were told and the beads glowed bright. They shed their metallic appearances and turned to pure white. As the beads drew in the riken, they began to shift and warp. Zelek`s altered itself into the shape of a katana, while Enril`s split in half to form two rods. "That`s an interesting result." Ying Yue stared at Enril`s twin rods.

　　"Is something wrong? Zelek`s resembles a weapon, but mine is just two sticks?" Enril asked, holding a small rod in each hand.

　　"These golden beads were a special reward for your choices in the Boundless Temple. They are made of Expression Clay, a substance that, when infused with riken from an Expressionist, reveals a Tool that will match the Seeker. Zelek, your katana symbolizes you are swift, sturdy, sharp, and decisive. Enril, unfortunately, I`m unfamiliar with yours. The RikenSmith should be able to help." Ying Yue paused and waited for Enril`s questions, but none came. "A single staff is a versatile Tool, capable of creating or narrowing space. It represents unparalleled fluidity and awareness. However, the reason yours split into two is a mystery. Once the RikenSmith crafts them, they will become your Tools."

　　"Tools? Isn`t a katana a weapon?" Zelek asked.

　　"Yes, although they are weapons, you should not perceive them as such. In this realm, Seekers will refer to them as their Tools of Expression." Both boys oohed` at her. She tossed each boy a small wooden emblem. On them, a starry sky with a single mountain peak stretched above the clouds. "These are your Core Disciple badges. Wear them with pride. You are now permitted to leave the sect at your discretion, but entering the Outer Lands is only permitted for official business. Venturing into the Wild Lands is strictly prohibited. Do you understand?" Her expression grew dark as she waited. Both boys nodded. "Any questions?" The boys shook their heads in silence. "Let`s get your Tools so you can practice. I have it on good authority that you have forty-eight hours until you need to be present at your clan`s territory. You should make use of this time."