10 Leaf's Training II

Author's note: the name of Dahaka the Plumed One has been changed into Shahaka for storyline purposes. I'm sorry for the inconvenience but better now than later as names are important in Leaf's story ;).

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The sunrays were gently caressing Leaf's face, touching the drops of perspiration on his forehead and making it glitter, adorning the little boy's face with star-like shimmering.

Alar then spoke "A part from having to understand Ba'sar to harness its power there are principles and other rules you need to keep in mind. As you said, Ba'sar connects two or more entities and allows the user to pass some of the physical attributes of one entity to another. The more you understand Ba'sar, the more you understand the entities that you want to connect the more of their attributes you'll be able to transfer. Nevertheless, there are some fundamental rules in this world the prevent you from totally connecting the two entities, thus transofrming one into the other. You can also never connect two living entities. According to the most advanced research, living entities are too hard to even begin to truly understand so you can never connect to them with Ba'sar, not even in the slightest percentage. It's not only about biology, we do have some scan Ba'sar techiques that allow you to grasp the composition of an entity physically, it's about their hearts, their hopes and desires, their innermost fears. No Ba'sar can peek into the heart of another living creature, simple or complex.

Leaf's eyes were shining, marveling at the intricacies of Ba'sar. When hearing how Ba'sar's fundamental principle is related to connecting two entities, something seemed to click in his mind. Like a distant memory that he only grasped for an instant and then it was gone. He sat up and asked his brother

"Did you use Ba'sar against me just now?" Hopeful that he could recover a bit of his shame in seeing the dfference between him and his brother using Ba'sar as an excuse.

"Yes," He said while Leaf began to grin mockingly "To make the wall where you crashed softer. I connected it to the straw target you crashed into."

Leaf face turned blue from the shame.

"Don't worry," Said Alar "You need to focus on strengthening your fighting capabilities first. As for Ba'sar...it would be idea if you could activate it after the ceremony..." Alar's eyes became grim while saying this, perhaps thinking loudly without noticing.

"Let's resume our training." Said Alar as Leaf's expression fired up

"Yes!" Said Leaf.

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"Heylen, inform my husband that I have returned and that I request a meeting with him immediately." Said Rima while dismounting her horse.

"Yes, milady!" Responded readily Heylen while grinding his teeth looking at Lady Rima's injured face. Not an uncommon sight to him, but he could never get used to it. Heylen affection for the Akmar family ran deep, it was his father who saved him long ago and to Leaf he was a fatherly figure, giving him the affection that his stern father had not given him.

Heylen crossed the hallways and courtyards until he reached the entrance to the dean's tower. When entering he met Faruk and Baruk.

"Sir!" said the two.

"Faruk, Baruk. It's nice to see you. Is the Lord Elegon here? Lady Rima has returned." Said Heylen withwith a worried face.

"Yes," Said Baruk "he's been in the office the whole day. How did the meeting with the emperor..." Heylen then interrupted him.

"As usual. Please, act as normal as you can...even when you see her face." Heylen was biting hit fingers because of his anger.

"Did the emperor..." Faruk was interrupted by Baruk's glance "Yes sir." Said Faruk. Baruk nodded.

Heylen then took the elevator and entered the Elegon's office. Elegon was sitting on his usual spot with the papers in front of him but this time he did not ignore his visitor.

"Heylen," Elegon said raising his head and looking attentively to Heylen's expression to try and guess how the meeting went. "Not good news I guess."

"Sir!" Said Heylen while bowing "I am not aware of what the meeting was about as Asad asked all those who were present to leave them room. But, Lady Rima's face..."

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"Faruk, do you think the emperor hit Lady Rima again?"

"After all these times, don't you recognize Commander Heylen's expression?" Said Baruk.

"Is there nothing Lord Elegon can do?" Asked Faruk.

"This has started since little Leaf was born. But these latter months it has gotten worse. The coming ceremony emboldened the emperor for some reason..."

Baruk's and Faruk's expression suddenly changed, like deers sensing a nearby predator. Suddenly the whole academy shook violently, the epicenter being the dean's tower. What seemed like a violent earthquake reached the imperial palace.

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"W-What is going on!" "H-Help...!" "Guards, what's going on? Protect the emperor!"

Asad, who was sitting on his throne with his head held by his arm, opened his eyes.

"Calm down." He ordered with a calm and yet a roaring voice. "It will stop soon."

After a few minutes the earthquake stopped, and the throne room was hectic. The coward among the functionaries and bureaucrats who were there left with an excuse or another, while the imperial guards' captains ordered their underlings to get information of what had happened.

"Derik," Said Asad while looking at the imperial guards' chief "there's no need for that, it was Elegon and you know it."

Derik already knew that the earthquake was caused by an enormous release of Ba'sar and he recognized whose Ba'sar was that. Derik was out on a mission and when he got back, he was informed that Asad wanted to meet Lady Rima alone in the throne room. He was aware of Asad's violent impulses and knew that recently they had become more vicious and more frequent, but he dared not question his emperor's judgement in the least. Not to the emperor for whom he whom he would die. As for Asad, his face looked like that of a lion when noticing another of his species getting in his territory. It was the look of a predator; a predator who sensed danger.