TBATE - Lightseeker

It has been years since Master Lumen took me in. Yet even after all these years, I could never forget why.

After the death of my parents, watching them slaughter my father and his friends, watching them do unspeakable things to my poor mother, and being thrown off of that cliff, Master took me in. He raised me like a son. His son...

"Are you finished daydreaming, child?" Master Lumen called. " Come, food is ready."

"Yes, Master" I trotted along the rough stone ground, gazing at the bright yellow trees climbing the walls of the cave, the gorgeous blue, almost clear, shallow river that flowed gently through the middle providing water for the small wildlife. I watched the animals prance and fly around their habitat, reminding me this place wasn't mine to call home. As I neared the table where Master, with his same passive expression on his face, his gorgeous yellow eyes that seemed to almost burn in the small amount of natural sunlight this cave got and his yellow-ish blonde hair that hadn't changed since the day he found me, sat feeding a small furry creature no bigger than my head, a beautiful yellow butterfly landed on my nose. "This again?" I complained. " What else is there to eat? Not much, that's what." Master replied flatly. "Now eat, I have something for you after you finish." We ate in a comfortable silence, watching the animals of the cave and listening to the chirping of the birds. This cave was large, but it would not sustain us forever. There is only so much in here that is edible for humans.

I wonder if Master remembers it's my birthday... It's been exactly 3 years since the incident making me 8 now. This cave has kept me warm for 3 years, I guess that's something for celebration. Master Lumen finished his food before me and began to walk off with a cough. "Come find me when you..*cough*..finish." 

I finished my food minutes later and walked to the open field filled with yellow flowers of all shapes and sizes. "What is it you wanted to show me?" I asked, tilting my head slightly at him.

"Sit down, I have quite the decision to give you...

You remember what I taught you about mages, correct?" He asked seriously

"I do" 

"Good. As you likely know, you would have never been a mage. Neither of your parents were mages, and it's unlikely for a 'commoner' to be a mage regardless. So, I have a proposition for you." He looked into my eyes with seriousness I have never seen him have. He wasn't necessarily a goofy man, but neither was he particularly stern. "What if I told you I had a way to forcibly make you a mage - of sorts - with a restriction." 

"I wouldn't believe you. Everyone knows forced awakenings are impossible. But if, if, it was possible... how would you do it? And what is this 'restriction'?" I asked him, my curiosity obvious.

"I can impart my will and physiology upon you, therefore making you inherit my will, power, and body. The restriction is that you will only be able to wield my race's unique 'element' of sorts, meaning you will never awaken the ability to wield Wind, for example." He responded, gauging my reaction. "You will awaken a mana core - like all other mages - however it will contain my two unique elements, and only those two. Don't worry, they aren't weak or anything." He chuckled softly.

"Your race? What do you mean by 'race'? You're human like me, no?" I questioned, both doubting him and eager to be proven wrong.

"No, dear boy. Watch." After he said this, he transformed into a shroud of yellow light and stunning yellow - almost white - blazing embers. He grew two sets of fiery wings, one large extending from his upper back, and a smaller set from his lower. A halo-like crown of golden energy shone above his head and he levitated a meter or so off the ground in front of me.

"I am a Lightseeker." He announced proudly, his voice seeming more profound and wise than ever before.

What the.... how is he doing that? He's really not human!?..

"I wish to give you my Lightseeker powers and body, so that you may fulfill a mission I could not. I will be honest with you, child. I am old. Far older than you probably think I am, and I will not live much longer. Come, let me clutch thee." I did as he asked and walked closer. He extended his hand and touched my solar plexus. Within seconds a searing pain hit me like a carriage collision. "Aargh! What the hell are you doing!?" He only continued. The pain, already unbearable seemed to only get worse until completely vanishing as though it was never there mere moments later.

"There, it is a success. You now have my radiant magic and a 'Heart of the Sun." He said calmly. " A what?" I asked. "A Heart of the Sun, or a Radiant Heart. It has a few names. It is what me and my kin use to wield magic of the Sun domain. Look inward, as if looking through your chest. You will see it."

I closed my eyes and imagined looking at myself. A warm presence was beckoning me and I followed it to my chest. A blazing bright yellow flame encompassed my heart as though it were threatening to set fire to my body. " I think I see it... What does it do?" 

"Think of it like a mana core. It will let you channel mana through your body, but only Radiant element mana. Come, I will show you how to use it."

I followed behind him as he led me to the training ground - a clear patch of grass Master has been training me in basic swordsman-ship and spearman-ship for the last 3 years. As we walked he explained, " We Lightseekers are cousins of the Phoenix. We are a fallen and ancient race of light and Holy Flame elementals that have been banished from the Holy Land and have declined in number. Our archnemesis, The graceless Basilisks, have been hunting us one by one whilst we hide." We reached our destination and he began his lesson.

"Watch closely." He formed a blinding yellow sabre of light in his right hand, and a spear of white-hot flames in his left. He slammed the bottom of the spear into the ground and tendrils of light grew out, growing into a small tree of branches thin and sharp.

W-woah.. So this is magic!

He unconjured his weapons, brought his right hand up above his head and slashed down at me, a disc of light was sent flying at me before I had time to even recognise it had formed, impaling itself with a resounding thud in the cave wall behind me. Finally, he raised his left hand forward and to the ceiling, and tens of swords, greatswords, axes and spears all rained down around me.

"I-incredible.." I could barely speak I was so amazed. I was frozen in place by his show of greatness. "How did you do that!?" I shouted.

"You can do it too. Follow my instructions." He told me to guide the warm energy within me and extend it out of my body. "Now imagine forming a spear in your hand." I guided the golden mana outward from my palm and opened my eyes to see a shining spear roughly 80cm in my palm. "I did it!"

"Good. Now try something a little more difficult." He jumped, or rather flew, back before landing gently on the ground. "Throw the sword at me." I got into stance to throw the spear toward him, I let go of it and in less than a second it shattered without even reaching a third of his distance. "What happened?" I spoke with a tinge of obvious disappointment. "You need to control the mana in the spear the whole time. Again." 

I did as told and threw a second spear, this time concentrating on controlling the spear's form as it flew. It almost reached his position, falling less than a meter or two from his position. " Much better. Again." He instructed firmly.

My third attempt closed in on his position, and as it was mere inches from his chest, he conjured his own dagger and deflected it, sending it flying into a corner of the cave.

"Third times a charm." I smiled brightly, obviously very proud of myself. "Nice work, kid." He praised, like a proud father to his son." "Now, I have much to tell you. Come." He beckoned my back to the dinner table and we both sat down."

"The Lightseekers are cousins of the Phoenix race. We both wield the Holy Flames, but they do it differently. While the Lightseekers do have healing capabilities, it is mostly for small wounds and ailments only. We cannot regrow limbs like the Phoenix can. We *cough* *cough* do however have far stronger offensive capabi- *cough*" 

"Master! Are you alright?" He never used to cough this much. At most once or twice a day, but recently it has picked up. Is he really dying? 

"Yes, boy, I'm fine. Anyway, back to what I was saying. We have far greater offensive capabilities and physical prowess." He went on to explain all of the main Light and Holy Flame attacks and defences to bring me up to speed. "My time is coming to an end, child, I can feel my light extinguishing.. Let me give you one last boon." He pressed his hand to my heart again and the excruciating pain hit me again. The fire around my heart burned even brighter and I felt the warmth of the Sun surge through my veins. After the pain subsided and he removed his hand, I checked my Radiant Heart again and saw a rune-like symbol within the flames. It was hard to distinguish, as though it was both there and not. "There you go, kid, I have given you my will." He spoke weakly as if the simple task of speaking was too much for him. As he spoke, he turned into white and yellow embers which turned into nothing.

"Happy Birthday, and congratulations on your Awakening, Solis." He spoke with profound wisdom and pride. An emotion in his voice I had never heard before. Longing. "It was a pleasure to raise you these past 3 years." His voice resounded within my very being as he faded into less than ash, like a burning piece of parchment.

"Master Lumen!" I cried, wiping a tear from my eye threatening to fall. "What's happening!?"

"This is what happens when Lightseekers die. I am without a will. It is yours now." He spoke as he disappeared. Vanishing, never to return. I sat on my knees trying to grasp at the rapidly fading embers he left behind as I cried in mourning for my Master and father figure. I looked toward the pond to my right, my yellow hair catching the light in the lively cave. I studied my reflection. My eyes, formerly a deep ocean blue, were now a bright yellow like a projection of the Sun itself, and my hair had changed from a solid brown to a light yellow. "I look like Master Lumen... Is this what he meant by 'giving me his body' ?" I don't mind it. I think I'm quite the handsome young boy if I so say so myself. 

I can't stay here. I must leave and grow stronger..." 

"Hello, Solis..." Master Lumen's voice reverberated within my head, his voice sounding right next to me yet endlessly far away. "Master, you're alive-"

"If you're listening to this, it means I have fully passed on from this world. I have left this message for you. My full name is Lumen Gwyndolin, High Priest of the Sun. For the past 371 years, I have been hiding out in various caves across this continent - Dicathen - hiding from the graceless Basilisks who have been hunting us, as well as the Phoenixs, since the day we were banished from the Holy Land. I will not tell you the name, I'm sure you will find out eventually, but I'll call it God Valley. Don't worry, contrary to what the nickname we give it would suggest, we are not true Gods. We still bleed. My death is proof of that. By inheriting my will, you have in essence become the Prince of the Lightseekers. I was not from the royal Lychinus family, but I was the last Lightseeker, so I guess that makes me the prince. I will not force you to avenge my- our kin and destroy the Basilisks. You are free to live the joyous life you deserve. In this message, I will leave information about additional spells, as well as how to achieve different states of my will. Good luck in life, my child..."