Chapter 2: Mistakes and Training

Six years passed as Koran began the job of parenthood towards the young cub. Toilet training was the first of the many things he had to teach Lloyd, especially since Koran had no desire to spend time changing and washing cloth diapers. Thankfully for the Koran, the bear seemed to retain a bit of his instincts from when he was a normal animal and the training was relatively easily accomplished which meant that he was able to teach his adopted son more crucial things, such as: how to read, how to write, and especially how to defend himself.

As early as his third birthday, Lloyd had taken an interest in being trained physically in martial arts and swordplay, albeit the swords they trained with were made of wood. Koran had to admit that his son had a talent for both the sword and martial arts and for three years Lloyd began to build up both the strength and skill that he would need it the years to come. Lloyd was not very tall, only a foot tall when he was first found and barely 2 feet tall when he was five

However when Lloyd was six, something happened that changed his life forever. It occurred after one particularly strenuous day of training in the summer while both Koran and Lloyd were settling down to sleep. Koran kept a small shelf of books in the back of the cave where they lived, Lloyd was not allowed to take the books down himself but Koran would usually provide him with one or two to read or learn from in order to further what little education he could get while living in a cave. Earlier that day before they had begun their training Lloyd had watched Koran putting away one of the books he had been reading earlier that day and accidentally jar a strange book loose and Lloyd found himself staring at it. It was primarily red with gold coloured triangular plated on two corners of each of the covers and gold coloured patterns on the front, and what really drew his attention was the image of large, winged, maneless lion wearing armour on his head and shoulders that covered most of the front cover. Lloyd felt strangely drawn to this book but he couldn't get any more of a look at it as Koran was able to pick it up and shove it back on the shelf before he and Lloyd began their training.

Now Lloyd was lying awake on a bed of moss with a crudely made, but warm, blanket across him, unable to sleep with the book and its strange nature calling to him. All he was really waiting for was to be absolutely certain that Koran was fast asleep, as he had learned long ago that his father was a rather light sleeper. He waited for quite some time before he was sure that he wouldn't wake up Koran, then he carefully climbed out from under his blanket and carefully crept back into the cave, feeling along the wall as he had no source of artificial light other than the full moon that shone slightly into the cave through the several holes in the roof that let both fresh air and sunlight in during the day, not as well as artificial lighting would but enough to see far back enough to reach the storage area.

When the young bear finally reached the bookshelf, he was astounded to see that part of the bookshelf was glowing, glowing brightly enough in fact that he didn't need to guide himself along the wall and was able to approach the shelf and reach for the glow, which by a strange coincidence was the very book he was looking for. He took the book down and found that it was held shut by a small clasp, with a lock and keyhole. Lloyd became downcast at that moment as Koran probably had the key to the book on his person, and trying to steal something from Koran Terada was essentially suicide, even while he was asleep.

Lloyd was just about to give up and go back to bed when there was a bright flash and the lock suddenly came undone. The bear carefully opened the front of the book, except he found that it wasn't really a book at all. There were no real pages but instead the insides of the book was a solid mass of paper with a large rectangular hole cut into it in which sat a large stack of cards. Lloyd reached in and carefully picked up the top card of the deck, the card had a large image of a woman on the front (he knew about women as Koran had shown him images in some of the books and had once gotten him close enough to a small campsite in order to observe a family camping), the woman had large wings and several ribbons around her body. Lloyd looked at the base of the card as he stood up, still hoding the book, and spoke aloud.

"This card, it feels somehow, alive, but how?" he read the two words that were written across the bottom of the card, "The Windy?" At that moment a bright blue light formed around his feet in the shape of a strange glyph, looking like a multi-beamed sun with a small moon emblem in a rather large ring. Lloyd had almost no time to be amazed as suddenly a massive windstorm brewed around his feet, creating a large tornado that erupted straight up around him. Lloyd was preoccupied with keeping his footing so he didn't notice at first that the cards were beginning to be swept up by the wind storm, turning into bright energy and flying through the solid ceiling before being dispersed to somewhere unknown, slowly at first but picking up speed. By the time Lloyd did notice there were so few cards left in the book that he was determined to save at least some of them so he let The Windy go, allowing it to escape as well, and used all his strength to force the book shut and lock it, managing to keep five of the cards from escaping.

Lloyd's slight thrill at having been able to shut the book was mixed with worry both for possibly letting some valuable possessions of his father escape and the even greater fear of being discovered and punished, the last of those fears was immediately realized when he heard Koran's voice form behind him.

"Lloyd, what have you just done?"

Koran has been awakened by the slight magical pulse when Lloyd accidentally unlocked the book and had gotten to his adopted son just in time to see the cards start to fly away and was forced to hang onto an outcropping on the cave wall for support and now stood aghast at what had just happened.

Lloyd was backing away slowly, a look of fear and guilt on his face, while holding the book tightly. Koran sighed and spoke in a calm voice.

"Lloyd, please don't be afraid, I am a bit disappointed that you took something from my bookshelf without asking but I assume you that what has happened tonight was destined to happen, please come here." Koran's voice was so reassuring that the bear's fears of any dreadful punishment were immediately dismissed and he ran crying to his father's arms.

"Father," he said in between sobs, "I'm so sorry *sniff* I saw the book when you dropped it earlier and I *sniff* felt like it was calling to me. I didn't mean to lose your precious cards, please I'm so sorry." Koran hugged Lloyd tightly, as if to reassure him that everything was going to be alright as his son's tears stained his clothes.

"Lloyd, we will talk about this tomorrow, just go back to sleep and take the book with you." Lloyd wiped his eyes clean and nodded before walking ashamedly back to his bed. Koran stood pondering this development for a moment.

"So it appears that my son is the chosen one, he was able to open the book when no one in my family had been able to until now. Now I am certain that he was the reason I was brought here. What's this?" he knelt down to find a strange amulet lying on the ground, it was a pink string with a small key attached that had a bird's head.

"The key, so it was inside the book the entire time. I will instruct him tomorrow so he can perform his duty." Koran then retired, noting that Lloyd had set the book next to his bed and was apparently fallen asleep as soon as had lain down to rest. Koran couldn't help but smile at his son as he slept as he lay down as well.

"I'm sure you can do this Lloyd, I have faith in you."

The next morning after they had eaten their breakfast, Lloyd sat on a rock in front of their cave with Koran stranding across form him. The book from the previous night was on Lloyd's lap as he sat, still looking a bit ashamed of himself. Koran smiled and walked over to him, sitting down on the same rock.

"Don't be afraid, Lloyd, what happened last night was meant to happen, and now I must tell you the story of Clow Reed." Lloyd's eyes changed from shame to fascination as his father spoke to him.

"Over 500 years ago, there existed a man named Clow Reed, he was my ancestor and he possessed a gift, the ability to channel magic through his body. He was a great sorcerer and he was able to use his powers to create several artefacts by harnessing the rampant elements of the world in order to allow people to progress. He bound the most rampant elements and several others of his own creation in the form of Cards known as the Clow Cards and used them to live on his own in order to make his life mostly in solitude more bearable. Before he died, he sealed the cards in that book you have with you, The Book of the Clow which he sealed keeping anyone from opening it, even those in his family, and he left a prophecy that has been passed down in our family for generations. 'I may be gone soon, but one day someone will appear who can break the seal and will be destined to be the master of the Clow Cards after he faces tests to prove his worth.'" Lloyd was in awe at what his father had told him, and Koran smiled at him.

"Lloyd, my son, you are that chosen one, it is your destiny to be master of the Clow Cards and the first test you must face is to capture the Clow Cards yourself. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do," Lloyd said, "so what are you going to teach me?"

"I'm going to teach you how to harness the magical power inside of you so you can go after the cards yourself, now come, first I must teach you how to extend your magical power into the real world." Lloyd dropped the book on his seat and followed Koran to their usual training grounds, especially happy now that his disobedience was not given a punishment, but rather with something he would be able to use in the future.