Disclaimer: all characters and locations unless featured in the Teen
Titans show or otherwise, are property of Mr. Bigg.
LOCATION: Somewhere in the lofty peaks of China's southwest mountains...
The elder sage darted into the courtyard and the boy pursued.
It was a lush, forest-themed plot with long grass and thick-trunk evergreens. The boy strode slowly into the uninviting darkness created by the overhanging branches. As he walked, unseen birds chirped from their perches. Below his sandaled feet, dead needles hissed as the boy treaded on them. He came to a clearing, formed by a ring of ancient pines that groaned in the wind.
The boy glanced at the murky darkness around him. Wherever the elder sage was, he was not showing himself.
The boy, realizing his eyes were useless in the dark, took a meditative stance. He stood for maybe fifteen minutes as he breathed less and less.
Soon, the world around him changed. Everything, every sound, smell, and feeling, assaulted his sense with blinding clarity. Regardless of the sensations, he forced his mind to maintain focus.
Soon, the boy's mind reached its zenith. In the moments to come, he was no longer the boy. Rather, he saw as the trees, the fallen pine needles, the birds, even as the wind. Through these eyes, he saw his goal. He had found his master.
Returning to his original form, the boy calmly walked through the woods, stopping at the base of a particularly old tree. He gazed up at the trees' lofty boughs, his gazed returned by the pleased expression of his yellow- robed master.
"You have done well to find me. But the test is only half over. Come!" The elder sage beckoned, leaping to the ground and running out of the courtyard. The boy knew that despite his master's age, his strength and speed were deadly.
The boy followed his master to the large plaza in front of the monastery's main temple. The elder sage slowed his dash to a leisurely walk, greeting fellow monks as they hustled and bustled to places they were needed. The boy came to a stop besides his master, and was puzzled with his master's behavior. Had the elder sage led him out here to greet others of the order?
Soon, the plaza was devoid of anyone, save the boy and his master. "The world is nice today, isn't it?" The elder sage asked his pupil. The pupil opened his mouth to reply, only to dodge an attack. The boy back flipped, landing countless feet away.
The stones where the boy once stood shattered from the elder sage's blow. While the boy was shocked, his master wasted no time in preparing his next attack. The boy dodged every attack with grace, though it took all of his effort to do so. The elder sage kept his attacks coming, and the boy soon realized he would have use more than defense to get through the fight.
The boy dashed to the far side, of the courtyard, placing enough distance between his master and himself to take an offensive stance.
"RAGH!" The elder sage roared, charging his pupil. The boy bellowed his own war cry, preparing to strike as well. The boy grunted, feeling his master plant a solid blow in his stomach. HE smiled however, as he scored some hits on the elder sage's neck.
The pair separated, each nursing his wounded area. The master bowed, signaling a temporary truce, and walked over to a nearby weapons store. He produced a wicked looking broadsword, adorned with a crimson-violet tail.
"You have passed this portion. Now select your weapon!" The master said in a gruff tone.
The boy calmly strode to the weapons closet and selected his favored weapon- a red handed naginata. The boy cut the air a few times, getting a sense of the weapon's balance. He then faced his master, ready to conclude the battle.
The master ran once at the boy once more, decreasing the naginata's attack radius. The boy successfully managed to parry all of the blows, but growled in pain as he felt the sword's hilt slam into his back. The boy rammed the pole end of his weapon into the ground and vaulted over his master's head, landing on the far side of the plaza. The master smiled at the boy's tactic, but prepared himself for one more attack.
The boy watched as his master took a new stance, one that he knew would result in his loss. The boy prepared himself as the master took aim.
The master and the pupil ran towards each other, hearts racing, blood pounding in their ears, each prepared for what would be the final strike. As the master swung his sword, the boy leapt behind him, slamming the pole end into the master's back, leaving the old man sprawled on the plaza stonework.
Though the blow could have easily disabled a normal man, the elder sage stood, laughing robustly. "Very good, young one. You have passed this test," the old man said kindly, patting his pupil's shoulder.
"Thank you, master. Does this mean I will be accepted into the order?" The boy asked, anticipating a promising response.
The benevolent grin on the master's face waned. "I am sorry. You cannot be allowed to join the order," The elder sage replied sadly.
The boy furrowed his brow. He knew the order's traditions. He knew that by passing the trials, he proved himself as a competent brother. "But I have passed the test, just as every other one here has. What else must I do to prove myself?" The boy asked.
"Proving yourself is not the problem. You have proved yourself many times over in my eyes. We elders never intended for you to be accepted. Your path is a different one," The elder sage replied.
"My... path?" the boy asked.
"Yes, young one. The time has come for the other elders and me to have a discussion with you. Come," The master beckoned, walking into the main temple. The boy hesitated for a second, then followed.
LOCATION: Somewhere in the lofty peaks of China's southwest mountains...
The elder sage darted into the courtyard and the boy pursued.
It was a lush, forest-themed plot with long grass and thick-trunk evergreens. The boy strode slowly into the uninviting darkness created by the overhanging branches. As he walked, unseen birds chirped from their perches. Below his sandaled feet, dead needles hissed as the boy treaded on them. He came to a clearing, formed by a ring of ancient pines that groaned in the wind.
The boy glanced at the murky darkness around him. Wherever the elder sage was, he was not showing himself.
The boy, realizing his eyes were useless in the dark, took a meditative stance. He stood for maybe fifteen minutes as he breathed less and less.
Soon, the world around him changed. Everything, every sound, smell, and feeling, assaulted his sense with blinding clarity. Regardless of the sensations, he forced his mind to maintain focus.
Soon, the boy's mind reached its zenith. In the moments to come, he was no longer the boy. Rather, he saw as the trees, the fallen pine needles, the birds, even as the wind. Through these eyes, he saw his goal. He had found his master.
Returning to his original form, the boy calmly walked through the woods, stopping at the base of a particularly old tree. He gazed up at the trees' lofty boughs, his gazed returned by the pleased expression of his yellow- robed master.
"You have done well to find me. But the test is only half over. Come!" The elder sage beckoned, leaping to the ground and running out of the courtyard. The boy knew that despite his master's age, his strength and speed were deadly.
The boy followed his master to the large plaza in front of the monastery's main temple. The elder sage slowed his dash to a leisurely walk, greeting fellow monks as they hustled and bustled to places they were needed. The boy came to a stop besides his master, and was puzzled with his master's behavior. Had the elder sage led him out here to greet others of the order?
Soon, the plaza was devoid of anyone, save the boy and his master. "The world is nice today, isn't it?" The elder sage asked his pupil. The pupil opened his mouth to reply, only to dodge an attack. The boy back flipped, landing countless feet away.
The stones where the boy once stood shattered from the elder sage's blow. While the boy was shocked, his master wasted no time in preparing his next attack. The boy dodged every attack with grace, though it took all of his effort to do so. The elder sage kept his attacks coming, and the boy soon realized he would have use more than defense to get through the fight.
The boy dashed to the far side, of the courtyard, placing enough distance between his master and himself to take an offensive stance.
"RAGH!" The elder sage roared, charging his pupil. The boy bellowed his own war cry, preparing to strike as well. The boy grunted, feeling his master plant a solid blow in his stomach. HE smiled however, as he scored some hits on the elder sage's neck.
The pair separated, each nursing his wounded area. The master bowed, signaling a temporary truce, and walked over to a nearby weapons store. He produced a wicked looking broadsword, adorned with a crimson-violet tail.
"You have passed this portion. Now select your weapon!" The master said in a gruff tone.
The boy calmly strode to the weapons closet and selected his favored weapon- a red handed naginata. The boy cut the air a few times, getting a sense of the weapon's balance. He then faced his master, ready to conclude the battle.
The master ran once at the boy once more, decreasing the naginata's attack radius. The boy successfully managed to parry all of the blows, but growled in pain as he felt the sword's hilt slam into his back. The boy rammed the pole end of his weapon into the ground and vaulted over his master's head, landing on the far side of the plaza. The master smiled at the boy's tactic, but prepared himself for one more attack.
The boy watched as his master took a new stance, one that he knew would result in his loss. The boy prepared himself as the master took aim.
The master and the pupil ran towards each other, hearts racing, blood pounding in their ears, each prepared for what would be the final strike. As the master swung his sword, the boy leapt behind him, slamming the pole end into the master's back, leaving the old man sprawled on the plaza stonework.
Though the blow could have easily disabled a normal man, the elder sage stood, laughing robustly. "Very good, young one. You have passed this test," the old man said kindly, patting his pupil's shoulder.
"Thank you, master. Does this mean I will be accepted into the order?" The boy asked, anticipating a promising response.
The benevolent grin on the master's face waned. "I am sorry. You cannot be allowed to join the order," The elder sage replied sadly.
The boy furrowed his brow. He knew the order's traditions. He knew that by passing the trials, he proved himself as a competent brother. "But I have passed the test, just as every other one here has. What else must I do to prove myself?" The boy asked.
"Proving yourself is not the problem. You have proved yourself many times over in my eyes. We elders never intended for you to be accepted. Your path is a different one," The elder sage replied.
"My... path?" the boy asked.
"Yes, young one. The time has come for the other elders and me to have a discussion with you. Come," The master beckoned, walking into the main temple. The boy hesitated for a second, then followed.