10 A Mountain of Trials

Shimmerblade was encased in a green, bamboo sheath with the sword's name, spelled in the ancient language and painted in gold, on one side. The magical symbols that gave the sword its power were carved into its ivory hilt. Clutching it in both hands, Lotus stared for a long time at the magnificent weapon.

The others had already left and aged sorcerer sat alone in the empty meeting chamber, considering his situation. He had already committed himself to stopping Lupus, but could he do it? Even with the power of Shimmerblade, defeating the hunter would be a difficult task, but he didn't have any guarantee that he would even be able to wield the blade. Could he do the task without it?

He closed his eyes. What a bitter choice, he thought. As his thoughts drifted toward his granddaughter, his mind conjured up the memory of a cold day ten years ago. Even now, he saw it just as clearly as if it was happening again; it had been the only time that he had ever seen Lilly truly cry.

Her arm was in a sling that day, her collarbone dislocated from the head-on collision that had killed her parents. The both of them stood dry beneath his black umbrella as the rain poured over the cemetery. Throughout the procession, Lilly remained quiet, staring brokenly at the two caskets as if she had still been in shock. That night, he had held her close to him as her tears flowed unchecked down her soft cheeks until sleep at last took her. He could once more feel the dampness of her mourning on his clothes.

He couldn't bare the thought of forcing her to witness the death of a parent again. If he died, someone that they both trusted would take care of her, but the scars of loss would remain for many long years. Was really willing to risk that?

No, that's not right, he realized. It is for her that I must do this. It is for her future that I am willing to give my life. I must stop the hunter for her sake as well as for others.

Finally resolved in his path, Lotus closed his hand around Shimmerblade's smooth hilt. Giving a silent apology that his deceased son would never hear, he pulled on the blade.

For an instant, clouds filled the old man's head and he lost all sense of time or place. When he opened his eyes, the placid, gray walls of the council chamber had vanished. The ground beneath his feet was barren and rocky and reddish sand swirled about in the dry wind. Before him, a towering cliff reached up endlessly toward the starless sky.

Lotus's glanced about the wasteland. Where was he? He had never before seen any place like the one in which one he now stood. Why was the sky dark? It could have been no later than half-past noon. Suddenly, to the old man's horror, he realized that the sword was gone.

'If you wish to use my power,' a powerful voice declared, 'you must first overcome yourself.'

"What do you mean?" Lotus demanded, searching for the source of the voice. "Where am I?"

'Nowhere,' the voice replied. 'And everywhere. What you see before you are the crags of your consciousness. Every fear, every dream, every desire; they are all embodied in the stones that form this mountain. I will only grant my power to those who can conquer themselves. As you climb this mountain, your own fears and desires will try you. Overcome them and you will have earned my power.'

"Then you are Shimmerblade?" Lotus asked.

'Ascend to the peak. Rise above yourself and then you will understand.'

Lotus stared at the mountain for a long moment, his gaze slowly rising upward. He could only just see the top. He was supposed to climb a sheer cliff?

"I worry too much," he mussed, rubbing his neck, which had become sore from staring upward. "Oh, well. A journey of a thousand miles, as the saying goes."

Reaching out with his hand, he gripped onto a crack in the mountain, securing his feet on a small boulder, and began to pull himself up.

---

When Ash came out of the council chamber, Lilly and Brock were sitting on the sofa, chatting casually with each other while they watched Jeremy. The young boy was playing with Togepi, leaving his stuffed toy on the ground. Amelia followed shortly after Ash. Grabbing his doll, the toddler rushed to his mother and attached himself to her leg.

"Miss Amelia," Brock said as he rose to his feet. "Did you know that Jeremy is four years old? Not three, four years old."

Amelia chuckled. "He wasn't too much trouble, was he?"

"No, not at all," Lilly replied. "He's such a cute little boy."

"He doesn't say much," Brock added with a smile. "But he sure says it often."

Amelia laughed again. "That's my boy alright," she agreed. "Come on, Jeremy, it's time to go."

The two of them started toward the exit door, but stopped when she heard a voice call her name. Turning, she saw Carlos emerge from the council chamber, his head lowered pensively.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have said what I did in there. I was afraid that you would make the same mistake I did. I know how hard it is to have to sentence one of your own students, especially one that you really cared for. Forgive me for doubting you."

Amelia smiled empathetically. She laid her hands gently on his shoulders and shook her head.

"You only did what you thought was right," she said. "No one can fault you for what you did back then."

Carlos did not raise his eyes. Instead, he looked down on Jeremy, who stared back in wide-eyed curiosity. Kneeling down to the child's eye level, Carlos looked the boy in the face.

"You're lucky," he told the boy, "to have such a good mother. Did you know that?"

Jeremy eyed him equivocally for a moment, then, holding up one hand, profoundly replied, "I four years old."

Carlos laughed. "Yes," he agreed. "Yes, you are."

With a good-hearted smile, Carlos gave Jeremy a pat on the head, mussing the young boy's hair. Rising to his feet, he turned to Amelia.

"I have to be going now," he said. "Don't be afraid to ask me if you need anything. I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Thank you," Amelia replied with earnest gratitude.

Carlos nodded politely, then disappeared through the door. Amelia watched him leave, then turned to the others.

"Thank you again for watching Jeremy," she said. "And Lilly, tell your grandfather I wish him luck."

Lilly nodded. Jeremy hugging her leg, Amelia left.

Taking a seat in one of the reclining chairs, Ash removed his hat and scratched his head, giving a heavy and relieved sigh. He had never before felt as tense as he had during the council and now that it was completely over, he felt so relaxed that he couldn't find the strength to stand. Replacing his cap, he patted his pikachu on the head, then closed his eyes and leaned back.

Lilly stood by the entrance to the council chamber, tapping her foot impatiently. When Lotus didn't come out, she turned to Ash irritably.

"What's taking Grandfather so long?" she asked.

Ash's eyes suddenly popped open, recalling the instructions the old man had given him. Leaning forward, he reached into his pocket and withdrew two neatly folded pieces of paper.

"Lotus said he was going to be a while and to give these to you," he explained.

Lilly took them and unfolded the first one, quickly skimming its contents.

"It's a list of materials for a spell," she explained. "And a big spell at that. Excuse me," she turned to the clerk.

The clerk, who had been wiggling his pencil in two fingers to create the illusion of it being made of rubber, looked up at her with a start. His face adopting a slight reddish tone, he quickly put his pencil down. "Yes?"

Lilly handed him the list. "We need to get these spell ingredients," she requested. "And probably something to carry them in."

The clerk held a pair of reading glasses over his eyes as he looked over the paper a few times. Placing the list on his desk, he reached into the drawer and pulled out a large text and an inventory checklist.

"I'm not sure if we have all this," he said, scanning the records. He opened the book, licked his finger and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Oh, wow," he stammered, eyes wide. "You're grandpa's not leaving anything to chance, is he? Just a second, let me see what I can do."

The young man scurried out of the anteroom, leaving the others to wait. Lilly quickly unfolded the second paper and began reading. Startled by the contents, she carefully read the first line again. Ash watched, confused, as Lilly staggered backward and sat in the sofa. Lilly opened the note again and read slowly.

"To my most cherished granddaughter,

"I am writing this to you now because I may never see you again and there are still things that you must be told. Lupus must be stopped, or many people will die in the future. If it is not already too late, I may have found a way to stop him and so I am calling upon the power of the Celestial Sword, Shimmerblade, to aid me. If you are reading this, I will most likely have already begun the trial.

"You would not know this, but your father was not killed instantly, as your mother was. He died in the ambulance, only five minutes from the hospital. He was awake for all but the last few moments of it. Many things were said between us, most of which will remain secret between your father and I, but there was something that he wanted me to tell you when I felt the time was right.

"Your father was never upset with you or me. He feared that you would think this from the way he always acted toward me and he expressed this concern with me many times. He knew the dangers that would come from studying magic and he did not want to subject you to those dangers. That was why he and I never saw each other much when you were young. He asked me that I not encourage you one way or the other, but let you come to the decision on your own.

"I still remember that warm, summer day seven years ago; the day you made your choice. We were sitting on the porch together enjoying lunch. You turned to me and asked me to teach you. When I asked why you wanted to learn, you looked me in the eye and replied, 'Because I want to make people happy.' When you said that, I was so proud of you. After watching you grow from a little girl to a young woman, I'm still proud of you.

"I meant to tell you this long before now, but I could never find an appropriate time. Your father wanted you to understand that, regardless of which path you chose to take, he accepted it and supported you fully. He wanted you to become the best at whatever you decided to do and to never regret it. If he were still here, I think he would tell you the same thing now.

"Whatever may happen from here, know this, if I die, it will not be in vain. What I do, I do to save a life and many lives. Never forget, it is not a waste to sacrifice yourself to create a better world, no matter how small the improvement is, no matter if you succeed or not.

"I love you,

"Your grandfather"

Lilly closed the note in her hands. As she sat in silence, two tears fell from her cheeks, rolling slowly off her gloves. Trying unsuccessfully to hide her emotions, she looked up at the others, who looked back with concern.

"What is it, Lilly?" Brock asked.

"Nothing," Lilly replied weakly. Clearing her throat, she repeated stronger, "Nothing."

Ash watched, still puzzled, as Lilly carefully folded the note and put it into her pocket. He started to say something, but thought better of it.

The clerk returned, carrying with him a small suitcase. He placed it on the desk and opened the book again, finding the correct page again.

"I assume Master Lotus is preparing this in case Jin'ei shows up," he said. "I can't think of any other reason why he would want this stuff anyway."

"What does it do?" Ash asked, rising from his chair.

"Well," the clerk began, "it's an alteration spell. It, um," he grasped for the right words, "well, it messes up a person's brain. If it were used on any given person, it would reduce them to a vegetative state. In Jin'ei's case, however, since his mind is more developed than a normal person, it would only strip him of his psychic powers, causing little mental damage, if any and its effects are permanent. Now," to Lilly he added ardently, "I've double checked all the measurements. Alteration spells are extremely complex. If you use the tiniest bit too much or too little, there's no telling exactly what will happen."

Opening the suitcase, he pulled out a small plastic bag, which contained four black hairs. "This is the catalyzing agent," he explained. "It doesn't really do anything for the effects of the spell, but without it the whole thing won't work."

He put the bag back into the case and pulled out a bent spoon. "When you've mixed it all together, stir it counterclockwise three times with this. Once you do, it will begin releasing smoke for two minutes. The person you want the spell to affect must breathe it in before the time runs out. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Lilly replied.

---

Just ten feet further, the peak of the mountain waited for the aged sorcerer. Straining, Lotus reached up for another handhold. His hand closed over a rock jutting from the mountain and he pulled with all his strength. As he rose, he looked closer at the stone he was holding onto. While it held no literal resemblance, when he inspected it, he saw Jin'ei's sneering face on its surface.

It no longer surprised the old man, however. Throughout the entirety of his climb, he had seen many images appear within the mountain's rocks. All his fears and dreams, just as Shimmerblade had warned him. It didn't bother him now, though; he'd seen too many.

A second glance and Lotus realized that he could see Jin'ei's whole body. The maniacal glare on Jin'ei's face was one of complete insanity and, the old man noticed, he was stretching out his hand, palm outward, as though he were firing a psyonic bolt.

He followed the direction of the arm. Jin'ei was aiming directly at Lilly, or at least a stone that resembled, but didn't resemble Lilly. Her face was contorted into an expression of pure horror. The certain knowledge of imminent death was clear in her eyes. As Lotus looked upon the image, he began to think of his granddaughter. It was only an image, but it reflected what would happen if Jin'ei could not be captured. He shuddered at the thought of his granddaughter facing the twisted esper alone.

Suddenly, Lotus heard a loud grinding sound. Large cracks had split through the stone he was grasping onto and it was crumbling to pieces. Desperately, he threw his arms out as his handhold fell apart, plummeting downward and shrinking out of sight.

His heart pounding against his chest like a drum, Lotus searched for another rock to take hold of as his new one began to crumble as well.

'No,' Lotus cried silently. 'It's a test. I have to overcome my fears.'

Exerting all of his willpower, stretching his discipline to its utmost limits, Lotus forced all thought of the mad psychic out of his mind. He was not afraid of Jin'ei! He was in control.

Lotus's hand slid into crack above his head just as his foothold dropped out from under him, groaning angrily as it tumbled down the mountainside. For a moment, Lotus hung freely, his legs swinging wildly. He found another crack and shoved his foot into it, drawing a heavy sigh of relief as he found secure footing. With a determined grunt, he threw his left hand up, hooking the ledge of the mountain, and pulled himself to the top.

Gasping for air, Lotus lay on the ground, elated that his long trial was finally over. When his lungs stopped aching from the strain of drawing breath, he rose weakly to his knees, then, using a large boulder for support, stood up.

Before him, a small shrine, glowing with mystical power, displayed his prize. Shimmerblade sat in the center of the shrine, jabbed into the ground.

"I wonder where I've seen this before," Lotus said with a chuckle, still caught in the euphoria of his success.

Taking hold of the sword's hilt, he tried to draw it from the ground. The sword refused to budge.

'You, who seeks to use my power,' the sword demanded. 'For what purpose do you desire to wield me?'

"I need your help," the old man firmly replied. "Help me save a life."

The steel of the blade began to shine, its light intensifying until Lotus had to look away, but he did not release the sword. A furious heat, like a burning white coal, came from the sword's hilt, searing his palm. Lotus cried out in pain, but his grip on Shimmerblade did not slack.

---

'You're always showing off your little parlor tricks to her! I've seen you do it!' The words were clear in his mind. 'Did you ever stop to think about what might be best for her?'

'I do. Every day. A happy childhood is what is best for her now.'

'Don't give me that! You want her to learn magic like you. You want to make up for the fact that I didn't stick with it.'

'I'm entertaining my granddaughter in the only way that I really know how. If she decides she wants to learn it, isn't that her decision to make?'

The blow landed firmly on Lotus's jaw, throwing him back onto the bed. Rubbing the bruise, stunned by surprise, he didn't even look up as his son stomped out of the room.

---

'Why does daddy hate you?'

'He doesn't hate me, Lilly. He's just having a bad day.'

'Every time we visit he has a bad day. He hates you. He hates me because I like you.'

'No! Your father could never hate you. He loves you, you know that.'

'Then why does he always yell?'

Lotus could only wrap his arms around her in a gentle embrace. He could not explain.

---

'You two are always shouting. That's not good.'

'I know. He's worried about Lilly, is all, which is understandable.'

'I only bring her here because of how much she enjoys being with you. I appreciate all that you do for her, but if you and Steven can't stop this violent bickering, I won't let her come anymore.'

'You can't do that! She's my granddaughter. I love her just as much as you do and I have just as much a right to see her as you.'

'I'm sorry.'

Lotus stared blankly at his son's wife. She couldn't take her away from him. She had no right.

---

'Ha! You think I need you? I already have all that I need. I can train myself.'

'You have been cast out of the order Jin'ei. Henceforth, you are forbidden to use your powers.'

'What?'

'If you use continue to use your powers, you will incur the full wrath of the conclave.'

'Mikhail, you shriveled bastard!'

Jin'ei's voice cut off as Mikhail clenched his fist, choking as though it were clenched around his throat.

'We are through tolerating your insolence, your selfishness and your damnable pride. Be gone from here and never return.'

Jin'ei took a deep gasp of air as Mikhail released him. Shooting everyone in the room a venomous glare, he turned and slithered out of the room.

---

'Two children and an older boy. The youth are the most dangerous to us. They don't know how to be quiet about things, and these three don't even know they're supposed to keep it secret. Of all the people, Lotus, your granddaughter has chosen the worst possible group to break her oath.'

'Please, Aldaris. It is only a first offense.'

'Unimportant. As is her age, if you were thinking of bringing that up as well. Lilly is a featherbrained little girl and she has to get her act together if she wishes to study the art of magic.'

'I will work with her.'

'You will indeed. And you have ten years to help her get over it. Your granddaughter is on probation, and I'm being too lenient by letting you be her probation officer. Make sure you explain it clearly, Lotus. One spell, even the most basic of incantations, and she will face a full punishment. If she can clean up her act, she'll get out of this with only five demerits. If not, I won't be nice again.'

Lotus nodded his assent. There was nothing else he could do.

---

'I take no pleasure in killing! Do not presume to understand me. People like you could never grasp my motives.'

Lotus blinked in surprise. The hunter stood before him, sword clenched firmly in his grasp, incomprehensible rage on his face. He stared at Lupus for a longmoment.

'This one?' the voice of the sword asked. 'You ask for my aid, because of this one?'

"Yes. I cannot hold off his rage without your help."

'But are you resolved to your purpose?'

A thousand images assaulted his mind again and again. Lilly, Jin'ei, Ash and his friends and countless others all rushed past him, pulling him away from the hunter. For a moment, he felt himself growing weaker, the life slowly slipping away from him.

"No!" he cried. "I must do this!"

'Must you?'

"Yes!"

---

With a resounding ring, the sword came loose, its light and heat instantly dying. Lotus stumbled backward, unbalanced, only barely avoiding falling off the edge of the cliff. Triumphantly, he held the blade up. It glowed softly, like the stars from whose power was drawn to forge it and its gentle ringing was the voice of a siren; clear and beautiful.

'My strength is your strength,' the blade's voice seemed somehow pleased. 'Master.'

---

An abrupt silence fell over the room as the chamber door opened. Shimmerblade resting at his hip, Lotus emerged from the council chamber, glowing with a radiance that seemed to rival the sun. The others stared, awestruck at the magnificence of Lotus's stature. Slowly, the light faded away, but the sorcerer, once old and frail in appearance, stood before them with an air of splendor that would not be dimmed.

Lilly, tears of joy forcing their way out of her eyes, rushed to her grandfather and threw her arms around him. Lotus gently returned the embrace, hugging her closer to him then he ever had before.

"I understand, Grandfather," Lilly said through her joyous sobs. "I understand. I'm proud of you, too."

Reluctantly loosening his hold, he smiled at her. He looked up at the others. Both Ash and Brock stared, mouths hanging open.

"Come," he said. "It's time to go."