Disclaimer: I hereby declare that Roosterteeth studios RWBY production crew may freely use any ideas, characters, or events written in this story free of charge and without any threat of lawsuit for any production, though it would be preferable to inform me of the use of the idea if used.
Note, changing my chapter naming format starting here.
Temple of the spirit dragon ch 1
Sweat dripped down Lan's face as he stared upwards towards the stairs stretching out into the distance ahead of him, obscured in the cool mountain mist.
"Come on!" shouted Byakko's voice in the far distance "Hurry up!"
"I-I can't anymore" said Lan, who fell to his knees, "Nine thousand 'wheeze' nine hundred 'wheeze' ninety seven steps…is my limit."
They had started 5 hours ago, with Lan starting off strong, but the massive climb had eventually drained the young boy's stamina despite his excellent conditioning, and had finally burned him out.
"Is that seriously all you got?!" said Byakko, who appeared in front of Lan with a loud bang and a refreshing gust of air.
"Yeah." Said Lan, submissively as he pulled off his backpack and basked in the shade of the house Byakko was carrying. "I'm beat."
Whimpering and chittering came from behind as Ignis and George finally caught up to the group, and collapsed panting at the boy's feet as Edel circled above.
"How's Trey?" asked Lan, who poured some water into a bowl for the little ones.
"Still passed out" said Byakko, who pointed at the house. Trey had passed out around the 2000th step, and was currently recovering in the house. Byakko stared down at Lan for a moment before picking up the boy and pinching the boy's muscles all over his body.
"Hmmm yep" said Byakko, over Lan's constant monotone stream of 'Ow Ow Ow Ow'. "I guess that'll do for physical training for today."
Byakko set Lan back on the ground, gave the boy time to drink some water, and then said. "Alright boy, you know the drill."
Lan nodded, pulled his backpack back on, and whistled for the little ones to enter their respective pockets. He then put on a helmet, and said "Ready."
Almost instantaneously, Byakko grabbed Lan's face, and threw the boy with a twisting motion up towards the mist shrouded peaks.
"Good thing my neck his strong." Thought Lan, as he spiraled through the air. "Better roll into a ball to minimize dam—"
'Blam!' Before he could finish his thought, he slammed spread eagled into the rocky side of the mountain, sandwiched between the rock and his hard and dense backpack.
"Ow~~~~" he wheezed as his helmet cracked in two and he peeled off the side of the rockface and fell down towards the ground.
"Got ya." Said Byakko, who appeared with a sonic boom and caught the boy before he hit the ground.
"I think my Aura's depleted." Said Lan who hung limply in Byakko's palm.
"Probably" said Byakko, who tossed the boy, backpack and all onto the porch of the house. He then walked forward into a large crevice in the wall of stone in front of them. Lan got up and watched as they walked further and further into darkness. The air around them was cold and warm at the same time, and he felt a disorienting headache appear. The little ones crawled into Lan's lap and whimpered, obviously affected as well.
"You feel it dontcha?" said Byakko. "A normal person would pass out and get lost in here…but for a guy like me."
Byakko stopped and lifted his arms as if to perform a giant clap. But paused, looked at his hands, smiled mischievously, and then pulled out a thermos from…somewhere.
"Oh no" said Lan who stiffened, as he saw Byakko unscrew the cap. "The Bean, cheese, fiber, and vegetable shake!"
The little ones chirped, whimpered, and chittered in fear.
"YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!" said Byakko, with an enormous grin on his face. He then downed the shake in one gulp.
"Hit the deck!" yelled Lan, who pulled on a gas mask and rushed inside the house while throwing three little one sized gas masks behind one. The little ones donned them in a skillful fashion, and darted in after their master.
He shut the door, just as Byakko turned around and pointed his rear end towards the dark path in front of them.
"Feel my winds of freedom!" yelled Byakko. An earth-shattering eruption filled the cavern, the cliffs around them began to crack and shatter as the great wind from Byakko's ass tore through.
"HOLD ON!" shouted Lan, who held his trembling little ones in his arms as the house shook below them. If the boy had been outside, he would have been amazed to see the cracks in the cliffs begin to spread into the air around them until finally, the world around them shattered just as Byakko's great wind came to a sputtering stop.
He then straightened up and smiled.
"Hey dudes" said Trey, who had awakened as poked his head out the window "What's going—'sniff' nyaaaagh. 'thump'" Not knowing what the sound was, Trey had poked his head out with out any protection, and as a result had been assaulted with the stink that now permeated the air and passed out again.
Lan carefully poked his head out the window to check, and gasped behind his gas mask. Gone was the rock crevice, and replacing it was a massive granite Torii gate with a chain bridge leading up to… Lan didn't know what it was. At one moment it appeared to be a castle, at others a stone temple. The structure seemed to warp and change before his eyes, seeming to twist around and flow like a river almost like…like.
"A coiling dragon" said Byakko, seemingly reading Lan's mind.
"Welcome to the spirit dragon temple." Said Byakko "The man who will be training you lives here."
Byakko, set down the house and motioned for Lan to come to him. Lan did so and before he could react, the old man had once again grabbed the boy's face threw him through the air above the bridge.
"Ahhhhhh! Not even a warning this time?" He tried to regain his balance, but before he could he slammed spread eagle front first into a large door, with has backpack once again flattening him once again and the gas mask cracking in two and falling off.
"Always good manners to knock." Said Byakko, who quickly appeared below Lan as the boy began sliding own the door.
"I think I broke some things" said Lan who peeled of the door and fell into Byakko's arms.
"Good!" said Byakko, playfully as he pushed the door open and entered the temple with Lan, as the little ones cowered inside Lan's backpack afraid of catching Byakko's attention.
The entry hall of the temple was as strange as the outside. As far as one could see, stone pillars rose up from the polished floor towards a ceiling obscured by a thick mist that also obscured the right, left, and forwards directions after a dozen meters. A cold whitish blue light seemed to be coming from everywhere and illuminated the hall. The door behind them closed with a low thud, and a moment later some of the mist to their right coalesced into three shapes and three individuals wearing garbs that seemed a cross between a scholar's robes and a martial arts gi appeared. They were all carrying maps and cartography equipment while muttering angrily. They then noticed Byakko and stopped.
"…Greetings Grand Master Byakko." Said one with a stiff nod.
"Please don't tell me you're sparring with Grand Master Meng again" said another who had dark bags under his eyes.
"Oh Gods no" said the last "We just finished redrawing the maps for that canyon that was destroyed."
"Heh heh, don't worry" said Byakko who hefted up Lan's injured form. "Just brining my grandson on a visit."
All three map makers breathed out a sigh of relief, and then gave a quick bow to Byakko before walking to the other side of the hall and disappeared, almost as if they had melted into the fog.
"Cool isn't it" said Byakko as he noticed Lan's wide-eyed stare. "Old Meng set up this mist illusion barrier to make this place unnavigable except by those who were invited. Of course, I could easily break it."
Byakko reached into his pouch and pulled out a medallion. "But I wouldn't want to piss of my old friend…at least not right now."
"C-Can I have some healing elixir now." Said Lan, whose broken bones ached.
"Later" said Byakko who lifted up the amulet, which caused a large patch of fog to coalesce into a doorway like structure in front of them. "Gots to go meet my buddy first."
He then walked forward and carried them all into the mist.
Lan felt his insides twist inside him as the mist sucked him in. He felt as though he was moving up, down, left, and right all at the same time, and just as he felt he was about to lose his lunch, they reappeared in front of a large stone door. He then heard a few small burps in his backpack indicating that the little ones had lost their lunch.
"I'll be cleaning that up later" thought Lan as Byakko walked forwards and opened the door in front him. The family was greeted by cool moist air and the smell of exotic foliage. The two of them had stepped into a garden that was obviously very well managed. Plants of all kinds were growing from stone pots and flower beds. The garden seemed to be carved out of the side of a cliff face, and on the other side of the door they had entered was a wall of water through which the sunlight was streaming. Amazingly, the stones seemed to reflect the sunlight that streamed in all around the room, illuminating everything and was likely the reason that none of the plants were growing at odd angles.
Sitting near the waterfall in oriental style gazebo behind a table covered with pots and exotic plants was a man wearing loose fitting robes. He had blackish blue short and crisp hair which seemed as though it had never been cut, almost as if carved by nature itself. He looked rather young, perhaps in his late 20's, but his eyes gave off a sense of age far beyond his appearance.
"Byakko" he said, his face's expression not changing in the slightest. "I see you have finally brought your grandson."
"Sup Bro!" said Byakko as he walked across the garden. He then took off Lan's backpack and dropped it on the ground where the little ones hurriedly scurried out of it. Holding the boy up towards his friend as if the boy were a young puppy he said "This is Lan!"
The man looked at Lan for a moment and arched an eyebrow.
"He seems hurt" said the man.
"That's cuz I threw him at the door!" said Byakko, with a huge grin. The three stared at each other in awkward silence for a moment.
"I see" said the man with annoyed sigh. He then pulled a bowl towards himself, and grabbed an oddly shaped pine cone. "Pine cone egg" he murmured as his hand glowed and covered the pine cone in a similar light. Then with a soft crack he split the pine cone open and a glowing green yolk fell into the bowl. "Rock milk" he said, picking up a large rough brownish stone and after making it glow like the pine cone began milking it from one of its jagged corners into the bowl. He then added several stranger ingredients in a similar manner, all the while Lan watched with a confused eye. As far as he knew pine cones didn't have yolks, rocks couldn't be milked, and the other ingredients couldn't be juiced, powdered, or boiled. This was going against everything his book learning and personal and experience had taught him.
A few moments later, the man handed the bowl to Byakko.
"Have the boy drink this" he said.
"Got it" said Byakko who brought the bowl to the boys mouth.
Lan warily looked the glistening mixture, and carefully took a sip. The lunch that he had prevented from spewing earlier rushed to his throat as his body reacted to the strange taste. But before he could pull away, Byakko grabbed the boy's neck and throat and skillfully manipulated the boy's muscles and joints to swallow as he dumped the remainder of the boy into the boy's stomach. Once the bowl was empty, Byakko set the boy on his feet. Lan's eyes twitched for a moment before the boy fell onto the ground and began convulsing while gagging.
"Forgive me for the taste." Said the man. "But's we don't have time to put it through the refinement process."
As he said this, Lan felt his body suddenly warm and the pain from his broken bones fade. He was amazed to find that his body was slowly glowing, as if his aura had suddenly recharged. He slowly got to his feet as the glowing faded away.
"Wow. What was that?" said Lan?
"Unrefined draught of nature's boon" said the man settling into his chair.
"One of your specialties. Ain't that right Old Meng." Said Byakko, with a stupid smile.
"Please don't call me Old Meng" said the Man with a sigh. "Especially when I'm older than you."
"By 1 year" said Byakko, scoffing. "That don't mean nothing with how old we are now. You can call me Old Byakko if you want!"
"Just sit down" said the man, who waved to two chairs. Byakko shrugged and then walked over to a chair as Lan stood in place with a confused look on his face.
"Wait…you" he said pointing at Meng "are older than grandpa?" he said pointing at Byakko.
"Your grandfather I take good care of ourselves" said Meng with a gentle smile "If he ever deigns to shave off that bush he keeps all over his face you'd be able to see how young he looks."
"How else do you think you got so many uncles and aunts" said Byakko with a mischievous grin.
Lan shrugged, then pulled up a seat under the table while Edel landed on the back of the set, George crawled onto his back, and Ignis laid down under the chair.
"Well anyway, introductions are in order" said Byakko. "This man is Meng Zhang, I consider him my brother, so he should be considered your grand uncle."
"Ok, nice to meet you Gruncle Meng" said Lan, who picked up a pine cone that was used in the tonic.
"Please don't call me that" said Meng who watched as Lan cracked the pine cone open and find that the insides were like that of a regular pine cone. "You won't be getting anything out of the pine cone like that."
"Meng here is the world's best Aura specialist" said Byakko, "He's mastered all kinds of spiritual powers and whatsit, lets him do all kinds of crazy stuff. Like remember when I copied some of your essence to make myself more human" he pointed his finger at Meng "this guy taught me that!"
"I can do many things by manipulating spiritual energy and Aura, for I tapped into the essence of that pinecone to change it" said Meng, "Now that I think about it, I haven't really used my original semblance in years. In fact, I don't really remember what my semblance is anymore."
"Wasn't it just focusing really good?" said Byakko.
"Ah yes, hyper concentration" said Meng
"Wow" said Lan, who looked up at Meng with interest "does that mean you're as strong as grandpa?"
"Well, we're definitely in the same league." Said Meng "But as for who is stronger than who…that is very situational."
"Wanna do some fine checking?" said Byakko, cracking his knuckles.
"We've already sparred for a full month already" said Meng, "and my monks still need time to re-map all those new mountain ranges and valleys as well as that new volcano."
"It's all just gonna change again the next time we spar." Said Byakko.
"Yes, but let's just leave it for a while for them, OK?" said Meng. "I even had to change the illusion barrier at the front to a rock cliff instead of the usual field of Torii gates that I like."
"Alright Airtight" said Byakko chuckling. "Well anyway, boy I brought you here cause your fighting style's much more compatible with Meng's. You both make lots of strategies, are tricky like wizened monkeys!"
"Cool." Said Lan, who started eating a strange fruit. "Does that mean I'll be training with both of you."
The two old men looked at each other for moment.
"Well, you see—" started Ming.
"Meng's training you, I'm leaving you and the house here." said Byakko.
"…Still no tact as always" said Meng Zhang.
"Awwww, again?" said Lan, with a sunken expression. "You just got back."
"Now boy, I know I haven't been around too much recently, but you'll be 10 years old next week. It's about time for you to be more independent! I mean, you're almost grown up!" said Byakko
"Byakko, the age for being 'grown up' is around 18 now" said Meng.
"Really?" said Byakko. "Aww man, that age is just getting pushed back further and further. Well, back when we were young, boys became men once they started making—"
Before he could finish, Meng shoved a large fruit into the old man's fast with a movement faster than lightning.
"Not in front of the child" said Meng.
"Fine, Fine" said Byakko, who had already finished the fruit.
"Well, anyway, I'll still be around here and there to check on you physical conditioning" said Byakko "But I've got my own life too, I've got some 'errands' I need to go check on."
"Hmmm, yes" said Meng, with a sigh "are those 'errands' named Hecuba, Morgana, and Victoria?"
"They're definitely on the list" said Byakko with a mischievous smile.
"Hmm, well while you're doing that, I'd like you check up on the situation between … I believe his name right now is Ozpin… and Salem" said Meng, who handed Byakko a letter with an emblem of a sun and moon surrounded by stars. "He's lost some of his best operatives in recent years. If this imbalance between them causes a full-scale secret war to break out, we need to prepare for any 'things' that might try to slip into the world during the chaotic dissonance."
"Got it" said Byakko, "I'll look into it."
Lan, watched the two in confusion. "What—"
"You will learn about what we are talking about in time" said Meng. "Once you have become stronger in both mind and spirit."
"Hey, I'm strong now!" said Lan, standing up on the chair and flexing.
"Can you survive a punch at full power from your grandfather?" asked Meng.
Byakko cracked his knuckles, and Lan meekly sat back into his chair.
"But, still, can't you stick around for a little while grandpa?" said Lan. Lan stared at his grandfather with large puppy dog eyes, which were soon joined by the little ones'.
"…Oh alright then!" said Byakko "Let's celebrate your birthday early and have a shindig over the next day or two!"
"I can have a hall prepared for the festivities" said out a small gemstone shard and tapped it a few times, with the gem glowing in the place he tapped each time.
"Thanks uncle Meng" said Lan, who got up and hugged his grand uncle.
"Good boy" said Meng, patting Lan on the head, he paused for a moment, but then continued at the same pace "But this is not allowed when we are training" Meng fixed Lan with a cold stare that caused a shiver to run down the boy's back. "When we train, you are to refer to me as Master."
"Geez, just as stick-up-your assy as always." Said Byakko.
The party that was held during the period proceeded in the usual merry fashion. Byakko scarred many ladies with his naked drunk dancing, Lan received a temple apprentice gi and lots of materials he could use for equipment manufacture, Trey got a job as a temple janitor and would receive some martial arts training while doing so, and the little ones got accustomed to the temple and gained the adoration of many of the younger apprentices.
After the party was over, Lan was brought over to a small room where he crammed in all of his things. After that he returned to the temple entrance hall where Trey, the little ones, and him bid his grandfather goodbye.
"Before I go boy, I want you to have this" Byakko handed Lan a sealed bottle "open that whenever you miss me."
"What is—" started Lan, unscrewing the lid. Before he could finish, a brown cloud of smoke blew into his face and mouth. He gagged, tightened the lid, and took a few steps back.
"A bottomless bottle of farts" said Byakko, chuckling. "That way you'll always have a little piece of me with you."
"That's what you wanted that container for?" said Meng, with an annoyed and disappointed expression "do you have any idea what goes into making one of those special bottles?"
"No idea" said Byakko, with a trollish grin.
"I-'cough' it's fine" said Lan, who wiped some spittle off his chin. "I can probably find some use for it."
"I know you will" said Byakko as he pushed the door open "If anyone can find a use for a fart in a bottle it's you."
Byakko walked out, and the door closed with a slow thud, and the two were alone within the cold glowing mist.
"Well, I guess we might as well get started" said Meng, and turned to walk in the direction opposite the door "Follow me" he said as mist began to coalesce around him.
"Right" said Lan, who began walking towards him along with Trey and the little ones.
"Only Lan" said Meng, "the rest of you have other duties."
"Huh, but we-" started Trey.
"Go." Said Meng, who gave them a sharp stare that pierced down to their very souls.
"Got it!" said Trey, who saluted as then little ones quivered in fear. They then bolted for the left side of the room, where the amulets they were wearing glowed and allowed them to be swallowed by the mist to head to their respective locations.
"Now come" said Meng.
After following Meng into the swirling mist, Lan found themselves deposited in a large empty cavern illuminated only by glowing fungi and microorganisms.
"No one should bother us here, come" said Meng. The two of them walked to the center of the room where they sat down in the center of some the room.
"When it comes to physical conditioning, Byakko has already trained to beyond a sufficient level for someone your age." Said Meng. "So instead I will begin by seeing if you have aptitude for learning my abilities and techniques."
Meng waved his hand, and the floor beneath them lit up, branching from where they sat and spreading out to form a kind of mystic circle.
"When it comes to pure physical ability, comparing myself to Byakko would be as if you were comparing a mouse to an elephant" said Meng "But with the proper techniques and skills, its possible for a creature that is far weaker to overcome a titan. Of course" Meng lifted his hand, and Lan watched as a small ball of Aura formed in Meng's hand "a little mystic ability doesn't hurt either."
"So, what are we learning first" said Lan, rocking excitedly "Martial techniques or some of those cool Aura powers?"
"Neither" said Meng.
"Huh? But—"
"Before anything else" said Meng, ignoring Lan. "You must learn to understand the composition of your own soul." He raised his right hand, which shone with a dark blue light.
"I shall send your consciousness into the depths of your own soul." Said Meng.
"Is that going to hurt?" asked Lan.
"No, but it will take some time for you to understand the composition of your soul enough for you to return" said Meng who place his hand on Lan's head "hopefully you will be able to do so before your body dehydrates and starves."
"Huh!? Wait a—" before he could finish, he felt his body seize up as Meng's Aura enveloped his own.
"Oh, and say hello to that little friend that you have in there" said Meng.
He was unable to respond, and was left with only questions as he saw and felt the world around him twist inwards. He found himself falling through a tunnel of glowing light. He felt his form twist and writhe as he felt sensations he had never felt before and witnessed colors he had never seen before.
After an indeterminable amount of time, he emerged from the vortex and slammed onto very very hard ground.
"Oh, ow." Moaned Lan as he slowly got up. "Agh, where am I."
He looked around and found himself standing on a stone platform. Above him was a void of endless darkness. He noticed a blue glow coming from the edges of the platform and walked over to one of them. What he saw, took his breath away.
An endless ocean of writhing azure light danced below, at times it writhed like the waves of an ocean, but at others flashed and flickered like light waves.
"Wow" said Lan, reaching up and scratching his head. He paused as he noticed that his body was glowing, giving off its own light like a bioluminescent creature.
"Ok, within my own soul" said Lan. He took a deep breath, let it out, and then straightened.
"Let's take a look around."
He turned to go back to the center of the platform…and found himself face to face with a small glowing sphere. Startled, he took a step back and almost fell over the edge, but was able to regain his balance at the last moment.
"At last!" said the orb in an echoing ethereal voice "I never dreamed that the day where you and I would meet would come!"
Hey, someone brought to my attention that the summary for the story isn't very good. Do you guys think I should change it? Is it a good idea to change a summary for a story in these archives?
Also, do you think I should try to rewrite the first few chapters or leave it as is since it helps show how I change as a writer?
As always, hope this is read by the RWBY dev team one day. Thank you for reading.
