Chat and Ladybug walked through the portal, and the difference they first noticed was the biting cold. Ladybug shuttered as a steady wind curved its way over the snow covered mountains. It was so dark that at first they wondered if they had arrived in the right place. As their eyes adjusted, they recognized forms down the hill of the temple illuminated by starlight. The stars themselves were incredible. In Paris so much of the city lights distorted the luminesince of the stars into a faint glimmer. Here, in the mountains of Tibet, it was like they were standing at the center of the universe.
Both Chat and Ladybug had travelled to the temple after it had reappeared some time ago. It took a lot of explaining to describe what had happened during the disappearance. At first the monks had been shocked, and a bit resistant to them keeping their miraculous' (let alone Ladybug remaining guardian). They had proved themselves worthy wielders though, and their defense against Hawkmoth certainly helped their case. After that, they had made close friends and allies with many of the monks. It was exciting to return again, as they started their journey.
"Should we have called first?" Chat asked as they approached the temple gates and found everything silent and still.
"I don't think they've even gotten phones yet!" Ladybug shrugged.
Chat picked up a cylinder stick of polished wood, and ran it across the brass chimes, which responded in light musical collisions.
The massive, ancient gate retracted inward. The face of the gatekeeper peered out, lit up with a lantern he held. He was more muscular than one might expect of a monk, and stood head and shoulders above the two teens.
"Sure enough, these two again. We have been expecting you," he mused, setting down his lantern on a ornate pillar. To most others who might have come knocking at this door, they might have been intimidated by his gruff expression, but the two lit up when they saw him.
"Dorje!" Chat exclaimed and tried to throw his arms around the Hercules of a man. Chat had no more extended his arms, when Dorje had engulfed him in his arms, picking him off the ground and squeezing Chat Noir in a hug till he squeaked for mercy."
Ladybug stood back and giggled.
"Good to see ya you tom cat you! What have you been up to you scoundrel," Dorje greeted Chat as he finally released him, and ruffled his blond hair, till it stuck out even more than usual.
"Ahh nothing much, just saving the world and all that," Chat responded back, trying to adjust his hair.
"Ahh, and the wee Lady," Dorje greeted Ladybug taking her hand. "Master Kuchen has been looking forward to your arrival. I guess we didn't expect you quite this late," he folded his arms and looked at them with a smile.
"I'm so sorry Dorje," Ladybug said sincerely, "we just got away as soon as we could."
"Not to worry," he assured them, ushering them in, "As Master Kunchen always says, "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now."
Chat smirked at Ladybug behind the monk's back as they were led inside, and the gates swung closed behind them.
For generations, before most civilizations had even built their first cities, this temple had remained relatively unchanged. It's atmosphere emulated history. It's halls were modest, but beautifully carved. Each detail of the design was meticulous, and purposeful.
They were guided to a room with carved panels depicting feats through the ages of past miraculous holders. It never ceased to amaze them how Plagg and Tiki's impact were echoed through history.
The interlocking stone floor was bare, except for two burgundy cushions and a wooden bench at the center.
Chat Noir and Ladybug took their place on either cushion, and a young monk named Jamyang brought them dragon fruit tea that warmed them from the chill. The boy nodded at both of them, and then closed the door behind him, as Master Kunchen slipped in.
"You have returned to us!" he said kindly as he patted them on the shoulders, and sat on the bench before them.
"Master, we were summoned to begin our journey to mature our miraculous'. Tiki told us that we should start here."
"And are you prepared to begin?" he asked leaning forward.
"Ah, you mean like right now?! Well yes, I guess we are," Ladybug said putting down her teacup, looking over to Chat Noir, who nodded back.
"Your first trial is to seek wisdom," he said, pulling out a massive book, with weathered leather binding. The two heroes took it in their hands, and were surprised at it's weight. They laid it down on the floor and peeled open it's fragile pages that were like tissue paper…hundreds of pages of tissue paper, covered in a minuscule text in an unknown language.
They glanced up at the monk, who sat motionless with his eyes closed.
"So we need to read this…somehow..." Ladybug looked questionably at Chat and glanced back to the Master, who just continued to sit there like a statue.
"It must be some kind of puzzle," suggested Chat as they examined the pages carefully.
"Are you sure it is not some ancient language?" Ladybug inquired looking over his shoulder.
"Not any that I've ever seen…definitely not Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, or English," he concluded confidently.
"Since when can you read all those languages?!" Ladybug scrutinized.
"Ha! Those are only the ones I'm fluent in," Chat commented matter of factly…"my favorite are the LOVE languages," he grinned looking back at her that their noses were only an inch apart.
Ladybug blushed, and then quickly grabbed the book from him.
"So maybe it Is a sphyfer..but I don't see any common patterns or formulas," she puzzled scanning each page.
"Maybe it is like invisible ink or something, that can only be read under light, heat or water…" Chat mused.
They looked cautiously at the monk (who had not flinched at these suggestions).
"We can't wreak the book!" Marinette gaspt.
"We won't wreak it, we'll just test it," Chat argued, "Anyway, we are doing it right in front of the Master! Process of elimination, we've got to try all the options right?!"
"I guess we can try just one page," Ladybug concluded.
"With another glance at the monk, they took the remaining liquid from Chat's teacup and hesitantly poured some of it onto the page.
They waited and watched, even tried other pages, but all they accomplished was ending up with soggy paper.
Chat's eyes flickered to the lantern in front of them. He held up the pages to the light…nothing. They looked at each other, (Ladybug more nervously than Chat), as he slipped the candle from the glass enclosure of the lantern, and held one of the pages to the heat of the flame. IT was only then that Kunchen opened one eye. He closed it again once Chat returned the candle safely back to the lantern defeated.
"Okay, so that wasn't right either," Chat sighed.
Chat Noir and Ladybug continued to look over the pages, trying to make sense of the symbols.
After hours of study through the night, they were stumped and discouraged. Ladybug was bent over the book, rubbing her head. Chat had his head on the cushion, staring up at the ceiling, stretching out his aching back. He stiffly sat up and moaned.
"It is only the first test, and already we have failed!" Ladybug lamented.
:There has to be something we missed," Chat said pondering.
"Please, Master Kunchen," Ladybug begged, "We need your help!"
"Yes, Master," Chat agreed, "We can't do this on our own."
The monk before them smiled and opened his eyes. "Finally!" he said, "Wisdom is found when you ask for help, and seek guidance. You have passed the first test."
He gently collected the book back into his arms and turned it over. He pressed a part of the spine and it opened up to reveal a secret panel. He pulled out a single black feather, and passed it to Ladybug.
Ladybug and Chat looked down at it. "It is a quill for writing!" Chat deduced.
"It's a miraculous!" Ladybug announced in awe.
"You are correct," this kwami is very powerful and helpful, but he is sometimes unpredictable and hard to control. He is reserved, and may not speak unless he feels it is a valuable use of his energy. Say 'Ember light' to awake him," Master Kunchen instructed.
"Ember light," Chat and Ladybug said together.
The black feather started to show a flickering of gold at the base, and it grew to an orangish-red glow. As the color enhanced, so did it's heat. It actually started to get so hot, Ladybug dropped it. It did not fall, but instead floated upward like a lit ash at a campfire, caught in an updraft. Then in a flash the feather ignited into flame. The flame itself took the form of a bird that almost resembled a falcon, except for it's longer tail and color that drew from the fire it had emerged from.
"He is beautiful," Ladybug breathed.
"He is a Phoenix," Chat realized in amazement.
The kwami pumped his wings before them and perched on the draped arm of Master Kuchen. The magnificent creature bowed before them.
"This is Ember, kwami of wisdom. He has been at my side for centuries, and is one of the oldest kwamis from the origin…well not as old as Tiki or Plagg min you, but still one of the original sources of power. He will be your guide as you pursue the trials ahead. At the end of your quest his flame will be quenched, and he will remain dormant once more while his power regenerates.
"We are honored to meet you," Chat Noir bowed.
"Thank you for guiding us," Ladybug added.
Ember nodded solemnly again.
"Now then," Master Kunchen sprang up, "it is high time we get some breakfast! You two will need some strength for the path ahead."
Hi readers! Thank you so much for reading what I have so far!
I need your help to think of some places around the world for our favorite duo! In reviews please send me the country you have lived in or traveled to (and interesting facts about this area). I hope to incorporate some of the places you give me into the story! Thank you again, and hope to add more once I have some destinations for Ladybug and Chat:)