Chapter 7: Rohan Meets Ryutai and The Training Begins
#7 of Rohan's Journey
Hey, now you get to meet Ryutai. This took longer because I had stuff to do, I still do, so the next one probably won't be in a day. Anyway, comment or critic at will, for an example check Chapter 1's comments. Also I can think of at least four different types of dragons while I'm typing this, I chose this one, please no flak about it.
"Rohan, get up." said Kitara, looking worried.
"What's wrong?" asked Rohan, standing.
"Nothing's wrong, it's just your watch." Kitara said.
"Then why do you look so worried?" Rohan asked.
"I don't know," replied Kitara, "I just have a bad feeling."
"It's probably because we're so close to that cave." said Rohan.
"Maybe." Kitara said, taking Rohan's spot against the tree. Rohan started his watch, slowly walking around their camp. His watch passed uneventfully, Raistlin arose with the sun, calling a stop to the watch. Rohan, who had the last watch, got the pleasure of waking Kitara today. Standing atop her chest as a wolf, knowing he was much heavier as a demon, he woke her up.
"Kitara, time to wake up." Rohan said, brightly.
"I can see why you dislike this." she said.
"Oh, it's not that bad when you get used to it." Rohan replied, changing back to a demon and quickly pulling his clothes on.
"Why'd you choose to be a wolf?" Kitara asked.
"I figured I'd be lighter." replied Rohan.
"You sure it wasn't so that you could be on top of me naked?" asked Kitara.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Rohan said, blushing, now wondering himself if that was the real reason.
"Stop standing around and come on." said Raistlin impatiently.
They reached the cave in an hour, finding that its name was appropriate. It was a truly massive cave, some 100 feet wide and half that high. Giant stalagmites and stalactites lined the entrance, reaching almost halfway up and down, giving the impression of giant teeth.
"Wow." said Kitara.
"That doesn't even come close." said Rohan. They walked to the mouth of the cave (no pun intended), and looked inside, wondering how they would find Ryutai.
"Who are you?" came a deep voice from within the cave, the echoes making it sound like it came from all sides.
"I'm Rohan, this is Kitara, and this is Raistlin." said Rohan, pointing to each person as he introduced them.
"Why do you come here?" asked the voice.
"I was sent here to get training." said Rohan.
"What makes you think I would train you?" the voice asked.
"Are you Ryutai?" Rohan asked. A dragon stepped from the shadows, the same deep red as the chain Rohan wore around his neck.
"How do you know my name?" Ryutai asked, his eyes glowing in the darkness.
"I was sent here by Tanis." replied Rohan.
"Ah, Tanis sent you, you must be talented." said Ryutai.
"He said you were my father's teacher." Rohan said.
"Let me get a better look at you then." said Ryutai stepping out of the darkness. Rohan was overwhelmed by his size, he had thought he was only 10 feet tall or so, since his head was hovering around that level, but the arch of back reached 15 feet. He was some 60 feet long from snout to tail-tip, standing on four legs, his powerful back legs were as thick as tree trunks, ending in three giant claws. His front legs were not quiet as thick they were definitely not to be taken lightly ending in five claws much like a hand. His neck was about 15 feet long, his body 25, and his tail 20. He had folded his wings at his mid-back that would easily reach to 60 feet on either side. Rohan was intimidated by his size, to say the least.
"I definitely trained your father," said Ryutai, "You look almost the same as him."
"So will you train me?" asked Rohan.
"That depends." said Ryutai.
"On what?" Rohan asked.
"On whether you can pass my next four tests." Ryutai replied
"What do I have to do?" asked Rohan.
"Show me that you can control all four elements." said Ryutai.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Rohan asked indignantly, "Tanis only taught me Fire, and I thought demons could only control two elements, not all four."
"Normally, that would be true," said Ryutai, "Demons usually can only control the elements which are most their personality, but when a demon has incredible demonic energy, like you or your father, then they can control all four. As to Tanis not teaching you anything but Fire, well I think he must have had a good reason. Anyway let's start with Fire since you apparently know that."
"So what do I do?" asked Rohan.
"Let's start with basics." replied Ryutai, "Show me a small fire." Rohan held out a small silver flame in his hand.
"Now how about a bigger fire, outside." said Ryutai. Rohan lit a bigger fire outside, then he followed the directions given to him by Ryutai, gradually lighting bigger and bigger fires, finally cocooning himself in it.
"Well, you certainly have fire down, but lets see just how big you can make it." said Ryutai,
"The cave goes back very, very far, try it back there." After a brief pause there was a blast of heat and light as silver fire erupted, expanding until Raistlin and Kitara had to stand behind the stalagmites to keep from being singed.
"That's enough." said Ryutai seeming not to even notice the heat, but shielding his eyes with a claw. Rohan stopped the fire, and Raistlin and Kitara stepped from behind the stalagmites, after picking up their jaws they just stared at Rohan in amazement.
"Since you haven't been given any training for the next three elements I think I'll forget the other three tests." said Ryutai.
"Great," said Rohan, "But I still don't know how to control them."
"That's why I'm going to teach you." Ryutai said, "We'll start with Air, and we'll start tomorrow. I don't want you dying because you used all your energy. Now eat something then go to sleep, if you're not tired now you will be soon."
"I'll get us something." said Kitara, running out of the cave and quickly coming back with a deer over her shoulder. A bright red fire sprung up, and Kitara nodded her thanks to Ryutai. After a quick meal of deer Rohan fell asleep where he sat, Kitara dragged him closer to the fire and laid him on the floor of the cave, which was covered in lichen and moss.
"Did you know he could do that?" Kitara asked Raistlin.
"I didn't know ANYONE could do that." he replied.
"You two should get some rest yourselves," said Ryutai, "I think you'll enjoy watching the training." Kitara and Raistlin looked at each other, quickly lying down to sleep.
"Wake up wolfie-boy." Kitara said from atop his chest. Rohan groaned, but got up anyway.
"Rohan, we start training with Air today." said Ryutai.
"Okay, what do I do?" asked Rohan.
"You know that when you use Fire you think of its light and heat and make them flow right?" Ryutai asked.
"Right." replied Rohan.
"Well Air is similar to that." said Ryutai, "But it has no light or heat, it just is; like Fire you cannot give it form. With air you have to think of the way it moves, the paths it takes, and you make a path for where you want it to go." Rohan tried this, causing a light breeze.
"You're trying to FORCE it to go where you want, instead of making your destination the easiest to go to." said Ryutai. Rohan tried again, this time a gust of wind blew through the cave.
"Much better." Ryutai said, "Since I know that you're a fast learner we'll move on, more than one lesson at a time for you. Make the path for the air connect back to itself." Rohan did what Ryutai said and a small whirlwind was born, although it was more like a dust devil.
"Good, one more lesson for air, when you make a path you have to set boundaries for it, this time make the air move away from the boundary instead of following it." said Ryutai. Rohan again did what Ryutai said, this time resulting in a sharp crack, and a blast of wind towards where it came from.
"Practice these for the rest of the week; then we'll move on." said Ryutai. Rohan began practicing, Raistlin and Kitara watching in amazement at the speed he mastered the techniques.
"Rohan, wake up, you have new training today." Kitara said, helping Rohan up.
"We're going to start your training with Water today." said Ryutai.
"Just tell me what to do." Rohan said.
"Water is similar to Air," said Ryutai.
"It flows, but it has form. Now, we're going to the stream, there's some water in the air, but you won't start out controlling that." Ryutai led Rohan to the nearest stream, Raistlin and Kitara followed, Kitara was more interested in this than the other training, she actually could do this.
"Start by pulling the water to your hand." Rohan tried and did it on the first try.
"This is a lot like air." Rohan said happily. Rohan continued to do as Ryutai commanded, finally ending by stopping the stream in its path then releasing it, resulting in a mini-tsunami.
"You have another week," said Ryutai, "Then we'll start with Earth."
"Wake up Rohan, Ryutai's waiting." Kitara said. Rohan got up, but was beginning to dislike the constant workload, halted only by meals and sleeping.
"We'll start Earth today," Ryutai said, "Earth is very different from Water and Air, it has form, but no flow. I want you to make a flow for it to use. Move that rock to your hand." Rohan looked at the rock in question; it has about the size of a baseball. He tried to make it come, and it skidded along the ground, picking up speed soon it was flying straight at his hand. Rohan quickly moved his hand and released the energy, causing the rock to fall to the ground.
"That was what I expected." said Ryutai, "Earth does not have any flow of its own so once it gets moving it is hard to stop. Try again" Rohan tried again, this time limiting the flow as it went on. The rock lightly landed in his hand.
"Good." Ryutai said, "Let's continue." Rohan and Ryutai trained all day; then Ryutai again gave him the usual week to master it.
"Get up Rohan." Kitara said brightly. Rohan got up wondering what they would do now that he had mastered all four elements.
"Today you'll learn about the elements a little more, this will be more like a lecture." Ryutai said, "You have learned all four elements. But only individually, they can be combined. Together they can create new things, for example, Fire and Air together can make a lightning bolt, or they can become a whirlwind of Fire. It is all how they are combined. You'll start training in combinations tomorrow. Today I wanted to talk to you about the characteristics of the elements, and why females usually have Water and Earth and males typically have Fire and Air. You're most familiar with Fire so I'll start there. Fire has no form, it is all flow, it is given to males because they must adapt to their circumstances to protect their own. Air and Water are similar, it is these that bind males to females, they are the emotions, always changing, never still; but when they are brought together they calm each other, mist is a good example of this. However, they can also cloud your way, like fog. Earth is the females' because they must be unwavering, they must be the foundation. Each of these is important, and you must know everything about all of them, I will teach you more as we go through this week, next week, I will test you over all of your training. The rest of the day is yours to do what you wish, perhaps you and your mate could find something to do." This last sentence was said with a glance at Kitara.
"MATE?!" yelled Kitara and Rohan in unison as they stood.
"You're not mates? Forgive me, but she climbs on top of you every morning to wake you up, besides that, I have seen real mates that weren't so happy when they were together." Ryutai said, turning and walking deep into the cave. Rohan and Kitara looked at each other for a second before sitting down and looking into the fire; both blushing under their fur. Raistlin lay down in between them, looking into the fire as well. Both of them were thinking the same thing, 'Am I really happier when we're together?'
End of Chapter 7. Who knows what will happen next. *evil laughter*