Mind Master. (Alberdyne Style)

Mind Master

Easy Quest

Requirement: Must know the ability Psychic Powers.

Reward: 1,000 zeni

The Kanassans are masters of psychic powers. A master of the psionic arts has recognized your talent and offered to train you in the arts. He puts you through a grueling series of mental tests. You must survive to move onto the next lesson.

Alberdyne Cormyr was the son of Michael Cormyr.

Currently, the group of Kanassans were gathered in a house that served as a training center for young psionics. Incense smoke swirled through the air like clouds in the shape of dragons. There were several censers in the large chamber, and the Kanassans were inhaling the smake to induce some sort of a special state of mind. It was a period of relaxation for the Kanassans as they focused on their meditation techniques. Calming the mind and learning patience was key to obtaining a deeper understanding of the psionic arts.

A certain tribe of the Kanassans was especially gifted in tapping into something they called the Omniverse. Of these, Alberdyne Cormyr's Father was amongst the most gifted. Alberdyne could see his Father in the room as he conversed with several others of the advanced psionics. The leader of their town was also a native Kanssan named Grough. He was an old crocodile-looking man of intense stature, but tremendous psychic potential.

Colours swirled in the room too. These colours were the residue of the minds that worked in the chamber. Both male and female, containing representatives of every one of the Kanassan races. The students were arranged at various intervals, each one sitting upon a set of circular glyphs that were painted on the ground. Fancy pillows were sat upon as well, and each student was bare-chested (Even the women) and bare-foot. Chests steadily rose up and down with each passing breath as the concentrated on the visualization techniques that their instructors were giving them.

Several robed individuals, both reptilian and humanoid in nature, paced around the room instructing the students how to correct their techniques. Each student, the number was at least thirty strong, had a distinct nimbus cloud about their person. Some of the ki signatures were round auras, whilst others were spikes of bursting energy. And then there was was Alberdyne Cormyr.

He sat on one of the spokes of the psionic machine. Around his body, there was a rippling wave of psionic energy that burned only slightly brighter than the other students. Halo manifestation was measured as a degree of potential for each student, and an amassing of personal power. Some of the instructors had devices known as scouters attached to the temporalis region of their heads. The scouters were searching for any anomalies that the student's might have caught in their ventures into the astral world.

Whereas the chamber looked peaceful and tranquil in nature, the Kanassan instructors were teaching secrets that were actually anything but. Those who were capable of tapping the Omniverse did so, and those who simply had access to standard psionic forces, also employed their abilities. Alberdyne Cormyr, despite his potent nimbus cloud, was an average student of the arts that had not yet accomplished any noticeable feats. He excelled in studies that involved research, and other such matters, but when it came to the matters of his people's talents, his mind seemed to wander. Until that day, he had always had difficulty grasping the basic concepts of what the psionics of Kanassa actually did. They were an advanced lot, and some, including his very Father, were concerned that he was falling behind.

In the astral world, however, another story was being told.

Students were given various tests of skill that included feats of tremendous prowess, or even feats of combat prowess. Each task was tiered and custom tailored to fit the skill level of the student undergoing the trials and Alberdyne Cormyr was no different. It was long ago decided that combat would ultimately best suit the young Kanassan warrior, and that was the battery that his instructors had prepared for him. Using mind alone, they were let loosed on the various planes of the astral world with no extra help. Some students oft never returned alive to their bodies. Some were killed, and others came back with terrible afflictions to rival a curse. A small percentage came back with the knowledge of the Omniverse, and the secrets of tremendous power that made those warriors unique amongst all other tribes in the universe.

Within that intense training structure, Alberdyne Cormyr stood up as his astral form awakened at his command. Normally the process was a quick one, but that time seemed to take just a little longer. As he awoke he felt the familiar and intense heat burning his skin from the winds of the astral world.

He walked across the barren world, studying the structures on the field he found himself in. This is the fifth world of the tree of life. Kanassans oft referred to some ancient scriptures that spoke of something called the tree of life. As a place, or more importantly, a mental state of being, the tree of life was divided into several planes or fields. Students of the psionic arts used the visualization techniques of the psionics to play along the branches, roads, of the tree of life.

Alberdyne walked carefully towards the destination that he was told to travel to. As he walked across the cracked, scorched earth, he wished he was allowed to wear boots. Sighing at the small sign of weakness, Alberdyne chastised himself and continued to venture forward.

Clenching his fists, he could immediately feel sweat begin to trickle down his back. His eyes were narrowed, there was no sun in the sky, but the sky was a blazing hue of orange. It was a terrible sphere, and everybody hated it. It was one of the most horrible places you could go to, and Alberdyne had been unlucky to have to venture into it for his training. Most interestingly, this field also happened to contain creatures that were exceedingly dangerous. No astral beast was to be underestimated, but some spheres had especially dangerous foes. The place he found himself traveling was amongst the most dangerous, and Alberdyne knew that it had a low survival rate. Very students actually completed the tasks that were handed out to them involving that place.

Alberdyne Cormyr knew the place he had to go to. He'd seen it in his dreams, in his nightmares. It was a place that was somewhat similar to an underbelly of a vicious dragon. Alberdyne made his way to the region, known ironically, as Hades. He knew what lurked in the area, for it liked to be stationary, and would probably torment him when he tried to move past it. Hades was the last place that Alberdyne Cormyr wanted to be. However, he had no choice in the matter, his masters, and his Father, had decreed that he had the potential to become a fierce warrior. And so, walking to that forsaken place, Alberdyne Cormyr began his adventure.

WC=1,126

“Did you not listen to me earlier? I'm going to retrieve what is being asked of me, and I will not let you or anybody interfere.” Alberdyne said, there was impatience in his voice.

Behemoth simply laughed. “What makes you think I will simply allow you to pass?” At that moment, Behemoth stood up. His powerful legs lifting the mass of muscle and fur to it's full standing height. Behemoth's head looked down on Alberdyne Cormyr. “You Humes are all alike, you simply think you can take whatever you wish without facing consequences. But there are serious consequences in play here, and for you to break the rules would mean certain death!” Behemoth yelled.

“Spare me your threats.” Alberdyne suddenly responded. “Do you think that I am afraid of you? You are nothing, Behemoth. You were nothing then, and you are nothing now.” Alberdyne moved into a comfortable combat stance, and looked the creature dead in it's eyes. “I am not afraid of you.” Alberdyne taunted in return. “That's why you are naught but a lowly guard in this place. Stuck here forever cause the Gods laugh at you. How pathetic.” Alberdyne was already preparing his attack as he talked. “You have a choice now, Behemoth. Just like back then. You can either get out of my way, or be defeated. The choice is yours.” Alberdyne was already getting angry with each passing moment, and could feel the stirring of ki in his soul. He didn't bother suppressing himself with Ki Control. Instead, he allowed his nimbus cloud to manifest into being as an almost predatory show of power.
“What's it gonna be Behemoth?” Alberdyne asked.

There was a pause.

“I like your style, kid. Somehow, you're different from all the rest.” Behemoth said. “However rules are rules. I am afraid you're going to have to earn your way in. I cannot just allow you to venture into the tower without you being tested. So put some bite behind your bark boy.” Behemoth took two steps backwards, it's massive body heaving along with him. “But rest assured. If you win or loose, what you seek is in fact somewhere within Hades.” Behemoth raised a mighty paw...

However, Alberdyne Cormyr, son of Michael Cormyr, was ready.

Despite his sometimes rash stubbornness, Al could use his abilities well. He had the brightest nimbus cloud of the group of students he studied with. He was the most skilled psionic that the elders had seen in a long time. Since in fact, Michael Cormyr first arrived on Kanassa from the Omniverse's original sighting. Alberdyne Cormyr knew the legend of his Father well, and he was eager to forge his own legend. He did not want to be a shadow, a forgotten one. Al was ready to forge his own story. So as he released the burst of psychokinetic energy, he used it on himself, and a nearby object. As Al concentrated, he had held his energy at bay for the entire time he and Behemoth spoke. “A test you say? If that's what you wish to speak of it as. So it shall be.” When Al released the burst of psychokinetics, he launched his powers of the mind with controlled precision. He found a nearby boulder, and sent it careening right at Behemoth's mass.

Right when the massive paw was about to strike...

There was a tremendously loud noise as Behemoth broke through the boulder launched at it. Shrapnel flew in every direction piercing the furry hide of the creature.

As a force of energy, psychokinetics oft had mysterious side affects on inorganic matter. With earth bound materials, many times the native temperature of the stones were super heated or super cooled depending on the skill level of the psionic. In Al's case, he was the son of Michael Cormyr. Al had briefly tapped into the Omniverse without realizing it due to his emotional stress level. Because of that event, the properties of the stone were inherently altered. The stones somehow became much sharper than natural and had a super-heated edge to them. With a glowing red hue, the shrapnel pierced right through Behemoth's body, severely injuring him.

“H-how, you little cretin?” Behemoth suddenly yelled. “You, should not be able to hurt me?! I will destroy you, the test is off, Alberdyne Cormyr. It's to the death now!” Behemoth howled, and began to charge up his own power.

“That suits me just fine, you coward.” Alberdyne responded. He still had his psychokinetic tendrils flowing through the air, and the mass of shrapnel that was now piercing Behemoth was still in play. Al was not focusing on the shrapnel though, he focused on something else. The very same set of wrist-locks that Al had seen on Behemoth. Attached to the wrist locks were a pair of chains, on either side, that were attached to the stone walls surrounding the combatants. Al focused on the chains. “This is your last chance to let me pass, and continue on in your miserable life.” Al taunted.

“If you want in on Hades so bad, I will send you there myself, Son of Cormyr!” Behemoth yelled and released the breath weapon that he'd been charging.

Then it happened...

Al released control of his psychokinetic energies, and felt the weight of the chains in his head. As he visualized each link of the chain, he could feel the metallic structure. The properties of the metal iron, burned through his mind. He could feel the malleable structures, the weight of each iron isotope burned through his mind. He could see the molecular properties of the iron chain and it began to levitate up off the ground under Al's concentration. Al no longer saw the physical world, but he saw the molecular one of isotopes and burning molecules.

He held his mental grip on the chains...

“You're bluffing!” Behemoth called out.

“Behemoth.” Al called from another place all together. “It is time for you to die.”

“Wait!” Behemoth called out.

And Al paused for a moment, maintaining his control of the chains.

“You may pass.” Behemoth said...

WC=1,362
Total WC=2,488

Knowing the denizens of the astral plane too well, Al never removed his eyes from the form of Behemoth as he slowly walked by him. Also, he never released his grip on the chains until he was certain that he was well within the tower. When he entered the tower, he saw a place unlike any he had ever ventured to on the astral plane. He'd visited the tower early in his youth, and just like back then, Behemoth had always been the guard. Only back then, Al had been considerably weaker. He observed the chamber he'd entered with a certain amount of scrutiny and disdain. As much as Al respected the astral plane and it's secrets, he also hated it. Being a psionic of Kanassa meant a certain amount of responsibility to Kanassa and her people. Al knew that one day he would fight hard to become a Hero like his Father was. He also knew that he would always live under the shadow of his Father.

Al carefully made his way through the large chamber. He was barefoot, and the stone felt cold against the bottom of his feet. His eyes were narrowed as he observed his surroundings, not certain where to go to retrieve the artifact he was looking for.

Strangely enough, there was an elegant kiosk in the central most position of the chamber. He frowned. "Is that it?" Fearing nothing, he walked up to the kiosk, it had a radiant sun shaft illuminating the whole thing. In the middle of the kiosk there was a statue of a strangely familiar figure. It somehow reminded Al of his Father, Michael Cormyr. Shaking his head, Al approached the kiosk and statue. It was elegant and had symbols written upon it that he had never seen before. The symbols were composed of a bizarre syntax that gave Al a headache. He focused on the task at hand. There, in the hands of the larger statue was the figurine he was looking for. Somehow, Al had expected the adventure to be much more challenging than what had actually occurred. He supposed though, Behemoth had been a worthy challenge of it's own right.

Thinking back to the struggle with Behemoth, Al realized he'd come a long way and had altered as a person, a warrior of Kanassa.

Once, he'd encountered Behemoth and at that point he was still a pup as far as Kanassan psionics went.

When the symbols on his body began to glow strangely and Al felt an uncomfortable feeling, he suddenly turned.

The most unlikely figure that he would have expected faced him in exchange.

"I was waiting for you my son." Came the voice of Michael Cormyr.

"Father!?" Al suddenly knew that he would never escape his Father's shadow, no matter where he went or how powerful he became. "Why are you here? This is my test." Al suddenly found himself returning to his usual self. "This has nothing to do with you, old man. I am trying to complete my own trials."

The older man laughed. "This has nothing to do with me you say?" He tapped his chin. "Al, listen to me very carefully. This has everything to do with me. You are my son, and furthermore, I have agreed to train you myself."

"Father, you are not understanding me at all." Al suddenly said, he felt himself becoming unusually angry. "I don't want to be like you. You've done too much. I could never be like you. That's why I love, and hate you." Al found a courage he never knew he had. He walked over towards Michael Cormyr. "I'm trying to be my own man. All I want is for your respect and approval." Al said. "Please find someone else to train me."

"I can't, my son. It has already been decided. There are things at play you won't understand yet. You have the marks, Al. Even now Omni courses through your veins. You must learn to command it effectively if you are to live." Michael Cormyr paused for a moment. "Only I can effectively train you in the Omniverse."

Al shook his head. "Damn you!" He cried out loud. "All I wanted was to forge my own story." Al felt tears streaming from his eyes. "You were always like that. You were always the Hero, and I looked up to you, I defended you for every time someone said something bad. I was bullied and ridiculed for being the son of the great Michael Cormyr. I never want to be like you!" Al yelled. "Either find someone else, or go away, I can train my damned self." Al felt his anger swell just then, and he could no longer suppress his potent level of ki. Vast amounts of energy swelled out from somewhere deep inside as he quickly snatched the figurine he was looking for from out of the statue's hands. Much to Al's surprise, the battle was not to retrieve the figurine. But actually, it was his own emotions towards his Father. They were raging out of control and would one day consume him, and perhaps, them all. "I am leaving." Al said as he clutched the tiny figure in his hand. He walked slowly away expecting his Father to somehow attempt to stop him. Instead, Michael Cormyr merely stood there and spoke.

"As you leave consider this." Michael said. "The Omniverse is a power that is beyond our grasp to control through normal means." Michael continued. "I spent years studying it to properly learn to command it, and use it as my ally. I want you to be able to do the same. I don't want you to be consumed by such raw power."

"Father. I am not your clone." Al said. "I am my own man, come what may, I will conquer Omniverse as you did so long ago on your own. If you learned how to do it, so can I. I don't need anybody's help!" Al yelled, and stormed out of the tower. On the way out, he kicked Behemoth hard on the flank and continued to walk a short distance. Then, he flew back towards his body, and his training for the hour ended. Yet, his heart was heavier than ever. One thing he had learned greatly disturbed him. He would never escape his Father's shadow.

FIN.

WC=1,062
Total WC=3,550