Contradictions [Aegis and Zenshin ; Private]

It had been a whole week since Aegis Bright, the guild master of Saber Tooth had accepted Zenshin's request to learn the magic that was almost nonexistent in Fiore, the magic of contradictions, recreation. He knew that the least of his worries was giving up the ability to use any other magic, but he felt that it would all be worth it. Zen saw himself having mastered the ability to create things that have already existed at some point in time, to be able to look at an object and know exactly how it came to be. But first thing's first, he had to learn how the magic actually worked, from Aegis, his new mentor, who told him to be at the Phoenix Mountains at midnight. Fully prepared to give everything he had, there was no doubt in his mind that after he had finished all the training that Aegis had in store for him, not only would he be able to actually use recreation, he would be able to answer the most difficult questions, the ones that have to do with what he is all about.

The nightly winds of the Phoenix Mountains were a bit harsh to regular people, which was a bit ironic given the name of the range, but Zenshin enjoyed the cold, so he didn't mind a bit of a chill. A dirt path ran through the entirety of the mountains, paving the way for merchant caravans to run through the mountains if enough protection was provided for them, as they could get quite dangerous at times. Aegis hadn't been very specific when he asked Zen to come to the mountain range, but he was sure that whatever he had in store for him, it was going to be the most grueling process he's ever been through. Probably even more so than when his father taught him the secrets of ice make, it seemed that history was repeating itself like it always finds a way to. Well, master Aegis, I'm here. I am prepared to take on anything... actually. I can't even begin to imagine what he has planned for me. Whatever it is though, I'm sure I'll manage he thought, looking up at the mountains.

Thinking back to what Aegis said back at the forest, comprehend the incomprehensible... does that mean he knows things that normal people like be literally can't even begin to imagine? Can he really know what everything is, spiritual or otherwise. Well, not like it matters now, I've already asked and he's already accepted. I was beyond the point of no return the moment I asked him about his magic. he thought with a sigh. The difference between myself and others... is that I acknowledge how my curiosity is probably going to be the death of me, while others just say they'd leave things be, which holds them back from the truly interesting things this world has to offer. Accomplishing the impossible, something that I am going to do if I do end up mastering the magic, recreation

It was a few hours before midnight. The nightly breeze gently passed by the towering walls of earth, accelerating past normal speeds in it's attempt to pass the natural barrier. Like knight faced with a daunting challenge, it did not give up. Instead, it kept on pushing, not admitting defeat to the mountains. Eventually, it found it's way up and over them, thus overcoming such a great obstacle through stubborn determination alone.

Aegis stood atop the highest peak enveloped in the soothing winds. High above him was the mystic symbol of the night, the full moon, bathing all beneath it with its dim, silver light. Shining brightly, even brighter than usual, it gently moved across the starry sky.
It had yet to reach it's perfect location, there was still some time before midnight, but for Aegis it was time to begin.
The knight stood atop the highest peak, enveloped in the gentle light. The ground beneath him was flat, a perfectly levelled surface adorned with with incomprehensible markings. Yes, it was a perfectly levelled circular platform, the site of ancient rituals thousands of years prior to that night. It was entirely covered in markings of unknown origin. Magical words, magical symbols inscribed into the very mountains themselves, all of it concentrated at that very peak.

There was a reason why these mountains were named as they were. The Phoenix, a noble beast and the symbol of rebirth. Upon its death, the mythical bird would ignite its body and reduce it to ashes only to rise up from its own remains stronger. Humans have always dreamed of being like it, after all many wish to be immortal. However few can understand the immortality of the mighty Phoenix, for the concept of never dying does not exist. That is why the world "immortal" does not have a clear definition, it can be achieved through many ways with many different results and still retain it's basic meaning. Being immortal means being eternal. In that sense, the Phoenix is immortal because it stands as the symbol of eternal renewal, and yet it still perishes just as anything else. Such a contradiction, conveniently forgotten by everyone else. People only cared for the fact that it was considered immortal, thus they conveniently forgot the true meaning of that.
Nothing is immortal physically, only concepts are eternal. For that sole reason, the holy bird of flames is eternal, it is because it stands tall as the symbol of overcoming and growth. As it burns itself down to ashes, it destroys it's own limits and as it rises back up it expands it's potential, it's abilities. For that reason, the mighty Phoenix is eternal, because it never falters, never looks back. It is the symbol of unyielding spirit and will.
That is why... over 10 millennia ago, this giant mountain range was named after the mighty beast. The entire landscape is a single magical system, it's whole surface covered in the most ancient of magical circles. It is the largest existing alter of magic in the entire world, the most complicated circuit of mana ever created. Over seven thousand layers of magic circles etched into the core of the mountains forming a giant lens of concentric mana-amplifying circuits, their highest level being the circle at the highest peak, at the centre of which stood Aegis.


The knight of Recreation stood within the ultimate circle of magic. He stood at the peak of power gathered and condensed for aeons. Gently, with grace, he began moving. Like a dance of the devoted who worshipped here so long ago, he moved, carried by the tone of the swirling winds. His mighty voice echoed throughout the entire mountain range as he began speaking the words of power, the trigger to the grandest of rituals.


The caressing breeze of the night grew in strength. Soon it became the strongest of gale winds, passing through the entire location. It was like a syphon surrounding the mountains, responding the the booming voice of the one who dared activate their ancient powers. They turned like the winds of millennia ago, spun and danced, calling for those who were worthy of receiving the gift of the Gods. They summoned forth the one strong enough to be strong, powerful enough to be weak. Like a whirlpool of fate they turned, twisted, following the ancient words, carrying them to the heavens, to the gods themselves.


The final words echoed in the silent darkness. There was no response. There was merely silence. As the name of the most ancient of rituals was invoked, everything froze. There was just the majesty of the mountains and the daring winds, singing once more the incantation.
And then
There was simply
Power.

Suddenly, with godly force, the winds turned into a gale storm. Dark clouds gathered above the mountains, standing proud, older than time itself as uncountable amounts of magical circles appeared all over the entire mountain range. They were infinite.Pulsing with magical power so grand and mighty that it was visible, the entire area was instantly lit up with the light of the mountain. The ritual was prepared, all that was needed now was to await midnight.

Something isn't right, this feels so... strange Zenshin thought as he faced the Phoenix Mountains. There was something happening here that wasn't right, wasn't normal, but Zenshin didn't really know what it was. Is this getting to me? Is this terror? Knowing there is something amiss but when you acknowledge it, nothing? he thought before a great amount of magic circles began glowing on the mountains. All the circles on all parts of the mountain, they seemed to be never ending, limitless, endless. What did Aegis do?! Zenshin thought while trying to keep his balance on the now extremely windy set of mountains. Looking up, he couldn't see the moon, just the faint glow behind the thick, dark clouds that now surrounded the area. Think. Where would I be if I was trying to teach someone magic on the tallest range in the world... The peak of the highest mountains. Right


The location itself wasn't too intuitive to be honest, now, getting there would prove to be a real challenge, if Zen wasn't a maker mage. Running down through the windy alley between the towering mountains, Zenshin held his arms out behind him and called out a spell, "Ice make, peregrine falcon!" and in a moments notice, a huge circle appeared. Yet another magical circle in the sea of the other magical circles, but those, they seemed different, distant, when compared to the one he had just made. An enormous falcon made of white ice was created and flew out of the circle and on Zenshin's side, visibly struggling at the speed of the winds that engulfed the area. Keeping his speed up, he signaled for his creation to his front and jumped on it's back, grabbing hold of two "handles" that he made sure to make on its back.

Another signal later, the creature flew up at a sloped angle, cutting through the wind with its sharp beak and leaving Zen to dangle, as a single slip up could mean his long, long descent into the illumination below. Able to literally get a bird's eye view, he looked, and that's when it really seemed like the circles were endless, all of them, embedded on the mountain sides, all glowing. I've never seen something like this on such a huge scale, nor have I ever  read about something like it as well. Now, where's that peak... he thought, scanning the area below by shaking his head both ways a few times. Squinting his vision a bit, he focused on a small, leveled platform that stood out from all the peaks. Taking his left hand off the handle and pointing at it, the bird dove, reaching amazing speeds before finally opening its wings to slow.

All of the increased wind really helped slow the creature down, so much so that it almost pushed it and its creator back from the platform. Landing in front of the familiar man, Aegis,  Zen slid down its back, placed a hand on his falcon, Blizzard, and thanked it for bringing him such a long ways through all the wind before causing the entire thing to disappear in a burst of sublimation. The swordsman was sitting in the the center of an overly complex glowing circle, more-so than all the other's glowing on the mountain side. It was pretty clear that he was the source of the booming chanting not even minutes ago. Patiently waiting for Aegis to come off of cloud nine, or cloud infinity, Zen decided to have his feet planted firmly on the ground to keep his balance and make sure the wind doesn't knock him over or throw him off of it.

Having finished the preparations for the ritual, Aegis was sitting in the middle of the circle, waiting for two things: his pupil's arrival and the moon to enter the needed position. Amusingly enough, both happened almost at the same time.

Standing up, his long coat now exposed to the powerful winds, the knight looked at Zenshin with a serious expression.
"This is your final chance. If you have any doubts or uncertainty within your heart, this is your last chance to turn back. After this moment, there is no return."
He paused to kneel down and do a stabbing motion, as if holding an imaginary sword, towards the ground. The only difference is that there wasn't an imaginary sword in his hands, there appeared a real one. It was a strange weapon, with highly unorthodox shape and markings, clearly used for rituals.
"If you choose to remain, then come here. I need you to concentrate and do and say everything I do. We must perform the oath on the Key of Divinity." -he spoke, still kneeling down with both hands holding the strange sword's abnormally long hilt, so long that there was enough room for two more to take hold of it.

"This is your final chance. If you have any doubts or uncertainty within your heart, this is your last chance to turn back. After this moment, there is no return. If you choose to remain, then come here. I need you to concentrate and do and say everything I do. We must perform the oath on the Key of Divinity." the swordsman said, as serious as the situation. With a nod, Zenshin moved into the glowing circle of unknown affinity or energy, it was just, strange. Though, strange implies bad, which it wasn't, it was just, foreign to him. So this is they Key of Divinity. I guess this really is the point of no return. I can't turn back now. I'm getting through this either with a new found power and knowledge, or under piles of dirt like I'm sure the rest who have tried before me he thought while placing his hands on the literal, long sword's hilt and kneeling down parallel to Aegis. He had no hesitation whatsoever, it's not like he came here just to turn back now. When Zen made a serious decision like this, he was ready to make the leap of faith, he would stick to his decisions and accept whatever came with it, the good, and the bad. What better setting could we need for an oath...

The knight did not say anything in response to Zenshin's choice, he simply nodded. There was no time to waste, there only was a small time window when the ritual would work, so he began saying the oath, pausing after each line to give time for it to be repeated.



Thus as the final words were spoken, everything went white. The only things still there were the sounds of blowing wind and the bright, bright moon under the starry sky.

After every line that Aegis said, Zenshin repeated after every pause Aegis gave him, not messing up on, or getting his tongue caught on any of the lines. At the very end of the ritual, the wind suddenly picked up and Zen felt stronger than he had ever been in his life in that instant, which was also when everything went white. Is this what the feeling of limitless power is? he thought as the energy from the ritual flowed into his body. He felt as though his whole mind had been turned inside and out multiple times and then, the white faded, and replaced with nothing but darkness as his eyes closed and he fell back onto the rocky ground, completely and utterly unconscious.

With each line Aegis spoke, an outer portion of the circle was lit and with each line Zenshin repeated, an outer portion of the circle erupted. Endless pillars of light rose from the runic circles, each subsequent one smaller and smaller in diameter. With every line spoken, with every word, the two men were slowly enveloped by the divine light.

Enveloped by magic, enveloped by something foreign, Aegis shut his eyes tight. He needed to remain focused, otherwise the ritual would fail.


Suddenly, everything went blank. All senses disappeared, all awareness vanished... just like in death. But that's normal. Dying means being separated from your concept, thus losing your meaning. You simply turn into something that exists, all other truths about yourself ceasing to apply, thus ceasing to exist.
What was happening then was similar, in fact it was exactly the same. That is the effect of the ritual, both mages died, but there was one small difference. Their entities were siphoned into the sword they both held onto, the Key of Divinity, thus they were not lost. However, for a brief moment, those same concepts were formed into something tangible on a magical level. That was the meaning of the Flight of the Grand Phoenix, the ritual of false rebirth.

But it only lasted for a few short moments, so there was no time to waste. Aegis focused his consciousness and peered into the endless white. There were two things floating freely in there, two entities, one of which was what he needed. He reached for it magically. The moment he "touched" it, the entity degraded into a sea of parameters.
Quite plainly, limitless information.
But such a thing could not be managed by a mere human, so the knight ignored it. He did not care for a pool of random information, he needed to see a specific section of it.
'Concentrate.'
In his mind he formed a desire; it was necessary to organize all the parameters.

'I want...'
What do you crave for, Aegis Bright?
'I crave not, I wish for the comprehension of ||||||||||||.'
An eternal time of silence encompassed within the single, endless moment.
.... So it will be.

The knowledge reformed; there was no concept of space there, but it altered its chaotic nature, thus forming a shape. It was an identical copy of Zenshin's body... but in figure only. It did not truly "exist", what was formed was merely a thought. But that thought became a tangible reality within Aegis' mind, so it mattered not.
He could now find what he needed; and there it was. What he cared for was none of the parameters and it was simple why. He had to create something that was never meant to exist in the first place.
Aegis reached out.
He grabbed hold of the concept of his mind and broke it down. The knight weaved together all threads of parameters that defined it into a single "line" and formed it into a loop, which he then split into two different concepts. They were identical as they both were the "idea of Zenshin's mind" but it was necessary, for Aegis needed to use some pre-existing concept to form into what he wanted. With a single, concentrated "wish", he reformed all properties of the copy of his student's mind, completely changing what it was.


The moment ended, the ritual was complete. From here on the former ice mage would not be able to use magic at all, but in exchange for that he gained not an ability, but rather a chance. The chance to retrace his life and go down a different route, one which was far away, yet ultimately would prove a short cut. The only thing that remained now was for the knight to show him the way; and ultimately test his resolve, his willpower and his dedication.

"Indeed. It is time to test your perseverance."

Ooc: Continued to https://www.fairytail-rp.com/t4199-balance-zenshin-and-aegis-private