Scene 3 - Entrance Fee

An hour had passed since the siblings had gotten in line, and within that time shocking sight appeared behind them. There were thousands of other youths now waiting in line behind them! As time passed the mood picked up as the youths chatted amongst themselves; a mix of emotions electrified the air; the excitement, confidence, awe, wonderment, and nervousness blended in the air with various emotions.

The sun was out and hot making youths sweat; luckily by some foresight the siblings brought some water and other refreshing drinks inside Vince and Rune rings. Making the surrounding youths envy the siblings that surrounded them wishing they had such expensive rings.

*Dong Dong*

A loud bell resounded through the crowd making them grow silent. With a short pause, a woman wearing desert style clothing flew in the sky sitting in the Lotus position on a sand cloud.

A warm expression plastered on her face, the women gazed warmly at the youths beneath her, protruding a dense amount of mana around her being that made the crowd of youths gaze in shock.

I brown-haired youth in the fount shouted loudly in awe, “A Sea Qi Stage Cultivator! It’s really a Sea Qi stage cultivator!!!”

Another youth denounced the first man's claims with a growl, “No nitwit that's a Filament Stage Magician.”

Numerous whispers filled the crowd, they were completely mind blown in that they were seeing a Filament Stage Magician! Only a few in the crowd didn’t seem excited at all, even though Master Mo had told the siblings about what a Filament Magician is they were still in awe. With varying degrees amongst them of course, Master Mo had even told them the difference between and Magician and cultivator were.

Saren remembered the information as clear as day, ‘So this is what a person's aura is like after breaking through the Heavenly Refinement Realm or Core formation. A person would undergo a huge transformation after breaking through. At this moment in time there were six types of cultivation; elemental-type, beast-type, weapon-type, tool-type, rule-type, and unique-type.

“Now what happens if someone has different types?”, Saren had once asking Master Mo if it was even possible.

To which Master Mo replied. “Master Mo had explained to them that in this case, they would fall into being called a dual, tri, or quad, penta, ect…-type. Or if two or more types combined together they would then fall into the unique-type a mutation it would be more like.

For a Magician, after forming their core they enter the Filament Foundation, with the exception besides how the two cultivated would name; say a Sea Qi Cultivator or a Filament Magician. And the difference between the two was that Magicians can only use external types of energy such as shooting a fireball. While cultivators can only use magic internally such as turning their body into water or hardening their body with earth.”

Pulling back from the memory Saren also remembered that it was known that dual training of both QI and Magic was ten times harder to master both styles of power as it took too much time for an average-type talent to learn them together.

Only the genius-types would type attempt such a fleet, which is why Master Mo had forbidden Vince and Rune from Cultivation currently for this very reason.

Since they had a dual affinity for elements with a third on the horizon it would actually which would take fifty times longer to reach the Filament stage if they spread their training to include mastering Qi.

He wanted them to build a strong foundation in magic before trying to use both styles of powers. It would then be much easier to then train magic as a primary and cultivation as a secondary.

Saren wanted to pull more information from his memory, but at that moment the FIlament Magician roared thunderously, her voice covering the entire area, “Hello Newbies! I am Mal and I shall be your guide to the sectless sect. Remember the fee for being allowed into the test is eighty gold and to ride is twenty, those that don’t have that kind of money. I approve of you to… SCREW OFF!!!”

Everyone in the crowd thought at the same time, ‘What a bitch!’

But didn’t dare say a word; for fear of being kicked out.

While the siblings thought to themselves scared silly, ‘Master is a cheapskate!’

Even though master Mo had given them each a hundred gold they had used half of that if not a little more. Thankfully their master had given Vince a small metal so he was in no worry about price. He trusted his master in this matter.

The line moved at a fast pace and eventually the nine stood in front of a youthful man; who had just turned away another youth who was short a few silver. These guys are real cheapskates like their master!

Feeling Bad Nena handed the crying youth the few silver he needed; the crying youth with orange hair thanked Nena and was able to cross over. He said something along the lines that he would never forget her kindness.

Vince shook his head at Nena nativity for adding one more enemy to fight against but didn’t stop her from giving away some of their money. Afterall they wouldn’t have to worry about entering since they had the metal given to them by Master Mo.

Once again Vince led the party towards the youthful man who stood there laughing, “Haha~ not many people have a pure heart as you little kid. Alas, I am not so kind as you, one-hundred coins each please!”

Calmly, Vince placed the small metal on the table and said to the young man in front of him cooly, “Show this to your boss, he’ll understand what it means.”

The young man visibly shook his eye’s wide and fearful, “Your entry is waved, honored guest! Continue forward towards the left path, all the way till you reach door one. Tell the old man sitting they tell him that Brand sent you he’ll understand.”

With a slight bow, the young man handed the metal back to Vince, “Please enjoy your ride!”

“Thank you. The eight behind me are my siblings they are also coming with me there’s no problem with that right?”, Vince replied.

The man nodded fiercely, Vince noticed that he was sweating buckets, “There are no problems! You all may pass!”

While the siblings went on ahead without a care the few people behind them were stunned, before a few people behind those people poked them awake. Even the young man seemed to have grown stupid for a minute.

Walking towards the large building marked with a huge number one that was carved straight into the Ironwood door. Sitting to the side was dark-skinned; skinny to the point of being bones, an old man smoking a long pipe. His hair pepper with black and white strands mixing together that hung outside of his wrapped up hat and beard.

Upon closer inspection, the siblings could make out what this person was wearing. It was the same type of clothing that the Earth apprentice was wearing only less vibrant and more worn for wear.

The old man was making profound smoke clouds of animals more vicious than the last; with a wave of his hand, the smoke dissipated from the air. His gray eyes stared at the youngsters before him.

Vince moved ahead of everyone and bowed to the old man, “Junior greets senior! Brand sent us we hope that we can get a ride to the sectless sect.”

With a nod the old man smiled, he held his long pipe in hand as enchanting smoke clouds came out. He stood up from the lotus position and placed his free hand on the door. With a slight touch, the massive door creaked and opened to reveal a giant sleeping lizard!

The thing was utterly massive spanning three hundred meters! Its entire body was a golden shine striped with black and orange in a chaotic mess on its back. A bright orange mane covered the neck of the lizard almost like a lion.

The head of the lizard had various spikes protruding from its head, with steel-like scales covering the lizard from head to toe. Making Luna assume it was bred to be a moving fortress, she then noticed a long scar that ran down its head all the way down to one of its two tails.

Suddenly as the siblings were in awe over as the creature opened its massive eyes and staring at the ten figures with curiosity with its yellow viper eyes.

The siblings stood in awe at the massive creature as the lizard stood up; it’s massive frame towering in size to reveal its four powerful legs attached to its body with five large claws protruding out.

In human tongue the lizard slithered, “Massster.. It’sss time again?”

With a nod the old man jumped up and landed on top of the lizard's head. Then he turned around and sat on the lizards head. He motioned towards the youths still in awe to the left of the lizard where a latter fell down to the side that was connected with a large saddle full of seats.

The old man smiled at the shocked youths enjoying the scene at how awe-struck they were.

Keeping his grin that showed his white teeth in contrast to his dark skin, the old man said his first spoken word, “Climb.”