“I’m here at the request of General Rahd.” The situation really starts to set in. My anxiety begins to get the better of me and my words come out stifled.

“What is your name?” The guard looks uninterested, and he makes no effort to hide it. He continues to read his book without giving me a passing glance.

“My name is Dani.” My answer elicits no response as he continues to read his book. “I was supposed to see him after my recovery.” I notice a Jade badge hung on his armband. ‘For a jade, this guy seems pretty careless.’ That thought would remain one. If he is Jade, his prowess demands I give him face.

“Go on ahead kid.” He waves us through the door to his left.

“Thank you, honorable Senior.” I bow and walk into the long corridor. Portraits of famous generals line the walls. Mikoshi the Whirlwind, Hazak the Mountain Breaker, and of course, Rahd, Master of the Dragon Flame. These great leaders define the village’s past and present.

“Stop ogling and hurry, we’re gonna be late.” Anya gripes.

“Right, his office should be up here.” As we round the bend to the last door, we stop dead in our tracks. In front of the door stands the masked ninja from earlier. Something about the way he stands sets me off. His silver eyes cold and mysterious, like a winter night’s full moon, glare at me through the mask.

“You can turn back now, beast.” His tone was as chilling as his stare.

I bite my lip in frustration. “How can you be so callous to someone you don’t know.” My temper has gotten the best of me and I can’t hold back any longer. “Even if it costs me, I will not let you trample over me.” I pull a kunai from my pouch and take off. The distance between us begins to widen, and my legs grow numb. “What's happening?” My voice sounds like it's underwater.

His silver eyes shine brightly and the walls twist and stretch into impossible shapes. “Reality defines who we are.” His words seem to turn my bones into mud. Each, desperate lung forward, becomes less successful than the last. “A ninja’s reality defines them as a tool.” He waves his hand and the floors and walls begin to peel away. As the effect reaches me I start to sink into puddles where my legs used to be. It was a pain I could never imagine, feeling my body melt into mud.

“MMMpghhh.” My mouth has melted away, so my protests go unheard.

“You aren’t even worthy of that purpose, beast.” A full moon awakens behind him. “All you can do is howl at the moon, whose purpose eclipses all ninja.”

In an instant reality returns to normal, except now I’m drenched in a cold sweat. My vision is double and blurry. Whatever technique that was, it was formidable. “Who are you?” My throat still felt liquefied.

The door swings open. “What’s with all the commotion out here?” It was General Rahd, who seems none too impressed with my outburst. “Never mind that, I need to brief you three on your new mission.

My jaw drops to the floor. “Us three?” The idea of working with that jerk would make anyone uneasy.

“Yes, remember your place, Dani. I will not accept any hesitance from you.” His tone is deadly serious, which snaps me back to a rational mindset. “Now, please come in.” He returns to normal and wears a mile-wide grin. “So, you’ve already met Roh? He’s quite a shy guy, but a very splendid ninja.”

Anya and I both look at each other in confusion. ‘Not exactly how I’d describe him.’ I thought.

“Good, then I can get to why you are here.” He procures a sealed scroll from his desk. The seal was simple yet effective, it will destroy the document if you try to break it without the right cipher. Rahd rests two fingers on it and breaks the seal. “This is your target.” He opens the scroll and reveals a photo of a large spirit beast. It held the form of a wolf. Its teeth are the size of my arm and its teeth belong to a beast as tall as the surrounding forest.

He rolls up the scroll and lights it on fire with his qi. “We have corralled it in the south forest sector 21B, but we haven’t been able to capture and seal it.” He points to me. “That's why I brought you here.” His words put me on edge. “Your ability to create formidable and complex seals makes me believe, you can do it.” He looks to Anya, who is obviously swamped with anxiety. “You will use your wind techniques to draw the beast’s attention. Your range should prove useful for that.” Lastly, he looks at Roh. “Roh I need you to use your technique to incapacitate it and make sure Dani doesn’t get killed before he can complete his task.”

‘I have to trust this asshole with my life.’ I think as I glare at Roh

“Quite the arduous task, leaving me to control two beasts.” His words stab my pride once again.

“Enough of that Roh, you can haze them after the mission.” Rahd retorts. “Any questions?”

The pressure of this mission steals my breath away. “How am I supposed to seal something that large?” My question is reasonable, no Spirit gem could contain that amount of Qi. “I’m just not sure it’s—“

He interjects. “You will be the vessel.” The world stands still for an instant as the reality, of what he proposed, settles in.

“What?” Anya loses her composure and slams her hands on the desk. Qi flickers and sends currents of wind through her silver hair. “He almost died from the last thing he sealed in himself. What makes you think he can even control that beast?” I can not believe the tone she is taking with a general. Her words were serious and stir doubts within me.

“Don’t, Anya.” I react before I even grasp what's going on. “It would be an honor to carry this burden.”

Rahd grins. “That's the spirit boy!”