Zen sat on his bed, the light of the full moon illuminating his large room and reflecting off the polished high quality storage stone in his hands. One of the last things his father had bequeathed to him.

Shibi came to sit by him. “We home for good?”

“I’m not sure Shibi.” He said, looking at his reflection on the stone surface. He could only imagine the weapons contained in the storage stone. These high quality stones were made to store a lot of items. Since a young age, Wang Zen would sometimes sneak down, close to his father’s workshop and he would always hear his father toiling away at his weapons and craft, his masks which could hide the wearers power level, his high quality weapons with fine edges that could seemingly cut light itself and his mannequin warriors. They could all be in this storage stone, in his hands, he probably held his father’s armoury.

However, for all the power that may be stored within, Zen was hesitant to access it. Access to these stones contents were locked behind a ki signature. If the ki signature of the person who tires to access it does not match the ki signatures inscribed in the stone, then the best that could happen is nothing but the worst could be that the contents are destroyed and the stone explodes.

Of course, there are ki specialists who have techniques to access the contents but those are not full proof. The act of trying to force your way in often results in most of the contents being destroyed and Zen could not bring himself to let any part of his father’s work be destroyed for his own benefit. Especially if he knew that his father did not find him worthy to wield his best weapons.

He fell back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. “For the longest time, father didn’t think much of me. That’s why he sent me to Goixi Academy. So that I could become stronger. Now he’s gone and I don’t have to go back. But am I stronger?” He looked at the storage stone. “Am I worthy?”

“Zen is string.” Shibi said walking beside him.

Zen smiled and patted Shibi on the head. “Of course you’d think that.” He tilted his head at Shibi. “Come to think about it, your stronger too, Shibi. You used to be small, now you’re the size of a baboon and you can use fire techniques. When you get on my shoulder, I actually get tired carrying you.” Zen laughed. “Maybe your right. Maybe we both have grown since the beginning of theis journey but…”

Zen sighed.

“I’ll sleep on it.” He said, curling into a ball next to Shibi and they slept side by side.

Zen knocked on the door of her mother’s office.

“Come in, Ding Wu!” came the response from the other side.

Zen opened the door.

“Oh, Zen Zen! You’re unusually polite today.” Wang Lin said with a smile.

“It’s good!” Jao said. “At least his father did not rub off on him too much.”

Zen frowned in annoyance at his grandfather. “Hello, Grandfather.” He bowed.

“Why do you entertain that flea bag?” Jaoi said, looking at Shibi, who followed after him.

Zen made a gesture, inviting Shibi to climb onto his shoulder. “I didn’t know you had company. I’ll leave.”

“Don’t be silly, Zen Zen.” Lin said. “Now tell me, did you want to talk to me.”

“Yes,” Zen said, nervously glancing at his grandfather before looking at his mother. “This… is hard to say, mother, I have decided to return to Goixi Academy.”

“No you’re not. Returning to that academy is nonsense.” Lin said.

“I need to go back.” Zen said. “Not sure for how long but I will return.”

“Nonsense. You would abandon your family at such a time?” Jao said.

“But no one really needs me here.”

“Wrong, Kiddo. I need you.” Lin said. “I’ll need all my family close to me.”

Zen looked down. “I will come back, Mo…”

“Enough! You are not going and that is final!” Jao said. “Now go!”

Zen turned on his heels and left.

Wang Lin knocked on the door of her son’s room.

“ZenZen, can I speak to you?” she said.

There was no response.

“Uh come on, are you angry at your mother?”

There was silence still.

“Okay. Look son, this is something new for me. When I said I need you, I wasn’t lying. I can go on adventures and beat up bad guys and fight monsters but this… this is new. Trust me, I won’t ask you to make any policy decisions but… I don’t know Kiddo, it would be of great comfort if…” She sighed. “Can I just enter? It would be easier to make a fool of myself in person rather than through this door.”

Silence still.

“Okay, say nothing if you agree?”

She pushed the door open. The room was empty and the window was open, the curtains fluttering in the night breeze.

“Oh no,” she groaned.