Chapter 90: It Speaks?

"Ahh!" Haru let out a scream as he made his way through the portal that Teacher Li had opened up. It was unexpected and when he felt his body go weightless once again he panicked.

In a flash of light suddenly he found himself in a dimly lit room. It was silent apart from the gentle breath of someone in the corner.

Haru looked over to see Teacher Li, The same man that he saw earlier, in the cafeteria. He wondered where Jake was since the last time he saw him, He was with teacher Li.

But before he could ask Teacher Li stood up and walked toward him.

"So, This is the cloud feathered eagle? I have seen a few of your kind but I never expected you to be the one causing all the ruckus at the bottom of the cliff.

Usually, you can't use your abilities until you are matured but you look to be only ten years old. You are very far ahead of your peers. I bet you can even understand every word I am saying to you right?" Teacher Li asked the eagle.

There was a moment of hesitation as the eagle looked at Haru first and then back at Teacher Li and then nodded its head.

"Woah! Truly impressive! I never expected to see a young beast with this much intelligence. You might just make it to the saint stage one day.

Well, that would be if you grew up in the higher realm of course. The lack of Qi here is only slowing you down." Teacher Li said to the eagle and then looked at Haru who was just staring at them both in confusion.

"I know you were the one who found the eagle first but do you mind if I train it? I feel like this eagle is going to be really special one day. I always hoped for a student that could surpass me but I don't know if I will ever find one.

I was hoping that the sect master would assign that Remi girl to be my disciple but no. He decided to take her for himself. My dreams were crushed once again…" Teacher Li began to tell Haru in hopes that he would sympathise.

"Sure, I have my hands full anyway. I can't really afford to raise a beat. So go for it." Haru said and then looked at the eagle.

The eagle seemed to have a smile on its face as it made it's way to Teacher Li's side. It then bowed its head down to him with respect to his teacher.

"Hmm. Strange. If you were a wild beast then how would you know to pay respect to a teacher?" Teacher Li began to wonder as he looked at the eagle.

It was hard because the eagle couldn't;t communicate back but then suddenly an Idea came rushing to Teacher Li's mind.

"Where is it? I'm sure I left it in here somewhere?" He said out loud as he began to look around the room.

Haru also took the time to view his surroundings. He didn't notice when he first came onside but the room he was now stood in was the tidiest place he had ever been to.

The floors where spotless and the ceiling looked like it had been painted recently. The scent of paint was still lingering inside but that didn't seem to stop Teacher Li from making himself comfortable.

In one corner of the room, there were two wooden beams that extended all the way to the ceiling. And in between the beams were two ropes attached to a long piece of fabric.

Teacher Li had made himself a hammock and hung it in the room. Although Haru didn't quite know where this room was. It could be in another dimension for all he knew so it was disorientating to be randomly dragged to another place.

He thought back to his time in Japan at the magic school. 'This is how the VP must have felt when I kept pushing her through rifts. I feel kind of bad now. Maybe I should write a letter to apologise?' He thought before something caught his attention.

He looked up at the wall to see a frame hanging from the wall. Underneath the glass, there was a symbol. It looked vaguely familiar but he just couldn't remember where he had seen it before. It was like the feeling of deja vu as he looked op at the triangular shape inside a large circle with a cross going right through the centre

"Where have I seen this before?" He thought out loud as he looked up at the symbol one more time.

"Oh, You are admiring my rune? I found this on an exploration to a hidden realm. It's been nearly two thousand years since then but I still can't figure out where it is from.

I have had countless experts look at it and try to examine it but they can't figure out what it is for either. It's a rare piece of history so don't get any funny ideas it's mine okay?" Teacher Li said and then carried on looking for something.

All around the room, there were many rare looking items and artefacts. It was strange because of how much clutter there was in there but he still managed to keep the place clean.

Haru looked at the rune on the wall for what felt like hours before Teacher Li interrupted once More.

"Yes! I got it!" He shouted He opened up a jade pot that was on top of one of the cupboards at the opposite side of the room. He had been searching for one specific thing and he had finally found it. The excitement seemed to glow on his face as he pulled out what looked like a dogs collar.

"What is that for?" Haru asked seeing him holding the black collar.

"Watch and learn." Teacher Li said before making his way back over to the eagle.

He put out his hand and then reached out behind its head whilst holding the collar. The eagle pulled back as an attempt to get out of the way but stopped when Teacher Li calmed him.

"It's okay, I don't mean you any harm. This will help you." Teacher Li said to him quietly. It seemed to calm the eagle down and then he put his head forward to make it easier for Teacher Li to put the collar on him.

"See that's it." He said as he fastened the collar. It made a light clinking sound as the metal clasps attached to each other.

There was a faint glow of white light as they joined together. The eagle's eyes seemed to open wider in amazement. Teacher Li smiled at him with a proud look.

"Go on, Give it a try." Teacher Li said and then folded his arms.

The eagle looked down at Haru for a minute and then all of sudden a child's voice filled the room.

"Thank you, You taught me a wonderful song the first time we met each other. I didn't feel lonely after learning that tune. And then I have to thank you again.

On our second meeting, you helped free me from the trap I fell into when I was young. When I first learned how to fly I spread my wings and set off on my first journey.

Who would have known that I would end up being captured by a Qi absorbing chain." The voice said.

Haru looked around confused before realising that the voice was actually coming from the eagle. But its mouth didn't open at all. It was actually more like the words were coming straight from its mind.

Haru felt a rush of energy brush against his brain as he stood in astonishment. 'So there are artefacts that can let animals speak? I don't even know how to feel about that.

Could I talk to Xue if I put it on her? Or does it only work for beasts?" He thought and then was brought back to reality as the eagle bowed to him

"And thank you for standing by me even though I dropped you from the cliff. I was trying to play a prank on you. I didn't actually want any harm to come to you.

You had every right to hand me over to the birds that came but you didn't instead you helped me." The eagle said. And then looked down at the ground.

"It's okay, You have nothing to apologise for. I mean, I didn't exactly enjoy being thrown off a cliff but If you didn't throw me down then I never would have gotten a beast core. And you wouldn't have been freed from there. I think It turned out okay, Don't you?" Haru said with a smile.

The eagle looked back up at him.

"You are so nice. That is why I felt a connection to you when you first came to the cliff. You have the same feeling around you that my mom had.

And then I came up to see if you actually where my mother but when I saw that you weren't I felt slightly disappointed but you taught me that beautiful song. I didn't feel dissatisfied with that." The eagle said as Teacher Li stood awkwardly.

"Hey, You have already accepted me as your teacher and the sun is about to rise. You should get ready for our training session. Do you want to tag along with Haru? You might learn something. Teacher Li asked.

"It's nearly sunrise? I should be going then, Sorry I won't be able to stay for training. Oh, By the way. Where is Jake? I know the last time I saw him he was with you?" Haru asked Teacher Li

"Jake? Oh, the boy who was drinking with me last night? He passed out really early. I just left him in the cafeteria. If no one has moved him he should still be there.

Although you might want to go and wake him quickly. The kitchen staff will arrive there soon and they don't like people being there before they can clean up." Teacher Li warned him and then went outside with the eagle.

"Thank you," Haru said before walking outside. He was in the little wooden house right next to the Koi pond that he had come to last night. It wasn't far from the cafeteria so he made his way there as fast as he could so he could wake up Jake.