Past and future.

In the innermost room of the Moon God Pavillion there was a table. In its centre sat an old man in black robes with a waning moon embroidered in the front. To his right three women sat. Two old with the kanji for left and front embroidered in their silver kimonos, and one middle aged dressed in a golden full plate armour with a phoenix engraved on it. To his left laid three men. Once again two old dressed in silver kimonos with the kanji back and right in them, and one middle aged man in golden full plate armour, with the design of a dragon engraved on it.

In front of them sat three men. To the right there were a teenager and a middle aged man. The last sat in front of the Moon robed man. He was about nineteen years old. They were Ryuunosuke, Akihiko and Gaius respectively.

“Hello Master Atiius, I am Kagayakashii Akairyu, Head of the Waning Moon Association. To my right are seated the Elder of the Front, Funai Ai, in charge of administrative issues. The Elder of the Left, Nakamoto Yubi, in charge of internal affairs. And the Head of the Phoenix Branch, Ma Jiang, in charge of the administration of the associations mages.

To my left are the Elder of the Back, Hamamoto Kioshi, in charge of the clans less public operations. The Elder of the Right, Miyahara Mamoru, in charge of external affairs. And the Head of the Dragon Branch, Ma Jian, in charge of administration of the associations ki users.

Before we begin do you have any questions?”

“Any question? Alright. Is the gender equality intended?”

“Yes, it is the Founders' decree that two of the elders shall be male and two female. Also the heads of the branches must be a male and female of the Ma family.”

“Then the second question. Is ki the same as my time’s life force?”

“Yes.”

“Finally, Brilliant Red Dragon?”

“Heh, I chose that name. You see, I'm the son of a dragon and I never met my mother so I named myself after my heritage, and my hair. And that look says it all. My father was an eastern dragon, they can shapeshift. Now our questions are-”

“Actually,” interrupted Gaius, “I have a way to answer all your questions, let me tell you an abridged version of my life. Don't worry, it wasn't very eventful.”

“If you think that's best.”

“Very well.

I was born in a small city in the roman province of Lusitania, located in the current Andalusia, near the frontier with Portugal. It was the Year of the Consulship of Valerius and Ianuarianus or year 1041 Ab urbe condita, no wait, 288 A.D. I was born to a patrician family, we hand vast lands, dedicated mainly to the cultivation of olive and grape. We also had a secret, we were christians and we had been for centuries.

When I was nine years old, 297 A. D, I got I in a fight with a servant's child and beat him hard. After the fight my father scolded me and asked me what I was thinking. I answered, I wanted to rip his flesh from his bones, I wanted to drink his blood. My father was scared, scared not of me but for me. For a year he tried all methods he could think of to curb my bloodthirst, literally in this case, but to no avail. This made me realise something about me was wrong. This made me scared, scared of myself, of what I could do.

Next year, 288 A. D, a merchant, friend of my father came, and when he heard of my plight he said. "Marcus, I know of a great man named Anthony in Egypt". He told us of the hermit, the monk, and his retirement from the world. I was enthralled by the tale, a man willing to leave everything to achieve spiritual improvement. Immediately I told my father that I would follow his example, and he agreed.

The first two years were tough, the hermit lifestyle is not for the faint of heart, but I persevered. Until I saw it only worked partially. And so I did even more things, prayer, cultivation, brewing, reading the classics and philosophy, exercises to keep my mind and heart pure. And yet it didn't work fully. I could better control myself, but the evil in me hadn't disappeared.

It was then that I started in the path that would bring me here. I thought that my aggression was born out of an excess of energy, and so I began to train my body. Once again I found it effective, yet, not enough. So I increased my load, I began to practice martial arts. Unarmed, sword fighting, archery, all three.

Day after day I toiled in my journey, until one day, when I was fifteen, terrible news reached me. Emperor Dioclecianus had decreed that christians would have to convert, or die. Thus did the tenth persecution begin. I was furious, I wanted to go out there and kill all roman soldiers, but my father was wiser and a better Christian. He sought to aid his fellows peacefully, through bribery. Wine, oil, denarii and even aureus, all to make the army higher ups to ignore the edict in our region. That was all we could do. But it worked, within our lands no christians died, and thus I kept my hermitage. But my heart was full of rage, fear and worry. It was horrible.

Eventually the persecutions came to an end, and in 206 A. D a miracle happened. Constantine rose to the throne, and he made Christianity legal. The persecutions would finally end! Those were the happiest days of my family's life, we were free to pursue our religion, to worship freely and wear the symbols of our faith, we needn't hide anymore!

That day I found peace and happiness. And so I went out, to pray. And while I exercised I began to feel something, energy and life all around me. The energy filled me up and something, another form of energy, surged and granted me might. I realised so when my punch broke a boulder. I was scared, what was this, I thought. And so I sought my father’s counsel, he had the answers I was seeking. He spoke to me, of magic and lifeforce, of demons and dragons, of spirits and elementals.

Knowing of my abilities he contacted a Mage he knew of. He answered and together we seeked answers. We didn't find them, the first was a mystery, the second too strong and malleable to be lifeforce, and I could not use magic at the time. Instead he began to teach me of summoning and portal rituals, all that he knew, and while I learned I practiced to control my abilities and learned to shape and control both energies. One day he brought me to a reunion of supernatural creatures. I activated my ability there and was overwhelmed, I had never realised that in that state I could feel the feelings of others, and there, there were many feelings, many of them dark.

I returned home and learned to separate those feelings from mine and discard them. And then I thought: could I use this? Could I purge my evil thoughts? It didn't work. In my desperation I did something foolish, I decided that I would summon something or enter in contact with some dimension that had knowledge on how to cure me.

I stumbled on something more. I performed the ritual and it worked, too well. I accessed a repository of knowledge, and it destroyed me. Past and present, across all versions of Earth I knew it. Omniscience of all the Earths across the multiverse, and of all possible timelines that could have been in those Earths. And let me tell you the multiverse is vast, even if only one out of 10^100 universes held a version of Earth there would be 10^100 Earths, and each of those had billions of possible timelines.

I should have died, but something in there wished for me to live, so I became immortal. Or to be concrete inviolable, nothing could harm me, not even time. I could not degenerate. I could not age. I could not die. But at the same time I could not handle the knowledge, and so I lost my mind and became only capable of answering questions about past and present, and guess the future.

My family took care of me for a century, until the last who remembered me bankrupted and she sold me to a Mage society in Augusta Emerita. There I was called a prophet, until the Caliphate invaded. The arabs brought me back to the Caliph, and they tried to replicate my ritual, but it didn't work most of the time. And when it did the connection was temporary, a year at most. Maybe my connection was so strong because I was the first, or maybe I was an anomaly. But even then they discovered the connection was fragile, and it could be broken. They also weren't inviolable. And so they halted their experiments, and once again I was used as an Oracle, for they were unwilling to free me.

Then the mongols attacked, they took me and brought me to the steppes. And from then I was fought over and I changed hands time after time after time, until one day I moved to China. Then to Korea. And finally seventy four years ago I fell in hands of the Locapala.

Until one day two men came to my prison, and one ordered all bindings to be severed and I was at last freed. And I woke up healed, so that's nice."

Gaius turned to Ryuunosuke. "I have already said it Ryuunosuke, but I will repay this debt." He then faced the Head. "Is that enough?”

“That's fucked up.” Commented Akihiko.

“Yeah.” Muttered Ryuunosuke.

“That was... Informative." Said Akairyuu, “but I think I speak for all of us when I say that I still have two questions.” Having said this he looked at his fellows, who nodded in acknowledgement.

“First, how much remains of that knowledge in you? Second what are your plans from now on?”

“Of the knowledge only remains what I considered most important. The ability to communicate with others, as such I retain all languages, culture, customs and common sense of the world, you'd be surprised at how much that last one differs depending on country. And the events that happened around me, which is how I knew about the Locapala and their facilities.

The second question I can answer easily, apart from repaying Ryuunosuke, nothing. I have nothing left, I don't know what to do.”

Gaius stopped looking at the Head, and began staring at the void. The Head began to speak in whispers with his fellows and seemed to reach a consensus.

“Gaius, I have an offer. Do you want to join us? You won't even need to commit to us we only ask that you complete one task for us”

“What task is this exactly?” Asked Gaius, warily.

“Allow me to explain,” began Ma Jian,” we think-”

“And why should you be the one to explain, idiot brother?” Interjected Ma Jiang.

“Because I have three and you have one, which is also mine, bratty sister.” Responded Jian. “You see, we believe that your ability is something we call Senjutsu, or Unity in the west. It's an ability that can only be trained specifically at great risk, or awakened naturally. However in orden to awaken it one must have some requisites of mental health, fortitude and will.

This is because of the drawback you mentioned, if one does not awaken naturally they run the risk of being corrupted by the Kegare and Tsumi, or malicious thoughts, of others.

The second is an ability that all those who have achieved Senjutsu have, the upgraded form of ki, life force for you, Touki, or Great Power in the West. It is capable of all that ki can and is more malleable. I didn't know it was capable of being shaped into other forms of energy. It is difficult to control and achieve. It is born of a superior physique and there are three ways to achieve it, Senjutsu, being a descendant of certain species which have it naturally, and brutal training while having ki.”

Jiang interrupted. “What you should know is that they are rare, with less than 0.01% of ki practitioners bellow forty years of age achieving Touki. And Senjutsu is rare tooo. Including you there are five sages in this city, the Head being one of them, the Blue Leaders leader being another, and the boss of the youkai another. And of the five you are the only one to achieve it naturally.”

“What we want from you is to train three anomalies, since our users are too busy with their own affairs. Two of our younger members have achieved Touki, one through having a divine bloodline, and the other through hard work.” Continued Jian.

“Also there is a girl, half six tailed kitsune, who was trained for Senjutsu by her mother before She left. She recently achieved it. She belongs to both the Dragon and Phoenix branches so she can use both Touki and magic, we'd like you to train her in both high arts.” Finished Jiang.

“Of course you would be appropriately compensated for your time and efforts.” Said Ai.

“That is acceptable. Let us discuss terms.” A predatory smile appeared on Gaius’ face.

“I can't believe you got them to pay you 500,000 yen per week for four hours a week, plus whatever you get from missions, and accommodations at an apartment in the residential quarters and no mission quota! I have a quota and get paid half for twice the hours, and it took me years to get an offer to get a house!” Exclaimed Akihiko.

“You live here Akihiko?” Asked Ryuunosuke.

“Nah, got an ancestral house but it's the thought that counts.”

“Well I am the son of a oil and wine merchant after all, I know how to haggle. Very. Well. Ok, more like I'm the only person available for the post that isn't ultra strong or important so I had an incredible advantage.” Responded Gaius, looking back as he walked along Ma Chao.

“Master Atiius, for the next week you will become accustomed to the grounds and city. This Thursday you will get an identity and Japanese nationality, and we will begin to sort your documentation. Next Monday, six days from now you will participate in an assessment that will determine your grade level for martial arts and magic and enroll in the school. Tuesday through Thursday you will have placement exams in the Japanese education system. You will begin your classes Friday, and use the weekend to remember your full skills and prepare classes for your students. They shall be held on the normal ki practice hours Tuesday and Thursday. You have two hours for Senjutsu lessons on Saturdays. Master Saito shall be your guide.”

“Wait I'm a nanny know?! No way I'm-”

“It shall count as a green mission and paid accordingly, per week.”

“When do I begin!”

“Tomorrow. Your room is in portal 14, 5B, Master Gaius. Now if you'll excuse me.” Chao bowed before leaving towards the member administration building.

The three others arrived at the main crossroad.

“Well, I'm going home. Goodbye Gaius, Ryuunosuke. See you tomorrow.” Akihiko began leaving.

“Wait me too?”

“Of course, unless you want another tough, low paying mission instead of following your mentor?”

“Oh. Then see you tomorrow” “Bye”

Akihiko left, and before Ryuunosuke could do so as well he was stopped by Gaius.

“Listen I think you don't understand how grateful I am. If you have any problem, at all, call me. Got it?”

“I don't think I did something so great so-”

“Bullshit, you freed me from my own personal hell. I don't care what you think, I'll repay you.” Said Gaius approaching Ryuunosuke, until they were a few centimetres apart.

“Um, space, please?”

“I'm making you uncomfortable, right? Sorry, hermit lifestyle doesn't do much for people skills. I'll leave you be, just, think about it. Please?”

Having said what he wanted Gaius left without letting Ryuunosuke answer.

“It was supposed to be just another day. I'm spent. Home here I go.” Muttered Ryuunosuke, before leaving.

Back at the Moon God Hall.

“Still. Today is a good day, no, this decade is a good one. Saito Akira, the three kids, Fukuyama Ryuunosuke, and now Gaius Atiius Quadratus. The association will prosper.” Said Nakamoto Yubi, Elder of the Left.

“Only so long as they get time to grow.” Said Akairyuu, wearily, “Kioshi, what are the movements of the Cult of the Bodhisattva of Pleasure?”

“None of them have approached this city, but their agents in the association are stirring”

“If only they came ten years later, what horrible timing.” Commented Jiang.

“Coincidence? Jiang in the 156 years I've led this association I've learned that there are no coincidences with that Cult. Increase security. Meeting adjourned”

“”””””Yes, Master”””””