[ ] Is now used for thoughts/telepathic communication.

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That night when I started meditating instead of sleep, I did everything like usual and went into the cultivation technique, instantly I felt something different, normally I can draw mana particles and fuse it with my mind, but this time I was unable to, It felt like something was blocking it, I tried harder and focused more, Instantly every part of brain felt like it was being crushed, my body was sweating and burning up due to the enormous pain, I clutched my head and screamed, I rocked back and forth on my bed, trying anything I could to ease the pain of what felt like my entire brain was throbbing and being torn, the noise I usually try and block out returned with the pain, a extremely profound and nauseating “BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTT” sound rattled through my mind, I had to run to the bathroom to puke into the toilet, I barely made it due to the crippling pain I was under.

My hand still clutching my head and my other hand clawing the floor I vomited everything that was left in my stomach over and over until nothing came out, I also felt extremely dizzy and disorientated, the room was spinning, my vision was blurry and my body was sweating profusely almost as if I was being dangled in front of a fire, the sound carried on getting more and more extreme over seconds, minutes, hours, I lost count of time in this state, “BZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTT” constantly, I couldn’t think, even with my strengthened body, mind and all around physical state I couldn’t do anything.

The noise carried on and on, the pain wouldn’t stop, it got worse and worse, after what felt like an eternity, the pain relented, I was lying on the bathroom floor in my own sweat and saliva and almost cried in relief that the pain had dissipated, I tried to stand but instantly the pain returned, but it was different, more excruciating, piercing and extreme than before, I fell to the floor face first in my attempt to stand up but being assaulted by the pain once again, I would of screamed if I had the energy but unfortunately I was hopeless, the pain seemed to have moved up a level, impossible to describe in words, instead of a buzzing noise this time it was a noise which was similar to when a balloon is squeezed together at the ends and air is released from it, a high pitched squeal of sorts, I felt the pain in the core of my being, in every fibre and cell, it hurt, it hurt so bad.

After what seemed like an eternity, it stopped. However, I didn’t celebrate, I was exhausted, incapable of thinking, Shortly after, I passed out.

-

When I woke up I was still on the cold bathroom floor, how long had I been out?, struggling to my feet I staggered into the main room where I looked at the clock, it was 3:23am and I had been in there for 5 days, my body still felt weak from all the events and I made myself some food, washed my body and finally lay on my bed with fresh clothes on, now in a rational state of mind the questions came rushing to my head and the first one blurted out my mouth,

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!”

It came out more as a shout but the meaning was there, I was utterly baffled, no idea why that had happened, wait, might it have been the cultivation technique? no, it couldn’t of been, I had been doing that for well over a year and nothing like that had happened, it came out of nowhere, it started that night that Teacher sent my uniform, wait, no it was past midnight so technically it was the next day, the 4th of september… wait isn’t that date my birthday?, oops I forgot completely, I haven’t gave anything much thought since I started the training as I was so focused, but it can’t be a coincidence that the pain started on my birthday, right?

[No, you are correct Master. 17 is the age you are mature enough to handle my existence.]

Suddenly, out of nowhere a voice popped into my head, am I hearing things? surely I must be going insane due to the traumatic experience I just went through…

[You are not going insane Master, It is I, your Familiar.]

“Familiar?”

I was confused once again, but the voice in my head answered my question,

[Yes Master, I am your Familiar, or your servant, I’ve always been with you since you were born, however until you were mature enough and able to hold my presence I couldn’t reach you, at 17 the barrier is broken and I am unsealed, I speak this language because I learn what you learn and are what you are, we are one.]

“Were you the cause of all that pain?”

[Indeed Master, it seems the barrier of the seal took a long time to break, the pain you experienced was the seal breaking and your brain evolving to accommodate my presence fully, I am very sorry for what you experienced, but it had to happen and was only a matter of time.]

I thought it over, it sounded believable , I accepted this explanation as I strangely felt secure, and fully trusted this voice, it felt unbelievably natural to.

“Do you have a name and body?”

[I do not have a name because you haven’t given me one, Master, also I can take the form of most things, here I’ll show you.]

Out of nowhere appeared a little boy with long raven coloured hair, he had black eyes and could've been mistaken as a girl, he wore garments of pitch black and they looked dark in comparison to his snowy white skin.

[As you can see Master, I can take the form of most things, be it any gender or appearance, I’ll keep this form, if you don’t mind, Master?]

“You can take whatever form you like, and I’ll name you ‘Exo’, I just came up with it, It sounds pretty cool, what do you think?”

[I like it Master, my name is Exo.]

Exo smiled when I named him, he must be happy that he finally has a name to call himself and refer to himself as.

“By the way Exo, where do you go when you're not in your physical form?”

I curiously asked a question that I was wondering since he materialised,

[I go back into a part of your mind, when your brain was evolving to accommodate me it made a place or ‘space’ in which I live, it’s my home if you will, I live inside you.]

Exo dematerialised and I could ‘feel’ him return, it seemed I could sense him wherever he was, quite useful I thought to myself.

“Exo, you speak to me through telepathic communication, right?”

[Correct, however, it’s a bit different, we share a ‘bond’ and this bond allows us to speak to each other without speaking, with only thought, try it, Master.”

I attempted to talk to Exo through our bond,

[Can you hear me?]

[Yes Master, I can hear you, it’s simple isn’t it?]

[It’s easier than speaking, really useful too]

I was extremely happy with the results, Exo was my familiar and through the bond we shared I trusted him like I trusted myself.

[Exo, can you change into a weapon?]

[Yes Master, What weapon do you want me to morph into?]

Hmmm, I thought to myself long and hard, then I decided, I’d go with a sword,

[Exo, morph into a small short-sword, like a dagger but longer and sharper]

[Master, you can send your thoughts to me you know, this includes images you think of, try it.]

I pictured what I wanted and tried to send it to Exo,

[Did it work?]

[Yes Master.]

Suddenly a pitch black short sword appeared in my hand, it was exquisite in design, and was pure black, even the blade and hilt, it curved a bit like a katana but was smaller and easier to handle, I touched the tip of the blade with my finger to test the sharpness but nothing happened when i tried to cut myself with it.

[Exo, Nothings happening when I’m trying to feel the sharpness?]

[Ah, Yes Master, It’s because I can’t hurt you in anyway due to our bond and me being your familiar.]

Oh so that's why… I nodded and walked up to the small coffee table that was near the door, I’ll test the sharpness on this…

I pull the blade up and swiped downwards towards the coffee table, the table is sliced through with barely any effort, it felt like slicing butter with a hot knife, effortless, the blade was extremely sharp.

I’d seen enough.

[Exo that’s enough dematerialise yourself]

[Yes Master, of course.]

Instantly the blade disappeared and I felt that familiar presence in my mind, this will be a lot of fun I thought to myself as I prepared for school which starts tomorrow.

-

It was a couple hours after I had tested Exo’s sharpness as a blade when my mana board started bleeping, It seemed I was receiving a phone call, I hurried to it and answered, it was Mother luu,

“Honey! Why haven’t you phoned us in so long! we’ve missed you profusely, I haven’t been able to sleep not knowing how you are!!”

Mother luu looked angry, this is the first time I’ve ever seen her this angry, scary!

I explained what happened and every single detail that went on in the past year and a bit, she listened intently and when I finished she looked worried,

“Zepp, you need to take care of yourself better, no good will come from overworking yourself, but as you're okay, I won’t complain, by the way, Sena & Sina have been void of life for the past year, they’ve missed you a little too much, If they hear I’m on the phone to you right now they’d probably faint, it’s like they’ve been missing a part of themselves, I think you have some explaining to do to them mister, let me go get them.”

Mother luu went away and I heard her shout “SINA! SENA! ZEPPS ON THE PHONE!”

I hear some commotion in the background and then I hear some out of breath voices scream down the phone in unison,

““ZE!!!!!!!!!!““

Their voices are as majestic and cute as I remember, It makes me want to cuddle with them.

“Sina! Sena! I’ve missed you guys so much, I thought of you every day! I’ll explain why I was gone so long without even calling you guys”

I explained to them like I had to Mother luu and I saw they were both sniffling, were they crying?

“”Ze, thinking of us kept you through it? you wanted to get strong for us?””

They looked touched and they had tears running down their beautiful faces.

Sena sniffled and spoke,

“Ze, we love you so much, your the most kind and thoughtful person in the world, we also have some news we’d like to share with you”

I smiled at their compliment, they make me feel warm in the core of my heart, such lovely beings.

“Whats this you want to share guys?”

They looked at each other and smiled and nodded in unison,

“”We’re coming to Obsidian School! and also, Mother luu has already spoken with the Master, he contacted her because shes your guardian and said she can have a accommodation within the school, we’re so excited!!””

I started blankly, they’re coming?! here?! I felt a massive smile break out onto my face, this is the best thing that could happen! we’re all going to be together again!

“Why are you guys still at home if you start tomorrow?”

they laughed and Sina said,

“The Master said he’d teleport us there so there was no need to travel all that way, he said as we’re his only students family that it’s natural we get special treatment”

Teacher once again surprised me, under his cold demeanor he really has a heart of gold, I also have to pay him back for this in the future I vowed.

“That is great news! I’ll see you guys tomorrow! I can’t wait, I’m barely containing my excitement!!”

I was actually supremely excited, I was going to see my girls again! who wouldn’t excited if he were in my position?

“”We’ll see you tomorrow Ze! Take care, we love you!””

They ended the call, they must of wanted to save the excitement for tomorrow, I look at the clock and it’s now 5pm, I decided to spend the rest of the day cultivating in peace.

Tomorrow. I can’t wait.

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Thank you for reading friends! :)