The Immortal Sage Curse Power   

"You can do it geezer. Just remember to breathe!" 

The Rice Guru whistled loudly in acknowledgement upon seeing Sorah change tactics, now deliberately lowering his attacking stance almost submissively while shuffling slowly sideways. The glyph opponent growled cautiously in response, refusing to be caught off-guard yet again. It began stalking Sorah while chanting intimidating war mantras promising horrific dismemberment against impertinent mortals who dared mock the ultimate Ascendant Phoenix style it embodied for this trial!

Sorah tuned out the threats and instead focused his chi intensely while evaluating the terrain for anything that might shift the engagement favourably. The amber giant had learned respect after its arrogant early attacks nearly got outmanoeuvred. Now they slowly circled in the classic tactic set-up - project confidence baiting impatient foe into committing rashly... then counter-crush them!

Except Sorah sought escape, not victory. Each second away gave his wicked foe - the Terravolt and Ignis invaders precious time to sprint their innocent captives to unspeakable fates.

There! 

Along the raised perimeter behind the pacing colossus lay weapon racks of sturdy bo staffs usable for advanced techniques. Sorah quietly gestured a request for a formal duel permission to re-arm respectfully since his beloved oaken stick dangled cracked after shielding him from that last hammer fist.

The towering giant paused its chanting, considering silently before grunting consent towards the display. Ancient traditions still held meaning even within mystical realms.

Sorah limped carefully towards the martial armoury, senses primed for any surprise assault. Yet the amber colossus simply continued taunting his feeble appearance or other stereotypical criticisms against the elderly. It possessed no reason to fear such an infirm-looking adversary.

Ignoring the humiliations, Sorah selected a polished white elm staff perfectly weighted for advanced manoeuvres. He caressed the glazed timber and began channelling personal chi until it thrummed attuned solely towards wielding as if true limb extension.

Swoosh! Whoosh!

[2 Strikes Succession]

Tests revealed sturdy craftsmanship and responsive grip. Sorah spun the new weapon testing various stances and experimental jabs designed for probing the giant's mobility. Then he exhaled slowly, indicating readiness by settling into Crane Form.

The glyph giant rumbled acknowledgement, then stamped the tiles powerfully, cracking floor sections before charging forward to crush Sorah in a single lunge! It towered mightily overhead, anticipating pathetic demise to conclude this farce.

Sorah waited motionless until the very last possible second just as mammoth hands reached down ready to pulverize his skull like fruit. Then he suddenly exploded in fluid motion, jumping upwards while hooking the giant's thick corded neck with his bosun-held chokehold style! Alertness honed over decades battling all sorts of opponents focused razor sharp. Sorah would cleverly hitch midair now and manipulate immense strength against itself!

The looping momentum brought Sorah high astride the humanoid juggernaut's shoulders behind its head just as thick boulders that were once lethal fists smashed together impotently. Before it could react, Sorah had already chained further movement, twirling the white staff intricately.

"Divine Aethereal Lotus Submission!!"

Glowing chi lines manifested across the spinning elm weapon, guided by Sorah's adept hands weaving higher intricate patterns while perfectly balancing sideways atop the struggling giant without falling. Trailing light created a blossoming etheric mandala slowly enveloping both master and colossal opponent like an opening sacred lotus.

For the first time, uncertainty crept amidst the creature's myriad voices as bindings tightened inescapably. Sorah had flawlessly executed this legendary technique passed down among the supreme Cloud-Weaver Sovereignty Art only achievable by a handful each era. None before now had dared attempt such a feat against the Sage Trial testing grounds, let alone an old timer! Yet undoubtedly ethereal forces answered this uncanny elder now irrespective of consequences.

A resonating hum quickly amplified from the glowing staff head pressed directly against the giant humanoid's neck meridian as Sorah pushed its mystic beings into harmonious submission. The colossal body gradually relaxed while hovering sacred mandala threads slowly melted them inseparably with familiar warmth akin to regretful tears.

Victorious illumination soon flooded the entire arena with peaceful aquamarine rays that gently bore Sorah aloft as if cradling an injured dove. Below the Sage Giant radiated profound relief dissolving slowly into glowing particles which then arose towards their victor eagerly. 

Sorah's eyes widened as the escaping cloud of characters and code symbols swirled around him faster, no longer menacing but desperately conveying apology and gratitude for receiving acknowledgement despite monstrous actions against another innocent soul suffering life's cruelty.

Overwhelmed by the surging storm's purity, Sorah extended both arms openly welcoming long-denied absolution. "Go now wayward ones! Bonds cannot cage wisdom free..."

His quiet benediction offered the swirling glyph essence final sanctuary within his own being. Sorah gasped as centuries of forbidden knowledge and power flooded painfully into his overwhelmed mind and body violently. Never before had any vessel contained such a massive Sage Curse infusion short of deletion! Endless alien memories imprinted brutally against fragile his psyche threatening to shatter all identity.

Just when convulsing agony became too unbearable, the psychic tempest abruptly calmed into orderly streams that redirected raging forces steadily into balanced harmony. A tiny amber seed crystal manifested within Sorah's chest, absorbing the unbound curse into densely packed matrices humming with inner fire. All power but without domination. Essence diffused across cells in proportion while his body seized the chaotic opportunity to regenerate debilitating injuries rapidly.

Sorah collapsed onto the stone tiles utterly exhausted. Disoriented gaze wandered lazily around at the weapon racks and obstacle courses no longer shattered during intense battling. All had reset to original positions somehow, exact details already fading nebulously like waking from a vivid dream.

Overhead, the etched ceiling now prominently featured additional Cloud Script chronicling Sorah's monumental victory over the impossible Trial of Body. The sight of such incredible honorarium legend that his own father verily achieved in youth was simply too surreal. Surely fate must balance this fortune soon enough? He murmured prayerfully towards hovering ancestors before everything blinked away suddenly.

When his blurry vision refocused, there knelt Sorah back within the Autumn Court's central shrine housing Master Aoi's glowing Seal Crypt now containing a visible Dawn Sky Crusher staff. 

Sorah's limp arms reached out and clutched his father's esteemed cardinal wooden staff refined by otherworldly therapies into sleeker designs with ornately carved pommel crowning the shaft and his father's Aether Crystal secured in the dead centre. Delicate plume tassels dangled underneath swaying gently against Sorah's ragged knees. His core shimmered from the embedded amber seed gem extracted during the freak mystical convergence with one of legend's lost Sage Curse spirits.

"Ha-ha! Marvellous! Simply marvellous! Aoi's Aerothurge Staff has revealed itself!" cackled the Rice Guru hopping happily around where Sorah remained prostrated learning to breathe normally again. "None who faced judgement beyond the Azure Gate returned unscathed in soul to claim Aoi's inheritance until now!" 

The peculiar custodian bowed respectfully towards exhausted Sorah. "A thousand blessings upon your heart brave redeemer! Surely lady fate weaves a profound tapestry charging simple duty that now lifts buried treasure there for grasping eh?"

He jabbed a finger eagerly at Dawn Sky Crusher while helping Sorah to stand with the staff in hand. "I see disbelief in your eyes. Let me assure you. Yesss... you've earned this relic weapon. However, the trial isn't over. You still need to complete the trial of Heart and Spirit in order to gain additional glyphs to abate the negative effects of the Sage Curse--"

"I can feel it." Sorah interrupted, glancing fixedly down at Dawn Sky Crusher stirring bittersweet revelation. His father's Aether Crystal was beginning to respond to his pulsing Sage Curse power... so this proved the culminating trophy for half a lifetime spent hardened against ridicule and self-doubt not good enough to stand beside prodigious father's celebrated name? Could mere happenstance erase bitter memories now by legitimizing his outcast struggles?

"Huh?" These characters…" Sorah began to notice myriads of golden glyph characters spreading out from the centre of his chest, creeping alongside the length of his arms, down to the staff grasp in his hands. 

"What's happening…?"