5 Mentor (1/2)

"Open to all possibilities whether Possible or Impossible, will open the door of Mystery"

Eva

??????? ?? ?????

-Nightime-

Shiro closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

While normally Shiro would have no dreams aside from the occasional nightmares this time was different, instead Shiro felt his body falling and eventually traveling to a place beyond his control.

When Shiro opened his eyes again he found that he was standing on the underside of a cliff, looking around he saw that the surroundings of the cliff was entirely covered in fog obscuring was hidden within it and what was beyond.

Eva: Shiro! quickly come up here.

Hearing Eva's voice Shiro quickly abandoned all thoughts and went up the cliff, the cliff itself looked Baren with only a few patches of grass but when he arrived at the top he found Eva sitting on the largest patch of grass with her usual smile on her face.

In this world Eva was not Semi transparent but her form was completely solid radiating her full beauty and Aura of Grace and Majesty but like always Shiro was not affected sure she was beautiful but that was it.

Eva: Welcome to your "Soulscape" Shiro.

Eva gestured for Shiro to come to her and Shiro complied and sat down in front her, suprisingly the grass was soft to sit on.

Shiro: What's that? (Tilts head)

Eva: This is the manifestation of your soul Shiro, in simple terms it means the world inside of your soul. This is your World Shiro.

Shiro's eyes sparkled hearing Eva called this place his but he still asked questions that confused him since Eva was the smartest no doubt!

Shiro: Thats explains why this place feels familiar But what's with the fog? (Looks around)

Eva: Well that is because you haven't decided on a path, an ideal or even the "truth" about yourself since Soulscapes or as the Magus in this world call a "Reality Marble" is the best or should I say most suitable place for a person to be at, since it is the best harmony between said person and his world.

Eva: Does everyone have a Soulscape?

Eva: Well everyone has a Soulscape but accessing it is very hard for it takes many years even for talented Wizards to utilize it much less if they want to impose it on the world and reality.

Shiro: I can bring this world outside!!? (Excited)

Eva: Yup you can, you little rascal are one of the lucky ones since you are able to utilize your Reality Marble unconsciously without problem on your first time and soon with a little training you can easily impose it on the World's reality it will be a very good trump card for you.

Shiro's eyes were sparkling like stars imagining how he was going to beat all bad guys by suprising them with his Reality Marble and beating them in his own world.

"Welcome to my world Villains! Hahahaha!!!"

Eva couldn't help but smile fondly, happy that Shiro was not completely affected by his trauma in the fire and the childish display in front of her was proof that the "Innocence" of the Child called Emiya Shiro was still intact and possible to be healed.

Eva lightly waved her hand and the world shifted In a moment from the hill and fog into a garden.

Shiro stopped daydreaming and looked around, again shocked by Eva's "Amazing" Power and looked at her who was now sitted on a beautiful wooden bench in the garden in awe.

Eva couldn't help but feel a bit of pride from Shiro's gaze and gestured for him to sit beside her and Shiro quickly sat.

Eva: So do you have any other questions?

Shiro: Ah....just one....You talk about Wizards and Magus like they are different?...

Eva: (Nodding) They are different. Magus are the Magic users of the current time but they are only able to do Magecraft doing what is also accomplishable by Physics and science just directly without the tools necessary but even though they are many Magecrafts they are limited in efficiency since the association with Physics.

Shiro: So how are Wizards or magicians different?

Eva: Magicians practice true Magic which is impossible for science to duplicate but I think that the things that seperate Magicians from Magus are imagination, if you search for every possibilities even if it is impossible and gain control over the impossible you atleast earn the right mentality for Magicians.

Shiro watched intently.

"Open to all possibilities whether Possible or Impossible, will open the door of Mystery"

Shiro felt the words resonate with him and felt there was deeper meaning to those words he will ponder later.

Eva: Anymore questions?

Shiro shook his head.

Eva nodded and pointed to the Centre of the garden where space bended and twisted eventually turning into a light blue spiral portal.

Eva: Your first teacher is going to be someone who owes me a favor and will give you something that will help you immensely in life and training, just go through the portal I won't come but I will be watching over you, just do me a favor okay Shiro.

Shiro: Okay. What is it Eva.

Eva: Don't learn any bad habits from him honestly that man is a bad influence especially to young children if not for his abillities he might be chased till the end of the world and beyond for his antics. (Exasperated)

Shiro was confused but also curious about this person now so he eagerly head in the portal.

-Unknown Location-

When Shiro exited the portal he found himself again in a garden but unlike the one in his Reality Marble Eva made this one was bigger and had beautiful tower in the Centre, the place was also surrounded by a stream(Small river) which wasn't that deep and the water was crystal clear like diamonds sparkled in it when sunlight hit the water perhaps for convenience sake there was a small pristine bridge connecting the small Island/garden to the other side of the stream.

???: Fou Fou Kyu!

Shiro quickly turned and found his heart pierced!

Metaphorically

In front of him he found a creature that looked like a mix between a squirrel and cat with snow white fur looking at him with adorable curious eyes while uttering the cutest of sound.

Shiro quickly bended and patted the creature who in turn after being patted launched itself on Shiro face and crawled itself to his shoulder.

Shiro: Hi there what's your name little guy. (Patting)

???: Fou!

??????: Ah! I see you've met Cath pulg.

Shiro stopped patting the creature and looked where the voice came from, there sitting on the branch of a tree was a handsome young man that at most looked in his early twenties with light rainbow colored white hair, a pure white robe and an oddly decorated staff that he was leaning on.

Seeing the boy was only staring, the man smirked appearing rather smug.

??????: Ah I see that you are stunned by my mere pres....!

Shiro: Your naming sense is Awful. (Deadpan stare)

???: Fou! (Condescending stare)

The man fell from the branch....

??????: You are pretty sharp you know that boy. (Eyebrow twitching while getting up)

Shiro: How about I call you "Fou" it's a better name and cute right. (Ignored)

Fou: Kyu! (Ignored)

The man got up and couldn't believe "He" of all people was being ignored and wasn't Fou just the sound he MAKES!!!

??????: Boy! do you even know who's presence you are in!

Shiro pulls his attention back but Fou stills has an unimpressed look on his,Her or IT face.

Merlin: You boy are in the presence of the great Arch mage Merlin, The Mage of Flowers!

Shiro mouth was agape which caused Merlin to smirk but before he could continue.

Shiro: Aren't you supposed to be Old!

Fou's expression and posture was like he was laughing seeing the petrified look of the "Old man"

Merlin lost strenght in his legs and fell on his knees looking like he was questioning the meaning of life and mumbling.

Merlin: .....is this some sort of new sick punishment.....(Sob) to be insulted by a mere child.....Why....all I did was.....

Shiro could only look on blankly at the supposed great magus of old who helped King Arthur in his reign and was thinking this guy was perhaps an imposter.

Fou was still "Laughing"

Shiro went to help Merlin but suddenly he jerked, and straightened himself looking at Shiro intensely and seriously like looking through him.

Merlin: Child mind telling me how do you have Avalon.

Shiro was confused and Merlin's gaze softened somewhat as he put his hand in front of his chest which glowed and out came a beautiful golden scabbard with blue highlights.

Shiro knew he had an Healing artifact in him or "Conceptual weapon" of healing like Eva called it since she was the one to tell him but he didn't think it would be this beautiful since it was the first time he saw it.

Merlin looked at the Scabbard with a melancholic expression with a bit of hurt but still looked back at Shiro and away from the floating weapon.

Shiro: Oh! so that's what it looks like....wow

Shiro told Merlin about the fire and how his father implanted it in him to save him but nothing about Eva.

Merlin's gaze softened more while looking at the pitiful boy who had such a traumatic experience so early in life and thought to amuse him.

Merlin: My apologies child for reminding you of such an experience.

Shiro: Not at all Merlin a friend of mine once said that "If i let guilt that doesn't belong to me consume me" it shall only stunt my growth and distort my mentality instead I use that tragedy as a drive to improve myself (Smile)

Merlin was impressed such a mentality was rare in a child to not only overcome tragedy but use it as a drive was a mentality only a few humans possessed most of which.......were heroes. Merlin's eyes widened and he realized the child in front of him might become someone extraordinary if he kept that mentality.

Perhaps that is why Avalon helped him, even though Avalon will only work with the presence of King Arthur, who was acknowledged by the Fae, the sword and scabbard are sentient in their own right and even the left over power will not be used if the said individual is not acknowledged by the pair of artifacts and the child in front of Merlin is without a doudth acknowledged by the scabbard allowing him to use the leftover healing power of Avalon.

Merlin: (He has potential with the right mentality and Avalon's approval just reinforces the fact...all he needs is the right training and tempering to become someone truly extraordinary perhaps another Hero.....But...no what if I fail him as well)

Shiro: Merlin your a strong Magus right?

Merlin thoughts went away, he stood upright like an arrow with a smug air.

Merlin: Of course! Who do you think I am, I am Merlin The Magus of Flowers. I am the one who taught the Greatest King of Britain, King Arthur, The mystic path and his greatest advisor, the greatest mage of my time if I said I was second in the Magus path then no one will claim to be first!

Fou was still giving him a blank look but Shiro just ignored it.

Shiro: Then can you teach me Magecraft.

Merlin suddenly became serious but his thoughts were Conflicted.

Merlin: Shiro it's not like I don't want to teach you but the problem is that I'm trapped here this tower and patch of land in the stream is all I can move around in.....do you see that overhead sign on that small bridge, the letters spelled there----

Shiro looked at the equally pristine sign at the bridge entrance, it had some weird carvings on it but Shiro unconsciously muttered.

Shiro: "Only the innocent may pass" Why? aren't you innocent.

Merlin ignored Shiro's question and looked at him like he grew a second head.

Merlin: You understand what's written there!?

Shiro put a hand under his chin and had a thinking expression which instead of making him look serious made him look adorable.

Shiro: I won't say I completely understand, I can read it but when it comes to writing or speaking myself in the Language I can't seem to.

Merlin: (A boy who could unconsciously read Fae text!!!)

Merlin was shocked but his brain was already thinking scenarios of how this was possible, either he had a very extreme affinity with Fae (Gilgamesh's amount of divinity) or he was naturally blessed by Gaia, he was leaning on the latter but both were still unlikely the boy was definitely human and Gaia influence around him was like any other human's.

Merlin: (I want to reject him kindly but he had to throw in another peculiarity of himself! Oh how I want to study this unique human and nurture him into a great man....! Wait there's still that! if this works I will fully nurture him with everything I have, Now it's upto Fate and luck)

Merlin held his palm out and in it a pale blue orb with the occasional swirling lackness appeared, it pulsed in blue light and seemed very mysterious.

Merlin: Shiro this is a gift given to me in the past when I met a certain woman, it's mystery is so profound that not even i could discern it i had tried to use it on my other students but it had shown no response to them I think because the woman had said to me.

"Give the orb to who you believe to be worthy and perhaps you'll see the one destined for greatness"

Merlin held the orb near Shiro's chest and when he was about to use his Theurmaturgy(Magecraft) The orb got absorbed like it was entering water not flesh. Merlin in turn was suprised.

Merlin expression was one that was resigned (Guess this is what humans call "Seal the deal")

Shiro: Is that it Merlin? is wasn't so bad....?? Hey what's going on?

Merlin quirked his brow and once again looked inside Shiro to see what was happening and he was shocked!

The orb felt like it incased Shiro's soul and his soul pulsed once as 27 lines became visible on it but the shocking thing was that the Magic Circuits, that are originally located in the soul and connected to the body via a Pseudo-Nervous system were growing out of it and spreading in his body at all parts but they were all in PHYSICAL FORM!

Merlin: (Physical Magic Circuits! along with a Core! I thought this orb was a Magic core of a Phantasmal beast like a dragon but this!! what in Gaia name did that woman give me!)

Merlin's thoughts stopped as he saw the pained expression on Shiro's face and quickly his hands were congealed in a green aura that radiated the feeling of nature and flowers, Merlin brought his hands to Shiro and the aura covered him easing the pain, which after a few minutes disappeared.

The core was intact in Shiro's chest housing his soul along with Avalon, the 27 Physical Magic Circuits were like roots coming out of the core spread all over his body, the amount of Natural Od and Mana his body was now producing was ridiculous for a child his age Heck! it was even ridiculous for someone of the olden ages!

Merlin could only blankly stare at his newest disciple, yet another suprise, Welp atleast for a period he won't be bored since he is going to train perhaps his greatest disciple yet since.....even Arthur couldn't be accepted by that orb.

Shiro: What....just.....happened...(Tired)

Merlin: Well my dear student, power comes with pain so you need to understand that.

Hearing Merlin, Shiro perked up that meant he was ready to teach him, they talked some more and Merlin was about to faint when Shiro happily told him he had a "Reality Marble" like it was no big deal but was equally excited about the prospect of teaching such a monst.....I meant Hero.

They decided that Shiro will come in fixed times to the Garden of Avalon to receive teaching since Merlin theorized it was through breaking through the boundaries of space and reality using his Reality Marble unconsciously that connected him to the Garden(Shiro didn't tell about Eva).

Shiro: Ah sensei just one more question?

Merlin: Hmm what is it Shiro?

Shiro: How did you get trapped here?

Merlin: A very cold mannered woman that's all you need to know! remember my pupil! woman are as dangerous as they are beautiful.

Shiro: (Blink) Ah....Okay...(Confused)

Shiro then bade Farewell and disappeared through the bridge in a similar Portal, leaving Merlin smiling in an amused way his new disciple was very interesting and training him will be very much interesting as well just the thing that had put the cherry on top was the fact the even with his precognition he couldn't she the child's future, it was foggy, an uncertain future with many possibilities, Oh how fun would that be.

And the absolute best part.

-Eva location-

Eva: So what do you think of him?

Shiro: He's a bit weird, but nice.

Fou: Fou!

Eva: who's your little friend? (Smile)

Shiro: Oh Fou, you came with me.

-Garden of Avalon-

Merlin: THAT INSUFFERABLE RODDENT IS FINALLY GONE!!!!! HAHAHA!!!!