04 Apprentice Shaman

After the ceremony those who awakened are asked to remain behind.

While others who remained ordinary can already go home along with their family.

Dev stand up and walk towards his parents. He decided to wait with them.

Most awakened opt for the same since registration also requires the presence of their guardian.

The after ceremony activity is to give advice and schedule for study and training as new apprentices.

As Dev watch the dwindling crowd and the some shamans who started to organizing and sorting the place.

I can see my grandpa as he also the same for the altar.

Although the ceremony and rituals of this life is not as energetic as compared to my past worlds.

There is no dancing or activity that requires large movements.

Well, I mean as far as I've participated with.

Still the ceremony requires arranging tools. Although most tools are left in display.

Anyway, I believe I have plenty to learn of the profession.

And I'm unaware if there are other type of rituals or ceremony.

As Dev ponder to himself.

His family and others of the awakened crowded to gather at the place near the altar.

To which Some shaman have set up chairs and tables.

I can see some specially prepared animal skin for writing like parchment.

And sharpened charcoal sticks as a pen.

I guess this is where registration will take place.

There is also another pile of parchment with written words.

I'm guessing it is similar to a 'student handbook'.

"Come here! Please line up in silence. We are going start registration and listing the awaken for this session." I heard a middle aged shaman as he sit of a chair.

There are also several others so I believe this process will be faster.

As we lined up front among many tables.

"Please say your name and family. If the child can write it is better for him to do so. Parents or guardian can also assist by the side. Supplementing any he didn't know yet." Explained the shaman in his twenties who serves at our chosen table.

Looking at my parent as they nod. Suggesting that I do the writing of the required information.

As the shaman sees this. He handed me the apartment already to be supplemented.

The parchment is similar to a form. And only requires someone to write on the blank spaces.

Like Name, Age, etc. Looking no different from the countless forms done in his last life.

Anyway since all that awaked are required to practice.

There is such thing as to enrol or not.

I believe we will be given a parchment with schedule and probable lessons. And where the place of learning.

And I am right.

As I handed over the completed form.

Confident of what I wrote.

I can him doing a fast reading and checking and after awhile he looks at me with some appreciation.

"Good boy. You did well without needing the help of your parents. Okay were done here. Proceed to him." He said as he put down my form to I believe is accomplished section. As he said goodbye to us , pointing to one of his colleague and welcoming the next person.

As we leave the table and followed the line of people going to the same person pointed.

I can see the shaman of this station to hand out a book-like tied parchment, I believe to be the handbook with schedule and lessons.

Several people later, it is now my turn to be assisted.

"Hello kid. Congratulation with awakening and becoming an apprentice." The younger shaman, like a college student, smiled and said to me in welcome.

"This book is for you. Its content is all you need to learn of practice for atleast a year. It also written the schedule, time and where to go for each of the lesson. It's not that complicated, I think you just need several days to be comfortable." He continue saying as he picked up the "handbook", thick book of parchment.

"Here, take it. And you can go. See you in awhile fellow shaman." As he smiled widely and said his blessing. He then welcomes the new arrival as my family left the que.

Holding the book with both hands.

It smells of charcoal and animal hide.

But I can see it's good condition and being especially made for written record.

It is comparable with modern white paper although thicker.

It being made of animal hide made it tougher and easier to preserve.

The only downside is that it weighs more for a few pages.

Making it not very handy to bring or travel with.

After all this.

May parents and I decide to go home since the event is over.

"Grandpa, we're going home!" As I tell and my parents wave their hands, informing him of our departure.

"Go! Go! This old man is still busy here. Come to my house tomorrow." Replied my Grandpa.

"Ok. See you tomorrow.!" I replied as we walk the road home.

"Son, How is the experience? You know both your mother and I are ordinary people. I'm curious of shamans awakening." My father said as he glance at me in anticipation. His eyes telling 'come on , describe it to your dear father, I.'

As I look at him wide eyes in reply.

Imagining he can understand it as 'who are you? I didn't know my father is such a .... such a... jester.'

"Pfft.!" I heard my mother. As both father and I simultaneously turns to her. "Haha. Dont be funny.!" My mother laughed.

And both of us look in confusion.

Ofcourse, we are just acting.

Since I heard my father's stifled snort as he stops his laughter.

While I pretend to be innocent and dull. My looks showing 'I don't understand."

Ok just an occasional funny act of our family.

" hahahaha." As we all laugh at each other.

It looks like I'm not the only one happy this day.

As Dev smiled to himself with jovial mood.

Walking with leaps evident of his excitement and relief.

Because he awakened!

He have talent for shamanism and the worst case did not happen.

Ah Dev zone out, barely listening with his parents communication and occasional laugh.

They have forgotten the topic that led to them laughing.

"I better describe it later at home when they are still interested in asking. "

Dev thinks to himself.

He then remembers the strange situation that added itself in his awakening.

He didn't think having something like a core is normal.

He is sure of this because, the core feels foreign to the effects of the ritual.

He is sure that the space and gauze is the blessing and the result of the ceremony.

Having it means awakening.

In this case the core is an extra that came out of nowhere.

Or not. Since he also feels familiarity to it.

Both feels familiar and welcome.

But the core feels older.. old as in 'like it has always been there'.

And the awakening feels new..or recently there.

Since his last life is ordinary world.

The core must have either came with him from somewhere or he had it when reborn in this world.

But the later doesn't make sense since this worlds key for extraordinary power just awakened.

Since this is the case then the core came before this world.

From where he didn't know and have no way of knowing.

Even so, Dev is not worried.

He can feel no danger of its presence.

If he tried hard enough to perceive.

What he felt is something like having 'an extra arm'.

Huh, thinking of this.

Did he just have two extra appendages? Hehe

He thinks funnily.

"But this core is really overbearing." Dev said to himself.

"Why and how did it transform my talent? Hopefully there will be no problem somewhere." He thought so since as of this time he feels there is no problem with his shaman talent.

It is usable and normal.

He can actually use some of the minor fists that needs no training to use. Because it's just there.

Like sensing emotions/thoughts.

He can do it albeit a little less proficient.

So there is no problem there.

Dev diverts his thinking since.

He can always examine closer as he learns more of shamanism and compares with his peer or will be tutors.

During this time they have reached their home.

Dev sits outside as his parents prepare for dinner and reheat lunch for snacks.

To pad our stomach since we are already a little hungry.

It's because the participants really donates energy for the ritual. So food is digested quickly during the ceremony.

And it is also a little mentally tiring since focus and mind is needed.

Anyway, as Dev wait for the meal.

He tried accessing the space or core space as he named it.

He can feel it but cant enter in again.

After multiple failure of going in.

He decided to wait and see if the lessons of shamanism have a solution.

And so he just sit there and examine all his extra gifts.

Trying each limits if there is or doing what he think possible.

Ofcourse only the safe experiments.

Wanting to try how long he can hold on or how far the range.

First he tried empathy, trying to sense many emotions first.

The result he got was that he can feel most of the tribe.

Identifying many cotton like things that represents individual.

But this is just surface sensing without even knowing what emotion it is.

Identifying emotions requires him to focus and feel it carefully.

Similar to knowing what color the cotton is.

Maybe when he become more proficient this process will be faster.

As for other gifts, they require the same focus for more information and clearer readings.

"Ahhhh...huuuu" Dev took a deep breath. Testing his limits is somewhat tiring.

He have not even tried manipulating his and others Mind energy.

Remembering that he had not read the handbook given.

He fetch it from their home and brought it out.

As he opens and read it.

The first page is a congratulatory message.

The second is an introductory of shamanic practice. What it is. What they do. Etc. But only the basic stuff.

The third is a list of several introductory lessons.

It seems we can choose which subject to take.

And make our own schedule of learning.

The fourth is the place and time for each topic.

So yes, we can really select our own. Like what I thought.

Looking at the list, Dev can see that herbology, medical application, farming. hunting, herding etc is included.

Although the subject look 'normal' but according to the description on the handbook.

The subject will concentrate on the application of shamanic powers.

So there is still a need to continue learning the normal part by yourself.

Which is not that hard since most have been taught to children since they start reading and writing.

Of course not all.

But majority and specialy subjects relating to livelihood and food have atleast learned some.

There are also topics that is concentrated on shamanism itself.

Like accessing, controlling, manipulation, conversion etc.

Which is to teach apprentices on basic training and increasing their proficiency.

But it looks like it is not taught daily.

Other subjects in a day, can have atleast two different class in either morning or afternoon, while having four a day is the limit.

Instead it is every other day, but it is the only subject with a day reserve for it.

After he understood, Dev decided to have Monday,Wednesday,and Friday for other classes while reserving Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday for purely shamanic studies.

Ofcourse even if this is the case.

He will still need to ask His parents suggestion and approval.

Since the first week of class requires atleast one guardian to accompany to the class location.

Atleast until the apprentice remembers the various location scattered within the tribe and some at the tribes edges.

This also provide initial acquaintance to both the apprentices and their guardians.

Which is a good and efficient social interaction for the tribesman to know who and even where and apprentices lives.

Who to look for and where to look in case of announcements or if there are accidents.

This is why it is insisted and even advocated by the shamans, tribal leader and elders.

So much so that it is included in the handbook for the apprentices.

And abided by the families since the benefits can be seen and helpful as they learnt from experience since its launch years prior.

As Dev decided and seeing that the light already dims.

It seems to be sundown and almost dinner time.

Without waiting to be called by his parents he decided to enter their house and place the handbook back to his cabinet by the bed.

His cabinet is more like a chest where he keeps his important collections.

Ofcourse, now the handbook is the most important so many things there must give way.

As he removes some toys and just some collectibles he acquired and kept since he can walk by his own.

There are some seeds he knows similar to his past life and some are from this life.

This he will keep within his cabinet.

Some stones and bones are present will be kept elsewhere since they dont break easily.

Including some wooden sculpture he made himself or gifted by his family.

And that's it. Dev said clapping his hand to rid of dust as he finished relocating some of his collections.

"Dev if your done. We can eat now. Food is ready." Called his mother.

"Coming mom. " answered Dev as he rush toward their table. Starving for a while. He can't wait for a meal of warm food.

And ofcourse have a rest for the day.

In order to have a recharged energy for the next day.

He still have many things he wanted to try.

And ofcourse, the cause of his excitement is their visit to his grandpa's house.

He had never been there.

Who wouldn't want to go to a shamans place?

It similar to going into a amusment park or maybe a horror house.

Anyways, there are various reasons to be excited for.

The most important is that he can ask his grandfather anything that comes to mind.

It is also his grandpa's promise to him if ever he will become apprentice.

The so called background and backdoor.

Which is? This is!

Oh, Dev is thankful having a relative on position of power.

Makes many things simpler or atleast have a connection in important places.

Although some may say this is unfair.

But this is life. Why not use connections that is available.

As the saying in my previous life.

"I want it all!"

Well in this case, I will surely utilize what I can.

And reach out to people in right places.

Thank god for a powerful grandfather.

Wherever such a God is.

I dont remember the tribe having a God worship.

Food for thought as Dev gets his food in a little hurry.

"I'm done! Going to sleep.!" Yells Dev as he rush to his room. Leaving his parents still having their dinner and mealtime conversation.

"Fine. Goodnight!" They replied amused and smiling not minding his impoliteness.