Flashback  

"So it did happen..." Sorah murmured as memories of the battle flooded back to him.

He remembered the moment Saruho, the central Baboon Dragon, had unleashed her flask's power with the words, "Pour - Hoshin no Ishi." The air had shimmered and distorted, and then... darkness.

He had awakened in a strange and wondrous place, a realm of vibrant life and ethereal beauty. Towering trees, their branches adorned with leaves that had a rainbow of colours, reached towards the sky. Exotic flowers, their petals as soft as silk and their scents intoxicating, bloomed in abundance. And strange creatures, unlike anything Sorah had ever seen before, roamed the land freely.

There were small, rice-like monsters that hopped and skipped through a swampy area, their bodies glowing with a faint, greenish light. They were called "Rice Sprites" and they emitted high-pitched giggles that sounded like wind chimes.

In the sky above, flocks of rock birds soared, their wings made of smooth, polished stone, and their bodies adorned with intricate carvings.

And among the trees, living fruits with faces and tiny limbs swung from branches, their voices like whispers on the wind as they called out greetings to Sorah and the Rice Guru.

"Greetings ."

"Welcome."

"This place... it's... incredible," Sorah had whispered, feeling a sense of awe and wonder that he hadn't experienced in decades.

"Welcome to the Hoshin Realm," the Rice Guru said proudly. "A realm of peace and harmony, a sanctuary from the chaos of the outside world. This realm was created by Master Aoi."

Sorah swept his gaze across the landscape and was stunned when he noticed a familiar structure in the distance. It was a shattered ruin, a collection of broken stones and twisted metal that resembled the remnants of the Rendil Temple.

"Is that…?" he had pointed at the massive swath of landmass that was now floating amidst a sea of swirling, iridescent water which surrounded the entire landscape for miles without end.

Just then, Saruto's boisterous voice boomed from behind him. "That's right, old timer. That's the mountain peak that Big Sis absorbed into this realm using her flask."

Sorah turned to see the three Baboon Dragons standing before him. They appeared to be revered by the other creatures in the realm, as if they were gods or demigods.

Saruto, with its muscular physique and its massive hammer, flexed its arms and grinned. "Pretty impressive, huh?"

Sarubo, with its bored expression and its nonchalant posture, simply shrugged. "It was nothing."

Saruho, the central Baboon Dragon, observed Sorah with a knowing smile. "Welcome to our home, Sorah Kyoshin."

"This place... how did my father create this realm? And why... why did he never tell me about it?" Sorah asked with curiosity and a hint of suspicion.

Tilting his straw hat, the Rice Guru appeared to consider his answer for a brief period. "Your father was a man of many secrets, Master Sorah. He kept many things hidden, even from those closest to him."

"But why?" Sorah pressed. "Why would he keep such a wondrous place a secret? Why wouldn't he share it with his own son?"

The Rice Guru sighed. "He was a caring man who loved you very much. I'm sure he meant to tell you before his passing. But what's done is done. Your injuries are the pressing issue."

"My injuries?" Sorah glanced down at his left arm then a searing pain radiated outwards from the wound.

"Ah!"

"Master!"

As he watched in horror, the blackened flesh began to spread, creeping up his arm like a malevolent vine.

"The curse... it's... it's consuming me!" he cried out.

"No, Master Sorah!" The Rice Guru rushed to his side and began chanting while his hands glowed with a soft, green light as he attempted to heal the wound. "Boqumu #11 - Rejuvenate!"

But the healing energy was repelled by the curse's dark power. The glyphs on Sorah's skin pulsed and writhed as if mocking the Rice Guru's efforts. Sorah's arm disintegrated into ashes.

"It's no use," Saruho said calmly, appearing beside them with her brothers. "The curse cannot be healed by conventional means. It is a force that exists outside the realms of ordinary magic."

Sorah despairingly looked up at the Baboon Dragon. "Then... what am I to do? I'm... I'm dying."

"Not yet, Master Sorah," Saruho replied. "But your time is limited. The curse will continue to consume you until... until you have mastered its power."

"Mastered its power?" Sorah frowned, confused. "But... how? How can I possibly master something so... so destructive?"

Saruho explained, "You must learn to control the flow of the curse's energy. You must harmonize your spirit with its chaotic nature. And to do that... you must complete the Five Legendary Dances of the Titan Avatars."

"The Five Legendary Dances?"

"Yes, I'm certain the Rice Guru already informed you. They are ancient rituals passed down through generations of Elemental Spirit Essences – Sylphyr, Salamandra, Undyra, Gnomika, and Vayrudra. Each dance is tied to a specific element and can only be learned in its corresponding kingdom or location of the Spirit Essence. They are the key to unlocking the true potential of your Vayrukumer and mastering the power of the Sage Curse."

"But... my father..." Sorah trailed off, his thoughts returning to the man who had raised him, the man who had kept so many secrets from him. "Did he... did he master all five elements?"

The Rice Guru shook his head. "No, Master Sorah. Your father awakened the Aether Void element at a young age. And because the Aether Void element is the foundation of all other elements, he did not need to learn or master air, water, fire, or earth. He could manipulate the Aether in such a way to control and direct the Sage Curse. Besides, the Sage Curse wasn't Aoi's innate power."

"The Sage Curse it wasn't... what do you mean by that?" Sorah trailed off, his mind struggling to grasp the implications of the Rice Guru's words. "If it wasn't my father's innate power... then where did it come from?"

The Rice Guru's eyes narrowed, and he turned away from Sorah, as if reluctant to answer the question. "That... is a tale for another time, Master Sorah. For now, we must focus on your injuries."

"I see..." Sorah murmured then drifted his gaze towards the blackened stump of his left arm.

"Do not despair, Master Sorah," Saruho said gently. "There is still hope. You have already taken the first step by learning the Zephyrswept Waltz. And with our help, you will master the remaining four dances and overcome the curse's affliction."

"But... my arm..." Sorah looked up at Saruho. "Will it... will it ever grow back?"

Saruho's expression softened. "Only if you master the earth affinity, Master Sorah. Only then will you be able to regenerate your lost limb."

Sorah nodded slowly, his resolve hardening. He would do whatever it took to master the five elements, to overcome the curse's affliction, and to avenge his father's death.

"We should start right away," said the Rice Guru. But Sorah was hesitant due to the pressing issue of his missing student. 

The Rice Guru advised, "You must focus on your training, Master Sorah. You must master the Zephyrswept Waltz, strengthen your ZenFlow Kana, and learn to control the flow of the Sage Curse's energy."

"But... my students... They are still out there, somewhere in the Terravolt Kingdom. They need my help," Sorah protested, his heart heavy with worry.

"They will be fine, Master Sorah," Saruho reassured him. "For now, they are safe. And with each passing day, you grow stronger, more capable of protecting them."

She added, "Besides, I can use my flask's power to distort time within this realm. You can train for days, weeks, even months, without losing a single hour in the outside world."

Sorah's eyes widened in surprise. "You can do that?"

"Indeed," Saruho replied with a smile. "The Hoshin no Ishi - the Bottle of Star Essence - holds the power to manipulate the very fabric of space and time. It is a gift from the ancient Aether Void elementals, a tool that can be used for both creation and destruction."

She gestured towards the vast expanse of the Hoshin Realm, its vibrant landscape teeming with life. "This realm... exists due to the flask's power."

Sorah stared at the flask in Saruho's hand, his mind reeling from the implications of her words. The Hoshin no Ishi… a bottle containing the essence of stars… a gift from the ancient Aether Void elementals... a tool that could manipulate space and time...

He had so many questions, so many doubts. But he also felt a sense of wonder, of excitement at the possibilities that lay before him.

Sorah spoke with a newfound resolve, "Then... let us begin. I will master the power of my ZenFlow Kana. And I will rescue my students."

And so, amidst the serenity of the Hoshin Realm, surrounded by the Baboon Dragon Trinity and the watchful eye of the Rice Guru, Sorah began his training. He danced the Zephyrswept Waltz, its flowing movements harmonizing his spirit with the wind. He practiced his ZenFlow Kana, its subtle energies guiding his every step. And he learned to suppressed the Sage Curse's influence, held at bay by the light of his determination and the harmonious flow of the dance.

…

As the memories faded, Sorah found himself standing in the centre of the crater, gazing at the spot where the Rendil Temple once stood. He could still feel the warmth of the Hoshin Realm's sun on his skin, the gentle breeze that had caressed his face, and the strange, ethereal energy that had permeated his very being.

"It was real," he murmured, more to himself than to the Rice Guru. "It was all real."

The Rice Guru nodded. "Indeed, Master Sorah. It was real. And now... we must reunite with Breeze Plume and the young lad."