Way of the Knights

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"You don't have the qualifications to know the secrets of the Flames of Olympus but I'll say this much…" Peter looked at him intently and continued: "If it deems you unworthy to wield its gifts, there's nothing you can do to prevent it from taking it away from you. One day, when you're at the position to know more, you'll understand more. For now, this should suffice."

Raven nodded at him and remained silent, he had his own thoughts about the subject but he chose to keep it to himself. 

"Alright, since that's out of the way. Why don't we move on to the more important things?" Peter asked, to which Raven nodded. "I'll perform the White Gloves and I want you to observe closely okay?"

Raven nodded again and his eyes began shining, Peter didn't notice this and even if he did, he won't care nor ask. Without even closing his eyes, he began chanting the same syllables for the technique. Raven immediately picked a huge difference just from that, however he remained silent as to not distract Peter from his concentration. 

Once he's done chanting, Peter's hand was then covered with white flames. Raven saw the process closely and saw many things that he needs to improve on. 

Unlike his version, Peter's version of White Gloves were undoubtedly better. It was steady, not fluctuating and dense. Just from the display alone, Peter's version looked like as if he was actually wearing white gloves. 

Peter's eyes regained their focus, he then looked at Raven and asked: "So? What did you notice?"

"The chant has a clear intent as well as varying intonations, which I failed to realize on my own." Raven replied, "I also see that difference between a seed bearer and a regular cleanser. Unlike me, the flames you invoked needed your Essence Energy as food in order to continue burning. As for me, I can directly tap into the seed and have it course in my body with the guide of the chants."

"Also, it would seem that it's not called 'White Gloves' for no reason." Raven muttered, "Which means that if I want to get better, I need to make sure to keep the fluctuations at the barest minimum and make the density of the flames I invoke, greater."

Raven looked up to Peter only to see him staring him, lips twitching, he tilted his head and asked: "Did I mention something wrong?"

"Wha-No! No, you didn't." Peter replied, silently thinking to himself: 'Damn, Monica said he was sharp but I wasn't expecting him to be this sharp. Who the hell is this kid and where did he come from?'

Peter then cleared his throat and said: "The things you pointed out are the exact things that I want you to hone. Well, except for the chant actually. Like I said, the chants on the book are dispensable for you. You don't really need to focus too much attention to them. Instead, work on fire control."

"Commune with it, play with it, talk to it, I don't care. So long as you develop a deep connection to it, you'll be good. If you reach the level where you can use it as if it's an extension of you arm, then that's basically all that you need." Peter advised. 

"The 9 Cleansing Plume is written by Senior Brother Theo. As the first Cleansing Flame Seed Bearer, he could use all of this technique subconsciously. He only made this technique for us - regular cleansers in order to help us achieve the results we're after. I can only show you how it's done and how you will use it to get rid of the Devil Emperor's residual will, but as for how you achieve the results, our paths will greatly differ from yours."

Raven listened closely as he explained, nodding every now and then. He understood what Peter meant by his words. 

"Well then, since you already knew which areas to improve upon, you may as well begin fixing them now." Peter said, "I don't have all day though, I'm needed there so I can only take you so far."

"I understand." Raven nodded once more as he began concentrating to invoke the flames. 

Peter then sat down and watch as Raven tried correcting his mistakes by himself. As a Veteran Cleanser, time was Merit Points to him. It's unknown just how much merit points he's losing by remaining here and watching Raven corrects his mistakes but it didn't really matter that much to him. 

If it means that their chapel would be able to save the lives of other more disciples and prevent them from turning into mindless slaves of the Devil Emperor, then every single Merit Points lost is a worth it trade. 

***

Peter remained with Raven for four hours, observing him closely and giving him hints to perfect his technique. 

What shocked Peter was the learning speed of this Junior Brother of his. Raven was like a dry sponge, absorbing - no, siphoning knowledge at a mind-boggling speed. It only took him five tries before he was able to reach the similar level of White Gloves, seven tries to keep it stable while moving and ten tries before he could manage have it on in a subconscious level. 

For Peter, it took him at least three days to reach the same thing and he received praises due to him being a 'natural' at this. However, it was a clear as the day that Raven is only an entirely different platform as he was. 

He didn't even need a whole hour to do all of this. Nevertheless, Peter never heard and kind of boasting or pride from Raven at all. Instead, Raven had him teach the second plume in the book which is called 'Torch'. 

'Torch' is achieve by concentrating a dense amount of Cleansing Flame into one's fingers, resulting into super concentrated fire which can pierce through flesh and directly sever the chains that are threatening to bind someone's consciousness to the Devil's Emperor. 

Peter relented and taught him how to do it. Once again, he got to witness the insane learning speed and adaptability of this Junior Brother of his. 

Raven took a collective amount of fifty tries before mastering the second plume, which consumed the remaining three hours of Peter's time with him. At some point, Raven was even able to combine the first two plumes, which something that Peter was planning to teach him after mastering all nine but clearly no longer needed. 

Peter was sweating at the sight of this, it even alarmed Raven which prompted him to ask he's okay. Peter could only smile wryly and sigh in praise. Raven's arrival at this chapel - the sect even, was seriously a blessing. Not only because he became a seed bearer but also he's extremely talented to boot. He's an overall asset. In fact, Peter felt a little stoked at some point since he might as well be witnessing another birth of a future Fire Keeper - heck, a War God even. 

If this daydream of his was realized, this might as well be the biggest bragging right he'll even possess. Heck, it even goes beyond that! He might as well consider this as an achievement!

'Maybe, just maybe…' Peter thought to himself, 'If I raise this kid well and he becomes a Fire Keeper or a War God, maybe Monica will be extremely thankful to me that she'll seriously think about marrying me.'

He had to admit, this was a rather tempting idea. Very unlikely to happen, yes. But not entirely impossible, right? What can he say? A man can dream. Even if Monica seems to be rather dismissive of his advances, she's not entirely or politely asking him to 'Fuck off'. In a sense, she was even testing him. But it would seem that he has to go through more before she opens up her heart for him. 

'Plus, from what I saw earlier. It would seem that Monica is rather fond of him.' Peter thought to himself once again, 'If I genuinely helped him and make him thankful to me, then I might be able to use him as my wingman! Sheeeeeeet~, that's not a bad idea actually…'

'Ugh, who am I kidding really?' Peter thought dejectedly. 'Geez, I'm badly smitten huh? I really am hopeless. I can't believe I'm willing to take advantage of the kid just to get what I want. For all I know, she might be fond of him, not because he's a seed bearer, but because he reminds her of her little brother.'

'If she knows what I'm thinking right now, she will most definitely abhor me. And for the love of god, I'd rather die than letting that happen.'

'Oh, my sweet, beautiful, gorgeous, lovely, iconic, voluptuous, smoking sexy hot, buttercup, sweetheart, bootylicious, fragrant, honey, sugar, and all of the nicest things in the world - Monica! Why don't just jump into my arms and accept my overwhelming, overflowing, undying, loyal, honest, determined, devoted and synonymous…love for you? Don't you know I - '

"…ior Brother?"

"Hey! Senior Brother?"

"Earth to Senior Brother Peter! Hello!?"

"Damn it kid, I hear you! What do you want?"

"Nothing much, just letting you know that you're acting very weird. You know, feeling yourself and stuff, closing your eyes and puckering your lips, it's gross honestly. Even Senior Sister Monica think so too."

"HA!!?"