The Chapel Bells rang through the silent husk of the orphanage; their soft and low hum reached the far corners in shadows.
Everyone had gathered in the small chapel near the front gates of the orphanage. The teachers both stood in the lead and guarded the back while the children prayed in the middle with their eyes closed and their hands clasped before their chests.
No words were said, but the prayers in the hearts of the pure souls echoed the loudest in the room. The tears shed carried weight beyond the powers of the universe.
Minutes later everyone stepped out of the chapel; kids were led back to their dormitories, while some of the teachers stayed back.
Jinn left the chapel with Sally, Kyle, and Geralt.
Their expressions conveyed a range of emotions. Jinn and Sally mostly seemed indifferent to the death, but Kyle was a little down.
Geralt seemed to be one of the few who was deeply shaken by Torus's Death.
As the four of them stepped out, they heard whispers coming from the group of staff members standing nearby.
"The basement was empty?" Sister Agnes sounded displeased. "What about his belongings?"
"There were no signs of the man; even his cleaning cart was missing from its place." A skinny man dressed in a very oversized suit that barely stayed attached to his body replied as they walked towards the central building.
"What happened, Sister Agnes?" Mrs. Walker, who had just come back from sending the kids back to their dormitory, joined the conversation as well.
"It seems the Janitor has disappeared on us… again." The matron replied with a resigned sigh, "We have to continue with the awakening ceremony, so I needed the main hall cleaned, but Mr. Hector here cannot find him anywhere."
Soon they were so far away from the chapel that their voices became impossible for even the two awakened kids to hear.
"Where do you think he might have gone? It's not like Mr. Moper to disappear like that."
Geralt seemed concerned about the janitor. But the other two did not seem to care much. Sally was already taking Kyle ahead.
"What do you mean? The guy is a slacker; they should have fired him long ago. Oh well, I will go back to my room. I have more pressing matters to attend to." Waving his hand, Jinn followed behind his roommates, who had already started walking.
Geralt did not immediately move from his spot; he kept staring at Jinn's disappearing back with a deep look.
***
The drained and scared residents of Room 268 refused to get out of their beds.
Kyle was sleeping while tightly clutching onto Sally's arms, who had also drifted into sleep at some point.
Jinn was the only one who was not tucked in his bed in broad daylight. He was sitting at the table beside his bed, reading the book he received from father Augustus.
Beginner's Guide to Controlling Dragon Energy/Qi.
'Qi? Seriously?' Rolling his eyes at the title, Jinn flipped through the pages, slowly digesting all the contents of the book.
"Dragon Energy is found at the base of the spine, present in a dormant state since birth. It is believed that spiritual energy, once awakened, completes the human body like a piece of a broken puzzle placed back in the image."
"This Miraculous energy, rumored to be the source of all creations, can only be unlocked through the grace of the gods. Once a child turns fourteen, they can receive a blessing only from one of THE seven righteous gods."
The first page praised the gods and said that all who had been awakened should be grateful for this chance.
After a quick scan, he realized there was nothing else worth reading on the first page. On the second page, the author had described how to draw upon this miraculous energy.
"Find a place with no visible distractions, sit in a cross-legged pose, and clear your mind of all unnecessary thoughts. Use nasal vibrating sounds to help the process if you are having difficulties."
"Once your mind is clear of all useless thoughts, focus your attention at the base of your spine, and there you should feel a warmth in the shape of a dragon—"
'There is a dragon there alright—wait, what?' Jinn shook his head and continued reading.
"—Dragon or a Serpent. Use your imagination and will to draw upon this energy."
'No wonder I could do it so easily on my first try even by myself; this is just like how I was able to use the power I have had since I was reborn.' His gaze drifted toward his right forefinger placed between two pages.
Within a second, the simple-looking finger changed; his skin started to churn as if it was being burned, but there was no pained expression on Jinn's face. Cobweb-like cracks started to spread from the base of the finger, reaching to the base of the fingernail, which began to turn black, rising up and slowly morphing into something inhumane.
Just then…
"What are you doing?"
Hearing the sudden voice coming from the side, Jinn jolted a little; his figure returned to normal as he turned his head to face the girl lying on her bed, staring at him with a curious look.
"Jeez, why are you still alive? You will make a great ghost." Jinn groaned in annoyance; he was so focused on himself that he did not even sense her waking up. 'I should be careful where I use that power.'
"Oh~ Did I scare you?" Sally's lips curled up in a devious grin. "Awww, Jinn got scared like a baby."
"What are you, a kid?"
Seeing Jinn roll his eyes and try to ignore her only fueled Sally's desire to tease him.
"Of course, I am." Just as she was about to continue with her antics, Kyle stirred in her arms, making her freeze. Clicking her tongue, Sally toned down her voice and asked, "what kind of book is that? Beginner's Guide to Controlling Dragon Energy/Qi. Sounds like one of those childish novels."
"Father Augustus gave me this; Geralt must have gotten one as well." Jinn turned his head back to the book. He opened the drawer and pulled out a big box full of fried chips from inside. Opening the tin box, he popped one in his mouth.
"Can I read it?" Although the anatomy diagram on the cover made her wince, the mysterious aspect of the dragon energy made Sally a little curious. Even as she asked, the silver-haired girl was ready to be rejected.
But Jinn glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and whispered a reply she expected the least, "Maybe later."
Jinn could not see the look of disbelief on his face, as his attention was already on the title of the next chapter of the book.
How To Improve Your Control Over The Dragon Energy/Qi.