Pax Romana

Roman Peace.

Junhong jumped right into his training. Yongguk made sure of it. Without even fully letting him recover from the battle, Yongguk had Junhong studying for almost a month. He had an impressive library in that temple. Books were lined the wooden shelves on a bookshelf that didn’t seem to belong. They even spilled onto the floor and were piled all over the room in lazy, haphazardly done stacks. Some lay open to a specific page, as if something had come up while reading. Others were just too old to open, with fraying leather covers and yellow, wrinkled pages. The room held an air of history to it, and the dozens upon dozens of books maintained that delicate, unforgettable past.

Once he was sufficiently book learned, Yongguk introduced the art of necromancy fully. Junhong watched as he did simple tricks, one of them being bringing back the wonderful, vibrant green in a tree that had long since given up. It was simple, but it took a lot. Yongguk made it look easy. But he made everything look easy. He had the wisdom of countless different cultures behind him. What he learned from the Shamans of Japan and the Sorcerers of China. Everything that he had lived, experienced aided him now. Junhong couldn’t help but be envious. He was nineteen and this was his first time out of his country. Where had his opportunity gone?

Necromancy was hard. Yongguk had been completely right. It took everything that Junhong had just to help a small plant back to life. He’d practice and practice, but he always ended up and exhausted and sweaty mess once that little sprout stood proud and tall. One night he had thought enough was enough and packed up all his stuff. While he was heading out, Daisy caught eye of him and all but charged at him. After effectively knocking him over, she placed her head on his stomach and they laid there like that -- Junhong sprawled out on the ground and Daisy resting on him -- for an hour until Yongguk came looking for the both of them.

Said man caught wind of what Junhong was doing when his eyes caught sight of Junhong’s suitcase splayed on the cold stone floor, with it’s contents spilling out. They had a talk. A very long winded talk. Yongguk asked why he wanted to leave, said that with time it would be easier. Junhong doubted it. He was sick of being spent after doing one thing, and mentioned that it may have been hard for Yongguk, but it was much harder for him.

Yongguk agreed.

He said it was because this was Junhong’s first exposure to magic, and that being said it was obviously going to be much harder for him. It seemed like there was no hope left for Junhong. He’d just go back to California with a heavy, forlorn heart and that would be the end of it. Adventure come, adventure gone. That was it.

But Yongguk held his hands. He took Junhong’s smaller, inexperienced hands into his larger, calloused ones and he looked at him long and hard. “You can do it,” he said, and his voice was so even and such a deep baritone that anyone with a weak heart could be convinced. “I believe in you.”

Junhong didn’t know why, but he wanted to cry. No one ever believed in him. No one except his parents. The last person that looked at him like that with such strong conviction was his mother during a lesson that he just wanted to give up on. There was no other choice but to keep trying, it seemed. And so things went on, and Junhong kept going even in the face of failure and exhaustion.

He made great strides, according to Yongguk. He agreed. Reviving those damn plants became easier over time, granted it had been a lot of time. By the time he’d spent close to year and a half at that old Thai temple, Junhong was working on animals. He had successfully been able to make a fly buzz again, but it was still unclear just how powerful he was because flies didn’t live for that long. Fish were a better option. With a slough market catfish, he was put to work. Yongguk’s example fish could live forever, it seemed. He breathed life into the scaly beasts and they flipped and flopped around before he threw them into a large, glass fish tank that stood in the dining room. It’s eerie white light seemed to illuminate all of the wall carvings in an uncanny, frightening sort of way.

He always killed them before they could die, though. It was inevitable. They all had to eat.

The only good thing about getting so worn out after practicing was that Junhong slept like a baby at night. The first day he arrived at the temple it was extremely hard to sleep. Around him were the strange, quiet sounds of nature that he hadn’t been used to. It left him restless and wide awake. But now that he spent all of his energy during the day, he often passed out on Daisy’s stomach in the living area whilst he and Yongguk were reading. There was nothing better than a good night’s sleep.

Once Junhong could, successfully revive a fish for more than five days, Yongguk broke some fairly surprising news to him.

“You’re going to India.”

India was close. India was full of wonder. Yongguk spent time in India. Why didn’t he say “We’re going to India”? Was he not coming? Junhong would be alone in a country he’d never even stepped foot in before. How could he do that?

“I have a friend in India. You need to open up still. I’ve taught you all that I can for now.”

“You’re not coming with me?” The question had been bouncing around his head since Yongguk first mentioned India. That had been ten minutes ago, with a heavy silence in between.

He shook his head with a grimace. “As much as I love India and as much as I want to see him again, Daisy and I will be staying here. We’ve got some stuff to take care of. I’ve taken off a lot of time teaching you, so I have a long client list piling up.”

“But I'll be-”

“Fine. You'll be fine. I know India is big, I know there's a lot of people, but I think it's necessary that you go to explore yourself. I've already told my friend you're coming, so he knows to look out for you. Actually, he knew it before I did. I expected that, though.” He chuckled softly before continuing. “You have three days until we see you off. I expect we’ll get some training in tomorrow.”

With that, it was final.

Junhong would be leaving in three days. This wonderful, peaceful and prosperous time with Yongguk was about to be over. He was terrified. Alone in a country he'd never been to, surrounded by people he's never met. At least here, despite being in  foreign country, he had Yongguk. Someone who knew where they were and what they were doing. How would Junhong even know who this friend of Yongguk's is? He could potentially get murdered, or worse. Oh God. He didn't want that. But Yongguk had faith in him. He was responsible, respected. He wouldn’t send him somewhere just to get lost or killed.

Right?

———

“So, this is it?” Junhong asked, standing at the entrance of the small airport. It was the same one the arrived at from California. The building was rural and breaking down. Plants sprouted from it’s foundation and the walls were cracking and leaving piles of dust in the corners. Despite that, the little airport still buzzed with activity from the locals. They were either coming or going and all of their combined footsteps echoed throughout the high ceilings. It was nice. An organized chaos that knew no rest.

“This is it.” Yongguk nodded. “At least, for now.” Daisy was nowhere in sight. She had stayed home in order to avoid dragging Junhong back with him. However, she did give him a very big, very tight bear hug before him and Yongguk set off. She’d miss him a lot.

“I’ll be back after I leave India.” He smiled back, anxiety bubbling up in his chest at the thought of going somewhere without Yongguk.

The other laughed, and Junhong thought about how much he’d miss that deep, genuine laugh. “Don’t hurry. You’ve got a lot to learn and I’ve got a lot of clients to catch up on. Take your time and learn a lot, alright? My friend should meet you when you get there. Don’t get too lost.” He patted Junhong on the back. “I’m going to miss you, kid.”

Kid. Wow was Junhong going to miss that. He hoped this friend was like Yongguk. Junhong really needed someone like him.

Thus, they said their goodbyes. Junhong tried not to cry -- really, really tried -- and somewhat succeeded. Yongguk even teared up a little, too. It seemed to be more out of pride, though. Almost as if he was sending his son out to explore the world for the first time. But that was ridiculous. They were friends. Junhong wasn’t his son.

With one final, longing look back to the place he’d called home for the past year and a half, Junhong boarded his plane. Off to India where he’d meet a man he’s never met. It would be where he’d explore himself and his magic as well as his place in this whole new world he was slowly, but surely entering.

Hopefully.