Chapter Seven

Vincuis couldn't help ponder what the dream meant. He knew about the Annual Doctors and Healers Competition but he had never participated or even thought his family would let him. He had three older brothers who participated at the competitions, his family had won it more than four times. 

It was at these competitions every year that he had stayed around Old Chen. As his own father had always expressed his disappointment every time he saw him during the competition but Old Chen was quick to come and whisk him away…. The competitions usually lasted for seven days. The first day was a display of beautiful dances and an announcement of the contestants and what families they were competing for. 

The second day to the sixth were for the competition and the seventh day was when they would announce the winner. He would be named by the Prime Minister and the grand prize would be given to the Doctor and the family he represented. It was a lot of gold but also the doctor was the most important and sought after during that year. This was usually how they operated..

Vinicus sat up slowly, his mind already working… Would he be able to participate and was it possible that he would win… what was the entire dream really about? As he inched closer to the edge of the bed, the pendant on his neck began to glow and glow and get warm. 

"Good morning, Vinicius. Is there something you would like to share?" The Guide asked. 

"How did you… Never mind… Why is the pendant glowing? And what was up with the dream I had" Vinicus asked with the pendant now in his hand. 

"The Pendant is the System remember… and sometimes the system is trying to alert you to something… In this case, it is the vision you had last night" 

Vision? So it was a vision….

"Becoming Grand Master Healer and being attuned to the system opens your entire mind, body and soul to many magical things that normal people do not experience. You will be able to do a lot… see what many people in the human world can not… heal the sick and afflicted… fight evil sorcery and many more" 

Vinicus was surprised… no one had said anything about evil sorcery. 

"Just as the human world has good people and bad people, so does the magic itself. There are evil sorcerers, witches, wizards and spirits roaming the earth and afflicting many. The Grand Master Healer fights evil and maintains a balance."

"So you mean, I'm a warlock of some sort and still a healer. How do I fight? You know Guide…these are probably the things you should have started with when you spoke about the system."

"I didn't want to put too much pressure on you at once, I am your Guide and I know that if I had told you this yesterday. You'd probably have not been so eager to learn and telling you today will add to your determination because you wish to participate in the Annual competition"

The Guide was right, if he had known he would need to fight yesterday, he would be more scared than determined but today it seemed like a necessity. He had to join that competition and he had to win. 

"So how about the girl I saw in my dream. Who are they? I'm not sure I've ever heard of the Rhys family before or maybe I have but I'm not sure… Do you know anything about them..?" 

The Guide was quiet for a moment. The pendant glowed…

"Guide… where are you? I asked you a .."

"The Rhys family is also one of the top ranking families but got into financial trouble trying to save their grandfather from an affliction. They turned to physical doctors who could not successfully diagnose him and spent their fortune trying to keep him alive. In the end he died and so did a couple of their businesses. Now they survive but have not been able to pay for a healer or doctor to participate on their name for a couple of decades…"

"Wow… maybe that's why I haven't heard of them.."

"They've always been there but have never been announced in the competition as they've not had a healer. The father promised his youngest daughter that this year they'd have a healer, he did this in a bid to calm her down but she has pondered on it every night. She has a strong aura… so does her older sister… she will be afflicted as well soon. There seems to be a curse on the family by a witch in their town" 

"Oh no!! Poor girl… how can we help them?" Vinicus asked, concerned for the family.

"Well, right now there's nothing much you can do. But handling a low curse like that is nothing for a Grand Master Healer. Neither is the witch… but you're still not done with training and you have some ways to go…" 

Vinicus stood up, anticipation in his eyes. "Then let us continue our training. I should be ready in time for the competition.. in time to help the Rhys Family."

"Your eagerness is commendable but remember, balance is key. To master your powers, you must practice diligently but you must also listen to your body, mind and spirit. You must remember that harmony is important in the path of the Grand Master."

Vinicus trailed off back to the Chamber. As he made to sit down, the guide interrupted him. 

"I think today should be for your aura and chakra training…" 

"Okay…" 

"You must learn to balance your energy. The symbols you learned yesterday are powerful, but they can also be dangerous if not used correctly. Your aura and chakra points are essential to maintaining control. They are the centers of your power, the channels through which the energy flows"

Vinicus looked up, curious. "How do I do that?"

"Sit," the Guide instructed. Vinicus took a deep breath, centering himself.

"Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Focus on the energy within you. Feel its flow, its rhythm. Imagine your body as a vessel, filled with light. Let the light flow through you, connecting to your aura."

Vinicus did as he was told, sitting cross-legged on the earthy floor of the chamber. He closed his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. The room around him seemed to fade away leaving just him, magic and the Voice of the Guide… He could feel the energy within him, a warm, pulsing light that filled his chest. 

"Good," the Guide said softly. "Now, visualize your chakra points. There are seven main chakras, each located at a different point on your body. Start with the root chakra, at the base of your spine. It is the foundation of your energy, the source of your strength."

Vinicus concentrated, imagining a glowing red light at the base of his spine. He could feel the energy there, a steady, grounding force. It was strong and vibrant, connecting him to the earth beneath him.

"Move up to the sacral chakra," the Guide continued. "Located just below your navel. This chakra is the center of your creativity and emotions."

Vinicus shifted his focus, visualizing an orange light just below his navel. The energy there was different, more fluid, like a gentle stream. He could feel his emotions, his desires, flowing through it.

"Continue up the spine, to the solar plexus chakra, just above your navel," the Guide instructed. "This chakra is the center of your willpower, your personal strength."

Vinicus imagined a yellow light glowing above his navel, the energy there warm and strong, like a radiant sun. He could feel his determination, his confidence, flowing through it, strengthening his resolve.

"One by one, feel the chakras opening, balancing," the Guide said, its voice soothing. "Feel the energy flow freely, connecting each point. When your chakras are open and balanced, the healing magic will flow more naturally, more powerfully."

Vinicus continued up his spine, visualizing each chakra: the heart chakra at his chest, the throat chakra at his neck, the third eye chakra between his eyebrows, and finally, the crown chakra at the top of his head. Each one glowed with a vibrant light, their energies flowing together, creating a powerful current that coursed through his body.

"Excellent," the Guide said, its voice filled with pride. "You are beginning to understand the true nature of healing magic. It is not just about symbols and incantations, but about the balance of energy, the connection between the mind, body, and spirit."

Vinicus opened his eyes. He felt complete in a sort of way… This was what it felt to be attuned to magic… 

"This is only the beginning, you must continue to practice, learn and you will become the Grand Master Healer"...

"Tell me, how do I see the vision again…" 

"Looking for a vision is completely different than when it comes to you. It usually shows up in fragments in this way..." 

"I want to try….

"Then draw the symbol of mind and say the incantation…. Sanare Vita Lucis Vi"

Vinicus immediately did as The Guide instructed. With a clear mind and a focused heart. He placed a hand on the symbol of mind and repeated the words. 

"Sanare Vita Lucis Vi" he was immediately taken back into his vision. 

He saw the young girl again, then as he was about to speak. He was pushed to the front of the competition. When he looked up, he saw the Royal family on the podium. Then he saw Duke holding on to the Kara girl with a knife to her neck…. He broke out from the vision… 

Duke was going to try and kill Kara Rhys? Why?