Weeks had passed and Ryoma remained in the village, helping out with various things.  He felt at home, but something within him kept telling him to leave, to move on.  To where, though?  What would be close by to where he felt like his journey has come to an end?

Ryoma sat down at the table, Isabelle sat down their breakfast and they began to eat in silence.  It was not an awkward silence, merely just a comfortable silence of understanding.

​

"I don't know if you've heard, but there's a group of monks that live up in the mountain.  They occasionally visit, but recently they haven't.  Could you go check up on them?"  Isabelle asked.  "I don't know if anyone else is willing to, it's a long way up the mountain."

​

Ryoma pondered for a moment.  "Of course.  I'll go today at noon."  He replied.  Isabelle smiled at him and continued to eat breakfast.

​

He didn't do much that day, there was little to nothing on his schedule for the day, so he spent most of the day either reading or writing.

​

​

Once the sun was at its highest in the sky, Ryoma gathered his things and began his trek up the mountain.  The vast blue sky had white fluffy clouds scattered across it, they lazily pushed on through the sky.  It's felt like forever since Ryoma had been on the side of a mountain, he's always felt drawn to them in some way or another.  Perhaps one day he'd return to his cave that he's lived in for what's felt like eternity, but that day would not arrive until many years later.

​

It took many hours for Ryoma to go up the mountain, and he was roughly halfway when he realized he was not given directions or told where exactly the monks were-- merely that they lived on the mountain.  He groaned to himself, but continued on.  He flew the rest of the way up the mountain, though the air grew thin and hard to breathe.  This mountain was much larger than the one he previously lived on.

He was just about to give up when he saw someone standing at the top of a ledge.

​

"Hey!"  Ryoma called out to them.  He couldn't tell their reaction, but he disappeared.  Ryoma scrambled up to the top of the ledge to look for the mysterious Kalon that was at the top.  Looking around, he could not find them.  " . . . Hello?"

​

"What do you need?"  said a voice behind him.   Ryoma whirled around to face whoever was talking to him.

Ryoma looked down at the short Kalon that was standing in front of him.  He had blue fur and amber eyes.  They also had an orage robe with a yellow scarf.  Not very intimidating.  Ryoma narrowed his eyes.

​

"Are you one of the monks?"  Ryoma questioned.

​

"Yes!  I am.  My name is Ryuunosuke.  Why are you here?  Do you need something?"

​

"The villagers are concerned something has happened, since you haven't visited in awhile.  Is everything alright?"

​

"Everything is fine.  A fellow brother has fallen ill, we believe it might have been food poisoning.  The rish we had a few day ago must have been undercooked accidentally.  Don't worry, though.  He shall recover soon."  Ryuunosuke reassured.  "Would you like to see our hall?'

​

He thought about it for a moment.  "Why not?"  Ryoma followed Ryuunosuke into an opening in the mountain.  Once he walked through the threshold he was appalled.

​

Inside there was a marble floor, pillars with intricate designs carved into them stood high.  In the distance he could hear singing that made him feel calm, like he belonged there.  His claws clacked on the floor and echoed throughout the great hall.  Ryoma was in pure awe.

​

"Quite a sight to behold, isn't it?"  Ryuunosuke mused.  "Come, brother Ame is in this room."

​

Reaching the room Ame was in, Ryoma saw the Kalon lying on the bed.  He looked absolutely miserable.  Breathing heavily, dehydrated despite multiple pales of water surrounded him.  Ryoma's heart wrenched as he saw the sight.

​

"Will he be alright?"  He asked.

​

"We don't know.  He-"  Ryuunosuke was cut off as Ame let out a scream, and seized before quieting down and growing still.  He was gone.

​

The Kalons around Ame bowed their heads and muttered a prayer, then got up and left.  Ryuunosuke closed his eyes, exhaling.

​

"Another lost. . .  I know it is an inappropriate thing to ask, especially after what just happened, but please.  Our community will become no more unless we have no members.  Would you join us, become a monk with us?"

​

Ryoma opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again.  He thought about it for a moment before he replied.  "Yes."

He was shocked at himself, even he did not know why he said what he did.  Ryuunosuke smiled.

​

"Thank you.  I am the abbot of this particular group.  I will show you everything we do tomorrow."