In an instant he was there, the prodigal son the monks of the Phoenix Brotherhood had raised from a toddler into a man. They were rejoicing, embracing Illo and cheering, when they saw that something was troubling him. Upon his request they snaked their way through the labyrinthine halls to find the headmaster, who was seated in meditation with the slightest smile brushed onto his face
"Illo... Good of you to visit." The headmaster opened his sky blue eyes slowly, seeing the monk in front of him with a good number of his students there as well.
"Master! I've had a vision..." After retelling a portion of what he saw the headmaster stopped him by holding up a hand.
"I see what you mean, and what troubles you is nothing you cannot handle--"he of course was referring to the Illo who had attained enlightenment. "Come here, my son. Let me feel your energy and confirm..." As Illo stepped forward the headmaster's brows furrowed, sensing something that was different about his soul than the last time he'd seen Illo.
"Your soul is different. I hate to admit it, but as you are now I don't believe you can handle the Truth."
"But! ... I've become stronger, look! I can even stay in Bardo for great lengths of time now..." Illo relinquished seeing the look of disappointment on his teacher's face. To this day this man was the one he admired the most, the one who was ever-wiser, and the man who came closest to defeating him.
"You have indeed, but that is not the way to the Truth." The headmaster's eyes turned down now. "You used to understand this. It was your true strength!" Illo was about to protest this, but the master stopped him again. "Yes, you are stronger than me--much stronger than you were before in fact, but I sense a great madness in you." The crowd began to shudder, and some held their heads and moaned the arrival of such a reviled presence.
"Madness...? No... No!" Illo wouldn't stand for this. His power flared inadvertently. "You predicted it yourself: I'm going to attain a pure Truth; not tainted by the cancer of the mind! "Let me at least try the ritual. I've been training under the Shinigami. I know I can do it!"
"... No." The headmaster wouldn't budge. "If you attempt the ritual now... You will die."
"Then what! What am I supposed to do?"
"Why is it you want to attain enlightenment so badly?" Said the master now addressing the tone of urgency with which Illo spoke. "Before you were content with your power, knowing that desire would keep you from the Truth. ... Now you want it so much. Please, my son, don't fall for the simplest of traps!" The others started to balk and hang their heads upon this revelation: Illo was no more than a powerful demon as they saw it now. "You must go and rid yourself of this evil--"
"It's her." Illo wouldn't let his teacher finish this time. "A demon fox with white hair. Her servants seem to live to taunt me, furthermore she calls me foolish for seeking the Truth. If I had that power..."
"FOOL!" Now the headmaster was standing, shouting at the monk. "This is the lowest of ambitions. You will never learn what kind of potential you have by being goaded into a petty dispute like this! ... You have the ability, unlike us, to reach the Truth, yet you squander it on this pitiful struggle. Leave! And do not return until such basic desires have left your heart!"
And so the now defeated Illo left the monastery, unsure of where to go or what to do with his guidance now turning their backs on him.
{Exit}
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