With great difficulty I turned my head, where the ritual was going to be performed.
The four geezers stood in the four directions, with the pile of caskets in the middle. Every other person was standing considerably far from the center
Four geezers... wasn't there a fifth one.
I almost broke my neck as I snapped towards the corner he was meditating in.
There... there was no sign of him.
I observed the crowd.
Nothing.
He was gone.
Before I could think about it anymore, the ritual started.
They were doing hand signs in flickering speed.
I was able to catch some of them like horse and snake hand sign.
Then the geezer who was talking with Vedika, extended two fingers forward as a jagged spear. As he did this the whole pile lit on bright-blue flame. It flared rampant and unbridled by anything.
As the casket melted,
things that oddly resembled heart and guts of... humans came out.
Though they soon turned to ashes in the flames. As the flame burned, their lips moved in a fever, murmuring incantations under the breath.
The blue flame suddenly inverted, fueling into it's center, forming a a small gravitational hole.
The moment it got bigger with a void in it's center, all four thrust their palm forward form whence an incandescent torrent flooded into the void.
This went on for sometime which felt like hours. By this time I was also able to move my body which was now scarred all over.
The void hole was devouring the energy from all four with the same pace. I was overwhelmed by the amount of energy they had.
More time and more time had passed by now.
The energy coming out from the geezers went calm, like a gentle river.
Even the void was devouring less energy.
The remaining energy was either leaking out or it was revolving around the void.
Hmmm... This feels interesting.
Something inside me stirred at the thought.
The other crowd were meditate or practicing combat.
Vedika's movement during combat of swords were unerring and fast. She seemed to be the most skill full among all my friends and people who have stayed on earth.
This could pose a problem in future if things went south.
There were other people too, some overbearing with physical strength others bewitching the enemy with skill and beauty.
They don't seemed to be using any form of energy or CHI' as hollow spear had said.
CHI'?
What does it mean?
The hollow spear said that my body was gathering CHI' all the time.
I frowned. How though?
I lifted my hands and coiled my fingers into the palm. Trying to feel if something is... different.
My body did feel abnormal.
But... it was because of the pain I had endured.
Nothing felt magical...
Am I not made for it?
"Is that so, god?" I shouted at the heavens.
"You wouldn't get stronger just by absorbing a little amount of energy, little one" a voice said form behind.
My breath stalled.
But not from fear,
it was from... recognition.
I knew who was there.
I turned back slowly,
My eyes met an old man.
I was seeing this guy from the moment I came back from death.
He felt unnatural,
like he shouldn't be here.
"hmm... You don't seem surprised, aye" he said laughingly.
His laugh felt like a dry, rattling chuckle with a thin, knowing sound to it.
"I saw you peeking at me,
and after getting smashed by a brutal presence, you feel like a normal person" I said looking at him curious of his nature and purpose.
"You haven't seen the world, little one." he said while stroking his mustache.
Of course I haven't even seen your world idiot, I though to myself.
"That one is but a lion in a vast jungle" he said referring to hollow spear.
"What?" my face in utter confusion.
I was perplexed. Isn't lion on the top of food chain.
When he saw my face he smacked me with the hand fan, he was using.
"You really think a lion is on the top" i said with a frown on his face.
"Yeah, that is the fact."
"at least in this world" I added.
He went into deep thinking while floating around me in circles.
"Your world sucks" he said finally, pointing out the obvious.
"Don't mention it"
"Let's see, I the world where we belong to lion is in the middle of the power chain. There are monster, dragons, hoarders, shadows, hybrids, humanoids and many more sit on the same or top level.
"ehy?"
In that case,
what would be my worth then?
My face would have been grim as the old man remarked,
"He was also an insect before he reached this level, little one"
"What level are you?" I asked him
He stared at me for some time before replying,
"I am... or rather I was stronger then everyone here. But I... got defeated. And now I am in this weaker state. And that is all I am gonna say" He said as if that wasn't surprising enough.
He was stronger than hollow spear. What is that power?
"So what do you want with me?" I asked unsure whether he was good or evil.
"You are cautious little one. I won't deny that i don't have my on reasons and objectives, but for the now we have to stick together" he continued.
"why?"
I frowned. I don't wanna have an old man for company.
"It is not like I choose to little one. I am nothing but a soul that was roaming the world unaware of myself."
His voice suddenly felt full of regret and anger.
"By luck or fate my soul got grafted on to yours and I gained consciousness after cultivating a bit in your body."
"So it was you who, got me killed and crushed" a sudden surge of anger inside me.
"Firstly, it was your own fault for getting yourself killed the first time. Secondly, I apologized for getting you smashed, but it did benefit you" he shot back.
"I don't understand the benefit I got neither I understand you getting grafted or something to my soul" I shot back in return.
"Hmm... so in return for you letting me stay with you I will teach you to one day become a power house."
"And anyway, if you want to be with that little girl you have to at least become as strong as hollow spear. Which alone will take a lot of time depending on various... decisions and fate." he said looking at me, his face scanning mine.
I looked at Vedika.
"I don't know whether I... we can still be together." my voice was filled with remorse.
"Yes you can be."
"You don't have to worry about those trivial matters. As far as I can deduce from her face, she still loves but is unsure whether to still trust you or not."
And now since she is going away from this place without meeting you she has sealed her heart." He said in a confident and knowing voice.
"But I want her to heal too. Especially if I didn't succeed"
And then I got slammed by the fan again.
"You are worried about a girl... at a time like this? If she gets healed or does not heal that is her choice, not yours."
"The best you can do is restart with her if you want her so much and more then that YOU CAN GROW POWERFUL." He said annoyance showing up in his voice and face.
"Why do you have so much faith in me?" I asked angry with myself.
" Who said anything about faith. I choose to trust you little one. Faith comes after, when you have stood up to someone's trust. Never get this mixed up" he said.
I felt shame building up inside.
I really wanted to shout back at this guy and say that he is wrong.
But somewhere something inside me agreed to him.
I could become strong and powerful. Like hollow spear or even surpass him and one day become a legend.
But I still cannot trust this guy fully. Afterall we both are sticking together for personal benefits.
"I... if you will teach me then I promise I will not let you down. But please don't expect me to trust you yet. " I said as I went to my knees and bowed down to him.
"Hmm... good. Though do remember the world you will be going to is a land of gods and beast, where danger lurks everywhere and it is a constant battle for the survival of the fittest." he replied and I nodded.
"But before all that you must pass the test of gods"
"test of gods?" I asked puzzled.
"The gate that these four are opening will only allow the pass of those who belong. If you don't belong and you attempt to pass through you will remain frozen in the void itself forever."
I felt fear crawling up spine.
I folded my hand into a fist, and took deep breaths.
I can do this,
I will not die here, I will not.
A laugh escaped from my mouth... it was in a foreign voice.
Something started moving inside me... hungry.
But I did not give a second thought to it and just closed my eyes and felt the air move.
I felt my master's eyes on me.
He was also smiling though he had doubts in his eyes.
I will make them go away soon enough.
Amidst this, the cave started shaking as the void hole got bigger and bigger till it took the shape of a colossal door which was just an empty space where no light tread.
The four man came and stood in front of it. After a moment they walked through it.
All the others followed their stead and went in.
"Anytime soon" I heard my master say.
I just put up a smile, clenched my fist, took a deep breath and jumped in.