Chapter 6 "Paradise"

  For two long weeks, Wade had locked himself inside his room, determined to decipher the cryptic words contained within the strange book. Day and night, he poured over the pages, trying to unravel the secrets it held, but it seemed to be an impenetrable puzzle. Currently, he sat in a chair in front of his room table, exhaustion etched across his face. His head rested against the headrest, as he stared blankly at the ceiling. "I swear, this is harder than studying for a civil service exam." Wade let out a weary mumble, his bloodshot eyes twitching with frustration.

  By his doorway, Idril stood, her expression filled with concern. She had watched as her son became increasingly obsessed with the strange book, rarely leaving his room, and she was growing worried about the toll it was taking on him. With a determined look, she headed to where her husband was. "Zaos, you need to do something about our son. I really can't bear it any longer. What can we do to cheer him up?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. "He's not eating, and he's barely leaving his room. Just the other day, I went in and the whole room was a mess. He hasn't opened his window in days. I am really tired Zaos."

  Cirdan's father, deep in thought, traced back to when it had all started. His son had barely left his room since the last time they had gone to town. He knew how much his son loved to read, but this time it was different. 

"I think it's time I use that technique." He suggested.

"Technique? What's that?" 

"When I was his age, my father trained– 

"Train? You're not talking about the training I know... right?" Idril asked with a sweet smile, one her husband was extremely scared of. 

"W-well, I'm sure he would like it." He said sheepishly 

"Like it? This is not a matter of liking it or not. Did you forget he was almost at death's door just a few weeks ago. Cirdan's strength is not like every other kid's. He's smaller and weaker than the average kid." His wife pointed out, exasperated.

"I know Idril, I know... and it's because of that, that I must train him," Zaos said with a sigh, a sad expression on his face. "After suffering from mana curse, there's a 0.01 chance that he would ever manifest his mana form. I watched my son grow from his playful self, to a boy that was says thank you after every meal." 

Cirdan was in fact a twenty-five-year-old man who had integrated quite well into society before he died.

"I don't want my son to ever be picked on. I want him to..." Zaos trailed off, a lump forming in his throat. 

"You're right..." Igril said, choking back a sob. "I should have understood your point of view. But still, take it easy with him."

"I know..." Zaos said gently. 

Unaware, Wade stood hidden at the top of the stairs, silently listening to their conversation. "I hope he trains me hard. I need to get stronger."

Zaos didn't in fact - take it easy with Wade. 

  The next morning, a deafening bang shattered the tranquility of Wade's room. He was jolted from his sleep, and in his startled confusion, he tumbled out of bed and landed with a heavy thud on the ground. Wade's heart raced wildly as his eyes darted around the room, trying to make sense of what had just happened. "What happened, where - who!" Wade rushed out, disoriented and alarmed, his gaze frantically searching for the source of the noise. By the doorway stood his father, Zaos, giving off a formidable aura that sent shivers down Wade's spine. His father's presence was overwhelming, and it took Wade a moment to speak. "What the hell are you doing?" Wade blurted out, temporarily forgetting he was just an eleven-year-old boy.

"Get dressed and follow me. I'll be waiting outside," Zaos instructed with a stern tone before turning and exiting the room.

"Okay?" Wade mumbled, still blinking rapidly, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep as he rubbed his elbow. As he dressed and prepared to follow his father, Wade glanced out the window and noticed that the sun had not yet risen. He had completely forgotten about what he had heard the previous night. 

Stepping outside, the cold pre-dawn air made him shiver, and the darkness that enveloped the world added to the mysteriousness of the situation. The sky held the faint promise of dawn, and the air was still, with crickets chirping in the background. Zaos tossed a rucksack to the ground in front of Wade. "Pick it up," he ordered. 

Wade's curiosity mingled with a touch of anxiety filled his heart as he struggled to lift the heavy rucksack. His small muscles strained under the weight, and he found it challenging to hoist the bag onto his back. "Where are we going?" Wade asked, looking to his father for an explanation.

"You'll see," Zaos replied cryptically, turning around and leading the way.

Confusion still clouded Wade's mind as he followed his father into the forest. The dense trees loomed overhead, their leaves mercilessly whipping against Wade's face, hands, and legs. It was a challenging journey, and the physical strain became more pronounced as they progressed. Breathing became a struggle, his lungs burned, and the weight of the rucksack grew heavier with each step. "Are we there yet?" Wade asked, his side hurting. 

"Almost," Zaos replied. "We just need to climb a bit more, and then we will go home." He reassured. 

"It can't be further away, right?" Wade wondered to himself. 

Well, he was about to find out. 

Thirty minutes later, he was gasping for breath as he climbed the path Zaos had led him to– an extremely steep trail up the forest. The path was bumpy and uneven, making the climb even more challenging. His legs and arms trembled with each step, and the thin air made it harder to breathe. Wade had completed his mandatory military service back on earth, but this was unlike anything he had ever experienced. This was pure torture, and he cursed whoever brought him to this world. Each step he took required using muscles he didn't know he possessed to climb, and let's not forget- the heavy bag he was currently carrying. It made the journey a hundred times harder. "Ar-are we the-re ye-t?" Wade struggled to speak, his knees trembling so badly.

"Just a little more," Zaos replied, smiling. 

Young Cirdan had murder on his mind.

As Wade looked up, he saw a sight that made his heart almost stop. The holographic screen - something had changed, no, it was changing. His strength was increasing.

[STATS]

/STRENGTH: 5(+9)/

/HP: 7(+1)/

/AGILITY: 1(+2)/

/INTELLIGENCE: 10(+3)/

/LUCK: 0(+2)/

/TALENT: 1(+3)/

/MANA: 1(+2)/

  "Yaaaa! You can do this!" Wade yelled loudly at the top of his lungs, the veins on his forehead popping with the effort. Sweat poured down his back, and his clothes clung uncomfortably to his body, but he refused to stop.

As the trees thinned out, a sliver of pale light began to peek through the darkness. The first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and gold, casting a gentle glow over the weary travelers. Wade's steps quickened, fueled by a newfound hope. Finally, they reached a clearing, and Wade's eyes widened in awe. Before them, a breathtaking vista unfolded—a sprawling valley blanketed in a sea of wildflowers, their vibrant colors dancing in the morning breeze. It was a sight that took his breath away, a hidden paradise nestled within the heart of the forest. But his father's voice brought him back to reality. "So, let's start training"

Wade laughed dryly, his left eyelid twitching.  He just might die, he thought. 

***

Wade dropped the heavy rucksack off his back and collapsed onto the forest floor. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he struggled to catch his breath after the grueling journey. He was too exhausted to pay much attention to his father's words.

"...g out the bow," Zaos said.

"Bow, the bag..." Wade muttered, his words coming out in disjointed fragments as he rolled over on the ground, his head still swimming with fatigue. Crawling over to where he had dropped the bag, Wade pried the strings open and stared inside, only to find a large boulder. His anger meter skyrocketed, and steam seemed to rise from his head. 

His father, however, had a proud expression on his face as he rubbed the underside of his nose with his finger. "Oh, you finally saw it," Zaos commented. "My father did the same thing to me, and now I have passed it on to you. I guess it's now a tradition."

Inside, Wade was fuming but kept his frustration to himself. "And why are you so proud about it?" he thought, feeling a sense of resentment toward the family tradition he didn't want to experience.

Suddenly, Zaos reached into the pouch hanging from his waist and pulled out a child-sized bow. The bow looked old and worn, but that was not the surprising thing. Wade's confusion deepened. "How did you... where... what?!" he stammered, barely comprehending where his father had brought out the bow. 

Zaos chuckled and pointed to the pouch on his waist. "The bow? Right here. It's a sub-magic pouch. You'll also be given one when you have a manifestation of your mana," he explained, seemingly proud of his little secret.

Wade wasn't surprised anymore; after all, he had seen his parents' fighting abilities and understood that they lived in a world where such things were possible. His eyes were drawn once more to the bow his father held. "Let me guess, your dad also gave you the bow?" Wade asked sarcastically, but it seemed that Zaos didn't catch onto his tone.

"How did you know?" Zaos responded proudly. "I used it when I was your age. It looks as brand new as the first day I got it," he added, speaking with fond nostalgia. 

"I don't think so..." Wade mumbled, eyeing the bow. 

"A-hem! Let's start Zaos cleared his throat. "Remember, the details of our training are a secret from mom."

"I didn't ask for this!" Hiro cried inwardly.