2 Chapter 2 The cycle of rebirth

The evening finally came. He was cleaned and ready to go. But before leaving his tent he watched as her body turned to ashes. He was playing the flute as he watched the flames engulfing her and slowly turning her body into ashes. His control over the flames was good enough to not burn the tent along with her. Finally, when it was over, he gathered the ashes and put it in a vial, which he laid on a large table holding many others. Each vial was in front of a memorial tablet. Each one had a name and number of years. The last one had his name on it, and after that night also his ashes will be there.

He put the flute down in front of her tablet. Then he slowly walked out without looking back. He started walking towards the large tent in the middle of the camp. The flaming sun on the large white flag was sparkling in the last rays of the setting sun. The flag started swaying in the evening breeze as he approached the tent.

As he walked in, everyone there went silent. Shaking his head, he started smiling at their awkwardness. He was at ease with what was to happen. Fifteen hundred years of life will be forgotten. He walked towards the man sitting in the heavy chair on the dais. He saw his unease and smiled thinking about the past. He still had one more thing to do before he was to go on his way.

He stopped in front of the steps and smiling he kneeled in front of the man who guided him for almost all his life. He bowed three times, his forehead touching the cold floor. Lifting his head, he said his final words.

"Teacher, your disciple is unworthy of you and is here to say his goodbye. I am not strong enough to keep fighting. I thank you for your guidance and support for all this time. But it's time for me to start over in the hope I'll be stronger in the next life. I'm sorry for disappointing you."

The man nodded while gritting his teeth. He tried to talk, but failed for a time, his lips trembling. He finally made it and his voice was the same, resounding as ever, booming in his ears.

"Alright! Stand up, boy! You made your choice and I respect it, even if I don't agree with it. There are still many things left unsaid in your decision making, but that's fine as long as it is your choice. But I'll say this last thing to you as your Teacher. Although you'll forget it after tonight. You're the most annoying brat I have ever met in my life. Instead of coming to me with your worries to talk about them, you left them inside to fester. I hope you'll change in the future and your new life will turn out to be different from this one. That is all I have to say to you."

He slapped at the arms of the chair as he stood and started walking towards his former disciple.

He bowed again as the man approached him. He felt him stop beside him and his hand wavering above his head. He finally felt him touch his shoulder and his voice rang in a whisper in his head.

"My stupid boy, why did you have to choose this road? You're the last and most promising of my disciples. Where did I failed you so much that you lost faith in this life? I'm sorry you decided us to part ways, but no worries. Even though you decided to leave my side, I will still help you the most I can. And, when the time comes we'll see each other again. Only if you'd have the patience to wait for a couple hundred more years. I'm already a half-step deity. In a couple hundred more years I would have been able to help you in your plight. By then, the river of time will have no more power over me and I could change the flow of time. Alas, you've chosen this road. I'm a bit disappointed, but I'll respect your choice. Now close your eyes and try not to scream. After all, you have to assume the result your choice brought."

He closed his eyes, waiting for the pain he was sure to come. In the past he saw another one choosing this road and looked very painful by how the man, a middle stage Ancestor hardened by long life, screamed and rolled on the floor in pain.

And indeed it was not wrong. The pain that hit him was excruciating. He felt as if his brain was thrown in a fire while being stabbed with countless needles. At first he managed to endure with only gritting his teeth and grunting his pain, but as it evolved by encompassing other parts of his body, he started to lose control over his body reactions and whimpers of pain started to escape as it encompassed his entire head. His eyes were on fire, his tongue started to swell in his mouth. When it reached his chest, it became unbearable. He felt his heart being squeezed, his lungs enveloped in flames. He rolled on the floor releasing guttural howls of pain. When it finally reached his groin, he lost consciousness. His body was trembling covered in the eternal flames of the river of time. He felt himself starting to fade and felt himself lighter as he started to float in the air. The last thing his consciousness recorded was his teacher's last words.

"Wei Yunchen, good luck in your life. I've done all I could do for you so far. We'll see each other again!"

The darkness surrounded him as he drifted away. He didn't know who he was, neither where he was. He only kept drifting for some time through the darkness. He lost the notion of time while drifting through that darkness.

It all changed when he suddenly saw a flicker of light in the distance. He started drifting in that direction due to the novelty in his routine and because of the curiosity he started to feel about it.

But he soon discovered that the closer he got to the flicker of light, the stronger the pull it had over him. He started drifting towards it faster and faster and it started to grow the more he approached it. Soon he was gliding on his way to the light. He tried to struggle, but it was futile. The light only grew stronger and soon enough he was blinded by it.

Then he felt the membrane of light break and he was pulled into it completely. He lost his breath for a moment. He couldn't see anything and he felt cold for the first time. Then he felt a burning pain on his left buttock and the shock of it made him cry.

"Congratulations, madam. Your son is born. He's strong and will be even more so when he'll grow. I've never heard a stronger voice from a newborn so far. He'll no doubt inherit his parents prowess. We should get the master inside. He no doubt carved a path in front of the door by how much he paced in front of your room."

A soft laugh enveloped him and he felt safe and warm as two arms enveloped him.

"Give him to me and bring my husband in. He has a son he needs to know."

A new voice full of angst reached his ears.

"A son. Finally, I'm a father. Let me see him. Fei'er, thank you for this gift!"

Stronger arms enveloped him and the musky scent made him feel safe. As he faded into sleep the last voice whispered in his ear.

"Yunchen. That is your name. The Wei family is proud to receive their young master!"

avataravatar
Next chapter