The old Man by the river

The next morning Maximus decided to spend all of his day with his mother, after all he didn't know when he would be back. They spent all day in the west Garden that had a beautiful lake with lotus flower growing there.

"I am sorry Maximus, I tried to convince your father to let you stay here, but I was just a commoner before I married your father. And Madame Elizabeth is the first wife and also comes from the Phoenix clan."

Maximus knew that usually it was the oldest son who would take the role of the next clan head but because of his mother origin and his brother talent he was basically being exiled. Even so he smiled and said "Don't worry mother I will be back in no time, it's just temporary, when I have the power I will be back". Said Maximus to his mother to make her feel better.

"I must have been a very good person in my past life to have such a good son now" said Lilly, as she hugged her son.

When the sun was going down a maid came to the garden and said "Young Master, your carriage is ready, and all the things were carried"

Lilly started crying as she hugged her son.

"Mother don't worry I will be back soon" even if Maximus was older if then Lilly, if counting his last life, she was still his mother who showed him nothing but love and care for almost seven years. Maximus started sobbing a little too.

After a while Lilly left go of her son.

"See you soon mother" said Maximus as he left.

After getting in the carriage Maximus was happy to see a familiar face "Maria it's you"

"Yes young master the Lord ordered me to accompany you and make sure you have everything you need" said Maria with a sweet smile.

"So, do you know where we are going?" asked Maximus.

"I also don't know Young Master, but it seems we are moving in the direction of the Bluemoon River" said Maria.

The Bluemoon River was a river that spanned through half of the Empire, and was relatively close to his clans domain, the Dacian city, the Dacian clan was the local number one power. They were relatively well-known power in the Phoenix province.

The night was beautiful, there wasn't a single cloud in the sky, there were two beautiful full moons in the sky, both of them gave a light blue glow. Maximus looked outside and say a big and beautiful river ahead, the water, especially under the light of the two moons had, gave a faint blue glow, it was an extremely beautiful sight.

"It's really a beautiful sight isn't in?" asked Maria

"Yes" said Maximus.

"I am glad that you like it, because this will be your resting place" said Maria in a sweet voice.

Maximus didn't even react at first, after all Maria was one of the few persons who truly cared about him, she was next to him 24/7 since his birth.

"What.. did you... just say?" said Maximus with a trembling voice.

"I said that I am glad that you like this place, young Master Maximus, because this will be your resting place, consider this as a goodbye gift from me" then Maria hands glowed with a red light as she stabbed Maximus in the middle of the chest.

"Why....?" asked Maximus as life left his head to look Maria in the eyes.

"Nothing especial, it's just the moment young master Arnold was born, you were destined to die, it was just that the Lord was too softhearted and let you live a little longer." said Maria in the same sweat voice.

Then she took Maximus body in her hands and walked out of the carriage. She looked at his weak body, as life was fading away with every breath he let out, and then she threw him into the river.

"The mission is finished, we need to go back and report this to the lord and Madame" said Maria to the guards.

Maximus was floating in the river, his body carried by the water.

"How pathetic, two times was I betrayed by someone close to me. What was the point to be reborn in this amazing world if will die just like that?" this was Maximus last thought before he fainted.

The strange thing was that even with the such a severe wound on his chest he was still alive.

After and unknown period of time Maximus woke up, he looked around and saw that the wound on his chest was already healed.

Then he heard an old voice "Seems like you had a difficult day young man"

Maximus looked around and saw that he was by the river bank inside a forest, there close to him was and old man with white hair and white beard, he was wearing blue robe that almost lost all the color from the passage of time. The old man was holding an ordinary fishing pole.

"Where am I?" asked Maximus confused.

"You are inside a forest" said the old man in a kind voice.

Maximus didn't know how to react to such an obvious answer.

"Then who are you?"

"Just an old men fishing" said the old men in the same kind voice.

Again such an obvious answer. After some time Maximus decided to ask the old man.

"How do I go back?"

"Why do you even want to go back, wasn't that girl someone you trusted, and she still tried to kill?" asked the old man.

Maximus froze as he stared at the old man. It was already day time, so he must have been floating in the river somewhere from 7 to 12 hours, even if he didn't move fast, taking into account the size of the Bluemoon River it should be a distance between 50 km or 80 km from where he was dumped in the river and this place.

"If this is true, then how did this old man knows about it?"

Maximus looked at the old man and said "I have to go, my mother must be in danger"

The old man looked at Maximus and said "Come here, give me your hand"

Maximus though that the old man wanted to guide him out of the forest, so he did what he was told. But then the old man made a small cut on his hand. Maximus wanted to question the old man, but before he could do that he saw his own blood floating in the air, then there was a flash of scarlet and gold light, and then in midair appeared a golden necklace with a heart locked. The strange thing was that the locket had a tiny blood-red flame burning in it.

"Wh... Wha... What is... that?" asked Maximus in trembling voice.

"That is a Flame blood locked, it can trace all the people with your bloodline, and check if they are ok or not. The people closer to us who you share your blood live in a castle, of those there is only a single woman who can be your mother. So I linked her soul power with the flame, she will be ok until the flame is still burning." Explained the old Man as if talking about something insignificant, but Maximus was amazed to his very soul.

Then suddenly, as if struck by thunder Maximus had an insane idea.

"If... If.. If this old man can become my teacher, I don't have to fear anything" Then Maximus made up his made, he knelled before the old man and said "Please teach me"

The old man smiled and said "I thought you were never gonna ask." then the old man got up and said "Come after me"

"Yes Master"

After walking for little over 5 minutes they finally came to their destination. It was a big tree with leaves that seemed to be made of Emeralds, of different coolers, red, green, blue. In the middle of the tree was a door.

"Go inside and rest, there is food inside if you want to eat, then tomorrow morning come to the river bank" said the old man.

"Yes Master" said Maximus, then he went inside.

The inside of the tree was very big, it had three divisions, a room with a bed and a desk, a kitchen, and a living room that just had a table and so chairs. Maximus went to the kitchen to eat something and then go to sleep, because from some reason he felt exhausted.

Meanwhile outside the tree house the old was preparing to leave went someone said.

"You old devil actually allowed a human to stay here, you even took him as your disciple?" then a beautiful silver haired men, with silver eyes, wearing a silver robe, exposing his chest, and holding a long golden smoking pipe appeared next to the old man.

"Humph, what do you want you lizard" said the old man.

"Lizard!?!?! You wanna fight?!?!" said the silver haired man.

"The boy..." said the old man in serious tone "he has the most clear and powerful soul I ever saw in my entire life."

The silver haired man face changed "How is that possible, if it was true the moment he was born there should have been a huge natural phenomenon" said the silver haired man in a serious tone.

"From what I felt his soul was restricted by some law. But that is not the problem." said the old man.

"Then what it is?"

"I can feel that he has suffered a lot, and if the boy chooses the wrong path then this could very well be then end of our entire world." said the old man. "That's why I want to teach him, so that he doesn't go down the wrong path. I will need your help too Argenti, the silver Dragon"