chapter 3 'an unknown entity'

But unknown to him when he ended his pleading his eyes glowed green and then golden for a few second before he lost conscious. 

Next morning, when he wakes up what he saw is the same old face of old caretaker Vana.

Old lady Vana…. "young master is everything all right?"

"you were mumbling something in your sleep, are you having nightmares?"

Kai realizes his last night's foolishness when he was pleading to an unknown god or an entity.

Kai…. 'how foolish I am' he was disappointed from himself and from his dying fate.

Kai…. "hmm no, everything is alright, I was just missing mother last night, perhaps that's the reason".

Old caretaker Vana…. "hmm okay"

she can feel that he's not telling the whole truth but she doesn't want to ask him further until he wants to reveal himself. 

Old caretaker Vana is one of the regular cultivators who is a regular awakened, she has affinity with water element but not lucky enough to attract blessings of spirits.

Old caretaker used to tell stories of many past events to the Kai which he used to pass his boredom.

But this time Kai is interested in cultivator's and their powers, he somehow believes that this will help him in upcoming awakened event. 

Kai…. "Mother Vana can you tell me about this world….?" He stopped then changed his tone.

"I mean how outside world looks like as you know I can't even go out of this" sadness can be seen clearly in face.

Old caretaker Vana…. "young master outside world is brimming full of wonders, there are many amazing places, powerful cultivators like your grandfather and father, there are many powerful beasts outside who can even rival top powerhouses of this continent" 

Kai…. "are you also a cultivator?"

Old caretaker Vana…. "yes, young master but I'm just low-level cultivator in early stage of Qi gathering"

"unlike the lucky people who were able to attract blessing of spirits".

Kai…. "spirits?"

Old caretaker…. "listen"

"cultivators are of two types; 1st are those who succeeded to awaken elemental power but failed to achieve blessing of spirits and 2nd are those who are called genius because they were able to receive the blessing of spirits and those who are blessed by spirit will have the shadow of the spirit behind them whenever they'll unleash their power".

Kai…. "mother Vana, is Qi gathering is the base to become a cultivator".

Old caretaker Vana…. "no"

"young master the power level of cultivators can be calculate from Body strengthening stage, Qi gathering stage, foundation establishment stage and last elemental stage like"

"like previous lord who is said to be at the peak of elemental stage when he left for some unknown place"

"he was considered as the strongest person in the whole Shu kingdom or one of the strongest in the whole continent because elemental stage cultivators are very rare." 

"some people speculate that he left for some far unknown dangerous place to find a cure for you"

"but this was never confirmed by elders or from the lord's side so, nobody knows whether it is true or not"

Kai…. 'whatever the truth is but I do want to meet the strongest person in this continent' he thought.

But soon an overwhelming sad emotion took over his mood because his fate was almost fixed and because of that his dreams will never come true.

Old caretaker also noticed his changed emotions…. "Don't be sad and believe in yourself, God can't be this cruel, may be one day a miracle would happen and it will change everything".

"God will definitely give you a chance"

She knows that its near to impossible but she can't see him sad so she used these words to run from reality.

Her words are indeed imaginary but it somehow gave Kai a motivation he needed at this moment.

Kai…. "Chance hmm"

'whether I live or die, I'll not give up' 

Kai was feeling anxious as day by day his 10th birth date is approaching. 

After few months,

Like every day, Kai is lying in his bed while old caretaker Vana is reciting some stories of outside world to him.

Kai…. "tomorrow is the day when I'll turn 10 so, what gift you'll give to me mother Vana?" 

Old caretaker Vana…. "what gift you want, my child?" she asked Kai who is looking towards her with high anticipation. 

Kai…. "whatever you'll give, to me it will be more valuable than my life".

Old caretaker Vana…. "my child, this old lady has nothing, all I can give you is my love, care and my remaining life"

"if one day I have to sacrifice myself for you, I'll do that with a wide smile on my face" 

Kai…. "I don't want to live a life where my mother Vana is not with me" he said with serious and in an angry tone.

This was the first-time old caretaker saw Kai's angry face, she was glad that she had a chance to take care of Kai at the end of her carrier and her life.

Old caretaker Vana…. 'May be today is the day' she was worried about the prediction of Kai dying during his awakening ceremony.

She didn't leave his side during whole day.

"it's midnight already, be prepared young master I will be here with you all the time, you have to overcome this disaster" she was too worried that she starts sweating as soon as she realizes that it's about to begin.

In front of her, Kai is lying in his bed while his eyes are closed, its past midnight and he can already feel warm and chilling feeling together at the same time. 

Kai…. 'why is it different from what mother Vana told me?'

'sometimes its warm feeling and sometime I can feel coldness, I can't even move or talk to mother Vana'

Slowly-slowly he's losing conscious and he is drawn towards darkness.

Few miles away some people are about head towards Kai's place.

There can be seen two people who are in their mid-50's while 5 are in their 20's and 30's.

While few more people are following them from behind and the seven leading in front of them are all from the elite backgrounds.

Two types of insignia can be seen from these people, one gives a royal look which looks like a divine tree is from Shu royal family while another insignia is a man with a wind crown on his head is from Li family.

A young man from Shu kingdom…. "why is that swine is alive till today, he should have died soon so, today we don't have to be here to check whether his curse is acting up again or not".

Another guy form Shu royal family interrupted him…. "shut up, this is not the place where you can bark"

"this is Li's territory and the person you're calling swine is their young master"

But this time a person from Li family spokes while mocking smile in his face can be seen clearly…. "ha-ha he's actually right 4th prince, how you can call him swine" he stops but then continues.

"but you're also wrong here 1st prince he's not our young master but actually a cursed swine ha-ha ha-ha ha-ha"

Everyone in the group starts laughing which shows how they deem Kai personally.

While they are laughing a person with Shu insignia interrupted them.

"we'll move after an hour of time; it'll be enough time for a half dead person to actually die but if he somehow survives than elder form Li family will decide the further outcome"

4th prince from Shu kingdom…. "huh it's impossible for a cripple to survive the awakening ceremony, I bet he'll die next second the awakening starts".

Girl from Li family…. "Don't underestimate the Li's blood maybe we'll see some miracle today" 

"ha-ha ha-ha his blood is tainted by the curse for some unknown reason, you guys may know but at the time of child's birth every high-class clan will use spirit artifact to determine child's affinity with the spirits" 

"and to our surprise, he doesn't have any affinity with the spirits and the only thing which attracts out attention was his low affinity with natures spirit" said the elder from the Shu royal clan.

"that is also why we are here, even if its low level we can't let that child ruin blessings of our mother spirit"

4th prince from Shu…. "you mean we are here to extract his elemental power, isn't It illegal?"

"ha-ha ha-ha 4th prince we are the one who make laws and as I have mentioned we can't let that guy ruin the blessing of goddess".

"Lord of Li has agreed in the past, if he died after awakening ceremony than we can take what is rightfully ours"

4th prince…. "what if he survives?" but in return he received an evil & cold smile from both the elders.

 1st prince…. "his fate is already sealed, even heaven wants him dead".

On the other side Kai finds himself in a room with darkness all around him, he was confused at the starting but then he suddenly feels something strange.

Kai…. "this?"

He was standing properly first time in his life, he then feels two hands, one on each side.

"my hands?"

"I have hands!"

"I can stand straight"

He touched all over himself for the first time with his hands which was an alien feeling for him then he tried to walk which he feels difficult in his first attempt. 

But unknown to him an unknown entity is watching his every action from the corner of the same room.