Chapter 2. Calm

A crack appeared in the dark blue skies. A white feathered eagle with a shining pearly torso appeared from the crack. Its beak appeared to be sharp and steel-like. Its red eyes shone piercing through anything they looked at. It massive body enabling it to carry a couple and some load. Its sharp talons could pierce the toughest of steel and it wings, which had shades of black flapped in the sky. A single flap caused waves of air currents to flow and its speed almost a hundred kilometers per hour at average.

On the back of the eagle was a couple. The man had long white hair falling on his back. His green eyes scanning the surrounding every now and then. Besides him was a lady with jet black hair and grey eyes. Her beauty was completely unmatched. She wore a black mage robe and on her arms was a child not more than a day old. He seemed to take after his father's eyes and his mother's hair. The couple appeared calm but there was a hint of worry and sadness deep down in their eyes. The woman looked at her husband who was holding her by her waist standing next to her. He pulled her closer to himself as she giggled breaking the silence. With a single flap from the bird, one could cover around ten meters. Though the couple remained unperturbed even in the midst of the turbulence. The man's features were calm like he was in deep thoughts. He then went to speak on.

"We should..." They both paused as they looked at each other. The spoke at the same time. "You go first" they both spoke simultaneously and fell silent again. The wife could not help but giggle once again.

"What should we do about his bloodline. They will definitely try to trace us using it. I think we should seal his origin source. With that even the immortals will never find him. The others went on separate universes so as to buy time. It will take almost five years to have it sealed," the man said. His wife sighed and could not help but swallow the lump on he throat. She fought back tears knowing the sin they were going to commit to their son.

"You know if we do so he will forever be at the bottom of the foodchain. Is this the life our son will live? I called him Alaric to mean powerful ruler. Is it going to be all wasted without any cultivation?" The lady asked no longer able to fight back her tears.

" Hush, Melissa, you know it pains me just like you to have to do this to our son. This is a crime I will never accept forgiveness. Please don't make it harder than it already is. We will bear the burden together with our son I promise," the man Jayden spoke.

They had separated with their friends since it was easy to track the high amount of immortal blood in the larger group at one place. Also it was going to be easier to vacate with just a small number. Melissa looked at her husband's stern expression and knew that though he was hiding it, he was hurting just as her if not more.

"I just can't watch my son get bullied in the future," though they had decided that they were going to seal his origin source to weaken his bloodline, she still pressed on to remind herself what was going to happen in the future.

The couple finally arrived in the city and were stopped from entering. Since they wanted to lay low, the had to follow the rules of the martial world and these included prohibation of flying in the city. Also beasts were not allowed in the city. They alighted from the eagle and the objects on the back all disappeared in Jayden's storage ring.

"Alright Meryl, go and roam the world. I will occasionally visit with little Alaric," Jayden said patting the eagles beak. Meryl let out a screech and flew away into the skies. The guards at the city gates allowed them to get in after confirming they posed no threat.

They walked at the edge of the road not bothering to pick a carriage. This was the place Jayden had always prepared his safehouse where he would settle with his family one day. The house was located at the far end of the city. The city was not that large but it still was not small either. The stalls were selling all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There were jewelry shops and hotel inns. The city was calm and there was little noise. Everyone minding their own business. Some people walked in pairs and other groups.

There were few old people which was to be expected considering almost everyone was a cultivator. They passed various buildings and at the center was a stadium where many activities like competitions took place. The stadium was large that it could fit everyone in the city. There were posters advertising the upcoming event of choosing the young geniuses and rating them. The people who saw these posters couldn't help but be ecstatic especially the youth and the older generation who enjoyed watching youths battle each other. In this city, there was only one academy which was the only one in these regions thus the Lotus city was the central part of the region. The couple showed no interest maybe because they deemed these activities mediocre judging they came from the immortal realm. They hurried and after a while they stood at a black gate.

"You really chose the furthest place in the city. What a man you are," Melissa said in disdain. He always said that that was where a man should stay since it was safest. Jayden looked away to hide the embarrassment on his face. His wife never failed to pick on him. Jayden opened the gates ushered Melissa to get in with a bow like a servant ushering in guests. He followed after her closing the gates. He then drew some sign on the gates to alert him in case of any bleach. The compound was beautiful but Melissa couldn't help but disdain it.

"So you really thought that drawing my name with flowers was romantic, huh, pathetic! The swing adorned with flowers that don't even match. How pathetic can a man be? Even with hundred of years I bet you will never improve!"Melissa kept blabbing. Jayden walked next to his wife his face down. Was it that he really did not know how to please his wife? Was it that he was pathetic? But how could it be when she was aleady in love with him. Was it not that when a girl loves you all your action to express your love were romantic? Was that not the case? The man screaming at the sky then now seemed to have been tamed by this wife of his. He hurried to the door and opened it as she walked in. He could see the disdainful look in her eyes as she threw all his work effort through the window. He followed inside his head still low like an obedient kid.

Melissa sat at the couch and lay her backwards and started breastfeeding little Alaric. She caressed his cheeks as he clutched on parts of her robe. She smiled watching him. She felt guilty knowing what they were going to do to their son without his consent. Jayden watched the guilt in his wife's face and it pained. She went through all that pain just to inflict more pain to her son. He sat next to her and brushed her hair as she lay her head on his shoulder. He really loved this multi persona wife of his. Now she was the gentle wife he ever wanted.

Later that night they were in a room both sitting in meditation position. In front of them was the newborn Alaric. He was asleep oblivious of what his parent were doing. Stream of energy flowed from the couple to the sleeping baby. After a few minutes they were both exhausted. Just how strong their son was was unfathomable. They did not even manage to seal a single percentage before they were exhausted. At this rate in five years they might have have sealed a good percentage if not all. They stood up tired and Melissa picked Alaric in her arms. She then took him to a room designated for him and lay him in the cradle. It rocked side to side as she hummed a song. Little Alaric moved his hands like clapping but soon he lay asleep again.

The couple rarely got out of their homestead and when they did it was to buy food ingredients. They always continued the sealing process everyday. Just like that five years passed in a blink and only a one percent was remaining to be sealed. This one they were going to do it in the night. Almost everyday after little Alaric was able to walk and talk he insisted on visiting Meryl in the forest. His father always obliged and they everyday left the city. Even in his young, the small frame could not hide his beauty. He was well known in the city.

They ate at a hotel as they were heading to the forest. At the entrance, a large eagle with steel like talons came charging towards them at a speed not easy to make a clear visual. One could definitely try to go and stop the baby who was charging towards the fearsome creature a smile on his face. His little arms open as his hair glittered behind him. The eagle came charging and its braking momentum sent the tree away as it stopped infront of the boy, completely unperturbed. One can say the eagle had wind affinity. The boy jumped up trying to reach its beak as the eagle lowered itself to his level. Little Alaric kept rubbing it beak and climbed on her back.

Meryl stood up as Little Alaric held on to her feathers tightly ready for takeoff. Meryl leapt into the air far in the sky such that nothing was visible from the top. She then dove downwards such that its beak was pointing directly on the ground. Little Alaric felt his ecstasy grow. This was usually the best feeling and ever since Meryl could carry him alone he always insisted on increasing height everyday. Today was no exception. About a kilometer in the sky as the fell. Little Alaric felt like letting go and open his arms to feel the breeze. He could not even close his eyes. They reached the ground and Little Alaric hopped from Meryl to rush to his father but he was not there.

Alaric ignored this and hopped an Meryl once again. They rode to the mountain where he spent the entire time counting the birds and animals he saw. This unkown to him increased his arithmetic knowledge as he came to love numbers. It was getting darker and there was still no sign of his father. For the first time there was panick in his young heart. Meryl felt this and she flapped her wing once sending a soft breeze. He calmed down and went to sit down on a tree base. He sat there rocking his head on the bark.

Almost an hour passed and his dad was yet to come. Darkness was encroaching and he was once again driven into panick. He did not know but he just started crying like the little kid he was. Meryl looked at little Alaric and heaved sending a few dry leaves flying. Why did it have to be that her young lord was going to be tormented by this cruel world having wronged no one. Why did the heavens have to be so cruel. She blinked several times and finally took a deep breath in. One could also hear the increased pace of her heart.

"Little Alaric," Alaric looked around but did not see the caller. The voice was calm and soothing that his worries once again faded. He looked at Meryl who was staring at him. Why was she giving him the look? " Your dad said that today you should stay with me, they are going out on a errand that you can't follow them to." Alaric looked at Meryl wide eyed as he saw her speak. All his worries disappeared as he rushed towards Meryl and buried himself in her feathers.

"I don't want to go home today, I'll go tomorrow," Alaric said calmly and happily.