Falgur

As the blood stopped flowing out of the carved symbol and it being healed by his body, Sheyken felt a sage of energy he never felt before that felt warm and which in his meditative state made him feel good, almost like he wanted to dance to a bit. He had to concentrate harder just to stop himself from standing up and dancing. As hours passed, he could now feel the vibrations all around his body, trying to help him to circulate the cursed blood and little by little mixing it with his own allowing his body to recognize it as his own and stopping it from attacking it. He himself was trying to do something else, but he did not mind the help.

The process took 9 hours and by the time the three of them opened their eyes, they saw Nanna sitting next to Sheyken trying to meditate just like him. This made both Vitula and Ningal laugh at the same time, setting the mood as everything had gone according to plan. As Nanna heard them, she opened her eyes and while sulking, she jumped to Ningal's arms.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

Ningal shrank when hearing those words.

"Nanna, how long have we been sitting here?"

"Mmmhh I think by this time you would be giving me my third food for the day."

Ningal and Vitula were visibly shaken by the news.

"Ningal, I have to go back to my place, those sneaky people might have tried to get in my house and got themselves hurt by now. I need to cook something for Falgur too."

Ningal nodded at him. She was visibly tired and Vitula was worse for wear too. he had to do double the work during their meditation since Ningal was not used to it and had little practice.

Sheyken was barely watching and listing to them. He was so tired that when he opened his eyes from their meditation, he had laid on the floor like a dead fish. Seeing that the man was leaving and wanting to thank the stranger who saved his life, he could not let him go empty-handed.

"Wait."

Vitula barely heard him but stopped and looked at him.

Seeing that the black liquid was nowhere to be found around him and the smell was gone, he pushed the questions he had about it at the back of his mind and while still lying on the floor, he let out Ruby and took out two big bowls of ramen.

The smell filled the room and all three of them let out a big "gulp". Vitula and Ningal were gulping at the magic show they just witnessed which was the first time Vitula had seen and a third time for Ningal. They both looked at each other and Ningal knew what Vitula wanted to ask. His eyes were almost popping out.

"I know."

Ningal said while shrugging her shoulders. Nanna would care less about what they were on about as her 'gulp' was for the smell that was feeling the room. They were disturbed by the conversation they wanted to start about what they saw by her trying to get off Ningal's arms and nearing the bowls with her nose and watery mouth.

With both of them now paying attention to the smell. Vitula knew what he had to do. Like a thief, he quickly went to Sheyken's side and quickly put the two bowls in his storage ring.

"Thank you."

Sheyken said in a low voice. Vitula nodded his head and turned his back to him bolting straight for the basement door. Making the mistake of looking at both Ningal and Nanna at the same time, he wished he shouldn't have as he thought they were both putting a curse on him by the way they were looking at him. He hastened his steps and vanished up the basement's door.

Ningal and Nanna's eyes both turned to Sheyken's direction with a look of dejection, but their faces quickly turned to one of excitement when they saw the two bowls of ramen next to him.

"Thank you."

He said with a smile. He then took out a purple potion and drank it all in one gulp and then fell asleep. Ningal was now numb to the surprises Sheyken kept on shocking her with. After seeing that what he drank was a 4th circle blood potion she secretly wished he had one for Nanna as any blood potion was the one thing she needed the most, but she also knew that it was what Sheyken needed for him to make a speedy recovery.

'Never thought I would see the day two 4th circle potion get used up in my presence and by one child.'

She thought as she took both bowls. Nanna could not hold herself back anymore. She quickly ran to her bed and set up to wait for her bowl. As soon as Ningal gave it to her she went in headfirst with no regard to using eating utensils.

"My, my, Nanna. I have never seen you eating with such vigor before today."

"Yam, yam, yam. What is this?.... it is a gift from brother Sheyken so I would never waste it! It is so nice mammy."

She said with a little pout and going headfirst in her bowl again. Ningal was so tired to eat but seeing her daughter so eager and the smell coming from the bowl she was holding made her want to try some. She took out an eating utensil and took a test. Her test buds were tingle with a flavor of the salty and light taste of the clear broth and thin curly noodles. She had taken another two more spoons without realizing it.

"What is this?"

She could not help but comment. In no time she had finished her bowl without noticing it.

"Guess I was that hungry. This is almost at the level of the beast dishes when it is not cooked by me."

She said with a smile, looking at Nanna still feeling her belly. As soon as she saw her mother looking at her, she put her hands above the bowl like she was protecting it from a predator.

"Hahaha, I see it is that nice"

She said ruffling her hair. She put her bowl in her storage ring and laid on the bed next to Nanna. She waited for her to finish and as soon as she did, she put her bowl in her storage ring also. As Nanna was falling asleep next to her, she looked at Sheyken.

"Mom, he won't leave us, right?"

Ningal did not know what to say. She knew that 'They' were on their way and would definitely take Sheyken away.

"You know I cannot promise you that Nanna. It is up to him. He is so strong for his age. I think with him, anything is possible with the surprises he keeps on giving me."

Nanna smiled after hearing those words and quickly fell asleep.

'Wait, is it me, or she hasn't coughed since we went out of meditation?'

She quickly forgot about it as she was now too tired to think. She fell asleep thereafter.

When Vitula got outside of Ningal's shop the sun was still up but about to set. He looked to the market and saw Agna looking at him with her brown smile like she was waiting for something to happen in his direction.

"That noisy old hag."

He said while turning around and walking to his shop front. When he got there, he noticed that no alarms or traps had been triggered.

"Looks like those bustards learned their lesson the last time since one of them died when they tried to sneak in. Dam it! if only one of them tried. I would have liked to take them out."

He locked the door and went to his basement. The place was just like Ningal's with the only exception being that it was a butcher's shop and the fact that it was not as clean. The basement had the exact runes on the floor and walls like Ningal's basement. It also had a bed in the corner. He went by the bed and stood there.

"The Illuminated will always have a dark shadow following them."

He said out loud and a few runes glowed in a shining light and after a few seconds a flight of steps going down appeared by the bed. He went down and after nine steps he reached a place that had burning marks all over the walls and floor. Standing in the middle of the room was a child with his top missing as old as Sheyken, sweating and almost out of breath. He was tall as Sheyken, had blond hair and blue eyes. In all accounts, he would grow up to be eye candy for the ladies.

"Father, you are back. I did not see you all day today. Was something wrong above?"

"Falgur, I had a feeling I would find you here. Nothing was wrong with the shop, just that Ningal had asked me to help with an emergency she had with Sheyken."

"I see. Is he ok now since you're back?"

"Yep, just guess what happened to him."

Vitula asked him with a smile.

"hahaha, since it is him, let me see.... from what you have told me about him, he must have challenged a beast with a core already, managed to survive, and came back alive with a few bruises."

"Hahaha, son, you think highly of him, but what happened to him would be the same as challenging a beast with a core at his age."

Vitula said sitting down next to Falgur.

"He was cursed. A love curse at that."

He said while taking out the bowls of ramen.

"Wahahahaha!.. Wahahaha!

Falgur just could not help but laugh.

"Hahaha... come on father. I thought you were serious."

"I am serious."

"What...."

Falgur swallowed back what he wanted to say. He had smelled the smell coming from the bowls.

"Father, you have never bought back something that smelled like this from Ningal's place before. What is that smell? Is it witchcraft of deliciousness?"

Vitula laughed and just gave him a bowl.

Seeing his father already digging in, Falgur put aside any reservations he had about the warm-like things he saw in the bowl and dug in. The place went quiet for a while and all you could hear was the sound of two people eating.

"Ahhh... I need more of this witchcraftness."

Falgur said brushing his stomach.

"Ahhh son, me too, me too."

Vitula said while putting their bowls in his storage ring.

"So, he got cursed and lived through that experience. Who would put a love curse to a child first of all?"

"You have the right mindset son. He was cursed at his age, curse with a 5th circle curse and he lived through it. He is much stronger now than any kid his age I have come across. Any Witch that faces him will find it hard to deal with him now even if he would have an aptitude of 1. To your question, I do not know, but I think someone saw his potential and wanted him all to themselves. Since they used a 5th circle curse on him, that means he is already dealing with such powerful individuals. Even if that person is not that powerful, it only means they can get a powerful love curse from a 5th circle individual. I do not want to be him right now or the people coming to take him."

"And here I thought I was special with my Blessing and what you told me about mother. I do not hold a candle to him now."

.....

Vitula kept quiet.

"FATHER!... this is the time you comfort your one and only beloved son!"

Falgur said while punching his father's shoulder. Vitula laughed which made Falgur even angrier.

"Hahaha, son, you will always be the strongest in my eyes, but sometimes we have to face reality. Ningal had told me before we arrived at her basement that he had a Blessing of healing, but when we were about to finish our meditation, I felt something, something supernatural."

Vitula said, turning to face his son.

"Falgur, what is the basis to every Blessing?"

"A strong mind."

"Correct, and with a strong mind, you can control any Blessing in Uros. So, Falgur, what is the Blessing that allows you to only use your mind as a form of attack and defense?"

Falgur thought for a few seconds.

"Telekinesis!"

He said out loud in surprise. Vitula nodded his head.

"When we were helping him, He had no energy moving around his body except for the one we transferred to him. So, what do you think coursed that?"

Falgur thought for some seconds again.

"He might have two Blessings, Healing, and Telekinesis. Since his body needed healing, he might have used his telekinesis to influence what he wanted his healing Blessing to do. Since you felt no energy circulating around his body, it might mean he was just using his mind to tell what he wanted his body to do which helped conserve his mantel strength throughput the process."

Vitula was smiling proudly at his son after hearing his answer.

"See son, I want you to never forget what I am about to tell you. Sheyken might be stronger than you or anyone his age, but that is something you cannot control. If by some miracle the two of you end up going on a journey together, make sure he values your advice above any other person. If he escapes here, I am sure he will leave a mark on this world. By helping him I have no doubt you will be the strongest person beside him. Do not feel envy that someone is strong. You are special son, but some people are just more special than us, that is how the world works. at the same time do be contempt in being second, he might be strong but he is not invisible. The will be something he can't do that only you can do. "

Falgur always took his father's advice to heart and was listing attentively.

"Yes, father."

"So, son, if you meet him, treat him like a brother, and I am sure he will do the same. Also, I have a feeling he will be the force that will change this village to its core. I wonder what will happen when they finally see him. Will he go quietly or fighting like I know he will."

Falgur listened to his father and laid down facing the ceiling.

'Brother, is it? Well, I can't wait to meet you. I hope you know you will have to destroy this village in order for us to meet. I had my father say it dozens of times. So, will you do it? Please do it brother, I really want to see the outside world.'

Falgur thought to himself while facing upwards like he was seeing the sky.