Kicking a Wounded Dog

It has been over a month already after the banquet the Kandake threw for Princess Layla after she advance to Tier 3 and the buzz has begin to die down, with only few people and news outlet who are monitoring the Princess still talking about it.

In Hulu Republic where the race of the Kingdom are black skin people with few with white skin. Hulu Republic territory is as big as the whole South America continent of earth but most of the landmass is forest and undeveloped areas due to the kind of existences in the forest, countless years has passed after the Ancient War but human are still yet to recover to the level of their past glory, so many things and existence has been lost in the war that now inhibit the growth of Human, if not because the Spirit Realm open for Human to gain entrance, they won't be able to have gotten this far in advancement.

Over the years, Hulu Republic has been expanding into this forest and undeveloped areas by sending it warrior into the forest to train, thereby expanding the area that can be inhabited by the people of the Republic.

Deep in one of the forest in the Hulu Republic, a cottage stood there on a clear expanse of land with wooden fence around it, yet no beast approach the cottage – not even out of curiosity. Inside the cottage runes are drawn on the floor board with shards of crystal that emit great and pure spirit essence at every intersection of the runes.

"The preparation is complete and it now time to change your fate as I have promised." Aeneas said to the young man standing aside with his shirt off and chest bear exposing the tuned abs and strong body with muscle filled with explosive energy.

The young man is the same as the one that was discovered with Aeneas the last and the conclusion was made after the information gathered indicates that he is his son. Luke stands upright beside Aeneas without responding.

"Tch, shouldn't you ne saying something in line with, thank you so much dad, I promise not to disappoint you?" Aeneas said comically, Luke kept quiet not responding to him just focusing on the runes drawn on the floor board as if to understand the intricacies of the runes and the crystal shards that are emitting strong spirit essence channeling through every part of the runes.

"Boring" he said when he look at Luke who completely ignore what he just said like he didn't hear it.

"Sit at the center of the rune at the center so that we can get this over with." Aeneas said as he also became serious.

Luke moved and sat the point Aeneas indicated in the centermost part of the runes in meditation.

"At least you know how to follow instructions." Aeneas made series of hand seals which activate the runes. The runes chimed as it came to life and the Spirit essence moved through a predetermined path towards the centermost part where Luke is sitting.

Aeneas maintained the hand seal for a while and change it again to another hand seal after which he said to Luke, "now start absorbing the Spirit essence, the more you absorb, the better. Don't you dare waste my effort." He said seriously.

Luke begin to absorb the Spirit essence that comes out of the crystal shards through the runes. After absorbing if for a while, runes begin to form on his body, lighting up is skin with the same color of the crystal shard, interchanging between violet, blue and yellow. Aeneas smile as he thought, 'it progressing well according to plan, if there's no hiccup, I should be able to increase this potential of this boy up to the point where he won't have a stuck point before reaching Tier 7 and also fulfill my promise to his mother my late wife."

Meanwhile, in the forgotten region, Chloe opened her eyes suddenly from where she is sitting in the Pergola as her body jerked. "So that was it" she said as she place her hand on her chest, "you won't even allow a wounded dog to lay in peace and still beats it while it down." She sigh with a pained expression on her face as if regretting something she did in time past.

Back at the cottage deep in the forest in Hulu Kingdom, the crystal shards turned to dust after releasing all the Spirit Essence in it and the runes on Luke's body also begin to fade off, leaving behind faint rune marks on his body, Luke open his eyes after a short while indicating the ritual is completed.

"You really exceed my expectation, not only did you took the opportunity to advance in one go, but you also completely absorb the power of the Alora crystal and assimilate it." Aeneas said

"Won't you say anything?" Aeneas said after waiting to hear a respond from Luke but receive nothing.

"Anyways, let see how long it will take for you to maintain that poker face of yours after I awe you with the my greatness in the Spirit Realm." He said in annoyance.

"Meet me at this location in the Spirit Realm, now that you've advance to Tier 3 so quick, you need to stabilized your realm and also properly and completely assimilate the power of the Alora crystal, entering hidden dimensions in the Spirit Realm to train will be the best option and the quickest way to achieve this." He said while sending some information to Luke skylink.

"Why didn't we do this ritual in the Spirit Realm and have to do it in our world?" Luke asked suddenly

"So you are willing to ask question now?" Aeneas look at him smugly, Luke continue to look at him not giving away any expression.

"Tch, boring." Aeneas said, "it is safer here in the Human world to carry out this ritual than the Spirit Realm, you won't be able to predict where disruption will come during the ritual and that will be very dangerous and complete waste of resources and also the allure of the Alora Crystal cannot be underestimated, it can invited unwanted troubles." He said

"But ain't there a lot of people watching you every moment?" Luke asked

"Whoa! So you are concern about the wellbeing of your father even with that poke face of yours?" Aeneas said while smiling.

"Who is concern about your well-being? I'm just thinking it will cause a collateral damage on me if a fight breaks out here during the ritual." Luke replied while looking at Aeneas derisively

"Hmph, heartless" Aeneas replied angrily "No one will be able to get close to this place without me knowing as long as it not those monsters in the Empire, they sure maintain their distance all this while so they won't get close now without understanding what I'm planning to do."

"It will have been better if you are in the dark faction than being in the Light faction, you are no different from a dark lord, at least there you will be able to use your deceptive talent without restrain." Luke said with ridicule in his voice.

"Don't you dare look down on this noble one." Aeneas said while stroking his loss hair back in place behind his ear. "Anyways, let move to the Spirit Ream and meet up at the designated place, it is time for the next step." Aeneas said as he moved away from the cottage with great speed that leave an afterimage behind that lingers for many seconds before dispersing. Luke also leave the cottage going in opposite direction from Aeneas towards the city.