Lufis POV

Scooping some of the scrambled eggs onto my plate, I headed toward the table where my parents were sitting down.

"Morning Lufis, did you sleep well?"

"Yeah I did, Mom. I only woke up once to the monk snoring in the room below mine."

My dad laughed. "You should have seen your face the first couple of weeks every time you came down for breakfast! Your tired angry face is so cute!"

I could feel my cheeks going red in embarrassment. "He snores really loud! Nearly as loud as you!!!"

My mom laughed. "You know dear, Lufis does have a point."

My father threw up his hands on exasperation. "I can beat a Jeknal demon with one eye closed, but I can't win a conversation with my own family!"

Life at Xinshan mountain was simple and pleasant. My parents were staying at Acutalis Sanctuary to help Arthur and Mrs. Armis cope with the situation. Arthur was still blaming himself for not paying closer attention to Nathaniel's actions, and Mrs. Armis was suffering from similar guilt. I couldn't blame them. I also blamed myself.

I was the only one Nathaniel really talked to. I don't know why, but he always asked me his questions instead of the adults. Sure, he did talk to other people and engaged in conversation with his parents, but all important questions he asked me. Like a couple of weeks ago, when he asked me about status windows. I should have noticed he was advancing fast. How else could he have created a xetral barrier without any instruction? It took me several weeks of reading and practicing to get it. I didn't tell my parents because I wanted to surprise my father as the Lantideniz heir. I wanted to be able to show him I was worthy of being the Lantideniz heir after I had gotten my familix. It just happened we got attacked by gobklins the same day I was going to tell my parents. Nathaniel showed no sign of showing his parents his growth. His eyes were always moving, taking in everything. I could tell he had been training by himself, too.

I blamed myself for not telling Nathaniel about and everything that happens at tier 4. I had secretly enjoyed answering Nathaniel's questions; it had made me feel smart and knowledgeable. I may know some things, but I honestly know very little in comparison to all the knowledge out there.

"So, Lufis, ready for training with Elder Luidong?"

My dad's words brought me out of my thoughts. "Yes, I can't wait to see what he will teach me."

The other day, Monk Crinitus had recommended to my parents that I get some training since I am here. My mom was already tutoring me with some of the vast collection of books here at the Zhīshi Library. Monk Crinitus had introduced me and my parents to one of the best martial artists here, an old friend of his named Elder Zuidong. A man his late fifties to early sixties, he didn't look as muscular as my dad. In his flowing white robe, he didn't appear like he was very strong. But I wasn't fooled. The way my father treated him with the utmost respect proved to me that he was a master in his own art.

"Are you nearly finished eating yet? Come on Lufis, you don't want to keep Elder Luidong waiting in the Moss Cavern."

"Don't worry, I only have two more bites left."

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After I finished my last two bites of egg, I walked over and placed my tray at the kitchen window, waving hi to Monk Crinitus who was on kitchen duty. I guess you could say Crinitus and I had bonded some in the past couple of weeks, me over his knowledge on culinary arts, and him on cakes along with my cake decoration designs.

Leaving the dining hall, I walked down the main hall. This hall ran through the entire Xinshan mountain. As I walked deeper down the hall, monks nodded to me as I passed by, heading toward the center of the mountain. Soon the skylights were replaced by the gamic. This deviant gamic was placed by the Monk Fulrir several hundred years ago. The gamic itself is very complicated, using the abundance of retah to create an eternal spell. It created windows on the ceiling of the hall, which showed the current sky, thus providing light.

Taking a left turn, I reached the staircase that would take me to the Moss Cavern. The name is self explanatory; it is a cavern coated with a soft moss flooring, perfect for training.

Clutching the railing, I walked down the spiral staircase. Leveling out, I reached a simple door.

Reaching up, I knocked on the door three times.

"Come in."

Opening the door, I walked inside before closing the door behind me. Turning back around to face the center of the cavern, I was suddenly blinded by a glaring light. Shutting my eyes and raising my hands to attempt to block the glare, I suddenly felt like I was weightless. No, not weightless. I was flying through the air.

Flipping over in mid-air, I managed to spring land off my hands onto my feet, in a sloppy flip. It had taken me awhile to get down this recovery technique, which had involved my father throwing me around over and over again. Raising my hands, I quickly coated my body with a protective barrier of xetral. The blinding glare was still too bright to open my eyes, so I kept them closed.

"Not bad, Lantideniz. Not bad at all."

I see, this was a test by Elder Luidong to see how I would react.

I lowered my arms.

"I appreciate the lesson, Elder."

Before the words were even completely out of my mouth, my xetral barrier shattered as something slammed into my side. Thrown, I could only gasp as air left my lungs. The bright glare vanished to reveal a monk in a white robe with a grey and white beard standing over my sprawled form.

"The lesson was not over yet. You can relax now."

Lending a hand, the monk helped get to my feet.

Bowing slightly, I addressed the man before me. "Elder Luidong."

The Elder bowed back. "Yes, I am the one called Elder Luidong. I have agreed after the persistence of good friend Crinitus to teach you, Lufis Lantideniz. You are of the heroic bloodline, and you performed well considering."

"Thank you, Elder."

"No need for formalities, call me Luidong."

"Yes, Luidong."

Luidong stared at me, looking straight into my eyes. It was like his blue eyes could see right through me, into my soul. I turned my gaze away.

"It seem something deep inside you is greatly bothering you, Lufis. Holding you back."

"What do you mean? I am fine."

He stared at me again, his eyes glittering with wisdom.

"What are you harboring, clinging to? What is blocking your progress?"

"What do you mean blocking my progress? All you have done is look at me!"

Elder Luidong smiled. "I have made contact with you three times. One, when you were completely caught by surprise and in your natural state. Two, when you had relaxed your guard, but maintained a xetral barrier. And three, when I helped you to your feet, when you were battered and vulnerable."

"..."

"Each of this interactions gave me a window into you. In your natural state, your xetral was slightly restless, as if there was something haunting you at the back of your mind."

"When I physically interacted with your xetral, I could tell that you were holding back, as if you were scared something would happen if you utilized it too much. But this is not the case, as you were using the minimal xetral possible to form a barrier."

"In your more vulnerable state, your body gave yourself away. You felt no frustration that I had got the better of you, but rather, your body language insinuated that you were actually relieved you had lost."

I stood there speechless, not knowing what to say.

"Is it guilt over your friend?"

"No, no. That's not it. . . . Sure, I do feel guilt over what happened to Nathaniel, but there is nothing that I can do about that now. I can only resolve not to make the same mistake twice."

Elder Luidong frowned slightly. "Surprisingly enough, you are telling the truth. You can lie with your mouth, but your body cannot yet lie to me."

Understanding suddenly seeped into his eyes, which seemed to sadden at his sudden realization. "Lufis, my poor child, is this about the Evangiac Prophecy?"

I could only nod my head. There was no point in lying, he would be able to tell.

The Evangiac Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my destiny . . . . . . . . . . . my permanent curse.