Cenn sat in his small house all alone. He smiled bitterly as he recalled everything that had happened in the last three days. If it wasn't for this story of joining the sect, nothing would have changed, and he would have continued to live as before. But that was just his silly fantasy. The thought of what would happen when Velin and Hog returned kept him busy. He wasn't ready to look Velin in the eye again and pretend that nothing had happened.
It was getting dark outside the window, but Cenn continued to sit at his small table without lighting the candles or the hearth. Only a dim light illuminated the house through the single paper window. Memories came over Cenn at the sight of the almost empty room in that faint night light.
He remembered how he had lived here with his Mother. How many painted shawls adorned the walls of the house, and on the floor lay a couple of rugs brought from southern countries. Mother had told him that she had once lived with her family on the Verdant Sea coast, and traders from the south were frequent visitors. These were among their chief goods, along with gems and ornamental silver and copper utensils.
Mom had told him a lot about her life before Hartglen. How she had walked with other refugees to the Glen Plain when she was younger than Cenn is now. Another nomad raid had turned her home into ruins, and her family members had been killed or taken away as slaves. So, nothing connected her to that place anymore. She decided to get as far away from the damned nomads as possible to a place where she could live in peace. That's how she got to Heartglen.
She told many stories about Father; аlways said he was the kindest and most caring man she had ever met. And she would tell him stories Father had told her about his travels, companions, and wars.
When Cenn was born, his Father was already 50 years old, which wasn't much for a rank 4 cultivator, because at that rank a person could live for 100 years or more. However, he received many wounds during his years of service in the mercenary squad. Eventually, his heart stopped at the age of fifty-two.
Even though he didn't remember his Father, his childhood years were happy and carefree. At least he remembered them that way. But he was too young and naive to notice how, while he grew taller and more robust, his Mother grew smaller and thinner every year. And she coughed harder and harder, no matter what medicine Uncle Velin brought her. Until finally, one morning, she never woke up. Cenn was 8 years old, and his Mother was barely 29.
So when the funeral was over, and he came home accompanied by Uncle Hog, he saw that the house was completely empty. There were no rugs left, no colored scarves that his Mother had loved so much. Not a single thing of hers. Hog promised he could return it, but it was too late. Everything was burned during the funeral. Because withering lungs are quite a contagious disease, burning the deceased's belongings was a common practice throughout the empire.
Eight years passed, but the house remained as empty as before. And nothing connected Cenn to this place. Looking around, he realized more and more clearly that he didn't want to stay in this house anymore. It was time to make a change. There was still a small bundle by the front door with the things he had packed for the trip to the sect; it was all his belongings. Taking a deep breath, he went to the exit, took the bundle, and opened the door. Suddenly finding two guards behind it.
"Master Cenn, is something wrong?" Asked one of the guards.
"Uhm... No, nothing, I just wanted to take a walk," replied Cenn. Trying to hide the bundle of belongings behind his back.
"I'm sorry, but Master Hog ordered us to guard you and your home. There's been a little trouble in the house, so you'd better stay inside until it's over," the guard said with a good-natured smile.
"I understand," Cenn uttered and closed the door.
[Shit! Did Hog really see all this coming? What should I do now?].
After thinking the situation over, Cenn realized there was no way to slip through the door, and the only window in the house was on the same side where the guards were standing.
But what if he forced his way in? Although he didn't know the names of the two men, their faces were familiar to him. They had been hired by the Bael family not long ago and were guarding the farms owned by the family. Which meant they either didn't cultivate at all or were only at the first rank. And Cenn would easily be able to knock them out. This idea seemed okay to Cenn.
[I think extra strength wouldn't hurt.]
"Bull," he whispered and felt his body fill with energy.
With determination and a suitable excuse, he carefully walked to the door and opened it to address the guards. "Eh, I've got a little problem with the fireplace here. I wonder if you could help me out because I'm having trouble getting it to work."
Hearing Cenn's words, the guards were a bit surprised but happily agreed and immediately entered the house. As they entered the house, Cenn closed the door. Punch. Punch. Two bodies fell to the floor with a rumble.
"Oh, I hope you guys will be alright." From the looks of it, these guys really weren't cultivators, and Cenn's punches were too hard for them. But it was too late to regret what had happened, and it was time to leave. But first.
…
Cenn carefully made his way to the graveyard. After passing Smokey, he immediately headed to his Mother's grave.
"Mom, I came to say goodbye. I don't know if I'll ever be able to visit you again. But I have to leave. I no longer want to sit in the manor and rely on Uncle Velin's mercy. I want to decide my own fate. Forgive me." Bowing to the tombstone, Cenn glanced at the columbarium in the distance and then left the cemetery.
When he stepped outside, Smoke was already waiting. "Buddy, I'm sorry. I didn't bring you anything today. I have to leave now. But you, please stay here and look after Mom." Cenn hugged the dog tightly, and tears streamed from his eyes. The worried dog whined nervously and started licking Cenn. "Huh, that's it, Smokey, that's enough. I have to go now," Cenn said with a smile, wiping away the tears. Slightly ashamed of letting his emotions out in front of Smokey. "I'd like to take you with me, but I have no idea what awaits me or where I'll be going, so it's best for you to stay. At least here, you'll be fed to your fill."
Cenn patted the dog on the head, looked around the cemetery, and left to find a convenient place to climb over the wall.
After a few minutes, he found the right spot. A tall tree growing right against the wall. Without much trouble climbing the tree, he jumped over to the wall. The wall was quite broad, and he could sit on it comfortably with one leg out. He looked out over the fields, the vast expanse of the Glenn Plain that stretched beyond the wall. He looked back at the manor where he had been born and spent his life. A feeling of incredible longing and sorrow gripped his heart. For a moment, he doubted the rightness of his decision.
"Not an easy decision, I know," a familiar voice came out of nowhere. "Well, why didn't you go through the gate?"
Cenn looked around and saw Teacher Innodeus standing under a tree. "Teacher, what are you doing here?" Confused, he asked.
"What I'm doing here, you don't want to know. However, what you're doing on the wall in the middle of the night is pretty obvious." Reluctantly, the old man replied. "So, is that all you brought with you?"
Cenn looked at the bundle he held in his hands. "Well, yes, I only took a change of clothes and armor. I didn't take anything extra."
"Oh, you... Okay, get off that damn wall. You and I need to take a walk to bid you farewell," the old man said.
"Sorry, teacher, but I can't. Uncle Hog put guards on me to ensure I didn't escape, and I had to knock them out. I'm sure they'll wake up soon and start looking for me," Cenn replied nervously.
"Oh yeah, relax; as long as you're with me, no one will stop you. Plus, how can guards stop you? Except for old man Tofik, all the guards in the manor haven't even reached the first rank. Come on, get off."
After pondering the old man's words, Cenn thought they had some truth. "Alright, I'll get off, but don't try to talk me out of it. I definitely have to leave the manor in half an hour," he said.
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"Ahahh, if I wanted to keep you, I'd tell you to leave right now. And you'd be home in a week." The old man replied wryly as Cenn climbed off the wall. "Well, tell me what happened. Otherwise, I've only heard rumors and some nonsense," the old man said and gestured for Cenn to follow him.
Quickly recounting his version of today's events to the old man, Cenn didn't notice they were outside Hog's house. "And why did we come here?" He asked the old man.
"You'll find out now, let's go." The old man replied and entered the house.
Not knowing what was going on, Cenn looked around cautiously and followed the old man. Who felt right at home here. Quickly finding a couple candles and a tinderbox, he lit the room they were in. Unlike Cenn's humble home, Hog's house was large and had 3 rooms. Right now, they were in the living room. Which was filled with a lot of stuff, ranging from empty wine pots to military flags that the fat man had managed to steal when he was in the army.
"Eh, I really do have a bad feeling about this. Are you sure you're ready to be on your own, kid?" Said the old man, opening the pot of wine he found in the middle of this mess.
"I told you not to talk me out of it. I've already made up my mind," replied Cenn confidently.
"Yeah, I get that. But what are you going to do? Where are you going to go? You've never traveled beyond the Glen Plain," the old man said with a smirk.
"I haven't thought about that yet, to be honest. But if I leave the manor, I can certainly find the path destined for me by fate.."
"Fate. Fate is a pain in the ass," Innodeus said bitterly. "I advise you to go to Heartglen and find the nearest boat to Norvath; I think you'll find a place there and see how people live in the big cities."
"No, I'm not going back to Heartglen. I'm sure the whole town knows by now that Aydor went to the sect instead of me. And I've become a laughingstock," Cenn said.
"Oh, who cares what those hillbillies think. Trust me, it's the best thing for you. This fucking plain is too dangerous," the old man said.
"Teacher, I'm not afraid of hardship; don't try to talk me out of it. I think I should be going now."
"Wait, okay, go wherever you want, but not with that fucking blanket roll; you're not a beggar, after all. Wait here." Stopping Cenn, the old man began rummaging through Hog's house. Finding the item he wanted, he returned and laid it on the floor in front of Cenn.
10 minutes later, a mountain of items lay in front of Cenn, and the old man finally calmed down and sat down and drained the wine pot he had opened earlier.
"Whew, I think I've got everything I need," Innodeus said with relief.
"I will not steal things from Uncle Hog. Don't even try to talk me into it," Cenn protested firmly.
"I always knew you were dumb, but this is getting way out of line. You're going off alone into the wilds of the Glen Plains without taking a weapon. What were you hoping for, exactly? It won't be a week before you're robbed by wolves or eaten by bandits. Eek."
"My spear is broken, so I had nothing to take," Cenn tried to defend himself.
"If only the spear was the point," the old man continued disappointedly. "Here's the minimum set of items you need to survive in the wilderness. And yes, it's Dovor's stuff, but trust me, there's nothing in this world he wouldn't give you. I'm sure he's blaming himself for not sticking up for you, hoping Velin would solve everything. So I'm sure he'd gladly help you at least that way." The old man stared intently into Cenn's eyes. "Please take these things, or I won't be able to let you go with a calm heart."
"Alright, but I'll only take the essentials," Cenn agreed.
"Great, I was just about to pack only the essentials. Okay, here we have a wood frame backpack and a heavy cloth bag, so it'll be easier to carry your stuff. Rain cloak: you can also use it to make a shelter for the night. A water flask. A tinderbox, A small pot, and a spoon. A rope would be useful, too. So you already have a blanket," the old man said and untied the bundle in which Cenn kept his belongings. "So leather armor and a change of clothes and undergarments. I think that's enough for the first time. What do we have next? An axe, an indispensable item, believe me."
"But I'm used to fighting with a spear. Why do I need an axe?" Cenn asked, perplexed, looking at the small axe in his teacher's hands.
"A spear? You little retard, how are you going to chop firewood for a campfire or cut meat with a spear? Shit, and I also said you'd be home in a week. Two days would have been enough, I'm afraid," Innodeus said reproachfully. "This axe is not for fighting, though it will do in a desperate situation. But trust me. It will come in handy for you. So a knife for butchering animals, though I'm afraid it's useless for you. A small bag for your valuables. A belt to hang your axe and knife. And finally, a map of the Duchy of Wertin and the First Martial Emperor's Handbook." Said the old man, holding two folded parchments in his hands.
"Well, no, I'm definitely not taking these," Cenn protested.
"You haven't decided to give up cultivation, have you?"
Cenn shook his head negatively.
"Then where will you take the sigil schematics you didn't have time to memorize? So take it and don't arise. And let the map be. You didn't listen to me in history class for a damn minute. At least you'll know where you are."
"Thank you, teacher," Cenn replied, embarrassed.
"Oh, and of course, here's some money." Innodeus handed Cenn a small leather wallet on a long cord. "Hang it around your neck, and don't show it to anyone. There's fifteen silver and two dozen coppers in there; if you spend it wisely, you'll have enough to last a long time. Take it already. Why are you standing still!"
Cenn did not dare to contradict the old man, he silently took the purse, and hung it around his neck. Then, the old man put most of his things in his backpack. And helped Cenn equip the remaining gear.
"Well, the final piece is left." After looking around the room, the old man found what he was looking for and, after a couple seconds, returned to Cenn with a spear in hand. "Here, Dovor came back from the army with it, it's not as good as yours, but it'll do for the first time. Here, let it remind you of that fat idiot," Innodeus said with a smile.
Cenn picked up the old battle-hardened spear and gently squeezed it in his hand. "Thank you. I'll keep it safe."
"Alright then, let's go; we have one more place to stop by." Said the old man and went outside.
A minute later, they were already sneaking around to the kitchen. With Cenn's help the old man climbed in through the window, and after a while began handing the boy pots of wine and food. "Unfortunately, this is all I found, but I think you'll have enough for two or three days." Said the old man as he climbed out. "Okay, let's go quickly before we get caught!" Grabbing the pots of wine lying on the ground, the old man ran briskly away from the kitchen, and Cenn only had to follow him.
"Master, I think I should leave now. I'm losing confidence in what I'm doing by the minute. If I don't leave now, I'll probably be here for the rest of my life." Said Cenn and stopped when they were far enough away from the kitchen.
"Eh, well then, there's nothing to do. Will you go through the gate, or will you go through the wall again?" Asked the old man.
Going through the gate would be too dangerous, so going through the wall is better. Master, thank you for everything, but we should part here." Said Cenn and bowed low to Innodeus.
"Well, if you say so, then go." But suddenly, as if remembering something important, he shouted. "Wait, there's something else I have to give you." Carefully placing the pots of wine on the ground, the old man removed from his neck a cord to which was tied a strange black object that looked like a small piece of coal. "Take it; it's for you as a memento of me."
"Thank you, but what is it?" Asked Cenn, carefully taking the strange piece of coal in his hands.
"It's a talisman that has been with me for thirty years." Said the old man, gently stroking the spot where the artifact had been hanging a few seconds ago. "And believe me, this thing is not what it seems. The guy I won it from said it was the phalanx of a rank 8 cultivator's finger."
Hearing the old man's words, Cenn squeamishly threw the amulet on the ground and began wiping his hand on his robe. "God, this is disgusting!" He said with distaste.
The old man shook his head in disappointment and carefully picked up the amulet from the ground. "Cenn, what the fuck are you doing? It's just a legend to give the artifact value. But this thing is actually quite extraordinary." Leaning over to Cenn, he gestured for him to move closer to him and barely audibly continued. "This artifact brings good luck. You have no idea how many dice games I've won, thanks to it." The old man held out the amulet to Cenn again.
This time, Cenn decided not to touch the strange artifact and took hold of the cord. "Thank you, teacher, I'm sure I'll find it useful." Cenn said and tried to put it into a small bag hanging on his belt, but the old man immediately stopped him.
"I didn't tell you the most important thing! You must wear it around your neck so that the amulet is in contact with your body. When I was playing dice, all I had to do was think about the amulet for a moment, and it would draw some qi out of me. And when it did, I always threw the right number on the dice." The old man was silent for a moment and smiled as if remembering something good. "Yeah, that amulet helped me win a lot of money back in the day."
Hearing the old man's words, Cenn looked at the unsightly black artifact again. Not wanting to upset the old man, he hung the amulet around his neck. "Thank you teacher, I will keep it safe." Cenn tried to bow again, but this time the old man interrupted him, enclosing him in a tight hug.
"Goodbye, kid, but remember you will always be welcome here, no matter what happens. So be sure to come back when you feel you need to." Innodeus let go of Cenn and gently stroked his head. "Alright, go already." Said the old man, trying to hold back tears.
Cenn nodded silently and ran away to a place where he could easily climb over the wall. The new backpack was a hindrance to climbing the tree, but with a couple of agile moves, he was back on the wall. He looked back at the manor; all the windows were dark, and he could only see the black silhouettes of the houses against the vast blue sky. He looked in the other direction, where the Glen plain stretched out, unaware of his heartache. Taking a deep breath, he regained his courage and jumped down.