Unknown Immortal

As a child I used to wake in the night and wish for the sun.

The darkness worried me; my imagination supplied many monsters with fantastical jaws to lurk beyond the range of my vision. But now I embrace it. The darkness provides cover from the flesh and blood monsters of the day, the ones with their swords and spears, the ones who can be judge, jury and executioner in the name of their freedom. I image the darkness being me and I being it. It’s quiet, honest and serene, I have been drifting among it for eons.

“Why are they so determined to slay me?”

The answer is almost forgotten, too much time and suffering has tormented my now fragile mind. What was the boy’s name? I can still picture his arrogant facial expression when he towered over me with his guardians closely behind. The sun was shining that day, its brightness still haunting me. Millions of years have passed since that day; I escaped into the darkness never looking back. I orbited far from the heavenly bodies and left the realm of the gods far behind. Every time I feel safe, they come, they kill and they destroy. It’s a vicious, eternal cycle, its grasp inescapable.

'It's heavy' is the only way I could define my mind. I have to carry it with me even though I never wanted to. The feeling is strange; too familiar yet too strange. I never know how to define it. I want to smile, laugh but something in me grabs my heart tight and crushes it to pieces. The brightness inside of me is gulped by something dark. No, I would be wrong to say it is dark - it is empty, nothing else.

As the darkness is my savior, my redemption, it’s also my captor. Parents teach their child, a hero lays claim to a great treasure, a euphoric smile is seen on a newborn face, the universe is moving but I am still here, stuck inside a mind, my own. I watch stars of distant places sweep by in the millions, I lay sight to beautiful sights in an ever expanding universe but I am alone. I drift alone, I have drifted alone for millions of years and it’s lonely. In my journey, knowledge of unseen might have been acquired.

“Maybe I can face them?”

I might, I might not, the answer is not clear. What I can say for sure is that I cannot survive much longer out here, the loneliness; the emptiness is slowly killing me. Soon death will be too sweet, too tempting, when it beckons, I will heed its call.

A hundred years later

I finally catch sight of a planet in the far distant. Its bright colorful oceans haunts me, it’s daunting and unwelcome reminding me of a dark past. The planet is unknown, unseen before.

“I should currently be among the minor worlds, the outer rim of the known universe”

“The sixth ocean, a distant place yet still civilized”

“Here I’ll stay”

There is no doubt in my mind as I descend towards the planet. I can’t keep drifting, I can’t seek death, and I must live. I made a promise long ago that must be kept. The planet contained three major continents, one less remarkable than the less in the eyes of a man that seen thousands of worlds. My descent location should be having no sway over me, but a distant location keep beckoning, calling out to me, a string of fate? It’s hard to tell anymore. My senses have been consumed by the darkness, I am darkness, and I am vast, empty. The spot I descend have a farther distance from the world’s minor sun, their heavenly body, their light and my enemy.

An icy wind met my face as I entered the world’s atmosphere; it carried emotions with it, emotions of grief and happiness, with life and death. Every mortal realm was teeming with it, they who were weak could not suppress them. The energy was energetic and yet dirty so unlike the noble and thick energy of heavenly bodies and yet it brought along a serene calm of liveliness that had not been felt in millions of years.

Great valley’s, mighty mountains and vast plains came into view before long. The mesmerizing color of pure white was staring me right in the face, amplifying its serenity. Villages and massive cities came into view, spreading across thousands of miles; they two could not withstand the coming of winter as they were covered in its white stars. The landscape was covered in a thick blanket of white, statutes peeked out under their new white caps, footsteps and paw prints crisscrossed each other around the labyrinth of paths. Aside from the brown of the denuded trees, the only other color was the vivid saffron staining around the base of each lamppost, tree and shrub. The sun had yet to lay its ray upon them as a vast darkness spread across the lands.

I picked a town at random and descended towards a cave in its vicinity. A mighty blizzard was raging on as it tired down the mountain peak; stones of different seizes kept tumbling down its slope followed by a vast amount of snow, a display of movement rarely seen in the darkness of space.

The cave was small, rugged and tiny a bit of remodeling was necessary before any man could settle down here. The problem was easily solved as I carved out the vast room, the tiny mountain crumbled before my destructive force. I was left with a wide hall, a dark hall, spacious and friendly. As I laid my eyes on my creation dark memories kept streaming inside my head. I should be feeling regret, anger and sadness still nothing seemed to get to me, I was by all means empty.

“My temporary home for at least a thousand years”

“A thousand years of waiting for an unavoidable fate”

Unknown Youth

Close to a hundred youths sat cross-legged in a vast hall. The ceiling had to be at least 10 meters high; an array of accessories was hanging on its walls. Most paintings of mighty figures in martial positions, there pose emitted a fierceness and an almost godlike determination, their expression said “I will succeed” and no glint of doubt could be caught. Statues of similar depicture sat neatly spread across the hall and on them names of what could be presumed to be mighty heroes. None of the youth’s seemed to be admiring the skillful crafts though as they stared intensely up towards an old man situated a top a glossy white platform. His robe was perfect in every sense, not a wrinkle or unsymmetrical aspect could be seen upon it. A depicture of a black panther was fiercely illustrated on the back of the robe; it was seen roaring with an undying rage.

As the old man caught sight of their unwavering determination and full attention he nodded slightly before he began to speak.

“Good. It seems like some of you have already caught a glimpse of insight regarding the mortal sphere.”

The youth’s nodded in response to old man’s remark not an inch of disrespect could be seen on their faces.

“Those with latent talent will be able to fully understand the [Panther Moon Diagram] mortal sphere within a month. Those who don’t do not be discouraged and continue to progress.” As the words left the old man’s mouth he picked himself up, straightened his robe and continued to walk towards the halls exit. It was not until the man had fully left the hall that the youth’s raised. An array of discussion regarding today’s lecture spread across the room.

“Did you receive any insight?” Was the preferred question that left their mouths. One could instantly catch if someone did though, because their disposition appeared either proud or ecstatic. One particular black haired, blue eyed youth was beaming with happiness as he had not left his crouching position.

“I presume you got some insight?” An older apprentice questioned the black haired, blue eyes youth with a snort in his tone.

“No not really.” The black haired youth answered as he kept smiling in the older apprentice direction.

The older apprentice was just about to remark the youth’s response as he felt it was rather stingy not to share his experience regarding his insight. They were fellow apprentices after all why would he not at least admit that he did? I mean hiding it deliberately seemed rather narrow minded. But before he could speak up a good looking golden haired youth spoke up

“Do not bother yourself with Yun; he is just happy that he got accepted here”

A youth said with complete confidence. This particular youth’s disposition seemed noble and somewhat overbearing, at least that was his tone carried with it.

“Hi I’m, Ian Han”

The golden haired youth said as he threw out his hand to greet the older apprentice.

“Jayd Kei” the older apprentice said before the caught Ian’s hand.

“Might be a stupid question but you do not have any connection to the Han Family right?” The older apprentice said before he released his hand.

“I am indeed of the presumed Han Family” The golden haired youth said with a bit of pride plastered across his face.

The older apprentice Jayd was suddenly beaming with happiness as he continued to shake the other party’s hand. Han family was a rather prominent family inside Ruby Garden.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, your families beast magic is known far and wide”

“I myself hail from the Kei clan of the Sun Lake, we are prominent traders of sea mounts, maybe you have heard of us?”

“Sorry, but I haven’t. Sun Lake is a vast distance away and I am not very familiar with anything other than the general affairs over there.” Ian Han said with a small laugh. A hint of embarrassment could be seen on his face as the words left his mouth.

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“No worries, Ian, Sun Lake are indeed thousands of miles away from the Ruby Garden!” Jayd said with an enthuastic tone.

“Owh and about this youth..” Jayd said as he turned around but to his surprise the youth was nowhere to be found. It seemed like had left in the middle of their introduction.

“What a rude fellow!” Jayd remarked as his face turned into a frown.

“Senior Jayd, don’t bother with Yun his latent talent is nothing to speak of and family backing even less so” Ian said as he caught glimpse of a shadow of Yun walking among the garden outside the great hall.

“No backing and no latent talent?”

“Then how did he get the Black Panther House to accept him as a disciple?” Jayd was rather skeptical of the fact since Black Panther House was not a charity; it was a martial house, an entity that taught martial arts to the younger generation for a price. You paid a heavy price in gold or you processed a high latent talent, those were the general criteria’s for entering any martial house.

“He told me himself it was latent talent but I don’t really now, I mean he took twice the time I did on learning the basic breathing technique.” Ian said with a frown plastered across his face.

“But you hail from a martial family Ian and most likely have above average latent talent” Jayd said honestly. It was a sad truth but those born into better bloodlines had by default higher potential.

“True.” Ian had not really pondered much about the youth, but had under a small moment caught interest in him. And what he now had told was what he had inquired from that moment.

“Apprentice Jayd, that Yun fellow personality is rather carefree and jolly so I don’t think he meant any harm in his response.” Ian was referring to the youth’s ignorant answer before. He had briefly traversed with him before and there for had a general understanding of his character.

“Yes, I caught that with your previous remarks.” Jayd said as he turned around and continued to face the golden haired Ian.

Yun continued to traverse the mountain road. He had to hurry home his mother had been sick for over a year, leaving many of the shores at home left untouched. He was beaming with happiness as the birds chippered in the background. The mountain path grew wide where the soil was soft and then narrow in the rocky passes. There were times it was barely there at all, no more than a mild disturbance in the dirt. But always it leads downwards to the descent, the only destination Yun could keep in mind. Spring was in full blossom as flowers of different arrays of colors were coming to life, trees were waking up from their long slumber and animals were roaming about.

“My first lesson, my first step towards greater heights!” The youth declared as he threw his fist into the air. He had finally been accepted to Black Panther House a rather prestigious martial house in these parts of town, a chance to ascend the path of martial arts, magic and adventure that so many before him had done.

It took over an hour before his house came into view. Ruby Garden was a massive city spawning over a thousand miles; it was therefore not tightly populated and small huts such as his own could be seen detached from the more compact areas. An example was Black Panther House which was located in a remote mountain slope in the south of Ruby Garden.

“Mother I am home!” Yun shouted as he slammed up the door. The house interior was as the exterior, very simple. Wooden furniture littered the two story house and no sign of anything valuable was in sight. It carried a feeling of a simple life, a happy one.

But the sight of a beautiful mother, a smiling mother and a loveable place which was ones called home was nowhere in sight. Before the boy stood three very dangerous men, one carrying the face of a black demon, large and heavy breaths of air left the man’s dark nostrils. Every breath seemed poisonous to a mortal man.

One resembled the sweet, death reaper, him who would beckon your last call. A tinge of snow or frosted blood kept swirling around his eyes. Beneath the snow, blood and swirl was a thing, was an eye, so white no man could look back.

The third was quiet, hauntingly so, every step he took no god could hear. Nobody could ever find him, unless he wanted to be found.

A massive amount of sweat crept up Yun’s body once he had got a good look at these beings. A sensation of shaking indisputably escalated. The room was unnervingly cold, and the very air smelled of death and despair. It felt uncomfortable staying even a second more, but the thought regarding were his mother where, glued him to the floor.

“Where is my mother?!” Yun carried his last courage and screamed out what he felt and what he needed to say.

The Black Demon Man took his time before answering

“That mortal women..

Large and heavy breaths of air left the man’s dark nostrils and poison air kept streaming out

“I ate her.

“We will taste you too..”

“I suggest you get going”

An arrogant smirk flooded across the death reaper’s face. Once the frighten prey got himself together and actually started running, his smile turned euphoric

Yun didn’t think much more about the matter and ran, he ran as fast as he could, he ran for his life, death and anger.

“Haha, He actually thinks that he can escape his own Eden?”

The Black Demon, the Reaper were laughing in unisons as the unknown third man stood still with a face as cold as ice.

“Her flesh did not taste as good as the ones from back then!” The Black Demon said as a fury was starting to build inside his eyes.

“Calm down. We are his Eden and as long as we live, none of that bloodline will live on.”

“And the flesh of his last kin will definitely have a good taste”

The man said as a small smirk crept up his cold face.

“Amagadon, kill the boy, leave no traces.” As the world left the unknown leader’s mouth the black demon disappeared in the young boy’s direction.

“AWHHHHHHH!” A scream of pure bloodlust left his lungs as he pushed closer and closer to their escapee.

“What about the house?” The reaper asked

“Torch it burning it all”

I ran and I ran as fast as I possibly could muster but It took only a moment for the black demon too catch up. The being seemed like my shadow, something one could never out run, his breath kept thundering in my ears, poisonous and looming.

“Little boy, you have now were to run. We are the manifestation of your sins.” The blood crazed demon said as he chased after the boy in a casual manner.

“My sins?” Was the word’s that left my mouth as the tears kept crawling down my face. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and vent my anger on this bloodthirsty demon but my gut and the looming fear kept keeping me from it.

‘What sins we have lived nothing but upright’ my mind was scrambling for any sign of us offending some demon clan, but as I kept running my mind was drawing blanks. Moment later a cave came into sight. A cave that I had never seen before even if I had traversed these slopes hundreds of times.

‘Where did this cave come from?’ was the thought that kept lingering on my mind as I decided to enter it in order to lose my follower.

What met my eyes was not the usual view one would see once entering a cave. Instead a wide hall came into view. It was dark but I could still make out most of it, it was wide and high in the ceiling and surprisingly enough a man sat hunched in the middle of it. He seemed intriguing and ancient yet mortal; a feeling of even greater despair was washing out from his very presence. He seemed lonely yet determined, his features made him out to be not much older than me but something kept telling me this man had lived for a long time.

“MISTER HELP ME!!” I called out as my tears kept falling down my face. I have no choice I need to live, I can’t die here!

The young man suddenly opened his eyes; they were yellow, no blue? It was hard to tell it seemed like they sparkled in the color of the rainbow. The bloodthirsty demon had taken a sudden stop at the entrance of the cave.

“Young fellow, I advise you to let me do my business or this could end badly for you” The demon kept laughing loudly.

Before I could speak up the man opened his mouth.

“Yun, what sinful karma have you reaped?” The young man looked me directly in the eyes.

“How do you know my name?” confusion kept pondering in my heart.

The young man paused for a moment before he spoke up again.

“I see so your ancestors.”

“Since you are not to blame I will help you”

The young man raised his hand in a casual matter.

“Awhhhh!!” The demon that was laughing a second ago was now screaming in pain. A second passed and he evaporated from the very air. Almost like he had never existed in the first place.