“Honk! Honk!”

“Ahhhhhh!”

There was a loud scream and a strange honk in an impossible office. Where a girl and a sword were running towards the sound. This was something different, and she was incredibly bored by now. The terror of the strange monster pushed far back in her mind after a week of nothing.

Though the closer she got to the scream the more the fear began to surface. Wondering what was going on. Was the man back? Was he torturing someone?

Illia easily made it to the office having had more than enough time to get a handle on how the place worked. Finding the fully stocked cafeteria, with fresh hot food was the best, and she needed to be able to get back.

Just as Illia reached the office, the door flew open as another Djinn, one she was not familiar with, fell out of the room chased by the goose. At first glance, she could tell he was from one of the wealthier men, a scribe of some sort. With his clean and sleek vest, and cloak, and the ink stain on his fingers were dead giveaways.

He was desperately backing away as the goose stood in the door wings wide and hissing. Before seeming to sneer and turn back into the office, and hopping back onto the chair.

That thing is scary. Illia calmly closed the office door. The man on the other hand had begun sobbing.

Illia turned to the man calmly. She had been alone for a while, and this was the first Djinn she’d seen. “Hello?”

“Huh?" He looked up to see the girl. And then she noticed the colors he wore, denoting that he worked for the Viscount. She grabbed the sword floating next to her and pointed it down at him.

““Are you here to kill me?”” They both said in unison, confusing them both. Illia let go of the weapon as it stayed in place threateningly.

“ping ping ping” The sword pinged confused.

“Seriously. Learn words.” She replied tired.

“Ping ping.” Sounding annoyed.

Illia let out a long sigh, “I understand it's hard. Sorry.”

“Ping” It pinged satisfied.

She turned back to the now baffled Djinn on the floor. He was quickly cleaning up his face. “Now. If you're not here to kill me how did you get here?”

After cleaning himself slightly he turned to her, “Stairs.”

She was taken aback. “They're still there?”

“Ye…” The man coughed clearing his throat. “Yes, the Viscount had us researching into it, and as long as someone is near. It won't disappear.”

“Then why are you here?”

Looking away he responded. “They wanted a live test and I made the mistake of saying it was unethical. Next thing I know I'm being forced up the stairs.”

“Ah...” The silence between the two grew before Illia tried to calmly ask. “So. Is there a way back?”

He shook his head. “I should be asking you that. What is this place?”

I guess I really am stuck here. “I don't know but there is this strange. But there was a pink man with no horns that greeted me when I got here.”

The man looked around again in fear. “Where is he?”

She shrugged “It's been about a week since I've seen him.”

The man relaxed. “Oh...” He pushed himself back up. “Wait.” He turned to Illia frantic. “Did you say pink and no horns? Did he have stripes on him?”

“Uh...not that I saw. She leaned back away signaling the sword to be ready. The weapon flew back to her side.

He took no notice of this. “Where his fingers short and eyes have white in them? Instead of blue?”

“Uh...” she thought back. “Yeah.”

“Oh.” The man was now looking around like he was expecting a monster was about to jump out.

“Oh, what?”

“I think that was a human.”

Illia's eyes widened. “Oh fuck.”

“Ping?”

#

In a place of mysticism and magic. Where the heavenly energies saturated even the air people breathe. Where martial arts have become a path to immortality. A path that tends to be steeped in blood.

Here one of the fabled sects of immortals, where the young go to learn and hone their heavenly talents, sits. Deep within there is a small house, with a small stone courtyard, one made of average materials, well taken care of and a bit homey. Here there is a boy, Zhu Jian, who has fallen from his once-grand rise to power. Jian had broken through to the eighth stage of body refinement at the age of twelve. Only two years after starting his journey to immortality. A feat some might call heaven-defying. Then at fourteen, he stepped into the spiritual refinement stage, his body, and chi strengthened beyond mortal limits, and was considered a genius among geniuses.

Zhu had been arrogant, and proud. Why shouldn't he be? He had earned his position and power. He was not some common rabble he was a heaven-defying genius that everyone sucked up to, or else.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He was not a kind or magnanimous person, he was vindictive and petty. Ready to strike out at the smallest of provocations. Holding grudges for the smallest of grievances, and doing terrible things to get his perceived justice.

He was a shining example of the arrogant young master.

Then, Zhu insulted the wrong person. A young boy had tripped in front of Zhu kicking a drop of mud on his shoe. An old man had stepped in begging for the boy's forgiveness. Being his magnanimous self Zhu had demanded the old man kowtow to him. He did as Zhu asked. Then Zhu took it too far, going to kick the man as he kowtowed.

An aura like a mountain fell upon him freezing him in place. That was when he realized he screwed up. It turned out the old man was a wandering immortal cultivator, traveling as a mortal.

He could barely breathe. As the old man stood, his entire countenance changed.

“I see you are arrogant just because you're talented, you think you can bully who you wish. No. I have seen so many so-called young masters and I have a special way of dealing with your kind.”

Zhu’s heart beat out of his chest. Was this how he would die? The man's hand reached his forehead before he realized it.

Then the old man grasped onto his karma as he was forced to see everything he had ever done to people both good or ill. And there was not much good. Here in these moments, he couldn't lie to himself, he saw it for all it was petty and small.

A lifetime of cruelty repeated three times. All to suffer the truth of himself, as he fell to his knees tears falling down his cheeks.

The old man looked down at Zhu eyes still angry. “Oh. I see your regret, now it's time for your penance.”

His first hand moved and hit Zhu right above his navel. A place sacred to most cultivators as it was called the dantian. Where one stored energy from the heavens. And all at once his cultivation was gone, and he could feel the energy draining from even his muscles.

Zhu now just a mortal boy, could only stare in horror, as he was wracked with soul-wrenching pain.

“Now run.”

The aura holding Zhu in place disappeared. As he and his guards ran all the way back to his sect. Jian Zhu forever changed.

#

Time passed as months went by, Zhu had been working hard to gain his strength back. But it had recently gotten out that he was now weak, and his enemies were numerous. All of them of his own making.

Some were magnanimous thinking what happened to him was enough. Others. Others had decided to make his life a living hell. The way he had done to them. Feeling justified in their righteous revenge. They didn't care or believe in Zhu’s change of heart. They just thought it was him trying to save face and an excuse for being so weak.

But every day, Zhu went out and trained all while trying to make amends for his horrendous deeds.

Today was supposed to be a special day for the boy. He had saved all his sect points for a body refinement pill, one that would allow him to restore his lost energy. He would return to the peak of body refinement. Then he could really make a difference for the people. Normally returning would have been impossible to jump to such a stage, except in his circumstances. With him already having reached the body refinement stage the pill was just healing him back. At least according to records and the alchemist he had purchased it from.

Once he was strong he could then truly make amends. Maybe then they might believe me.

He made it back to his house and went to his secluded sanctuary. A place no one else could enter or interrupt his healing. Taking out the pill he hesitated.

“You know. If you take that pill you'll not be you anymore.”

Zhu froze. How did someone get in? It’s impossible. Terrified he looked up to see a man wearing a strange set of clothes. Clothes in a style he’d never seen, ones that would make him stand out as a foreigner on the streets. “How did you...” He started before he realized he couldn't feel any chi or energy from this person. Either a mortal somehow found a way into this impossible room or he was far more powerful than Zhu. Was this like the man on the street? He quickly gathered himself cupping his hands and bowing. “Zhu greets senior.”

“Senior? I don't think I'm that old.” The man laughed.

“Senior could you please explain what you meant.”

“Well, it's all very metaphysical, but if you eat that pill you will receive an immense amount of energy. Too much.”

“Ah,” Zhu looked down at the pill. It was just as he had read. It would completely flood him with power, but that's what he wanted.

The man continued. “In a way. You'll gain memories from another or he'll gain memories from you.” The man scratched his head. “Honestly, not sure where one or the other would begin.”

“Would the pill work? Would I gain what I lost?”

The man stared looking almost reluctant to answer, “Yes. And more.”

Zhu was excited he’d be able to help more people and make amends for what he’d done. “Thank you senior. I must do this. I must atone for what I've done.”

“If you don't take it. You could leave the sect and live a long happy life. Even a family. Just as a mortal.” The man looked at Zhu with a longing smile. “That is the path I see you the happiest.”

Could he see the future? Zhu shook his head. “I don't think I could do that.” He said trying to imagine a life like that. “I would never truly be content wondering about what lay beyond. To never go higher. Or even knowing all the good I could do.”

The man lets out a long tired sigh. "Always a Hero. It will be long arduous and filled with danger, death, and betrayals. Your heart will be tested, and no one not even I can see your path after you take that pill.” He warned.

“Then I will create my own.”

The man smiled. “Good luck.”

Zhu felt his heart beat faster as he suddenly saw a chance fortune. He dared to ask, “Will senior watch over me as I take the pill?”

“I cannot assist but I shall bear witness.”

The boy smiled as he sat in a meditative pose placing the pill under his tongue, as his body filled to bursting with energy.

#

On a world of martial arts, and magic. In a house with a boy and a man. The boy is glowing with an immense amount of power. His body was being flooded and his damaged core was being filled with heavenly energies. Restoring him to what he once had.

He sat there as he felt, himself become whole once more, as the medical effects of the pill healed all the damage, even making his meridians and cultivating channels thicker and stronger. He was considered a heaven-defying genius before but now. Now he would be a monster.

All the while the man watched the entire scene play out a sad smile on his face. He knew what was coming. Nicki knew it, he had seen it. He hated how he had learned to see people's strings, their fates. Their past, present, and futures laid out before him. The boy didn't know it but he was cutting his string, severing his fate from the tapestry of the world, and the price was about to be paid, as the energy kept growing exponentially.

The boy's serene look of happiness turned to confusion, then to fear. The pill did exactly what the alchemist said it would do. Except, he had failed to mention it wouldn't stop. It would keep shooting power into, not just his body, but also his soul.

The pill would have worked exactly as the alchemist had described, only if his soul had been damaged as well. Instead, since his soul was in pristine shape, his soul was burning, and he was screaming. All because he had destroyed the alchemist's son's only chance to become an alchemist. All over a simple slight.

Nicki watched bearing witness to the last moments of the young cultivator as his soul burned calling through the between, for its twin. A single solitary moment, a single chance in a trillion, one that may never be heard if not for the one bearing witness.

Nicki reached out following the souls call, guided deep within the between and right next door. Where a door was waiting, sitting there with the boy’s twin right behind. With a single knock the door opened. His twin appeared for a moment that lasted forever and no time at all. The two souls combined with the pills remaining energy. A soul beyond measure, one that should have destroyed the body just for existing.

Who woke in the body Nicki didn't know. He had borne witness to the birth of a Hero. Guided should seek redemption and give it the tools to do so. Still, he felt sad. As he walked to the door and opened it into the between itself, wandering the strings of fate. Trying to understand just what he was.