Horwin looked sternly at him. “I didn’t tell you earlier because you were crying, however, were you to cause another scene like that then I would have no choice other than but to kill you and fetch someone else to help me.”
The white-haired old man squinted his eyes, more wrinkles appearing on his forehead. “Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Juan X nodded. “I understand.”
This morning neither cold nor hot, very unlike his old village – Just perfect. Horwin and Juan Xi walked along the main road of the city, headed for the Eternal Palace where they were to start the first day of work. Juan Xi had gotten his tattered clothes replaced by a leather tunic and leggings in black.
“Do you remember what I told you?” Horwin asked.
“I should keep my head down at all times and not speak unless told, Sir.” Juan Xi recited from his memory, pausing for a moment before continuing. “And if talked to, I should still keep my head down. And always address people we meet with lord or lady if they speak to me."
“Precisely,” He replied. “Never forget this.”
The old man had expounded on his situation earlier after Juan Xi had stopped crying. Right now, he was inside a distant, otherworldly land where immortals, natural born beings with incredible power and unlimited lifespans, soared across the sky and ruled all living like gods. Juan Xi, however, was merely a mortal boy, grabbed from the endless river of souls from inside the castle of fate to serve the holy emperor and his queen, along with the highly-respected immortal gods inside the Eternal Palace. It went without saying that the little boy would need to lay extremely low if he valued his head to still be stuck to his body.
Even Horwin, the Keeper of steeds, said himself to be nothing compared to these famous immortals. Horwin was an immortal being too, and had quite a bit of fame to his name, but was still incapable of resisting their vast influence. Or so he said.
The white-walled houses with jade roof were the standard of the city. Some houses, or pagodas, as they walked passed to see, were slightly different if you inspected them carefully. Yet, the green, jade-like color always stayed the same. Only the style, and perhaps the size, would differ, but this was not by much.
The city was divided into four regions; the outer region, the middle region, the inner region and the forbidden region. At this moment, they were going to the forbidden region. This place was not open for the majority of immortals and was the grounds of the Eternal Palace. Inside the Eternal Palace lay the heavenly stables, which was their goal.
Horwin smiled dryly. “I’ll be showing you the ropes today. The faster and better you work, the better you will be treated. Keep in mind that this world is not an easy one. Here, you are judged based on your worth to others. If you fall short of that, then you will die.”
As they came to the forbidden region, they entered the palace and walked through many corridors and hallways. Juan Xi, without much choice, followed Horwin’s orders and kept his head down. As they were walking with haste, Horwin suddenly spoke out. Most likely, they had come across someone in the hallway. And much correct, they had. Jian Xi heard this from footsteps closing in upon them. These steps were light and gentle. Probably a woman.
“Greetings, Lady Jia Lien” Horwin said. “Why the rush?”
“Ah, Horwin, the same I ask you,” Lady Jia Lien said smilingly. Her voice was friendly, which surprised Juan Xi. Well, it wasn’t any strange, he didn’t know it was her who gave him comfort, he didn't even clearly remember what happened after he started to cry except for what Horwin told him. The reason to his surprise was due to Horwin who had said that most immortals gods were proud and arrogant. But this woman, Lady Jia Lien, as Horwin called her, did not seem to be the same. He wondered why.
“Are you perhaps on your way to the stables?”
“Yes,” the old man replied, frowning. “What of it?”
“My husband brought in a new pet.” She explained, seemingly not very happy as she stomped in the ground. “A golden three-eyed monkey from the east. He had the imperial guards leave the animal inside the stables, and put very much importance to it, saying that if anyone were to harm it, he would have this person’s head flying by noon.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I will have it handled personally,” Horwin said. “Where is it?"
“The seventh peak.” Lady Jia Lien declared. She glanced at Juan Xi. "I see that you brought him. Are you sure the boy is ready?”
“Ready or not,” the old man coughed dryly. “What does it matter?”
“You are right, it matters not.” She replied after some thought.
”And Horwin, do bring him to my chambers after you are done with today’s work." Lady Jia Lien said." I will have the tutor come to get started with him."
Horwin smiled “This subject will do as told.”
Juan Xi could hear the woman's steps as she walked away. There were no one else to pass during the rest of the way, and as such, they soon arrived at a stop.
“You may raise your head,”
He heard Horwin’s voice and looked up, stunned.
“Impressed?” Horwin grinned.
A massive mountain range towered up before them. A steep path led up from the ground beneath, through the jungle that surrounded the area. Juan Xi followed the dirt-paved road with his eyes and saw fogs of white mist mysteriously circling around the higher mountains peaks. Right now, they were standing on top of a small hill, just outside a gate leading inside to the of the palace.
"This is... the stables?" Juan Xi asked. He wrinkled his forehead. "When did we leave the palace?"
"Who said we left the palace." Horwin laughed ”Did you expect the palace to be small?”
"No," he shook his head, breathing out heavily. "But not this big.”
"Well, that's because you come from the mortal plane. Everything is small over there." Horwin laughed again and then began walking down from the hill. ”Let's hurry up, the more we wait, the more hungry they will be, and I can tell you, you won’t like them when they are hungry.”
”What?” Juan Xi asked, quickly catching up to the old man. ”Who will be hungry?”
”I haven’t told you yet, I guess,” Horwin said. ”You know who I am, right?”
”The Keeper of Steeds,” Juan Xi replied steadily. ”An old immortal in the holy emperor’s service.”
”That’s right,” the old man nodded. ”But do you know what the Keeper of steeds does? Do you know the duty I have to the holy emperor?
Juan Xi shook his head.
”One can say I am from a long line of people specializing in taking care of magical creatures. In fact, I am the 13th Keeper of Steeds’ since the universe’s birth!” He explained boastfully. ”My duty lies here, in the backyard of the eternal palace. I feed and trim the immortal gods’ mounts and pets, making them perfectly able once they are requested back.”
The little boy listened attentively. Then he asked. ”I’ve only seen strange creatures that aren’t human nor beasts in that cold place where I was before coming here. Do you take care of creatures like those?”
”Those puny life forms? Hehe, if so, there would be no need for my post.” the old man snorted. "Well, there's no use in trying to explain." he said."You will, after all, son experience it first hand.
Once they got past the jungle, they carried onward on the steep path, which took them about twenty minutes. The little boy was once again surprised by his body. Before, when he was alive, he wouldn’t have been able to walk this far without a pause. His malnourished and frail body had been weaker than a leaf. However, today, he was barely tired after such a long walk. He was still very energic!
Now when I think about it, my hands and arms have gotten a bit thicker since I came here. They are somehow fatter. But how is this possible?
His question remained unanswered. He swore, however, to inspect his whole boy once he got time alone. He would definitely find out if something else was changed except for his arms and hands.
Why doesn’t he fly us up there? He's a immortal, it would take only take him but a minute or two.
In the end, though, the little boy kept these thoughts to himself. He wasn’t that close to Horwin yet, and although Horwin was very friendly to him at this point, Jian Xu was unable to forget what the old man had told him previously, how, if the little boy was to act out again, he would kill him.This place seemed quite nice, and according to the old man, Juan Xi would even have some free time to spend after work, and wouldn’t have problems with food, or finding roof under his head. That’s why he refused to risk it.
”We’re here,” Horwin told Juan Xi. The old man stretched out his body and cleared his throat. Bones cracked as his body twisted. ”That was a good exercise," he said. "I don’t get those a lot these times.”
He turned to the little boy. ”Before we start, you must promise me one thing. When we go up there, and I show you the ropes, don’t ever show fear or arrogance.” Horwin donned a grim expression. ”Do you understand me?”
They were currently in front of a large, golden mountain gate, and had just finished walking the steep path.
Juan Xi slowly nodded, suspicion evident in his eyes. Don’t show fear?
”Follow me,” Horwin ordered and entered through the gate.