*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*

…

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

…

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

“YES, YES! Sheesh, who’s knocking so hard this early in the morning…”

*Click!* *Squeak*

“Mwa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha… Long time no see, bro- Wait, don’t close the doo- ARGH, MY FOOT!”

“What do ya want, Mahza? Get lost!”

“Don’t say that, brother. I just want to talk with you.”

“I don’t have anything to talk with ya. And who’s yer brother? Just get lost!”

“Wait, don’t close! Jiwa, I’m sorry for everything that happened in the past.”

“Yea, yea, I forgive ya. Now get lost,” the man kicked Mahza’s foot, which was caught earlier, and slammed the door.

“ARGH, WHY YOU! Listen, Jiwa. Hey, hear me out first!” *Knock!* *Knock!*

…

“Jiwa, I need your help…”

…

“Please, hear me out first. It’s not for free, I’ll trade it with all my research data on if you agree to help.”

…

…

“... Ya’ll gimme yer research data?”

“Yes!”

“All of ‘em?”

“Yes!!”

…

*Squeak*

“Jiwa, my brother, I know I can count on you,” Mahza made a wide grin with open arms.

“... Kneel down.”

“What?”

“I said, kneel down. Isn’t that the appropriate way when asking someone’s help?”

…

“Ya don’t want to? Fine.”

“Wait! Alright, I’ll do it.”

The soul-mage then lowered himself on his knees. He looked up to the skinny man in front of him, who was looking back with a cold gaze. “Please... help me,” he said, his voice was shaking.

“Ya don’t get it, do ya?” the man walked to his left and squated down. “When ya beg, yer head have to be on the GROUND level!” he said while pulling Mahza’s head down and slammed it to the ground.

“Jiwa, you bastard!” Mahza cursed while his head being pressed by Jiwa’s hand.

“Did ya say something?”

“Don’t get cocky just because I stay still,” he warned.

“Oh? Are ya angry? Then why don’t ya come and kill me, o great Mahza?” Jiwa smirked.

Mahza gritted his teeth but didn’t do anything else.

Jiwa pulled Mahza’s hair and whispered on his ear, “I hate ya, Mahza, and ya know that.” He then released his grip and stood up. “To think I’ll be helping ya makes mah stomach hurts, but I’ll do it for the sake of yer research,” he said and walked into the house. “Come in,” he called from inside.

Mahza shook the dirts off his clothes and straighten his hair before standing up. Swallowing the humiliation, he followed Jiwa to the house.

“Sit down,” Jiwa told. Mahza complied and took one of the seats in the living room.

“So, what’ve cornered ya so much for ya to seek my help? And what kind of help do ya want from me?”

Mahza hesitated a moment. “I… lost my son because of my own foolishness, brother. He doesn’t deserve it. I want you to make a new body for my son. I’ll then summon his soul, guide him into the new body and connect them. That’s the plan.”

“Hold on! Ya want to revive the dead!? Ya know it’s the god's domain! A taboo!"

“... I can’t think of any other way to save him. Please, help me.”

“Funny. Ya’ve once banished me to this remote region and prohibited me to call mahself a soul-mage because of mah interest of human body. Yet, here ya now, begging mah help for exactly the same reason. Is this fate?”

“... I’m really sorry for what happened before. It was all my mistake, I’ve no excuse.”

“That aside, do ya even have any idea how difficult it is to imitate a beating heart? A digesting stomach? A breathing chest? Prosthetic arm is one thing, but a full functioning body is on a completely different level.”

“As expected from my brother. You say it’s difficult, not impossible.”

“Bah! I don’t need yer compliment, what I need is to know if this worth all the troubles. How close’re ya with the complete ?”

“I’ve completed it.”

“Excuse me?”

“Are you deaf? I said I’ve perfected the . But I tell you, it’s not like we think.”

“Hold on. If ya’ve completed it, why didn’t ya use it to yer son?”

“I did. And that’s why I told you isn’t like we think.”

“... It didn’t work?”

“Nope.”

“Ya sure there wasn’t any mistake?”

“A hundred percent. He didn’t revive, even though the had given the right reaction when I was using it on him earlier.”

…

…

“It may be better if I take a look at his body first. Where did ya leave him?”

“Hmm. I rested Arz inside a cave, in the forest between [Firzoa] and [Jowsar]. Should I bring him here?”

“Hold on! Ya said yer son’s name’s Arz?”

“Yes, what about it?”

“... A cave in the forest between [Firzoa] and [Jowsar]...”

“I said, what about it?”

“Mahza, I need to take a sample of yer blood.”

“Bastard, don’t ignore me! And what do you need my blood for?”

“I need to test something. Wait here.”

Jiwa went to another room and left Mahza alone without further explanation. Several minutes later, he returned with a tube containing a purple liquid and a needle.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Gimme yer finger,” Jiwa asked.

“No, explain first,” Mahza retorted.

“Just do it. I’ll take a lot of yer blood later anyway, to make a compatible body. This is but a simple pre-test,” Jiwa said as he grabbed Mahza’s wrist and pulled it closer. Taking out his needle, he pressed it on Mahza’s middle finger. “Put off your barrier,” he ordered.

Once the blood dripped, he took several with his tube. The mix of the blood and the purple liquid triggered a chemical reaction that caused the fluid to boil and turn white, leaving behind a bad odor. Seeing that, Jiwa’s lips curled into a smile.

“Why’re you smiling? What do you get from that test?” Mahza asked.

Jiwa put the tube onto the table. Instead of answering, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms.

*Slam!*

“Stop ignoring me, Jiwa! You know better not to test my patience!” Mahza hit the table.

“Soul… is such an abstract existence,” Jiwa said, still closing his eyes. “Even us, soul-mages, only have bare understanding of its essence.”

Mahza’s face became confuse. “What’re you blabbering so sudden?” he asked.

“What we know about soul, we learn ‘em through its connection to mind or body. Especially the mind, where the connection is much stronger. Thus, it’s not wrong to refer soul-mages as mind-mages. A soul-mage who’s more interested in body connection like me is a very rare occurrence after all, if not the first.”

“Hmph, of course I know that. What’re you trying to say? And what it has anything to do with the blood test earlier?”

“Yea, that’s the basic of ,” Jiwa finally opened his eyes. “However, Mahza, because of its abstractness, it’s impossible to perceive a soul once the connections are lost. Ya should know this too,” he paused while observing Mahza’s reaction.

“Now mah question,” he continued. “Assuming I’m able to create a suitable body for yer son, how’re ya going to summon his soul?”

“Mwa Ha Ha Ha, and here I was wondering what’re you going to say. Don’t worry, I already did it before, I’ll be able to do it again.”

“Oh? Ya did?”

“Arz was born dead, so this great Mahza summoned his soul and guided him back to the body, performing a miracle unheard of in this age. I’m more surprised you don’t know this famous fact,” Mahza boasted.

“Interesting, so ya’ve violated the taboo before. But then, how do ya know it was yer son’s soul and not somebody else’s?”

“What? Of course I know. He’s my son after all.”

“Really? Ya said he was born dead, that means ya never sense yer son’s connections before the summon.”

Mahza frowned with the statement. “... I...”

“Ya, what? Has it never occurred to ya, or yer pride made ya ignore the possibility?” once again Jiwa paused. Seeing Mahza’s confusion, he continued. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Whoever’s soul was there, it’s also a fact that he recognized ya as his father. But what about the next time? Ya sure ya can get the right soul?”

“I- I’ll manage somehow. You just need to focus on building the body, I’ll handle the soul summoning,” Mahza replied.

Jiwa smiled. “Mah second question, Mahza. According to teaching, when is someone considered at his weakest condition?” he asked.

“Hmm, your topic changes so random yet again, how am I supposed to follow?”

“It’s not random. Just answer me.”

“Hmph! You’re as annoying as ever. What’s the point of this? Every soul-mage knows the answer, it’s when his soul’s connections are weakened.”

“And when is that?”

“It’s when his mind… is disturbed…,” Mahza’s voice became low as he realized something. “You don’t mean....”

“Right answer, for the mind connection. As for the body connection, it’s when the body is unwell. Like when sick or poisoned,” Jiwa said.

“Mahza, yer mind is disturbed by yer guilt for causing yer son’s death and the fact that ya mayn’t able to summon his soul back. From the blood test earlier, I also find out that there’s a poison inside yer body. Ya’re at yer weakest now, both mind and body,” he explained in smile.

Mahza’s face became tense. He clenched his fist, which now wet with a cold sweat.

“Now, mah third and last question,” Jiwa said. “If I can get yer knowledge for free, why should I trouble mahself with yer nonsense request?”

“JIWAAAA!!!” Mahza yelled as he leapt forward. However, he fell on his four instead. Holding his head, he groaned in pain. “AARGH!”

“Do ya think ya can resist me in yer condition?” Jiwa sneered.

“Ji… wa…,” Mahza tried to reach the man in front of him with a hand.

Yet, Jiwa stood up and stomped the hand. “? Not a chance,” he said and glared at the lying man, intensifying his mind attack.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaa………”

“Too bad for ya, brother,” Jiwa said once Mahza’s scream subsidized. “If ya’re less ignorant, ya would have known yer son’s still alive and looking for ya… as a dungeon master. Interesting.”