Authors note: Adding a chapter after a long time. Hope I don't disappoint. The first three chapters may have some influences borrowed from other stories but from now on, it is completely my story.

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Sa Minu opened his eyes in darkness. Everything around was dark like the blackest of nights. His first thought,

"Am I dead? Is this the world of souls?"

His eyes soon adjusted and he found himself inside a deep place, receiving soft light from somewhere. He tried looking around and saw rock walls surrounding him. And then his eyes fell upon his sister's body, who he was still unconsciously holding.

"Sis...wait, how is her body in here? Isn't this the world of souls?"

He pinched himself.

"Aaah!...so so this is really not...that means I am still alive?!"

For a moment he wondered why. Then grief poured down on him like unseasonal rain.

"Nooooooooo! I am alive! I am living! But sis is dead! Oh I am sorry Sister! I am sorry Father! Your son, your brother, even after promising to die together, still couldn't die with you." His tears fell like a dam which had overflowed.

"Why! Why me! What did I ever do to deserve this! Why did the heavens not let me die as well!" But there was no one who would answer his questions. His voice echoed around and asked him that very same question.

"Meri sis! Father! Don't leave Minu alone! Let me accompany you too. Oh why..just why?!" Sa Minu shouted his lungs out and banged his head on the rocky floor.

He cried and shouted his lungs out. His voice reverberated for a long time reminding him and punishing him even more. He just sat there holding his sister's cold body in his arms rocking to and fro as waves of guilt and sadness hit him over and over again.

He did not know for how long his tears fell. But eventually they dried up. He did not know for how long his voice came. But eventually it croaked. And then there was silence. Deathly silence as he stared at the darkness and it stared back at him. He just sat there with the coldness seeping through his limbs.

Time passed unmoved and indifferent, cold as the death.

Sa Minu did not realize when his consciousness left him. He only realized that he woke up again. He wiped his already dried tears with his hand and decided.

"What am I doing...I need to give sis her last rites." Sa Minu shook his head. Only then did he look up to see where he was.

He was inside a large cave covered with rock walls. He looked here and there for an exit but there wasn't any so far his eyes could see. He slowly walked towards one ends, feeling the walls with his hands.

"This is a dead end.."

He turned around towards the other end.

"It's odd. Where is the soft light coming from?" The light was like starlight or moonlight which was getting reflected and spreading everywhere. Yet, it was so soft that Sa Minu could not find out where it was getting reflected from.

As he walked to the other end, he found another dead end. Sa Minu was confused. He walked all around the rocky room and was surprised that it was not a cave. Or rather it had no opening.

"How did I get here?" He wondered. The last thing he remembered was that he was falling. While thinking that he looked up and was shocked.

"What is this? How did I land up here!" Above him was a small opening. Rather, it was just large enough to allow a person his size to fall in. The soft light was coming from above, moonlight perhaps, diluted by the intense fog.

Sa Minu could not believe it. He had jumped off a cliff and ended up inside a hole! The hole was like a vase with the opening extending down a little way and then spreading around into this room like space.

"What rotten luck! How do I get out?" He jumped and tried to reach the opening but he was too deep. He tried finding a ledge or something to hang on and climb up but the walls were smooth.

"Odd. How was this hole formed?" Sa Minu wondered but in the end gave up. This was too much to handle, especially after all he had been through. And even if he hadn't he still couldn't figure this out.

"Well sis, I am sorry but seems like I am stuck. I can't even give you final rites now, can I? Well, if I can't escape this hole, perhaps I can only join you. Maybe the heavens have this habit of playing with us mortal souls." Sa Minu laughed as he mocked.

He sat down and lifted Sa Meri's head and placed it on his lap. He looked at her lovely face and sighed.

"How do I live without you.....how do I live..." He murmured softly.

"Why don't you put her in your soul space!"

Sa Minu jumped up in fright. He warily looked around to try to find where this deep gravelly voice had come from. Rather he had walked around this room many times and he was certain that there was no one here. If it wasn't that Sa Meri was already dead, she might have cried out in pain as Sa Muni tightened her hold on her subconsciously. He was scared out of his wits right now.

"Who said this? Who's there?!" Sa Minu shouted as he turned his head around here and there.

"Turn around..." The voice was softer this time.

Sa Minu turned around carefully and then stared. Just above his line of sight, where there was supposedly a dark rock ceiling, there was now a giant ball of light. The light was not too bright but it had not been glowing like this before. Like a lamp which had just been lit, the light gave off a warm feeling in this dark place.

Sa Minu stared at the light for many moments before he realized he had seen it before. Or something similar to it. His own soul glowed the same way. This soul was a lot bigger though.

"Greetings Elder, are you a spirit?" He asked.

"That is obvious." The spirit replied.

Sa Minu had never met a spirit before. He was not sure whether the spirit was human or beast but it was likely that this was a beast spirit.

"I apologize for my rudeness. I accidentally fell down this place and had no intention of disturbing you. I did not know you were here."

"I am aware." The spirit did not speak many words.

Sa Muni did not know what to do so he waited for the spirit to speak again. But even after a long time the spirit remained silent. Feeling annoyed, Sa Muni spoke first.

"Elder, what did you say about putting my sister in my soul space? I do not understand it so I hope you could explain a bit more." He asked.

The spirit still remained silent. Sa Muni waited but even after some time he did not receive a reply. Feeling a bit annoyed he opened his mouth to ask again. Just then the spirit spoke.

"Impatience. A good sign."

Sa Muni did not know what was a good sign. Or even what the spirit was talking about.

"Age?" The spirit spoke in its deep gravelly voice.

"Um, 8 years and almost 3 months" Sa Muni replied utterly confused. He was getting more and more annoyed by this spirit.

"Too young." The spirit said and once again turned silent.

Sa Muni wanted to yell at the spirit. But he endured. All the while seething anger was building inside him.

"Elder, the thing about putting my sister in the soul space. Could you please guide this junior."

And yet there was only silence.

Sa Muni snapped. Elder or not, he was in no mood to play games. He yelled.

"Aaaaaaaahhh! What the hell! Why did you start speaking if you did not want to talk! You could just have just stayed hidden for all I care! First say something nice and then all of sudden turn silent. Does it look like I am in the mind to play games. Oh...you feel angry do you?! You feel annoyed by me?! You will swat me like a fly, will you?! Well, why don't you try and end my misery instead of playing this stupid little game!"

Sa Muni yelled each word clearly, not caring if the spirit took offence. His voice resounded off the walls echoing long after he had stopped. He did not care whether the spirit smote him to death. He wanted to die before anyway.

"Anger. Excellent." The spirit replied instead.

Sa Muni was flabbergasted. What kind of reply was that!

"You know you are annoying!" Sa Muni said.

"Hahahaha..." The spirit laughed this time. "Atleast you do not wish to die now, do you?"

Sa Muni was startled. The resolute feelings he had before had certainly faded. Now he was wavering and thought whether he truly wanted to die. Up on the cliff, his answer would have been yes. But after surviving, his feelings were in a turmoil. Yes, he had promised to die together and he had tried. But like all living beings, there was a small stubborn part of him which did not wish for his life to end.

Realizing this, he immediately felt guilty. Guilty of betraying the expectations his father and sister had of him. Betraying the promise he had made with them.

What would they think if he lived by himself without regards to their feelings, he asked himself.

"Life is an opportunity and cannot be relinquished so easily. To die without meaning is just cowardice. Live and the grief will fade. Live and the guilt will pass. Anyways, you still have an opportunity to save her. Are you not willing?" The spirit said.

Sa Muni was instantly overjoyed as he nodded his head. He bowed and joined his hands in respect.

"Thank you Elder for helping me. Please guide me."

"Do not thank me yet. Whether you succeed or fail is yet to be determined."

"I am prepared senior. I have already lost her once. If I can do anything which may save her, I am willing to try my utmost, even trade my life if need be." Sa Muni said resolutely.

"Unfortunately, it is not as simple as trading your life. We cannot save your sister's body. Only her soul. Only her soul may enter your soul space. However, you do not have the strength to accept her soul in your soul space. The only way for this to succeed is for you to build your soul space."

"Also, whether your sister's soul chooses to enter your soul space depends on her will. It cannot be forced. If your bond is strong enough, only then you may have a chance." The spirit said.

Sa Muni thought that the second condition should be the easier one. He loved his sister and his sister loved him. If there was a chance that they may stay together, she would choose it. Yet, Sa Muni also worried that she may choose to go to the world of souls instead.

"The first step to build your soul space is to fill it with spiritual energy. Unfortunately, this step cannot be taught. Find your soul. Find the spiritual energy pathways which connect your soul to everything else. Once you do, figure out how to pull this spiritual energy from the outside into your soul space." The spirit continued.

Sa Muni listened carefully. He had already found his soul space. All he needed to do now was find the spiritual energy pathways. Yet, he still hesitated.

"Elder, thank you for your guidance. But I have a doubt. My sister taught me that putting a soul in the soul space is considered bad. The soul cannot escape and cannot enter the world of souls on its own will. Would my actions be considered justly? Wouldn't it be better to leave her in peace?"

Sa Muni was reluctant to do that. But even in death, he did not wish for his sister to hate him. Perhaps what he was going to do would just be a selfish thing without regard to her wishes.

"Do you wish to harm her?" The spirit asked.

"No. I wish for her to be happy."

"Does that answer your question?" The spirit said.

Sa Muni nodded. Even if he let her soul in his soul space, he wouldn't harm her.

"But she wouldn't be able to go to the world of souls? Isn't that a bad thing?"

"Not necessarily. When you die or when you have the ability to go to the world of souls, she would be able to." The spirit replied. "Anyways, do not count your chickens before they hatch. Whether she enters your soul space is still not decided."

Sa Muni nodded. All he could do was try and leave the rest to luck. He did not have any other options.

"I may be selfish but I want Meri sis to be with me. If there is a chance I will take it." Sa Muni decided.

"Once you fill your soul space with as much spiritual energy as you can, we can begin the next step. A word of warning though. Based on her strength she will likely ascend in 3 days. You have just that much time to build your soul space. Moreover, you have already wasted half a day." The spirit spoke again in his deep gravelly voice. Sa Muni didn't notice but somehow the spirit's voice never echoed in this room.

Sa Muni brought his legs together and sat down in a meditation pose. He started trying to calm himself down. Grief, guilt, anger, he tried to push these feelings to the back of his mind.

But that was easier said than done. Especially after what he had been through recently. The wounds were still fresh and the memories still clear. Sa Muni took several deep breaths in an effort to relax.

It still took a long time. Sa Muni did not know how much time passed but eventually he reached the state of calmness. Only now could he observe his body and attempt to access his soul space.

Like before, he found a golden thread entering his body, through skin, muscle and bone. Passing through all of that, following the golden string, he entered deeper, beyond his physical body.

The golden string entered a dark space heading towards a small glowing light in the center. Sa Muni once again looked up in wonder at his own soul. As Tri Manlu had said, the soul is within yet beyond the body.

"Compared to the Elder's soul, my soul is many times smaller. Wonder how strong he is..." Sa Muni spared a thought.

He swept his thoughts aside and concentrated. He had already done this step before and knew he could do it again. Now came the hard part. He had to find the spiritual energy pathways connecting to the soul. But Sa Muni had a vague idea.

"Are these golden strings the pathways?" He wondered. After all, these golden strings came from somewhere out of his body and connected to the soul.

Sa Muni had only seen the little bit of spiritual energy surrounding his soul. The spiritual energy was like a vague white mist, so faint that if you did not look hard, you would miss it. And the golden threads passed through it on its way to the glowing ball which was his soul.

"Now what do I do?" He did not know.

Sa Muni remembered the spirit elder telling him that he needed to pull the spiritual energy in through the pathways.

"Should I pull on the strings?" Sa Muni imagined himself doing that but nothing happened. The soul space was not some place he could use his hands to pull.

"This can't be right. How should I go on?" Sa Muni kept on thinking but even after a long time he could not find an answer. "I am wasting time like this. Let's try everything I can think off and hopefully one of them would work."

Sa Muni tried many methods but most of his methods were trying to imagine things his body was supposed to do. None of them even had the slightest chance of working in his soul space. He was starting to despair now.

"What do I do? If I don't hurry, the time will have passed." Sa Muni was deeply concerned about the time. Who knows how many hours had passed and yet he was still on the first step. His thoughts made his calmness waver and he felt his senses being pulled out of his soul space and back into his body.

But he still persisted. He breathed deeply and forced the random thoughts back into his mind. He calmed himself once again and began the process anew.

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"How do I do this?" Sa Muni tried and tried without success. "Maybe the clue is in the golden threads.." Thinking that he focused his senses upon one of the thin golden threads which connected to his soul.

Sa Muni watched for a long time. The golden thread was not like the threads he had seen. Even though it looked like a thread, it was subtly undulating. Each piece of the thread only moved slightly up and down and that too very gently. But somehow the entire motion on the thread was like it was connected. Like the undulation of one part gave rise to another.

"It moves like ripples on water." Sa Muni observed. He continued watching the motions which somehow felt extremely natural. Like all was how it should be.

Concentrating wholly on the threads, Sa Muni didn't realize when he had entered a sublime state. He had forgotten about his turbulent emotions and was extremely calm. His senses were completely focused on the movement of the thread. One could say that these movements were hypnotic like listening to the beatings of the heart.

Simple yet deep. Vibrant yet still. The ripples were never the same. You could watch it a hundred times and yet the hundred and first would still be different.

The movement of each piece was always the same. Yet somehow the movement of the entire thread felt like it changed ever so slightly.

Sa Muni didn't realize just how many hundreds or thousands or even millions of such movements he observed. In this state, nothing mattered except the gentle hypnotic undulations of the golden string.

Time passed.

Sa Muni only awoke from his enchanted state when his senses detected something. Something coiled around by the golden string. It was so small, so vague that its discovery could only be attributed to luck. Someone could find this within a minute and someone could spend years searching for it.

Sa Muni looked closely and found that it was spiritual energy. Only the faintest sliver. A very miniscule part of it which was coiled around by the golden string. With each undulation it moved a little bit towards his soul. But with the next undulation it would move back. Like it was being played in a tug of war by the golden string. Sa Muni looked and wondered.

"How do I make it come towards me? Can I control the golden string?" But he had already thought of pulling the string. It didn't work.

"Can I control the movements of the string and somehow make it come towards my soul?" Sa Muni pondered a few more methods but none of them seemed right and were quickly discarded. "No this will not work." He shook his imaginary head.

"Hmm...but if this sliver of energy has entered my soul space, why isn't it going towards my soul already? Why is it being pushed back?" Thinking that Sa Muni looked at his soul. Rather what was happening to the golden thread near his soul.

Near the soul the golden thread was the same. Moving ever so gently like a tiny ripple. Sa Muni concentrated on it. But this time rather than the movements of the golden thread, he was looking at what was happening in his soul.

Sa Muni stared at it for a long time. Only then did he see a strange flicker. No, the soul did not move like the threads. Rather it was the glow which flickered just so gently. At first Sa Muni wasn't sure whether he wasn't just imagining things. Maybe he was just tired.

It was almost like his heartbeat. One moment it would glow brighter ever so slightly. And in the next it would dim as much.

Only after watching it over and over again, did he realize that the glow of the soul did flicker. He kept looking and found that the gently flickering light seemed to be keeping pace with the ripples of the golden thread.

"What is it? Can I make the glow of my soul become brighter or darker?" Sa Muni pondered. To control it, he would need to first understand what made a soul glow in the first place.

He watched the soul for a long time, trying to discern an answer. The soul kept on beating like his heart. And then just as suddenly Sa Muni came to a realization.

"Heartbeat! Is this my will to live?"

Sa Muni thought of when his heart beat faster. It was always when he was excited or frightened. In both situations, he wanted to live. And yet, when would your heart beat slower? The answer was clear like the light of the sun. When you were dying.

Only now Sa Muni understood why this could not be taught. The increase or decrease of the will to live differs from person to person. One's method will not apply to another.

"So what makes me want to live?" Sa Muni instantly remembered Meri sis and his father. The good and happy times they had just before. The promise of gifts when father would come from his trip. The gentleness of her sister's hands as they combed his hair. The delicious food which she cooked. The table in which the three of them sat together laughing. And his saving Meri sis.

As he thought of these things, his soul started glowing brighter. Like each happy thought became its fuel. Sa Muni was delighted. As his soul became brighter, the undulations of the golden string became more turbulent.

But then his mood soured. The spiritual energy was not moving towards him but was going away.

Sa Muni cursed. "What is up with that! So happy thoughts are no good?!" His sour mood brought forth a wave of worries. If he fails, Meri sis would not be saved. If he fails, his last bit of happiness would be gone. If he fails, he would rather kill himself. Images of Meri sis dying flashed through his eyes again.

As his thoughts swirled, the glow of the soul became darker and darker. And like this was a trigger, spiritual energy started moving into his soul.

The undulations became more turbulent once again but this time it led the sliver of spiritual energy towards his soul. And the speed with which it was coming in was much faster than when it was being pushed out.

"What's happening?" Sa Muni thought. Not only the golden string he was observing but from all golden strings spiritual energy started flooding into his soul. But it did not enter it. Rather it could not. It simply hit the wall of the glowing ball, which was his soul, and scattered in his soul space.

"Not good!" Sa Muni realized. With every sliver of spiritual energy which arrived, his mood was becoming better. The depressed thoughts were receding. The soul was becoming less dark.

"I have to remain depressed for as long as I can!" He once again brought forth all his grief and guilt to the forefront. He willed the soul to be dark. For as long as possible.

Time passed. Sa Muni could not tell whether he persisted for a long time or a short time. He was pulling in spiritual energy like a mad man. His mind was getting tired rapidly. And yet he persisted.

"Elder said to fill up my soul space as much as I can." Yet right now, his soul space was not even one percent full. "More...I can do more! Hold on sis." And he made his soul even more darker.

The spirit elder was quietly watching the young boy in front of him. "He is only a kid. Yet what persistence!" He was impressed. But he also understood, somethings cannot simply be obtained with persistence.

The boy had spent many hours in meditation. The spirit elder could sense the world outside the hole. The moon had gone and the sun had risen. And yet the boy had not even begun collecting spiritual energy.

"Ah well. Whether he succeeds or fails is his own luck." The spirit elder sighed as he quietly watched.

When the moon came up high once again and the twilight shone inside, spiritual energy started flowing towards the boy.

"Well done! So you do have a bit of talent after all. The kid may just make it." The spirit elder laughed. He watched as spiritual energy slowly but steadily entered the young boy's body. This went on for hours and it was sunrise once again.

"The kid should be done about now." The spirit elder looked expecting to see the young man opening his eyes at any moment.

Yet something unexpected happened.

"What is this? The speed has increased all of sudden!" The spirit elder watched even more intensely. Not only had the speed with which the spiritual energy entered the young boy's body increased, but also the pull of the spiritual energy had grown many fold. Being a spirit, he was most sensitive to changes in spiritual energy and right now even he was affected a little bit.

"Though the kid doesn't have the strength to pull mine..." The spirit elder was not worried on that account. "Must be a last ditch effort, he cannot hold on much more."

But the strange phenomenon, instead of abating, continued. The pull on spiritual energy increased even more.

Now the spirit elder was worried. Not for himself but for the young boy. He knew this thing could not be attributed to just talent. "Looks like he has accidentally discovered a forbidden method."

Methods which are deemed forbidden are dangerous. Because they have deadly side effects. Some could even take your life in exchange. Using them without understanding them was the biggest mistake you could make.

As his senses watched the outside, he saw that just for an instant, much shorter than even the flapping of a butterfly's wings, the entire mist cleared. Or rather it was pulled towards this hole. Suddenly, the many creatures in the valley glanced up and could see the clear sky and the rising sun. Perhaps, for the only time in their lives, as the mist soon rolled back in, once again, completely covering the sky.

The spirit elder watched as more and more spiritual energy went inside the young boy's body. As he watched, he also wondered what kind of thing the boy had found. And then he suddenly realized.

"He couldn't have....oh well, if he did, he did. Perhaps only the untrained would use that method. But oh well...the kid is still young. It shouldn't cause too much harm. In the future, I will correct it. But it can be allowed now as long as he doesn't overdo it." He looked once more at the young boy's body. "Looks like it will be alright. He is too tired to sustain it anyway."

Just as he had predicted, the young man opened his eyes soon enough.

Sa Muni opened his eyes and collapsed on the ground. He was tired beyond measure. His breath came in gulps and he had no energy left to move his hands and feet. His stomach grumbled loudly just that instant.

"Ow..I am hungry." He did not know it yet, but he had not eaten for more than a day. Considering that he had never starved even once before in his life, being just hungry was an understatement.

How long?" He asked anxiously.

"Hmm..well done. You seem to have made it in time. Now all you need to do is wait for the moment this lady's soul leaves her body." The spirit elder spoke.

Sa Muni gave out a sigh of relief.

"What's next?" He asked in a few words. He didn't have the energy to waste his words.

"Just wait. When the soul comes out I will give more instructions," the spirit elder replied.

After the elder said that, Sa Muni felt his eyelids drooping and tired as he was, he dozed off in an instant.

He awoke when he felt something happening. Or rather he heard a voice in his dreams.

"Wake up! Her soul is coming out!"

Suddenly, Sa Muni was wide awake. He groaned as his body ached having slept on the hard ground. But that atleast helped him wake up completely. He lifted himself and took a meditation pose again. He needed to be ready for whatever happened next.

"Now the soul is coming out. This step is both simple and difficult. You need to call out to her. If she responds, I will guide her into your body. After that, you will have to lead the soul to your soul space. As to how to do that, simply do what you do to enter your soul space. Her soul will follow your path." The spirit elder explained.

"Just remember, you will have only one chance to lead her to your soul space. If you falter and fail, her soul will enter ascension and then it will be too late." He warned.

Sa Muni nodded and started taking deep breaths to calm himself down. The pressure was on him now. He could not afford a mistake.

Just then, the soul came out of his sister's body. There was no warning, no shaking stars or flashing lightning signifying this important event. It just happened. One moment, there was nothing and in the next a small softly glowing ball of light was present over her body.

"Meri sis...it's Minu! Your brother Minu! See I am still here next to you!" Sa Minu shouted.

For a moment nothing happened. But then a soft voice slowly came out.

"Minu...I...is...it...you?" The soul responded slowly as if confused.

Sa Minu quickly looked over towards the spirit elder. As he looked, a soft sliver of light came out of the spirit elder's soul and headed to Sa Meri's soul. Sa Minu recognized it. It was spiritual energy.

The sliver of light hit the soul from behind, but unlike with Sa Minu's soul, it didn't scatter. Instead like hitting a ball the glowing soul was pushed into Sa Minu's body.

"Now kid!" The spirit elder's voice came.

Sa Minu released a deep breath and closed his eyes. Once again he found a golden thread. Passing through his body, he quickly entered his soul space. He did not know why but so far this was his easiest attempt to enter his soul space.

As he entered, he looked around and sure enough, Sa Meri's soul had entered his soul space. His soul started glowing more brightly just then. He was incomparably happy.

He lost focus and his senses returned. He was too happy and at the same instant too overwhelmed with tiredness.

"Thank you elder!" He was delighted. And then dropped off again to sleep, this time for a really long time.

The next time he awoke, there was more light in the hole. Perhaps the sun was up. Sa Muni wasted no time in entering his soul space.

"Minu...what..what have you done?!" Sa Meri's soul spoke out, her words very clear this time around.

"Meri sis, I put you in my soul space. This way you can still live with me." Sa Minu replied. He wasn't sure but somehow what he thought was being communicated.

"Ah...you have been tricked! By that evil spirit!" She shouted.

Only then Sa Muni noticed, that there were not just two souls around but three. His own, Sa Meri's and the third...

"Don't mind me. I am just here to have fun." The deep gravelly voice he had heard previously, was now having a playful tone. "Here, I will teach you something else in turn. This is called a spirit form." And a man having entirely black skin wearing brown clothes and a straw hat came into view in his soul space.

"You can do it as well. Just imagine your own form..." The man smiled without remorse.

"See, see, he is an evil spirit! What have you done! Putting a soul in your soul space is a crime! You have doomed even me! Now I will never get a chance to go to the world of souls! I will never go to Elysium...I will never enter the Lord Emperor's palace! You have doomed us both!" Sa Meri cried out.

"Meri sis...I...I didn't know." Sa Muni was dumbfounded. Behind his maturity, he was still an 8 year old kid. He hadn't seen the world enough. How could he have known! And this spirit elder had only helped him and not harmed him. Doesn't that make him not evil?

"Ha! What evil!" The spirit elder laughed. "You kids don't even know what evil is. Rather what did you say just now? I have been to world of souls before but I have never heard of Elysium."