Valley Master (2)

Walking in briskly, he made his way to the Valley Chief’s courtyard. He was familiar with the way, so it took little time before he stood before the door.

“I request an audience with father,” he said. Father, that word sounded odd to him. The man looked nothing like his father back home. But nevertheless, this man was his ticket out of here.

“Enter,” a strong voice said from inside. He opened the door and bowed before walking in.

“You have handled the battle?” the clean-shaved elderly man with a head full of white hair looked at him. Ed kept his head bowed as he answered, “Yes, father. We won,”

“As expected,” the Valley Chief said mildly, “Sit down, Ed. I have some things to discourse with you,”

“What is it, father?” Ed asked as he sat down.

“You mentioned Leaving the Valley to explore once before. I have always said if you reached the picking spirit stage, I will let you go out. After all, that is the only way for you to be safe outside. Something has come up. The Emperor Sage Academy has sent notice that they will be coming to hold an examination in the valley. You must forget all your responsibilities and go into contemplation. The other Tribes have been informed. The slots for acceptance is limited. You must make sure you get a slot,” the Valley Chief said.

Ed maintained his forever blank expression and asked, “Who are they? The Sage Emperor Academy, what are they?” he asked.

“Oh, I forgot, you have never been out of this valley. They are an academy based in the west. They are second best only behind the Spring Light Valley. Both are schools, but the Spring Light Valley is a sect. Unlike the Emperor Sage Academy, the Spring Light Valley only accepts girls. Usually, a sect would require you to swear loyalty to them and would teach you but, they become a clan on its own. The Sage Emperor academy concentrates on teaching alone. You need not swear loyalty forever. You could graduate and decide to become an elder, but that is up to you. When they come, they will hold a series of tests. You must pass this and bring me Honor,” the Valley Chief explained.

“I will try my best not to fail you, father,” Ed said before as he bowed, then took his leave. When he closed the door to his father's room, he took in a deep breath. Leaving the Valley, he had waited for the moment for fifteen years. As he walked back to his courtyard, he wondered about what would happen when he leaves the Valley. This Valley was part of the mist. Would this mean he would be returning to his world? All will be clear when he leaves. He could fill energy sing in his bones as he arrived before his courtyard. It was large and greatly furnished. He took a seat on his bed and opened his space bag. From it, he took out a sword. The sword shined a hallow of blue when it touched his hand and the blade seemed to sing and buzz. This sword had been doing this a lot for a while now. He wondered what it meant. This was the sword he was given by the oracle when he accepted his quest. It had come with him to this world. That and a piece of Tyraniya's Hair. He had cut a piece without her knowledge while she had slept at Deranox.

As of then, he was not sure why he had done it, he had only just learned of her identity and he guessed curiosity took over. Now, these two things were the only thing he had of his world. The hair was tied together with a white strip of cloth. It was a large amount of hair he had cut because it was the size of a thumb. He looked at the hair and the string. It was a red string when he had used it to tie the hair, but it had turned White the next time he set eyes on it. The hair made him wonder about her, what was she doing? His quest was to go and save her. If he does not leave this place, what would happen to her? What if he takes too long?

“Are you thinking about her?” A girl asked from the doorway. Ed put back the hair and sword first before turning to look at her. She was his cousin, or better yet, adopted cousin. The only one that did not find him an eyesore. She had sneaked into his room at night to steal the keys to the armoury when she heard him call her name in his sleep. She was still a child of fifteen so, she remained naïve. After escaping with the keys and causing an uproar in the tribe, she asked out of curiosity who Tyraniya Was. When he asked her in anger how she had heard of the name, she said she heard him say it in her sleep, giving away the fact that she had come into his room at night and was the one who took the key. He frowned at her.

She may be the only one that likes him in the entire family, but her constant insistence to be where he was caused him a lot of trouble, making him wonder if she truly liked him at all. Looking at her innocent face, he sighed inside. This girl, what did she want now?

“Why are you here, Jian Ou?” he asked her.

“I heard that the Emperor Sage Academy is coming to recruit disciples. I know Uncle Valley Chief must have told you. Are you preparing?” Jian Ou asked. Uncle Valley chief? Ed sighed inside. This girl had always been mischievous. He had noticed something about the way she was treated since the day he came. She could get away with anything. She may be a girl from the second family, a daughter of the Valley Chief's younger brother, but people suspected she may be the Valley Master's blood child. She was someone the valley Chief dared not hurt. The other tribe chiefs had made it clear, that no one should touch her.

She was playful all the time, but only around Ed. To others, she preferred to cause them trouble when they annoy her. But with Ed, she was obedient and even cheeky. Still, she had weird contemplation techniques. Those that were not in the Valley's Library. How she got these, he did not know. But she always gave him new ones to please him. Her unusual like for him, made the other family members and even elders jealous. He knew this girl must not be simple if even the Valley Chief wanted to be on her good side.

“How can I practice when you are here?” Ed asked.

“Oh? Brother Ed, you have risen a rank!” she said excitedly.

“Are you intending to participate in the admissions?” he asked her and she nodded.

“Mn. Brother Ed will be there, so I must come too!” she nodded her head vigorously. He wondered if her head would fall off one day. Was he surprised she wanted to come? She had the habit of following him around.

“Then go practice,” he said hoping she would go away.

“Brother Ed, I have some new techniques, would you like to see?” she pouted as though wronged.

“Let me see,” he said and her face brightened as she bounced over to his side.

She handed him a space bag full of techniques and he started to scroll through it. He already had a contemplation technique that was suitable for his gray spirit core, so he had no interest in these. Most of the time, he just took some techniques that he could learn when he entered the spirit-picking stage. At this stage, he could practice multiple techniques. But something caught his eye; there was a book titled, Space and Realms. It had caught his attention, causing him to open it and start reading as Jian Ou watched.

The realms of men and immortals are stages as vast as the skies and one ought not aim to reach the pinnacle, one ought to love the journey. This is possible for those aware of the unknown lands; the forests of truth and dare, the runes of ancient kings, The Mist. These are the places beyond time and realms. Places of no place.

“Where did you get this?” Ed asked almost shouting and startling Jian Ou.

“Do you like it? It's just a stupid old book. You can have it,” she said, excited that he found something he liked.

“I can keep this?” he asked her and she nodded enthusiastically.

This was the first time he had seen anything that mentioned The Mist. Could this book be it? Could this be his guide out of this place? Tyraniya.... he had finally got a clue.

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