88. Like a dragon soaring in the skies

Fortunately, neither Yana nor her nephew seemed to have suffered from the lightning. The old lady had barely sensed the electricity from the living room; as for Wisdom… he was still as mute and irresponsive as before, and according to Yana, there was nothing wrong with him. Anyway, things could have gone really bad if Styzz hadn’t absorbed most of the electric shock, concentrating it within the meditation hall. I had still been shaken to the core—apparently, undeads were even more sensitive to electricity than humans—but I was fine now. Ray’s order had been more troublesome to deal with, but as a matter of fact, it had probably helped reduce the damages from the electric shock.

I pulled my mask down as I walked out of the Temple of the Holy Wind and took a deep, useless breath. The sky was almost completely blue, and the sun was beating down on the island again. As the others went to retrieve the bikes, I whispered to Ray:

“Did Yi’s soul really return to the gods?”

That was what Yamazaki had told the old lady. Ray frowned slightly.

“I bet Yamazaki, as a disciple of Mount Hua, thinks we did a terrible job and utterly destroyed Yi’s soul… so he hid it from Yana out of consideration or maybe shame. However…” He shrugged and added mentally: ‘Most serious studies about the matter, even a few made by non-necromancers, say that there is no proof whatsoever that there is a real difference between using the soul releasing technique of the dark arts regulators and the option of just destroying the core. With both methods, once out of its core, the soul loses its cohesiveness and its energy scatters. Who knows whether the soul is destroyed or returns to the Crystals in that new shape. That is a matter of beliefs.’

I looked at him, wondering if he had felt anything when he destroyed the temple’s core. It was an undead core, after all, just like mine, yet he hadn’t hesitated a second to put an end to Yi’s desperation. It was both upsetting and amazing, in a way.

As Ray raised an eyebrow, I lowered my eyes to the package I was carrying. Inside was a big stone we—or more like Yamazaki—had found in the inner courtyard, among other decorative stones enclosing the blue flowers. It looked like a perfectly ordinary stone, and yet, the instructor was positive that it contained the binder item, the “master” that had been maintaining the dark core alive…

Approaching with his bike and mine, Zeeta looked at the package, too, and commented:

“Yamazaki was making a funny face when he found it, don’t you think?”

“Actually, he was,” I agreed. “As if he had seen a ghost or something.”

“Maybe there is one in it,” Noah suggested, walking over. “Maybe it has already cursed your soul, stupidstar.”

The mere thought made me look at him in horror, then I thought that an undead soul couldn’t be cursed further, and I smirked.

“Heh. My soul’s too perfect for that.”

Noah laughed.

“They do say idiots cannot be cursed!”

“If that was true, curses wouldn’t exist in this world,” Axel threw at us casually. He got on his bike and helped Curry up before saying: “The instructor is taking too long to come out. I’m off.”

What? Where was he going? His foot was about to push the pedal, but then he stopped as if remembering something.

“Ah, right. I thought his hatred was genuine, but in the end, there was just that stupid, infuriating regret. I don’t know what exactly it was about, but I hate it when people use hatred to hide their shame. Hatred is a pure emotion that should not be defiled. So, Ray Styxer,” Axel turned his head to the young necromancer, “thanks for shortening this stupid farce. If you were as skillful at handling your power, I may not be hating you so much. Oh, also, if I were you, I wouldn’t lose sight of my pet.”

He began pedaling and soon disappeared down the slope under our astonished eyes. To think there was someone capable of thanking someone and then telling him in the next sentence that he hated him… I could feel Ray’s confusion through our necro-bond. That damn Axel… Not only was he unsettling my master but, despite my hopes, it seemed that he liked to be as annoyingly eloquent as his twin brother.

“Wait, was he threatening your cat?” Styzz growled. I smiled at his indignant face. Obviously, Axel had been talking about me. As for whether it was a threat or a warning… I had no idea.

“What a scary fellow,” Eder said, a bit pale. “As expected of the Sunclaw family. Do you know him well?”

Ray shrugged.

“Not really. We’re just acquaintances.”

“Your acquaintance hates you rather deeply,” Noah scoffed.

“… Hmm. So it seems.” It was obviously a one-sided hatred, though.

Noah pouted.

“Well, anyway, good riddance. That guy is way worse than his twin. But was it me or did he thank you captain for what Styzz did?”

Geez… Under Styzz’s, Eder’s, and Noah’s eyes, Ray was growing uneasy. I hastened to alter the subject with a burst of inspiration:

“Well, thanking people is good, anyway! I remember, back in middle school, I spent a week thanking people with some friends. At first, it was fun, people were smiling and all, but then… we began thanking people for being fat, ugly, stupid, and the like.”

“And he call me a bully…” Noah snorted.

“Kids are scary, it’s not my fault,” I protested. “Anyway, we completed our first job, and I’m the captain for today, so it’s my duty to thank you guys. Thank you, Styzz, for protecting us. And thank you, Eder, for protecting Ray and Zeeta with your power. You were like real Heros! I mean it.”

The European cringed a bit, as if startled by my thanks. Styzz smiled smugly under his umbrella and replied:

“Thanks. I still have a long way to go.”

“What about me?” Noah protested.

“… Er… You did well, Noah, you did well.”

“Why do I feel like a dog being praised?!” he snorted.

“It’s inherent, champ.”

He gave me a kick.

“While we’re at it, thanks for being even more useless than me, crawlingstar.”

“Leaders have the privilege to be useless.”

To my surprise, Noah’s crimson eyes gleamed with a mix of irony and defiance when he said:

“Leaders can be overthrown.”

He moved his hand, probably to tease me and push my head down in a friendly manner. Faster than I was to back down, Zeeta stepped in.

“You bastard. Don’t you even dare touch the Straw Hea—”

He had intended to push Noah back, but Noah’s crimson fire suddenly ignited, and not only his shove lost all its effect but he collapsed. Instead of helping him, Noah stepped back with a pout.

“You flip out so easily, Hoodie.”

“Zeeta! You all right?” I worried.

Trembling on his knees, Zeeta hit the muddy ground with his fist, frustrated. I glared at Noah, who growled:

“What? He was the one who attacked me.”

I couldn’t deny that. Still… I smiled politely.

“If you don’t mind, next time, couldn’t you fight it out with your fists?”

Noah stared at me, bewildered.

“Hah? Why should I fight like a hooligan when I can get over with it in a second?”

“W-Well…”

“Besides, it’s kinda stupid of him, but that guy got pissed for your sake. Do you really want me to smash his face in?”

“Actually, no.”

“Straw Head, don’t think he’ll win so easily,” Zeeta protested. He got to his feet, his fists still clenched. “His power is nothing. I’ll get him for good this time.”

“…?! Wait, Zeeta! Why?!”

Too focused to listen to me, he lunged at Noah again. I had forgotten I was carrying the package with the stone: I miscalculated my center of gravity and recovered my balance at the very last moment. When I raised my eyes again, Noah had stopped Zeeta’s punches and was holding his both fists in his palms. It seemed he did so with ease. I was surprised. Even though Zeeta might have been less skilled, his experience as a street fighter was genuine. The Champ tsked.

“See? I don’t even need my power to stop you. It’s not your fault. You just didn’t undergo the training I did at the Champion Institute. I can strengthen my body with qi. You cannot. Come to think of it, how did you even get accepted into this training? Well, whatever. I don’t like people stronger than me so… be glad you’re weaker.”

“…”

What had gotten into Zeeta? He had always been short-tempered, but usually, when he met people stronger than him, he preferred to just walk away. Being humiliated like that wasn’t his style.

The Champ frowned.

“Getting angry for your friends is cool, but,” he let him go, “overdoing it is rather uncool. Don’t you think you’re embarrassing the stupidstar?”

Zeeta widened his eyes. Then we heard voices behind, and I turned to see Yamazaki come out of the temple accompanied by the old lady.

“Want to help your friend, Hoodie? Well, start helping him ride a bike!”

I turned to see Noah ride off on my tricycle. My tricycle. No way. That bastard… Was he for real?

Zeeta snarled.

“I’ll kill him, I swear!” He rushed behind Noah down the slope on his bike. “Stop right there, you bastard!”

“Don’t wanna! Woohoo, so fast!”

“You’re gonna kill yourself if you don’t brake! Brake or I’ll kill you!”

“Like hell I’ll brake, hahaha!”

Styzz adjusted his umbrella and grumbled to himself:

“There are so many responsibilities on a person’s mind when they’re babysitting a pair of idiots.”

He set off on his bike rather fast. Somehow, at that moment, he looked a bit like a hero. At the end of the day, maybe he was the only one among us fit to be one.

“Oh,” Yamazaki commented. “I am happy to see that my trainees are so impatient to go write their report. In any case, venerable lady, I swear on my honor that the Grandmaster will get… er… your present.”

“Please convey my sincerest apologies to him. We even thought of selling it to solve our problems… but, in the end, my husband couldn’t bring himself to do that.”

“He was a righteous man indeed. The Mount Hua Sect will be eternally grateful for what he did.”

“On the contrary, I bet the elders of the sect will blame him for hiding a treasure he didn’t deserve.”

A treasure? Yana had given Yamazaki a treasure of the Mount Hua Sect? The instructor glanced at Ray, Eder, and me and grimaced slightly.

“I am sure they won’t, venerable lady. After all… your husband was a descendant of the Grandmaster’s first disciple. As soon as I inform my superiors, they will most likely see that your family does not suffer ever again.”

The old lady gave him a dry look.

“You saved my husband’s soul, and I am thankful for that. I have paid you with the Immortal Plum Flower, which everyone but we thought lost forever. Now we’re even. Your sect has no obligation towards my family nor my family owes you anything. I am certain that Yi’s soul will rest in peace if we leave it at that.”

Yamazaki paused, bowed to her, and said:

“So be it, ma’am. We might meet again. We’ll be leaving now.”

Yana’s face softened.

“Please drop by any time. Be safe on your way back.”

Yamazaki went to take his bike, took a last glance at the Noipanua dog at the entrance, then turned to us:

“What are you doing, you three? Let’s go down. Ah, Armen, the binder item is most likely inside the stone you’re carrying. I’ll examine it carefully later, so don’t drop the stone. If it breaks, the item might break, too.”

“Ah… Yes, sir.”

“It might even explode.”

“What?!”

Yamazaki’s lips went up slightly. Ah. He was just kidding. Right?

“Relax, boy. It is just a possibility. Let’s go.”

I was still staring at my package with intent when the instructor left, followed by Eder. I grumbled.

“Not only I can’t bike but he’s asking me to ride with a stone on one arm? ”

“I’ll get you a bag, young man,” the old lady intervened.

She disappeared into the house and quickly returned with a simple shoulder bag. I was moved.

“Thank you, grandma Yana!”

She blinked, looking more than surprised.

“How do you know my name, boy?”

Oh. Now that I thought about it, I had only heard her name through Yi’s words. Which reminded me we had something to tell her. I exchanged a look with Ray, we nodded, and I answered:

“Actually… you lied to us, didn’t you, grandma Yana?”

Wisdom, her nephew, peeped out of the main door. The old lady’s eyes glared.

“I lied? What do you mean?”

Ray cleared his throat.

“Yi didn’t poison himself because of the Sunbrick Company. He did despise them for what they did, but his real despair was caused by someone else.”

Yana’s eyebrows furrowed and trembled.

“What… What are you implying? Are you saying I poisoned my husband? You insolent brats—”

“No. Sorry, but that’s not what I meant. Yi did poison himself, but he did because he was going to die anyway. He struck a deal with a powerful dark arts user who, for some reason, wanted a part of his soul. He let a stranger lethally wound his soul to pay for his debts and help you recover from your illness. When you discovered it, your shame most likely prevented you from saying the truth to anyone. Isn’t that right, ma’am?”

There was a long silence. Wisdom approached and laid a comforting hand on his aunt’s shoulder. His eyes were as serene as before. Finally, Yana let out a heavy sigh.

“How do you know all that?”

“Yi talked to us before the last remains of his soul departed. For some reason, it seems that only my friend and I heard him. He said he regretted what he did and… he said he trusted that you would take good care of yourself before you two are reunited in the Holy Lake.”

At Ray’s words, I raised an eyebrow, surprised. Did Yi say anything like that? Well, I had a bad memory, so…

Although Yana’s face was still stern, tears started flowing from her eyes. Wisdom, too, started crying silently. Ray and I looked at each other. It was a good thing to have let them know, right? Well, it seemed so to me. Those were tears of relief and sweet sadness, not despaired tears.

“Thank you.”

Ray and I bowed our heads at Yana’s words. After a respectful silence, my friend added:

“Of course, we won’t say anything about the mistake your husband made, but… I am curious about who that dark arts user was.”

Yana took a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped off her tears before answering:

“Believe me, I’d like to know, too. Who, or rather, what it was… All I know is what my husband told me. A devil came to the temple at night, when he was meditating alone. It was a woman in appearance, but her aura was not human, and her eyes were white like milk. She called herself Sad, but that’s obviously not her name. She told him she was seeking the shell of a eudaemonic soul to save her child.”

A eudaewhat? She glanced at his nephew before walking slowly to the Noipanua dog, saying:

“It took Yi several months to finally open up to me about it. His body was losing its strength, and I was desperate to call a special doctor, but he then confessed and forbid me to call for help. It was like seeing a lake of serenity turn into a tornado of horror. Despite his fortitude in a lot of aspects, he has always been a bit weak, within. I knew it, yet I wasn’t there to support him when he needed me most. Once he lost the shell of his soul… it felt like a fatal descent to hell.” She grazed the flat pedestal of the statue. Her hand trembled a little as she remembered her past. “Though his body wasn’t suffering, his soul was. Oh, it was. He began losing memories. At one point, he became unable to talk, or walk, or even eat by himself. I still don’t know how he managed to poison himself in that state, but… he did.”

Wisdom nodded silently. Ray was lost in thought. I swallowed, uneasy, and muttered:

“To condemn someone to such a fate… That devil Sad must be one of the worst devils on Earth.”

The old lady of the temple looked at me, pensive.

“The Earth is wider than you seem to think it is, young man. I am sure there are bigger devils than that. Humans that don’t ask for deals before tearing your existence to pieces. Monsters full of ignorance that do not even try to understand anything about life. But the ugliest devils of all, young man, are those who dwell in the soul.”

Her light eyes gleamed with intensity while those of Wisdom smiled. As if hearing his thoughts, Yana’s face brightened in turn, and she added:

“However simplistic it sounds, a soul is made of light and shadows. Life is the constant dance between both. Sometimes one loses sight of the shadows and gets caught in them. That is why…”

She pointed at the entrance of the temple. Above the door, there was a quotation carved on wood. I could read:

«Bath in the light, and keep an eye on the wolf behind.»

Oh. I smiled.

“It’s like the false-pharos. They’re mollusks that live in big shells and emit light to lure their prey.”

Ray, Yana, and even Wisdom let out a soft snort. Were they laughing? Ah…

“Sorry, grandma Yana, I didn’t want to compare your sentence to some mollusks! I just…”

I fell silent when Wisdom patted my head with unmistakable affection. That caught me by surprise. He raised the forefinger and walked into the temple. We were a bit confused.

“Well…” Ray glanced at our bikes. “Our instructor might be wondering what we are doing—”

“Please wait. I think Wisdom wants to give you something.”

Did he? We waited for some time in silence, not knowing what to say. Then:

“By any chance, are you looking for that devil that tricked my husband?”

I raised my eyebrows and turned to Ray. Were we? My master shook his head.

“I don’t know yet.”

He didn’t know? Why would Ray be interested in an evil necromancer? He certainly wasn’t the type to help others satisfy their own revenge.

“… My nephew is coming back.”

Wisdom calmly approached and handed me a leather-bound book. It was entitled «A Thousand Paths to the Heaven, by Allen Dravnier».

“Allen Dravnier is one of Yi’s ancestors,” Yana explained, “and the man who first decided to break bonds with the Mount Hua Sect. This is a book he wrote for his disciples, apparently to help them reach enlightenment. It was Yi’s favorite book. And Wisdom’s.”

“…!”

“Oh, but don’t worry. We have quite a few copies left in the temple.”

I opened it. It was made of verses. The first verse was:

«I live like a dragon soaring in the skies.»

Somehow, those simple words resonated with me. I had expected a technique book of philosophy with intricate phrasing, but… it was actually poetry. I smiled. Big words like “enlightenment” had always turned me off a little bit, but if getting enlightened meant reading beautiful, simple verses then… it seemed like a good way to have fun.

Before closing the book, I couldn’t help but read at least the next verse:

«I am the wind that listens to the singing silence.»

I met Wisdom’s eyes and grinned happily.

“I think I’ll like it. Thanks.”

The broad smile he returned was one of the most memorable I had ever seen.