Chapter 21 – The Strange Shadow

“You…”

Seeing the surprise in Aiden and Lia faces, the shadow snickered and spoke sarcastically.

“You almost don’t make it lads…”

Aiden and Lia only nodded stupefied.

“Well, it is normal for you to be surprised” Continued the shadow. “This is not every day you get to see someone so strong like me in action.”

Hearing the playful tone in the voice, Aiden finally recovered somehow his composure and bowed.

“I thank senior for saving our lives!”

“Senior? Me? Oh right, I certainly am your senior!”

Seeing the dumbfounded expression of Aiden, the shadow could no help but laugh uncontrollably and speak.

“Hahahaha! Don’t worry about it, young man! I only did it on passing!”

Aiden could only smile awkwardly seeing the shadow behavior.

“Ugh!”

Hearing a grunt of pain, Aiden turned his head only to see Lia painfully holding her head.

“Are you fine Lia!?”

“… Don’t worry young master, only a bit of pain…”

“But you…”

Seeing the state of Lia Aiden could no help but worry about something happening to her due to the injuries sustained in battle. However, his preoccupations only increasing after the shadow spoke.

“If I were you girl, I wouldn’t use that power of yours constantly. Though I’m not sure what it is, I could see it is very violent and full of danger.”

When Aiden heard the words of the shadow, he looked towards Lia and asked worriedly.

“You used it again, Lia?”

Lia did not respond.

Aiden immediately knew it was true. He felt a strong pain inside knowing that she was forced to use it because of his inability.

“Don’t worry young man. Though she tried using it, I was able to stop her before the transformation was successful. Though even so, she suffered a few side effects.”

Hearing the shadow explanation, Aiden sighed in relief. Then, calming his emotions, Aiden asked the shadow.

“Senior, you know what is happening to her?”

Pausing for a moment, the shadow thought briefly and then spoke.

“Unfortunately no. Though I know it is a kind of metamorphosis, I could not understand the reason or source. As I said, the only thing I know is that it is dangerous for her.”

Aiden sighed dejectedly hearing it and proceeded to help Lia.

A few minutes later Lia finally calmed down, though her expression was tired yet. As for the shadow, for some reason, he remained silent waiting beside them.

After helping Lia, Aiden could not suppress his curiosity anymore and decided to ask.

“Senior, were you observing the fight from the beginning?”

“Yes. In truth, I had been following you guys from the night the girl went on a rampage. I only planned to observe you two for a bit and understand the reason behind her changes, though at the end I could not help but intervene seeing you two in danger.”

Aiden thought the words of the shadow for a moment before asking again.

“I’m not sure but, had we meet before? I feel like if I know senior from another place.”

“Yes, I feel it too.” Lia unexpectedly also spoke using a feeble voice.

“Well, I could not tell you about it.” The shadow answered.

Seeing the shadow being reluctant to answer, Aiden decided to change the conversation.

“Then can senior at least give his name? I want to know who is the one that rescued us?”

“Umm. I guess I can. Call me Han.”

“Many thanks then senior Han.”

“Don’t thank me. After all, it was something that I must do. After all, it is dangerous to leave a seed of calamity alone. Much more if the seed had already gained a little bit of consciousness.”

Surprised by the words of Han, Aiden asked curiously.

“Senior Han, do you know what that is? Why is something so dangerous here?”

Thinking for a moment, the shadow Han spoke.

“It´s called seed of calamity… Umm, it’s better if you don’t know about its origins seeing you are so weak but I can tell you that it’s very dangerous. It’s no something a pair of core-forming youths can fight against, though this one is incomplete so perhaps you were able to be so near because of it.

“The reason because there is one here is probably an accident. If I’m not wrong, a part of it fell here after the main body was destroyed and it tried control a few beasts so they can help it to reunite resources to recover its strength.”

“Hold on.” Interrupted Aiden surprised. “Is senior saying that the one controlling the beasts was the stone from the beginning?”

“Hahahaha, surprised? Seeds of calamity are a type of entity with a low-level conscience. When one appears in a place they instinctively gather the demonic beasts in the surroundings and control them to cause destruction and help it to search for a host. If I’m not wrong, the reason because it was interested in your girl, was to use her like the host and recover its power quickly.”

Hearing the words of the shadow, Aiden could not help but go pale in realization.

“Then, the attack that night…”

“Yes, it was ordered for it.” Han paused for a moment a looked the bodies in the surroundings. “It probably noticed your strength and thought in bringing you two to test if any of you was adequate to be the host.”

When Aiden heard it, he could not help but to be frightened.

To think a rock is able of such planning…

Wait, doesn’t it mean that its goal from the beginning was to get us close enough to test if we were suitable hosts… If it even planned about today events, then it is truly frightening.

Marveling about the capacity of the seed of calamity Aiden felt lucky of being able to survive an encounter with it.

Seeing that Aiden understood everything the shadow spoke again.

“Well, I think I will left. I will take with me the seed of calamity lad; it’s not something you can have. About the other things, you look very interested in the sealed soul, so I will leave it to you.”

“Oh right.” Throwing toward Aiden the strange amulet with the sword engraved him saw at the beginning the shadow continued. “That amulet is probably part of a treasure. Though it probably doesn’t have much spirituality left, perhaps you can find a use for it. Who knows, maybe it is an unrivaled treasure.”

Catching the amulet thrown for the shadow, Aiden grabbed it tightly. Looking towards the shadow, Aiden saw him disappear strangely.

Aiden thanked it again in his mind before guarding the amulet in his pouch like a memento. Then, looking toward Lia, Aiden noted she fell asleep in some part of the conversation.

Giving her a piggyback carefully to not wake her up, Aiden walked towards the sealed soul in the ground and grabbed it with his right hand,

Holding it tightly, Aiden could not help but think about all the troubles him had to get it and sighed tiredly before smiling.

With an expression of satisfaction, Aiden observed carefully the small tiger in the interior and thought about how it is the key for him to get a spirit. Immediately, his expression was replaced by an excited one.

Finally, the mission ended.

Finally, he got a sealed soul.

Finally, he can begin to change his fate.