Nathaniel POV

Fuck.

A massive headache greeted me as I regained consciousness. I reached to grab my temples, but discovered I couldn't move. It felt like my body was there, but not there at the same time. I couldn't open my eyes. All I could sense was darkness. Surrounding me, enveloping me in its cold embrace. Actually, it felt like I was lying in water. My clothes didn't feel wet, but the water was definitely there, surrounding me. Judging from the highest point I could feel it from, it was probably four to five centimeters deep.

What had happened? The last thing I remembered was reading on my status screen xetral poisoning and . . . . . . . lightning.

I was alive, that's for sure. While I couldn't move my body, I still could use my mind.

Wait . . . why is everything getting darker?

Why does my mind feel so heavy?

Why not just relax and sleep?

Why am I trying so hard to stay awake?

Who am I trying to prove here?

Who am I?

...

...

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|Acutalis Sanctuary|

Lufis POV

Lodged in the side of the mountains, the Acutalis Sanctuary was a jaw-dropping sight. Actually on two different mountains across from each other, the tan brown stone arches and buildings created over the centuries glinted with the splendor of the rising sun. Carved into the stone, the Sanctuary stood out amidst the other misty mountains, with there stone peaks held high in the distance. Farther out, the snow peaks of the Northern Acutalis Mountains could be seen, crowning the dawn.

As the only kid, I was kindly escorted out of the room by an elderly monk when the adults started talking about the situation, while Nathaniel was taken into the Inner Sanctuary. Taking me outside, the elderly monk handed me a wooden ball and then walked off humming, leaving me completely unsupervised.

Setting the ball on the floor, I sat with my legs over the edge, dangling over the edge of the mountain. With nothing else to do, I stared out into the distance. I had known that the world was big from reading my books, but it is a whole nother experience seeing it in person. It really blows you away how small you really are.

As I watched the horizon, a monk walked by. Out of curiosity, I asked the monk about the mountains history and purpose, and he gave me a brief explanation.

The mountain I was currently on was called Xinshan. The newest part of the Acutalis Sanctuary, it was built because of the crowded conditions due to the sheer number monks. This mountain features four natural hot springs and several dining halls with accompanying kitchens. I wasn't surprised about the number of dining halls after seeing Monk Crinitus' girth. Crops and cattle were kept in underground greenhouses with lush grass and natural skylights. Visitors are only allowed on the Xinshan mountain, which had the path that lead toward Camiare's northern border.

The second mountain across from me is called Yushan. This was the original mountain that the Acutalis Monks lived on, until they started expanding eight hundred years ago. The Inner Sanctuary, a place enriched with rateh, is also a special place where xetral flows more naturally; is located at the heart of the mountain. This is where Nathaniel is currently being attended to by the Elders. It is connected to Xinshan by hundreds of stone bridges, which arc from mountain to mountain, leading to different locations.

However, these stone bridges had no safety. I mean there is no railing at all. Just flat stone in a straight line stretching across a deep chasm. When I asked the same monk about the dangerous bridges, he smiled a toothy grin and replied, "The bridges, called the Nain paths, are a symbol of the path of life. In life, there won't be railing next to you always to catch your fall. You must be firm-footed, taking each step forward with confidence. Control over one's mind and body is essential. Those who think too much and slowly consider each and every step will find themself blown off the road of life, and can only watch helplessly as their life goes spiralling out of control. And I mean this quite literally. If you don't step with confidence on the Nian paths, with control over one's mind and body, you will literally fall off due to the strong wind at this high of an altitude!" The monk then walked off laughing.

According to what the books I read had said about the Nian paths, only till one could walk the Nain paths could they be accepted as an Acutalis monk. It was a rite of initiation of some sorts. To walk the Nain paths, you have to make sure you won't get blown off the straight stone walkway. There were multiple theories discussed in the book, such as condensing the majority of your xetral into your feet so you are heavier, but it sounded dubious to me.

Hearing voices, I watched as three older monks walked down a Nian path toward the building where the adults were. They wore the attire of elders, with long graceful robes that swayed slightly in the wind. I didn't know the wind speed, but I found it fascinating how their clothes only barely moved in the strong winds. Swinging my legs upward, I pushed off the ground with my hands, flipping myself onto my feet. Dusting off, I watched as the monks got closer, until they reached the end of the Nain path and walked onto Xinshan. I was on the walkway on the left side of the square building where the parents were. The Nain path connected right in front of the building Edging myself to the corner of the wall, I listened carefully to try and catch some words of the conversation that was about to happen at the face of the building.

"Mr. and Mrs. Armis, I presume?"

"Yes, Elder, these two here are Mr. and Mrs. Armis."

"On regarding your son, I have some good news. At the moment, his condition is somewhat stable."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He will live. It was a miracle in itself that his body was in one piece. If we had started treatment a minute later, it would have been too late. Nathaniel himself unconsciously helped in the process. His xetral core was keeping his xetral flowing, trying to keep the body alive. Also, his familix played a key role. It protected Nathaniel's mind by disconnecting it from his body and protecting it in his xetral core. If not for his familix, Nathaniel's brain would be worst case vaporized, and his body left a living husk."

I was probably the only one who knew that Nathaniel's familix was the cheetah. While it wasn't as surprising to hear that the legendary spirit saved his life, it still gave me a sense of relief.

"Of course, Nathaniel's body is still far from fully recovered. His xetral currents have been shortwired due to the xetral poisoning, and it will take a long and delicate process to fully repair them."

"Our son . . ."

"Don't worry Beldria, I am sure Nathaniel will be up and walking in no time. The monks of Acutalis are the most renowned healers in the entire world."

"I have one more thing I need to address, and I hope you can bear with me. This is a delicate subject that is not to be trifled with. If need be, we can talk on another day."

The following silence contained the heavy emotions that seemingly radiated in the air from Arthur and Nathaniel's mom.

"Yes, Elder, me and my wife are ready."

"Very well, Mr. and Mrs. Armis. As I told you, Nathaniel's familix separated Nathaniel's mind from his body and stored it in his xetral core. The problem lies in reattaching his mind to his body. That is something we cannot do. His familix was able to do it before, because his body was in a weak position, but to reconnect it he must fight against his own body. We cannot just let his body fall dangerously weak just to reconnect his mind, that would endanger the mind and the body. Simply put, Nathaniel has to reconnect himself with his familix's help. Good news though, while we don't want to weaken the body, we can put it into a deep slumber. This will increase Nathaniel's chances of success, as the body will be less resistant. As long as he is in tune with his xetral circuits and has his familix's help, it should work. But if Nathaniel fails, he will most likely live his life as an empty shell, devoid of all thought and meaning. And then he will die anyway, because he won't be able to create his ."