Akata’s eyes snapped open as he awoke from the dream-like world he was in. As he woke he found himself in a dazed state as he looked around. Suddenly he felt a burning sensation in his chest. Immediately a sharp pain wracked his mind and coursed through his frail body. He grit his teeth to the point they were cracking and oozing blood from his gums. He let out a blood curdling scream as he experienced this heaven defying pain.

The moon hung high in the night sky but was covered by the dark storm-like clouds making the scenery seem much more darker. There was no wind tonight, only the sound of crickets could be heard in the silence. But then the sound of a horrific scream could be heard breaking that peaceful silence. The sound of it started near the outer residences but then echoed throughout the whole sect.

Eventually sect members that were close by were woken up by the horrific screaming that was being unleashed by Akata. Some were curious as to what was happening so they made their way over to his room, but they didn’t get too close. Quite a few decided to keep their distance for fear that something horrible was going on. The rest of the disciples tried to pay the matter no mind as they continued on with their cultivating.

“AHHH!” Akata was still bearing the pain that wracked his whole body. He felt as if his skin was being lacerated one layer at a time, as if his bones were being crushed and reformed over and over again. The pain was immense but he didn’t dare to give in to it. He knew that if he gave into the pain then his life would be over, coupled with the words of the mysterious lady, he didn’t want to find out if it was true so he tried his best to endure.

“ARGH!”

By now the sect’s elders were arriving to assess the situation. When they saw what was happening their faces immediately fell. They had no idea what was going on with Akata. They could see the pain enveloping Akata, his veins bulging out of his body and even some that have already burst inside of his skin. Blood was oozing out of his mouth, ears, and nose. His eyes were bloodshot but still showed with a fierce glow of determination, it had the look of two moons during a lunar eclipse.

“Is it a type of poison?” Fourth Elder asked not sure of what to make of the situation. His eyes were glazed over and a flagon of wine could be seen in his grasp.

“What kind of poison could have effects such as this?” Said Sixth Elder.

“Who would poison him though? Isn’t this our worst disciple? He has no future, there is no reason to assassinate him.” Fifth Elder questioned not sure about what could be happening.

The elders were at a loss of what to do right now. Just as they were about to take him to the medicine hall to attempt to have him treated they heard a sigh. The sigh contained derisiveness and even a hint of disdain could be found within it.

“Seal the area. Nobody disturb him.”

It was only six words but it caused the elders faces to change into one of astonishment. Nobody else could hear the words spoken by the voice, only the elders could. They were clear about who owned the voice and immediately went to work. They instantly sealed the area down and guarded the place making sure nobody got near. They even kept their own distance. They didn’t dare to disobey the orders given to them just now.

“That was the Sect Leader.” Spoken by Fifth Elder.

“This must be serious for us to be given orders.” Fourth Elder immediately went to work setting up a barrier along with Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Elder.

“Four Trigrams Cloud Seal!” The four Elder’s called out in unison. A smoky cloud wafted up from the ground and covered the area, restricting any sort of access to Akata.

With the area sealed down, the sounds of screaming ceased spreading. The disciples were ordered to return to their rooms. Of course what they heard kept them from going to sleep. They tried to ease their minds through meditating but even then some couldn’t calm down. Conversations around the sect instantly rang up and spread out.

“That was Akata wasn’t it?”

“What could be going on with him, and why are the elders keeping it a secret?”

“What does it matter? It’s not like he’s that important anyways, the most he’s known for is being useless.”

Discussions and questions like these were heard everywhere across the sect and were spreading quite fast. Soon two hours past and the whole sect was in a buzz. Of course people such as Xiun Wu and his group didn’t pay attention to any of it.

Time seemed to last for eternity for Akata. His skin was filled with cracks that were spreading and falling off of his body. Sweat and blood covered his robe making it look as if he had just came out of a pool of blood. He was bleeding from all of the orifices on his face causing a bloody look to appear. He was seated in the lotus position with his hands on his knees trying to keep himself together and awake. He let out a scream that echoed out within the barrier, his aura weakening as time proceeded on.

4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours...

The pain was so great that he couldn’t even think to himself anymore. All he had was the willpower to keep enduring. He didn’t know for how long the pain would last or if it would even go away. But he didn’t care, all he wanted to do was keep on living. Nothing else mattered. He just had to pass this hell-like tribulation.

9 hours, 10 hours, 11 hours...

Soon half a day had passed and Akata still endured the pain that was increasing as the hours passed. The pain continued on for a full night. And he endured for a full night. When the morning rays of the sun started shining Akata could feel the pain gradually lessening. He was covered in blood and sweat. His teeth were all shattered, having fell out due to him clenching them so hard and for so long. All of his skin was shredded from his body. He looked like a demon that was the lone survivor of a great war. His eyes slowly opened to reveal that they were bloodshot and clouded but still showed with a resolute light. Although the pain was there it was much much easier to deal with. When it started lessening he felt like hell finally stopped tormenting him. His aura was still in a weak state but it had a different feel to it, almost like it came from a warrior.

The four Elders were all sitting in formation keeping the barrier up to the seal the area. Each elder sat in one of the cardinal directions keeping guard of the area and maintaining the seal. They were waiting patiently to receive their next orders.

“Release the barrier. Bring him to me immediately.”

The elders were meditating when they heard the calm derisive voice again. They opened their eyes simultaneously and each lifted a hand towards the barrier. The barrier started fading away with their movements. Soon a boy of 13 could be seen in the middle of the barrier, sitting cross-legged drenched in blood with no skin or teeth. His robes were dyed red and his aura seemed to contain a warrior’s will.

The boy they once thought to look frail and weak now looked completely different. He looked fierce as if he just came out of a grand war. Even though he looked haggard, his hair was disheveled, and his breathing came in rough gasps, his eyes showed determination. As if nothing could keep him from doing what he wanted.

Fourth Elder instantly appeared in front of Akata. He waved his sleeve toward him and Akata disappeared. Next the elders all went toward the main sect building the Red Cloud Hall. They turned into beams of light as they rushed through the sect.

Even though it took them a few breaths of time to release the barrier, gather Akata, and move off, some disciples caught sight of Akata sitting there.

“Did you see Akata?! He looked like a demon!”

“Yeah like he just came out of a war.”

“What happened in that barrier for him to look so poor?”

Conversations like these sprang up everywhere and soon news spread of Akata. All the disciples were soon discussing the events that just happened.

It must be known that even though the Red Cloud Sect has existed for a thousand years, it’s not that strong or big. Only about a few hundred people were apart of the sect. In fact only about a thousand or so people lived in Purple Sky City. Let alone the sect, pretty much everybody knew each other in the city no matter what rank you had. Even the elders knew some of the ordinary people who lived throughout the city even though they were just regular mortals.

As word was spreading of the great ordeal Akata went through, the elders arrived at Red Cloud Hall. This was the most grand building in the sect. Although it was grand it wasn’t majestic in a royal sense or awe-inspiring. It stood three stories high. The walls were made of gray stone and the floors made of gray wood. The opposite of the rooms for the disciples. The door was made of a dark wood and looked imposing as if it didn’t want you to pass through, then you had to turn around and give up going through.

The Elders walked into the hall. The space inside was huge. When you walked in you were greeted with a red carpet that led to the throne. On either side of the carpet there were statues of people bowing in worship and reverence toward the throne. It made the Sect Leader who sat there look as if they controlled and stood on top of the world. Behind the throne could be seen the sect’s symbol, it was a red cloud with a single bolt of black lightning coming out, but instead of the lightning aiming towards the ground it was heading in the air, as if it were attacking the heavens! It looked like the image of a bizarre thunderstorm that was placed upside down. The defiant symbol could be seen on the banner behind the hall’s throne. This symbol was worn and torn as if it had met with war and battled to see victory.

Fourth Elder walked toward the throne clasped hands and gave a respectful bow. The other Elders followed suit and did the same as Fourth Elder. They stayed bowed even as the Sect Leader spoke.

“Release him.”

Fourth Elder swished his sleeve and Akata appeared in front of him still bloodied, skinless, and toothless. The pain wasn’t completely gone so even as he was being moved he kept on enduring not daring to give up. He had closed his eyes again to focus more on enduring the pain. Even though his eyes were closed they still glowed with determination and did not falter for even a single breath. When Akata made his appearance in the hall he continued to meditate. He didn’t even notice that he was carried away from his room and that he was in front of the Sect Leader.

“Leave.”

It wasn’t until then that the elders stopped bowing. Even Fourth Elder didn’t stop bowing when he released Akata. They immediately turned to leave from the hall, after they left the building the dark hall door instantly closed up, causing a barrier to spring up around the building.

The Sect Leader didn’t do anything when they left. Just simply watched Akata as he endured the pain. The expressionless face of the Sect Leader made it so that reading it was pretty much useless.