Chapter 24 – Who am I?

Ever since the Yuba calamity, Kane was blinded by a desire; he yearned for strength, he wished for revenge! As long as his actions conformed with his moral values, he was willing to do anything to satisfy this very desire.

When he learned from Marcus that someone had locked away his power, the first thought that crossed his mind was how to get rid of this technique. For him, it was another obstacle along his path of becoming a strong combatant. However, this feeling only lasted for a moment, as new thoughts emerged, completely throwing his mind into confusion.

Kane continued to glance sorrowfully at his right hand, “Master, I don’t understand. Wasn’t I supposed to be a powerless human that lived on planet Yuba? I can make myself believe that I had survived the calamity of planet Yuba by some sort of luck. Even back then at the arena, when I learned that I had a cultivation base, I found it strange, but I didn’t give it much thought, because you said it was very weak when compared to other fighters.”

“But… having my cultivation base sealed by a powerful fighter? This shouldn’t have occurred… this doesn’t make any sense at all!”

Marcus remained serious and slowly itched his head, then suggested, “I can only think of one possible scenario. Having these techniques placed on you confirms that you weren’t born on planet Yuba. You`re definitely a born fighter, and someone hid you on planet Yuba, for an unknown reason. This very individual then sealed away your powers, so that nobody would notice you`re different than the inhabitants of planet Yuba.”

“And from what I can see, the person that performed the dimensional lock and the dimensional protection technique is one and the same. I am sure this very person wanted to protect you!”

Kane remained thoughtful and his eyes all chocked up, then he clinched his fists and stubbornly responded, “No… it can’t be that case! I am sure… I am definitely sure! I know my father more than anyone else, and he would have never lied to me! I am the child of James and Elena Barker! I was definitely born on planet Yuba! I can’t be anyone else!!!”

Marcus remained serious and replied, “Then try to explain to me the appearance of these two dimensional techniques on your body? Or try to explain to me why you have an active cultivation centre, when your parents didn’t?!”

Kane responded with a slightly angry expression, as tears began falling down on his cheeks.

“These… before the calamity of planet Yuba I had never seen or met any human beings that had a cultivation centre! I don’t know from where these techniques could have come from!!! As for my cultivation centre…”

Marcus replied solemnly, “Kane… you have to face and accept reality…”

“Shut up!!! I`ve already told you! I am the son of James and Elena Barker! There is probably a reason for all this! Something that I am not yet aware!!” Kane shouted in tears, as he turned around and hurried his pace away.

Marcus was startled, “Where are you going?”

Kane kept his pace and replied without bothering to turn around, “I wish to spend some time alone...”

Marcus frowned, but he understood how Kane was probably feeling, so he let him go.

In the meantime, Kane started climbing a small hill, then rested himself under a tree, which was similar in appearance to the oak tree of Hillfort Village. He then turned his gaze to sky and asked in tears, “What`s the meaning of all this? How was I born with an active cultivation centre? And why would a very powerful fighter lock away this very power? Am I really Kane Barker…?” He remained staring lifelessly, asking him to himself, “Who am I?”

His thoughts blinded his mind. Then he reminisced about a particular memory, during the time when he was still a child living in the Barker`s Household.

…

…

“Papa! Papa! What are you going to show me?! Is it a new toy?” The excited young Kane circled his father whilst pulling him from his trousers.

“Haha Patience Kane! Patience Kane!” His father laughed out. “And stop pulling my trousers! I almost lost balance because of your pulling haha!”

Kane`s joyful eyes shone with anticipation, as he followed his father until they arrived before a large wooden door. His father took out a bunch of keys, and one by one he patiently tested them inside the large bronze lock of the door. “Oh dear… I forgot which one of these is the right Key!”

Kane kept staring in anticipation towards the keys; his heart felt like pulling out from his body with the excitement!

CRACK~~

“Finally, here you are troublesome key,” James laughed softly, whilst he slowly opened the door.

Inside there was a large room. The walls of the room were covered by red decorative draperies, with gold designs engraved on them. The room had six ornamental pillars, three on each side. A large amount of gold and treasuries laid neatly around the room, and everything was organised and in place. The room also had eight large long vertical windows, and the light that sneaked inside made the treasuries shine with brilliance.

The youthful Kane was instantly left captivated by this scene, as he turned his gaze towards his father in curiosity.

“This is the treasury of our Barker family. The wealth that our family accumulated for all these years is stored in here,” James explained.

Both of them kept walking, until they arrived in front of the opposite wall, where on it hanged three large portraits. Kane looked at the first portrait and enquiringly uttered, “Who is this man?”

The portrait showed a middle-aged man, who was riding a horse, whilst holding a lance in his left hand. The man was short and had a funny curly moustache. By the looks alone, one could easily conclude that this person was a strict military officer.

James smiled and replied, “That is your grandfather, Paul Barker. He was a very well-known mayor and military general, and he had fought and obtained numerous victories during his time with the army. Unfortunately, the same battles he so loved and which were the source of his success, were also the reason of his demise.”

James then moved towards the next portal. Here there was a middle-aged woman, she was very tall with an elegant posture, and had a penetrative smile on her face.

“And… this is your grandmother, Mary Barker. She was a kind-hearted woman, and always tried her best to help all those who were in need. She was greatly respected by the people of this village, and everyone admired her.”

James voice then turned solemn, “She fell ill around 20 years before you were born Kane, and after 5 years of struggles, she had finally lost her final battle.”

“To this day, I still miss her a lot…” James finished his speech with a sad tone.

He then moved towards the last portrait, whilst asking, “Kane, do you know who this wonderful woman is?”

Kane turned his face and instantly locked his eyes on the portrait. There was the image of a young woman sitting smartly on a brown chair. Her skin was snow white, her penetrative eyes brown. She was wearing black noble cloths, which complimented well with her long black hair. By looking at the portrait, it was very difficult to tell if she was smiling or if she was serious; it was actually impossible to read her expression at all.

James then grabbed Kane, holding him tightly within his arms, so that he could have a better view of the portrait. Then James softly uttered, “This beautiful woman is your mother, Elena Barker.”

James paused for a breath as tears welled up in his eyes, “Kane, do you agree that your mum was and still is very beautiful?”

Little Kane was emotionally surprised. This was his first time that he ever saw a portrait of his mother. “Mummy?” Kane asked innocently, then began crying with joy and sadness, whilst he rubbed his eyes and said, “Mummy… so beautiful… mummy I love you!” He remained staring at her for a while, then asked “Mummy… why did you leave us?!”

James then tenderly hugged Kane and softly uttered, “Kane, there are times where things in life doesn’t go the way we want them. Likewise, I miss your mother but there is nothing we can do….”

He then cuddled him and promised, “There are two memories of your mother left for me. One is an amulet that your mum always carried with her. She had told me it was her lucky charm. The other memory is you Kane. As long as I am still alive, I promise you that I will be protecting you. In you runs the blood of the barker household, and the blood of my wife! I will never allow any harm to befall you!”

Little Kane instantly felt better, whilst enjoying his father`s warm embrace, as both of them remained staring at the portrait of Elena.

…

…

Kane had finally snapped out from his daydream. “There is no way my father would have ever lied to me….” He remained motionless, looking at the two red stars. “Could it be… that I was the first human of planet Yuba who managed to unlock the power of the cultivation centre? Could it be that I was the first successful experiment?” Kane pondered for a moment, “But who could have sealed my powers?

He contemplated for some time, but then he let out a sigh and surrendered himself, “It is useless speculating, whoever I am, it doesn’t really matter at this time. What matters now is that I need to become strong!”

“I shouldn’t let myself be consumed about this mysterious person that sealed my powers, or about who I really am. The truth will eventually surface out alone.”

He smiled and was finally able to relax, “I am beginning to feel excited about the prospect of attending an academy. I wonder what kind of an experience…”

During all this time, Marcus was presently sitting cross-legged on the floor, whilst he observed the lonely Kane from distance.

Marcus then seemed to have remembered something. He took out a small device, powered by a red crystal. He pressed his finger on the crystal, forming a small dimensional portal. He then shouted inside the portal, “Is everything fine in there?”

However, he received no answer.

Marcus made a funny irritated face and shouted again, “Valentina!? I know you are hearing me! Is everything fine in there?!”

After a while, a girlish voice rang out from the device. “Yes! I am busy training as you should know! Everything is fine in here! Actually, now that I heard your voice, my stomach aches! So I am not fine anymore! Hmmmpp!”

Marcus frowned funnily, “You should show more respect to your only uncle…”

Valentina replied, “Bleh Bleh! Trying to make me feel sorry for you isn’t going to work!”

The voice paused for a breath, then it rang out again, “By the way, are you still training that kid?”

Marcus instantly replied, “I was, but we stopped now. I will let him heal his wounds, then I am going to enlist him to an academy. Oh… and since when you are interested in this kid? I thought you didn’t want to reveal yourself to him?”

Valentina replied stubbornly, “Hmmppph! I am just enquiring that`s all! You know I am busy with my training! Besides, what good would it have done if I came out? He wouldn’t have been able to focus on his training, because he would have been distracted by my sexy body!”

Marcus made a stupid face, then prepared to close the portal, “His coming back, we will talk later…”

Marcus closed the portal and put away his device, then he stood up and faced Kane.

“Feeling better Kane?” Marcus asked curiously.

“A lot better. Apologies for that earlier emotional burst, I lost control there hehe…” Kane shook his head a little embarrassed.

Marcus replied, “Haha, great to see that you have calmed yourself down!”

Kane nodded and replied, “What are we going to do now. Are you going to enlist me to an academy, or you are going to take me to see the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch?”

Marcus smiled and uttered, “Both.”

Kane responded, “Both? Do we have enough time?”

“No we lack time, but that can be easily solved. Instead of nominating you to the academy of this planet, I am going to nominate you for the Royal Academy. With my imperial status, they will not be able to refuse you!” Marcus proudly announced.

“Royal Academy?” Kane promptly questioned.

“The Royal Academy is the most prestigious academy of the Eastern Galactic Sector. Only the most gifted individuals are allowed to attend, and they all generally hail from the major clans!”

“The academy is under the direct jurisdiction of Pietro Verde. Once he learns that I am the one who recommended you, there is no doubt he will summon you to personally meet you!” Marcus kept boasting.

Kane appeared startled, “You know the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch?”

“Of course I do, we are both from the same clan, and we have been together in the same academy class in the past too!” Marcus confirmed, then continued, “We are done with the training. During the coming days make sure you rest yourself well.”

Kane nodded in agreement, then he sat down and inwardly thought, “Kane Barker… fellow student of the Royal Academy. On second thoughts, it doesn’t sound that bad!”