novelraw Chapter 380 - 379 - Into the Light
Chapter 380 - 379 - Into the Light
The halls and courtyards felt smaller to Lind. He recalled thinking how big the training areas felt when Garnt was first teaching Body Refining Realm to children of the Frey Clan. The once splendidly dark wooden halls decorated in red silk with gold lining now seemed rather mundane.
He shook his head at his change in perspective but let his memories take him back as he saw a little Kor being bullied by the other kids as his older sisters looked on numbly. They had been stuck in a terrible situation but the last he had seen, they were very happy.
Kor had been freed from his oath since Altair no longer existed and started a family. Lind remembered how his older brother wept on his shoulder at being free from that nightmare. It was a moment that lived strongly in Lind's heart.
He saw a mischievous Teyla roping Lind and Teylin into a prank on Granny and the Old Man. As he recalled, both he and Teylin had suffered punishment but Teyla had skipped away as she had not been caught!
He slowed down as he saw a group of young children simply playing. They laughed and seemed to be playing tag or just running around on a swiftly changing roster of teams. The simple joy in the massive open training yard felt like a blessing.
"Uh oh! Senior is here!" A little boy noticed Lind and his powerful aura was impossible to miss as the boys and girls swiftly assumed spaced out positions so they could begin their lessons. Lind felt awkward but as no other adult was walking by, he sighed and took the lead.
"Good afternoon. Show me the first stance!" His harsh tone was clearly expected as they all spread their legs and extended a fist forward while the other was raised above their head. He examined them and frowned.
"You! Tense your left arm and raise it a bit, yes there!" Lind began to correct each of their postures and then had them go through the sequence. Some were very good, but all were slightly off.
They were clearly early in their training. Lind carefully guided them and even found a few gems with his sharp eyes. He had them demonstrate and explain what they felt. It helped the whole class comprehend as one of their own was easier to understand than simple instruction.
"Go through the first sequence!" The children moved through the stances and he increased the speed until sweat was pouring down their tiny brows. He stopped them at that point and had them meditate.
Lind quietly deployed a few formation plates to encourage a tranquil state for them all. He then retreated and found a smiling man with similar features to himself!
"Kor!" Lind was so pleased to see him and noticed his older brother was close to peak Gold Tier. He frowned as he knew both their older sisters and the twins had long become Sky Realms.
As if reading his mind, Kor pointed to one of the children.
Lind turned to see a little girl working hard and she was one of the gems. Her body was recovering faster than others before he realized she had similar features to him! She was his niece!
"I slowed down when she was coming and later I chose to wait until she was in the Soul Realm before continuing. I was getting ready for Diamond Tier when Layla got pregnant. She has already recovered too, thanks to you." Lind was happy and knew a decade would not be bad. Still, it made him pass along a few elixirs for the future.
They talked for a bit until the meditation session was over.
The children were wide eyed as they realized the senior teaching them was not alone!
"I must move on, but my brother is more than capable as you all know! Thank you for allowing me to teach you!" Some were confused but then the little girl that was best in the class stepped forward.
"Thank you, Uncle Lind!" He smiled wide as he patted her head and was about to move on when an idea occurred to him. They all became shocked as his fingers flared with emerald light and then Lind carved sigil after sigil into the very air!
After a short while, the sigils connected and the quality of Qi in the air rose remarkably.
"Use it well!" Kor could only shake his head but waved Lind off before taking over the class. Lind watched for a bit and looking at his brother, they did look remarkably similar in their current ages.
Lind smiled and moved on down the next corridor. A few other training yards were working but he did not interfere as he passed through the various structures. The sharp smell of herbs sometimes hit his nose but the various alchemists of the Clan were hard at work until Lind finally entered the core areas.
The much more lavish areas had grade 2 wood and metal braces compared to the grade 1 in the areas he left behind. It was here that Lind encountered something new. Guards with the violet lotus that marked the Empire forces stood at the inner wall.
Why were Lotus Empire guards in the Frey Clan? He had seen them with his senses before but now he realized there was no corresponding special person to guard. So why were they there?
"What is your business in the core region?" The guard was respectful as Lind had robes much like the rest of the clan but he did not recognize Lind at all. The other guard continued to scan the hall but Lind felt they were quite at home in his clan.
"May I ask why you are here?" Lind had suppressed his aura as he did not want to disturb any crafters that could be working or those in seclusion to cultivate either. A Sky Realm was far above any defense the Frey Clan had.
The guards were suspicious but Lind did not seem to have any weapon nor readying to attack.
"We are part of the squad assigned to safeguard the Frey Clan. The Emperor chose us and we are provided with resources at the end of our term to advance our cultivation." Lind nodded and smiled before producing a medallion from his ring.
The moment the Lotus Medallion appeared, the 2 guards knelt.
"Master Frey, welcome home." Lind had acquired the medallion long ago for his aid to the Lotus Empire but never saw a need to use it. Yet, it was a reconciliation between himself and the Empire.
"Keep up the good work." Lind left 2 vials of elixirs at peak grade 3 for the Iron Tier guards. They gulped at their good fortune and waited until they were sure Lind was gone. Both nodded to keep quiet to the Clan but signaled their fellow guards that Lind Frey had come home.
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She was so tired. The dark room was all she could stand as even the slightest light hurt her weak eyes. Her joints burned despite many pills and a few elixirs. Her body was far away, but she held on.
She did not know why, but she refused to let go of life. Some deep seated desire would not let her rest but sleep was a risk she could not avoid. She still clung to life despite being a drain on her clan. Her daughter and granddaughter were long gone. The former died in tragedy and the latter advanced to the Sky Realm.
Pride flared at the latter thought but she then wondered what she was waiting for. Why did she live in the dark hole of pain she was going through?
So tired and so much pain for what?
She wanted to let go when her heart lurched painfully and a cough wracked her frail body. A gentle hand wiped away at her mouth and she could barely make out a shadow sitting to the side.
"Sorry." She apologized a lot. The vague shape quickly waved it off but she could not make out anything else. It was so damned dark but she knew the light would hurt. She should just let go.
She was about to call for that silly old man when light flooded the room. Someone had opened the door! Pain made her snap her eyes shut but even the red light of her lids hurt! She wanted to wail but then a feeling of warmth slowly began to spread through her body.
Gentle arms touched her forehead and chest as Qi flowed at a level she could not resist.
Guilt flooded her body as she suspected the old fool had summoned yet another expert to the clan, but then she heard a voice so clearly it made her weep.
"Sorry, Granny, I should have come home sooner." Her heart soared as her weak arms tried to rise to embrace the boy! He had come home! He was there!
He then pulled her into a hug himself and she felt at peace! He was what she had waited for! He was what she had endured the pain for! She wanted to see the boy that brought joy back to the clan and her life.
To see the boy that made the tragedy of her daughter become a turning point for the innocent.
The feeling of warmth slowly spread in her body and her vision cleared up like it had not been in years. Slowly, the dim world came back into focus as she saw a blushing young girl kneeling as a much older Lind was looking down at her.
His dark green eyes were misty as he sat at the side of her bed. He held an empty vial in his hands as emerald flames covered them both.
"You are home!" Her voice was so weak but Lind smiled widely and nodded. Her limbs were so tiny! When had she become so much less?!
He gently picked her up and carried her to the door. The fear of light made her cling to him but he gently hugged her before he opened the path to light. The hallway was clear to her! She saw the outside again!
She was carried through the clan and those that saw them froze before they knelt. All looked on in awe as they passed by. Some seemed familiar but she could no longer recall their names.
"Granny, you are why I am here." Lind's voice suddenly pulled her to turn to him. It was far more effort than she expected. "It all began in the herb garden. You came there to honor my aunt since none of the others had memorials."
She slowly recalled her monthly seclusion to remember her daughter that was gone and someone that went through similar travails seemed appropriate. It was at one point that a little boy made her smile.
She was brought back to life by the simple generosity and wishes of a son that loved his mother. Suddenly, she knew where they were going. She knew in her heart where she wanted to die.
The stone memorial finally came into view at the heart of the herb garden as the setting sun put a somber air on it. Lind carried her to their spot where many lunches were shared. They sat quietly as they looked at the living plants and the memorial to the lost clan members.
"Spirits of Heaven and Earth. This woman served her family and clan as expected but endured terrible pain. She still had her heart open to a small boy that was lost and helped him. If there is any mercy, please grant her a good life." Granny smiled up at Lind as she slowly caressed his face as he wept.
His tears falling on her was the last sensation she felt as the world fell away. The darkness closed in but she looked at his face and prayed he would have his dream come true.
"I love you, my grandson." She included Lind in her family and the darkness closed in at that moment. It all fell away but just as oblivion called a pair of arms caught her.
"I would be a terrible person if I did not honor such a lovely request. You may not remember, but I will make sure your next life is full of laughter and love, young lady." A young woman with blonde hair smiled at Granny as light blazed before in her eyes and the world changed forever.
End of Arc 6.