Bale opened his eyes slowly, trying to get accustomed to the darkness of his room. It had been a few days since the incident, but his body screamed out at him from the pain as if it had just occurred. The pain he felt now was much more severe, meaning his injuries were even worse than he had imagined. Even Old Yang, the sect's head doctor said that he was surprised that he could even stand, let alone remain conscious, because of how much pain he should be in. At first, Bale thought nothing of that comment, after all the pain wasn't too unbearable.
But now he understood.
The pain was excruciating. That first night, he awoke and cried out in pain. It became difficult for him to even breath for some time as he lay there and coped with it. But eventually, the pain subsided just enough to allow him to fall asleep once again, and thankfully stay asleep. The next day Shale had arrived. She had been extremely apologetic, blaming herself for what had transpired, but Bale assured her that a fight would have eventually happened, regardless. It was just unfortunate that it happened the day before. She spoke for a while as he listened, nodding every now-and-then, before she promised to come take care of him until he was strong enough to tend to himself. He objected at first, but once she pointed out the difficulties of him just getting up to relieve himself of his bodily fluids, not to mention changing his garb AND feeding himself, he reluctantly agreed. And although it was stated, he would also need help bathing, but that issue would be dealt with once he needed to address it. For now, he wouldn't concern himself with it. With a promise to explain what happened when he was beaten, Shale stood up and took her leave.
Not long after, Elder Yan paid him a cordial visit. It only lasted several minutes, with most of that time comprising of him recounting to the best of his ability what had led up to the fight. And he did, or tried to.
"You're welcome to probe my memories, Elder," he wrote on a spare paper and handed to her.
"There's no need. What you've told me lines up with witness accounts, as well as what Quan Hanzou himself has stated. I'm satisfied."
After that quick exchange, Elder Yan turned to leave. But she stopped just before stepping out. She pondered a moment before turning to Bale.
"Have you given any thought to your future?" Elder Yan asked, staring intently at his face. Bale looked down at his hands, repeating her question in his mind. Of course he had, but probably not in the same way the Elder was anticipating. But he wouldn't tell her that.
Since he didn't answer her, and it looked as though he was now pondering her question, Elder Yan simply sighed. "Never mind, young one. I only ask because of what your fellow outer disciples have to say about you."
That comment piqued Bale's curiosity, and he looked on expectantly for her explanation, but she didn't bother to elaborate. Instead, she turned and took her leave, leaving him to wonder what his fellow disciples thought of him.
And that thought, along with the question about his future is what awoke him tonight. Since he couldn't find an answer to what the others thought of him, he chose to think of his future.
Closing his eyes, he began to picture himself. But he wasn't the same man that was currently laying in bed. No that Bale was older, his muscles were more defined, his skin tanned. His hair had grown out and been pulled into a ponytail. He had stubble, but it didn't make him look gruff. In fact, he looked incredibly manly, especially with those fierce eyes of his. He had seen many things with those eyes, and those had shaped him into who he was. His clothing was a bit plain, but it was evident it was designed for battle. At his left hip hung that sword that had accompanied him since he first awoke. He looked out to a setting sun, standing atop a ledge that overlooked a vast and expansive sea.
"You've conquered the world, at last." A woman suddenly appeared just behind him, kneeling near his right side. Just like him, her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She wore the garb of a shinobi, though he wasn't sure if she was. The voice was familiar to him, but he wasn't sure why or who it could belong to. She stood, revealing a body that was thin, but had curves that could still allure any man. A small blade hung from her lower back, with the tip falling to just above her right buttock. She was beautiful from what he could gather, but there was also an aura of danger around her. She could just as easily kill her target as she could lure them into her bed, should she desire.
But the more he stared, the more it became apparent that her aura paled in comparison to his own. If she was danger, then he was death. He was a walking nightmare. A true warrior. Between the both of them, there were countless bodies that met their end.
Suddenly, five more people appeared. Only one was a little visible, but it was near impossible to identify him. He began to speak, but Bale couldn't understand what he was saying. Once again, though, there was a feeling of familiarity, he simply couldn't place it. Who were these people? Why couldn't he recognize them? Why did they seem familiar?
Bale opened his eyes. A soft glow filled his room. It was morning, already? When had he fallen asleep? It didn't matter. He at least saw a future of himself that exuded power, and he was going to strive for that.
Today was the day he started.