Chapter 13: Water-colored world
With the departure of the crimson lotus, the Tower visibly looked drained. That may not sound logical, but no other word could describe it.
After a long time, all the presence lurking in the border of inhibition felt that the glowing tower finally found its tranquility. 'They' were all puzzled. 'They' did not see anyone exiting the Tower' and why would one leave an Ancient House? No one has the audacity to continue try owning the Tower.
It was a pity that no lucky encounters showed upon 'Them.' But if there was, nobody knows who could own it. 'They' are all powerhouses and bouts with each other means risking 'Their' lives.
Upon seeing that everything reverted to normal, one by one, they left the border. Their interest entered hibernation, waiting for the resurgence. Each of 'Them' has intelligence units prioritizing the information regarding any entity that might be connected to the Tower. No matter how minuscule the percentage, it must be audited and reported to the higher-ups.
A few years after, when everyone looked back they will come to understand that this order became the spark of the war.
Even if 'They' have unfinished agenda, they are still left knowing that they cannot do anything. They may not be afraid of the corruption from the zone of inhibition, but the tailed entities and the void itself have dangers that legend foretold.
Speaking of the nasty-tailed entities, silence still pervaded them. Their Eldest was eerily silent after watching the earlier situations unfold. No one knows his true thoughts aside from himself.
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In a faraway place, supporting no planet nor any life, a part of another void moved and reflected everything that had happened within the borders of the Tower of Doors and a few misty clips of what occurred inside the tower. After a slight pause, a long heavy sigh came from nowhere.
After a few more moments, everything returned to normal.
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In the world produced by Martin's sleeping, everything felt so mystical. Martial artists were practicing their Dao at big dojos and there were also cultivators sharpening their sword controlling techniques flying across the horizon.
Different meteorological phenomena designed the horizon.
He is amazed by it that his mouth is agape," Wow, my dreams are finally coming together, if the Daoists are real then it will really be a dream come through."
This is also what Martin used to wish before. Before his family was murdered and before his life changed.
Suddenly, there was a voice behind him that awakened him from stupor, "Are you new here?" Martin could not help but turn around and his mouth gaped.
"Dad?" a middle-aged man with a clean white Daoist robe asked him. That man looked exactly like his father.
That man emitted vibes of being powerful and mighty. His muscles protruded out and capable of fighting dragons head-on just with the use of his bare hands. His physique is different but his aura and demeanor are still the father he knew.
Martin wanted to hug the man and tell him how he misses him, but when he remembered that the man might very well be a Daoist and not his dead father, he only nodded tersely.
A woman of great beauty hovered towards them, "Hon, who is he?" When the face of the woman in green sparrow dress reflected into Martin's eyes, he was once again shocked.
This woman was his mother, Theresa. She looked so beautiful and with her dress accentuating her motherly aura, she looked holy.
His eyes got misty as he reminisced about his family. Suddenly, a shadow of a huge spiritual boat descended beside them like two small Daoist-robed students alighted from the boat and jogged towards them calling, Ma and Pa, the two adult Daoists.
His two younger siblings, Luther and the princess of the family, Annie. They also look exactly like his precious siblings.
This family gave an impression of a contented and happy one.
"He's new here honey. By the way, do you have any place to…" the middle-aged Daoist man could not finish his words when he realized that the youth before him was slowly crying and sobbing loudly. He looked around and he saw people looking funny at them.
Martin can't help but pour out all his emotions. He truly missed his family but he couldn't say that he was their son, could he?. "I am… sob… new here and I don't have a home." His eyes are swirling with emotions as he looked at his family members' look-alike.
"Then you can come with us. We will be your new home," the mirror image of her mother gently said. He could remember his own mother whose voice is also gentle and whose gaze is full of love for her children.
"Yeah. You can be our big brother. Big brother, you must know that I love donuts. You must sure to give me, okay?" Annie beamingly smiled and said to lighten his mood.
Seeing that Martin is still crying with greater exertion than before, Annie also whats to cry for no reason, "Mom, why is big brother crying? I am also crying… waa."
"Maybe he misses his family. I would cry if I am alone, too… sob...sob… It's good to have you guys… waa" Luther also couldn't help but burst. He was a silent one but when the time is right, he is also the most emotional.
The couple tried to pacify the two with jokes and hugs.
This family of Daoist reminds Martin that he still wants to have a complete family. If his previous family is forever gone, he thought he could have a new life here and these people as his second home.
But he doesn't know if he can still be the previous him. Him that is not bogged down by stress and trauma. Him who can take care of his siblings. Him that is the pride of the family. But the Martin now who is tattered and broken apart, only a small piece of previous him is left.
Martin nodded and the middle-aged Daoist cast a spell. A huge array opened up before them and ejected a floating house-size spiritual boat, the same as what the two young 'siblings' used earlier.
As they were about to surmount the spiritual boat summoned by 'his father,' when he just stepped onto the plank, a longing voice called upon him. It was an indistinct kind of voice.
He stood still and looked around but he could trace where the calling came from. He feels it is like the voice when he died. 'But, was it not the tower?' He still doesn't know the real name of the tower.
"What happened?" asked the couple.
Sad memories then recurred into Martin's mind. A strong emotion inside him wants to go out. He is dead, his family is dead, and this is all but a dream. A sweet dream he longed for so many lonely moments.
He looked into his family, they are still smiling happily waiting for him to board the ship. He smiled and said, "You can move on without me. Don't need to worry. I am strong and I'll always be happy."
He wants to cry more but then he can't continue his strong bravado. He wants to give them a piece of mind. As well as himself. So, forced himself to smile.
Theresa felt a pang in her heart looking at Martin as if her heart was tearing to pieces. But no matter what she does, she couldn't put her fingers as to why. With a heavy heart, she holds her husband's hands and she looked into his eyes.
She saw the same feeling she felt from her husband. He could be stern-looking, but she knew him deep inside. He is hurting now.
However, hearing the kid giving his goodbyes, it is not their character to go without also bidding their goodbyes. "Please take care. I hope you can see your … family," Luke said as his wife is having a conflicted emotions.
Martin bit his lower lip and swallowed the taste of rust and his urge to implode crying and call out their names. He could only nod his head as his reply. He saw their ship started drifting away. He was just about to turn around and find the source of that voice, so as to not cry and change his train of thoughts, when he heard the loving voice of her mother shouting, "What is your name, child?"
He thought for a second, he turned and replied shoutingly, "Martin! My name is Martin!"
"Martin…" Theresa muttered. Unknown to her, tears fell drop by drop. Her knees slowly failed her and the warm hug and chest of his timely husband enveloped her. She looked at him and their children who are crying. Without words, they shared a meaningful hug and a sorrowful good-bye with a stranger.
They all felt that they have lost someone. Somone whose dear to their hearts.
Martin looked at the ship until it is the size of a rice grain. He felt contented. He was now ready to go when everything in front of him crumbled and washed away like a water-colored painting.
The colorful world was reduced to bleakness and silence came after.
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With the obscurity of the surrounding, the drifting sleeping soul found the serenity he greatly deserved. He knows nothing of what is happening outside of his unconsciousness and all of his senses are just sending him murky feedbacks.
It seems like his consciousness has shattered into many pieces and the few left are not enough for him to be able to think clearly.
All he knew was he is drifting in an unknown place, away from any being. "The crimson is moving me, far away?" Why is it that these mysterious things love eloping? The rainbow lights and this crimson lotus.
'Wait, is that the correct word? Well, no matter. None will judge an unconscious soul, right? Hopefully.'
He loved the feeling of comfort. His wish of, "I like to feel comfortable once in a while. When I am not being shot and killed, of course."
No lights passed through this space and no entity existed.
As time goes by, his awareness slowly gathered together into one piece.
At this time, Martin was gradually able to think in cognizant and he can now fully see what had the rainbow lights did to his soul from earlier. Slowly, the lights are becoming clearer.
Complex different lines of rainbow light had coagulated and crisscrossed together and formed curious forms of images in different sizes and this time he was able to know what they call. Oddity!
These forms of light gave him pieces of information he never knew. It seems though these images are teaching him the knowledge that came from the beginning of life.