Light faded, vision blurred, Bran Ai's head fell to the ground with a thud, his life on the edge crushed by the weight of the earth.
His eyes red, breath taken, Bran Ai's heart started to slow.
Clutching his chest his veins bulged as the blood refused to flow, with an open mouth he tried to take a breath only for his throat to close.
'Can't hold on...anymore'
His body started to turn crystalized as the energy of the earth became condensed inside his body, entire sections of his skin turned translucent as his veins transferred Qi across his body.
The window providing the light started to dim as darkness fell upon the room hiding the bodies of those inside.
The other boys face became white as he could no longer hold himself from retching up blood.
'Dam, seems like I couldn't hold out either' he touched the floor with a paper slip before his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell on his back.
Soon the formation started to die down, no longer drawing in the surrounding spiritual power and ceasing the flow of Qi into their bodies.
The walls in the room turned back to their original light gray as the formation faded from the walls bringing tranquility back into the room.
In the central area, inside one of the large buildings a discussion was taking place.
Blue pillars one hundred meters tall, stones of pale white light, a large dome beyond the reach of any hands, stone walls glowing with a blue like the deep ocean adorned with murals of ancient events long past, it was the grand hall of the Final edge sect.
A man sat in a high chair several steps above all others looking down on those below, he was the sect leader of the final edge sect, Eduardo Moreno.
Below him five man and three woman stood in two lines to his left and right.
They all wore different clothing rather then the sects uniform, these men and woman were the elders of the final edge sect including the vice sect leader.
"Are the preparations to enter the golden city in order elder Qez?" the sect masters voice did not travel far, reaching but a few meters ahead.
"They are almost complete sect master, we are just lacking one thing" an older man in his late fifty's responded, his tone polite.
"Speak"
"Well, as we discussed before, from what we could gather to enter the main throne room we require two gems made from the blood essence of two deity ascension seniors, unfortunately we've only acquired one gemstone so far, provided by the grand elder of the sect but as for the last one... unless the grand elder can recover within the next month we will require a sacrifice of equivalent value"
The sect master nodded, he remembered this of course "There will be no need to worry elder, by the end of the week you will have the last blood gem you've requested"
"I see, in that case I have nothing more to say" Elder Qez stepped back with a slight bow.
The sect master turned his attention to another elder, "Elder Marcus, elder Li, have you found it yet?".
Two man in their forty's stepped forward.
"We have, six groups of thirty lead by one golden core elite each have been sent to bring it back" the first one answered.
"I have also lent my disciple my own spirit weapon just in case things go beyond our expectations" the second one added.
"Good, make sure it is properly stored, we don't want it dissipate before we use it" the sect master waved them away.
Both bowed and stepped away.
"Elder Amett how goes the search for children of cultivation age?" he looked towards a middle aged man.
"Dire sect master, we have already brought back the absolute best seeds, yet their bodies have become so polluted that their future is uncertain. The only one's remaining outside are those below the age of three or newborns we have yet to discover" this was not counting anyone not considered a good seed of course.
"I see... What do you all think? Should we leave these children with potential behind in the mortal realm, or should we bring them in now regardless of age to hopefully ward off the pollution before its to late? Doing so will mean those teaching them become not just teachers but possibly parental figures, forming karmic dao with one another"
Each elder had a different expression.
"..."
"We don't have the facilities for such young things"
"To not give them the choice to refuse entry would be a sin in our hearts"
"I can't support such a thing"
"I'm fine with it, but we are not nanny's nor can we expect the same of our sect members"
"We shouldn't leave anyone behind"
"If... If they can't remember it wouldn't be so bad"
"I don't care"
A split decision, the sect leader will have to make the final say.
"So be it, elder Amett bring them all in" there was no pause, he knew what needed to be done.
"As you order sect master and about the requirements needed to house and feed them what should we do?" While elder Amett knew what to do with those of at least four to five years of age he couldn't say the same for those below that age.
In general they simply let the children run around as they pleased while they grew up and any trouble caused by them would be punished in kind, this should be something they all should know.
Kids of four too five years of age had time to form memories of authoritative figures and likewise would certain acceptable behaviors would be taught to them, while kids younger would need to be taught personally at all times, but that's only if one is willing to teach.
Kids that were otherwise spoiled and without discipline would not be tolerated.
The younger one is, the harder it became for people to be willing to discipline them.
Since none of the kids will have parental figures it becomes the job of those around them to guide them to make the correct choices, so even if a child is unruly it can be taught otherwise.
This requires a firm yet lenient hand, be strict yet not too strict.
"Elder Ne'ena, recently you've had a child right?"
"Ah yes, 50 years ago my first child was born sect master" a woman that looked to be thirty took a step forward.
"Then you will provide us with a guideline to follow for anyone of... What is the youngest we can take them Amett?"
"That's... I will have to think about it, but if I had to say about ~ 4 weeks after the mother gives birth" he couldn't be sure as he had no knowledge of babies and their needs but had to give a number.
A few elders frowned.
"That seems good enough, work together with elder Ne'ena to provide everything they need, you may make use of forty- no sixty thousand lower grade spiritual stones as you see fit for this"
"As you command sect master" sixty thousand for an unknown number of children, it was already insufficient in elder Amett's mind.
"I will try my best" elder Ne'ena did not consider herself a good choice, she had spoiled her child rotten and the result wasn't stellar but is was an order given by the sect master so she had no choice.
"Elder Kioko, elder pan, both of you are on the verge of entering deity transformation, can we expect a tribulation to descend anytime this year?" The sect master turned to the last two elders exluding the vice sect master.
"Unfortunately I am not confident sect master, I will have to wait further" elder Kioko answered.
"I am ready sect master, but I would like receive guidance from the grand elders and sect master before I choose to undergo the tribulation" elder pan replied.
One can never be to careful, even if she felt confident it was best to get a second opinion.
"So be it, I will ask the grand elders to teach all of you three months from now for a day, that should be sufficient"
"Thank you sect master"
"Thank you sect master!"
Each elder gave words of gratitude, the sect master had done them a great favor today.
"Sect master I would like to ask a question if you don't mind" Elder Ne'ena decided this was a perfect time to speak up.
"What is it elder Ne'ena?"
"Have we figured out where the golden stars lead?"
A girl walked through a forested path, she had messy hair and brown skin wearing the sects training clothing.
A paper crane flew in the air around her following the movements of her hand as she watched with great joy in her eyes.
'Hehe one step closer, just you wait Itsora I'll have you begging for my mercy soon'
This girl was named Kiara, one of Bran Ai's roommates and she had gone to explore the sect like many others.
Luck and a glib tongue allowed for her to earn a senior sister's favor, this senior sister then gave her a 'fated' gift.
'Finally I made it back, this place is really just too big'
She descended the stairs to the underground building arriving in front of her shared room.
'I want to see the faces they make when they see my paper bird, they will beg to be friends with me'
Opening the cloth door she noticed the light inside the room was dim, the window in the back had almost gone completely dark.
'Wha, why is it so dark? Huh? Why are these guys laying there like dead frogs?'
Bran Ai and the boy had both passed out.
Bran Ai's skin had returned to normal while the blood spilled on the floor seemingly disappeared.
'Ugh just my luck, of all the people these guys are the ones I ended up with' she had been playing it cool so far to build up her image to no avail.