Nolamine looked to his left and to his right. He looked at the sky and shut his eyes, then he breathed inward like the air itself was 'pleasure'. He held it in for a while then breathed out as he opened his eyes.
In front of him was the Great River. The waterfall that was a vital part of the village and the pool that ate curses like they tasted like dessert to it.
He was by the slopping rocks and behind him was Mi-sun, the Grand witch, the five masters together with their disciples. There were other villagers too that came to see him off, but not that many as some needed to stay behind as they had initiated a war a day ago.
He turned and looked at the villagers and saw the man who had been beaten up by his wife to be the night before. She was holding his hand and he smiled as he remembered the fun night he had before receiving the Moon Tear and learning about having the ability to open the gates of hell.
He still could not wrap his head around it and why they gave him such a gift and not use it for their own sake.
He looked at the five masters and nodded his head respectfully. He then looked at Nala and pursed for a bit.
'Seems that you have become my rival. I acknowledge your power and capability as I saw you grow right in front of me in a short space of time. Not only that, but you were already out of my league. The next time we meet, I will have surpassed you.'
He thought. Nala smiled like she had just read his mind and he looked away in surprise. The Grand Witch nodded at him as he looked her way. He then looked at Stunga who was standing behind her.
He touched the armor he was wearing as he nodded to him too. It seemed that they had been sent to go hunt down the Black Crobal so they could make armor for him.
It was all black with chested black scale plates on his chest that were from the hardened underbelly of the beast. It looked more of a shinobi kind-styled armor, inspired by the fact that he would be using his mother's dagger as his primary weapon for now, letting him be sneaky, especially at night but at the same time allowing him plenty of room to move and protection. It offered a lot of protection from physical attacks.
On his side was a sheath and in it was his mother's dagger. Its crystal blue handle made it stick out from the black sheath but he used a cloth to cover it up.
He finally looked at Mi-sun and then turned around. She wanted to go over to him and give him a hug. Even though she gave him tough love, he was still like a son to her.
She had been thinking about whether it had been the right decision to block his memories when he was young, when it was going to eventually come to this, making him go as he was to another world alone. The thought that if she had not then he would be more skilled than he was right now was eating at her.
Nolamine did not have to say anything to her. Even though they spent little time together, to him, she was a mother figure. Even though she said that his home was his heart now, without her, it would bleed.
He knew what he had to do. To survive and make her proud.
He wasted no time and jumped into the abyss-like black pool and swam to the center of it again. For good measure, he swam using back strokes like he was on vacation. He forgot to look at the horrified faces of the villagers as it was the first time any of them saw someone swimming in them like he was at home in his own pool.
Just like last time, something pulled him under and he vanished.
Mi-sun looked at the sky as she knew what to do next before she reported to The Organization. She turned around with the rest of the others and wanted to get it done before The Organization called on her.
The night before, after getting his gift from the Grand Witch, she and Nolamine had a talk about Frogs and Son-join.
"In your memories when you were young. I am sure that you remember Frogs being the center of many rituals, right?"
Mi-sun asked Nolamine.
"Yes, I do."
"Those rituals were to prepare him for the Nefarious Trial. To accelerate his growth and ability, which took time and resources to do."
"The what now?"
Nolamine asked, puzzled.
"The Nefarious Trial. It is the only known way we from Earth can get to the other world. It happens every five years and Frogs went there the last time it was held. There will be another one held next year and Son-join will have to participate."
"What? That would mean that Frogs was sent there when he was only ten years old and we already have the Guardian. Why does Son-join have to take part in some evil-named trial?"
"Frogs was already as powerful as I am now when we left the village, I am sure that after two years he was even more formidable. I am sure that you will see him on the other side. You just need to go looking for the Nefarious Guild. It is made of those from The Organization and some members of the other small organizations on earth that had won tickets to send their own over there, except for The Light."
Nolamine was having his doubts. Going to another world when you are ten years old was hard enough, but he needed to pass a trail too.
"The only thing is that for the past twenty years, no one has come back to this side. We do not know why this is so yet. I was also hoping that you would find out why for us if you get the chance."
She said.
"Ok, but why do you want Son-join to take the trial?"
"Nolamine, the Guardian must not have told you this because you did not ask. But, the worlds have rules."
He remembered him telling him that.
"You were born in this world but you belong to that one. That is why you will be able to go back without any consequences. You can walk in both worlds freely. Your mother's power was half of what she could do in the other world."
"Nolamine was shocked by this. He thought that she was already so powerful after almost killing an entire tribe with one attack."
"Those from Earth need to pass this trial first in order to be recognized by that world. Those from that world need to pay an incredible amount of mana crystals to get to this world and be at a certain stage of power level. This is why only a few can come back here."
"If that is the case, why don't you take part in the trial?"
"Unfortunately, only those under the age of 18 can take part in it, the younger you are, the less strain it will put on you, and only five are allowed to participate, with those affiliated with the Underground holding tickets to send their own, The Organization holding two of those tickets each time the event takes place and with The Light holding only one. The other two floating around as other parties fight over them."
It was too much to take in. It seemed the world liked to do this to him. When something significant happened to him, it came in droves and he would need to take in an influx of information.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
He asked.
"It was not like you were going on a vacation. You will need to grow your strength when you arrive wherever you will be and a year was not going to be enough to train Son-join. Many things can and might still happen when you reach that side."
She said and Nolamine understood her point.
"I was hoping that he would join the next Nefarious Trial, not this one. But, there are fewer potential candidates this year and with the village also not sending someone to participate, it is the perfect chance to slip Son-join's name to the upper echelons of The Organization. We just need to train him like hell."
Nolamine understood. He just hoped that his ability was one that was easy to learn and master.
"Then finding the Nefarious Guild will be my main priority when I get there for now. I just have to hope that they will not be halfway around the world."
They finished their conversation and the night ended. Mi-sun was remembering their conversation as she got to their home and started packing. She was now on a mission to get Son-join ready for the trial as soon as she could.
Night came and in South Korea, Son-join was ready to go to bed with his mother washing the dishes in the kitchen. A window mysteriously opened as two figures entered the house.
The lights switched off and the place went dark. What was chilling though, was that no sound could be heard after they went off, either from the kitchen nor from Son-join's room.