The Deserted plain could be no longer said to be such, In the East not much far from the towering Misty Mountain, unknown to the yet to fully gathering masses of the tribes; A strange phenomenon happened that literally shaken up the higher ups, who sat in top of the social hierarchy.
A middle-aged man with thin and wiry body now currently standing down at the passage that's lead up to the Misty Mountain, the passage seemed well taken care of no strange plants obstructing the path also it was not a very confined one either, there are some certain signs to make it clear it's a man made passage way.
The mysterious person standing there seems to be in a some kind of dilemma, as his gaze constantly shifting to several places in peculiar manner, he would look at the mountain for few seconds in contemplation, then at the ground he was standing, then at the direction where newly created area he looked as though he couldn't decide what to do.
His dilemma seems something to do with the Mountain or Newly occupied area his, eyes were half closed as he last in thought, this person was standing there for more than an hour but so far no discomfort in standing in the same place, in fact he didn't seem notice he was standing in one place for a long time.
He sighed as he suddenly turned to looked at different direction with raised eyebrows his face turned into scowl he spoke out in scolding voice, "I already know you were there, why still pretend to be hiding" he already noticed there was someone hiding there might be there even before the time he arrived here, he paid no attention to the person hiding simply started to waiting here as if something going to happen.
Just now the fellow who, has been hiding deliberately leaked out his aura for him to find out this person exact location, as if this fellow let him know where he was as a act of politeness.
A shadow like figure jump out from God knows where appeard in front of the middle aged man in one fell swoop, the middle aged man narrowed his eyes but quickly adjust his expression back to normal, even he could barely discern anything about the movement technique.
"Haha, old man how long have you been here for? did you also...." The person was youth looking, had more refined facial features unlike their dark brown eyes, his eyes were chocolate brown, he didn't continue to say but paused In the middle of his talk as if he didn't even talking about anything else.
The Middle-aged man throw a dry look at his acquaintance, curtly replied "A While" he didn't bother to expose him as for the second question he acted like he didn't heared anything at all.
His acquaintance discreetly took a glance at him then he, also kept quite like the middle aged man, his brows creased in to frown, after waiting for few minutes he once again hesitantly asked "Old man you also felt it right?" his chocolate brown eyes completely focused on the Middle-age man as if he could looking for something.
"Brat, don't you have a respect for your elders, I once guided you in cultivation at least call me respectly by my name " he seems quite annoyed with talking to the youth.
The youth laughed in amusement "Hey should not you act accordingly with your age then? why are you always pretending be younger than your age. You already set half foot into grave yet acted like few decades younger" he taunted mercilessly.
The Middle age man face changed from red to purple as he glared at the teasing youth, he looked at him like he was about to spew out fire from his mouth. Before anything could escalate they turned to direction at the same time the sound of wind Piercing three people rushing towards them in astonishing speed.
"OH! You Master, deciple pair already come here before us" it was a tall lady who spoke first, the eyes of two of her companions were twinkled in amusement as they waiting for some show.
"Naala you arrogant woman does your face itching to be slapped " the Middle-age man growled at the woman. The woman chuckled, "You think I'm afraid of you? keep dreaming old man " she teased, she particularly enunciate the latter part to aggravate him further.
Before anything happens a plump old man intervened first cutting off anymore confrontation from happening, "Baali, before anything can you tell me has anyone gone up yet" Balli turned his attention away from the woman with a snort.
"Not that I was aware of, I have been waiting here for you all lazy bunch for some time and I don't sense their aura " he answered honestly, he then turned to the youth and question him about this.
The youth shake his head at them in denial, he answered the plump man "Kaari, I don't here for that long, I have followed my master here just come before few minutes before him, had been waiting"
The Silent short man, who came with the other two new comers speak up "Should we go up take a look just in case, what if the other six waited for us up there?"
The four of them seemed to think about it as they looked at one another, it was the plump man who speak up "Well it couldn't be much of a hassle if we wait here for little lon-"
Wind screamed heard once again, a Wild looking woman with Curvaceous body rushed over rapidly, she only bother to nodded to the woman among them and ignoring everyone else. She stopped little distance from them, everyone turned to Naala, who sighed at this then went towards the Newcomer and talked to her for a few minutes before coming back with tired face.
Naala shaking her head towards them, Balli spoke up irrationally "Why are they taking this long to come here, lethal energy in this area quite concentrated it could easily seep into your body; protection tailsmen or not, this was inevitable."
Naala chuckled In dark manner "You don't have enough talisman right?" seeing his angry glare she giggled, as she turned to talk to the youth behind Balli"Mara you seem grown stronger, from the last time I see you. Come let auntie take a look at your strength" she jokingly stand in the fighting stance.
The youth shook his head smilingly, "You must be kidding, if I accidentally hurt you my master would be very upset" he took out something and giving it her "Here! auntie this is my gift for you"
Balli, who was standing not far from them, hear them clearly his face changing various color like traffic lights he desperately looked around for someone to talk, his eyes lit up as he noticed the short man, who turned to look at him as well, he briskly walked towards his side.
"Long time no see Man, I thought you were dead for sometime" Balli said in jovial voice, the short man's greeting smile gone his face darkened considerably "Since an annoying trash can like you live this long , then why should I greet death first"
Balli didn't seem to mind instead smiled widely as he thuumped man on his back "What's with you this time, why are you so upset seeing me. by the way, did you know where that old fellow had gone?"
Short man shook his head and asked back in serious manner "Do you think he went back to his tribe? " as he finished speaking he along with everyone turned to look at certain direction five people comming towards their direction it was a old man who was in the lead.
The tall old man stopped few feets away from them including the wild woman, everyone gathered around him he greeted the six waiting people individually in formal manner, "Balli, Mara, Naala, Kaari, Juala, Aadhi"
His face was extremely serious, as he subconsciously looked at the peak of the Mountain, all of them didn't disturb him but left him to his thinking, it's apparent they had some degree of respect for this old man.
They are the Eleven peak experts of human tribes, the old man was dubbed as 'Rakshasa' by the human tribes, he was agreed to the strongest expert of the human tribe. They all so used to called him by that name Now, not many of them even know his real name anymore maybe experts like Balli, who was from same generation, perhaps know it.
Anyway he, once fight against the ten experts from nether race and managed kill three while escape back to the territory alive with no serious injury was still mentioned among humans and nearby race.
Due to his cunning and ruthlessness and the love for fighting they called him with such a name, not just because of his fighting prowess but he also had another side a dedicated leader, he was working hardly for tribes' development and expanding and exploring new areas, looking after future generation and talented people, looking out for new blood to train so the ten people had some respect for him.
"Old man where did you go?" Balli and Naala asked at the same time, then looked at each before quickly looked away from each other. someone tsked from their side which they choosed to ignore it.
"Elder, is what we saw true, then..." Mara spoke up after his master asked his 'question', he was also very nervous from the morning as if something big going to happen to them.
A lean and androgynous looking youth sneered at Mara "Why? The Number one genius of our generation can't be patient anylonger? Be quiet you idiot, are you blind?Can't you see Master thinking something "
Mara face wasn't pretty by this snub, he equally glared at him with similar intensity, there was a tension between them, "Kids, be quiet" the old man spoke up.
He looked at them with calm searching eyes as he asked "I take it, since all of us are here at the Dawn of this morning you all must have experience this Vision or Dream aren't you? " his eyes scrutinized each and everyone.
some nodded while other voiced out their answers "Yes!" "That's correct " "I had vision" "It's Dream" "Dream" "indeed"
Balli who was nodding at the old man question turned to look at the woman besides him, "You have a Vision" he asked in surprise.
Naala turned to look at him and nodded her head with serious look, "I can't resist that power at all swiftly pulled into the vision" she replied with a apprehensive tone her voice was slightly quivering.
Balli wide his eyes at that his eyes spinned as he thinks about it, he gulped subconsciously but as his eyes landed on her face he narrowed his eyes as if he thought of something, "What are you doing in that hour, shouldn't you be sleeping " his voice was laced with suspicion and anger.
Naala sneered at him now spoke to him in cold tone "Since when did you take interested in my life?" her reply was sharp and acidic "Anyway I'm not a lazybum who, pass time by drinking and sleeping " there seems certain vindictiveness.
Everyone turned to look at the two, the androgynous youth chuckled under his breath as he looked away, "Vandhi, you want to play don't you? could it be you have fish brain forget it have you?" Mara glared at him there was a ruthless gleam in them.
Vandhi look startled to heard his name called out, "W-what? "
Mara maliciously smiled at him "Haha! fish brain you really quite forgetful, don't worry I can still make sure you eat enough dirt to not forget this in the future "
Vandhi face flushed he took a step forward like he was going to attack Mara a big bald man come between them pushed them back, "Heavens, why are guys always at each other's throat have some patience will you " Aadhi almost broke his neck when he quickly turned his face to look at bald man his lips twitched by the sheer incredulity of the situation.
There was some people smile imperceptibly at bald man's anatics but the Old Man nodded in appreciation smilingly commented "Not bad, it seems you are much mature than before. kada " who scratching his head with foolish chuckle, the Old Man turned to look at the youths "Don't cross the line rivalry is just that don't go too far "
Mara spoke up angrily "Elder it's not me, who is in the blame, but your student he, always acting arrogant and it's already more than few times he was disrespectful to my master if he can't keep his long nose out of other people business than I, have no choice break it for him " his eyes were resolute.
The Old Man face darkened he glanced at them with dry look but his look seemed shaken them up they apologized to him for their actions.
"Let's confirm what we, seen and understand with each other in this vision/dream. I have confirmed with some reliable source this might really be from our ancestors " the old spoke his point clearly implying there should not be any deception but honest to one another.
"Old Demon, Is that okay for us to search the Cave " a scholarly looking man with big mustache concernedly asked.
"What are you talking about? why should we have to search up the cave " Kada asked with confused before the scholarly person reply the old man spoke up "No one! going to do anything yet, we are gathered here to come up with more understanding of what we seen, got it"
The last one behind the four people spoke up"Elder! please hear me out, I don't think we should rashly go up to the Mountain. Don't you think this is very suspicious as soon as we came here we, encounter something like this very peculiar phenomenon"
"No I don't!" the old man replied bluntly
"You don't understand I'm talking for safety of-"
Juala interrupt him "Did I ask you to speak up for me, I'll break your legs if this happened again" she looked at him coldly 'Trash'
That person seem stunned, not sure how to talk from there. Once again the Old Man spoke with a tired sigh "We can't ignore such 'omens' didn't I said this before, I heard a positive response from reliable source, we can take this phenomenon as a sign from our ancestors"
"So what did you guys see?" he asked they aren't keen on telling their experience, his eyes twitched seeing this. The atmosphere was little testy, they felt what they might see must have unique than other people.
"I don't think, it will bring us harm taking a look up there " Juala said this out of nowhere breaking the tense atmosphere "I also think so " the old said with smile but he secretly sighed in relief they are not going to argue one another.
The Old Man felt he was getting even aging faster every time they conduct meeting or something like that, out of corner of his eyes he glanced at Balli and internally sighed once more, 'Even this idiot didn't seem this tired or looking old and frail like me '
He discreetly shook off such a unnecessary thoughts he decided to step up and told them what he has seen and encouraging them to talk openly like him "Since you all are concerned then let me be the first one to tell you what I have seen " his voice gathered all of their attention focusing on his amiable looking face.
"Like some of you here, I had a vision at this day dawn I was talking to my student Vandhi about problems of newly arrived tribes settling in I suddenly felt mysterious connection to me." He told them in slow and strong voice his eyes half closed as if he remembering things about that time.
"My blood heat up on it's own, felt this strong emotions arose with my heart; when I got enough control over my emotions to checked what happened to me or what cause this my mind went blank when I opened my eyes as if I'm suddenly pulled into the starry sky akll around me bright stars"
"I Never seen such a wondrous sight in my life, it was beautiful and vast also Terryfying for me then I meet this person In glowing in radiance looking holy and majestic" He spoke in such a awed tone, this was the first time they have been seen him behave like this.
He was like lost in his own mind, it was his student who helped him woken up from this stupor " That person only command me to do one thing which is 'come up' and I had this image of one of the top cave up there but covered in warm glow... " he trailed off
Aside from few who looked little shocked everyone kept silent there eyes showed little disappointment when he regain his wits the Old Man look up at them with enthusiasm, "After I woke up from this vision I noticed Vandhi also have similar experience and vision , so I thought this wasn't simple when I asked some of my subordinates and tribe people they said they don't experience something but few qi realm people admited they were in some kind of trance for a few minutes sometimes ago.
So I decide to call urgent meeting to inform you guys about the anamoly, this is when Kada and Dheran rushed up to see me and told me about their Dream so I came to conclusions this was something only peak expert like us can sense I was further wanted confirmed things so I made a quick trip to my tribe" he didn't tell them about why are how to them and they don't further asked anything.
"I expect you guys must be at my tent but only Inaam was there so I came straight here knowing you must be all wanted to go up there" he said smilingly, without waiting for their reply he gestured for them.
"Well I guess it should be your turn" he said but there was a hardness in his eyes now as he would not let them go if they aren't willing to tell this matter, even though they weren't that much afraid of him no one want to provoke him for this matter, there isn't anything worth going against one another.
Each and everyone of them come up and said what they have seen, it was like cryptic message the message was simple and same a command to come up then the image of cave but the background scenery was different no one knew who truthfully mentioned for example : Juala said she was brought to destroyed world and numerous meteor showers somewhere in the distance.
Balli said he has seen fight of undead army and huge monsters, most of them said they have also seen the starry sky. some people look some of them with suspicious eyes. But the Old Man seemed expected this he didn't pursue the matter for now.
They talked about what to do about the cave, some said their ancestors guided them to find some powerful treasure in the cave some people believe there must be a path or something in cave to contact their lost ancestors, beliefs aside he urged all of them in to mountain path with him.
Unlike any of their walk, they managed to reach the top in Hour and few minutes, their expression soured as they noticed the particular cave, there was no glow like in their vision but they could tell it was this cave.
Each and everyone have different expression as they waited with bated breath for something happened, They Somehow instinctively felt something would happen if they went near that cave.
As everyone looked at each other as if asking what to do the Old Man said "Hmm! has anyone felt something looking at us or is it just me?" his impulsive question nearly made the situation much more chaotic.
Balli asked in alert voice "What do you mean? do you think it's kind of ambush or something?" his question rattled everyone's nerves as they alertly looking at every direction like bird of prey, The Old Man looked at Balli in speechless manner 'Are they for real? there is a rumors circulating for thousands of years. Only human can take a step on the mountain, why are they all keyed up' he doesn't know of the authenticity of rumour but he felt there must be some truth in it.
He Clapped his hands loud enough to get their complete attention, few of them flinched away from the sound, his lips curled up "Don't you guys know only humans can climb this Mountain. why are you all so tensed up"
Balli glared at him "Have you gone senile, don't you tell us someone watching us" behind Naala nodded her head agreeing that she also glaring daggers at the Old Man, who became speechless by his friends anatics 'Maybe I'm really getting old for this' he sadly thought to himself.
"I have a feeling like something calling me to go near the cave." he looked at them and said with the conviction "something tell me if we go near the cave what we have expecting all this time might happen"
Everyone took a staggering breath, their breath turned heavy as they looked at the cave with both apprehension and anticipation the old man didn't wait for them to decide he started to walk as a first person.
As if they were connected to the Old Man with strings they also started to follow him to that cave they quickly catch up to Old Man soon stopped few meters before the cave. they felt in their heart there is definitely something calling them here as well their blood flow rushed up.
"You have come! "