A kid was standing beneath a tree near a mountaintop. He was the same boy who broke that pot. He took his shirt off. He was all bruised. Scars on his whole chest, back, and arms. "Enjoy the pain." He said, while taking a knife out of his pocket. He placed it on his left arm. And stabbed it, and the blood was dripping down, but he was smiling like a maniac, 'Faking the smile.' But it was clear that it wasn't his first time stabbing himself. Suddenly, he heard someone approaching. He picked up his shirt and started wearing it. "You were spying on me again." The man says. "I've been ignoring but now tell me what is it you want?" That kid turns around, still trying to wear his shirt. "I want you to teach me, Master." Ihaan looks at that kid. He was hiding his left hand behind his back. "You are doing it again?"
"No, I just got this one from the broken pot."
"Kid, you need to stop doing foolish things like that."
"Foolish? I'm learning to accept pain and enjoy it, like you. I just want to become as strong as you are." Ihaan comes near the kid. "I know who you are. You are the only Aurian who doesn't have any Eldris force, even though he is a noble. You were banished by your own family."
"What does that have to do with me becoming strong? I am different doesn't mean I am weak. I can bear pain without even flinching. I have an enhanced body. I am stronger than many upperclassmen." Ihaan turned his back and started walking away. "There is no use talking to you, is there? I can't teach you or give you a pass to the upcoming Prodigy Knight Selection. You have to do everything yourself. If you win, I might consider taking you under my wing, but don't get your hopes up. Prodigy Knight Selection is not for everyone and you don't even have the Eldris. You are just an outcast. Nobles hate you and commoners also hate you. No one will be charring for you. Even if you win and manage to become a Prodigy Knight, they will make your life miserable. Just give up." The kid's eyes brightened up like he got what he wanted. "My life has always been miserable. Nothing can hurt me. There's nothing left they can do to me that already hasn't happened. I've been banished from my own family and I've been living alone for 7 years. I will become A PRODIGY KNIGHT and then your student. I promise. Everyone who has hated me my whole life will pay. I will make them pay." He shouted. Ihaan was walking away, but he heard what the kid had said.
"I am looking forward to that, Zayan," Ihaan mumbled.
After Ihaan was out of sight, Zayan picked up the knife again. The blood on his left arm was gone, and the wound had healed but, there was a scar. He again stabs and endures and when it's done healing, he again stabs and does it again and again. The sun was right on top of him when he started doing it; he kept stabbing himself until the sunset. He stabbed his right thigh and after it healed; he fell. His body was exhausted, but not his spirit. There were no bloodstains around the shirt or his body. Because the Aurians can heal themselves using their prior blood and flesh. Then he started doing it again.
On the other hand, Ariel was in his room, thinking about what Ihaan meant by enjoying the pain. He was trying to bear it, but the pain kept on increasing every hour. After midnight, he opens the door and goes outside. He was new here. Nothing made sense to him. There were flying islands in the sky; there was no moon or stars. Just artificially made fire balloons in the sky. They were giving enough light to see, but not clearly. It was his first time getting out of Prodigy Academy, at night time. There he stood in the garden surrounded by emotions like happiness, pain, admiration, pain, hunger, restlessness, praise, and mostly pain. Out of everything new to him, one thing in particular caught his curiosity. There was a tree at the tip of the mountain. It was glowing, but still; the tip was dark, like it was floating in the sky. It wasn't giving off any shadow. It was shining but its light came near no other object. He saw it daytime, and he knew that there was a mountain. Ariel walked up. When the tree was in sight, he heard something. Sound of fire cracking wood. When he reached the top, he saw someone sitting by that fire. Blood dripped from his whole body, but he wasn't making any sound. He wasn't even looking at his wounds. There he sat with no shirt on. Ariel was standing right behind him. He walked to him, thinking he could help that guy. But when he saw his face, he knew this guy didn't need help. He was smiling when he looked back at Ariel. For one second, Ariel forgot about his ache when he saw this kid covered in bruises and smiling. "Who did this?" Ariel asked that kid. "Hey, I know you; you are the kid who was with Master Ihaan"
"Okay. Why do you have so many cuts on your body? Who did this?"
"I did it to myself. I am enjoying the pain. Where are your cuts? They must be big because Master Ihaan never teaches anyone."
"I don't have any wounds. Who are you, anyway?"
"You don't know me?" Ariel shakes his head. "I am the kid who has no Eldris, the kid who was banished from his family and house." Ariel again shakes his head. "I don't know you. I am not from Prodigy Realm."
"Oh, you are the kid who came from the human realm. I heard a rumor about you. So, what are you doing here? I mean up here, because no one comes here, like never." Ariel sits on the log, the one on which Zayan was sitting. He was still dripping blood, but the wounds were healing slowly. Ariel answers after sitting down, "I just came out to clear my head, but this tree had me curious. It is shining but it isn't lighting other things around it. It's like it's keeping light just to itself. You can't see the top; it looked like a flying tree from down there." Zayan puts his knife aside, "I don't know much about it. I have heard that it was made by the second Prodigy King after he left the castle. He lived here. This tree symbolizes his selfishness. They say he knew a lot of Prodigies but never shared with anyone. He kept them to himself and died with them. He became the tree, some say. Some say he made it himself." Ariel's curiosity got the best of him; he wanted to know about this world. "So, this First Prodigy King made this whole realm after losing the war with humans? Does another king rule you now? He rules a nation or the whole realm and how exactly big this realm is? How do they decide who will be the next king? You vote?"
"Take a breather, friend. It's their duty. They will tell you everything. As you can see, I am a bit busy." His wounds healed completely. The blood was gone as well, just scars remained. "You had wounds on your body and blood. You can heal?"
"It's more like reverse our body. But use it again and again and it takes a toll on your body and mind. But that's what I am trying to do."
"Why would you take someone's words to heart so easily? You just happened to hear them."
"He is the strongest. He has never lost a fight. But he always comes from a fight with wounds enough to kill anyone. But he keeps smiling like it's thrilling for him. He always takes a beating before fighting back, and when the other guy thinks he is done for; with his broken bones, he stands up and finishes the fight in just one second. People call him the Soulless. He gave up his soul to Eldris." Ariel stands up. "So, you admire him." He walks past Zayan. "Goodbye, it was nice meeting you, Zayan." Ariel looked like he wanted to say something.
"Goodbye," Zayan says in return.