As soon as Nicolas stepped of the special garden, he immediately felt the difference in the atmosphere. While the atmosphere in the special garden is soothing and rich with pure spirit essence, outside the garden the atmosphere is so harsh with little spirit essence and the purity is not something that can be written about making him which to go back to the special garden but knows better than anyone that that is not the best course of action.
Apart from the people around him that need him, he now have a sense of purpose, which is to restore the lost honour and dignity of his mother and become a strong individual that will lead a revolution in this Alternative world.
He is not dumb enough to think that what happened to him and the transformation he encountered is just a coincidence, like a pie that drop from heaven on his lap, he knows well enough that, if there's no reason, he won't have had this fortuitous encounter and until he figures out why he had this encounter, he will continue to forge ahead until he is able to accomplished the mission that has been assigned to him.
As soon as he decide to head back to the cave he is staying with his family and know the next course of action, he felt something stumble and collide with his back heel. Upon looking back to find out what it is, he discovered that it is four Spirit beast cub he encountered on his way out of the garden.
This took him by surprise has he had never thought that this spirit beast cub would leave the garden just to follow him. Though he also wish to have them because they look cute and apart from that, he knows that they are special and as for how he knew that, well he deduce it from the garden itself, with every exotic fruit and plant in the garden and the stream that is flowing in the garden, nothing within the garden is ordinary.
"Well, since you are here, I will make sure to take care of you to the best of my ability." Nicolas said looking at the four spirit beast cubs that are also looking back at him with their cute round eyes.
"I'm sure my siblings will fall in love with you all the moment they set their eyes on you, especially Tabitha." Nicolas said, "alright, let's go." He look at the special garden which seem to be loosing its light, he understand that this is a one chance encounter and he might not encounter this garden again in this lifetime.
Nicolas bow in the direction of the garden and said "Thank you for granting me a new lease of life, I promise to use this opportunity granted to me properly and not disappoint and cause regret for being given this opportunity." Then he turn around and leave the cave.
Meanwhile, in the garden far away at the other side of the stream Nicolas drank from is a small cottage with a man standing outside of it. His appearance is clouded causing only his outline to be seen and every other details about him is clouded.
He look in the direction where Nicolas left and said in low voice, "the wheel has been set in motion and a cycle as begin. Young soul, you are with a great destiny and I hope to see you fulfil it. Though with great difficulty, I hope to see you emerge from each challenges thrown your way stronger and better. Farewell, young soul." After he finished saying this, he disappeared alongside the garden.
Nicolas left the cave along with his entourage of four spirit beast cub on his heel, he navigate through the cave channels with ease and he wondered if it has always been like this or this is all due to the changes that happened to him.
Along the way, Nicolas kept thinking of how he will explain the sudden changes that happened to him, luckily for him, the spirit beast cub and the water he took from the stream will be enough to convince them that he is not crazy.
Not too long after, he arrived at their shelter. It's a bigger cave then the rest due to the fact that it has been expanded by their mother, inside this cave are other cave that serves as room for each one of them to be able to have some privacy.
Thinking about this, Nicolas smiled. Though they are living in a cave and their living condition is very bad, his mother has ensured that they make most out of the things they have and live comfortably as much as they could afford.
He entered into the shelter and it was deserted, he knows that everyone is in their room and unless they have something to do together, everyone always remain in his or her room. That is basically how they live all this time, 'but at this moment things will change and we will no longer live as fugitives or with a gloomy atmosphere hanging over our head,' Nicolas thought to himself.
Nicolas walk towards the cave that serve as his mother's room with the spirit beast cub in toll, when he got to the door he called out gently, "Mum?"
Chloe was lying on a makeshift bed made out of stone and cover with clothes so it will be a bit comfortable when she heard called her. At first she was surprise, she can't remember last time her son Nicolas, took the initiative to call her.
Ever since the incident that happened during his Spirit Affirmation Ceremony and after being hunted by everyone, Nicolas countenance has never been the same. She knows that many times he had tried to end his life because some of this time, she has always been the one to save him eventually and she also know that him roaming through the caves and various channels is so he could get lost and die in there with no hope of finding his way out.
But she chose not to call him out and just keep watch in the shadow and each time by divine orchestration, he will always find his way back to their shelter so she put her mind at ease when she discover that.
Either it the cave that they are staying that has the mechanism to help people find their way back to their starting point or there is something else working that is ensuring that he can't end his life at least for now, either way she is grateful.
But at this moment, apart from doubt, there is also surprise written all over her face. She rise up from her laying position on the bed and call out to Nicolas from the room.
"Nicolas, is that you?" Chloe as to confirm if she's not hearing strange things.
"Yes, it me mum. Can I come in?" Nicolas asked as he fidget at the door, wondering what his mother expression will be like when she sees his transformation.
"Of course you can come in my son." Chloe answer from the room and waited to know what cause Nicolas to want to see her after so many years.
Nicolas open the door which made a creaking sound and step into the room alongside the spirit beast cub that has been following him.
The moment Nicolas stepped in and Chloe had a full view of him, she was shocked out of her wit with her full attention on Nicolas, not noticing the spirit beast cub that are also now in the room.
"Nicolas, is this you?" she asked in bewilderment, the person standing right before her look like her son but at the same time doesn't look like him and she wondered how this could have happened.
"Yes, it me mum" Nicolas replied, and just stand there for his mum to do her thorough scrutiny and calm down. He understand what she is going through as he has also been thinking of how he will explain what happened to him in a way that will make everyone to understand.
Chloe look at her son from head to toe, taking in the whole transformation that has happened to her son. Calling it a transformation will have been an understatement but at this moment, no better words was coming to her mind as she tries to fathom what could have happened.
The Nicolas standing before her now is not the same Nicolas he knew from birth, yet that does not change the fact that it is still the same Nicolas that she gave birth to.
"What in the world happened to you?" She asked looking straight into Nicolas eyes to see if she could understand all of this through his eyes.