In this sadistic and cruel world, you will find people of
many different characters. People who take, people who give, people with great
ambition, people who just want to live a simple life, people with greed, people
with benevolence, and so on. Each character has their own goals, their own way
of living, and their own way of enjoying life.
The question Is: what will you do, the 'bearer of fate'?
"Aaahh!" A boy screamed as he woke up, seemingly from a
nightmare.
"A dream?" he asked himself, wiping the sweat from his
forehead. "It hurts a bit. Is it a fever or something?"
The boy looked out of the only window present in his small
room. "Oh! The sun is almost up," he said. Seeing that it was almost morning,
he began to put on his clothes and accessories, which included a shining silver
bracelet, two rings—each with a special design engraved on them—and a pendant
that seemed ordinary at first glance.
After preparing himself, he put on a black oversized robe,
which seemed a little too big for him. After packing everything he needed into
his bag, he left the small room. Keeeeeeek~ (the sound of the door creaking
open) echoed through the whole lobby.
He went downstairs and nodded at a stout, bearded man who
was busy serving food to some customers. Though stout, the man wasn't fat. His
stature was rather small compared to an average adult. The most striking
feature about him was his bald, shining head, which, if used properly, could
even blind a dragon. He was as loud as one might expect but surprisingly
friendly, which contrasted with his outer appearance. The bearded man smiled
and nodded as a form of greeting, then went on to serve food to others.
The boy sat at an empty table close to a small group of
people.
"Hey, do you know this insane rumor that recently—and
luckily—fell on my incredible ears?" said one of the people in the group.
"Huh, this rascal thinks he has good ears just because he
heard some interesting things by chance," another person in the group said
mockingly. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to hear it. Spill it."
The person continued, seemingly ignoring the second person's
words. "So listen, I've heard that 'he' is traveling across
the continent to form a clan and to increase his strength. I don't know if
that's a good or bad thing, but you know, he's a bit different."
*Gulp* Everyone's face grew serious, and the air became
heavy.
"Your usual is here, young lad," the bearded man
interrupted, placing a large mug of beer and two plates of exquisite-looking
food on the table.
"I know it's none of my business, but it's not a good thing
to be a peeping Tom, ya know?" the man joked, flashing the widest smile he
could to avoid being seen as rude.
"I know, BAUN," the boy said with a light
smirk.
"Shhh," Baun whispered, glancing around to make sure no one
accidentally overheard their conversation. "Ya know, my name's kind of a secret
here. Only a few people know it. Here, I'm known as 'Inn Master,' so please,
call me that."
"Okay, okay, I understand, 'Inn Master,'" the boy said
mockingly.
"So, do you know who they're talking about? Who's the person
traveling around the continent to form a clan? And is he strong?"
"Oh! They must be talking about him."
"Who is this 'him' you're talking so much about?" the boy
said, his tone frustrated.
Baun's face tensed. "The jinxed prince, Nasmat Quiseeb,"
he said, continuing, "A man with beautiful brown hair that reaches his broad
shoulders, a high nose bridge, and red amber eyes. A handsome yet fearsome
fellow. He's of noble birth, stemming from the not-so-famous Quiseeb family. At
first, he became famous for his brilliant swordsmanship, but…"
"But what, Ba—inn master?!" the boy exclaimed.
"At the age of fifteen, he discovered that he couldn't use internal
energy at all. Tch, what a waste. It's a sad story, but the fate written by the
heavens can't be changed. But that's not all. He was blessed with something
else, which he's known for—his hard work and perseverance."
"So, is he strong?"
"Heh! As for his strength, he's a monster on a whole other
level." Baun grinned, a drop of sweat trickling down his bald forehead.
As soon as the boy heard the words coming from Baun's mouth,
he made a strange face, accompanied by a spine-chilling smile and
blood-curdling eyes. "Oh, so he is strong," he said in a low, excited voice.
"So, do you know where I can find him?"
"What!? Why is he coming here, to this remote city in the Dwarak Kingdom?"
a man from the group screamed in pure shock.
"You heard him," Baun replied, shrugging his shoulders. "But
why are you even searching for him? Don't tell me you—"
The boy leaned in and murmured into Baun's ear, "Yeah, I
want to check him out."
Baun's whole body shivered as he heard the boy's words.
"Rascal! You really are strange, huh. Well, I can't stop you. Good luck on your
journey, Nayek."
He quickly finished his food, afraid it would get too cold
and lose its flavor. Then he opened his large bag and took out a small pouch
containing his coins. He handed Baun two bronze coins. After exchanging a few
more words, the boy left the inn.
As Nayek walked away, Baun watched his back, unaware that itwould soon bear the weight of a heavy responsibility, one that might be impossible to carry alone. Baun smirked and, almost to himself, muttered to one
of his customers, "You see that boy in the black robe, carrying that big bag on
his back? He's the real deal."
Then, laughing loudly, he continued before the customer could even respond….
Meanwhile, in a deep, unknown place where nothing could be
seen or heard, the only thing visible to the naked eye was mist and fog that
enveloped the entire area. It seemed as if this place existed above the
heavenly clouds, a realm spoken of and written about in three ancient
scriptures.
*Katup, katup* (the sound of footsteps) reverberated through
the emptiness. A well-built figure of a man appeared, walking majestically as
he effortlessly pierced through the thick mist and fog. Only his eyes and
overall silhouette were visible, as the rest of him remained obscured by the
fog.
Suddenly, a mass of mist and fog began to gather above the
man's head, swirling into dark, thunderous clouds. The man, after carefully
observing his surroundings with sharp, calculating eyes, noticed the change in
the environment and smirked.
At the same time, a small, slender, and feminine figure
could be seen watching the entire scene from a higher vantage point, hidden
behind the mist. Seeing the man's smirk, she made a peculiar gesture with her
hand, causing the dark clouds to grow even more violent and savage. The clouds
unleashed hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of thunderbolts, all aiming
directly at the man. Each thunderbolt carried such immense power that a single
strike could tear apart the very fabric of dimensions with little effort.
The storm of thunderbolts lasted only five seconds, yet the
aftermath left the surrounding area clouded and dusty, as if the entire
environment had been shaken to its core.
As the dust settled, a man's voice echoed from the center,
"Whoa, quite the grand welcome. Don't you think?" He waved his hand, dispelling
the remaining dust and revealing himself. Although only his silhouette was
visible, it was clear that the lady's attack had left him unscathed.
"You really don't change, you rude old hag," he said, his
voice firm. A majestic figure descended from the sky, her beautiful features
illuminated by the faint light.
"All those words you spew from that insignificant mouth of
yours will come back to haunt you," she retorted, her voice laced with venom.
With a snap of her fingers, the sky transformed into a stunning canvas of
stars.
"Sit, if you please," she offered, gesturing toward a cloud
shaped like a sofa. The man declined, his expression serious. "You must be
aware that the other seven will arrive soon. Be prepared."
As he gazed up at the starry sky, a hint of nostalgia crept
into his voice. "Who would want to miss this moment, anyway? The Stars' Paths will soon intersect with each other…
The promise is soon to be—"
The lady interrupted him, her voice low and urgent. "Shh! They can hear us." The man nodded, his eyes glinting with awareness. "Yes, I almost forgot those creepy eyes are still watching us. Even I cannot comprehend
their existence or numbers, but it's a relief we can banish them at will."
His gaze pierced through the mist, his eyes locking onto
something in the distance. His vision seemed to bore into the soul, and for a
moment, it felt like — no it obvious— he was staring directly 'at you.'
"Sorry for the trouble, but you all need to leave now," he
said, his eyes aglow as he raised his hands toward the sky. With a swift
motion, he snapped his fingers *snap* and everything went black.
— TO BE CONTINUED