Chapter 6: A Forgotten Past
As Ren left the cave, the weight of the pearl in his hand felt both comforting and unsettling. It was as if the pearl held the answers to questions he hadn't even known to ask.
But as he walked back toward the village, another realization struck him—his mother. She had never told him the truth. The way she had always shielded him from the cave, the way she had never mentioned his true origins—it was all starting to make sense now. She had always known more than she let on.
She wasn't my real mother, Ren thought. She must have taken me from this cave all those years ago.
The thoughts sent a shiver through his spine. Had his mother known the true nature of his past life? Had she kept him hidden for a reason? He couldn't answer those questions yet, but one thing was for sure—he couldn't stay in the village much longer. The power awakening within him was growing stronger by the day, and he couldn't ignore it.
That night, Ren sat alone in his room, staring at the pearl in his hand. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, but one thought stood out: I'm not just Ren. I was something else—someone else—before this.
As he held the pearl, a strange warmth filled him. He could feel the power within it, calling to him, urging him to take the next step. He had only just begun to scratch the surface of his true potential, but Ren could already feel the path ahead of him—one filled with power, danger, and perhaps even betrayal.
[23/12, 3:39 pm] Shovn X: The pearl rested in Ren's trembling hand, its weight far heavier than it seemed. The cave had gone eerily silent after the surge of memories, and the air around him felt different—charged with an energy that made his skin prickle. He stared at the black pearl, its surface now glowing faintly, pulsating like a heartbeat.
"What is this thing?" he murmured, still shaken by the torrent of images that had flooded his mind. The memories of weapons mastery, cultivation techniques, and the vague but overwhelming sense of betrayal lingered like shadows.
He turned to leave the cave, his thoughts a storm of confusion, but as he took his first step, the voice returned.
"You are not ready yet, Ren... But soon, you will be."
Ren froze, spinning around. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cavern.
There was no response. The silence pressed down on him, as if the cave itself were watching him. With no answers, Ren hurried out, clutching the pearl tightly.
---
By the time he reached his home, the moon was high in the sky, casting pale light over the quiet village. His mother, Rena, sat by the fire, mending an old cloth. She looked up when Ren entered, her expression softening with relief.
"Ren, where were you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "I was worried."
Ren hesitated. He had always trusted his mother—she had raised him with care and love, even in their humble life. But tonight, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something.
"I... I went to the cave," he admitted, watching her reaction closely.
Her hands stilled, the needle slipping from her fingers. For a moment, her face was unreadable, but then she frowned, her voice low and trembling. "The cave? I told you never to go there."
"Why?" Ren asked, stepping closer. "What's in that cave? Why have you been keeping me away from it?"
Rena looked away, her hands clutching the fabric in her lap. "It's dangerous, Ren. That's all you need to know. You should never have gone there."
Ren's frustration bubbled over. "I'm not a child anymore! Something... something happened in that cave. I found this!" He held out the pearl.
Her eyes widened in shock, and she recoiled as though the pearl were a venomous snake. "Ren, put that down!"
"No," Ren said firmly, his voice sharper than he intended. "Tell me the truth, Mother. Who am I? What's this pearl, and why was it waiting for me?"
She didn't answer immediately. Her gaze flickered between the pearl and Ren, a conflict warring within her. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"Ren... I need to tell you something."
---
Rena motioned for him to sit, her voice heavy with emotion. "Sixteen years ago, I found you in front of that cave. You were just a baby, swaddled in cloth, and this..." She pointed at the pearl. "...was with you. I thought someone had abandoned you, but when I picked you up, I knew you weren't an ordinary child. The energy around you was... terrifying."
Ren's heart pounded in his chest. "So, I'm not your son?"
Tears welled in Rena's eyes. "I raised you as my own. You are my son, Ren, even if we don't share blood."
He wanted to be angry, to demand answers, but the pain in her voice made his anger falter. Still, his mind raced with questions. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I wanted to protect you," she said, her voice breaking. "That cave is cursed. It's tied to powers beyond our understanding. I thought if I kept you away from it, you could live a normal life. But now..." She looked at the pearl again, fear etched on her face. "It seems fate has other plans."
Ren clenched his fists, his thoughts swirling. The memories from the cave, the voice, and now this revelation—it was all too much. "If the cave is so dangerous, why did you take me in?"
Rena smiled sadly. "Because when I held you, I saw a spark of light in your eyes. I thought... maybe I could give you a chance to grow up happy, without the burden of whatever destiny awaited you."
Ren looked down at the pearl in his hand. It felt like a key—one that could unlock the answers he desperately sought. But it also felt like a chain, binding him to a fate he didn't understand.
"I don't know what's happening to me," he said quietly, "but I need to find out. I need to know who I am and what this pearl means."
Rena reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me, Ren. Whatever path you choose, don't lose yourself. You're a good person—a kind person. Don't let this power change you."
Ren nodded, but deep down, he wasn't sure he could keep that promise.
---
As he lay in bed that night, staring at the pearl, the voice returned, softer this time.
"This is only the beginning, Ren. The heavens will come for you, but you will rise again."
Ren's grip tightened around the pearl, his resolve hardening. He didn't know what awaited him, but one thing was clear: his life would never be the same.