Auns and Lucius left the ruined city behind, heading off the main roads and onto the less traveled paths. They moved through the surrounding forests and fields, navigating by the stars and keeping to the shadows.
While traversing a dense part of the forest, Auns and Lucius were suddenly ambushed by a fearsome monster. The creature lunged out from the undergrowth with surprising speed, its eyes gleaming with menacing intent.
Auns and Lucius braced themselves, preparing to face the monstrous attacker. Auns decided that this was the perfect opportunity to teach Lucius how to defend himself.
He looked at the kid and called out, "Stay behind me, and watch closely!"
Lucius quickly moved behind Auns, taking cover. Auns stood firm, his entire focus fixed on the monstrous creature.
The monster charged towards Auns, its claws swiping through the air. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding its sharp talons.
Suddenly, The voice, taking on a more serious tone, explained that these creatures were born from the negative energy that emanated from the despair and destruction. They were known as Umbrae, shadowy; and their purpose was to spread chaos and darkness wherever they went.
Auns, in a taunting tone, said to the voice, "Ah, great timing for you to chime in now. Where were you when I was facing that monster just now? Thought you were my guide?"
The voice responded with a hint of humor in its tone. "Apologies for being fashionably late to the fight. I suppose I was just enjoying the suspense from afar."
"I could die!"Auns said
The voice chuckled. "Oh, please. You? Die? I wouldn't be so hasty to underestimate your skills. Besides, I knew you could handle it. I was just giving you some quality solo-fighting time."
"I thought you were a genius when you PROUDLY bragging that you can use my power in the first try?" The voice said.
Auns chuckled, tauntingly. "Oh, you're still stuck on that, huh? Yeah, I managed to use your power without breaking a sweat. What can I say? I'm just naturally gifted."
The voice responded in a dry tone. "Ah, yes, your natural talent really knows no bounds. But I can assure you, using MY power is like child's play compared to my vast knowledge and wisdom."
"You are still far behind" the voice said.
Auns laughed aloud at the voice's comment.
"Far behind? Oh, please. If you're claiming to be a genius, why don't you come out here and show me some of your own powers? I'd love to see what you can do besides talking in my head."
"What if i don't want to? You just gonna regret it!" The voice answered as he was furious by what he said.
Auns chuckled, finding the voice's denial amusing. "Oh, come on now. Stop being so coy. You can talk a big game, but you won't show me anything beyond your mysterious whisperings? Are you afraid I might be more powerful than you?"
"YOU ARE STILL JUST A KID! DONT TALK BIG WITH ME!" The voice said with a voice that seem to hold authority and power.
Auns was caught off guard by the shift in the voice's tone. He had never heard it speak with such tone before. He swallowed hard, a mix of surprise and curiosity in his eyes.
"Whoa there," Auns said, raising his hands defensively. "I was just messing with you. I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just hard to take you seriously when I can't even see you."
Lucius, who had been observing the exchange between Auns and the voice, was puzzled by Auns's sudden conversation with seemingly thin air. He looked at Auns, a mix of confusion and concern on his face.
"Um, who are you talking to?" Lucius asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Auns glanced at Lucius, realizing that his conversation with the voice had caused some confusion. He let out a sigh, deciding to explain things to the kid.
"It's, uh, a bit complicated," Auns said, scratching the back of his head.
"There's this voice in my head, you see. It's been guiding me on this journey. It's like a sort of... spirit, I guess. But don't worry, it's harmless.
At least... most of the time."
"What did you just SAID!" The voice said. "Harmless!!" I could kill you with just a just flick of my finger."
Auns's eyes widened at the sudden outburst from the voice, jumped back, startled by the unexpected interruption.
"Woah, hang on there," Auns said, trying to soothe the voice. "I didn't mean to offend you. I was just trying to reassure the kid, that's all."
Lucius looked at Auns, his expression still filled with confusion. "So, you're saying you've been talking to a voice in your head? Like... a spirit or something?"
Auns nodded. "Yeah, something like that. It's been guiding me, providing wisdom and guidance. But, as I said, it's harmless. It's not really here, just inside my mind."
"HARMLESS , HUH?!" The voice is in disbelief.
Auns winced at the voice's reaction. He knew he might have spoken too soon in calling it harmless.
"Okay, okay," Auns said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Maybe 'harmless' was the wrong word. Let me rephrase that. It's not actively trying to harm us, Lucius. It's just... opinionated.
And sometimes….its opinions are a bit intense, to say the least."
Lucius furrowed his brows, still trying to make sense of the situation.
"So, what is this voice, exactly? You said it's a spirit, right? But how can it talk to you when it's inside your head? And why is it giving you guidance?"
"Its my relic that powered my spiritual power." Auns said.
Auns chuckled, a touch of excitement in his voice.
"Ah, so the voice is your relic, huh? And it powers your spiritual power... That explains a lot, actually."
"But i have never heard of a relic that could speak? Mine's not?" Lucius said
Auns looked at Lucius, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Well, I guess not all relics are the same. Yours might just not have the ability to speak or guide you like mine does."
Auns's eyes widened, and a determined gleam sparked in them. "Wait, wait! You have one too?"
"Ofcourse I've got a relic, too. But like you said, not all relics are the same. Some have different abilities or features."
Lucius rubbed the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed. Well, actually, mine isn't fully awakened yet."
The voice suddenly interrupted the conversation, speaking up with an air of authority. "Excuse me, but let me add something here," it said, its tone firm and commanding. "Everyone is born with a relic, you know. It's a part of our very essence, our spiritual power. So it's not just you who has this, it's all of us."
"Is that mean mine's already fully awakened?!"Auns ask as he was confused.
The voice responded to Auns's question with a hint of amusement in its tone.
"Oh, Auns, your relic has indeed awakened, but much like your friend Lucius here, it's not yet fully realized. It's much like growing a seed into a mighty tree. It takes time, effort, and a bit of nurturing. "
Auns slightly taken aback by the voice's sudden statement.
"Wait, seriously?" Auns said, his eyebrows raised in surprise. Why didn't I know this before?"
"So, if everyone has a relic that gives them spiritual power, does that mean we all have voices in their head like I did?"
Auns shrugged, still reeling from the revelation.
"Honestly, I don't know for sure," The voice admitted. "Maybe not everyone's relics are as... chatty as mine. Or maybe not everyone even notices the voice in their head. But in your case, Ofcourse it because I am special!." The voice said with proud.
Auns rolled his eyes at the voice's boastful comment. "Oh, spare me the ego trip," he said, a touch of sarcasm in his voice.
"Special, hmm? Just because you like to talk a lot?"
The voice chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter.
"Oh, don't be so dismissive, Auns," the voice said. "You know you wouldn't last a day on this journey without me. I provide valuable insight, guidance, and witty banter. You should be grateful."
Auns let out a huff, feigning annoyance.
"Yeah, yeah, I get your point. But I could also survive without all the unsolicited commentary, you know."
The voice chuckled again. "Ah, come on now, you love my commentary. It adds flavor to your otherwise dull existence."
Auns couldn't help but roll his eyes again. "You're insufferable, you know that?"
The voice let out a hearty laugh.
"Insufferably wise and helpful, you mean. You'll thank me someday when I save your scrawny behind from another near-death situation."
Auns grumbled but couldn't deny the voice's words.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You've got some uses, even if you're also a major pain in my ass most of the time."
Auns shifted his gaze to Lucius, who had been silently observing the back and forth between Auns and the voice.
"Oh, right, Lucius," Auns said, gesturing to Lucius. "We kinda got sidetracked there for a moment."
Auns rubbed his chin, contemplating what to say to Lucius.
"Uh, I guess you're wondering what all this talk about relics and the voice, right?"
Auns nodded, understanding Lucius's confusion.
"So, the basic gist is that My relic, for some reason, comes in the form of a very... talkative voice."
"You have one too yours too Lucius even though it's not fully awaken, you doesnt need to feel dissapointed!" Auns said.
Lucius felt a mix of surprise and disappointment at Auns's revelation that his relic wasn't fully awakened either. But Auns's words of encouragement made him feel a bit better.
"I know, I know," Lucius sighed. "I guess I was hoping I'd be special in some way, you know? But if everyone has one, it's not that special after all."
Auns chuckled, sensing Lucius's disappointment. "Don't worry, buddy. You gotta remember, not everyone's relic is the same. Mine's a bit... lively, and yours might be too when it fully awakens. We might even get some cool abilities like mine."
"Really?" Lucius's eyes widened with excitement.
"You mean, I could have a voice inside my head like yours?"
Auns nodded. "Yeah, exactly. Maybe not a voice like mine, but you definitely have a relic somewhere inside you. It's just a matter of figuring out what it does, how you access it, and all that jazz."
"I want to awaken like yours!! " Lucius said with eager.
Auns chuckled at Lucius's eagerness.
"Well, it's not like you can just wish one and have it magically appear," he said. "It's a part of you, and it's probably been with you all your life. You just haven't quite discovered it yet."
"Teach me how then!" Lucius said as he determine to have one.
Auns held up his hands in a placating gesture.
"Okay, okay," he said. "Relax. I'll do my best to help you figure out how to access your relic and its power. But it's not something you can force or rush. It'll take time, patience, and practice."
Auns directed the question to the voice in his head.
"Hey, how am I supposed to help Lucius find his relic and discover its power? Any ideas on where to start?"
The voice, as usual, chimed in with an authoritative tone.
"First, Lucius must reach a sense of deep inner calm and focus. He needs to clear his mind and quiet any external distractions. Then, he must concentrate on the faintest ember of power that resides within him. It may manifest as a sensation, an image, a sound, or some form of intuition. Once he becomes aware of it, he should try to fan the flame, coaxing it to grow stronger."
The voice continued with instruction.
"Once Lucius can feel a strong connection with his relic's power, he must shape it, giving it purpose and direction. It might respond to his thoughts, emotions, or desires.
Encourage him to experiment, to try different techniques, and to be open to the power's uniqueness. With patience and practice, he'll learn to harness it effectively."
The voice paused for a moment, then added one more thing.
"Be mindful, though. Relics are powerful and can have unpredictable or unintended effects if not handled with care. Remind Lucius to always stay grounded, to avoid losing control, and to respect the power he's cultivating."
Auns let out a sigh, accepting his new role as a "relic" instructor.
Auns shot a wry smirk at the voice in his head, slightly disgruntled by being assigned as a mentor.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he muttered. "I'm the relic expert now, huh?"
Auns rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Time to become a teacher, I guess."
The voice in his head chuckled. "Don't sound so thrilled, Auns. Just think of it as an opportunity to expand your wisdom."
"All right, all right. Let's see if we can awaken your relic. But no guarantees on the voice, okay?"
Lucius chuckled at Auns's playful jab.
"Right, no guarantees on the voice," Lucius said, echoing the statement.
He glanced at the setting sun, realizing that it was getting late.
"Right, let's rest for now. We can start the relic lesson tomorrow on our journey."