chapter 23

"What do you really seek?" John's mind wandered in search for the answer. What did he really want? Why did he want to be an orama? To answer the question John had to look deeper into his own self. Into a memory long forgotten but had made an excellent impression in his mind. It was John had in mind when he first heard about the oramans from his mother. It happened seven years before that day. John thoughts recollected the incident. As he narrated it to himself in a manner of recollection.

'Everyone in the family was confused. It was Christmas and time for relatives. Dad had none but mom's side had enough to compensate that. My mother father seemed very close to my father and we the first time I had seen him. He was very jovial. Very young looking even in his sixties. After all, he was half oraman. He pampered me and my brother but my brother was devoid If all the fun....as usual. Granpa Sundhar took me to a lot of places during those happy holidays. The place that made a great impact was the Great-Beholding. It was a meeting of many influential mystic creatures that takes place every year at the Eve of the day before Christmas. Their rendezvous seems to change every year. But conveniently that year's meeting was held at a clearing in the woods a few kilometres away from our town. My grandfather got the pass of the meeting so that he could introduce me and my brother to certain bigshots in the meet. He had specially arranged it for my brother. He wanted my brother to lead the family legacy. But to his shock, my brother had neither the power nor the interest. My father secretly felt happy. When grandpa wished to take me instead of my brother, my father conceded out of respect for my grandpa.

The meeting was less formal and more like a party. I was the only ten-year-old in the meeting. More clearly- I was the only kid present in that place. There were two oramans in the meeting who seemed to remember my grandfather. There were from the west. Meeting an oraman in the world is usually very rare since there are only nine of them proportioned to the world's population. Father was one of them and had his own organization based in our state. He never told us any details but mother made up for it by telling many tales about my both grandfather's adventures. In my mind, both of them grew to be heroes and when I saw one of the heroes standing in front I had to do everything in my power to make him feel proud of me. Scrooge had no such dream. He seemed to live and float in his own world. Always silent as if he is a mastermind of the whole story awaiting his grand entry. Secretly I believed that Dad liked his silence. When grandpa said that he would take me instead of Scrooge I was very happy. And the people he introduced to me there - I don't know - LEGENDARY?!!

Then it all disappeared. The clearing was jovial with all the mystical creature celebrating and discussing their future policies and in a moments time, the clearing was immersed in a black cloak of smoke. It was the forest fire caused by the beastingen's attack on the mages. Seems like they have always shared a disliking against each other. The clearing was filled with screams and blood. The smoke was suffocating me. Unfortunately, my uncle had just gone to the most crowded part of the gathering to search for a friend of his so that he could introduce him to me when the fight started. A sharp bird-like scream rang through my ears followed by witches screaming. Sword clangings resonated in the clearing. I was a weak kid then. Even though I tried to act tough in front of my grandpa, I barely knew any of the mystic arts. Not that now know them well. But at least now I can use the Shita and Blade mystic arts.

Scared of whole thing I ran towards the exit of the clearing. Basically into the burning forest.

The fire burning against my skin and the suffocating black smoke...I shouldn't have acted so foolishly. But weirdly I got a feeling of being followed. Yep, that is indeed weird. Who would follow a stupid kid into a burning forest unless they intend to save him? Could it be my uncle? Could it be one of the bloodthirsty beastingens? The trees were falling down blocking my paths and redirecting my path randomly into the dangerously lively wilderness. And the weird feeling continued. Like it always happens, I got cornered by burning trees in the end. The directions were blocked by burning woods at three directions. The last path was blocked by a huge burning tree. With a cracking sound the tree came on top of me without a warning.

BOOM!

Violet light blasted the tree in front of me and illuminated the entire perimeter. A tall figure covered in a violet flicker stood in front of me. Cold. The violet light that covered us and the small surrounding was as cold as ice cubes freshly taken from out of a freezer. The fire faded near us and my vision started turning hazy. The figure was humanoid. Nothing like the ones I saw at the gathering. It turned it's head a little and focused its right eyes at me. My goosebumps rose at the sight of its face. That pitch-black face like a dark space with an almond-seized red hole covered in that violet flicker. I can never take that out of my mind. You are correct if you assume that the red almond-seized hole in his eye. The Burns hurt my body very badly and when the violet light touched my skin it's chillness gave a huge relief throughout my body. Slowly the violet light retreated back into the figure flickering lively in the dark half-burnt surrounding.

Cling.....With a sharp noise, the figure disappeared into thin air. All that was left when I fainted was scorched woods discharging black smoke.

I don't know who saved me. But the chill that relieved me of the immense pain and the incredible power flickering like a living outline along the figure's curves...That was unforgettable. It gave me the desire for that power. An inspiration to become powerful.

"Wake up, John." I felt something cold splashed on my burning face. My vision started coming back slowly. Grandpa was sitting next to me on the ground and a group of men were around us- all equipped for battle.

"Oh. Thank God you are safe. Your parents would kill me if anything happens to you. Why did you go into the forest? The minutes the fight started I came looking for you and you were gone." Grandpa had a smile filled with relief plastered to his face.

"I...I got scared....." I will accept the truth. I was just ten then and I did cry instead of speaking. Only later I came to know about the figure in the flickering violet. Surprisingly no one knew about him at tge gathering. By the descriptions I provided my grandpa was able to say who it was. Not exactly but he did have a clue.

"A katochi..."

"A what?" I had no idea what he meant then but my mother gave me a rough outline later. From that day I knew what I had to become. Katochi.'

"I seek something out of your league," John said to Shloch after recalling the past. Shloch smiled weekly and took a shabby card with cut edges from under his pillow and gave it to John.

"Consider it as a gift, if you are able to take down that monster. If not - well you won't live to regret it. An old acquaintance of mine. Owes me a lot. He can help you in a few notable means." John hesitated for a moment and took the card. Shloch sighed with relief, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A nap actually. John walked out of the hut ready to face the rogue white beast.