Chapter 14. Let’s Start Over Again

They were on the path, walking peacefully on the rocky-unpaved road for a while. The forest was again surrounding them like before. The Red-Moon played hide-and-seek with the clouds. Trees were towering around them, not letting even the glim of the Red-Moon touch the land.

Nevertheless, thanks to the small yet helpful friends who were illuminating the area so much as to let them see the eerie world around the two, they were able to walk properly.

An uneasy feeling crept to Advik's stomach because of the pin-drop silence. The quietness had fallen everywhere they were taking their exhausted legs. The unfortunate thing was that the purified area by Advik was lost long ago when they were trying to find one specific kid. Hence, the remorseful screams and cries of some unknown creature was resonating in the woods. 

Advik sideways looked at the kid who held an unknown expression on himself, entirely different from him a while ago. He thought of saying something just to break the ice between them, "You do look up to those two gods, don't you?" His eyes widened thinking he said something he shouldn't. He glanced at Samay once again with a thumping heart. 

Samay was walking rather slowly, maybe he was also too tired to move yet dragging his feet to find the gods. "I do," he replied plainly.

Advik blinked with surprise at the answer and smiled warmly.

Focusing only ahead, the boy said with little frustration and sorrow mixed in the tone, "Who said I hate them? Any of them? They have raised me. They are still raising me, who is an orphan. I know that better than anyone." 

Advik crossed his hand behind his head, scanning the guy from the side. "You know you didn't make any good expressions when I mentioned them to you before. Why would you do that if you don't disdain them and instead look up to them, care for them so much?"

Samay's feet stopped. He turned with fiery eyes. He never liked anyone asking him about his life. "Who the hell are you to inquire about me like this huh? F**k off, I have no obligation to answer you."

From the start of this conversation, Vismay remained mute for God knows what reason? Tara was still too scared to come any closer to the kid who warned her to stay far away from him. The little Firefly didn't dare to do anything.

Advik scoffed, "My! My! Where did you get this much anger from?" He marched ahead, "Don't tell if you don't want to. I was just asking 'cause aren't we friends or at least comrades now?"

Samay's heart twinged, he pressed his lips tightly. The kid opened his mouth then closed it again. Not looking at the idiotic smile of the other person, he flapped his clothes and paced forward again.

Advik tilted his head with a frown, he snickered and continued himself without caring if someone heard him or not, "Shouldn't you do something about your attitude?" The youngster hesitated slightly while he made a fist however he didn't stop going forth. Advik's thoughtful eyes saw the fist before he began again, "You could have many friends if you just change your attitude a little." 

The teenager didn't give Advik any attention and rushed faster on the road. Irritation built inside Samay with every passing second. His fists got tighter and tighter. His hand desperately wanted to knock off something or maybe someone but he held himself from doing anything unnecessary.

Vismay who was beside Advik the entire time wanted to say something but could not find any word to ease the tension between them. Tara was too innocent to understand the problems and misunderstandings of the human race. It chose to stay glued close to Advik.

"You don't have any fri—" Advik's lips sealed themselves when he saw the deathly glare of Samay. 

It's enough. The teenager finally lost his temper. He stomped towards the man.

Samay clenched the man's arms, "What?!! Seriously. What. Do. You. Know. About me?!! How long have you known me?" 

Why does this happen? How did their chat come to this end?

He was somehow so glad to meet this person a while ago. It was the first time for him to be glad to meet someone but now that someone is making his heart cry without even knowing the whole, the real him and why he is the way he is. 

Samay snarled, "Why should I have to change myself or my attitude to be liked by someone," his grip tightened as his eyes looked up at Advik who was a little surprised by his sudden behavior, "Why can't they accept me for who I am? Why can't they accept my attitude, my change of moods, my anger, my… any-anything?" His body shuddered slightly, he was unaware of the fact that the colorless water was sliding down from his eyes.

Advik sighed. Did I say something wrong again? What is happening to me? Why can't I control my mouth? The kid was crying like a baby in front of him. Samay's face was looking down with closed eyes, his head remained down while he held the man with incredible force. He had long lost his maiden attitude. Some moments passed in Advik patting and rubbing the back of the sobbing baby.

Advik thought. This kid has so many worries in his life-which is just too young to be wasted by thinking all the unnecessary and heavy things for such youth. This kid has so much in his mind that he can't even enjoy his life like a teenager. Orphan? He said. Who else can understand the longing for a family, especially for a mother better than me? I am missing my mother even now when I can't even remember her face, her name properly.

The man believed that now he could understand Samay's character much a little better. Why am I like this? He deeply sighed.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the brat wiping his tears with his trembling hands. He chuckled with amusement because the boy was looking like a baby. His soft eyes looked into Samay's, "Someone once said to me that I should love the one who can accept and love me for me and shouldn't worry about those who don't give a damn about me. You should only care for those who care for you. Believe me, life will be way more peaceful."

The small wet eyes were perplexed looking at him. A comforting smile spread on Advik's face, "Do you know, the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, and even His Majesty were so worried when they found out about you being missing." 

Advik put up his hand to pat again when the kid glared at him making his hand go back downward immediately. 

"I f**king-know that," Samay growled, wiping off his tears with the back of his hand. The blood was boiling in his veins, "you are not my mother, stop being one!"

"I wasn't trying to," Advik sighed, "… I am really so—"

"You two, stop acting like children," Vismay, who was silently floating beside Advik, said in a low and thick voice. "Someone is coming this way. We must hide. I do not know who or what it could be."

"But–" Advik opened his mouth to say something when the Fireball suddenly started pushing him from his back to take him somewhere.  He could feel the strength of Vismay when being pushed ahead by him. Who could have thought that a fireball which was looking weightless when flying could be so strong and fast. Advik tried to refuse to no avail --"What the hell are you doing?" 

"Trying to keep you two safe from any danger," the Fireball replied serenely as it moved Advik. Tara also rapturously followed them. "Samay you also come and hide with us." 

Samay's feet didn't move even an inch. He remained quiet with lines on his forehead which made the three petals of the lotus seem smaller between his eyebrows. Light green and white clothes covering him waved with the wintry breeze. The traces of tears rested on his rosy cheeks as he looked down. He knew he looked miserable but he did not care about it. 

Vismay paused after he safely managed to put Advik behind a tall and big tree,  "Stay here and do not go anywhere carelessly."

"I will," the soul said. He did not ask any questions because he trusted Vismay. Furthermore, he could also sense something strange in the atmosphere around him. He observed the place, terrified when he couldn't find the boy beside him. Eyes widened, "Where the hell is Samay?"

The Black Fireball was surprised too, "He wasn't following us?"

He glanced at the forest again from behind the tree. His worried eyes moved everywhere and rested down on a familiar figure. Samay's legs were glued exactly where they were before.

"What the hell! Why isn't he moving?" With irritation and fear gathering in his chest, he said.

"Whose fault is it that he became like this?" Vismay questioned helplessly. It heard the sound of footsteps again, "Listen, child. Someone is close."

Advik tilted out his head a little, "Samay! Samay! Samay!" It looked like Samay was not listening to him. He faced Vismay, a distortion came over his face, "Has he frozen himself there? Let me take him here. Wait for me." Without hearing what the Black Fireball had to say he rushed to the teenager. 

Vismay didn't even get the chance to say anything. "Advik! Do not go! Someone is near," it shouted but he was long gone. Hmm? The fireball noticed something. It flew a little up. Has that person stopped? I can not hear any more unknown footsteps… why?

Tara blinked rapidly, staying beside the Fireball.

In the meantime, Advik had approached the kid, "Samay? Let's go. It's too dangerous for us," he started to go back when he saw Samay was still not moving. He signed deeply and candidly said, "Hey... Umm… I am so—really sorry. Please come with me," Advik smiled dimly, "Let's start our friendship over again with honesty, please?" His big eyes looked at Samay.

Those red eyes gazed at the sorry person. Swallowing a lump in his mouth, he stammered, "Are… Are you really apologizing?"

"No, I'm joking in this graveyard like a forest," he frowned. "Of course I am sorry, I mean I know I was wrong somewhere."

"How long are you going to stay here?" a low voice came which startled the hell out of the two. They both jumped some inches back.

"For god's sake don't scare me like this!" Advik and Samay said together while rubbing their chests. The way Vismay suddenly appeared right in front of their eyes made them forget their quarrel with each other.

Avoiding the question Vismay pushed Samay from his back, the boy wailed but was ignored completely. Advik mutely followed them. They all were again behind the same tree. Tara lit up seeing the kid, it flew toward him but paused halfway seeing the trembling of the person when it tried to approach him.

"Son, look someone is on the path," the Fireball informed.

They all quit whatever they were doing and peeked at the said person. Somebody was indeed on the road. Thanks to the darkness they couldn't see the person clearly but they all were confident that someone was there. They could at least tell that it was a man. 

Tara sat down on Advik's shoulder. Leaning his head out to see the person, he whispered, "This person is looking in a hurry to go somewhere."

Samay said with mockery, "In a hurry and without much spiritual energy. It's so dim that I couldn't even see it properly if it wasn't for the night fallen here." 

Advik scrutinized, "Vismay can you tell me something about him?"

"Just a human soul with the Indri level cultivation and he is wearing the attire of the guards of Tilsamilok."

"A lowly human soul with only the second level of cultivation is wandering here! What rubbish! How brave of him!" Samay smugged, lifting up an eyebrow. 

Advik patted Samay's shoulder from behind. He said when the kid looked at him, "I have an idea. Let's follow him." His eyes twinkled.

"Correct, we should follow him. We have to see where this person is heading to. We might find something," Vismay murmured.

"Then let's go straight up to him and ask," Samay responded.

"No, we should not trust someone easily. We can not be too reckless." Vismay started to follow the person from a pretty good distance before he could disappear from their sights. 

"You said that we should not be too careless and you are following a total stranger, how awesome!!" Samay rolled his eyes and sighed. "A Black Fireball is telling us that, how ridiculous!" He saw Advik who seemed to enjoy himself too much while glowing with a toothy smile beside him. This man is a lost case. Of course, Samay was disgusted at the sight of him, "Believe me I am not forgiving you."

The idiot smiled even more, "That's fine." The teenager's shoulder withered down and straightened again. Feeling extremely irritated he strode ahead to follow Vismay with Advik staying attached to him.

Not getting noticed by the guard they all followed him silently.

Advik whispered while focusing on the stranger ahead, "Could you tell me anything about the Tilsamilok Vismay mentioned." 

"Tilsamilok is the capital city of Lost Soul's Realm and it's the biggest city over here," Samay answered.

"I thought you were not going to talk to me ever again," Advik giggled heartily.

"This is an emergency so I don't have a choice and I want to find Svapn and Chief Minister at any cost," Samay squinted at Advik, "Don't you dare play smart with me."

"Yeah, yeah!" Advik chuckled and frowned again. His tone was deep and serious as he pondered.

How this person couldn't find that we are following him for quite a while now. Anyone with second-level cultivation can at least do that much… strange. Is it possible that he knows we're behind him and still intentionally letting us do it? Hmm… Indri level cultivation? Shouldn't a guard be at least on the third, Jivant level of cultivation? Can't he scan his surroundings? Indri-level cultivators can do it even in their sleep. This is getting even more absurd.

"Advik! See this!" an astonishing voice came from Vismay.

"Huh!!?" His jaws dropped. "What the hell is a temple doing here?!!" Advik left with no words. He looked around for the guard they were following but no one was there to be found except the magnificent temple.

.

.

...

Dictionary:

Shwet: White

Tilsamilok: "Tilsmi" means Magical, "Lok" means Realm or a Place

Indri: Feelings

Jivant: Alive

...

Samay's class about cultivation:

Student Advik stood up asking, "Teacher, how many cultivation levels/stages do we have in this world?"

Teacher Samay, irritated, "You don't even know this much?"

"I don't know," Advik gave a stupid smile. 

Samay sighed, "We have 9 levels/stages in cultivation. We all are born with a shallow cultivation core. It is usually colorless but with time it gains the same color as its owner's soul's color. Which with time and effort and completing every stage of cultivation becomes stronger."

Advik raises his hand, "What are the names of all the cultivation levels/stages?"

Samay frowned, "First is Pran, people who can completely control their life energy reach it."

"Second is Indri, people who can control all of their senses reach this stage."

"Third is Jivant, people who can control their cultivation energy reach this level."

"Fourth is Chakram, a cultivator who can control and awaken all of the seven chakras inside themselves will reach this stage."

"Fifth is Adityam, a cultivator who is able to understand the true meaning of their life will reach this level."

"Sixth is Divyam, a cultivator who becomes immortal with their cultivation can reach this stage of cultivation."

"Seventh is Swargam, a cultivator who gets to see the heavenly tribulations and become a god will reach this stage."

"Eighth is Tyagam, after staying as a god for years who can still easily, without any string attached, abandon the heaven and come back to the mortal realm to protect and cultivate in it will reach the eighth stage of cultivation."

"Ninth and the most difficult one is Moksham, a cultivator who has completed their role in the world, with their own free will, decides to leave their body and emerge their soul with God, reach Moksham."

"To attain Moksham there are three paths during life, these three paths are Dharma (virtuous, proper, moral life), Artha (material prosperity, income security, means of life), and kama (pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment). Together, these four concepts (including Moksham) are called Puruṣārtha."

"This is complicated," Advik said. 

"Of course, who said it's going to be easy to become a cultivator?" Samay replied with an annoyed tone. "And there are two heavens— the Upper Heaven and the Lower Heaven."