The Beginning of the Fate. Part three.

Packing all his things into one small bag, Longwei looked around. The cave where he was living for three years already kept so many memories. Memories of his solitude and his freedom, of his courage and cowardice. But still, it was just a cold cave, there was nothing except the big stones which served as the furniture.

For three years, Longwei after the life among the others, was finally all by himself. He had time to read ancient books which were stolen from the library, he had time to write and dream about many things. Here, there was only wilderness. Even though to survive was really hard sometimes. But still he was happy here. Or maybe he thought so.

Looking back, he took his bag and nodded his head. Wearing his cotton black pants and fur jacket he wasn't feeling cold, he was feeling the hatred but the thought about his father was keeping him calm.

Ye-Ying who was waiting for him outside the cave said, "We should go now."

"Yes."

Leaving his solitude behind, Longwei headed towards his and only his destiny.

"Brother Longwei! Brother Longwei!" The loud and happy voice welcomed Longwei once he stepped to the small village with many small houses. Even though the voice was very loud, but Longwei did not see anyone around.

Holding the heavy bag in his hand he stepped forward.

The small village with very small wooden houses was very cozy. Here, among these houses everything was calm. No wind or blizzard. Complete silence.

"So this is where all soldiers of the First clan live. Not so bad. Not so bad…"

Ye-Ying who was stepping like a giant replied, "This is not your cave. You won't be able to sleep or read here."

"Don't scare me Master. And anyway, I won't be long here. Soon I will leave this place."

"Don't say it if it is not happened yet."

"But it will happen."

Suddenly feeling someone's strong hands on his neck and the next moment feeling someone's heavy body on himself, Longwei shouted, "Who is it?"

"Brother Longwei! Finally you are here!"

Hugging him from behind, almost choking him, someone's loud voice screamed so loudly that everyone went out of their houses.

"Who are you? Your voice is so familiar."

Jumping out from behind, a young man, almost the same age like Longwei, with a very happy and cheerful face exclaimed, "Brother Longwei! It is me! Me Baofeng-Xue!"

Happily smiling, revealing all his perfectly white teeth, he embraced Longwei. "I am so happy to see you! So happy!"

Longwei who was surprised did not say anything. After all, he perfectly knew who it was this Baofeng-Xue. When he was a child, they were a good friends. As children, they often played together and chased wild birds. But now, after so many years, he was seeing him for the first time.

Baofeng-Xue holding his both hands looked at Ye-Ying and happily said, "He is my best friend. We grew up together. He is almost my brother. I am so happy. You can't imagine how much I am happy."

Stepping a little further, Longwei put his bag to the ground. Looking at his old friend from head to toe he finally said, "You have changed a lot. You are a real soldier now. But still, how much time had passed your eyes are still keeping the happiness and your face is bright like the hidden Sun. How did you manage to keep your cheerfulness like this?"

"I am just always thinking positively. That is the secret."

Looking at his dark green eyes, at his reddish cheeks and at his beautiful long hair which was like a silk, Longwei clapped his hands and said, "When you were a child you were so ugly. But now, you have become a real beauty. What is the secret? Also positivity?!"

Baofeng-Xue frowned and approached him, looking at him so close he said, "I was always more handsome than you, you should accept it brother Longwei."

After a moment of pause Longwei laughed out loud. Embracing his old friend, he happily said, "I am so happy to see you too."

"Where have you been? I was always wondering about where are you now. After you have left, I was looking for you everywhere."

"I was very far away from here."

"But now you are here, this is what matters the most. Let's go now. We'll have a dinner soon."

Walking towards the row of houses Longwei noticed a tall man who was much older than he is. The man in the official form of the First clan walked out of the house, his hands were covered in bondages. When he passed by Longwei, he had the feeling like he saw him somewhere but where he couldn't remember.

Baofeng-Xue went closer to him and whispered, "This is our teacher and the best warrior of the First clan. You see his hands, they were badly injured when he was in the battlefield. But to his greatest luck his hands will be recovered."

"He was in the battlefield and he came back alive?"

"Yes. He was there already for three times. And each time when he was back he had a little injury. He is really a walking talent. He is very powerful and smart. But we are scared of him. All of us. Because he knows no mercy and when he teaches you something he teaches you until you will remember each of his word. You know, one day, he forced us to run for one whole night without any stopping. And while we were running we were repeating some kind of poem."

"A poem? What poem?"

"I don't remember now. But it was strange. Here, we never read poetry. And I was so tired that I did not even notice what I was repeating over and over again. Let's go brother Longwei. We have no time to talk now."

Opening the wooden door, Baofeng-Xue exclaimed, "Get up everyone! Why aren't you on the field? Get up, we have a guest! Longwei don't stand there, hurry up. Give me your bag. So heavy? What is it? Books or stones?"

Without saying anything Longwei entered to the small house. The ceiling was so low that his head was almost touching it. But in spite of such a low ceiling, the room itself was wide enough to have ten bed and a few tables. Lying on the beds, eight other men were soundlessly sleeping.

Baofeng-Xue approached the first bed and pulled off the blanket. A young man who was sleeping made a strange sound and hid his face in the pillow. "Wake up! Wake up or I'll tell teacher about how lazy you are, instead of training in the field you are sleeping in your warm room."

"Go and tell but leave me alone." Murmured the young man.

Longwei who was standing in one place quietly said, "Don't wake them up. They look very tired."

"They are not tired. They are just stupid and lazy. Get up! All of you!"

Climbing on a small wooden table, Baofeng-Xue loudly said, "If you want get up, I will tell to the Master about your secret."

"You won't do that. I know you." Someone murmured.

"Oh really? You think I won't tell him about how all of you…"

Interrupting him, everyone synchronically sat up and said, "Wait! Wait, we'll get up!"

Baofeng-Xue satisfyingly smiled and went back to his old friend. "Longwei, here is your bed. Later, I'll bring you your nightwear and your uniform. And tomorrow, you will go to the head of the First clan and will choose your sword. For now, you can unpack your things. I will be waiting for you next to the building which is just next to this house." Looking at eight men who were lazily wearing their uniforms, Baofeng-Xue said, "You, won't you greet our new brother? How ill-mannered you are."

The man with relatively short hair, with a rude and almost unfriendly face approached Longwei, looking at him as he was examining him he said, "You look like you have never held the sword."

Baofeng-Xue pushed him aside, "Watch you tongue. You don't know before whom you are standing, he is the son of the legendary Fei Jian. You should kneel down before him."

Changing his expression, the man suddenly became so friendly that such sudden change of the mood almost scared Longwei. "Welcome to the army of the First clan. We are happy to see you. My name is Delun. And these are Guangli, Eagle, Ice, Fan, Enlai, Jinhai and our little Xiaoli."

Standing in a line, all of them bowed their heads and synchronically said, "We are welcoming you."

Baofeng-Xue laughingly said, "You can be nice only when you are scared. How silly you are. Go now, leave us."

Quickly leaving the house, everyone forgot about their sleep. Looking out of the window, Baofeng-Xue said, "They don't understand good manners and kindness. If you want something from them, you should be rougher and rude otherwise you will be an empty place."

Sitting on the bed, Longwei looked around, noticing the table in the corner, he said, "I won't stay long here. Baofeng-Xue can I have this table by my bed?"

"Table? Of course, here, let me help you." Quickly moving the table towards his bed Baofeng-Xue happily said, "Brother Longwei, I am really happy to see you. You know, all these years, I was missing you. I worried that right after your father's death you… Sorry. I am sorry Longwei."

"Don't be sorry. You have already said it. Don't worry. It is not a secret that father had died. I am not a child anymore. So don't be sorry."

Feeling a little awkward Baofeng-Xue coughed and said, "Well, unpack your things. I will be waiting you outside." Saying this, he with his quick steps soundlessly went out of the house.

Longwei sighed and lied down to the bed. The soft pillow made him long for the sleep, his eyelids became heavy. Slowly he began to sink into the dreaming.

Hearing the voice of the father, Longwei was running towards the voice. Happily, he was running ahead. The Sun was shining brightly on the crystal clear sky. The green fields were so bright that it was hard to look. The birds were cheerfully flying over the small yellow flowers. Hearing the voice, the gentle voice of his father Longwei was running with all his might. But no matter how hard he tried to reach the voice he was still running in one place. It was like he wasn't able to run ahead. Feeling the warmth of the Sunrays, he cried out. The distant gentle voice and the peaceful nature, were everything that he needed all this time. The tears were involuntarily falling down. And the next what he felt was the choking. It was hard to breath, so hard that he was ready to lose his consciousness.

Waking up with a shock, he wanted to take a deep breath but something was pressing his throat. The strange noises were sounding just below his chin. Hardly raising his head he could see who was choking him. It was that little wolf pup who was in the house of the Xing-Fu.

In spite of being a little pup, Longwei hardly picked him up, coughing after the pressure on his neck he stroked the pup and said, "You almost choked me. What are you doing here? Where is your house?"

The little pup made a noise and jumped off from the bed. With his tiny paws, the pup was still able to open Longwei's bag which was on the floor, grabbing one small book with his mouth, the pup quickly run out of the house.

Longwei grabbing his coat followed the pup. Running all the way towards the big house which was in the end of the village, the pup did not listen to Longwei. The huge snowflakes were falling down. There were so many of them that it was hard to see the pup.

Approaching the house, the wolf looked at Longwei and then ran inside.

"Where are you? Come here. Don't hide. Look what I have, I have a cookie."

Once inside the strange looking house with no light inside, Longwei accurately walked ahead. It was so dark that he almost forgot about the pup and his book. But he kept walking.

Crashing into something, Longwei heard a loud noise as if something fell down.

"Where are you little wolf?" He whispered, his heart was beating like mad. "Why it is so dark in here?!" He asked himself. Feeling goosebumps on his skin, he took a deep breath and clutched his fists.

The further he went the darker it was.

Finally when he made a few more steps ahead, he could see the weak light in the end of the corridor. Even if the light was fading away he quickly walked towards it.

When he almost approached the place where the light was, he crashed into something. This time, he hurt his forehead, it was like he crushed into something iron.

Feeling pain on his forehead he said, "This little wolf."

"Who are you?" Someone's quiet voice was heard just next to Longwei. Frightened, he shouted, "Who are you?! I did nothing!"

The next moment, his heart almost jumped out from his chest because someone was dragging him somewhere.

One candle lit up and now Longwei was able to see who was dragging him. It was the same man whom he saw when he arrived here. The man with bandaged hands.