The Beginning

"How do you like Changsha so far?" My aunt who just sitted next to an empty seat.

"All right." My short answer to her. I came here to China a week ago but in that one week I only saw Aunty twice. He didn't even accompany me to wander here in Changsha which she should have done because I haven't been to this part of China.

"So, when are you going home?"

I narrowed my eyes at her question. "I've only been here in a week and I haven't toured part of Changsa yet because I don't have anyone with me, which FYI supposedly is your job to tour me around Changsa. But in that one week I've been staying here I only saw you twice, including now. And here you are ready to kick me out."

She parted the hair that was blocking her face because of the wind that came. "My dear, you running away from the Philippines and coming here is not the best timing. New artifacts were found and excavated, dating back to ancient times. Do you know how difficult it was to find artifacts of that era?"

"One more thing. I'm not kicking you out." She also parted the hair that was interfering with my face. "But you have an unfinished business back home." I was shocked by what she said so I looked at my Aunty who was now streaked with concern.

"Do you think I don't know what happened. My sister is your mother and she would tell me everything, including what happened."

"You know what happened back home. And yet you are trying to sending me back right away? Don't you have any conscience." I gave her a little cute sly thingy I've learned for a long time ago.

"Dear, escaping problems is not the solution you want." A advice I have known a long time ago as well was given to me by my Aunt.

I looked at my Aunt almost in tears. "Aunty, I did everything I could to protect the relationship I had. And yet." Looking back to the relationship that I had. I tought that I was lucky to have this kind of relationship where me and my partner are always on the same page. But I was wrong, all he gave me are lies and deception.

She took a deep breath and stroke my cheeks. "Love, we might not know the whole story about what happened. But we know that you did your best."

"I just couldn't imagine that this kind of thing would happen to me. I trusted him with all my heart." with out knowing I beggan to banter the pain I have as of the moment.

She stood up and took my hand. "Why don't we stop this conversation." She went ahead and cut our conversation. "Why don't you just join me on the site. Atleast you won't be bored their and at the same time you can still help me." she smiled tenderly at me.

My Aunt is an archaeologist, to be exact my whole Family is associated with Archeology. I don't know what is in History but through the generation of my Mother's side they are all associated with History. I am the only one who choosed a different path from them.

I stood up and adjusted my rumpled skirt. "That would be much better. Rather than me staying here alone."

I'd rather busy myself to other things than think about what went wrong in my life. That will only bring sadness on me.

Even though my interest is different than that of my Mother and Aunty, I know something about being an Archeologist because Mama and Aunty always take me with them when they excavate some Lost Tombs that they used to find. And since as long as I can remember I've been helping my parents in the Museum they own. Where all the Artifacts that they have collected through excavating or being bought as part of history are all there. It's been also part of our tradition to make sure that we have the knowledge where the artifacts came from, where they were buried, where they were found and to whom it is. Since we are also our Parent's children and it would be a lose of face if we don't know the things that are in our Museum.

"Whose Grave did you find?" I asked Aunty because I was also curious why she was so excited to dig the grave they find. To the extend that they keep it a secret to others.

"Not sure yet but according to the location and the researches that I made, it's from the most prestige Regent in Changsa you will ever know in your life." The way she looked at me with a grin smile has a deep meaning into it.

My eyes widened. I know what Aunty is speaking about, The Sect that created a buzz in Ancient China reffered to non other than the Era of the Lone Wolf. "The Wang Sect?"

"Yes."

I clapped back to her answer. "Oh My Gosh Aunty you hit the jackpot." I smiled in response to her. "The Wang Sect are very secluded people, they are very secretive in their lives. Including from the great reputation that they held here in Changsha they are also known for being the most upright when it comes to justice."

She shook her hand on my arm. "I know you'll like to know more about them. So you're now a VIP that needs to help me."

The Era of the Wang Sect is probably the History I was so obsessed with back then. That I could even resite their history in the back of my mind. According to what I read when I was just in college the Wang Family was an amazing Cultivator their existance is known far and wide on the vast land of Ancient China. They take care of the entire population they occupy and all the people here respected and fear them. But they said that before the Wang Family became respected, they also had a dark past, including the struggle for power, wealth and position in the World of Cultivation.

This is already a blessing in disguise on my end. I have always loved the story of this Sect. But no matter how I study their Sect I always feel that something is missing. Every documentations that I've read about them always ends up being a cliff hanger on my end. And to help here will be my biggest achievement when it comes to being a archeologists though I'm not one.

"Of course. You know their story is my favorite." The problem I was thinking about was gone and it was replaced by the thought that I would expand my knowledge about the greatest story that has not yet been told.

We have been travelling over half an hour to the site where they found the Wang's grave. I step out of the jeep and looked around the site. There are many archeologists who have calculated all the motions and are extremely careful with their walks.

"How many of you are with us?" I asked Aunty a question. Usually when she works in this kind of lost graves, there are only a couple of people with her but now there are almost twenty people here who were digging, scrapping and looking.

"The Wang's State is too spacious for my Group." Aunty has a fixed group that always accompanies her whenever she excavates. "So I asked your Uncle for help."

I was surprised when she said she asked her husband for help. "You asked?"

She looked at me indifferently. "I did."

I repeated my self "You asked?" and I pointed at Uncle when I saw him. "a Help from Uncle?" Aunty also married an Archaeologist, they are a perfect couple because of their same field of work. But they are too selfish in discovering some Lost Tombs, that sometimes they even compete in discovering new tombs so it is very surprising that Aunty asked Tito for help.

She seemed dissapointed. "It's against my will, okay."

I strike while the iron was hot. "How does that came out on your mouth? Asking Uncle for help?"

"Polite, to the extend of me tasting vinegar." she truthfully shared to me the experience asking for help.

When she confessed to me she even gave ne a explanation to why. "But the Wang is a great part of the History so we can't go wrong and have trouble discovering the important things and knowledge in the lives of the Wangs." Then she looked at me with a dissatisfaction face. "And you know your Uncle is meticulous. He's the only one I can trust with this project. So, I have no choice."

I laughed at what she said, it's true that Tito is a very detailed freak. "Why don't I say Hi to him first before you hire me."

"I think he's in the tent as of now, ask for a change of clothes. Just come down later once your ready." she ordered me.

"Okay."

I went to a large tent set up for this excavation and actually saw Uncle there and as I expected he was slowly cleaning the artifacts that are still full of dirt. Some are still displayed and have not yet been touched by him.

"Uncle." I made my presence known by him.

He looked at me and suddenly his haggard face lit up. "Zoraya!!!" He approached me and hugged me. In a week of my stay here I have not seen him. I'm sure that he has been sleeping here for more than a week now.

"You smell." I pay attention to his smell.

"Well I haven't taken a bath for days now because of this excavation."

"My gosh Uncle. You should have at least take a shower today. You really do smell." I know I'm blunt to speak but my Aunty's husband accepts the attitude I show him. He is always fond of my sharp tounge.

"After I finish this." He teased me as he cleaned a vase surrounded by hard and compacted sand during his burial in the ground.

I quickly picked up the brush he was holding. "No!" My tough answer to him. "You're taking a bath now. As in now Uncle." I even pushed him out of the tent and headed to the improvised shower they build up for the excavators.

"Take a bath. And a long one after that you can finish everything you need to do." I order him. My goodness, even taking a bath is hard for this archeologists to do when they are not reminded and forced to do so. It will only take a few minutes to take a bath and then get dressed, still they can't even do it.

"But." he started arguing with me while being pushed on the improvised shower.

"Uncle, it will only take a few minutes for you to take a shower. The artifacts are not hoing anywhere. Better clean your self and clean properly." I went ahead and came victorious since I completely shoved him on the shower.

While waiting for him to finish I can't blame him though because he is a passionate person in his craft it is hard as well if you are already in the Zone that you would forget about anything on your surroundings. "Don't worry I'll keep an eye to the artifacts that your cleaning until you come back."

Uncle couldn't do anything but listen to me since he is already inside and knows that the door will not be opened until he finished bathing. I went back to the tent and looked for the excavation suit that I could use to go to the site. I also took a glance to the artifacts that's already been cleaned by him.

"My gosh these are beautiful." the things that are in here are either complement with diamonds or golds around them. If maybe I wasn't someone who didn't appreciate the histories of old times I would have took them and run as fast as I can, then afterwards sold them to the black market. I can earn a lot of zeros from just 1 artifact.

After I watched and admired the things I am seeing, my Uncle came back after taking a bath and are already in a new set of clean clothes.

"You didn't took anything haven't you?" He suspiciously questioned me.

I was shocked by what he asked. As if I'm going to do that, I'm really thinking about those things but I'm not going to do it. I was not raised by my parents who love history to steal artifacts. "Did you just really asked me that question?"

He smiled and picked up the leftover brush I had taken from him earlier. "I know you wouldn't do it."

I can't believe what he's saying. First he suspected me and then he said I wouldn't do that either. What exactly between those two. "But you ask me if I took anything here."

"I was just joking."

I'm embarrassed because that's not a good joke. I didn't say a word and I left him, I'm sure he'll think I'm upset with him because I'm really upset with him. How could he even think I would steal a precious artifact from a History I respected the most.