Mount Langma

It wasn't long before a girl's voice called out her name. "Nhamso........ Nhamso......" Opening her eyes to see who was calling, "Mapo", Nhamso waved back at her. She left the window, walked out to meet her friend.

"How are you?" Mapo's first question when she saw her. "You know your mother was very worried yesterday since I delivered your message."

"I'm fine," said Nhamso with a stiff and awkward smile.

"Fine what! Yesterday when you arrived at the front door of the house, you looked the same way when I found you in town yesterday, and you didn't answer all of your mother's questions, which made her even more worried, and then you just fainted." Mapo's chatter, however, she had a worried look on her face for her close friend.

Nhamso's smile disappeared, hearing Mapo's explanation reminded her of one thing, her hand swiftly groped her chest, and she found a bulge in her shirt, she was sure it was what she was looking for. Relieved. She smiled again, "I'm okay...." Nhamso finally answered, intending to end the restlessness that appeared on Mapo's face.

"Are you sure?....you're not hiding something from me?" she asked again squinting right into his friend's, she was sure she was hiding something and that's why she came here to hear directly from her. But it seems it should wait.

"It's true I'm fine now ....." Nhamso said to make sure her worried friend.

"Then what were you looking for in your pocket?" she sneered at her with curious eyes.

"Mapo...." she called, holding her arms, eyes staring at her "You know, you are my only friend, you obviously know that I will tell you everything".

"I hope so!..." A sigh of relief escaped Mapo's slightly opened mouth. But not completely, because she knew that Nhamso was still hiding something from her. Never had she found her best friend's condition like yesterday, even to the point of fainting. So far there is no secret that will fortify between them. "Where's your mother?" Mapo asked, glancing inside the house from the half-open door.

"I haven't seen her, why...?" replied Nhamso as she looked back inside the house.

"You know for the first time I saw your mother's great concern for you yesterday. Running for you as soon as I deliver your message. Arrived at home with a gloomy face full of worry because I couldn't find you. Mapo's explained to her "Even though our country has been under control, and we don't live freely, it's true.... Your mother's anxiety yesterday really worried me."

"Oh yeah..." her eyebrows knit together. Turning her head to the right and left to find her mother in the house.

"You go to see her" said Mapo.

"Okay, thanks for telling me," Nhamso replied with bright smile.

A smile broke from Mapo's lips "That's what friends are for, let me go home first, I have a lot of work waiting for me, and I think my mother must have been looking for me, as soon as I woke up, I immediately disappeared to come here" both laughed.

Mapo's figure disappeared at the end of the valley. Nhamso's brows knit together again, stepping into the house. The door to her mother's room was closed. She was confused about whether to walk in or knock on the door first. Nhamso decided to knock on the door first, one knock.... no answer, two knocks... also nothing. Nhamso pushed open the door, peering in. Her mother was sitting at the end of the room, eyes closed, mouth commotion with her hand holding the mala, the mala was spinning following her mother's finger tugging. Nhamso closed the door to her mother's room slowly.

Walked back to her room, closed the door. Behind the door she leaned back, her hands in her pockets. Grasping the green stone necklace, she looked at it with a questioning gaze. There may be a myriad of questions hanging at the end of her mind, forcing her to find an answer and no one can answer the question because yesterday's grandfather disappeared into light and fly to the sky. Back in her mind the words of the grandfather sounded "remember, keep and take good care of the stone, don't let anyone know about the existence of the stone because the stone will bring destruction to this earth if it falls into the wrong hands, you will know by yourself who it is. The owner of the stone later." Nhamso mumbled "hmmm how can I make sure this stone doesn't fall into the wrong hands if I don't know who the real owner of this stone is?".

***

Eight Year later at Banqung palace

The room is crowded with bookshelves, neatly arranged. High shelves towering almost to the top of the room. Leave room to let the sun in in the window slit above the shelf.

"How was your trip yesterday?" Xuan Yuan asked once Zhi Qiang was close to him.

"Nothing..." he said simply, he sat on a chair, put his sword on the table.

"Hmm….. what is Master Chi You looking for? How important is that thing?" Xuan Yuan's brows furrowed, curious. Zhi Qiang had been looking for that thing for decades, but every time he came back there was no luck.

"That thing will bring him to absolute dominion over this earth" Zhi Qiang explained in an even tone, he poured water from the teapot into the cup on the table, then gulped it down in one gulp.

"Power..." his mind wandered "Is power so important that it ignores human welfare?" he asked confused. During his stay in the Banquan palace, in his eyes Master Chi You always put power first and every attitude he took was always aimed at power. He is very ambitious with power. Like power it was his life.

Zhi Qiang sat quietly, to him power was not important. His life is just to repay the favour and pay for the mistakes. wanted to turn away from the favour but he was bound by an oath. He knew what he had been doing was a big mistake. And to pay for the mistake, the only hope is to hope that this earth finds its true ruler. If it was true, now that the Lord was before him, an innocent little man, whom he kidnapped eighteen years ago, guilt-ridden for killing his parents, if not for the thing his master was looking for then now, he grew up like other children playing and spend time having fun. His goal is to see this earth prosperous and peaceful.

"Zhi Qiang…." A hand rubbed his stiff hand "Are you okay?" Xuan Yuan asked worriedly.

"Oh ... yes ... " replied Zhi Qiang while lowering his head. "Hmm.... I'm going to go to Tham Country for a few days. Master Chi You heard the news, someone saw a light shining at the foot of Mount Langma". He said as he looked at Xuan Yuan and held his hand.

"May I come with you?" said Xuan Yuan, seeing no reaction "I just want to let go of boredom, I have always been in the palace environment, I want to see the outside world. Can I?" he asked again hopefully.

Zhi qiang was silent for a moment, unable to meet Xuan Yuan's sad eyes. Because it is not in his capacity to give permission whether he can go or not. For that, he needed permission from his Master. "I'll ask Master Chi You" he finally said, then he stood up, walked out of the room leaving Xuan Yuan alone in the room.