Transform?

"..."

Flare did not speak.

Neither did the old man.

In the middle of the forest, an old man covered with white hair, white clothes and everything white and a small little raccoon kit were staring at each other while the wind blew without making any noise around.

After a long time of staring at each other, the old man was the first one to break the silence first as he asked, "Do you want to transform into a human?"

Flare was surprised and did not know what to say. He was calm for a second but he still asked, "Can I?"

After asking the question out loud, he himself felt that his question was silly. Of course he can't. How would he be able to transform?

After all, he was cursed.

He knows that he won't be able to transform into a human no matter what. The Moon Goddess wouldn't allow it to happen.

At once, his face scrunched up and disappointment filled the air surrounding him.

But before he could say something, he heard the old man reply in his usual calm voice, "Of course you can."

Flare was shocked as he did not know how to react to this sudden information. Can he really transform into a human?

If he could really do that, then it would be really very helpful.

Only in the form of a human could he get some powers to inquire about the people who attacked his mother.

Only then could he get revenge.

Only after the revenge would he be able to sleep peacefully in the future.

Though he was hopeful because of the words that the old man just spoke, it doesn't mean that he would really trust them either.

He doubtfully looked at the old man before asking, "How is that possible? You know that I am cursed, right?"

The old man smiled and walked away from Flare until he reached the rock where he was meditating earlier. He sat on the rock once again and Flare followed behind the old man and looked at him curiously.

He did not probe the man to speak as he knew that he would speak once he wanted to. He patiently waited until the old man opened his lips to speak, "Every being can transform into any form he wished as long as he worked hard for it."

"Work hard? How could anyone work hard to transform into another form?" Flare asked in confusion.

Though he is just a little kit, he has been a very smart kid from the time of his birth. He knows that working hard would help him maintain one's body by gaining weight or losing weight or changing the shape of a particular body part.

He had seen his Father working out everyday in order to maintain his body. Even his Mother would join him from time to time.

He also knows that not everything is related to working hard because he knows about magic from the time of his birth. After all, he had seen werewolves with his own eyes.

But what he did not understand is how could anyone; including the ones without magic in them; be able to transform just by working hard?

In reply, the old man laughed, "Of course you can. As long as you cultivate your body and soul to the level where you could transform your appearance, you could do anything you wanted to. This is the magic of life."

"Magic of Life," Flare muttered to himself as his eyes shone while looking at the old man.

After a few seconds of being in trance, Flare blinked his eyes and asked, "You mean, the living beings who do not have magic in them can also transform to their wish?"

The old man smiled and nodded his head, "That is what I meant. But.."

"But?" Of course Flare, despite his young age, knows that any but is never a small matter but instead was the most serious and important.

Looking at the seriousness in Flare's eyes, the old man couldn't help but smile softly, "But, for a non magical being to cultivate themselves, they have to go through a purification process. And this process is very painful. So painful that it could even result in the loss of their lives. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Flare looked at the old man's questioning gaze and nodded his head.