Cursed yet Blessed

'Purification process'

Flare repeated these words in his mind a number of times before he asked the old man who was calm as he sat on his rock, "What should be purified?"

The old man did not mind Flare's questions. Instead he answered very calmly, "One's soul and body."

"Soul and Body?"

"Yes. It means everything should be purified from the inside out. Including the depths of the bones and everything invisible to a naked eye. That is why, it would be a very painful process to go through," The old man spoke in a solemn voice showing the seriousness of the matter.

No one would think that he was seriously speaking all these words to a small raccoon kit who is younger than an year old if they were to see how serious the old man was at this moment.

Flare, on the other hand, despite being a small kit, he still understood what the old man was trying to imply.

The old man was trying to tell him how painful the process was going to be, in case he wished to cultivate himself in order to transform into a human.

He went silent for a few seconds. After thinking to himself for a while, he finally raised his head to look at the old man.

The old man could clearly see the determination written in the young kit's black eyes.

"I don't mind how painful it will be. I want to cultivate and transform into a human," Flare did not request but declared, showing that he would not take a 'no' for an answer. It was clear that he would go to any lengths to get what he wanted.

The old man smiled looking at Flare when he heard his words and nodded his head in agreement.

Flare breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the old man accept his request. For a while, he scared himself thinking about the chance of the old man's refusal.

He then asked, "When can I start the purification process? How long will it take?"

The old man spoke in his usual calm voice, "Well, Flare. I did not say that you have to go through the purification process, did I?"

Flare frowned in confusion, "But you just said…"

"Well, I did say that for any normal being, the purification process is the first step towards the road of Cultivation. But I never said you need to go through the same process as others, did I?" the old man asked back.

"What you mean is that I don't have to go through the Purification process?" Flare asked him to confirm his doubts.

The old man nodded his head, "Yes. Magical beings don't need to go through all that painful process. And you my dear," he lowered his torso to hold Flare's little paw in his hand, "have magic in your blood. I can still sense it."

Flare blinked his eyes, "I may have magic but aren't I cursed? How can I…" He did not continue but the meaning in his words was very clear.

The old man smiled and shook his head, "The curse you got has nothing to do with your inner chakras. Hence the curse couldn't get in the way of your cultivation. The Moon Goddess may have turned her head away from you. But the Mother Nature still had her motherly eyes looking down upon you. Hence do not worry any further and go on with your life without thinking about a curse."

"Mother nature is looking upon me?" Flare had his eyes full of anticipation.

Since the time of his birth, he had seen many cruelties that he had lost hope in everything. Of course the human family that adopted him gave him a sense of security and love and warmth but he still couldn't help but feel that he is an unlucky being.

He had lost his birth mother. He lost his siblings. And his Father.. He doesn't want to even think about him.

And everything that happened to him, happened on the day of his birth. This includes the curse that was cast upon him.

There were even times when he thought he shouldn't get along with his human family because he did not want them to be affected because of his curse in the least.

But now, this old man was telling him that he was still looked upon by another goddess who is not the Moon Goddess?

Of course he would be excited and anticipated. How could he not?

To go through any curse, all he needs is blessings from others. Now the old man is saying that he is really blessed?

This is the moment Flare had never once thought he would encounter.

This is the happiest moment in his life other than the times he was adopted by a kind family and his human sister was born.