Destination

Rylo looked back at Adonis with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry any of this happened. I should've left someone more capable to look after you. Are you okay?" He asked as he approached Adonis.

"There's no need to worry, my injuries are light. I'm fine." Answered Adonis with a smile.

Rylo sighed. He could clearly see Adonis had more than a few broken bones and this didn't even take into account the shower of blood coming from his head or even the burns caused by Arel's flames.

"Come with me."

Rylo placed his hand on Adonis' shoulder and the two vanished.

As soon as they did so, Arel fell to his knees, his heart beating out of his chest as fear began to consume him.

'He's acquainted with the young Lord…I'm finished…' 

***

Soon, Adonis found himself within another spacious tent facing Saleh and Rylo.

Saleh sighed seeing the state Adonis was in. She waved her hand and a bundle of emerald energy was infused into his body, mending most of his wounds.

"Was that Qi?" He asked in interest.

Hearing this, Selah raised a brow in surprise.

"You didn't know? Wait, do you not know what Qi is?"

Adonis shook his head, much to Selah's bewilderment.

"Well, in simple terms, Qi is the energy of the world. Qi is in everything and can be used to do anything. It exists in a near endless amount of shapes and forms and it is the energy we cultivators use to evolve and break free from the shackles of mortality."

Hearing this, though Adonis felt enlightened, more and more questions began to pop into his mind.

'Huh, so why did the guards not use any Qi during our battle… or maybe they couldn't? Or maybe they did and I just didn't feel it?'

"Anyways, I'd like to apologise on behalf of that idiotic youth. I won't use his age as an excuse but please do forgive him, normally, he's a very sweet boy." 

Adonis nodded in understanding.

"No, truly, there's no need to worry Ma'am. None of it was taken personally." He said with a smile. "But if I'm not overstepping my bounds, could I know why he was so hostile? I don't think I did anything wrong."

For a few seconds, Saleh sat in silence, inwardly debating on whether she should tell Adonis or not but after a while she acquiesced and began to speak.

"Our White Dragon Nomad group is in very bad terms with the powers of the southern continents, specifically, with the members of the Aksal Lineage." She said, her voice carrying hints of veiled rage and fury.

"It is a blood feud that began before even I was born and it will only end when one of us has been razed off the face of Ishva'al."

"All those in our camp are elite soldiers and geniuses trained from birth so naturally, they study the mannerisms of our greatest enemy, we emphasise this even more considering the people of the Aksal Lineage are known assassins."

"The way you carried yourself screamed of an Aksal and in his stupidity, Arel didn't think twice and immediately antagonised you. He's especially sensitive to such matters due to an incident that occurred in his youth. Please, forgive him." She added with a weary sigh.

Hearing this further confirmed Adonis' thoughts. He'd expected it to be something along those lines.

"And don't worry, we know you aren't an Aksal. The fact that you're alive should tell you that we do not see you as a threat." Added Rylo with a smile.

Though outwardly, Adonis smiled back, inwardly, he understood the message hidden in between the words that had just been uttered to him.

"Regardless, Arel will be punished and sent to the-"

"May I propose something?" Said Adonis, cutting off Saleh.

"Go ahead."

"Instead of punishing him, how about allowing me to spar with him? Regardless of who wins, after this, all resentment will be gone."

Saleh chuckled hearing this.

"Young boy, are you sure? Arel is a genius even considering our already high standards. He's seventeen and yet, he already stands at the zenith of the fifth tier. Even though he was consumed by rage, he still subconsciously held back most of his power."

"You may very well get humiliated a second time." She added.

"I'm ready for whatever may come my way."

***

Sat on a bed within a small tent he'd been assigned, Adonis finally breathed out and relaxed.

It felt like he hadn't been able to truly relax and take a breath in decades.

After his family died, he was forced to slave away his days for the royals of the other lineages, his pride constantly beaten and crushed under their twisted smiles.

Then, he was framed and was tortured for years on end. 

And even when he managed to free himself, he was forced to kill without looking back or even being able to process such an action.

'I've taken a life.'

And even after that, he was forced to doubt everything and anyone around him. Whether it be his father, family or even himself.

It felt like he was a prey, constantly on edge, afraid his natural predator would finally stop playing with him and devour him whole.

'This feeling…'

This emotion, this pit he felt in his stomach, this sense of inferiority, lack of belonging and fear- he hated it. From the bottom of his heart.

He was a child and yet, he couldn't be. No one would feel sorry for him if he messed up. No one would cry for him if his life was snuffed out. No one would pray for his survival.

He was truly alone.

'It's fine. It's fine. Everything will be fine.'

'I just need to keep my head up. I just need to keep moving. I just need to keep struggling. I need to keep clawing to grasp at a chance.'

'Keep my back straight, gaze piercing and heart firm. That's all I need to do. That's all you need to do Adonis.'

'I'll get there.'