THE DARKER SIDE OF CULTIVATION..

***In the North-west area of Continent 'Eclipse of the Oceans'..

***Territory of the Arm of the Imperial Court called the Silver Wing Clan..

***'Saccurrus'- known as the Home Of The Wild.

***Early Morning(Dusk)..

 On the top of a Motel roof, a messy young man in simple blue robes can be seen to be lazily lying down without a care in the world. He sleeps nonchalantly on the roof with the back of his palm resting against his face in order to shield his eyes from the morning light.

Soon, sunlight begins to peep through the gaps of the youth's fingers then into his eyes causing him to squint his face in discomfort. For the next few minutes, he tussles before finally pushing his body up in annoyance.

Spiteful of the sun, the young man slowly supports his body weight with his elbows as he sits up.

 Despite being a cultivator, the young man is truly not a morning person but rather he's a night person as life in this part of the Continent only truly begins for most at night.

 With sleepy eyes, the man observes his surroundings while giving a subconscious a carefree yarn as he makes no attempt to cover his mouth. Sucking his lips, the youth shakes his head rapidly in order to push away lingering sleepiness as he looks towards the rising sun.

 Beautiful.

Just absolutely stunning.

Although the young man seems like he would rather catch some more sleep, since he's now awake he decides to take in the sight to the fullest.

Though he has seen it multiple times, he just cannot get used to the view of the sun silently rising above the seemingly endless Oceans. In the distant horizon, the sky is stained with blurrs of orange, red and pink hues that look even more stunning considering the scattered clouds.

Massive ships on the distant ocean waters were euther sailing away, coming into ports or just on a standstill by the ports. From thus distance, the ships appears like toys though they add to the majesty of the natural morning art.

'I can wacth this all morning.', The young man thinks to himself then he changes his mind immediately after.

Shaking his head once more, the youth pushes himself off the roof before effortlessly and silently landing on the ground. The building on which he has spent the night in or rather on is a Motel he is used to boarding.

This three storeyed motel is built on top of a hill and despite cheap, they have the best views. The motel is also pretty decent in privacy and policies but unfortunately, one of those policies is that they take their payments very seriously.

Last night like every other night, the youth had participated in a gamble or five things he cannot fully recall happened and somehow, he gets left with only pennies worth in his formerly heavier robes.

Ignorant of the fact that his motel rent is due, he had stupidly bought a dose of one or five bottles of alcohol in other to wash away the pain of loss.

'We go again tomorrow!', The youth remembers cheering himself up as he drinks.

He phad probably ordered a couple more kertles after that hence leaving him with nothing but wool in his pockets as he stumbles back to his abode.

One can tell how the rest of the story had gone considering that he used the roof as a bed.

Uncaring about his own pitiful situation, Haniel silently fixes up his slightly faded robes before circulating a dose of mana through his body for energy as he walks down the hill.

The hill the motel is located on is a bit high but as a Rank 1 cultivator of the warrior Pathway, a bit of hike spells nothing for him.

A couple of minutes if yarns and sore passes and then Haniel finds himself back on roads as he has once more entered into the bustling streets of 'Saccurrus'(The Home of the Wild).

It is truly a jungle with different species of characters.

The gruff males arguments over stupidity, the pirates preparation for voyage, the hooded men and women here to assign secret assignments, the fierce looking armoured guards patrolling the streets in pairs though just to make their presence known as they are not even pretending to care about making any actual initiative to maintain order.

The thieves were practicing their arts, the perfume of beautiful yet shameless women looking for consumers in broad daylight and even the smell of a massive abomination being carried on a pole that's placed iver the shoulders of two hulky slaves!..

Everything is as they always are and should be and Haniel happily takes in all of this into his senses with a smile.

A talented thief collided into Haniel only to keep moving forward in disappointment at empty pockets though Haniel wears a smile on his face as he pulls a small bag out of nowhere.

 'Thanks for the donations. What a good day to be alive'. Haniel think to himself with a smile while the moving thief still remains completely unaware of the robbery that has just occurred.

 With lighter steps, Haniel soon finds his through the streets then to his second favourite bar.

He would have gone to his usual number one spot but he's feeling too lazy to make the journey all the way over since it's farther.

Haniel steps inside and breaths in the familiar scent of alcohol.

Just as expected, the drinks never truly stop flowing in these bars as countless 'gentlemen' and 'gentlewomen' are seen drowning a mug or bottle at one table or another.

"Haniel, my man *Burp*.", An extremely rugged voice belonging to one of the reason this bar stays his second favourite calls Haniel out from the side of the counter.

 Haniel gives a mildly annoyed yet friendly smile as he walks over to the side of the voice. The source of the tough voice is dwarf that is as short as they come and he's sitting at the end of the bar's counter with a mug of brewery in his hand.

This dwarf is covered in such a thick halo is alcohol scent that it is somehow completely distinct compared to the smell of the bar!.

Scanty countable brown hair sits on the dwarf's pale brown head but a thick herd of knitted beard that falls all the way down to his potty-belly lies on his chin.

Eyebrows as thick as a finger rests above the dwarf's beady eyes which wrinkles everything time he gives a drunken smile.

Waving the mug of Brewery in his hands, the dwarf adjusts his sitting position as Haniel pulls out seat out right by the dwarf's side.

"Hey Akon, you seem to have grown a few inches since the last time I saw you.", Haniel mocks with a smile at the dwarf who somehow manages to kick Haniel's high stool with his small stick like leg.

"Curse ya!.", The dwarf says with a roll of his eyes as he swirls his alcohol mug.

"Da pride of ah.. *Burp¡*.. dwarf lies in his beards mate and I have quite da heavy one.", Akon responds with his dwarfen accent as he takes another swing of his mug.

Although the dwarf is no taller than two feet he still feels pride in his anatomy because of some excess hair hung on his chin, this tradition is something other races cannot bring themselves to understand.

Temporarily ignoring the dwarf, Haniel quickly orders himself a cup of something mild with the money he had stolen from the thief and then he takes a swing as soon as his order hits the table.

"Boy have you heard da rumours?. They say ah lot of martials and even those da low ranked cultivators haf been disappearing rall over da city.", Akon says to Haniel who raises his brow at the gist.

Seeing Haniel interested, the dwarf continues his drunken report.

"Da main powers has launched an investigation. Dey usually can't care to bat ah eye if ha couple tens of people disappears so things has gotta run more deeply if dey r showing interests.", The dwarf says before drowning the rest of the liquid in his mug.

 "Do you think this is related to those cultists or evil cultivators?.", Haniel ask without much interest evident in his voice.

"Who else has it gotta be?. Those dey cowardly folks in da shadows r most likely de cause. Nobody's been ah Saint but some of da things those bastards do make me somehow feel holy.", Akon spits out with disgust in each word.

"Lower your tongue, you don't know who's listening.", Haniel warns before passively observing their surroundings.

"Don't stress much man. Nah cultist comes out for ah early morning drink.", The drunk dwarf says as he pushes himself off the stool just after putting a coin on the counter.

"I'll be off then man. Me need to make money for me next drink.", The dwarf says while lazily waving goodbye as he walks out of the bar with his short legs slightly wobbly.

 Looking at the back of the small man, Haniel sighs then shakes his head before giving a small murmur.

 "Fool¡.", Spits in a low voice as he quickly drowns down his last bit of brewery before walking out of the bar.

 With relaxed steps, Haniel walk through the streets then to a secluded area which he knows to be clouded by a unnoticeable illusion array.

This area is lonely looking around and it is located between building and a dead-end.

With a specific knock pattern that inserts mana, the walls gives off a faint blue glow that allows Haniel to effortlessly walk through the walls of the dead end.

After walking into the wall, Haniel shivers slightly from the shift as he now finds himself within a room filled with darkness.

The only source of light in this space is a sets of red candles that are positioned in an eerie arrangement.

under the faint lights of the candle, an individual robed religiously in a red and white material can be seen to br meditating in the centre of the eerie candle arrangement.

This individual has her eyes closed and her aura calm as she stays on an upright lotus position with her robes flowing in the dark grounds.

Looking at the woman, Haniel does not think twice before dropping to his knees.

"I greet the daughter of the truth.. I greet the vessel of redemption and cleansing,.. I greet the great servant of the greater one above. I greet Bishop Malaya.", Haniel says faithfully with full bow with his palm placed on the grounds in front of him.

Silence prevails for almost a minute and then the Bishop slowly opens her eyes as she gaxlzes on Haniel.

 "Rise. The great one be with you.", The woman calmly says with a eerie voice that seems to echo through the mind.

Hearing these words, Haniel raises his head and straightens his back but he remains humbly kneeling.

 "Oh! vessel of truth, I bring news from the others. They say that the blasphemers have caught their trail. They would need to go into hiding for a foreseeable future.", Haniel says without daring to look directly at the woman's face.

Therobed woman seems to contemplate on Haniel's words for a few seconds before speaking.

"I see. Let them not worry, that is only a small part of our preparation. The ritual is not due till seven years so we have all the time to prepare and weather they want it or not, reminants of the truth would descend once more into the mortal realm.", The woman says calmly yet with obsessive passion in each word and breath.

"The truth would prevail!.", Haniel says with obsessive passion at the woman's reassurance while the woman slowly closes her eyes once more.

...