Lost in The Holy Mountains.
1097 Words
Dusk arrived and under the beautiful orange haze Zhu Yuan trudged up the mountains in search of the elusive light concealing grass. Old Man Yuan's bitter warnings not to be late still vibrated in Zhu Yuan's ears as he fastened his leather back pouch and quickened his steps.
Soon his thoughts dallied as he recalled his favorite memory to date. It was a beautiful morning such as this when Zhu Yuan got the rare chance to meet his hero and Red Eagle Clan's pride, Deputy General Tang Yi.
Tang Yi was Red Eagle Town's unrivaled talent of the divine way. At that age of thirteen he had joined the prestigious outer sect of Heaven Sky Sect, something that was unheard of before. At the age of seventeen he had gone on to join the main sect a fete that broke previous records and remained unbroken to date.
Five years later Tang Yi had gone on to join The Imperial Celestial Sky Army and within five years he was promoted to Deputy General of the Southern ranks of the Celestial Army for his feats of valor and bravery.
Zhu Yuan met Tang Yi that fateful day as the Celestial Army happened to pass by Red Eagle Town on their way on to a top secret mission south of the Celestial Ocean. It was six years ago but Zhu Yuan remembered every detail in his heart.
The majestic army riding through town, Deputy Tang Yi at the front. His countenance regal, his aura deep and boundless, his Divine Martial Spear radiating with immense power. He recalled the awe that was plastered on his face. Then the moment Tang Yi turned and for a brief moment looked into his eyes and winked at him.
It only lasted a few seconds but it remained deeply engraved in Zhu Yuan's heart. That moment changed his life forever and he knew that's what he wanted to become. Maybe one day he might serve under Tang Yi because then Tang Yi would without a doubt be a mighty General by then.
Zhu Yuan day dreamed of his majestic entrance march into Red Eagle Town. The applause of the people , his grandfather's beaming smile. He was lost in his own little happy world.
When Zhu Yuan came to his senses he was lost. He could not recognize this part of the forest, a forest that he spent most of his time. He looked around picking up his bearings then he gasped in shock. Zhu Yuan had entered the f*******n zone of the holy mountains.
The Cloud Penetrating Mountain and The Azure Mountain had areas where natures essence was thickest therefore it was on such zones that the most precious and rarest of herbs that were to be tributes for the Imperial Celestial Sky Palace's were nurtured.
This zones were strictly prohibited to the citizens and only elders and master pellet refiners of Red Eagle Clan had limited access. To further protect their treasures, the f*******n zones were protected by powerful shrouding formations that disoriented anyone who ventured forth. One could not freely enter but in the case where one was able to, leaving became an extravagant dream.
"How exactly did I enter??"
"I need to quickly leave before I set off any traps."
Zhu Yuan's heart was deeply anxious. The penalty for one caught in the f*******n zones was the harshest for these areas were Red Eagle Clan's very lifeline.
He quickly retraced his steps as a cold sweat trickled down his brow. But this was a futile effort. All he managed to do was to go round and round in circles and circles until he collapsed down, his chest heaving, his limbs tired. But his predicament was even more grave as he watched the sun set and darkness slowly seep in.
"S#*t , S#*t... how could it be dark?" How much time had passed. Even his sense of time had been disoriented to the extreme.
Darkness came swiftly and blanketed the mountains leaving Zhu Yuan in darkness surrounded by tall majestic trees and thick shrubs.
" S#*t.. I'm in real trouble this time." Within the Holy Mountains lived various spirit beasts and some were known to be extremely violent. Although there had been relatively low records of attacks, no one had really remained up there at night.
Zhu Yuan calmed and steeled his heart and thought out his predicament.
"By now grandfather has noticed something is wrong. If they trace my steps they will be lead to where I am with the help of the towns elders."
"I only need to hold out and survive the night, by morning they will come for me."
Steeling his resolve Zhu Yuan retreated to a massive trees trunk, out of sight. He slid down and kept as still as he could. It was eerily quiet as time slowly trickled by. Soon Zhu Yuan fell into a dull troubled sleep.
Zhu Yuan opened his eyes alert. It was still dark and the mountains were so quiet it was almost unnatural. What had woken him up? He thought puzzled as he looked around and listened hard at the forest.
He saw it.
A faint azure light flashed across his eyes for a milli second.
"????"
What was that light?
Nothing.
Several minutes passed.
Did I imagine it. Doubts started to arise in him, and just as Zhu Yuan was about to close his eyes.
A very faint azure light flashed again, it flickered a few milli seconds longer.
"Grandfather?" Zhu Yuan shouted sprinting forward towards the light source.
Only silence greeted him and Zhu Yuan frowned slowing down and approaching the darkness with slow silent steps. The pale light flickered again this time just a few meters ahead of him.
"Is it a rare herb?" He wasn't acquainted with the top quality herbs but he knew they possessed many peculiar traits.
Some herbs even had an awakened consciousness.
His curiosity washed away his uncertainties and Zhu Yuan crouched down in front of the darkness and waited. The faint azure light flickered again this time it did not fade right away. It lingered on briefly illuminating his body.
The light seemed to be coming from a thin crevice at the base of a huge slated rock that protruded from the holy mountain. The faint light felt cool on his face. If it was during the day Zhu Yuan was certain he would not have seen it even if he knelt in front of it like he was.
Without thinking Zhu Yuan slowly stretched out his arm and touched the thin crevice. The bizarre light was cool and it illuminated his hand.
Zhu Yuan felt his hand tingle ever so briefly. Before Zhu Yuan could process this tingling an enormous power engulfed him and suddenly propelled him forward.
- Writer
