I Shall Rule The Heavens 5 Ch. 5 - Tears Of Happines

"Sure! I caught a seventh rank Fire Serpent. It should be able to last for around a week or so."

"WHAT?! You caught a seventh rank Fire Serpent?! If I were to encounter one, I wouldn't even be able to run! I would probably be dead within a few seconds! And what's this about it only lasting for about a week? A seventh rank Fire Serpent should be around 8 ft tall and 34 ft long! For it to only last that long, how much do you think that I eat?!"

"I don't know how much you eat, but I've been told that I eat abnormally much. If you eat at least half as much as I usually do, then it should last for about a week."

"Ok, where is it?"

"One second, I'll get it out."

As he said that, the ring on his left hand, started to glow. Then an enormous Fire Serpent appeared on the empty s.p.a.ce beside them. It was truly enormous!

"You actually have a storage ring? Those are extremely expensive. How did you get it?"

"Oh, it's just one of many things that I've collected over the past 2 years. When I go into 'That' mode and kill people, I usually collect their stuff afterwards. It's better than just throwing them away."

"Hmm… I know that you'd rather not talk about it, but I feel like I have to ask anyways. Those mercenaries that killed your mother, how come they let you escape?"

"…"

Jin Long had not really expected an answer, so he wasn't really disappointed. He already had his guesses, it's just that he wanted to confirm it. Xiao Huoyan on the other hand, wanted to answer. It's just that he didn't really know how to explain it so that it won't sound too bad.

"You don't have to answer. I just wanted to ask."

"… No, I'll answer… I k-killed them…"

"I thought so… Then did you go 'insane'?"

"Yes, I did. That was the first time."

"I know that it's very painful for you to talk about it, but would you mind telling me everything that happened back then? From what you did right before they arrived, when your mother came and when you went 'insane'. How you felt and what happened afterwards that day. I want to know as much as possible."

"Sure, but I was quite small back then. I was only 3, I think. I was out, playing in the yard, when those mercenaries came. I remember that we talked for a bit, but I can't remember what. However, after that they got mad for some reason, and then they started to hit me."

"…ok, go on."

"T-then my mother came and started to talk to them. I remember seeing her standing in front of me, holding my hand. Then she started to apologize to those people. They were five people, or maybe six, I can't really remember. They were all men, and I remember seeing they gazes wandering all over my mother's body. It made me really mad.

They looked like wolves staring at their pray, right before going to attack. My mother also noticed their gazes, but she simply chose to ignore them. After she finished apologizing, we both turned around to leave.

Then one of them suddenly grabbed her wrist and started to pull her towards them, while saying that she should come with them. That they would treat her nicely if she behaved. She firmly refused them and pulled away from his grip. He got so mad, he slapped her.

That resounding slap mad my emotions go wild. I felt so helpless, seeing my mother get bullied right in front of my eyes. I wanted to help her, yet I couldn't do anything but watch.

That feeling… the feeling of sadness, helplessness, fear and despair…"

Was it those feelings that triggered it for the first time?"

"Yes, it was…"

"What did you do after you went 'insane'?"

"I'm not quite sure… Everything that happened afterwards is a blur."

"Do you remember anything?"

"I do. I remember telling them that they had to pay for hurting my mother. I told them that it was too late to regret it. Then I attacked… They screamed a lot. They kept calling me cold blooded, a monster, a demon, a devil… Teacher, am I a monster?"

"How could you possibly be a monster? You saved me, a stranger, without any thoughts of gaining any kind of benefit. Would a monster be that kind hearted?"

"But I still attacked you…"

"Well, that was mostly my fault. It was I who triggered it by trying to enter your memories."

"…"

"But, back to what happened back then. From what you said, your mother was still alive before you started attacking those mercenaries. So how did she die?"

"I can't remember… I remember attacking them, and then everything blacked out. Then I woke up and saw my mother and the mercenaries laying on the ground, dead."

"How did you react when you saw your mother laying there, dead?"

"I did not go 'insane'. I just felt a bunch of emotions surging inside of me. I felt as if something inside of me shattered. I felt… scared…"

"Scared of what?"

Jin Long couldn't really understand what could possibly scare Xiao Huoyan, after he became so powerful. Not even Jin Long himself, would be able to do anything to Xiao Huoyan.

"I-I was afraid of b-being alone… and I still am."

Hearing this, Jin Long felt as if his heart was about to break from sadness and empathy. Seeing Xiao Huoyan like this… Jin Long could almost feel the pain and sadness in this little boy's heart. Before he knew it, a single tear ran down his cheek.

"I'm sorry!"

When Xiao Huoyan saw his teacher wiping of a single tear of his face, he started to panic. Causing one's teacher to cry was not something good.

"What the h.e.l.l are you apologizing for?! You have to stop being so soft. Don't apologize to anyone just like that!"

"B-but you're, my teacher. You're not 'anyone'. At least not to me… Teacher for a day, father for a life!"

And as he said that, Jin Long felt as if his heart melted. He started to cry again. This time, a lot more than a single tear.

"I can't believe that I actually cried in front of my dear disciple TWICE on the same day!"

Jin Long said while smiling. He looked a little embarra.s.sed. He immediately changed the topic.

"Eh, well… so you don't know how your mother died?"

"No, I don't."

"But you said that it was those mercenaries…"

"Yes, but I never saw them do it. I just a.s.sumed that it was them, since n.o.body else was there."

Jin Long already had a guess regarding what happened to Xiao Huoyan's mother, but he wasn't really sure if he should reveal it to him, or not. After thinking for a while, he thought that it'd be better if Xiao Huoyan didn't know. He didn't really want to hide anything from his dear disciple. Especially not something this important. But he couldn't bear to break his heart. He decided to change the topic.

"You must have loved her a lot…"

"Of course, I did."

"Did you talk much?"

"Yes… we did."

"Did she ever mention that state of yours, or maybe how you were supposed to control it?"

"No, but my mother always told me that I was special. That I was naturally smarter than most grownups, even though I was so young. She said that I had power that others couldn't even dream of acquiring in their whole lifetime, and that I had my father to thank for that."

"Hmm… Then did she ever mention something strange? Something that you couldn't understand but felt was very important? Something that she mentioned very often but were unwilling to explain."

"No… or… well…"

"What did she tell you??"

"She didn't tell me anything… except, that my father left something for me before he left."

"Did she tell you how to find it??"

"She said that in my sea of consciousness lays a secret. By the time that it's unlocked, she'll probably be long gone."

"Then what is it?!"

"It's an imprint."

"Wait, you've already found it?! When did that happen?"

"Uhm… well I had forgotten all about it until about a year ago. I found a letter."

"What did it say?"

"There were only 4 big words. It said, 'YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER'. Then after that I instantly remembered what my mother had told me before she died and so I explored my sea of consciousness and found it."

"Then what does it say?"

"It says, 'Light shall be your key to freedom! This light is something that only YOU can find! Don't let anyone else try, or they'll face the consequences. You have to remember this no matter what! I'm sorry I had to leave. Don't come and look for me! You can't expose yourself to the world yet. Stay with your mother! When you understand this, I'll already be long gone. Love, Dad!"

"Didn't you say that your father left you before you were born?"

"Yes, my mother always told me that he did."

"Hmm… How far back does your memories reach?"

"I can remember most of the things that happened since I was around two years old. On my second birthday, my mind went blank."

"Wow, you sure do have an extraordinary mind! But your mind went blank?"

"Yes. My mother said that it was normal, since I was so young."

"Hmm… I think that your father left after you were born. He probably erased your memories before he left."

"…"

"You don't believe me?"

"I do, but…"

"But?"

"It makes me sad that I can't remember anything about my father. To think that he erased my memories of him and made me live a lie…"

"I understand that it breaks your heart… I swear that I'll help you retrieve your memories one day! The heavens shall bear witness to my words!"

Swearing and having the heavens bear witness also meant that if one were to go back on one's words, one shall be punished by the heavens! This were no small act! Hearing his teacher say all of this… it truly warmed Xiao Huoyan's heart. Streams of tears started flowing down his cheeks.

"Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?"

Hearing the panic in Jin Long's voice, Xiao Huoyan couldn't help but to reveal a beaming smile as he said:

"No… These are tears of happiness!"