Chapter 7: Strong body, strong will
The wind blew through the grass on the field and the leaves on the trees and the birds were singing as the sun was setting. A cracking sound could be heard in the Spout family's field. The cracking sound came from a small fire lit at the border of the field. Next to this fire could be seen an old man petting a dog as well as a body lying.
The old man was resting is old frame against a three, his body imposing. The old man's shoulders were wide, just as his chest; both due to decades of training and fight. Long years of experience could be seen on the old man's eyes, is deep black eyes filled with interest and worry. As for the dog, it appeared to be the old dog that Leon saved from Blum, Pol, and Mak. The dog was resting his head on the old man's knees while looking at the young boy that was lying a meter away.
After a while, the body started to move. First, it was some automatic move that occurred, coming from the young man legs and arms. The fire was cracking and it was that noise, that was piercing the deep silence of the night that, finally got the young man to come out of his torpor.
Leon opened his eyes. As he did, he felt that his whole body was sore and in pain. The pain came from all over his body, not just from some part of it, as it usually did after the weekly beating. Slowly, very slowly, Leon stood straight. He started by elevating his back from the floor, sitting on it. Once, this was done, he started looking at his surroundings. He noticed the old man and the dog but said nothing. Except for smiling, realizing that the dog that was nearby was the one he attempted to rescue. Seeing it there and well meant that he managed to succeed in his endeavor, which brought a feeling of pride to Leon. "Finally, I fought back, I helped another being that was in need and beat up Pol and Mak. Next time, I'll get you Blum" he thought.
The vicinity cleared, Leon patted every inch of his body, making sure that nothing was broken nor that any bleeding was happening. Reassured, Leon stood up and starting bending his body, relaxing his muscles and nerves. He, then, looked at the old man once more, a questioning look on his face.
"You've got a strong body my boy, cherish it as without it, you'll be dead by now."
"Who are you?" asked Leon
"Thanks for saving my dog." Said the old man, a smile on his lips. "Why did you do such a thing?"
"Hum, did you help me just now, mister?"
"So, my boy, why did you help my Sammy?"
"Sammy?"
"My dog. Why did you help it?"
"Hum, because he was being harassed. So, who are you mister?"
"I'm this old dog's master. I know he was being harassed, but that doesn't explain why you decided to help it. Most people wouldn't have."
"Are you going to give me a proper answer!" thought Leon. "Hum, I helped your… hum… Sammy, because I hate when people harass others. And I hate those three assholes. So I decided to intervene."
"Is that it? You hate injustice so you act? Haha, if you always do so, you'll never sleep, my boy, nor will you find peace."
Leon remained silent.
"You still haven't answer, mister, are you the one that took care of me?"
"Who else? Do you think that the people of your village would have helped you?"
"If I ask, it because I do not know the answer."
"Sure you do. You know I am the one to pulled you away from the field, attended your wounds and made the fire. Just as you know that those villagers did not even come to check up on you as the night was falling. Do you not?"
Leon lowered his face, once again remaining silent.
The old man took a look wooden pipe from his left sleeve. The pipe's rode was slightly rounded and the pipe's head was large and had the shape of a fist. The old man put some tobacco inside the pipe and lightened it with a tree branch that he had previously plunged into the fire.
"So, my boy, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. How long was I out of it?"
"A day."
"You're saying that…"
"Yeah, it was yesterday that you got beaten, not today. As I told you they did not come for you at night."
"I thought you were saying…"
"I know, I know. I tried to bring you the news gently. But it is clear, isn't it? You do not matter! You do not matter for these people. And these people should not matter to you."
"They don't! It's just that… it's just that I don't know where to go, if not there, nor do I know what to do." said the dejected Leon. "My whole life was spent in this village and while I dreamed of leaving it and intended to leave it next week after I would be of age, I did not really have planned what I would do."
"Well now is the time, my boy." said the old man.
"Haha, it seems so easy to say, old man. And while for you, with your experience and knowledge, your next step might be easy to take. It is not my case. I don't even know what is out there. I do not know what kind of life can be lived, but the one of a farmer."
"I can help you with that, my boy." said the old man, a strange look in his eyes. "I can at least do that for the savior of my dog, right?"
"What do you mean by help? What do you want to do?" answered Leon, a suspicious look on his face.
"Haha don't fear boy. Ok, let's go over what we know about you. You have a strong body, that's a given. You manage to take care of all the fields of this village and do all the miscellaneous task that the villagers request you to do."
Leon nodded his head, acknowledging the sayings of the Old man.
"We also know that you have a strong will. You refrained yourself from beating up those three boys for a long time now. But you did not. Why? I do not know. Did you feel like you had to wait to be ready to leave the village to settle your grudges? Or didn't you beat them because you felt like you owed the village?"
"Hum, I was waiting to leave. And to be honest, once I'll be better and before doing anything else, I'll take my revenge on those three. I'll settle my grudge and then, let the past be the past".
"Good, good, do not let any shadow of the past in your heart; it might handicap your future. So, knowing all this, what can you do?"
"No idea! Many people have such attributes. I am not the only one."
"Well, you are partly right. Many people have a strong will. But not that many have a strong body. At least, not as strong as yours."
"So?"
"Have you ever heard about the awakening ceremony, my boy?"
"Nope, never. What is it?"
"Well, once one becomes an adult, that individual has the opportunity to undergo an awakening. This ceremony can only be performed during the sixteenth years of an individual's life. If you are among the lucky ones and that the ceremony is successful, while you will remain human, you'll also be something more". Explained the old man.
"Something more?"
"Indeed, you will be turned into what is called an elevated one! Well, that's only the generic term, the one used by the people that know about the ceremony but have never undergone it or failed to awaken during the ceremony."
"Ant what do elevated ones do?" asked Leon."
"Haha many things, my boy. They are the top warriors of the countries or their generals or their mages and for some, even their leaders. Usually, royal and imperial families are families of elevated ones, from generations to generations."
"As if I could be a king or an emperor."
"Well, you might not turn out to be one that is true. But nothing prevents you from at least undergoing the ceremony right? What do you have to lose? The comfort of cozy life? No, you've got nothing to lose and everything to win from it."
"Well, even you are right. Where would I undergo the ceremony? Who would take care of me and train me once that is done?"
"for the second do not worry about that for now." answered the old man. "As for the first, I might have an idea. The question is: are you willing" he added, a grin on his face.
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