Journey To The West: Rise Of The Sage Emperor

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Journey To The West: Rise Of The Sage Emperor

นักเขียน: Anone

บท 1: Theon Airikson: When It Rains It Pours

There is a saying amongst people about misfortune, one that shows that sometimes when misfortune comes knocking, it comes at you with everything it's got. 'when it rains, it pours'. That pretty much sums up my current situation, and it was not one I was particularly fond of… it was a noose around my neck and the upsetting of everything I've ever known or understood. The world that used to be so secure, that used to shelter me was now crumbling apart piece by piece as vultures and scavengers of the worst sorts, those that used to be friends, family and vassals all took from me, literal pieces of my home.

I sat despondently in front of our ancestral shrine, watching the smoke waft off the incense stick that was placed in front of my father's tomb. The plaster that was used to seal his dead body in his tomb was still wet and not fully set. Yet in this short time, all that was left of the Four Winds Sect was our family manor. Everything else was taken away, stripped from us piece by piece. Over two hundred years of legacy, a significant crutch to survive the endless journey to the west, across an endless ocean of sand, Lava and snow.

"Theon you have been sitting here for far too long… you've already observed the ritual vigil the day he passed. There's nothing more you can give to the dead, even if said dead is your father. There are more pressing matters that require your attention."

Her voice used to be extremely annoying, irritating even; as I used to act like I absolutely could not even stand her presence. It was not any different now but still, she was something familiar. And just like my father and almost everything else in my life, a part of it that I took for granted. But be that as it may, she wasn't here to offer condolences or give me a shoulder to cry on. I remember a time when Malia used to be really sweet and kind and used to look at me with stars in her eyes, an obsession to please me that came from a sense of duty, a promise between our fathers. In return I almost had her drowned in a Karachi waterhole. She's not looked at me the same ever since, and while I'd tell myself that it was for the best, the sense of loss when ever I thought about her never went away, and right now I'm feeling it twice as hard.

"I take it you're here to call of our engagement, perhaps take away the last piece of land this sect has and throw me and my mad mother into a dingy to survive the onslaught of the cursed ocean." I asked her as I turned to face her, ignoring her snow white alabaster skin that I used to find so Intriguing I ended up leaving more than a few scars on it, then there was the scar over her left eye, a blemish over a face so divine, the heavens sang when she was born.

Eyes narrow like that of a cat and hair so black they looked like a moonless night reflected off a mirror. She was tall, almost as tall as me, but not slender like I was. She was filled out, voluptuous even, a far cry from the dainty teenager that brutally suffered at my hands. She was dressed in a purple dress, and had on a red kimono over it that was exquisitely embroidered with motifs of phoenixes and sparrows. She looked good, really good, and probably for the first time since I've known her, I acknowledged that fact with a positive outlook.

"Not necessarily Theon. I'm here to offer you a deal, contracts are binding in our world, even if it's to a piece of shit human like you… we all have to see our deals through to the end. I know you've hated me for some reason I can not even begin to imagine since we were young, so I'm hoping to make things a little bit more easier on your black heart. With your father dead, you've now become the sect master of the four winds sect. Which means you now hold a position of authority and I am to be married off to you. But neither of us want that, so instead I'll give you my dowry, it's significant enough to included two Epic grade divine land to be used and cultivated as you will. And then to keep with the clause of the contract a cousin of mine would be married off to you.

Do that and we will never see each other again. I can be happy and you can rot with whatever is left of your father's legacy. It would be an end that's befitting of a family of monsters like yours. But regardless, our families are allies or rather they used to be allies until you came along. So my father is very much sorry for the loss of your father, this is the last courtesy he can show to honor their friendship. Now if you will excuse me, I will… "

"No." she paused, I had cut her off and kept a steady gaze on her face, perhaps she thought she didn't hear me right, so she asked.

"What did you say?" her eyes were dangerously narrowed, and her fist clenched. She was already a Core Formation cultivator with achievements in Formations reaching the rank of master. She was way more powerful than I was, especially when you consider the fact that I have never cultivated a day in my life. But I wasn't scared, we both know she couldn't do anything to me, so I answered her.

"No! I do not accept your deal. The contract between our two families will go on as planned, I will not be marrying some insignificant bitch from your sect. If it's not you, then you can consider the contract broken on your end and prepare for the arrival of the arbitrators, I'm sure you and your sect would love to face the wrath of celestials. After all don't you guys have that Angel Slaying Demon Crushing formation, this would be a good chance to put it to the test.

I have nothing else to say Malia, I mean for all intents and purposes you should have seen this coming. The person who died is my father, not me, so I don't know why you thought I would ever do anything that would benefit you. Now if you don't mind, leave the dowry behind, and go get ready for the wedding. I'll be expecting your arrival in one month as it is traditional. We will get married after the official sect master inauguration ceremony. Have a good day Malia, and extend my kind regards to your father for sending your dowry ahead of schedule, I will ensure our union will be a long and prosperous and very fruitful one." I turned around and left the shrine, keeping the smile on my face even as I heard Malia scream out in rage and anger, but I couldn't help it, now that I've lost everything and the reputation needed to gain and get anything I want, I suddenly desired her.

But beyond that I did not want to be the only person suffering a loss. So does this make me psychotic, insane or a sociopath… perhaps so. But it's in my nature, if I am going to be sad, unfortunate, destitute and lost, so too will the whole damn world!