章節 4: The Ghost

While they were speaking and having their last supper Lin Cian was almost silent. He didn't speak anything unless questioned. Lin Tamayo was very young to understand the reasons so she kept pestering him with silly questions but Lin Cian answered every question she asked despite his worries. When they were talking and celebrating the joining of the third member of their family into a prestigious school they heard a loud noise.

'Thud'

A servant rushed into the dining hall where more than fifty people were dining. The hall is so large it can fill almost a hundred people without any congestion. The sudden interruption of the servant made everyone look at him. "My Lord,... my lord... a beast... a beast... entered the castle," he said while panting heavily. It is very obvious that he was terrified. His body and his limbs were shaking like crazy but he came here to warn his lord. Everyone got anxious. 'What a loyal man' thought Lin Cian and smirked. When the second elder of the Lin Clan saw that he confronted him.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked loud and clear while showing anger and annoyance in his tone. Lin Cian smiled and faced the servant

"Does it look like an eagle and have the body of a Lion?" he asked with a smile. The servant has no words to say. He was completely stupefied but he gathered his nerve and nodded his head

"Yes"

Lin Cian looked at Lin Tamayo and gestured for her to move but she stood still staring at him like an innocent kid. Upon realizing his mistake he explained, "It was sent by the academy to pick you up". She was kind of surprised. The others in the hall were even more surprised by his calm and collected attitude. It was also one of the reasons the other elders hate Lin Cian. The Lord of the Lin Clan gestured the leave and Lin Cian, Lin Tamayo and the twins of Lin moved towards the ground where the beast was stationed.

There was a huge beast on their ground. "Only an academy like yours can own something like this" Lin Cian said while looking at the beast. The little girl beneath him was scared and hid behind Lin Cian when they came near the beast. The beast was really scary with its huge body which stood up more than three meters. It had a long beak which was a bit longer than a foot and white fur around its head. Its eyes scared anyone to death. Its neck was fully covered by its brown fur. Its body was yellowish in color and was huge. It had a body similar to a lion. It had huge wings which had a wingspan of eight meters. with black feathers wrapping around the wings. Each feather was a foot long. It had the legs of a bird and was covered by brown fur. The four claws on each leg were huge but terrifying. It also had a long tail just like a lion had. It had a diameter of nearly three inches and was long enough for three meters. It was a griffin. Lin Cian tried his best to calm her down and he made it. He said, "You will be safe with him" he mentioned the beast like him. The beast was intelligent enough to understand the words said by him and lowered its head toward Lin Cian. Lin Cian smiled and petted it.

Intelligent beasts like to be mentioned as a person rather than a beast or an animal so the beast befriended Lin Cian because he played the right card. Lin Cian made Lin Tamayo touch the beast. She was scared at first and when she saw the tenderness of the beast she smiled and patted the head of the beast. She was once again turned into the mischievous little kid. She pulled the fur of the beast and conducted all kinds of the mischievous act but the beast seem to love it. It didn't get angered or annoyed it played with her instead.

"Do you have a name?" Lin Cian asked the beast. It looked at him like a pet with sparkling and innocent eyes. Lin Cian smiled and nodded his head sideways thinking 'silly' and said "Fine, I will call you Chronos". The beast screeched happily and bought its head towards Lin Cian while Lin Tamayo was already above its head he understood what the beast want from him. He once again smiled at the beast

"Chronos, I can't come with you. But please take care of her" he said in a deep voice which showed his concern for her. The beast let go of some soft and short screeches. It was obvious that it was sad but it can't be helped. Chronos also liked Lin Tamayo because no one get near him because of the scary look he gives but Lin Tamayo is really an exception. Tamayo jumped down from the beast to the ground and got to Lin Cian. When she came near to him

Lin Tamayo said gently "Ghost, when will you come to the Stargazing academy?" She asked him while both of her hands were holding Lin Cian's chin and her lips were shut out for not making a sound so that the words from Lin Cian would be very clear to her but it didn't wear out its smile. The innocent girl asked Cian despite knowing he isn't awakened yet because he always told her he will accompany her. Ghost is the name given to him by Lin Tamayo as her brothers called him dead meat she was also asked to; the seniors refused to practice with her if she didn't call him the same. she called him a ghost instead because ghosts were spirits of the dead people. At least that was her logic.

Cian put his hand over her shoulder and said "Don't worry this ghost will always be by your side, whenever you hear the word ghost just remember me."

Hearing that she kissed Lin Cian on his cheek and whispered "I will be waiting for your arrival". He in turn wished her good luck with a heavy heart. Then he turned towards his brothers and said "good luck with your studies knights".

The twins laughed at him and mocked him for being a weak old lady. He replied with a gentle smile. Even though they mocked him they were also a bit surprised to know the fact that he petted a catastrophe-level beast in a blink of an eye. The three children walked toward the beast and got themselves mounted on the beast.

As soon as the three children entered the chariot, the beast looked at Lin Cian to find it hard for him to part with Lin Cian. Lin Cian smiled at him "Please help me take care of them". Chronos felt overjoyed and made a loud screeching sound that would even tear the sky for which Lin Cian corked his ears with his fingers just like the others did. It ran for a few meters with its large wings opened and made its step into the air. He stared at the sky until the griffin disappeared high in the sky. Once it disappeared he left a deep sigh.

"Once again I'm all alone" he muttered himself in a low tone. Lin Tamayo was the only person who didn't look down upon him.

Even though Lin Cian asked her to call him dead meat because he don't want to affect her training she cried for his forgiveness for calling him 'ghost'. she cried a lot because she thought she has hurt Lin Cian. She only stopped when Cian comforted "thank you for making me feel stronger". He gently smiled at her to ensure that he meant what he said. After the incident, she mostly address him as a 'ghost' believing that would make him feel stronger.

"This ghost wants you to become strong but this ghost also doesn't want you to be strong. With strength comes responsibility but I wanted you to be playful and cheerful. However, no one can be a master of their own, everyone has to follow the path which belongs to them. Goodbye, my dear, Tamo" Tears flowed from his eyes as he said this to himself.

Cian could not condense power so he isn't worthy to be a knight or a mage so, he didn't accept the allowance for the members of the Forest clan. Instead, he did the household work as a servant of the Lin clan. He used to carry water from the lake to the kitchen at the top of the mountain in the star forest territory. Whenever Cian goes to carry water Tamayo used to accompany him, she said she wanted to protect her brother.

The star forest territory belongs to the Lin clan or the forest clan. Lin Yasho is called the Lord of the forest because his martial form is a Banyan Swamp which is a tree-type form that is very powerful. He was in his bed that night and he couldn't sleep because he felt that he had lost everything he had. He felt his heart was empty but it was way heavier than before. When he was doing the household work he was assigned he could see the vivid images and memories of Lin Tamayo walking with him and supporting him. Playing, running, pulling out mischievous pranks, and so on.

"Will she hate to have me by her side? Will she mock me when we meet again? Will she accept the fact she is the sister of a lame brother?" He was lingering through everything they have done together. Even though he acted tough, he always felt the pain, but he kept it to himself.

Before his brothers went to the star gazing academy they both were very kind to Lin Cian but now they laugh and mock him because they felt he was weak. He was very scared of losing his sister in the same way. After two days he went to the market. He could see the vivid images of his sister standing near him and asking for her favorite desserts. He also felt sad. He went to every shop where Tamayo used to go.

"I miss you Tamo, hope you won't miss me," he said himself with a sad tone while his eyes filled with water.

Then his eyes noticed something, an old man walking by himself wearing a robe expired to the very end. He didn't wear shoes. Although he isn't weak according to his physique, Cian noticed that this man is very hungry. So he went to him and offered him a meal. The old man agreed and thanked him for his kindness.

Cian was shocked, the old man is blind, he had no pupils in his eye.