Rain stepped once again inside the ruins of the house where he grew up. This time he was blind and couldn't see the body of the first bandit he killed and his grandfather. Purple Rose helped him maneuver this once familiar place, which turned unfamiliar.
Rot had started to settle here. The bodies were decaying. Once Rose guided him toward the corpse belonging to his grandfather, Rain softly removed his hand from hers and came crouching down where his grandpa lay on the floor. Rain fell on his knees, tears escaping from his unseeing eyes.
He felt a mixture of sadness and relief. Sadness, because he couldn't see his grandfather, relief because he didn't have to see the gruesome reminder of his passing.
Rose stood silent behind him giving him space to grieve. Rain didn't know for how long he cried, the rejuvenating feeling he carried since Rose brought him back from the verge of death disappeared, replaced by weariness. He was sitting on the floor in a confused state when Rose tapped his shoulders.
"Let's bury him as well as the other villagers." The words seemed to wake Rain. He stood up and nodded.
The following period of time saw Rose using her powers to move the bodies out of the houses and the streets. She sorted them and left the bandits' corpses where they were. After which she dug a huge ditch with a wave of her hand outside the village. Rain couldn't see what was happening but he could sense the power she exuded as well as the large movements around them.
Finally, she carefully put the corpse in the ditch before closing it. A large mound appeared. She was holding Rain's hand during all of this.
"Something is missing." Purple Rose muttered causing Rain to turn toward her in confusion. She didn't answer and Rain felt the ground under his feet shudder. He was startled and wondered what happen.
Suddenly, the heavy scent of flowers entered his nose. Rose had made flowers grow on the mound turning it into a flower hill.
"I felt like the resting place of those poor villagers including your grandfather should not be so desolate, as such I filled the place with flowers. They are White Death-lily, legend has it that they can guide wronged spirits to the great beyond. " She explained to Rain's who couldn't see.
Rain felt grateful for her consideration, she had created a beautiful resting place for his grandfather. He inwardly promised that he would repay her favor if the opportunity arose. Rose looked at him deeply, then nodded softly.
"I have to go back home, I will teach you the basics of cultivation on the way. As for your lack of sight don't worry we will travel on my spirit beast, Cogni." Rose spoke after they had buried and held a ceremony for the wronged souls.
Rain nodded and asked, "What is a spirit beast?"
"Spirit beasts are spirit creatures. They are different from the animals in your mind. They are being forged from pure heavenly essence. This heavenly essence is the same thing that we cultivators use to refine our cultivation base and ascend to immortality."
Rain's horizons were in constant expansion since he met Rose. He could vividly picture gods, demons, and ghosts as well as spirit creatures. The world felt incomparably huge to him when, before, it had been limited to his village.
He would have to leave this place that saw him grow to travel and experience it. It was to honor what his grandfather always told him, and also to get vengeance. Not only on that evil beast of a bandit leader but also on the people responsible for his grandfather's progressive decline over the years.
Rain wasn't stupid, but he was simple and took things at face value. That's why it was only after coming into contact with a cultivator that he understood some peculiarities with his grandfather. Rain suspected that his grandfather wasn't a simple mortal originally.
Another thing that reinforced this view was the nightmare that Rain was subjected to for the longest time. In it, he was a toddler, and there were raging flames and lightning everywhere. Rainbows crisscrossed in the sky, and the sound of thunder was deafening. Two separate groups of people were assaulting a lone figure. That figure didn't seem impressive, but with the group's might, they were still struggling to take him down.
In that nightmare, Rain was held in the arms of a woman with a beautiful voice. He couldn't remember her face, only the endless warmth she radiated. The war god in the sky finally sacrificed himself and took all the enemies down. The nightmare ended generally when the man came down from the sky, smiling, before his face morphed into horror. After which, Rain always woke up confused.
"I didn't ask before, but I would like to know your name." Purple Rose had led him outside the village. The only road leading to the village gave out a lonely feeling.
Her soft voice made Rain snap out of his reverie. He answered, "My full name is Skyrain, but you can call me Rain." Rose's pupils froze momentarily when she heard the name, her brain seemed to gear up, trying to remember where she had heard the family name 'Sky'. It was not a common name, on the contrary.
Rain didn't notice her reactions, "My grandfather says that when I was born, Heaven cried for many days. I don't understand what he means by that, but I guess that's why I am Skyrain." He explained.
"Hmm." Rose nodded absently, still thinking. Suddenly,y she stilled as she remembered. The Sky Clan was the supreme clan ranked at the top in terms of power and riches in the Endless continent. He couldn't possibly be a remnant from the Sky Clan? Rose questioned inwardly. Then she thought of something before calming down. It seemed that she found the answers she was looking for.
Whistle.
"Cognis," Rose softly called.
Rain was startled when a tyrannical wind almost blew him off his feet a few seconds later. If not for Rose's hold, he would have been sent flying. The ground shook slightly as if a heavy weight fell on it.
Rose grabbed his hand and brought him closer to the house-sized bird before them. She put Rain's hand on the head of the bird, making petting motions. Rain marveled at the warmth as well as the soft feeling under his palm.
"This is my companion, Cognis. He is very gentle, you don't have to be afraid. " Rose said near his ear.