Chapter 7: The Origin of Power
Page 1
Mabo sits beside Thian's bed. The anxiety is plain on his face.
The Grandfather comes and pats his shoulder gently: "Come… there is something you and I must talk about."
Mabo stands up slowly: "I'm coming."
Page 2
Mabo enters the Grandfather's room. He sits before him.
The Grandfather says in a warm voice: "I've never said this before, but thank you, Mabo. Today you showed your true mettle. Because of you, Thian is alive. I am proud of both of you… the fruits of my training did not go to waste."
Mabo tries to speak.
But his tears precede him.
He raises his trembling hands and looks at them: "But Grandfather… I took a life with these two hands. I can't stop thinking about it."
The Grandfather is shocked for a moment. Then he hugs him warmly.
"Do not be afraid, my grandson, for you did the right thing. You only defended yourself. If you hadn't killed him, he would have killed you."
The Grandfather holds Mabo's face in his hands: "Listen to me carefully."
Page 3
"You are not a killer, Mabo. You are an innocent child who was defending his brother. Never blame yourself for this."
Mabo wipes his tears and embraces the Grandfather in silence.
After a moment, he raises his head: "Thank you, Grandfather, but I have a question I want you to answer." The Grandfather looks at him seriously... "In the forest, the moment Thian fell, I felt something heavy in my hand before I punched that person. And when I struck him, I glimpsed the same blackness… like the one I saw on your hands two months ago."
The Grandfather looks at him with a slight shock. Alright, it's clear now.
"Fine. Look at me."
Page 4
"Long ago, thousands of years ago, there was only one demon on earth. A demon who possessed terrifying powers that ordinary humans did not have. One day, he saw a woman…"
Mabo's eyes widen with curiosity.
Page 5
"He liked her intensely. He approached her with curiosity, but unexpectedly, they fell for each other. Afterward, they married, and as a result, they had eight children. Due to his genes, the children inherited his immense power. The demon feared that the balance of the world would be disrupted, so he exerted all his power and created a parallel world called Hell. He placed four of his children there and linked the two worlds together."
Mabo is focused. His eyes don't blink.
Page 6
"He left the remaining four on Earth to maintain the balance of power between the two worlds. After some time, the demon grew old and passed away. Because of his absence, massive conflicts broke out among the children over who would be the next leader."
Page 7
"A great conflict ignited between the brothers, to the point that it caused the continent to split in two. Each of them went their separate ways."
Mabo's eyes nearly pop out: "They split… the continents?!"
Page 8
"Afterward, each of them married and had children. And their children had children. And so on. The demon's power spread in the blood of his descendants more and more, distributed among all who carried his blood."
Page 9
"We are descendants of the Greatest King. The power we possess today is a very small part of his true power."
Mabo says slowly: "So… we are special compared to other people?"
Page 10
The Grandfather looks at him seriously: "Do not think this makes us better than them. All people are equal. This power was given to us for a reason. We must use it for good, not to kill people and ignite wars."
Page 11
"To understand how this power works, you must know something. In every body in this world, there is a fundamental circuit called the 'Zoo Circuit.' It is the circuit of spiritual energy. It is responsible for moving the heart."
Page 12
"At the birth of one who carries the demon's blood, a second circuit is created, linked to the first, specialized in his unique power. And to use that power… you must possess a large and strong Zoo."
Page 13
"Because your power is completely linked to it. Currently, Mabo, you do not possess a large Zoo to be able to use it freely. Therefore, what happened in the forest was involuntary. A one-time event in a moment of extreme danger. And to be able to control it whenever you wish…"
Page 14
"…you must constantly strengthen your spiritual circuit."
Mabo rejoices: "Then I will train and I'll be able to use it!"
The Grandfather raises his hand: "Listen first. Using this power is very dangerous, Mabo. Because it is demonic in origin."
Page 15
"If you use it too much without control, it will permeate you and take control of you. It will make you cruel and merciless."
The Grandfather sighs: "Our power, yours and mine, is called the 'Lithosphere.' When used, the body is enveloped in a simple rocky layer that increases your strength and speed terrifyingly. And there are other powers in the world of the same origin, like fire, lightning, and rock."
The Grandfather stands up: "Our talk is over. Now go to sleep. Tomorrow we have an important event."
Page 16
Mabo, curiously: "What is it?"
The Grandfather smiles: "Every four years, a great festival is held in the Royal Capital. One of the high ministers in the council creates a power festival, and the winner…" He gets to marry the minister's daughter. The winner of the festival gains great fame and status in our society.
Page 17
The Grandfather adds: "You may learn many things from this match."
Mabo's eyes sparkle: "I will certainly come."
Page 18
The Grandfather smiles: "Fine. Sleep now. I will look after Thian tonight. And tomorrow I will wake you up early."
Page 19
Early morning.
Mabo gets up. He washes quickly. The Grandfather comes calling.
Mabo stands for a moment before Thian's bed. He looks at him.
He is still unconscious.
He whispers in a voice that is barely audible: "You will surely wake up… Thian."
Page 20
"Alright… shall we set off?"
Mabo looks at him sadly: "And Thian? Will we leave him here alone?" The Grandfather says: "Can you carry him all the way to the city?" Mabo looks at him, confused, and thinks of a way to carry him. The Grandfather laughs and says: "We will leave him here to recover and we will return quickly so we can take care of him."
Mabo smiles: "Alright, let's go!"
They set off. After a while, the capital appears before them.
Mabo stops. His mouth slowly opens.
The lights. The colors. People everywhere. A noise he has never heard in his life.
The Grandfather looks at him and smiles: "This is the Royal Capital, Mabo."
Mabo cannot speak. He only nods.
Page 21
They walk through the alleys.
"Meat! Fresh meat!"
"First-class weapons!"
"Fruits and vegetables!"
Prosperity and joy fill every corner. Mabo turns his head right and left, not knowing where to look.
Page 22
Mabo stops before a massive building. Sounds of cheering emerge from it like waves.
"Grandfather… what is this?"
"This is our destination: the Festival Fighting Arena."
Mabo wonders: "Ahaaaa! I'm excited to see it from the inside!"
Page 23
They enter.
Mabo climbs the stands and stops.
The stands are filled to the brim. The cheering fills the place like thunder. In a designated area, the Minister sits with his daughter, looking at the arena calmly.
Mabo sits beside the Grandfather. His eyes scan everything.
Page 24
Mabo looks at the knights in the arena. They are sharpening their weapons. They are preparing themselves. In the eyes of each of them is only one thing: victory.
The announcer steps forward. He raises his voice to rise above the cheering:
"People… finally, the Bloody Wedding Festival begins!"
The audience explodes.
And Mabo feels his heart nearly jumping out of his chest.
To be continued in Chapter 8