I sat amidst the trees, the invisible chains coiling tighter around my hands. The gloom from the eerie forest calming my loud heart. i had found a friend in the wooden face of the world.
'Krr, krr', the branches started to twist, their noise filling my ears. i looked up, the view sending chills down my spine. 'Come to us', a voice whispered into my ears. 'sure, why not', i thought to myself. i stood from the wet ground, my pants wet from the moisture, and turned around. My feet moved toward the deep, my mind in utter chaos. Quite a sight it must be, 'a lonely man with the lonely deep dark woods'.
Strapped to my wrist, i felt the invisible strands of soul power quiver and shrink, my hand free at last. But it didn't exactly matter, i had no plans to abandon this companion bound to me by peril.
I kept walking, deeper and deeper into what others might call my death. The forest whispered in acknowledgement, my lips curling up in conviction. ' What about gramps' my thoughts finally turned to the man who raised me. Now i suddenly thought to return. Sensing my thoughts, the strand fastened tightly to my wrist again, pulling my thoughts only to it. 'why worry... i can't go back anyways', i thought.
Soon, we seemed to have reached the depths of the forest, time i could not tell, my body though could feel the hunger and fatigue. I had most probably walked along for days.
I sat down on a chair like stump right in the center of the clearing. surprisingly, the sun shone bright from here, like the forest i walked through was but a figment of my imagination. The strands on my wrist retreated to the depths, settling into the heart of a tree. I stood up to see who my guide could've been.
The tree stood tall seeking to overshadow the sunlight. Its branches wide, like a giant umbrella. The leaves flowing down like willows, singing songs, soothing the heart. 'birds', my surprise was expected. They flew from branch to branch, their wings a deep red, painting a contrast with the dark green leaves.
The tree hollow deep, a tunnel into the earth. My heart wavered, seeing the hole, but my curiosity overtook that slight fear. I jumped, regret filling my heart for a moment. ' I jumped', i actually did, i jumped from up high on my own. the changes in the depth of my consciousness unnoticed till this moment.
I changed indeed, my body stronger than before i walked in, my hair longer too. How long had i been in here, really...?
Falling through the tree, the wind in my face, i noticed light. A radiance so bright, my eyes went black for minutes, as i kept with my fall. How deep was the hole? How strong was my 'companion'?
'thud' i finally landed. no ache in my bones? Sitting at the sight, i looked deep into my consciousness. Finally the truth came to light, i had advanced in cultivation even without a spiritual soul. my spiritual power, though still not comparable to those with both spiritual soul power, was still above the threshold of an average Soul master.
I had advanced four ranks;
FOUNDATION PHASE ( Rank 0 soul master): most normal people were this rank. Their spiritual souls were without form.
FORMATION PHASE (Rank 1 soul master): this was the actual beginning of soul master. the spiritual soul is formed allowing the use of spiritual soul power. though little.
AWAKENING PHASE( Rank 2 soul master): the spiritual soul is awakened to be self conscious allowing master-soul bonding.
RESONANCE PHASE( Rank 3 soul master): Can use spiritual soul for strengthening by resonating with it.
MANIFESTATION PHASE( Rank 4 soul master): can manifest spiritual soul outside the body for limited time
ASCENSION PHASE (Rank 5 soul master): Has more control of spiritual soul power and can fight alongside spiritual soul.
SOUL REBIRTH PHASE ( Rank 6 soul master): The soul evolves alongside master prompting a growth to non-human or remaining human. Very dangerous phase that only last a month.
DOMINION PHASE ( Rank 7 soul master): The soul attaches to a reality law.
ETERNAL PHASE (Rank 8 soul master): The spiritual soul comprehends the reality law and can resonate with them.
PSEUDO-REALM PHASE(Rank 9 soul master): The spiritual soul can now create it's own domain of influence.
ORIGIN PHASE( Rank 10 soul master): The last phase also known as Immortal.
I was currently a rank 3 spiritual master. 'I possessed no soul, so how did i cultivate', i couldn't think of anything. With a sigh, i stood up and looked around the cave i had fallen in. a light green radiance shone in the middle of the dark cave, lighting up the surrounding. I walked towards the light, my feet not one to listen. the light gave of a pressure i could not comprehend. My consciousness shuddered, goosebumps covering my skin. In the light a green egg lay, its shell like emerald gems. it was as big as my head. The egg lay in the embrace of a tree stump covered in damp moss. it looked warm and comfortable.
'Hehhe', i heard someone giggle, her childish voice like the forest. strands of soul power wrapping around my being. Suffocation settling in the depths of my heart. I was stupid. i had probably been brought in here as food. ' Resignation', i felt it, an unwillingness to die. My Gramps would be sad. What could i do, his stupid grandson saw a beastly forest as his soulmate.
'soul...mate', the child-like voice echoed in the cave. She could read my thoughts. 'you...just like Hana' she said again. Then i saw her, my guide, she floated above the green egg, her green hair cascading down her jade like body, she was dressed in a garment made of grass, the color of the forest. tentacle like strands of soul power hanging from her back. the strands on me slowly shrinking, returning to her. 'your name is Hana?', i asked. 'yes hana', she affirmed, her cheery voice resounding in my ears.
'Hana will be with you forever, so don't live Hana okay'. 'what?', and before i could react, she had burrowed into my body, settling into my consciousness. The cold ground was what i met, blood seeping from my eyes and mouth. It seemed i would die this time.
Hana didn't settle, she brought chaos along with her, She slowly devoured my consciousness, blending with me. The pain pushing me farther from the light of life.
How long did i stay on the floor, blending with the spirit of the blade forest.
I advanced again, this time by two ranks. could it ever be that easy?. Hana had completely blended with me. She was now my consciousness.
There was no longer a Sato Hikari; the one who chose to die to hide. There only remained a Sato HIkari, the King of the Blade forest. even i wonder why i was chosen, why i suddenly gained a forest and why that egg was coming towards me.