Some time later Lux's persistence bore fruit.
A middle aged mercenary who was looking for an apprentice came to their village.
He was old but persuasive, even being able to convince her parents to let her learn under him for future prospects.
The old man was like a mentor to Lux and he taught her for coming eleven years.
After which he succumbed to his age and took rest in their small village.
.
His demise was a big shock to Lux. But she did not give up and decided to take the path of a mercenary rather than a soldier.
But under the fate's cruel play, misfortune kept striking her down.
Her father, the only breadwinner of the family fell terribly sick and the load of the whole family came upon her shoulders.
Her mother wanted to take him to the city for a check-up but their simple family didn't have such kinds of savings.
For the next three years Lux did any kind of work, except selling herself. Collecting each and every penny for her father's treatment in the city.
.
Though to her misfortune, her father quietly passed away on a cold winter night and her mother obediently followed him, like always.
.
After coming from a long midnight server shift, Lux entered her parents room to give them the wages of that day, only to come across a scene others would call sad but for her was a nightmare.
The man lay lifeless on the bed, holding hands with an equally lifeless wife who uncomfortably sat on an old wooden chair.
Lux was being the first to discover that scene, was never the same.
.
She would accept any job if it got her money.
Her moral compass went loose.
And that's how she started working at the Oak house.
Even though she never got any customers, she had even put herself on sell.
'Though angered by her actions. I couldn't help but sympathize with her. In just a day she became an orphan all because of money. All because she didn't have enough. All because she was too carefree with her life...'
Self-loathing was the root of all evil.
Which Lux performed like possessed by a demon.
Day and night she would either drink or work.
At the end, her body broke and she ended up in bedrest for three months.
No one knows what happened to her during those three months as she did not allow any one, even me, to visit her even once. Only a hired nurse would visit her for care and treatment.
But once she was back, she was a bit more stable.
Though she still behaved like some money crazed person, now she also took care of her body and even continued to practice again.
Madam Rose speculated that might be because nurses charge quite the fortune.
Anyways, it all seemed to workout.
'I was happy for her but never would I have thought she would run away like that...'
The writer felt sadness over her betrayal
He wanted happiness for her but not by his own's at stake.
.
.
.
For now, the duo took rest in one of the numerous inns of Oak house.
(The most expensive one..)
Under the dimly lit lamp, Lakir sipped the warm tea that had been sent to their room not too long ago.
While Cece sat on the chair in front of him, nervously waiting for him to speak.
.
A little while ago.
Just after Lakir had left the Oak House to go outside, his head started ringing with multiple voices.
'Oh! The favoured child!'
'He went to earth again?'
'Pfft, last time failed spectacularly. Still he dares to go back!'
'True! True! He should just give up and live as a demigod!'
'What are you doing, reply! Reply!'
'Who was that twink with you?!'
Multiple voices filled with curiosity and maliciousness watched over him. Some asked questions while others looked down of him.
These were the voices of the heavenly gods.
Immortals with even the least reserve of spirituality, have always been able to converse with telepathy but that does not necessarily mean the listener would reply.
Also, if the disturbed god wanted, he could easily silence the other voices trying to enter his head, which Lakir did for obvious reasons.
'Those idiots! Did they forget how to talk after looking over mortals?!'
Though the immortals portrayed themselves as beings of great dignity, the way they usually spoke with eachother was a far catch.
.
.
.
Decades ago, it was decided by the command of the heavenly lord that all newly appointed gods were to undergo a trial on the land of mortal realm.
Where they would be tested on the basis of their conduct, leadership and potential of being a god.
Each deity would descend alone and look for humans who could become their potential subjects. With the help of those faithful subjects they would look for fifty individuals who had lost their faith under hard times.
And they would be responsible for storing that faith without making them realize their true identity.
Only then would a candidate for godship ascend as a being worthy of worship.
Usually the selected mortals were chosen by the candidates such that they align with their future ascension path.
For example, if a deity chooses the path of the God of water in future they would look for mortals who had lost faith in the matters related to water.
Like the fishermen who no longer believes in the existence of a sea god. Therefore getting frim believers in their respective godhood.
Generally, an appointed candidate gets the vacant seat of the previous God, who either resigns or shares regions to decrease the workload.
Resulting in people with shared titles.
Lakir was on the path of becoming of becoming the God of fate. He also shared this title with three other gods, but that was a story for another time.
'Child. Visit us.'
'Child. Visit us.'
'Child. Visit us.'
Three voices which carried both words and pressure called him in unison and Lakir felt dizzy from the impact.
He looked up at the sky, which the mortals believed to be heaven.
'How stupid.' He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
'Heaven was never above it has always been where the heart was at peace.'
He said as he walked to look for a quieter place.
.
He knew the owner of those voices and where to find them.
Maybe that's why he was called the favoured child despite being a failure.
Afterall, not everyone can reach the beginning.