FAMILY ABOVE ALL: BATTLING AGAINST GODS

 

"He really is your grandson! How I wish you were here to witness him yourself," said Scarlett with a look of melancholy as a single tear graced down her enchanting pale face.

"Why are you still fixated on the past, especially after the tantrum you threw?" The elderly voice resounded once more only now it was full of mockery.

"You bastard, can't you let me reminisce in peace?"

"Heh."

"What is it?" Scarlett asked in annoyance.

"Didn't you say you and him cannot exist together?"

Scarlett still didn't get his point and was instead displeased at the elderly voice bringing back words she spoke out of anger.

The elderly voice continued without a care for her displeasure, "Why does it look like your granddaughter has fallen for the boy you so wanted to kill? What a twist of fate, don't you say?" He snickered at the end of his words.

Meanwhile, Scarlett's expression crumpled utterly, as her face turned hideous.

She knew he wasn't wrong as she could tell that her granddaughter was acting strange around Arlo.

However, it's one thing noticing it, and another confirming it.

She really hoped she was just overthinking things, therefore she just let out a humph as she didn't want to continue bickering with the old fool.

'Perverted bastard,' She cursed in her mind.

"Count."

*Whoosh*

A man appeared instantly before her and knelt.

"My liege!"

"Take him to his room and be sure to eliminate any sign of my presence." She handed the unconscious Arlo to him and disappeared from the room.

"Yes! The man immediately sprang into action."

.....

Throughout all the turmoil in the room, one person was left unperturbed.

Joe!

He had lost consciousness when Arlo entered the room.

However, three hours after the fight ended, his eyelids suddenly twitched, and his eyelashes quivered slightly; signs that he was about to wake up.

With his face twisted in pain, his eyes snapped open.

*Whoosh!*

Alas, what greeted his eyes were a pair of sharp fangs, before his painful screams echoed in the room.

"AAAAH!"

.....

Arlo lay unconscious on the floor of his room.

He would have been mistaken as a corpse if it wasn't for the occasional twitching of his body, and the painful groans that leaked out of his mouth.

After several hours.

Arlo's eyes suddenly snapped open, before a heart-wrenching scream was released from his mouth.

"AAAAH!"

He subconsciously shifted his body to a kneeling position, as he used his left hand to clench the stump that was left of his right arm.

The pain he was currently feeling was unbearable.

Drip.

Drip.

Tears cascaded down his childish face.

No matter how smart he was for his age, in the end, the fact remained that he was still a kid. For a kid, this kind of pain was simply unbearable.

In fact, if it were any other kid, their mental state would have already collapsed by now.

…..

An hour later.

Arlo sat in a lotus position, his teeth visibly clenched tightly and beads of sweat filling his forehead.

He was currently trying not to scream, as he resisted the pain with all his will.

This continued for a few more minutes before he unclenched his teeth and relaxed his body.

The only sign he could not control was the occasional spasm of his body.

Even with that, what Arlo just achieved was simply phenomenal.

His eyes slowly opened revealing red scleras with the only colorful light being a silver-colored iris resting unblemished within them.

Arlo finally opened his mouth and spoke the first sentence after the ordeal he just faced.

"Elder, I want to be strong." His voice contained a mix of anger, grievance, and resolve.

An unrelenting resolve!

The now two saber marks on the back of his remaining hand suddenly glowed, before an elderly voice resounded in his head:

<< Why? >>

A simple question.

One word.

But with countless answers.

"I want to protect myself and my family."

Hearing the resolve with which he spoke, the artifact spirit fell silent for a moment.

<< Remember this feeling. >>The artifact spirit continued, << Burn it in your heart. >>

Arlo's eyes flashed with resolve.

He never wanted to feel this weak ever again.

He never wanted his fate to be under someone else's will.

<< I will be your master. >> The artifact spirit suddenly revealed.

Arlo couldn't help but smile even while he was in excruciating pain.

However, the smile didn't linger for long before it was squashed.

<< It will be a very long and painful road. Moreover, once we start you cannot quit. >>

Arlo's pupils turned into slits.

For the artifact spirit to claim it would be painful simply meant the pain would be unbearable.

However, he barely hesitated for a second before his resolve steeled than ever before.

"I never quit."

Little did he know that the number of times he would quit in the future could simply not be counted.

.....

Arlo sat near the window of his room as his hair danced slightly with the wind.

His eyes were closed as he listened carefully to the voice of the artifact spirit that was resounding in his head.

<< We have to first work on your knowledge of cultivation, as it is very lacking. >>

Arlo said nothing to this, as he knew his knowledge was not deep and all he knew was some information given by Ari.

<< Two major forms of energy constitute the very fabric of Reality in the universe. >>

Arlo waited with bated breaths. He could tell a new world was about to be opened unto him.

<< Mana energy and … >> The artifact spirit paused before he continued solemnly.

<< Astral energy. >>

"Astral energy?" Arlo asked in wonder as this was the first time he heard of such a thing.

<< Yes! Astral energy. >> The artifact spirit reaffirmed.

After a moment of silence, he continued:

<< Astral energy unlike mana is very difficult to wield. >>

<< If 99% of the population awakens their mana core successfully, then only 3% could access the free but domineering astral energy in the world. >>

Arlo drew in a long breath, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Who could blame him?

Even though the artifact spirit said 99% awakened their mana core, the other 1% was practically non-existent in this current era. At least Arlo had never heard of a person who could not awaken successfully.

Yet, only three out of every hundred people could tap into astral energy.

"Does that mean astral energy is more powerful than mana?" Arlo asked in bewilderment.

<< No! >>

However, the reply he received left him in confusion.

As if noticing his confusion, the artifact spirit spoke:

<< Let me explain. >>

Arlo nodded and waited patiently for him to continue.

<< Imagine the universe as an egg. The yolk of the egg are the two foundational energies, which are mana, and astral energy. >>

<< The Albumen comprises billions if not trillions of laws. The laws are myriad and uncountable. >>

<< The shell that holds everything together and ensures its continued existence is the 'Essence of Reality'. >>

'Essence of reality?' For some reason, Arlo's breath quickened and his heartbeat increased in speed.

<< Easy there! >>

<< A mortal like you has nothing to do with such an essence. >>

The artifact's spirit words were like a bucket of water poured on his head.

'A mortal?' Arlo frowned. For some reason, he didn't like the tone with which he said it.

The artifact spirit didn't seem concerned with him as he continued his explanation.

<< Through any of these two fundamental energies, one can gain affinity to any of the myriad laws. >>

<< A person with two affinities is called a dual elemental mage or warrior, while one with three is called a tri-elemental mage or warrior. >>

Arlo suddenly felt enlightened.

However, he soon realized something very important.

"Are you saying we control laws and not elements?"

<< Yes! >>

A light of understanding appeared in Arlo's eyes.

<< As I said before, there are myriads of laws. The more common ones are the laws of the five basic elements. >>

<< The rarer ones include the law of time, the law of space, ritual laws, the law of the beating heart, the law of massacre, and many more. >>

Arlo took a little while to digest the information he just received.

<< Those that harness mana are called mages. They can project their mana out of their bodies and perform attacks of different magnitudes. >>

<< On the other hand, those who harness astral energy are called warriors. While they also have an affinity to laws, the scope of their usage is restricted to just their bodies. >>

"I see."

The artifact spirit was satisfied that Arlo could understand the core of the matter very easily unlike some people…

<< Warriors temper their bodies using astral energy. However astral energy is simply too overbearing. Therefore, at the start, the bodies of those who can harness it subconsciously take a diluted version of astral energy…>>

"KI!" Arlo suddenly screamed, interrupting the artifact spirit. However, he didn't seem to mind.

<< That is right. >> He affirmed.

<< KI. >>