Chapter 3: The First Ancestor

Chapter 3: The First Ancestor Luke was clueless what to do right now. He moved towards the wall of darkness at his side and moved his hand for a touch. Just as his hand touched the wall, it passed right through. He was shocked as well as curious, giving in to his curiosity he decided to take a look and moved ahead, getting inside the darkness. Just when he got past, he was welcomed with a dark black smoky environment. There was not a single source of light and visibility was absolute zero. Before he could move ahead, his head started hurting as numerous shrilling, wailing and screaming voices invaded his mind. Initially it was not much but immediately in an instant, it escalated and became unbearable for him. "WAAHHHHH!!!" Luke screamed in pain as he felt like hitting his head with a hammer and pulling his hair out, as the pain was making him mad. He couldn’t endure anymore and hurriedly moved back. Coming out of the darkness, he fell down on the ground clutching his head. After a few seconds passed the pain finally subsided and Luke got up on his feet. Experiencing this firsthand, he remembered the words Drake had said to him on the way before entering, ’Young master, be careful when you enter the sanctuary. It is not a place where the ancestors of your bloodline rest and wait for their heirs to come in. It is a realm, a realm of the dead where their souls rest, waiting for their next lives. Only through special spells and some unknown means set by the previous members of your bloodline can the living enter and meet them. When you are chosen by an ancestor to meet, you would have to pass a test, there is no other ways than to pass the test. Never try to find a different path or roam around, the dead don’t welcome the living and the price for contact is unimaginable. Even death would be a blessing!’ ’Guess lord Drake was right about it!’ Luke sighed and looked at the mountain in front of him. ’It seems there’s no other way than to climb.’ Luke stretched his legs and arms and moved closer to the mountain. He grabbed hold at one of the rocks, lifted his leg and placed it on another protruding rock and started climbing slowly and one step at a time he started moving up. ***** At some distance from the cliff on an oval piece of land lushed with green grass, was a small hut, where an old man, white hair and beard, wearing a white robe was sitting cross legged in meditation when abruptly, he opened his eyes. ’Hmm! Another one has come for the test. One more to return frustrated and empty handed then!’ The old man chuckled and closed his eyes again. A few hours later, he opened his eyes again, disturbed by the shouting and yelling noises. He got up and moved out of the hut and walked towards the edge of the cliff. Suddenly the noises started to get loud and then at the edge he saw a hand trying to get a hold on the ground above, slowly a figure started to appear as he struggled to get up. The old man was shocked to see a young man appear. He whimpered and gasped for breath as he lied down on his back on the ground after climbing that huge rocky mountain. Luke gasped intensely as he laid flat on the ground looking at the sky when suddenly his vision was obstructed by the figure of an old man. "Did you climb all the way up!?" the old man asked. "Yes...somehow!" Luke said with laboured breaths. "How?" "Using...my hands...and legs." The old man was skeptical as his eyes shined and he scanned Luke’s body. "One can’t use mana here and...you have a shattered circle. Then how did you climb a seven km mountain without using mana?" "I have...been training... my body... since childhood...so I have good stamina. Guess my training...paid off!" Luke said with a smile. The old man was shocked. He stood motionless without speaking a word. After some time, he collected himself and a smile appeared on his face. "Very good!" the old man praised him and then waved his hand as Luke started to float and stood straight as he came face to face with the old man. A green light shone on his body and all his fatigue vanished in an instant. "Is this a healing spell?" Luke asked in surprise. "Indeed!" "But how can you use mana if others can’t?" "I’m different. I’m part of this place, but you are not!" the old man smiled. "Come. Follow me!" He followed the old man inside the hut. The old man took his seat and asked Luke to sit in front of him. he took his seat and then the old man started speaking. "I am Glenn Ranatosh! I was the 1st patriarch of the Ranatosh household and master of the Hero and my son Levi Ranatosh. Who are you, young man?" "What!? Really?" Luke screamed in surprise. He couldn’t believe he was sitting with the founder of their household, the first Ranatosh, an 8th circle wizard in his time. "I am Luke...Luke Ranatosh. I’m the first son of the seventh patriarch Danver Ranatosh." "Hohoho! So, you are from the eight generation! Time really flies!" Glenn gave a hearty laugh. "You’re the first child I’ve met in all these generations. Tell me Luke, for what guidance have you come here looking for?" He was surprised to hear that he was the first person to meet the founder in the sanctuary. This burned the flames of hope in him even more. "Lord Glenn, I was hoping you can tell me how to fix my shattered circle so that I can use mana and perform magic!" He looked at Glenn with rapt attention for hearing the sweet answer, but reality was cruel and the answer crushed all his hopes. "It’s impossible to fix your circle. Thought there was a change if you had come to me before the age of 12. But now, it can’t be done." Luke’s face instantly got black as his smile vanished into oblivion. he was crestfallen as his head dropped. "Haha! I knew that it was not possible, still I held on to a useless hope! Thank you for listening to me lord Glenn!" Luke said with a disheartened voice and started getting up when Glenn’s next words held him in his place. "But there is another way for you to cast magic and gather mana!" "WHAT!!" Luke yelled in shock.