Chapter 7: Stairs Made of Arrow’s Reaching the Mountain’s Top
Translator: Park Nambyul
Samay was deep in thought, with a tension between his eyebrows he was circling around on the small cliff that was attached to the mountainside. The intense wind was hitting his whole body, making it a little difficult to stand still. It was in a split second when an arrow with lighting speed came to his way which he didn’t see.

Somehow he sensed the current change in wind and thanks to his quick reflexes he bent himself down. He saw the arrow swiftly cut the winds and stuck itself on the mountainside. The kid slightly flinched when he saw the arrow on the mountainside.

It took him some seconds to understand what happened. He blinked twice before scanning the arrow once again. The arrow was made of a special wood called Devakastha, it was a kind of wood which was used to make various types of spiritual weapon for highest-rank immortal cultivators. It was not a wood anyone could find and make arrow or any other weapons from It whenever they want yet Samay was seeing it in front of himself glued on the mountainside.

Full of disbelief he frowned, “How the hell this arrow made of Devakastha is here?”, he was more than shocked maybe a little scared altogether, it was not an everyday thing to see an arrow made of divine wood: Devakastha, here in the Lost Soul’s Realm!

He gather his thoughts, putting some effort just to stand after barely saving himself from the arrow. He was half bend when another arrow came to his way with the same lightning-speed as the last one. Again his quick reflexes saved him when he sat down covering his head with both hands. He chose to stay still, afraid to be surely stabbed by the third arrow if it came.

One by one shower of arrows came towards him or towards the mountainside. Every single one was as rapid as the wind which was swiftly blowing there for quite a while. Those arrows were cutting the wind like hot knife cut butter; elegantly but rapidly.

The strange thing was that every arrow was sticking itself on the mountainside like someone was making them do it. The kid was still confused but not at all scared like a while ago. The storm of the arrow abruptly stopped. He felt no more arrows will come so he looked at those mountains that were far away from him.

“I think now those arrows won’t come any more”, he pursed his lips, doubtfully staring at those far away mountains. “That guy where is he? He said he’ll help me but I know he has left”, he snapped out when he heard the familiar shouting.

The brat turned and looked upwards. He startled seeing the idiot waving at him with a large grin that was going from one ear to another. His heart twinged.

The idiot was still carelessly smiling and waving with both hands, “Hey! Did you missed me?”

“Huh?… Who do you think you are? Why would I miss the likes of you?”, Samay glanced at him but averted his eyes when he saw Advik looking at him with a pure smile. The kid was undoubtedly glad but too prideful to show it in any manner.

“Okay! Okay! I know I am no one but let’s not fight right now I’m dead tired of everything.” Advik half bent himself. The smile was gone in an instant yet it was calming to see him. “Just listen to me this time if you don’t want to stay here forever. He scowled, “Look at the mountainside of the mountain I am standing on”, he pointed his finger downwards.

Samay was again hostile like before, “Whatever”, he rolled his eyes and looked a little down at the mountainside. He was astonished, ahead of him were two parallel lines of those arrows stuck on the mountainside which was going to the mountainside’s top. He lost his words still somehow managed to ask, “Wh-what is this? Did you do it? But how?”

“Yup! I did this. Don’t you think I am amazing?”

“You did a great job”, Vismay praised and Tara buzzed with happiness.

“Hehe… thanks! Thank you for showing me the way”, Advik replied meekly.

“Hey… don’t you dare to forget about me I am also here! And tell me what I suppose to do now?” Samay snarled.

“Just climb the mountainside using these arrows as stairs, it’s as easy as climbing trees. Believe me, the wood is very reliable and strong they won’t break while you climb”, he smiled and continued, “Don’t worry they are tightly stuck deep in the mountainside they won’t fall off. However, be careful and stay as close to the mountainside as possible it will be more secure.”

“Are you really sure these arrows are reliable? Do you think they can handle my weight?”, of course Samay knew how strong and heavenly powerful those arrows could be because they were made of the divine wood; Devakastha. But knowing that this idiot has shot them he was unsure about the whole – climbing the mountain by arrows – thing.

“I could have given you the whole time of this world to think properly if I had any but right now we are running out of time”, Advik frowned.

The kid walked towards those arrows and touched the one which was glued on his eyesight’s level. He tried to pull out the arrow but it was indeed tightly attached to the mountainside. His right eyebrow lifted up before he put his left leg on one of the arrows which were lower and near his legs. He firmly grabbed the arrow of his right-hand side. He sighed before putting his another leg on the arrow while he tried to catch the arrow on his left side.

Samay shifted his eyes upwards and instantly felt disgusted by the stupid grin on Advik. Again he focused on the current situation of his. Now he was balancing his whole body on the arrows. He didn’t even dare to think about how he would be looking to others just now.

“I don’t ever want to remember this after I climb up somehow”, Samay stopped thinking much of his situation and tried to climb up using the arrows. Slowly but steadily he was putting his legs one after one while always making sure his grip over the arrows.

Soon he was near the top of the mountainside. Samay once again sighed when he saw Advik who was like always; smiling. The idiot gave his hand and he took it without much thought, “I don’t like saying this word but… th-thank you.”

Advik beamed hearing that and pulled the kid up.

Both of them were standing against each other. Now the difference between their height was so much that Samay had to still look upwards just to see the idiot’s face. Advik was indeed towering over him. Not that macular but still he was quite handsome that he could steal many women’s hearts in a glance. However, he was immediately irritated seeing the grin on his face.

It was the same for Advik, he had to look a bit low to talk to the kid who was looking at him with scanning eyes. The kid appeared fifteen or sixteen years old to him. He thought the brat is really good looking even when he has that pissed face. Anyway, he gave a comfortable smile again, “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Samay looked as if he was not used to people’s gentle nature. He gazed at the tall man, “…. Th-thank you, I-I am fine.”

He thought the kid looked a bit different just now, he docile-ly smiled at him and looked at the Fireball, “So, now what? Do you know any place where we can rest? I am dead tired and hungry. He put his arm on the kid’s shoulder, “This kid also needs food to charge himself, right?” Advik glanced at him who was not seemed to be happy with his over-friendly behavior. Sensing the glare of Samay he put away his arm.

The kid was livid, “No! I don’t need food but I want answers. I want to know why a wandering soul like you is helping me.” The kid scowled with suspicion gathering in his eyes. “And tell me what’s your relation with this Fireball and Firefly. Are they your pets?”, he stared at Vismay and Tara.

Advik scoffed, “Woah! So many questions in a go. Well first, they aren’t my pets.” He put his palm ahead of his eyes and Tara reached it in a flash, it sat down on his palm. Advik smiled, Samay had an expression between confused, pissed and horribly disgusted. “You can think of them as my friends. Today they helped me a lot.”

With grimace Samay stared at Tara who was comfortably sitting on the palm, “A-are you sure they are not harmful?” he was not taking his eyes off from the Firefly.

Advik sneered, “I am sure they are as harmless as rabbits and what a fireball or a firefly can do to us?” he laughed.

Samay glanced at the Fireball who was floating beside him. He first didn’t think but now when his thoughts were collected he found it strange to see a Black Fireball. Even if he had seen many various creatures and studied about them for months, he still had never seen anything like this Black Fireball in front of him.

He felt some discomfort standing right beside it. However, he was not at all afraid of it.

Advik was giggling while staring at the Firefly which was sitting on his palm. He changed his focus to Samay who was silently staring at Vismay. He sneered, “Are you in love with Vismay”, he chuckled.

“What!!”, he was snapped out of his staring.

“No? I mean… I said that because you were staring at Vismay with so much intenseness filled in your eyes”, Advik scoffed.

Samay glared, “Shut up, you are just too free to assume any-fucking-thing! Why the fuck I fall for a mere Fireball?”, he moved away.

Tara flew off from Advik’s palm. He looked at the kid, “So now your turn to introduce yourself.” He came closer to put his both hands on the small shoulder of Samay, “Please! Tell me you are… what was his name… what it was…ugh?” he looked up while trying to remember the name.

“Samay”, Vismay said lowly.

Advik beamed, “Yes! Samay”, he looked at the kid. “…. Are you Samay”, his was troubled, he thought what would they do if this guy wouldn’t be Samay.

With a sullen face, he put Advik’s hands down from his shoulders, “Yes, I am, so what?”

This time Advik over-excitedly cupped the brat’s cheeks. He shook the kid’s whole face up-down, “Yes! Yes! Yes! I-I am so happy. In the end, I’ve found you. Now they won’t waste their time to search for a brat like you instead they’ll help me to go back to Shwet’s side… Yesssss I did it!”, Advik put off his hands. The kid was in a daze, his mind was literally spinning around. Samay was holding his head to settle it down.

Vismay was still floating beside Samay, “Aren’t you too obviously showing that you are not at all happy to find him.”

He was still holding his dizzy head, “Did Svapn send you to find me?”

Finally, Advik stopped beaming like mad. He saw the kid, “…. Eh, no he didn’t.” He thought the way the brat said the name of the Prime Minister was not so good and disrespectful. He felt the kid really didn’t like the Prime Minister that much, hence his tone was so aggressive when he said the name. He continued, “I come to find you on my own just to help them. I thought it’ll be easier if more people would try to find you.”

Samay furiously glared, “How do you even know them or me? I don’t think I’ve seen you ever before?”

Advik was silent for some seconds before he answered, “I’ve died nearly two thousand years ago Svapn told me. When I opened my eyes he was in front of me. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I’ve lost most of my memories”, his eyes were wet when he lightly smiled with them at the kid, “Svapn said I was roaming around for years and somehow ended up in this realm. I had lost my heart, mind, and memories he found them for me.”

Advik added, “I don’t know how much of what they’ve said is true but I don’t know anything or anyone here, thus I am trying to believe them because… because that’s the only thing I can do.”

Advik looked into the kid’s eyes. Samay was undoubtedly shock, surprised or confused but he was carefully listening to him without asking any question, “Right now I just want to find a way to go back to wherever Shwet is. I just want to find him. I don’t remember much of my past but I know he is someone very important and I want to find out why I was killed”, he looked at Tara who was too silent like it was also understanding him.

He wiped out his cheeks. He looked down and then at Samay, he smiled with red-wet eyes. “You see, I-I think my memories are bit blurry right now. And I want to know what I should do now when I’m just a soul who has lost everything. I need to find something which can help me to live on.” He smiled again, a very bright-pleasant smile but the three of them saw the pain and suffering and struggle Advik was putting to smile like that.

Samay wanted to say something, anything to comfort the person in front of him but he was no good at comforting people in any way. He remained voiceless, just staring at Advik with empathy. Even Vismay and Tara were not daring to even speak a word.

Some minutes passed in silence. Advik turned his back at Samay when he felt he couldn’t hold his tears and longer. He wiped off his eye but the water was not stopping. It’s this thing that maybe everyone hates about tears; the more you want to hold them the more they drop, the tight you close your eyes the more reasons you’ll find to cry.

Samay knew Advik was crying and snorting but chose to stay quiet and only stare at the man’s back. After a while, Advik turned around on his own with a grin, “Let’s stop talking about my tragedy”, Samay blinked seeing the sudden change, “Aren’t you afraid of Vismay he can talk even I was shocked when he first spoke to me.”

Trying to cool down the atmosphere Samay also shook off his head. Going back to his usual personality, he snapped, “What do you think of me? I am the best disciple at the palace. I have seen many more dangerous and terrible things than a Fireball which can speak. He is nothing new to me”, he snorted.

Crossing his arms Advik raised his eyebrows, “This brat is even more overconfident and self-centered than my younger self.” He sighed softly.

Abruptly, Tara came close to Samay. He felt strange so he backward his step. However, Tara still followed him. Trying to sit down on him maybe? He recoiled, he was definitely irritated by her in just some seconds. The brat tried to fly her away, “Hey! Don’t come close!”, he was bewildered, waving his hands everywhere, “Stop it!!! Stop this thing!”, the more Tara was coming close the more Samay’s voice was getting loud and louder. “Stop it!! Stop it right now!!”

First, Advik did not notice this uproar because he was still dealing with those uninvited emotions. However, when Samay started to shout and scream that much, he noticed him. Advik sniggered then started to laugh.

The brat was staggering, “Don’t-don’t come! Stop this thing. I don’t like bugs! Stop her, right now or I’ll use my sword!”

Advik’s stomach started to hurt laughing out loud that much, he was still laughing grabbing it. He creased his eyes. It was a hilarious situation; Samay was running in circles around him to stay away from the Firefly, Tara was trying to catch him simply because it wanted to comfort him, hug him, and Vismay was still beside the laughing-idiot nevertheless he was still shouting at them to stop their childishness but they were not listening to him at all.

Advik was still holding his stomach while laughing hard. Samay scurried and came behind him. The kid clutched the man’s shoulders from behind, “Please stop her! I’ll do anything you want just stop this thing!!!”, he was grumbling and quivering, the sweat was dropping off from his forehead. Even his voice was hoarse.

Advik saw the kid, felt the actual fear of the brat. He was clenching so tight on Advik that he felt the nails of his. He understood the fear of Samay, he paused his laughter. He scowled and meekly said, “Stop Tara! Stay where you are, please!”, he softly squinted at it.

The other two were surprised when it stopped moving in the midair. An astonished voice spoke, it was Vismay, “This little girl never listens to me but now she is listening to you”, he said, “She is listening to someone she has just met… sigh… I think handsome men has it all, after all!”

Advik chuckled hearing that, glancing at Vismay he replied, “You think I am handsome!?”

Samay glanced at the Firefly from behind Advik’s back, it was innocently flying at a safe distance from him. He left the man’s side and came ahead, looking at Tara to make sure she was not coming for him anymore. He got his old hostile self returned, “Well, you are just average and this dirt and awful smell on you is making it worse.”

“Hm? Really?”, putting his hand closer to his nose he sniffed, “Because of all the drama and running for hours I didn’t realize much as noticed this myself, but, I am really messed up right now!”, he grimaced. He worriedly turned to the Fireball, “Mr. Fireb-Vismay do I smell bad that much?”

“I don’t know, I don’t have a nose.”

“Do I smell, Tara?”

“Are you stupid it cannot speak!”, Samay rolled his eyes.

“Oh, yeah! Then you tell me do I smell? Am I that filthy? Why I don’t have a mirror!!?”

“Yes, you are totally messed up. I don’t even know how Svapn stayed with you in that room because he is such a clean-freak. He can’t even bear the smell of one day old wore clothes.”

Advik started to brush off the dirt from himself, “I have to clean myself or I’ll die!!”, he was patting the dust off from his body whilst screaming how nauseous he was feeling. His every effort was going in vain because no matter how much he was trying to clean himself it was never enough.

Of course, he was looking like shit due to not bathing for nearly two thousand years!! Even if he was just a soul still he needed to clean himself at least for the sake of people and their noses around him! However, who can blame him for roaming like that when he was not himself. When he didn’t even know where he was or what he doing before coming in the Lost Soul’s Realm.

Samay frowned, staring at the messed up guy who was panicking merely because of the dirt, “Hey! Are you a clean-freak as well?”

Without stopping himself, Advik answered, “Nope, I am not a clean-freak. I just like cleanliness, is there a problem with that?”

This time Samay couldn’t hold his laughter, “Hahahaha! A soul who is also a clean-freak! What a joke!!!”

“Stop playing! Advik stop your childishness over dirt and you, Samay stop laughing”, both guys stopped in middle at once. Vismay came into the conversation, “We should head to the near village, Bhayabhoomi, there we can find an inn to stay.”

Advik was puzzled but still scoffed, “Bhayabhoomi ?! What a horrible name?”

The Fireball continued, not minding the stupid joke, “That Bhayabhoomi village will be much safer and secure than this hunting zone for the demons. Also, there we can find some clothes, food and other necessary things for us.”

Samay spoke with much more attention than ever before, “Bhayabhoomi ?”, he looked at Vismay, “I’ve heard and read about it. People say it’s one of the smallest villages of Lost Soul’s Realm which has become the wealthiest village overnight”, Advik gave him a disbelieving look.

The kid’s eyes were glittering with amusement, “Yes-yes! We should go there.”

“No, we should not”, Advik was serene, “You don’t know but Svapn and Sidharth also came here just to find you. They left me behind so I don’t know where they went but I think they have returned back to the palace after not finding any trace of you. Let’s go back to the palace.”

Samay paralyzed hearing that, he lost his words. Only one thing was filling in his mind that Svapn and Sidharth literally came to rescue him! He never thought that anyone would come to save him but they did. He was not showing but his heart just melted finding out about this, “Okay, then let’s go back.” the brat pleasantly smiled.

“No, we can’t go back”, both guys looked at the Fireball, “You can’t go back because Prime Minister and Chief Minister both are still here”, the kid’s heart twinged, Advik was just more confused, “I can’t find their exact location but they are here. I can sense their spiritual life here. We have to find them.”

Samay startled, Advik was puzzled, he sneered, “Don’t worry they are the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of this Realm, who can harm them. I’m sure they are too powerful and intelligent, their cultivation must be very high. We shouldn’t worry about them and go back.”

“But there is a problem here”, Vismay’s voice shook, “I can sense their spiritual life is gradually diminishing every second”, Samay grimly looked at Vismay, “Maybe they are in some problem. We have to find them, help them. It is too risky to let the two highest cultivators roam here when their cultivation is decreasing.”

Advik grabbed the kid’s wrist, Samay stared at him with wide eyes, “What the hell are you doing?”, Samay was oblivious what was happening, Advik clutched tightly on him and tried to drag him, “What are you doing where are we going?” he snarled.

“Vismay, tell me where we have to go, I want to help Svapn and Sidharth”, Advik solemnly said while moving ahead somewhere.

“Let me tell you the correct way to Bhayabhoomi, it’ll be more easy for us if we can first find a more safe place for us to plan this search for them”, Vismay flew towards Advik.

Samay looked at the hand which was holding his wrist and taking him somewhere. He didn’t know what he was feeling but he knew he was glad to meet this person who is a little weird, little stupid and a freaking soul! He was gazing at where the hand was clenching him so firmly. Without much thought he let the other guy take him wherever he was going.

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Dictionary:

Devakastha: it literally means “Divine Wood”

Bhayabhoomi: Bhaya – Fear, Bhoomi – Land

Samay: Time

Svapn: Dreams

Sidharth: Means “one who has accomplished a goal”, derived from Sanskrit सिद्ध (siddha) meaning “accomplished” and अर्थ (artha) meaning “goal”. Siddhartha Gautama was the real name of Buddha.

// Hello!! My 357 readers! First of all, I’m so sorry for this late update. Sorry! My real life and its problems got me. Thank you for sticking with me even now. I know this work is not the best out here still I’m working hard to make it better. I know there are many mistakes and it’s lacking in many ways but I’m trying, really! And thank you so much to help make this novel better, I don’t know if I can mention the name of readers who pointed out my silly mistakes, but thank you from the bottom of my soul, hope you are still reading my work and seeing some progress! Don’t forget to tell me my silly mistakes again! *Hugs and kisses for everyone*

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