"Mi...," he started, as if he wanted to scold the man for his sudden outburst. However, his eyes were drawn to the six milky-coloured crystallized stars that sat gently within the black crystal, and he quickly shut his mouth, turning to me instead. "Stretch out your hand again and repeat the process," he ordered.
I nodded my head with understanding and reached out towards the black crystal once more. The strange energy flowed into me once again, and I watched with rapt attention as the six stars scattered into a burst of light particles that spread all over, causing the black crystal to shine with a brilliant light. As the light dimmed once more, I removed my hand and observed as the lights compressed again, forming six small crystallized stars just like before.
"Six stars!" The village chief muttered in disbelief, as if he couldn't fathom what he was seeing. "Six stars!" He repeated, as if his own ears couldn't believe what he had just said. He turned towards Thak, who had followed him over to our position, and asked, "Maybe it's because I'm an elder now, but Thak, can you confirm how many stars are in the black crystal?".
Thak looked at me, and then at the black crystal for a moment, before he turned towards the village chief and replied, "Six stars, chief."
The village chief nodded slowly in understanding before he fixed his gaze on the man who conducted the test. "And what about you?" he asked, his eyes locked on the man, waiting for his answer.
"It's six stars," the man repeated, his gaze refocusing on me. "The boy's potential for awakening his inner strength is six stars."
The village chief nodded slowly before turning towards me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. "What is your name?" he asked,
Without hesitation, I replied, "My name is Orion."
He nodded and asked again, "And your parents' names?" his brows furrowing as if trying to recall something.
I responded, "My mother's name is Celeste."
He merely nodded at my response, his eyes fixated on me as if he was trying to read my thoughts. Slowly, he turned his head to the side to look at Thak. Wordlessly, they communicated with Thak nodding his head at him, before the chief turned back to me and said, "Come here!"
As I arrived in front of him, the village chief grabbed my jaw, examining my face from side to side before releasing it. He said to me, "Wait for a minute, let's watch the last evaluation." I didn't need to be a mind reader to know that he was probably expecting, if not anticipating, another occurrence like my own to happen.
"Next!".
As the process came to a completion and both the man and the village chief checked the black crystal, they released a tired collective sigh, their anticipation fading. The man said with a much duller voice, "One star."
Immediately after the result was announced, the village chief turned around without warning and headed towards one of the three large huts in his compound. "Follow me," he said, his voice trailing behind him. Without hesitation, I walked along with Thak behind me, matching the chief's pace as we marched into the hut. Once we were inside, Thak shut the door behind us, as we continued to walk forward.
And just like the lecture hut, this one also had multiple doors, about five in total. The village chief led us to the door at the far right, and we followed him down a small corridor until we arrived at a spacious room. I was surprised to see how beautifully decorated it was compared to our simple hut. The floor was covered in a thick, multicoloured carpet with images of flowers, trees, and leaves well-drawn on it. The walls were adorned with several lanterns hanging at each corner, and small windows covered by well-designed pieces of cloth. It felt like a true gathering place, fit for important meetings and events.
As I scanned the room, I noticed several individuals, including four stunningly attractive slender women and five muscular men, some with chiselled abs, and others with bulky muscles.
I let out a heavy sigh as I compared the lavish decor of the villager chief's hut to our humble hut. Aside from the obvious presence of servants, my eyes couldn't help but be once more drawn to the mesmerizing lanterns hanging from the walls. Back at our hut, we relied solely on the pale glow of the moon to light up our nights. Despite the natural brightness, I couldn't deny the appeal of having even just one of those lanterns, or better yet, a whole new hut adorned with a touch of such exquisite beauty.
With that thought in mind, I made a mental note to prioritize this goal, storing it at the back of my mind for future reference. It was the first thing I would strive to accomplish once I had amassed enough wealth to barter for it.
"Please, have a seat," the Village chief gestured, his hand outstretched towards the two beautifully woven straw mats laid opposite him. While, he settled himself onto a small, clay-moulded platform adorned with a thick wool pillow.
Thak and I both took our places on the mats, facing the village chief. As he looked at me intently, he asked, "Are you the child who dared to cause abomination by crossing the river?".
Caught off guard, I was momentarily stunned. That question was the last thing I expected, especially since I had no memories of it and hadn't even considered it. However, I nodded in affirmation, as there was no point in denying it.
The village chief remained stoic, unperturbed by my admission as he fixed his gaze on me. "Initially, I dismissed the rumours as just idle gossip among the villagers," he began, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "But when Thak brought proof of their validity to me, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the fact that you had not only attempted such a feat but survived it."
