Gor attacked Yin in the stone arena with a large summoned weapon in the shape of a pickaxe to the roar of the crowd, and the crowd’s roar shook the ground beneath them. But Micro barely noticed the noise as he looked into the white eyes of the old lady before him. Kel asked her what she had meant, but she and Micro seemed oblivious to the sound of his voice.

  “What do you know about me?” Micro asked her, his suspicion still growing.

  “I see the essence of a being,” Vera replied, her voice trembling. “I’ve never seen so pure a soul in such agony… So lost in the world… What evil force of destiny would do this…?”

  “Nora sent me here,” Micro instinctively replied, but he quickly regretted it when Kel grabbed his arm and reminded him where he was. “Oh, I mean—”

  “It’s alright, heir to the Jade Fire Mountain Turtle Sect,” Vera said with a comforting tone. She stepped back and looked at Micro with her Spirit Vision Skill and sighed. “I know good from evil when it stands before me. I see… So you were taken from your home and forced into this unfit vessel. This vessel…”

  “It’s not the best body I’ve ever had,” Micro said with a shrug. “But it gets me from one place to another.”

  “To call it unworthy is an understatement,” she continued. “No offence.

  “Thanks,” Micro replied.

  “Your soul shines too brightly to discern its shape, but I can only imagine how grand a physical form you once had,” Vera said, wiping her teary eyes. “It must be excruciating!”

  “I’m getting used to it now,” Micro replied, but he was unable to draw out the innocent smile he had come to habitually form. “My old body was—”

  “It’s okay, child,” Vera said as she embraced him once again like a mother comforting her child. “I understand…”

  “It’s not…” Micro tried to reply, but his own tears suddenly fell. Like a dam bursting open, Micro felt every emotion he’d learned to feel in the past week spill over all at once. The confusion of every new feeling that he had just barely been able to push through gave way to nothing but the desire to bury his face in Vera’s shoulder. “I just—I want to go home…”

  “Let it all out,” Vera said with a soothing voice as Kel watched with concern. She glanced at Kel with an apologetic smile. “Forgive me, young master. Your friend has suffered more than you know. Any mortal I’ve known would have broken into pieces by now…”

  “I hadn’t realized—” Kel mumbled with a look of shame. “I’m sorry…”

  Micro finally managed to pull himself together and leave the soothing embrace of the kind old lady. After wiping his face on his clothes and taking a few deep breaths, he gave Kel a reassuring glance and looked at Vera as she continued to speak.

  “Listen to me, lost soul…” Vera began to speak with a more solemn tone. “The soul is not a flexible entity. The mind you now use to understand this world, the senses with which you experience it, and the energy you use to survive in it all cry out in protest as your soul fills them with life. It is only through the incredible power of will within your soul that you are able to exist in this form at all, but you must not deny your nature any longer.”

  “My nature?” Micro tilted his head. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “You may have thought you were adapting to this life, but your nature cannot be so easily modified,” Vera continued, holding his face with both hands to keep his eyes focused on her as she spoke. “To survive in this vessel, you must be true to your nature. Do you understand?”

  “You’re saying, I should try to be human?” Micro asked with a sense of urgency, desperate to know what answers she held. “What is human nature?”

  “You can’t help what you are, I’m afraid,” she answered, shaking her head. “But you can live the way you were meant to live.”

  “How I was meant to live?” Micro repeated. His eyes began to wander as the question consumed him, but Vera pinched his cheeks to call him back. “Ouch—”

  “Remember this,” she leaned in to explain. “No one in this world can teach you how to be you. You may learn from your friends and enemies, but you cannot become them. Be yourself. Live as yourself.”

  “I have to be myself…” Micro repeated. He nodded his head in understanding, though it was only somewhere deep in his heart that he fully understood it. “I’m myself, but I’m not myself…”

  Vera was about to continue, but a powerful wave of energy suddenly swept over them which violently shook the surroundings. Everyone turned to look for its source, and there was Yin, standing alone in a crater at the centre of the stone platform, looking as calm as he had before the fight began. Some movement in the crowd, several layers of seats up, caught their attention next. There, lying motionless on top of several unconscious spectators, was Gor.

  “I’m afraid I must see to the young master of the Earth River Sect now…” Vera sighed, giving Micro one last look before she ran to tend to the young man’s injuries. “If you ever seek answers to questions of the soul, you will always be welcome at the Soul Sect to the east. Think of it as your own home.”

  Micro waved to her with gratitude in his heart as the noise of the crowd continued. Kel approached him after collecting his thoughts for a moment.

  “Master, forgive me for not seeing the true extent of your suffering…” he said, his voice filled with concern. “Vera is a well known healer in the region. She comes from a sect that practices the Soul Art, a mysterious art. But that is a matter for another time, for there is much to discuss now that you are here. Please, follow me. This will be a good day.”

  Though he still wore a complicated expression, Kel took hold of Micro’s shoulder and guided him away with an aura of optimism.

  “Let’s go!” Micro replied, turning back to wave at Tae. “Get well soon!”

  ~

  After Yin of the Dark Thunder Sect had defeated Gor of the Earth River Sect, the man with the loud voice quickly announced that there would be a short intermission while the arena was repaired. Gor was taken away to be treated by Vera and the other healer, and dozens of mundane residents of the city began working to repair the damaged platform.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  The workers were covered in dust and old injuries, and whenever one of them happened to raise their head, Micro was surprised by their grim expressions. Some dragged large stone slabs across the ground in large groups while others focused on breaking apart bits of debris to be carried away. The work looked dangerous and exhausting, but Micro was impressed with their efforts.

  As the tension in the arena shifted, the remaining cultivators who had gathered to participate in the tournament were led outside by an old mundane man with one eye hidden behind an eye patch. There, Micro finally got a good look at the other contestants, and they were all staring back at him.

  “So this is the turtle boy who ran late, huh?” a woman with short hair in dark red robes said while rolling her eyes. “As if Kel wasn’t embarrassing enough.”

  “I think you’ll find him interesting, Teran,” Thea said, winking at Micro.

  “Oh, really?” Teran replied sarcastically. “Is he a particularly fast turtle?”

  “Far more interesting, in fact,” Thea continued. “Micro is something of a—”

  “He’s a hero,” Yin suddenly interjected, his eyes glowing brightly beneath the shade of his hood.

  “That’s not entirely accurate!” Kel jumped in front of Micro as several of the cultivators suddenly summoned weapons of energy in their hands and backed away cautiously. “His body was created with magic, but his soul is free of evil influence. Our sect stands by this cultivator, and I will die before I see him harmed outside of the arena.”

  “The rumours were true?!” Teran screamed, catching notice of several mundane workers nearby.

  “I assumed it was more of Vale’s gossip,” Yin whispered as his own aura began to weigh upon the others. “He was making a racket about something earlier to—”

  “He’s not a hero!” Kel shouted frantically. “He is as worthy an heir to the Jade Fire Mountain Turtle Sect as I am, and you would bring my entire sect down upon you if you—”

  “Enough, young ones.” Lena’s aura suddenly cut through the chaotic air of the contestants as she appeared in a flash behind Yin. “Draw no more attention to this matter. Everything is under control.”

  Micro smiled and waved to Lena, but Kel and the other five remaining contestants were frozen in fear. Even Thea’s neck seemed stiff as she slowly turned to view the source of the sapphire level aura that had suddenly displaced their own.

  “Imperial Guard,” Yin managed to mumble as he caught his breath. “I pay my respects… Your service is—”

  “I pay my respects…” Thea added as Yin’s voice failed him.

  “This little tournament will continue as planned,” Lena stated quietly so that only the contestants could hear. “As far as you’re concerned, Micro is the brother of that boy in green.”

  “Kel?” Thea blurted out.

  “Was that his name?” Lena pointed at Kel dismissively then looked around at the strained faces of the others. Content with their reaction, she shot a fierce glance at Micro. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  Lena didn’t wait around to confirm whether they understood her expectations, given their stunned silence, and she once again disappeared into the busy crowd of spectators within the stadium. After she left, none of the remaining contestants were sure which direction the conversation should go, but Kel was quick to fill the silence.

  “You will know the greatness of this being called Micro by his actions,” he asserted, pointing to Micro with an expression full of pride. “And you will know that he is worthy of every courtesy you would extend to a cultivator of any sect!”

  “Courtesy…?” the young girl in grey attire asked, her face finally able to form a sarcastic expression again.

  “You have not introduced yourselves to a representative of my sect, and I would expect you to do so immediately,” Kel explained, countering the girl’s sarcastic expression with one of anger. “You wouldn’t need to be reminded of that by someone like me, would you?”

  The noise of the crowd became harder to hear despite the silence of the competitors near Micro. As the awkward tension grew, Thea was about to add something, but it was Yin who spoke next.

  “I greet the honourable representative of the Jade Fire Mountain Turtle Sect,” he whispered and nodded his head slightly, raising his hands in front of him. “I am Yin, heir to the Dark Thunder Sect.”

  Some of the others were taken aback by his sudden show of respect, and they were more shocked when Micro simply waved back with a casual smile, but Thea continued the greetings.

  “It is good to see you again, Micro,” she said, her tone as coy as ever. “I greet the honourable representative of the Jade Fire Mountain Turtle Sect. I am Thea, heir to the Sparrow Sect. I am joined by Lana, a worthy disciple of our sect who is in a hurry to remove me from my position and make it her own. She’s a lot of fun, as you know.”

  “You expect me to honour that thing with a proper greeting?” Lana gasped as Thea turned to look at her. “He’s the reason Mary couldn’t be here this year!”

  Before Thea could rebuke her, Lana had already stormed away, heading back into the arena’s waiting area where repairs were still underway. Regardless of their feelings toward Micro, Lana’s rude departure seemed to offend most of the remaining members, and a short haired girl in dark red robes was the next to step forward and nod to Micro courteously.

  “I greet the honourable representative of the Jade Fire Mountain Turtle Sect. My name is Teran, of the Jade Earth River Sect.” Teran’s voice was soft and sweet, and her eyes were kind, but her aura felt rigid and unyielding. “I mean to challenge the heir to our sect, Gor. He is a worthy leader and friend, but I believe I will prove the stronger disciple in time, worthy to travel the path of a sect leader!”

  “Good luck,” Micro replied with a wave. “Drive safe…”

  “I greet the honourable representative of the Jade Fire Mountain Turtle Sect,” A girl in similar attire to Teran stepped forward with a more serious expression. “My given name is Feris. I am confident that I will be chosen as the next heir to the Earth River Sect.”

  “Oh, good luck…” Micro replied with another wave. “Being sect leader must be a lot of fun if all three of you want to—”

  “There are four of us,” Teran replied. “Gor is the young man who departed from the stage just a moment ago. He meant to avenge Rale, his younger sister, who was defeated by Yin in the first round.”

  “Hmph. Nothing but madness,” the final contestant spat in distaste. She was the youngest by far, and Micro struggled to imagine her taking part in a violent competition. She continued with a spiteful sigh. “There’s no room for such softies in a tournament like this.”

  “Introduce yourself, Ki,” Thea ordered her as though she were talking to her own child. “That stopped being cute when you became the heir to a sect.”

  “Fine,” Ki snapped back. “I’m Ki, heir to the Jade Air Moon Sect. I greet the turtle boy. There, happy?”

  “Heir to the Air Moon Sect!” Kel fumed. “You dishonour us all with that foul mouth. Your mother taught you better than that, if I’m not mistaken. I admired her very much—”

  “I’m more honourable than Tsurum!” Ki shouted back. “For an older brother, he’s such a weakling!”

  “Tsurum lost to Yin in the second round, Master Micro,” Kel quietly explained to Micro. “He’s with Tae and the others right now. He might not be the prodigy that his sister is, but he is much easier to talk to.”

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you all,” Micro said as he looked around at the other contestants.

  “It’s so weird that it can talk, right?” Ki blurted out with a crude laugh, but she frowned when she noticed Micro laughing along with her. “What’s so funny, hero?”

  “I’m sorry,” Micro said, unable to stifle is laughter. “It really is weird that I can talk!”

  He stopped laughing as the familiar sensation of Lena’s frustrated aura once again passed through him like an icy wind.