“John!”

This time the voice was little louder than the previous one and Azalon’s body trembled when he heard that warm voice. His raging emotions were like a thick fog that suddenly had a warm and bright sunlight fall upon them. There was not even a single emotion other than love and warmth that filled his heart as the anger, grief and guilt receded from him.

He didn’t even care for the four thugs in the room as he swirled on his feet and with a flash he was at the side of the woman that he looked up to as his Mother in his heart.

“Mother! Don’t worry! Nothing will happen to you. Ambulance! Let me call an ambulance!” Azalon was more than happy that Mother was not dead. The reason why he was so enraged before was that he was afraid that she was really dead. He didn’t even dare to confirm her pulse so that he wouldn’t have to face the truth.

Of course some may say that the way Azalon acted was way beyond the level of foolishness! But that was how humans behave when they see something they really really doesn’t want to see! They would wish for it to end quickly rather than have a hope that this situation would pass and later have that hope dashed!

And that was also why Azalon didn’t have the heart to check for her pulse and came to a decision that she was really dead! But now that she spoke, it means that her life could be saved if he could get her some immediate medical attention!

As he tried to lift her body so that he could carry her outside, he saw her lift her hand with some difficulty and place it on his arm preventing him from doing so. The warmth of her blood and body was transferred to him and Azalon once again had difficulty to hold back his killing intent for those who hurt her.

“John, listen to me. You have to let it go! Don’t let your heart into hatred and pain. It is not worth it.” Mother Lillianna spoke with with gasping breaths and Azalon could only nod his head as he felt it hard to even open his mouth.

“Let it go, John. I had a peaceful and content life and God took mercy for my services and he finally sent a son to me. If you are the reward for my life, then you are the most precious reward that any mother could get. Live, John. Live for the sake of living and loving. Live all the years that I have yet to live on my behalf. I will … always be … with you … in your heart, watching… you.” She smiled warmly and slowly closed her eyes with a peaceful and content look on her face as she drew her last breath.

Azalon stared dumbly and tears flooded out his eyes as he felt the body in his arms slowly lose its warmth, becoming slightly cold. He tightly held her to his bosom as he finally let out the dam of tears.

He cried, cried like the small child he was to her. He cried with heaving sobs and snotty nose and teary eyes like the son he was to his mother. He cried like a person that was pushed into a dark abyss after he found a light at the edge of his journey only to be pushed back into the darkness after someone snubbed out that light.

The tears that were falling on to her face cleaned the splashes of blood and finally her loving face came into view. The content smile and the peaceful expression made it seem that she was just sleeping and not really dead. But the receding warmth from her body and the bloody wounds reassured Azalon about her situation.

It took a long time before his sobs died out. He stood up and wiped his face from all the tears and snot. He took in a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. Azalon’s eyes were no longer red, but instead they were calm like a still lake.

It was a drastic change from the blood thirsty look he had when he saw the body of the Mother Lillianna or the cold and emotional look he had when he almost went berserk on the four punks in the room. It was a look that was only possible when one was at peace with himself! It was the look of complete acceptance of himself!

It was the look of a Cultivator!

The Johnny Rex he was back then didn’t truly commit the words of Mother Lillianna spoke and went on a rampage in the Underworld and only after his Mentor came for him after hearing about her death did he have a change of heart!

But he was different right now! After reliving the death of his mother once again and listening to those same words had a tremendous impact on him right now! He really hated himself when he disregarded her words and instead got fixated on revenge. But after living his life twice, and facing the same situation again, he truly, from the deepest depths of his heart, accepted the words of Mother Lillianna… no, his mom, Lillianna, and accepted her death with a peaceful heart.

He cried for her death and angry at the way she died, but her words and morals were more important to him than her means of death. That way, he could at least keep he alive in his heart and Soul, even though she was no more before his eyes.

Her words will become his guiding light in his new life!

Her words will be the mantra he will live by!

In his mind, the words from his mother from his previous life and the grandfather of this new life fused almost synonymously forming a new way of life for Azalon!

Claim everything that will be yours, but leave what will not be yours… Give what you have to give and take what you have to take…

Remember what you have to remember, and forget what you have to forget… Love back thousand times when someone loves you, but hurt back ten thousand times when someone hurts you…

Challenge yourself and overcome those challenges, only then can you find the path you have to walk on… Rely on the ones around you, but always remember to be by yourselves and never depend on someone else…

You are the most precious gift for me… You are more important to you than anything…

These words were like a mark that was branded on to his Soul as his entire being trembled when he softly recited these words and Azalon felt something intangible change within him. It was some sort of mysterious feeling that had nothing to do with his knowledge, Soul or Spirit. It was something more basic, something… him!

It was only after Azalon experienced this change, the weird symbol that was lit brightly underneath Azalon in the garden shattered and Azalon woke up from the dream world. The words were still present in his mind as he had a calm smile on his face.

It was then that he discovered two gazes that were fixed on him. He lifted his head towards the feeling he felt but couldn’t see anything on the mountain peak. But he could still feel the two gazes like they were some physical objects he could feel with his senses! He shook his head slightly as he couldn’t find a reason for this phenomenon, or wait a minute, may be he did! It should be linked to the change he experienced in the dream world just before he woke up! And what that change was? No one knows, not even Azalon!

He simply relished the calm feeling he had and lifted up the sleeping Raka in his hands and walked towards the mountain he was feeling the gazes from. He took no more than 20 steps when he heard faint shattering sounds around him…