Avon wasn't really sure what he should say to her so his gaze just kept on wandering around the area admiring the never before seen plant life.

The water he was standing in was crystal clear so he could see all the fishes swimming around his feet.

The animals that were wandering around didn't pay any attention to him as if he didn't exist.

"This place is so beautiful, where are we?"

But the woman didn't respond she just continued to stare at him.

One second

Ten seconds

Thirty seconds

One minute

The place had become a bit awkward because she didn't have the slightest reaction to his question or his gaze.

Short while late the pale woman finally moved she was using her index finger pointing downward.

The woman finally moved so Avon so by reflex he looked down into the water.

"What? I don't see anything"

It was still the same clear water as before nothing had changed.

The instant he took his eyes off the water and looked back over to the woman two caramel hands burst through the surface of the water and grabbed his face and pulled him down into the water.

''Not again!''

Avon didn't hesitate before his face touched me the surface of the water he quick held his breath and closed his eyes.

The feeling he was waiting for didn't come, his skin didn't feel wet at all this to him was nothing short of a miracle because he didn't know how to swim.

But when he opened his eyes he was stunned speechless, his heart started beating like crazy he wanted to find a way out but every move he made he felt himself sinking further.

He was underwater!

Although it didn't feel or look like it, he knew he was underwater but this water didn't look like it it was light blue in color and the fishes looked a lot bigger than what he was used to seeing.

After a while, he stopped struggling because he started to feel comfortable.

His vision was beginning to get a bit blurry and his consciousness was starting to get hazy but none of that matter because it felt incredibly comfortable especially when he looked at the rays of the sun breaking the surface of the water it felt very relaxing.

'What's that?...'

A shadow was approaching from a few meters out.

In the blink of an eye, it was in front of his stroking his checks.

It was the woman from the desert with the same smile as before, looking at her his consciousness began to clear up.

He lips began moving but no sound could be heard, when he wanted to tell her that he couldn't hear her she placed her index finger to his lips and shook her head.

Her lips stopped moving but she was still smiling.

After a few seconds, he finally heard a voice that sounded strange yet familiar to him.

'This is my voice?'

--I want to give you a gift will you accept it?

'What are you talking about? Who are you?'

-- The world is so big wouldn't you like to see it all? or would you like to stay where you are?

It might sound strange but Avon has never once in his life thought that there was anything beyond his village, no one ever spoke of anything beyond it so he just believed that there was nothing else.

'The world?'

Although 'his voice' hadn't answered his question his interest was piqued he couldn't help but wonder if the would that 'his voice' spoke of was anything like what he saw in the visions.

--It is even more beautiful than what you have seen

It seemed like the woman who was in front of him cloud read his mind but that didn't seem all that surprising.

If she could use 'his voice' to speak to him then why it seems strange that she could read his mind?

--Will you accept my gift?

Every time the woman moved her lips it would only be a few seconds later that he'd hear 'his voice'

'What kind of gift?'

--Close your eyes

Although he was starting to get a very painful headache from all the confusion that's been happening as well as having a conversation with 'himself'.

Despite that, he still closed his eyes.

All sorts of images started flashing across his eyes things he's never seen or imagined would've ever existed.

Plants, people, animal, buildings etcetera

Things he would've never imagined.

He must've seen millions of different things yet still it felt like it only lasted a second before everything stopped.

'This is the world?'

The woman nodded then he lips moved again.

--Will accept my gift?

Towards the woman, he didn't feel any weariness, in fact, she felt familiar to him but still, he knew he didn't know her and he didn't know what the gift she was offering him was nor if any of this was just his delusions.

'I can't accept something when I don't know what it is'

--It will not hurt you, it has always been apart of you, Mansa

'Mansa?'

--That will be your new name from today

................

It was after sunset and Avon still hadn't returned from the forest although there were no dangerous animals that could kill him in the force his mother began to worry.

"Al-Amir did Avon go to the forest today?"

"yes aunty, he came in the morning, why?"

"He isn't back home as yet and he never misses lunch"

"Alright I'll go check if he's still working"

When Al-Amir came back to the forest Avon was on the ground sweating like crazy, his look was pale beyond belief.

He ran up to Avon's body but he hesitated a few times before he just picked him up and ran back to his father's house.

The villagers who saw him running with someone in his arms didn't know what's going so they followed behind him.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know Al-Amir is running with someone"

While they followed behind him they were all discussing why he was carrying someone.

Everyone in the village knew who Avon was because he was the only person who came of age yes still hadn't passed Alaric trial but Al-Amir didn't give them the chance to look at who he was carrying he was running too fast.

"Father! Father!"

Before he even entered Al-Amir began calling for his father.

A old man who looked like he'd croak at any moment walked out of the house but that's just how he looked he was as fit as a fiddle.

"What?! What are you screaming for me for?!"

When he saw the body in Al-Amir's hand he immediately ran back inside the house and made up a bed for him to put Avon on.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, we left him in the forest to cut down some trees, a little while ago his mother said that he hadn't returned home as yet so I went back to the forest and found him like this"

While he was explain to his father what happened he'd already placed Avon on the bed.

"What happened to my son?! Where's my son!?"

Avon's mother's voice could be heard coming from the crowd as she forced her way inside.

When she saw Avon lying down on the bed looking so pale she almost collapsed right there but someone from the crowd grabbed on to her to help her steady herself.

"Al-Amir! What's wrong with my son!?"

Al-Amir really didn't know what to say because he himself was really sure what happened he'd even started wonder if it was because he left him to cut down the trees by himself and he overexerted himself.

"Aunty..."

"All of you shut up he's fine"

Before Al-Amir could say anything he was interrupted by the chief who spoke in a nonchalant way like it was something that wasn't important in the least.

When everyone heard this they all stared blankly at the chief then at the pale Avon then back at the chief the process repeated itself another two times before everyone started to worry for the chiefs mental health.

The chief didn't give them a chance to voice their inner thoughts before he raised his hands in the air and shouted.

"Arise I say!"

Then slammed down his hand in Avon's chest, the slap echoed throughout the whole room leaving everyone stunned.

Avon woke up instantly drawing in a deep cold breath before screaming.

"Ahh!!!!!!!!"

Everyone stared blankly at the scene what was going on?

While they were all stunned something happened that none of them noticed when Avon had just woken up his once dark brown eyes were a glowing deep ocean blue but only for a moment the instant he blinked they returned to normal.

When his mother saw that he woke up she ran up and hugged him while crying tears of joy.

"My son you're okay, you're okay"

But none of that really registered with him what he really wanted to know was...

WHO THE HELL SLAPPED HIM!!

When he looked around at everyone they were all breathing sighs of relief while the chief had an idiotic grin on his face.

He didn't even bother to ask because he already knew who did it.

"Come on mom why are you cry....am fine see?"

While Avon spoke he started shifting his body around.

"Shut up, what was wrong with you why did you have to scare me like that?"

Avon didn't really know what to say because he didn't have the slightest clue of what was happening, he was just trying to comfort his mother.

"Alright, Alright he's fine everyone can go back to what you were doing before"

The villagers wanted to say something or ask what was wrong with Avon but before they could the chief was already sending them home.

"That includes you too Kaur"

Even though the chief had mentioned her by name she didn't really seem to care she just continued to hug her son while humming a lullaby.

"Nothing was wrong with him. he was just sleeping, he might've been in a situation where he couldn't breathe so he didn't that's all now go back he'll stay here for the night"

Kaur paused for a moment then continued humming.

Avon could only force a smile.

"Mom I really am fine I was just dreaming that's all"

She still didn't move, the chief could only take a deep breath before playing his final card.

"I want him to take Alarics Trial again"

Both mother and son were stunned.

"Don't look so surprised I never said he'd never be able to take the trial again did I?"

Kaur was the first to react.

"You said you let us know when he can take it again but I thought you were just trying to comfort us"

The chiefs face revealed a broad smile.

"Exactly and now I'm letting you know so shooo"

Kaur wasn't known as one of the nicest women in the village, in fact, it was the opposite, her mouth spewed nothing but venom

So with a well-known personality like that, it was a surprise that when the chief shooed her she didn't get upset but smiled instead.

"Alright, I'll go back home, when I see you this time tomorrow you will be a man"

When she was almost through the door she stopped and turned back to Avon, no traces of her smile could be found anymore.

"Last time I said those words you came out as the same runt as before and even started pissing the bed.....If you fail again I no longer have a sun"

After saying her piece she walked out without giving Avon any chance to reply.

"I thought she never leave, that mother of yours even when she was a baby she had always been this way.....anyways kid what happened in your dream"

Avon was slightly taken aback.

"Why are you asking about my dream?"

".....Answer the damn question"

Avon thought about it for a second, he couldn't really think of any reason not to tell him so he recounted everything that happened in his dreams.

".......I see, how long have you been having those dreams"

"Not long I guess before it was normally the same dream over and over again, I'm in endless wasteland"

The chief didn't say anything he just stared at him without moving. After a minute or so he got up and walked out of the room.

"Let's go, we're going to the temple"

Avon froze for a moment but only for a moment before he caught up with the chief.

Alaric's trial is something that is mandatory for everyone in the village once they reach the day of adulthood but if you fail you can try it again whenever you want but if the chief was to recommend that you retake the trial its considered as a good sign since the chief would be the one with the greatest awareness of Alaric.

"Are you sure that now is a good time?"

Even though he already had it in his mind to try the trail again he still wanted to make sure that this was real.

"I already said it didn't I"

The chief said that without turning around to look at Avon.

His head was slightly lowered like he was in deep thought.

"Uhm chief......."

Avon stopped walking.

"Hmm what is it"

Avon didn't even bother responding instead choosing to point at the building he was standing in front of.

The temple was built like a circle with a cone-like roof made out off leaves and small twigs, surround the outer layer of the temple were many different flowers some even growing on the outside of the temple.

"Never mind that let's go"

Once again the chief just turned around and walked off with giving any explanation.

The path they were walking on was the one leading behind the temple, normally the villages are only allowed to go there on their day of adulthood and never again after that but Avon was going there and he wasn't even considered an adult.

Avon wasn't really sure what to expect or what it was like since no one has ever told him what it was like, simply tell him that he'll know when it's his turn.

After walking for a little while they came upon a fork in the road, so the chief stopped and looked back at him completely serious.

"Where would you like to go?"

Avon was at a loss for words.

[Hope you didn't forget to wear your chastity belt this morning heheheh........]

Ignored.

................

"What do you mean by where would I like to go?"

The chief was obviously annoyed by the question.

"Do you always ask so many questions!? Just pick a damn path!"

'what's he getting so upset for?'

Avon thought for a second but couldn't decide both paths so were pitch black he couldn't see anything beyond the beginning of the path.

"I don't know..."

The answer only seemed to turn his annoyance to anger.

"Just pick one now!!"

"Fine that one"

Avon pointed at the path to the left.

The chief just ignored him and walked off massaging his temple.

The moment he stepped on the path the flowers slower 'woke up' and started letting out a small glow, individually it didn't seem like much but putting all of them and it was quite a site to see.

When the flowers started 'waking up' they all glowed with different colors, small bugs of different shapes, sizes, and colors started flying around.

With the glow of the flowers, he could only see a very little of what was in front of his he still couldn't see what was further away at the end of the path.

The chief didn't bother waiting for him he just continued walking without looking back, once the chief took a certain amount of steps the flowers behind him would 'go back to sleep'.

When he stepped onto the path the same thing happened again the flowers 'woke up' and once he took a few steps ahead the once behind him 'went back to sleep'.

"Where is this and where are we going?"

The chief didn't react to the question at all he just continued walking like nothing at all was said to him.

Avon wasn't feeling anxious or worried but even so, that didn't mean he doesn't want to know where he's going especially because as he continued to walk he felt like he was going uphill and he knew that there were no hills this close to the village.

As he continued walking the hill started feeling like he was going up a small mountain it was taking way too long and it could feel the path getting more and more inclined.

"Chief?"

Ignored.

Avon was at a loss for what to do because he still couldn't see the end of the path even now.

About an hour into the journey the path still felt like it was getting more inclined.

The entire hour time going up he tried talking to the chief several times but got ignored every single time.

It wasn't until another two hours that he finally found out what was at the end of the path.