Secrets of the Universe

He decided to pose another question, "What is the purpose of the candidates?"

.......

What was their supposed holy mission?

Were they supposed to kill someone?

Were they to search for a mystical artifact?

Were they to save the world? If so, it would be funny to see someone like him saving the world. He almost could imagine himself forcing a smile on his face while saving the world.

Or worst, was all supposed to do all of them?!

Jake thought he wasn't interested in his purpose as a candidate, but when his mind wandered to many scenarios that could happen, he felt shaken to the core.

He was Jake Khaos Amethyst and Jake Khaos Amethyst doesn't do things that are dainty or knightly!

"Too soon. 'Tis too soon for thou to knoweth. Do not forget thou are not yet a certified candidate. I never can say to if you thou shall die a day from now," rebutted Rhys.

He added, "When thou become one, thou shall knoweth the details of thy role. Possibly, without that, thou shall come across things that would grant thou an inkling of the most details thou desire."

Jake understood what Rhys was saying.

Jake still needed to be a certified candidate to know, but he can also guess, judging by his future experiences.

However, that begged another question from Jake, "If you are not here to claim your debt, then what are you here for? Why look for me now?"

"Fine, I shall tell thou," mused Rhys.

He stood up from Jake's bed and went to the window side.

Checking his angle, Rhys positioned himself in a particular, seeming to be viewing something not accessible by the human eye.

He pointed, "There. There is a candidate there. The worst place to find oneself. I desire thou to free them."

Jake got a headache as he looked in the direction Rhys pointed at. He saw nothing but he didn't need to see anything. His time on the island had taught him what was in that direction, beyond the horizon.

The most dangerous place on the whole island. Coincidentally, it also happened to be the same place that he planned on going to months from now. The Weeping Town!

"No," sharply replied Jake.

He could barely safeguard his life in the deadly town. Now, he was being asked to rescue someone.

It was a joke to him.

'Come to think of it. How can someone find themself in the town? That's beyond bad luck,' reasoned Jake.

He listened to the two words Rhys said to him, "I know."

Being curious he asked, "Know what?"

"I know whom thou are. Well, not exactly. Just knoweth that I hast been watching thou since the day thou arrived in this world," informed Rhys.

The revelation didn't shock Jake as much as the other expected.

Jake had already harbored the guess for a long time. Perhaps, it was what made Rhys interested in him.

Jake hissed at Rhys, "So? Why should I care? How does this help me decide whether to save them or not?"

"Thou see, all mine candidates are special. Too is the one I ask thou to rescue. In saving them, thou help yourself by gaining an ally. Do not say to me thou think thou can survive in this world with thy strength.

Thou are promising, yet thou flaws become more evident at each realm.

Thou lack defense. Thou lack knowledge. Thou lack experience. Yet, the one thing thou lack the most is protection, something thou shall very want in time to come,"  berated Rhys.

He went on, "With an ally, thou won't need to rely on any faction, only thyself and thy ally."

'He speaks the truth,' thought Jake as he listened to Rhys.

His greatest flaw was his defense. It became worse when he got his body banged up after the attack.

However, he didn't like the idea of an ally. It was always never going to end well, either he stabbed the person or the person stabbed him.

Jake preferred to deal with his problems himself. If he died due to his flaws, then he probably wouldn't be mad. At the end of the day, he would only have himself to blame....

'Interesting. Another candidate. Someone like me and the trio,' smiled Jake.

He couldn't deny the increasing allure he felt to see the other candidate.

Making up his mind, Jake told Rhys, "Okay. I will do as you wish. I will save the candidate, but I am not allying with them. My flaws are my flaws."

He didn't give Rhys any chance to speak up, ".....However, since it's not part of my role, but a special request coming from you, I have one request!"

Saying this, he would be implying that their relationship held no superior side. Rhys would understand that, despite being weak, Jake had a voice.

"Most well, what is it?" queried Rhys.

Rhys had expected such action from someone like Jake.

"I want a grimoire!" firmly replied Jake.

This caught Rhys off-guard, "Oh. What type of grimoire exactly?"

The way he eyed Jake made one understand that grimoires weren't something one could talk about openly.

"I want an array grimoire," smiled Jake.

He had always wondered why the Aztec Kingdom never had an array master or even an array beginner, even when they possessed books on the [Array Path].

It was only after going through his collection of stolen items did he understand that the books held little to no information. 

They were practically empty and were not enough to enlighten one on the path of Arrays.

He needed something more. He needed a grimoire!

Grimoire. The word was termed for any type of book that a path master wrote records of his specific path on, including path techniques and other personal details.

It was like a journal, except for cultivators who are already successful on their path. It was a sacred item that could only be passed down if the owner was dead or killed in battle. 

Stealing a person's grimoire was the worst thing a cultivator could ever commit.

"If that is what you desire, then very well," responded a humble Rhys.

He tucked his hand into his small pocket and brought out a medium-sized book. It wasn't as old and dusty as the first book Rhys had given to Jake. Rather, it looked well-kept.

After he gave it to Jake, Rhys had marked it as the term of the agreement.

He walked to Jake's door, but stopped to throw something at him, "Take this."

Jake caught the card in the air and asked Rhys, "What is it?"

"It is a card, Thou shall know when to use it," Rhys offered no more words.

He went out of the room, but Jake ran after him, "Will I see you again soon?"

When Jake got to the corridor, the only thing there was a hazy air, with whispering words lingering on his ear, "If...thou does not…. die….maybe."