Chapter 26 – Incomplete Flame
Translated by Sunyancai
The next day, one by one, the little warriors woke up as they immersed themselves in practicing the totemic power.
After a night’s practicing, most of them could skillfully use the totemic power in their bodies.
Through that night, Shao Xuan had also gained a lot. After getting familiar with how to use totemic power, he tried the same way to deal with that “egg” shrouding the totem. It turned out that the method worked!
When using the totemic power, the shining light on that “egg” would fade slightly, while when using the power of the “egg”, the totem would be covered by the dazzling light of it totally. However, no matter which kind of power Shao Xuan used, the totem was always being shrouded in the egg, and that was something that could not be changed.
Even though he could not switch the powers in the blink of an eye, but at least with sufficient time, Shao Xuan could use those two powers freely. As a result, when Shao Xuan opened up his eyes again, he didn’t see anymore skeletons.
Seeing the familiar world again made Shao Xuan more than thrilled. It would’ve been so creepy if he could only see skeletons from now on. Luckily he still got to see the varied colorful world filled with life and vitality.
Smoothing that major problem out, Shao Xuan felt pretty relieved. Then, he saw some familiar faces, the kids from the orphan cave, Mo-Er, Sai, and some other kids that he had met before.
It was good to see their facial expressions, for a vision filled with only skeletons was so dull and dreary.
This time, Shao Xuan finally could see Mao’s glare. However, even though he could see that now, he ignored it after a single glance.
Mao felt very angry for being ignored by Shao Xuan like that. He wanted to have a “nice chat” with him, but then the Shaman came inside, so Mao could only keep his hatred to himself, for no one dared to be presumptuous in in front of the Shaman.
The Shaman asked how they felt, and after he made sure there was nothing abnormal, he said that they will be excused to leave. As for the other things, they could only try to adjust themselves during later hunting missions. The master initiated the apprentices, but they could only sharpen their skills through their own efforts. Even if they had the same starting point, warriors from the same awakening year could be in totally different levels as time went by. No one could become a great warrior only by bragging.
In fact, Shao Xuan respected and admired the old shaman a lot. Even the kids living in the orphan cave, who had experienced starvation and coldness, and became ferocious, they never grumbled against heaven or laid the blame upon other people. They also had no twisted minds or thoughts. After awakening their totemic powers, they were great warriors with a positive attitude and hopes for a better future. The Shaman had the credit for most of that.
If we say that the Chief managed the material life in the tribe, then the Shaman would be in charge of the spiritual life in the tribe. The Shaman’s duty was heavy and important!
Not far from the stone room, some people were waiting there for those newly-awakened warriors. Among which Shao Xuan noticed a familiar figure. Actually, it was hard not to notice him, for he seemed to stand out a lot with that giant boar head. That was the proud wimpy kid with the excessive boar head as his decoration!
Mao also noticed him, and the anger in his face immediately faded away, as he walked towards that direction with a smile.
“Have you become a totemic warrior, big brother?” The kid with that boar head asked.
“Of course! Hey, look, who am I?” Mao looked even more proud.
They turned out to be brothers, no wonder Shao Xuan felt familiar when he saw Mao earlier.
Those little warriors left one by one. Shao Xuan intended to leave, but unexpectedly, he was stopped by the Shaman.
“Wait a second, Ah-Xuan.”
The Shaman came towards him and passed him a patterned plate, “You did a good job keeping Caesar. In the future, you may approach me if you have any trouble.”
Early in the morning, the Shaman had already asked about the recent situation of Caesar, and the general happenings and events of Shao Xuan during the past year. In fact, the fish thing did not raised much attention in the mountaintop, and since the Shaman had been working on the plant and herb, he did not pay much attention as well. Only this morning, did he know a thing or two about people down the mountain. However, the Shaman was much more interested in Caesar than in the fish. He knew that he was negligent, and he wanted to make amends since the kid had done such a good job keeping Caesar.
Shao Xuan had tied the previous patterned plate from the Shaman around Caesar’s neck, so this time the Shaman gave Shao Xuan another one.
The Shaman also promised to have some food delivered to Shao Xuan, once he had his own house built. Shao Xuan did not decline his kindness, and he left after expressing his thanks.
After Shao Xuan had left, Chief Ao approached the Shaman and showed him the burnt palm of his, as he shared the story from last night.
The Shaman thought about it for some time. Suddenly he realized something, and he asked Ao to enter the room so they could be alone.
“Your story actually reminded me of something. It’s said that the original Flame would cause such circumstances.” the Shaman said slowly.
“You are saying that…” Ao was very much astonished.
Since the Shaman mentioned the “original” Flame, being the Chief of the tribe, Ao understood the meaning behind that phrase.
Besides the first settlers who came here, only generations of Chiefs and Shamans knew that the Flame in the tribe was incomplete.
The so-called “The Flame harmed no one” theory, only meant that when the flying flames melted into one’s body, it wouldn’t harm them. However, for the others, it was different. After all, the source of power in everyone’s body was the same, but the power itself varied from person to person. When being awakened, naturally the power would protect oneself and exclude the others.
The Flame’s fire would not harm dead things, yet it would do a lot of damage to the living. Anyone other than the people in the tribe would get badly burnt by the fire. Ao was someone in the tribe, so normally speaking, the Flame that awakened the source of Power was the same. And since it was the tribe’s Flame, the rejection was not severe. What’s more, Ao had a tough body in the first place, so he was lucky for only getting a red mark instead of being injured.
Also, that night, those night swallows flying out there, did not dare enter the residential area of the tribe.
If they did, they would be severely injured, or even burnt to death if they were touched by the spreading Flame.
Also, it was the reason why Ge suggested Shao Xuan to leave Caesar in the cave, instead of taking him up to the mountaintop.
However, this fire ,that protected your own but excluded the others, was not that obvious since if was incomplete.
“Then… when the Flame is complete, will the awakening process be like Ah-Xuan’s case and one’s whole body becomes covered in fire?” Ao was surprised.
“Highly likely…we shall keep this thing as a secret for now, and no other person shall know about it. Let’s discuss this when I find some answers in the ancient animal skin rolls.” The Shaman said seriously.
Ao nodded at his words, for he knew that it could not be resolved in a short period of time. And it didn’t matter as long as it was not a bad thing. As for when the other people in the tribe would ask about it, Ao planned to tell them that it was only because Shao Xuan was awakening his totemic power.
Shao Xuan, who was walking down the mountain, did not know that his way of awakening with the Flame had something to do with the complete Flame. And since the Chief and the Shaman both did not ask the details about last night, Shao Xuan would definitely not tell the secret. Instead, he continued to play his role as a newly-awakened boy.
When he stretched his body, Shao Xuan could hear the cracking of his bones. It was not the stiff sound made after a long time’s sitting. On the contrary, he felt the joy that his body was filled with strength and energy.
The depression that had long existed in his heart for being in a complete alien world, also faded away, and he felt that his steps got lighter as he walked. Standing on the mountaintop and looking afar, at the vast mountains in the horizon, a sense of pride rose up in his chest.
Since he could not go back to his world, he decided to live well in this world.
Shao Xuan swung his arms and quickened his steps. With one slight leap he covered a long distance. In the comfort of running, he experienced the joy and cheer that fully differed from yesterday.
All said that after awakening the totemic power, one would run with the speed of a bird, and strike with the strength of a beast. It was not boasting at all. Even if Shao Xuan could not do the same now, it was not impossible to achieve in the future.