"Haaah…haaah!" I exhaled heavily trying to stabilize my breathing with the hope of recovering before the scavengers could have the chance to locate me. But as always luck was seemingly not on my side. "well, well what in the name of sewer rats do we have here." I had that annoying voice immediately after finishing my thoughts. God knows I couldn't stand hearing it. As always he knew when to strike – when I was at my weakest, but funnily enough I was weak, always had been. "What do you want?" I asked warily suppressing my thoughts. "He! He! Did the little rat finally grow some balls?" He asked with a smile on his dirty face but I knew the threatening gesture that accompanied his seemingly casual words.
And I hated him for it, Bu Li, that's what we called him. Declared a tad bit useful among the useless sewer rats, that was what we the homeless were called. "Ptah!" A kick to the abdomen left me gasping for air. I knew what he wanted, food, it was always about food. But unluckily for him I had nothing to provide today. I had already been close to death's door earlier today for trying to sneak away a loaf of bread without paying and with the mission failing, well the expected but not desired happened. I had already been in pain for some hours already so a kick from a starving kid though older than me didn't hurt as much as would like to admit.
"Tch! Its not like I expected much from a dying rat" He said disdainfully after leaving a large snot of spit on my head as he limped away staggering without balance. Guess he too suffered from those older than him, but I held no sympathy for him. In fact I hated him, more than this hard street life, I despised him; everything from his face, his ugly eyes, the rags he wore and whatever had the thought to give birth to him. The only reason I still clung to this miserable life of mine was so that I could kill him when I got the chance. It wasn't a matter of if but when, everyone can be killed and he was no different, I would kill him , make sure he suffered even if I died in the process.
Gaining stability I got onto my feet as I also limped away, my destination? The old dying fig tree. As much as I desired getting my revenge, I knew it wasn't yet time. Leaving behind the small market place, I noticed the degrading stares from the vendors with visible disgust visible in their eyes. Why the eyes, that's because I had learned to observe the truth from within the eye but that didn't matter as I disappeared from their periphery. It would take a few hours to reach my destination but with my thoughts accompanying me it wasn't a lonely journey.
Some time later I Had with me five small silver coins, enough for me to live comfortably with a full stomach for a few weeks but also with a bit of luck, enough to turn my life around, hopefully for the better. All that remained was to wait for the dark and my chance would finally arrive.
Evening approached much slower than I would have liked, of course it came slowly. Probably trying to denying me of my chance. Yeah fack you night, was it even pronounced like that? I don't know but fuck, fock whatever, but I liked the dark a bit less now. Who am I kidding! I loved the darkness, it was probably my other true ally apart from my lonely thoughts.
Within the abandoned tunnel my future awaited. Rumors existed within the street rat colony, of a soul master who awakened martial spirits for the homeless…but for a small price. I didn't know what that seemingly small price was but I didn't dare to ask. Similarly rumors of street rats disappearing for asking too much existed and I had no desire to prove whether it was true or not.
After stealthily confirming that the soul master did indeed exist, I had finally gathered what I thought was enough to awaken whatever martial soul I possessed and maybe become a master myself. Two years was both a short and a long time. I was almost turning seven and if I didn't take hold of my future with a bit of risk at the moment I didn't know when I could.
Now in the embrace of the darkness, I tightly clutched a sharpened bamboo stick in my right hand and the sack of coins securely held on my waist by the rope holding my pants. I was breathing heavily and in the dark by myself, I could hear myself breathing and so I tried my hardest to breathe slowly but like getting a job, it was easier said than done.
"Hmm a smart rat, that's a first, but still dumber than most." My first instinct was to strike, I stabbed whatever was behind me but all I struck was a hard brick wall and the recoil threw my arm back, the bamboo stick slipping out of my grasp and well… pain, a lot of pain. Thank God I was weak, any stronger and I would have probably lost the skin on my palm.
I had already been disoriented by the strange voice but now that I thought about it, it didn't originate from my back. That was just my instinct to attack whatever was behind me, that was where I had suffered most attacks in my life. But the voice came from everywhere and with my failure to identify its origin, the situation became more dangerous. "Five small silver coins, not something a street rat should posses. Don't you think" This time I was ready and in front of me stood a figure blended with the dark only a pair of red eyes with black vertical slits visible to me. I see, I didn't find him, he revealed himself and with my coins missing he could have killed me if he so desired so why didn't he? It doesn't matter, the rumors of a master within the tunnels were indeed true but whether he would be of help was yet to be confirmed.
"Stop looking me with those eyes kid, don't look away, stop staring at me! What I meant is that you should wipe away whatever hope you have from your face. I don't know what you heard and I don't care what you want but I cannot help you." The orders came in waves and I followed the because he was stronger, but when he mentioned his inability to help me I believed that he was lying. What else could I do? I had blindly trusted rumors, stole, endured beatings, insults and for what? Just to have my efforts mocked at the end. No! I won't give up, not now, not yet.
"But you've taken my…"
"Your what? Money! This won't be enough to even buy me breakfast. No offense kid, whatever rumors you heard may have been true but you would have needed at least a gold coin to gain access to my services. Just go home…or wherever you stay. You tried but sometimes even trying isn't enough."
It was the first time in life that I felt like crying. I had been beaten before, sometimes close to, death more often than not, but I had endured, maybe screamed a few times but shedding tears? Never. But this stranger's words cut deep. They made me feel truly useless, like I didn't even matter. I had endured a lot to get here, maybe even too much but I had endured it all. I couldn't fall here, I wouldn't fall here! And so I burst out.. I cried.
"You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do! You may be stronger than me, but I have planned for this day for years. I would awaken a martial soul, whatever it is, gain some power kill those who mocked me, kill Bu Li, beat up the market vendors and eat to my fill. Sniff! You just need to help me awaken. Please! You won't ever need to see me again please just help me. If you want I will work for you, I will do anything you want, just help me." I begged
I was on my knees, I really had no other option, but alas it seemed there really was no hope. I was dangling in the air trying to get deep breaths of air. I felt like death was just a step away from me but I was used to it. I finally got a good look at the person's face. I actually had no idea whether it was a man or a woman. Why? The person was busy hiding in the dark the entire time, and when he finally exposed himself he had a mask hiding his appearance.
"Good try kid, but those fake tears won't work on me. But you have amused me a bit, go and bring me that Bu Li's head and I will help you awaken your martial soul. And don't bullshit me with you need power to kill him. Just stab him in the neck and if you can't bring his head just drag his whole body over. You've got two days now scram."
I gasped for air for the third time today, what a shitty day it has been. Gathering the last bit of strength in my feet, I picked up my makeshift bamboo dagger and limped away. "One more thing kid, the next time you plan on begging, try groveling and licking the boots. You never know, you might become someone's bitch…two days, no more. I'll be waiting."
The voice faded in the darkness as I made my way out, but I couldn't help but wonder why she didn't believe my tears. I was not sad or anything but I was heart broken…what a bitch.