The Invincible Hero - Chapter 73

Master Compassion suddenly became very enigmatic. He told Lorne to go back to his quarters and wait. Very soon, Master Que will make an announcement beneficial to Lorne and others in the sect. Lorne left Master Que’s office and went to take care of some matters.

Several hours later, all students were ordered to gather for a sect wide announcement. Lorne gathered with the others. Lorne, Paneneko, and Tower were lead to the stage and took up seats with the other teachers in the Sect. B’wiri was already waiting for them. Lorne noticed all the teachers looked extremely excited. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but it seemed like it would be something big.

Clearing his throat, Master Que began his announcement. “A hidden realm has been discovered within the last few days. Its location is in the border between the Water Rock Sect and the Endless Heavens Sect. After a discussion with the sect master of the Endless Heavens Sect, Master Aven, we have agreed to explore the realm together. The realm is open to both immortals and mortals so we well explore it together as a school. We will live only the newest students and a few teachers to maintain the sect while operating Guarded Lockdown Mode for the Sect while we’re gone. In case anyone gets any ideas about robbing the Sect while we are away,” Master Que laughed half amused. Other students laughed as well, however, most people were simply filled with excitement.

Secret Realms were well known for containing treasures from a long time ago. Typically, they were rich with the secrets of the past. If you were lucky you might get an inheritance from an ancient peerless master or lost pills, or even endless treasures. A majority of the students of the Water Rock Sect were planning to leave the sect to either attend higher-tiered Sects or to begin their lives as wandering cultivators. Some even planned to join other sects and attain a comfortable position as an elder. The temptation of a Secret Realm couldn’t be resisted by anyone! This was even with the knowledge of secret realms being intensely dangerous. In the past, the Water Rock sect would be as solemn as they were excited. However, after the hundreds of years of training, they just experienced, they felt supremely confident.

Lorne was also interested in the secret realm if for no other reason than he never experienced one before. It would also serve as a last adventure with the sect where he learned for so long, and the ‘friends,’ of Malkus. He still felt intensely connected to them even though he knew it was Malkus’ feelings and not his own. He absorbed Malkus’s memories and they were part of him. He couldn’t help he felt close to them even if he knew he wasn’t close to them. Such a tricky scenario. Master Que continued speaking, “There remains a barrier to the realm which is weakening. In a few more days, the realm will open and we will be the first to explore the realm for who knows how many millennia! All students should use this time to prepare to leave three days from now. Dismissed!”

Lorne was excited about the prospect of exploring a hidden realm. To his knowledge, hidden realms were extremely rare. Returning to his residence, Lorne packed his things. He looked around his quarters feeling nostalgic. He spent so many years here. He remembered his days of struggle as he raised his cultivation and perfected his skills. It seemed like his goals were so far away back then, but looking back it seemed like an illusion. He remembered setting daily goals and accomplishing them a little at a time he slowly but steadily rose. Now, it was time to leave. He would go on this last adventure with the sect and right after he would go to his next adventure. He wanted to talk with BS42 about Master Compassion’s offer. Right now, he was allowing his memories of this place wash over him.

Memories were never simple, from one thing to another his thoughts wandered freely. He thought back to his time in the Dragon Empire. The majority of his life was spent there. Not really the Dragon Universe, but the new universe Kal and the Dragon twins found. He thought of his Master River. His eyes were opened to the limitless potential of the universe and himself. He never knew about the Fiend War until he finished his training. Master River didn’t want to worry him he said. He spent thousands of years training with Big Bear and his Master. Kal and the dragon twins came and went. He had countless years of peace training and talking with his brother. He no sooner left the new universe than found himself forced into a life and death crisis. He gave up his life for everyone, again.

What was his life? He accomplished the pinnacle of power in his last life but he died anyway. Death welcomes everyone no matter how strong or weak. He guessed he lived for more than forty-five thousand years, but almost all of that time was spent training. What was the worth of his life? He slowly remembered his life on Earth. His attitude back then was to have a simple life with his wife raising children and enjoying his life. Perhaps he was right? The simple life was the right life even if it were shorter it would have been full of happiness.

On-the-other-hand, if he didn’t die he never would have met Big Bear. Lorne had very true relationships in his life. Less than the number of fingers on both hands. There was Mary, Big Bear, his first and second parents, and Master River, in this life he didn’t have any true friends. He liked Master Que but even after all of this time, he was just an acquaintance. Those three he came to the Sect with, Tower, B’wiri, and Paneneko. Those weren’t his friends, they were Malkus’ friends. Lorne resented having the memory of love and friendship and the reality of recognizing those memories belonged to someone else. It didn’t really matter being bitter about all of that. Lorne knew he needed to figure out what he wanted out of his life. Otherwise, he would always march to the beat of others’ drum. In that case, even millions of years of life would be empty air. What did Lorne want? What did he want out of life?

What a moment to have thoughts about what he wanted to get from life. He was more than forty-five thousand years old and he never thought about this before. Just now, right before they headed to the hidden realm he begins to think about what he wants from life. He was an archeologist and Museum Director in his last life. He was also a mighty hero. In the last life he was training and for a brief moment, he was once more a hero. Is that what he wanted? Did he want to be a hero? What was being a hero? Wasn’t a hero who risked everything for others? As powerful as he was right now what was the risk? Wasn’t he a hero in his first life because he didn’t know what to do with his powers? In his last life, he just went to fight the bad guy because it was expected of him. He did his duty, but was he satisfied with the result? So far, he wasn’t pleased with his third life. Sure he was powerful, but he had no one to share it with. He was alone in this world. Maybe Master Compassions offer wasn’t something he wanted right now? Maybe he wanted to find some friends or even get married again.

Lorne continued pondering what he wanted. He couldn’t think of anything he wanted in this life. Isn’t it silly to be so strong and have nothing he wanted where he would need to use his strength to accomplish? What is life worth? Who cares about life, why should he care? Maybe he should find his way back to Earth? Could he still be with Mary and the kids? Did he want to do that now? Would Mary even want him as he is now? When he last let Mary he was full of Happiness, drive, and hope for the future. Right now he was filled with cynicism. Geez, he didn’t really want to be with himself right now, why would Mary. Could he reclaim the happiness and drive he once had? Could he become his old self once more? Impossible. He changed too much and not all of his changes were bad. His eyes were widened, maybe because of that, he could finally appreciate life for whatever it was. Maybe he had a choice for the first time in his life. He just needed to determine what he was choosing between. What did he want?

As Lorne’s thoughts continued to flow through his mind, he heard a knock at the door to his quarters.