World of Souls

Chapter 2: The Proposal

Another typical morning in the small town of Manthan.

"Hai...ha!....ha!....ha!"

Sounds of children shouting fill the air but raises no alarm.

"Hai...ha!....ha!....ha!"

"Endure as long as you can! Build your body! Even if you never become a spirit warrior, you can still become a warrior if you have a strong body. But without a strong body, you will never become a warrior, let alone a spirit warrior!" A strong voice goaded them to exert more.

Loads of children grunted and maintained the horse stance they were practicing. Arms stretched straight ahead, they bent down their knees and tried to keep themselves steady. Initially everyone could do it. But as exhaustion kicked in, legs trembled, hands flickered and beads of sweat dripped down on the eyes annoying the students to no small degree.

As time trickled, people fell down on their rumps unwilling to tolerate the pain.

Light grade students were only required to maintain a horse stance. Bronze grade students had weights tied on their hands and legs. While the silver graders, in addition to having weights, had to hop up in place as and when the instructors attacked. If they got hit, it was very painful, for the stick used had behind it the strength of warriors.

Very few faces could keep the courage as people hit the ground all around them. Most belonged to older students. Although there was just one child in the light grade, whose hands and feet seemed as steady as they were in the beginning. An 8 year old named Sa Muni.

"Next!" the command was given to start the next exercise.

Having to do such strenuous exercises every day made the children of Manthan grow quite sturdy. And they needed to be as complacence was not a luxury. The small town was situated at the base of the famous Malabar mountains. It was not just a single mountain, rather a mountain range.

Near the base of the mountain, close to the town, lived normal creatures. Non magical, but still fierce and dangerous. Anyone not a spirit warrior would find it difficult to fend off these animals. It was often heard that someone of some house got attacked by a bear or a tiger.

Even higher and deeper within the mountains were the abodes of magical creatures of all kinds. Numerous, strong and deadly! If a normal person were to meet them, 9 out of 10 times they would die. The one time when they survived would be when they were extremely lucky.

That said, people also could not live within protected walls always. There were farmers, hunters, woodsmen, merchants and all sorts who needed to step out. Surviving in these surroundings required strength.

The morning exercises ended and Sa Muni made his way to his home.

"Hey sis, I am home..." Sa Muni yelled.

"Wash up....food's almost done." Sa Meri's voice came out from the kitchen.

Sa Muni took off his shirt, showing his glistening muscles in the sun, his soft skin belaying the strength held in those muscles. Sa Muni looked like any other 8 year old kid, childish and immature. Bright black eyes, soft white skin, lustrous hair which was cut short and pink lips made him look attractive. If he grew up some more maybe he would be counted as one of the handsome men comparable to the moon.

Sa Meri had grown up too in the last 2 years, her beauty becoming even more brighter like the sun. Long cascading waist length hair tied with a green jade clip, red lips and deep black eyes. Her soft white skin shone with youth and vitality. Her laugh would make any man's heart flutter. But just like a sheathed blade, her beauty guarded her immense strength for she was also a level 3 spirit warrior.