The Blind Devotee and the Sleeping God
The Blood Pact flowed down the waterfall like crimson silk.
Threads of divine essence and the Sage's power swirled through the river, travelling deep into the valley below.
In a small human village nestled by the riverbank, a blind man sat near the waters, tending his cattle. He could not see, but he could smell the world more clearly than any man alive.
That morning, he caught a fragrance that pierced straight through the fog of his old memories.
Tears rolled down his sightless eyes.
It was the same scent he had smelled on his father's chest, the family heirloom. He carries that on his heart now.
"The smell of our god… flowing in the water?" he whispered.
He rose to his feet, trembling, and began walking in to current, guided by that sacred scent.
Those who came with him, the villagers watering their cattle and saw him stepping into the current.
"Where are you going, old man?" they shouted.
He smiled faintly and said,
"My god is calling."
They shook their heads.
"To think, he was blind, now he's lost his mind too."
__________
He came out of the current, took his cow and calf and started walking upstream the stream. He walked through the forests, crossed ridges and valleys, for a fortnight, without sight, eating whatever he found, guided only by the thought and promise and fragrance of divinity calling him home.
At last, he reached the foot of the waterfall. The air was thick with divine energy, and the very ground hummed with something alive or spirits.
The man called out softly,
"Is someone here?"
No answer came. Spirits tried to communicate, but he couldn't hear.
He sat where he could listen to the most smells to feel closer to his god.
He sat there, waiting, as though patience itself had taken a form in his body.
He remembered his father's words:
"Muru, our family lineage still exists because of the heirloom. It holds a drop of blood that once saved us. Make sure the diamond is never damaged. Never sell it, never part with it. For one day, our God will return, and we must return to Him. Please take the same promise form to the next generation. This is more important than life."
__________
When dawn rose, the Sage came to the waterfall. He gazed upon the frail human sitting near the divine current.
"Who are you, Mortal?" the Sage asked.
"How do you sit here unharmed amidst the waterfall's divine power?"
Muru smiled softly.
"How can a blind man know what is divine and what is not?"
"I am merely a man, who seeks his final destination to fall at the feet of his god and offer his spirit as a gift?"
"You speak well," said the Sage.
"May know I know, who you are, the great Sage"
"Do you know who I am?"
"I can smell something divine"
"So I believe you must be the Great Sage himself, the Pure-Blood."
The Sage's tone softened. "You are an interesting man. Do you also smell the artifact you carry?"
"The artifact? You mean my family heirloom?"
"It belongs to my god", said Muru.
"Strange", murmured the Sage.
"It carries both divine and demonic aura".
"I do not know such things, my Lord," said Muru humbly.
"If my presence offends, I will move, though I cannot see where to go. I know I will find my god here."
"Not at all", said the Sage. "Stay as long as you wish. If you need rest, come to my abode. There is food and shade."
"I can stay here. My Lord"
"But please, take this cow and calf, feed them well. Let them serve your household," said Muru
__________
Another fortnight passed.
Despite storms and nights of cold, Muru remained unmoved beside the divine pool.
One day, Sage found Muru unconscious and took him to his abode. And uses herbs and feeds him.
After one day, the blind man wakes up, his calf sleeping beside him.
"Hi Sivam, how are you doing?"
The calf mows and licks the man on the cheeks.
Muru takes a deep breath, and there he feels the familiar fragrance. He starts walking towards the smell slowly.
He enters a room filled with various medical herbs and other equipment for creating medicines. And there is a bed made of mud and leaves. A boy covered with multiple herbs is lying unconscious.
The man just falls and crawls, holding the boy's legs.
__________
The blind person finds his god,
"Oh my god, all this time you are here"
"What an idiot, I am staying nearby you and failed to find you"
"Please forgive this blind idiot, god please take that my lineage has been burdened with, this belongs to you."
The blind man keeps the divine artifact in the left hand of the unconscious boy.
"Please talk to me, my god, please accept this artifact."
Sage says, "Boy has been unconscious for a mandal (45 days), we are giving all the treatment, due to the divine water, his internal spirit realm. We were able to fix most of the spirit realms and believe the pending spirit realms will be fixed next five days"
Man says, "Lord Sage, this blind person doesn't know all that, please help my god to live."
"I am ready to give my life, so my lord can smile and talk again"
That night, beneath the moonlight, Muru rested his head upon the boy's feet and let his breath fade away into peace.
__________
[System Voice: Intern Sage] says,
"Received a spirit of the living human as sacrifice"
"Detected unknown artifact containing the partially related blood as the host."
artifact melts and is observed in the spiral mark on the boy.
Princess looked worried, and Sage understood what was happening, but didn't know how to stop.
"Merging blood with blood pact path"
"New path opened in the host"
"Huma spirit is wishing to merge with Intern Sage"
"Request is accepted"
"Found ability, `Primal Scent`"
"Integrating ability with the host"
"The internal system is able to increase its Path level"
"Repairing the host's damaged path & spirit realm using the remaining human spirit essence."
________
The next morning, Sage finds the Muru not moving and the boy missing from the bed. Sage understands the Muru is deceased, but doesn't know what happened to the boy.