The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 83 - How to Save a Boy

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They made their way to the well without an incident. Well.. some people fainted out of fear after seeing the giant Lion but Wuxian is counting that as revenge. Wuxian circles the well a few times, examining it and trying his best to remember the location of the markings from his vision. He leans over the well to take a look inside. He feels a hand grab his robes and looks back to see a worried Wen Ning.

Wuxian frowns: "What?"

Wen Ning: "Don't fall over."

Wuxian scoffs: "I grew up in Lotus Pier. We learn how to swim there before we learn how to read and write."

Wen Ning loosened his hold but didn't let go.

Wuxian groans but ignores him in favor of finding the markings.

It didn't take long. Just like what happened with the Mother Tree, all he had to do was look at the right location and it revealed itself to him. He took a deep breath and with a heart filled with determination, he reached out and touched the glowing markings.

This time around, he felt like he was floating in water. It took him a few seconds to recognize the weightless feeling and a few more to open his eyes to look around. It was a vast dark area, filled to his waist with water. He stood up in it and examined his surroundings. It seemed endless.

Wuxian looked in all directions and found nothing. Shouldn't there be a boy somewhere around here? It was the only detail that both Meili and the city fable shared. He took a deep breath and shouted: "Is anyone here?"

His voice echoed, falling on deaf ears. This place was eerily silent. A small part of him was thankful that no one actually lives here because it would be a sad existence. He felt something tug on his soaked robes and looked down to see a child's hand. He reached into the water and pulled whoever it is up and onto the surface.

It was a small boy, around seven or eight, pale and wearing rags. He barely breaks the surface with his head while standing. He looks up, confused at Wuxian's presence and asks: "I haven't had any visitors in a while. What brings you here?"

Wuxian smiles warmly at the boy. He reminds him of a young Sizhui. Wuxian: "I came to save you.. I think?"

The boy plays with Wuxian's floating robes and asks absentmindedly: "Save me from what?"

Wuxian reaches out and smooths his wet hair from his pale face: "A bad man."

The boy looks up with a suspicious look: "How do I know you're not a bad man?"

Wuxian: "How do you want me to prove it?"

The boy sighs and lays back to float on the surface of the water: "I don't really care. It's been so long since anyone cared about me. Any company is a good company."

Wuxian moves to stand near him: "How did you end up here?"

The boy turns to look at Wuxian: "My father built this well then threw me in it. He told me that I was born to lead our people and I need to stay here and provide blessings to those who need this water."

Wuxian frowns: "How do you provide your blessings?"

The boy showed a glimmer of excitement and stood up. He places his palms on the surface of the water and light glows around his hands and radiates around the water until it is filled with small glowing particles. Wuxian's eyes widen: "WOW!"

The boy smiles with pride: "I do this everyday."

When the glowing particles touched Wuxian's soaking hair, it created a ripple effect and caused it to glow in gold. The boy went close and touched it with wonder: "You're like me!"