Volume 2: Chapter 16 – Sharing Life

The white robed old mage walked in front of me and stroked my head.

“Foolish child, don’t feel too sad. Let me take a look at your magic beast. Perhaps I can still save him.”

“Really? Here.” I am hopeful. You finally came to my side. I immediately handed Xiao Jin over.

“No matter what, you must bring him back to life. All I want is for Xiao Jin to come back to life, I don’t want anything else. Please, I beg you.”  I grabbed the old mage’s hand, pleading helplessly.

The old mage didn’t reply. He put his hand on Xiao Jin’s body and slowly emitted a white radiance. It wasn’t blinding but very gentle. A moment later, the white radiance enveloped Xiao Jin’s body. It looked like my spiritual recovery spell, but there seemed to be something different.

After an arduous meal, I anxiously waited. The old mage took his hand off Xiao Jin’s body and sighed.

I immediately felt my hopes drop into the abyss, “Is it not possible? Is there no hope to bring him back to life?” I impatiently asked.

“Child.  Don’t worry. Listen to me. Your magical beast is the best growth type magical beast that I’ve ever seen. If you didn’t think he could not defend himself, would you have sent him out?  Could it be that your previous teacher did not tell you?”

I shamefully lowered my head, “He told me. I… I was too excited at the time and I had forgotten.”

“Don’t blame yourself.  Instead, you should take responsibility for the misfortunes you have brought upon yourself.”

“Then can we still save Xiao Jin?”

“Maybe, maybe not. It will depend on you.” The old mage meaningfully looked at me.

“Me!? Then quickly tell me what I need to do.”

“Currently, the circumstances are as such. Just a moment ago, I examined your magic beast, his injuries have already been healed by your spirit recovery spell. However, he exhausted his life energy upon receiving Hai Ri’s magical beast’s final attack. The main problem is how to provide enough life energy to sustain him and wake his consciousness.”

As soon as I saw the old mage stopped speaking, I quickly interrupted, “Then what must I do?”

“Before I tell you, I must first ask you a question.”

“Ask.”

“Do you love your magical beast?”

“Of course I love him. He’s like family to me.” When I said it, my eyes were red.

“Good. Then are you willing to give him everything, even your own life?”

Without the slightest hesitation, I said, “I am willing. So long as he can live, I am willing to do anything.”

Looking at my unwavering expression, the old mage revealed a hint of an approving smile. “Good. Very good. In order to resurrect him, you must give him life energy. That is why you must be willing to divide your own and share it with him. Putting it in a different way, he will become a part of your body. Then by using your life energy, you will wake his consciousness. This is something only you can do.”

“Divide my life energy and share it with him? How do I do that? Will there be any consequences in the future?”

“If you succeed, there are several things that I can determine. First, in the future it will not be possible for you to have any other magical beasts. Second, his life will be linked to yours. If you die, he will certainly die as well. And third.” The old mage paused for a moment. “Your life energy will be halved.”

“Halved? I understand the first two. But what do mean by halved? Is there really such a cost?”

“In other words, if your lifespan was originally a hundred and twenty years (the average human lifespan) and you were to give him your life energy, your lifespan will reduce to sixty years. Are you willing to use sixty years of your life in order to resurrect him?”

I took a quick look at Xiao Jin. His body was still so very white, but his golden stripe had already begun to lose its former luster. I stroked his head.

With a resolute determination, I answered, “I am willing.” From this moment on, the Child of Light and his lifelong companion and comrade-in-arms entered an eternal, everlasting contract.

“Good child, you don’t disappoint!” The old mage exclaimed. “Be at ease. In the future, I will do my utmost to find a way to restore your life energy.  But for now, let us begin.”

I nodded.

We went to a small, uninhabited room in the academy. Then the old mage created a strong, solid barrier outside.

“We are starting.” I nodded towards him.

I carried Xiao Jin to the hexagram in the middle of the room. Carefully, I placed Xiao Jin at the center of the hexagram and gave him an affectionate glance. Then I raised my arms to either side of my body to the height of my head and began to chant a spell that I would only cast once in my life, Sharing Life.

The old mage said this was an ancient spell he found in a ruin, carved upon a stone tablet. He never used it before and didn’t know what would occur as a result. However, he did not know that this spell’s use would someday be of great assistance to me when I became a Grand Magister in the future. This is because the use of this spell allowed me to comprehend the true nature of light element. That is: Love and Self Sacrifice.

“Oh, Great God of creation!  I humbly request your aid. Use your endless strength to open my life’s origin. I desire to take part in an eternal, everlasting contract with the creature before you. A contract to share my life!”

Following the completion of my chant, my body began to emit a white radiance. It began gently and gradually grew brighter, until finally the white light had enveloped my body. The white radiance with gradual intensity changed to gold. Currently, I looked like a small star. At the golden radiance’s strongest moment, my Upper Dantian emitted a golden light towards Xiao Jin. Below the golden light, Xiao Jin’s body gradually faded. Afterwards, the golden light fused into a ball and slowly floated off the ground. After a sudden whoosh, it went from my Upper Dantian and into my body.

The light that surrounded my body gradually faded away. I felt abnormally weak but at the same time I felt Xiao Jin’s existence. I softly called out to him in my thoughts, “Xiao Jin, you came back.” The ball of golden light that entered my body trembled for a moment. Then from the center of the golden light arrived a burst of warm thoughts.  I know for certain, I succeeded. My Xiao Jin — He came back. With peace of heart, I closed my eyes and lost consciousness.