11 Heavenly Beings and the Spirit Realm (1/2)

”To think there was someone here.”

A woman was standing on the center of the cliff, without even showing any signs of fear she stood there with no form of fear, as if she never noticed the cliff was falling apart, the woman who suddenly showed up had put Stigma on guard.

She showed up out of nowhere, and even if she had no evil intentions she wouldn't have spoken first.

Looking at her Stigma noticed her clothes, it was consist of a white gown with multiple layers which had some embroideries, and a white veil which was covering her face so only her mouth, and her hands were only seen, her body was completely covered, her hair was very long as it reached all the way to the ground facing the valley.

On her hand was a flute that was as long as her arm, and she had no form of jewelry or accessory what so ever, she reminded him of how women should wear when they are from a humble background.

While her face showed only melancholy, he was able to tell that it was for another reason than being in danger.

Adding her weight and all that she wore, it was strange as to why the cliff wasn't even cracking from the additional weight even after she landed, from who knows where, would have made it fall by now.

No one spoke for a moment, Stigma was observing her if she was hostile, while she observed him as if he was a child caught in a prank.

It looks as though both were sizing each other up, but it was more like she was waiting for his response.

He started weighing in his options, things would go badly if the conversation went south, and things would develop into being a pawn in a plan.

After thinking for a moment he had to respond, so he couldn't just sit there like an idiot, but he was nervous over another matter so he had to speak up.

”Excuse me, can you not stand on the ledge, your making me nervous just by looking at you, the ground isn't stable and I don't like it if you're going to fall,”

Stigma in his previous life, he had almost fallen off the rails of a building, so he had acrophobia when he was a child.

But after a few years, he was able at least able to stand on high grounds to some extent, but if the ground showed that it was weaker than usual then he will be nervous even for other people.

Unfortunately silence was the response given to him, but the woman moved her hand to cover her mouth and giggled changing her poker face of pessimism to that of an innocent smile underneath.

She then walked towards him showing no signs of fear as she did the action, she then sat beside him with no signs of anxiety when she was walking on unstable ground, looking intently at Stigma.

”You show concern to someone you don't even know, I can tell you really are concern for my well fare, so be at ease and thank you.”

The woman spoke with a mature voice that sounded that she was in her twenties, with obvious signs that she is grateful for concern for her.

Out of curiosity he tried to take a closer look at her face.

She would be considered an Asian beauty, with a smile she looked at him which made him feel nervous as he never spoken to a pretty girl before.

Her eyes shined golden jewels made from precious metals, her skin was pure white like snow and had no signs that any form of injuries or age, there weren't even traces of cosmetics on her cheeks, or on her lips, she would be a perfect example of a natural beauty of women, when they are raised in a healthy environment.

If she were to enter a party, many would turn head as she walked away and try to look at her again.

”Now then, what are you doing here?” The woman still had an expression of gratitude, but her face showed concern to the youth before her.

”There was a ritual here not long ago, and its effects would still be in effect so I suggest you eat somewhere else as it will affect your health.” She said it as a matter of fact, feeling the youth was unaware.

He started looking at her reaction, normally when people are asking question, their tone is what always give them away, she was obviously trying to figure out what he was doing with all the food, which may look to outsiders as a strange ritual.

”I was giving offerings to the deceased bellow, and I have to wait until this stick is burned out by tradition.”

No matter the cost he had to do this, he was not only giving offerings to the ones below but to also his parents.

He had done so every day since their passing and he would never miss it, but two day have passed, so he had to give more offerings for his parents to make up for it, so he was against in stopping even if other are concern for him.

The woman looked at him intently, only this time he felt a wave of energy that was pricking his skin as she observed him.

”Do you know, what a 'Soul Burial' is?”

The question was out of nowhere, but he had heard about that term before, it was when he was using 'Soul Eater' on the deceased, and each time he used that skill, a notification keeps appearing with the phrase 'skill Soul Burial was linking with Soul Eater'.

”No, I only know the word, but not the meaning.”

Stigma was being honest, he had seen the skill only worked a few times, on humans like in the cave they transformed into butterflies and flew up, when he tried it on the wolves they formed into smaller versions of themselves and ran in the sky.

”A 'Soul Burial', is a ritual or more accurately a phenomenon, when soul of the deceased are passed on to the spirit realm, it takes almost a 100 years for mortals with no Zen energy or more if the soul has Zen energy. The soul here have already passed on, but their time was not even within the minimum 50 years it was less, also there appears to be two more that had passed on not long after in the same area, and you are here giving offerings to them as an act of kindness.”

Her look was full of curiosity, waiting for his answer.

”Would it be weird, if I told you it was me who did it?”

He had to be honest, if he spoke and something was off, then he will be in some form of trouble.

Looking at him from up and down, a face of curiosity became the face of bafflement, she was either surprise to hear an out of the blue comment or she would never had expected him to be honest.

She then giggled again and said.

”Would you lie to save yourself, and gain something?” She was looking forward for his response with a trace of joy.

”I don't see a reason why I have to, but I will sometimes, after all I'm giving offerings because they helped me in some way.”