Two years later...
The Tibetan monks made it near the capital of Ashland. They settled down near a river in a remote area surrounded by a forest. Coincidentally, it was also Sun's 10th birthday. Sun's mother woke up from her sleep. She groaned and held herself up with her hands. She glanced beside herself and saw her child sleeping soundly in his bed.
Sun's mother smiled and stroked his hair before standing up. She stepped outside her tent. She looked around, seeing other adults waking up and exiting their tents. They all simultaneously walked towards the sunrise. A few moments later, they made it to the river where the three elders were sitting cross-legged upon boulders. They were silently praying. The adults, including Sun's mother, sat down cross-legged, pulling out their beads and praying with their leaders.
Sun's mother sat beside her husband who had woken up earlier than her. He had yellow hair and blue eyes. He also wore a yellow robe with ancient patterns inscribed on them. Sun's mother silently prayed in her mind with pure devotion.
'Oh, great sage…please bless my family and my child…protect them from evil and give them good luck…you are the victorious fighting buddha…the great sage equal to heaven…the handsome monkey king and the transcendent Daoist.'
When she opened her eyes, a lightning bolt struck the surface of the river. Her eyes widened, the other tribesmen opened their eyes, but the elders continued praying. Fog coiled and bent into a shape they all knew — but none could describe. It smiled like a monkey, but its eyes held galaxies. When it spoke, its voice was thunder—yet divine. The elders lowered their heads.
"The great Sun Wukong! We thank you for gracing us with your presence. What…what has brought you here?" The elders asked simultaneously, their voices echoing upon each other.
The tribesmen also lowered their heads, showing respect to their God. Sun Wukong's figure opened its mouth and said in a calm tone.
"I don't have much time to talk with you…my energy is being consumed rapidly so don't ask any questions and listen to me…"
The tribesmen all nodded in agreement.
"Today is my avatars tenth birthday…his story started here but…his journey will not begin here. He will only reach his peak if you do as I say."
Sun's mother gulped awaiting Sun Wukong's announcement.
"From today…leave him here, at this place…that is the only way for him to become great."
Sun's mother's eyes widened as Sun Wukong's figure started to disappear.
"Follow my orders precisely…leave him without question and without any explanation. He needs to find his own path and if he stays with you…he will neither find his master nor will his destiny be fulfilled."
The monkey king's silhouette completely disappeared as the sun rose beyond the horizon.
***
"No! why should I leave my child?" Sun's mother scowled.
"Because the Great sage commands it. We must follow his orders." The first elder said, his voice trembling despite his devotion.
"Isn't this unfair? Leaving him without any explanation." Sun's father questioned.
"We also know that is cruel but as he said he won't find his master or fulfill his destiny if he stays with us." The second elder replied.
"We must fulfill our god's wishes but…you can stay with him for the remainder of the time he is here." The third elder added.
Sun's mother fell into her husband's arms, soaking his robe with her tears. Sun's father stayed silent, a dark shadow cast across his face. The other people didn't dare to look in their direction and lowered their heads awkwardly. The elders nodded sympathetically at the married couple with a glint of sadness in their eyes.
***
The sun's rays covered Sun's face. He opened his right eye, getting blinded by the sun. He scowled and got up. He stood up and walked outside, yawning. Outside, he saw all the adults scattering and his parents were approaching him. He could sense there was a change in their mood. He rushed towards them, embracing them with his little arms.
"Mom! Dad! Good morning!" He exclaimed.
"Good morning…" His parents replied bitterly.
His mother crouched down and touched his face.
"Say…do you want to play?" His mother asked.
Sun's face instantly lit up with excitement.
"Yes! Yes!" He exclaimed.
"Okay, then…follow us." His father said.
And so, for the next few hours sun and his parents played with him. His friends also joined him, and they played the ball for the next few hours with smiles and laughter, blurting out random things and falling over. For lunch, his mother cooked his favorite peach cobbler — the sweet aroma filled the tent, warm and fleeting.
"Here you go, my little sun." She said
"Thank you!" Sun said with excitement.
"Eat all you want. We've got plenty…" His father added.
He ate with a smile brighter than dawn. He never noticed the way his mother was weeping as she watched him. After a few minutes he finished it, smiling happily.
'This is the best day ever! Mom and dad are the best!'
He thought as he got up to wash himself. After washing himself, he went into a food coma. His parents looked at their child with heavy hearts. Sun's mother fell down on her knees and cried softly.
"I-I don't want to do this…" She whispered.
The sky wept with her. Raindrops fell in rhythm with her tears as though the world was reflecting her emotions. Sun's father tightened his jaw and clenched his hands. Sun's father crouched down and embraced his wife, her tears soaking his robe. Sun's mother lingered in his embrace longer than she wanted it – wishing the elders would change their mind, wishing their lord would change his mind. But…he wouldn't – they wouldn't – Not ever.
***
After a few hours sun woke up from his sleep, his tent was unusually quiet. An unease welled up in his heart as he stood up. The tent was quiet…too quiet. He slowly walked outside of his tent out of his way. The sunset was on the horizon, orange, yellow and blue covering the sky. The leaves rustled. The river flowed creating a continuous melody, the wind grazed against the grass.
But…no one was there. His tribe's tents were gone except for his, their marks were still left on the ground. The empty space was encompassed by a silent sadness that washed over him. His eyes widened, his hands fell, and he glanced across the empty meadow. He looked in every direction but there was no sign of his parents – his friends – his fellow tribesmen. It didn't have the warmth or happiness of that place but a dark and foggy atmosphere.
Then, a sudden realization struck him. A crooked smile appeared across his face as he looked up into the sky.
"…This is a dream…isn't it?" He whispered.
The horizon cracked like glass, and color spilled out of reality. Red bled into blue. Blue bled into something unknown. The world fell in on itself like it was a stage of play. Multiple colors and shapes encompassed the world like a circus. A few moments later, he woke up in a vast plain with blue skies. The air felt different. The world had no sound — only memory. He looked at his hands and realized they were not the hands of a child - they were his. He touched his body with a perplexed face, realizing he was an adult.
"Where in the actual fuck am I?" He whispered.