Sky

Haneul took a look around the source of the noise he heard. He saw nothing. For a split second, he felt like someone was watching them.

“What is it, Haneul?”

“Nothing. I think it was just my feeling.”

Haneul had a gut feeling that someone was spying on them. However, since it was dark and he was exhausted by the training, he decided to brush it off. The three of them then returned to the palace to have dinner.

Two decades ago, the Temple searched for the next Premier(e) for years. The citizens of Virtue Vault had been demanding for a new Premier, which seemed to be nowhere to find at the time. Usually, after a Premier(e) died, another one was reincarnated right away as a newborn baby.

However, the situation then was different. It usually didn’t take more than 6 months to find a new Premier(e). However, years had passed and the Temple didn’t announce their new Premier(e) yet. That time period was called “The Obscure Years” by citizens of Virtue Vault Federation. Years without the light from their Divine Leader.

Both the people and the Temple were getting frustrated. Fortunately, six years later–– after searching every nook and cranny all across the nation–– the Temple announced that they finally found the new Premier. It was a boy from Rhea Town, Emu Island. Upon discovery, they escorted him to the capital immediately and brought him to the palace.

Haneul was 6 when he was brought to the capital, away from his hometown. He was brought to the Assembly Hall and was introduced to several Temple Members who were present at the time. However, Haneul didn’t remember this. For all he knew, all he remembered was he had always been at the Temple all his life. Since then, people saw him on the news regularly, with headlines saying “The bringer of light has arrived.” He became the saviour whom his citizens needed.

During the first week of his arrival, Temple Members who came from other cities stayed at the Temple to devise a scheme regarding Haneul’s life for years ahead of him as the Premier. Some of them brought their kids with them. That was the moment Haneul met Yujin and Xiaohui.

Xiaohui came with his mother who was a state governor, while Yujin came with his father who was the head of Horahua royal family–– the King.

Even though the two of them were older than Haneul–– a year between Haneul and Xiaohui; and two years between him and Yujin–– they managed to become friends in no time. Seeing that the Premier needed companions that were somewhat on his level of social status to grow up with, the Temple decided that the three of them would be raised together in the same environment. This was done all in favour of the Premier’s development as a child, especially since he spent the first 6 years of his life outside of the Temple.

Haneul was a very responsible and detached kid ever since he was young. He always did his duties as a Premier piously, without any complaints. Strangely as a kid, he also never wanted nor asked for anything. He did not have anything he liked, any hobbies, or anything he wanted, except for one thing. Realizing that he did not have a “true” family, he considered Xiaohui and Yujin as his family and was very attached to them. Thus, when Yujin said his goodbye to join the academy, Haneul expressed that he wanted to join as well. He also requested for Xiaohui to come with him, joining the academy alongside them.

The Temple was in dilemma at the time because there had never been a Premier who joined the academy in history before. However, since that was the first time Haneul ever expressed anything about what he wanted, the Temple decided to grant him his wish. They were then sent to the academy together.

Two years after having graduated from the academy, the three of them started walking in different paths. Yujin returned to Royal Residence as the heir of Horahua royal family. Xiaohui became a Sacred Knight and worked under the Lord Commander of the Sacred Guards. Haneul continued his duty as the Premier and started getting involved in political affairs of the nation. Despite the different paths life may take them, they believed that they would always be a family.

They called themselves the “Yuxiha” trio.

The next day, Haneul was summoned by the Holy Monastic to the abbey to meet him before the training. He went to the abbey all by himself, like he was told.

Haneul used to do his daily morning prayer at the abbey every day. However, ever since he went to the academy, he only visited the abbey once a month. After graduation, he only came to the abbey whenever the Holy Monastic summoned him for a lecture. He did sometimes went to the abbey by himself, to clear his mind and refreshed his spiritual self.

Haneul did his religious studies while strengthening his spiritual self with the Holy Monastic. Ever since he was young, he was taught the ancient tongue of the nation-– vaultska–– by the Holy Monastic in order to be able to read religious texts and verses. The Holy Monastic also taught him religious teachings of the Solusia religion based on the Holy Scripture and how it connected to his spirituality as the “bringer of light” to the citizens of Virtue Vault.

Right after Haneul arrived at the abbey, he saw the Holy Monastic with someone else. Judging from his uniform, he must have been a Sacred Guard. The Sacred Guard was just about to leave right when Haneul arrived.

That Sacred Guard was Haru. Ever since his meeting with the Holy Monastic at the shrine on the day of the Lantern Festival, Haru had been summoned by the Holy Monastic to come to the abbey every morning, before Haneul’s daily prayer. The Holy Monastic was trying to figure out something about Haru. Haru had no idea what he was doing to him, so he just thought of it as him doing an order from His Holiness.

Haru and Haneul did not get to meet. Haneul only saw a silhouette of Haru’s back upon his leave. After Haru walked far away from the abbey, Haneul then entered the abbey.

“I have arrived, Your Holiness,” Haneul greeted him.

“Ah, Your Divinity. Come, have a seat.”

The two of them sat on the floor, facing each other. They crossed their legs, just like a pose during a meditation.

Right when Haneul was about to ask the identity of the previous Sacred Guard, the Holy Monastic spoke to him.

“Have you connected to the Divine State, Your Divinity?”

“No...I haven’t, Your Holiness.”

“Hmm.....I see....”

After hearing the question, Haneul refrained from asking and focused on today’s agenda instead.

The Divine State was a state under the subconscious, where a Premier(e) was able to channel and meet his/her past lives. This state required an incredible amount of concentration to be activated. By reaching this state, a Premier(e) was able to communicate with his/her past self, trading wisdom and knowledge on the process.

The Holy Monastic was 102 years old. He served as the Holy Monastic for the Premiere before Haneul. Usually, through an intensive training, a Premier(e) would eventually reach their Divine State sooner or later. However, in Haneul’s case, no progress had been made for the last couple of years.

“I apologize, Your Holiness.”

“Don’t worry, Your Divinity. We still have a lot of time.”

“Did the last Premiere have the same difficulty as I do?” Haneul asked, comparing himself to previous Premiere.

“No, Your Divinity. She reached the Divine State rather quickly. Premiere Tianming reached her Divine State at the age of 15.”

Haneul was silent. He'd lived 22 years of his live and never once got close to the Divine State at all. He felt dejected.

“However, she did mention that there was a Premiere who reached her Divine State at the age of 30. So, it’s nothing to be worried about. Every Premier(e) has their own time.”

Hearing that, Haneul felt relieved. He still had time to attain the Divine State. He wished that he could communicate with Premiere Tianming to give him some tips on how to activate it, but in order to do that, he had to activate it first to be able to communicate with her.

Haneul then tried entering his Divine State, helped by the Holy Monastic. He did all the steps that the previous Premiere did in order to reach one himself.

He closed his eyes and concentrated with all his might, clearing his mind and tried to become one with his past lives.