21st century, Tibet Lhasa, Potala Palace

"Wow, it's so spectacular!"

Potala Palace, situated on the red hill of central Lhasa. Legend had it that in the 7th century, to welcome his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang dynasty; the then Tibet King built the 9 storey palace with a thousand rooms up on the red hill and named it Potala.

The red and white Palace, with the clear blue skies as it's background; stood high up. One would feel himself as tiny as an ant in contrast to the grandness of the place.

The long hours of ride though was not that torturing, it was really uncomfortable. However the weariness was gone once Eric saw the infamous Potala Palace.

"Hyung wait for me. Don't leave me behind." Junjin's face was pale and he tried to catch up with Eric slowly. Due to the high altitude, Junjin was nursing a bad headache and he dared not move suddenly in case his condition worsen.  " I feel that I was about to puke out.... yet you are being so excited."

The high altitude of Tibet could reach 3,000 meters above sea level and the oxygen level was lower than low lands. Those who lived in low land who stepped into Tibet could develop Altitude sickness because they could not adapt to the lower level of oxygen. However, with ample rest and gradual adaption, the Altitude sickness would be overcome.

"Jinnie it's that you are too weak. I can't recall who was the one who bragged that he would overcome any huddle or distance or hardship to follow me to this wonderful overseas assignment." Eric teased at Junjin.

Eric was 28 years old with sharp distinct features. He was optimisstic and jovial with brilliant smile. As he travelled frequently and so his body was well toned making him looking fabulous in any clothings. He was a magnet which attracted a lot of people.

Logically speaking, Eric should be suffering from the Altitude sickness but apart from a slight discomfort when he arrived in Tibet, he was alright. His chirpiness was deep contrast with a sluggish Junjin.

Junjin was just a year younger but his stamina was far behind Eric. He grimaced, " How would I know that this Altitude sickness is worse than I imagine it to be. I am sure I had taken all those medication which boost remedy to this. ...."

"Stop sulking and let's get on with our job." Eric stretched his hand out to Junjin," Where is my buddy?"

"Here." Junjin handed over the black squarish bag on his shoulder to Eric and he was relieved to have his load lightened.

Opening up the bag, Eric took out his camera. He switched the len on his camera according to the weather.

Eric was a renounced photographer and he accepted this assignment to depart from Hong Kong to Tibet. Junjin was his assistant for this assignment.

With his buddy in his hands, Eric became serious which was different from his cheerful mood earlier. He had eyes for everything and would not let go of anything that could be a potential good material.

Click. Click. Click.

The sounds of the shutters echoed. Once Eric started his job, he was deeply immersed in the sights appearing in front of his len. Nothing could distract him.

"It's Him. He is back"

"He is finally back after so long"

From the sombre chanting, low whisperings was heard. It seemed blending into the chanting and yet seemed out of the place. This affected Eric and he put down his len. He looked around his surroundings irritatedly;  trying to find the culprits.

Junjin came near," Hyung what's wrong?"

"Jinnie, did you hear.... hear weird conversation? "

"Huh?" Jinnie heard the monotonous chanting which alluring him to sleep.

"You did not hear it?" Why was he the only one hearing it.

"Oops He heard us"

"Jinnie, its the voice again." Eric nudged Junjin," Did you hear it?"

"Hyung, what did you hear? Are you experiencing the Altitude sickness and starting to hallucinate?" Junjin looked worried.

Hallucinating? It could not be! Eric swore that he heard the voices clearly.

Shouldn't this place be a sacred and holy place and why was Eric feeling supernatural thing? 

Eric turned and fixed his gaze at an unknown old tree.  On the top of the tree, 2 abnormally large sized ravens perched on it. The ravens' eyes met Eric's and emitted a weird aura. Eric felt eerie.

While Eric was still pondering, Junjin pulled at his sleeves excitedly. "Look."

Eric turned around and saw a monk. The monk was approaching Eric and Junjin and he stopped in front of Eric. The monk spoke in an unfamiliar language nonstop, not bothered that Eric and Junjin could not understand a single word that he said. 

The 2 of them stood awkwardly and did not know how to response.

 "Ha ha He couldn't understand anything. So funny."

"You couldn't blame Him. He is now a ordinary man and not like what He used to be...."

"Who is hiding and whispering!" Eric blurted out unexpectedly. His sudden outburst startled Junjin who took a few steps back. Junjin was very sure that Eric went bonkus.

"We better leave. He spotted us."

Eric could not believe his ears and started diging them. Did the ravens spoke? Or was he hallucinating like what Junjin said?

Seeing Eric behaving weirdly, Junjin was 100% sure that his hyung had gone bonkus. "Hyung relax we are still in the midst of work."

"Yah I know that but...."

The monk suddenly grabbed Eric's hand and place a palm sized crystal ball while continuing to speak in the unfamiliar language.

In the crystal ball was a figure of an eagle and the workmanship was so good. The feathers looked so real. Eric was puzzled why the monk gave him the crystal ball. Junjin was confused too.

The monk smiled and clasped his hands and spoke a few words. Thereafter, he turned and left.

Eric looked at Junjin. Both were wondering what was going on.

                  *****************************

After finishing with the photographing, Eric and Junjin left the tourist infested Potala Palace and proceeded to a quieter place. They intended to capture some scenaries.

Being a place of interest, the infrastructure in Lhasa was modern and convenient in order to attract the crowds. However this was not so for other places.

The bright orange light started to descend into the Horizon. Apart from the winding dirt track, their surroundings were vast plains, dunes and grass patches. No building could be seen.

Eric and Junjin managed to hitch a ride from a worn out bullock cart. It was pulled by an old motorcycle. Due to the load on the bullock cart and the state of the motorcycle, they were travelling at a crawling speed. Both of them wouldn't be surprise if the motorcycle was to break down in the middle of the dirt track.

Eric and Junjin was leaning on the haystack with their feet dangling. They seemed carefree and relaxed but in actual fact their bums felt the hits of the bumpy journey.

Eric raised the crystal ball against the faint sunset rays and it emitted rainbow lights. There was nothing special about this crystal ball. Eric peered at the crystal ball and was clueless why the monk gave this to him. The weirdest thing was that he did not know the monk.

Eric no longer hear the voices after he left Potala Palace nd he attributed to hallucination from suffering the Altitude sickness. 

"Hyung."

"Hmm."

"I still don't understand why you acepted this assignment from all the projects." Junjin sighed. He was exhausted after a day of shootings. "This is so torturing."

Junjin would select assignment to Kyoto, Jeju which were beautiful but convenient. Tibet was equally beautiful but it was so barren and backward.

Eric chuckled. " Jinnie, I have wanted to visit Tibet a long time ago but was waiting for the opportunity to do so."

"Huh. Why hyung?"

"Because my father mention that Tibet was a place that I have to visit once in my lifetime."

Eric's father was an even famous photographer.  It was under his father's influence that Eric became a photographer himself. Eric could still recall from his childhood time of the breathe taking photographs of Tibet that his father had taken. The majestic and beauty etched inside his young mind.

Beautiful, Mysterious, Out of this world. That was how the young Eric remembered. 

There was perhaps another reason why Eric would become a photographer. This reason was never made known to anyone. Eric had this feeling since young. A feeling of longing and emptiness. He hoped to travel about to ease this feeling. There was a strong force which made him wanting to come to Tibet and once he came here, he could find the answer to his feelings.  However, Eric did not find the answer here but he felt something amiss when he stepped foot here.

Just what was Eric longing for? Eric could not reply to his question and he could only follow his emotion, leaving everything to destiny.

Their transport was moving very very slowly but luckily they were repaid with the wonderful scene of the skies being painted in orange red lights, the snow capped mountains and the large herd of sheep's grazing.

"Wow... hyung. Look!" Junjin was pointed excitedly at the herd of sheeps. 

Following Junjin's finger, Eric saw the scarlet red traditional costume amidst the milky white sheeps.  It was so distinct. It was a sherpherd boy but he was back facing them. Something about this boy captivating Eric.

"Jinnie, my stuff!" Eric hurried Junjin. He was impatient, wanting take snapshot of the view.

"Hyung you still want to take more photographs? We had taken a lot for today." Junjin whined.

"Stop whining and pass me my stuff now!"

Junjin pulled the bag behind reluctantly. Eric quickly fished out his camera and jumped off the bullock cart. He ran near to the herd of sheeps to capture the shot.

Click. Click.

The clicking sounds hovered in the winds that blew across the plains.

The boy turned around and Eric saw his face from his len. Eric was stunned for a moment. They were looking at each other from the len and herd of sheeps. 

He looked young about 18 or 19 years old. He wore a hat decorated with all sort of gems. He had snowy white skin and was totally different from the dark complexion of the natives here. His wavy short hair fluttered in the wind and bells from the hems of his top was tingling away.

That pair of eyes was void of any emotion. The beautiful stranger had this cold aura emitting from him. Eric felt that he was not allowed to go near him.

What a pretty looking boy. It was the first time that Eric was not willing to leave his sight off someone.

The boy was just staring at Eric while the sheeps moved pass him. Eric felt that he had seen him before and it was a long time.

He was so familiar. .. where had Eric seen him before... Eric could not recall anything....

The boy raised his hand and pointed at the direction behind Eric. Eric turned around and realized that the bullock cart was a long distance away from him. Junjin was frantically gesturing and shouting from the bullock cart. Eric did not know that he was being absent minded for so long.

"Hyung, are you done? Why are you spacing out? Faster!" Junjin was shouting at the top of his voice.

Oh no, Eric would not be able to catch up with the bullock cart if he continued to space out further. Moreover, it would be dark soon and it would be no joke.

Eric held tightly onto his camera and ran towards the bullock cart, trying his best to catch up. He had no time to think about the boy. When Eric finally hopped onto the bullock cart, he was panting like mad.

Eric huffed and trying to catch his breathe when he was sitting onto the bullock cart. He looked at the herd of sheeps and their keeper. The boy was remained at his spot. Eric did not know why that he felt a sense of loneliness and helplessness.

Why was that boy looking for? Waiting for? Thinking of? Eric's thoughts was in chaos even though he could no longer see the boy. Eric could not fall asleep that night.

The mysterious boy seemed so familiar.... like a piece of his forgotten memories....

                 *************************

Eric stayed in Tibet for 3 weeks before he returned to Hong Kong. A few days later, Eric flew off to eastern Europe for another assignment.  When he returned home once again, it was 2 months later.

"I am going to drop dead soon."

The first thing that Eric did when he entered into his apartment was to dump his luggage by the door and he slumbed his body onto the couch. Eric hopped to get his well deserved break.

The apartment was quiet. Eric's  father was busier than him as he was travelling nonstop throughout the year. Eric's mother had divorced with his father while Eric was in University. She could not tolerate her husband so immersed into his job and not coming home except for a few times in the year.

Luckily Eric was taking it well. To him, it was not a bad thing to be separated if their fate had ended. Eric was okay being alone at home as he appreciated the peace.

Sitting up from the couch, Eric switched on the laptop on the coffee table. There was a handful of SD cards with labels next to the laptop. He rumaged through the SD cards and found the one labelled Tibet. It contained the photographs that he had taken in Tibet.

While he was in eastern Europe for the past 2 months, he would think of the incidents in Tibet. It was unlike of Eric to keep thinking of his previous assignment. Usually he would be totally engrossed with his current assignment and not think of the previous one.

This was the first time that there was a lurking shadow disturbing him, making him frustrated.

Eric inserted the SD card to the card reader and thousands of photographs appeared on his screen. Eric browsed through and found the photograph that he was searching for. "Found it."

The boy at the plain with his herd of sheeps. Eric took 3 photographs which captured the boy's gazes. Looking at the 3 photographs, Eric was brought back to that day. Looking at the person in the photograph, he felt relieved which he couldn't understand why. Why was a Eric having a special feeling for this boy?

Eric travelled to a lot of places and he had seen a lot of beautiful people. However, those people left Eric's  mind after a few days. He could only remember them when he reviewed his work subsequently. 

This boy was different.  His image seemed to have imprinted into Eric's  mind and he could forget about him.

"Ring ring ring"

The shrill ringing tone of his handphone broke the peace in the apartment. Eric scowled and was wondering who had disturbed his break. "Hello"

"Eric ah, you are indeed back." The caller had a deep hoarse voice. 

Eric recognized the voice and smiled. It was his father," Dad where are you now?"

"I am in Iceland." Eric's  father sounded cheerful. "The view here is awesome especially the aurora.  You rejected my offer when I invited you here."

"Come on Dad. I been to spectacular places too." Eric was rolling his eyes and making silly faces. Eric did not want to go with his father cause he would be at his mercy. "3 months ago, I was at Tibet and I finally saw the views that you mentioned."

"Oh Tibet. I missed that place. It was about 20 years ago that I was there. I believed my old work are still around."

"Hmm."

Eric held his handphone while walking into his father's  study room. He was searching for the album on the neat shelf. He sat on the floor while opening up the old photograph  album.

The technology back then was inferior than now. It was still the film roll technology and not digital like today. Eric's father like to develop a set of his favourite photographs for keeping sake.

"Travelling to Tibet back then was like Mission Impossible. You brat had it so easy now."

Eric was looking through his father's  photographs while his father was boasting about his travel experience and the evolution of photography. Well whatever his father spoke about went from Eric's right ear and out from his left ear. "You brat, are you listening to me!"

"Yes Dad."

Eric's father was satisfied and he continued," Speaking of my trip to Tibet then...."

Eric was full of respect for his father, for his skills was so great 20 years ago. Well now, his father had reached into another league which Eric probably had to work extremely hard to attain.

While Eric flipped through the pages, he was taken surprise by a photograph. It was a beautiful lake in the mountain and standing near the lake was a boy in dark red attire gazing towards the len. Eric's father had captured that very moment of the innocent expression of the boy and the photograph seemed to have a life on its own.

It was not the lake view that shocked Eric but that person in it. Eric grabbed the album and rushed out to the coffee table. He compared the photograph next to his image.

"How can this be? This is absurd! " Eric started muttering to himself.

It was the same boy! With same face shape, same clothing, same accessories but different place and year. 20 years apart!

"What nonsense are you spouting Huh?  What are you doing?" Eric's  father was questioning from the other end.

Eric could not contain his emotions, " Dad I need to ask you a thing. Can you recall that while in Tibet, you took a photograph of a lake and a boy in red?"

"Oh I can still remember that. The boy seemed to be out of this world and he would probably be around 18 or 19 years old. Now he should be in his late 30s or early 40s."

30s? It could not be because he did not seem to have aged. He was still having that youthful look in his father's  photograph and Eric's.

Eric was still in shock and he could not believe it. Was he an immortal?

                      ***********************

Eric had the sudden urge to return to Tibet again and he wanted to solve the mystery. Could it be that his father and him took the photograph of that father and son? Even though he was the son, he could not have looked the same as his father 20 years ago. They were practically alike which could not be so!

However, Eric could not take off like that because he still had plenty of assignments on his hands. He would have to suppress this urge and waited till he finished everything.

Eric wanted to meet the boy in red again. No matter if Eric could find him but Eric wanted to try his luck.

It was a hot sunny afternoon and Eric was perspiring profusely. He was currently out on his assignment to take city view of Hong Kong for a travel agency.

Hong Kong was a place comprising of modern skyscrapers  and modern infrastructure yet it had the attractive alleys with tradition old houses. You could bump into surprise if you happen to wander along the unknown alleys.

Eric passed by a little shop in one of the alleys. It looked somewhat like an antique shop or a junk shop.

"Millennium Affinity" was the shop name and the shop was an old Chinese style shophouse. In the glass display window was full of dolls and jewelry boxes. Neither eastern or western products but it was a very unique shop.

Eric pushed the door and the string of bells chimed gently on the shop. The faint sandalwood scent filled the air. Eric could see that the shelves in the shop was full of all sort of items.  There was no one in.

Eric just took his time to look at the items and he wondered if there was ever any customer visiting this shop? Eric would not know of this shop if not that he stumbled it by chance.

The bells chimed again and a teenager entered the shop. " Oh a customer. Where is grandpa?"

The teenager approached the counter and put down his haversack. He came to Eric and beamed," Are you looking for something. If you tell me then I can find it easily for you."

"It's okay." Eric returned a smile. "I am just taking a look. Your shop was full of interesting stuffs which made me dizzy."

"Ha ha my grandpa would purchase items that he fancied. He would just placed them around in the shop. Making here look like a warehouse. " the teenager joked.

Warehouse? Eric chuckled at the description. It seemed to be like a warehouse but more like a lazy child not tidying his room for a long time.

Eric looked past the teenager and saw a palm sized crystal ball on the shelf. It was glowing and it seized Eric's attention. 

There was a white wolf inside the crystal ball and it appeared to be the same as the crystal ball that he gotten from the Tibet monk. Eric did not think it was a coincident to see the crystal ball.

The teenager followed Eric's  gaze," Oh you are looking at that crystal ball. Let me bring down for you to take a closer look.

The teenager carefully took the crystal ball down and placed it in front of Eric. "My grandpa purchased it somewhere from China and I heard him mentioning that this was magical."

"From Tibet?"

"Oh? How do you know?" The teenager blinked his eyes in curiosity.  "Since you know about this, I shall not speak further."

"Wait, I happened to see a similar one in Tibet." Eric was shaking with disbelief and also in excitement. "Just go ahead and say what you know about this crystal ball."

"Okay. I heard from my grandpa that the wolf inside is one of the 13 Guardian warriors of a myth in Tibet."

"13 Guardian warriors?" Eric lifted his eye brows as he did not hear of this before.

"In a tribe in Tibet, 13 Guardian warriors was part of their religion. The tribe worship a deity, God of War, and the deity protected his followers from harm. The deity transformed into 13 animal forms which was the 13 Guardian warriors. The wolf here is part of the 13 animal form."

The teenager explained that there were 13 crystal balls with 13 animal forms: eagle, wolf, dragon, lion, horse, tiger, deer, bear, crane, snake, carp,  dog and sheep. The teenager explained that his grandpa believed that the other 12 crystal balls existed but most probably were scattered all over the world.

Looking at the crystal ball,  Eric found an invisible force. Be it the boy in red or the 13 crystal balls something seemed to hint Eric that he should visit Tibet again.

Eric made up his mind to purchase the crystal ball. "How much is this crystal ball? Can you sell it to me?"

"You really want this?"

"Just name me a price for it."

"Oh, well....."

"Hang on! " The bells chimed again. Someone pushed open the door rather forcefully and a man entered into the shop. "That crystal is not sale for you!"

The man looked to be in his late 20s nearly 30s. He wore a black suit and he was dark complexion. His features did not make him a local but rather soneone who lived in the plains. He was speaking in their language not not fluently and with an accent. However, everyone understood what he said.

"Huh?" The teenager was puzzled. He found it odd that there was more customers than usual in the shop.

The black suited man came to the teenager and demanded," This crystal ball was sold to me. I had spoken to the elderly shopkeeper."

"Really? But my grandpa is not in now and I do not know if you are speaking the truth. In addition, if grandpa agreed to sell to you, this crystal ball would not be still in the shop." The teenager thought for a while and found the man bring fishy.

"This...." The man stuttered.

It was true that he came to this shop a few days ago and wanted to purchase the crystal ball. However the shopkeeper did not want to sell it to him. 

He was persistent and returned to the shop today to try his luck. He was elated that shopkeeper was not in but was angry that he had a competitor vying for the crystal ball. He could not let that happen as the crystal ball was very important to him.

"No matter what, I am buying this crystal ball!"

"I am buying this crystal ball too." Eric rebutted and decided to vye with the mam. 

The man glared at Eric," You. ......."

"Wait.  Don't fight in the shop." The teenager started to appease the 2 of them. He was having headache that his grandpa was not here. "Since both of you wanted this crystal ball. Why don't we let it decide it's owner."

"What? Let the crystal ball choose?" Both Eric and the man exclaimed in surprise.

"Yup. That's right." The teenager smirked.

The teenager took a small pillow and lay it on the counter top. Thereafter, he placed the crystal ball on the pillow carefully. Eric and the man was standing separately at the 2 ends of the counter top. Both were shooting deadly glares at each other.

"Er.... cough cough." The teenager pretended to cough to get their attention. "Grandpa ever said that the items in this shop had their destinated owner. One of you can take this crystal ball if it chooses you as it's owner."

Eric was still in denial," This crystal ball has no life and how can it choose it's owner?"

"How would you know that it does not have a life form?"

The teenager settled the pillow and crystal ball in the centre of the counter top. "Let's see if one of you is the destinated owner."

The crystal ball started glowing.  After a while, the crystal ball trembled and Eric widened his eyes to make sure that his eyes were not playing tricks on him.

Suddenly, the crystal ball rolled towards Eric and it was nearing the edge.

"Holy sh*t!" Eric quickly reached out his hand to catch the ball. The second that he touched the crystal ball, a strange image flashed through his eyes. Eric was stunned for a second and he almost let go of the crystal ball.

The skies were full of soaring eagles and colourfil flags fluttering. It was that feeling of sorrow and longing.

I want to enter into your heart. It does not matter if I can't make you feel for me in this life. I have my next life and many after lives......

Whose voice was this?  Eric turned around but there was no one behind him. The voice seemed far away but was speaking to him, wanting him to recall the past.

"Hey mister are you alright?" The teenager looked at Eric.

"Oh I am fine." Eric turned his head back and replied.

"That's  great." The teenager hummed, " We all aware that the crystal ball had chosen it's owner. "

The crystal ball might be lifeless but it was magical. It had been waiting for its destinated owner to appear since the day it was here. Waiting for its owner to claim it.

Destinated owner. .... Despite the numerous reincarnations, the crystal ball could sense Him. He was the one with intertwined Affinity,  a bond which could not be severed....

The man in black suit looked at Eric with a strange expression. He could not understand why the crystal ball chose Eric and what was his link with it?

He believed that he should check on Eric.