" So, what do you say kid, do we have a deal?"

Caid looked it the old man and slowly gave his answer.

"Yes, we have a deal."

"Stretch your hand out. Were going to do the ceremony right here right now."

'Now...

Well, I agreed to it. I can't chicken out right after the deal is made.'

Caid's stomach fell at first , but he soon convinced himself that it was better now than later. It was like a burden had lifted from his shoulders and he stretched his hand towards the old man.

"Good, good. "

The old man took the jade plate on the table and brought it to Caid's hand.

"Don't worry, this will not be long. You may feel a little discomfort, but it's just a process of the ritual."

"Okay, I understand."

Long Li looked at Caid's calm face and he smiled slightly. He  was no thrilled about what was happening as he didn't find the thought of a Nen sworn slave all that appealing, but he smiled nonetheless.

' I have lived for about 80 years, but I can't get a good read on this kid. As soon as I think I have understood him, he seems to change . He seems like a child , but his thought process is beyond that as he clearly tried to poke towards my pride to achieve what he wanted, even if failure ment he would die. It was just a little trick, but it showed his understanding of the situation was better than the other two grown ups on the same room as him. He understood that I wanted him alive. 

Also, he isn't showing any signs of worry, but he doesn't seem like someone without self-preservation. Hehehehe, I'm getting excited, but I don't know why.'

"Is it over? I don't feel any different from before."

The jade plate was still above Caid's palm , but he hadn't felt a difference yet, so he spoke up.

"No, I'll begin right now. 

Haaa....

With a shout the old man gathered a huge amount of his Aura and transferred it into the jade plate using  Shu. As soon as he did that the jade plate shined a green light and a waves of pure undulated Aura rolled all around the room.

"This...

Kaili noticed this and imediately went by Kain's side and activated his Ren at full power as he protected his master against the old man's Aura.

"Kaili, what is happening?"

Kain was caught off guard by the sudden event. The furnitures had begun to move from their original position and the curtains behind him were ripped to shreds. It was like a hurricane had just materialised in the middle of the room.

"The ritual has begun. Now there is no turning back for young master anymore."

"This is the ritual?"

Kain looked in amazement as the hurricane completely destroyed his whole room, but his amazement would be a lot greater if he could clearly 'see' like Kaili. Different from Kain he could clearly see what was happening. 

In Kaili's eyes the carved dragon was not just a carving anymore, but it had now taken form. It looked like a little green snake that slithered on the air above Caid's palm. 

' Is that a Nen construct or maybe a Nen beast? No, that's not it. The green dragon is the materialised curse that is about to activate. '

Kaili looked at the green dragon with intensity and worry. The green scales, the yellow eyes, the white claws, they all told the majesty and the absolute power of the dragon.

' The curse that has existed for centuries and that has fed on the ancestors of the Yalan family is too strong. Even the most skilled Nen exorcist would have to pay with his life to get rid of this, and that is even not knowing the full power of the curse '

With each second that passed the dragon became more and more detailed that you could clearly see the steam it exhaled.

' Heh , who am I kidding. This type of course is unbreakable as the one who is having the curse put on him is willingly doing it. The binding power it has may even continue after death.

Mistress, please forgive me. I have failed you, for the second time.'

......

' What the hell!?  Is this a part of the curse?'

Caid was as surprised as his grandfather as he hadn't expected this. He thought that it would be something like Kurapika's ' Judgement Chain ' , but this was completely different. The feeling of dread that he was experiencing  made him feel no hope at all.

' I seems I have miscalculated.'

"Boy, get ready for the final step. 

HAAHT...

The old man caught the green dragon with his fingers , like he was caching a worm and inserted it into Caid's forehead. As soon as he did that, Caid lost conciousness.

........

"Where the hell am I? Did I die again? "

As he opened his eyes Caid found himself in a while void. Everything was white around him without a speck of colour. He looked around for a while ,but  he started to feel sick.

"Is this purgatory or is this also part of the curse?"

He looked at himself and saw that he hadn't changed and still the form of 10 year old Caid.

"Let's see if we can head somewhere.....huh?"

As soon as he made the first step his surroundings completely changed and in front of him apeared something. It was something very bizarre and creepy.

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

In front of him apeared a spiraling staircase that led down, into darkness. It seems to be made of some kind of grey stones that were not held together by anything but they seemed so sturdy that the thought of breaking them was nonexistent.

*Fshhh....

A cold wind tickled Caid's spine as all his hair stood in end. He clearly knew that he hadn't touched anything, but something told him that he had just touched death. 

"This..is....

As soon as that happened Caid's eyes went out of focus and he started to unconsciously go down the stairs. With each step he took the noise of something breaking echoed, but Caid still moved down seeming not to hear anything. He seemed to have no idea what he was doing as his conciousness begun to fade more and more and more.... until....

*ROAAAAR*

The earth shattering, booming roar of absolute power, penetrated the silence. Caid raised his head and regained his senses , but he remained silent, as he should be, as everyone should be in the face of the  absolute power before him.

*ROAAAAR*

An enormous green dragon dived headfirst into the spiraling staircase. It's yellow eyes shined their golden light upon Caid and it's mouth opened to swallow him whole , but Caid didn't move, he didn't want to move as he knew....

"This is where.....

.......

*Slap*

"Huh, what... happened?"

Caid opened his eyes as Kaili's and his grandfather's worried faces blocked his vision. He took a couple of seconds to get his thoughts together and asked.

"Is it over?"

"Yes, young master, it's over."