Chapter 6: The First Step

Author: Warning there are a few POV shifts in this chapter but I assure you it's all to add to the enjoyment. 

I explained the situation with Ciel to them from when she transferred to my school.

"Ash…"

"Yes?"

"You just admitted to stalking, honey." 

"...Huh?" 

"You first asked Ro to look up INFORMATION about a girl you saw at school."

"Then asked it to track her path using security camera footage." My father chimed in.

"And then used your bike to go to the place she was last spotted." She finished with that.

'Wait…what the fuck they're actually right.'

"..." 

"It's okay…you're still 14" There was clear conflict with what she was saying and her voice.

"Alright alright enough of that." The topic had to change.

"Okay is there anything else we need to speak about?" 

"Yes father…I'd like to take a month off of school."

 "Hm? Why?" My father questioned.

"I want to learn how to use these new abilities especially since I'm apparently a mixture that doesn't happen." 

"That's logical.."

"But Ash don't you think a month is too long?"

"With all due respect mother…look at me. Do I look like Asher Clovis? No. However, a growth spurt of 10 centimeters is explainable. But that and losing the mask isn't. So I suggest we say I had surgery. The surgery itself took 2 weeks and the recovery process another 2." 

My mother closed her eyes before then saying, "Okay you can miss a month. During that month your father and I will both train you."

"I guess that's that."

"Thank you both."

"You're welcome, Ash. But now the biggest problem. How do we explain this to Lior?"

"..." At her question both of us remained silent. 

"Tell her I'll be away for a while."

"?!" Both of their eyes widened. 

"It's either that or explain the circumstance."

"Ash…"

"Son, do you really intend to not see your sister for a month?"

"...It has to happen."

"Why do you wanna train so badly Ash? You could get away without training as you have done."

"I guess you can call it...desire." I closed my eyes for a moment. "For the

for the first time in a long time, what I felt wasn't simply the curiosity to know…but rather to explore. What I saw today awoke something in me that had been dead for nearly a decade. My heart for the first time in a long time started racing, my blood felt warm instead of cold. I felt alive."

In that moment with my eyes closed I thought back to the feat of speed Alec had shown in the alley, to the feeling of flying through the air in the griffin, the shifting of space itself that Olivine had displayed, the sword that I saw freeze a spirit from the inside…the sword that pierced through the air with no noise yet it held more emotion than what it's wielder usually displayed. I wanna understand it all. 

"Okay…" Both of my parents hesitantly agreed. 

My parents and I talked for a while more until the clock hit around 02:00.

After that my parents left to go to bed and I went back to my desk finishing my paperwork. 

After around 3 hours I leaned back in my chair with my legs crossed. 

"I need a proper plan…" 

I took out a mostly blank journal and began writing and sketching different things. 

"Ro buy a two story building with a basement…preferably somewhere crowded."

"Under the identity of Oropo Sharm, sir?"

"Yes."

"Understood Sir."

After Ro did that I sent an email to the school informing them of the "surgery" taking place.

Finally, I fell asleep sitting that day after finishing my last bit of work. 

I woke up at 10:00 after being woken up by my father walking through the elevator. 

"Asher" I heard him say as I slowly opened my eyes. 

"Oh hey father."

"Good morning, the school just confirmed your request for a leave." 

"Ahh-haa" yawning I stretched my arms out. 

"Does that mean we can begin training now?"

"Mhm, your mother is waiting for you on the lowest floor."

"The lowest floor?"

 'The one floor I've never had access to..'

"Yes…since you're already a part of Viators there is no use hiding things."

'Oh…guess something pretty nasty is down there.'

We walked to the elevator that began dropping down to the lowest floor of 

the building, one even below the greeting room.

The elevator doors opened wide revealing a place I never would've thought existed under our building.

The walls and floors were made of stone, with no pillar in sight. On one of the walls were an array of different guns, swords, spears, etc that covered the entire thing. Each wall was probably around 4 meters tall and 7 wide. 

My mother was in the center with her dark brown hair tied back and her cognac brown eyes glistening in the well lit room. She was wearing a black long sleeve and sweats with black boots.

'Reminds me of what Ciel wore…wait don't tell me.'

"You're here." She said in a cold tone opposite of what she usually spoke with.

'Shes gonna kick my ass today…'

"Mhm I am."

"I assume that means you're choosing to stick to your decision?"

I nodded. 

"...I hope you understand the weight that comes with it."

"No…I don't but I probably will one day."

"...You sound like your father."

The person in question had his arms crossed smiling.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"It does if the hill is steep enough."

"Luckily it wasn't."

 "Luckily…"

"So are we doing combat training?"

"Yes we are. Do you know why we're doing martial arts training before mana or qi training?"

"Conditioning…before learning how to gain and control something I don't have much use for in the beginning stages it's better to train what I do have." 

"That's it my boy." My father rubbed my head since he still towers over me.

"That's correct, we'll be spending two weeks on both."

"Thought as much…by the way how certain are we that I can use qi anyways? "

"Pretty certain since the mana you absorbed instinctively tried nurturing your muscles proving your body was attempting to use qi." My mother explained.

'From the way Raftiel was explaining it, it sounded normal…'

"Makes sense I guess…Alright when do we start?"

"Now. Honey, you can leave now."

"Got it." My father walked back into the elevator waving his hand as the doors closed.

My mother closed her eyes before disappearing from her spot. And in that very same instant she appeared behind me without making a sound until her foot hit the ground as she went for a kick kick towards my head. 

I instinctively dodged by stepping back but the wind from the kick alone created a cut on my cheek. 

I looked at my mother who was standing there but then she disappeared again appearing behind me this time without any sound pressing her palm on my back pushing me to the other side of the room.

As I crashed against the wall I now realized just how dangerous my mother was. 

'Shouldn't she have lost her abilities??'

The wall was rather soft for some reason even though it looked like stone so it didn't cause much damage, and neither did the blow my mother gave me. And I saw her there with her eyes filled with worry and hesitation. Knowing the cause of this, I was pretty annoyed.

"Mother! Stop holding back…it's better for me to get hurt during practice than during a real battle!"

I know…it was a childish ask. To ask my mother to stop holding back even though it'd probably kill me but…I need to. I need to know how exactly my parents, Olivine, Vincent, Alec, Noel and Ciel grew up. Otherwise I'll never be able to stand toe to toe with them as equals…I'll always be the kid who was pampered, the kid who's obsessed with his own problems. So I asked my mother knowing if she did stop holding back I'd have no shot of even landing a hit on her.

Hearing my request my mother paused she then stood there with her fists

balled up. She bit her lips quivering for a moment before she stopped, stopped moving hell I'm pretty sure she stopped breathing for a second too.

—-------------------Angelina's-perspective—---------------------------------------

'Does he know…does he know what he's asking of me?!'

My own son…my baby boy looked at me telling me to hurt him. I still remember the day when he was born…after all the struggle his father and I went through to escape that hell. A ball of joy...a ball of light was brought into this world for us. He was so pure and innocent as he was held in my arms for the first time. It was our job…to protect him, to shield him from the hell of this world. And we did everything we could to do our job…

I already lost my father, my home I couldn't lose my boy. We did everything…everything to keep him from that life…everything to keep him alive. 

I balled up my fist piercing my skin with my own nails. 

It wasn't enough…it wasn't enough. I watched my own son, my ball of joy, go through his very own hell. His very own struggle pushed away everything close to him, even his own parents. I watched my own son's descent into depression, into solitude due to that mask…due to that. We knew the cause…we knew it. But we chose to shield it from him anyway. After all, what could be worse than that hell? The hell that tore families apart, the hell that tore away my father from me?

I already lost my father…I couldn't lose him too. So I kept it from him, kept him in solitude. I watched my own son drown…my own son drown…yeah he was drowning. And I watched, watched believing I was doing the right thing. And like that years passed his sister was born, but even still he was drowning. 

'When did he get so big…' I opened my eyes to see the ones looking back at me. 

I looked up at my son, he was no longer drowning. He grew big, big enough to climb out of the waters. Those eyes filled with burning passion…

He walked out of the waters without our help…we couldn't do anything for him while he was suffering. 

'He's right…if I don't wanna lose him too…'

Even though it may be too late…I'll help you Asher…I'll make sure you achieve what you climbed out of the waters for. 

I slowly parted my lips, "Okay…get ready."

—---------------------------------------Asher's-perspective—----------------------

After what looked like a moment of contemplation my mother agreed. And in that very same instant I shook. It was fear, a natural fear. The fear that struck when humans faced death. 

My mother didn't just disappear this time she walked, slowly. She took a step right after a step making her way to me and taking her time doing it. Even as she walked to me her eyes looked into mine. And that eye contact kept me still out of the fear that as soon as I moved an inch I'd lose a limb…or even my life. 

There she was…right in front of me, and as soon as she was she punched me right in the gut sending me flying. And as I went flying back I went flying upward, and then forward, and then back down. 

'She's everywhere…'

My mother appeared each time I was about to land and hit me somewhere else repeating the process. 

She then sent me flying upward again. 

'I have to move…'

I forced every muscle in my body to move as it moved mid-air using the force of the blow she dealt flipping so my feet were facing the ceiling. As soon as my feet touched the ceiling I could feel it, the wind moving. That signaled to me that she was coming so I pushed off against the ceiling launching myself to the ground. 

As soon as I landed I jumped back and as I did the place where I originally landed was dealt in with a punch from my mother. 

'Thank god I jumped back…'

My mother then spun back and went for a kick into my gut with the heel of her foot. I dodged narrowly by stepping to the side with my right foot and pushed her foot to her right. 

My heart was beating faster, my breaths were loud and I was drenched in sweat. I tore off my shirt feeling a random surge of energy and strength.

'Is this adrenaline?'

I had never felt it before due to never being put in a situation where I'd need it… 

With the sudden rush of adrenaline came the sudden decrease in intelligence as I began running towards my mother with punches. 

She evaded with ease as she moved in a circular pattern around me. Whenever I went for a kick she'd move her upper body and head to the side and then rotated her foot dodging it.

'That's a boxing dodge…'

I had watched a few boxing matches out of boredom, but quit never finding any excitement from them. 

I then stopped attacking her, finding it useless. She then chambered her knee while looking at me.

'Front kick.' 

I prepared to move to the side but that very instant I got reading she changed the trajectory rotating her hip and foot delivering a kick to my head.

A thick red liquid dripped out of my mouth as I felt my skull crack. I slowly lost consciousness fade as my body lost all its strength and powered down. 

---—--------------------Ciel's-perspective—-------------------------------------

I stabbed the air repeatedly with my blade wrapped in a white mist. 

[Why would you agree to that boy's deal?]

"You outed me.'

The leaves of the trees were blowing with the wind as the moon of the mana branch's dimension provided dim lighting. 

[I didn't mean to give that barbarian a chance to get closer…]

"What makes a barbarian?" My sword pierced through dozens of leaves at once.

[A barbarian is a thing that lacks manners and thinks with their instincts.]

"Interesting…'

[You find that interesting?]

"Kinda.'

[...]

"Can you help me train?"

[Of course.]

A green mist permeated from my body slowly taking shape into a human-like figure. 

He stood there with long light brown hair with amber eyes that equaled the stars in glow. He was wearing a white turtleneck with matching pants and a matching coat. 

He looked at me without uttering a word and urged me to start. 

Seeing his provocation I lunged forward stabbing my rapier towards him. 

He coated his index finger a green light pushing my rapier away with ease as he caressed the blade of the rapier with it. As he followed the blade he got closer until I was within the range of his fist and as soon as I was he punched forward. 

I narrowly avoided the punch by pushing his fist down with the hilt of my rapier and stepping back. And as soon as I was out of range I froze the ground under me sliding on it and moving around him in a circular motion as I stabbed towards him multiple times at different angles. 

He dodged most of the stabs and parried the rest coating his entire hand in the green glow. 

Cold fist began to blanket my blade, lowering the temperature in the area around us. 

Noticing the difference he shaped the green glow into a short-sword like form.

I stabbed my rapier forward once again which he narrowly dodged with a step to the right and a rotation of his hips. As he rotated his hips his lead foot followed as he swung down diagonally. 

I ran towards the slash and went in too close for the blade to reach as I grabbed Raftiel's forearm creating an ice layer around it. 

Before the ice could spread further a bright light blinded me causing me to let go of his hand. 

I jumped back in fear of being struck while unguarded. I then closed my eyes listening and feeling for any changes in the environment around me. 

I sensed the movement of air to my right. As soon as I did I swung my blade towards it. However, all it struck was air while I was struck in the stomach getting sent flying towards a tree. 

I opened my eyes looking up at Raftiel who was turning back into a green mist. The mist went through my palm back into my body. 

"..."

[You did well.]

"Did I?"

[Yes…]

"I don't think so…"

[Don't be so ha-]

"I can't stop…If I stop how will I…get revenge?"

[Revenge shouldn't be your purpose]

"That's all I have…" 

[What do you mean…]

"I don't have a family…nobody on my side." I felt my cheeks getting wet for some reason. 

I closed my arms curling into a ball. 

[That-]

"I can't stay weak…"

[You and that barbarian…this obsession with strength can't dominate your life. Getting stronger shouldn't be your goal.]

"What else is there Raftiel" my voice started getting weaker and weaker and was shaking. 

It was an emotion I was used to…despair. 

The memory of Asher stabbing himself in the heart appeared in my mind.

'Even though it was an impossible situation…he didn't find hope but rather a solution for himself.'

As if replying to my words the ring that I had matched with his began shaking as the gemstones started losing their color. 

"Raftiel what does this mean?"

[The boy…he's at death's door.]

"Death's door?!" I got strangely nervous. 

[Death's door…he probably has around a few hours left at most.]

I sheathed my rapier holding my hand out towards air as a black mist left my palm and began taking shape.

[Cawww..What do you need master?] Spoke a giant crow the size of one of the trees.

"Fly" I spoke in a commanding tone as I leapt onto it's back

[Caww got it.]

The crow, Ruemy, flew into the air at high speeds until she got to a cliff. I jumped off Ruemy's back before she landed, absorbing her back in through my palm, and landed on the cliff. 

I took out a key from one of my pockets, turning it in the air opening the gateway. 

I ran through the sewer towards the manhole jumping out of it. 

'How do I find him?'

[Channel energy through the ring and think of searching for him] he said, sounding oddly perplexed.

I was too but there was hardly enough time to think. I did as he instructed as a light green string shot out of it going towards a certain direction. 

I jumped onto a building's roof jumping from roof to roof to get there quickly.

I arrived at a large building which I walked into only to be stopped by an idiotically large man in a black suit. 

"Private property." He stated.

"Move." I commanded looking him in the eye. 

"I said private property so move along sweetheart and take that string or whateva with ya." 

I reached for the hilt of my rapier but was stopped by a sudden voice.

The elevator let out a ding and out walked a woman with long dark brown hair and light eyes. 

"Move!" She commanded the man to which he listened.

She ran up to me and asked frantically, "You can help him right?!"

[She's most likely his mother]

"Yes, yes I can."

"Then hurry."

She grabbed my wrist with an inhumane amount of strength dragging me along into the elevator nearly breaking my wrist.

[She's strong enough to snap you in half with a finger so be careful.]

The elevator doors opened and there Asher was lying on the floor bleeding out through his skull and mouth. 

I ran up to him kneeling down and pressing my hand on his chest as Raftiel's mist blanketed his body. 

"How long has he been like this?!" I asked

"Around 4 minutes and that weird string appeared around 2 minutes ago."

[You got the alert on your ring 4 minutes ago so she's not lying.]

'I got here that fast?'

[Yes.]

'Is he alright now?'

{Yes he'll just need water.]

"He's fine, he'll just need some water" I repeated to his mother. 

"Thank you…thank you so much." Tears streamed down her face as she collapsed onto the floor. 

'A mother…'

Asher's eyes opened as they looked at me.

—--------------------Asher's perspective—-----------------------------------------

'Am I dreaming?'

I looked at Ciel who had her hand on my chest. Her eyes lit up even in this dim lighting and her silky black hair looked as smooth as ever even tied up as it was. And she was wearing what looked like a black hoodie. 

"Ciel?"

"Yes."

Her voice sounded weaker and more fragile than before. I reached up towards her face and put my thumb right under her eye feeling that it was wet.

'Was she crying?'

She looked shocked as she questioned, "What?'

I looked into her eyes that carried a tinge of sadness before asking her a question of my own. 

"Why are you sad?"

She flinched and looked at me with an emotion I never expected from her….anxiety. 

"What do you me-"

 Before I could hear her reply completely my consciousness once again faded.