Chapter four: Missing class

Chapter four of SE please enjoy

Chapter 4: Missing class

 

 

I awoke in a daze and slowly sat up, as I released a loud yawn. It was oddly quiet and as I got out of bed I glanced at the clock. It was almost nine! I am going to be so late! Why the hell didn't they wake me? They’ll kick my a*s for being late, but wont wake me up on time? Rushing to dress myself I tripped over my pant leg and fell flat on my face with a rumbling thud. What a good way to start the day! Though falling hurt, it woke me up fully and I sprung back continuing to get my s**t together.

 

"Vyon! Why the hell are you still here?" My mother shouted furiously from downstairs.

 

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I shouted back slipping into my jeans, which were tight enough to not warrant a belt

 

"I thought you could handle that on your own!" Her condescending tone was filled with frustration and disappointment.

 

"Not my fault the alarm didn't go off!" Shouting back, I actually felt a little guilty for being mad, but she yelled at me first.

 

"Just go to school!" Her violent screams un-muffled as I opened my door and ran down the hall to the door.

 

"Have a nice day." I muttered sarcastically, sprinting outside as she slammed the door.

 

Running to the sidegate, I kicked it open without slowing down at all. Once I reached the end of the street I made the turn and started up the long road toward school. Running was getting hard on my breathing, so I slowed to a walk then stopped for a few seconds. Bending over, I put my hands on my knees and took long, deep, slow breaths. One of those breaths triggered the powerful outward pain deep within my chest. I coughed slightly, but couldn't get air behind it. As I gasped for air, I continued to hear coughing, hacking, and wheezing of a dismal sort. This sound caused me to choke on my own breath and I stood up straight looking around for the source of the added noise. From a small alley way ahead of me the noise grew louder as a horrid, slinking creature crawled into view. It moved slowly, in deliberate, flopping motions but I could tell it was after me.

 

The pale, putrid yellow creature looked slick in the sunlight as it slowly dragged itself along with two thin tube like arms. The figure was somewhat shaped like a person, but warped beyond recognition... It had no head, instead, the hole in its neck held a mouth similar to the first creature I saw, with the needle thin teeth. This horrid sucking hole, lined with bloody jagged fangs, was what produced this coughing and wheezing. This creature did not have legs either, instead it had an abnormally long spinal cord, which thrashed around as the creature moved. The torn apart torso achieved mobility using its two meek arms that looked like tubes of slimy cookie dough, dotted with dark splotches and oozing leaks. Paralyzed by the horror I was seeing, I only managed to take a few steps backward before the long spinal tail whipped forward and pierced my shoulder! Falling onto my side, I cried out and clutched my now bleeding shoulder, as the creature rushed toward me with frightening speed. Watching my feet plant beneath me, I saw a spray of blood shoot from my calf as a thin piece of bone shot straight through and then back out again. Crying out in torment I fell to one knee clutching the insufferable piercing pain that grinded at my entire being.

"Help! Someone f*****g help me!" I cried out crawling a short distance as the disgusting choking sound followed with growing intensity. "Help me please! HELP!" Rolling over, I barely managed to dodge another attack from this creature sharp stinger.

 

As the abomination neared, I reared my good leg back and landed a solid kick to the shoulder section causing it to stagger and fall to the ground for a moment. It reacted by slashing its spiked tail around in a small arch, but it missed narrowly. Kicking again I managed to push the beastly torso backward and knock it to the ground with only the spinal cord lashing about violently. At this point it was making disturbing groaning noises as it struggled to rise. I was also having great difficulty standing. The leg this creature hit was my already wounded one and the amount of blood I have lost, had to be life threatening. Pushing back I tried to keep crawling away, but once mobile again this ghastly thing pursued me with unnatural determination. As it neared me and I prepared to kick it again, my frantic breathing now turned to whimpers, the creature stopped and began choking. It repeated this hacking, wretching action a few times until it seemed to force itself to grow another jaw! Four fangs sprouted from decayed flesh, as the shoulders of this monstrosity began to change shape. Parts of the back and shoulders snapped grotesquely as they formed a snake like mouth around these new fangs. A faint cry of terror escaped my lips as the monster released a guttural roar, that sprayed blood onto the concrete from. It’s new maw aligned with the hooked serpentine fangs, which encased the now more active throat hole. With a lash of the spinal tail it pierced my leg a few times in rapid succession as I tried to scramble away. Howling with pain the creature landed a solid stab and used my weight to pull itself forward snapping violently.

"HELP! God please!" My cries went unanswered, as I meekly kicked at the beast with my good leg and tried to pry the spike from my leg. “Someone... Please!”

 

Watching the horrid torso pull my leg toward the wheezing maw, I cried out one last time but this time was answered. A blur fell from the sky and crushed the creature beneath it with an impact so powerful I was toppled backward a few feet. As I cleared my head, I looked up to see a tall man rising from a crouched position, his long gray ponytail fluttering in the wind behind him. The monstrous torso screeched and lashed at the man cutting and stabbing him man times before it began to die. As the monsters strength began to wane the older man grabbed a hold of the long spinal cord with ease and delivered a powerful stomp to the creatures back. Though it was disgusting, I enjoyed watching that thing get squashed like a f*****g bug! A wet, splintering snap accompanied the slow, methodical separation of spinal chord and body. The maw opened and hissed out thick black ooze as it began to convulse. The screaming this disgusting monster made was unlike anything I have ever heard before and when paired with the pain I felt it was unbearable. Soon though I felt my own strength thinning and I fell flat against the ground as the creatures cries of death began to fade. My vision was getting blurry as I groaned, sobbed, and clutched my bleeding leg. Above me a blurry face appeared in my field of sight, but I could barely make it out. I smiled and said thank you a few times in a slurred voice.

 

"I know you don't believe me... But everything will be alright..." His words faded more and more, as I tried to move but was only overwhelmed with crippling agony.

 

Rolling onto my side I continued sobbing and let out a long scream of pain that started low pitch but eventually hit a sufferingly high note. This is not real! What if I can't walk again? Kicking my good leg in a desperate effort to get relief I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder and I passed out shortly after. The unending pain gripped me right until the end, when I lost the power to remain awake.

 

"Hello?" A distant voice called seeming to echo in and out of my thoughts. "Is there anybody in there?" The voice was more solid this time and closer as I felt my eyes flutter open slightly.

 

"Wh-where... am I?" I asked the mysterious male voice, unable to even open my eyes yet.

 

"Relax kid. Just be calm." He said placing a hand on my shoulder but I stirred anyway only bringing myself pain.

 

"Who are you?" I asked clearing my vision after blinking several times and wincing through the pain.

 

"Just relax! You lost a lot of blood kid. You need to rest." His voice was a bit more stern this time and it was a accompanied by him gripping my shoulder tighter. "Hina! Bring me water!" He called turning away from me but then looking back as my vision cleared fully.

 

The older guy was tan skinned and had dark violet colored eyes. Which caught my attention immediately. His graying hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but it was loose and at several points had frayed free, so it hung over his forehead unevenly. With a smile he leaned toward me, his wrinkled forehead flexing as he lifted his eyebrows in a friendly manner. His long chin was tipped with a thick soul patch and partial goatee, that still held a little black color. His face was strong, but despite the sternness, he seemed friendly, with a chill smile and beaming eyes. He leaned back after a few seconds and examined me, making a pained face as he reached my leg with his eyes. Looking down I was surprised to find it still attached and in tact. Though bandaged heavily I could barely feel any pain, even when I tried to move it!

 

Peering around the room it was like I awoke in the past. Everything was made of wood and little technology could be seen amongst the endless sea of books, candles, and stray papers. The old man sat on a small wooden stool beside the well maintained bed I was resting in. The wallpaper was peeling at every corner and the lack of electric lights told me this was a very old house. The wooden floor boards, each held down with four thick nails, had a musty smell to them that gave this room an overall rustic feel. Leaning forward I managed to sit up regardless of the old mans protests. The pain was incredible, but after a few seconds it seemed to dull and I was able to shake off most of it.

 

"Where am I?" I asked again gazing directly into his dark, colorful eyes.

 

"You’re safe. I brought you back to my house after you passed out." He replied, leaning back with a friendly smile growing across his face.

 

"What happened? What was that... thing?" My weak quivering words did not match my intense staring face at all.

 

Just then a young woman stepped into the doorway behind him. Her vibrant green eyes shone with youth and intrigue as she stared at me for a few moments. Her brown hair was done into a bun behind her head except for one thin braid that hung down the left side of her face, behind her ear. She was wearing a simple pink shirt and brown cargo shorts with laces hanging from the leg holes. She had a petite figure and a pouty set of cheeks, but her vivid smile was by far the most noticeable feature. Approaching she smiled even wider and handed me a glass of water. Snatching it, I gulped it down, quickly realizing I was dying of thirst! With a long pleasured sigh, I panted for a few seconds once I finished the water.

"Thank you." I replied softly and breathily.

 

"No problem! How ya feelin?" She asked putting a hand on her hip, as she took the cup back.

"Who are you people?" I replied looking between the two faces in utter confusion not caring to answer her question.

"I'm Hiromasa. But you can call me Hiro." The older guy said waving slightly in a somewhat uncomfortable manner.

 

"Hi! My names Hina." The girl replied bouncing in place slightly.

 

After a moment of silence she looked uneasily at the older dude. "This is wierd isn't it?" He muttered looking up at her then back to me. "Yeah you look freaked out..." His nonchalant attitude was actually sort of calming considering the last thing I remember was so terrifying.

"What is all this? Tell me what the hell happened!" My loud demanding tone made the girl flinch, but the old guy just smiled.

 

"Alright don't get all frazzled." Hiromasa replied throwing both hands up as he bowed his head for a moment. "What you saw is called a Fuzen. I can only assume you have been seeing them more and more lately huh?" His tone got a bit more serious as he leaned up in his chair to speak with me.

 

"You see them too? I-I'm not crazy?" My shaky questions spilled out the second I heard any shred of explanation.

"No you aren't crazy. You're one of us." Hiro responded filling my head with even more questions as I stared puzzled into his eyes.

 

"What the hell are you talking about?" I practically shouted now, my face tightening with frustration and bits of fear.

 

"Vyon you may not know this but you are very... different. You aren't human..." Hiromasa began to explain, his uneasy words and wandering eyes only put more stress on my throbbing mind.

 

"Now you sound crazy! What the hell are you talking about?" I was shouting now but they didn't seem too concerned about that at all.

"You are what is known as a Sin splitter. You... we, are the only thing stopping those demons from killing people." Hiromasa spoke with a sharp, deep tone that almost forced me to listen, regardless of how intent I already was. "We have the power within us to fight Fuzen and protect humanity." Hiro's words were hard to believe but the way he spoke told me he wasn't insane, or at least he didn't think he was.

 

"I know it is alot to take in, but considering what you saw is this really that far fetched?" Hina asked tilting her head and folding her arms.

"So..." I began slowly, looking down at the bed. "Let me get this straight. I am a... soldier or something... that hunts monsters?" I asked skeptical and almost taunting how psychotic this all sounded. "Right..." I let the sarcastic word hang in my mouth to show I didn't believe them. Holy s**t I gotta get out of here!

"Boy, did I not just save you from getting your leg ripped off?" Hiromasa snapped, his eyebrows lowering in disappointment and an insulted scowl growing. "I think I deserve a little bit more respect or at least your thanks!" Hiromasa stated looking away, as if I hurt his feelings or he was in deep thought.

 

"You’re right... Thank you Hiromasa." My response came quickly since that was a bad way of handling this situation. "I'm sorry, but you do understand how hard this is to believe?" My question held all of my courtesy and I tried my hardest to sound genuine.

 

"Given what you’ve seen... is this so hard to try and accept?" Hina replied by repeating her previous statement with emphasis on the word try.

 

Silence took hold of my mouth, as I continually searched for words to debate with. She was completely right though and I had no room for arguing. These last three days I've felt like I was going insane so hearing this, however hard to believe, makes me feel better. Before it felt like I was in a waking nightmare and I had no one to lean on... not even my friends. Something deep inside of me was still not ready to fully trust these two strangers, but my curiosity was peaked. With a deep breath I looked up at them, a reluctant smile growing as I sighed with confusion. The more I tried to rationalize what I have been seeing, the more I was intrigued by the words they spoke. Not that I believe it entirely, but I am interested in what they had to say and was willing to listen.

 

"What makes you think I am a..." The words trailed from my opened mouth as I tried to remember what he called it.

 

"A Sin splitter." Hiro repeated plainly. "I know you are one, because normal people cannot see Fuzen without special training." His explanation left much to be desired, but at lest he was answering me.

 

"What exaclty is a... Fuzen?" My questioning tone slowly turned from disbelief to expectation as I spoke.

 

"To put it simply they are negative emotions manifested into physical form. Understand?" Hiromasa, though seemingly wise, spoke complete nonsense.

 

"Not really..." I muttered awkwardly looking at my bandaged knee.

"Alright let me start from the beginning then." Hiro smiled as he leaned forward balancing his elbows on his knees.

 

"I love this story!" Hina exclaimed dropping to the floor in a seated position.

 

"Back when the universe was first created only two forces existed, the Angel and the Demon. Good and evil. They were at war with one another over who would control the planets and all their inhabitance. The Angel eventually found victory by creating Sin splitters to defeat the armies of the Demon and protect humanity. But as the Demon was defeated he cursed mortal beings with hate, rage, malice, jealousy, and all other bad emotions. These negative forces create Fuzen who take horrid forms and live only to consume more lives. You are a descendant of one of the Angels soldiers... you are a Sin splitter. Making any sense kid?" Hiromasa spoke as if these words had left his mouth many times before, but comprehending what he said, I was still unable to just accept it easily...

 

"I don't really know what to say..." I muttered scanning his face then looking at Hina who had a fading smile.

 

"It sounds really hard to believe, but is what you saw earlier any easier to understand?" Hiro asked raising an eyebrow as he saw I still had no counter point to that statement.

 

“We need to find another argument Hiro…” Hina shook her head, palm across her face.

 

"So what I have been seeing lately... are bad feelings?" I asked after a few seconds of repeating all that he has said in my brain.

 

"Actually, at one point every Fuzen was a human being..." Hiromasa said somberly as he bowed his head for a moment.

 

"What? They aren't human!" I snapped, as I thought back to the horrid creatures I encountered over the last three days. "They don't look much like humans..." My words slipped out in whispers, as I tried to process this new info quickly but was unable to.

 

"Yes, they were at one point human. All of them…" Hina replied sternly, her face growing into a cold scowl as she stared at the floor.

 

"When enough negativity possesses a host that persons soul is slowly sealed away." Hiro began to explain drawing Hina's gaze. "Once this happens the human body will begin to mutate and then they are a Fuzen within a few days..." His words trailed off and I felt my entire body tense with anger.

 

If this is true then, my friends... my family is in danger! What if this happened to Lyra? I could not live with myself if I let anything happen to her or anyone else I loved! Something seemed to snap and I began to believe them more and more. Just listening is one thing, but thinking back on the awful monsters I have been seeing lately, I feared for myself and my family. So many questions flooded my head like a dam just broke open, allowing me to think on a different level. The harder I tried to pick a single question the more insignificant it seemed compared to other things I wanted to ask.

 

"You said I have the power to destroy Fuzen... How did I get that power?" I asked, immediately wanting to change my question.

 

"Normally when a person is born they have one half of their own soul and one half of their ancestors souls. This usually mixes and creates one unique spirit for that person, but in a Sin splitters case, they never coalesce." He explained moving his hands around as he spoke for visual aid. "Having only half our spirit brings us closer to the afterlife, which allows us to see Fuzen. The dormant ancestral spirit can be used to harm Fuzen in a multitude of ways." His explanation though still bizarre was very interesting to listen to.

 

A small sigh escaped my lips when he was finished speaking. Since I don't know my parents or my family tree, I was unaware they were freaks of nature. One half of my brain was struggling to believe, but the other half simply wanted to learn more! This may be absolute bat-s**t nonesensen, but... I do believe what I’ve been experiencing is far beyond insanity! If I am a... Sin splitter then I will need to know all about my enemy, the Fuzen. Suddenly my chest was struck with waves of forceful pain. Clawing at my torso through my shirt, I let out a loud groan of agony as I flailed on the bed, unable to find relief. After a few moments it died down and I was left breathing heavily still unable to explain this internal pressure.

 

"Have you been dealing with that lately?" Hiromasa asked once I had calmed down and my breathing steadied.

"Y-yes... what is it?" My shaky voice sounded pitiful.

 

"That is the feeling of your powers trying to reach the surface." Again he would have sounded crazy had I not been in such pain. "We can easily coax it out and the pain will subside." His words were like painkillers as hearing them instantly made me feel better.

 

"How does that work?" I responded after catching my breath and gulping a few times to remove unwanted saliva from my mouth.

 

"Just relax Vyon. I need to ask... are you committed to this?" His broad voice became somewhat hoarse as he asked his question. "I cannot force you to change your life, but you will never be able to escape your purpose. Fuzen will constantly hunt you and everyone you care about..." His gravelly voice returned to its strong state, as he warned me with only a scrap of sympathy.

 

"Then when can I start fighting back?" I asked using the strongest voice I could muster.

 

"He reminds me of you a little bit Hiro!" Hina's voice chimed in and reminded me she was in the room.

 

"This is your last chance Vyon." Hiromasa declared intently staring deep into my eyes as he put his hand out toward me. "If you take my hand, your life will never be the same. You will have a level of responsibility that you can’t begin to imagine..." His sullen voice was smoother than his normal speaking voice, but sounded more passionate. "You will be the only thing standing between life and death. But you will not be alone." He scanned my face with unblinking eyes, which made me uncomfortable, so I looked at the bed to try and focus the whirlwind in my head.

 

Images of my friendly family slowly conjured before my eyes. Lovely Lyra with her vibrant personality slowly faded into the frightening darkness of my shut eyes. Stalwart Shio standing silently awaiting a friend became a distant vision as I thought of Fuzen finding him first. Zephyr souled Zenex ran to greet me but fell into a deep pool of emptiness and vanished from sight. Mentally mastered Maxwell looked up at me just as he was torn from view by a series of clawed hands. Tears developed, but I blinked them away and inhaled heavily to prevent them from returning. The thought of any one of them being harmed caused a violent headache to grow across my brain. Even worse, if those monsters are created by negative emotions... then how many have I created during my long life of hatred and anger? If a Fuzen made from me hurt one of my friends... I wouldn't be able to go on living...

"There is no doubt in my mind..." I slowly stated raising my head to stare at his dark purple eyes. "I want... No, I have to do this!" I replied taking his hand in a strong grasp and shaping my face to show ultimate confidence.

 

"If that is the path you choose to follow..." He muttered under his breath looking at the floor for a second. "Sorry about this..." His eyes shot back to mine and began to glow a vibrant violet.

 

Suddenly the pain in my chest returned, one hundred times worse. The powerful driving pain was pushing inward this time, which hurt so much more! Thrashing in dismay, I tried to release my hand from his grasp, but was unable to. Trying to cry out I found that my voice was not working. Instead I just gasped lightly and continued to writhe. Pressure built inside my chest and I fell from the bed staring up at Hiromasa. He peered back unblinking and unflinching, while I begged for mercy. Pulling with all my remaining strength, I began sputtering half breaths as I tried to speak, but my words died before leaving my mouth. My entire body felt like it was being smashed through a vice and his hand was winding it closed with a simple touch. This horrible inward crushing feeling seemed to generate from him just being near me, as pulling away made the pain reduce slightly even though he still held me firmly. Deep inside of me beyond the crushing feeling I felt that outward pressure spark back into existence and began burning strong. This feeling grew and grew until I no longer felt the crushing force and the outward pressure was no longer painful. His grasp loosened and I yanked my hand away scrambling to the corner of the room uncontrollably. This feeling... the outward pushing inside my chest was different. Now it felt more like an inner warmth and my body felt lighter now, as I wearily tried to rise to my feet. It was as if something was internally carrying me, holding my body up, when I had no strength remaining.

 

"What the hell was that?" My furious words shot out as I caught my breath.

 

"Your other soul was asleep and I had to use my own power to wake it up." Though I could understand his words I didn't understand the pain. "It is a very common procedure amongst Sin splitters." Hiromasa finished his statement with a small nod of his head.

 

Attempting to stand again my knees gave out and I fell to all fours with a small cry of pain. "Do you need help?" Hina instantly offered her voice full of sympathy.

 

"No... I'll be fine." My voice betrayed me as it sounded like I struggled to speak.

 

"Sorry kid. I really hated doing that, but it needed to happen." Hiro's apologetic tone mixed with his sincere gaze made me feel bad for getting angry.

 

"You should, honestly, try to get used to it." Hina said as she stood up easily. "In our line of work we take some hits. It would be a good idea to get used to pain." Her tone sunk a little, but Hiromasa nodded in confirmation adamantly.

 

"How do you feel Vyon?" He asked with a certain level of worry in his voice, which made me feel... accepted.

 

"Really weird, there is a wild feeling in my chest. I haven't felt anything like it before..." My voice trailed off as focusing on this feeling made it intensify.

 

"Don't worry this feeling will become natural to you in a very short while." Hiromasa said hauling me to my feet. "That pushing feeling is your ancestors power finding it's way around your body and mind." Hiro finished tapping me in the chest with two fingers.

"How do I... use it?" The way I spoke made me sound kind of stupid and I regretted not thinking first.

"You will need a lot of practice to comprehend these abilities and how to use them properly." His hand moved to my shoulder as he smiled down at me.

 

Waving for me to follow he headed out of the doorway and through his house. We entered a much larger room that was a double ended hallway attached to an open living room. Two closed doors stood at each end of this hall and the front door was open leaving only the screen to stop intruders. A simple television set sat in this room opposite a worn tan couch, all atop a fraying rug. Three tall stools waited at the kitchen island, which was a type of granite. It was a little unsettling to walk through a strangers house but I followed eagerly. Pushing the door open I understood why he left his door unlocked and opened. We’re in the middle of the woods! Though connected to the southern portion of the school grounds, the forest surrounding us stretched for miles into the next state. A small wooden fence separated the somewhat tamed landscape, from the wilds of nature. It felt good to breath out here and the sweet feeling of freedom tinted every breath. You could practically taste the trees, which crisped the air with their presence.

 

"Vyon, here you will learn the basics of being a Sin splitter." Hiromasa called back causing me to straighten up intently.

 

"I'll do my best!" I replied firmly, which caused an odd smile from him.

 

"First technique you should learn is how to summon your aura." Hiromasa spoke lifting one hand toward the end of his statement.

 

Hina stepped back and pulled me along, as Hiromasa widened his stance. Dust shot out from beneath him, as loud rumbling began to emanate from the ground. Closing his eyes Hiromasa slowly lifted one hand as a high pitched charging sound followed it into an uproar. An immense wave of phantom force hit me and I staggered from its sudden arrival. Closing his hand a thin corona of purple light slowly grew from his being as the sound grew unstable, like crackling electricity. Throwing his arm downward he left a trail of purple flame that spread around him in an expanding sphere! Before my eyes I watched as another human being was burned alive until even his silhouette was obscured from view! Staring as the fire swirled in a tornado shape, it seemed to slow for a second before being blasted outward in a raging plume. In the center stood Hiromasa with an aura of furious purple flame all around him. His wrists and ankles produced constant jets of fire in elongated upward streams. All around him violet pyrotechnics danced and sailed about in a mobile bonfire that outlined his body. I could hear it crackling, burning away at his body and clothes, but nothing was damaged! As he stepped forward I felt the crushing force shove me harder and I quickly understood this must be the power he has been talking about. The violet inferno flowed behind him like a wind struck cloak as he moved! Never for a second did he fully escaping the tomb of unearthly fire! Holy hell! Wh-what am I seeing? H-how is this...

 

"This is called a sin aura." Hiromasa said triumphantly, holding a blazing hand outward for effect. "It is what happens when you, as a sin splitter, try to use your ancestral soul instead of your birth given one." The way he explained it made little sense but I was eager as hell to try it!

 

"That's badass! Holy s**t, that’s so cool! Does it hurt, do you feel it?" I called out staring wide eyed at the fiery whirlwind.

 

“No this is spiritual energy, not actual fire. I feel no pain.” Hiro responded, transfixing me with even the slightest movements.

 

Each and every movement caused reactions from his cloak of conflagration. A simple wave of the hand unleashed a hellish crackling and waves discharged heat. Each step called roars from the inferno and scattered torch like plumes from his lower body. Embers were released from his illuminated form, giving the illusion of him burning alive, yet he stood fine. Watching another human being ignite with scorching force would’ve petrified most, but his confidence and the sheer awe kept pushing my emotions toward rapture.

 

"Wow, holy s**t... So that lets you kill Fuzen?" I asked stepping toward him against an invisible wall of force.

"Well, no... this is only step one." His reply was followed by a wave of his hand that caused a stream of flame to leap off and quickly return in a tight arch. "After you master how to summon your aura, you will need to learn how to use it in combat." He folded his arms and the fire reacted by burning tighter around his torso. "Then you need to learn about your Split soul and that’s never easy..." Hiromasa's voice took on a comically irritated tone.

"What's a split soul?" I asked excitedly, a grin grew across my face upon hearing that cool word pairing.

"When you are skilled enough you can actually force your ancestral spirit into the real world. Think of the Split soul as a personalized weapon schematic!" As he explained this my face lit up to the point I was gushing with excitement.

 

"Alright so how do I... do that?" I pointed at his aura, again feeling stupid for the way I asked my question.

 

"Focus on that feeling in your chest. Let it fill your senses." Hiro explained placing two fingers on his chest and tapping a few times.

 

"Yeah I can feel it..." I trailed off as I began focusing on the enigmatic feeling, deep within my heart.

 

"You always will!" Hiromasa chuckled softly. "All you have to do, is focus on that feeling enough and you will summon your aura." He continued pushing strands of hair from his face.

 

His words puzzled me a little, but I soon decided it must be as simple as he says. Closing my eyes the outward pressure became easier to concentrate upon. Cutting off the worlds stimuli, I began to feel this rampant storm fluxuate. After several seconds of silence, I felt a small flutter deep within my body. A spark of intensity at the center of my chest, like a single hand pushing harder amongst the rest. It was a shocking feeling and that quickly broke my concentration. Trying again I failed this time due to the overwhelming force Hiromasa was radiating. The third time I really thought I had it, but as it began to grow, the gathered pressure scattered around my body, which felt really weird! Like a windstorm had been captured and my body was used as the vessel to house it!

"I'm sort of feeling it, but your... uh, aura is breaking my focus." My words weren't as bad this time, but I do hate the way I talk.

 

"Lets just pretend my aura represents a Fuzen trying to claw your eyes out." He scoffed in response flaring the burning shell that encased his personal space.

 

"Alright chill, I get it.” Waving a hand his way showed I understood.

 

This time I shut out as much as I possibly could. I listened to my breathing and I closed my eyes tight. Within my chest this outward force began to slowly spread to my shoulders and down my stomach. As this feeling reached my hands I clenched them into fists causing my body heat to spike. The shifting waves of potent pressure moved through my entire body and I felt like I was going to burst a blood vessel! The heat became unbearable and I began growling in pain as my fists lifted to my chin. My ears were overtaken by a loud surging sound and as I opened my eyes that sound exploded into a cacophony of bizarre proportion. All excess heat was expelled from my body in one forceful breath, as a catastrophic noise overtook everything in my senses!

 

Peering around me, my world was plunged into a blinding existence of hell like proportions. All around me I could see nothing but bright yellow fire. With another explosion of sound, my world was shifted and I was in Hiromasa's backyard once again. Surrounding my wrists and creeping up my hands was a field of tangible yellow flame. Looking past my hands I could see that the ground around my feet had been burned slightly in a small ring. Each ankle released a torch like bundle of fiery force, that flowed lightly in the wind behind me. Looking up I met Hiro's eyes and he smiled broadly, his pride beaming through. Being on fire had me panicking for a few seconds, but that quickly succumbed to my excitement and I began laughing uneasily.

"Good work!" I heard Hina cry from behind me.

"Impressive Vyon!" Hiromasa added with a nod of approval.

My mouth could not work... The sight of my body burning before my eyes seized my brain and held my tongue. The spectral golden-yellow fire flowed from my body in a seemingly infinite supply. As I looked around myself, I saw that I could not find a single location that did not produce a gleaming aura of yellow light. The flames mostly radiated from my wrists and ankles but my body was also encased in cloud of mobile fire. Cinders and streams of searing flame leapt around my body as I moved my hands upward. Hiromasa's aura didn't even register to me now. As if my power was enough to hold it back!

 

"Holy hell, this is incredible!" My voice cried out over the ambient burning sound.

"This is only the beginning. You’re a bit unstable, so it’ll take some practice to summon with ease." Hiro's response was clear over the flame, even though he spoke at a normal volume.

All at once the weightless warmth in my body disappeared and I watched the fire burn away into tiny wisps, before vanishing all together. Instantly I tried again but found it more difficult this time, as I was far to excited to focus properly! Laughing as I lost concentration, the energy scattered within me rampantly, which jarred my body a little. Looking up, I figured it was time to respond to Hiromasa, it was rude of me to ignore him.

"What do you mean unstable?" The question formulated quickly.

 

"Each power is unique to us, our individuality and ancestors make it so." Hiromasa allowed his aura to vanish as he began to speak. "Some Sin splitters have chaotic energy that is difficult to control, but some have smooth, flowing power that is easily manipulated." As he said this he shot a quick grin toward Hina, then shared it with me.

 

"Am I... strong?" The question felt weighted and my heart sank a little upon asking it.

Hiromasa stared at me a second his eyes blinking slowly. "Yeah, of course! All Sin splitter, no matter how weak, are strong in some way! Just like people!" Hiromasa's words felt sort of corny but it made me feel better.

"Alright..." I began shifting my gaze for a second. "What should I learn first?" My voice and vision returned strongly to Hiro's face.

 

"Just watch for right now. Remember, we’re just trying to get you acclimated. Don't rush yourself." His response was paired with his aura’s flaring into existence.

“How can I not?” Bouncing on my toes, I eagerly awaited instructions.

“Just focus and watch. This should be quite easy for you.” Hiro waved me into giddy silence.

 

The purple violet flames burned almost separately from him, the conduit, holding its shape together. Watching his trail of cosmic flames flow behind him I saw him take a strange stance for a moment, like a runner preparing for a race. He kicked off the ground with both feet, his back leg extending fully to propel him forward, but he didn't go far... As he moved forward his entire figure vanished in an instant! A gray blur laced with purple flames replaced my image of him, once he completed this sprining motion. Before I could even react, a cloud of violet fire burst into existence across the yard... He just teleported! Though not an impressive distance the speed was astonishing! With another kick off the ground, he transported from one location to the other within seconds. My eyes must have looked like dinner plates, as I stared in slack jawed amazement. He laughed a bit then shook my shoulder playfully to get my attention.

 

"Try it! Bring your aura up." Hiromasa commanded, waving a hand upward simultaneously.

Shutting my eyes, I tried to focus solely on this bizzare new feeling, but faltered a few times. With a deep breath, I managed to hold this power under my focus, causing it to spread quickly. Though I still lost the connection once or twice, soon the sensation of inner fire crossed from my soul and into my whole body. As this feeling took hold, I opened my eyes and watched myself begin to glow. Thin wisps of radiance followed my hands and as I closed them into fists, a curtain of fire washed over me. Laughing at the ease of use, I smiled to Hiromasa, but he was across the yard waving. With a small displacement of purple flame, he was at my side again, near the house.

 

"This technique is called soul sprint. It’s pretty simple, but like anything, it’ll take practice to master. Best instructions I can give you, is to focus on where you want to go." Hiro explained pointing straight at the goal, his fence across the yard. "Imagine the time it would take to get there. Pretend you’re already there once you start moving." He continued stepping away from me, his voice hinting at excitement.

 

"Alright..." I whispered taking a moment to ponder those instructions.

 

Though it felt bizzare accepting all this so swiftly, it was impossible to ignore how excited I was. Seeing is believing after all! Unsure of how to proceed, I tried to copy his actions. I bent my knee’s and kicked off, but only sailed forward a few feet, then touched down. Staring at the trees across the yard, I pictured myself standing over there, as instructed.

 

Broken light punched through the canopy and spilled over my skin. The sickly sweet smell of nature surrounded my senses like fog. The uneven ground beneath my feet was jagged with rocks and branches. Keeping all of this in my mind vividly, I tried again. It wasn’t what I expected, but I felt a sudden push throw me forward. Like I was shoved from behind, a sudden force amplified my own efforts. Next thing I knew, my feet were touching down in the middle of the yard! Even though I didn't make it across the lawn, I had moved a dramatic distance for such a small leap! The blinding fire encasing me flared wildly, but settled once I did.

 

It was a bit disorienting, suddenly being somewhere else, but the power I weilded was far more mind boggling. It took me a few seconds to believe it, but the feeling was to natural. Within seconds I was moving like a bullet! Darting around the yard, I let out shouts of joy each time I appeared. Looking toward Hiro with a face filling grin, I saw him vanish from existence without so much as a step. A spreading wall of purple fire appeared before me, quickly regrouping on him once he appeared.

 

"See it's easy!" He said making an OK sign with his hand. "Were running out of daylight, so lets move on." Hiromasa used his hand like a visor to peer through the tall trees. "What I want to show you next... will be a dream come true." Hiromasa stated, brimming with constrained smiles.

 

"In the last hour you told me I'm a super hero! What other dreams could I have?" My excited voice came out in rampant bursts.

 

The sudden sound of flowing fire and whipping clothing caught my attention. Looking for Hiro, all I saw was a column of purple flame, slowly flowing upward as it dispersed. Tracking it, my eyes shot to the sky and found Hiromasa, standing motionlessly in the air! The inferno surrounding his lower body had focused under his feet and burned up his legs tighter than normal. With a loud gasp, he lowered a few feet with effortless grace!

"You are a super hero Vyon." His voice was a friendly form of smug taunting.

 

"I... can... fly?" Unable to speak easily, my brain forced these words out as I slowly grabbed my head in disbelief.

 

"Yes, Vyon. You can fly!" Hiromasa paired this magical statement with a series of acrobatic movements, including a barrel roll!

 

My overwhelming excitement led me to try immediately! I leapt into the air focusing on already being in the sky. It did not work however... I appeared in front of Hiromasa for just a few moments but then began falling. Flailing and shouting, I fell quite a far distance and hit the ground flat on my back! Instantly winded, I groaned and rolled onto my side wheezing out weak sputtering breaths. Coughing loudly, spit flew from my mouth and I fell onto my back again, moaning in pain. Hina appeared in my vision and smiled down at me with pained, sympathetic eyes. She held her hand out and grabbing hold I felt her pull me to my feet. Hiromasa was laughing heavily as my hearing and vision cleared. Floating downward, he dropped to the ground and pat me on the shoulder.

"That is not how you fly!" Hiro mocked me playfully.

 

"I was eager... sorry." Straining I managed to push these words out, battling pain internally.

"No, that's good!" His face lit up as he said this. "You just need to learn first." Hiromasa stated bluntly patting me on the shoulder, which sent small tremors of pain down my back.

"You alright?" Hina asked rubbing her arm slightly.

 

"Yeah, I'm fine." My replied was strained due to the pain shooting through my spine.

 

"This is a great opportunity to show you another power you have!" Hiromasa exclaimed causing Hina's face to brighten.

"Give me a minute, ok... this really hurts." Saying this I clutched my stomach and took a few breaths to calm myself.

 

"Just try and focus your energy. If you can concentrate it on your wounds then the pain will go away!" Hiromasa explained sternly, but at first I didn't listen.

After a few moments I repeated his words in my head and decided to try. The outward pressure I now know as the feeling of power was still hard to comprehend. Gathering it while in pain was damn near impossible. After focusing and bunching it up in my chest, where most of my pain was centered, I began feeling a strange effect. When I summoned my aura, a gentle warmth swept over me. This feeling was so soothing and powerful that I released a small sigh of relaxation without consent. Slowly but surely the pain was being overtaken by the “energy” and right as I thought the pain was entirely gone, my aura surged into existence. My pain was nullified now and within seconds it became nonexistent! That was incredible! Have I seriously been able to do this my entire life? So many cuts, bruises, and broken bones would’ve been easily tolerable had I know of these powers!

 

"Wow... that was... that felt..." My voice was still a bit shaky as I trailed off in thought.

 

"Just remember, it does not actually close your wounds. If you are bleeding this will only stop the pain, but not heal your body." Hiromasa used a warning tone, which caught my attention quickly.

 

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind." My response was genuine as something told me I would be wounded on the "job".

"Let's move on, I bet your eager to fly!" As Hiro said this he lifted off the ground and hovered effortlessly, waves of purple fire exploding upward.

 

"Damn right!" Saying this I almost jumped again but instead just lifted onto my toes for a few seconds.

Looking upward Hiromasa shot into the sky without so much as a tensed muscle. It seemed to be entirely based on your mental focus! As he reached a reasonable height, where he had become a glowing speck, he stopped and looked down at me. With a wave of his arm he signaled for me to join him but I was unable to leave earth. Focusing heavily I imagined myself levitating off the ground, but that didn't do anything. After gathering a huge amount of the seemingly limitless power, I focused it into my feet and tried to take flight once more! Nothing happened however and I sighed softly looking toward Hiromasa who burned like a mini purple sun in the sky.

 

"Don't think about it Vyon! Just focus on your legs and pretend your aren't standing!" He called down, putting his hands to his mouth for amplification.

 

“Imagine you can walk on the air like stairs. Make gravity your b***h.” Hina said this so casually, I had to laugh.

Recharging my lower body, I felt my aura's heat intensify. It was hard to pretend I wasn't standing, when my feet are firmly planted on the ground. It took a few seconds, but soon I felt my body growing lighter, as it had before and I think I understood. As this lighter than air feeling took hold of my body I focused on ignoring anything else but it. My hair flared outward and I felt my entire being lift into the air before being dropped back to the ground. A few laughs of amazement left my lips before I tried again, undeterred by failure. Feeling a wave of energy leap forth, my aura seemed to change intensity and I felt my body leave the ground! Hovering now, I looked upward and sharpened my concentration as much as I could. This only achieved a tiny bit of altitude, however.

 

"Vyon! Once your in the air it takes zero effort! Now get up here!" Hiromasa's commanding voice had a hint of support behind it. “Come on fly, now!” He shouted.

 

Once I heard this it all sort of clicked. As if simply asking my body to fly, it levitated further. No way... I-I'm f*****g flying! I’M REALLY FLYING! Rocketing upward (at a pitiful pace), I sailed passed Hiromasa and into the sky with a loud cheer. Tearing across the sky I listened to the flapping of the soaring flames, as they trailed behind me. The wind in my face and the warmth of my aura was an incredible combination of feelings as well! Stopping before I went to far I could see all the way into the next county! The freeway stretching on for miles looked like a dark river below me! You cannot imagine the freedom of flying freely! No object held me aloft and no seat kept me in place, I soared on the mental wings of my spirit! Walking felt pitiful now and if I had my way, my feet will never touch land again! On my way back, I realized how far I actually went! I also discovered that emotion somehow tied into flying, as I was going a lot faster when I was more excited. With a few good thoughts I was cooking again! Hiro's huge cloud of billowing flame came into view and I struggled to slow down. Swinging my arms in panic, I found that I didn't know how to stop! A painful jarring hit my body as I was caught by the back of my neck.

 

"Come here, slow down boy!" Hiromasa shouted in frustration, after he caught and swung me around to a stop. "Relax! Calm down or your going to fall!" Shouting at me as I flailed, he used a warning tone to get my attention.

"Whoa... wait... hold on...!" Babbling out these words, I desperately fought to balance my legs beneath me.

 

It felt like my legs were on a turntable, each foot standing on a different disc. Any time my feet would slip I felt my body plummet forward. I managed to catch myself with a swift kick of my leg, and a bit of extra focus. Eventually I think I got it under control... More I think I got used to the feeling of using thin air as solid ground. With a small sigh my body lowered ever so slightly and I felt my feet hit something. As if standing on invisible platforms, each of my feet were firmly planted on nothing but mystic fire! The feeling was so surreal... to be standing on nothing, yet it felt as solid as concrete. Overwhelmed with the whole experience, I let out a howl of triumphant joy, throwing my arms up. This shifted my balanced and I flailed to maintain aerial balance!

 

"Having fun?" Hiromasa asked floating to my level.

"Hell yeah!" Shouting this, I spun around in the air, causing a slight loss of altitude.

 

"Well I'm glad." He said not happy, but not really angry either. "Wanna race?" Hiro asked raising an eyebrow, his tone changing toward cocky.

 

"Sure!" I exclaimed my aura flaring with my excitement.

"That mountain!" He pointed to the far distance, a looming figure, which partially formed the horizon.

"WHAT?" My dumbfounded voice cried out over the spectral snaps of the translucent fires.

 

"Just fly as fast as you can! Don’t stop, don’t look away, don’t focus on anything else." Hiromasa stated this with a bit of arrogance, but concern filled most of his voice.

 

"How do I go as fast as I can?" I air quoted "as fast as I can" just to be a jerk, but he only smirked.

 

"Figure it out! You’re f*****g flying after all!" Hiromasa stated bluntly as he rose further into the air.

 

He lifted his arm to signal our start and I got ready to run... Little good that did me. He shouted “go” and as I began running I moved two steps then plummeted toward the ground. As I fell I saw Hiromasa above, laughing wryly at my expense. Growling with anger I recovered by arching my back at just the right time, so my legs flipped under me. Instantly I was up in front of him, fire shooting outward from the sheer force of my movement. His laugh turned into a competitive smile as he disappeared from view in a flash of violet.

 

He was already far out of sight, but as I focused on the win I soon caught up with his fire trail! The violet embers were low to the ground and it had passed between two canyons, over a small waterfall, then traced a bridge. Just then, I saw him and the fire in my chest grew hotter! Craving victory over this old man I let out a shout, which caused me to blast forward incredibly fast! Watching him pass below me I laughed a few times, but the joy as short lived. With the sound equal to thunder, he was ahead of me again, this time further than I could have possibly hoped to catch! As I slowed from fatigue, I saw him perched atop the mountain and I decided to not even finish. We were in the middle of nowhere... all I could see were trees and prairies. Damn, I was exhausted... and starving! It was sort of hard to focus on staying aloft, but fearing shame I heightened my effort. No pun intended!

 

"Good run, Vyon!" Hiromasa called, casually flying at a speed I would struggle to maintain.

 

"Yeah, whatever!" I replied playfully, also impressed at how he stops on a dime!

 

"Let's head back, you have a lot more to learn." Hiromasa's friendly tone made the somewhat judging words, not as harsh.

 

Returning I found that flying was actually becoming a lot easier! Controlling my height took less effort now, but speed was still hard to build. I flew at a basic pace, which Hiro politely matched. I tried to go faster, but I was really tired and just couldn't do it. Hiromasa made it look effortless! He was able to swim through the air freely with nothing more than a little bit of hand motion. Darting in random directions, I watched him spiral downward only to shoot back up and perform a small backflip. He continued these aerial acrobatics the whole flight home, as if to show me what I could do... or to taunt me.

 

"This is insane! I still can’t believe this is real!" I called to him admiring the view of the land below. "I can't wait to show my friends!" I continued as we lowered to the ground in front of his house.

"No, your friends must never know about your sin splitting ancestry." Hiromasa spoke with a rock solid tone as he hit the ground, fire dispersing everywhere.

 

"Ok, ok, I understand. But, why?" My question felt a bit unnecessary.

 

"If they knew you were living in danger, then they would worry. Worry is a very powerful negative emotion." Though Hiro made sense, it was hard for me to see feelings as the enemy.

"But... if my friends saw me flying through the air, or fighting monsters... won't they be worried?" Asking this had a hint of sarcasm, but not enough to bother Hiromasa.

"Whenever your sin aura is summoned no normal person will be able to see you." Though Hiromasa stated this rather plainly, a cat like grin developed across my face.

"So I'm invisible?" Thoughts of mischief grew, causing Hiro to scoff and roll his eyes.

 

"Vyon! Your phone thing is making noises!" Hina cried to us, both her hands used to amplify her voice.

Looking toward Hina, I saw she was standing near my backpack. Ever so faintly I could make out my ringtone going off from within. Glancing at Hiro he nodded and waved for me to go. Eagerly I dashed across the yard, vanishing and reappearing by my bag. I think I have gotten the hang of that pretty well, but flying is going to take a lot more practice. Reaching to get my bag I dismissed the personal inferno with a mere thought. Stuffing my hand into the front pocket of my bag, I felt around until the bulky, cheap, metal object was in my grasp. Flipping it open, I saw that I had actually missed three calls and three messages had been left. Tapping the buttons quickly I played the first voicemail and placed my phone to my ear.

 

"Hey Vyon, where were ya today?" Zenex's voice cried through my phone speakers. "You sick? Call me man!" His voice was laced with just a fraction of worry.

 

"Hello Vyon, we missed you at school today. More important things to do than get an education?" Maxwell had left the second message. "You know I'm kidding, call me when you can." As it finished, I could practically hear Max smile at his own joke.

 

"Last ones from Lyra!" I muttered happily to myself, forgetting where I was.

"Who's that?" Hina asked as she leaned forward, her verdant eyes eagerly scanning my cellphone.

"A good friend of mine." I replied, a little uncomfortable with her interest in my private life.

"Heya Vyon! We had a bet going about where you were, I bet you just ditched! Got a good feeling I won! Call me!" She laughed towards the end of her message and it effected her voice in a funny way.

 

"Everything alright, kid?" Hiromasa asked taking a few steps toward us.

"Yeah! No problems!" Spinning around I dropped my phone onto my bag, I would have to reply later.

"We don't have that much time left." Hiro shoved a thumb over his shoulder, referencing the setting sun. "Come on, I have one more thing to teach you today." He waved me over seeming sort of annoyed with my slow going.

 

"Alright!" I tried to drown his frustration in excitement.

I returned to his side and eagerly awaited instructions. "Everything I teach you here will take years to master, but for now I need to know you can defend yourself." His voice sounded... worried, not many people worry about me...

"Don't worry! You won't have to save me again!" Replying confidently I tried to lighten his mood a little, his face was like a stone however.

"Sure, we'll see." His sarcasm was paired with a small grin as he took a step away from me. "Alright Vyon, now I want you to hit me. Don't hold back, I want to gauge your strength." He pushed his chest out and flexed his arms awaiting my punch.

 

"I don't wanna hurt you..." This natural response trailed off as I realized who I was talking to.

 

He chuckled at this. "Trust me kid, just hit me with all ya got." Hiromasa sounded a bit more casual now and I couldn't avoid smiling.

Rearing back I widened my stance and curled my hand into a fist. As I threw my arm forward it felt like I had punched a brick wall. Having several fathers through ought my life, I have learned a thing or two about fighting. Never before has a punch had such little effect. He's an old guy too! Hiromasa smirked at me and my face crossed with frustration. God damn it actually hurt...

 

"Alright, now summon your sin aura, then hit me again." He commanded preparing a lot more this time.

 

As I got ready, channeling enough power and allowing it be free, Hiromasa widened his legs and braced himself. Fire burning around me I stepped forward and delivered another straight punch to his open torso. The results were much different. As my fist connected I felt a rush of force flow through my body. The impact was much greater this time and Hiromasa stumbled backward releasing a small “oof”. Though not amazing results, the way it felt was unreal. Staring down at my burning fist the fire raged furiously around it, but then softened as I opened my hand. As each finger spread, the blaze slowly returned to its ghostly slowness and near transparent clarity.

 

"Nice hit boy!" Hiromasa said with a laugh, which I think was used to cover up pain.

"Thanks! So the sin aura makes me stronger?" I asked staring at the fire once more.

"Not exactly!" Hiro sounded pained, but after a few seconds seemed fine. "Your body is a lot harder to damage when your sin aura is present, but your strength is unaffected unless you expend energy." This explanation I understood less, yet I didn't fear to ask questions... like in school.

"But aren't I already using energy?" I waved my hand as I asked this, to reference the trail of sparks it left behind.

"No, you are simply freeing it." He answered quickly shaking his head. "Once the aura is formed your power is far easier to wield. You must focus on your attack to unleash your true strength, it's simpler than you think!" Hiro seemed stern during most of this statement, but laughed toward the end.

"I think I understand. So this..." I faded as I was momentarily lost in the sparkling golden flames. "Is just how I my powers appear, it isn't the strength your actually talking about?" His nodding made me smile as I am rarely correct in any situation.

"Exactly. The aura is the conduit and your powers can only be used through it." Hiromasa confirmed with a smile and a nod. "There are many amazing powers you can learn when you master your aura and split soul." He said this with closed eyes, a smile, and a small nod of his head.

 

"Sweet! That sounds so cool!" My voice drew upward as I clenched my fists in excitement.

 

"For now however, go home Vyon." Hiro said lifting his head as if to point me away. "Hina and I have to get to work." He stated loudly to grab her attention, but she was there before I could react.

 

"What if I meet another... Fuzen?" I struggled to remember the word.

 

"Your aura will protect you. Plus your pretty fast." His additional compliment made me smile sheepishly.

 

"Well... goodbye, I guess!" I waved at them both with a big smile, but it felt awkward to be honest. "Oh, and thanks again for the save Hiromasa..." I muttered this, unable to avoid feeling weak by comparison.

"Don't mention it, kid! Just come back here tomorrow. As early as you can." Hiromasa said this while rubbing his stubble and scanning me with a thinking face.

 

"See ya Vyon!" Hina called to me after this waving one arm overhead.

"See you guys tomorrow!" I called back as I began to walk away.

Five steps into my stride I scoffed and shook my head laughing. With just a bit of focus my aura was active and then with little more effort than that, I was flying! Alright, this is awesome! I flew up above the trees and saw the school was the closest thing to me. Just then I heard the echoing rupture of spectral flight. Two colorful streaks tore across the sky and toward the city. One violet flame and the other a light emerald green, which must have been Hina. Watching in awe as the trailing fire dissipated in an unearthly way, my heart became overwhelmed with this whole experience! Who’d of thought... Me, that loser without a family, the poor kid, was actually far more that he seemed!

 

Flying straight up into the air, I cut through a cloud and felt the moisture dissipate on my fiery field forming momentary steam. Once I was above the cloud line, I stopped my thoughts of flight and my body free fell toward the earth as gravity’s puppet. The feeling was incredible! I have always wanted to sky dive but the sudden rush of flying upward again really brought the whole experience to another level. I sliced over the tree tops lifting my head to narrowly avoid a particularly tall tree. This was incredible, indescribable, astoundingly awesome! The low sun of near night cut through the trees and I was amazed at the animals I could see from above. A few deer, some rabbits, a fox or two, even a bear!

 

Arching to the right I flew toward the school crying out in joy and my speed picked up as a result. Once over the school I tried to stop instantly, like Hiromasa had done. Aiming for the flagpole I slid by it in the air, both feet planted on nothing, but a trail of fire. Though a failure I was sort of close and I didn't get hurt! Flying around in a sharp arch I circled the flagpole as tightly as I could, just to practice with controlling flight. It seemed to have something to do with the hands and feet when flying, but I don’t exactly know how yet... Landing on the roof of the office a triumphant laugh rose to my mouth and I stomped a few times, leaving wispy prints of scattering embers.

 

It's sort of funny how quickly your life can change. Although this isn't a typical case... I think it still applies pretty well! I mean... I just went from rebel teen with an attitude problem, (yeah I'll admit it!) to a mystic monster slaying hero of the people! Like a knight no one ever meets. Like a knight and a ninja rolled into one! Looking down I still shuddered even after the many times I have seen it. It will take a bit of getting used to... being on fire all the time. Sitting down on an air vent, I realized how tired I really was. Damn, this really took it out of me. I just want to go to sleep, it is still early enough to get a good amount! Blasting from the roof my hands exploded like grenades of heat! With a small cry of fear growing I shot over the rooftops at an alarming rate. Seeing the apartment complex I veered left and needed to stop soon, but how?

 

An idea occurred, and like almost every other idea I have, it was pretty lousy. Instead of thinking or focusing on stopping... my dumb a*s decides to flip forward and attempt to plant my feet on the air as they come around. Just try to picture that for a moment... The plan actually worked, just a bit too well... As my body began to finish the frontflip, I focused an intense amount of energy in my legs, which countered my speed quite well and successfully stopped me. However I was still about three stories up and I fell to the concrete below before I could even realize what was happening. With a thud, I bounced off of a car port and twirled twice before landing in the street. Sitting up with an immense headache, I dabbed the blood from my skull and tried to deliriously make out where I had actually landed Great accuracy, I was just a door away from my hovel! Staggering to my feet, I wiped the blood from my head as best I could. Before heading up the stairs I popped my aura on and used a little mojo medication!

 

With just a few good thoughts I could sit and take a minute. Hiromasa told me it doesn't close wounds, but damn if it doesn't take the edge off! It's also really nice that all it takes is focus on my energy, which is an overbearing feeling as it is, and then the pain I am already feeling! How easy is that? Once I felt good enough to face the fake folks, I dabbed my head once more and knocked on the door.

 

"Where the hell have you been?" My fake mother ask loudly as she opened the door.

"I got lost..." Muttering this sweetly, I scratched my shoe around, trying to avoid eye contact.

 

"Bull s**t!" My fake father pulled the door open from her hands as he yelled this. "You have lived here your whole miserable life! Where were you? Why are you lying?" His rant of questions was paired with a forcefull yank of my shirt, to get me inside.

 

"Why are you lying?" My fake mother repeated. "Where is your backpack?" She began an interrogation as well.

 

"Where were you today? The school called, so don't give me that f*****g bull s**t!" He pointed two fingers at me and narrowed his eyes viciously.

 

"Why are you bleeding?" Me fake mother cried out. "What the hell were you doing today?" Her piercing voice really hurt my head as she screeched this sentence.

"Answer us, god damn it!" He deliberately said each word slowly, like I was stupid.

 

"Look I ditched school today alright? Yeah I'm sorry!" Admitting this felt like a hollow defeat, but it was necessary. "But this is just from falling off Zen's skateboard!" I said dabbing the blood again and laughing to show them I'm alright, wait they don't care...

 

"Oh alright, that is great!" My fake father paced for a moment before shouting and leaning toward me with frenzied eyes. "We buy all these books and pay for all your supplies and your food, but you just f*****g laugh!" This violent outburst was followed by him moving toward me, his jaw streaked with tense neck veins.

 

Stepping backward I felt the power within me flare up. It was hard to fight it down, but as he grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me up off my feet I lost the courage to focus. My hands moved to my face and I gasped with fright knowing what came next. Though I was struck, it was not a fierce as in the past. He swatted me a few times before throwing me down the hall by my hair. As I recovered, he kicked me in the lower back to send me toward my room and keep me on the ground. I f*****g hate these people... Looking back with a scowl I saw something very strange and stopped...

 

A thin red mist seeming to radiate from my fake father and mothers heads. It moved with a sinister group tenacity, but after a few seconds it stopped being produced. The small cloud congealed a bit then seemed to simply fade away. It just vanished into nothing, as if it had collapsed in on itself! What the hell was that? Oh god I have a bloody lip! F**k man... Standing up I grunted as my fake father continued to yell at me about me being grounded. I can fly, try and ground me a*****e! 

Once I shut my door I realized I didn't have my cellphone! I couldn’t communicate with anyone until tomorrow... wait scratch that... hero training. Damn, I miss them already. After treating my lip and dealing with the other wounds I have recently acquired, I collapsed into bed and began battling hunger. Regardless of how bad things are here... I need to remember what and who I am! The power I feel is born from positive emotion and it is used to slay creatures of purely negative being. My emotions are never really happy, is that bad? I will have to ask Hiromasa... tomorrow...

Reviews

[Brittanie Bardwell]

Other then some small grammatical issues, I really love this chapter. I especially love Hiro. I love Vyon's emotions and actions. Great chapter! You did very good explaining everything in great detail.

[Thatonedawg]

You have no idea how good it has felt to come on and find these messages! No one has ever read my book and it means so much that someone is. I hope it continues to entertain and I hope that my future chapters get better with your help and advice. THANK YOU AGAIN!

[Brittanie Bardwell]

I write fiction fantasy as well so its great to be able to read someone's work that is really good in the same genre. :) keep it up and don't give up! I will try to get through the rest by the end of the week. :)

[Thatonedawg]

Take your time! Thank you with all my heart and I will try to not give up! As soon as I can, I want to read your work! Work, class, being sick.... ugh! But really thank you so very much!