A young man feels as if he's drowning in a sea with nothing to hold on to. Skulls are around him as he's sinking towards the bottom of the sea.
His breath is running out as his sight is beginning to blur but a shadow comes down to him.
His eyes widen as the mysterious saviour grabs his hand.
Presently, a man blinks while running behind the red-haired guardian whose name is Ash.
That man glances on his shoulder, with a concerned gaze. "Are you okay, James? You seemed to be thinking something else."
"No, Captain!" James looked down before looking up at him, "I'm fine! Let's just follow the eagle!"
As Gale is flying above the trees, from the shadow of the leaves, a pair of dark eyes is following his movements.
"I sense a good source of protein," he said, his voice radiating evil intent.
A couple of trees fall as a trail of cloud of dust appears. From the falling trees, a young man comes at such speed with the air following his trail
He kicks the giant man who possesses the half body of a horse, and the impact of the kick on the giant's chest sends him crashing against another group of trees.
Apo speaks as he watches the fight from his domain while bathing in a sea of lava. "Bravo! As I anticipated, Nicholas gained the strength and speed right after he defeated me!
"But the problem is... his loss of temper might be a big hindrance in his fight. As long as he doesn't use fire, he will not have that hindrance."
The giant horseman runs in another direction. From the trees, Nicholas jumps from left to right as his eyes are fixated on the giant.
"What's the matter?! Running won't save you from me!" Nicholas yelled.
The giant stops running, and he turns around. He inhales deeply while his chest is starting to inflate, and he releases a massive gust; destroying the branches of the trees around him.
"Oh no!" Nicholas yelled as the gust hit him.
He releases a burst of wind from his back and stabilizes his levitation in the air. He groans, his teeth gritting. "I can't use my link with Gale! And I can't use our connected sight! Because it might deplete my energy badly!"
The giant speaks in his mind. "What's the matter? Why isn't he attacking me?"
Nicholas turns around and flies away. A flute plays a harmonic tune, and soon, a group of vines wraps around Nicholas's half body.
"What is this?!" Nicholas glared at the vines wrapping around him.
"No one will escape me." The giant lowered his flute, and it transformed into a giant iron hammer.
He swings his hammer, striking Nicholas, and the impact sends him flying towards the trees. The impact is so strong that it sends hundreds of trees falling.
"If I use fire! I might not be able to control my temper!" Nicholas gritted his teeth while feeling every tree crashing against his body.
"If he survives after that crash, he's not a regular human anymore," the giant stared in the direction where Nicholas flew, "which means he transcends to another being."
"Using this form is lame," the giant began to shrink, "I'll use my first form for this fight. I might as well hope that he'll entertain me."
A breeze of wind hits where he's standing. The once giant man is now in a human form where his half body is no longer a half horse but his skin is brown.
His eyes are brown also, his upper body is muscular but his feet are encased in a pair of brown leather boots.
His hair is long and dark and a round white mark is seen on his forehead. He's wearing an open brown polo shirt, paired with shaggy brown pants.
He brings his flute to his mouth and plays another harmony. His eyes open as he's now seeing a shoe swinging towards his face.
"Bingo." The once giant captured the foot of Nicholas before throwing him away.
Nicholas lands on his feet. He clears his throat, and asks, "Who are you?"
"Me? You might call me Strief," Strief said calmly.
Nicholas jumps backward, and a group of spiky vines slash on the ground where he stood.
"So quick but not like the woman that we caught," Strief said while swinging his flute.
"Release their comrade," Nicholas said.
"Oh, so... you're not alone?" Strief narrowed his eyes as he smiled.
"Shit!" Nicholas appeared beside Strief while swinging his sword, "I'll kill you!"
The blade cuts Strief's neck, and his head falls from his neck but only to break apart like dust. His remaining body crumbles after the head disappears which causes Nicholas' eyes to widen.
"What?!" Nicholas looked around him.
Strief is standing beside him, and Nicholas punches him but only for Strief to avoid all of his punches.
Strief watches the next punch approach him, only to slap Nicholas' fist away. Nicholas immediately swings his other hand as the wind begins to boost its movement.
"I'll freaking beat you!" Nicholas landed a hit on Strief's face.
The impact of the punch combined with the wind sends Strief stumbling backwards. Strief opens his eyes and meets the next punch from Nicholas.
The young man smiles, watching Strief flying towards the nearest trees, and all of them fall apart.
"Bravo!"
"Bravo!"
Nicholas hears many claps and a familiar voice syncs with the claps. He looks at them and sees many Strief standing while clapping their hands.
"This can't be!" Nicholas glared at them, his eyes were slowly becoming red.
Feeling the anger slowly eating him, Nicholas' hands are beginning to close as they're shaking. Veins are appearing around his forehead while smoke is coming out of his reddening skin.
Apo seeing the young man's situation causes him to shake his head. "That human can't control his emotions. Fire is a symbol of power, and anger.
"If that boy can't control his flames properly as he subconsciously uses his anger to control flames, he might wreck the entire forest."
Apo looks down. "Anger might make him stronger but it's the equivalent of losing himself bit by bit until he can't control himself anymore."
Apo closes his eyes, and he channels his energy to his link with Nicholas. Sensing the connection of Apo, Nicholas' eyes widen.
"Boy..."
"Apo? Why?"
"Remember the moment you sent me flying away?"
"Y-Yeah! It was vivid–!"
"Listen to me, don't listen to your anger! I know it's hard! But if you let your anger consume you! You might not be able to reverse the damage that you might cause!"
Nicholas keeps staring at Estrief before he inhales deeply. Memories flood his brain again, and in one of those memories, Nicholas sees the old him running away from him.
"I want to stop fighting... I miss my old life so much," he whispered.
"I want to live that life. The life that I enjoy living. I want to have that feeling again, to go to school or escape the classes."
He sees his younger self grow up into a fine young man with brown hair. The younger him turns around to face him as his surroundings are colorful with houses, and streets.
"Even if I am abandoned as a baby... I didn't regret growing up under sister Madelaine who accepted me."
A painful smile forms on his lip. "I wonder... what could have happened if I weren't chosen by the crystal?"
The younger him smiles at him as he turns his eyes to the young woman with long brown hair, walking towards him with a gentle smile.
"Nelly..."
His eyes begin to turn small as folds appear on his forehead. "I am sorry for leaving suddenly. I shouldn't have left you all alone. If I can just return to that time when you talked to me, I will choose to run."
His younger self grows to his current appearance. Tears begin to fall from Nicholas' eyes as he watches the sight of his imaginary self hugging Nelly.
"I will choose to run back to you, and confess everything!" Nicholas fell to his knees.
"Stand up!" Strief's voice rang in his ear.
Nicholas shakes his head, and Strief is narrowing his eyes while pointing his flute at him.
"I want a fight not a drama. If you want to rescue them, you must defeat me." Strief duplicated himself.