Grey Nirmala
There was a dream. I saw a dream. A dream of a night I forsaken long ago. The night before everything begun to fall apart. A night I still can't comprehend. The death night of Maya Melody and her bloody corpse before me.
But as the dream continued I heard four distinct voices. They were behind Maya's corpse. The voices of two women and two men. The voices spoke as if they knew I was there. An infirmity between them existed. They had their own rules and orders. The Shades of Existence, the Pillars of the Universe. Life, Death, Space and Time. The four concepts that rule the lower shades of aetheric concepts. They exist because they have a purpose and that purpose is more important than all of humanity.
I saw them and I know that they saw me. I felt like I was there not because of them wanting but because of me, myself wanting.
The voices rose in my ears as I moved forward in the dream. The more I moved the more the place changed. The Lineage City vanished and in its place came a place I did not recognize nor understand. Five white pillars that all had different runic patterns surrounded me. I could see the outside well. There was an eternal void. Their voices came to my ears one more time, this time more clearer.
"Death has no bounds, for it cannot be foreseen. Not even by those who are already marked by it."
"Life has no bounds, for it cannot be controlled. Not even by those who are forced to endure it."
"Time has no bounds, for it cannot be comprehended. Not even by those who flow with it."
"Space has no bounds, for it cannot be perceived. Not even by those who witness it."
Above the Pillars was a pair of eyes. Right golden and left purple. 'The Eyes of Calamity', 'The Gaze That Follows Aether'.
The Pillars seem to not care about the eyes. Like they knew what it was. But the most strange thing was that I felt like I knew them from the past. Their names were carved into my memories. Their existence and faces engraved into my mind and soul. The Pillar of Death, Tarn, the Primordial Carnage; the Pillar of Life, Arsha, the Primordial Hunger of Life; the Pillar of Time, Ion, the Monarch of Incomprehensibility and lastly the Pillar of Space, Ammut, the Governor of Inevitability.
They all looked distinct but alike at the same time. Tarn had two long crimson horns that covered his cheeks. The horns were facing up and he had long white hair. Dark eyes that screamed death. A purplish skin that made him look like a corpse. Black claws and sharp teeth. He wore a long, hooded dark cloak. Arsha also had long white hair. She had a shining angel-like yellow halo floating on her head. She had bright yellow eyes that reflected life. Had white lifefull skin and wore a white cloak that was covered in purple runic patterns. Ion had long black hair that had greenish shades in the tips and four green crystal horns on her head that curled up. Two at each side, the ones that were behind were a little smaller than the other two horns. She had long ears and crystal-like green eyes that looked translucent. She had light skin and wore a green crystal dress that covered most of her body. Ammut had six arms and all were black and outlined by a shade of lavender. He had galaxy-like eyes and a void like skin. His head was shaped like a human's until my eyes looked up. His head was shaped into two dark connecting horns as it reached the top of his head. And he wore two different colored cloak. The right was pure white and the left was pitch black. The right side had a couple of black dots while the left had white. All of them were tall but not extraordinary.
And then the Eyes... He was the fifth and the Final Pillar of the Universe. The Pillar of Destruction and Creation, the Singularity of Fate and the Dimensionless Monarch. The Pillars all looked at me, their mouths curling up to an exaggerated smile. Then Destruction morphed from a pair of eyes to a person. His hair is longer than mine. His hair had two different colors just like his eyes. Right golden and the left purple. He had an insane smile on his face. I could see razor sharp teeth through the smile. He had keen claws that looked deadly. He was a little taller than the other Pillars. Destruction had a glowing purple crown floating on his head and the rest of his body looked ethereal. And he looked the most powerful and the most noxious amongst the Pillars.
Destruction moved closer to me, his insane smile still on his face. We were so close to each other that our noises were almost gonna touch one another. And then he spoke in a wicked tone:
"Just one last paradox. One final turn. One final blood. Destruction has no bounds, for it cannot be undone. Not even by those who unleashed it."
And then I awoke.
I woke up to the sound of two siblings fighting. Ulma and Kai`s shouts made everyone in the tent wake up.
Pixie tried to mute everything by sticking a pillow on her face. Damian watched their sibling fight with joyful eyes. Carnus was not inside the tent and Gail was looking at the two siblings with tired eyes. I rolled around and then sat up. Bloom was behind me. She was watching them with a silent gaze.
I let out a sigh and turned towards her:
"What happened?" I asked in a crispy voice.
"Their mother was declared to be appointed as a marshall when the preparations for the war against the Green Realm begins."
I frowned:
"There won't be any war happening for a long time." I said my brows narrowing.
Bloom shrugged and then took her attention back to Ulma and Kai.
"They have different opinions about the rise of their mother."
"Yeah, I can see that." I looked at them with hidden motives.
If their mother becomes a marshall and declares herself my enemy, then I will show no mercy in killing her. Even if she is the mother of Ulma and Kai. I already have a marshall as an enemy. I will not take any chances.
I got up from my small and uncomfortable sleeping bag. I rubbed my eyes and organized my for some reason short hair. My hair was on my shoulders while before it was almost at my waist. My battle against Astrid was probably the cause to blame.
I helped Bloom get up and we both eyed the two siblings.
Ulma and Kai were really in a heated argument. I never seen both of them this angry before. I don`t really know who was the one started it but does it even matter? What would it change? Both Ulma and Kai were kind individuals but they were also an awakened that bore the responsibility of aether. I don`t interfere with people`s family matters, the last time I did, I lost her. Even for Orinn, I will not interfere with his bastard family. Orinn will die because he has to.
"Oh, damn you! Every day that passes, the more you act like father." Ulma hissed, there were tears in her eyes.
Her entire face was filled with fury. For a moment I thought that the argument would turn into a battle. But Kai managed to cool it off by using the most easy and the simple way.
"Fine... You`re right." He said, looking down.
"You`re damn righ— Wait what?"
Ulma`s eyes suddenly went wide and she looked towards me like she wanted to make sure that she didn't heard wrong what his brother just said. I smirked and nodded my head. Kai sighed:
"I`m sorry, Ulma. This was already a useless argument from the start."
"Aww, come on!" Damian snorted all of a sudden.
We all looked at him with a brow up. Damian`s eyes jolted away and then his face turned into a pout.
"I was just having some fun."
Ulma rolled her eyes and the rest of us just shrugged him away.
Pixie got up at that moment, her eyes looking sleepless and tired.
"Is it... finally over?" She asked while yawning.
Bloom slowly nodded her head. Pixie yawned again and then walked out of the tent like nothing had happened. I followed Pixie and before I got out I dressed myself up myself in the armor I created yesterday and wore it by forging it on my body.
When I got up the Sun greeted me with it`s blinding light. I narrowed my eyes and tried to see if any of the professors were walking around. None of them seemed to be around so I just walked around until I made the plan for the day.
We were supposed to be rolling towards the Forest of Spirits before the Sun rose but because of Astrid that plan was postponed.
"Why didn`t you make the armor golden?" Pixie asked, turning her head to me.
I tilted my head:
"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling judged over nothing.
Pixie sighed so loud that I could clearly hear the air that escaped from her mouth.
"Your Awakened Weapon, hair and eyes are all golden, so I thought that you would make yourself a golden armor."
I shrugged my shoulders.
"Nah, too much gold is sometimes oppressive." I waited for a second then added: "And white looks good on me too."
"Fine then, if you say so."
Pixie let her silk white hair dance in the air. Her face was all open for me to see. She was beautiful in every way possible. And behind her ice blue eyes carried a weight. She lived not for fun but for a purpose.
"Look more if you want, I have no problem soothing your teen lust." She said out of nowhere.
I rolled my eyes. I wasn`t being horny but I then shook my head to get myself back together. After I reclaimed my focus I asked a question to Pixie:
"Why do you fight?"
Pixie tilted her head.
"What do you mean by that? Are you asking what my goals are?"
"Pretty much." I replied.
Pixie bit her lip, thinking about a satisfying answer. After a wind brushed between us she finally answered:
"I want to survive to spite all of my family. They think that I am weak. Fragile. They think that I am a fool. That I am sub-human."
She looked at me with a fierce gaze. The aether flew around her as she continued to talk:
"I will prove to them that I am no weakling. No fool. No inferior. I will show them what true strength is. But..."
Her demeanor suddenly changed into something playful.
"Some beauty sleep can work too." Pixie laughed at her own joke but I didn`t.
She wanted to prove herself to her blood. A goal that I can get behind. If I were to be like her. But I am not. Yet her goal is brave, she is brave. Maybe even braver than most awakened.
"Which Myth Branch are you in?" I asked out of nowhere.
Pixie raised a brow:
"Uhh...? Myth Branch of Life... Lucky Trade."
Pixie stopped for a moment, her eyes inspecting me with both curiosity and confusion. I simply nodded my head.
"Thank you for answering."
I then without saying a word passed Pixie to walk away. My thoughts were slowly building a solid theory. Pixie coughed a couple of times to grab my attention.
"And, what did I do to deserve the 'honor thankings' of the Mighty Dragon King?"
I slowly turned my head to look at her and smiled innocently:
"Just for silencing my curiosity."
Pixie furrowed her icy eyes:
"Curiosity killed the bolem."
"I am no bolem." I answered in a surprisingly calm tone.
Pixie let out a deep sigh as she weaved her hand in air dismissively.
"If then, I understand."
As our conversation came to an end I weaved my hand to her and zeroed away to a far part of the campzone.
"So what was it all about?" Hachiko asked while I found a neat spot to sit down.
"What was?" I asked mockingly.
"You know what."
"Nooooooooooo. I don't."
"Why did you wanna know about her Myth Branch?"
I breathed the air around me. I moved slowly. After the fresh air went inside my lungs then I spoke:
"Because I want to know more about these Myth Branches." I waited for Hachiko to realize what I meant.
"Ohh..." He said like a little kid. "By doing that you`re making me know more too. You want me to explain what they are."
He`s quite slow but I don`t blame him for that. He`s just like two months old.
"So well, how much do you know about them?" I asked, my voice growing more serious.
Hachiko`s thoughts danced and spread to my mind. But there was no thought of a Myth yet, there was only one single thought he yearned so much for so long.
"Please! Give me a human body!"
A long, deep silliness came through my mind. But I did as he asked. I felt sore of aether for reasons of course but I could still make a body for Hachiko. I channeled aether into the star rune and as a powerful golden light shimmered I felt the emptiness of Hachiko's absent presence. The light died out and in its place stood a boy who looked a couple of years younger than me. I once again let Hachiko choose what he was going to look like. He had short white hair that had golden accents like before in his other forms. He had heterochromic eyes again, right golden and left purple. Hachiko had pale skin and had sharp, proud features on his face. Shorter in height but not too much. He looked masculine. And he wore the dark golden style of the Legacy`s Academy.
"Ta-da! So how do I look?" He said, opening his arms wide.
"Like an alien." I said without any humor in my voice.
Hachiko pouted:
"Yes, yes whatever."
He examined himself, mostly the uniform he wore.
"Should have I chosen the shadow purple version? I think that one could have looked much better on me."
"Nah. That wouldn't look good either."
Hachiko rolled his eyes:
"Ha. Ha. Very funny."
As my mind went into a wave of questions one rose above all of them.
"Are you also binded to this aetheric system?"
Hachiko tilted his head at me. Then he smiled mischievously.
"Why? Will you make me your pawn if I am?"
My eyes got smaller and my body steeper.
"My own thoughts and plans link to you. If I die then you die. If you fall then I fall. We are one in the same. We complete one another. We must protect each other. I must guard you and you must guide me. There is no in between."
Hachiko eyed me up and down.
"Uhhh... Okay then... I really don`t know myself to be honest. But probebly not. I am not an awakened after all. I was born like this."
I looked at him sharply. Wanting him to countinue.
After a minute or two passed Hachiko couldn`t handle my gaze anymore and finally spoke:
"Fine, fine. I will tell you everything that you need to know."
A small smile formed on my lips. Hachiko was not that different from me in most circumstances.
Hachiko sat down before me. He closed his eyes and he began to think. After ten seconds he finally spoke about everything I wandered and needed.
"So where should I begin? Oh, right, from the beginning. Myths are the peak of the aetheric abilities. They are divided into ten branches: Fate, Legacy, Crimson, Eclipse, Chaos, Horizon, Death, Life, Time and Space. Each branch is an edict of aether. And the awakened cannot choose their branches by themselves. Aether chooses the branch for them. And after you awaken into your Third Awakening you are welcomed to a mindzone where you can see your powers, aspects and abilities. The more you awaken the more that zone widens."
Hachiko stopped for a second. He looked breathless.
"You know... Having a human body while explaining all of this was maybe not the brightest idea."
I smirked at my companion.
"Glad that you understand the hardship of being a human, even for something as little as this."
Hachiko rolled his eyes and continued to explain the Myths:
"Anyways... Myths do get stronger as you awaken more. And for you to be awakened you must understand aether. You awakened into your Third Awakening because you finally understood a part of aether. That being Orca`s Paths. The more you understand the more you awaken."
Hachiko stopped for a second to breathe. He shook his head violently to gain back his focus.
"Now wait, the funny part is coming. You can`t just know everything about aether while you`re at your First or Second Awakening. Getting more insights to aether and getting stronger are directly proportional."
Hachiko`s eyes went up to the sky to watch the stormbirds that were geeking thunder. After the birds flew away and when he regained his breath back Hachiko opened a conversation about my own Myth.
"Do you know how your own Myth works?"
"You mean Weaver`s Touch?" I asked, tilting my head.
Hachiko confirmed with his head.
I thought for a moment. I never really wondered what my Myth does. When my battle against Astrid happened I used it without actually knowing what it does. After I opened my Myth I felt like someone else was in control of my body. And because I went unconscious after receiving those injuries I don`t really remember much. Only the slices that cut the space around me. And when I used Weaver`s Touch I felt free from the world. Air was gone. Pain was gone. Love was gone.
"No." I simply answered.
Hachiko let out a tired and disappointed sigh.
"How nice of you..." He muttered to himself with frustration.
He perked his attention back on me.
"Okay... Weaver`s Touch is from the Myth Branch of Fate. When you open it you`re released from the chains of the realms. Your eyes see more than it supposed to and your body becomes more agile. But most importantly it`s main ability is to send fated slices that will lend to the target without any exceptions. You can use them with any part of your body and can send them from anywhere. But I don`t really know how far they can go. But I guess that the range will get wider as you get stronger."
Hachiko stopped for a breath.
"Are you done?" I asked.
Hachiko slowly nodded his head.
"For now, yes."
Hachiko`s eyes fell down but then they suddenly focused back on me:
"Oh, wait!" He barked. "I wanted to name myself."
I cocked my head:
"Name yourself? You already have a nice name."
He frowned:
"No, not like that. I meant a last name."
I covered my face with embarrassment.
"You gotta be kidding me."
I looked at my companion with dumb eyes.
"Can`t you just call yourself a 'Nirmala'"
Hachiko quickly shook his head:
"Nop, no, never. Because I have a better one in my mind."
I weaved my hand in the air dismissively.
"Come on then, let the class also hear it."
Hachiko smiled proudly and shouted his name with pride:
"Call me: Hachiko O`Ultimus!"
I held myself for not burst out a big old laughter. My dear companion really chose the name I gave to the bugs in the trial island.
A soft smile spread across my face:
"Okay, Hachiko O`Ultimus. So what am I? Grey O`Ultimus?"
Hachiko nodded almost immediately:
"Yep, you are. This will be a clan. The Ultimus Clan."
"What a gormless conversation." I heard a voice I hadn't heard for a long time.
The moment the waves of the voice echoed in my ears I jolted back and assumed a battle stance. Hachiko growled at the same time.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed at him.
His silver hair swayed in the air and his blue eyes narrowed and examined me. Orinn descended from the air and landed on top of his toes just a couple of meters away from me. His hands clasped behind his back, in all means he looked menacingly majestic. The Dream King wore a golden armor with dark blue lightning etched into its design. There was also a cloak behind him. The cloak was in the color of dark blue, had golden runic patterns on several places of its body and had white fur in the tips and the neck.
"Calm down, Grey. I just wanted to see how you were doing."
I gritted my teeth:
"Don`t bulshit me!"
"Oh, come on, Grey. Do I look like a man who tells lies?" Orinn`s tone was terrifyingly calm. "Am I forbidden to see the look of my enemy before the preparations for the war against his realm begins? And add to that I wanted to congratulate you for winning your duel against Astrid. You really are getting stronger by each passing day. "
"You are mocking me." I said, narrowing my brows.
Orinn nodded his head. The Storm Rune on the middle of his forehead realising a malevolent intent.
I hate him with all my heart. He`s no different than the Endless Greatness of the Five.
"You're dreaming winning a war that will never happen. And you will only keep dreaming until I kill you. After that your eyes will be completely wide shut."
Orinn looked up at the sky. Even while unfocused he looked powerful as ever. After a minute passed Orinn`s head went down and his eyes looked down on me.
"There are so many things that you still not yet understand. 'To be or not to be'. That's the only question that matters. These are the only words that have a meaning in this false world. You will war. You will roar. But in the grand conclusion you will only cry. That is the destiny that binds you. The fate that follows you. To be Fate`s Pawn or not to be its pawn. That's the thought that will follow you till your very last breath. Till your very final tear."
I frowned and was ready to summon my aetheric weapon.
"Tell me. Why are you here really?"
A sinister grin formed in his face.
"I am here to tell you about some of my abilities."
My golden eyes gleamed with intrigue:
"And why will you do something as dumb as that?"
"To ensure that you will be at your strongest when you duel me. To make you realize the power gap between us."
I raised my head:
"Try me."
Orinn`s grin turned into a smile. He adjusted himself to look more softer.
"Very well then. I am a Converter. I use the Awakened Weapon: Throne of Storms. I am the holder of the Myth Branch of Death: Gathering Storms."
Orinn`s eyes looked thoughtful.
"Thats all you need to know for now."
Orinn turned his back on me and ascended from the ground. But before he flew away Orinn glared at me from his shoulder with a vicious smile.
"Hachiko looks like you." He said and then he vanished in a blink of a eye, leaving only golden aetheric particles behind.
"Now that was creepy."
I side-eyed Hachiko.
Orinn wanted to show dominance over me. He wanted to make sure that I realized the true gap between us. I muttered the couple of words that I dreamt of today just a little personalized version.
"Creation has no bounds, for it cannot be unmade. Not even by those who forge it to reality."
I said these words without any context behind them. I said them knowing I understood nothing of them. I said them because I knew that creation was with me. But more to be, Orinn made me say these words.
I clenched my fists with frustration. Just even hearing him talk so arrogantly made me mad.
"Orinn will invade Green Realm. He will destroy cities, hurt my family. But more than anything he will attack my home. Green Realm is my territory. A place where my dreams and memories live. A world which I marked to change and then recreate. I won`t let Orinn be ahead of me any longer. I tolerated his behavior for long enough. But no more. No fucking more."