The next morning, Seijuro woke before the sun. He checked his wooden chest for the clothes Frank said he'd placed in his room. Sure enough, they were there. Purple harem pants and a jacket cinched at the waist with a belt. He picked up the scabbard which was hidden underneath the clothing and placed his blade on his back.
Seijuro tied his long, dark hair back when something caught his eye. He squinted when a streak of light flared into his vision. Right in the corner of his chest, a device flickered. He blinked and hesitantly picked it up, bringing it to his face. A translucent lens tinted faintly purple with a small unit of machinery attached to it. He poked it, his eyes wide like a child's at a candy store.
Once Seijuro was done analysing the foreign object, he slid open his door. Seijuro looked around in search for his mother. However, his ears perked at the slight sound of steady breathing coming from another room. Not wanting to wake her up, he left a note on the his door,
"I'll visit every week, Mom. Take care of yourself."
He stepped outside, the cool morning air brushing against him. Out of habit, Seijuro glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see Ren tripping over his own feet toward him. His teeth clenched and his body shook ever so slightly. He took a step forward but then froze,
Does he just expect me to wander into the woods and somehow find him?
Seijuro swore under his breath, the bastard hadn't even bothered to give him directions. With the device and his blade in both hands, he continued onward. The forest stretched endlessly ahead, thick with mist and shadow. Every direction looked the same. He tightened the strap of his sword. The memory of that day made his chest tighten, but anger and determination surged beneath the grief.
The deeper Seijuro went, the cooler and quieter the air became. Shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy, casting shifting patterns across the dirt path. Strange, glowing insects flitted between the trees, and the scent of damp earth and cherry blossoms filled his lungs.
Minutes passed, then hours. Every tree seemed familiar yet foreign, and the silence pressed against him like a living thing,
"Captain Frank?" he called once. Only the rustle of leaves answered.
Seijuro frowned as he rested his hand against the rough bark of an old oak. The moment his fingers touched it, the air seemed to hum faintly. The ground beneath him shifted imperceptibly. Far ahead, a subtle shimmer appeared between the trunks, threads of faint purple light twisted and weaved in a way that seemed almost intentional.
Seijuro frowned but instinctively followed the light. A normal person would probably take off in the other direction, but after everything Seijuro's seen, this is the most normal thing that's happened so far.
The undergrowth gave way to a small clearing. A clear stream wound through the space, which glistened in the rising sun. To his right, a waterfall tumbled down a cliff, mist cooling the air. A much better scene than seeing tree after tree,
"Seijuro."
The voice startled him. From his right, Frank rolled into view in his wheelchair, wearing the familiar grin,
"You could have been more specific on where to meet," Seijuro said, frowning,
"I suppose," Frank replied with a soft chuckle. "But you found it anyway, didn't you?"
"So… are we starting?" Seijuro asked, impatience in his voice,
"Yes. But first, I assume you want to know why we are here?" Frank lowered his shades to meet Seijuro's eyes,
Seijuro nodded,
"In order to utilize Tenebris, one must have complete control over one's emotions. You must be 'at one' with yourself. What better place to practice than amidst nature itself?"
"So, once I do… I can levitate objects and other things, right?" Seijuro asked,
Frank chuckled, only deepening Seijuro's frown, "Mages have three types: physical, sense, and element. Physical amplifies strength, speed, endurance. Sense enhances one of the five senses. Element types manipulate aspects of the environment."
He tilted his head, "So, what type are you?"
Frank paused, pushing his shades up. "I am a physical type, young Seijuro."
"But you're…" Seijuro hesitated,
"In a wheelchair?" Frank laughed, "A word of advice…"
Then dark purple energy began to swirl around his legs. Slowly, he rose to his feet. Spikes erupted from his shoulder and elbow, and his wheelchair reassembled into a massive sword, which he rested on his shoulder. Towering over Seijuro, Frank smiled kindly, "Forget all your assumptions," he said.
His now violet cloak swirled around him. Seijuro swallowed, speechless, "Good. Let's begin." Frank slammed the sword into the ground. The impact cracked the earth, sending Seijuro stumbling. After recovering, he sat cross-legged as Frank gestured him to do the same,
"Once you can remove the sword from the ground, your combat training begins." Frank instructed, smiling,
So… basically role playing as King Arthur? This is ridiculous. Seijuro scoffed, standing and approaching the sword.
As his hands touched the grip, flashes of Ren's terrified face flooded his mind. He let go immediately, heart racing,
"Dark matter is our emotions. Without control, it leaks out. A powerful man enslaved by his own emotions wields no power at all." Frank said, stern yet supportive. "Put on the scouter."
His hand pointed at the device in his hand, "How do I do that?"
Frank stepped toward him. The giants shoulders were broad, completely dwarfing Seijuro. He took the scouter and hooked it around his ear, feeling the frame resting against his temple. The lens slid into place over his right eye.
A faint hum vibrated through his skull as translucent symbols bled across the small screen. Seijuro stood frozen and then without warning, yelled out,
"What in the actual fuck is going on?!"
Data continued to scroll, and then stopped just as suddenly as it started,
{SYNC COMPLETE}
His breath hitched. A panel unfolded along the edge of the lens,
Name: Seijuro Yoshiki
Rank: Student
[TENEBRIS STATUS]
Output: 2.3
Tenebris Density: 1
Stability: 4%
Resonance: Unknown
Amplification: Unknown
More lines continued to form beneath it,
Level - 1
HP - 95 / 100
Stamina - 99 / 100
Strength (STR) - 4
Agility (AGI) - 2
Endurance (END) - 7
Intelligence (INT) - -2
"What does it mean -2?!"
Frank chuckled, "The scouter is just a training wheel for now. Stick to your tasks and you'll level up. A minimum of level 5 is required to remove my sword. It'll get to a point where you won't need it."
Seijuro noticed the scrolling stopped with five words flashing in front of him,
[PRESS TO SEE YOUR TYPE]
Frank gestured to his temple where the main unit of the scouter rested. Seijuro lifted his finger and pressed,
PENDING…
He gulped,
Please be element. Please be element.. please be element…
{LOADING COMPLETE}
MAGE TYPE - [PHYSICAL]
Bastard…