Aaron Amano's POV
My eyes opened wide.
What met my eyes first was a familiar dark space.
I turned my head towards my right.
What I saw was a familiar floating screen. 'Floating screen' is too generic to say...I'll just call it 'soulscreen' from now on.
[...I'm back.]
I had returned back to the 'Soul World' again. The 'Soul Link' I have with Ashe tells me that our souls have fully switched places and he is once again the owner of his own body.
While still asleep, he will wake up soon. My awakening seemed to be a secondary result.
The 'Soul World'….nothing really changed.
The space around me is still like an endless dark void. The 'soulscreen', which currently shows nothing, remains unchanged from before.
However, the same can not be said about my 'Soul'.
Through my battle against Xoketh's 'Soul', my 'Soul' was somehow transformed to look like my previous life's appearance. Even my clothes are exactly as they were when I had died.
Seems that even after the battle, it hasn't changed back. Ahhh... it's the best.
Unlike before, I feel a bit more powerful in this form. Is it the effect of having 2 pairs of controllable limbs?
As if to make sure, I repeatedly opened and closed my hand into a fist and back.
It seems there is no problem with that aspect. Next, I'll test out my legs and feet.
With some trepidation, I extended my feet out and took a step. At the bottom of my feet, there is….nothing. It seems that just like in my previous 'soul form', I am floating rather than standing on anything. There isn't even a floor.
I tried to take even more steps. I only met air. Using my thoughts, I even controlled my soul body to slowly float forward. No matter what I do, I cannot go any faster than the speed of a Roomba.
[…This is not going to work. Is there anything else I can do?]
As I continued to be disappointed with my movement speed, a thought passed through my mind.
[Maybe this can work.]
Once again, I used my thoughts. However this time I am not focusing on moving.
[Alright! Success!]
What I did next was simple. With my thoughts, I focused on imagining that there is a floor beneath my feet. I kept imagining. Imagining. Focusing…
Then, without warning, my feet felt as if they are on the ground.
With a bit of hesitation, I once again took a step forward with my left foot.
My left foot, without any problem, made contact with a horizontal plane on the same level as the bottom of my right foot. I had successfully learned to walk!
I continued to take a few steps forward. I gradually began to walk faster. Before I knew it, I was already running as fast as I can.
[Hahahaha! I can run! I can run again.]
With a mysterious high tension, I began laughing like a maniac as I kept running around the 'Soul World'.
It is no wonder I was so excited. For an entire 5 years in this world, I had not had a proper body. No arm, no legs, no head. Other than my consciousness telling me that I exist, I could not feel anything. This type of life is too hard for any normal being.
After the running crazily for a while, I began to calm down. I slowed down to a complete stop and looked back to my original position.
From where I stand, I could see a tiny white square in the distance indicating where the 'soulscreen' is. If I were to eyeball the distance, it should be around 35 meters away.
To have run this far....In the first place, how big is this 'Soul World' anyways? Even after running this far, I haven't seen any sign of Xoketh anywhere.
That's right. Regardless of how far I ran, I was unable to catch a glimpse of Xoketh's 'Soul' sphere.
After our battle for supremacy, Xoketh should have returned back to the depths of the 'Soul World'.
Well, looking for a black sphere in a black world like this is probably just impossible.
Strangely, while the world around me was completely black, the only things not hidden in darkness is only the 'soulscreen'…..and my own 'soul body'.
No matter where I look, my 'soul body' is clearly visible. It's not like this world has any sources of light. Even the screen, while it seems to glow, doesn't actually exude any kind of light.
It would be great if I could somehow get some light. Is it possible….?
As if enlightened, I focused my thoughts one more time. The effect was immediate.
[Woah!]
It was a success! Using my own thought power, I was able to change 'Soul World' itself.
What was only a world of endless 'black', now became a world of expansive 'white'.
Everywhere I look, the surroundings have turned into a white world. Now it's the white 'soulscreen' turn to be difficult to see.
…And something else also became visible.
I raised my head and saw something I didn't want to see.
A black sphere, the size of a soccer ball, was floating above my head. From time to time, Miasma leaks out from the sphere. The sphere's identity is obvious. Xoketh.
[….]
Judging from the volume of Miasma, Xoketh will be calm for the time being.
I looked away from the floating sphere.
If all goes well, the next time I will see any action from Xoketh will be 10 years later.
Until then….it's just up to me to play watchdog.
"Nnnnnn..."
Hm?
Ah! It seems that my boy, Ashe, is about to awaken.
Ever since he was possessed by Xoketh, he was put in a forced hibernation for around 10 hours based on my estimation.
It was around noon when Aileen succumbed to the 'curse' and Ashe jumped out. It was dark once I had Rheves bring me back home. Now it's morning.
I returned to where the 'soulscreen' is located.
When I arrived in front of the 'soulscreen', I instantly imagined a black couch right in front to get comfortable.
Though I said a black couch, it is more like a black box formed into a shape of a couch. Using the same principles I used to walk on the floor and changed the color of the room, I transformed part of the white 'Soul World' back into a portion of the black 'Soul World' made into the shape of a couch which I can sit on.
Currently, it seems I am only able to change anything in the 'Soul World' in only black or white and whether parts of it are touchable or untouchable. It's a bit disappointing, however, I have hopes it might change in the future.
As I got comfortable, Ashe fully opened his eyes.
.
.
.
Ashe Daemon's POV
"….Nnnghh…?"
Eh?
When did I go to sleep?
I was….trying to find something, I think?
Running through the forest…
….flower….!!!
That's right!
I was trying to find that flower!
For Mom's sake!
And I found it!
I was going to go get it.
And then…..and then…
Scary monsters came….
I was scared….it was so scary….
They even hurt me.
The last thing I remember, the closest monster was about to bite me!
….What happened after that?
Where are the monsters?
They're gone…?
….I need to bring the flower to Mom.
Mom!
I opened my eyes to see a familiar ceiling.
I sat up and looked quickly around…
"Ashe!!?"
"Mom!"
I found Mom!
Mom is okay!
She is not in pain anymore!
In my excitement, I quickly got off from the bed and ran straight to Mom.
"Mom!!
"You...stupid boy!!!!"
Ow!...It hurts!
What just happened?
My head hurts.
Did Mom…hit me?
Why….?
"…..really…..I really glad you're safe."
In the next moment, Mom kneeled on the floor and hugged me tightly.
I froze in surprise.
I don't understand, but....but....!!
Tears begin filling my eyes and I started to bawl.
"Waaaah….Mama! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! Please…..don't hate me! Waaaaaahh…..!!"
"Mommy will never hate you! Just don't ever make me worry ever again."
I pulled myself closer in Mom's embrace as I kept crying.
It took some time, but I was able to calm down.
Only after I stopped crying, did Mom let me go.
When Mom let go, I had noticed someone I don't recognize standing behind Mom.
Noticing my stare, the unknown man began to speak.
"Hello, Ashe. Do you remember me? I was the one who carried you through the forest."
I immediately hid behind my Mom.
This is the first time I seen a person that is not my Mom.
I became nervous and didn't know what to do.
I looked at Mom.
"Ashe, say hello to Mommy's friend. His name is Mr. Rheves Verstone. Don't worry, while he looks like this he is a very kind person."
Thanks to Mom's defence(?), I calmed down slightly but was still wary of the man.
The man (Mr. Rheves?) made a strange face at what Mom had said, though. It made me laugh.
"It is as your mother said. Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you. You can call me Mr. Rheves. Can you tell me if you remember meeting me in the forest?"
"…..I don't know." I said, as I shake my head.
"Is that so…." replied Mr. Rheves, his face unreadable.
A strange silence took place as I and Mr. Rheves kept looking at each other. I clung closer to Mom's legs.
"Rheves…..don't scare Ashe. I think you know, right? Ashe hasn't ever known another person besides me the entire time he was here." Mom said to Mr. Rheves, with a warning tone.
"Ah! I am very sorry. Please forgive me Ashe." said Mr. Rheves while putting a small smile to his face.
"…No, it's okay."
From what I can see, Mr. Rheves isn't a bad person...a little scary though.
Mom said that he was an old friend. Friend….what is that?
"Well, now that is out of the way… Young Ashe, do you know the reason why your mother was angry with you?" questioned Mr. Rheves.
"….mm-mmm. I don't know. Was it because I didn't bring the flower?" I said as I shake my head.
Why Mom was angry? Mom never hit me before…. It was scary.
The only thing I could think of is that I hadn't picked up Mom's flower.
"That's not right. I'll tell you this, you did help bring your mother that flower. Remember when I asked you if you remembered me? We had met yesterday when you had told me about the flower. With your instructions, I was able to get the flower and bring it for your mother. You went unconscious after that. It seems you don't remember."
Hmmmm…? I don't really understand, but it seems Mr.Rheves was able to give Mom her flower because I told him. Not that I remember.
"However, before you get too excited, while you did to find the flower, that was reckless of you. The reason why your Mom was angry was that you left to house on your own without your mother's permission. The Merez Forest is a dangerous place. You were lucky to be saved before you were attacked by the Merez Forest Wolves otherwise you would have been dead."
Thanks to Mr. Rheves's words, I remembered the scary moment when the monsters attacked me. My body shivered from just remembering. It was really scary. Did Mr. Rheves save me? Sounds like he did.
"Your mother was angry with you because she cared for you. She just didn't want you to be any danger. It is better if you would apologize to your mother for scaring her like that," admonished Mr. Rheves.
"Mom, I'm am really sorry for going out in the forest alone," I said as I drooped my head in shame.
"As long as you won't do that again without my permission, I will forgive you," Mom said as she gently stroked my head. While it felt really good, my shame further increased. I made a promise to not make Mom worry every again.
"Mm…As long as you understand. Now I have something else I want to talk about with you. This is about your future….and your mother's future."
My Mom's and my own….future. What does that mean?
"Remember how your mother was in pain before? Of course, you do. You see, your mother will more and more be likely to have that experience again and again in the future."
"No way!"
Mom will be hurt like that time again? I don't want that!
"As a result, your mother would most likely need to obtain the flower that you were searching for more often. However, because of the previous incident, your mother is now really weak. It would difficult for her to harvest the flowers by herself from now on."
I looked up toward Mom's face. Even though she is smiling back at me like before, her face seemed paler. Even the hand she is stroking my head with is shaking.
"Your mother can't harvest the flowers in the long run. For you to do it is also out of the question. We went through this already," continued Mr. Rheves.
Ngh!? I can't….can I.
After looking straight at me for a while, Mr. Rheves opened his mouth once again, "….And here is my proposal. I had reached an agreement with your mother that I will regularly visit so I can gather the flowers in her place."
Eh? Regularly visit? Get flowers in her place?
"And that's not all. Though I agreed to do this, it is not something I can keep doing forever. Eventually, I won't have time to regularly visit. This is where you come in. If you agree, I can teach you how to fight. Once you get my approval you can then get the flowers on your own without either me or your mother."
Eh? EH!? Teaching me to fight!? Even Mom didn't teach me anything no matter how much I begged.
"That's only if you are----"I'll do it!"---that's quick."
"I want to help Mom! Please teach me how to fight!" I said as I ran up to him, forgetting my previous wariness.
"Ashe…," said Mom with a difficult expression, filled with both happiness and worry.
"If that is settled, let's do some proper introductions. I am Rheves Verstone, I will become your master and you will become my disciple. Are we clear?"
I stood in front of Mr. Rheves and took a pose Mom always does after doing her morning sword swings.
With my two hands, my left making a fist and was covered by my right, I bowed to Mr. Rheves.
"I am Ashe Daemon. 5-years-old! I wish to become Master's disciple!!"