I was quickly brought to the ground by a swift strike to my stomach, as Mikaela looked at me with disappointment in my progress. His eyes were devoid of empathy or remorse, despite the fact that he was mercilessly attacking a small child, similar to how a 600lb Pitbull named Princess would.
"The difference between you and those young children is that you're accustomed to this type of rough play," Mikaela replied, as if he had read my mind. "Because I did," he added.
"Can you please not invade my privacy by reading my thoughts," I said through gritted teeth, which only resulted in more severe punishment. Mikaela examined my wounds before using his abilities to heal them again.
"Continuing with these beatings is not beneficial for a young boy's development," He said as he assisted me in getting up. He picked up two wooden swords and tossed the smaller one in my direction, then sat down himself.
"did you not just say continued beatings--"
"We won't be fighting physically," he interjected as he gestured for me to sit across from him.
"Your techniques, your flaws, everything about you has already been ingrained into your mind." I sat down, as he instructed, and closed my eyes. My surroundings changed, and when I opened my eyes again, I was no longer in the training field. "What is happening?" I exclaimed in confusion.
I looked down at my hands and noticed that they were no longer small and stubby, but had grown. I was taller and my short white hair was now blonde and much longer, tied up in a ponytail. The clothes I adorned were not suitable for combat: a long-sleeved green button-up shirt and baggy pants.
"Take a look at yourself," a voice suddenly spoke and a mirror appeared in front of me. I saw the reflection of a young man staring back at me, his teal eyes examining my facial features. He had a surprisingly well-defined face. The most shocking part of it all was that it was me.
"I grow into quite the looker," I said as I admired my reflection. just what sort of magic was responsible for all this?
"This is a shared mind space between you and I," the voice responded.
I shifted my head in the direction of the voice, expecting to see Mikaela, but what I saw couldn't be anything other than a godlike entity.
Every hair on my body stood on end and the only thoughts that came to mind were how quickly my life would end if I even attempted to run away from this deity-like entity.
Amidst the thick aura and powerful magical energy stood the silhouette of a figure, not a man, but a god whose face I couldn't comprehend or register with my mere eyes.
"Mikaela is not my true name, it's shortened for something else that your mortal mind cannot comprehend," the god explained. My eyes widened as he spoke and memories from throughout my life flashed before my eyes.
"My name is ----------------" I felt a sharp pain that reverberated throughout my body. No pain I had ever felt in both my previous and current life had ever been this great, my screams grew as the pain did and blood trickled down my ears and nose.
until it all eventually stopped and my head was clear, there was no sound, no thought.
Those twelve seconds were the worst in my life. and in those twelve seconds, I had begged for him to kill me a multitude of times just for the pain to end.
"Everything you've built up until now, I'll destroy it all and then rebuild you. That's the only way for your spirit rift to grow and for the activation of Cirrus's spirit force," The god said.
My body shook uncontrollably from the fear that I had just experienced from this being, despite the fact that Mikaela had calmed his aura down.
"Is-is this how it is for all the others?" I asked, trying to regain my composure
"It's painful to admit, but there are those far worse than me currently residing in the celestial realm," He explained as he helped me to my feet.
"So, you need me to become as strong as you," I said with newfound determination. If it meant I could protect my family, then so be it.
"No. I need you to be far stronger, so strong that not even the heavens can reach you," he replied.
Elsewhere...
"I regret to inform you, my king, that I bring bad news," the man spoke to the king. He had a nonchalant expression on his face as he waited for the king to speak. The throne room and its inhabitants fell silent as the king opened his mouth.
"At ease, General Callahan," the king ordered, his eyes carefully examining the state of his general.
"The situation regarding the 'Harbringer of Death' remains unproductive," The general reported, "Both him and his family have fled using spatial magic. Despite our tracers and men searching both on land and air, there has been no sight of the boy or his family."
"You're joking! Don't you and your men realize how serious the situation is!? The Celestials and Dragons warned us of what the boy could cause, which is why we even forced that 'God's child' from the Arrington household to join the battle!" one of the men in the throne room exclaimed. The room erupted into a cacophony of murmurs.
"Perhaps Lancelot let his younger brother escape on purpose," the king suddenly suggested as he silenced the noblemen in the room.
"But the Arrington family has constantly tried to prove their innocence and lack of involvement in their son's betrayal of the kingdom. Tristan would never spare his brother out of--"
"Is it out of the question that he would spare the boy he grew up with? His own blood?" The king interrupted.
"No, my lord," the general replied.
"Then bring him here. Even if he was appointed such a title, I am still the king of this country and he shall be tried in court," The king ordered.