"Uh!? Teleport?" A surprised question came from Temorsth.
"Good guess, but it's not, for magic like teleport you induce and influence mana, but now I only used the energy to take one step."
"..."
"Then was Dad faster than light? I didn't see anything."
"Yes but no, it's a good thing that you brought this up, I wanted to use it to explain anyway."
"To mortals, there is nothing faster than light, for higher beings there is but now we are only talking about Mortal Ranked Existence."
"..." He was listening while nodding his head.
"But to say, my 'step' would be faster than light even if I was a Mortal Ranked individual."
"...? But didn't...?" He became confused by the words.
"Yes, I said: To mortals 'nothing' is faster than light, and that's the key."
"..."
"Hm..." Seeing Temorsth's face of not understanding Xalier thought for a second.
"Let me ask you this, do you know that shadows are faster than light?"
"Yes..."
"Great, and why are they faster?"
"Uh... They are faster because a shadow is the absence of something... to be exact particles of light..."
"Yes! That is it!" Hearing the right answer Xalier raised his voice a little.
"Huh? What is...?"
"My step is not a 'thing', but rather the absence of it..."
"The absence of...?"
"Space and matter..."
"Oh...!" The realization hit him... but right after a question occurred. "But dad... wouldn't it have been easier if you said that first?"
"Hm... maybe, but do you think if I said that first I wouldn't need to explain? You most likely wouldn't have understood its fundamental."
"True..." Temorsth knew what his father meant. It would be impossible to comprehend his unique ability if he only said: Space does not matter for my movements.
"Anyway, this is my unique ability, World Crossing... cool isn't it?"
"It is cool..."
"...? What's wrong my son?" Seeing that Temorsth was bothered by something Xalier asked.
"Uh... What is a unique ability...?"
"...!?"
"Uh, sorry I..." Seeing his father's facial response Temorsth hesitated.
"No don't be, it was I... I forgot to explain it first." *sigh* Xalier sighed, he had too much on his mind which led him to forget the first thing he should have explained.
"I know it should be different from a normal skill it's just..." Temorsth tried to clear things up, but Xalier cut in with his explanation.
"Indeed there is a difference but it is not much. It's true for both that they can be innate and they can be learned too."
"There are three main differences... first of which is, you need the perfect host or to say someone with potential for that unique ability, but skills can be learned even if you have no talent for them."
"So the skills are simply easier to grasp...?"
"Yes."
"..."
Seeing Temorsth nod his head, Xalier continued. "Second, all unique abilities are Growth type, they have infinite potential and the only thing that limits them is you and your potential with them..."
"... Arn't all skills evolve when you use them?"
"No, normal skills do not evolve, there are Growth type skills that evolve like unique abilities but others do not."
"But..." Thinking about his Sword Mastery which 'evolved' when he trained it Temorsth was confused.
"Son, I know what you are misunderstanding, skills do not evolve they level up. Skills will get stronger with a level up, but they will always do what they did before, just better and stronger."
"Oh! So when you train your skill they just level up?"
"Yes, and to explain Growth types as a whole, think of them as if they have a base form and it moulds according to what you do, how you use them, in what situation you use them, and the like."
"Growth type can be, weapons, skills, armour, really anything, and everything."
"Alright, to finish it with the third and last difference, unique abilities can be passed down like inheritance while skills can only be taught."
"Inheritance...? How is it any different from teaching?"
"By inheritance, I mean that the unique ability can be passed on to someone else. The one who receives it must have some potential, but if they accept it, they get the unique ability, and the original holder loses his."
"...!? Then can't it be..."
"Yes, it can be stolen by force. People with unique abilities tend to hide them until they are strong enough to protect themselves."
"It is very common for powerful and influential people to hunt for unique abilities."
"..." He was surprised but didn't tough much about it, the world has always been survival of the fittest.
"And that is it, now are you ready to start?"
"I think so. Now I know everything I didn't know, it's just... how do I start?"
"Don't worry son, you don't have to learn to the extent that I have, it would be too unfair after all, I've had over a thousand years to get this far."
"What you need to do to make me let you out is only the First Form of World Crossing, Shadow Step."
"Just the first...?" He tried to ask but his father's words continued.
"Oh, don't worry even in that you only need to do one step, if you successfully do it, then you have learned World Crossing and with that, I will let you out. After that, you only need time to evolve it, obviously only if you want."
"Just one step...?" Just as he asked he stopped mid-sentence...
"..." he stopped because of his father's ominous and creepy smile.
"Yes, just one little step..." Xalier's face was shadowed and his smile sent chills down Temorsth's back.
"Take a look..." With his words, black energy appeared around his body.
"...son I will give two words as tips..." As he rise his leg to take a step he continued.
"The first, shadows..." The dark energy around Xalier covered the whole of his body it looked like he was the dark force itself.
"The second, slash it..." As his leg touched the ground, a distortion appeared around it, and with it, his body jumped one more step ahead.
"And that is it..." Turning back to Temorsth the energy around him disappeared.
"..." Temorsth's eyes widened.
"Try to do it on your own, if you can get it we talk about it later, but now I have to go out hunting." As Xalier turned around his words were serious it was not as soft as usual.
'It has a strong force, be careful...' Elah warned him.
'Don't worry, I'm stronger...'
"Hunting? What, why now? Dad...?"
"..." Xalier disappeared without a word, so fast that there wasn't even a sound.
"..." Temorsth was at a loss, he didn't know what to do.
"Baby..." Seeing this Elah called for him.
"Yes?"
"...you can battle with mom if you want..."
*sigh* Tem sighed, then looked up, his face showed a child-like smile. "Alright, I'll show you, Mom, how much stronger I've gotten!"
"Go on baby, show it to Mommy, Mommy won't go easy on you!" As Elah spoke with a playful tone, she stood up and dusted her dress off.
"..." *sigh* Temorsth wasn't as motivated to fight with his mother as he was with his father.
'Calm down...' He tried not to show it, since it was the first time he would train like this with his mother.
Oh, but how wrong he truly was to underestimate her...
...
"The arrays are getting stronger, I'm moving in the right direction!" Antanasia had just broken an illusion array when...
"No, you're going in the wrong direction." She heard a deep male voice from behind.
She shuddered with the thought, 'I didn't notice it...?' and even got goosebumps from her senses being tricked.
'Fuck it!' She attempted to turn around and as she did, she drew her two katanas.
'Who...?' Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man. A red longsword was in his right, and three bodies were in his left hand.
'Disappeared!?' Before she could fully turn, the man disappeared.
'Uh, Left!' She adjusted the blades but since the fast speed was almost unreadable, she could do little.
*Ugh* She did block the slash, but in the process, her left arm become cut.
"...!?" As Xalier and Antanasia made eye contact both recognized their enemy's face.
"Agh, Fuck!" Antanasia groaned, looking down, she saw a dagger had been thrust into her stomach.
*Ugh* As Xalier twisted the dagger, anger rose in Antanasia. "Get the fuck, AWAY FROM ME!" As she gathered her strength black energy burst out.
She fully draw out her katanas, and with the combination of her black energy and incredible strength, sent Xalier flying away.
"Hmh..." With ease, Xaler did a backflip and landed on the ground.
"It is an honor to fight the Blood Red Flash..." As Antanasia stood there with her arms outstretched, showing off her big chest, she prepared for an attack.
"So is, Cursed Blade. But I never liked that title of mine, so can you not use it...?" Xalier released his stance and straightened his beck, showing a willingness to speak.
"Hm... I think it's very apt, the last thing your enemies see is a flash of red after all..."
With a smile, her red lips glistened in the light. "But since you don't like it... should I call you... The Merciless Executioner...?"
"..." Xalier's eyes turned dark from hearing the words. Blood-red, fire-like energy appeared on his body and blade as he disappeared without a word.
"...!?" Xalier appeared to her right with a slash, only now Antanasia had more room to move.
"Speed is not everything!" She received the attack with her katana, then attacked with the other... more than a dozen clashes in less than five seconds.
*AHa*Ugh*HAHA* Antanasia laughed at the exchanged sword strikes.
*Uh...*As the clashes happened it became apparent that she had more strength, she was able to push Xalier back with every hit.
On the other hand, Xalier was much faster, one wound after another appeared on Antanasia, from both his longsword and dagger.
*Huff* Antanasia exhaled after they distanced themself from each other.
"Hm..." Xalier breathed but instead of wasting further time, went ahead again, his energy of fire just become even more apparent around him.
"Fuck!" *ugh*... After a few dozen more clashes...
*Huff...*Huff...*
"Xalier, what the hell are you doing, why are you betraying your kind!?" Antanasia was panting heavily as she yelled at Xalier.
"I'm not betraying it... I'm trying to save it..." And even as he spoke, Xalier still went forward to attack her. He looked pretty good, he had a few light wounds on his arms but they weren't serious.
*UGh* "By killing our kind!?" As she deflected his attack, she glanced to the side, she was looking at the three bodies Xalier brought.
"They are a necessary sacrifice... just like you!" His words were filled with unwavering determination as he disappeared from her sight.