The Start of a New Beginning Arc

Kyran finds himself in what feels like a dark pool of water where he can nothing but darkness and random unreadable symbols which seem a though they are from the system. He tries breathing but is unable to as he suddenly feels as though he is drowning and begins to panic.

[ Wake up!]

Kyran sees the large notification accompanied by a loud screeching noise as he suddenly jolts himself awake while sweating and gasping for air. He looks at his surroundings and sees that he is unfamiliar with it. He looks around and sees multiple medals and framed pictures which decorate the walls of the small room as he gets off the large plain red bed and inspects them.

[ Catalyst Progression: 2]

[ Time Remaining: XXX Years]

His attention firstly notices Ms.Travers in most of them though she looks quite younger, standing next to the unfamiliar man in which either has a medal or is holding a certificate. He can not help but notice that most of the pictures are of fighting competitions where the man looks like he struggled to win.

"Huh," he thinks to himself "who is this man anyway? Probably her boyfriend, although" he looks at another picture "he looks younger than her here. Didn't know she's into younger men but I won't judge her preferences, though the age gap could be suspicious. Wait," he comes back to his senses "where am I?"

He snaps himself out of his imagination due to the fact that he still does not know where he is, how he got here and where Ms.Travers is. He decides to quietly sneak out of the room as he finds to his delight that the door is unlocked. He steps out and sees a short black carpeted corridor leading to a door that is presumably the exit due to the city light that are visible from the windows on its side. He attempts to approach the door but just as he was about to reach it a shiver runs down his spine as he feels hands grab his shoulders.

"You're finally awake." he hears a calm feminine voice say as he turns around to see Ms.Travers looking properly healthy.

"Sshh," he says, "do you have any idea where we are? And how are you okay?"

"You can relax," she informs him "we're at my cousin's home so there is no need to worry."

"Wait," he questions "you have a cousin?"

"Of course I do," she abruptly replies "I'm not some sort of last descendant of a family name, why do you sound so surprised?"

"No it's just, you've never mentioned your family."

"Kyran you go to school to learn, not to hear about my life story." she says "Now let's go, he would like to meet you."

"Wait," he holds her forearm "you still didn't tell me how you're okay right now, weren't you shot?"

"Well," she holds his hand "while you were unconscious I was taken to a hospital and now I'm in debt again."

"That's bad." his heart begins to calm down.

"Now let's not keep him waiting for too long."

She grabs his forearm and leads him down the right corridor as he notices that she has changed into a black plain shirt due to the previous bloody one. They enter a living room where Kyran instantly recognizes her cousin as the man from the pictures which he saw earlier. Although he looks older his chiselled features have not changed much, from his serious brown eyes, long black hair and his visibly growing beard, sitting on a couch while reading a newspaper.

"Marcus he's awake." Ms Travers tells him.

He hears this as he stands up and Kyran can't help but notice his significant height, he's practically built like a model basketball player. He walks towards Kyran as Kyran started fidgeting with his hands hoping to not be the one to start the conversion.

"Kyran Anderson, it's a pleasure to meet you." Marcus says as he holds out his hand for a handshake.

"T-Thank you for saving us." Kyran shakes his hand and feels a great amount of pressure from his strong grip, and he's not letting go."Uhm sir." he tries to break free.

"Just how exactly did you find her Kyran?" Marcus says increasing the strength. He feels Ms Travers hold his shoulder as she stares dead at his eyes.

"Let go." she whispers as he releases Kyran's hand. "Let's sit down."

Marcus and Ms Travers sit on the two person couch while Kyran sits on the single couch across them.

"Let's start this off again," Marcus says seriously "how did you find her?"

"I-I was going to visit her," he replies nervously "t-then I saw a bunch of guys kidnap her and I decided to follow them."

"That answers that," Ms Travers says "so..."

"Hold up," Marcus cuts in "why didn't you contact the local authorities, there are phone booths in the area, so why not let them handle the issue?"

"I-I didn't think of that at the moment," Kyran answers "I'm s-sorry for that."

"Okay then," Marcus says "did you learn anything from that faction?"

"N-No," he replies "I did not."

"Okay then," Ms. Travers says irritated "Kyran, Marcus says that when he came he found us both unconscious but I had semi-healed wounds, why is that?"

"Uhm," Kyran lies by omission "once I finished the call I tried to use my focus to stop the bleeding and I saw that it was working but then I blacked out."

"Hmm," Marcus says "that makes sense since Colt die...." Ms.Travers elbows his arm.

"Kyran," she says "are you alright after the whole incident?"

"There's no need to worry," he says as his fingers shiver "I'm alright. May i be excused to the bathroom?"

"Sure thing," she says "It's down the corridor, last door to your left."

"Thank you." he says as he goes.

Kyran enters and closes the door behind him as he gets on his knees and vomits into the toilet.

"I killed someone," he thinks while panicking "I took a life. I'm a criminal." he vomits again, "Am I going to prison?" He keeps contemplating till he realizes something. "He's a bad guy isn't he, a monster and people kill monsters right, so there shouldn't be an exception just cause he's a human. If it wasn't for me he would've killed us and more people." He then remembers what Colt said about his family as he panics again. He washes his face with water from the sink as he stops shaking and thinks carefully. "It will take some time for his men to find me which allows me to improve this weird focus of mine and I have his healing ability now. But the only person who can teach me how to use it is out of contact." he holds his head "Other than that I can get help from Ms.Travers on my telekinesis, but how will I fight." he suddenly remembers the pictures he saw before as he comes to a conclusion.

He flushes and cleans himself up as he exits and goes back to the living room.

"Are you feeling better?" Ms.Travers asks.

"Yes I'm alright." he answers.

"Then you can go home." Marcus says.

"Huh," Kyran is surprised "but why?"

"What do you mean but why," Marcus says "don't you have someone waiting for you at home?"

"Well, yes."

"Then go home." Marcus says as he walks to the exit door.

Kyran turns to Ms.Travers showing he doesn't want to leave yet but she remains silent. He tries to think of an excuse to stay but in the heat of the moment he ends up saying the request he's been thinking about.

"Please teach me how to fight." Kyran says as the room goes quiet. Marcus turns to Kyran and breaks into hysterics laughing at what he just said.

"What did you just say?" Marcus asks.

"P-Please teach me how to f-fight." Kyran responds.

"Why are you asking that so suddenly?"

"Well," Kyran says "I-I saw pictures of you winning fighting competitions and I'm asking if you could t-teach me."

"Why would a kid like you want to fight?" Marcus questions.

"I-I," he replies with no time to think "I want to become a Sealer." he then sees the rage in Marcus' eyes who then calms down.

"Well you're stupid." Marcus says as he walks right in front of Kyran and looks down to him "Let me reason here. You think just because you emerged a rare focus and by the grace of Lady Luck and convenience that you took down a minor faction's leader, you suddenly think that you can take on portals like some sort of hero."

Kyran is lost for words as he realizes that anyone would think the same thing if they were told the situation. He turns to Ms.Travers but she is still quiet, probably thinking the same thing.

"She says that you do well with telekinesis." Marcus holds his shoulder "Lift that wooden chair with it."

Kyran turns to the chair and puts all his concentration into levitating it but is barely able to manage 10cm as it falls to the ground.

"And you think that nonsense will take you anywhere other than a ruined life." Marcus says as Kyran is quiet "Just so you know, a huge majority of the people who have emerged are just in the copper tier and those who chose to become sealers later on realized that they ruined their lives trying to earn money that they could with safer jobs. Many people die in those not just from the beasts but suicide too because it's that hard."

"Bu--" Kyran ties to talk but is cut off.

"Don't even try bringing up the laws enforced like groups of Orders because that stuff still happens and I know it does. Best to stop this insane dream and go back to focusing on school work, getting a real job and leaving that stuff to professionals."

Kyran thinks of the statistics and realizes that Marcus is right but does not stop because the reason he wants to be a sealer is not for a job but something far greater and he has the system to help him.

"I won't stop cause I know I'll make it," Kyran says "my sister did it so can I."

"You're Kyra's brother right," Marcus says "that fool. Why would you waste you life training for something you'll regret?"

The tension builds up till Ms.Travers decides to get between the two and separate them.

"Kyran," she says "are you a hundred percent sure about your decision because there will be no return."

"Yes," Kyran replies with resolve "I am."

She looks deep into his eyes seeing his confidence, "Then Marcus you'll teach him."

"But he has such a bright future ahead," Marcus retaliates "why throw that away?"

"You can see the conviction he has," she says "doesn't seem like any of us can change that now. And just think of this as repaying your debt to me." she lifts her pinky finger.

"Fine," Marcus agrees "just don't blame me when things go south. We'll start in the weekend." he says as he goes to his room.

Kyran is relieved but can't help but wonder what just happened to change him. "What debt could change him like that?"

"Don't worry about it," she says "you just have to think of it as repaying you for saving me and as a bonus I'll teach you how to use your focus better because that performance was sad to watch."

Kyran is over the moon then realizes that his mother must be worried sick about him. "Wait what about my mom?"

"Don't worry yourself. I figured she'd be worried so I went ahead and told her that you'd be having extra lessons at my place since I can't send you back in this rain."

"Thank you so much." he says "I don't want to add to her stress." he thinks to what the system showed him and Kiana's situation.

"For now just take a shower and I'll try cleaning your clothes," she says as he glances at his dirty clothes "your journey to becoming a sealer will start soon, I hope you're ready."

"Don't worry," he says confidently "I won't disappoint anyone."