55 Obsession

A soul of liberation, a sword to cut at its shackles. A heart set on power, and a will to overturn the heavens. A Sword Master must be egomaniacal if he desires to reach the peak. Because without an ambition to be most supreme, the peak can never be achieved; my soul felt sublime and at peace with this sentiment.

A few of the teachers went down to the stage, we were all seated in the center. The remaining 50 students, and were surrounded by the teachers. They sat in a formation, then the assistant headmaster took out a wooden board. It had various strange inscriptions on it, in some foreign language.

The aura of the teachers was collected onto the wooden board, it shone in a white light that enveloped all of us. The teachers starting uttering some strange dialect on repeat, and then I drifted into deep meditation.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

I woke up to three huge banging sounds, I was unsure about its origin. I looked around, I was in a comfortable bed. In a pristine room, filled with silverware and gold. It was dimly lit by the candles and utter darkness outside. I looked around outside and realized where I was. I was up in the sky on a huge castle, and outside was a noble city far below us.

'I live in the Noble Capital, and this is the floating castle.' I felt like I had lived here my whole life

I looked at my body, significantly taller and I looked at a mirror. I was older and more handsome, I had no markings or whip marks on my body. No calluses from working as a slave, or marks for Remmie's experiments. I seemed like a noble child, blessed with the perfect life.

'Drrak where are you?' I asked in confusion

Drrak didn't respond, my heart grew cold and then the door opened. From it the flame princess walked in, she sported an angry look on her face as she walked up to me.

"You bastard, how could you do this to me?" She growled in anger

My face distorted in confusion then dread, I honestly don't want to fight her. At least not now, but I raised my hands and balled them into fists. But that just aggravated her even more, and she jumped at me.

She grabbed me and held me tight, I grew fearful that she would crush me. But then she started crying, lightly sobbing on my shoulder.

"Don't scare me like that." She said weakly as she looked into my eyes. Her troubled deep red eyes were filled with passion. The passion was intoxicating, and I impulsively pulled her face closer to mine.

I returned her passion with a kiss, and she did not resist. But I felt something wrong with me, I pushed her off me much to her confusion. Then soon her confusion became chagrin.

"You...you...you stop playing with me!" She yelled as she stormed out of my room in anger

I gripped my fist and punched myself in the face.

'This isn't real, but why can't I control myself?' I thought in anger

I would never let my guard down, never will I succumb to infatuation or kindness. I had already promised myself that long ago, and my will had grown ever stronger. Yet now I couldn't even control myself, it was like it wasn't my own body.

I sat on the bed, quietly introspecting when the king walked in.

"I heard to finally made a move, my good child." He said with a devious smile

"Please, dad I would never do that...." I said unconsciously

'Dad? what the hell is going on?' I thought in confusion

"I am not your dad, you know that." He said in a stern tone

"Your father was a great man, nothing like me." He said self depreciatingly

"My father trusted you to guard me, and you did so with an unwavering will. Father would roll around in his grave if I don't address you as my father." I said in a kind and happy tone

"Well fine, but son please let go of the past. Your father tried to avenge your mother, and he ultimately was killed." He said in a melancholic tone, a tear even fell from his eyes

"But..." I uttered uncertainly

"No buts, I can guard you here and give you a happy life. Please just take care of her...." He said in a tired tone

He left before I could respond any further, and then my anger exploded.

'Who the hell is doing this, stop hijacking my body.' I yelled in anger.

'hehe, no one is doing anything to you.' said a voice in a mocking tone

'Who are you and where are you.' I said in a calm voice, I contained my anger for the moment. I looked around the room, unable to see whoever it was.

'Over here.' it said mockingly

I looked into my shadow as a strikingly handsome young man emerged from it with a devilishly enchanting smile.

'Who the hell are you?' I asked in horror, it was the man from my dream all those years ago!

'Me? You want to know who I am?' He said laughing

'I was created from betrayal, hatred, and I am born from chaos.' It said with a sick laugh that echoed in my mind

My heart grew cold, as I realized something terrifying.

'You're me?' I said almost stuttered.

'Correct! hehe was it that easy? Remember in the desert what is it that you said?' He said as he fluctuated in and out of existence.

'I am the Lord of Shadows.' I unconsciously replied.

'Exactly! We are one, and I am the Lord of Shadows. Rather than your worse nightmare, I created this world for you. All you have to do is accept it, and give me control.' He said in a devilish tone.

Then I remembered this is a test, I had almost forgotten that and got sucked into the illusion.

'Your innermost desires, are here just for you. Why not just relax?' He said

I looked around and felt at home for the first time in my life. Even with Lewis, or Anna I had some dread. Fear that they would leave me entirely. But here I felt completely safe, nothing could possibly hurt me.

'A father that loves you, a beloved that cares for you, a life of serenity and peace. You will never have to take up a sword to protect yourself. Isn't it what you wanted from Lewis and Anna?' The young man coined in

'What's so wrong with being happy? Why must I obsess over power or revenge.' I said to myself disillusioned

What do all people desire? Happiness whether it be from material items, from family, or from love. What we all desire is security and love. Why should I reject it? The young man smiled a devious smile, it was close to infecting me. My eyes grew hollow, and my heart felt full of happiness.

But then my eyes started to burn like molten lava was being poured into them. My head started to collapse, my brain felt shaken and broken. The pain threatened to consume my very being, and in front of me was Remmie. He was smiling as he painted the brandings on my body, it burned with pain and increased my suffering.

My heart was no longer full of happiness, and my eyes started to burn. They burned with hatred, with a need to kill. My soul sharpened and cut at the illusions. I ripped Remmie apart, destroying every fiber of his very being. I grabbed the young man by the throat and started to choke the smirk off his face.

'Did you think I would fall for that?' I said in toxic anger, my anger made the very world shake. When a man was angry, blood would be shed. When a god is angry, the world would weep.

'You dare to deprive me of my will?' I said as a black horned serpent slithered off my body and into the young man's mouth against his will.

There was some resistance at first, but the young man started to fade. The serpent extradited itself and entered my body. My eyes flashed in a dark light, my heart was calmed. The Lotus in my heart was reigned in by my will.

"Why do you choose the path to ruin? What will you have left when you pick a path of loneliness?" The grin said utterly confused

"I do so for my obsession, which may very well destroy me but it is my obsession! I take up a sword to cut down my obstacles without remorse." As I spoke I felt the presence of the sword heart once again, a realm where affinity sharpens the soul. I had my path, and now I just needed an affinity to complete it.

"Then what the hell is your obsession!?" The young man roared as his final words, and I felt sudden inspiration come from my soul.

'My obsession...what is the vision in my heart?' I said with dull eyes, that became ignited with ambition.

"My vision is my ascension! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will exalt my throne above the stars of the Gods, I will be like the Most High.'" I decreed as the world fell apart, this was my obsession.