The Boy in an ocean

Asher awoke the next day to Henry leaving out white clothes. It was an old tradition to wear white before a family member went off to battle. You wear white, so you don't wear black later. That was the idea. Among the outfit was a hooded overcoat meant to obscure his face from onlookers. Again he had to hide the fact that he was healthy. More and more, this world didn't seem too different from his old life.

If something were unwanted, it would be hidden away, out of sight and out of mind. It was just unfortunate that he was the thing that was unwanted for a second life. Honestly, he thought that as a noble, he would have his life easy, but if anything, it only became more brutal. In his past life, he trusted all the wrong people hoping they would accept him. But ultimately, he was discarded and tossed aside.

Thinking about his previous life caused him to unconsciously scratch his chest right where the knife would have gone through. He trusted all the wrong people and fell for everything they put him through. He felt he was being tossed aside again, but this time was different. He had learned, and now he was capable. He would not let himself fall like that again.

Asher forced the darkening thoughts from his mind. Today was not the day to focus on the life he left behind. Asher went to join his new family for breakfast. The entire manor was dressed in white. White flowers, white drapes, white uniforms, white food. Before a war, it was not uncommon for nobility to go overboard with some traditions, predominantly white.

Garth was in high spirits. It was rare for his whole family to be gathered in one place like this. Especially these days, Asher had to be isolated to hide the truth. Asher even made an effort to remain agreeable to his brother and stepmother. He didn't want to send off his father with a bad taste in his mouth. So he was on his best behavior though those two did not make it easy.

His father spent the morning enjoying the attention he got from his family. As noon came, he mounted on a horse in full armor and gear. The family and servants stood on the step of the manor, waving goodbye as he rode off and out of sight. Asher let out a sigh. He had officially had enough of his family for a month.

Asher turned to return to the manor's interior but was stopped by Lady Marlene. "Young Master, are you not going to join the Lady and Master Jude to pray at the church?" She wore a worried expression on her face. She did not care about whether Asher went, but Asher's health.

Before Asher could reply, Jude was the one to speak. "Why would he? Even if he did, I doubt that god would bother to listen to anything he said. They don't have a habit of listening to worthless people."

Lady Marlene gasped. "Master Jude... I t-think that is a little unfair."

Jude scoffed, "But accurate. My brother is completely worthless in every way." Jude moved close so that only Asher could hear the following words himself. "If only you had mana sickness, at least then you would have an excuse for being so pathetic." Jude stepped back before openly announcing. "I am almost ashamed to be related to someone like you."

Many of the servants looked away, not wanting to make eye contact, but Asher could feel their stares. It was pity-filled stares, and they were pitying his existence. The feeling made by those eyes made Asher's blood begin to boil. "I would watch your tongue, Jude. If you keep flapping it, someone will cut it off." Asher hissed and glared at the other boy.

Caroline stepped between the two boys pushing Jude behind her like a mother protecting her child. "It is you who should watch your tongue, you mongrel. You're speaking to the future duke."

Asher took a step back. "I am the heir apparent and next in line of the dukedom." His rage and anger grew with every word.

Caroline scoffed. "For now, at least. It won't be long before your father realizes you are worthless, and the only one worthy of the dukedom is Jude." Caroline gave a smug look that made Asher want to rip her arm off and beat her with it.

Asher turned and walked back inside the manor, fuming mad. Caroline laughed as the boy left. "It is only a matter of time before you are kicked to the curb, so enjoy the manor while you can." She and Jude seemed to enjoy the sight of Asher storming off. They laughed as they got into the carriage carrying them to the cathedral. Meanwhile, Asher made his way to the fountain gardens.

It had been a while since he was last there. This was a place where he could think freely. Few people wandered out here, and it was in the center of a Hedge path, so it was somewhat private. Asher forced his fist into one of the bushes until the limbs snapped off, and it was a mess. He wanted to scream; he was so angry. Asher slumped down to press his knees into his chest.

He felt helpless. It was as if all his work had begun to unravel right before him. He didn't know if he should scream or cry. As much as he worked, he was never going to be an omnimage, which was required in the noble society. Asher could not take it. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander to the starless ocean. He sat for some time, watching and waiting for something to happen. Occasionally essence would appear floating like leaves down a stream. They would disappear into the empty sky if he tried to reach for them.

Asher sat in the starry ocean for a while, waiting for something to happen. "I guess it would be too easy for me if I could just form the core just by meditating." Asher always felt a little strange here. He ran his hand under the water he sat on, which flowed over his skin like silk. The sound of crying broke Asher's attention.

Asher turned and saw a small boy curled into a ball. Asher walked towards the boy cautiously. He always thought that the starry ocean was something like a representation of his mind. So, why is there a boy here? His feet grazed across the surface of the water. As he approached, he heard a tiny voice coming from the boy.

"It hurts. Why does it hurt so much?" The boy was crying and sobbing. "It hurts. Make it stop hurting." As Asher approached, the crying boy became more and more unsettling. His clothes were thorn and in chaos. It all feels so familiar to him like he should know this person.

He reached out his hand to the small boy. "Hey, are you okay?" As his hand reached out to the little boy, the boy turned and slashed his hand at him in the next second. Asher stumbled back and fell, clutching his arm, which now had a long claw mark on his forearm. "Ou ou ou. Damn it. What was that for?" Asher looked up, and at once, all the blood drained from his face.

The boy was not a boy, but the monster he had made when he first unlocked his magic. Its face was still missing eyes or a nose, but its mouth was still full of razor-sharp teeth with a long disgusting tongue. Its limp was long and lanky like he had never eaten. Asher did not waste any time running away.

"What is that thing? I thought it was a mistake." Asher ran as he heard the creature scream and thrash after him. He made the mistake of looking back. The monster ran on all fours, scurrying like a beetle charging toward him. "Nope nope nope nope nope..." Asher picked up the pace running as fast as his legs would carry him. The monster flinched its tongue and charged forward, lunging at Asher. Its whole body slammed into Asher's back, making them fall into the starry ocean.

Asher was dazed as he fell into the ocean and began to sink into the shifting color. As his scenes, he turned his head and was met with the face of the creature. His instincts took over, and he slammed his elbow into the monster's face. The creature's grip loosened, letting Asher free. Asher then used the monster as a springboard launching himself to the ocean's surface as the monster spirals into the abyss.

When Asher got his head above the water, the ocean had become turbulent. It was like he was in a storm without a boat. A wave hit him, sending him back under. He popped his head back up, gasping for air. He tried hard to keep his head above the water but continued to be overtaken by the wave. The ocean was usually so still it could have been mistaken for solid ground, but now it was batting Asher around like a toy.

Asher felt something grab his leg. He thrashed about but could not break free and was dragged underwater. He looked down to find the creature returned and had a vice grip on his ankle. He repeatedly slammed his free foot onto the creature's empty face till it let him go. Asher swam back to the surface. As he broke through the water, his eyes flickered open.

He was on his back, staring up at the blue sky. He sat up and looked around his surrounding. He was in the garden with the statues keeping watch over him. He felt so unnerved by the whole situation. What was the creature, and why did it keep trying to attack him? A pain in his arm made him wince. When he looked at what was causing it, he found five long claw marks along his forearm right where the monster scratched him.

"But that's impossible. Right?" Asher did not know what to think anymore. It was like playing a game in that you didn't fully understand all the rules. Asher pulled a healing potion from his inventory. He cringed as he poured the liquid onto the wound. The wound shrunk and disappeared from his arm. "That wound. It happened in the starry ocean. Then how did I get the same wound in the real world."

Asher never questioned the starry ocean before because he just thought it was something akin to a physical representation of his soul or some nonsense like that. Now he learned that not only could he be attacked there, but he could also be injured or killed. Even weirder was that his system did not notify him that he had lost HP. When he checked the log, there was no sign that he had lost or recovered any, yet that wound was very much real.

So many thoughts ran through his head. They were all forgotten when his license rang. The permit he had gotten had a feature that could be used just like a magic communicator. This is a smartphone, and it even had caller Id. He saw that it was Cynthia calling him. He answered the call. "Hello."

"Hello, Varas. How is my cute little student?" Cynthia was enthusiastic, as always. Asher rolled his eyes.

"What do you want?" Asher said flatly. With everything, Cynthia's happy-go-lucky attitude to everything was more annoying than comforting.

"No, No, No. Whenever I call, you're supposed to say, 'Hello, my beautiful and vibrant teacher. What can I do to help such a vibrant creature.'" Cynthia used a sound element spell to make her sound precisely like Asher. This made Asher even more annoyed.

"If you're just going to mock me, I will hang up." Asher was not amused at all.

"Partypooper."

"Hanging up now."

Asher was about to disconnect the call when Cynthia sputtered. "Wait, wait. Geez, what got you all in a mood? You're no fun today."

"I don't want to talk about it." Asher was more annoyed by the second. "What do you want?"

"I need you to make a delivery I forgot about. There is a box of potions in the basement labeled, 'Geld.' Take them to the guardhouse in town, would you?" Cynthia asked in a cutie voice.

"Fine, I can deliver it later today." Asher was planning on going to the store anyway to find a way to form his core. "I have a question for you. When I meditate, I am transported to a star-filled ocean. What is that place?"

"Ummm... No one knows."

"What kind of answer is that?" Asher wanted to scream. Of all the times, she decides to be cryptic now.

"I mean that there are theories about what that place is, but no one is certain. So theorize it is the person's soul or mindscape. Some theorize it is a dimensional plane, and others believe that it could be a spirit world. Everyone's description of it is similar but different." Cynthia explains as Asher looks at his arm.

"What do you mean different?"

"Some people appear on a lush island. Some are on a boat, and others sit on the water itself. But the area around it is always the same. An endless glowing ocean with swirling colors and stars in it and an empty black sky," Cynthia explains carefully. In a muffled tone, some voices appear from the background, so Asher can't hear the exact words. "Hope that helps. I have to go. Also, when you form your core, ensure you eat a lot beforehand. The experience tends to be draining. Bye-bye."

The communicator clicks before Asher can say anything. So that thing was either a spiritual being like a ghost or a part of his soul. "Those options suck," Asher lamented. Asher could not decide which was worse. Asher shook the thoughts from his head. Before anyone could spot him, he slipped out of the manor and headed to the shop.