14 Chapter 14 Training The Heart's Mind

"Morning, Treven." Eddie tells me as I enter the living room with my staff in my hand. Next to Eddie stood Wolf freshened up and well dressed from the neck down in a dark grey and black semi-formal suit. The moment Wolf sees me his expression goes from empty to a happy puppy. I just realized that he actually had a tail as it slowly swayed back and forth. When the fuck and why!?

"Uh... Morning?" I say with my focus still on Wolf's tail.

"You seem to be well rested." Fuck, the pope is here too. "We have your papers set for your official adoption since Edward never got around to setting that up, and we also have agreed to you going to school this fall at the new Mitus Lotum Academy. In two months, you will be placed into three basic classes; math, society, and magic, and one specialty class of your choice. Sound reasonable?"

"Uh... Yeah. Sounds fair. What are my options for the special class?"

"At the moment we only have three available for your abilities. Dark arts, mage, and combat magic. All rare types of abilities since there aren't that many shadow based gods that are known."

Wait is my goddess shadow based? I better ask her later.

"So... Treven. think you got an idea of what you want?" Eddie asks me. Hes expecting me to say yes. I really have no reason not to, but the look on his face pisses me off. So let's think about this logically.

At the moment I have the potential to become three different types of magic class. A shadow mage for the dark arts, a general mage for healing, which I have the attributes to learn, and a combat mage, which allows me to defend myself on the battlefield as well as support whatever team I may be part of later in life. Dark arts just sound fun on its own, with the ability to fight at mid and long range for attack and defence magic but it doesn't allow one to heal anyone. Healers can be placed in the back with their specialty of absolute defence and mending but once their hit they can't heal themselves. And then there's the combat mage. Able to heal minor injuries for both their party and themselves, keep a high defense, and protect themselves on the front line, but they are often still considered the weakest in any party since their bodies aren't able enough to utilize basic combat for a long period of time. Along with the fact that they're seen as the weakest mage as well since they have to focus on two polar traits at once.

"... I think I'll take the combat magic. I want to be able to protect myself." I finally answer after thinking for about five minutes.

"Good." The pope says. "We were hoping you would try for that one." Fuck. "Edward will be your trainer to teach you how to fight so you don't lose your endurance as you get older. I'm sure you can learn the magic in school from the teacher I have hired. They are noble mages from around the continent."

"Sounds like a headache." Fucking nobles. Why do I have to deal with nobles?

"Is having the best as teachers a problem?" The pope asks me.

"No. The word noble makes me think something unpleasant. That's all." Forgot I said that out loud.

"... I see. Well. With that settled, let me see your staff please."

"Why?"

"To see the contract you acquired with it."

"Its my servant."

"...What!?"

"You gave me a living staff and it wanted to be my servant. So I let it."

"... You do realize that's a very hefty contract to have with a staff. Along with the fact that it's obviously alive."

"I wouldn't be able to have it as anything else because it wouldn't accept anything else."

"... I'll simply let you be for now then."

"In any case, be ready for your training for the next few months without a break, buddy." Eddie tells me. "Your familiar here is gonna be getting house training and it's been decided that he stays here at the house as a guard dog."

"I guess that's fine." Without my consent to that agreement, but I guess it's fine, ya doosh. "It's not like I need him going to school with me, right?"

"True enough."

"Then for having him stay here without telling me anything first, he gets training with us until I leave."

"Uh..."

"Done." The pope answers. "With all of this settled now, I shall get the documents sent to the public records to make everything official. Stay well in the meantime, Treven. And get some morning air sometime. You'll need it."

The hell does that mean?! The pope leaves us finally and Eddie comes to me and picks me up from the stairs I stood at.

"Come on. Let's go eat and get you to work." He tells me. He had a hesitant look in his eyes. Why, I haven't the slightest idea. We eat then head outside to the front yard. Where we could see the rest of the neighborhood. More kids were outside with their parents playing and enjoying the daylight. Watching them made me nervous.

Some of them were training already while others got a visit from the pope as I did. I guess I'm not that special, thankfully. Seeing that some of those he visited had marks also, but for different gods and different reasons. I can tell that their marks are for guardians and 'chosen ones'; for lack of a better term. Mine seems to be the only full body mark while everyone else ranged from their heads to their shoulders and torso. One of them looks to me and suddenly glared at me like I did something wrong suddenly. I'm sure this is the first time anyone has seen me outside, so why am I getting glares already?

The pope then calls us to the family with said child after he said something. Eddie walks me to them I'm already regretting going out.

"I forgot to tell you something, Treven." Oh really? "This is Curtis. He wanted to meet you because he could feel your power from the house for sometime now." Uh... I'm sorry?

Eddie sets me down before the boy and instinctively I back away from him.

"He'll be your new classmate for the battle magic classes from now on. His attributes are for might as his mark shows here, showing he is a 'chosen one.'" Still a vague thing to call someone, but oh well.

"Uh... Hi?" I say to the boy before me. He may be a might kid, but he frightens me right now from his unwavering stares. Stop staring!!

"... What's you attribute from?" Geez, would it kill you to introduce yourself first?

"Um... S-shadow?" I can't tell him blood and death. All kinds of stigmas would raise hell in this part of the world.

"... What about your marks? What god do you have?"

"Uh... Well... Can I not say?"

"... Fine." I swear to all the gods of this world, if he says something like your my rival or some dumb shit like that... "From now on we should train together to get use to our power. I don't have a lot of control over mine but you seem to have a lot of control. So I hope you can teach me how in the future."

... Well that was unexpectedly mature of you. "Uh... Okay? I'm not sure how I can help, but I can try."

"Good." The boy holds out his hand with a good thrust that sent a puff of air at me and startles me. Hesitantly I take it and we shake hands. All the while he hasn't stopped staring me in the face since earlier.

"... Um not to be rude but... Your kinda staring holes in me. Is something up with my face?"

"Hm? No. I just thought your marks were creepy." ... At least he's honest. His parents stood behind him whispering to each other the whole time and I just noticed they were the reason I felt so uncomfortable. They weren't just glaring at me, but looking down at me like I did something disrespectful to their son. I look back at him and in comparison, his stares were more comforting.

I give him a small smile after we let go. "My name is Treven Crest. It's nice to meet you."

"... Likewise. Curtis Knightfall." Freaking might names, geez. "It's good to know your not a bad person. To be honest my parents were saying not to try and get close to anyone but you don't seem that bad at all." Okay the only reason your parents probably don't like me is cuz they can tell whatever god I worship is obviously lower than yours. "My god is the god of might, knightfall."

"I can see that from the mark on your forehead. You must be amazing to be a chosen one. Mine is pretty small in comparison since there aren't many followers for her."

"Her?"

"Uh... yeah. Rather than a god I have a goddess. But regardless of my attributes and magic, she's mostly based around humble nature and honesty."

"Huh. What's your title then?"

"I'm a disciple. Not sure if that's much to be praised for though."

"No. That's actually amazing on its own. It's more rare to be chosen as a disciple than it is a chosen."

Oh. Well thank you. "Eheh... Uh... Eddie was going to train me now, so why don't you join us after you're done here?"

"That sound fair. I'll see you soon."

That went better than expected. I walk back next to Eddie and he puts me on his shoulder this time. Why higher!?

"You were right to say he is a very sweet child, sir Edward. Despite him being an orphan you found." The boys mother says. Unnecessary comment, so fuck you too. "But it would be best to teach him a few more manners of speaking, don't you think? He does know the god of might is greater than most so it's only right to speak more formally to those greater than him." Bitch! I will cure your blood from the inside! Do not fuck with me!

"He is greater than you in that sense mother. Don't you think you should show him more respect?" Thank you, my new friend. Curtis's mother buckles back from him with an obvious hint of fear in her face. She doesn't rebuff him.

"Come on over when your ready, alright?" Eddie says as he carries me off.

"Yes sir. I'll be there soon."

As we walk back, Eddie pats my leg for.my attention and gives me a big smile. "Now that wasn't so bad, now was it?" … was he worried about me not wanting friends? "You had a lot of trouble going out on your own to play even though you wanted to do so. I thought I was actually a good thing that you were really aware of it, but the pope said to let you out even if I have to make you else it'll end up being a bad habit down the line. Said if you keep up the sheltered life you'll end up with delusions of grandeur and think the world will be out to get you because you beat yourself up a lot over your looks."

Okay. Ouch. "... I don't think I'd go that far."

"All the crap you told me about you being upset that you can't have friends because your god was weak and the god of blood. Really?"

"W-well. Uh…" I… I don't know how to retort that. Did I really sound that bad??

"Get your staff out and take a stance. Being as you are, I can assume you have a style of fighting already, Treven?"

"Huh? Yeah… I hope so."

"...Good enough."

Out of nowhere, Eddie takes my shirt and yanked me. Off to throw me halfway across the yard. What the ever loving fuck!!? I land it just on time only to find a wood sword heading straight for my head. I move and tumble out the way with a small scratch on my ear.

"What the hell!! Give a guy a head start, dammit!!" I shout thoughtlessly.

"Heh! If you can talk shit still, then you have no problems handling me full throttle." He retorts and attacks me again.

I don't want to fight him. It felt wrong somehow. I got distracted by my thoughts and find myself up against the wall, feeling the air escape my lungs. I fall to the ground gasping for air and gagging from the shockwave I felt from the impact on my back. I just realized he kicked me so hard that was sent into the side of the house. I thought I would pass out at that moment. I look to him and see him towering over me. With intimidating eyes that showed he was serious about this. I'm terrified. I feel like he was going to kill me again for being weak.

"Get up." He tells me. The voice of disappointment that I used to hear rang through my head like the bells in the distance. I don't fight back and already I'm a failure again. That's it. There's nothing I can do to change it? He kicks me in the stomach and I'm back in the yard. Aren't you supposed to work me into this hell instead of starting me off with it? "Get up!" He shouts.

I try to stand and he steps on my back, putting most of his weight on one leg slowly crushing me.

"Try again." … I can't. The resold will just be the same, won't they? "Try again." I said I can't! What point is there if I'm just going to be rejected again!? "Then try anew." What can I do? I don't want to fight him.

I clench my hand and it bleeds I feel the warmth of it in my palm bubbling I look to it and watch it turn a black fog… I catch my resolve and let it coat me from my hand down to my feet. I force myself to stand as the pressure he put on me grows heavier.

Get up. I won't make those mistakes again. Get up! "Get up." Fine. You want me to fight? I'll give you a fucking fight.

I stand and throw him off. But unlike your noble ass, I fight dirty. I throw myself at him and tackle him down. He throws me off and I try again. He grabs me and throws me across the yard. I recover and hit the ground sending a shock through the earth and grab hold of him with a spell. I know how to fight dirty. That's all I ever did in my last life. Whether it be mind games or death games, I always find a way to win. No matter how underhanded the tactic. I won't let go until you surrender. Don't ever underestimate my past hatred!

"T-treven..!!" He calls suddenly. I snapped back to my senses and see him in the black coat getting devoured by it. I stop the spell in panic and he drops to the ground choking. I'm confused and terrified. I can't describe why or how, but I feel like I did something I know I should be regretting. "Urgh… whoa… okay. I… did not see that coming."

"That's because you started him off like you would your soldiers. He may be something unordinary, but he's still a child, Edward!"

"Hey, if you had raised the kid you would have thought he was older than he looked, too! I reacted on instinct!"

Instinct??

"Instinct!? You could have traumatized the boy!"

"Did you see what he just did to me!? If anything I should be traumatized!"

I can't listen to this anymore. I stand and run into the house and hide in my room, locking the door behind me. I don't want to hear this. Instinct?? Traumatized!? Him!? What have I done!? What if he thinks I tried to actually kill him!? I didn't mean to! I didn't want to fight you in the first place!

"Treven!" Edward calls from the door. NO! Leave me alone, god dammit! "Trev!! Come on. Open the door!! Hey I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trigger you like that. Did I really raise you to be that scared of me??"

What?? … Oh. Right he doesn't…

"Stinger." The pope calls now. "I understand you had a painful experience in your past life, but its alright now. You didn't do anything wrong this time. It's fine, it was Edward's fault for provoking you."

… oh no...