5 Years Following

Aster still lived with Lilith despite what was actually possible for himself. He wouldn't admit but the feel of company wasn't a complete waste. He didn't enjoy it more than loneliness but he no longer despised it.

"Aster!" Lilith shouted her voice echoed through the house. He didn't answer her but she rushed into his room as if the door didn't exist.

"Up! Up! Up!" She pestered jumping in place.

Aster groaned before rolling onto the floor, not even trying to stand.

"Move it! I have big news!" Lilith ordered her smile ever growing.

"I'm just going to lie here." Aster finally answered. Lilith heard none of it as she grabbed him by the shoulder and brought him to his feet. How she did so was confusing given her petite figure and him being a good two heads taller than her.

"Better!"

Aster fell back into bed with a thumbs up, "Much."

"How many years has it been now?"

Aster didn't answer but given by him sitting up from the bed he showed interest in the answer. "3 years, and we still know nothing about each other." Her words were mellow but her lips were curved in a smile.

We remained stationary in that room neither of them broke the silence. The room was heavy, the truth of their time showing. They both held more secrets then they either cared to admit and in the end, it may lead to great repercussions.

Aster had enough, directly walked right past Lilith and into the forest without a word her smile still unfaded, "Bring back dinner," She requested his figure lost in the distance.

----

Aster was mindlessly walking a destination, not in mind. What was he meant to do or where was he meant to go in such a situation? Over the past three years, he had tried multiple times to get the basics of magic integrated into himself but like a void, it would be immediately lost. He hadn't given up but he had begun to learn hand to hand combat and practiced swordplay with a stick. He wasn't a master in his past life but he had seen enough from his victims to have an understanding of the subject...

"Why is this so hard!" Followed by a snap as the branch broke with the impact on the ground.

He grumbled to himself about how the people he previously fought made the actions look so easy; yet when he tried it himself he didn't find his swings to hold that same power. He broke off a new branch and once more tried to find the of the heart of the sword. Taking advantage of his memories he closed his eyes and pictured the strongest swordsman's teachings.

----

A young looking woman, no more than thirty, stood in front of a group of kids all hold wooden swords. She herself held a bland looking iron blade out in front of her. The kids followed her lead.

"A sword doesn't have to be fancy or famous to be powerful. Doesn't have to be powerful or made of unique materials to be at the peak. You, as the swordsman, bring out that power." She spoke her voice melodic yet loud and prideful. The kids nodded their heads even if they didn't understand her words.

She went on to explain how the sword is an extension of oneself not just a tool for battle. "A soul is not born from a man who holds no love and only values killing and war." She explained bringing her sword to her chest and caressed it with her other hand. Her eyes were closed and her face at peace. Suddenly, it became stern her voice dropping in tone seemingly dark,"You are all dismissed for today."

After all the kids left a man appeared before her shrouded in shadows, "Yue,"

"Styx,"

"You shouldn't lie to kids."

She held a tense defensive position, "You're a mage you don't know the path of swordsmen."

A black flame danced between Aster's fingers, "You're right I don't know about the path you followed. I do know though, hatred and killing can birth a sword's soul none the less. Niten is a good show of that."

"Why are you here?"

"Would you believe that I'm lost?"

"Would you believe I don't love swords?"

"Touché, I'm looking for Niten."

"He hasn't been here for four years. Last I heard he went on to challenge gods for godhood."

Aster nodded before melding into the darkness; Yue didn't release her guard until he was completely gone.

----

"Love?" He mumbled the branch in hand. He recalled the memories but was still unable to get a grasp on the heart of the sword. He remained stationary in hope of finding some kind of inspiration in the silence of nature. He was at a loss on where to proceed, all he was finding were dead ends.

"There has to be something I'm missing..." He focused purely on his hand as he swung the branch around indiscriminately. He tried to feel the branch become an expansion of his reach instead of being disconnected from himself.

Slowly there was a rhythm to his movements no longer as wild and brainless. The motions became repetitive soon after. He began to repeat the same downward swing again and again; his body moved without his force.

He stopped after taking note of his state of mind before walking to a tree to practice jabs and basic hand to hand combat. He showed more experience in this area, likely finding enlightenment here before the sword. He was in no way above an amateur but he wasn't a stranger to the movements. He couldn't recall past masters as it had been too long from when he had last fought a pure martial artist.

With bloodied knuckles and a tree with a deep indentation, Aster took a break after five hours from when he left Lilith. Looking out at the sun he took note on how there was less than three hours before it would set. "Dinner..."

He first made sure he was near peak condition in preparation for hunting. It didn't take long for him to find the trial of a deer. He had seen the trails of a form of bear but knew to go the opposite way.

Three trees in front of him he found the deer. He looked along the ground in search of a suitable stone. He picked one up and tossed it in his hand to test its weight.

----

Across his shoulders was the deer bloody indentations seen around its head. The sun was only barely setting when Aster walked in the door and was greeted by Lilith. A fire was already started so Aster handed the deer over went to his room to do some basic exercises before dinner.

----

The two sat around an improvised table with Lilith creating conversation, "Took you fewer hits today than yesterday." Unsurprisingly Aster didn't answer taking more bites from the meat.

"I'm going into the city soon to see the requirements for starting a guild. You want to join?" She sounded hopeful.

"Sure," He hadn't left the forest since being found by Lilith. He would eventually need to get an understanding of the country if he were to ever need to blend in.

"We'll leave early tomorrow."

The two then drifted back to silence, an odd pair whose fate may forever be intertwined.