Strength

Oz slept much better these days. The hours of training wore him out. He would come home from their evening training, shower, and pass out cold.

Today was no different. Oz sat in the shower, washing the sweat and grime of the day off. He was exhausted. His muscles aches, his head pounded. He had gotten stronger. His arms were gaining definition from all his time honing his scythe skills. His hands were getting callused from practice, and he even noticed light abs when he looked at himself in the mirror. He had gotten better at hand to hand combat, and could now take Amar without fearing for his safety. To his surprise, he had also gotten taller.

Oz felt better about himself lately. His strength affected his attitude as well, and he was now trying to have a positive outlook on his situation. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Oz called. Asmodeus walked in, taking a seat on the closed toilet.

"We should talk about your growth master." he said.

"I was just thinking about that. I feel like I've gotten stronger. I know I have. What else do I have to learn? How long until I can save Reena?"

Asmodeus sighed. It was a sound Oz had grown to feel calmed by.

"True, you have improved rapidly. It is due to this improvement that I think this is worth mentioning. You still have a lot to learn in terms of the history of who you are, however, you have one combat technique left to go. Army Summoning."

Oz looked puzzled. "Army summoning?"

Asmodeus replied. "You have an army. An army of star soldiers that heed your will. It is an extremely taxing and draining technique, but as you get more powerful, the easier it gets to control. Right now you are barely at 30% of your power. At 50% you can control the soldiers with ease. At 100% they all are as powerful as you at 50%. It is a highly effective and strong technique. You are not ready to master it, but we can get started on training tomorrow night at the full moon. It will be easier to summon the army when the moon is at full power."

"Ooh... Tomorrow night I can't. I have a school thing where we sleep in the classrooms and watch old movies about World War Two." Oz responded. "I really wish though. Maybe the night after?"

Asmodeus sighed again. "That works as well. Just don't try it on your own."

Oz went to bed that night feeling very proud.

—~—~—~—~—~—~—~

The next school day passed in a blink. It was evening, and before he knew it, Oz was stuck in a classroom packed with kids he didn't like, Amar jabbing into his left side, and Asmodeus fast asleep on his right shoulder.

Oz sighed. How did this even happen? He had to admit though, Asmodeus was a very pretty sleeper.

Oz focused on the movie, barely understanding enough of the plot to see some people that he assumed were the antagonists planning an invasion of the United States. He was a little lost.

Losing interest in the movie, Oz began dozing off. Historical fiction was not his genre. Oz almost fell asleep when a loud screech woke him. He jolted awake, along with Asmodeus and Amar, who had also lost interest in the film. The projector glitched. Black lines ran across the screen as the movie froze. There was a soft murmur among the students that were still awake.

"Whats going on?" Asmodeus mumbled sleepily.

"I'm actually not sure." Oz answer.

"Don't worry about it. Just some technical difficulties. I'm going back to sleep." Amar nuzzled back into his bright purple sleeping bag, closing his eyes. Oz was about to do the same.

Suddenly a voice echoed throughout the empty school hallways.

"Hello bitches! We're here to collect the moon girl! If you don't all want to die, I suggest you hand her over right now!"

The voice was followed by a garish laughter, one that sent chills down Oz's spine.

The class stirred.

"Nobody panic!" A teacher stood up. "Just follow the lockdown procedure everyone. It'll be alright."

The students began to shuffle around, a tense atmosphere starting to grow around them.

"Shadow children." Amar said through gritted teeth. "I can smell them."

"I feel them as well." Asmodeus responded.

They tensed up.

To his surprise, Oz could feel them as well. He didn't know what he felt exactly, but it felt like cold, dark, bloodlust. He knew it was them. Shadow children.

And they had come for him.