Next Rank

*Sob* *Sob*

Grabbing me by my shoulder, I feel a warm hand support my crying figure.

"Dad… no."

As I continue to grief about my dead father, I hear a voice filled with comfort, like a deliverance of God.

"Dear, I know it is a difficult time, but you need to step back now."

Although still slightly dazed by sorrow, I eventually did as tell.

Seeing my father's body sink deeply into the earth, my emotions overtook the best of me as I couldn't stop tears from trickling down my face.

'I… I-I…I am so sorry, dad.'

While I Apologize to the dead for my faults, I see my mother not far away, standing there, in silence and with a crumbled expression on her face.

Saddened, I slowly turn my head to face my wife.

Like that we stood for some time.

Breaking the silence, I hear her calm voice echo through the now empty cemetery.

"Dear, I am sorry to say this and I know it's hard, but we need to go home. It's been hours, our baby needs us."

As I come out of my daze, I nod my head a bit and we head back home.

Once inside and seeing our daughter asleep, we lay down on the bed.

In the middle of the night, when the stars shine brightest, high in the sky, I start to think.

'It… it can't be real.'

Reminiscing about how I saw my father only a few days ago, I start to deny reality.

'I… I-. I am sure he will come back.'

As I have this feeling of uncertainty rise up within my chest, suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

'Maybe I can make him come back?'

I immediately shook my head.

'Soul dissipate into energy the moment people are dead, which in turn collapse the mind, making resurrection impossible.'

Being a scientist myself, I knew this much, this was a universal truth engraved in the laws of physics.

But wait…

'Super's ability can bypass physics!'

Motivated, I continue to think.

'But even if we can recuperate the soul, how can we reconstruct the exact same mind. It's impossible unless…'

With my thoughts pausing for a second, a smile suddenly formed on my face.

An obsessive smile.

Time.

'I need to turn it back.'

…

*Gasp*

Waking up with a loud gasp, I vividly remember the memories playing out within my dream.

'It's been so long and yet…'

After I organized my thoughts, I suddenly feel uncomfortable, trying to find the cause, I look around.

As I see my bedsheets soaked wet in sweat, I sigh and get up.

Changing my cloths, I then advance to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

Awful, was my expression in the mirror as I think back to those distant memories.

I slap my cheeks to wake me up, then I go down the stairs.

When my mom noticed I am here, she greets me, a faint smile spread across her lips.

"Good morning, sweetie."

With her warm smile washing up my chaotic emotions, I reply.

"Morning."

Eating breakfast, I then go to school.

…

Now in front of special instructor Khan Reese, which had trained me now for two years, I greet with a forced smile.

"Good morning, sir."

Taking a mouthful of tea, he responds with a sleepy face.

"Oh, morning, Samael."

Finally calling me by my name after a year of constantly hearing the words little chick do annoy me less, bus he is still quite irritating.

Although I see him every day and his general behavior is gentle, I never once dropped my guard down.

The reason for that is his ability, which I guessed have something to do with mind control to increase loyalty.

Anyway.

After two years of persistent practice, I have reached the pinnacle of the 'Awakened' rank and am shortly of being promoted.

When I promote to the 'Nurture' rank, I can start using an energy absorption technique…

But suddenly breaking me out of my thoughts was Khan's voice.

"Anyway, let's not waste time and go practice directly ."

As I saw him sip down the last drop of his tea, we moved to the training facilities.

Once inside, I started my usual exercise.

"Here, close your eyes and peel this."

Said Khan while he throws different fruits.

Making them stay in mid-air, I close my eyes and begin to peel the closest one to me.

"Be sure to not ruin the fruit, otherwise you will start all over again."

"Ugh."

Even though I showed a tried face, I made sure to focus nonetheless.

'Let's see. '

With my eyes closed, I could feel the mass's pull of space-time.

Lifting up my fingers, I gave a gentle push.

Heeding my commend, space expanded right in between the orange and its peel, resulting in a slight tear to form.

Slowly but surely, the peel started to rip off.

After I was done, I unhurriedly passed to another fruit, and so on, until everything was peeled.

As Khan saw my progress, he praised while eating the fruits.

"Fantastique."

Exhausted, I deeply breathe in, my longs desperately longing for air.

Extending a fruit in my direction, Khan said.

"Take a banana, it will boost you or something."

Seeing my dreadful expression, he said while backing away.

"Just kidding. Anyway, just do some muscle exercises and meditation, then you can go."

Even though I was mentally worn out, physically, except from a chunk of energy missing, the rest was fine.

Internally sighting, I nevertheless did as he said and then started meditating.

In the middle of meditation, I noticed something.

'Oh, I feel like I can reach the next rank.'

While I took deep breathes through my mouth, I observed my cells dancing in joy with energy overflowing, prepared for sublimation.

Khan, which also remarked this made a gasping sound then commented, wiping off a fake tear trickling down his face.

"You have grown so much since the day you were a little chick, it look like it will be the end of our journey together."

Not giving a shit about his stupidity, I finally completed my promotion, a energy shockwave erupting as a result.

I slowly opened my eyes.

The world appeared so different compared to before.

Everything had a more profound color and I could feel energy freely roaming the air.

Silently staring at Khan as if waiting for an answer, he replied.

"Sigh… what you see is free energy present all around us for whatever reason."

As he sees me nod in understanding, he continued his explanation with a straight face.

"Now that you're in the 'Nurture' rank, you need to nurture yourself with energy and then blossom through battles."