Chapter 29 - The Raven And The Little Wolf

11.07.1642

The Southeast Military Base

38:12

Everyone is getting ready for the next mission of today, while RY4N is informing everyone of what they are suppose to do. Every soldier is standing to hear his words, even though some of them question the mission itself. But it's not the first time when this happens, almost every day when the explanation is going, someone has some doubts. It's normal. Even in our world.

Yet after everything is done and everyone starts preparing the supplies, one of the soldiers seems to go towards the office of the Great Leader. As to why... it's left for us to find. He opens the door of the office, and even the Great Leader is a bit surprised to have a visitor now.

On His desk are the letters from His father, as well as His part of "legacy" and books, as it looks as if He was trying to find the answer again. Yet now, He is standing with the back towards the door, watching His city for a small break, before starting talking.

[CHE5TER]-What is it, RY4N? Shouldn't you prepare everyone for the mission? Why did you come again?

[C0NNER]-...It's not RY4N, Master.

[CHE5TER]-Hm?

He then finally turns around, looking at His visitor, a bit perplexed.

[CHE5TER]-...C0NNER? What is it? Something wrong?

[C0NNER]-It's just that... I haven't gotten the chance to talk with you that much in the past few days. I thought that taking a small moment before everything starts won't kill anybody, right?

[CHE5TER]-Right... Then what do you want to talk about? Do you have more questions to ask me? Or did you come to inform me of something?

[C0NNER]-I... just wanted to talk. I didn't really have anything in mind.

[CHE5TER]-Hm... Strange request, but alright. So? How are your lessons progressing? You've started them for some time now I believe, right?

[C0NNER]-Yeah, about... two months ago. But so far... I didn't progress in anything. I didn't manage to make even a simple object. I just... can't do it. Maybe I'm not made to be a C born...

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* You are talking nonsense again... C0NNER, it's in your blood to be a Creator. There is no such thing as "not being made for it". It's normal to fail at start, it's normal to take some time until you finally succeed. It was never easy for anybody to learn something new. Do you think we were born to wield our powers the moment we'd opened our eyes? No! We had to learn it as well! It took us time at first, and even failed sometimes. I know many people that took them even years before they finally managed to wield their powers for the first time.

[C0NNER]-...But most people succeeded from a young age, yet here I am at 19 years old not being able to do anything.

[CHE5TER]-Then, if it bothers you the age you have now, why didn't you accept my offering when you were younger?

[C0NNER]-Even if I did... wasn't I only going for one year? Or not even a year, just a few months... Since at 14 I had to leave anyway?

[CHE5TER]-A year is better than nothing, is it not? I'll be honest with you on this subject though... you didn't miss much by not going to school at that time. Most of the subject were focused on what you already know. I mean, I did fear that when I took you, you wouldn't have that much knowledge from what they teach you at school since nobody probably taught you, but you've learnt fast those things by watching us over the years, so there was no problem with that. You knew how to survive on your own from your past group already, and you've learnt after how to read and write from us, as well as how to use some ores just in case. And yet only professionals can teach you how to use your powers since they know how to help you in this regard. We were useless to you when it came to that problem, so maybe in that year you had, you could've focus only on this subject and ignore all the others.

[C0NNER]-Was it hard for you as well when you first learnt about your powers though?

[CHE5TER]-Mm... I won't say that. I've learnt faster this subject than all the others, but I did fail at first a lot of times until I got better. To be honest... I didn't really like school that much, so I left when I was even younger than you were when we first found you by taking my final exams. I couldn't bear four more years with those people... and from what I've heard, I didn't miss much anyway from what RY4N has told me in the past. But, again, it was better if you went when I said, even for just a year. Why did you refuse?

[C0NNER]-I guess I... was afraid.

[CHE5TER]-Hm? Afraid? Afraid of what?

[C0NNER]-I thought that... since I was in my first year at a much older age... people would've make fun of me.

[CHE5TER]-Oh, fear of being unaccepted. I guess it is common for all the Lost Children of Heaven though... I saw many of your kind with the same fear, and I guess it's normal since in the above you weren't accepted as who you truly are from the very beginning. Yet, tell me, why would you care what others say? You are there to learn for yourself, not for the others.

[C0NNER]-Then... maybe I feared that I would've been alone.

CHE5TER takes a small pause, looking a bit unhappy at C0NNER, before He continues again.

[CHE5TER]-...Then... I guess I won't blame you on this one.

[C0NNER]-...Hm? Why not?

[CHE5TER]-...During my school years, I actually felt alone pretty frequently. I could call them even my "Hell Years" if it was for me to name them. Hell, if it wasn't for RY4N to be with me, I wouldn't even continue going to school ever since the first month. Most of my old colleagues didn't like me that much for a reason I didn't really understand, so as a consequence, I've got bullied a lot of times. Even the teachers seemed to have something against me as well. I despite even more that my brother and I were born as different races so we had different schedules at some hours and had to be separated... Not until I got at the base, I didn't really have friends, you know? Officer RY4N was the only one who I talked with at your age. So this fear of loneliness is something that I can understand... I guess my only motivation back then was to get out of that place as soon as possible so that I can finally start following my dreams. But... I'm not telling this to scare you, this is only my experience. The others maybe had a better one than me, so you shouldn't really fear that place.

[C0NNER]-Even so, it's a bit too late for me to go follow a school. All I can do now is to do some particular lessons with one of the teachers when they have free time. And even like this, it doesn't seem like I will ever learn...

[CHE5TER]-Then show me what you've learnt so far. Come. We have some time left after all.

C0NNER goes in front of His desk and takes a seat, then starts to tense his arms in front of Him to show whatever he had learnt throughout the months.

[C0NNER]-...The teacher told me that I should start by doing these moves and see if I sense anything around my arms. Yet every time I try... I never succeed. I do not feel anything.

[CHE5TER]-Hm... Then let me try something. Continue what you're doing.

The Great Leader then looks around His pockets for a bag of money and takes out two coins of Verha, showing them to C0NNER.

[CHE5TER]-...You see these coins, right?

[C0NNER]-Yeah?

He smashes them after, forcing the black mist made out of them to appear and wielding it around C0NNER's arms. CHE5TER's C colour lights up by doing so, maybe what He wishes to see at him as well.

[CHE5TER]-Now... focus on the mist around your arms. Look at its movements and how it flows around freely. Do you feel it close to you?

[C0NNER]-A bit...

[CHE5TER]-How does it feel?

[C0NNER]-It's... cold... and unstable.

[CHE5TER]-Then let's make it stable, hm?

[C0NNER]-...How?

[CHE5TER]-Admire its chaotic movements... like a simple wind wandering around the world. Now... close your eyes, and focus on this strange wind. Take a deep breath and let every thought leave your mind...

C0NNER closes his eyes and tries to feel this "wind" around his arms, inhaling a deep breath and exhaling it after keeping it for a few seconds.

[CHE5TER]-...Good, good. Continue breathing.

And so he does. He got back to being His disciple in the end, even if they didn't wish for this to happen. Maybe because his master feels rather pity towards him for not being able to teach him these techniques in the past.

[CHE5TER]-Now... try and change its movements on your own. Once I let the mist free, its movements will be the same as they were before until they stop and fall slowly on the nearest ground. Yet by letting it... you will be able to become the only one capable of wielding its ways by focusing on it. Ready?

C0NNER takes a small breath this time and nods silently, yet without seeing anything. So, CHE5TER lets go of the mist, His C colour stopping its light, and looks at C0NNER's attempt. He looks for over four or five seconds and sees not progress, so He continues speaking to him.

[CHE5TER]-...Focus on the wind. Don't let it stop its journey.

Yet C0NNER tries so hard, tensing his arms so badly, trying to succeed. But he doesn't feel anything, he even frowns from all the tense. Yet still nothing. Even CHE5TER sees that his C colour doesn't light up at all, so He failed once again.

[C0NNER]-I don't... feel anything. Does it work?

The mist finally stops though, starting to fall on the ground like dust, only for the Great Leader to feel a bit disappointed and close His eyes as well, putting His left arm of his hands and moving them on the desk, enough for C0NNER to understand that the attempt has stopped.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Relax now. No need to continue.

And so, C0NNER finally opens his eyes and sees the black mist staying on the desk, feeling disappointed as well just by looking at it.

[C0NNER]-...I failed again, didn't I?

[CHE5TER]-It's alright... If it makes you feel better, I failed again as well. I guess I'm not made to be a teacher, hm?

Yet even if CHE5TER tried to cheer him up, he is still a bit sad that he failed once again. Even He notices it.

[CHE5TER]-...Don't take it to heart, C0NNER. You will manage to do it one day. It just takes time until then.

[C0NNER]-I understand...

CHE5TER takes the fallen mist again, lighting up His C colour and creates something simple with it, like a pencil, just to not waste it. Then, He looks around His pockets for a while. Yet C0NNER looks down, still disappointed in himself, a bit lost in his thought, before his master hands him something. It's a cigarette.

[CHE5TER]-...Here. So you don't say you left empty-handed.

He looks a bit perplexed at it at first, then at his master, before he sighs and takes it from His hand and putting it in his mouth. CHE5TER takes one for Himself as well, putting it on His mouth and taking His lighter and trying to ignite the spark a few times, before finally the fire starts coming out, at which C0NNER looks empty.

"...Each time I see that fire... it reminds me of so many unwanted memories... as if the past haunts me even till this very day."