Returning to the present state...

Mat opened his eyes as he felt the pressure of the water pulling him to the bottom of the sea.

Must move these hands

Must try harder

Finally, his right hand twitched. Slowly, he tried to reach up, looking at the light that was being reflected from the far surface.

He tried again but he lost all his regained strength as his body started to fall down again.

With his eyes half closed, an image covered the light above him. Someone grabbed his hand, and veins of light traveled from the helper's hand to his, like instilling energy.

Mat blew out the air and started to swim up.

Crawling up to the shore, gasping for air, he laid on his back for a while until he was able to sit up and pull himself back together. He lightly pats his head trying to bring out the water that came into his ear.

He looked around and saw that it was an unfamiliar terrain. This was not the beach where Good Eve's Mansion was.

Realizing that he came from an explosion that threw him to the water, he checked his body for any wounds or injuries, surprisingly, there were none.

Mat stood up and looked around. He was amazed and stunned by this exhibit of paradise-like view and atmosphere.

This is too good to be true, it's like paradise, and it's so beautiful here. From his point of view, he could see that this place looks like a small island, with its crescent shape beach line and land formation.

Is this heaven?

Am I dead?

Wait... someone helped me a while ago, he could still be around here somewhere. Maybe I can ask him where I am.

He trekked the higher ground to look for help.

After a few minutes of wandering around, he saw a huge pillar of black energy beaming up to the sky, and it looks like it is located not far from where he is. He decided to trail the location of the black pillar, but before he even started, he felt a slight rumble on the ground.

An earthquake?

He knelt down and placed his right hand on the ground where his palm can feel the moist and healthy soil.

The shaking is getting stronger...

But what took Mat's attention was this giant shadow creature rushing towards him. "Oh no, what is that creature supposed to be?" It looks like a giant three-headed shadow hound. Its body was like a flowing black smoke and each head had these red round eyes.

"This feeling is so familiar like I've been here before, like a dejavu."

The beast growled and bent back as it prepares to make a leap toward Mat.

Mat crawled back as he started to make a run heading to the trees. He shook his head while running in disbelief at what was happening.

What is going on here, where am I?

He warded off the branches and leaves as he ran further deep into the woods.

Mat stopped and bent as he held to his knees and catches a deep breath.

What was that creature supposed to be?

A loud growl came from behind, and with a swift motion, sharp claws were about to tear his body apart but Mat was able to maneuver around and evaded the sneaky attack.

Now, that was really clo...

But before he got to finish his thought, Mat, once again, rolled forward and stood up quickly in a fighting stance, facing the huge shadow-hound creature that just attempted another attack on him.

The shadow hound took a quick leap towards Mat, but just before he thought of a direction to move out to, an instant gush of wind came upon him.

A much younger man appeared in front of him, facing the same direction and looking at the attacking shadow hound. In a split second, small crystal lights appeared around the newcomer's clenched fist. It whirled and formed a much bigger mass of light. And just before the shadow creature reached them, the new guy threw the whirling light and blasted its target into black vapors.

Mat was dumbfounded at the moment with so much awe on his face. His eyes tried to move a few times from the black vapors in the air and then back to the young man who hasn't revealed his identity to him.

"What was that?" Mat said with a shaking voice his finger pointing up to the air as he watched the young man turn around and took off his hood.

"It's you!" Mat said with a very surprised expression and then finally made a quick bow gesture as a sign of respect.

"Hello Mat, I'm glad that you have finally arrived here."

"Master Navi'Sai, where are we?"

"And how was I able to get here?"

"I knew it. You were the voice that was calling me in my dream. B-but how did..."

"This is the Crescent Island, an astral dimension that thinly resides in our human realm." Navi'Sai interrupted.

"An astral place, you mean to say, we are an out-of-body entity traveling here?"

"Of course, you knew that already Mat, I have already taught you that right?"

Mat was shut in silence for a moment, still trying to absorb the reality of what was happening.

"Listen Mat, we are here for a reason, the whole training that I gave to you back then, was all a preparation for this."

"Preparation? Preparation for what?"

"Come on follow me, I'll tell you on our way," Navi'Sai said while starting to sprint towards the direction of the huge whirling black pillar from afar.

Mat followed the lead while looking at the huge whirling dark force that they were heading.

"A battle is about to take place here on the island. Casus'Lucem, a Demon lord, who is about to

be released from their prison, is planning to form a new group of elite humans to be his pawns.

He needs every ability and resource from these humans that carry the Seal of Light. They will be led by his demon slaves, Nezumi and Orochi."

"Who are these Carriers of the Seal that you are talking about Master Navi?"

They had reached the high point of the cliff where they can see the locations of each and every black pillar on the topmost part of the mountain.

"There are seven small black pillars located around the big one; each pillar contains a captive soul of a carrier. The central pillar, which is the largest among them, is where Casus'Lucem is imprisoned."

Mat swallowed and gulped down after hearing this from his master.

"Carriers are extraordinary people. Each holds a special skill or ability that the demon lord needs. Each carrier inherited his or her seals from their ancestors, either from their grandparents or from a much longer up-line in their family."

"So, what are we going to do Master Navi?"

"The two demon slaves, are guarding the north and south passage of the mountain, we have to split and face them on a one-to-one rate match. These demon-slaves are acting as pawns of this much powerful demon-lord they are serving." Navi'Sai instructed.

"What? You mean I will fight a demon, Are you kidding Master, at what chance do I have to win against it?"

Navi'Sai pointed to Mat's right arm.

"What is it, Master?" Mat asked while looking at where his master was pointing.

Navi'Sai stretched his arm and pointed again at the symbol on Mat's right arm.

Mat saw a fish symbol on his right arm. "H-how did that...?"

This was the same symbol that was seen in their training temple.

Maybe Mat was right after all, that this symbol was meant to be his.

"That is your seal. You are the carrier of the Fish Seal."

Mat looked at his master with total confusion.

"I am a carrier?" Mat asked with a very doubtful sound.

"Yes, you are."

"Wait, if I am a carrier then why is it that I'm not inside one of those pillars?" Mat wittingly asked.

His master frowned and shook his head, "Because you are different."

"Oh, is that so, I'm different, is that different can defeat or even face a demon?" Mat said in a broken voice.

"You are different because you did not inherit it, you are an Alpha carrier. You are a chosen one."

"I was chosen to carry this seal? An Alpha?"

"YES! OK, now listen to me Mat, several lives are on the line, and they need our help."

"What chance do I have to fight against a demon?"

"Ok, I'll tell you, at your current rate, you only have a very minimal chance to win."

"Oh great," Mat said in a very hopeless tone.

"On the first pillar in the north, rescue the captive soul in there and he will show you the great weapon that can defeat the guarding demon," Navi continued in a much calmer tone.

"A weapon you say," Mat uttered.

"Use your seal to save the first captive, then he will be able to show you what this weapon is about. Your seal will light up when you need to release the captive from the black pillar. But it will also consume part of your life force."

"You mean this will light up like my body will produce the light for it?" Mat asked again in total confusion.

"Yes, Mat. By the way, there is a skill that I have taught you before that you can take advantage on this place."

"What is it, Master?"

"Remember the quick leap?"

"Yes, but what about it? It is just only jumping two meters away from the current location, how can that help?"

"Using a very minimal amount of energy from your lightened seal, you can jump to as far as five to seven meters in the duration of half a second," Navi explained then suddenly demonstrated the quick leap in front of Mat, jumping several meters away from him in an instant then returned back even before Mat reacted to what he just did.

"That was amazing. I never thought it would even be possible..." Mat said in a jaw-dropping gesture.

"Same principle applies to your attacking power, your seal will double the amount of strength and damage to whatever skill you will apply it to. Even your physical and spiritual barrier is increased by more than 50%. That is way far above the normal human level. It will increase more as you learn to control your seal. But you still need to use it wisely because when it drains down to nothing, you will have to wait for a while to be able to use it again."

Somehow, Mat felt a boost of confidence after learning what he could benefit from his seal. He knew he could do this mission, and had a better chance of defeating an opponent using his seal. But then he wonders... What is this weapon that the master is talking about?

"OK Master Navi'Sai, I'm ready."