Breakfast was awkward this morning. For Adav, it was perhaps his first proper meal in months, much less in proper clothes with proper furniture. He has gotten used to waking up and then hunting or foraging right after to get food. So this was a welcome change, or rather return. Yet as much as he wanted to wolf down the food in front of him, an awkward silence filled the table. His mother smiling softly at him while his younger brother was pouting, evidently angry.

  Raka: "Really? You disappeared for months and you're going to act like nothings happened?" He asks, half demanding, half grumbling

  Adav knew what he did was wrong, yet he still cannot accept himself returning here. The joy he found with the prepared food was brief as the idea of letting himself return to a normal life without avenging his father did not let him take this for granted, rather its telling him to leave once again.

  Adav looked down to a corner of the table that's empty.

  Adav: "…sorry"

  Raka: "and??"

  Adav: "I can't stay here just yet" he said, not making eye contact, though even without seeing, he could tell his brother growing angry and his mother sadder.

  Raka: "What the heck!? So you don’t want to come back home?"

  Adav: "I do… but not now. There's still something I must do"

  Raka: "Unbelievable. Mom, aren't you going to say anything? Tell Adav he's being unreasonable"

  Raka complains, looking to his mother to talk some sense to Adav. To which their mother turns to Adav, who has yet to look them in the face.

  {AW}: "What do you need to do dear?" She asks gently. She had an idea, from his actions before, and knowing what he saw that night, but she wanted to hear it from his mouth.

  Adav: "… I have to avenge father" he says after a long pause

  There was a long pause after this statement. The topic of Ashans death was something none of them really want to touch on right now, as each had their own complex emotions on it.

  {AW}: "How will you do that?" She ask, steering the conversation away from her husband

  Adav: "I'll kill the bastard that killed father" he states, remembering that night once again. This time, the hate helped him look at his mother while stating this. He was shocked, he had expected a more stern face from her, yet it was a sad smile.

  With the look of Adav's eyes, {AW} saw flickering flames. Eyes filled with hate towards that person, not something she could imagine from the sweet and serious boy she knew before all this. If she could do something to lead him out of this, she would.

  {AW}: "Does it have to be you? The soldiers are out there fighting them right now, the person you could be looking for might even be long gone now" She asks, trying to persuade him to stay

  Adav: "That bastard wont die easily. It has to be me that takes his life!" Adav snaps, but quickly following up with a sorry as he realized how sudden that was

  {AW}: "Why does it have to be you? It's dangerous out there, you'll get hurt and we might lose you. We already lost Ashan so-"

  Adav: "I wont be able to forgive myself if I don’t. If I get hurt, all the better, since… "

  He choked on his words, all this time he was keeping it to himself. He has been telling himself this all this time, so why is it so hard to say it out loud? Don't run, don't avoid it, if this is painful, then all the better for you-

  Adav: "since its my falt father died…" He finally manages to croak the truth he's believed in all this time. Unclenching his fist which he realized has been tightly clenched the whole time.

  At this point, he had closed his eyes, expecting the reproach from his mother. Yet, he was surprised when he falls off the chair and onto the ground. Somehow his younger brother tackled him from across the table.

  Raka: "What the hell are you saying?!" He shouted, holding Adavs collars tightly as tears also feel

  Adav was stunned, he wasn’t expecting this from Raka, the last time they saw each other, he was much more reserved and reluctant.

  Raka: "What do you mean you killed dad?? Say something!" he shouted, yet begged.

  Adav looked away. This is better right? Let them hate him, then throw him away. Also he couldn’t bear it. Saying what he said was already difficult-

  Before he knew it, their mother was with them. Putting an arm on Raka's shoulder,

  {AW}: "This is hard for your brother too, let's give him some space for now so he can explain"

  With that, Raka reluctantly stood up and went back to his seat. With his arms crossed, he and their mother waited for Adav to stand up.

  Raka: "So? What happened"

  Adav: "…"

  Adav considered just running right now. Though his body is tired, with his current state, he could outrun them for certain, though Garjan might just catch and drag him back here.

  Adav: "The enemies attacked, and because of me, father died. That’s all" He states. He's too tired from this, he feels like they wont be able to understand his guilt even if he did explain. So stating it outright would be better"

  Raka: "Unbelievable" he grumbles, then looking to their mother, accepting that he wont be able to get him to talk.

  {AW}: "Can't you tell us what happened that night? Im sure this isnt your fault at all"

  Adav: "No, it really is mine. That’s all you need to know. Im leaving now" He says. This is for the best, until he avenges his father, he'd rather do this alone as a form of punishment.

  {AW}: "You know the soldiers out there are here to recruit you to join the war" She says with a sigh

  Adav: "Yeah, I'll join them and avenge father"

  {AW}: "But you'll need my permission to join" she says, now much more serious than earlier.

  Adav couldn’t answer back. If he goes out on his own, he wont even know where to start, so for the sake of getting the change to face off with his fathers killer, he needs to join the army.

  {AW}: "Ill allow you to join-"

  Raka: "Mom!?"

  Adav was taken back by this, not just Raka. He had resigned himself to begging or making the army take him-

  {AW}: : "Only if you tell us what happened. You don't have to bear the burden by yourself"

  Adav heard the words he feared. Not just the need to tell his story, but the idea that he shouldn’t shoulder it all by himself.

  {AW}: "If you don’t, Ill do my best to make them not accept you. If you really want to join, you'll need to spill everything" she says, looking at Raka to silently apologize, who in turn just shrugs.

  Adav considered his options, finally deciding to just say everything. Either way, he's still going out to war after this.

  The way he told the story was in so much detailed, as if he's been reliving that night the whole time. There were moments where his mother or brother wanted to ask things, but didn’t and silently let him continue. Opting to listen until the end first in case Adav changes his mind.

  Adav: "I rushed out to attack one of the archers to help, but all that did was have them aim at me, having father save me, pushing me out of the way and getting struck by the arrows…"

  His voice shaked, as he calms himself.

  Adav: "I couldn’t do anytihng, I thought being the best student meant I could do something, yet I made things worse-"

  He was cut off from continuing by the sudden hug his mother gave him.

  {AW}: "it's alright Adav, you did your best. It wasn’t your fault" She said gently.

  No, this isn't right. You're supposed to be angry. Adav thought, or else I'll-

  Tears formed around his eyes, like a dam, the tears flowed from Adav. He tries stopping all this, he can’t have this, not yet-

  {AW}: "I'd never blame you for any of this. Your father too, protected you because he loved you"

  His mother kept consoling him, not letting him leave her arms. He can't have this, his guilt and anger has been the thing keeping him from collapsing the whole time- yet now his tears have been falling nonstop. Didn’t he have full control of his body at this point, so why is it failing him now

  Adav: "Stop this…" He managed to say in between sobs. Yet his mother never stopped, his brother too joined the hug, silently mumbling idiot at him.

  At that point, Adav couldn’t recall what happened. He cried, complained, vented his frustrations, and the two of them took it all in. The hate he wanted to get not being returned.

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  He lost track of time, next thing he knew, he had somehow finished eating the food he's wanted earlier.

  Finally calming himself down, he looked down on the empty plate.

  Adav: "There, I've told you everything. So let me join the army" he says to his mother.

  Even with what just happened, his longing to avenge his father has not dissipated, rather now his mind was much clearer.

  Raka: "still on with that??" he scowls thinking nothing has changed. But his mothers expression was much calmer now

  {AW}: "And does it have to be you to avenge your father?" She asks once more. This time, he was much calmer, and more rational.

  Adav: "No, but I still want to avenge father. Maybe if I learn of that persons death I may return. But also, with the war, I need to help end it in fathers place" Adav says, his goals now much clearer. He remembers hearing his father before talk about the war with Garjan. Declining as he wanted to keep the family safe. Yet it still reached them thus this was the remaining option he can think of.

  Raka: "Ah! Whatever then. Go and leave us again, you've done it already once" He says grumbling as he turns his back to leave the room

  Adav: "I'll leve you to protect mom, I'll end this war soon"

  Raka: "Just go already" he says as the door closed. Leaving Adav in the room with his mother.

  {AW}: "Don’t mind your brother, he also cares about you"

  Adav: "… Im sorry"

  {AW}: "It can't be helped. You are Ashans son, when you took up the sword, I knew might walk this path" She says in a somber tone

  {AW}: "Oh, and before we go-" she said as she takes out the necklace she was wearing. Attached to it was a crystal the shape of lightning.

  {AW}: "Ashan would have wanted to give you this himself. It’s a good luck pendant he's worn in his time" she says as she gives Adav the necklace.

  Upon feeling the necklace, Adav could feel the faint presence of his father.

  Adav: "This necklace, could it be…"

  {AW}: "He says it brings good luck, since he always returns safely from fights when he had that"

  {AW} explains to Adav, who was looking at the necklace. Given what he could do now, he knows its more than just a good luck necklace. But for now-

  Adav: "I'll take care of it" He says as he wears it around his neck.

  With that, the two heads out to meet the soldiers. Their camp was just by the entrance of the town, and calling it a camp would be giving it too much credit. Rather it was just a carriage, with some cloth propped up to provide a bit more of shade to the outside.

  Besides the three people that came to him, Adav only saw 4 people. The 4th one probably being the driver. They were sitting around a propped up table, eating some bread they got from the town. Once they got near, Garjan looked up and waved the two over.

  Garjan: "You're up much faster than expected" He said looking over Adav

  Healer: "Are you really ok? You could take your time resting" He says worriedly

  Soldier: "Nonsense, the boy is much stronger than your average soldier. Right lad?"

  Healer: "you've really gained this soldiers respect kid" He sighs

  Adav was dumbfounded. The last time he saw any of those, he was risking his life fighting Garjan while they stood and silently watched. Now they're lounging around a prop table eating bread.

  Garjan: "Miss {AW}, since you came here with your son-" Garjan spoke, before his two companions argue too much.

  {AW}: "I can't stop him sadly" she smiles bitterly. "At the very least, I'll see him off"

  Adav: "…"

  Adav wasn't sure what to say. This is what he wanted, and was willing to go against his mother to get here, yet now he feels a pang of guilt. Different from what he normally feels about his father.

  Gardjan looks to Adav. "How about you Adav, do you want to join the army?"

  Adav looks to Garjan, burying his guilt.

  Adav: "As long as I get to avenge father" He states clearly. If they're planning on having him fight somewhere else, then hell quit on that spot.

  Soldier: "Don't worry, the war up north is always needing soldiers" He says reassuring him

  Adav: "So, when do we leave?" He asks. Now that he's confirmed his next step, he wanted to go as quickly as possible.

  Garjan: "I don't see your brother here. Aren't you going to see him off?"

  Adav wasn’t sure what to say. Raka did leave earlier seemingly angry at him. Would saying goodbye to him just make things worse? He thought

  Adav: "It's fine. Let's go"

  {AW}: "I'll go look for him"

  The two spoke simultaneously. Adav was stunned as his mother ran back.

  Garjan: "We'll start packing" he says, finishing the bread he was eating. It seems either way, they can't really move out, so Adav might actually see Raka before he sets off. In a way he felt relief, both that he'll see him and that he won't be the one to look for him.

  Though given that, Adav still wasn’t sure what to do right now. He just stood awkwardly as he waited while the 4 people were packing up.

  Garjan and co. finished packing up first, so Adav decided to wait in the carriage. He has felt someone arriving, but he felt hesitant to look at the person in the eye, so maybe they can say goodbyes through the carriage-

  {AW}: "Don’t enter the carriage yet. Get down here, your brother has something to say"

  His mothers voice sounded before he could close the door. Reluctantly, he steps out to see Raka, also seemingly conflicted.

  Adav: "So, what is it?" He asks

  Raka: "… Take care out there, and you better come back" he says looking at Adav in a small voice

  Adav: "…I will" he replies, then looks to his mother

  Adav: "I'll be off now" he says his farewell as he enters tha carriage, seeing her now smiling face.

  {AW}: "Take care, we'll be waiting here for your return" She says as she waved.

  Was this how she saw father off before when he fought? The small thought popped in Adavs head. Now that he's going off to join the war, he had to part with his family a second time. But in a way, he's glad that he was made to meet them once more.

  The carriage ride was slower and bumpier than expected. He had asked if running would be faster, and while being praised for his initiative, the soldier told him no.

  Soldier: "Even if you arrive earlier, right now, you wont be able to fight in the war just yet"

  Adav felt bothered by this. After all this, and he wasn’t even going to fight in the war? He considered the idea of just running to the enemy himself, but not really knowing who or where, helped him stay in his seat.

  Soldier: "I know what you're thinking boy. But remember, it's currently the dry season here, where raising food becomes more difficult for places far from the leylines. Without food, armies can't fight"

  Garjan: "That's why for now, we'll need to address your weak points and polish them so you have a better chance once the war resumes"

  Adav looks to Garjan harshly. After how much he fought him, even though he got defeated, Garjan should acknowledge his current level should be more than a mere footman.

  Adav: "I can hold my own in a fight, even with just a stick" he argues. Although right now he's unarmed, he can make use of any sufficiently long enough branch. In his time in the mountains, he's broken more wooden branches than he'd like, especially when he was still mastering how to coat them with his energy.

  Garjan: "That's not the point. I know you're strong, yet you lack technique, and more so, you haven't fought in an actual war"

  Soldier: "There, honor is disregarded. If youre a strong enemy, they'll use numbers or even dirty tricks. You'll need to gain experience in handling things like this."

  Adav: "I can deal with those. I heard father could beat a whole army by himself" he retorts, recalling the various stories of his father. Regularly dealing with huge number of enemy soldiers.

  Garjan: "But that's something only those marked can do. For the regular soldiers, even me, an army will be certain death."

  Adav: "What's the big deal with the marked anyways. I bet father is just as strong even if he wasn't marked." he asks. He knew his father was what was called 'marked', as proof was the sword and lightning like scar that he had by his shoulder. Though whenever he asks about it, his dad just tells him it makes doing things much easier.

  Garjan: "I can't really say much besides it makes them stronger. I've been beside your father before he was marked, and the difference when he did get it was almost night and day. His attacks were smoother, he used less movement and energy, and so on"

  Adav: "Sounds like something you just need to train to get similar results" he comments, crossing his arms. Its more or less the same thing his father says, but much more concrete.

  Garjan: "Its not exactly something easily explained. You'll just have to see it to understand" he says, giving up trying to explain. It was the best way he could explain, as the difference he saw in Ashan were minimal, but those many small improvements led to him to be able to take on army.

  The difference of needing 2 strikes to 1 to cut down an opponent, the need to take one less step to evade or approach, the need to use simpler moves to defend. Achieving even one of these small improvements lead to to an entirely drastic change, but achieve all those? Then you become a monster altogether.

  Adav: "… then how do you get the mark?" he asks. Of course that’s the easiest path, if he wants to reach the same level as his father, being marked is the obvious choice, but-

  Soldier: "There's no simple answer for that. Ashan didn’t speak much about it, all we know is the day he became marked was when he fought an entire army on his own. There are other stories of those getting marked by reaching a level of mastery or felling a powerful beast"

  Adav: "tch. Then if a marked can beat whole armies-" He recalls that night again. His father while able to deal with the soldiers, had trouble dealing with the general who was another marked, along with Patnav, another highly skilled user the same style as father.

  Solder: "Ordinarily we need another marked, plus a solid support squad"

  Garjan: "But with our side not really having one, I'll be taking that role to challenge Taegun, hopefulyl with a small army to help me. With those conditions, it's possible to defeat a marked user"

  Adav: "Even you'd have a difficult time huh" Adav ponders. Even if someone as strong as Garjan can't hope to compete with a marked, then how was he planning on fighting him himself?

  Garjan: "Anyways, that’s why we can't just charge without planning. We still have half the season to plan our moves. Until then, get stronger and learn all you can with fighting in a group" He says to Adav, already expecting him to go off on his own if no one explicitly tells him not to.

  Soldier: "We'll need as much strong units to be able to defeat Taegun, so I hope you'll be able to cooperate" he stresses. This isn't Adav's change to get revenge, but rather an important and difficult task that will require a lot of people working together.

  Adav: "Fine" he grumbles.

  Healer: "Now with all that out of the way, I'd like to ask you about something"

  Finally finishing all the military talk, the healer takes this chance to change the subject before anyone continues talking. The topic being-

  Healer: "Those scars you have on your hands and legs, do they somehow let you take energy from your surroundings?" he asks directly, stating his hypothesis too

  Adav: "These? Not really. I just get these wounds because this is where I take in the energy around me" he answers as he shows the scars on his arms.

  Healer: "I see, so it’s a byproduct rather than a catalyst. But more so than that, you can replenish your energy??" Even if what he guessed was true, realizing it can be done is a big shock.

  Soldier: "So such a feat could be done, if others can do this, they could essentially keep fighting forever" the soldier mutters the implications, if such technique was made more widespread

  Adav: "Yeah I guess, but it's not that big of a deal. Plus its hurts a lot"

  Healer: "What do you mean by that?"

  Adav: "It hurts a lot when taking energy in. Let's see, it's like being stabbed by numerous hot knives at the same time. I'd rather get bitten or something than choose to use it"

  Soldier: "I see, and the amount you do get?"

  Adav: "Not a lot compared to just resting. Then again, you could use your whole body to absorb more energy, though even I can't stay focused doing that"

  Healer: "So taking in energy from outside puts a strain on your body. Maybe because its not compatible? Or maybe something else…" he beings to mutter by himself as he tries making sense of the information

  Garjan: "As you can guess, this isnt something well known. How exactly did you learn to do this?"

  Adav: "How? Umm… like how you use your own energy? Instead of using your own, you tell the outside energy to enter I guess?" He wasn’t sure, all he knew was that one time he was nearly dying, he felt the energy outside, and in a desperate attempt to live, he called it to enter him.

  The soldier sighs

  Soldier: "Not exactly something we can work with. But knowing such a thing is possible-"

  Garjan: "I'll try and see myself if I can do it" he states as he closes his eyes to focus.

  Soldier: "So, is the energy everywhere? Or is it only in the mountains?" he asks Adav. It could be the case that the energy isnt spraed out uniformly, perhaps its riches near leylines or more natural places compared to the barren road they are travelling in, much more inside a carriage.

  Adav: "At least right now, I can feel the energy here" he says, not really seeing the impact of what he just revealed.

  Adav himself doesn’t really care that much for the technique as he uses it as a last resort. But for the other three, they are seeing this from the point of a budding tech, something that could potentially be improved upon to be something more usable, yet

  Garjan: "This might take some time. Knowing and feeling the energy around me are two different things." he says, putting the idea off for some other day.

  Healer: "Perhaps you'll need something drastic as emptying your own energy then?"

  Soldier: "How about you kid, did you just stumble into this technique by accident?"

  Adav shrugged

  Adav: "Like that guy said, I just happened in a situation where I ran out of energy. Early on I fought a beast in the area and almost died, leaving me empty. I guess I was able to feel the energy outside because of it"

  He stated plainly, while the three were shocked by such drastic scenario. But then again, this is something no one would realize on any ordinary scenario.

  Healer: "So the reason you focused absorption on your arms and legs because that’s where its most efficient or easiest?"

  Adav: "Not really. My body gets numb when absorbing, so having the numbed part here has less impact. I can still swing a sword or run around"

  Healer: "I- I see…"

  The healer was dumbfounded while the soldier laughed at such simple reasoning. Either way, that signaled the end of the conversation. Garjan planned on conducting a controlled environment later to test the technique himself, but for now, he'll have to wait.

  The remaining portion of the journey was filled with silence besides the occasional chatter. For Adav, he took this time to rest more, while reflecting on the events today. The acknowledgement of the power of the enemy he want's to face is something not realistic at least for him right now, the need to get stronger and polish his skills even more.

  After a few more hours of travel, they finally arrive. The palce itself was huge, or at least the largest building Adav has ever been to. But before he could enter, Garjan took him somewhere else first, a smaller building near the area.

  Garjan: "Before you go, there's some things you'll need"

  He said as they entered a room in the building. The room itself was small and filled neatly with various things in crates and stone cases. There was a layer of dust over the things that showed this place wasn't used in a long time.

  Garjan dug around before returning to Adav carrying with him an old sword.

  Garjan: "This was your fathers sword, he gave it to me just before he retired"

  The sword itself was well preserved, Adav noticed as Garjan pulls it out and examines it. There wasn't anything that made the sword stood out from any other sword he's used, besides the lightning emblem design by the base of the blade.

  After confirming nothing's wrong with the blade, Garjan hands the sword to Adav.

  Garjan: "Take it, he'll want you to have it" he says as he disappeared in the room once more.

  "Now for the rest of your clothes, we'll I don’t have much that could fit you, but-"

  Garjan pops out later, holding some handguards.

  Garjan: "For now, let's cover up those scars on your hands and feet. For proper armor, the facility will provide you with those" he says as he passed Adav the gear.

  Adav accepted the handguards, but didn’t wear them.

  Garjan: "Can you not wear them?" He asks, knowing how scarred his arms are, maybe they are in constant pain that he can't strap anthing there?

  Adav: "… Nothing" he says as he straps them on. He flinches a bit, but managed to wear them properly. Then he stays silent, seemingly meditating.

  A second passes, then two, his face seems to be in pain before suddenly disappearing.

  Garjan: "Did something happen?"

  Adav, opening his eyes, looks to Garjan, looking as if nothing happened.

  Adav: "Just checked if I can still absorb mana through armor, and looks like it’s a bit more difficult with something covering" he say, giving a sigh.

  Adav: "Doesn’t matter, I doubt I'll need to rely much on this technique. Anyways, is this all?"

  Gardjan nods.

  "food, bedding, and other needs will be provided. Of course you can make use of this place, it's mine but I barely come here" Garjan says as he hands the keys to Adav.

  Garjan: "Let's go, I'll introduce you to my teacher and he'll take things from there"

  Teacher? Adav thought. What kind of person could such person be, and a teacher for what. Such thoughts briefly raced through his mind as he followed Garjan.

  They entered the large building, there were guards that looked at me but made way. Inside as Adav followed Garjan, he passed by numerous other soldiers, most of whom gave a salute to Garjan as he passed. All of them definitely older than Adav.

  This continued for a few minutes, before finally ending with a large wooden door, reminiscent of a dojo. Behind it, he can hear a loud voice along with the swinging of swords.

  Garjan nonchalantly opened it without knocking, silencing the ones inside, as Adav sees the other side of the door.

  It was designed as a dojo, there was a huge space but most of the students were cramped into one section of the room, where a large old white haired man taught. He looked at the one that opened the door.

  ??: "Garjan! What are you doing interrupting my class" the person shouted walking closer to the two

  Garjan: "This here is Adav, he'll be enlisting today. Im hoping you could look over him"

  He says as he pushes Adav closer to the old man who looked at him for a few moments.

  ??: "Yeah, he's definitely Ashan's"

  Adav: "Wait, what do you mean he'll look over me?" he asks Garjan annoyed.

  "And who is this old man?"

  Garjan: "Well, to put it plainly, he's my and your fathers teacher in Thunder and Lightning style"