His name, Brose Ember borne, a nobody student that barely stood out in Vorthmere Academy Of Estroic Arts. He had been sent there for education not to stand it but get his elementals unlocked and mastered, once that was out of the way then head back to his family and help out by becoming an adventurer.
A simple yet calm life that came with it's own fair share of problems. Be it bullying from other students or lagging behind in academics not because he was lazy but simply not cut out for it. Done with it all as he looked at the skies, seeing the prodigies and monsters dominate the top and had their world in this hands wished for death.
With horrors lurking he was unaware that that was the best possible outcome. Malcore backlash as he forced an ascension from Ashborne to Vein Weaver. As expected it backfired horribly and ended shattering his malcore pools and breaking every bone in his body.
Alone, near a forest located not that far from the school he waited for death to come and claim his soul however it would seem an unseen hand picked him up and revitalized him. His vision that was slowly ending with pitch darkness shifted to an ethereal palace far above the mortal realm.
Where the gods resided and in front of him a council of gods sat, their eyes boring deep into his soul making him regret of every sin that he had committed. Rather than purgatory, he was handed an offer by one of them. The one bathed in flames known as Ignovar, the god of Flames and Rebirth.
Given another chance of life, he was urged to live to become the strongest but there was a catch that he hadn't anticipated. It wasn't to subdue some greater evil but something rather off. "We want you to entertain us and him. Whatever you do do not engage with him regardless of the situation. His name is Jarren Velros and you will meet him in the Tournaments."
"You may wear my flames but do know that there is a price for each ember that you shine, Brose." Retuning back to his body, he was both shocked and puzzled with the task that he was given. 'Entertain us and him. Jarren Velros...' He couldn't wrap his head around the matter but his life changed after that.
His grades shot up, his affinity for fire unseen before and with it came hubris. Sure he would gloat in his fights but he made sure that it wouldn't bring any negative relations with his students. Heads turned to face him, girls fawning over while boys had looks of respect and other jealousy in their eyes.
His bullies long dealt with and considered a star from the gutter. A diamond in the rough never seen before. He had a meeting with the professors to discuss his newly found talent, interrogations that went nowhere and plans for his future. Some citing that he would be a great adventurer, others a noble that rose from being a peasant and such lovely words.
But in the shadows, he would make sure that he would train to grow stronger. From Vein Weaver, he was now Wrymkindled in the Maga path, Silver Vow in the Knighthood path. His class an elemental in pyro which he made sure to dominate.
'To avoid him at all costs? How powerful does he have to be for the very gods to advise me to avoid any form of confrontation with him.' He had asked about Jarren however his answers were few. Some citing that he was a noble, spoilt and bratty.
What he heard and what he had anticipated on two completely different spectrums but that never meant that he would lower his guard. "Hey Brose, the tournaments are coming up, I hope that you're ready for it." A friend of his he had come to depend on mused.
"I'm ready, it's a shame that Kelver beat me." His tone down cast as he shuffled through his book. "What? He was a Gravechant and with a Crimson Sigil physique. It was a miracle that you managed to tie with him. A fifth year student!"
Ingrid, a friend Brose had come to depend on mused, his tone perky and energetic. "I guess it was miraculous however I'm sure that we should be expected some competition from Caelbridge Academy." The library halls were empty and quiet, the way Brose preferred.
"I don't think so. Sure Callista Vaewlyn could be a problem but other than her, I doubt that there would be any proper competition." Ingrid chattered, his eyes no longer locked with his book. "I know that it shouldn't be all that hard but I can't help but shake this feeling that someone else could be problematic."
Ingrid squinted his eyes, his tone low. "Are you on about that Jarren guy again? For the last time he was a Silver Vow and a Vein Weaver the last time he was checked so there should be no problem." Brose paused for a second, a smile flashing on his face.
"Maybe you're right. Here I am stressing over nothing." Pleased with the reaction, Ingrid let out a laugh. "See, now can we head off for some physical sparring. There are some places I think I'm lacking." His brain already bored with the monotony of words scribbled from side to side, he rose to his feet as the two headed towards the training hall.
***
Whispers and rumors flew about, the possibility of Jarren and Callista being in a romantic relationship despite no further concrete proof of it. Jarren accused remained indifferent as he went on with his day while Callista was too absorbed in her progress to care.
So far with the weeks that had passed, she had managed to make a breakthrough into the Bloodwright rank with time to spare, her rank similar to Jarren a mystery as always. After the day she had confronted him, she had never once approached him again.
Be it the fear implanted by the horror that nestled deep in her necklace or the air of mystery that never left his figure, either way her contact with him had greatly reduced. As for Orissa who trailed too late became less obsessed with Jarren and spent more time on her own progress for the tournament.
[{So did he tell you everything?}]
A message shot at her out of the blue came. Callista giving it a glance dreaded as it was Jarren.
[{Yes}]
Her response curt as she wished to minimize contact with him.
[{It makes no senses for you to avoid me if we'll cross paths sooner or later.}]
His response delayed but came eventually. Callista careful with the words that she texted.
[{A matter of focusing on my training. The voice has been rather benevolent with my training}]
[{Is that so? Then I think that we should meet for me to see just how you've trained}]
Her breathe faltered, her heart coming to a stop for a moments glance.
[{We'll meet in the training hall}]
Her response to his proposal quick and turned off her phone after checking that he had first. "I'm so tempted to tell the staff of what Jarren is!" The voice in her head had now become more friendly with her, understood how she ticked and maintained it's boundaries.
"That's a waste of time and effort. He could make them brush it off, make you forget or something else. If he wants you to know then just let him and play by his rules and pray for mercy." Never once had the voice proposed to fight Jarren which had subconsciously made her fear him even more.
She was assured by the horror that her rank was masked. "He's told me to stop helping you for now till you meet him." The report made her furrow her brows as she made her way towards the Knighthood hall. The first time ignorant of what he truly was but kow dreadful of any move he would make.
Opening the halls, she was met with nothing but solace that lasted for no longer than a minute. "You're here." His voice echoing from the door. Her spirit usually high in terms of senses failing to inform her of his presence. "Yes." He noted how quiet she was, something he didn't like.
In an instant he stood right in front of her, his finger running across her cheek that made her grit her teeth. "Well let's see this so called training of yours." In another flash, his presence shifted to the side of the hall, casually leaning on a pillar.
Her breathes usually calm now hitched. Her chest heaved as she shot out her hand. "Stop. You can't be doing it like that. You're way too tense." A wince from her body proved his words. "Why are you so scared? It's not like I said that I'd devour you or anything." Her hands shivered, the voice in her head had long fallen silent.
*Snap*
Another figure erupted out of the seams of reality. It was the horror that had been guiding her this entire time. "Karlshhein, can you help her ease up?" The one summoned too seemed started at first to be present before letting a light bow. "As you wish Pale-" Halfway he fell as Jarren's starry eyes clashed with his. "Jarren." He concluded , letting out a light sigh.
Callista who saw the whole thing was both surprised and fearful as she recalled that it was the voice that had been helping her. Karlshhein wore golden robes gave a faint gleam, each inch of his tapestry screamed to power and a strange silence that felt way too serene.
Karlshhein placed his hands on her shoulders giving her a light massage, his words brushing through her ears. Her tense body loosened up, the way his hands running on her body felt familiar akin to her father's. "All you have to do is let go. You've already fought hard enough so there's no need to fight."
His tone weighed a sigh acceptance and weariness. Strangely enough she felt herself succumb to his words as he took his hands off her shoulders and tucked them behind his back. Letting out a deep sigh, she began the glyph.
This time it took less than a second to have it arranged. The outer circle with holding those that twirled within. A skill that she wanted to learn how became something she dreaded to cast. "...Not bad Callista." Jarren's comment pleased as he looked at the glyph.
There were aspects that she had yet to learn but for now, it was more than enough.
*Cough*
Karlshhein who had been watching from the side like a loving parent gave a cough of blood making Callista pause. "Karlshhein! Are you okay?" The glyph ticked without her presence. "I'm fine, just..."
*Cough*
A spree of coughs followed shortly after. "What's wrong with him?" Her tone flustered as she looked at Jarren who remained aloof. "Well the glyph is more than just some casting array. It's a siphoning glyph, allowing you devour Karlshhein's soul and power."
Her heart dropped, instantly shattering the glyph which brought his coughs to an end. "Karlshhein, you can leave." With a word, he left the hall sending him back to his abyss of a cage. "What? Don't tell me you got attached to him. It's been a couple of weeks."
His tone apathetic as his smile now shone. With a look of disbelief, she was still in shock of what she was doing. "Sacrifices have to be made darling."