-Break-
Location: The Bastion Kingdom, Dá; Capital City Jīnyínqì; Captivant's Hotel Room
Φ As the boy slept in his bed that night, a dream came over him, reaching into the furthest depths of his mind.
-6 years ago-
Location: Zaad Ziener; Captivant's House.
In the dead of night, the young boy takes a series of steps forward from his house before he says, "Wait right there, you pest."
Stopping in his tracks, the boy with a bag strung over his back, slowly turns to Captivant, and says, "SHHHHHHH!"
Forcing spirit energy into his foot, Captivant lunges forward and kicks Siegrund in the face, knocking the boy downwards. With his face planted in the ground, Siegrund says, "To strike you master like this, how disrespectful, is that how you trea-."
"Oh shut up. Don't you think it is more disrespectful to vanish in the middle of the night from the people who've been putting up with you for the last 4 years?"
Sweating Siegrund says, "I am not going anywhere, just out on another mission, like always."
"You've used our house as your base for going on adventuring missions before. This is the first time I have seen you sneak out, though. Almost as if you don't want to be seen or stopped."
Slamming his head into the ground, Siegrund says, "You got me! I am a nasty liar, but I can't stay here any longer."
"Why? You told me the Sieg Bisumods sent you on a journey to practise and depend your connection with Spirit Energy by being an adventurer, if it wasn't for our housing, I am sure a financially illiterate man like you would be eating shit off the corner of the road in one of the big towns."
"I originally came to this village because I heard there was fruit here, and now I've gotten my fill, so I will be going."
"If you want to lie to me, I will tell my mom you left because you hate her. So if you don't want her to spend the next year crying her eyes out you'd better tell me?"
"You're a fiendish man, Captivant, how did you ever come out of such a perfect angel?" Taking a deep breath, Siegrund says, "In truth, since I've finished your training, I've lost the reason to be here. This journey was originally meant for me to grow, yet I've only grown in terms of being a warrior, not a man, and besides, Spirit Arts develops better under stress. As long as I am here, I will be weakening your ability to move forward. So as a good master, I know what I have to do."
He gives Captivant a soft smile, causing the boy to say, "Now tell me the real reason you're leaving."
"I SAW THAT BASTARD MAKING LOVE TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!"
"You do realise I exist, right?"
"I always thought you were adopted and they were in a loveless marriage. That bastard takes everything from me!"
"You go finishing with my dad four days a week."
Looking at me with a face of confusion, he says, "Obviously, because he is my best friend."
Slamming his hand against his forehead, Captivant says, "Whatever, just know that if you ever need a place to rest or put your head down, just come back here, I know for a fact even in your lowest moments the people of the village will take care of someone like you."
Smiling, he says, "I know that. But before I leave, there is something I would like to ask you. Why did you want me to teach you Spirit Arts?"
"Don't waste my time with such a question, you already know the answ-," staring into his eyes, Captivant sees the look of Siegrund vanish, and that of his master appearing, forcing his posture to become straight as the snark in his voice to vanish.
"I asked so I can gain the strength to stand above all others, and become a hero who can bend any rule, law, or principle in this world by my own two hands."
"Why?"
"To cement my life and body in history, living a life that inspires others to dedicate their existences to the tales that derive themselves from who I am?"
"Why?"
"Because I have value that the world doesn't see, and only through such an action can I make this value eternal."
"Why?"
"Because I wish to be superior to all the others who simply stand by and let the world decide their fate!"
"Why?"
"Because I am me, I am Captivant! HE WHO MAKES THE WORLD UNABLE TO LOOK AWAY!" Captivant says with his throat drying up.
"Why?"
Confused, he says, "I already told you, there is no greater reason than what I have said mast-."
In that moment, Captivant blinks, he sees Siiegrund in front of him holding two of his fingers from his right hand against Captivant's forehead. Before a flick smashes against his head,t causing his pupil to hold it in pain and say, "What was that for?"
"Some pain to kickstart your memory, my beloved pupil. Your answer was satisfying enough, but not enough for the peaks you wish to realise."
"Are you saying I won't accomplish my goals?"
"Nothing like that, just that you need to be able to ask yourself a simple question neverendingly. Why? Every single action committed by another human has an answer to it, whether they know or don't, and to reach that core is to reach your true existence, and a man who can grasp and control that will never be defeated, or at least my master says so."
As Captivant's eyes blink again, Siegrund vanishes over to the distance, then says, "I know you can do it, Captivant. Because you're my first and favourite pupil."
Seeing his master in the distance, he bows and shouts, "Siegrund Bisumod, I thank you for all of the strength and power you've given me. I have finally been able to be proud of the person I am in some form, and it's all thanks to you. One day, I will show you the man who bends the world to his will, so don't die till then!"
"Alright, my pupil, and when we meet again, if you're a kind man, I will show you the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in this world. And if you are not, I will knock you back onto the right path."
With those words, Siegrund took his leave, and staring into the distance, Captivant watches as he vanishes.
-Present-
As the memories wash over him, his body forces itself awake and grabbing his face, he says, "Am I crying? What the hell is still about?"
Turning his face to the window in the room, he stares into the starry sky and says, "I guess sleep isn't coming for me tonight. The best way to get past this is to search for a woman to warm my bed. Let's see what the town has for me tonight!"
Location: The Bastion Kingdom, Dá; Capital City Jīnyínqì; Eastern Ward Tavern
Walking inside, Captivant takes one step after another as he looks all around, and sees a gaggle of drunk men all scattered about with the workers running through their pockets, yet it means nothing to him as at the front of the tavern lies a figure wearing a cloak with little gear accessories across it and long hair that drops out from behind it.
Seeing her, he smiles and says, "Target acquired." Before bolting over to the counter, and taking a moment to stare at the woman, whose face is read with a gross smile hanging off the bottom of her mouth.
Φ I've seen pervy old men stare at their wives' asses with more perversion than this. What's worse is that she reeks of alcohol. What level of concentration is that stuff she is drinking? It smells like poison.
She is the only woman I've seen within miles, yet she looks like she has more alcohol in her than all the men around me. If I sleep with a woman this drunk, she won't even remember the feeling of accepting my masterpiece. No fun at all.
Taking a seat, I say, "Guess I'll just order some food then head back off to bed."
Φ Captivant takes a moment to stare at the menu, and chugging down her glass, the woman beside him says to the barkeep, "Hey, are you listening!"
Smiling, he says, "Of course, you just stop talking, so I gave you your moment."
"That's a nice smile, sweet cheeks! I will give you a big tip later, something I am sure Mister Captivant hopes he could have!"
In that moment, Captivant, head turns in fear, confusion and anger, yet the woman's eyes only gaze forward at the man in front of her as she says, "As I was saying, that little scheming bitch, thinks he is all so hot, but in actuality, his writing is just a series of dramatic overexaggeration. It's merely fiction trying to record itself as historical records."
Veins appear against Captivant's forehead as he grips his fists in anger, yet before he can seek the bar tender says, "You do know that the novelist is a national hero, his stories and records of our Emperor and his generals are what got us through the war. By your features, you seem to be a foreigner, so it isn't wise to say things like that."
Captivant starts nodding his head in furious agreement, yet the woman says, "That is a double-edged sword, if you can't separate truth from lies all you have done is happily spread your checks to be dominated by evil. Vigorously. That's why you should read the stories of an educated individual like Asclepius, the legendary reporter of the CN."
Laughing, Captivant says, "Legendary?"
Turning her head, the woman says, "Is there something wrong with what I said?"
"Asclepius is a famous parasite who career as part of the CN, has just been complaining about the amazing, wonderful Captivant? Asclepius is nothing special, and is just a parasite who complains about the one who gives her bread."
"HUH! Asclepius is a visionary working to sustain truth."
"In your dreams, little girl."
"You bastard. I'll kill you!"
The two begin to glare at each other, and the bartender claps his hands in between the both of them and says, "Enough of that or I might have to call someone scary."
He winks at Captivant, and the feeling of Fu strikes against his body, calming him down. "Now that both of you seem to have mellowed out, say something nice about Captivant and Asclepius, respectively."
They both shout, "I REFUSE!"
"To hate someone properly, you must have some degree of love for them, so if you both can't do that, it must mean your complaint of their writing is nothing more than personal grievance!"
Both of them grit their teeth, and turning her head, the woman says, "There is a passion in the words he writes that can stir the soul of anyone who reads them. It reminds me of the first time I was amazed by things like trees, animals and clothes when younger. It made me smile."
A blush appears across Captivant's face, causing him to turn his head, and he says, "Asclepius words are meticulous; every single sentence she writes makes me feel like I can perfectly envision all she says. It's the same for the meaning of her words, I feel like I am being guided towards a logical conclusion every single page I turn."
Jumping into his face, the woman says, "You really get it! Don't you! He really is amazing, though I once day how Asclepius can gain the ability to truly encapsulate the greatness of the word, not just break it down."
Smiling Captivant says, "I think Captivant could learn a lot from Asclepius, as it feels like he tries to overload his reader instead of gently guiding them with each word."
The two begin to lock eyes, and soon words of praise from one author to the other sprawls from both of their mouths as they praise the work of the one they hate, and critic the other, and in the flurry of words and emtoions, both of their lips lock, and their tongues force their ways into the others mouth causing them to fall on the floor and start taking the others close off.
Looking at both of them, the barkeep says, "Umm, you guys are still out in public. Oh, you're just ignoring me? Great."