As Momo awoke, he walked to the centre of the training room, where Raúl awaited, as the others soon joined them.

“This training is coming along nicely. However, there is something I have observed of our conditions. This complex has manifested a lower level, it seems to have a will of its own, and now, dwelling below us are many wraiths, varying in power, however there is a common theme toward them all, they are, at least in the majority, hostile, and therefore, I believe it to be best to dispatch you four, as Marzen and I continue to train here.” Raúl explained.

“I don’t know about you three, but I’m going with or without you, I’ve been doing this boring discipline training too damn long!” Hjalmarr exclaimed as thunder crackled to his voice.

“I shall come along as well; I see no reason to allow Hjalmarr all the glory.” Takahiro jeered.

“We’ll go.” Momo agreed, as Amirah nodded, confirming her participation.

“Very good.” Raúl affirmed, pointing to a doorway which flung open in dark shadow.

The four walked to the door, entering the lower chamber as the darkness surrounded them. Hjalmarr poured lightning onto his axe, illuminating the dark hallway, as Takahiro covered his sword in flames, showing a right and left path.

“I say we split up, you two, take the left corridor, I’ll take Amirah and clear the right corridor.” Momo suggested.

“I don’t mind, leaves more for me!” Hjalmarr yelled at the top of his lungs, charging down the left corridor.

“I’ll try to find an intersection where we can meet, good luck.” Takahiro commented, as he ran to join Hjalmarr.

“Let’s go Amirah.” Momo instructed, walking calmly down the right corridor.

“What are we looking for exactly?” Amirah asked.

“Wraiths, spectres, anything malicious that carries Spectral Energy, such as this.” Momo observed, as he staked a wraith on his sword who had attempted to sneak up upon them.

“So, undead souls?” Amirah confirmed.

“Yeah, perhaps we’ll actually find a challenge down here if we’re lucky.” Momo hopefully implored.

The two continued walking down the corridor, nothing echoing in the darkness or permeating their eyes. As they began to reach the end of the corridor, four pathways opened, to which Momo scanned them.

“Want a challenge?” Momo asked.

“Are you kidding? Of course I want a challenge!” Amirah gloated, to which Momo rolled his eyes slightly.

“Well then, miss confident. There are several rooms within this corridor, with each containing a singular wraith, with varying levels of power. The room at the end of this corridor contains two wraiths, and their power was blinding.” Momo explained.

“Sounds like a warmup to me!” Amirah exclaimed, her ego emanating as Momo rolled his eyes once more, following Amirah into the first room.

The wraith stood up, rearing its sword to a parallel with Momo’s scimitar as he drew it.

Momo dashed at the wraith with Amirah, clashing with it in close quarters, launching slashes onto it, feeling it weaken as the slashes tampered with his Spectral powers. Momo spun into a double roundhouse kick, slamming the wraith into a wall as Amirah stabbed it in the abdomen.

The wraith threw Amirah into the wall on the other side of the room, cracking her spine, ribcage and several bones in her legs and arms, causing severe internal bleeding. Anger seethed out of every fibre of Momo’s being as he unknowingly entered black form, punching the wraith at full force, eradicating it as he rushed to his sister, transferring some Spectral Energy into her body to heal her.

You still have so much to learn my young sister. Momo thought to himself, a slight smirk coming to his face as he put a barrier around Amirah, continuing alone.

“Momo Elric, the one chosen, prophesised to restore the natural order.” A voice called from the shadows.

“You do not look like some chosen one, although, most do not fit that description until they have completed the task that falls upon their shoulders.” The voice explicated, revealing itself.

“What do you speak of?” Momo asked, circling the wraith.

“The evil one. He calls to her, his power pulls her from you, and eventually, she will be consumed by evil.” The wraith remarked.

“My sister is not what you claim, wraith.” Momo replied angrily.

“She is exactly what is foretold upon your path, chosen one.” The wraith adduced.

“What path?” Momo demanded.

“The path of the chosen one states the evil one will corrupt that which he has love for, and kill of whom he calls friend, in the chaos, he will fall, and the chosen one will find a new path.” The wraith declared.

“Where did you learn that? Here, in this desolate place? There is nothing here but shadows and wraiths like you, who do nothing but create problems.” Momo stated.

“I have my ways to my knowledge, boy. You would do well to heed my words, as they will come to pass.” The wraith confidently responded.

“Enough tales and myths, let’s fight.” Momo ordered.

“Fight and fight, but you will never escape the truth Momo Elric.” The wraith concurred.

“Spin me one last tale before you die then.” Momo countered, irritated.

“You enjoy the killing, the death of your parents, it imprinted upon you a callous path, you, deep down, enjoy being the monster.” The wraith commented.

“You sure seem to know a lot about me for some nameless wraith.” Momo replied.

“I am you.” The wraith remarked.

“So you walked the path of the ‘chosen one’ once, like me?” Momo asked.

“No. I am you, and Rancour. I was born of the energy that was dispatched when your souls split, and the concepts you embodied were torn apart between you. I am the loss of potential between you, and I embody you both.” The wraith explained.

“How did you find the prophecy? Neither I, nor Rancour knew of it.” Momo noted.

“I am not bound or behest to either of you, I have my own ability to ascertain information.” The wraith stated.

“So you wanted to draw me here to tell me about a prophecy, that’s all?” Momo scoffed.

“Of course not. I wanted to see the face of half the monster I am, and now I know why half of me is a bruised, suffering mess. You haven’t recovered, you’re like me, broken by the way fate spun its webs.” The wraith uttered.

Momo stood motionless for a second. The images of his mother’s blood pouring out of her throat flashed in his minds eye, as he heard the final gasp of his father’s life leave him again.

“What... What is your name.” Momo shakily conveyed.

“I never had one, the wraiths here call me The Nameless.” He replied, just as shakily.

“What now?” Momo asked, a tear falling from his agonized eyes.

“There is something you’d like to see, a courtesy of sorts, but it will be bittersweet.” The Nameless suggested, to which Momo nodded, as he opened the door to the last room.

Momo’s eyes widened in shock, even with his vision through the wraith eyes confirming what he was seeing, he found it impossible to believe.

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“Hello my son.” Rowan Elric called from across the room.

Momo staggered backwards, disbelief festering in the deepest pits of his being.

“Impossible.” Momo shuddered.

“We are here, Momo.” Aeno reassured him.

“You both died, I saw it, I heard it. This is an illusion.” Momo contested, his weary eyes becoming bloodshot from the tears rolling down his face.

“They’ve bought themselves time, by becoming the vessels for new wraiths, they can see you one last time.” The Nameless explained.

Momo gasped, feeling his heart spasm violently as he grasped the truth that stood in front of him. Like a moth to a flame, Momo walked to his parents, clinging to them as if his life depended on it.

“We’ve missed you son.” Rowan said, embracing his son.

“We have one last task for you, son.” Aeno implored.

“Anything.” Momo exhaled.

“Be what they need. The innocents. To save just one, is worth saving all of humanity my son, so save them all, be their hero, the monster who devours evil, the exalted paragon.” Rowan declared.

“How? I’m not strong enough to defeat him, all I know is Raúl is his only equal.” Momo uttered.

“That ring and that sword, are blessings and curses, you must purge them of their curses, bring me your hand.” Aeno commanded.

Momo outstretched his hand, as his parents purged Rancour’s soul pieces from his scimitar and ring.

“Won’t that make him stronger?” Momo queried.

“Yes, and in time, you will make up the difference. That ring is a conduit of power, it can give you immeasurable power and many abilities, and you will see in time, it will steady you along the path of strength, as it can help you gain a vastly superior essence to other sorcerers, making you able to master your Dominion in times that are inconceivable to prodigies like Raúl.” Rowan explained.

“This ring, it connects to my ‘essence?’ What is an essence?” Momo asked.

“The Essence is the pillar of a being, it is, in practice, a lesser concept, governing the concept of your being, in this way, the Essence is your direct link to the Spectral World, such as the soul is the link to your Spectral Energy and Spectral Dominion. A Spectral Dominion is the ultimate expression of your being, and it draws from the soul to expand a literal ‘realm of the soul,’ similarly to the Ardour’s Spark, the realm of the soul breaks the fabric interconnecting the Physical and Spectral Worlds, in order to form a separate dimension, or in order to manifest your soul outside of a barrier and into the physical world. Expending too much Spectral Energy on a Dominion is dangerous, as it takes a toll on your Essence, and will make utilising Spectral Energy outside of a Dominion harder, hindering your strength.” Aeno explicated.

“So the Essence is the tether, and this ring strengthens my tether?” Momo implied.

“Yes, the ring is an extension of yourself and will give you a permanent increase in power. Its function as of now is to make your development faster, and with it you will eventually master your Spectral Energy.” Rowan replied.

Momo nodded.

“You know what you must do, Momo. You know what must be done. Protect your sister, protect the innocents, and kill Rancour.” Aeno ordered, as Momo felt the spark of hope reignite within him, as her hand covered his heart, flooding him with hope, as his father put his hand atop Aeno’s, filling Momo with the determination to have victory.

“Their time is almost up, Momo, we must go.” The Nameless observed.

Momo’s shoulders slumped in reply, but he acknowledged and began walking to the door.

A large burst of energy pushed Momo and The Nameless to the floor.

“Going somewhere so soon, boy?” The female wraith asked.

Momo gritted his teeth, subconsciously entering Black Form and drawing his sword.

“I’ll make you eat those words, filth.” Momo yelled, before The Nameless grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head.

The Nameless and Momo ran back into his corridor, hearing loud backing against the incredibly thick walls within. Momo and The Nameless dashed into the first room, grabbing Amirah as they ran to the point in which they were meant to meet Hjalmarr and Takahiro, finding them waiting.

“Who’s th-” Hjalmarr attempted to say as he was cut off.

“No time, let’s get out of here.” Momo implored, as they all began running to the exit.

“Momo Elric, a fool until death.” The wraith called, as they reached the exit.

Momo turned, drawing his sword, as The Nameless joined him, sending everyone back to the training area.

The wraith wasted no time, to it, Momo, even in black form was entirely still. He sprinted at Momo, impaling him upon his blade.

The wraith got into Momo’s face smiling, as it felt a burning sensation hit its entire body, as Momo enveloped it in a Gamma Ray burst.

The wraith stood still, the Gamma Ray Burst only slightly hurting him.

“Impressive kid, but that wasn’t all that powerful. Ready to die?” The wraith callously questioned, as The Nameless was thrown next to him by the female wraith.

The wraith kicked him into the training area, alongside The Nameless, as they breached their containment.

“So you’re what set off my senses. The King, I assume? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The wraith greeted.

“I wish I could share that sentiment, but you aren't worth my time.” King Raúl responded rigidly, coating his hands in Interior.

Raúl dashed at the wraiths, moving faster than they could perceive, destroying one with a singular punch, as the female let out an energy wave far stronger than even Momo’s Gamma Ray burst. Raúl stood still, allowing the wave to hit him.

“Was that it, your final ditch effort to kill me? Even after exhausting myself against Marzen, the strongest wraiths can’t give me a challenge. You may return to your pathetic prison.” Raúl blankly stated, killing her with a singular punch, not even using Interior to enhance it.

Momo looked on in shock. He just killed something a Gamma Ray Burst couldn’t even harm!

“Was that your real power?” Momo asked.

“Far from it. Those wraiths are undeserving of it, I believe the only being who could be my equal is Rancour, if he truly fought me.” Raúl surmised.

“It would be best to go rest now Momo, I understand those wraiths carried the bodies of your parents, you’d be best to allow yourself to sleep, regardless of your need for it.” Marzen instructed.

“What of the wraith?” Hjalmarr asked.

“I would prefer to allow myself to be absorbed by Momo. I know his prophecy, and I truly believe he will be instrumental in destroying Rancour, if my power can give him a much-needed increase in strength, we’d be best to use me as such, as my purpose in this war is non-existent.” The Nameless suggested.

“I agree.” Raúl commented.

The Nameless outstretched his hand to Momo, who accepted it, absorbing the Nameless and feeling his power increase tenfold, absorbing his Black Form into his base of power alongside it.

Momo looked down at his hands, trembling in the fast-track he had been given.

Maybe you’re right Nameless, maybe I am instrumental in this war.