Journal of an Ashenkin, September 24th.

"It has been several months since I was born, January 12th, Mentor has told me about the basis of what I am. I am what is called 'Ashenkin', creatures born from ashes of a fallen divine tree named 'Quercus Sanguinas' which Mentor told me means 'Blooming Flesh'. In these past few days, Mentor has taught me lots of things, about humans, nature, and different worlds. It was a lot to take in so I decided to keep notes of it. When she saw it, she suggested using this journal that the maiden had given me before I woke up, I still haven't gotten a full grasp of my current situation nor did Mentor explain anything to me about the maiden or about herself. Every time I tried asking she would give me a cold stare and leave without saying a word, I think she is annoyed about my question but it is hard to know. I will keep more notes of what I have learned and my thoughts in this journal as time goes on.

-P.S To self: rotten oak is an insult specifically for the Ashenkin species"

"Deki, finish your writing and get moving. We are moving location today"

The young lad who has just completed his entry, gently closes the journal and holds onto it tightly before running out of the tent to meet his mentor, they have moved from the deserted wasteland to a lush forest. Resting in an open area of the forest where the Mentor used to train the newborn "Ashenkin".

"you have done well during our stay together, but all that I had taught was only the physical understanding of the human species"

She stretches her hand toward his face, an ethereal light emits from her palm.

"This is Sakti. An imaginary source of energy that can generate an infinite amount of possibilities that cannot be measured or calculated"

This new revolutionary information left the Ashenkin speechless, he couldn't fathom such knowledge being presented before him.

"Impressed? Well, that is nothing. This is only Sakti in its purest form, being the energy of infinite possibility that it is. It cannot be narrowed down to a physical manifestation and exists as an invisible force that flows throughout the universe"

She shaped the light into a blade and threw it to a nearby tree, it pierced the log and left a mark on it before disappearing.

"Sakti is unstable, the manifestation of the blade is only a concentration of the mind. With enough proficiency, you can subconsciously materialize it on a whim."

The ashenkin who rarely shows emotions has the delighted smile of an innocent child. She giggled coyly at his child-like reaction

"Aren't you an eager one? But controlling infinity's flow takes more than just wanting to learn."

She walked up to him and firmly grabbed his left arm. Puzzled by it, he tilted his head in confusion wondering what sort of weird demonstration she was about to make.

She concentrated Sakti into her hand and began to pour it into the Ashenkin's arm. He felt a great surge of power running through his veins, but as fast as it came, it slipped through his grasp.

"you felt it right? It flows through you naturally because your body lacks the capability to contain it, let alone shape it to your liking. But that's alright, you have to start somewhere right?"

She gently pats him on the back to reassure him before resuming their practice. To her surprise, it took a matter of hours before he could form a stable connection with Sakti.

He proudly points toward the ball of light in his hand and a joyful expression, eager to hear her feedback. She laughed and rubbed his head giving him a big smile:

"well color me surprised~! I didn't think you had it in ya" She continued on grabbing the ball of light, carefully examining its content. Tho it feels stripped down and basic to her but to learn it within an hour is an utmost impressive achievement." Now you are itching me to introduce her even more~" She lightly clenched her fist releasing the ball of light before walking over to their tents.

"Let's get going now, if we start traveling then we could make it before the sun comes to the top" She begins to fold the tents into a roll before placing it into her briefcase. The young energetic Deki follows her from behind while keeps on experimenting with this newfound power, they step onto the forest path, sunlight dappling through the dense canopy overhead. The air is cool and crisp, scented with damp earth and pine needles. Sunlight filters down in patches, illuminating vibrant green ferns and jewel-toned mushrooms peeking out from the forest floor. Breathe deeply and take in the earthy, sweet fragrance of the woods.

As they continue their walk, the path opens up to a clearing bathed in sunlight shining over a bustling village. Deki saw the lively townfolks exchanging greets with each other, children laughing and running around playing with whatever that piqued their interest. Deki heard the distant sound of humming occasionally being interrupted by the sound of steel clashing, turning over toward the source of the noise he saw a group of adults going about their days. Some were forging crafts creating sparks of flame with each strike of the hammer, some were chopping logs of wood with one decisive blow splitting it into two even halves, some washed their clothes and dusted the road they walked on.

This beautiful bustling yet harmonious sound of everyday life has a simple peaceful charm that captivates Deki, he has the desire to emerge himself in the flow of work just like the others or perhaps join arms with the cheerful toddlers. Reiya stopped him on his track saying:

"Deki, before we go. There's something we need to take care of" She turns to him takes out a perfect replica of his right blue eye and places it into his left eye socket.

"Your deformity may cause some unwanted worries from them, it is best not to show them what's beneath the eye"

"Ah~! It's Miss Reiya and her visitor! Folks gather around~" Reiya's talking seems to have caught the attention of a child as they gather around

"Settle now folks, we don't want to disturb your work with our arrival"

"Nonsense! You are a part of Alnerwick, a reunion is one to celebrate!" the tall muscular man said loud and proud as the crowd around him cheered him on.

"my Aron, your words humble me." She responded placing her hand on her lip and giggling coyly.

The children come forth with crowns of flowers on their hands and a big warm smile on their faces

"We made it for you and your guest, big sis!" they said cheerfully with a pulling hand gesture like asking them to bend for them to put on the crowns. Both of them bowed to gladly accepting their gifts with Reiya saying:

"How wonderful, I am sure that he is as thrilled as I am to receive such gifts. Aren't you, Deki?" she turns to see children gather around him, fascinated by his prosthetic arm.

"Hey mister, what happened to your arm? Can you move in it?" the children asked while examining his metal arm. he gave them a puzzled look and began to move his left arm around, showing no sign of clunky or blunt movements.

"Woah! So cool!, I want one too!" they seem amazed by it. Imagining the things that they could do with an arm enhanced by steel.

"hold your horses, lad and lassie. We must tell this news to everyone in town, tonight we shall have a feast to remember!" the man named Aron said as other villagers started to spread the news. Before they knew it, they were at the town's square being greeted by the town's hospitality.

"Wait! We are missing someone folks. Someone must inform Acacia about this! She must be thrilled to hear a new member in the family" someone said amid the crowd and got them puzzled

"indeed we should, but where can we find Acacia at this moment in time?."

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"I think she went out to the forest to gather herbs and spices. She usually takes an entire day to come back"

"that won't do, we cannot let her miss such an important occasion, we ought to find her to inform her about this" The crowd begins to discuss who is the right person to go out in search of Acacia. After a bit of back and forth, Reiya proposed a candidate for the search.

"How about this fine lad over here? I am sure he is capable of doing ya some good" She pats Deki on the back and pushes him to the crowd as everyone's attention is drawn to him

"Are you sure about it, lad? We don't want to trouble you" Deki lightly nods in response to reassure them as they give him a relieved smile.

"be careful about there, lad. Danger be wary, always lookin' out for when you fall to savor their malicious needs" Aron warned him putting his firm hand with scars left on them as he gazed down at him with a tough but sincere look.

"You were always a worrywart. I am sure my apprentice can whip up some bites despite his look" Aron seems to not be fully convinced by Reiya's words seeing how fragile the boy's body was. His pale skin wrapped around the little meat that there is. But in the end, he takes a sigh and takes her words for it.

The children held his cold steel arm with a gentle smile on their faces, guiding him to the pathway that led into the deep forest:

"Sister Acacia usually takes this path before turning to the right side, We often follow her to see the beautiful lake where she would let us pick flowers together and reward the ones that got the most in their baskets~"

Deki nodded to their guidance and gave them a light bow thanking them before heading into the forest following their directions.

Following the road of trimmed grass, he got a good look at the surroundings around him. The trees stretch out further than the eye can see, he was drawn to this foreign place from the moment he was brought here. The soothing sound of the wind with the occasional chirping of birds, the soft ground brushing against his bare feet. It felt like the place that he woke from and the place he was standing were completely different worlds from each other, it fascinated him how could different terrains form with only a few distances between them.

His mindless thinking was halted by the sight of a beautiful clear lake in front of him, he walked closer and touched the cool still water. The feel of water was enchanting unlike the dry harsh desert, he could see his reflection in the lake. He looked into the lake before dipping his steel arm into it, he couldn't fully understand the sensation in his arm for it was not made from his flesh but he felt a somewhat cooling sensation on the palm of his hand.

His short little discovery was pushed aside as he resumed his quest knowing that his time was limited. He continues to walk along the lakeshore in search of the figure, the search is to no avail until he feels a strong vibration in his left arm. It was acting like a magnet, pulling him toward the direction of the source of it.

Making his way through the trees, he was stumbled by the concerning field of visions he was having. The left eye Reiya gave him was subconsciously radiating Sakti like an automatic switch being flicked once the conditions were fulfilled, he was trapped between the vision of two different forests. One was the calm familiar sea of green bringing gentle breezes to his race, the other was a burning open field with ruins and debris scattered like remnants of architecture buried by the flow of time, but the thing that time couldn't bury was the everlasting flame still burning brightly amidst the trees.

The distant chirping that sang to his soul was now distorted like the sound of squealing monsters crying out in agony, beneath the deafening screams are words of hatred and vice muffled and twisted to indescribable howl. In the middle, what he saw was a mountain of rock now molded into the entrance of an endless abyss like the jaw of a beast luring in its prey with its gaping mouth.

The dreadful scenery in front of him made his muscles tense up, every part of his body was ready to bolt away as his primal urge to flee awakened inside him. But despite it all, he pressed onward and closed his right eye again before walking into the dark cave using his metallic arm as a compass. Descending the hard, rough surface down as he begins to absorb Sakti to emit light from his palm. Walking deeper, he heard a distant humming that was followed by the sound of the gentle strumming of a harp and the voice of a woman:

-"Let me sing you, a world of lies

The world's a whirlwind, lullaby

Shadow dances where laughter died

Ruins remain where you hide

"A raging fire sparks from sins

Beneath the cinder, A broken heart

But the ember flicker holds the yielding might

The sound of love, carry your hope

"The darkness whispers, a chilling song

But hold onto hope, where you belong

One the light will pierce the night

And set your spirit, bathed in white

Sleep now, my dear, close your eyes

The truth will find you, beneath the skies

Though the world may rage, with fury untold

Their love will be your shield, worth more than gold"

Following the melody, he was taken aback by the foul stench like burnt flesh left to rot for far too long. As he peeked around the corner, a white-haired girl with pale skin was playing the harp, she wore a white shirt with long pants and an apron made out of leather. Deki hid himself behind the cave's entrance while leaning in closer to find a dark figure seemingly covered in ashes and fur.

He leaned more as the figure he saw grew out more to be a towering beast bound in gold chains, the skin of this behemoth barely clung to its bones like a tattered shroud, stretched taut over a skeletal frame. Seeing the thin, veinous structure made his stomach churn as it began to turn from side to side, revealing the hundred pierced weapons on its shoulder and back.

When he looks up, he can feel the air being caught in his throat as he makes a shocking realization. It has locked its bloodshot eyes toward this unfamiliar face radiating a ravenous hunger and rage behind the giant skull of a deer that has been sown to its face like it was part of its body.

It began to open its grotesquely large jaw showing out its needle-like teeth and impossibly long tongue as it made a rasping wheeze before letting out a thunderous roar that shook the ground around them. Deki fell onto his back as this monster ravaged against its cage, growing claws under its skin and its fur spiked up as if it was going through a horrific transformation.

"please wait Tsuguru! He's a friend, not a foe!" the girl said seeing the crown of flowers that fell out of Deki's head. The beast settled down from its rampage while maintaining a fixed gaze on the perplexed Deki who was trying to pick himself up.

"I'm so sorry...Tsuguru tends to overreact when he senses a potential danger"

She went over to help him stand up while Tsuguru slowly raised one of its clawed fingers, offering a truce.

"I think he wants to apologize" She gently guided him closer to the beast standing behind him to reassure him. He hesitantly grabs the claw with his steel arm for a firm handshake. Upon shaking it, he could feel Tsuguru's terrifying aura wrapping around him even if it was not hostile he still couldn't shake off the dreaded feel beneath his skin. But what was more surprising to him was a sobering feeling behind it, he looked up to it again as it closed its eyes almost seeming to show a sense of guilt toward its action. He took a step back having been pulled into deep thoughts about its strange behavior before turning to the girl who was able to have a better look at him.

"I don't think I recognize you anywhere within the village, are you perhaps a traveler?" she said curious observing the scar on his left cheek running down to his steel arm. Deki nodded excitedly before taking out his journal, showing a scribbled drawing picture of him and his Mentor

"Oh dear! Has Miss Reiya returned to the village? Everyone must be worried sick for me to come home!" her curiosity turned into flustering as she went to collect the ash basket filled with all sorts of herbs, fruits, and flowers being stored in an organized order. She then comes back to explain to Tsuguru why she needs to return to the village earlier than usual, the beast slightly lowered its head mimicking Deki's nodding motion as if to show approval.

"Let's not let the others wait then!" the girl pulled Deki's arm leading him out to the entrance of the cave. They both walked back to the lake where the girl stopped and asked Deki a question:

"Could you...please keep Tsuguru a secret for me?" Deki widened his eyes at her sudden request

"People in the village are not aware of Tsuguru's existence and I don't know what they would do to him if they found out..." she continued, trying not to stumble on her words. Despite that, he could see how worried she was.

"it's bad to lie about something, I know. But I have to believe there is a way to help him!" She took a step forward, now holding her hands close to her chest, all while staring at him, eyes filled with determination. Her actions dumbfounded Deki.

He quickly shook aside his confusion and nodded to cement their little secret. The girl's worried face almost instantly turned into a smile.

"Thank you! Then let's not waste another minute!" they returned to the welcoming arms of the village folks. Reiya standing in the distance stared at them both with a smirk.

"Welcome back big sister and brother! We were waiting for you, the other folks have already started to work on the party would you like to join us?" the children were crowded around them with some tucking their shirts and pulling their hands.

"Now now children, big sister needs some time to rest after an exhausting trip. Why don't you come to play with this and then have fun with her in the evening?" Reiya stepped in with a box of colorful crayons and papers that captured the eyes of the child and Deki.

The children happily received her gifts and began to share colors to draw pictures with each other while Reiya, with a smirk on her face, Walked over the couple.

"You sent him to find me so that you can let him in with our secret, why?" the girl frowns at Reiya

"I have already proven that I am on your side did I not? This fella is an apprentice. I am merely taking this opportunity to give him some hands-on experience" The girl wasn't satisfied with her answer but there is nothing she can do now."aw~aren't you happy? You finally have a fellow student to study alongside you~" Her light tease somewhat eased up the tension as the girl let out a sigh before saying.

"Let's bring this to the Apotheca, the folks aren't ready to hear your nonsense just yet," she said with arms crossed while staring at Reiya who had a cheeky smile on her face. Deki stood there speechless of what to make of this, the girl turned to him letting out a sigh."Sorry about it, it is not you who is at fault here."

He took her apology with a light smile not being too bored by it, perhaps he could somewhat understand her frustration toward Reiya, so he followed them both to the Apotheca.