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Chapter 23: Easton’s Resolve

Chapter 23: Easton’s Resolve

The large man swipes the Kamino Weapon at Kiran's throat.

Kiran slides on his knees to dodge it. "That was close!"

"A little dancer, are we?" The large man swipes the Kamino Weapon again.

"Kiran!" Israr pushes Kiran with his leg. The Kamino Weapon cuts through Israr's thigh. His pants tear and a large gash is visible.

"Israr! Your leg!" Kiran's eyes widen at Israr's injury.

Israr takes a piece of his sleeve and ties the injury up. "Don't worry about me, Kiran. I have taken much harder hits." He turns to Kiran, giving him a thumbs up. "Besides, my gift will protect me. I need you to focus on not getting hurt."

Kiran nods his head. He clenches his fist. "All right Israr! I won't hold you back."

The large man watches Israr closely. "This Sharmeija Member… he was able to take the girls out so quickly. They are combat-trained. Is he actually a red-rank?"

Israr rushes in while the large man's in thought. He goes for a body shot.

The large man tanks the shot. Israr's fist vibrates.

"It's so hard…"

The large man strikes down and Israr retreats. He shakes his hand. "It's not muscle enhancement… or super strength…"

Israr squints. "Bone hardening?" he says out loud.

"Ah! So even the lowest-ranked Sharmeija members have good deductive skills? Not that it will help you!" The large man attacks Israr.

Easton watches this all unfold from the transparent tube.

"I can't hear anything from outside! What the hell is this tube?!" Easton smacks his fist.

"URGH! It's like sturdy plastic. I can't make a dent! And what's worse…" He leans against the tube and breathes heavily. "It feels like my breathing is getting hard. Is my oxygen depleting?"

His mind goes back to the meeting with Brain-Lady.

"It really is remarkable. I've never encountered anyone with an intact memory as good as yours," says Brain-Lady while going through her notes on the hologram. "Not even some of the S-Rank Mental Energy Arkodians." She goes through a bunch of names. "That includes me."

"So what's that supposed to mean?" asks Easton. "Are you able to tell me what my gift is or not?"

"I don't think so."

"Tch… Is it because of my Soul Psyche?"

"That plays a part, yes."

"Why am I remembering all this?" says Easton, falling to his knees. Kiran runs towards him, but Easton doesn't notice at all. "Am I hallucinating?"

Brain-Lady and Easton walk in a tight hallway. Black water is below them.

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"Well, your Soul Psyche seems accurate." Brain-Lady scans the walls. "Hallways are usually attributed to people with extremely high Physical Energy." She looks at all the paintings. Each one details Easton's exact happenings since waking up.

The water stays dead calm.

"At instances where he should use Soul Potential Energy, he's merely using his Physical Energy. Such a phenomenal body." Brain-Lady touches the paintings. She moves and touches each one down the hallway.

"This feels a bit invasive."

"There's nothing…"

"What? What did you say?"

"There's absolutely no Soul Potential Energy present at all."

"No Soul Potential Energy? Is that even possible?"

"It shouldn't be. It's energy from the OmniOne, essentially that which makes us human."

"What are you saying?! I'm not human?!"

"Let's continue."

They continue to walk down the long hallway.

"So am I not human?!"

"Why do you ask that? Of course, you are."

"Well, you didn't answer."

"You do act like a beast."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Brain-Lady and Easton come to a halt at the end of the hallway. There is only a single door.

"There's no lock! And we are at the end… Actual evidence of The Trials? I have to open it and see."

"Don't open it," commands Easton.

"What?! This is a breakthrough! I can find your gift! And concrete information about The Trials."

"No. The information there is not something you want to know. And it won't tell me my desire."

"Are you aware of information from The Trials? Without even knowing your desire?"

"I guess? I have never been inside here, but I know what memory lies behind that door."

Easton sits against the tube, breathing slower and slower. "Why are these dumb memories playing in my head? I already know I have no gift… and that stupid door… That stupid memory…"

"Do you possibly remember what the OmniOne told you?" asks Brain-Lady as she sits back on her couch.

"It was brief. He just said he has 'high expectations' or whatever."

"Hmm, maybe flying? Have you accidentally gone in the air?"

"No."

"Hmm… What was behind that door?"

Easton's eyes focus. "I can't tell you."

"Can you at least tell me the emotions?"

Easton stares down at his hands.

"People stabbed me in the back. They used me and left me." His fist grips tightly. His mind screams, "Some even dared to still talk to me, but they couldn't even remember what they did."

"That's promising. Emotions have a strong connection to your desire and your gift. Tell me, do you hate yourself?"

"What type of question is that?! No, obviously not. I got through The Trials on my own. I got through all the challenges on my own. I'm alive because of me."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. People who have similar feelings of betrayal and hate themselves usually have some sort of duplication gift. I could go through each alternative… but it doesn't seem like we will find something."

Brain-Lady closes her screen and looks at Easton. "Sorry kid. I don't have anything for you. But I'd like to investigate your body one day, so if you die, please donate your body to me!" She smiles widely.

"I guess she can take my body now… Wait? Am I admitting I'm dying?" Easton stares at his hand. It twitches. "Huh… it feels oddly similar to that door. That stupid memory from The Trials that won't leave me…"

Easton's trapped. Trapped with a weight so heavy, he can't move.

"I have to get out of here… I-I can't breathe!" says a young Easton. He tries to push the objects away. "N-No! I don't want to die… not like this…"

He claws, scratches and pulls. He tries everything in his power to pull himself up. "Come on! Each meter gives me air… I just can't give up!"

The pile of objects collapse and Easton falls again. "But why is it so hard…"

"Should I have died there? It feels like it. I didn't amount to anything in the stupid Promised Land that we had to work so hard to get to…" Easton gazes at the tube around him. "I just ended up as someone with no gift. If I had to train or study for a gift I would've done it during The Trials. Pumpkins? Ugh. Instead, I had to focus on caring for myself. I couldn't let myself fall into a pit again… not again…"

Easton closes his fist and tries to stand up. His legs quiver and he falls to his knees. "No… No! This… this will not be the end of me! Focus… Focus on your breathing Easton… just like back then."

He closes his eyes and breathes in rhythm. "I have to wait… this tube can't hold forever… just wait… and breathe…"

Young-Easton pushes his hand through. He rips open the object in front of him.

"What did I tell myself back then?"

He shuts out all the noise around him, only focusing on climbing up.

"Right… I made a promise to myself on that day."

Easton's right arm starts to twitch.

"I made a promise… as I was climbing."

Easton pushes himself up to stand. Bits of orange aura burst along his right arm.

"I will never allow anyone to deceive me. I will never allow anyone to push me down. I will never rely on others again to survive."

The tube around him vibrates lightly.

"I made a promise… and I'll keep that promise to myself!"

OmniOne Fourth Law: "In Body And Soul, Thy Gift Shall Strengthen, Once Thou Desire Has Manifested.

A tremendous orange aura ignites on Easton's right arm. Half of his shirt tears away. Sound bounces around the tube as it vibrates. It begins to crack.

"I made a promise that I alone will become the strongest that has ever lived, no matter what!"