Azthol was having the same dream again, the white world he knew so well and his only friend. 

He felt something was different this time, normally It would always smile and greet him, but this time it was just sitting there. No smile or expression on its face. 

He sat in front of it and after an uncomfortable silence, he asked. 

"What are you? I get the feeling you had something to do with Kyrie arriving on this world."

Azthol was grateful since thanks to that he would be leaving the city tomorrow, but he wanted to know the truth. He got the feeling It knew something about his past. 

"I'm your friend… I don't have a name, but you can call me Mime. Regarding Kyrie you could say I only opened the door for her to enter here."

"The door? What's that supposed to mean?" 

It finally showed a small smile. Confusing Azthol even more. 

"The door to this world, you'll understand once you leave. For the time being allow me to congratulate you Azthol."

A genuine smile formed in this face, he couldn't help but feel happy. However he felt a weird, feeling like this would be the last time they would meet in a long time. 

"Thanks… listen I just wanted to say that… I'll always be grateful, I don't know what your intentions are Mime, but you helped me cope with the solitude I endured while trapped here."

Azthol extended his hand. 

"There are many things I want to ask, but I get the feeling you would just tell me to find the answers on my own."

Mime laugh a bit before responding, it's voice tired and calm. 

"You got that right. You will find the answers you seek on your own."

Azthol was going to say more but his vision started to blurry. 

"Seems like our time is up, I believe in you Azthol. Don't forget our bet I'll be there at the end to complete the deal." 

Mime smile, seeing Azthol slowly disappear until it was alone again. 

"My job is done, the rest it's up to him. Your kid is just like you." 

Mime looked at where Azthol was, it could only hope he was strong enough to survive the coming hardships he would face. 

"Don't disappoint me kid."

X

Azthol woke up to a voice calling his name

"Wake up Azthol. It's time for your training."

Opening his eyes he saw Kyrie already wearing her armor. She was eating one fruit. 

She handed him one, catching by instinct. He stood up while eating it. 

"This is the first time I've woke up so early, the sun is barely rising."

One could still see the stars in the sky, even the moon was still visible. Azthol went outside with Kyrie. 

"We need to start early, the faster you learn the faster we get out of here."

"I understand, so how does the whole leaving the world works?" 

Kyrie pointed to her armor and said. 

"It's pretty simple, you just need to cover yourself in kur and use it as a sort of suit to traverse space. Think of something that would protect you and try and give it form with your kur."

Azthol nodded and concentrated, trying to think of something. An armor came to his mind, kur covering his body, but the concept was weak and the kur quickly dissipated. Feeling tired he realized how hard this would be. 

"It's not that easy right? It took me a whole day to form my Armour around my body, you have to think of something that makes you feel safe."

'Safe… it's weird but, whenever the word safe is said. The only thing that comes to my mind is this mask.'

Azthol was conflicted, he didn't knew the origins of the mask and everything he wanted was to take it off. But for some reason he felt like the mask was made to protect something. 

Suddenly back reddish tendrils started to form from the mask, slowly covering his whole body. The tendrils connected and melt forming what looked like a suit made of muscle fibers. Red lines pulsing as if they were alive.

Kyrie inspected the suit, already expecting the mask would do something. His boots were covered in the same muscle fiber making them look weird, but the most distinctive aspect of the suit was the red circle in his chest. 

"Well I guess this will do for the time being."

Kyrie closed her eyes and her armor shined a ray of light came out towards the sky. 

"take my hand and we'll be on our way." 

Azthol took one last look at the city, while it was true that he wanted to escape. This was also the place he called home. He kyrie hand with determination and entered the ray of light. 

It was weird, he felt like they were in an elevator. Suddenly the light disappeared and for the first time he saw what was beyond the city. 

A space filled with different colors, rocks and small worlds filled his vision. It was a beautiful sight. 

Kyrie was still holding his hand, she saw how impressed he was and wanted to give him a moment, but she knew it was dangerous to stay still and needed to move quick. 

"I know you would like more time to see, but we need to move. It's not safe to stay in the open."

She opened her hand, and a hologram map appeared. Azthol couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. So he decided to ask Kyrie. 

"How does that map work?"

"It's complicated, for the time being we need to get to the to the blue woods. It's safest route to bastion." 

"So we just need to get to this blue woods?" 

Kyrie gave a long sigh. 

"It's easier said than done. There are monster and beast constantly wandering the depths. That's why we need to move fast."

The hold Kyrie had on his hand tighten more. 

"Don't let go of my hand ok. We'll go at a relatively fast speed so hold tight." 

Azthol did as he was told only to suddenly feel like his arm was going  to be ripped off. 

They were going fast and he could see how they passed giant rocks and even an sea made of bones. 

After some time he could see how the space started to change, he saw giant pale tees. They looked mechanical in nature, a blue glow coming from azure lines on the trees. 

Looking down he could see land, like a giant island floating in space. They slowed down until the stopped in front of the entrance to the forest. 

"Listen well, the blue forest is home to the lost children. They are the spirits of dead kids trapped in the forest."

"Well… things turned dark quick."

Kyrie laugh at his statement, before letting go of his hand. 

"You'll get used to it, things get really weird in the borders. This isn't even the worst place there is. That's why it's the safest route to bastion."

"So a forest full of dead kids is the safest route. Sounds about right" 

Azthol took a deep breath, his resolve wouldn't waver.

"Well then, please lead the way Kyrie." 

Kyrie nosed her head and started walking, Azthol following close behind. 

Azthol noticed how the more they approached the forest, the ground became wetter, until it became like a wetland. 

"So most of the floor is made of water or is it like a swamp?"

"It's not a swamp, the floor is just made of water and grass. But be careful there are some deep spots. Most kids drown there, others are killed by the trees so be careful with the roots."

Azthol looked at the ground before giving up trying understand how kids could even get here, Kyrie said only kur users could come to the borders. 

As if knowing what he was thinking Kyrie said. 

"The forest and kids were already like this before the fusion. It's just that after it, the forest ended up here."

"I see, so that means the kinds are really ancient?"

"Yes, that's why we need to avoid them. Otherwise they will try to make us permanent residents of the forest like them" 

"Ok I get it." 

They continued walking through the forest, the trees were so big their leaves covered the sky completely, the only source of light coming from the trees themselves. 

Azthol notices how the Azure lines in the trees almost looked like veins. Pulsing and glowing, the place was really starting to freak him out. 

He only felt safe thanks to the suit the mask made. But that wasn't a good thing. He was a novice knowing nothing of combat and barely knowing the basic of kur. He really hoped they wouldn't have to fight the kids. 

Azthol looked around, trying to calm his nerves, he noticed a something different in some trees. Branches going in a specific direction. 

"Hey Kyrie is that normal?" 

Kyrie turned to see what Azthol was referring to. Following the roots they arrived where the brs he's converged. 

A girl was hanging from the branches, like a puppet hanging on threads. Azthol notices how the girl had doll joints. In fact looking closer her arms and legs were separated. 

Her back dress was torn leaving her legs for all to see. 

"An automata? What is one doing here?" 

She turned to Azthol and said. 

"Stay here, I'll get the automata down." 

Azthol nodded and saw Kyrie make a black long sword. Even if he wasn't an expert in swords, Azthol could still see how beautiful and deadly it was. 

Kyrie floated until she was face to face with the girl and with a single wave of her sword the branches were cutted. The arms and legs quickly reattached to the main body, it seemed like the branches were the only thing keeping them separated. 

Kyrie took the girl in her arms, dismissing her sword she slowly de ended to the ground where Azthol was. 

The girl was beautiful with silver short silver hair. The torn dress seemed to have been part of a maid outfit. 

Seeing how the automata wasn't waking up, kyrie was going to give her a fruit form the city. But before she could even take the fruit from her storage. She detected a very powerful presence. 

Turning around she saw the silhouettes of numerous small kids. But the one that made her weary was the kid at the front. 

The kid was covered in blue flames. It's boddy covered in Azure lines. 

Kyrie quickly shoved the girl in Azthol arms and summoned her sword she took a battle stance. 

"Take her and run quickly Azthol, you'll only hold me back. So go!" 

"But Kyrie-!" 

"DO AS I SAY NOW!" 

Azthol closed his mouth seeing how the kids were slowly approaching. Smiling and laughing. He took the girl in his arms fleed, the sound of fighting and the laughter of children filling his mind. 

'I don't want to be weak, I swear I'll never run away again.'

He kept running and running, his arms feeling tired and his legs felt they were burning. But even then he kept running until his body couldn't take it anymore. 

Falling to his knees, Azthol looked at the girl in her arms, Kyrie trusted him with her.

He laid the girl on a tree, sitting next to her he decided to rest a bit. He would rest before continuing. Hopefully the girl would wake up soon. 

He closed his eyes for a bit, sleep slowly claiming him. 

'I need to find Kyrie again and leave this forest' 

He quickly fell asleep, missing how a person was slowly approaching them. 

X

Kyrie dodged an attack from one of the kids. She concentrated her kur on her sword. Cutting the head of a kid approaching her from begin. 

He dodge as the roots of the trees tried to strangle her. The roots moved like whips trying to stab or cut their target. 

The kid with blue flames created a small ball of fire the size of his palm. He ran at her while the roots and the other kids kept her distracted. 

Kyrie cutted the roots, and jumped to avoid two kids coming at her, she landed in the branch of a tree. Before she could catch her breath, hands came out from the branch. The hands grabbed her legs preventing her escape. 

The kid the flames landed in front of her the ball in his hand inches away from her face. 

"Where is the girl?"

His voice sounded artificial, his whole body covered in burns. Kyrie stared at empty eyes sockets. 

Instead of answering, she covered her body in kur and used her core trait. 

Kur users were divided in 5 stages. Novice, veteran, master, first class and at the top were  core kur user.

Novices could only use their core to make simple things, but they can't control it to cover or infuse things with. The only reason Azthol got the armor and survived in space. Was because of his mask. 

Veterans could freely control and infuse things with their kur. They could create their armor and weapons. As well as grasp some of their core aspects. 

 

To become a master kur user one would have to accept their existence. Their flaws and their worst traits. Only then could one use their kur to manifest some superficial aspect of themselves. 

If fire was something that defined a master kur user, the the flames of a master would be stronger and would swallow any other flames. It's like comparing the fabled sword Excalibur with a common sword. 

First class users could manifest an integral aspect of their being. Bending reality to a certain extent and only in a way their core aspect affected. If water was a core aspect then they could control or create water of any kind. Holy water or even water that could cure any illness or regrow vital organs. 

To be a core kur user one has to be able to see and affect the core of other beings and concepts. They defined the concept that was core to them. They can only control one aspect and it has to be at the core of their existence, but in exchange for that they gain absolute control over that concept. 

Kyrie was a first class user. The only reason she wasn't a core user was because she couldn't understand the core of her existence, but she wasn't weak by any means. 

Duality was something that represented her, something that defined her. Black and white, up and down. Duality existed since the dawn of creation and it was something she excelled at. 

Kind but firm, cruel but just. Brave but cautious. Duality defined her life and as such it was integral to her. 

What was up was now down. 

The fire kid suddenly and even the hands from the branch were now upside down. Below Kyrie who was now free. The fire kid fell but compases himself mid air. Landing on the water, he quickly jumped towards Kyrie the ball in his hand growing larger until it could engulf a whole person. 

What was big was now small. 

The ball in his was now the size of a pea. Kyrie took advantage of that and infused her sword with her kur. The sword now covered in black and white smoke severed the hand of the kid. 

She kicked him in the stomach sending him flying towards a tree. 

The other kids quickly surrounded her, roots suddenly came from the ground seizing her legs. The kids wasted no time after seeing this and launched themselves at her. 

What were many now were few. 

Suddenly more than half the kids disappeared, leaving the few that remained to be cut down by her sword. She then severed the roots and jumped in time to avoid a ball of blue flame. 

The fire kid continued firing at her, his severed hand reattached. Using the distance between them to his advantage.

What is far is now near. 

The Blade of her sword was now inches away from decapitating him. The fire kid reacted quickly, his body became fire and the sword passed through it taking no damage. 

He quickly jumped to a tree where his body was absorbed by it. 

Kyrie didn't had time to search for him a roots attacked her. Cutting any root that came near her, she didn't noticed a fireball coming her way. 

Kyrie took a direct hit from the resulting explosion. Her armor cracking and boring in a few places. 

She crashed into a tree. Hands quickly grew from it and tried to catch her. She cut the hands and quickly jumped to evade another fireball. 

More and more fireballs were thrown her way from different directions. She kept dodging but noticed how her body didn't respond as normal. She saw parts of her body covered in a blue color. 

What was dirty is now clean. 

The blue spots disappeared and she felt her body returning to normal, but that only made her more weary of the blue fire.

She needed to end the fight soon, using her ability so many times was making her exhausted. She needed to find the fire kid quick.

What was lost is now found

The fire kid appeared in front of her, his right hand covered in flames, he punched. Kyrie blocked with her sword, the kid used his free hand to try and grab her face.

Kyrie  jumped back, but a root caught her by surprise. Breaking her damaged armor and impaling her in the stomach. 

Kyrie spitted blood. She tried to cut the root but the kid was quickly in front of her. Grabbing her arm she felt saw her armor slowly starting to melt. 

She heard the laughter of children and saw more kids slowly approaching them. 

The kid applied more pressure until he broke her arm, the armor melting with her skin. 

Kyrie was used to pain so she resisted the urge to scream. A frown showing on her face. 

"Where is the girl?" 

The kid asked the same question, she had to wonder what made that automata so special. 

"You children know this forest better than anyone, how should I know which way they escaped?" 

The fire kid seemed to accept the answer, the rest of the children slowly disappearing. He left her arm free, useless and broken. 

The kid turned around, assuming that Kyrie was incapacitated and would be absorbed by the forest in time. He didn't expect to suddenly found a sword sticking out from his chest. 

Blue glowing blood flowed from the blade. Kyrie took out her sword. The acting as if nothing was wrong. 

The kid turned around. Surprised to see her arm and armor repaired and healed. 

Kyrie was tired fixing her arm and armor took a lot of energy from her. And the fire kid seemed like the enemy that couldn't be killed by normal means. 

The fire kid made two large fireballs intending of finishing her. Kyrie noted how the roots were also preparing to attack. 

She decided to use her last resource, the duality of her sword. A special duality that took all of her energy. It would leave her weak and exhausted, meaning the other children could finish the job if they wished. But she trusted that they would be to busy searching for Azthol. 

It was a gamble. She poured all of her kur into the sword, a spiral of black and white covered its entire length. 

Seeing this, the kid quickly took action throwing both fireballs at her. However, the fireballs dissipated upon touching the sword, his body cut in half. The flames disappeared leaving a burned and mangled body. 

What was bind is now free. 

Kyrie fell to her knees. The energy of her sword disappearing, she used her sword as support. Catching her breath she managed to stood up, slowly walking her way out of the woods. 

'I trust you will survive Azthol, I can't do anything more for a while.' 

X

Azthol woke, confused and nervous. He was in a small room. A nice warm bed and chair and a desk filled with books. 

He stood yo, weary of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was running as far a she could, before taking a break. 

'I must have fallen asleep, I'm an idiot!"

He quickly made his way to the door. But before he could even open it. The door suddenly opened, the girl Kyrie rescued entered the room. 

She was wearing a maid outfit. Her golden eyes shined when she saw him. 

" Papa! The guest woke up!"

The maid shouted and turned around. Quickly running outside the room. Azthol followed her, the room seemed to be part of a small wooden house. The room leading to the dining room where breakfast was served for three. 

He saw the door to the outside and a few windows. He looked through them and saw that he wasn't in the blue woods anymore. But a plain filled with amber grass. Balls of light floating and moving like living things. 

A mature voice called him from behind. 

"Looks like you finally woke up." 

Azthol turned around to see a man in his fifties. He he had brown short hair and a mustache. He looked like a veteran warrior, even though he was wearing casual clothes. He could see his muscles and scars in his arms. 

"I know you have questions, but breakfast is served so how about I answer your questions while we eat."

The took a seat at the table, the maid coming with a jar filled with water. 

"Please don't worry, Papa was the one who saved us. So please take a seat."

The maid to a seat and motioned Azthol to sit next to her.

He sat and took a piece of breath to eat. And then took a bite from the steak in his plate. A sensation he never felt before invaded his mouth, like angels were performing a melody in his mouth. 

He started eating his steak with vigor earning a chuckle from the maid. 

"Guess you were really hungry. Mary here put a ton of effort making the food this time. She looked like a new led wife." 

"Papa, don't say it like that. I just wanted to thanks him for helping me."

Mary blushed and turned to see Azthol. Looking like she was hoping something. Azthol felt embarrassed and quickly finished his meal, and asked. 

"My name is Azthol, I don't want to sound  rude but who are you guys. Where are we?" 

The man drank a glass of water clearing his throat before speaking. 

"My name is Salomon. This is my daughter Mary. I have to thank you young man. You rescued my daughter from the woods and for that you have my gratitude." 

Azthol knew he wasn't the one who saved Mary, if it wasn't for Kyrie both of them would have been capture by the lost children. 

"I wasn't the one who saved your daughter, my partner was the one who saved her. In fact she fought the lost children while we escaped, I just ran like a coward with Mary in my arms."

Azthol was ashamed of running and leaving Kyrie, and the tone of his voice reflected that. 

Mary looked a bit surprise, but she grasped his hand with her own. 

"Even then, I survived thanks to you running with all your might. Both of you saved me."

Her smile seems to relax Azthol almost like it washed his being of all the negative things. 

"I heard the sound of explosions so after getting the two of you here, I returned and searched for traces of a fight. But I couldn't  find anything. Your partner most likely escaped, since I couldn't find a body." 

That gave Azthol hope, Kyrie said she was a first class kur user. He believed in her. 

That didn't mean he was find it, that experience showed him how weak he was. He needed to become stronger if he wanted to get to bastion and meet with Kyrie again. 

"As for where we are. These are the imperishable plains. It's outside the blue forest, on the opposite side to Bastion."

On the opposite side? That means to get to bastion I have to cross the forest?"

"Indeed, your partner and you were on their way to bastion right? That would mean both you are kur users. What grade are you?" 

"I just learned about kurisufia a few days ago. So I'm just a novice. Kyrie said she was a first class."

The man closed his eyes in deep thought, Mary cleaning the table since they had finished their breakfast. 

"That explains why she told you to run. A novice stands no chance against the lost children, trying to cross the forest would be impossible for someone like you." 

The words struck Azthol really deep. He was weak, that much was clear. But he couldn't give up, not when he was close to find a clue about his mask. 

"I really need to get to bastion. Even if it's impossible I can't give up."

"I suppose it has something to with that mask of yours right?" 

Azthol was surprised for a moment, before remembering a normal person would have tried to take off the mask, combines with the suit he he was wearing. It didn't take a genius to figure out his mask was special. 

"Yes, Kyrie told me the scholars there could know a way to take it off or at least know something about it's origins."

Salomon couldn't see his face, but by his tone of voice he could guess he wouldn't give up no matter what.

Mary finished cleaning the table and the dishes, she sat next to Azthol.

"Papa could train you! He's really strong." 

Mary said in an excited manner, but even then her voice helped calm him. He leaned on her shoulder by instinct. 

Mary didn't seem to mind, doing the same and leaning her her on his shoulder. 

Seeing this Salomon felt bad, due to the nature of how Mary was created, he knew why she was doing this. 

"You helped my daughter so to repay that debt. I'll train you."

Hearing this Azthol felt grateful, thanking Salomon and asking when they could begin. 

We'll begin in a moment wait for me outside."

Azthol stood up with Mary both of them going outside to wait for Salomon. 

Azthol saw the Imperishable plains in all of their glory. Amber grass and the sky seemed to be in a perpetual golden sunset. The floating lights, moved towards them, a lot of them surrounding Mary. 

She giggled and said something he couldn't hear. Her mouth moved but no sound could be heard.

The lights seemed to understand her dispersing in different directions, it wasn't long before they were alone again, a pleasant breeze came. 

Mary smiled at him, before sitting on  the ground. Azthol was confused, but a powerful punch send a few meters back. He noticed Salomon had a cut in his fist, his mask retracting the spike it created. 

"the first thing you need to learn is how to control that mask. Nothing I can teach you will work if that thing does whatever it wants."

Azthol understood, he couldn't react to the punch, but the mask did. Meaning he could want to do something but the mask would act different, maybe even bothering him during combat. 

Salomon approached him, stopping a steps form him. 

"First lesson will be to control that. It will be difficult considering I don't know how that thing works so we'll do this the hard way."

Salomon created metal bat. 

"There is a difference in creating a bat which existence is of a sport tool."

He hired the ground, leaving a small hole where that quickly filled itself, as if the plains were alive. The bat disappearing from his hands. A new red one replacing it. 

"And creating it as a weapon." 

Salomon waved the bat casually, creating a strong gust of wind that send Azthol flying a few meters again. 

"This is how we are going to do this, I'll hit you with the bat until you learn to control that mask. So be prepared for a painful experience." 

Azthol gulped, becoming nervous at the fire e grin Salomon had on his face. He noticed Mary waving at him. 

"Don't worry Azthol, I'll make sure to heal you and take care of you gayer Papa beats you up!" 

How she said that with the sweetest and most pure smile on her face was beyond him, but he didn't have time to think about it. Salomon appearing in front of him and casually hitting him with the bat. 

His mask and suit seemed to react, as spikes grew clashing with the bat, his body moving without him noticing it. 

Salomon was surprised to see how strong the spikes were. He didn't put much force but it was an impressive feat nonetheless. 

Azthol felt a familiar sensation. Deciding to go with the flow he trusted his instinct and acted. 

The spikes retracted and Salomon appeared behind Azthol, spikes tried to grow again, but slowly stopped, retracting into the mask. 

"Good. Now you just need to learn to control I at will!" 

Salomon weakly punched Azthol on the back breaking his spine and sending him flying towards Mary, who catches him in her arms. A pure smile on her face. She laid his head in her thighs. A golden light surrounded them. 

Azthol had lost consciousness the moment his spine was broken. 

"Be sure to heal him to full health and tell me when he wakes up. Training is going to be hard for him."

"Of course Papa!" 

X

Kyrie got out of the forest. She could see massive pillars and towers in the distance. The highest tower was divided one part floating atop the other.

She continued walking, until she arrived at a crystal bridge connecting to the floating land where the pillars and towers were.

The moment she entered the bridge, she was suddenly in front of a massive door. She walked right through it arriving at her personal room at bastion. 

She dropped on her bed. Exhausted she took a fruit from her storage and ate it. Feeling her energy return a bit. She decided to sleep a bit, but before she could close her eyes she heard someone knocking on her door. 

She stood up and opened the door. A woman in black and red military uniform saluted her. 

"First class Kyrie Meld. The high leaders want to see you."