A/N: Hey all,

This chapter is what I see as the true start of Ashton's story. As chapters go, it's not the longest. But as I'm sure you'll understand, it takes time to build up a character. I hope you continue to enjoy it as you continue to read.

"Fifteen years of training, passed the trial of blades and shades on my first try and forged Starburn. Now... What?" Ashton asked contemplating the time since the naming ceremony.

It's been much duller than he was raised to believe. Waiting for a war which has been on the way since man found dust. Ashton would spend nights looking out at the mountains which marked the allowed territory that members of the main family were forbidden to leave until the war began.

"Tonight is long enough." He said with his sword in his hand and a bag on his back." I will see the other side of these damn hills even if it kills me."

With these words he jumped from the tower of the main family's castle where he was held to hone his skills for the war. The grapple he left at the top ensured that he would land without alerting others to his actions by slowing his decent. Landing softly at the base of the castle and reeling in the cable and hook, whilst repeatedly glancing from left to right. Once he knew the coast was clear, he started to run through the inner and outer village darting from the shadows that were cast by the full moon. Two of his cousins were taking their last night of the trial of shades and blades. Conveniently halving the number for branch family members whom might try to stop him. They were all watching the two twin girls and standing by. Who could spot if they were in need of help and assist them first would be one step closer to being allowed to attempt the trial themselves. The difference between the main house and the branch families wasn't one being first born or wealthier. It was that in the past, that an ancestor of theirs had passed the trial, forged a blade and had it named. This entitled the warrior's future generations to be included in the main household and live with a few more of life's luxuries. No one thought about if their children's children would rather have the freedom of adventure.

Ashton entered the western forest seeing as the trial was in the east. He was now less concerned with keeping in the shadows and maintained a sprint through the woodland.

'The Sun will rise in one hour...' He thought to himself. '...I must be on the other side of the mountains before then!'

Knowing full well that the next opportunity for this is either in five years time, when his next cousin is due to take the trial, or in two years if either of the twins were to fail tonight. Either way, one year of training for nothing is quite long enough. The first hour ends and the mountain pass is in sight, but so is an orange glow on the eastern horizon. He was convinced that he would make it, until the figure of a man stood before him. The horizon's glow illuminated the lone man. Broad shoulders and thick arms attached to a man with short, salt and pepper hair and wearing a brown coat that reached just passed his knees.

"Good morning, father." Ashton said to the man who stood between him and his adventure filled future.

"What do you think you're doing, boy?" Asked the father already knowing full well of the answer.

Ashton simply looked at him and answered, "Trying to live a life." Ashton's dad scoffs at his answer, but allows him to continue. "All we do is fight and train. Train for a war which has killed generations of our family already in training to prepare for it, or from boredom once the training has been completed." Ashton steps towards his father. "I have learned all I have to learn here. I know that if I could just see the world that we're trying to protect, I would have a greater love for it."

Ashton stops in front of his father waiting for his reply. His father does think about it for a moment, and then reaches behind him to bring out his own sword. It's claymore like design of a short handle and long double edged blade was simple and yet striking. Its name was Nimbus' Rage.

Pointing it at his disobedient child, he asked, "You wish to give up the potential of being head of the main household, first commander of the Clave army in the war to come and to take your life into your own hands with the outside worlds dangers? Is that right, boy?"

Ashton just nodded his head, his eyes never leaving his father's.

"So be it! Defend yourself and you shall be permitted to venture as and where you see fit."

The air grew still as the two warriors held their swords with the blades focused at their opponents. The forest behind Ashton was as silent as the mountain tops at their sides, and the valley behind his father promised the un-caged future that he hungered for. A last breath of wind rustled the nearby tree leaves and signalled for the fight to begin. Ashton started to swing the sword in circles all around him. Getting faster and faster, building the heat of his blade by cutting the air. Now with his sword aflame and ready, he moved to land the first strike against his unmoving parent. His sword swing was set to land its blow on the un-armoured left shoulder of his stationary father. A loud *crash* rang out and echoed through the mountain pass. Ashton had been launched backwards into a tree trunk that out skirting the forest. His chest singed and heart going a mile a minute. He slid of the tree, panting and looking up towards his father. Ashton's sword was stuck down in the ground in the space he was stood, just a second ago, and his father appeared to have only moved his sword slightly.

"Would you like to try again?" The unimpressed father asked sarcastically.

Ashton, undeterred and yet still winded, rose to his feet and his eyes started to glow white. He jumped off the ground and kicked off from the tree to launch himself back towards his blade. He then grabbed the handle of his sword to stop and swung his body around it to kick at his father, who simply stepped backwards to dodge it. However his twisting of Starburn's grip fired the grapple hook blade and its cable which Ashton grabs, to quickly ascend into the air. The wind blew him over his target and a flash of deep blue eyes brought Ashton to the ground, and a heavy weighted wire cable to his father. However the father, still yet to be caught off guard by his rebellious child, simply side stepped the cable as it slammed to the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust and dirt. Ashton stood at the ready and vigilant off his father is possible counterattack. The cloud of dust achieved nothing except a few seconds of silence, followed by a small yellow spark. Quickly following the spark Ashton, once again found himself stunned with pain and his heart beating the inside of his chest black and blue.

The dust cloud settled revealing Ashton's father, holding his sword pointed down at the available cable. The blade of his sword had split down the centre resembling a tuning fork with sparks of yellow electricity arcing between the two halves.

"Nimbus' Rage." Ashton said, panting and attempting to slow his heart rate. "It's claymore like design is simple and yet the way it unfolds its two halves when electrically charged amplifies its swing to slash and electrify its targets simultaneously. Earlier you touched my chest with it when I swung at you and just now you sent a jolt down my cable."

The blade folded back to its original shape.

"And you would've been sent flying again, if you hadn't have been made heavier by your ability to change your weight." Lectured the father. "Both your abilities and mine still have their weaknesses though. For your weight control, it's that your body and other effected items are harder to move if they're heavier and carry less impact when they're lighter. However, not all abilities have such straight forward repercussions." He raised his left hand and pointed his thumb at his chest. "You felt the way your heart raced, yes? Every time I use my electrical shocks, my heart also starts racing. Regardless of whether my attack has actually landed." He placed his hand back down to his side. "A prolonged battle is not to my advantage."

The Son stood up and walked passed his father to his blade. Reeled in the cable and pulled his sword from the ground.

"Even if your heart rate goes through such a strain when you use your ability, it still defeats mine if I can't make contact with you. If I do, your shocks will launch me away before I can adjust your weight. If my weight is too light my attacks won't carry any impact, to heavy and I lose my manoeuvrability and I'm left a sitting duck if I miss."

The father stabs his sword in the ground and folds his arms.

"So, how would you beat me or someone like me?"

Ashton turns to face he father and looks up at the last of the night's darkness draining from the sky. He sighs as if to accept he defeat.

"Well," he began say, "I would have to catch you of guard or have you already exhausted so you couldn't use your ability without hindering yourself as much as you do to me."

The father walks up to Ashton and places his hand on his shoulder.

"You're forgetting the most straight forward way, which is also most likely to succeed." Ashton just looked puzzled. "You're abilities are impressive and formidable, but your mission wasn't to defeat me, It was to get past me."

Ashton's shoulders sank with his frustration.

"You could have made yourself light enough to have the wind carry you miles away from here and there would've been nothing I could've done." Ashton's father said while picking up his sword."Now let's go back."

Ashton and his father turned to see the morning Sun illuminated the main household's castle, the village, the trees in the forest and mountains that surrounds them. To the north Ashton could see the hunting grounds for the trial of blades and shades. The south showed the crescent moon coliseum where the naming ceremony was held. All of the experiences he had so far lay before him and his father who was holding him to his side with an arm over Ashton's shoulders.

"Just promise me you'll be safe and keep the families training secrets." Ashton's father said with a slightly strained voice. "Members of the branch family will be sent after you so make sure to keep on the move."

His arm slid off Ashton's back as he sat on the floor.

"Be sure to make friends and learn all you can from your journey..."

He flopped flat on his back, arms out to the sides and pinned.

"...And always be ready."

Ashton turned to the mountain pass and started walking.

"Your coat will only be affected for as long as I'm within one hundred meters of you, it will get lighter once I'm passed that."

Ashton turned one last time to see his father and his home, and his father looked up at him and saw the tears in his eyes as he said, "I will be ready!"

And with that Ashton's eyes started glowing a bright white and he leapt into the mountain breeze that took him towards his dreams. As Ashton vanished over the open mountain plains as a squad of three branch family members approached his father.

" ! Are you ok!?" Asked one of them.

"Yes I'm fine." He sat up, "There's nothing like seeing your Son grow up."

"Do you mean, see the Sun go up', sir?" Asked a different soldier.

"Yeah... sure." Smiled Zcholts.