Week 4 Day 6
**POV Kairon**
I return to the bunk house to find it empty for a change. 'Awesome! I can meditate inside today, the others are so noisy when they're all together in a confined space.' I put the fresh milk I bought while I was out on the side and flipped the switch on the kettle on my way past. I sat on my bunk and laid back at the ceiling. My thoughts begin to wander as I wait for the water to boil. 'Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, I fought you that hard to compensate for your regen.' Sal's words echo'd through me filling me with some concern. "Just how durable am I?" I catch myself thinking a loud as the room falls silent for a brief moment.
"Wanna find out?" A low voice surprises me as get up to look around. No one was there. Just an empty room. I rub my eyes and look again. Six beds, six wordrobes, all windows closed and a long mirror. I have a wonder around the room checking under beds and in wordbrobes. I must have imagined it. "Did you though?" The voice was far more clear this time round and had a familier demonic tone to it.
"Where are you!?" I exclaim as a manifest a Witchblade.
"It wont be long now." I suddenly notice my reflection in the mirror is walkigng towards me. "Until I have you in my grasp, as you can clearly see." My refletion steps through the mirror as it shatters with everything around it, like time a reality fell away in that moment. A dark demonic energy filled the air and choked me as he continued his approach. "I'm able to manifest myself while your concious." By this time he stood infront of me looking down with a disgusted look as I fell to my knees under the weight of his power. "You are nothing but a flickering candle, clinging to the light you have. I will SNUFF!" He grabs my face and forces me to stare into his eyes "IT OUT!"
I collapse in a cold sweat clutching my sword, gasping desperately for air. I dispell my witchblade and struggle to my feet "Maybe just a cigerette instead." I walk over to the mirror and turn it the other way. "Never going near mirrors again." I get back to making a cuppa and find my cigs.
Fourty-five minutes later
"I finally feel like i'm calm again, or at least calm enough to meditate I should probably head back" I realised I ended up outside the library of the DWMA, man I got carried away with that walk.
"Hey Kairon." I hear a soft and kind voice behind me. I turn to see Tsubaki holding a few books.
"Hello Professor Tusbaki, How we doing today." I reply enthusiatically with a smile.
She giggles softly to hearself as she ruffles my hear "Just Tsubaki is fine Kai. What brings you here today?"
My smile fades slightly "I was just out for a walk to clear my head and found myself here."
"Need to talk about it?" Tsubaki shows a kind concern in her smile.
"I think i'm okay now." I look into her eyes for a moment.
"You sure!" Tsubaki's voice suddenly had a demonic layer to it that i'd never heard before. Something shot though me and put me back on edge as I collaspes to my knees. "Cause you dont seem so sure." Just like that her voice was back to normal.
"Yeah, think I just need some sleep." I clutch my head as a migrain begins to settle in.
"You sure you don't want me to take you to Stein's office?" Tsubaki extends her hand.
"No no, I don't want to trouble him any more than I already have." I looked into her eyes again and saw she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "But on second thought I should probably go speak to him about this." I take her hand as she helps me up.
"Alright then i'll take you there." She shoots me a warm, sisterly smile. "You know it's not a trouble to ask for help. You do know that don't you?" Genuine concern layed in her eyes.
"I know, It's just hard to ask for some reason." We start to walk as I try a figure out whats been happening to me.
"Want to know what I think it is?" Tsubaki looks over to me and waits for my answer.
"Sure, I could do with another angle to look at it from." I prepare myself, knowing that whatever she'll say with be constructive and come from a place of care.
"Now hear me out on this cause this might seem bad at first." She pauses once more. "I think its your pride, you've had no choice but to just be strong. You never had the time to feel, you were just forced forward into the next fight becoming stuborn and headstrong. However its your pride thats alowed to become as strong as you are and helped you survive your long and perilous road. Your willingness to protect your friends and city you live in stems from your pride and it will always give you strength. Having said that, living on pride alone will blind you to the other options you could have taken." Maybe she's right. "Of course this is just my opinion pride might not have been the right word."
"Tsubaki," I stop her there to her slight shock. "I think I get what your saying. Thanks, Tsubaki"
"It's no trouble Kai, anyway we're here." She stops and hovers her hand near the door. "Ready?
"Yeah." I give her a confident nod as she begins to knock.
The door opens, "Hello Tsubaki."
"Hello Naigus." A Tall, dark skinned woman stood in the door way. She wore a nurses outfit with bandages around her hands and face in a mummyfied fasion. Her black dreadlocks were tied back as here turquoise eyes shined with care and friendlyness. I couldnt see her lips but by looking into her eyes I knew she smiling. "Can we help you with something?" Her voice was direct but calm and patient as well.
"I was wondering if Kairon might be able to speak to Stein about something." Tsubaki placed her hand gently on my shoulder.
"Of course." She opens the door to gesture me in.
"Will you need me in there with you Kai or will you be alright?" Tsubaki gives me a warm smile.
"It's okay thanks Tsubaki you've already helped more than you know." She gives me a quick fist bump and we say our fairwells.
"I don't believe we've properly met have we." Naigus looks at me and smiles. "Well, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mira Naigus." Extending her hand with a warm greeting. "It's nice to meet you."
"Kairon, Gorgon." I hesitate, like im disgusted to be part of the line. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well." I shake her hand with a kind tone.
"Stein's just popped out to grab some coffee." Mira states as she walks over to the desk. "Feel free to take a seat and make yourself comfortable."
"Thanks." I'm still on edge from earlier so I seem guarded and nervous.
"So hows the training going?" Naigus asked her question with a calm tone while reading a folder, I guess to help me feel at ease.
"I think it's going well." She seems surprised at my answer and looks up from her folder. "I know that physically i'm getting stronger and i'm better at controlling my wavelength in combat, but overall I feel like getting weeker."
"Like something is draining that strength away from you?" Naigus looked concerned but still spoke calmly.
"Yes." My tone is cold and flat. "But rather than the energy fading away, I feel like its being pulled from me and comsumed by something."
From the other end of the room I hear the door close. "You may have hit a wall." I quickly look up to see Professor Stein had entered the room. "Every warrior comes to a point in their life where they hit a block in the road, something that stops them from getting stronger through normal training." He sets a glass gar of coffee down on the table and lights a cigerette as he offers me one and takes a seat. "It is at this point a warrior my look inside themselves and figure out what they truely fight for, only then will they overcome this wall. What you must remember Kairon, is that the stronger you become the stronger your demons become." He pauses so I give him a nod of acknowlegment. "What is it you fight for Kairon?"
His question fills me with concern. "I never thought about it much before, in the begining it was simply survival." I pause for a moment. "After a while though, I started enjoying it. By the time Maka and the others found me, I had developed a thrist for battle. When I fought Maka's squad, the feeling was indescribable." Stein looks confused obviously seing the report describing my emotion state from the outside. "I know my personallity was fractured at the time and had a devestating breakdown but this is more what I feel when I relive those memories." With the confusion cleared up I continue. "The closer to death I came the more alive I felt and during that fight any move could have been my last, but it's more than just risking it all. I even enjoyed the damage we inflicted upon each other." My tone grew cold and ashamed as my heart sank. "I used to say i'm a monster but promised Maka I wouldn't call myself that again, so what am I now? How can I claim to be a human being while I enjoy the concept of death and suffering?" Tears began forming in my eyes. I suddenenly realise during my rant I stood up. "Sorry." I flatly state as I sit down again.
"You are a product of your history Kairon. Your path has shaped you into who you are because thats who you've needed to be to survive, and there is no shame in that. Madness lives in all of us in one way or the other. For example, I have a constant urge to disect anything and everything that interests me." He said in a cold tone, omniously twising the bolt in his head till it made a loud *Click*. "You see Kairon, it isnt what we desire or what drives us that makes us human. It's our actions based upon those desires that define who we are. You love to fight and that's fine, but I also know your more than just a weapon made for war, suffering and destruction. You think, feel and even care for the people around you. Your a good guy Kairon. Maybe your not 100 per cent human biologically, but you certainly aren't a monster in any capacity." His words are calming and reassuring. "Take some time to figure out what you fight for because to my undertanding you fight for vengence and for your loved ones. It might be worth figuring out which is truely more important to you."
"Thank you Professor Stein, I appreciate everything." I say standing up to leave. "I think i'm gunna go for a walk a reflect on this."
"Anytime Kairon, don't forget we're all here for you especially my daughter Crona." He opens the door for me and give me a determined look. "Just remember, when you fight for revenge it's best to dig two graves."
"Thank you professor. I will be sure to remember this." I look around Stein and back into his office. "Thank you as well Naigus."
"Anytime Kairon." Mira smiles as she waves. I wave goodbye as the door closes.
I begin walking back to the bunk house. It was a cold and calm night, the moon hoving in an open sky as stars lit up the darkend void beyond. The air was cool and refreshing while the breezed played through the trees. The streets were quiet and empty allowing me time to think over what Stein said. "So if I fight for revenge, I must be prepared to die for it. But if I fight for those I love..." It was at this moment I noticed I was at the bunk house and there was a note on the door. "Gone to bed Kai, come join me when your ready - Hannah X. I'll have to take you up on that offer, soon. I keep walking heading to the sparing ring in the camp. All the lights were off and only the sound of the wind could be heard. You can tell we have more core strength training tomorrow. I reached the sparing ring and jumped to the top of the hill. Sitting down in the middle of the ring I start to search within myself. The world around me seems to stop as I enter a trance-like state and close my eyes.
As I open them I see a familier feeling room but it there are large differences. The room itself is bigger and has colour. The walls are a subtle violet while the floor is a checker board black and yellow. A red leather corner sofa sits neatly with a painting of a black dragon hanging on the wall above. A record player sits in the opposite corner playing the song "Voice of the Soul" by "Death" with a Jackson Warrior guitar and a Boss Kattana combo-amp with a double door between them. A fireplace is in the center of the wall to my right with an obsidian mantle piece. The wall behind has a large double door in the centre splitting a bookshelf that covers the wall. The wall on my left proudly displays the weapons I have previously manifested. The damp air and prison-like feeling is gone, instead I feel warm and welcome. I suddenenly hear the door open behind me. "Well." That demonic voice rings though me as he steps into the room. "You've made yourself cozy haven't you?" This time he cannot hid his form from me, his red eyes burning through me like lasers.
"I'm guessing you can come and go in here freely?" My question is firm and direct. "Is that because you're a part of me?"
"Very perceptive, I suppose it helps when the people around you have knowlege you can benifit from." He pauses and takes a step towards me. "No matter what they will be there for you, but it won't help. To beat me you will have to abandon your humanity. You must server all ties and become heartless."
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask rather perplexed at his sudden explanation.
He laughs "I need you to become stronger so I can take this vessel from you." He starts walking towards the door.
"I will find another way to beat you." I stare down Diablo as he opens the door.
"You will try." He states calmy while the door closes behind him.
"Dammit!" I clench my fist in anger. "It's going to be impossible when every road I take makes him stronger too."
"You'll figure it out!" A chirpy and friendly voice caught me off guard, It's sounds so familier.
"Who's there?" My eyes dart round the room searching for the source of the voice.
"C'mon Kai, you forgot me already?" Her voice was playful and kind as she pretended to be hurt by my question. "Get a girl in your life an your forget about little ol' me. Well, I guess I can give you a hint."
My attention is drawn to a jewlry box on the amplifier that I hadnt noticed before. I examine the box before opening it, seeing a dull pair of dogtags inside. "Zero two five. Karina Gorgon."
"Thats me!" The door closes behind me as I spin round. "And don't you forget it bro!" I turn to see someone I haven't seen in years. A woman the same age as me, her black hair just a bit longer than mine with red eyes piercing through her bangs. She wore a Death shirt and purple camouglage with heavy combat boots. She stood proud and with open arms.
"Karina." I walk over and embrace her. "Where were you?"
"Lost, my dear brother." The moment feels like it streched on forever. "I'm sorry I tried to find you sooner, but..."
"I know, I hard to find someone who has lost themselves." I hold her tighter, never wanting to let go again.
We finally release eachother from our embrace. "So, how are things?" She asks with great enthusiasm.
"For once they're good. We have a home in Death City, we even have a team we go on missions with." I pause and have a breath. "But i've been struggling to keep myself together recently." Karina happy expression changed to one of concern. "As i've been getting stronger, so have the demons inside me and im starting to loose against them."
"Thats cause you didnt have me with you. That girl must be really in your head if you forgot that." Just as im about to defend against her jocular prod She pulls me into another embrace. "I know, without her or your team i'd never find you in the void, I can never thank them enough for looking after you in my place."
"No one could ever replace you. There is one thing thats confusing me though." I pause to step back and look her in the eyes. "How did you know I had a Girlfriend?"
"I could see it in your eyes, the light she brings you." We embrace once more as I close my eyes.
Opening my eyes, I see that i've returned to the world. I place my hand over my heart and feel for her prensence. "Karina." I smile as I find her in my heart. I can feel her smiling back at me as if to say 'Don't worry, i'm sill here.' I get up and start walking back to the bunk house. "I know what I fight for now, and I'll never loose it again."