Challenging Choice

Ana's hand drifted across the rough edge of the bark.

Her fingers traced the rough lines that had edged themselves into the wood of the tree. Her fingers went over each nick and curve until They stopped at a piece of moos. Her fingertips touched it. They remained for a few seconds feeling the soft green underneath.

Yellow eyes observed the green then she lifted her hand from the tree. Her gaze wandered from the bark across the familiar clearing that opened up in front of her. The sun illuminated the grass as birds chirped in glee.

She took a few steps forward toward the edge of the clearing. She sat down on the soft grass. She pulled her knees up to her chest. She rested her head on top of her knees. Her arms hugged her legs. Her vacant eyes stared ahead.

"What am I doing here?"

On impulse, her hand reached out for her neck. For what felt like the thousandth time she traced across the rough fabric that was woven tight around her throat. The words of the priest echoed throughout her head again.

"I have healed the wound and most of your other injuries. Your life is not in danger anymore." He tipped his staff forward. "However a scar will remain."

He eyed her with cold empty eyes.

"From here on out we part ways. Consider yourself lucky to be still alive."

With that, he turned around and disappeared.

Ana's fists clenched.

"Bastard!"

In the deepest pits of her stomach, she felt a burning fire ignite inside her. Her teeth gnawed at her under lip. She shot up from her position on the ground. Her shoulders strained. Her fists were shaking by her side. She opened her mouth to let out a scream.

But instead of a scream, only a horse noise escaped her lips.

Ana's eyes widened. Her shoulders sagged. The burning fire that had burned inside her a second ago, dissipated. Like someone had dropped a bucket of ice-cold water upon her. Her anger was replaced by a cold emptiness that spread throughout her limbs. It felt hollow and cold.

With a crash, she fell backward onto her back. Ana rested the back of her arms across her face. Her jaw tightened. She felt her lower lip start to quiver. She felt her shoulders start to tremble.

Then something prickled at her eyes. A few moments later she realized that her eyes glistened with tears.

Furiously, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Don't cry!" She swore.

She bit her underlip drawing blood.

"Don't cry!" She told herself again but nevertheless, she felt tears starting to stream down her cheeks. They ran down her face falling onto the ground. She got up. She looked up at the tree beside her.

Her hands balled into fists at her side. Her knuckles turned white. Wordlessly she got up and headed towards the tree. She raised her fist far above her shoulder—With a resounding *thunk her fist embedded itself into the bark of the tree. Splinters etched themselves into her skin.

"Shit!"

She drew back her left fist.

"Damnit!"

Her fist hit the tree with another hit. *Thunk.

"Damnit!"

"Damnit!"

"Damnit!"

"Damnit!"

"FUCKKKK!" She cried out.

Her fist embedded itself again into the hole she had punched. Her vision was glossy with tears. She breathed hard, her chest falling in rapid succession. Sweat ran down her forehead. Her head fell in between her shoulder blades in defeat. She ignored the stinging sensation on her hands.

Her fists squeezed together. Her tears fell to the ground below her. "I should have never... I should have never done this!"

All of what she had sacrificed… it had been all for nothing! Everything, everything had been for nothing! All of it had been taken! All of it had been stolen! Stolen by her! And she was left with nothing but….

She felt someone tug at her shoulder. Ana whirled around. She smacked the appendage away. With burning, glistening eyes she glared down the culprit ready to snap at him—however, all of her anger evaporated in an instant at the sight of the boy in front of her.

Short white bangs lined his face as he stood there. His hand hovered in between them. Their eyes met. His gaze widened at her. Vincente….

Ana was quick to lower her head to avert her face from him. She quickly rubbed her tears away with the sleeve of her sweater. Her heart thudded against her ribcage. Vicente… she hadn't seen him since...

She felt his hand hesitantly lay on her shoulder again. Her shoulders stiffened. His hand jerked away but then after a moment, it tried again. This time it firmly settled on her shoulder.

She wanted to shake it off but it didn't let her go. His hand beckoned her to turn around. She turned her head slowly. She didn't immediately look up. Her eyes scoured the grass. Then they moved upwards from the soles of his feet up to his body. She hesitated right before his face.

She didn't want to look up. She didn't want to see the lock in his eyes. She didn't want to see the expression on his face.

She dared to look upwards.

His eyes looked down at her in worry. He opened his mouth to say something…but stopped. He hesitated. His mouth snapped shut.

She opened her mouth. She wanted to ask him why he was here. To ask him why he would brother to come here. To ask him why after everything he still… however, her mouth couldn't form the words she wanted to say.

"Ahhhhhhh... ahhhhhhhhhhh." The croaked sound that left her lips, once again, reminded her painfully of the wound around her neck.

Vincente's eyes widened at her. He looked shocked at her.

Ana's mouth twisted into a grimace. She averted her eyes. She squeezed them shut turning away from Vicente. She slipped his hand from her shoulder. She turned her back to him. Her feet dragged her away from him.

"Wait!" Vicente grabbed her by the hand, stopping her in her tracks.

She pulled to make him let go but he didn't relent. All Ana wanted at that moment was to get out of there. To leave and never return. She pulled harder but the smaller boy didn't let go. The tug of war between them continued.

It was Ana that lost.

She felt herself getting pulled by force towards Vicente. In the next second, she felt smaller arms engulf her. Vincente wrapped himself around her trapping her between his arms. Ana blinked. Then her eyes widened.

She looked stunned down at him. Vicente was not a person that expressed himself a lot or as a matter of fact let others touch him. Vicente wasn't one didn't hug. Vicente never hugged!

But here he was, eyes unblinking as he looked up towards her. Something unrecognizable shined in them.

"I'm sorry." He uttered.

His words didn't immediately register in Ana's mind. It took her a few seconds to comprehend their meaning. What he said… she couldn't believe what she heard. She looked shell-shocked at him.

Something inside Ana broke. She felt her knees buckle underneath her. She fell to her knees. Vicente tried to support her but his efforts were in vain. She took him with her to the ground.

She felt tears again tug at her eyes. Goddamnit she was a mess but she couldn't help herself. For the first time… for the first time, someone apologized to her for anything. Yet Vincente had no fault whatsoever. But nevertheless, he was the one to say them.

Ana didn't hold herself back anymore. She let the tears stream her face. Vincente didn't let go. His hold around her tightened as he watched in silence.

She didn't how long she cried but at last her tears dried out.

Her eyes moved downward. Vicente's hold on her relaxed. He looked up at her.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked.

She nodded at him. He nodded in return. He wanted to say something but was interrupted when someone behind him spoke up.

"Are you finally done whining? Good. I have been waiting for forever. Jeez, I never knew you were such a crybaby, Ana!" Ana's eyes frowned. Her gaze drifted over Vicente's shoulder. There behind him stood Hoaqin.

He smiled at her.

"Yo, Ana. It has been a while." He waved at her.

Vicente looked irked backward. "Hoaqin, she has been through a lot!"

Hoaqin's gaze drifted to Vicente's. "So what? She can handle herself Vincente. She's stronger than you think."

Vicente opened his mouth to retort but Hoaqin walked past him. Ana's eyes followed him until he was in front of her. Her brows tugged together at him. He leaned forward towards her. His eyes shifted over her form. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

His nose wrinkled. "You're a mess."

Ana glared at him. Though she imagined with all of her crying it didn't look very intimidating.

Hoaqin smirked. "So there is still some fire left behind inside, huh? That's good."

He leaned back. He looked heavenward for a second. Then he looked back at her. His eyes traced her neck "How is your wound?"

Ana opened her mouth to speak—she stopped herself midway. A deep line settled in between her brows. Finally, she decided to point at her neck. Then, she gave a small thumbs-up toward Hoaqin.

He smiled faintly. "That's good to hear. I wouldn't have wanted you dead on me just yet."

He kneeled down. His white eyes were now eye level with her yellow ones. He stared straight into her. "Ana, I came here to ask you something." Her eyes narrowed in confusion at him but she signaled for him to continue.

"You… you said during that fight with Hagipherione… you said you wanted to pay everyone back in the family, right?"

His eyes were like the calm surface of a lake as they watched her. In his eyes there lay a challenging look. A Challenge to her.

Ana nodded at him.

"Do you still… want that to that? Even after you have lost… do you still want to become stronger? To surpass everyone in this family?" He asked her.

She gazed at him for a while. She looked toward the ground. Did she still have that in her?

Even now after everything?

Ana glanced at her hand. She clenched it into a fist.

The answer came to her surprisingly easily.

Yes, even now.

She wouldn't stop now. How could she stop now? No, she couldn't.

Hoaqin watched her. Ana looked at him.

She nodded at him in confirmation.

Hoaqin smirked in delight. "Good!" He stood up. He stretched his hand out towards her. "Then let us become one!"

There was silence for a few seconds. Ana blinked a few times. Then she crooked her head. Her eyebrows rose.

"Huh?"

Vicente sighed from the side. He facepalmed "Hoaqin… that doesn't explain a thing."

He turned his attention to her. "Hoaqin he—we have found a way to get stronger. A spell. " He stated.

Ana crossed her arms.

She nodded at him.

Vicente seemed to think for a moment. "That spell— how should I explain it… what it essentially does is merge the power of others together. It combines their strengths and forms a single being. Everyone becomes one and in turn, we will be able to become stronger."

His eyes turned to Hoaqin. "Hoaqin said with it we can surpass father." He finished.

Ana's eyes went round. This was possible? Something like this existed? Ana couldn't believe it but she trusted the two of them. Both Hoaqin and Vicente seemed sure it would work.

But—Ana's brows knitted. Why tell her all of that?

Vicente seemed to catch onto her line of thought.

"Ana, you weren't here but I and Hoaqin have already decided to use this spell. Even though I dislike the idea of sharing a body with him— in the end, our goals align. On our own, we will never surpass father. That's the cold truth. But together we can. We have found also 3 other siblings who are willing to join us as well... and we came here to ask you—Hoaqin wants you to join as well." He said.

Ana looked flabbergasted at Hoaqin. He smiled at her.

He stretched his hand out further. "You're one of the strongest people I know. If you join us... I'm sure there will be nothing that can stop us in the tower. Together we can become stronger than anyone, even our father. Then we'll be on top! We'll pay them back and show everyone how wrong they are! Let us become one Ana and go up the tower!"

His hand lay there. A silent offer. An opportunity for her to take. All Ana needed to was stretch out her hand.

But then why… did she feel herself hesitate?

This was a perfect chance, wasn't it?

Hoaqin offered her a way to power. If they became one and combined their strength… their power would grow measurable. If they became one she would share their power together… together they could archive so much. Together—"

Ah… but that power... it would be someone else's.

"It wouldn't be mine." She realized.

Her eyes fell downward. Her hand traced the outline of her bandages. "And look where seeking somebody else's power got me..."

She looked up at Hoaqin. He watched her in anticipation his arm still outstretched. She took his hand in hers. His eyes widened and then he grinned at her. But it fell when he saw the look in her eyes.

She gently took his hand in both of hers and closed it.

Then she shook her head at him.

400 years later

Ana parted the way in front of her with her sword.

The tall golden grass gave way. Slowly she walked through it until she came upon a small hillside.

She shielded her gaze from the sun with her hand. Her eyes wandered around. All around her the golden grass field extended beyond the horizon. She looked right then left.

Around her, she made out the noises of clashing weapons, painted grunts, and shots being fired.

"So this is the tower. What a warm welcome."

Only seconds ago, they had already announced the first test.

Ana's hand rushed to her sword. Her yellow eyes narrowed. They darted around in caution. She felt something approach. The bush beside her stirred. She took a stance.

The rustling of the grass got nearer. Ana squatted to her knees. Her hand gripped her sword handle.

The grass parted. Six eyes stared her down. Ana stared right back. It blinked at her. It leaned forward. Ana's muscles tensed. Its head tilted curiously at her. It stared for a while longer. Then it turned away simply walking away.

Ana stood there. She gawked after it. "What the hell was that…?! It didn't even try to fight me…"

Ana didn't have much time to ponder that thought. After the strange creature left she felt the ground underneath her tremor. Alert she glanced to her right. She caught the glimpse of an enormous body charging her way.

Two big horns charged her way at a dangerous pace. Her legs tensed. She jumped up high to evade the attack. She felt her enemy's body pass underneath her. She twisted her body landing steadily on her two feet.

She drew her sword.

Her opponent stopped a few paces away. It turned around, steam leaving its nostrils. Long brown fur covered its body. Ana inclined her head. Her eyes wandered upwards to the set of white horns that rested on top of a towering body.

Ana raised her brows. It looked like a minotaur.

Red eyes stared her down.

"White hair and a sword-"

"It talks…. Wait! It talked!"

"You must be from the Arie Family!" It crunched its fists. "This must be my lucky day, I get to beat the arrogant ass of someone from the 10 Families."

Ana's expression dulled. "Who is the one being arrogant here…."

She took her stance. Then she motioned for it to come at her. It huffed at her. It let out another gust of steam. He leaned forward. His hooves dug deep into the ground as he prepared to charge at her.

His eyes zeroed in on hers. Then he blasted off.

Ana tensed. She raised her blade above her head. She waited. She waited until the moment her opponent was almost upon her. Her fingers tightened. She was about to swing downwards when there was a sudden crash!

Her opponent disappeared from her sight as Ana felt something smash into him from above. The impact created a cloud of dust. Ana shielded her eyes from the incoming wave. She coughed as the dust cleared.

She blinked a few times until she could finally see again. Her eyes widened by a fraction. The massive body of her enemy was smashed upon the ground. It lay there, unconscious. Around it was a sizable crater.

But what caught her attention was the figure standing on top of its back. A boy stood there with his fist raised his back turned to her. He wore a white cap backward, complemented by white shorts and white sneakers. Around his hip, he had tied a black hoodie.

"But why is he shirtless?!"

His shoulders sacked. "Already over…? Man, and I was holding back! I thought he would last at least a little longer…."

"He held back? How strong is that guy?" Ana's eyes narrowed at his back. "But he doesn't seem like a threat… at least for now."

She sheathed her sword. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her sweater. At that moment he turned around to her. Red eyes focused on her. He smiled at her. "Are you alright?!" He asked. He descended from the minotaurs back, coming her way.

"Don't worry you're safe now. I took care of him!" He pointed his thumb at his chest.

Ana raised her eyebrow. She almost wanted to snort. He thought she needed protection? He took off his hat, revealing short tussled spikey ash-blonde hair underneath. He slicked it back. He looked at her with a gleam in his eyes.

Ana tilted her head at him "What a weird guy." She noted.

She found her eyes rooming from his face to his body. She hastily looked to the side.

"For god's sake! Can he put on a shirt?!"

Suddenly, when he was in front of her he fell on one knee. He took one of her hands into his. Ana's eyes returned to him in surprise.

"Wait, what—?!"

He stared up at her with dazzling eyes. "May I know your name, fair maiden?" He asked all of a sudden.

Ana stared blankly at him. At a loss for words, her nose crinkled as her brows drew together. Her lips pulled downward.

"Who the fuck is this guy?!"

Well guess who finally entered the story xD in the most fashionable way of course.

Ok so now we get for the first time somewhat of a timeline reference. All I want to say is to make things a bit clearer is that Urek arrives in the Tower about 500 years before Baam. Ana is pretty old to be a regular but since I wanted to include Hoaqin and Vicente I needed to stretch a few things when it comes to time and events. Just know that not all things in this story will be 100% time accurate.

Anyway, I will take a break for a while and edit a few chapters before I continue. Exams are also coming up soon so I don't know when I'll be able to post again,

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed. And...

Cya :D