Chapter 06 Prelude to Revelation
The truth is rarely pure, and never simple
-Oscar Wilde-
After my conversation with Aria, feel my consciousness return to my body, slowly I open my eye and greeted with Aria floating directly facing me.
"Welcome back to the world of living, my dearest guardian, how do you feel?" she asks with a sift concerned voice
"Stiff… sore… tired…" I said "But you truly shock me with that revelation, who knows that my eternal companion, my ghost is 'the one who tends the garden'" I said while groaning, trying to get up
"I know I should not shock you with that revelation so suddenly, forgive me" she said with a sorrowful voice
"There is nothing to forgive Aria" I said, both of my hand gently hold he shell
"If anything, I should be grateful that you tell me the truth of your nature. Many guardian have lost and went mad because of their curiosity that left unsatiated. They crave for the fountain of knowledge in the midst of the dessert of their own curiosity" I said, truly thankful that she satiated my thirst of knowledge.
For many warlock guardian, the most important thing is power, and power comes from knowledge. And thus many warlock lock themselves in the library or, personal room, trying to gain more knowledge and gain more power. But for many there's never enough power, so they venture out to find more knowledge of old times, and in their journey the fall into the grip of darkness.
This is the reason why Ikora limit the access to the library and never take other apprentice other than me, fearing that more warlock guardian lose themselves in the pursuit of power. So she reform the warlock by sending them to the crucible to improve their practical knowledge rather than theoretical.
This work extremely well, perhaps too well since the results are the library are quite abandoned and new generation of warlocks developed "loot goblin syndrome" where for them power comes through their gun and skill, they even started to become more like hunters
"Thank you for your kind words my beloved warlock" Aria replied before disappearing into my mind
"Izumi…" I mutter, while walk towards her bed, seeing her still sleeping. I caress her head slowly so not to wake her up.
'Should I tell her the truth?' I think to myself
'From knowledge comes power, power breeds arrogance, arrogance leads to death' I recite what The Speaker said to me before the Red War in my head
'I do not wish to let you carry the burden of knowledge of light and dark Izumi…' I inwardly said, fearing for my sister's sanity and safety should she knows about light and dark
With a heavy heart, I get up and walk to the door, give a final glance to her…
"I'm sorry" a simple word, but convey my expression towards her, a beg of forgiveness to keep in the dark, unaware of the great conflict that one day her brother would disappear, leaving her alone.
I return to my class with a sombre mood, as I arrive to the class I see Fukushima-sensei already teaching the class. When I open the door all of the eyes turn to me, the students look at me with a shocking expression while Fukushima-sensei look at me with curiosity
"Midoriya-san, lunch break is already over an hour ago, why you just come right now?" he asks with an eagerness to lecture my behaviour.
"Sorry sensei, I suddenly feel terrible after eating my lunch. So I decided to go to infirmary, Ms Sora deduce that I must have eaten something bad and orders me to stake a rest until I feel better" I lied, but the reasoning is sensible
"Hmm… can't be helped then, you're off the hook this time Midoriya-san, but don't expect the same for next time. Also I will not repeat what I have taught the student for an hour before so you will have you figure it out yourself" Fukushima-sensei admonishes me, but the situation could be worse, he could just deny me to enter the class during his period
The class continue as usual, although Bakugo, Izuma, and Majima look at me with a disdain in their face and some girls muttered about me off the hook while the "star students" have to face their concequence
"Okay class, this is the end of our session, after this please prepare your P.E uniform… Ah! I almost forget, Midoriya-san please meet the principal and me after school" Fukushima-sensei said while looking at me with a smile, not a 'you're fucked up' smile, but a genuine smile
"Okay…." I hesitantly with uncertainty in my voice
'Okay, in the name of the Traveller, what is wrong with today? Hey, Aria, did you bolster mu luck or perhaps changing my fate huh?' I ask her
'If I have the power to change fate my beloved warlock, then, the witness would never even exists, my dearest guardian.' She replied with a pout
'Just because I tend to the garden does not mean I'm an omnipotent, omniscience, or omnipresence being' she finished.
'So you're not a god? I said while walking to the changing room, unaware that others are looking at me confused as if I'm daydreaming while doing my tasks
'Of course not my dearest guardian, I'm the one that tend the garden, I never call myself a God, it is they that called me with weird name as gardener or winnower and start to worship me as a god' she said.
'Also, after the class is over please go to the roof, I have something to discuss my beloved warlock' she said with a stern voice
I wish to ask her if something wrong, but she remain silent not willing to give me any information about what's to discuss only that it is important. It hurts my feeling truly, but I have more pressing matter to concern right now, including the P.E class
"Okay! good day everyone! Today we will start our exercise, lets start with warm up and running" P.E teacher Sakamoto-sensei said with a burning passion
"Okay every one! Lets run!" Sakamoto-sensei said and soon begin to run and urge the others onto running. We run and run and run under the blistering heat of summer sun. One by one start to take cover in the shades
First it was the gossip girls that rely on their beauty to sway others to do their bidding, they walked into the trees drenched in sweat although only finished three laps, while grumbling that this exercise would ruin their make-up
Then the boys that spend most of their time reading or watching the R-18 Heroines like Midnight or Mt Fuji. They grumbled that this exercise is useless and they could have done so much "research" rather than exercising
Then the regular boys and girls, the average joes, they have done quite well, five to seven laps, before decided enough is enough and went for the shades
And then the boys and girls with better physiques, the ones that rely on their buff body or quirk to be a star in the school
And then there's me, Bakugo, Izuma, and Majima. Although in truth Majima and Izuma is already on their last legs and the only one that kept them going is Bakugo threatened to beat them up if they "Lose to the fucking deku"
'Okay, that's enough, I feel bad for those two' I think to myself before stop[ping and walk to the shade. I look at those two whom drenched in sweat, their breath ragged, and Izuma clearly dizzy, having a pale face and his breath getting short, I choose to ignore him, Bakugo would go ballistic seeing one of his goons accept a help from a quirkless.
"Okay class today we will learn about……." Said Sakamoto-sensei, with energetic voice, the rest of us could just grumble and nod doing what he says. Many students are affected by the heat, and they decided to do the exercise half-heartedly, seeing there's. no competition I also decide to not give any real effort to the exercise.
'Blasted heat, Aria could you make a tree to big that it cover the entire field, or better, make this field into a fucking forest so I could cool myself a bit' I grumble to her and greeted with a giggle
'I could do that my beloved guardian, but if I do it, the I would surely miss you grumbling like Lord Saladin grumble about the new generations of guardian' she giggles
'Hey, I'm not that bad!' I rebuke her statement
'Yea, you're not that bad, not YET that is…' she said making me shoot her a sharp glare
'You are insufferable' I growled
'Yes, that's true I am insufferable, but I am YOUR insufferable ghost' she said, and this time I cannot say no
'Hmph, you're lucky I like you Aria' I said with flat voice
'My oh my… is that a confession I hear my dearest guardian? Mine beloved warlock??' she teases me
'If I say yes, what will you do huh?' I harshly replied, which only make her to tease me more
'Oh I would say yes. And wait for the ring to come my beloved warlock'
'Ugh, and then what, to the bed we go?'
'My, so bold you are my beloved warlock, I've known that you are different than others, my champion. But to bed your own ghost? My oh my…'
I decided not to further this conversation knowing I'll be digging my own hole. I can only sigh as she giggling inside my head for a long time. It's not long after the bell rings and we finally able to go home. Drenched in sweat, tired and hungry the students drag themselves into the changing room, but I quickly go to the principal's office
KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*
"Please come in, ah Midoriya-san please have a seat" the fat principal said.
"You might be wondering why we decided to call you here, well you know that Musutafu have a yearly mathematic championship. And this time we plan to send you to participate in the championship" The fatass said with a proud voice
"I recommend you because of your mathematical skills Midoriya-san, perhaps with the right guidance, you would be able to win" Fukushima-sensei said while smiling to me
"But why me? Katsuki-san is also good at math" I ask the, Bakugo's math might not be as good as I am but he's not a bad option, and his powerful quirk could also sway the opinion of the judges
"His skills while good, have tons of flaws and his record are not as good as you. So you will represent Aldera for the next Mathematic Championship" the principal said as if that it is final.
I wish to say no ,but knowing that they would not accept my resignation, I half heartedly agrees. After that ordeal, I go back to classroom only to find it empty, without any students. It seems they already go back home, so I gather my stuff and sneak to the roof.
"Okay Aria, What do you want to discuss" I said, opening my palm and manifest her
"I need you to change to your warlock outfit my dearest guardian" she said, and I do just that change to my warlock outfit
"Now, stay there while I prepare Rune of Mirror" she said, while preparing something I have never even hear before.
Suddenly, the floor around where I'm standing, light of several runes I have never see before forming a circle, half are runes made of light, half are runes made of darkness. After awhile the runes finally dissipates into nothing, leaving no tracks behind
"Okay my dearest guardian, listen, you will have to face the Witness one day, so you will need to keep your skills sharp and to gain further knowledge and technique.So every day after school we will come over here and practice your fighting capabilities and I will teach you about things you have never know before" Aria said while spinning her shell
"But how do I practice? With who I shall sharpen my skills?" I ask her, during my tenure as guardian, crucible is the most common place for many guardian to improve themselves. But now there's no crucible and there's no guardian or anyone that capable of tank damages like a guardian could
"Well, I will teach you what you lack my beloved warlock, and you will be facing me!" Aria said.
Suddenly Aria starts to glow really bright, and after the light finally died down, I'm greeted with another version of myself clad in the same armour, the difference is that the figure has a large bust, thin waist and a good amount of hips.
"Well? You like what you see my dearest guardian?" she teases me, crossing her arm beneath her chest, making them look even bigger.
"Okay, Aria, I have several questions. First since when you could copy other person? Second why is it me? and third could you really fight?" I said, trying to not burst a nosebleed.
"First, I always could my beloved, remember, all power of light and dark comes from me. I know every technique, every guns, every abilities" she said walking in circle around me
"Second, why not you my dearest guardian? The strongest guardian to have ever lived? My own champion? I have watch your every movement, it's easier to change into someone I already know" her explanation is quite make sense
"And lastly, I have seen everything in the history of guardians. Saint-14's, Cayde-6's, Shin Malphur's movement, I have every guardians techniques skills and strength. So do not worry about me my beloved warlock" she said before disappearing,
"It's yours that you should've worried"
BANG* *BANG*
Suddenly my instinct flare alive, I quickly pulls summon Last Word while I pivot to my back the firing a round… And I see Aria holding Thorns and already fire a round,
Our bullet clash with each other in the middle, but due to my late reaction my bullet do not have enough speed to stop Thorn's thorn, but the shape of the bullet allow it to change the trajectory, making it fly a little to the right.
"Lets dance my beloved warlock, show me your gracefulness in this event" she said with a honey-laced words, bowing onto me
"As you wish" I grumbled.
I realize that this is not just a warrior like Crota, Oryx, Savathun, and others. No I was fighting the strongest guardian alive…
Myself
So from noon to the evening I keep training with Aria, she uses every strategy against me and me racking my brain to counter those strategy. As a warlock my strategy involves fast movement, pinpoint marksmanship against enemies weak spots and devastating use of skill, abilities and super abilities.
However Aria uses a hunter's stealth to negate my sight, without those pin point shot would not happened, she also sometimes decided to tank some damage and keep pushing me, not allowing me to prepare to use my abilities.
Furthermore, she incorporate 'strand' as a part of movement, even using it to make a thin, almost invisible, line between two object and act as a bridge, or using it to trap me, rendering me immobilize for several seconds
"Alright my beloved warlock, I think that's enough for today" Aria speaks in cheerful manner, he outfit still clean and there's not a single speck of stain in her outfit
"Yeah, I guess so" I replied in a tired voice, my outfit tattered with dried blood, dust, blood, and burnt marks. While I inspect my condition, Aria walk to me, her cheerful face change to a saddened expression
"I'm sorry of I'm a little rough during our training my beloved warlock" she said with a voice almost akin to a whisper
"It's okay Aria, you help me to understand many things I have not before. And isn't this is the main goal of our training? To keep me sharp?" I ask her
"Yes my dearest guardian, but I still need to apologize for hurting you"
"Like I said, it is okay" I assure her
After that Aria and I go back to infirmary, looking for Izumi. I could not find her, so I try to find Sora-sensei and asks her about Izumi's whereabouts. She said that Izumi already go back home after around an hour after the bell rang.
The journey back to home is uneventful, which is a good thing, I pass by the bookshop and office supplies that I saved last Friday, only to see on how it is doing, and then continue the journey back home
"I'm back" I said with a flat and tired voice
"Ah, welcome back Izuku, please wash yourself first before you eat. Also have you meet Izumi on your way home?" my mother asks with a concerned voice
"No, why? Have you contact her?" I ask back, this is quite new really. Despite her powerful quirk and her beauty, she does not like to socialize, perhaps being asked for a date at least three times a week is the main culprit.
Or she's ashamed if other people knows about her quirkless brother, she need to keep her image after all
"I tried to call her four times, and she haven't return my call" she said, while checking her phone
"Perhaps she's busy with her friends, anyway, it's her choice to stay out at night" I said walking into the bathroom
The rest of the night is quite calming, after dinner I return back to my room to work on my homework and prepare for the upcoming math contest. It wasn't lang until I check the clock
'09.30 PM, hmm it's getting late perhaps I should just end today's session of math' I hummed to myself
'My beloved warlock, what about your sister?' Aria suddenly asks me
'She'll be fine Aria, Izumi's quirk is strong you have seen it during our first break on the roof no?'
'Yes, but I have a bad feeling about what will happen to her' Aria says with a sense of urgency, and seeing that Aria's feeling almost always right I decided to find her.
Unknown to her I put a tracker inside her bag, so I always know where it is, using my phone I tracked her to a small street near my house, and what I look make my blood boil. I see three man, trying to rape Izumi, her clothes already in mess, and there man looking at her with animalistic lust, one of them pinned he into the wall, opens his pants while the other two grope her bust.
Izumi wailed, crying, begging for them to stop but ultimately powerless, seeing her state it take every control that I have to not simply summon Ace of Spades and blow their head out…
But I cannot do that, I cannot let Izumi sees me killing three guy in cold blood, I don't want her to suffer a trauma seeing three dead man in her young age. I hate to announce my presence, but the only way for them to stop this attempt of rape seems is to get their attention
CLICK*
The sound of my phone taking picture seems to work just as well as yelling at them, seeing that I finally have the attention of those three rapist I formulate a plan
"Stop what you're doing, let her go, and I will not give this to the authority" I said with a stern voice while preparing for a fight
"Get out of here kid, don't you know who we are?" one of the guys said
'Yeah a school boy like you should just let the adult do their job" the other one add
"Unfortunately, your "job" seems to have something to do with my little sister. And I cannot allow you to do that" I said, shocking Izumi, that I'm here
"Nii-san?! Go! You cannot- mph" Izumi tries to warn me but one of them silence her
"Shut up bitch! And you! As a good gesture, we would allow you to go, we will not hunt your family if you just leave and give that photo to us" the biggest of them, the one that pin Izumi to the wall said
"Why would I do that? Who are you guys anyway?" I tilt my head acting innocently at the same time drop down a tripwire grenade with low explosive yield.
"We're the Shie Hassakai you know! The most powerful Yakuza organization!" the one on the left said
"Oh so you're a part of illegal organization eh? Well then… the only way is to call the police…" I said taking out my phone
SWISH* *STAB*
However, the one on the right transform into humanoid hedgehog and launch a needle that stab through my phone, well there goes the plan.
"We have offer you a chance to leave and you squander it, don't blame anyone for what will happened to you" the leader said, throwing Izumi to the other side of the road
"Rahh!" the yakuza on the left changes into a big humanoid reptile and jumped to me, which is unfortunate, a simple one step back and he miss to crush me. But the worst part is he activated the tripwire grenade that I prepared earlier
BOOM*
A large explosion occurred followed by a large smoke, the lizard man, however still standing despite heavy burns and injuries and keeps attacking me, but his attack pattern is simple enough for me to read, I just need to do a small maneuverer, just enough to not get hit.
"Rahh! Why won't you die!?" he exasperatedly said, but his movement are getting slow, while I keep dodging his attack, I see two of his colleague just standing there, menacingly.
"Well, it's fun playing with you" I said, before duck under one of his punch, coated my hand with arc lightning, and give him a mean uppercut that sends him flying back two meter. Lizard man is out
Two to go
"Tch, Muramasa he's yours and make it quick! I wish to finish my business with the girl…" the big guy growl
"With pleasure" the hedgehog guy said with a cruel smile
"Take This!" he launches many of his keratin spikes, I quickly dodge behind the dumpster, but that's when I realize that it is useless, the spikes puncture through the steel like a 30 calibre machine gun
"Shit, I need a new cover, something that would last longer" I need to think what should I do, until it click me
"HAHAHAHA, die! die! Die!" the hedgehog man laughing maniacally, however, his laugh suddenly cut short after a powerful punch from the left side of his face sends hum flying to the wall
'Blink is useful when your opponent not paying attention' I said to myself, before slowly walking to the hedgehog and give him several powerful kicks in his face.
"Tch, useless, I Shinji the "Demon Eye" will end you myself, and then I will end your sister" he said getting up and looking at Izumi with a lecherous face
"After she pleases me of course"
And the he take off his sunglasses and from his eyes, a pair of laser shoot to where I stand it move so fast that I don't have the time to dodge
"Ah come on…" I'm so done with today, from morning till afternoon till now there's always something shit happened to me. The laser hit me square in my chest sending me flying back and leaving a burnt marks in me
"Argh! That hurts!" feels like you just get shot by a golden gun
"Hmm… you survive my laser of death, curious, no matter you will surely die this time!" he said shooting laser to me, Luckily, the extra range means that I could dodge this time, but he also looking at me and his laser follows
This game of mouse and cat goes for five minutes where, I tried to dodge his laser and his laser cut everything in their path to kill me, it's when I suddenly have an idea
"Woe, 'nades be upon ye" I said while throwing a flash sol grenade, the ensuing bright light forces him to close his eyes
"Gaaahhh! My eyes!" he scream, I use this chance to quickly run to him, and punches his stomach so hard he had to bend over, then I knee his face, and with other foot kick him so hard until he's flying
"Hey hey kid, you know that killing is wrong right?" he said holding his bleeding nose and his mouth missing a couple of teeth. I walk to him
"Hey kid, look, I'm sorry okay?" I keep walking
"Hey! hey! If you kill me the entire Yakuza will be upon y-you know!" he desperately tries to calm my rage, I keep walking
"Look what-what do you want kid? I uh… I have money… here fifteen thousand yen ju-ju-just let me go" he plead I stand in front of him
"You tried to rape my sister…" I punch him
"You tried to harm my family…" punch again
"Now you ask me to let you go?!" punch again
"After what you have DONE TO MY SISTER!" punch again
I repeatedly punch him until his face no longer resembling a face, and then I smile, a cruel smile
"I want you to see DARKNESS" I said, while jamming both of my thumb to his eyes, forever blinding him
"AAAAAGGHHH" he screams, before finally pass out
And I stand there, with a bloody hand, leaving carnage and destruction in my wake. The only thing that comes to my ears only the soft breeze of wind, the sound of crickets, and the whimper of terrified Izumi.
"Are you alright Izumi?" I ask her, but mu body still facing the now blind leader
"Who are you?" she asks in a terrified voice
"Who are you?!" she now demanded
"You know who I am Izumi, I'm y-" I try to answer but she quickly silence me
"WHO ARE YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BROTHER!" she yell at me
"YOU, YOU ARE NOT MY BROTHER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!" she continues to yell at me, now with tears running freely
"GIVE HIM BACK!" she wailed
"GIVE MY BROTHER BACK! GIVE HIM BACK!" she wailed while hitting my back
"GIVE MY BROTHER BACK YOU MONSTER!"
"Give him back…." Now just a sobs
"….." I stay silent while she cries, this façade have gone for too long. Whether I want to or not I have to tell her and mother about who I am, my journey, and the death of old me
"Tomorrow, Izumi" I said to her in a cold voice
"Tomorrow I will tell you the truth"