Neb: The last chapter Vincent had run into Lena while training. They didn't exactly hit it off well, as neither of them were quick to trust a stranger. Even if Webby knew that stranger. Plus Vincent had gotten warnings from Aurora about Lena De Spell. Lena had more then likely gotten her own warnings through her own source. Though her source seemed to encourage her to work with Vincent, making her want to do the opposite. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the story.
Vincent headed through town hoping to find and apologize to Lena. He shouldn't have gotten so worked up and angry, but the frustration of his failures had caused him to yell at the poor girl. Perhaps the apology wouldn't amount to anything, after all she seemed to be strong willed. He doubted he actually upset her, but still he needed to apologize for himself. Every day he found himself becoming closer and closer to the adults that raised him. His father's gambling habits and anger issues, plus his mentor's know it all attitude and lack of empathy. They were a dangerous combination, and Vincent was happy the two never met each other. "What gives, she said she lived around here?", Vincent wondered aloud as he checked the pier. He headed around a corner and then bumped into Lena again.
"W-what? Are you following me?!"
"I'm sorry," Vincent apologized.
"Don't follow me weirdo," Lena yelled at him. She begun glowing purple again as her anger flared up.
"I just came by to apologize for the way I acted," Vincent explained. "I didn't want any trouble."
She calmed down for a moment and then the purple glow lowered. "I.. I, why are you apologizing? That's not going to make us friends."
"I'm not trying to become friends," Vincent sighed. "I'm just trying to take back the way I acted. It was immoral, and I'm sorry for that."
Lena sighed for a moment and then her aura completely vanished. "I'm sorry to, I shouldn't have gotten angry either, or told you to stay away from Webby. She's just... my best friend."
Vincent could now swear he was hearing someone gag. He looked around, for a moment but didn't see anyone. "Is there someone else here?"
"What? No, just little old me," Lena unconvincingly lied.
"Why do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?", Lena wondered.
"That grin you keep giving and your arm motions keep giving you away," Vincent pointed out. "I mean, I'm not telling you how to lie better, but..."
"I'm not lying," Lena went back to yelling. "I'm here by myself. It's always been that way."
Vincent surprisingly couldn't tell if she was lying when she starts yelling or getting angry. Maybe she was telling a half truth. "Yourself all this time huh," Vincent wondered. "No parents, no guardians?"
"W-well there's my aunt," Lena pointed out. "For the most part she's left me alone."
"I suppose I can relate to that," Vincent admitted. "I walked out on my old man when I was thirteen and it was just me and my mentor for the past three years."
"But you've had someone growing up," Lena pointed out. Pulling the conversation as far away from her as possible.
"True," Vincent admitted. He turned his head towards an ally and pointed in it's location. "You see the gambling den down there?"
"Yeah?"
"I use to live down there," Vincent explained. "Well practically, my old man left me out there while he gambled every night for the four years I lived with him. Before then I lived with my mom since birth who was dying. When she finally passed I got dropped off at his place. A place that he was on the verge of losing because he never had money for rent."
"That's awful," Lena admitted.
"He was a good talker," Vincent sighed. "When the loan sharks came, he promised to work off his debts. When the land lord came he promised to work off his debts then also. He did, but he dragged me in on it to. I've been getting professional dish washing and house keeping experience since I was nine."
"So you never really had a childhood past the point your mom died," Lena realized.
"Even before she passed, I never really hung out with anyone," Vincent continued. "I was always worried about her, and staying by her side. Whenever I'd talk to anyone, they'd always ask how she was doing anyways. I wouldn't of known how she was doing, I was a little kid."
"Ease up there," Lena put a hand on his shoulder.
Vincent noticed the crystals in his pocket were glowing. He must have activated them in his rage just like Lena did. Vincent pulled the crystals out of his pocket and chucked them at the beach. The both of them covered their ears as the explosion came. "Great, out of crystals now."
"Well at least you'll stop blowing stuff up," Lena joked.
"Not quite," Vincent shook his head. "I focus my power through crystals. Without them, things I touch start blowing up."
"When did that start happening?", Lena wondered.
"It started happening when I turned... fourteen?", Time spent training and working sort of blended in together after a while. "Madame Aurora stated I was lucky she took me in when she did. It wasn't luck though, it was the Path of Order. The path that I draw my power from."
"I don't draw my power from a path," Lena pointed out. "I draw it from this." She held out her amulet.
"That amulet has a source of power huh," Vincent analyzed. "Magic creatures can draw from themselves, but us lowly mortals have to draw from objects or anything we can find. Chaos is a source of power that my mentor draws from, allowing her to be free to use her powers however she wants. Destiny itself is magic, and I've learned to draw power from my predetermined life. That is the path of Order."
"So wait why do you blow stuff up?"
"It's just my element," Vincent continued. "I'm a Destruction Mage, so my magic revolves around destruction. I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain that this week."
"Sounds exhausting," Lena joked.
Vincent chuckled this time. "That it is," He admitted. "It's good to talk to someone who understands it all though."
"I kind of understand," Lena admitted. "I don't think I'm a mage, and I don't draw from either of the sources you mentioned either. I draw from the amulet and sometimes emotion."
"The amulet falls under the Path of Order," Vincent explained. "It was constructed to wield and give power. Emotion falls under the Path of Chaos, it's free spirited and tricky to master."
"Oh, I think I understand," Lena realized.
"So um, thanks for listening. Actually do you ever want to help me on one of my adventures? We can collect cool artifacts and you might for more uses for your abilities, Just like I hope to one day."
"Uh, maybe some other time," Lena sighed. "I've got to go." With that she ran off, she turned around and waved, and then continued away.
Vincent could swear he heard someone complain from the shadows when she turned him down. Someone had said, "Why?" In an aggravated tone. "Seriously, who is talking to her?" Vincent sighed once more before heading back towards Artifact. He needed more crystals if he was going to explore any more temples. "I hope the kid will be alright, it seems she's being haunted or stalked by something magical... or someone."