A Trial of Gods

Eastern Outer Realms. Earth Year: 3275

A small child not over the age of 10 was happily jumping amongst the wheat of his family's farm. Over a millennia ago, Earth changed. A sudden wave of unknown energy swept over the 7 continents, mutating everything it touched. Insights of the elements were gained from this new energy leading to a race for power. The world was now governed and driven by one law: strength.

It seemed as if the kid knew nothing of that. Compared to the newest and most advanced cities, the farm was quiet and serene. New technologies like EAV's (Elemental Aerial Vehicles) and GNA's (Gauntlet of Network Accessibility) were the norm in cities around the world. But on the farm, an old non-flying elemental car sat in the long driveway of the house.

The peacefulness however, came with a cost. The lack of pressure meant a lower level of strength. The threat of collateral damage from a high level fight was real. 

"I'm worried for him. 10 years old and he still has no insights into the elements. If it doesn't happen soon it might not happen ever." A brown haired woman said to her husband. They sat on the porch watching their child. 

"If he doesn't then he can stay here for his life. A life of simplicity wouldn't be a bad thing." Eric said in a deep voice. He continued "But do you really think he's not special. He literally fell from the sky Lily. And you've felt it before, his eye contact even as a 10 year old is terrifying. He makes me feel unworthy of being his father." he laughed at himself.

"Well in the end it's up to him. Either way I'll be happy whether he becomes strong or stays here for the rest of his life. He will still be our son." Lilly affirmed herself. The thought however was interrupted as a crash came from the direction of the child. 

"Honey?" Lily called out. Getting up from her chair she divided the sea of corn in a hurry until she saw her son. A shocked look spread on her face. He stood there, back perfectly upright, yet he was buried nearly five feet down in a crater. But the deep shock didn't come from that; it was the intense deep purple color of his eyes that frightened her. The feeling of inferiority was present in Lily's mind.

"Mommy I can't move." An innocent voice pierced through the intense pressure. Lily approached and tried to lift him by his armpits, but it was of no use. Nothing could move him. It took only 30 seconds of him being in that state for his eyes to return to black and fall asleep. Seeing he was asleep, Lily tried once again to lift him up. To her surprise, she could.

***

6 years later.

Apollo sat cross legged in the middle of that same sea of corn. "Mythic Energy" as everyone on Earth called it, fell from the sky onto him. He was still yet to form his core of energy and step into the Heaven's Descent Realm. The people who did step into this realm were referred to as Gatecrashers as gates are formed on one's core for every type of elemental energy they understood.

By his age, most people were already at the second level or higher of the Heaven's Descent Realm. But it seemed as if his understanding towards elemental laws was lackluster as he still couldn't open a single gate. Frustrated, Apollo stood up and walked towards the small house.

"Mom, I'm going into town." He yelled from the open front door.

"Alright be back before sundown." Lily replied from the second floor. "Also don't go near the arenas again." She said this time popping her head out from the staircase. She gave a scowl to Apollo that made the ladder have a guilty expression. 

"Seriously. I get you wanting to fight in order to open a gate, but it's too dangerous. Even if you have a core and circulate Myth energy, it's nothing in front of a Gatecrasher." She said sternly before walking back upstairs.

I'm sorry mom but I have to. He thought to himself before departing for the city.

The closest city was Vector city. It was about 10 miles away from his farm. Apollo, having just turned 16, drove the family Elemental Vehicle to the Battle Academy Arena. Swiping his member card he entered through the private entrance. He walked through the familiar cement hallways of the arena until he came to a service counter. 

"How's the head kid?" the burly voice of the man behind the counter asked. He was bald and around 40 years old. He had been the referee for the arena for 20 long years and witnessed Apollo's attempt at fighting someone at the 2nd level of the Heaven's Descent Realm.

"No more concussion and the fracture healed quickly." He responded. He continued. "I guess the 2nd level can't be compared to the 1st at all."

"Haha no it can't. Every level in the Heaven's Descent Realm has a monstrous jump to the next." Jeiko said with a belly laugh. "Stick to the level 1s kid. It'll do you better." 

"I guess. When do I go out?" Apollo asked.

Looking at the clock and back at Apollo, Jeiko spoke: "You're on in 30. Good luck kid." 

Apollo didn't say anymore and took his seat near the stage entrance. As he waited he thought back to a week ago. It was then he challenged the level 2. Before then he had been undefeated among level 1s with only using his body. It was already a huge surprise as usually the body was refined as one leveled up. His body alone gave him the strength to skip a level meaning if he opens a gate he will always be able to fight a level higher than his own. It was unseen in this small town. 

But when he tested his limits by fighting a level 2, he found that the difference between levels was like earth and sky: extremely vast. The earth user he fought quickly overpowered him and landed a heavy blow on his head. If Apollo's body wasn't as strong as it was, he would have died. He went home to a very angry Mom and Dad that night. They made him agree to never go again. But he couldn't just stay at the farm all day. The TV would constantly display competitions of the young generation. The Vex Kingdom, which governed the entire continent, hosted competitions with youths not older than 18 who already broke through the Heaven's Descent Realm. It made Apollo's blood boil.

That was out of Apollo's reach, however. Right now what he had to do was find a way to open a gate. 

"It's you now kid," Jeiko said somewhat excitedly. He himself was level 6 but he would watch every one of Apollo's matches. 'Let's see what surprises you come up with today kid' he said to himself. Apollo fought like he was a battle hardened warrior: never giving up until he absolutely couldn't go anymore. Pairing that with the inexplicable skill and perception he had made Apollo the most fun to watch out of all the participants.

The gate in front of Apollo opened and the arena came into view. Nearly 100 rows of seats filled to the brim with people. Unbeknownst to Apollo he had become somewhat of a celebrity. The story of the "crippled" kid and how he fights those a level above him was enticing to common people. Out of everyone in the crowd over half were not even level 1. But they saw their hopes in Apollo as he could do something never seen before in Vector City.

He centered himself on the stage and prepared for a long couple hours of fighting. The way the arena worked, he would fight for as long as he wanted and against any level he decided was his max. Apollo, being the battle fiend he was, would go for as long as he could.

"Apollo, 16 and I challenge any and everyone beneath or equal to the second level to fight." He declared. His voice echoed throughout the arena. 

The crowd sucked in a breath. Some were surprised by his arrogance and others were impressed by his bravery. 

Somewhere in the crowd there was a youth in full black cursed Apollo. "Hehe, look at his confidence. Arrogant. Not even breaking through to the first level yet acting so calm when challenging level 2's. Any level 2 would disdain fighting him so it's not like ones going to challenge him." he said. He mocked those beneath him whenever he had the chance. After all, he had the strength to do so. He was from the academy that occupied Vector City and had far surpassed the fights that were about to happen.

"Little Brother, no need to have such a strong opinion. It's just an ant. We are here for the snakes in the bushes." An older, more mature voice sounded from next to the young man. 

"I'm sorry brother, weak people piss me off. I don't understand how you can be so content with being useless."

"These people don't have talent. This is just a small city after all. We are considered to be lowly talented compared to some places. You can work as hard as possible yet lack the talent to grow past the first level."

***

Apollo only had to wait for a couple seconds before a man with sharp features appeared in front of him. A cold aura radiating off of him displaying his element. Ice crystals formed on the man's skin increasing the hardness of his body. 

"I'm not going to go easy on you. You may have the pity of every other level 1 but not from me. To me you are arrogant." He said calmly. This somewhat surprised Apollo. For the most part the people he fought were level 1's that underestimated him and overestimated themselves. This man seemed to do the first but not the second. 

The Ice energy surrounding the man pushed the air aside as he flashed towards Apollo. Apollo, not threatened by the man, greeted his strike with confidence.

"Bam!" 

Their fists connected and the two separated. Apollo felt ice spread through his fist causing him to shake it. The man felt the opposite. His layer of ice was shattered on his fist. 

Closing in on each other they once again collided sending waves out from the epicenter. But this time they didn't separate. After trading a couple more shots Apollo had figured out the winning strategy. 

If we clash with limbs he can replenish his Ice layer by expending little of his reserves. If I go for the center body, I can damage his core and circulatory system making it harder for him to reform the layer. He thought.

He dodged a fist and grabbed the man's lower back and neck, slamming his knee into his ribcage. Apollo's senses caught that he had shattered the relic vein that led to the right arm with that knee. He grinned.

"Bam! Crack!" A fist landed on the right arm of the man shattering the bones in his arms to pieces. From that moment the battle power of the man fell dramatically. 

"I resign!" he yelled. Any more from Apollo and he may get crippled permanently. The fist that would have smashed his chest quickly withdrew as Apollo retook his space at the center of the arena. The man's head drooped and he returned to his seat. 

"This guy is kind of interesting." the young man in black said. "You." he said pointing to one of his entourage. "Test out his strength."

"But older brother, he only challenged early level 2's. If I challenge him, the arena will not sit around." the youth said. He was level 2 and a disciple under Aith (the young man in black). Aith was the 2nd disciple of the Academy headmaster.

"Neither will we." Aith said not sparing another glance.

With the crack of lightning, the young man appeared on the stage. Cobalt Lightning surrounded him as he used a movement technique to increase his speed. Apollo frowned. He didn't mind fighting a level 2, but he could feel that this guy was different. He was the same level as the other level 2 he fought, but gave off an aura almost twice as powerful. However, just as he appeared, an immeasurable pressure landed on him. 

"Haha" a laugh came from the hallway leading to the waiting room. Jeiko appeared next to Apollo, releasing his level 6 aura. The young man kneeled under the pressure.

"Queltor Apologizes for his ignorance." He said looking down at the stage.

"If you knew I would appear, why did you come out?" Jeiko asked.

"Because it's what the Vice-Head Disciple of the War Academy asked him to do." Aith answered.

"The War Academy?" Jeiko thought. 'Why would they come here?' he continued inwardly. Shaking his head he spoke again: "Whether it's the War Academy, or some pitiful rank 1 clan, If you break the rules you must be prepared for the consequences." Jeiko pressed his aura towards the group.

"The consequences? What can you do?" the aura of the War group pressed back, almost completely extinguishing Jeiko's presence. 

'Holy shit, 4 people all at the 6th level and one level 7?' Jeiko thought as he felt the pressure.

A group of some guards soon gathered behind Jeiko. Most of them were terrified as the highest level among them was 5. Compared to the War group, they were nothing.

"Haha" a laugh cut the tension between the two groups. The heads of seven people all at level 6 or above looked strangely at the level 0 bent over laughing at center stage. 

"You people are pitiful. It's a fight between two people beneath the third level. Why would you care so much? The grand and imposing War academy is filled with pussies." Apollo spoke.

"How dare you talk that way abou…" a level 6 from the war group yelled.

"Shut up." Apollo said he made eye contact with the level 6 that spoke. "I will fight your challenger. And if I win, how will I be rewarded?" he asked.

"If you win? You are unbelievably weak…win? If you win Not only will I bow before you, but I'll take you to the War Academy and have every teacher bow in front of you." Aith spoke laughably.

"Mister Jeiko, there is no need to interfere. It would only dirty your hands." Apollo said.

'You realize this is a lose lose situation right? If you win they will kill you and if you lose, you die.' Jeiko transmitted his voice to Apollo.

"Expand your senses, Mister Jeiko. Is there anyone in the arena you find odd?" 

"..." Jeiko did as Apollo said but didn't find anything odd.

'Maybe it's because I can't level up, but my perception is better than Mister Jeiko's.' Apollo thought.

But it was then that a smile appeared on Jeiko's face. "I have seen what you wanted me to kid. Win." he said returning to the gate.

The stage was now empty except for the two fighters.

"You don't want to fight me do you?'' Apollo asked Queltor.

"No. Fighting people beneath me in level one on one is something I've never done"

"Fight your hardest and I promise after this is over you won't have to return to the War Academy." 

"I will not hold back then"

"You better not"

"Bam!" The sound of lightning crashing played out and Apollo was struck by a fist. Apollo quickly recovered his position. 'Fast. I guess this is what fighting a lightning user is like.' he thought to himself. Apollo could do nothing. He watched as Queltor did circles around him. His speed was incredibly fast. He, after all, was not a normal level 2. As a part of the War Academy, he obviously could defeat normal gatecrashers a level above his own.

Fist after fist landed on Apollo. Lightning energy made its way through his layer of protective Mythic Energy. However, just as it did, the intensity of the attacks dropped dramatically.

"Keep going!" Apollo said. Queltor had an unwilling look on his face. He didn't want to kill Apollo. "Even if I'm near death you must keep hitting me with lightning." he said with a willful tone.

"Why? Why are you so intent on having me beat you?" Queltor asked. He cringed at his own actions. Blood flowed from Apollo's head and into his eyes. There was no part of him that wasn't stained red from his own blood. Each fist that landed on him before was enough to crush anyone not in the Heavens Decent Realm. Yet he persisted. 

'Now is the time. It must happen.' He thought to himself. 

After a couple of seconds Queltor's question was answered by Apollo's indomitable voice.

"It's not for you, It's for me!" 

Queltors eyes widened. 'He is having me beat him for his own benefit?' Queltor thought. The small wells under his eyes were pulled back and a sereneness spread through his body. The unstoppable will of Apollo gave him the feeling of sureness in Apollo's ability to control the situation. However it did not match how he looked. Apollo's clothes were ripped, his hair ruffled and matted with blood.

The attacks continued. Lightning made its way further and further into his body. Every ounce of Myth energy instinctively rushed to neutralize the foreign energy. But with no elemental attribute, there was no way it could stop it. After only a couple more hits, the lightning finally made contact with Apollo's core. 

Apollo was sent flying once again, but this time he did not get up. He lay there on the fragmented stage completely void of any signs of life. The only clue there was to his current state were two small flames one purple one gold that orbited each other within his core. The light from them illuminated his entire body now that the barrier of his core was removed. Slowly but surely, a new golden purple core started to form in place of the old one. Golden purple veins spread to each corner of his body, slowly distributing the two energies to every fiber of his being. 

***

The hearts of Jeiko and Queltor dropped. Jeiko had seen this young man come to the arena for almost a year now. He had won many battles he shouldn't have and made him unreasonably believe in him.

"Haha the brat was so confident yet he died" Aith said with a laugh. 'Come out. We know you venerated bastards are here' he thought. 

"So delectable. The War Academy fails to use their head over their body." the leader of five white robed men spoke. The entire group looked rather young, 20 years old at the most. However, the age didn't match their strength as all of them were level 6. As they appeared on the stage, wind rippled throughout the crowd.

A second wave of wind spread through the audience as the war group landed in opposition to them. 

"..." the silence was loud. The people of Vector city only saw a level 6 if it was a clan leader, now there were 12 of them standing in opposition. If they fought, the city would be leveled. One had to know the strength of a level 6 alone was enough to run through almost all of the clans of Vector city alone.

"I'm assuming Teio is here?" the mature voice asked the group of white robed group. 

"Haha I knew I felt your presence." a seventh white robed young man said as he appeared in front of the others. "I hope you don't intend to fight, Leth. It would be a shame if your actions caused this little city to be destroyed." Teio spoke malevolently. This group was from the Mystic Academy of Virtue. If there was one thing those of virtue hated, it was shamelessness. What else could you call forcing someone to fight another that is 2 levels higher than themself?

"What the hell is a small city like this to me?" Leth said, a nearly demonic grin spread across his face. "Let's fight!" he then yelled.

"Crack!" Leth was interrupted by the crack of lighting. It was so loud many of those under the fifth level could no longer hear. Dark clouds accumulated in the sky above Vector City. Lighting continuously cracked across the clouds as if it were excited. Within the clouds a golden figure shined brilliantly as it stood on the clouds. It looked ephemeral and smoke-like. Like if one were to swipe their hand, it would go straight through the figure. The lightning that came in the vicinity of the figure turned a deep purple and increased 100 fold in power. The figure pointed towards the War groups' people. 

"Bam!" the lighting cracked and obeyed the command of the golden figure with pleasure. Deep purple lightning streaked across the sky and landed on the War group. Instantly the 6 level 6s including Aith, were evaporated. The lightning easily ripped through them; the destructive tendency of lightning ravaged everything in its way. Only Leth was barely able to block the lightning from entering his body. Shortly after the sky cleared and the golden figure disappeared.

"What the fuck was that?" was a common question in the crowd. That golden figure surpassed anything ever seen by even the War group and Virtue Academy group.

The sound of rocks moving drew the attention of everyone in the arena.

"You didn't die?" The first to react was Jeiko. Even the wisdom of his years couldn't contribute to how this young man survived. However he realized it didn't matter. He cared for the kid and even though there was no relation between them, he was extremely saddened by his death.

"You…" Queltor and Jeiko said at the same time. They had both examined Apollo and found him different. Even though he was still unconscious, they could see he had changed.

Condensed Myth energy flowed through his veins now with the element of lightning. He had broken through. And not just slightly either. He stepped straight to the 2nd level of the Heaven's Descent Realm. 

The glazed look in his eyes passed as he returned to reality. Jeiko's surprise passed and all he felt was joy. This kid had been fighting at the arena for 2 years now with only one goal: break through. Queltor was the same. Apollo had predicted it for him. He fought hard and now he wouldn't have to go back to the War Academy.

"I will kill you myself. Clean your neck and wait brat" Leth said as he departed at his maximum speed. Teio thought about chasing, but at his fastest he was only as fast as Leth. he would gain nothing. He also had a more pressing thing to think about. 'That golden figure was him?' He asked himself. The golden figure's strength surpassed his understanding. It wasn't that the power was stronger than any he had seen, it was just 100 times more profound.

He looked at Apollo and his two friends. 'Was it him?' He quickly withdrew that thought. 'There's no way. He only just broke through and can't possibly produce that kind of strength.' he approached the unconscious Apollo.

He turned towards Jeiko "Those bastards can't control their aggressiveness. We were sent because this city is in the Mystic Academies territory and news of the War Academy coming to cause trouble spread quickly. Tell him when he wakes up that he will have my recommendation for the Mystic Sub-Academy." Teio said, handing Jeiko a coin with his energy imprinted on it.

"Challenges are over for today. Everybody out." Jeiko said. He wasted no time in getting Apollo to the medical bay of the arena where a nurse checked Apollo's state. Apollo's unconscious body lay under a large scanner. The nurse interpreted the readings.

"He is fine – actually he's better than fine. Compared to the last time he has all new Myth Veins. Not only that his core is stronger than a level 2's should be. I estimate he should be able to contain the energy of a level 5 within his core without taking any damage." the Nurse explained. She continued "not to mention, everyone's core is made of compacted Myth Energy while his… I don't even know what it is made of."

***

Apollo's consciousness lay dormant without any signs or revival. He was hit hard enough that his core and Myth veins were completely destroyed leaving his body lifeless. Conscious was ephemeral yet had one requirement of the body: life. 

A life-like transparent version of Apollo floated around in a cold dark plain. He was colored gold and his body shimmered through the darkness. The brightest light however came from where his core would be. The ball of gold seemed to come to life as it rose out of his "body". The ball was personified by the appearance of an eye. It was covered in a shell of electron-like orbits of golden streaks. With a scrunch of the eye, a golden energy washed over the transparent Apollo. His eyes flickered before a panicked look took over his face.

"AHH" Apollo yelled. The last thing he remembered was the attack smashing him into the ground. He could still feel the lightning crack through his core, veins, and flesh. It was painful. He could feel himself losing reality as his consciousness was no longer supported by the body and was sucked into the limitless darkness of death. But the darkness was not an illusion; he could feel it. Even with his ephemeral body, he could influence his surroundings.

'What is this place?' he asked himself. He looked around but still: nothing. At least excluding the Golden Eye there was nothing. "What are you?" he asked the Eye.

"I am you. Well kind of. I share you." the Eye explained. The Eye had only been born when Apollo was dying. But it felt a stabbing pain in its mind telling him to eliminate anything threatening to the boy he shared a body with. 

"You… share me?" Apollo was confused. He was never anything but himself.

"I don't know much about my existence. From what I understand, I am here for your use and protection. You have power you don't know of yet. Only I am able to summon it and only in situations where you are critically endangered." The Eye explained.

"Power I don't know of yet?" Apollo was confused.

"You haven't even begun to approach a level where you can fathom it. For now think of me as this: A guide and counselor for you to rely on." 

"So how do I go back?" Apollo asked.

"Wake…up!" a dominant and ghostly voice made Apollo shiver. The ephemeral form he was in started to move. He sped up to insanely high speeds yet the darkness didn't let him gauge it. Pictures flew by him displaying everything that happened in the 'real world' until…

"Bam!" with a loud bam, the ephemeral form merged back with his body. He felt his own body. The existence and permanence of the things around him. His eyesight, hearing, feel, touch, and smell returned. He was alive.

He lay there in the hospital bed of the med-bay of the arena. He sensed his body and felt the familiar feeling of lightning cracking through his body. But it wasn't the same. This lightning was his own. He also found that his core and veins were different. The golden-purple core and veins gave him an unfathomable feeling. When he circulated his Myth energy, he felt its circulation was much smoother and more efficient. However he was still discombobulated. He could feel the difference in his body before and after breaking through. His body now had incredible senses. He could hear an ant walking from 10 miles and smell each chemical separately that was in the medicine cabinet across from him. And finally after expanding his sight to its greatest distance, nothing within a 10 mile radius of him could go unseen.

"What happened to my body? Is this normal for someone at level 2?" Apollo asked in a low tone.

"No." A voice replied in his head.

"Ghost?" 

"Who is Ghost?" the voice asked.

"That's what I've decided to name you. After all, you sound and look like one. Anyways, how are you here?" He asked.

"If you're here of course I would be too. The place we were just now was the soul dimension. It's not separated from reality, it just overlaps it." Ghost explained.

"I see" Apollo never knew souls were real. It was pondered by Earth's greatest scholars but has never been proved.

"About your body, it is not normal. Having a strong soul is an incredible gift. Those with stronger souls have better comprehension and senses."

"I was born with a strong soul?" Apollo said, smiling slightly. He couldn't wait to get into the world of gatecrashers.

"Don't get cocky." Ghost poured cold water over Apollo. "You are still only a level 2. Whether you have a strong soul or not, level 2 is level 2."

"Yes, I still have a long way to go." Apollo agreed. Apollo intended to spend more time inspecting his body and coming to better understand the power he currently held, however it was interrupted by 4 people entering his room. Queltor entered with almost balling eyes, Jeiko came after. He was also emotional but managed to suppress it. Then came the last 2. Apollo's mom and dad walked in both with the expression of "I'm gonna kill you but I'm happy you're okay."

He explained what happened to his parents and friends. He excluded the things he questioned however. Like the discovery of the soul and Ghost along with the fact that just the aura of his new core and Myth veins enhanced his body. Afterwards, Apollo was quickly released from the med-bay to go home. 

"Before you go, it was left for you by the head disciple of the Mystic Academy of Virtue and it should allow you to enter the Mystic sub-academy" Jeiko said, flipping a silver coin to him before he left. 

***

Apollo sat in the back seat pondering the coin while receiving looks from his parents through the car mirrors. They know at some point they would talk about what his breakthrough meant for his future.

After minutes of complete silence someone finally spoke "I told you to not go Apollo and look what you did, only escaped because you were lucky1" Lily said.

Apollo knew this was coming but he didn't care. "Who am I?" Apollo asked simply. His parents were fairly normal people. Through Ghost Apollo learned that the likelihood of being born with a strong soul and a special body was 1 in trillions or maybe more. The only variable that can change that is inheritance.

The simple question made his parents go quiet. Glances were shared between Eric and Lily. Apollo continued.

"I was invited to join an academy. I intend to take it. I know there's something about me, I just don't know exactly what it is. If I can't hear it from you, I will get stronger until I can find an answer." 

With a sigh Eric spoke. "We don't know much either. We found you in a vehicle that crashed into… anyway we opened it and along with you came 2 things: a message and the crystal that powered the vehicle. The message wrote "If you have found this, it means you have our son in your hands. We as Children of Epics ask you to treat him well. If he Is destined to reach the peak, let him. If he desires to be ordinary, let him. His future is according to his decision.'' As for the crystal, we took it to an expert and they said they couldn't classify it. It was above their understanding." he explained. 

"We thought that since you seemed ordinary, you would stay with us. We aren't against you stepping into the path that is there for you, it just comes with a lot of baggage, including your real parents. If just the crystals they use to power their vehicle are above our understanding, how strong must the force be that can push them to give up their own son?" Lily said. 

Apollo found this understandable. His thinking was innocent. He would simply become stronger through hard work and dedication. But was it that easy? 

"Ghost, were you made by my real parents?" Apollo asked internally.

"I don't know. I have great knowledge of cultivation but both our backgrounds I have no knowledge of. I don't even understand your power let alone how you got it." Ghost responded.

"I want answers to my questions. On top of that, I've wanted to become stronger my entire life. If you aren't convinced of my desire to find answers to my questions, then believe in this: if I'm going to go through the work of getting stronger, it's because I want to." Apollo said, not leaving any room for his parents to refute.

Eric's eyebrows furrowed and a gim expression grew on his face.The car suddenly slowed down to a stop on the side of the road. 

"Get out of the car." Eric demanded as he also stepped out of the car. At this time it began to rain. Eric stood in the middle of the old road. His clothes were slowly becoming more and more soaked. Apollo walked towards his father.

"No, you stay over there." Eric said with a grim expression. Not one time in the span of exiting the car did Eric look up. At least until he made eye contact with Apollo who was across from him.

"You want to get stronger huh?" He said harshly. "Prove it!" He yelled. The strength of a level 5 exploded from him and locked onto Apollo.

"Eric, stop!" Lily yelled. This was too intense of a lesson to teach Apollo she thought.

"Fine!" Apollo yelled back angrily. His father wanted to question his determination? Fine.

"Ghost, how do I win?" he asked.

"This is one fight I will not help you. Nor would I be able to if I wanted. The stunt I did at the arena is not something I can do often." Ghost replied.

"..." Apollo focused. The rain soaked his white hair until it stuck to his face. Moving it off of his eyes, he circulated his Lightning Energy for the first time. An odd thing happened when he did. The "gate" on his core wasn't really a gate. It was a mark of his understanding of that element. It was really his core that changed the Myth Energy he stored into Lightning Energy. Just like that Apollo made his first discovery about what it meant to be a gatecrasher.

The fire around Eric raged as he punched towards Apollo. Apollo returned the favor but with the power of lightning.

"Bam!" a small shockwave expanded in every direction as the two powers collided. Apollo landed on his butt 10 meters away from where they collided. Eric was unmoved. 

"Shhhh" Apollo winced. The Fire Energy entered his body and ravaged his insides. 

"Peng" Apollo's core popped slightly giving him a weird feeling. A small Torii (⛩️)

appeared in his core and shined a deep shade of purple. Apollo felt the energy inside of him become a level higher than before. As if it were a signal to the powers used, his eyes became a deep shade of purple. Energy equivalent to level 3 now supported his understanding of lightning as they worked together to rid his body of the fire.

In that exchange Eric held back. After all, Apollo was his son and he didn't want to overly hurt him. That didn't mean he wouldn't feel some pain however. The anger he felt right now was out of love. So, he used the strength of a level above Apollo to ensure he hurt him a little bit. To his surprise Apollo seemed to get stronger as the fight ensued.

"Crack" lightning cracked as Apollo used the power of Lightning to become faster. Eric, even though he was 3 levels higher than Apollo, was just barely able to track him. Even though the energy Apollo was using was still level 2, there were some odd Laws behind it making it equal in power to a level higher than his own.

A barrier of fire ignited on Eric's right side, blocking Apollo's punch. The fire even deflected some of the lightning power back into Apollo. 

"You really want to do this son?!" Eric yelled. Sternness was the most present emotion however there was also a hint of sorrow. Apollo's response was closing the distance once again. 

"Huuuuu…" Eric exhaled. "Dispersion Flame Form One." he said quietly as if he was regretful.

Apollo felt the flame in front of him was immovable. He quickly made a simple shield of pure lightning to deflect, but it didn't turn out as he hoped. The Dispersion Flame Form technique seemed to give fire the physical state of plasma. It stuck to the shield and through Eric's control, traveled along the lightning towards Apollo. 

"Argh" Apollo grimaced as he felt all the energy inside of him being pulled out by the fire. He couldnt get rid of it. The fire creeped along his skin, not burning him, but burning all the lightning energy he had circulated through his body. Sapped of all of his energy, Apollo fell to the ground with little strength left in his body. Through his half closed eyes he saw his dad approach him. The rain at this point reached its peak intensity. It washed the blood out of Apollo's white hair as it dripped in front of his eyes. A firm hand gripped his shoulder.

"I'm an old and rusted level 5. If you can't manage against me, how will you manage when you are face to face with a genius supported by an entire family? I'm begging you Apollo. Stay." Eric said, tearing up. Originally he thought if Apollo was meant for great things he would let him walk that path. But when Apollo actually stepped on that path, he realized if he let him go now, the chances of his son living were minimal.

Huu… huu… Apollo breathed hard. Sweeping the hand off his shoulder, Apollo slowly stood up. 

"I understand I'm being selfish, but I've fought a lot. Each time I entered that arena over the past year I suffered through pain. But I still returned. There's always been this thought in the back of my head saying "I need to get stronger". I never knew why I felt this. Until you told me the truth. My worth; my meaning in this world is to get stronger; to resolve what I was born to." He said, his eyes not leaving the ground. 

"Goodbye…" Apollo spoke before disappearing in a crack of lightning. The atmosphere became hollow. The husband and wife stood in the middle of the road. They silently wept. Eric debated chasing, but it would be no use. He didn't have the heart to actually hurt Apollo severely which would be the only way to get him to stop. That day the Constantine family lost their son.

***

In the forest around the Battle Arena.

"Ah!" Apollo angrily yelled. Lightning sparked out of him, destroying a nearby tree. "Why…" he asked. "Why couldn't you just support me?" tears mixed with the rain water running down his face. He absolutely hated the decision he just had to make. He felt he finally grasped the meaning of his life, but just as he did, the only people he loved tried to stop him. For hours Apollo unleashed his anger on the forest around him. Trees and Earth alike were thrown in all directions as Apollo emptied his core of all his energy. When it had all been emptied, Apollo fell asleep.

***

"Lady Sera, we must leave the lightning energy around here too high and we can't afford to offend a level 4." an old man warned the young lady next to him. She was around sixteen and had a stunning appearance. 

"I'm interested in this power. Look closely; the power is only level 2 but an odd law has modified it to the point that it's equal in power to a level 4." Sera observed. "Let's continue."

The old man gave out a sigh before following Sera deeper into the affected area. The trees from that point on became more scorched. The two came to a small hill of uprooted trees and dirt. Peaking over the small hill they found the source of the nature massacre. 

"He's just a kid?" The old man said, surprise written on his face.

"He can't be any older than I am!" Sera was surprised as well. She was 16 years old and was a level 4. From their point of view Apollo was also a level 2, but the scenery around them showed he definitely surpassed the limits of the second level and even the third as well.

"Miss, we should leave. He is probably a talent of the Gallen or Yenith clan. Needless to say, someone with this young man's strength has a protector." the Old man explained.

"If he is as strong as a level 4 then who would protect him? The Feinn family hasn't had a level 5 appearance since generations ago. If he is talented wouldn't it be good to form a relationship with him? Come on, he looks like he's quite injured. We can take him back to the family and help him and maybe we can win the Regional tournament with his help." she said. 

***

The streets of Fei city were bustling. Merchants lined the roads desperately trying to sell their goods to passers by. It was much like the downtown of Vector city as there were only a couple million more people in Fei city than there were in Vector city. Most people were level 1 or higher with the experts of the city being level 3 and 4. 

It was the peak of business hours when an old fashioned carriage cut through the busy streets of the city. Although it looked old fashioned, the carriage was actually an artifact with the equivalent strength of a level 3 and the ability to travel as fast as one. An old man controlled the two ephemeral horses at the front of the carriage. Within the carriage compartment a teen lay across from a stunning young lady.