Flashback A season of pain

[Rein Summers]

Spring, 1, 496 The wind felt cool along his face. His eyes were closed as he sighed into the empty street. Rein was just sixteen and was bored to say the least. His mother kept making him learn a craft which deal with something he did not want to do daily. He wanted to live life. To go hunt for lost songs or make plays that would bring the gods to tears. He had just had a fight with his mother but he did not care right now. The hormones inside his body flared around him as he made his way along the ever moving streets of Alvadas. He knew where he wanted to go. That was the Akeldama Colosseum, a place where he could fight and bring fame to himself. Just another teenage dream but he did not care as he made his way towards the colosseum. Alvadas was a city unlike any other. Buildings, streets and other landmarks changed daily. A lot of times more than once a day. However some areas would only open up if you were in need of them or seeking them. Rein saw that first hand as he made a left turn at the end of his street and in front of his eyes he saw the colosseum standing overhead. Rein wanted to fight. Wanted to show the city that he could do things however he had no fighting under his belt. So he took a few coins out of his pocket and brought a ticket to watch the next fight. It would give him time to watch and learn. At least that was the goal he had as he made his way to the seating. The arena was quiet today Rein took note of. A lot of the seats were empty but that could had been due to the fact it was rather early. However in a blink of an eye as two fighters came out the arenas empty seats were filled. He just had to shake his head and laugh to himself. Another show of illusions but everyone in the city knew illusions were more real than what the stories told in books. So Rein looked down upon the arena watching the two humans fight. It was a hand to hand combat round as they circled each other. The red head vs the blonde. He did not know them but he did not care as he watched the red head throw a punch but the blonde just ducked out of the way as he made a quick punch along the red heads stomach. The fist hit him before he rolled along the ground giving more space between them. “Enjoying the fight? A voice spoke besides Rein as it made him jump out of his skin. He turned to his side and saw a ghost sitting and watching the fight. “Sorry kid, did not mean scare you. Just never seen you here and thought I would see what you came for.” Ghosts were common sight in the world. Rein knew this but never talked to them often. “Y-yeah sorry. I wanted to fight but since I don’t know how to fight I thought watching a few might teach me.” Whatever Rein said made the ghost laugh as he hovered above the seat. “You got wits kid. Yet you won’t learn much just by watching. I use to be a fighter you know. Not that great and I died soon after but I know how to fight. Why not a trade? I teach you some tips on how to fight and you give me some soulmist?” “Soulmist? Sorry I don’t know what that is and how could you teach me to fight? You are dead after all.” “Soulmist is something you can make. I can teach you how and don’t think less of me without a body. I can also fix that and help teach you the idea. Besides you just missed the last bit of fight since you have kept looking at me and not down.” Rein turned his head back towards the ground and sure enough the ghost was right. The redhead was on the ground and the blonde was walking away towards the door. All in all Rein learned nothing of that fight other than how to talk to a ghost. He just sighed and nod his head towards the ghost. “All right. Teach me everything you know.” The ghost just smiled as he stood and hovered out of the arena with Rein behind him. A waste of a few coins but it could pay off down the road. What else did he have to lose Rein thought. If he only knew...

[Rein Summers]

Rein and his new friend stood in an empty home. Rein had never seen it before but he knew they were somewhere in Alvadas underground so his information was vague. Yet this seemed to be where the ghost wanted to go to teach Rein and he did not question it. He would save them for later. “You said your name was Rein? You can call me X. First off you seem to know little of ghosts but lets not go into that. What you will learn first is a very old world magic called Spritism. Don’t worry this won’t kill you. You are going to get a crash lesson in this so be ready. Rein was about to open his mouth to question the ghost but before he could the ghost had ran towards Rein, then inside him. It was quick. Painful. Cold. Words came to mind to say the least yet none could hope to give Rein breathing room as he was in shock. His body started to move, his right arm moving up and down than his left before long even his own lips were moving without him doing it. “Relax Rein. This is called possession. A simple thing ghosts can do. You are going to have to learn this way but in this you will learn to fight it. This is going to be a very long day for you Rein so lets get started. You need to focus and learn to block me off. Even if it just means blocking me off from your legs or even a hand. You will need to learn that before you can stop me from walking out of this room and using you.” Rein just had to think in fear as he was not sure what to do. X was not giving him much to go on. It was sink or swim as he saw his hands flex as if he was a puppet. Without any signs X left the body as Rein fell to the ground. His body was shaking and he was more scared than he had ever been. “Focus Rein. This could save you one day.” X said as Rein stood up. Yet not even a second afterwards X drove back into his body and once more Rein was just a simple puppet. His fears were growing as he wanted to yell out but his words never came to his lips. Once more the ghost left his body but this time he stood on his weak knees. He was still shaking but at least he was on his feet and not the hard ground. “Good Rein, at least you are learning.” “Does not feel like it. How can I learn if you are not going to teach me?” “Oh Rein...This is a skill you learn by yourself. Just focus on something that matter to you. Something that pushes you daily that is purely you. Build on that feeling and use it to focus.” Once more without telling him X had moved back into his body. His arms were moving, punching the air. Left, right, left, right jab with a kick in the air. Things Rein did not know besides watching but he could not focus on that. He had to think what pushed him. What made him...well him. He was just a teenager but what pushed him was his hope. His hope that he would become great in the city. Was it enough however? He was not sure as he held onto that emotion as he focused on his right arm. It was his. Not the ghosts. He was the master of his body not a puppet. With what felt like a great wave of energy leaving him his right hand stopped mid-air as his arms kept punching the air. “Not bad. You might learn after all. This is the first step to understand Spiritism. This is going to be a long day as you will keep doing this until you understand it. Until you can call upon it without a thought.” With that X had left his body and once more went inside before Rein could breath on his own. It was going to be a very long day he knew at that point in time. A very long day.

[Rein Summers]

Bells had passed and the once early day was now in the late noon. Rein was tired on so many levels but he was happy. X was using his body but his body was not moving this time. He had found his resolve at last after so many times but at last he had started down the road to learn Spiritism. Without even trying X had left the body and was laughing. “Great job Rein. Just took you forever but better this lifetime than the next. Now let me use your body and lets go shopping before we start the rest of the lessons. You need some items that will help you both with his track of life and for your fighting life.” Rein just had to nod as he let X take over yet again. It was slower this time but he had a feeling X was using more and more energy to fight Rein. But this time Rein just relaxed and let himself understand this more as his body walked in the streets of the city. He had found himself standing in the Bizarra. He did not even notice when they went in the building as he saw the room travel past his eye sight. He had been here before and was always happy to be in this building. It had everything one could find and so much more as his body made its way towards a large bulky human who had seem to come out of thin air. “What can I get you lad?” “I would like to buy body building equipment. What type did you have?” The words left his lips as X spoke using him as a doll. It made him freak out but he did his best not to think about it that much. “Ah. Want to bulk up I see. I have your bare basic setup to your more complex styles. How long did you plan to use it?” “A few years to maybe longer. I want to get into fighting so I need to keep up with it for awhile.” “Good good. So you want the complex setup which will run you 45 gold miza. Now if that is too much for you lad we can go with a cheaper style.” “No. That will be good. Can you send it to where I live?” “Sure sure. Alvadas is just the city to show me your house when I need to drop things off. I will get the money when you get the item. Take care lad.” With that Rein turned around and saw the exit. With that he left the building and soon another one was found as he turned a right on a street. Yet this building that he saw was the Kitran Krafts, it did not move often for a Isur lived and worked inside. Rein did not know how the isur made the building stay put for the most part nor did he ever ask as his body went into inside. Short talk later and Rein found himself the owner of a light crossbow with 100 bolts along with another 45 gold lighter to pay for the items. He did not know how this would help him but he did not question it yet as they left the shop. Another right, left and left once more Rein found himself in front of his home. He made his way in the house into his room where he placed the new weapon down on the bed. Without even having a break he heard a knock along his door where he found his new item he got just a bit ago. Once more he was out 45 gold but the body building set was placed in his room and was set up without any hassle along with a small note on how to use it. At last he was alone in the house. His mother was working but he did not care right now. The only other person was the ghost inside his body which made him move to the table out in the main part of the home. “Now listen up. You are going to learn to make Soulmist. The same soulmist that I ask as payment and you will soon learn almost every ghost does. You see, you humans and other alive beings can make it and it grants us nice things such as energy and healing us. Rare types can even give us power that you know. Down the road you can use it as a weapon, which the most common is a crossbow. Which you now have. By the time you learn the use your mist as a weapon you will already have some skill with the weapon so do use it often and learn it. I will teach you a bit of the basics with aiming, care and targets.” His voice just kept talking and talking as Rein listened. His body moved and got milk, one egg and flour. “Any thing would do but this is rather common. Eggs, flour and cheese but since you lack cheese the milk would do. Just three foods from different areas. Going to mix it then chew it. After awhile of focus you will emit a white gel aura. You will be able to shape it in your hands and can store it for a few days. Your first few times however it won’t last long but it will do. Just focus on the thought of the mist and it should come to you after awhile.” He felt X leave his body and hover near him watching him as Rein mixed the items in a small bowl before putting it in his mouth. It was chewy and cold to say the least as he kept chewing it trying to focus on the same feelings he had when he learned to fight X. He was not sure what to really think on so he kept on that idea. After awhile he spit the food out into the bowl as he saw what looked like clear gel along his hands. His body it seemed was giving off that soulmist X was talking about as his hands grabbed it, moving it and molding it as if it was clay to him. He placed the gel into another bowl letting it fill it as X moved towards it. His hands moved into the bowl and the gel faded away as X looked like he was getting happier with it. “Taste could be better but not that bad for your first time. Don’t worry you will get better at it. Now you are going to learn how to use the weights and learn to bulk up. After a Bell of that I will teach you a bit about unarmed combat. Won’t be a lot since you don’t have a person to spar but it will give you a better idea before you fight for real. Afterwards I will teach you about the crossbow. Going to be a long training but one day at a time.” If only Rein knew...