The Mark Of Rebirth

‘Do I just have a knack for running into Anomalies or something? Kaelith, huh… Well, he did tell me exactly where I could find him, so I just need to go there and nab him real quick. How hard could it be? Right?’

Seeing as he’d just left, it would probably be best to meet him later when fewer people were out and about. Just in case, you know?

After taking in the sights of the market one last time, with its quaint appeal being a refreshing view, I made my way over to the market entrance, leaving its bountiful embrace.

Walking back towards the Airblade’s secluded parking spot, I felt a cool breeze wash over me as the blanket of clouds provided a respite from the usually intense rays of the sun.

I veered off of the beaten path and trudged through the overgrown brush to get to the ridge near the location where I parked the Airblade. The reason for not parking it out in the open was simple: If the Airblade were to be discovered by the locals, there would be nothing short of a witch-hunt to find the owner.

Getting to the Airblade, I barely broke a sweat, thanks to the intense workout regimen Nanik had devised for me. That menace to society! I can remember it as if it were yesterday...

[Note: Imagine a flashback sfx]

I was in my room sitting at my desk, researching the human mind with the vain hope of finding some mystical way to regain my memories. Then, all of a sudden, Nanik burst through my door.

BAM!

His tone somehow sounded a bit excited, much unlike his usual deadpan and calm demeanor, “From this day forth, you will spend two hours of your day doing cardio and pumping iron.”

My already sullen expression, due to my lack of any leads, only sank further. “What!?”

“It is as I’ve just said. You will be doing physical training from here on out.”

“But—why would I need to do that? Aren't my abilities meant to be used for support and out-of-combat operations?” I sounded absolutely dreadful. My face twisted from discomfort to despair.

“That may well be true, but since you’re set soon to go out onto full on-field operations, you can’t protect yourself using only supporting abilities in a fight, can you?” He pointed at my bone-thin arms, “That being said… training your body is the first thing you ought to do to defend yourself, and running away if necessary. Of course, you’ll have plenty of time to practice the latter.” he remarked in a remarkably ominous manner, with a smirk visibly etched across his face.

‘This man is the devil incarnate...’

After that day, what past me could’ve only described as “hell training” started. I spent an hour doing different cardio exercises: running, cycling, and high-intensity interval training. The next hour was dedicated to strength-building exercises: weightlifting, push-ups, pull-ups, and core workouts. For someone who’s never done any real workout, it was PAIN. He wouldn’t let me skip a single session and made me do it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I’ve been doing it ever since without fail unless I am physically unable to.

[Note: Return from flashback sfx or whatever]

‘Sigh… In any case, it wasn’t that bad. At least I have great stamina and strength now.'

Opening the door to the Airblade, the first thing I was met with was Farthington’s gaze as he looked up from his book which remained in his hand.“I see you have returned, ma’am. Shall I take this as you weren’t able to recruit your other target?”

Climbing into the driver's seat of the Airblade, I retorted, “No, you shouldn’t. I am going to meet him in an hour to discuss it. Also, have you really been reading your book this entire time while I was away?”

“Indeed I have. It’s a very good read—I would very much recommend it to-“

“I’ll pass.”

He paused for a moment, and then shrugged, "Your loss." He then proceeded to start reading again.

[One hour later…]

Walking along a beaten path leading away from the market, I was en route to Kaelith’s residence. As I neared the shack, I noticed its worn-out red and blue accented exterior. Surrounding it was a field of golden grain that engulfed most of the surrounding land, swaying gently in the breeze. The picturesque scene was both quaint and serene, a stark contrast to the bustling market I had left behind.

As I arrived at the pathway leading from the main road to the house, I noticed movement in the field of wheat near the house. The grain parted, and from between the plants, Kaelith stepped out. His hair was messier than when I had seen him in the market, and his clothes were dusty from working in the field.

Seeing him, I raised my hand and waved, quickly catching his attention. He dusted himself off before walking over to me.

Lightly panting, Kaelith spoke with his unique accent, “Trixy, it's you. Did you need help with that person you’re looking for?”

‘I didn’t realize this when I met him in the market, but his accent and method of speaking are quite different from the rest of the locals… The locals have a much thicker accent than he does… Not that I’m complaining, though.’

Gazing at him, I gave him a perfunctory nod. “Yes. Apparently, you are the person I was searching for, and I am here to offer you a job.”

He comically looked around and then pointed to himself as he spoke with a face full of uncertainty, “Me?”

Unwilling to elaborate further, I simply nodded my head.

“Let’s talk about this inside, then,” he said, gesturing toward the house.

Kaelith turned toward his home and began walking to the door, his hair swaying slightly in the wind as the orange sunset bathed the scene in a warm glow.

As I stepped onto the wooden porch, Kaelith opened the door, and the comforting smell of home cooking wafted out.

Stepping inside, I heard the voice of a young girl echoing through the home. “Brother! Did you recharge the coolbox with mana yet?”

In response, Kaelith called out, “Hold on, I’ll do it now!”

He walked over to a wooden cabinet, sturdier than the others in the kitchen, and placed his hand on its textured surface. A soft blue light emanated outward from where he placed his hand, and after a minute, the air around the cabinet cooled, wisps of vapor forming around it.

All of this happened while I stood awkwardly at the front door, my heart beating faster than normal, my thoughts racing and incoherent.

‘I’m in his house, and his family is here! This isn’t like with Farthington where he was the only one home. What do I say to them? I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before as far back as I can recall!’

[Note: Never touched grass?]

Out of nervousness, I found myself adjusting the sides of my glasses, a habit I couldn’t quite shake.

After he finished replenishing the coolbox, Kaelith walked back toward me, “So, where were we? Ah, right. What job are you here to offer me exactly?”

He led me over to a dining table, pulling out a chair for me to sit down, and then pulling another one out for himself.

I slowly sat down, still on edge. ‘Why did I decide to come here?’

Trying to sound composed, I kept an indifferent expression. “I am here to offer you a position—”

Suddenly, the sound of floorboards rapidly creaking interrupted me. In the kitchen, where the table was located, a doorframe led to the rest of the house. Standing in that door frame was a young girl, around 16 or 17 years old, with hair similar to Kaelith’s and sky-blue eyes. She wore overalls and a blue shirt.

“Kaelith, who is that?” Before he could even answer, she turned around and called out, “MOM! DAD! KAELITH BROUGHT A GIRL HOME!”

It was at this moment she knew, she messed up.

A tall woman with blue eyes and hair resembling Kaelith’s, wearing a shirt and pants, walked into the room through the door frame, followed by a man with darker brown hair and green eyes. Both of them had a rustic charm, and the woman, undoubtedly Kaelith’s mother, had a wide smile on her face.

Her voice was relaxed with a hint of playfulness thrown in. “Honey, look, Kaelith brought someone and wants to introduce them to us,” she said, covering her mouth in clearly feigned shock.

His dad responded in a deep, husky voice, “Ah. It’s about time. You’re at that age, kiddo, and I was worried that you wouldn’t be tying the knot anytime soon, but I’m glad it seems I was mistaken.”

Kaelith frantically waved his hands in the air. “Y’all, it’s really not like that!”

In a playful manner, his mom poked him. “Oh, come on, kiddo. You don’t need to hide it. You snagged yourself quite the rare beauty. How’d you pull it off?”

Meanwhile, I, with my face flushed, remained glued to my seat, motionless, as if my soul had left and gone to someplace inexplicable. I was unable to interject in their conversation.

‘Someone... help... me.’