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***
Ding Dong
The bell rung in a rhythmic pattern above the buildings roof. With it's pristine white walls and soaring architecture, the structure was unmistakenly a church—a quirk church.
This churches weren't common in Japan. The people believed quirks were a gift from god. And those who had it where the Lord's chosen people. Overall, they were very unassuming, at least on the surface.
Raphael stepped through the church's halls. It was a massive space, tucked away in a quiet, unassuming neighborhood of Takoba Municipal Park.
He gazed around, his eyes lazily rallying the residents that were currently in church, they were fewer than 50 at the moment
Continuing on, he ignored the looks of praise and adorational gazes as he passed by. He made his way to the back, a personal sign hung above it. Pushing the door, a set of staircases opened up before him, leading underground.
It took quite some time before Raphael reached the bottom of the stairs. Of course if one weren't like him, they would ultimately get lost due to the numerous and wonderful echoes that lined the walls.
An open ended room stretched far on all sides. Numerous workers, draped in white clothing. This was quite different from the ones that were above, the people here were more…combat ready. At least that's how Raphael would have put it.
Glancing around, most were training under the command of others.
"Lord Raphael." A voice spoke from beside him.
Glancing to his side, a woman stood bowed. Long red hair, her clothing the same as the others, pure white garment with gold linings. But what distinguished her from most was the gold circle that was on the right chest area. A general rank.
"Ah, Sakura, how lovely to see you. How are you doing." He asked
"I'm doing well my lord, your concern feels me with joy." She replied, her face as impassive as all the times Raphael spoke to her.
Raphael nodded. "Good, good. Well, I must go and speak with the rest. Duty calls and all that."
"Yes my lord."
"Okay, then. Tata~" he waved, strolling away into his private chambers. Not bothering to take off his coat, Raphael flopped down on his couch and closed his eyes
Instantly, the world as he knew it disappeared. Replaced with another. An empty space where concepts such as up or down did not exist.
Raphael gazed around, observing the other silhouettes in the darkness.
"Raphael, take these meetings seriously."
He glanced towards his right, the silhouette of a woman spoke. Of course he knew her. "Relax, I may have gone slightly overboard but it's still within plans."
"Big bro Raphael killed a lot of people. Hahaha." Two identical voices spoke out as well.
"It matters not, the plan still remains. The procurement of the stones will proceed as scheduled." the woman said seriously
Raphael just grinned, 'Maxwell, I do hope you won't disappoint me in the coming years.'
***
"The origin of quirks?" Max repeated.
His grandma nodded, "This." She gestured to the red glowing stone that laid before them, "is among them. The origin of quirks."
Max didn't know what to say. What could he say? It just felt like his world view just got flipped on he's head.
"The true origin of quirks didn't begin with a glowing infant." His grandma's voice snapped him from his confusion as he listened. "it started all the way in the 6th Century-"
"6th century. When knights were prominent-" Max blurted out in excitement, he loved that era. It was his favorite era of history and featured some of the heroes he loved and emulated. Of course all being crowned by Arthur Pendragon.
He was about to launch into a full blown tangent when a force landed on his skull, threatening to crack it open like an egg.
"Owwwwww." He clenched his head in pain.
"Do not interrupt me next time, I don't like repeating myself." His grandma spoke seriously as she let down her hand.
Max nodded frantically, shutting his mouth as he fixed his gaze on her and listened.
"Then, as you already know was the time of knights, also known as the Medieval Times." She continued Legends say that one day, a ball of fire came crashing down as it tore the night sky open. With that, it crashed into the planet, somewhere in the ocean."
She paused, "Now normally, with the lack of technology then, people would have ignored it. Unless you were a scientist, philosopher or just crazy, it didn't spark any kind of movement. Those who saw it were mostly travelling bards that song its tales in a lofty manner for show."
Max leaned in, the pain from earlier forgotten.
"But, the meteorite was affecting the surrounding land in which it struck. Tales of monsters or beasts were told. But of course humans were still skeptical, until the first attack had hit them.
Monsters with ridiculous powers attacked. Normal weaponry couldn't work any longer. So the alchemist then, the only way to survive was to fight fire with fire. They sought out the site of the crash."
Max nodded, completely enthralled in the epic tale.
"Nine warriors set out on that impossible journey to that land," Eleanor spoke. "They obtained nine crystalized stones. Then, they dubbed them the celestial stones. It granted the knights tremendous and unforeseen powers, allowing them to finally turn the tide against the monsters."
"So the heroes brought peace to the land and were revered across all nations. You should know them…"
"The knights of the round table." Max's eyes widened in realization and awe.
She nodded, confirming his guess. "But of course, one of them let the power corrupt." Her voice grew colder. "He let the power take him, he grew hungry for it and so the first ever quirk war started, lasting for 50 years."
Shock passed through Max. A whole 50 years of war. He shuddered at what that would have been like during that time.
"But alas, the war ended in victory for the other eight." She continued, "They drove him back, though his followers still remain till this day. Seeing what destruction the stones could do, the remaining eight vowed to protect it at all costs. Guarding it with their lives. This responsibility was passed down through generations, and finally it has been passed to you."
Max froze at the statement. The weight of the responsibility came crashing faster than he expected and would like.
"So you understand the origin, now you understand the foes you have to battle in the future and what could come about if they get their hands on it." She asked.
Realization struck him. The task was enormous even. But strangely, instead of feeling fear. He felt…clarity. His usual grin made way to his face as his eyes sparked with golden resolve.
"Grandma, I'll be strong. I'll be the best Hero. I won't just be any hero, I'll be a light for others, a pillar. This I swear on my title as legacy bearer. So please…train me." He stared at her, his proclamation hanging in the air like a signboard.
Silence hung between them. Eleanor stared at him, but Max didn't back down.
"No." She answered.
Max face fell slightly, "W…what, Grandma but why?"
"You still don't understand your role, your foes will come with you with everything they have." She spoke, her voice getting colder and colder each time. "With how you are now, you're weak. Your mind is not focused, it's still chaotic. Why should I waste my time training you?"
The question hung in the air as it seemed to press out the vigor out from Max. He gritted his teeth as he couldn't come up with an answer to the question.
Eleanor didn't move, she waited.
"Grandma, you're right." He finally spoke, "I'm not the right person for the job, there is hate in my heart. I want my revenge, I want to kill him, he that did this to me and my parents." He growled as his body shook involuntarily.
He calmed himself as he lifted his body up as he stared at her, that burning passion now brighter. "But I still truly wish to be a hero. I know I'm weak currently, but I don't want to remain so."
He bowed, his head touching the floor. "Please grandma, help me become stronger to fulfill my selfish request."
Minutes seemed to trickle by as the air seemed to get colder and colder every passing by. His grandma didn't have an ice quirk—though he didn't know the specifics of her quirk—but she always still managed to make you feel like she could freeze you to death. But Max remained bowed as he waited.
Moments passed before she spoke, "You pass."
Blinking, Max couldn't help but stare up at her. Questions and stark confusion in his eyes.
"If you had simply argued or told me for some foolish reason like honor, I would have not allowed it." She answered, "But, never apologize for being selfish Max, it is what makes you human." She placed a hand on his shoulders.
A grin bloomed unto Max's face but it froze as she passed him. "Go change, we begin your training in fifteen minutes."
"Huh, grandma, but we just came—"
"Fourteen minutes now." She interrupted, not even looking back.
Immediately be shot up as he ran to go and change as quickly as possible.
***
Evening arrived, Max laid sprawled on the backyard, his body ached with brutal pain.
The training, no, torture that his grandma subjected to him, seemed to last forever. Each time he thought it couldn't get worse, it got worse.
'And I thought fathers training was brutal. It seems to run in the family.' he thought.
Ringing tones cut off his thoughts. He glanced down at the phone besides him. His eyes quickly saddened. His previous phone had gotten destroyed, so his grandma bought him a new one. Not that he has any contacts before in the first place. The only one he had
'Jiro.'
Max didn't want to think about her. Avoiding the thought of her would be better than thinking of whether she has lived or…
But Max knew she was already dead. His teeth gritted. He was the only one that survived after all.
His phone continued to blare, earning an annoyed expression from Max. "Who could it be?" He wondered.
Flipping the phone. He froze. Time seemed to stop. His eyes must be playing tricks on him, it couldn't be.
Jiro
The caller ID. He was almost fearful to pick it up. Fear that if he did, it would just be a dream.
With shaky movements, he picked up the phone. "J…Jiro."
His heart thumped in his chest. The wait seemed to stretch for eternity, until he heard a reply. A reply that brought numerous emptions back to him
"Ma…ax."
***