God Shelter (EN)

Areyos Orionis's Point of View

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Training with Barrios was intensive, as usual. Now that the break was over, we were going to get down to the serious business.

"Yoko, point Soulcalibur at Areyos," Barrios ordered.

"What!? Why me?!" I asked, surprised.

"You regenerate really fast, so it doesn't matter if you lose an arm in the process," Kaiser said with a mocking tone.

"What!? You can't be serious! That's a damn Regalia!" I shouted, alarmed.

"Don't worry, Rey. You're chosen because Kaiser can see the chi knots. It'll be necessary for the demonstration," Barrios reassured me.

"Kaiser, activate your Kengan and tell me what you see on Rey," Barrios requested. Yoko's blade was pointed at me. Kaiser activated his Kengan and scrutinized me. His reaction didn't leave me indifferent.

"How is that possible? Areyos, you have only one energy knot. The chakra in your body, your Ki, and your chi all seem to come from the same knot on your chest," Kaiser said, surprised.

"Are you joking or messing with me?"

"No, I'm serious."

"Now, Yoko, point the tip of your blade at Areyos's forehead," Barrios asked, and Yoko did so.

"What do you see now, Kaiser?" Barrios questioned.

Kaiser was silent for a moment, staring at my forehead before answering. "The energy knot that was on his chest is now on his forehead, and all his energy systems seem to stem from this knot."

"Wow, I can move his energy knots just by pointing with my sword!" Yoko exclaimed.

"Exactly. I think you've already had the class on chi veins. And you learned what chi nodes or points are."

"Yes, we talked about it in class," Yoko answered.

"Good. As you know, these nodes are present throughout the body. Chakra, Ki, and chi all have a vein system which, at certain points, meet to form knots. These knots are energy factories. It's thanks to them that after rest or a nap, you recover chi, Ki, or even chakra. Soulcalibur has the ability to gather all the nodes of the different systems in the body into one point and destroy them with a single strike, preventing the enemy's energy systems from ever regenerating," Barrios explained.

"What!? This technique is devastating!!!" Yoko and Kaiser exclaimed.

"This Regalia is very powerful but also very dangerous," I said, shocked but calm.

"Exactly. But to destroy all the knots at once, you'll have to strike fast and hard. For that, Megan used the 'Flash Thrust' technique. This technique is a lightning thrust over a certain distance, somewhat similar to Areyos's 'Flash Blade' technique. That's what you'll be training on for the rest of the session. I'll create volcanic warriors for you to fight. I'll control them remotely while supervising Kaiser's and Rey's training. You're forbidden to fly during the training. I'll need to know where you are through my seismic sense to direct the warriors."

"Understood," Yoko replied, already feeling the difficulty of the training.

"Know that these warriors regenerate continuously and are very fast. The only way to defeat them will be to destroy their chi system to prevent regeneration, and only then can you eliminate them. I'll adjust their power so they're roughly at the level of a normal Metaryon in Overcharge Mode. There will be 1,000 of them," Barrios announced nonchalantly.

"What!? 1,000 volcanic warriors!? That's too much for a first time, General!!" Yoko cried out, frightened, her voice trembling, while Kaiser and I suppressed a laugh.

"Do what you can. If you can't do it, Areyos can always regenerate you with his healing bending, hoping you're not already dead. I warn you, I won't stop the lava warriors even if you're on the ground. Do you still want to train after hearing that?" Barrios asked coldly, which terrified Yoko. She composed herself, clenched her fists, and after a few seconds, she declared:

"I'm going to crush all your warriors. Not a single one will remain." The determination in her eyes left us speechless.

"Very well, then let's move," Barrios ordered.

We flew to a test area about a kilometer from the manor. From my memory, there were mountains in that area. Barrios must have altered the terrain for training.

"Perfect. Yoko, you know how the 'Flash Thrust' technique works, right?" Barrios asked.

"Yes, yes. Areyos explained it to me a few weeks before school started. I couldn't use it then since I didn't have lightning bending. But thanks to Overcharge Mode, I think I've unlocked it," she replied.

"Exactly. Each transformation unlocks one or more elements, but strengthens them if you already had them. In your case, since you didn't have lightning bending, you've unlocked it. You can learn the 'Flash Thrust' technique. Combined with the power of your Regalia, you should be able to execute 'Vengeful Blade,' Megan's special technique," Barrios explained.

"Understood, I'll try that. I'm ready," Yoko affirmed, looking concentrated and serious. Barrios stomped the ground, and 1,000 warriors made of black volcanic rock, with lava flowing through the cracks, emerged from the ground, raising the temperature.

"Good luck, Yoko," Barrios said, ascending into the sky on a large stone column, then creating a platform at the top.

"Hey! You two, come up here," he called out to us. We flew up to his height and then landed on it while Yoko faced the army of lava warriors below.

"We're going to work on chakra. Are you ready?" Barrios asked, arms crossed.

"Yes," we replied.

A red aura was released from Barrios's body, enveloping him completely.

"Good, the first thing to know about chakra is that it's very different from chi. We'll focus on the basics for now. We'll delve deeper another time, is that okay with you?" Barrios asked.

"Yeah, that's fine," we answered in unison.

"Good. First, know that while chi allows you to freely control an element and its sub-elements, chakra can control elements, sub-elements, and psychic techniques along with their respective afflictions," Barrios explained.

"Seriously!?" Kaiser exclaimed.

"Yes. For example, Eyline's 'Dark Veil' technique is a shadow-type affliction. And recently, when I used the heat sphere in front of Yoko, it was also an affliction, but of the fire type. This is done through chakra. Just like chi allows you to change an element into its sub-elements," he said, turning a stone in one of his hands into lava, "chakra can change an element or sub-element into one or more of its afflictions." By changing the fireball in his other hand, he created a visible heat sphere, distorting the landscape when looking through it.

"Wow, impressive. How do we use chakra?" I asked, impatience in my voice.

"You just need to say 'Zettai: Chakra Opening'," Barrios replied with a smile.

"Huh? That's it?" Kaiser asked, looking surprised.

"Yes, that's it. Chakra is a system that listens. Almost all chakra techniques require being spoken, either aloud or in your head," Barrios explained, crossing his arms.

"Interesting energy system!" I said, impressed by the simplicity of the method.

"But how can I use Kengan, which is a power using chakra, without ever saying anything to activate it?" Kaiser pondered. His question was valid. All Dōkō use chakra, according to what Barrios told us. Yet, Kaiser hadn't needed to say anything to activate his chakra flow. Barrios's answer was unexpected:

"Dōkō have their own chakra system, different from the one circulating in the body."

"Their own systems!? So they don't need the chakra that circulates in the rest of the body?" I asked, intrigued.

"That's correct. Even if the chakra in the user's body runs out, they will always have the chakra from their Dōkō," Barrios explained, his voice full of certainty.

"Wow... Thaleus was a genius," I said, smiling admiringly, running my fingers through my hair.

"Enough talk, let's do this. 'Zettai: Chakra Opening'!" Kaiser announced, and immediately, a red aura burst violently from him.

"Amazing..." I said, stunned by the amount of energy he just released.

"My turn. 'Zettai: Chakra Opening'." Suddenly, a red aura erupted just as violently as Kaiser's, and I felt my total energy reserve increase significantly. Although I couldn't use chakra for my chi or Ki techniques, knowing that developing chakra techniques would make me effective in combat was already good news.

"Perfect, I'm proud of you. It's time to develop your ninjutsu," Barrios said, a proud smile on his lips.

"Our ninjutsu? Is that what chakra techniques are called?" I asked, excitement building in me.

"Exactly. To create a ninjutsu, you first need to know the nature of your chakra. Generally, the nature of chakra is similar to that of chi."

"So my chakra natures are fire and earth, along with all the sub-elements that come with them, right?" Kaiser asked, looking focused.

"Exactly. Know that the elements granted by chi bending allow for the use of natural elements," Barrios began.

"What do you mean by 'natural'?" Kaiser asked, the question evident on his face.

"Well, could you generate flames in a place where there's no air?" Barrios asked, his eyes fixed on Kaiser.

"Uh, no, since there's no air," Kaiser responded, a bit embarrassed.

"Indeed. But watch; 'Stellar Orb' !" Barrios said, and a ball of fire like a mini-sun appeared, floating in front of us.

"Now, Areyos, I want you to extinguish this flame with your water bending."

"I've got something better; I'll just remove the air around it," I said, creating a vacuum sphere that enveloped the fireball.

"Your air bending is extremely advanced for someone who recently acquired it," Barrios said, visibly impressed.

"It's probably because I absorbed the celestial beast core of the Peacock King. His air bending must have strengthened mine. I even think it's more developed than my fire bending," I answered with a note of pride.

"Are you serious?!" Kaiser exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Yes, very serious." I replied, leaving Kaiser speechless. His surprise was justified; my fire bending was quite advanced, even if I hadn't reached blue flames yet, but I already had good multipliers. The idea that an element I had just discovered could already rank in my top two bendings, just behind my water bending, was hard to digest.

"We'll test your air bending later. For now, I find it hard to believe it's effective. The Stellar Orb is still there and hasn't even lost intensity," Kaiser said, skeptical.

"Ha ha ha, no, Kaiser, I assure you his air bending is effective. But as I told you, only chi allows the use of natural elements. The Stellar Orb you see here is made of chakra particles. It feeds on my chakra, not the surrounding air. So, I can use this orb underwater or in a place without air," Barrios explained confidently.

"Wow! Incredible," Kaiser said, amazed.

"Yes, I admit it's an incredible energy system."

"Ha ha ha, it's true. One last point, using chakra techniques doesn't necessarily require a nearby source. When using ninjutsu, chakra is first used to generate the element, then used again to give it the necessary shape, size, effects, and power," Barrios explained.

"Seriously!? We don't even need a nearby source!?" Kaiser exclaimed, incredulity in his voice.

"No. Your chakra is your source," Barrios said seriously. " 'Iron Lance'," he pronounced, and a lance appeared out of nowhere in his hand, before our astonished eyes.

"To save your chakra, you can skip the first step, which is using chakra to create the element to manipulate. In that case, you can use a nearby source you infuse with chakra to use your ninjutsu," he added.

"Understood," we responded in unison, eager to start.

"Good. What will each of your first ninjutsu be?" Barrios asked, the excitement palpable in the air.

Kaiser stepped back slightly, preparing to use his first ninjutsu: " 'Azure Dragon!' " he shouted, punching into the air. A long serpent-like dragon of blue flames emerged from his fist, coiling around us before rising high and crashing to the ground not far away. A wave of blue flames spread in all directions, leaving behind the 'Heat' affliction in the area for several seconds even after the flames had vanished.

"Wow!!!" Barrios exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with wonder. "That's very impressive, Kaiser. Now it's Areyos's turn," he added, equally enthusiastic.

"'Hydra Shock'," I said, standing upright, my chakra vibrating around me. An hydra made of water, born from my chakra, emerged and circled around me before crashing down further away, generating a wave of water that spread in all directions, dissolving the rocks on the ground.

" 'The dissolution' !? I've never seen this affliction!" Barrios said, looking just as surprised as when he saw Kaiser's ninjutsu.

"Ha ha ha, your 'Hydra Shock' is just an aquatic version of my 'Azure Dragon'," Kaiser said mockingly.

"Yeah, whatever. You'll talk less when you understand why I chose the name hydra instead of dragon," I said with a mysterious smile on my face, which only served to confuse Kaiser more.

"Alright, have a duel. Until the end of training. Go all out; I'll be back in 4 hours. But put the weights on," Barrios said before walking away.

"Can we transform?" Kaiser asked, excitement palpable in his voice.

"Hmm, let me think, how much can you easily lift in normal mode?" Barrios asked.

"Uh, let's say...1500 tons," I replied.

"Considering Overcharge Mode and Moonlight Mode multiply your power by 10, that would be 15,000 tons you could easily lift. That's too much; unless you have a large cruise ship on your back, you wouldn't even feel the weight of your current loads," Barrios said.

"So no transformations?" Kaiser asked.

"No, I'll find you magical adjustable weights up to at least 20,000 tons. Mr. Zaymon might have some. For today, no transformations." He concluded.

"Okay," Kaiser responded after a long sigh. Barrios left us, and we started our duel. It lasted three hours, and I came out the winner, but with much difficulty. We spent the remaining time watching Yoko struggle against Barrios's volcanic warriors. It was quite amusing.

" 'Vengeful Blade!' " Yoko shouted, piercing the last volcanic warrior. She was still far from mastering that technique, but she was improving quickly.

"Finally! I thought you'd never finish," I said, descending from the stone column.

"Ahh, ahh, you... you were watching," she said, out of breath.

"We were watching," Kaiser replied as he descended.

"I need a break and a good cold shower. My muscles are on fire, and I've got no energy left," Yoko said, collapsing to the ground.

"Well! I see you've finished. Congratulations, Yoko. You're very persistent," Barrios declared upon arrival, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Thanks, General. I'm doing my best, even if I'm on the verge of collapsing," she responded, panting, rubbing her tired eyes.

"I can see that. Go ahead, rest a bit. You've earned it."

"You're right. It's getting late; I need to head home," Yoko admitted, a sigh of exasperation escaping her lips.

"I'll walk you home. Otherwise, you'll collapse on the road," Kaiser offered, with a protective look.

"Thanks, Kaiser," she murmured, grateful.

"Let's go. Rey, are you coming?" Kaiser asked.

"Of course, I plan on getting my t-shirt back," I said, smiling.

"Ah... yes, I forgot," Yoko added, blushing slightly.

We took the path back to the Belserion house, discussing the day and Barrios's apparent sadism when suddenly, a call interrupted our conversation. Yoko checked her ring, her expression changing instantly.

"Hello, Nia, what's up?" she said, her smile freezing.

"Yoko--..." Nia responded, her voice full of palpable anguish. A heavy silence followed before the call abruptly cut off.

"Nia!? Nia, answer!!" Yoko cried out, her face pale, her heart racing.

"Did she call from the shop's communication sphere?" I asked, worried.

"Yes--" she began, but I didn't wait for more. I took flight towards the shop, adrenaline pumping through my veins, ignoring if Yoko had anything more to say. It was 8 PM, during a moonless night.

Nia Moore's Point of View, One Hour Earlier

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"Grandma, you're finally up!" I shouted, running towards her.

"Ooh, my little darling, I've missed you so much," my grandmother replied, tenderness in her eyes.

"Her condition has stabilized; she's no longer in danger," Mr. Bastion Santalio, a respected doctor, informed me.

"Thank you, Sir," I said, bowing slightly.

"You're welcome. You can leave peacefully now," he responded with a reassuring smile.

"Well, I see you still give much attention to elderly people, Bastion," said a voice behind us.

"Mr. Marlow Moore!? You're back from your trip already!" Dr. Santalio exclaimed, a bit panicked. My heart began to beat violently.

"Yes, I wanted to surprise you," he said confidently, then set his gaze on my grandmother.

"Well, well... Isn't that my Aunt Sana I see here? What audacity to come here despite the dishonor you bring to our family," Marlow said with an arrogant smile. My grandmother motioned for me to leave, probably to protect me from him. But I didn't even get the chance to take two steps before a tall, muscular man grabbed my arm, preventing my escape.

"Ooh, what do we have here? Isn't this the biggest failure of my dear sister? She couldn't bring herself to kill this child, as I had asked, I see," he said arrogantly, a Machiavellian smile on his lips. "You're Nia, right? You know it's because of you that your mother took her own life? You're the cause of all your troubles," he added, leaning towards me. His words pierced my heart; I had tears in my eyes, trembling with fear and rage.

"Shut up, Marlow!!! How dare you say that to your sister's daughter!? She's only 14, poor thing!" my grandmother shouted after slapping Marlow hard, who only kept his provocative smile.

"Sonia was just an idiot who thought she could make it without the family's help. Marrying a poor man out of love instead of a rich and powerful one to extend the family's power, what a disappointment," Marlow added disdainfully.

"Come on, Nia, let's go," my grandmother said, pulling me by the other arm. The muscular man released me, and we quickly walked away.

"Rest well, Aunt Sana," Marlow shouted after us.

Marlow Moore's Point of View

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"Do you want us to follow them, Sir?" my head guard asked.

"Yes. I plan to correct my foolish sister's mistakes. Also, send men to dig up her corpse and order them to throw it into the manure of one of my farms. She doesn't deserve to rest in the Moore family cemetery," I commanded, determination in my voice.

"There are 20 security agents in the cemetery. They're tough and have highly developed seismic senses; our men might not come out unscathed," he responded, concern in his eyes.

"Valem, remember that money always triumphs over fists. Offer them 50,000 Kera each, and that should do it," I said with a confident smile on my lips.

"Understood, Sir," he replied, nodding.

Nia Moore's Point of View

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Back at home, my grandmother hugged me, whispering that everything would be fine and that Marlow was just scum. Despite her comforting words, I couldn't help but think there was some truth in what he said. If I hadn't been born, my mother might still be alive…

"Don't think about it, Nia. Be strong; your mother might not have managed to survive without relying on this family, but you can. You run a shop by yourself, you take care of me while they all turned their backs on me, you managed to pay for my medical bills. That's not nothing. Keep going like this, and you can have everything you want without depending on the Moores. You'll make it; you always do," my grandmother said, hugging me tightly.

"I'll protect you, Grandma, I promise," I replied, tears in my eyes.

"Oh, my granddaughter... I don't doubt your intentions... But you know... some promises are so hard to keep, especially at your age," said my grandmother, looking towards the door. Someone opened the door, unlocking it with metal bending.

"Good evening, Sana, I hope I'm not interrupting a touching moment," said Marlow, entering followed by two guards, his smile exuding insufferable arrogance.

"What are you doing here!?" I screamed.

"I'm correcting my foolish sister's mistakes," he replied with evident contempt.

"Nia, hold on," said my grandmother, taking my hand. She created a tunnel below us using her earth bending. We moved on a small platform of earth, making sure to close the hole behind us by filling it with earth so they couldn't follow. My grandmother's earth bending was quite powerful for her age, and thanks to that, we managed to get away from the house and emerge in the forest.

Unfortunately, we were followed. Marlow stood on an earth platform, hands behind his back, taking a confident stance. His guards, also on flying platforms, were in attack positions. I had no idea how they had tracked us. Did they have a specific power for this? Or had they simply guessed our trajectory? Whatever it was, Grandma mustn't stop.

"Grandma, are you holding up?" I asked, worried.

"Listen to me, Nia. You need to understand one thing: none of this is your fault. You'll always encounter people like Marlow. 'What matters isn't bending under the mask of shame others want you to wear but rather proudly assuming the courageous face you choose to show the world'. They don't decide who you are. You do. So, don't let anyone else define your limits or discourage you," said my grandmother, her eyes fixed ahead.

"Grandma..." I said, absorbing these words full of wisdom but sensing the worst. She stopped at the edge of a ravine and lowered her earth platform to the ground, unable to continue due to fatigue. Marlow and his guards did the same.

"What a pity to stop here. I guess you won't have the strength to cross the ravine. Poor aunt," said Marlow, a big smile on his lips.

"Marlow, if you've come to correct your sister's mistakes, I'm listening. What do you want me to do to leave Nia alone?!" my grandmother shouted.

"Hmm, well..." he pondered for a few seconds. He then created a golden knife from the ground and threw it at my grandmother's feet. "I want you to do the same thing Sonia did in front of Nia when she was younger," he said, looking satisfied. My breath caught at those words. Memories from my childhood suddenly flooded back, playing in my head like a horror movie up to that very scene...

Nia's Point of View, 8 Years Old

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"Mom, what are you doing?!" I asked, trembling with worry. She was holding a knife in her hands, blood on her wrists.

"Mom, you're hurt! Let me take care of you, you'll get better, I promise," I said, grabbing a piece of cloth and placing it on her wrist.

"Ooh, Nia, forgive me... I can't go on, I can't take care of you anymore... I don't want you to live with the shame of being a poor Moore. If they find out about your existence, they'll make your life miserable," she said, tears in her eyes.

"Come, I'll free you from this suffering, my daughter... You won't make it if you keep living... I'll do it for you; you won't feel a thing," she added, raising her arm, the knife's tip pointing at me.

"Mom... we can still make it! I'll work very hard for us, please, Mom, let me try..." I pleaded, tears of sadness and fear streaming down my cheeks.

"No, Nia, you won't make it... you'll never make it," she said, her words cutting like blades. She then tried to stab me with her kitchen knife, but my grandmother intervened, deflecting the knife with her metal bending. I ran immediately to her.

"Are you crazy or what, Sonia?! You weren't actually going to kill your own daughter!!!" my grandmother shouted.

"She's the only thing still connecting me to that poor Cid. If she's gone, I can have Mother's forgiveness. I should never have fallen in love with a poor man," she said, pausing. "Nia is the biggest mistake of my life," she continued, rushing at me with the knife.

"Stop, Sonia!" said my grandmother, levitating several knives aimed at my mother. She stopped immediately.

"Oh, my poor Nia... When you see life is too hard, do like Mom," she said before stabbing herself in the throat. She collapsed and died instantly.

Nia Moore's Point of View

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Since that day, my great-aunt, whom I affectionately call Grandma, kept me safe from the Moores, mainly from Marlow. But he eventually discovered my existence. By throwing the knife in front of my grandmother, I realized he wanted her to kill herself in front of me, just like my mother had done when I was younger.

"If I do this... do you swear on your Moore honor that you won't kill Nia?" my grandmother asked, her gaze piercing.

"I swear on my Moore honor that Nia will not die by my hand," Marlow swore, a mysterious smile on his lips. My grandmother picked up the knife, then looked at me. I tried to stop her, but one of the guards immobilized my legs with earth bending.

"No, Grandma!!! Don't do it, he's lying!!" I screamed.

"Nia, you must survive. The world needs people like you. Your determination and kindness make you exceptional. Your father was a good and strong man, and his power resides in you. Accept everything you are... 'You'll make it... you always do'," said my grandmother as I watched the scene, tears streaming down my cheeks. Then, like my mother had done before her, she stabbed herself in the throat, repeating my childhood trauma. Petrified and paralyzed, I couldn't look away from this horrific scene while Marlow laughed. I felt all strength leave me, realizing I had lost the most precious person in my eyes.

"As i said; Rest well... Aunt Sana," he said, looking proud of himself.

"Don't worry, she was old anyway," Marlow added as one of his guards approached me. The other pulled my grandmother's body and threw it into the ravine.

"As I told Sana, you will not die by my hand..." he added, a mysterious smile on his lips.

"But I never said anything for my guards." My eyes widened after these words, my heart beating faster and faster. His bodyguard grabbed me by the neck and started choking me. "You'll join your grandmother," he said hoarsely. As I began to lose consciousness, he let go, dropping me into the void of the ravine...

To Be Continued...