[Chp 2.] First Spark / The Seal

A few days after that accident happened, Zentistu appears in front of Zero, with him in his floating particle mask form. “It’s almost time you know?” Zen speaks up, “time for what?” Zero mumbles. “Those eyes, those flames...I finally figured out what and who those belonged to...” Zen exhales and continues speaking “you see those flames and eyes are...a demon. But not an ordinary Demon...It was his eyes...Look Zero...there's something you need to know. What Kaku said about its impossible you could be that dude long is a lie but a truth. What your named after is a guy named Zarif but before his dying breathe against Death himself, He had one wish and that was to have everyone remember him has Zero the God Slayer...and so Death granted that wish, so in sense, you are Zarif but not him you have some traits of him but not fully him” Zen’s voice lowered. “So, in a sense, you are Zarif… but not him. You have some of his traits—his fire, maybe even fragments of his soul—but you’re not a complete reincarnation. You’re your own thing.” Zero eyes widened as Zentistu said all of this “but you haven’t told me of what you mean by it’s almost time you know...What did you mean by that?” Zen realizes “Sorry my bad I got off topic, What I was supposed to say is your training with Kaku, of course it won't be easy, at first it will but soon it won't, and I will also train you so you can control those flames of yours if we don't have u control them, then something bad happens, also another thing about Zarif is that he was more than just a demon...he's was more...that is all I’m saying. Now get ready for your training!” The air in the room thickened with tension. Zero slowly rose from his bed. As he stepped toward the Darkwood dresser. The first thing he saw was the tunic—a deep black with faint navy trim and silver runes stitched along the sleeves. It felt light, but durable meant for fire, blade, and worse. Next was a chest plate of obsidian-metal, lined with dragonhide and etched with the symbol of Kaku’s army over the heart—a mark of power and allegiance. A pair of fingerless gauntlets lay beneath, reinforced and flexible, their surface shimmering faintly with blue when moved. then came the boots—dark, fireresistant leather with light enchantments for grip and movement. They felt like they had been molded just for him. A dark blue sash with silver threading completed the set, and beside it sat a sleeveless hooded mantle, clasped at the neck with a burning eye charm. Its fabric shifted in color from gray to black, like it was made from smoke itself. The cloak was the last piece. Zero reached out and draped it over his shoulders, the fabric whispering against his skin like it recognized him. As he clasped it at the neck, the silver threads glimmered faintly in the torchlight, and the hood settled over his head like a crown of shadows. took one last glance around the dorm room—silent, dim, and still carrying the weight of everything that had happened. Then he stepped out. Waiting outside was Malik, arms crossed, his usual smirk replaced with something quieter—maybe respect, maybe concern. “Finally,” Malik said, his voice low. “Let’s not keep the King waiting.” With that, the two disappeared down the long corridor, torchlight trailing behind them as they made their way toward Kaku’s training ground—where the real test was only just beginning. Kaku speaks up, “I see that armor set does fit you well” Zero looks up at him with his eye accidentally bursting with a small feint of blue flames. “Kaku...why do we have to do it now...You know I’m only eight years old...?” Kaku looks up at him directly into his eyes “Because enemy won’t wait till, you’re grown up, you must be ready for them at any time, till then Come at me with your best! NOW!” Without hesitation Zero pulls a wooden sword out of his side, and charges at Kaku with a stab, Kaku invades the attack and knees Zero in the chest sending him flying at a few boxes. “Ow! That hurt you know?!” Zero exclaims, “Ok and?! Your enemies won’t care if your hurt or not they will still attack you no matter what so get up and attack me again!” Kaku yells back. Malik whispers in Kaku’s ear. “Don’t you think you're going a bit ruff on the kid?” “No, he needs to learn Malik.” Kaku speaks up again. “Come on KID! Get up and face me!” Zero slowly gets up and out of the boxes, a small feint of blue flames slowly forms and expands out of the tip of his blade. Zen realizes it and zero body starts to glow in a feint of gold and Zen mumbles “body to mind, mind to soul, eight trigram seal! I WHO USE THIS WILL SEAL THIS BOY FLAMES TILL HE IS 15 YEARS OF AGE!” zero body stops for a moment and that feint blue of flames burst out of nowhere but out of nowhere it vanishes into the chest of zero’s and leaves a seal sign on his belly. Kaku realizes what Zen did and smirks “good job Zen, and you know you didnt had to do that, I would've been just fine you know?” Zen speaks “yea well I don’t care about your safety I know you could’ve handled it, but can your castle handle his flames?” “Yea your right thanks again though, now kid! Come to me at full force! Or I will come at you!” Zero looks up at him and tightens his grip on the wooden sword and rushes at Kaku “AHHHH!” With a simple slice Kaku side stepped and slammed Zero into the ground, Zero spits some blood out. Zero grabs the blade and goes for a slash onto the side, Kaku jumps into the air to invade. Zero speaks in his mind while puffing for air. “Zentistu...” “yes Zero?” Zen questions. “Lend me some of my flames from the seal...Not so much though...it be better if I start with your training while training with Kaku...” Zero determination in his eyes showing to learn to control his flames. “Fine...but I won't release too much only 1% of it got it?” “Got it” Zen starts to unseal the seal and leaves 1% of his power unsealed. Zero starts to emit blue flames from his body, his eyes turning to a shade of blue and black, flames appearing outside of his eyes, flames wrapping around his blade like a tornado, his teeth sharping. Kaku notices this changed. “Fine then come at me again!” Zero lunges straight for a Kaku but Zero swinged his left arm outward sending a small gust of sand into Kaku eyes and managed to punch Kaku in his gut but this didn’t affect him at all. Kaku grap Zero’s arm and sent him flying into a wall. Dust started to clear from the wall it was right there when Kaku noticed that zero was slightly standing with his left arm dangling down and his hand on his blade as if he had the blade slowly stop him, he has strands of blood coming down his entire left arm. “I will not be defeated!” Zero yells out loud. “Now that is courage! COME AT ME!” Zero pulls his blade out of the ground, regrips his blade and his body recoats in his blue flames. Zero starts to center all the flames on his blade, He grips the handle of the wooden blade and swings it to the side. “HELL SLASH!” Zero yells out loud, sending a slash of blue flames goes straight to Kaku but he side shifts, grabs the flames and threw it on to the ground. But Zero was still standing, panting, sword raised. His knees trembled, sweat clung to his brow, and the faint trail of blood down his arm hadn’t stopped. Yet, in his eyes, the fire hadn’t dimmed. But Zero was still standing, panting, sword raised. Not even a flicker. Kaku watched him in silence, arms slowly folding as the dust settled once again around the cracked arena floor. “You’ve got guts,” the king said finally, voice calm now, almost proud. “But guts alone won’t keep you alive. "Zero didn’t respond. He couldn’t. His body ached, his lungs burned, but his fingers refused to let go of the sword. Kaku stopped a few feet away, his expression unreadable. “That’s what it means to be strong, Zero. Not power. Not fire. Will.” Zero’s legs buckled, and he dropped to one knee—but his eyes never left Kaku’s. “I want… to be stronger…” Zero rasped. “I want to control it. All of it…” Kaku nodded. “Then you will.” He extended his hand. Zero hesitated—but took it. Kaku pulled him to his feet. “This is only the beginning of your training Zero, be prepared” King Kaku speaks. “Yes sir!”