Colin's posts

Ash sighed.

"Dani knows me, I suppose." he said.

"And Vyn?" he then addressed her.

"Pull no punches." he told her.

"This is gonna be a trial by fire, so to speak." he said. "It'd be Phyra if it were to be a literal one." he then added with a laugh.

"Regardless, give her hell, and show her what an elite is made of." he finished.

"Will Dani be presiding over this test?" he then asked.

"I know she usually doesn't, but... well, one could see this is a special occasion." he reasoned with a small shrug.

Ash turned around, and merely nodded.

He then lightly grabbed her hand, and the two of them disappeared in a swirl of black fire, appearing at the front door of the guild.

They walked up to the door, where Ash pressed a button near it.

"Hunter codename AJ. Passcode Skye BlueDeer." he said.

"Got a situation 'Fresh' here." he then added, knowing whomever was on the other side would know what it meant.

"Very well." Ash responded.

"One hour." he repeated.

"Come find me in one hour." he told her.

He then turned around and went back to what he was doing... which looked like preparing some things for their dinner later. And it looked like it was going to involve Tusk Lamb meat, as well as a marinade that smelled really good.

"Yup." Ash replied.

"See ya." he said, before hanging up.

"One hour." he told Desiree.

"You get your shot in one hour." he reiterated.

"You sure you're ready?" he asked.

"There's no turning back once you confirm it."

"........." Ash was silent for a moment.

"Vyn." he replied.

"This applicant needs to be shown what the best of the best can do." he told her.

"They need this baptism." he said further.

"Phyra? Nah. Phyra'd probably be enough, but... no. Let's do this RIGHT." he reasoned.

"Heh." Ash chuckled.

"You DID learn." he said.

"Fine." he then muttered, before taking out his cell phone and calling someone.

"Yo." he said when they answered.

"Got a fresh applicant for you." he told her.

"They think they got what it takes to make it in the business." he went on.

"When can ya run 'em through the wringer?"

"Prepare?" Ash asked.

"Simple." he said.

"Be sure that your skills are what Candentus Lux wants." he told her.

"Be confident you can prove yourself useful." he said further.

"And have NOT AN OUNCE of self-doubt inside you." he went on.

"Want something more specific?" he then asked her. "Tough." he quickly said.

"It's impossible. The acceptance process is like a test. That's different for EVERY applicant."

"Hm." Ash muttered.

"I see." he said.

"Can't fault the reasoning." he told her.

"Tell you what, it's up to Cass." he then said.

"She accepts you, sure. I'll do it." he told her.

"Otherwise, you can't even try again until you're old enough." he went on.

"Deal?" he asked.

Ash froze for a moment.

"E... excuse me?" he asked.

"Consent for you?" he asked her.

He paused for a moment, before leaning against the counter he had been working on, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So." he said.

"YOU want to be a hunter do you?" he asked.

"Why?"

"Age limit?" Ash asked.

"Uh.... usually she doesn't start accepting people until they're consenting age." he told her.

"But it depends." he said.

"If they're REALLY talented, they can become a hunter as young as they want, as long as they have consent from their parents or legal guardians." he went on, before pausing.

"...assuming the person HAS one..." he added, sighing heavily.

Ash watched her go, and sighed.

"Hm." he muttered.

"Well, here's hoping she knows what she's doing." he said.

"Odds are she does." he went on, before pausing. "Ok, at the very least, she won't end up dead." he then mumbled, shaking his head.

"I hope." he continued.

He was then silent for a moment, before looking out a nearby window, trying to see if he could see what she was doing.

When she grabbed it, she felt like the blade was actually going to try to drain her... and if she thought about it in colours, then it felt like some 'red' force was going to suck her dry. However, as it seemed to try to invade her, and take her 'blue' mana, a 'red' barrier suddenly came up and stopped the force.

The hunter side knew that if all Desiree's mana was drained, she would die.

And it would die as well. It didn't want that.

So it formed the barrier to stop the force. However, Desiree could tell that this was mere preservation... but she could also sense that there was a chance it could turn into a more... cooperative... arrangement, if given time and attention.

Ash noticed the grin, and smiled.

All right then. he sent her, as he got up to make them.

After he did, Desiree was alone with the blade once more, and she could feel the power in it.

And she could sense the history in it. The violent history, and the mana the rune had taken from mages of the past.

But the blade seemed so pristine and clean... and the rune glowed so... beautifully.

Something of such pristine beauty, with such a filthy horrid past.

Ash read the texts that she sent, and then sighed.

It's... it's okay. he replied.

It's not your fault. he sent her.

Do you want something to eat before... well, whoever it is that Demi texted gets here? he then asked.

I can easily whip up those waffles you like.