Concurrently, in Tiliac. Enzo continued to drag Aster along those final troublesome yards to base, where things began for the boy in the first place. As the cyan haired man looked on at Aster, he could see nothing but miserable dread on his otherwise blank face. "I can't even look, it's far too jarring...", thought the male in his grip. More tears fell from his eyes, and Enzo heard him, so he stopped for a moment.
"Aster, are you sure you want to go on?, asked Enzo, but before Aster could answer, a small explosion shifted the air around them, shattering the scenery in the distance. "Aim!" screamed someone a few hundred metres away. Enzo pulled Aster toward him and spoke quietly to him, "I'm sorry I put you in this situation, but there's no turning back now.", he muttered. "Seems there's going to be some turbulence on our route...", he added.
Eventually, they were met with a stone barrier. "It's just as menacing as I remember it...", shuddered Aster. "Only clan members can get in, meaning I'll have to hide you in some way." informed Enzo, pulling out a black cloak from his bag. "You're shorter than me, so I'd certainly hide you.", he remarked. Aster took Enzo's gift and put it on, and just like Enzo said, it completely covered him. "This way you can simply tell the guards that you're someone going to be initiated and that I'm escorting you.", Enzo reflected.
"You're so kind...but I don't need this...", responded Aster flatly. Enzo couldn't stand this, "I'm not letting you do everything alone!", he exclaimed. Aster gave him a puzzled look as if no one in Tiliac ever objected to his chronic independence before. "We're doing this together and that's final!", Enzo enthused once more. Aster nodded and lifted his hood up, they were going to be stealthy.
The males sauntered up to the guards with confidence, Aster fully hidden from their watchful eyes. "Excuse me, sir, I'm about to take this young trainee of mine to get initiated. Would you mind letting us both in?", asked Enzo in the most believable tone he could. One of the guards saw the situation and pondered. "May we ask what your ability is?", the guard questioned. They scrambled for answers, with Enzo noticing that every time the guards glanced at him, Aster trembled and worried about his cover being blown, especially now that he was at base, where some people would recognise him.
"I'm a ball and chain user, one that specialises in stealth.", Aster responded, much to Enzo's surprise. "He's very good, give us a demonstration...Gaster.", Enzo added. The guards were in awe at the idea of a weapon like this, which they had never seen before. "Yeah! Show us what you can do!", one of the guards enthused. Aster pulled his hood forward and then transformed his dagger into a ball and chain. "I'll show you, but be prepared to stand back!", he boasted.
With that, he projected the ball and chain at the guards, which swung with every movement Aster made. "Give us some tricks!", the guards ordered. Aster gulped in nervousness, too much force would make his cloak fall off, but he obliged. The boy spun around making the the ball bounce with the chain at the same time. The guards watched in amazement. Then, he knelt down, making the ball and chain extend out. "Blast it at the door!", one guard called out, pointing at the door ten metres away. "I haven't mastered this weapon yet... ", thought Aster, but he had no choice.
Aster flung the ball and chain, and it bounced against the guard's shields and aimed toward the door. Aster thought anxiously during those few milliseconds. Would it bounce off the door? Miraculously it did and it began hurtling towards Aster again. Enzo couldn't watch, just in case the, the trick didn't go correctly. Aster reached out with his hands, ready to catch his weapon, but he blinked at the wring moment and the ball and chain forced off his hood.
Aster stared wide-eyed at Enzo, completely terrified at what would happen next. "What was that?", asked the cyan haired boy. But before Aster could respond, the guards had now rushed toward him, swords drawn. "It's that banished boy from four months ago! What is he doing back?!", a guard questioned. "The higher ups will certainly hear off this, detain him!", the other exclaimed. They pushed Enzo away and grabbed onto Aster, "Wait, I can explain!", Enzo yelled. But Aster had already been taken away.