V1. C.10 The Awakening

The moment Neon grabbed onto the orb, he instantly felt himself pulled into another space. Looking around to see if there was anything recognizable, he finds out that the only thing he can see is himself as he raises his transparent hands in front of him.

"Ehhhhhhh?! Why am I transparent?! What is going on?"

"We are transporting your soul to yourself from the past," the all too familiar voice of the Divine chimed in before Neon could ask anymore questions.

"You will essentially be combining your present soul with your past selves soul through the use of Our powers. To make things more interesting, though your current soul will be in control overall, your past soul will still attempt to influence your decisions due to the inevitability of your age at that time. So enjoy yourself Chosen One, but beware of the evil that will be coming for you, in due time you will know more about why you must fight."

"Wai-"

Before Neon could respond with a barrage of questions, his mind went blank and his soul was, in essence, sucked away.

"Neon! Wake up!" A grungy voice of a man made its way through the air to Neon's ears.

Instantly recognizing that grungy voice Neon responded with a rather squeaky voice, "I'm up fath-... ahhhh!"

Neon was startled by the sudden voice change and his nonchalant approach to greeting his once dead now alive father. As he looked around the room he was in, he acknowledged immediately that he was in his old childhood room, decorated with white drapes hanging over the windows and a bed far too big for his size. Neon also saw all his old training weapons, dulled short swords and a small bow with a couple quivers lying on the floor across his spacious room. *thud thud thud*

Neon turned towards the door where he heard heavy footsteps approaching, and with a exaggerated push of the door, his father ran in.

"What happened? Why'd you shout?" A younger version of his father appeared, with his once salt and pepper hair now pure black and stubble instead of his old beard, one could definitely say he was rather handsome.

"Ehhh, no reason," Neon responded while hesitantly approaching his father, "Umm, I missed you dad."

Forgetting to even assess the situation of being from the future, Neon ran to his father and jumped into his arms hugging him with tears down his face.

"Woah my son, I saw you just yesterday as we trained for the upcoming tournament. No need to get emotional, I love you too haha!"

Neon looked up to his father who was now taller than him, "Tournament?"

"Oi, don't tell me you already forgot about the Star Tournament you'll be participating in, you just turned four and you can finally experience your very first series of battles, cause of course you're gonna win every single fight haha!" a hearty laugh came from his father and Neon couldn't help but smile. 'I truly missed his laugh… Oh! Gotta find mother too!'

Neon ran out of the room leaving his father behind "Oi you brat! What's got you in a hurry?!"

"Gotta see mom, I missed her too!" Neon yelled over his shoulder.

Running through multiple corridors, and remembering the route to where his mother tended to be the most while he was growing up, nothing stopped him as he finally made it to his mother, who was standing among beautiful flowers of all sorts of colors.

"Still in the garden huh Mother?"

"Oh, sweetheart good morning. What do you mean still in the garden? Am I spending too much time here and not with you?" She walked up to Neon and started pinching his rosy cheeks. "Owowow! I give! I give!" Even in his past life, Neon could never withstand his mother's pinching technique. His mother eventually let go with a chuckle and then picked up the four year old Neon, "If you ever need more doting Neon my sweetheart, just ask… however, only after your training, anytime before and I'll only pinch harder. When you inherit this kingdom you must be strong enough to protect it."

Reminded of what was going to happen in his future, and what happened in his previous life, he gave off a serious tone, one that would belong to a man who has lived beyond his years, and not a four year old boy.

Surprised by her son's face, she couldn't help but ask, "Sweetheart, don't let it get to you right now, enjoy your youth, I'm only reminding you to make sure you know strength is important in this world. With strength you can protect the ones you love."

That only made Neon's face turn even more serious as he finally responded after intently listening to his mother's insight, "You're right mother. I'm going to become the strongest, to protect not only you and father, but this kingdom, and my wife and children."

"Hahah wife and children? Sweetheart you are so cute to already be thinking of that. You're a handsome young boy, and strength will definitely help you find the right woman. But save that for the future ok son?"

"Don't worry mom, I know who I want to marry."

"You do? What's her name? Did you meet her outside at the markets?"

"No haha, I haven't met her yet, but I'll tell you right now mother… she'll be the most beautiful girl you'll ever see, and a fiery one at that hehe." Neon looked up towards the sky envisioning the flame-like hair of Kay Woods. His mother was puzzled by her sons straightforwardness on the subject, even more so when she remembered he was only four.

"Mom."

"Yes Neon?"

"You should grow some more red flowers, it's my favorite color so I would love to see them when I walk through here."

"Ok, sweetheart, but you must get going on your training, otherwise your dad will get upset."

"Martha! Have you seen Neon?!"

"Speak of the devil haha," Neon's mother Martha turned her head over to her husband's voice, "Arthur, Neon is here with me! Is it time to start training?!" she yelled across the garden to her husband Arthur.

"Yes! Send him over to the training courtyard! We're getting him to Peak Bronze Perfection before the tournament in three days, so Neon!?"

"Yes father?!" Neon yelled back, feeling a little nostalgic as he remembered yelling across the garden to his father in his past life as well… and a little annoyed since he never understood why his father couldn't just walk over like a normal person.

"Prepare yourself, these next couple of days of training will be like hell!"

"Hehe, maybe for you dad," Neon gave off a devilish grin.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing!" Neon quickly responded, glad that his father didn't hear his initial response.

'The look on father's face is going to be priceless when he finds out I already know all his techniques, haha going back in time really does have its perks.' Neon thought to himself as he gave his mother one last hug, and ran in the direction of the courtyard.