From The Ashes, A New Man Arises

Opening his eyes, becoming fully cognizant of the outside world, Bazel looked around him and saw the destruction that he had caused. Although he did not exactly know why he thought that he was the one who caused it, instinctually he felt that he was to blame.

Looking in front of him he saw a man with tanned skin and a sad expression, with long hair tied back and down into a small ponytail.

Bazel wondered why the man was looking at him with such a sad expression, for he did not look hurt in the slightest except for a few small cuts around his leg.

Thinking...thinking...

He felt that something was missing, or perhaps he was forgetting something but no matter how hard he tried all he drew was a blank. Confused as he was he did what felt natural to him and tapped the ground twice with his foot, arousing that which hid in his shadow.

Popping out in response was a cat who was made completely of a flaming shadowy substance. It jumped up on top of Bazel's shoulder and wrapped around the back half of his neck, long enough to reach from shoulder to shoulder with some room to spare.

The cat playfully flicked its tail in the air, purring lightly as it lazily lay down.

Bazel felt a connection with the creature that he had just summoned, one that allowed him to communicate with it and in return he was able to vaguely understand what it was saying and feeling.

To everyone else watching him the appearance of the cat might have been surprising, if they had not seen its true form just mere moments ago, but to Bazel it was the most natural thing in the world. All he felt towards the animal was trust and affection, completely and utterly unconditional.

'Do I know that man in front of me?' asked Bazel within his mind, making use of the connection he had with the shadow cat.

What he got in return was not words, but a vague feeling of friendship...and one that was not as simple as mere acquaintances but long time friends or perhaps best of friends.

'How about a name? It would be embarrassing to not know his name, would it not?'

The cat could not answer such a question of course, instead it twisted around and sat on top of Bazel's head. Dropping a paw down on his forehead, a few hazy memories related to his inquiry began to flood his head.

The result was a mess that needed some time to decipher fully, but for now he simply reached up and picked up the cat. And then throwing it behind him, back into his own shadow with one clean toss.

'Damn that hurt' thought Bazel, rubbing his head that was recovering from the splitting headache he had just received.

He then fully focused once more on his surroundings and walked forward suddenly, which he noticed caused all three people looking at him to tense up defensively.

"Am I so scary?" asked Bazel in confusion, who saw his reflection in a large piece of mirror that had fallen on the ground earlier.

His hair was the same silvery white he knew it to be, his eyes abyssal black, and his skin a creamy color in between white and tan.

With a raised eyebrow he crossed his arms and examined everyone in the room, wondering what their deal was.

He looked at the large man standing protectively in front of someone far smaller than him.

'His name...Tiernan. Caution, awe, and a bit of respect but mostly caution."

From behind him poked the head of a young girl, with flowing brown hair and hazel eyes, she looked over Bazel from head to toe in curiosity.

'Hers is...Zaire. Extreme dislike, contempt and pity. What an odd combination...'

His thoughts were interrupted by Neto walking up to him and clasping him on the back several times as he said with a grin,

"Ay, amigo! Good to have ya back, even though I have no clue what exactly happened to you. You know there was all this weird looking fire and everything began to melt and get hot, felt like I was en el infierno!"

Heaving a guilty look, Bazel laughed awkwardly while saying, "My bad Neto, even I do not know what happened there. If I trace back my memory all I remember was everything going blank, and then all of a sudden I was just here facing you looking like your dog died."

"Haha, yeah I thought you broke into madness you old dog," began Neto happily but then the reason for Bazel breaking into madness came to his mind, and his features went downcast once more.

"About Lily...we will find her don't worry. Whoever took her were strong enough to do it under the noses of 24 of the strongest men I have ever known, that alone is enough of a reason to get the full force of the department involved. Especially if the two behind you will care enough to shed some light on the matter."

The two in question said nothing, simply waiting for Bazel to finish speaking with Neto. Yet Bazel was now sifting through the sudden strong emotions and memories that hit him like a large white truck.

'Lily..Lily...My little sister and the person I would do anything and everything for...'

He cast aside everything, temporarily, that was not related to Lily for a moment and completely submersed himself in the feelings and memories that he could decipher in the moment.

Ignoring the poking and prodding from Neto, who was scared out of his mind upon seeing Bazel close his eyes and go completely silent, he fully pieced together what happened to Lily recently and why Neto said what he said just now.

Opening his eyes once more, with a cold yet fiery resolve burning deep within, Bazel ordered, "Give me all the information about the attackers. You said that they ended up killing one?" to which Neto nodded, "Good, have them send a picture of that as well. I have a suspicion as to who it could be that decided to take her but I need confirmation."

He then walked past Neto, leaving him to fumble for his phone and make the necessary calls, and walked straight towards Tiernan and Zaire. There was no attempt at trying to jump over or climb over the mess of a broken mirror, the same one that had cut Neto's pants to shreds and drew a bit of blood. Instead he just walked right through it. A mass of shadow moved from under him and in front of him, creating a portal of darkness that he stepped into without hesitation and popped out the other end that had appeared directly in front of Tiernan.

Clapping slowly with his gloved hands, Tiernan nodded approvingly and said, "Congratulations, you have managed to fully integrate with your gift. You did it extremely late into your life, as far as integration goes, as well as doing it without the aid of a mentor. That is surprising to say the least, but it reveals how high your aptitude for the gift is. Whatever it is...I think it is a contract summoning type, which could mean that you are from a line of summoners and a high class one at that."

Being buffeted by plenty of unfamiliar terms once again, Bazel made a mental note to visit the 'noble' library at some time to figure out the world he was now suddenly apart of.

"Thanks but I do not care about all of that right now, right now I have more pressing matters," began Bazel, "I know you might also have more pressing matters, but I hope you can stay until the truth of who captured my sister comes to light."

'Captured...again' added Bazel inwardly, concluding that he would have to handcuff her to himself in the future.

"Oh? You are suspecting my family in this matter?" asked Tiernan in a playful, probing tone.

"I have a suspect in mind, although it makes no sense as to why they would be involved from my perspective, but that is why I want you here so you can answer my questions should what I believe turn out to be true. You do owe me, remember? Not only to make up for what Zaira there did to my Lily, but I did save Zaira's life from that Sanguis guy."

"And what if I refuse?" pressed Tiernan, his tone still playful but his body clearly tensing up.

Bazel simply smirked, tapping the ground and allowing several tendrils of shadow to climb up his body and sway around him like grass in the wind.

"Then I suppose I would have to make you."

A tension built up in the air, with each side pressuring the other in a silent bout of force. Such tension was broken immediately, as a voice full of pity purred, "Brother...that is embarrassing you know? Why do you always have to act like that when you meet someone who seems strong. Ahh, I always knew father spoiled you too much when you were younger."

Tiernen deflated immediately upon receiving pity from his younger sister, scratching the back of his head and smiling sheepishly.

"All right, I won't play around anymore..." began Tiernen, ruffling Zaire's hair and meeting Bazel's gaze, "I do have my own duties but I had already made time in my schedule so I could pick up a certain troublemaker, so for the rest of today I am free to answer any question you might have."

Relinquishing his shadows, Bazel was about to thank Tiernan but Neto walked into the room using the door, a trend that seemed to be fast going out of style lately.

All attention was then directed towards Neto, who waved a notepad full of scribbles on it in one hand and his open phone in the other.

"I got the information amigo...but you are not gonna believe it."