3

"Hello, my name is Roxy Migurdia. Is this the home of the Greyrats?"

She was not what I had been expecting to be honest. In the few stories I remembered from my life in the UNSC most masters of magic were old men with long white beards. That, or they were scantily clad women who corrupted others. Standing before us, was neither of those. For one thing, she looked like a young woman, only 17 maybe, and small for her age too coming in at about five feet, one inch. Her blue hair was drawn back into two ponytails falling down her back, the rest residing in her comically large wizard hat. Her face was cute enough, but I could see boredom in her eyes, as well a hint of apprehension. To be honest, my first impression was so far not the best, but I would reserve judgment for now. Not every teacher was like Chief Mendez or Commander Ambrose. ' Honestly she reminds me of Lucy. She was small too, and look at the power and skills she had.'

Zenith stood, stepping swiftly off the steps towards Roxy, intent on greeting her. "Yes! My name is Zenith." she opened with a smile. Pointing to the rest of the family she continued. "The shameless one practicing is my husband and your employer Paul. And the maid doing laundry is Lilia. She lives with us full time as well." She turned to me, reading the skepticism on my face, I was gestured forward. Approaching, I stood next to my mother and took in more of Roxy's appearance. She wore an overcoat that was laced across her chest. Her base layer of clothing consisted of a dress that came to an end about her mid thigh. White, knee high boots covered her legs. She seemed to be examining me with a critical eye as Zenith finally introduced me. "And this! Is Rudeus, your student to be!"

As soon as Zenith finished her sentence, Roxy's face fell drastically. She shook her head, obviously disappointed that I was the one she'd been hired to teach. Looking at my mother she started voicing her objections, "Mrs. Greyrat, your son can't be older than five or six with his size," ' Well at least she can sort of compliment me I suppose.' "his ability to mold mana into a spell will be mediocre at best. I don't know if he'll even be able to understand the foundational theory of magic and the rules as to why we practice magic the way we do. I am sorry Mrs. Greyrat, but whatever talent you think that your son may have at this point in time, will not be able to be improved or nurtured." She was obviously upset, the frown on her face saying as much. But, as to whether it was from having made the trip out here, or having to inform my family of my perceived inability to perform magic I did not know.

I looked up at Zenith, who was staring down at me. In that moment our understanding became mutual. ' I'm sorry that you think I have nothing to offer you as a student,' I moved away from both Zenith and Roxy, facing out into the valley towards and the Red Wyrm mountains. ' However, I am no ordinary child, and you're about to understand you failed as a teacher without even considering my possible talent.' Releasing a deep breath, I began to mold my mana. After so many times it was simple and came to me as easily as blinking. ' It's a bit hot out here, how about a nice shower for us all?' A grin split my face as the sphere of water formed in front of me. A dash of energy to the ball to ensure it would spread, becoming a small rainshower and I was off. " WATER-SHOWER!"

' Best I not give away everything yet. I don't want to scare her away with all of my abilities.' I thought as the ball of water ascended into the air. At several hundred feet it spread out, popping and letting loose its payload. Not enough to drench anything around us, but enough that it covered almost a quarter of a mile in a light drizzle for about thirty seconds. Facing Roxy, I grinned. ' How's that for no talent?! Maybe you'll actually test your next student.'

My prospective teacher stood there. Surprise was written over her entire being, and why not? Rarely, if ever even, did a child my age have the innate power, control, and focus to produce a spell such as the one I did. Slowly, she looked down from the rain as it petered out to Zenith, and then to me. Her eyes were wide as she stepped towards me and kneeled. "How did you do that?"

"What do you mean?" I questioned back. "It was only a simple water ball spell that I modified by converting mana into energy and giving it the direction to disperse once it reached the right height and become rain. Can't everyone do that?" It was a cheapshot asking a question like that, I knew. But, she needed to learn something, and that was not to assume anything, especially if it looked like it was harmless or didn't meet your expectations. ' Lots of us died that way…It's why Chief Mendez and Commander Ambrose beat it into our skulls so much.'

"Would it be alright if I started working with Rudeus right away? There are questions I'd like to ask him to see where he's both skill and knowledge wise." Gaining my mothers permission, we left the adults to what they were doing and entered the orchard in our backyard. I moved to the bench we had, seating myself in front of Roxy. The poor woman must have been in shock as all she did for several minutes was walk back and forth muttering to herself. Occasionally glancing at me before returning to her self questioning. Finally, she stopped in front of me, determination written on her face.

"For real this time, how did you perform the spell? No child your age should be able to mold mana into a simple ball of water, let alone create a small rainstorm, with a shortened incantation no less." My gaze poured over her, looking for any sort of weakness. ' Interesting. She really believes that I shouldn't have been able to have accomplished the spell. Maybe I'll get to have some engaging conversation.'

"Simple. I worked with the mana inside of me, giving it the end goal as well as a path of completion to the end goal." The answer didn't seem to satisfy her. Tucking her chin into her hands, she started muttering to herself again. "You worked with your mana?" nodding, she continued her question. "Can you explain that to me please?"

Now I was confused. ' Do other people not work with mana like I do? Mother's book never did specify what the writer felt when they accessed their mana, nor any examples of what others felt either did it?' Grunting, I thought best about how to explain it to her. Then, the idea came to me. "I don't know how you work with your mana," I began, "but mine is almost a force of its own." Her confusion was back and larger than before. "Think of it like there's two of us inside me I guess. There's me, Rudeus. And then there's my mana. My mana is almost like a reflection of who I am I guess. When I sit or don't do anything for long periods of time then I become restless and can lash out, not in harmful ways though. My mana is similar. If I don't practice magic then when I visualize and enter its domain," She perked up at that, wanting to know more but letting me continue. "Then it becomes restless and agitated. I suppose that the best way to describe it is that my mana want's to be used, and all I do is work with it to give it the direction and end goal. It's uh, weird I guess, saying it out loud…" I finished, rubbing the back of my head. Who knew that explaining the process in which you broke physics could be so awkward. ' It doesn't help that I'm not great with people in general either.'

It was like a star had gone supernova behind her eyes. Excitement rushed through her as she rushed forward and grabbed my hand. "You can actually visualize and communicate with your mana?! What is it like? Please, you have to tell me!" ' Well I guess that answers one of my questions."

"Visualization yes, communication, well, to call it that would be a stretch." I sat back and sighed, did I tell her the truth? That I'm Rudeus Greyrat but that I'm also more than that? ' No. No, she'd think I was crazy for one. And for two, despite that she may be my teacher, we aren't at that point. Honesty goes a long way but that kind of secret is too important to tell her right now.' I sat up straight and began. "Visualizing my mana begins with closing my eyes, and feeling the presence of it within me I suppose. Usually I get pulled into the place within me that my mana exists. I don't know what you'd call it, the soul maybe? Regardless, it's there that my mana resides. Earlier you asked me how long I'd been practicing for?" She nodded, engrossed in the discussion. "I figured out reading by two, and that's when I started practicing." There were questions there, obviously. What two year old could form coherent sentences, let alone read and understand the basics of magical formulae? Following that train of thought, where did a child that age gain the focus to actually apply said formulae?

Roxy knew I wasn't natural, I hadn't been from the moment she'd seen me create rain, but for both our sakes we it was ignored. The elephant in the room would eventually bump into the china as it were, but that wasn't going to be today and it wouldn't happen for over a decade. Keeping her curiosity at bay, she nodded and let me continue. "When I was first able to visualize my mana, it was like I was in a storm. It was a rageful thing, fighting me, energy out of control within me as it sought an outlet and to be used, practically begging me for a purpose. There isn't words as you or I know them, more feelings or concepts. I said earlier that my mana reflects what I feel or who I am right? Well if I enter into it angry, or upset then the conditions of the zone change to mirror that. The lake that I see becomes choppy, wind tearing at the waters and causing waves while the grass I see on land wilts."

My explanation seemed to leave both of us speechless. I wasn't one for talking much, at least not with people I'd just met. Being raise as a sociopathic machine hellbent on slowing the genocide of our species didn't do much to build my social skills. Who would have figured right? For Roxy, it must have been a lot to take in. Even having accepted that I wasn't going to be a normal pupil, the level of insight I had given her into the nature of my magic was both massive and personal. I'd basically explained that I could visualize and work with a reflection of my soul, the truest measure of what made me Rudeus Greyrat. Why wouldn't she be in awe? She couldn't have known how open I was being with her, and yet on some instinctive level she internalized the trust and understanding I had given her. In my previous life I'd only been vulnerable with Sasha, having gone through the same things, surviving Greydowns, Onyx, becoming headhunters, and finally dying together. Neither of us really knew how vulnerable and open we were with each other, but that was okay because there was an expectation. The older and the younger. The teacher and the student. Master and apprentice. This conversation opened the gate and built the foundation of our relationship, giving it the possibility of lasting.

"You are very well informed, Rudeus, to say the least. You have a level of self reflection and awareness that I have not seen in men ten times your age. You should be proud of it and how far you have come." She was quiet as she spoke. I nodded, what else could I do? I had opened and provided insight into just who, or more aptly what I was. But she'd let sleeping dogs lie, and in doing so earned my trust. I watched her stand, and felt hope rise within me. Her hand was extended forward, a show of trust and a confirmation of our mutual understanding. I stood and took the extended offer, smiling as I did so. "Very well then," for the first time I noticed how sweet her voice was, like music on the air. "My name Is Roxy Migurdia and I would like to take you on as my student and apprentice. Do you accept my offer?" There really wasn't any other option available to me. If I turned her away then I'd have to start from the beginning with another, exposing myself to them and hoping that they had the fortitude and intuition to let the demons of my past lie a while longer? ' No, I don't think that'd be the right choice for me.' "I do. I, Rudeus Greyrat, do accept your offer. From this day forward I'll be your apprentice and student in the ways of magic."

Relief washed over both of us. Like a sweet and cool breeze on a blazing day. Both of us had needs that we had hoped to assuage with this conversation. And thankfully we had. One simple meeting had changed the courses of our lives for the better, and we two could only express gratitude for such a course correction. It was then from the front of the house we heard it.

"Roxy! Rudeus! We've made dinner and finished preparing so come eat!" Zenith's words managed to tear us away from each other. Budding relationship aside, we would both need time to deal with the revelations we had gained that day, as well as the vulnerability we had shown. Words unneeded, we headed inside to enjoy dinner. Zenith and Lilia had cooked a veritable feast, loaves of fresh bread, slow roasted chicken, and pies and beer to name the delicacies that covered the table. Paul performed tricks with his sword, as well as told stories of his days at the marshal academy in Millis with Lilia and his time adventuring with Zenith. It was lively, and just what Roxy and I needed as a return to some sort of normalcy. She was a graduate of the Ranoa academy of magic here to teach a prodigy more control, high level magical theory, and improve his overall magic repertoire. I was just Rudeus Greyrat, son of Zenith and Paul Greyrat. I wasn't the machine I had been molded to be, not anymore.

"Huh, thats funny." Roxy's quiet comment broke my concentration. Her gaze was fixed on me, as though if she looked away I might disappear. "For a second it seemed like your eyes weren't blue anymore. They were grey….almost like they were iron."

Roxy had been living with us for almost three months now. To the rest of my family she'd been a lovely girl who was teaching me magic at an accelerated rate and ensuring I didn't blow up our home any more than I had already. To the people of Buena Village she was a gift from the gods, ensuring that crops didn't fail through the summer heat with her water magic and creating rudimentary irrigation canals with earth magic. To me, well it would be a disservice to say that she was anything but my closest friend. Obviously she was my master first and foremost, but she had also become the only confidant I'd had in decades besides Sasha. There existed topics that were skirted or outright ignored. For Roxy it gave her a sense of peace and ignorance that would otherwise be torn apart if she opened the proverbial door as it were. For me, it allowed me to ignore the demons that haunted me and an ever increasing sense that I had failed in my duty and didn't deserve happiness. Despite these unspoken boundaries we'd become close, spending hours together discussing magical theory or working on spell competency.

"You can't simply disregard incantations in spell casting! They're an integral part in molding mana and properly shaping it. I'll concede that it is possible to shorten an incantation, but it still requires some medium to define the energy into form!" Our topic today had been a hot button issue for Roxy. I'd waited to bring up incantation-less casting to my master some time into our lessons as I didn't want to stress her or shatter the foundations of our association. What had been a simple question meant to ease the topic into her mind had sparked fierce academic debate between the two of us. "Mana is a wild form of energy Rudeus, it has to be given some means of defining what it will be otherwise it will collapse and injure the wielder."

' Conventionally, she's right. But then I've never been the conventional sort.' The argument was going nowhere. Platforms of debate had been established and defended and attacked for almost an hour. Roxy, for all her brilliant mind and experience, was a creature of tried and true theory. Why attempt a wordless cast when all previous attempts had resulted in injury and failure. I, on the other hand, was a creature of instinct that by design was meant to be a tier above others and push the envelope, showing what was possible and broadening the horizon of the human condition. Having become frustrated with the argument and listening to theory, I acted. In an instant flame formed in my right hand, water in my left. No words said ushering their creation. There hadn't been a need, because after all, words were nothing more than a lingual description of what we perceived as our reality and the laws imposed upon that reality. ' What good is theory and limitations when we casually break and bend physics to our whims?'

In our time together, Roxy had moved past surprise as a reaction. My ability to pick up both theory such as why mana flowed into our bodies as it did or its cosmic nature, and practical magic such as advanced level magics as though I was learning the alphabet had desensitized her to what others may have considered superhuman feats of learning. As flame and water appeared in my hands, she could only sigh and lean back to study the spells. Her eyes raked over each application of mana, even as her other senses took in the power, stability, and composition of them. "Well, don't just stand there. If you're going to break hundreds of years of accepted tradition and precaution you have to explain why at least."

I beamed as the spells faded without a constant source of mana. A stick and the dirt of the orchard would be the best tools of clarification. Feeling her eyes on me, I began to carve into the ground. Dirt broke apart, earth becoming the vessel of my explanation. A few minutes later, my diagram was finished and I turned to face my mentor. "When we mold mana into a spell, It's all about the destination right? Either through a magic circle and runes or by speech we describe the end result of the spell right?" A nod. "It's no different than when a spell is shortened to reduce casting time. For example, FLAME." A flame appeared in my right hand. "It's a simple, beginner level spell, and yet every book on theory would say not to shorten the spell due to the fact that people lose concentration from the beginning which is the molding of the magic, to the casting of the spell which in this case is the construction of the flame itself."

Realization dawned in her blue eyes as I continued. "The problem is the middle." I gestured to the ground. Inscribed in it was a start point, an endpoint, and a multitude of winding paths from beginning to end. "It's easy to maintain the beginning and end, those are fixed. In making the FLAME spell, the beginning is molding mana and the end is the flame itself. Where people go wrong is the path in which they take along the journey." To highlight my point I traced several of the paths. "The problem that spellcasters face is that they don't internalize and truly understand the path that they take when molding their mana. Sure, some may begin to understand the processes and thus being able to shorten their casting time. Spellcasters are lazy," seeing the curiosity on her face I continued my explanation, "most only memorize what they need to be able to produce an effect but don't try to improve. A few begin looking into improving their magic and end up being more effective. And then theres the truly unique spellcasters. Mages like me." What went unsaid was that I would never be like other magic users but the reasoning behind the point was valid. "We find a path," stabbing the stick into the shortest, straightest past from beginning to end "and we memorize it. Practicing over and over, learning the efficiency of our mana molding and the reality that it is based on. And once it's so ingrained into the recesses of our minds, well then…" Flame roared to life on my hand. Soundless, it was a constant, putting off heat and showing what hard work could do.

Roxy's eyes shifted between the flame in my hand and the diagram on the ground for several minutes. Resolve building, she turned back to me. "What about concentration? Magic circles remove the requirement of having to be focused on the end result and only require an influx of mana. Spoken casting was developed and implemented to remove the strain of having to build a spell in a stressful situation and instead offered a rote memorization that provided a clear path from start to finish." She was silent for a moment, her eyes piercing me before she looked back at the example. Quietly, as though she was afraid of failure or rejection, the words escaped her mouth. "Can I do it?"

She had a point after all. The majority of people didn't have the ability to split their concentration to conscious processes and subconscious processes. My example glared up from the ground at me, daring me to refute her point. ' Am I going to be the only one who can cast wordlessly? Because of what ONI did to me? What they made me?' Images of Onyx flashed before my eyes, spending days staring down a sniper scope waiting for a target to appear. Training myself to be able to do multiple things at once so that my mind didn't tear itself apart from the monotony and lack of stimulation. My hands flexed as the question wormed its way into my mind, ' Can I only do it because I'm more of a machine than a human?' I turned back to her, studying her body language as she studied the ground.

Mind made up, I replied. "I don't know if you can or not Roxy. To be honest it requires immense concentration at first, but then it becomes second nature. Kind of like walking the same path over and over, eventually you don't realize you're stepping on the same stones. The key is practice. It has to become so mundane that you could do it in your sleep." Her eyes were full of hope. In the time we had been together, even someone as socially tone deaf as I was had learned her biggest weakness. Roxy's identity was based around her ability to perform magic and her knowledge of it. She was no slouch by any means, being able to cast high saint level water magic, but this was something that could set her apart from others, allow her to truly stand out. I did not know what could have damaged her personality to the point that all she felt she was, was her magic, but I knew that she could be so much more. ' If I can be more than the spartan I was, then she can be more than the mage she is.' "I'll say this though Roxy," Her head snapped back to me, "I know that you can do it. I believe in you." It wasn't much, but perhaps it would be enough. Enough to feed the flame inside her and drive my teacher to accept that she didn't have to be bound by old ideas or by what others thought of her.

My master didn't move, fixated on me and what I had said, the battle raging within her. Would she rise and overcome the limits that had been imposed on not just her, but all mages. Could she cast off the net of safety and step forward, becoming a mage that was to be held up and emulated for all time? That was for her to decide, I'd simply opened the door and shown her the possibility existed. Hesitantly, she stood and turned out to face the trees. Fall had arrived, and with it the warm red, orange, and gold leaves to mark the season. She was such a contrast, standing there, insecure before the welcoming oak and apple trees our home was surrounded with. Ultimately, it would seem she came to a decision. The staff which had come to be such an integral part of her image was raised aloof, and then it began. Mana coalesced into a form. It was a rough, sloshing ball of water held in the air, and yet it did not lash out and break its form. Beads of sweat trickled down Roxy's face. ' I didn't think that it would be this hard for her.' But then, she hadn't received the upbringing I had.

Standing at the end of the orchard was an old oak, its towering branches reaching almost 80 feet into the air. According to Paul, the previous owner of the house had planted the seed that would become such a mighty tree when he was but a boy. Now though, the tree was old, with most of its branches dead and dying. My father had plans to cut it down so that it wouldn't blow up in a storm and that the wood could be used to heat the house in winter. Those plans were no longer important as a blade of water shot down the lane. The base of the great oak offered no resistance as the water glided through it before dissipating. Slowly, the tree tipped, falling backwards with a great crash as limbs were flung everywhere and the leviathan was granted its peace.

Pride welled from inside me. Roxy had done it, she'd broken her limits and become more than she thought she could be!

"Rudeus?" her question was soft, and she was obviously tired from her attempt.

"Yes master?"

A smile, small and reserved for special occasions I'd later learn. "Thank you. For believing in me."

Thanks were never a part of being a spartan, especially being a member of the third generation. It was nice to be thanked, I decided at that moment. "You're welcome." And no more words were said, even when Paul came and saw the destruction we had caused.

Fall became winter, and winter spring. The day of my fifth birthday had arrived, and with it came excitement and the harrying of family as the women rushed about preparing things for the party while Paul and I trained. The energy swords of my last life were vastly different from a traditional steel sword. For one, the grips are different to account for physiological discrepancies between the two species. Sangheili had a four digit hand, with two long fingers. Humans have a five digit hand with an opposable thumb. Secondly, and most obvious of all, steel swords are not molds of superheated plasma held in place by magnetic fields. ' What an interesting observation.' I thought dryly while deflecting another strike from Paul and backpedaling to put distance between us.

This was all to say that my previous experience of dueling eight and a half foot tall genocidal aliens wouldn't help me here. Especially against Paul. I knew he would be an aggressive teacher, I was his only son and he wanted me to be a knight when I reached my majority. What I couldn't account for was his knowledge and experience in this world's three main fighting styles. North god style, Water God style, and the dreaded Sword God style. Paul was advanced in all three, and where other fighters may only specialize in one he was so proficient in each that he could change styles on the fly to disorient and then defeat his opponent. ' I have to give him credit, it's not something you'd see everyday.' Time slowed as I finally saw it. What I had thought was going to be a thrust at my chest was instead a feint. The blade was coming for my chest and going to send me flying. Unfortunately I didn't have the time nor ability to react and remove myself from danger. ' Stupid body. Well, this is gonna hurt.'

The blade struck, and I flew. It certainly was not graceful as I tumbled through the air, hitting the ground and only stopping once I smacked into the stone wall that surrounded the yard. "Ouch. That looked like it hurt. Are you alright Rudy?" Pushing myself off of the ground, I glared at my father. A grin stretched across his face as he lightly tapped the wooden sword on his shoulder rhythmically.

"You're an asshole father." My deadpan reply seemed to stun him for a moment, before he roared with laughter. "Ha ha! You'll have to do better than that if you want sympathy from me, my boy. Come on, let's go wash up for dinner." Dusting myself off, I followed him. He was right afterall, I'd come further than he'd expected in the year since we started training with wooden swords and exercising but it wasn't enough. I had yet to beat him, nor was I consistently landing hits. Whenever I would get close to him he'd switch from North or Sword God into Water God and simply go on the defensive and manage to beat me still. ' Alexander might have had trouble with him, and he could make blades sing for gods sake. Paul is a monster.' I shook my head, now wasn't the time to be thinking of B-312. No, now it was time to wash my hands and clean up. Hours of exercise had left the two of us a dirty mess, and I refused to attend my own party looking that way. ' Not that I mind being dirty, it's more for mothers sake, she'd be furious if we came to dinner like this.'

Finishing cleaning myself I stopped to stare in the mirror. I had my father and mothers blonde hair, as well as mothers blue eyes. A far cry from the brown and hazel of my last life. Perhaps the most identifying mark was the mole under my left eye. Paul had one in the exact same place, so I couldn't help but wonder if our entire family had the same birthmark. Ignoring it for now, I went downstairs, taking a seat at the table.

If I had to describe the night in a word, it would have been spectacular. Mother and Lilia had made my favorite foods. Father and Roxy had gotten special candles from a trader that would occasionally set off like a small firework. And then they performed skits, ancient tales of wars long ago, heroes that had changed the course of history and defeated armies by themselves. The most interesting tale was of the Laplace war almost five hundred years ago. Learning about the heroes who saved the world, as well as the Superds who had apparently gone so insane that they attacked their own allies. ' I wonder if any heroes emerged and saved the UNSC. The similarities between the two wars are understated to say the least.'

"Well," clapping, Zenith stood and walked around the table. "I think it's time for gifts and since I delivered you, I get to go first!" Gathering an item bound in a sack, she undid the wrapping revealing a large book. "I know that you've been improving when it comes to magic, and so I thought that you could use more advanced material!" She placed the book in my hands gently. It was weighty, the tome being thick and having hundreds of pages. Its title read ' King level magical formulae and theory; a collection by Leon Tarkus, Scribe of the Dragon God Perugius.' The book couldn't have been cheap, King level magicians were few and far between, texts for them even more so. ' I can't cast spells of this caliber yet, but I'll get there someday.' Setting it on the table, I embraced her. "Thank you mother, it's an exquisite gift. I love it and I love you." I finished quietly, feeling her embrace tighten as she spoke her love into my hair. We separated as Lilia approached.

"For you, young master." Lilias' gift was a journal with an inkwell and pen. I'd discussed wanting to write down my thoughts and journal my life with her previously. It seemed she took that to heart. I hugged our maid as well. "Thank you Lilia, it's perfect." Seemingly surprised by the act, she hesitated before hugging me back. "You're welcome, Rudeus." I released her and turned, it was Paul's turn next.

He stood in front of me, large and imposing. His face was set into stone, whatever he was giving me he felt was important and carried a measure of responsibility. ' Huh, he almost looks like Chief Mendez as he instructed us in hand to hand combat, and yet, he's different from Mendez. Softer, more human than superhuman I suppose.' Paul's hand came to his buckle, and he undid his sword belt. The action was momentous. His sword was the tool he used to pay for our home and lifestyle. The only times I'd seen him without it were when he was sleeping or when he was bathing, and even then he kept it close by in case of an emergency or if the villagers came calling. Wrapping the belt around the sheathe, he knelt before me and presented it to me. "You are my son Rudeus, my only son." His face was a mix of emotions, most presently was that apprehension and uncertainty. "As a boy I was rebellious and didn't know what I wanted from my life. Your grandparents had expectations for me, but I bucked at that, and eventually ran away from that life. This is the first sword I ever owned. I purchased it with money I made as an adventurer, and because of it I made friends, met your mother, and was even able to have the pleasure of having you as my son Rudy." His hands placed the sword in mine, ensuring that it wouldn't fall from my grasp.

"It's a bit big for you right now, but I have no doubts that you'll grow into it. Remember, we Greyrats are strong and if we put our minds to it, we can topple mountains. Use that strength to protect others, my son." His speech was remarkably similar to another I'd heard so long ago, about how I would be the sword and shield of the human race. My eyes raked over the sword, committing every detail about it that I could to memory. In my previous life, I had grown to hate elites more than any other race within the hegemony that was the Covenant. In my hate, I had learned as much about Sangheili culture as I could, hoping to one day burn it to the ground and erase any evidence of their species. There existed a tradition among thrm, where a warrior received their first energy blade from their father, usually handed down from generation to generation. ' That I would be participating in a ritual so similar to the ones I hate more than anything… Life is full of irony it would seem. Sasha must be laughing at me right now.' There were no other words to be said between us, after all what could be said that hadn't been conveyed in actions already. I was Paul's heir and his legacy, in this moment it dawned on me just how much of himself he was giving to me, ensuring that I would grow up to be an even better man than he was. Despite how mechanical I was, tears threatened to come to me. My family had shown me nothing but love, and now they were showing me trust by giving me a tool to become a man of renown with the caveat I used it to do good.

Faster than he expected, sword forgotten on the chair next to me, I was wrapped around Paul's midsection. Emotions I had long since thought repressed and buried surfaced within me. Anxiety and fear most prominently as I dreaded failing to live up to his expectations. Calloused hands rested on my head and shoulder as I trembled. "I love you dad. Thank you for giving me your sword, I promise that I'll put it to good use." When he did speak, his voice was full of pride and affection. "I know you will Rudy. You're going to surpass both me and your mother and become amazing." He may have been perverted and tried to impress too many women, but he was my father and he cared for me, and I for him.

Minutes later, after we had finally separated, was it finally Roxy's turn to give me a gift. My closest friend in this world and my teacher had been less active these past weeks, something seeming to gnaw at her. Without much flair, she presented a long, thin handled stick that was painted white. At its tip was a bright red gem shaped like a diamond. The gem lay encased in a loose fitting of what looked like brass or copper. The other end of the stick formed into what looked like a knob on a dresser. It was a beautiful work of craftsmanship, I noted as I looked it over. "It's a wand. Usually the master would craft their apprentices first wand after they'd mastered beginner level magic, but with you being so advanced it slipped my mind. So, happy birthday Rudeus!" I took the wand in my hands, it felt large for how small I was right now. I moved it back and forth, testing its weight before I let my mana flow into it. What I was met with was a sense of joy and excitement. Magical foci such as wands and staffs enhanced the spells effects as well as made the process generally more efficient. My mana seemed overjoyed at the prospect of getting even more use and being stronger now. ' Makes sense if it's a reflection of who I am.' Shaking off my thoughts, I smiled at my teacher. "Thank you Roxy, it's amazing and I couldn't have asked for a better gift."

The evening slowly wound down to a close. I was the last one to go to bed, having decided to sit out in the orchard for a while. Mostly it was for my own sanity, that way I didn't have to listen to my parents attempt to give me a sibling every single night. Sighing, I finally decided it was time for bed and entered the house again. Paul and Zenith were still as….ecstatic as ever, but I could ignore them. Reaching the top of the stairs I turned the corner and froze. The first room on the floor was my parents room. Mine was after that, and at the end of the hallway were the stairs to the attic where Roxy had been staying. What locked me in place was that Roxy was in the hallway just outside my parents room. Her state of dress was minimal to say the least and she was clearly in the middle of masturbating. A floorboard creaked, just loud enough for her to hear but not my parents. Her head snapped away from the door and our eyes met. Neither of us moved, frozen, staring at each other as the commotion continued. Spartans were by no means ignorant of such things, but it was only a few of us that had participated in such activities. Those of us who'd resisted the indoctrination and maintained a semblance of humanity. The rest of us however, hadn't the time nor the inclination.

Nothing in my past had prepared me for the scene in front of me. Swallowing the lump in my throat I looked ahead, past Roxy and walked forward, ignoring that she tracked my movement with baited breath. Once I stepped past her, I finally stopped. I don't know what compelled me to speak, but the words seemed to tumble from me with no control of my own. "You're a beautiful woman Roxy. Just stay away from dad okay? He's married, and you deserve better than a lecher like him." Piece said, I entered my room and quickly went to sleep, images of her purple hair and smile flashing in my dreams.

The next morning, the entire family sat outside as Roxy saddled our horse. We'd both chosen to ignore the previous evening's awkwardness so that we didn't damage our relationship. With a final grunt, the last strap of the saddle was in place. "There we go, Caravaggio. Now you're ready to go. How about you Rudeus? Ready to go?" I nodded and stepped forward, mounting the horse with ease.

"Where are you going again?" Zenith was worried, mostly because I had never spent time outside of our property without them.

"Just to the far fields on the other side of the village. There's a piece of magic I want to teach Rudeus that can be destructive so it's best if we're away from people." Magic was destructive, it made sense. With a nudge, we were off. Caravaggio walking us out of the property onto the road. Roxy sat behind me, reins in her hand, guiding the horse through Buena village. My eyes roamed as we moved through the village. Most people would see Roxy and wave, having had her help with crops, sickness, or construction using her earth magic. To them, I was nothing more than the village knight's son who was gifted in magic. It was a far cry from my previous life. Spartans were symbols of resistance against the Covenant to civilians and military alike, and thus were lauded and cheered when around normal humans. Insurrectionists saw us as monsters, no different than Covenant as we stamped out local cells. Even as a headhunter, with so little interaction with normal people, the ones we did spend time with stepped around us as if we were either holy men sent to save them, or demons that if they looked at wrong would steal their souls and torture them before they passed from the mortal coil. It was different here. Here I wasn't a spartan, just a boy who was with his teacher, and they need not give it any more thought than that. ' It's nice…to go through life unnoticed.'

An hour after we had left the house did we finally make it to our destination. A large, open field lay before us, rolling hills with tall green grass blowing in the wind. A single oak, similar to the one Roxy had felled in the fall, stood on the hill next to us. Dismounting, Roxy tied Caravaggio up to the tree and walked out from the cover of the branches. "There is a spell I'd like for you to attempt. Its name is CUMULONIMBUS." This wasn't out of the ordinary, Roxy would often describe a spell for me to learn, allowing me to test it out and cast it before explaining the theory and mana molding techniques others used when casting it. I'd learned advanced magics such as WATERCANNON and EXODUS FLAME that way. Listening to her description of the effect, I nodded and closed my eyes. "I'll keep Caravaggio calm and out of the way, you focus on casting Rudeus."

I held my wand in my hand as my inner visualization began to form. The land that had formed previously was now covered in grass, with other plants such as small trees and flowers forming. Far off in the distance mountains had begun to grow from the ground. ' If what we discussed is the truth, then maybe I'm finally becoming an individual now.' Moving past my inner reflection, I allowed mana to flow into my body and up into my wand. It was eager today, pulsating as it begged to be used and to show off its potential. My eyes opened, and my wand began to move. Following a rhythm only I could hear from inside my mind, my arm traced a series of patterns. The power of this spell and that it was so new to me meant that it required speech. I knew what a cumulonimbus was, a formation of clouds accompanied by heavy rainfall, lightning and thunder. Clouds began to form as my will and desire were imposed on this plane, mana being the tool through which I did so. The wind picked up, long blades of grass being flattened and tree branches shaking perilously in the wind. Rain began to fall, pelting me as the spell shaped itself into reality. Finally, with a shout of exultation did the spell become what I intended, a massive storm, the fury of nature, singing destruction and growth in its name. " CUMULONIMBUS!" The roar of the words left my mouth and the storm answered, its fury attacking the earth and pelting it with water.

Destruction was visited upon the land, marking jagged scars and pools of water. I stayed standinding in the rain as the wind blew and the water pelted me. When it finally died, I stood, breathing heavily as the weather returned to normal and nature calmed itself. In one instant I was joyous, my training and effort had paid off, I'd become a student worthy of Roxy's teachings. The next, it shattered.

"That's it then, you have officially graduated Rudeus."

Something in me cracked at those words. I faced my master, disbelief flowing throughout my body. She was standing, staring up at the sky as what was left of the clouds dispersed and sunlight shown through. "I have nothing more to teach you. In fifteen minutes you managed to not only understand how a Saint level spell works, but cast it using a shortened version of the incantation." Sadness was on her face as she spoke to me. "This was to be your final test, and you aced it." Undoing Caravaggio's lead, the two of them walked towards me. "Come on, let's return to the house."

The ride home was silent, disbelief and anguish filling the air between us. For Roxy, she had accomplished what she'd set out to do. She'd taught me everything she knew of theory, formulae, and the spells themselves. For me, it was painful. Roxy was the first person who I trusted with the unspoken truth that I was more than I seemed. She'd held my trust in confidence, not asking about me, only listening when I opened up and exposed myself. For her to have finished teaching me almost felt like a betrayal. I wasn't being fair and I knew it, but still.

When we arrived home I immediately went to the orchard. I could hear the conversations happening inside the house from here, and I could hear the sound of a carriage pulling up to the house. It was obvious now that she'd had this planned in advance. ' She knew I was going to be able to cast the spell and graduate….she believed in me that much.' It hurt. My master had been so confident in my abilities as a mage that she had prepared in advance for her departure. ' It shouldn't hurt this much, she's done her job and trained me. It didn't hurt when we left Onyx so why does this? Even losing my brothers and sisters wasn't this bad.' I was lost and didn't know where to turn.

"Rudeus." Her voice was simultaneously music to my ears and a knife, twisting itself in my heart. Looking at her it was clear that she was ready to go. Like the day she had arrived, staff in her right hand and and luggage in her left. "It's time for me to go." I looked away back at the orchard, if I didn't look at her then she couldn't leave right? "Please don't do that." When I didn't respond she sighed, and I heard her approach me. Arms wrapped around my shoulders, and her chin rested on top of my head as I resolutely stared down the lane. "I have to Rudeus. You've learned everything I have to teach, it means that you've outgrown me." Outgrow her? No, I could never do that, I'd always need her. She was my master, and I was her apprentice. ' Why does she have to go?' Realistically, I knew why. People grew, and moved on, this was the reality of aging and being a student. You'd age out of your teachers instruction eventually.

"This isn't goodbye for forever, Rudeus. We're still friends. We'll see each other again, I promise. And then you'll show me how far you've come." It was nice that she didn't want to leave my life completely.

"I don't want you to leave though." Words that held such weight coming from a machine entered the air. It was a testament to how close we were and how much I felt like I needed her. Operation Torpedo had destroyed Beta company, leaving so few survivors that we could be considered functionally extinct. Those of us who had survived, either through being elsewhere or those who'd managed to replicate the luck of the twos had been even more broken by the realization. "I don't….I don't want to lose anyone. Not again." The most damning clue I had ever given her. Why should a five year old worry about such things? For what care would a child have about life and death? But then, we both knew I was not and never would be normal.

In this moment I was small, smaller than I had ever been. "Please don't go Roxy." A desperate plea, one that was never going to work. Her sigh was the answer I dreaded. I turned to her as we separated, it was both the goodbye neither of us wanted, but it was the one we each had unfortunately constructed. There was much that was left unsaid, but neither of us had the words or social skills to express what we were feeling. The trip to the front yard was quiet. The rest of the family was waiting in silence as we approached the carriage.

"I'll miss you." Words that I had never said hung in the air. The weight resting heavily upon each of us. One last smile was her response.

"I know. I'll miss you too Rudeus." And then with a step and a closed door she was gone. The carriage made it's way down the lane, traveling at a slow and steady pace as Roxy moved on to her next adventure. I stood unwavering, watching as the carriage grew smaller and smaller. Finally it was out of sight, gone to the wind and I stood, statuesque. Even as Paul's hand found purchase on my shoulder I didn't break my vigil. "It's hard, watching someone you trust as much as her leave your life. But it will get better Rudy, I promise." Would it? I didn't know, I had never felt this way before and hoped I would never feel it again.

An emotion reserved for my parents and Lilia brewed inside me. I didn't know it then, just how powerful it was or what it meant in regards to Roxy, but I knew it would change things for me. "I love you." Echos in the wind, useless and ephemeral because she wasn't there to return it. Only then did the tears fall.