FSE

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With a deep relaxing breath Connor found his mind dragged into reality, a stranger, darker reality, he was sitting upon cold stones. A hallway, the walls were barely visible thanks to the blue light that wrapped around his body. Then Connor felt it, a surge, a wall of bubbling force, an echo like a dull explosion cast off from miles away, its detonation running through the water that smothered his body, exposed the lack of air. But Connor was still breathing, he could feel it bubble into his glowing fingertips, he could feel water drain into his nose like a vacuum. His lungs felt heavy but they weren't burning, they just felt cold as the took in the dark water.

Another echo came down the hallway, this time there was intention wrapped in the smothering wall of force. It was beckoning, it was a command to come closer, so after swimming to his feet Connor bounced along the floor with sluggish tip toeing motions, while looking up at the walls covered by a blue haze. They were stone carved murals, of ancient battles, and what looked like depictions of the underworld, with sharp mountains, and cracked tundra's just like Lilen had explained. Though the pictures were the only things that Connor could understand, the walls were adorned in a scratched writing that seemed like nothing more than organized scaring.

One last powerful echo surged over Connor's form, and his body shivered as the hallway ended and came to an open enclosure, with a rounded balcony. Pits up above and down below seemed bottomless, but the most interesting thing about the room was that it was decorated with countless weapons, each one locked with chains against the circumference of the wall. Imprisoned weapons, isolated from one another in etched stone boxes with familiar scratched language. Connor couldn't help but reach for one near the opening of the door way, but a power inside of him held back his hand, while the box around the weapon glowed with sapphire light, a warning that even he felt as the water around the weapon started to quickly freeze. A block of ice, a trap suddenly captured the weapon, and thankfully not Connor's hand as he retracted it just in time. Though that didn't mean the frost didn't hit his fingertips, the tips growing black and purple. His flesh had died instantly, holding his numb hand against his chest, Connor watched as the blackness faded after a few moments.

He uttered a soft thanks to the thing deep inside and watched as a halo of frozen light started to rise from the pit and into view. A colossal ice elemental as tall as a semi, with a sharp cragged back, its body lit with trapped bioluminescent light that danced inside the transparent limbs wrapped in black chains. The chains falling in and out of the ice, as if the flat faced elemental was a prisoner in of itself. It stared with providence, analyzing Connor up and down, looking all but confused as its flat faced head tilted back and forth, until it seemed to accept his presence and turn away, it's frozen form floating upwards. Thick anchor chains hung from its shoulders following suit, it must have been tethered to something in the abyss.

Connor could feel that what ever it was, wanted him to follow so he obeyed the silent command, and swam after the giant. Coming along side it as it came to a stop, Connor noticed it's shoulders and head were aligned with one of the many cell blocks in this strange prison of weapons, it raised its hands and pointed to a rectangle marked by a bouncing blue warning glow. The ice formed via the familiar trap had been chiseled away, the chains cut, and the outline of some kind of broad sword was exposed. The trapped elemental waved its hand over the ice and it fell away along with the bouncing glow.

Soft quaking ripples like pulsating bass waves at a concert echoed from the elemental as it “spoke", but Connor couldn't understand what it was trying to say, so he looked at the scratched runes hoping that for once he might understand the foreign tongue, but it was just gibberish. Connor's fingers flicked over the runes, and the black scratched language suddenly cascaded up his arm like a roaring river, his mind was pinched as a name roared into his mind, “Lo-Loun" the burning name escaped Connor's lips as he looked up at the elemental.

“What do you want me to do?"

The elemental placed the simplest game of charades as it pointed to Connor and then at the empty 'cell', “You want me to bring it back?" Connor guessed and the warden nodded only with a single cumbersome agreement.

“How? I can't help?" Connor questioned, and the elemental raised a hand and tugged one of the exposed chain links free from it's body and handed it over. It was the size of Connor's palm and near weightless as it floated in the abyss between Connor's hands, cold and worn; the metal was smothered with runes and it radiated an ancient magic, that made Connor's entire body feel fuzzy and tingly for a moment.

“Yeah…ok… But don't expect anything." Connor answered, the frozen monolith seemed to agree with a final nod before the light faded from its body and plunging the room in darkness.

~~//~/~~~~~~ /// ~~/~~~ / ~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~/~~~~~~ //// ~~/~~~~~~~~~~~ //~//~/ ~~~/~~

Warmth flowed through Connor as he felt a soft breeze cascade over his body, he was staring up at a familiar brown stone ceiling. Sitting up Connor shook off the small headache in his head and looked around the Healers' Den in the Depths. He exhaled, breathing softly as he touched his head, cold metal smothered the pain, and the strange sensation caused Connor to examine the chain link in his hand. It was very much real; so that place couldn't have been some kind of illusion, and it couldn't have been a vision; not if he brought something back with him.

“Hey, you're awake, finally." Lilen called out from the doorway, tucking the metal into his pants pocket, Connor smiled in greeting. “Hey, what happened?"

“Oxygen deprivation, I thought I was giving you enough but apparently I was wrong. I brought you here after you passed out. The healers reverted any possible damage, so you should be fine." Lilen explained as he put a welcoming hand on Connor's back. “How are you feeling though?"

“Just a minor headache, but I'll be fine, or at least I feel fine." Connor answered, and Lilen exhaled in relief smiling wearily.

“Then we'll take your training easy for right now, we'll focus on stretching, breathing, meditation practice and some basic magical lessons." Lilen grinned as he helped Connor out of the bed, by hefting Connor up like a newborn, by the armpits, before letting him stand on his own. Then like a dutiful father Lilen took Connor's hand and walked him out to the beach and up to the water.

The front portion of the beach was crowded so they followed along the water and down the sand dunes to the right, until they came to a quiet place. Lilen set up a position, laying out towels, and even an umbrella for shade, and a cooler for drinks. How he had stored all of that, especially the umbrella in his duffel bag was something Connor could only question as the bag was zipped up and cast to the side.

“Sir… how did you get all of that to fit in the duffel bag?" Connor wondered while Lilen dusted the sand from his hand.

“It's an enchanted Travel Bag, the space inside is equivalent to ten duffel bags, so as long as the object fits inside and through the opening, it'll fit. It's one of the most common Omnion enchantments." Lilen explained before pulling out a water bottle from the ice-cold cooler and cracking the lid. “Quiz, what does Omnion magic manipulate?"

“Space and time, it's related to the Gray God, the Governor of mortal reality and it serves as the base for all magic." Connor recited, remembering his familiar lessons back from College.

“Good, so you're resume wasn't just for show, you actually studied." Lilen approved before sipping from the sweating bottle.

“The scholarships I was able to get paid for everything so my parents never found out, I did twenty credits for three semesters, so I could do everything I wanted. Required courses and magical extracurriculars. I went to clubs and competitions, I participated in one during my third semester. I'm not a novice but, none of the teachers on campus were Mincridarins, so I'm sure their teachings were flawed in some manner. I didn't even know about dragon dialect for instance until you brought it up. Everything I was taught was about control and manipulation, not about projecting magic such as spells. I had to learn about binding arts on my own time, and I still barely understand what I remember." Connor admitted as Lilen smiled, nodding even as he listened and kicked up sand with his toes, before dropping his bottle into the hole.

“Well, I am impressed, but I also remember hearing that you got expelled." Lilen questioned with the authority of an officer as he came up and crossed his arms.

Connor rubbed his brow, “So you know about that too?"

“Newport told me," Lilen nodded, “But I never asked him; I'd rather here it from you, not a regurgitation of facts from your owner."

“Alright, fine." Connor breathed, as he sat down on the towel, “it's not a long story, but you still might want to sit down." His heart and mind racing as he remembered the frustrating past.

Lilen sat down, nodding, and turned to face Connor with crossed legs. “So why would such a talented student like you get expelled from California's Academy of Magical Affairs?"

“Because, I abused my magical abilities and stopped two students from fighting. I ended up really hurting one. I'm lucky I wasn't charged for an 'abuse of magic'. But I had to do something, they were involving others, and damaging the property-" Connor explained trying to defend his actions, but Lilen shook his head in confusion, cutting Connor's defense a few phrases short.

“Wait, you were punished for stopping a fight and saving people?" Lilen asked with a dumbfounded look.

“No, I got punished because I ended up hospitalizing one of the fighters." Connor exhaled as a counter, “They got mad because I didn't let the proper 'authorities' know or call the police. It didn't matter how much damage those two did, or if other people got hurt. It wasn't my job to get involved. They saw it as a safety hazard; and I was punished for being reckless."

Lilen stroked his brow, “I can understand why you might be punished, but expulsion for stopping a fight that had clearly gone too far doesn't make sense."

“The school was training mages, and non-magically gifted, so they didn't want people to be scared to attend classes. So, they just laid down the law and barred everyone involved from the campus. Which in all accounts pretty much expels everyone because your not allowed to attend classes or stay in the dorms, in and off campus, let alone step onto the campus grounds. Your still capable of taking online classes, but that's about it. You can't attend graduation if your graduate, you can't take magical courses because every test is in person… So for me it was pretty much impossible to attend. Then there is the fact that whenever they transfer my credits to another college there is a disciplinary notice sent along with them, which pretty much guarantees that no other campus will let me attend. So that one fight, ruined me." Connor explained, and Lilen fell silent, his mouth opening to speak but he just fell silent.

“So that is why you haven't gone to school for the last few years…"

“Yeah, because there is no point in signing up if all I'm going to do is be struck down every time I try to apply. I want to go to school, but that disciplinary notice pretty much states that I abused magic, and with magic being something many fear because of the Zealots it's just impossible." Connor sighed falling back on the towel. “Which is why I've been ok with this training, even though it absolutely sucks sometimes… Its pretty much exactly what I wanted to do in college, just with a lot more sex involved. I'm desperate ok? I want to learn how to use magic, I want to fight, and learn how to protect people with it. I don't want to be the reason someone dies." Connor finished remembering the last moments he saw his brother alive.

Lilen crawled over and pushed open Connor's legs before pulling Connor down and into his thighs so he could smother the human with his shadow as he leaned over him; arms planted on either side of Connor's elbows to lock them in place. However for the flattering position Connor could see a seriousness in Lilen's eyes as he shook his head.

“Connor," He started, taking a breath before continuing, “You are not a god, and as noble as it is to not be the reason someone dies. As a warrior, and as a mage understand that what you're striving for is 'impossible'. When you go out into battle, people will cover your tail and protect your back, and they will sometimes get cut down, you can try and save someone from bleeding out but their heart might still stop." Lilen lectured, pressing a light hand over Connor's heart, “Connor, power is not the ability to stop someone from being harmed, or fighting to kill, it is the ability to do something kind. Beings will always die, and there maybe nothing you can do to stop it, and if that is the case, use your power to give them peace and lessen their suffering till they pass."

“If you believe that magic is a weapon, then I can never teach you. Because you seek power to conquer, to be better than others, not to do what is right. You will seek power for selfish gain, and you will never be sated. So you have to learn this right now, and if you learn anything from me, learn this lesson. You can never save everyone, people will 'always' die, those you love will die, those you care about will die, friends and family will always die. Your job as a mage, as a warrior, is to not stop this, but to do as much as you can to prevent it, or lessen the pain." Lilen warned with a heavy breath, tears forming at his eyes; he knew the difference all to well.

“Who…who did you lose?" Connor asked wondering if might be prying into to much of Lilen's past.

“A mate, we had just started seeing one another. She was a sister at the orphanage, she arranged flowers for nobles and tended to their growth. I loved how she smelled, and every time I saw her, I just wanted to pull her in close and breathe in the scents of sweet flowers. I lost her, as you lost your brother, to a spirit attack. I knew of this secluded lake, it was beautiful and deep, with a waterfall streaming over a cliff. In the haze of twilight the waterfall would shatter the light and spread a glimmering orange haze over everything." Lilen recounted, his hand digging into Connor's shirt as he did what he could to resist the painful memories.

“A spirit of love attacked us, it raped her, while I was left paralyzed, bound by ropes of water the violated me; and then when it was done. It gutted her like a feral beast. I was powerless Connor, I tried to fight it off and it destroyed me. There was no way I could have won, I couldn't protect her, and the only thing I could do in the end was hold my dying mate close, and drain her loins so no one would know how she had been violated. I carried her back to town, and preformed the burial rites by myself, to honor her and do what little I could to hide the violations for her." Lilen groaned in pain, before letting go of Connor's shirt.

“I wanted revenge Connor, I wanted to kill the monster that slaughtered her and gutted her. But I knew my limits, there was no way I could have won. That spirit was a mountain, I was but a hill in comparison to it's strength. So I let go, as much as I hated that thing, I let go of revenge because there was no point on wasting my life trying to beat one thing I could never hope to match." Lilen exhaled, panting his pain, before pulling away. “People will always die Connor, and sometimes there is nothing you can do to stop it. Its monstrous, but there are things you can never defeat, and you need to accept that. Know your limits, know what you can do, and know when to stop trying, and run away… Run away as fast as you can, because maybe that is your only option." Lilen finished, speaking from experience as he leaned on Connor's legs for support, as he covered his face to hide his pain, and wipe the tears from his eyes.

“I'm sorry Lilen." Connor pitied but Lilen just shook his head.

“You were not there; you have nothing to be sorry for. Just remember what I said and learn from it. Magic can't save you from everything or everyone."

“Yeah, ok, I promise… It just… it might be hard, because it feels wrong…" Connor agreed, and Lilen nodded, “I know, I was young and thought I was invincible because I had magic. As long as your willing to try, that will be enough for now."

Connor was silent for around a minute watching Lilen recover, before speaking when the shark seemed to push past the regret, “Do you want to take a break? Or… I don't know maybe do stretches or something? After all I am a concubine, I've got to be pretty flexible." Connor joked, trying to smile and ease the tense situation. Lilen smiled and chuckled, exhaling with the faintest relief.

“We can start with stretches Connor," Lilen agreed as he grabbed Connor's ankles, and started to slowly push them back towards Connor's head until a soft whine escaped the human's lips. Stopping right at the verge of causing pain, Lilen kept a soft hold and bounced the ankles backwards while Connor relaxed and breathed. Taking everything slow at first until he pulled back completely and dug out his phone from the duffel bag and started a timer.

“Sorry," Lilen apologized as he dropped the phone back into the bag, “I forgot to start your 'slave time'."

“It's ok, as long as you started it." Connor accepted as he watched Lilen sit on his left leg before hanging his right leg over the stiff aquatic shoulder. Then with one hand on the right leg's knee, all Lilen did was lean forward and push the leg back into Connor's chest, not much, just enough to cause pain, before he started bouncing again to slowly extend the limit of the limb, before switching legs.

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Lilen kept a long and even pace with Connor as he stretched each limb and rolled Connor through straining yoga poses and enforcing them with heavy hands. Pushing and pulling in all the right places but with a painful amount of force; so that by the time Connor was finished he felt sore all over but utterly loose and relaxed. However, stretching wasn't the end of the torture, they started jogging, back and forth from one wall of the lake to the other, across exhausting dunes that Connor stamped and trudged through, until he finally collapsed, his legs giving out. He vomited from the excessive pacing, and had to be dragged back to the small picnic area, where his limp form passed out from exhaustion the moment his head hit the towel.

Connor was unconscious for several hours, until he woke up, crying in pain as his stomach struggled to help, thanks to the rough panting breaths it had been forced to bear during the jogging. Lilen was leaning back on the cooler sipping on a bottle, just watching the waves as he spun droplets of water above his head with a rotating finger. “You're going to feel that tomorrow." Lilen smiled and Connor only glared in protest because it was pretty much guaranteed.

“So, what are we going to do since I can't move, sir?" Connor questioned stiffly as he grabbed his own water bottle and started to drink in excess, before taking a breath to relax and piss into his diaper. The warmth running down the fabric lining and pooling underneath his sweating orbs.

Lilen adjusted himself so he faced Connor, before leaning on the cooler as if it was some kind of arm rest, “You're first lessons." Lilen started as he drew a diamond on the sand with the droplets of water in his hand, orbs he froze solid with a mere gesture. “What does this represent Connor?" Lilen quizzed as he drew a circle in the center to finish off the pattern.

“The trinity of creation, the heavens, the underworld and the gray." Connor answered pointing to the points before finally pointing to the circle in the center. But once he was finished answering he was thumped with a cold stone against his forehead; Connor rubbed the sore spot adding his formality as an after-thought “Sir."

“Correct," Lilen nodded as he drew a box around the circle, creating two triangles at either end, and a single rectangle in the center. He pointed to the top of the depiction, “This triangle represents light, and the elements that both create light and or the nature of essence, the soul. Kenlon and Venfas, wind fuels fire, and gives light existence. While the Dimen and Qire represent the elements of the underworld, objects that create and or cast shadows and block the light. They represent the body and the mortal vessel; which is why they are used as primary sources of recovery compared to all the other elements. Even shadow magic is better at healing wounds then the cliché light of your fantasy magics, because it stitches the structure of the body back together." Lilen lectured as he pointed to the pattern explaining each point as he went, before pulling back and twisting the frozen orbs above his hand.

“Connor, tell me, how is light supposed to heal a being? How is that supposed to work?" Lilen rhetorically asked, he seemed distinctly annoyed with the idea.

“I don't know sir." Connor admitted mainly just to play into Lilen's hand.

“Exactly, because Rebon, Venfas and Kenlon represent the soul, how are they supposed to heal the body? They don't even have the ability to control the flesh and blood of the body. Which is why the heavenly three elements, are used to bring peace to the mind and heart, to settle storms with pleasant sounds, and warmths long forgotten." Lilen more firmly lectured, clearly tired of having to explain this concept over and over again, before calming himself down with a breath. “Tell me, Connor, can you use any other elements beyond Qire?"

“Well, no sir, it's impossible."

“Then you would already fail one of your tests." Lilen smiled as if expecting that response, almost proud of his entrapping question.

“What are you talking about sir? I thought it was impossible to use any of the other elements?"

“Mostly that is true, you can't manipulate the other elements of creation, the same way you would manipulate water, but it is possible." Lilen answered as he flicked his finger over the sand causing the entire image to fade away in a soft breeze, before returning the image as if it had never been erased with the counter motion. “All mages have the ability to manipulate the Omnion, the base of magic for all elements, and through the Omnion you can create barriers, wards and bubbles around the other elements and manipulate their form and structure. Like you might be able to lift stones, but it'd be impossible to reshape them like a dimen mage. You can part fires and extinguish them, but you can't control the direction in which they spread as a Kenlon mage would. This power is best understood amongst you humans as Telekinesis. The ability to manipulate things with your mind. That is the power of the Omnion, the base of all magic, beyond the ability to manipulate space and time."

“Wait… then why aren't more people taught about these telekinetic abilities? Should that be some of the first lessons ever taught?... Sir?" Connor asked, correcting himself before being thumped again.

“Because it's not as easy as you think, its easy to bend the element of your soul, reshape the magic and project it, but letting go of all of those patterns, and using your mind rather than instinctual abilities, is hard. Telekinetic abilities aren't normally taught to beginner mages because it can be incredibly taxing on the soul because of how much magic drains in such a short span of time, because its reversing the nature of your magic and projecting the Omnion back out into reality." Lilen explained as he stood up, and walked away, not much, and kicked up sand like a shovel with his toes before dropping a water bottle inside the freshly dug hole.

“But with all of your magical practice in college, I think it might be time to teach you how to use the Omnion, because this, will be about refining your magical ability. Because it focuses on giving magic purpose, channeling your thoughts into your magic, expending only as much as you need to instead of investing raw magic into something." Lilen explained before he came and sat back down on his towel. “See Connor, you and your magic are like a blade in the middle of a forging process, your shape and abilities are there, but you're blade needs to be sharpened, and you must be hilted to become usable. Training your physical and magical abilities are ways to form the hilt; while Omnion projection and magical practice serves as whet stones to sharpen your blade and give it that devastating edge."

Lilen waved Connor over to his lap, and Connor understood the metaphor, but some of what Lilen was teaching was so new and foreign it was hard to completely comprehend. Mainly because he had never seen a mage use telekinesis before. Adjusting himself on Lilen's lap, Connor found himself locked in place with a cold hand, while Lilen's right leg served as an arm rest that he could lean on. Lilen raised his hand, flicked his fingers and Connor watched as the bottle levitated out the hole, the water was stationary inside, so he wasn't using Qire magic to lift it. “Think of wrapping your magic around the bottle, and only the bottle, and lift it."

Connor took a breath to calm his mind as he did before every magical practice and held up his hands, and closed his eyes capturing the thought in his mind before reaching out to lift the bottle. “Fail." Lilen firmly called out, and Connor opened his eyes just in time to see the water in the bottle splash to the bottom as it fell back into the hole. “Connor, this isn't like Qire magic where you can just will it to happen, this is about unraveling the nature of the Qire. IF what your doing doesn't feel immediately exhausting your doing it wrong."

“Think about what the Qire means to you Connor, and make it end, reverse it and push the thought out and hold the bottle." Lilen explained, and Connor took a breath and fell back into his mind, he remembered the beach in his soulscape. He imagined himself standing upon the falling shore and pushing back the endless ocean into the horizon, he didn't want it. His body shuddered, and he instantly understood what Lilen was talking about as he collapsed, his body falling limp in Lilen's arms.

The shark smiled as he checked for a pulse and breath, before laying Connor down for a much-needed nap and packing up for the day.

~~//~/~~~~~~ /// ~~/~~~ / ~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~/~~~~~~ //// ~~/~~~~~~~~~~~ //~//~/ ~~~/~~

Connor felt a slamming pressure wash over him and fill his lungs, he coughed, sputtering as he flipped himself over and exhaled water before a heavy foot came down and dropped him into the sand. “How dare you insult me? You'd reject me, after I spared 'your' life?" A venomous female voice interrogated, spitting out each question with a vengeance. Her toes curled up and Connor screamed out in pain as deep gashes were cut into his back, his fingers dug into the sand.

“I'm sorry!" Connor wailed, begging to escape the torturous toes tearing up his skin. “I didn't mean to hurt you." He whimpered, “I'm sorry, I was just training…I didn't know." The tension pushing into his back pulled away, and the foot came free. Connor breathed in relief as he felt the ocean wash over his body.

“I forgive you," The being behind Connor answered with a soft and sincere tone, the rage quickly fading from her voice, though there also seemed to be a hint of shame mixed in with the words. The ocean receded with her command and the pain all but disappeared.

“Who are you?" Connor asked, forcing himself to push his chest off the sand, his limbs feeling weak. He got know answer, just the sloshing of steps receding back into the ocean, but Connor didn't dare turn around, something about seeing the figures face felt like it would just end the dream, and he had too many questions. “I saw hell!" Connor called out, and the sloshing steps stopped, pausing, “I… I think I saw a gate to the underworld, at one of your temples. Please… I need answers, I don't know what you want me to do."

“You've been to the underworld?" The female uncomfortably asked, her words hanging in the air with a clear confusion, something that didn't seem right. She was bound to him, how could she not know? “How do you not remember? I thought you were apart of me?"

“HUMAN! Answer the question!" The voice roared like a thunderstorm, the blue-sky collapsing into thick clouds of gray.

“Yes…" Connor nodded as he dragged the chain link out of his pocket and held it up for the female to see. Agitation collapsed into terrified realization, and Connor watched as a massive hand, the palm the size of his head, the fingers as thick as his arm, if not thicker. Black webbed fingers tipped in blue bioluminescent claws, reached out and plucked the chain link from his hand.

“Someone has stolen a weapon… a weapon is missing?" The figure pried desperately, her words echoing out with panting shock. “Which one?"

“Lo-Loun." Connor answered still facing towards the jungle forests in front of him, something he had never really looked at until now. It wasn't a human tropic, the trees were very similar, but the leaves were different, the bushes and flowers were all colored marginally different, twin tones, of blue and purple, green and black. Even the 'coconuts' if they could be called that looked more like giant apples because of how they were colored, with thick wispy orange husks.

“This… this shouldn't have happened, something is wrong. The fates, didn't foresee this." The spirit groaned, Connor almost dared to look back hearing the frustration, but kept his head forward.

“The fates?" Connor asked, and the gray storm above his head was brushed away with a deep pained exhale.

“Connor, we need to talk, come with me." The spirit ordered with a soothing breath before the water sloshed behind him.

Connor now given permission turned around, and looked up at a giant ten-twelve foot black catfish with shimmering bioluminescent fins, and thick blue lines dressing her body much like his. The female's whiskers, were akin to a lung dragon's as they flowed in motionless air, crawling over her shoulders. She dove into the water, and disappeared into the reef beneath the waves.

Connor got up and followed the catfish into the waves and dove in after her, and the moment he did reality warped, the world spun, as the reef was now above him and the beach was below him. The sky becoming the ocean and exposing the bottomless nature of the ocean's depths. This wasn't his soulscape… this was the female's, the coral city they were swimming towards seemed familiar like the one that strange spirit had taken him too, but it looked pristine, clean and beautiful with stunning coral towers and warped stone. However, it seemed empty, cold, and quiet; if anything it felt lonely. All this space, and beauty and she was the only one living inside of it?

The catfish fell into the plaza where her effigy was standing proud in front of the Greek esque temple. Connor swam up to her and tread water beside her shoulder, he stole a breath, and found himself breathing beneath the waves once again. She looked him up and down and chuckled, smiling at his virgin abilities. But her gaze fell heavily on the chain link in her hands and sat down on the small bench beside her statue, she looked like an adult in a child's chair.

“I am the Gatekeeper of the Abyss, and the Quartermaster of the Dark Armory. Just as there are souls that don't belong in the mortal realm, there are items that no mortal should possess." The Quartermaster started, and Connor swam up to her as she twisted the chain link in her hands. She looked like she was in pain, but for all of Connor's questions, he said nothing, he knew it wasn't his time. “Cursed weapons, prison blades, soul swords; magical weapons created by ancient spirits and mortal magic and emotions." She tightened her grip around the link.

“If anyone of those weapons were to get out and into mortal hands, especially right now, it would create a problem more terrifying than any single demon. Some weapons can be akin to nuclear war heads in the right… or wrong hands. The fates have just started to reorganize the timeline, we need to fix this before this becomes a problem, or it could ruin everything... Earth could fall." She looked up at Connor with a firm resolution, and he knew he could finally speak.

“Ok… I get it, but what are we supposed to do? I don't know anything about these weapons, how am I supposed to find them?" Connor asked, as he took back the chain link once the Quartermaster offered it to him.

“You don't have too, the gods have blessed me, us now; with the ability to always find our way in front of these weapons, you just have to let your soul guide you. The problem is, your not strong enough to take them on alone. You're just a human, you've never fought against magical weapons before." The Quartermaster explained, before getting up to brush the debris from her naked rear.

“Is this why you selected me? Why you saved me?" Connor asked and the Quartermaster shook her head. “No, not even close, you were needed for something else entirely; that's why I was asked to claim you as my own."

“Your own?" Connor questioned, finding set of words to distinct to ignore.

“My child, I birthed you. I gave you new life when you died. You are my son, born of water and my loins. I am your mother young mortal." The Quartermaster explained as she openly pat her stomach.

“What?" Connor asked, causing the Quartermaster to shake her head in sighing frustration.

“How moronic can you be, human? You and your brother died that very same day on the pier, Connor; your head was struck by one of the standing pillars. You died of a blood brain hemorrhage, and drowned of course. So, I took your wounded body into my womb, and with my magic nursed you back to life. I erased your rebirth from your memories because I knew it would to be traumatic for you, to see the light again as you were born from my loins. I can give them back to you if you want as proof." The Quartermaster offered, extending a hand to hold Connor's head, something Connor jumped back from.

“No… No… I'm ok. I just, don't know how or why that would work. You're a spirit, aren't you? You don't have a physical body… do you?" Connor refused, taking in a deep breath of water as he scratched his own head deep in thought.

“Connor, I'm an ancient being born from the blood of a god, magic exists; and 'this' is hard for you to accept?" The catfish mocked, as she stepped towards Connor, who exhaled as he found the heavy tone all to reasonable.

“Ok, I get it, but mother? Do we share DNA or genetic code? Should I be worried about seeing a doctor or something? And why are you here inside my soul?" Connor questioned and Quartermaster smiled as she set her hands on her hips, before nodding him to follow, “Come with me." Connor rolled his eyes but obeyed and followed behind the right shoulder of the powerful female.

“You are not my first and only son Connor, nor will you be my last. Son is a title I commonly bestow on those that I grant my gift too; and I am here because unlike many who are living, when I take them into my womb to give them life. You were dead, my soul tether's your own soul to your mortal body. Without me you would have already passed on to be judged by the Gray God. However, I never expected my gift to be needed until now… this theft was never supposed to happen…" Connor's 'Mother' explained as she walked up the stone steps of the temple.

“So… is this like a second chance? Where I die for a second time… I die for good?" Connor asked, the Quartermaster nodded.

“For the most part?"

“'Most part'?" Connor asked and the Quartermaster only glanced back smiling, saying nothing else.

“Ok… so what about this gift, and title then, what are you talking about with that?" Connor asked trying to keep an even pace beside the immortal.

“I am the first daughter of the Qire, my gift to you Connor is control. All that is represented as Qire will bend to your will no matter who controls it. I give you absolute dominion over the Qire." Connor paused hearing that, and just treaded water thinking about what that could mean. “Absolute Dominion? What, can I control oceans?"

The Quartermaster shook her head, looking baffled by Connor's stupidity, “Of course not Connor, I gave you absolute dominion over the Qire not the ability to control all of it at once."

“What's the difference?" Connor asked, and the Quartermaster smacked her own forehead, “Why the gods think you're important is beyond me," She rubbed her face before touching Connor's heart with a single finger. “A dominion is about what your capable of controlling with your magic, Absolute Dominion means if someone else is controlling Qire, you don't have to fight for control. You want it, it is yours. It is the gift of a king's crown." The finger retracted and the Quartermaster continued to rise up the steps until they came to the threshold of the temple, the black door and temple untouched.

“And the title? What does it mean to be your 'son'?" Connor asked and the female immortal looked down at Connor.

“As my son, you serve as an extension of my will. You are a celestial police officer upholding the peace and balance of the mortal plane and keeping the Underworld in check. This task, finding the stolen weapons and reclaiming them, is 'my' duty as much as the duty of my children." The Quartermaster answered, as she crossed her arms.

“Ok, but about that… what am I supposed to do with the weapons when I find them?"

“Fight and Arrest, weapons that are stolen are bound to be used by someone, so you will need to reclaim them, and when you do, tap the chain-link against the weapon and it will transport it back to the Armory. Where the record keeper will make sure that it never visits the mortal plane again."

“Fight them? These could be nuclear weapons, how am I supposed to fight against something like that?" Connor pressed, causing the Quartermaster to smirk.

“I have given you everything you need, and I will always be with you if you need lessons."

Connor lethargically stared back, neither amused or happy with the response because it did little to help answer anything, “Fine… fine, so what, you said I just have to wait and the weapons will come to me?"

“Exactly, you are fated to face them. They can appear at any time and you will know when you're near one."

“Ok, well can you tell me anything about Lo-Loun?"

The Quartermaster nodded, “Lo-loun is the name of the soul imprisoned in the blade, a beast of fire who slept in the belly of volcanos, he saw himself as a 'god', and feeble mortal minds bowed to his will and offered him sacrifices of flesh and blood to appease him. When they didn't offer enough he would destroy kingdoms, this went on for eons. Until finally he was slain and his soul captured and imprisoned in his own scales. Anyone who holds him will bear his powers, an aura of thermal heat that will melt anything seen as a threat, a heightened ability to control kenlon magic, and superior strength and constitution. However, it comes at the cost of being possessed by his pride and vanity."

“How am I supposed to fight someone if I can't even touch them?"

“Prison blades need vassals to act, if you separate the blade from the being's hold then they will lose their abilities."

“And if I touch the blade?"

“Because you are my child, you are immune from being possessed by foreign wills. The blades will never be able to control you."

Connor exhaled, “That's not what I meant, I mean, will it burn me or anything if I touch it?"

“Undoubtably, that's why you have the chain link, once the blade is disarmed tap it with the link and it will be transported back to the Armory." Connor huffed in protest but nodded.

“Ok, fine, so I guess I just keep this on me until I find one then?" Connor asked waving the link in the air.

“That would be for the best." The Quartermaster agreed, before walking deeper into the temple.

“So… is that everything?"

“For now." The Quartermaster waved off.

“So then why am I still here?" Connor asked and the Quartermaster turned around.

“Because, I can't just keep summoning you in and out of this reality, you need to learn on how to leave on your own accord."

“Ok, well how do I do that?"

“Think of the mortal realm, your body and opening your eyes."

Connor sighed hearing the lackadaisy response, and turned to the coral reef, and closed his eyes and breathed deeply, and wished for himself to return to reality, and opened his eyes.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Connor woke up a cool couch looking up at brown stone ceiling etched with stair like designs with a circulating fan hanging down from the center. The scent of a sea carried in with a breeze and he looked up to see a porch looking out over the subterranean lake. Accordion glass doors were pulled open, and let in the white crystal light, while the green curtains tied and pushed aside framed the lake and all of its shimmering glory. Connor could still hear the life of the beach not to far away, and he pulled himself off a firm couch and out from under a woven blanket. He looked out over the balcony and smiled as it was a beautiful view, about three stories up, far enough away for privacy but close enough to still feel the life and power of the lake washing up along the beach.

The pain from Connor's limbs slowly made itself known, and every part of his body agonized over the dull throbbing tension of the days training. The sound of a blender pulled Connor's attention back to the apartment.

Past the living room covered with a simple green floor rug, everything facing a confined flat screen in an entertainment unit, was a dinning room with an eight person table, and a kitchen just past that. Lilen was using a jerry-rigged blender hooked up to a silver line crystal battery. Electricity did probably have a hard time getting down so many layers of stone. Lilen glanced up at Connor and smirked.

“So, you can still move? Do you want to do some physical training? Lift some weights, jogging?"

“Funny…" Connor laughed, before coming up to the counter… “Maybe a little bit of weightlifting. Do I still have to call you sir?"

“I got you for about another hour, so yes." Lilen agreed with a nod as he stopped the blender to pour out the pink smoothies. “Drink this, it'll help, there's a little spider fang root in it to help numb the pain."

“Spider fang root?" Connor asked as he sipped on the drink regardless.

“Think of rose thorns underground," Lilen simply answered, as Connor shook his head as he got a sharp acidic taste in the back of his throat that instantly left him feeling just the slightest bit numb.

“It was rather relaxing, and Connor continued sipping on the drink as he followed Connor into the living room, and settled down on the couch, before watching him with a mild dread as he pulled out one of the couch cushions to exposed dead weights, pulling out the smallest one, he closed the couch. “Here, do two sets of twenty, then forty sit ups." Lilen directed before sitting down to watch as Connor quietly worked out as asked, sipping on the drink as he went until finished.

Setting the weights on the stone coffee table, Connor went back to his drinking, “So what now?"

Lilen adjusted himself and kicked up his leg as he leaned on the couch, “Now, we finish the lesson." And with a smooth gesture water formed in Lilen's hand, and outlined the air with a familiar diamond he had drawn before.

“Connor, every element has different types of ways it can be used, for us Qire mages, we can both create and remove structure from liquids. We can create gas, mist, if we focus on adjusting mass and weight, and or, harness structure and give our water solid forms, as ice. Each one has its uses, Ice can be used to block attacks and create advantageous terrain, while mist and gases can be used to create discreate attacks, and traps. But it is about creativity Connor, magic is an art form and it doesn't work well if you are closed minded." Lilen lectured while Connor followed along with quiet nods, still only sipping on his drink.

“Do all elements have this kind of pattern?" Connor asked and Lilen agreed as he put down his cup for a moment.

“Yes, Dimen instead of ice creates clay, and mixes with Kenlon instead of the Venfas to create crystals. Kenlon unites with Venfas to create lightening, and dimen to create lava; and finally, the Venfas works with Qire to make clouds, and with the Kenlon to make thunder." Lilen explained creating the triangular patterns with the water and separating them from the main base so they were more clearly defined.

“Lilen… sir, I have a question?" Connor started, wondering if he should even ask, but he felt like he had to. “Well go-ahead Connor, that's why I'm here." Lilen assured waving Connor forward.

“Sir, if you were facing an enemy that couldn't be touched by water, and was too hot to touch how would you fight them?" Connor posed as a hypothetical, but it might very well be anything but.

“Pressure waves, if you can create a wall of mist and throw it forward with the same amount of force as any explosion, then it doesn't matter if the water dissipates. You will still have a powerful wall of air that can do just as much damage as your magical attack. Even though you can't use Venfas styles of magical projection. It's how many water mages are forced to fight fire elementals too dangerous to normally suppress." Lilen swiftly answered as if it had been a pre-planned response.,

“Can you teach me how?" Connor asked and Lilen nodded, “We can, but you're not in any condition to continue your magical training. Omnion training is very taxing and you're probably still recovering from magical exhaustion."

“Ok, Wednesday then?"

“Of course, after we finish physical training though." Lilen agreed but only after adding a secondary element that made Connor groan, “Yes sir."

“Since were talking about magical exhaustion come with me, and lets start some meditation training." Lilen nodded, as he picked up his smoothie again and led Connor out to the balcony where he sat down on the lounge chair and laid back.

Connor sat beside him on one of the spare lounge chairs and adjusted himself so he could get comfortable on the stiff padding. “First, do you know what magical exhaustion is, Connor?"

“Magical exhaustion is where you deplete the magic contained in your soul, it can commonly cripple a mage or render them unconscious." Connor recited earning an approving smile from Lilen who nodded.

“Exactly, and meditation is the best way to recover. Doing nothing and pulling magic back into your body, take a breath, and relax and imagine yourself on a beach, or out in a rocking boat in the ocean. Commune with the Qire and pull it back into your heart, be at peace and your magic will return in time." Lilen explained as he followed his own advice and closed his eyes and held the cup in both hands.

Connor mimicked his trainer and closed his eyes and just listened to the sounds of the beach below them and sunbathed in crystal light. He sipped on his smoothie until it made a rambunctious noise, and little by little with every passing minute he could feel the difference growing inside of him. The magic returning slowly but surely, it felt like a relaxing blanket that crawled up his legs and over his chest, and by the time it fell over his head, the rest of the hour had passed, and maybe a bit more, because Lilen stopped the alarm on his phone, before coming back to sit down.

Opening his eyes when everything seemed settled, Connor felt a peace, his soul feeling sated and calm as it was back to normal, he looked over at Lilen who peeked an eye open to look at him, before smiling. “Finished?"

“Yeah, it feels really nice." Connor admitted, as he stretched his limbs.

“Good, that's what it's supposed to feel like." Lilen exhaled as he sat up and stretched his own tail. “Free time by the way."

“Yeah, I know, I heard the alarm." Connor groaned as he contorted his body, pushing out his last bit of straining exhaustion. Lilen laughed at the cat like display of stretching before getting up and offering a hand to Connor.

“Do you want to get changed out of that diaper and take a shower?" Lilen offered extending a hand, something Connor happily accepted before letting himself get dragged away and undressed in tile textured red rock bathroom. It seemed everything was made out of stone, even the toilet. It was probably easier to do so then wait for all the proper materials, after all a little bit of magic made nearly anything and everything possible, even plumbing.

Hot water steamed from the heavy red shower head, and Connor undressed himself, but before Lilen could take off the diaper Connor held his trainer's hands in place over his crotch and exhaled, and let go, urinating into the sharks palms. The cloth padding becoming saturated felt warm behind the plastic backing. Lilen smiled, and shook his head, and Connor felt an alarming sensation as the piss started to back flow into him. His bladder swelled with stale piss and sat there leaving Connor with a cramping feeling as his bladder begged for release. Lilen hummed as he stroked the empty diaper, and kissed Connor's neck.

“Well aren't you naughty, I think someone needs to be taught a lesson. Your such a big boy and your peeing your diapers on purpose. That's not good." Lilen tapped out on the swollen bladder with a teasing smile as he clicked open the diaper, letting it collapse to the ground between Connor's legs.

“Lilen, please… It hurts." Connor whined, grimacing in pain as he was led into the shower.

“I know, that's the point, if your going to use diapers then you're going to have proper accidents. So were going to take a nice 'loong' shower, then you're going to be put in a nice big diaper, and we'll see what happens after that." Lilen explained with a spiked finger encircling the begging bladder.

“A fast one please sir." Connor whined, only getting a smile from Lilen, “Of course little guy, how can I refuse such a cute cub who begs so nicely?"

However, the shower was anything but short, Lilen dragged everything along until Connor was in tears, begging to be put in a diaper just so he could pee. He didn't care if his bladder burst, if it meant he could just empty himself, so when the shower was turned off, both of them dried off. Connor pushed Lilen along and into the Master Bedroom where the shark had said he had stored all of the changing supplies.

Connor pushed himself back on the bed, and watched as Lilen chuckled at the display, “Someone is desperate for a diaper."

“Liilllen…please." Connor begged as the duffel bag dropped on the stiff mattress beside him.

Lilen pulled out a cloth diaper, with extra bedding, it was made for nighttime 'accidents' and pulled it up under Connor. He applied all the necessities at his own pace before tearing up the industrial Velcro and setting it in place, but Connor still couldn't pee.

“Lilen-" Connor was gagged with a blue pacifier.

“Your bladder is charmed, as simple little thing I practiced on myself during the week. It won't let you pee if you force it, it has to be an accident. SO, the more you think about it the longer it holds. Relaxing and just letting go doesn't help either, only true accidents works. SO, here's the deal, you can sit there and eventually let the inevitable come, or, if it really hurts, I can tickle you and you can pee yourself right now." Lilen offered with a devious smile as he bounced Connor up further on the bed, before crawling up and on top of him. He knew Connor's answer before he could even give it, the desperation in Connor's eyes was just that honest.

“Please tickle me." Connor whimpered, he hated being tickled, but he'd rather be tickled then deal with the pain of holding in his piss anymore.

“Are you sure?" Lilen chuckled, smiling in away that made him regret giving Lilen that much control, but he gave a whining nod.

Lilen wrapped his legs around Connors and pinned them in place, before reaching up and grabbing both wrists and pinning them up above Connor's head, exposing the human's vulnerabilities to what would be nothing but torture. Lilen teased the soft under arm, and Connor cringed biting back his wincing smile and laugh. His body contorting and trying to fight against the strange sensation.

Lilen dragged his one free hand down the left side of Connor's chest, causing an instinctual protest. Connor's body bouncing in earnest to try and pull away, soft whines, giggling escaping his lips, before Connor futilely tried to push Lilen off of him. Thin claws racked up the left side of Connor's chest, and a giggle escaped both Lilen's and Connor's lips, along with a begging protest from Connor, “Please, just tickle me."

Lilen smiled and kissed Connor's cheek, “As you command," He chuckled with only a sinister pleasure as he pressed in a bit harder under Connor's under arm, and properly tickled the human.

Connor cried out with life as he broke into a fit of laughter, tears burning down his cheeks, he was sensitive, and that was why he hated being tickled. Just the slightest sensation was too much. Several kids in elementary school use to tease him for his overreactions, and at one point a mere poke in the side caused Connor to jump out of his chair in the middle of class.

However, Connor could barely feel it in his rioting contortions, the piss drained into his diaper, and for several long seconds he soon became drenched with the excess. Lilen must have used his own crotch as a gauge because the moment the pissing subsided, he pulled away, just soon enough for Connor to feel the fringes of his honest accident.

Connor was panting, feeling violated until Lilen leaned down and hugged him, kissed him and spooned him, one hand rubbing Connor's crotch to tease and comfort the erection growing between his legs. “Was that so bad Connor? How did it feel to have an accident?" Lilen asked, but Connor could only moan, he didn't have the vocabulary to make anything coherent as he was still recovering, so he only ended up protesting with garbled baby babbling. “I love you Connor."

“Fucking… love you too Lilen." Connor returned bitterly, exhaling his pleasure because he couldn't deny how good it felt to be teased by the heavy hand between his legs, and before long he climaxed. The built-up tension from that morning's cum guzzling finally released into the diaper, and soaked into the warm padding leaving a disgusting gluey stickiness that Connor had to ignore as he was too tired to do anything else.

“Thanks for letting me play with you Connor. I know you don't like tickling too much, but I just wanted to hear you laugh." Lilen admitted as he pulled his hand away from the padding to rub the soreness out of Connor's empty bladder.

Connor could only blush at the soft words, he wanted to hate Lilen, but he did partially enjoy being played with like that, “yeah… ok… love you too." Connor grumbled again, earning him a bright smile and small laugh from the shark who pulled Connor into his chest.

“Do you want me to order in dinner, or do you want to go out soggy? Because I'm not changing your diaper till bedtime." Lilen asked and with a heavy breath Connor held the arms wrapped around his chest. “Get me some clothes and we can go out…"

Lilen's tail waped the bed like a happy dog, “Really, you'd be ok with that? I didn't think you'd be that daring."

“I've learned it's impossible to hide, so why hide the fact that I wear diapers and like using them? As long as I don't break any laws, I'm ok with doing it." Connor explained, and Lilen curled Connor's hair between his sand papery fingers.

“I get it, don't worry, I'll get you some pants. But one day I'm going to take you down to the beach in only a diaper."

“Yeah, I figured." Connor sighed, smiling as Lilen kept him close, “If your horny, you should probably fuck me now before I pass out again."

Lien smiled and adjusted himself, pushing Connor's chest to the bed, “if that's what you want?" Lilen questioned, though it was clear he was already pushing to penetrate as he dug out his cocks from the slit between his legs.

“I do, plus it might cover the scent of my piss if I smell like your cum." Connor breathed as he tugged a pillow under his chest and hugged it to brace him self for the twin dagger stabbing he was about to be slain with. “Oh, then I might have to do it a couple times, just for safety you know?" Lilen approved with a smile, before he grabbed a bottle of lube from his duffel bag and lathered his cocks, pushing one completely in, while he stroked other with his free hand. His right hand pushed Connor's shoulder down, pinning the human in place, before pulling out completely. He was just clearing the way, and priming himself for the deep drilling penetration.

Connor closed his eyes and exhaled, relaxing to keep himself loose, and smiled, waiting for Lilen to hit the mark deep inside him.