Ash Ascendant: Chapter 22

Hi all, 

Here’s the second chapter for the week. Ash helps Blaze with a problem, and a new arrival from the upper floors spells trouble for him.

Chapter 22

Ash followed Blaze through the forest, flying on his board as the Pokémon dashed through the trees, using its wings to control its direction. Blaze couldn't fly properly—its wings were too flimsy to support sustained flight—but the Pokémon used them to accelerate and change directions with remarkable agility. 

He didn't know where Blaze was taking him, but as soon as he'd summoned the Scyther from his mind palace, he had been insistent on leaving the house. Deciding to humour the Pokémon, Ash followed him into the forest.

They reached an area of particularly dense foliage. As they pushed through it, Ash spotted a massive tree that towered above the surrounding canopy. He barely had time to admire the impressive sight before a furious buzzing erupted around them. Several Scythers emerged from the depths of the tree's foliage and jumped to the ground.

Ash tensed, retreating slightly on his board. To his relief, the Scythers paid him little attention. Instead, they swarmed around Blaze, chittering rapidly as if engaged in urgent conversation.

"Is this what you were trying to show me?" Ash asked.

One of the Scythers turned its head, finally paying attention to him. It hissed and lunged towards him, but a sharp, authoritative hiss from Blaze stopped it mid-stride. The Scyther retreated with a bowed head. It appeared as if Blaze was the leader of this group.

Feeling somewhat safer, Ash descended to the ground and set his board aside. While Blaze continued to communicate with the group, Ash took the opportunity to explore the area more thoroughly.

The massive tree demanded closer examination. As he approached its trunk, Ash noticed it was covered with countless scars where chunks of bark had been violently torn away. Deep gouges marked the surface, some looking fresh while others had begun to heal. Whatever had attacked the tree had done so repeatedly and with considerable force. 

Reaching out, Ash pressed his palm against the trunk. The bark felt extraordinarily dense and unyielding beneath his fingers—almost metallic in its hardness. This was likely a variant of ironwood.

A sudden wave of anger flooded through his mind. The emotion wasn't his own—it pulsed through his bond with Blaze, raw and unfiltered. Ash turned, concerned for his newest companion.

The Scythers were now leading Blaze around the massive circumference of the trunk. Ash followed them.

He froze. Bodies of fallen Pokémon—both Scyther and Absol—littered the ground. A massive battle had been fought here, and recently too, as the bodies still appeared fresh. However, the energy that had suffused their forms during life lingered still, slowing the natural decay process as if they'd been carefully embalmed. 

It reminded Ash of the dead Steelix he'd encountered on the first floor, whose residual energy he'd absorbed through his Steelium Core. Unlike that occasion, however, these fallen Pokémon contained Bug and Flying-type energy—incompatible with his Steel affinity and completely beyond his ability to harness. Even if he'd possessed the capability, precious little energy remained to be claimed. 

Whether due to their relatively lower levels compared to the Steelix, or the time that had elapsed since their demise, much of their power had already dissipated back into the surrounding environment. 

Ash's mind flashed back to when he'd captured Blaze after its fierce battle with an Absol. Everything suddenly clicked into place—Blaze hadn't been engaged in some random fight; it had been defending its home and family from invaders. 

Blaze approached one of the fallen Scythers, kneeling beside it with unprecedented gentleness from the normally fierce warrior. Ash felt an overwhelming surge of raw grief that nearly brought him to his knees. This wasn't just a fallen comrade; the emotional connection radiating through their link told Ash that Blaze had been close to this particular Scyther.

Ash felt a surge of guilt. While Blaze had been confined to his pokeball for months, these Scythers had been fighting desperately to defend their territory against mounting attacks. Most of the bodies belonged to the Scyther’s, meaning they had come off worse in the conflict. 

Since Pokémon existed in complete stasis while confined to their pokeballs, they experienced no passage of time whatsoever—consciousness simply paused and resumed without interval. For Blaze, the jarring reality was that one moment he had been engaged in desperate combat with an Absol, and seemingly the next instant, he was awakening to discover months had elapsed in the outside world.

Kneeling beside his Pokémon, Ash placed a hand on Blaze's shoulder. 

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't know."

Blaze turned, its fierce eyes reflecting complex emotions Ash hadn't expected from the Pokemon. Beyond the grief lay fierce determination. Through their bond, Ash felt faint impressions—not quite thoughts, but potent images and intentions that gradually coalesced into understanding.

"You want to defeat the Alpha."

"Scyther!" The Pokémon confirmed with a savage hiss, driving one of its blade-like appendages deep into the ground.

Ash nodded, understanding Blaze's intentions. This wasn't merely about exacting revenge. If they could defeat the Alpha of the Absol pack, there was a strong chance the rest would abandon this contested territory. Blaze wasn't driven by blind vengeance but by the necessity of protecting what remained of its family.

"But you don’t feel strong enough yet," Ash said. "Well, I can help you with that. Do you remember the promise I made when we bonded? That I would help you evolve into a Scizor. We can start there."

“Scyther!”

Ash summoned his Pokémon from his mind palace. Blitz, Bastion and Blade materialised around him, quickly assessing their surroundings.

"We're going to stay here for a while," Ash told them. "Until the danger with the Absol has passed."

This wasn't just about helping Blaze or gaining his trust. Ash understood that if he stood by while the Scyther's family was decimated, it would create a permanent rift between him and his newest Pokémon. The bond they'd formed was still fragile, and this situation would either strengthen it or shatter it completely.

Blade didn't react to the fallen Pokémon scattered across the ground. Its expression remained completely indifferent to the Scythers' plight. Having grown up in the harsh environment of the northwestern wasteland on the first floor, Blade had developed a pragmatic outlook that bordered on callousness. Death was simply part of survival in its worldview.

Bastion ignored Ash, making a beeline for his steel board. The Aron's eyes locked onto the metallic surface with unmistakable hunger. Before it could take its first bite, Ash summoned the board to his side.

"I told you not to do that," Ash muttered, reaching into his mind palace. He pulled out a steel ingot he'd acquired from the facility and tossed it over.

Bastion abandoned his pursuit of the board and pounced on the ingot. Metal crunched loudly as the Aron began devouring it, its eyes closing in contentment.

Bastion had developed quite an appetite for the facility's metal over the past few months. Unlike most Pokémon, Ash hadn't needed to worry about feeding his team before Blaze joined. Steel types didn't require traditional sustenance—they could function indefinitely without food—though that didn't stop Bastion from consuming every piece of the facility metal Ash gave him.

After researching the behaviour, Ash discovered that certain Steel types could incorporate properties of the metals they consumed into their bodies. The composition of Bastion's steel hide had subtly changed over time, taking on characteristics of the facility metal it had devoured.

He didn’t need to worry about Blade either. The Drilbur could absorb minerals directly from the soil, satisfying its nutritional requirements through simple burrowing. This saved Ash considerable money on Pokémon food.

Ash summoned his Steel Mask and the Giru robots from his mind palace. The mask connected to his face with familiar tendrils, its interface materialising instantly in his vision. Through it, he directed the three spherical robots to patrol the perimeter, their forms shimmering into near-invisibility as they activated their cloaking technology.

"Spread out and scan for Absol activity," he instructed. "Alert me at the first sign of trouble."

The robots darted away in different directions.

Ash turned his attention to the Scythers scattered around the area. Most seemed listless, either frozen in shock or mourning their fallen comrades. Their disorganisation concerned him—without Blaze's leadership, they had apparently lost all cohesion and tactical discipline. It was a miracle they had survived for this long. 

"They can't continue to rely on you," Ash said. "They need to grow stronger. How about we organise some sparring sessions to help rebuild their confidence and combat skills?"

Blaze considered this for a moment before nodding decisively. The Scyther approached its former colony, issuing a series of sharp chittering sounds and authoritative gestures. 

Within minutes, the area transformed into an impromptu training ground. Blitz, Bastion, and Blade positioned themselves as training partners. 

After scanning the Scythers with his Pokedex, Ash discovered their levels ranged between thirty-one and thirty-three—technically higher than his Pokémon. Despite this numerical advantage, something fundamental was missing from their approach to combat.

His assessment proved accurate the moment sparring began. The Scythers possessed natural speed and ferocity, but their attacks followed predictable patterns. 

His Pokemon, on other hand, were far more impressive. It wasn’t just Blitz who had improved in the past few months.  

Bastion had nearly doubled in size over the past months. At level twenty-nine, the Aron's steel carapace had thickened considerably, acquiring a distinctive bluish sheen that indicated its growing maturity. 

Like Blitz, Bastion stood on the threshold of evolution. Ash suspected the Aron's explosive growth might be partially attributed to the facility metal it had been consuming. The specialised alloy seemed to integrate well with Bastion's biology, accelerating its natural development in ways ordinary steel couldn't match.

However, it could equally be a natural progression—Bastion's body preparing itself for the imminent evolution. Unlike his other Pokémon, Bastion's transformation into Lairon would be extreme, considering how much his body would change. 

His stats reflected his role as the team's frontline tank. While he had developed similarly to Blitz in overall power, Bastion's strengths lay in different areas—its Defence and Attack were its strong points. Despite remaining relatively slow, Bastion was devastatingly powerful when he connected with an opponent, fulfilling the role Ash had envisioned from the beginning.

Aside from the Protect technique that Ash acquired from it, Bastion had learned both Rock Slide and Iron Head. These techniques had a base thirty percent chance of causing opponents to flinch. This effect was perfect for Bastion because it prevented his opponents from dodging his devastating attacks.

Blade had progressed to level twenty-five, his growth somewhat slower due to his inability to absorb Steel-type energy from Ash's core. Despite this disadvantage, Blade had developed significant physical strength through intensive training. His claws had lengthened and sharpened, capable of slicing through solid rock with minimal effort.

His stats hadn't reached the same heights as Blitz and Bastion, but that was to be expected given his level. Ash had focused mainly on developing Blade's natural strengths; HP, Attack, and Speed. 

Blade had acquired two new techniques: Sandstorm and Hone Claws. The former was a status technique that Ash would have learned had he not prioritised Protect. Sandstorm had several tactical applications, but most of these benefits were situational. It could damage Pokemon over time, except for Ground, Rock, and Steel types, which made it perfect for his team composition.  

His Pokenav rang. Ash fished it from his pocket and answered.

"Where are you?" James's voice came through clearly.

"In the forest. Why?"

"You might want to return to the city. Something interesting is happening."

Despite James's flippant tone, Ash detected tension in his voice. "Is mum alright?"

"The city isn't in any danger," James replied. "But someone has arrived from a higher floor, and it's caused quite a stir."

"Who is it?"

The line went dead. James had already hung up.

"Rude," Ash muttered, putting his Pokeenav away.

"I need to return to the city," Ash announced. "But I'll be back soon." 

He turned to Blitz. "You're coming with me."

The Magnemite beeped in acknowledgement.

"Bastion, Blade—continue the training. Blaze, we can evolve you when I get back."

Ash summoned his board and stepped onto it. The steel responded immediately, rising smoothly into the air. With Blitz flying beside him, they accelerated towards Fortree City, weaving through the upper canopy before breaking into open sky.

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

As Ash returned to Fortree City, he immediately noticed something unusual. Hundreds of people were walking the road to the mountain plateau where the Tower was located, creating a steady stream of humanity flowing up the winding path.

Curious, he descended to the road, stored his board and recalled Blitz to his mind palace. Joining the throng of people, he made his way up the mountain.

When he reached the summit, Ash found a vast crowd had already gathered. A temporary stage had been erected in front of the Tower entrance. Several people in crisp grey uniforms stood on it, surrounding a man with shoulder-length purple hair. He wore small, thin-framed glasses and a long, red coat over his formal attire.

The mayor of Fortree stood beside them, nodding repeatedly as the purple-haired man spoke. Even from a distance, Ash could see the mayor's subservient posture, almost bowing with every word exchanged.

Ash's cultivation senses prickled uncomfortably. The purple-haired man on stage radiated an aura on a level that reminded him of Steven and Giovanni. A Bronzong flanked the purple-haired man. It hovered motionlessly, its presence amplifying its trainer's already intimidating aura.

"What's going on?" Ash asked a middle-aged man standing beside him. "Who are those people?"

"They're from the Tower Association," the man said. "The governing body that works for the Overseers, ensuring the Tower runs according to their direction."

Ash nodded. "And who's that man? The one with purple hair?"

The man shrugged. “I have no idea.”

"Why is everyone from the city gathering here?" Ash pressed, looking around at the growing crowd.

"Because the Association summoned everyone here," came a familiar voice behind him.

Ash turned to find James, Jessie, and his mother standing just a few steps away. 

"And everyone just rushes to obey them?" Ash asked incredulously.

"You don't understand just how much power the Association has," James said. "People either don't want to disobey the Association or they're curious as to why they're here. It's been years since they've stepped foot on the second floor."

"I'm sure they have a good reason for being here," Delia offered.

Jessie snorted. "Whatever it is, it doesn't bode well for us."

"Paranoid much?" Ash looked back at the stage. "Who is the purple-haired man? Now that I think about it, he kind of looks like you, James."

James's face tightened. "That's Lucian. He's a senior-level administrator in the Tower Association and a Gym Leader. He’s also my brother."

Ash's eyebrows rose. "You don't seem too pleased to see him here."

"We don't get along very well," James admitted. "I doubt he came here just to visit me."

Ash grabbed his mum's hand and started pulling her away from James and Jessie.

"What are you doing, Ash?" Delia asked, confused.

"This Lucian fellow looks like trouble. We don't want to be seen associating with James."

Jessie laughed, and James shook his head. "It's too late for that. Though I doubt you have anything to worry about."

Over the next hour, people continued to arrive until the mountaintop was packed with what seemed to be the entire city's population. Lucian and his associates waited patiently, occasionally conferring among themselves but making no move to address the crowd.

Just as Ash was getting restless, he felt something—a subtle wave of psychic energy washing over him. It felt like his mind was being gently probed, as if invisible fingers were brushing against his consciousness.

He immediately reinforced his mental barriers, the practice from recent months kicking in automatically. His mind palace had expanded considerably since he'd first started mental cultivation, and his defences had vastly improved. 

The outer layers of his mind palace had transformed into a labyrinthine masterpiece of mental engineering. Multiple interconnected mazes now existed, each with progressively more complex configurations that defied linear logic. False paths weren't merely dead ends, but traps that could absorb and dissipate an intruder's mental energy. 

Beyond the maze, his guardian construct had evolved from a static mental Steelix to a fluid, adaptive entity. Now, the guardian could dynamically reshape itself, fragmenting into multiple smaller constructs that could pursue, trap, and neutralise mental intrusions from multiple vectors simultaneously.

Ash's eyes scanned the crowd, seeking the source of the psychic probe. His gaze settled on Lucian, whose eyes had taken on a faint purple glow. To most, they would appear to be simply observing the crowd, but Ash could feel the subtle psychic energy emanating from them.

As if aware he was being observed, Lucian stopped the mental probe. 

Ash turned to his Mum. "Are you alright?" 

"I'm okay," Delia replied, though she looked slightly unsettled. "I managed to deflect the probe."

Ash nodded. The probe hadn’t been strong. He assumed it was aimed more towards the non-cultivators, as if searching for something in their thoughts or memories.   

Delia had also been practising mental cultivation techniques. Her approach was more intuitive than systematic, yet she'd developed a surprising aptitude for deflecting unwanted mental intrusions.

James conjured a rose onto his palm. He brought it to his nose, inhaling its fragrance with closed eyes. 

"Are you sniffing roses again?" Ash asked. "You should get some help."

James shot him a glare. "I'm trying to calm myself down so I don't kill my brother."

"What are the chances of you winning?" Ash asked.

"Almost zero," Jessie interjected with a derisive snort.

James twirled the rose between his fingers. "I never said I would fight fair."

Their conversation halted abruptly as feedback squealed through a speaker system. On stage, Lucian stepped behind a microphone to address the crowd.

"Greetings, citizens of the second floor," his voice boomed across the gathering. "My name is Lucian and I work for the Tower Association. As much as I wished this trip was for pleasure, this is all business. I am searching for something, and need your help finding it."

A wave of whispers swept through the crowd. Lucian waited patiently, his expression impassive until the murmurs subsided.

"The Overseers have informed me there are ruins present on this floor that are highly dangerous. They detected its presence recently, but cannot pinpoint its location. Hence, they sent me to find it."

Ash felt a chill crawl down his spine. He was almost certain that Lucian referred to the underground facility. There were no other ruins he could think of that would draw the Overseers' interest. 

"I need your help searching the floor," Lucian continued. "I will provide lucrative rewards to anyone with information on the ruins' location. You will find me in the building adjacent to the mayor's office. Be warned, however, if you attempt to deceive me, I will not be lenient."

Lucian spoke for several more minutes, elaborating further about the specific details. He finally stepped away from the microphone and the crowd erupted into animated discussion. 

Ash barely registered the commotion swirling around him. His mind raced with mounting anxiety, each thought more troubling than the last. This unexpected development threatened everything he'd painstakingly built over the months. If anyone discovered his connection to the underground facility, his freedom would be at risk. 

He would need to move cautiously in the coming days and hold off on visiting the facility until the furore died down. He just hoped nobody found the ruins in the meantime. At least the facility had the Diglett and Dugtrio. They should be capable of dealing with most intruders.

His plans to hack the computer passwords and access the remaining video files would have to be postponed. Those files potentially contained critical information about the facility and the mysterious weapon mentioned in the recordings. It wouldn’t be easy, as he was dealing with advanced technology, and likely had strong safeguards, but he was confident he could do it.

"Are you okay, Ash?" Delia's concerned voice pulled him back to reality.

"I'm fine," he replied. "Just worried how this new wrinkle will cause upheaval on the floor. We already have loads of cultivators from the higher floors coming here to visit the trial ruins."

Ash spotted Lucian making a direct line toward James through the shifting mass of people. 

"Time to go," Ash muttered, grasping his mother's hand. 

Without waiting for a response, he pulled her into the crowd. Behind them, he sensed Jessie following, equally eager to avoid the imminent family reunion.

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

Ash sat beside the massive tree in the Scyther's territory, watching Blaze who waited before him. Both his Pokemon and the other Scythers gathered at a respectful distance to witness the event.

"Are you ready to evolve?" Ash asked.

Blaze waved his scythe arm impatiently, eyes fixed on Ash with unmistakable determination.

Ash had already placed the Metal Coat in his mind palace and nourished it with his energy. The hold item would play a crucial part in Blaze's evolution.

He reached into his mind palace and pulled out two Shiny Stones. The minerals pulsated gently with stored energy. These naturally occurring stones absorbed energy from their surroundings, concentrating it into a form Pokémon could utilise, although that use was limited.

Acquiring them had been expensive. While not as rare as type-specific Evolution Stones, Shiny Stones were still hard to come by. Ash had purchased them directly from the Tower’s market, paying a premium that would have been impossible for him just months ago.

Over the past few months, he'd built up a modest fortune by taking on various missions—hunting bandits, capturing Pokémon for collectors, and selling items he'd discovered during his explorations. He wasn't rich by any standard of the upper floors, but he had sufficient funds for their eventual ascension to the third floor.

The Shiny Stones alone wouldn't work for Scyther's evolution. This was where the Metal Coat became essential. Aside from being necessary to trigger Scyther’s evolution, it would convert the generalised energy stored in the stones into the specific Bug/Steel-type energy Blaze needed to evolve into Scizor.

Ash handed the stones to Blaze. "This is the shortcut to evolving into Scizor. Start absorbing the energy."

Pokémon evolution was fundamentally an energy accumulation process. The transformation required a catalyst to initiate it, with energy serving as that catalyst. Different Pokémon needed different amounts—generally, the more dramatic the physical change, the greater the energy requirement.

Wild Pokémon built up this energy gradually over months or even years, slowly accumulating the massive reserves needed. Trainers' Pokémon had advantages that could accelerate this process significantly..

The Evolution Stones represented one such method—rare minerals serving as external energy catalysts that could substitute for up to seventy percent of a Pokémon's required energy accumulation. Other approaches included finding areas in the Tower with concentrated ambient energy or using potions that temporarily increased a Pokémon's absorption rate. Ash hadn't managed to get his hands on the latter.

This presented a problem for his other Pokémon's evolutions. All the Steel-type energy he'd gained from the Steelix had been used up, leveling Blitz and Bastion to their current stages. It meant he would need to either find or pay for a shortcut. He didn't want to wait months for them to accumulate the energy.

The watching Scythers edged closer as Blaze gripped the stones, one in each claw. Their normally aggressive demeanour had shifted to something approaching reverence as they witnessed a potential transformation that few of them might ever experience. 

The stones began to glow more intensely as Blaze channelled energy through them. The Scyther's body tensed, trembling slightly as it struggled to contain the rapidly building power. Minutes passed as the glow intensified, spreading from the stones to envelop Blaze's claws, then his arms, until his entire form was outlined in brilliant white light.

When the accumulated energy reached critical mass, Blaze initiated the evolution process—an instinctual knowledge all Pokémon possessed. He released a sharp hiss that echoed through the forest before his body was completely engulfed in blinding light.

The transformation began at his core and worked outward. His exoskeleton hardened, the green coloration slowly transforming to a deep crimson.

His scythes reshaped into massive pincers with serrated edges. His torso compressed, developing armored plating. Four wings merged into two, while his legs strengthened to support his heavier form.

The light intensified before collapsing with a concussive force. Where Blaze had stood, a Scizor now emerged.

Ash grinned. “Now you live up to your namesake.”

Blaze examined his new body, flexing his pincers experimentally. The movements were initially hesitant, acknowledging the significant changes to his physiology. His wings buzzed briefly as he tested them, lifting slightly off the ground before setting down again.

The watching Scythers chittered excitedly, some moving closer to examine their transformed leader. Blaze turned toward them, demonstrating his new form with visible pride.

"How does it feel?" Ash asked.

"Scizor!" he responded, snapping his pincers, the sound like metal striking metal.

With a thought, he recalled Blaze to his mind palace and followed him inside. The newly evolved Scizor stood on its platform, and Ash’s other Pokemon were inspecting him curiously.

Ash examined Blaze's parameters. The evolution had transformed more than just his physical appearance—his entire stats had shifted to reflect his new form.

Blaze’s type had changed to Bug/Steel, granting him numerous new resistances while reducing his vulnerabilities. Only Fire attacks remained a serious threat, whereas his previous form had been vulnerable to Flying, Rock, and Fire techniques.

Blaze’s ability had changed to Light Metal. It halved a Pokemon’s weight, which meant he retained a similar weight to his previous form, even with the new Steel-typing. It also affected certain techniques. Since weight affected Speed to some degree, Ash was happy with the ability.    

The most dramatic changes were in his stats. His Attack had skyrocketed above one hundred, making him the strongest physical attacker on Ash's team. His Defence had also improved from his Scyther form, now sitting slightly above a hundred.

The evolution had come with some trade-offs. Blaze's Speed had decreased. While still quick, he could no longer rely on overwhelming opponents with pure velocity. But his new ability would offset the loss.

Blaze had retained techniques from his previous form and gained some new ones. His current moveset was: Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Fury Cutter, False Swipe, Metal Claw, Slash, Iron Head, and X-Scissor. 

Thanks to Blaze’s evolution, Ash had access to three new status techniques: Leer, Iron Defence, and Agility. The latter interested him the most, but he would have to wait until he gained another available slot. 

Overall, Blaze had transformed from a high-speed glass cannon into a powerhouse with impressive offensive capabilities and substantially improved defences. 

With proper training to adapt to his new form's strengths and limitations, Blaze would become a formidable addition to Ash's team—possibly even its cornerstone for the upcoming gym battle.

“This is a great start,” Ash said. “We will take care of the Alpha in no time.”

Blaze's eyes glinted. 

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

The evening shadows crept across the forest floor, deep and thick, with only a glimmer of moonlight to guide them. Ash and his team moved silently, trying to avoid alerting their target to their presence.

Blaze led the group, and the Scyther followed in a tight formation. After several days of practice, they were like a well-oiled machine. 

The Absol den came into view. Multiple white-furred creatures with wickedly sharp horns lay scattered across the rocky ground. A massive Absol sat towards the centre, watching over its pack. Immediately, Ash recognised the Alpha. It was at least one-third the size of the other pack members.

Suddenly, the Alpha's head whipped around. Ash froze, his breath caught in his throat. Had they been detected? Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to relay the signal to attack.

The Alpha's crimson eyes seemed to look directly through their concealment. A minute passed before it turned away.

Ash exhaled slowly, relief washing over him. But the moment was short-lived.

Without warning, the Alpha leapt to its feet. Its horn began to glow, energy concentrating into a razor-sharp blade. The attack tore through the air, aimed directly at their position.

The battle had begun. 

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Ash and his team keep training, and Lucian starts to take an interest in him.

Thanks for reading.