2 Years Later

Cato Emberson's Perspective:

It was finally a week before Angelica, Blaze, and I all get to meet the Goddess. Well, have the chance to meet the Goddess, at least. According to my fellow tribesmen, there have been fewer and fewer contractors chosen every year by the Goddess, and this year seems to be the last that we might receive some contractors.

I was held in high regard by some of the Fire Tribe members because of my innate ability to control source energy at a young age. Some were hoping I would be chosen as our next Wielder, while others were reluctant to admit any praise in my direction.

Blaze was still as set as ever on becoming a Wielder, while Angelica's determination had waned a little in the past years. In the upcoming week before our age's ceremony, the three of us continued our diligent practice, and within the last two years, both Angelica and Blaze had made incredible progress.

Blaze now had a stable blade that he could form from his source energy and produce out of his hand. Angelica was able to fire up to three fist-sized projectiles, which landed around half the force I could throw in a punch. It wasn't an effective weapon, but it was impressive for how far Angelica had come.

I, however, had developed the most. I could now form claws of source energy from all ten of my fingers if I wished. I had also grown into the sword I got from the elderly gentleman and had been practicing fervently. I could also coat my blade in source energy, but this drained my source energy too quickly and would leave me helpless in a real fight. I needed to increase my pool of source energy if I wanted to use it effectively.

Nearing the end of our last week before we were either contractors or contractless, the three of us spent a lot of time in our training room, without doing any training. Hell, we had been training for the past three to four years. I think we all deserved a break.

"You know, I'm kind of nervous. We've lived in her tunnels our whole lives. We've seen her statue tower above us every day. Yet, I'm nervous to try and meet the Goddess. What if she doesn't want to meet me?" I questioned. I wasn't seeking an answer, but I wanted to voice my concerns to the people I trusted the most; my friends.

"Hey, if she doesn't want to meet you, maybe I can just tell you how beautiful she is," Blaze said, grinning up at the ceiling as we laid on our backs.

"How can you remain so confident, Blaze?" This time it was Angelica who spoke.

"I'm not sure, Angelica. I mean, without confidence, what else do I have going on for me?"

Angelica and I both giggled at our friend's comment.

"This is true. You're nothing but confident over there, Blaze." I stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, I would say I have some other things going for me." Blaze tried to retort.

"Mmmm?" I mumbled.

"Yeah, we need examples, Blaze." Angelica agreed.

"Well, for starters, I-uh-I, I'm pretty charming! Let's see, uh, uh, I'm funny? Sometimes?" Blaze asked, almost as if for permission.

Angelica and I both giggled again at our friend, who sighed defeatedly. 'I get to be friends with them for a while, right? I shouldn't be afraid of our friendships changing after the ceremony.' I thought about the possibilities. 'If I became a Wielder and Blaze didn't, how would either of us feel? Would he hate me? I don't think he would, but how can I not be scared of the possibility?'

I felt awful for even thinking of the idea that Blaze might stop being friends with me only if I scored his position. He wasn't that shallow. I pushed the thought out of my mind and reinforced the wall keeping it out with the fact that we haven't had a True Power Wielder in over fifteen years.

"-ato! Cato!" Blaze raising his voice ever so slightly.

"Ah, yeah, what?" I responded, caught off guard by the sudden disturbance of my thoughts.

"Do you think you're going to coat that sword in some bad-ass fire once you get contracted?" Blaze asked, eyes almost out of their sockets because of how hard he was staring at my sword.

Noticing Blaze's face, I could almost see the image he imagined because of how excited he looked. Chuckling, I thought about it for a second. The source energy coat had drained my source energy pool insanely fast. If I did it with my source energy and the Goddess' source, I might be able to pull it off.

I turned to face Blaze, who was still staring at my sword. "I hadn't thought of it, but that's an excellent idea, Blaze," I said to my best friend.

Right, he was my best friend. I had known Blaze since before Angelica, but Blaze had introduced me to Angelica because his parents were friends with Angelica's Grandmother. I never did get tired of any of Blaze's antics. Admittedly sometimes I might end up embarrassed, but that didn't matter to me when it was Blaze.

Somehow, even experiencing embarrassment with Blaze didn't feel like embarrassment at all. With Blaze, it felt like the whole world didn't matter. It was just two boys doing whatever they could for entertainment throughout the chaos of tunnels they called home.

Angelica, on the other hand—having dealt with Blaze for much longer than I had—must have had some influence on Blaze. I could tell that Blaze enjoyed spending time with Angelica, but it seemed that Angelica wanted her time with Blaze a tad bit more.

Sadly, it seemed that eleven long years were not enough for even Blaze to pick up on the bravest of hints dropped by our shy Angelica. Blaze had always wanted to become a Wielder, and that was why Angelica had wanted to try and control her source energy in the first place. Blaze had brought her to meet me one day, and the three of us had been hanging out ever since. However, Angelica and I were friends to an outside eye, but I was mainly a blockade to her time with Blaze.

This meant that as much as Angelica liked me, she did not appreciate that Blaze always wanted to spend time with me. Which, like most people, made us distant from one another. I never tried to be foreign to Angelica, but I would respect her want for time alone with Blaze.

This was the reason why I told Blaze and Angelica we were going to train a little earlier than I would ever show up. Blaze may not have been picking up on it, but Angelica was thankful, and I think our "Bonehead Blaze" is finally starting to realize what has been going on in front of his face for the past eleven years.

Blaze slid my sword back to my side as he stood up and looked around the training room, "We'll be back here after the ceremony, right?"

"Of course," I stated, nonchalantly with my eyes closed and my hands clasped behind my head. "This is our training room. Why wouldn't we?"

A grin shot across Blaze's face as he stuck out a hand and pulled Angelica up to her feet.

"Well, our families are having dinner together Cato, we'll see you tomorrow?" Angelica asked as she stood.

"Uh, yeah, probably, the ceremony is in a couple of days. I might spend time with my family and help my mother out." I gestured as if making a big belly to signify how pregnant she was. The two nodded and started to head down the stairs.

I kept my eyes closed as I heard their footsteps drift further and further down the winding staircase that led back to the main square.

~~~

When I arrived home, I announced my arrival and placed my sword in my room on the first floor. After doing so, I bounded up the steps to visit with my parents. My father was, as usual, cooking dinner for my mother, who was knitting a small hat that I could only assume was for Ruth. I said hello to both of them, and they asked me about my day.

"It was nice. I didn't do much other than spend time with Blaze and Angelica." I said before blowing on a piece of food and shoving it in my mouth.

"That's good. Blaze and Angelica are some nice kids," my father agreed.

"I'm a little nervous, though," I almost whispered.

"Nervous? Our son?" My mother raised an eyebrow and locked eyes with my father in mock surprise. My father couldn't help but chuckle, to which he received a swift smack on the arm from my mother, who claimed, she did not tolerate jokes at her sons' expense.

I rolled my eyes in response to their display and felt a tinge of sadness because they hadn't taken me seriously. A warm sensation immediately replaced this tinge as my father started talking.

"You know, I got a contract on my second run-through, not the first." He pointed his fork at me, "It was quite the surprise. I came home absolutely distraught and destroyed from the outcome that I hadn't gained a contract. Your Grandfather was a contractor, and he always stunned me with the tricks that he could pull off from his contract. After I spent a year training my source energy and praying to the Goddess, she accepted me and offered me a contract my second time through." My father stated with a proud smile. He was proud of his hard work, and so was I.

It was the first time I had heard of someone gaining a contract the second time through. My surprise must have shown through to my face because my father began talking again, "Sounds ridiculous, I know. But that is why there isn't a need to be nervous. Even if she ignores you the first time—like your mother—you always have a second shot." My father beamed his smile at me again, which granted him the second shot from my mother.

I laughed hard at this display. I never could get enough of my parents. They sparked true joy within me, just as Blaze and Angelica did.

Throughout the next few days, I worked around the house with my mother and father while occasionally practicing my swordsmanship. I had told my parents where I had gotten it, and we invited the shopkeeper over for dinner to thank him for his gift.

He had refused initially, but after some convincing, I got him over so that he could eat his fill of my father's cooking.

Then, suddenly, it was the day of the ceremony.