《Never After》Chapter 3 : Awakening

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"Alright, here it is," said the man in the suit cutting of Harmonia's thought, "This is the gate that blocks us from Prisoner." A panel suddenly popped up from the floor next to the steel gate, then Fynn walks up to the touchscreen reached for the insides of his pocket, and took out an ID card.

The panel emitted a voice "ID card verified, opening the hatch," the circle in the middle of the gate rotated and slowly opened, revealing all the small details in the mechanism of the gate.

Deliberately Harmonia thought of if the Prisoner knew that they were coming "Uhh Agent Fynn, does he know if w-."

"Calm down, that person won't know if we are coming. The walls in his containment room are magic and sound isolator, which means he can't do anything to the people outside." He shrugged, "To be honest, you can put a quotation mark on that "can't," I said." Agent Fynn smirked.

"This gate... takes so long to open" Harmonia gazed at the gate then back to the Agent.

"I don't know, maybe to keep anything behind it from escaping?" He shrugged while making a small smile on his left cheek.

"Agent Fynn, I just realized, but you kind of look like that Agent, what was his name again… I think it's Agent Hiro?"

"It's that easy to spot, huh," Agent Fynn sighed, "I knew senior for a long while now, let's just say I adore him."

The gate finally opened, and sound emitted again from the panel, "Please proceed with caution."

Even though Agent Fynn said that the gate was the last thing they need to get through to arrive at the Prisoner containment cell, in front of them now is still another gate. Looking at how much she needed to walk to get to the containment cell, she angrily glared at him.

"Hey, don't blame me for this, I wasn't the one who designed this prison layout you know. I'm just a warden for this place." He smugly smiled at Harmonia, knowing fully that she can't blame him and that the corridor has a different reason for being so long.

"This corridor has a reason for being so long, you see, underneath the walls and floors is a defense mechanism that will trigger if that Prisoner ever tries to escape."

"Huh? did he ever tried to escape?" Harmonia asked.

"No, not once even, just like I said if he ever tries to escape." The Agent rubbed the back of his head, "To be honest, he never did anything that would be considered suspicious."

Harmonia thought of the possibilities of what the Prisoner can do "Hmm, so this person might not be as powerful as I thought he was when I first heard of him. Maybe it's his vast knowledge of things that made him so tightly guarded considering that he wants a student…" Her forehead furrowed as she thought the best she could.

She stopped from her train of thought as they are in front of the last gate. The Agent slid his ID card to the touchscreen like before. The door opened faster than the one before it, in front of them is a room that is wider than the corridor and at the back is a dark glass wall.

"Ah, so that means inside of there is the Prisoner, right?" Harmonia asked as she walked inside the room.

"Wait!" Agent Fynn shouted.

"Hmm?" Harmonia glanced back to the Agent as she continued walking.

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Instantly the cold air swarmed around her feet. Immediately rising from Harmonia's feet to her neck, the cold air felt like it was wrapping around her body like a snake.

"W-what i-is this," she panted as she is trying to process what is happening.

Fynn steps into the room, "Hey, hey, stop that creepy aura of yours, don't you want a student? That person inside the room is your student, you know," said Fynn casually.

The cold air slowly dissipated, Harmonia that was shocked slowly calmed down. She kneeled panting "Huh…, Thank god." The girl quickly stood up and shouted at the glass wall "What was that about!?, and where in the world are you?" Said the girl as she stomps her feet to the ground.

"Forgive me for the intrusion, it was at my own thought that someone managed to break into here, and for that this glass in front of you, it is a one-sided mirror, I can see you, but you can't see me." A cold and exhausted voice emerges from behind the glass mirror.

"So little girl, what makes you want to be my student?" The man abruptly asked, changing his tone to a more serious one, "State your reason for wanting to be my student."

Fynn smirked, "Heh, Straight to the point, huh," he walked up to Harmonia that is fixing her uniform again. Tapping her shoulders, whispering, "Hey Mistress, you should quickly answer that."

"Huh, alright," she fixed her uniform and stood up straight, she coughed to clear her throat. "My name is Harmonia Fleur," she began, "Ah, this might sound embarrassing, but I-," she breathed deeply, "Haven't awakened my magic."

"So the world has reached that level of population, I understand fully now. Very well, I shall teach you how to use magic, but before that, how old are you?" The Prisoner asked.

"I'm Seventeen."

"That's quite a pickle," the Prisoner said with a sigh. "You need to awaken it first before I can teach you magic, but awakening one's magic at that age is… a problem."

"It doesn't matter I'll try my hardest, no matter what," Harmonia's eyes glow with her fist clenched. Harmonia loosens up and rubbed the back of her head, Umm…, how do I address you?" she asked.

"I like your optimism, and for my name..." The Prisoner stops talking for a bit and then continues talking, "To be honest with you, I don't remember my name or even how much time I've been here, then how about, Hil… Ah, Hilbert. That name should provide for conversations." the Prisoner answered.

"You should've told me your name earlier," the Agent sighed, "Alright, everything should be settled now." The Agent smiled, "Harmonia, you'll stay here."

"W-wait what?, You're leaving me here?, with a dangerous Prisoner?" she shouted at the Agent. "Hey, I'm not that bad of a person," Hilbert followed up.

"Relax, we have surveillance cameras around the room." The Agent pointed to a chair leaning on the wall right next to the door, "If you don't want to stand all the time, you can use that chair over there. We don't have anything fancy, because we didn't think your father would allow it in the first place."

"I mean.., not that…," Harmonia mumbled.

Agent Fynn, walked back to the corridor, waving his hand at Harmonia "Best of luck," he said. The gate then closed, leaving Harmonia and Hilbert.

"I have no other choice, do I?" Harmonia ignored the chair, "How do I do it then?" she asked.

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"Let's start with the very basics of magic," said Hilbert.

"You don't need to tell me the basics of basics," she took a deep breath, "Long story short, every people of every race has a magic signature, right?"

From behind the glass wall, Hilbert clapped, "Excellent, you explained the knowledge that every single people knows about," said Hilbert with a sarcastic tone.

Harmonia can feel a grin on Hilbert's face without even looking at his face directly.

Hilbert continued, "And no, I didn't mean on telling you that. Ley lin-"

"I know that already, ley lines are what provides everything with magic," Harmonia replied.

"Very well, I'll cut off the basic ones. You're not as dumb as I thought you would be."

"Is that a compliment… or an insult?" Harmonia whispered.

Hilbert chuckles, "Whatever you see fit," Hilbert began as he stomped his foot unto the ground. "Years ago, there was no need for people to awaken their magic. It is due to the ley line having an easier time covering the population, but it would seem now, you humans have reached a point where a ley line can't take care of all of you."

"You… humans?" Harmonia mumbles confusedly.

"Do not fret, however, there are societies of humans, that live far away from a ley line back then. Because of this, their newborns are not able to use magic, but they discovered a way to awaken it."

"And their way is what you're going to teach me?" The girl asked.

Hilbert scoffed, "You see, Mistress, there are two ways for someone to awaken their magic."

"Eh, Mistress? H-how did he know," Harmonia thought, "And those are?" She spoke.

The first way is the way you've known all your life, just being born with it," said Hilbert, "The second way is to make an anchor for yourself with the world."

"This way is rather dangerous, but I'm guessing you won't budge even If I tell you that," He laughed. "Let's start, shall we," Hilbert let out a breath, "Follow my instruction, without questions. One wrong step and it's a bad ending for you."

Harmonia gulped back her fears, "I-I'll do it," She said with a slight worry in her voice.

The girl clenched her fist. Finally, she can improve herself, and without a doubt, she thought of the reason why she arrived here in the first place. Her desire to achieve something that she truly worked hard to obtain, and as she focused her mind on it, something nudged on top of her head.

Memories of wasting time doing nothing, her stagnant life and receiving things she didn't deserve, enters her mind.

She shook off the memories, as currently, the only thing important to her is changing her stagnant life.

"Open your eyes."

She opened her eyes as ordered, but as she slowly opened her eyes and tries to look around, all she could see around her is darkness. She struggled to wave her head around. Thinking that she was blinded, she tries to grab onto something until a faint white glow shines her tender face. She turned to look, In front of her was a white sphere shining vibrantly in the dark in arms reach, "Grab onto it and don't let go, whatever happens," said Hilbert.

She quickly grabbed onto the sphere. It fit her hand perfectly. Warmth slowly surged fort from the sphere, moving to her hands and then her body.

The warmth continued to move through her entire skin. She felt her uniform turns lighter, and her skin more sensitive to the surrounding area. She started to emanate a vibrant red light. But as the warmth covered her back, it turned into a vile scorching heat, Harmonia screamed and kneeled, her hand still tightly gripping on the sphere.

"No," she weakly uttered.

Her grip was slipping as the scorching heat on her back, raged on, "It's not going to end like this," she shouted. Her left foot firmed its stance on the ground, "I've been waiting for this moment all my life, the moment where I can change it all!" she pushed her entire body to stand upright with her left foot.

She clenched her teeth, "You're mine!" The girl shouted as she dragged the sphere from where it was floating. She raised it in front of her chest. Then, with all her might, she pushed the sphere into her body.

The warmth burned inside her, "Urgh," she groaned, her legs trembled, and her eyes went wild, she stomped the ground with her jaw closed. In an instant, the room shimmered with a reddish yellow glow, the glow twirled into a circle around Harmonia. Slowly, the light that rotated around her started to spin rapidly and rose from the ground.

Hilbert laughed at the sight before him, "Wonderful, just wonderful." The mist ignited into reddish-yellow flames, it crackled and slowly enveloped the girl, her eyes opened and flickered with a golden glow.

Harmonia shouted while withstanding the burning pain around her body, "Is that all you got?"

She crossed her hand over her chest, preventing the sphere from escaping. The flames entered her body, and Harmonia's red glow turned to gold.

The light dispersed from her body, returning the room to what it once was, Harmonia coughed and panted, her strong stance faltered, and she fell on the floor, kneeling.

She slowly opened her eyes and blinked until her eyes widen as she looked up the one-way mirror. In the silence that came, the sound of clapping emitted from behind the glass wall, "D-did I do it?" Said Harmonia, her eyes appearing cheerful.

"Yes, you did, its Creation," said Hilbert.

Harmonia looked to the ground, as the first tear fell from her eyes, the rest of it followed like a dam breaking. Harmonia kneeled, moving her arms to cover the tears falling from her eyes, "F-finally, I-I did it," she began to cry, not caring for where she is.

"Wait... What!? Are you actually crying?" Hilbert's voice seemingly shocked, with the scene unfolding before him.

"Y-yes..." The girl sobbed, "It's been so long, I-I wasn't able to use magic, people around me used it as it if was nothing. I was alone. I tried so many times, with so many methods just to be the same as the others, I failed all the time, b-but now I-I..." Her breath stuttered as she scrubbed her eyes with her forearms.

"I don't quite get why you're crying," Hilbert let out a sigh, "so I'll just wait until you let it all out."

After some time, Harmonia stopped crying, "S-so, my magic is Creation?"

"Yes, it is," Hilbert said shortly.

"Could you say it as if you were amused," said Harmonia with a cracked voice.

"Why?"

"P-please," she pleaded.

"Fine, your first magic is Creation, the magic closest to the power of a god. This type of magic can only be obtained by birth, consider yourself lucky. Well, the closest to the power of a god thing is an exaggeration, but you asked for it."

"Thank you," said Harmonia as he pushes herself to stand up straight.

"Oh, and did you know that I could hear your voice while you were awakening it?" Said Hilbert, chuckling.

"A-ah!" Harmonia's cheeks turn red, "P-please forget it, I needed some words, to motivate me."

"Heh, of course, Mistress. Now before we begin your training, do you know about Angels and Devils," Hilbert asked.

"Hmm? that's a bit random," she went silent and looked up to the ceiling before she continued talking, "Yeah, but those races are just legends, I only know them from figures in books."

"Huh, Well then, can you tell me the specifics of those stories?"

"Uh, oh," Harmonia's voice lowered as she looked down, "The stories always paints the Angels as the bad guys. What I don't understand is that the Devils portrayed in the stories are not consistent. Sometimes it's shown that there is only one Devil, but in another book, there were plenty of Devils."

She took a deep breath and exhaled, "There was a sad one, in one book the Angels won, but somehow I felt bad for the Devils. You see, the Angels took something from one of the Devils, it's not specified what it is, but from the way the Devil reacted, it was something significant to it."

"What book is that?" There was a note of curiosity in the Prisoner's voice.

Harmonia shook her head, "The title has been ripped off, and it was the oldest book in my family's library." Harmonia raised her index finger, recollecting something in her head. "Oh, there was something else in the book. There was this one quote on the last page of the book, I think it says. People turned to the Devil when everything abandons them."

As Harmonia finished her sentence, she could hear Hilbert laughing from behind the mirror.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked.

"It's nothing, but Mistress, you better remember that quote," Hilbert suggested.

"Huh, what for?" She tilted her head sideways, "Also, why are you asking these questions anyway? It seems a bit random to me."

"Excuse my ignorance, the reason why I'm asking these questions is because I'm a-."

Abruptly, before Hilbert was able to finish his sentence, alarms broke out throughout the prison, flashing a bright red color to every containment cell, except to Hilbert's Containment room.

Suddenly, the gate behind Harmonia slowly opened, revealing Fynn running towards the room as fast as he can, "Eh.., Agent?" Harmonia walked to the slowly opening gate, "What's wrong, Agent?" Harmonia asked.

Seeing Harmonia standing near the gate looking at him, Fynn shouted.

"GET OUT OF THAT ROOM, NOW!"

But before she could respond, her vision faded out.

A few Minutes, Earlier.

Fynn was leisurely sitting at the front desk of the Security room, watching the live feed of the hidden cameras. "He really was looking for someone to teach," the Agent took the coffee that was sitting nicely at his desk right next to a picture of him with another person.

"To think that he'll teach someone who hasn't awaken their magic just like that is amazing," he carefully sipped some of the hot coffee.

"Now just a little bit more and I can see what that girl magic is," Agent Fynn mumbled before he was interrupted by his Coworker.

"Fynn, You might want to see this," The man in front of Fynn's table shouted, "Hmm? What?" the Agent stood up and walked to the man's monitor.

"Agent Fynn…, a large teleportation circle, is detected from around the Jai-" Before the man was able to finish his sentence, Fynn ran to the exit door. He bashed the door open and ran toward where Harmonia is. He tapped the small mana transmitter on his ear, "This is Agent Fynn Reporting, Requesting Reinforcement on my location at top Priority."

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