"Where'd you get those clothes?", Alpha's mother asked him somewhat irritated. She wasn't happy about him wasting money and he had to think of an excuse to not have her find out about him spending time with Elena. "Why'd you even leave without saying anything? You think you can just up and leave like that?"

"Franky told me about a sale within the mall. I rushed there to get school supplies and these clothes on a discount." Knowing that his mother loves Franky simply for being the outstanding kid “that is capable of everything”. Though he thought about putting the blame on one of his sisters by claiming that he told them to relay the message that he never left for his mother, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

"I'm gonna go study with Franky later. Is that okay?" Though it was a lie, he couldn't allow his mother to keep on micromanaging his life. He finally wanted to do something he desired to. Whenever he tried to deviate from what she wanted, his life was even more hellish.

"Studying? Just before the end of 10th grade?"

"He wants me to revise everything for 11th grade and teach me how to play an instrument one day. So I have to start now if I want to get this done some day."

She beamed with joy as she deemed this a wonderful occurence.

"Look! I told you that Franky is a wonderful friend! He's such a perfect child that I would adopt him on the spot if I could! You have to be more like him, understand?" It was always the same conversation when he talked about Franky. He can't talk of his friend's flaws or ever make jokes about him as this was the kid she wanted but not the one she had. Sometimes it makes him hate Franky. He wished that this could stop and the only way it will is by cutting contact.

Though it didn't take long, he left in a hurry despite not having to rush. He felt like it was suffocating him. His mother was a chain dragging him down he simply wanted to get rid of while his father was rather absent and an abusive drunk.

"I'm on my way," he texted Elena.

"See ya in half an hour."

"Okay! Figure out how to use that ring. I'll be here to give you tips."

And just like that, she decided to take a nap on a picnic blanket. With her strawhat lying on her head, she drifted off within her mind while awaiting progress.

"Don't forget to use your imagination and why this ring is so bland," she lectured him.

Alpha couldn't tell what exactly it was that she wanted him to do but deduced that each bland ring turns into a special one as soon as the conditions are met. Though he had nothing to confirm this theory, he deducted that it was worth asking about.

"Elena?", he asked.

"What's wrong?", she responded somewhat bothered by his question.

"Can I see your ring? I was wondering-"

"I don't have one." She cut him off before he could answer. "It was yellow and soft," she added.

That was all he needed.

"Yellow like her threads... Soft like cloth... So its change in appearance is based on the abilities the owner possess. I guess it's a start."

While he was pacing around, Prometheia decided to chime in and have a part in training Alpha.

"When Elena used her abilities for the first time, she ran straight into a bomb while imaginging how to delfect the blast. There she gained her ability to weave threads out of thin air and summon turbulent storms that can blow away entire cities."

"Hey Prometheia!", Elena shouted as she wanted him to learn such things on his own.

Prometheia cheekily disappeared behind Alpha not to be seen again for today. Making this task easier than before, he could grasp what made it necessary for him to unleash his power. Closing his eyes and focusing on the goal ahead, he thought of the stars as deep fascination lies within it.

"A little more..."

He just needs a little more to grasp what lies hidden within. He thought of his aspirations, of his hopes, and of his dreams. It was all he needed to move forward.

"I want to be better off than I am now and help others just like Elena is helping me now." His aspirations lied in helping others. Though it was something that always was a part of him, it was stilled by the way people treated him. Abuse and betrayal nearly killed his need to help others. It was rekindled by Elena. Her gracefully saving him is making him chase for something dangerous. Alpha could continue living the quiet but also depressing life he's lived before or put his life on the line for others.

"I hope... I hope I can save them too." Speaking of Demons, after meeting one that wasn't exactly hostile to him, he couldn't help but feel sorry for all of them. It didn't talk to him but she seemed sad. It bothered him as that was all he could think about.

"I'll definitely grow stronger and save as many as I can," he thought. Almost religiously, he was thinking about magic. "So that, like me, people can walk their very own “Path of Salvation”."

Upon opening his eyes, he found himself standing in front of Elena. Both awestruck and happy, she awaited a reaction from him. He couldn't tell why exactly she was staring at him but he felt that something was odd. His eyesight was constantly zooming in and out of focus while also tracing strange golden light that moved as if they were strung along by a thread. It was strange and overwhelming.

Elena put something around his neck. His vision adjusted and allowed him to foscus before he could break out in panic.

"So. How do you feel?", she asked.

He couldn't describe what exactly it was but it was if someone had lifted a weight off his body. Surprisingly, he was rather comfortable and a lot happier. Looking at his feet, he spotted a small crater destroyed by what could have been a violent explosion.

"Was that me?", he asked while pointing at himself. Another thing that was strange about himself were the change of clothes. Radiating genuine happiness and confidence in himself, he admired the new outfit he was in. His now white hair was blocking his view. Incredibly messy somewhat long hair for a man... it suited him a lot more. Golden eyes that mimicked the scope of a gun and golden crosses as earrings made him even more charming. Wearing a professional collared coat in white with golden lining and white cargo pants with the same golden lining.

"It's kinda cool but really flashy. I'm not sure if that fits my style."

"Don't worry about it. A change in style every once in a while is great. I do it all the time just to try out different looks. I suggest that you do that too from now on." Elena loved his new look and it gave him even more confidence.

His coat had seven crosses attached to his collar and a golden sword entangled in two chains. Though it wasn't visible, he wore a golden belt with a chain attached to it. Attached to the chain was the divine key that melted Elena's hand. The black steel-plated boots and the black gloves contrasted his white wear. All over him were golden rings. Two on the sleeves of his coat, two at the ends of his cargo pants, two on top of his boots, three on the right directly beneath his collar and three on the left directly beneath his collar... Twelve rings in total.

"Maybe Emma would love to cosplay that. She's always been fascinated by white haired characters."

"Emma?", Alpha asked.

"Don't worry about it. You'll meet her soon. And I believe we'll have to call it quits for the day. Let's continue tomorrow."

A little fatigued, he went back to the way he looked before the transformation.

The day after, the last Monday before the end of the school year, he has completely abandoned his original plan. Going from the pessimistic person that believed that there's no hope for the future has turned into the optimist that strives for a greater future. Dismissive of Franky's questions as he was told to keep this a secret, he rushed off to Elena's apartment. Excited and overjoyed by more training, he already took his shoes off before she opened the door.

"Wait a sec!", she yelled through the paper thin walls of the apartment complex.

She opens the door and let's him in. With a plate of cookies in her left and a cup of coffee in her right hand, she invited him in.

"You like sweet things, right? After a day of school sitting within the heat, you'll probably need some ice cream."

She had prepared a plate of ice-cream sandwiches just for him.

"I can have all of them?!" His childish side emerged.

Elena nodded. Alpha digged in and swallowed all of the ice cream sandwiches while Elena took her time to drink her coffee. Longingly staring around the room for more, Elena headed for the kitchen to satisfy his needs. His sweet tooth was satisfied and they could now head for training.

Inviting him into her domain, they go back to training.

This time, she's taken out a device she calls “Rookie Pyramids”. Simply handing it to Alpha, she allows him to do whatever he wants as he lays on the beach rather confused.

"What do I do with this thing?", he asks her as he handles the triangular pyramid. Not reacting to him trying to figure out how it works, she lies still and allows Prometheia to take over. Just like that, she pops up behind him and jumps over his face onto his chest.

"I can help!", she announces. "It's quite simple and works like meditation."

"Really?", he asks as he picks her up. "Is it really that simple?"

Prometheia wiggles herself out of his grasp and simply steps off him. White but also cottonlike clouds emerge from her fur and fully envelop her. Just like that, she transforms into a child while still having some of the characteristics she's had before.

Within that white dress of hers, there was something off. Now that she looks like a girl with a bob cut ten years of age, she looks human but still acts rather strange with no visible mannerisms, imperfections, or changes in pronounciation. Still, she had something that still made her feel human despite the “flaws”.

Alpha gets up and follows her lead. Now that he's on his feet, he looks at the way Prometheia handles the pyramid.

"It only reacts to people. Prometheia shouldn't be capable of stimulating such a thing," adds Elena.

However, it turned out to be a lie. It reacts to Prometheia and enlarges. The silver pyramid breaks apart into four pyramids at each corner exposing a white but also glowing core pyramid. With her eyes closed, she focused on fueling the core with her magic. Upon openening her eyes, she was awestruck by the sight of the core pyramid. Finally changing to the pattern of the cosmos, the core and the corner pyramids shrunk and turned into the one “Rookie Pyramid”.

"So it was a lie, huh!", Prometheia yelled as Elena drifted off to sleep.

"Well... Anyway, let's continue with training. It's not exactly meditation but you do have to focus on powering the core. Just imagine a constant stream of magic flowing out of you. Pretend as if you're connecting with the core without being in contact with it."

Considering her instructions clear enough, he starts focusing on charging the core. Though his training starts off smoothly, he can't focus at all.

"How about I get Elena to make you some ear plugs?", Prometheia said. "That should block out all outside noise and help you focus."

Elena reacts before Prometheia could order her around and simply inserts the ear plugs. Alpha thanks her. She holds up her arm with a thumbs up.

Alpha focuses once again and starts having self-doubts.

"What if I'm not good enough?" Prometheia observed the core reacting to Alpha.

"Do I really deserve all this... a second chance at life?" The core turned golden and gave off heat as it shone onto everyone within the vicinity.

"You're probably just gonna mess it up again." The core reacts even more violently as it starts fidgeting and changing shape. It starts burning away at everything around them except for Alpha and his belongings. Not reacting as it doesn't affect him, Prometheia calls for Elena as she can't approach Alpha.

Elena simply pulls out the ear plugs and has Prometheia continue trying to stop him. Alpha opens his eyes and spots a mass of pure light magic gathering within the core. Upon stopping with supplying the core with light magic, it becomes even more violent. With every one of them being awestruck by this occurence, they're not bracing for what's to come.

Before it could explode, Alpha instinctively grasps his key. The core goes off and incinerates a significant amount of the field they were in. The divine key protected the three of them by detaching the three rings. Each ring placed itself around one of them and formed a sphere, a barrier that protected them.

"I guess that's enough for today!", Elena announces as she kicks him out of the barrier. A little fatigued, Alpha transforms back as his key has already reassembled itself. Alpha awkwardly excuses himself and leaves as Prometheia and Elena figure out what to do with that revelation.

The next day, he comes in like he did yesterday as he pretends as if nothing had happened yesterday. Invited straight into Elena's domain upon coming in contact with the door, he finds himself standing in front of Elena. This time, they've prepared another gadget meant to train him. A silver helmet they call “Sim Heaven”...

"Sim Heaven... Is it really that-"

He found himself in another world. It was rather bland and lacking but good enough for training. Standing on one lone platform within the skies, he stood among the clouds trying to spot whatever may be around. Below were clouds abstructing his view. It was impossible to see through them. He couldn't hear or see what could be below.

"Should I jump?", he wonders.

Grasping his key once again, he throws it in hopes of enlarging it. However, his key simply falls into the abyss of clouds right beneath him. Jumping right after it in a panic, he hopes of having it activate midair so he wouldn't fall flat onto what may be below.

"Maybe I should have thought this through... I have shoes. Why did I not throw them?"

Finally, after what seems to have been a minute of falling, he can see what is below. A dystopian sight was right beneath him revealing the remains of a futuristic city. A massive skyscraper covered in vines was the first thing he came in contact with. Crashing into the building, he discovered his divine key not being far from. However, he wanted to lie down for a bit and just take it all in.

"“Peace of mind”, huh?" He can't help but think about the way he never gets to just lie down and think without worry. A world of his own belonging only to him is something he'd love. The clouds dissipated and revealed the setting sun. Basking within its glory, he felt the urge to explore even more now that he has the time to do so. Jumping off the building, the world lagged and allowed him to fall right through a street. It was then that he discovered a world below the unfinished world.

"What is this place?", he thought as he kept falling. The world that once was was nowhere to be seen. He's now falling into an abyss.

The abyss contained massive roots with luminescent fungi all over them. Obviously, the trunk and the tree's crown lie far above him. Before he could attempt to get to the top, a sudden panic overcame him.

"Huh?"

His senses went haywire as he started hyperventilating. His chest felt tight and his mind was all over the place.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

Strangely, his stomach started acting up.

"Are you sure you're capable enough of becoming someone like Elena?"

Insecurities and self-doubt heightened as they were lingering at the back of his mind. However, he'd slip off the root he was standing on and fall into an abyss. Slowly but surely, all light faded away as did his consciousness.

"Are you okay?", Elena asked. Concerned by his sudden increase in heartrate and him falling over, she had him lie in her lap while he was within his own fantasy world.

"My head hurts but that's pretty much all..." He got up in a daze and held his head.

"I guess that simulation was a lot harder on you than I expected. You're pretty much running a fever." She headed for the kitchen in hopes of finding something she could cool him down with.

Alpha declined the offer and rested on that couch of hers. He slowly came back to reality.

"What is that headset for anyway?"

Elena replied, "It was supposed to give you a taste of what your own domain could be like and have you face a mirror version of yourself. I guess we'll have to hold off on that for now..."

"How about some Demon hunting?", Prometheia proposed.

"But he doesn't even know how to use his own magic. Wouldn't that be a little early?" Elena was pondering as to what they should do but decided to send him away and deal with it on her own.

Alpha, worried about Elena not texting him back like she usually would, was on his way home.

"I probably disappointed her, right?" Looking at the passing train as he rides his way home, he felt somewhat sad.

"Maybe I should give up on becoming the person she is..."

His insecurities took over. Deciding to rest his eyes, he closes them, but falls over immediately after. Somehow, he found himself within Elena's domain. Protected by a dome created by his divine key, he was sitting in shock as Elena was trying to bury her fist into the dome.

"You know," she said as she pulled back. "every Dream Catcher deemed incapable of growing stronger or incapable of assimilitating into the world of magic, has to be dealt with."

"Dealt with?! Are you trying to kill me?!"

However, he'd find himself shocked and disappointed by her blank and cold stare. She was absolutely willing to kill him if it means he's going to stay weak. With no intent to hold back, Alpha had to transform and fight her to prove his worth.

"Execution is way too inhumane! You can't just deem someone weak before they've had a chance to grow!"

Alpha jumped back and was trying to flee from Elena. Running and doing bunny hops, he thought about ways to confront her without hurting her.

"Think! Wind, cloth, and threads..."

Turning back, he was hit by a gust of wind that threw him off his feet. However, it only propelled him even further away from her.

"Her threads can turn anything into minced meat. I have to look out for that move of hers. Then there's cloth... I doubt she can do a lot with that. The there's the wind... I can't approach her while she's using that. Maybe I should observe her a little?" He nearly lost his mind at the thought of battling a foe he deemed unbeatable and maybe even a friend. However, there was no other way.

Burrying the spearlike side of his divine key into the ground, he had hoped to erect another dome. However, upon observing Elena punching the air, he froze in place as there was no dome to protect him. For some reason it wouldn't work. Instead, the air blast was sent back to its creator. The divine key allowed the rings to be let loose and catch the air blast. Like a net, or rather, like a trampoline, it pulled back and shocked Elena. She wasn't expecting him to return the blast.

"At least I know that I can deal with the air blasts. All there's left to it are those deadly threads. They're almost too thin to spot!"

Now that she knows that air blast won't work, she decides to fly directly towards him. Hyperion, now that he knows that his divine key is capable of all kinds of things, takes it into his hands and positions himself like a young witch would on a broom stick. Taking off, he barely could control where exactly he was going and at what speed he was flying at.

"How do I even maneuver this thing?! Why does nothing come with a damn manual!" Within a time of distress and fear, he's fully capable of making jokes but not capable of hurting others...

Elena came closer to Hyperion but flew right past him as he came to a sudden halt. Just like that, his rod lost its magical properties and allowed him to fall back down. There was no fear of death as he knew that such a fall wouldn't kill him within that form. However, watching Elena, he realized that another attack would come and get through his defenses.

Compressing air so much that it visibly forms a bow and an arrow, Elena was going for an attack, an arrow that held the power of a hurricane yet just as small as a needle, that he couldn't defend himself from. It spun within the air and created a loud boom as it broke through the sound barrier. Somehow, Alpha precisely threw his divine key at the needle allowing it to explode into a massive hurricane that flung him around. Like a ragdoll, he bounced through air as Elena stepped closer.

"Think! Think back! When you transformed, you caused a massive explosion that incinirated the spot you were standing on! Try to do that again!"

He smiled as he started figuring out ways to deal with Elena. The hurricane dissipated as Elena prepared for the next attack. His divine key was lost and not responding to his wishes. With her rushing towards him while preparing for a punch directly to his chest and him holding his hands out, Alpha knew how to hold her off for a while even if it means getting her hurt.

Emotions took over as he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Fuck you!" His palm gave off a golden glow and exploded right before Elena's fist could impact with him. A massive explosion send him flying back down while Elena vanished within the blast. Impacting with the ground fractured a couple of bones while also destroying the landscape around him. Elena was nowhere to be seen.

Something poked his forehead while he was buried within the ground. "Good job!", exclaimed Elena as Alpha errupted in tears.

After spending some time resting, he finally stopped crying. His first battle is definitely something he won't forget.

"I said I'm sorry. I never intended to kill you. You always showed more potential than I did back when I started as a Dream Catcher!" Trying to reassure him that something like this won't happen was hard but he knew that she wouldn't act like this again. However, he still was mad and incredibly frustrated with her brilliant idea.

"I've had it with you! Let me out!", he yelled. Even Prometheia appeared to apologize on Elena's behalf but was told off by Alpha. Allowing him to leave her domain, they ended todays lesson right there.

"I'm really sorry, okay? I didn't mean to scare you like that... It's just that I've never had to teach someone and decided to do it in the best way I can think of. Can you forgive me?"

Elena was remorseful for her actions. As a day had passed, she was rather anxious that he would never talk to her again.

"More ice cream sandwiches!", Alpha said as he pouted. Though he had accepted her apology already, he still wanted compensation for hurting him like that.

"I'll buy you some more after training, okay?"

An agreement was found and they could now continue on with their lessons. Now that they're in Elena's domain, they can continue on with training.

Spending nearly until 10 pm with training him in maneuvering his divine key in flight and unleashing his explosions at will, they called it a day. These kinds of lessons went on for several more days in forms of meditation and would finally bear fruit.

On a Sunday morning, he's scheduled to battle his first Demon. Handpicking it to test his skills in flight and his ability to unleash his magic, she expected him to lose yet show a lot of progress.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?", Alpha asked.

"Why would it not be? Besides... When do I ever have bad ideas?" Elena wasn't thinking about her answer but realized that just four days ago, she likely had traumatized Alpha. "Except for last Wednesday... I'm sorry."

"As long as I get a lifetime supply of ice cream sandwiches, all is forgiven."

Seeing this as his consent to drag him into the domain of a Demon, she shoved him into the strange mist of an alleyway. Within it was his targets domain. “Stormchaser” was exceptionally weak. The only thing it had going was the hurricane it resided in. Constantly located above an endless sea, there was no footing or anything one could hold onto.

Though he struggled at first, he finally got in control of the situation after a minute of flailing around.

"Controlling my divine key within this hurricane is hard. Having to concentrate on evading and attacking is gonna be hard."

What flew within the heart of the hurricane was one lone eye staring directly at him while it flapped its wings. Its wings were made of skinless arms that simply swung up and down to keep it in the air. As soon as it perceived him as a threat, it gathered an abundance of water to fire a water beam that would throw him off his rod. Now that he's closer to the surface, he can something lurking within the waters. It looks like a bunch of massive sea serpents are lurking right beneath him and are ready to tear him to shreds.

Elena intervened and used the same needle she used on him to take care of the Demon. Stormchaser was torn to shreds from the inside out as a hurricane errupted from within. The domain dissipated and had Alpha fall into the alley instead of a horde of sea serpents.

Monday, Alpha is supposed to fight a Demon on the same level as the one he had battled the day before. This one evaded a lot less and focused on attacking. Even though it clearly was built for defending instead of being on the offensive, it focused on attacking Alpha. Residing within a world full of gray cuboids, it was a simple black box containing a Devil Seed.

Starting off with several cubes flying towards him as an attempt to crush its attacker. However, with one stretched out hand and his imagination, he caused a massive explosions that blew back all cubes and killed “3D”, the Demon he just fought. Defeated by its very own cubes, it proved to be even weaker than Stormchaser.

"I won?", he thought. The Demon itself was pathetic, however, it still could be considered a victory, his first battle won.

Meanwhile, two Dream Catchers, a veteran and a rookie, were on patrol dealing with stronger Demons than Alpha had ever seen before. Hellfire and King were watching over their turf observing Alpha and Elena. King took a lot of interest in Alpha and simply couldn't sat his curiosity.

"I'm sorry. I'm gonna observe them a little longer, okay?", stated King.

"Huh? Why... Fine. I'll go on and deal with it myself. Try to catch up after!"