==Allen POV==

The Twisted have died. After around... I don't know how many years, they died, yet I still live. Time for me is frozen in these crystals and time still moves outside of them. It's ironic how the ability I started messing with, may be the one that keeps me safe, for however long time may pass. There's nothing left to do but meditate and have patience. So I start to meditate to reach into my mind and spirit to find my territory. Everyone's territory is different in action, reaction and inaction as each has a pro and con. I land and find myself on Earth, though in a city that is ruined beyond belief and has gone from metropolitan to a desert city of quiet unrest. The soil felt strange, the air, strong, but the tension... relaxed.

I walk to what appeared to be a church of unknown spiritual affiliation and practice and open the doors. Inside the church I see Clevetius, but he's rusted and his blade is crooked in many spots and the wrapping on the handle look worn. I walk closer, not noticing the creatures above before hearing a roar. The doors lock open and a figure lands in front of the doors, looming over them before it appeared to shrink, ducking and crawling in.

This creature had a thin body to say the least. What muscle it had looked like taught rubber, its legs had some armor and a helm adored its head with horns that resemble branches off of a tree and a full face plate with only a slit revealing the glow of the eyes. It's right arm was plum scales covering gold flesh like a sleeve. It's left arm and torso had black armor on the shoulder and forearm that shown a red shine, with dark skin shown as a result, and the armor on the legs shown a vibrant platinum like the helm while the horns were chrome silver. Each armor plate was decoratively stubbed and trimmed with gold, having a spiritual significance. The scales of the right arm not withstanding, only the flesh of its right pectoral was visible and bare, the shoulder blade as well, most likely. "What... are you?" It just sits there before pointing a finger up. I cautiously look up not understanding what it was saying. I was in my head. "I need... words or... clues." It curled a finger under it's chin and look at its hand.

It pointed to the right arm and pointed up. It pointed to its left arm, then down. It pointed to it's helm and legs and fanned its arms outward. I look in though before taking guesses. "Heaven... Underworld........ Earth?" It nodded twice before shaking it's head. "Spirit." It nodded it's head and I remembered my training efforts. "You are the result of my training and my own course of enlightenment!" It nodded and I could see the similarities. It's body structure was closely resembling the Eva Units, the Evangelion. The right arm was a likely depiction of gods. The left arm was likely demons, I knew that much. But the armor and helm.... was it made from spirits? For spirits. "Where did your armor come from?" It wave a hand over as it lumbered out, standing fully upright and growing back to its full size. It must've been forty or so meters tall and there was no telling how strong its muscles were.

It then placed it's right hand on the ground and a chunk of refined ore emerged from the ground in jutting spikes. "What the hell?" I took a closer look and it hummed softly. "Spirit iron?" I look back to see it nod and look to the ore in awe. I had made Clevetius from Spirit Iron but this was so pure. Could Spirit Steel be made with the right mixture. I could give Clevetius an upgrade. Even if the soul is taken from the body, it never loses itself. Then something occurred to me and I beckon the creature down. I place my hands on it's neck and a fine mesh emerged from its neck before being surrounded by a barred cage for structure and protection. "Can you speak?"

A few noises came and it seemed to try, very determined to speak before, "Yes." I smiled as it continued, a bit choppy but trying. "Th-ank.... e-you."

I smiled brighter and bowed, happy to help. "So you know me but... I don't know you. Who are you?"

It knelt down and bowed slightly. "I... am Cain, the scorn.... of Heaven." After the brother of Abel from the very first pages. But... did this Cain have a brother, or did he pick the name because of Cain's status after killing his brother. "You... are Allen Augus. The Student... of Aura."

I chuckle a bit, thinking the name was a little silly. "Student of Aura? Accurate but... a little silly don't you think?" Cain laughed in his own way as he sat down. "So... what do I learn?"

It held a finger. "First, try to use some aura, unaltered and unfiltered." I look around and then close my eyes to ponder my options. Unfiltered, aura is like air. So I cup my hands and start to focus. Before long, a grey sphere gathers in my palms and it fells strong. That's it. "A good first step in your course of training."

That prompted me to look around. "So then why a city like this. Does it... represent my desire to destroy?" I must've looked scared but and shook it's head.

It raised a hand and pointed out, directing to the live that grew, the beasts that shouldn't make sense, but they do. "It embodies no desire or fear. But rather... a place you find most beneficial... tranquil." It started to walk and I follow before stopping and looking back at the church. "He will be at all of them." I look back, bewildered that it knew my thoughts. This will take some adjustment. It starts walking again and I follow. "To put it simply, this isn't just your haven, it's the very culmination of what you desire to be in your world. From fantasy and fiction to science and myth. Everything is here." We came to a cliff side and I saw the world of ruin give way to a vast world of life, ranging from massive herds of what appeared to be rhinos, to trees that spiraled in natural and visceral ways. At the center was a truly massive structure. A tree, spiraling with opposing colors, reached beyond the clouds and with branches that reached out at least a mile. Overhead, I saw birds and reptiles flying with grace with a select few mammals in the sky with them. "Allen." I look to see Cain several of his steps ahead of me as I look down and start looking for vines.

With nothing there, I star descending the cliff face, which is much harder than it looks. 'Damn, Diesel makes this shit look easy with those years of fitness and Cain must've scaled this like climbing a small tree.' Trying my best to not focus on my task, I instead start thinking of random things, specifically what I would be doing here. 'This actually reminds my of Season two of Nanatsu no Taizai. Careful. Where Meliodas goes to the land of the druids to regain his power and one of them puts him through hell before he learns to redirect his wrath.' I look where I'm going before moving again, not paying attention to ground level. 'After he overcomes near certain spiritual death, he goes to train only for King - when did I touch ground?' I look and see I'm on the ground. "Oh." Dismounting the rocks, I start walking the expansion of forest to the tree before I get a dark feeling in my skin. 'And say hello to Genkai's dark forest in my heAD!' I jump out of the way of a charging animal to see it's covered in armor, about three times my size in weight and pissed. 'Great, I'm navigating the equivalent of Yu Yu Hakusho's dark forest. I better not stay here too long or I won't be waking up to greet Alexie any time soon.'

The beast rams the tree and I'm shaken off it and onto it's back before regaining my balance and jumping off. 'No weapon, no gear and no direction. I'll definitely need my aura to escape this.' It charges and I thrust my hand forward... only for nothing to happen. 'What?!' Before I'm skewered, I jump out of the way. 'What the hell?! Normally I'd start off with a distraction attack to throw off my opponent but-! Those sphere's.' I look again and jump to the side, getting my footing. I look up and notice a lose branch before jumping, getting some height to pull the branch off. 'Okay, still got my strength.' I see it tearing the ground, ready to charge. 'Damn it, I did not start meditating to pass the time just to die.' It starts charging, it's forward horns glowing. 'I can't die here, not if I want to see her again!' The branch glows and it catches my attention briefly before I swing the thing hard enough to stop the charging beast and knock it back. "Sorry for the rough treatment buddy but I don't plan on dying." I drop the drift wood and start running through the forest.

As I do, I recall more of the show. 'The dark forest had points where it acted like a death maze. Kuwabara went through it no problem. Yusuke fought a man-bat and everyone else faced trash mobs. Speaking of,' I jump to the branches and use the height to evade some floating fish-like creatures. 'They look like piranhas. Glad I'm not in there.' Jumping clear of them, the central tree did not look much closer. 'Fucking christ, is this forest huge or distorted?' My question was interrupted by a charging insect as it tried to bare down actual scythes on my neck. Kicking it away and rolling to my feet, I got a better look at it. It's arms were like a mantis but the body was more like an ant with the numbe of limbs a spider would have. 'Fast strikes, strong limbs, powerful mandible no doubt and the risk of venom or toxins. Fun.' I waited for the thing to make a move as my fists clenched and my eyes narrowed in vision, focused on even the smallest twitch of this bug. It waited for me, but it will get impatient. It wants to eat. My patience pays off as it strikes fist. Closing my arms together blocked the blades and a violent rip at the arms tore them off before using them to slash its own neck on a back step. The cuts hurt, but it's better than being poisoned.

After some walking and close calls, I finally making it to the tree. 'So I can't use my aura normally here. It has to be in an unfiltered form?' My thoughts go back to the forest, to which after a man-bat thing, an urchin that uses ice for quills, a thunder lion and a shadow horror, I collapsed and look up at Cain. "There better not have been a time limit." I could feel it smirk and stifling a laugh as it froze. "I. Fucking. Hate you for that." Getting up, I look back out into the forest. "So I can't use my aura here."

It nodded and sat down again. "In their world, your aura is nigh unmatched. Here it cannot take a different form."

I sigh, exasperated. "Great, so no weapon, no mana, no means of self-defense."

It looked to me, wisely. "When I say form, I refer to crystal, fire, lightning and darkness. Aura can take any shape to influence its function." It raised it's hand, looking out as if he were holding something and lifted the water in the forest. "Aura can be a hand, to grab, lift, push, pull, etc. and that's just the start. As a blade it can slash. As a blunt, it can crush. Like a bat for instance." Like how I fended off that rhino creature earlier. "Aura can take almost any conceivable shape, and function as nearly any tool, so long as you will it to be so." It stands up and starts climbing the tree. "You will find more trials within. Your lesson will help you in this." A few roots open and I walk inside.

Within the tree was a strange layout. It was a town. "Uh.... what?" My mind may be a charming thing but this is a bit much. So, deciding to leave turn around in time to see the vines blending with the area. 'And their goes my exit. Guess I'm walking.' In the town, their were the same creatures and a few humans but these humans looked... off. Not off as in I sense the darkness in their souls but more like I can tell they're not fully human. Some had snow white pale skin, some had dresses made from their flesh, it was a strange but welcome sight for me.

The welcome sight changed when a few of them just bailed to a tower and rung a bell. Okay? Why a - "Ash Wave!" and there's my answer. I look out to see a black blanket suddenly engulf the sky as whirls of gold could be seen inside. That's when the ground shook and I jump away just before a horned bug thing impales me.

I have another look and see the clouds thickly over head. 'My trial... is this?' I look around and see scared villagers. I can't lead these people. But I can get them out. "Everyone!" They were moving but looking at me. "If you can move get out. If you are unable, then I want the able bodied to assist you." As I was talking, I ran interference for these people as they looked startled.

"But what about you?!"

"I AM GIVING YOU AN OUT! TAKE IT OR DON'T!" They flinched and nodded before quickly getting a move on. I'd make a terrible leader, but their safety came first. Next, find the one producing the wave. After grabbing a bell and beating on it with a seven inch wood rod, the monsters started coming for me. The rod was glowing, charged with my aura and the bell was glowing too. So the shape changes the property more than the form. Good to know, because they are following closely. They are fast, comes with their bodies, but so am I after some practice. They were following me but I just barely dodge a claw from something big. It looked like an ursa, with claws made of sinister aura that seemed to grind into themselves. "Well, guess the Care Bears wanted a raise." Jokes aside I start to focus on the claws before trying the same trick. I first needed to build the claws in my head before drawing them and they needed to counter this thing and the other beasts. What now?

It swipes again and again, trying to overpower and kill me. My first instinct was to survive since the villagers were safe but it won't let me rest. I struck my hand out and the image of a spear came to mind. After that, there was a huge hole down the length of the bear. 'What just...?' Before I could finish my thought, the dark clouds subsided and cleared up. I check back with the village and they smile with a nod before everything fades, revealing the tree's interior. 'That was... an illusion...?' I frowned, feeling used and tested. But when I thought about what these tests were doing, I smiled. There was still more tree to climb, so I climbed up.

As I climbed the tree, the trials were different. Was I being tested to inherit a power? Judge my soul for my actions? What would Cain do if I failed? Is there a fail condition? AND HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THIS TREE!? I have climbed possibly fifty stories already and done six trials? WHY AM I HERE?! I stop and rest at the base of a set of stairs as I thought, looking outward to the world from so far up. It was... lonely up here. I didn't even spare any power to see if I could go home. But the more I think on it the more depressed I get. "Allen..."

'What the fuck? Did I hear that right?' I look again and see a young creature that I remember from when I was fighting the twisted. A changeling. She looked different from her siblings, sporting a mane that looked like - 'Alexie.' My mind showed me images of the woman I loved above all else and I felt my chest clench, or expand as I regain a determined look and resume climbing the tree. The next few floors I climbed was more like fighting in Devil May Cry's Bloody Palace as they were pure combat, testing my aura after that point.

Reaching the top, I see Cain in lotus, looking up to a starry night sky. "It's always beautiful here. Your mind creates the most vibrant and shining stars I personally have ever seen." The gold skin in his right arm glowed. "But when she's on your mind, she is what drives you. She is what you think about." I sit down next to him, a smile on my face as the stars move in a way that show Alexie's face in figure. As I watched her interact with a spectral version o f me, the sky became more normal and the vines formed a frame that played out our time together like a home video. "She was your anchor for your humanity and the secret to your smile. She teased you, played with you, loved you. And you loved her so much that people could only hate your love out of jealousy." I smiled and Cain sat on the edge of the tree. "Meet me back in the city."

He dropped from the tree and ran back to the city in a few moments, 'Cheeky, fucking!' I take a deep breath before focusing. My aura was as strong as it was going to be, but wasting too much energy would not do me any favors. So, I calmed my breathing, found my aura, surrounded my body with it, built the strength in my legs and jumped. The power was more than I had bargained for but I made it to the city with one leap. Before long he was in view with some creatures next to him. The aura around them felt draining, dark.

When they charged, I was on the defensive and grabbing for anything that could be a weapon. Thankfully I got my hands on a pipe and charged it like a club to beat the beasts away. Unfortunate I forgot a crucial rule, do not drop your guard until your are certain the battle is over. I regret my ill thought decision when one of then got its claws around me and hung its maw over my head. At that, I started felling... negative and when I tried thinking why, pleasant memories from my past were going missing before I forced the beast off of me, though at the expense of some damage. I look up, scared for the first time in a while, scared of what my past meant to me. One threat and my thoughts are provoked. 'Nothing like a death match, huh? Great.' Before I could be too distracted, the blunt aura turned to a blade and the pipe went through the creature like nothing, but that did not help my fear any. 'I get Cain is preparing me for when I wake up but why?' My thoughts recall my crystal imprisonment and I get a brief outside look. 'So I'm coming back TFS style huh? Nah, I'll down play it a bit. Don't want to freak anyone out.'

My thoughts continue even with the training as I got a grasp of the training. My aura is my ultimate sword and shield, even in it's most basic form. The better the refinement in base form, the better the results when changed. I won't see the results until I'm out but I can try them here. Time to be dramatic. If what Cain said was true, that by changing my aura's shape, its properties are changed. This means it's shape, even as it is, can take on the properties of an element, right? If it takes the shape of fire, does it burn? What about lightning? Air? Wait... the only reason it pushed like it did is because air can push, and like a sword, it could cut. With that in mind I form an aura around my free arm and block the creature's claws before another tried for a swipe. Changing the shape around the pipe like a club, it blocked another claw, even making it bounce off. A third went for a stab but my hands were full. 'Time to be stupid.' Focusing on my air and these beasts, a solid shield was formed in front of me, stopping the other beast dead before imagining clawed hands to grab them and force them off. Switching the pipe's shape back to sword and armor to claws, I went to the offensive. Swinging the pipe and my claws at one tore into and killed the Mind Feaster closer to me as the three claws grabbed and ripped the second without remorse. I look around and see no sign of the third before changing aura shape on my arm and punching the ground. The third popped up before I shaped my hands for sword aura and sliced the final Mind Feaster into four pieces before sitting down. "Got any (sigh) more pets?"

Cain just chuckled to himself and I frowned. "I have no pets. This whole world knows where and how to train you."

"First order of business mister 'Obi-wan', I need some rest, so if you'll excuse me." I lay down and close my eyes.

When they open again I feel rested and see Cain in the same place he was in and feel him becoming more active. "Ready to continue?" I just nod and continue the training. This was going to feel awkward once I'm out.

Author's Note

So other than likely piss pacing for this chapter this is taking place in his head to cover bases on what his core ability or abilities is/are and options on how they can be applied to overwhelm but not brute force an enemy, just so I can be reasonable with his strength because someone is going to say 'GARY STU'. So if the pacing is piss I can edit it after since this chapter is both a tie-in and self contained, allowing edits without losing the core of the content for it.

And to end this off on something meaningful. Walk with the spirits to peace and eternity.