Ash grabbed her breakfast and found a spot to down it. After, she headed to the area where she would be able to watch today's matches live. On the way, she passed by a courtyard. She would have kept walking but someone called her name.

Turning, she found Rowan waving at her like a madman. Behind him, Mason and Skyler were seated at the edge of a pond, staring into its depth.

Having already made eye contact, Ash felt it would be rude to ignore them.

Putting a smile on her face, she headed toward the group.

Well isn't someone turning into a social butterfly?

You should try it sometime, Ash retorted.

Callous' displeasure was easily felt.

"Aren't you going to watch the matches?" Ash ventured as she approached.

Rowan shrugged. "A few later...but they're basically all the same now. Teams trying to eliminate each other."

"You'll miss anything revealed on future opponents," Ash warned. She came to a standstill beside Rowan, watching the other two continue their intense studying of the pond.

Rowan simply hummed in response, not sounding worried.

Skyler splashed an unsuspecting Mason, giggling as she jumped to avoid his vengeance.

"Rowan!" she squealed for assistance when Mason threatened to dunk her.

"A lady calls!" Rowan winked at Ash before jumping into action. He charged, ready to defend Skyler against the fiend. He obviously missed the look passed between the girl and his other friend.

Ash calmly stayed where she was, watching the tragedy unfold. In short, Rowan ended up being the true target and was fully submerged into the pool. Skyler and Mason chuckled at his misfortune, exchanging a wicked grin.

"They're so carefree," Ash murmured with a twinge of jealousy.

She felt the presence behind and turned. A familiar bald head with a snake tattoo greeted her. Tobias didn't see her right away, attention focused in the direction he'd come from. His fingers were curled and his muscles taut.

"What're you doing?" Ash inquired.

The boy jumped. When his eyes landed on the girl, he visibly relaxed and trotted over.

"Hiding," he revealed.

Ash's eyebrows rose. "From who?"

"Who do you think?" He now stood beside her.

"The match is over."

"You tell him that."

Ash tilted her head. Causing trouble outside of the competition could lead to severe consequences, if one got caught. Daxon was no doubt crafty enough to find a way around. A flicker of dislike went through her.

"Hey baldie!" A soaked Rowan trekked water with every step he took.

Tobias hissed, lips pursing in a line of disapproval.

"You weren't half bad yesterday." Rowan's hand came down on the other boys' shoulder and the latter tensed.

Interest flickering in his eyes, Rowan moved closer to examine the tattoo snaking up the arms to his neck and head. He let out a whistle. "I have to say, I'm impressed. I thought you'd only painted it on for the competition...but it's real!"

"Rowan," Skyler scolded as she and Mason approached. "Don't be rude." She gave a dazzling smile to Tobias. "Thank you for yesterday."

The boy blinked before his face steadily turned a shade of red and his eyes were unable to stay in one place for more than a moment.

Mason moved, standing in front of Skyler ever so slightly, eyes burning in warning as he took his stance.

"At least you guys came out with a full team," Rowan continued. He shook his head. "I almost caught on too late with my group suddenly turning on each other." He shivered. "It really became a kill or be killed mentality. Why can't everyone just play fair?" he whined. "I mean, we're all here to seek a better life."

"If that's how you think, maybe Dragon Bane isn't the right place for you," Tobias sneered.

"Whoa there." With a grin, Rowan reached out to rub the bald head he'd been eying for a while. "Don't get all wound up."

Tobias grabbed the offending hand and forced it away. He growled at Rowan before turning and storming off without a glance back.

Rowan grinned. He turned to Ash. "You got a teammate with quite a temper."

"Who wouldn't have a temper with you around?" Mason challenged. Skyler nodded in agreement.

"I was being nice."

"That's called being nice?" Skyler murmured in a tone that hinted disapproval.

"What about it was...hey!" Rowan called when he realized Ash was departing. "You're leaving?"

Ash simply raised a hand in farewell and continued on her path. The three friends behind her continued their casual argument. The reason Ash left was simple. There was something strangely similar about the environment...the carefreeness. It tugged at her one moment and then brought a feeling of dread she couldn't place. Her feet took her away from the situation on her own.

She went to watch several more matches live, burying herself in observing and learning anything she could about her potential opponents of the future. True to the former trend, teammates turned on each other, trying to eliminate as many people as possible. One team was particularly strong. However, they were so focused on fighting each other that in the end they were all severely injured and the other weaker team automatically won.

A few trump cards were hinted at and a few revealed when several contestants showed their crystals. However, there was nothing noteworthy. In fact, after lunch Ash simply retired to her room and decided to sleep the afternoon away, opting to get as much rest as possible.

Evening came and she found herself walking into a training room.

There were no windows and even traces of the door disappeared as soon as it closed. Everything was so white that Keegan, in his uniform, almost blended in completely. Ash, who'd decided to wear her battle gear, just in case, stuck out like a donkey in a field of Pegasus.

The moment the door disappeared she felt the blow.

Ash glided across the floor, feet moving to gracefully allow her body to dodge. The second blow came right after.

She parried, blocking the arm before it could chop her neck. "I thought you didn't have much to teach me about fighting?" Ash eyed her attacker.

"Just curious." The arm freed itself from her grip.

She narrowly avoided another blow, and another.

"Solid base." Keegan put his hands behind his back as he regarded her from the distance.

Both were breathing normally.

"But that's too easy." With a wave of his hand, Keegan made a blade Ash had now seen twice before appear from thin air.

"Oh?" she rubbed her left wrist. "I didn't realize we'd get this well acquainted so soon?"

Keegan gave her a handsome smile as he reached for the handle of his sword. "I'll hold back." The moment his fingers enclosed around the hilt, the temperature in the room skyrocketed and an immense pressure flared. Ash found herself almost crashing to her knees from how strong it was.

There wasn't so much as a stir from Callous.

"You better get ready," Keegan warned. The blade gracefully arched through the air before he swung it, pointing at the girl before him.

Though the weapon was beyond her reach Ash sensed the invisible attack. She dodged hastily, feeling searing heat tear by her before the boom of pressure colliding with a surface sounded. The room, which was built to withstand massive amounts of power, shook.

Ash's legs moved. Left, right, a roll here. She avoided every attempt gracefully, though sometimes a little too close for comfort.

"Not going to draw your weapon?" Keegan asked without a break in his attack.

"Don't have any on me," came the equally calm reply as Ash whirled. There was no sign of the knives she'd taken along for the battle in the arena.

"We both know those are for show," came Keegan's reply.

Ash smile flashed her pearly whites, spinning.

A sword snaked after her. It was about to make impact, and this time it looked like she was unable to dodge. It froze a hairs breadth from her nose. Heat blasted around her and her hair whipped in the onslaught of the attack. She wasn't injured in the slightest. Her attacker displayed immense control over the power he possessed.

Ash calmly folded her arms.

"He's sulking?" Keegan asked.

Ash didn't rebate him. Callous had been silent since entering the room.

Keegan's sword shimmer out of existence and only ta lingering heat remained. "What's the point of a contract if you can't draw on the power when you need it?"

Ash's eyes flickered.

"Oh?" Keegan cocked his head. "Could it be it's you who's actually afraid of it?"

The girl remained expressionless, but the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth gave her away.

Keegan hummed. "Lost control before?" he asked straightforwardly.

Am I that easy to read? Ash couldn't help but wonder. Or maybe this man just understood. "Have you ever?" she chose her response carefully.

A nod came in reply. "No child is born understanding how to walk. Just because we formed a contract doesn't mean we know how to control it." Keegan paused. "Let's go through the phases of power." Keegan sat on the floor as he spoke.

Ash paused for a moment before taking a seat before him. They sat much like teacher and student.

"The first is no different from a crystal user," Keegan launched into his explanation. He snapped his fingers and a flame appeared dancing on their tip. "The strength and ability depend on two factors." The flame took on a pale-yellow hue, "the attributes and power of who you formed a contract with." The fire turned red, "and the second is your own ability level."

The temperature in the room increased once more. This time, it radiated from the single small flame that had taken on a blue color as it danced away. The heat was scorching, but Keegan wasn't affected at all.

Ash could already feel beads of sweat form on her forehead. He really did hold back, she realized. Curiosity filled her. Curiosity at just how much power the man before her held. Blazing hunger followed – hunger to find out. If this stemmed from her own will or something else, she wasn't sure, but she tried to squish it, calming her heart that was beating rapidly in excitement.

The flame on Keegan's finger disappeared and the heat in the room with it.

"As there are two factors this level depends on, it means that one, your abilities are limited by who you formed a contract with, and two..."

"The one who formed a contract with you has his power limited depending on the strength of the individual contracted," Ash finished.

Keegan nodded. "Exactly. This is why not every contractor is necessarily extremely powerful. A powerful contractor who forms a bond with a weak person can find themselves limited to being weaker than a weak contractor bonded with a strong one. That is why, more often than not, contractors try to search for someone who fits their attributes. It can take them years to find this person."

"So, we're not that easily disposable?" Ash asked.

Keegan nodded. "If you die, it could take your contractor a long time to find someone else."

Ash pondered on the thought. She might have heard a snort from Callous, but it was soft enough that she wasn't sure.

"The second form you saw earlier," Keegan continued. "It's being able to materialize a weapon."

Ash listened.

"Some crystal users can do the same, but there is a main difference between them and us." Keagan tapped his chin, eyes watching Ash. "The weapon is in a sense a form of the one you formed a contract with. Therefore, it can be not just stronger, but if it is damaged..."

"So is your contractor?" Ash furrowed her brow. "Is that even possible?"

Once again, Keegan nodded. "They can face some backlash. I've seen it once when two contractors fought. Though rare, it poses more danger to the wielder. The most damage your contractor will face is going dormant to recover. Unfortunately, it is you who would face the physical consequences, that and most likely you will find yourself powerless in the middle of a dangerous situation."

Death would most likely be the only outcome, Ash noted.

"The third," Keegan continued, "Is when you summon a part of your contractor themself. Whether that is through a silhouette or a part, it doesn't matter."

Ash cocked an eyebrow. This was the first she'd heard of this. She felt she needed further information, but decided to store this knowledge away for now.

"Only the very powerful achieve this. And you know the consequences of having more power."

"The more power you use, the faster the wick burns," Ash concluded.

The man before her tapped a finger on the floor. "True. But more so if you recklessly draw on the power without control. That's why it's so important to learn how to funnel it, keep it from seeping through the cracks and draining your life. Those who truly know how to use the power often keep death at the door longer than those who do not."

"Hmm." Ash lifted her eyes. "The third level, is that the furthest one can go?" She herself wasn't sure what prompted the questions.

Keegan paused. The finger he'd tapped on the floor stopped moving. "There's one more."

Ash sat up, giving her full attention.

"The most powerful form," Keegan spoke, "is when you draw out the full power of the contractor. That means you summon your contractor, pull their physical form into this world."

Ash lifted a hand and looked at it. "Pull Callous out?" she murmured.

"Using it will increase the rate at which the candle burns no matter how well your control is," Kegan added. "It also can lead into you going berserk. Have you ever heard of the Battle of Elttab?"

"Who hasn't?" Ash replied. "Two hundred years ago, an entire city was wiped from existence overnight..." Her eyes widened. "Was that...?"

Keegan nodded. "A contractor going berserk is a worst-case scenario anywhere. Avoid it at all costs."

Ash's mind wandered along that thought. "So, that's the strongest method then," she murmured. "Is it possible to retain control in that state?" she asked.

Kegan eyed her. "Rarely."

"But it is possible?"

The arbitrator sealed his mouth.

"The pinnacle of power, huh." Ash let out a sigh. "And yet, it comes at a price." She contemplated for a moment. "Is there no way to stop the erosion?"

Kegan started at the question.

"I mean, is everyone who formed a contract doomed to die, regardless?"

Silence.

"Well," Ash leaned on her hands and tipped her head back, "might as well make the most of what time is –"

"–there is one way," Kegan's words made her eyes snap to him. "In hundreds of years, the only ones known to have succeeded are two," he continued. "One is Jergon, or as he's known now, his majesty Jergon, king of Helsvav. The man not even God would challenge."

Ash's interest spiked.

"The other is Havana, now known as her eminence, empress of Fleran, a country she herself founded. The woman who can cut open mountains." Keegan paused. "I'm sure you've heard of them?"

"Of course." The two Keegan spoke of were known by all. Powerful beyond imagination, they both ruled a kingdom of their own. Everyone steered clear of them, making painstaking effort to not offend either and secretly breathed signs of relief at how far apart these two axes of powers lived from each other. However, Ash had not known that they were like her.

"A word of caution, both are gathering contractors and thus have a close eye on Dragon Bane," Keegan shared. "If you reveal yourself, they will be in contact."

Ash shifted. Gathering contractors? She would ask for the reason, but she didn't care to. "You?"

Keegan gave a sly smile. "Being an arbitrator has its perks."

"How?"

The man raised his eyebrows in question.

"How did they stop the erosion." As she asked, she felt Callous stir.

Keegan eyed her for a moment before replying in a low voice; "find your contractor's real name and call it."

Callous shifted. Ash fought against the sparks that threatened to crackle on her finger tips, however, she couldn't stop the slight gust of wind that appeared around her, causing her hair to flutter. A true feeling of foreboding flooded through her.

"What happens then?" she probed.

Keegan sighed. "Once you call on their real name, only then will you truly possess the power as your own. You will consume it, strip them and take them over completely."

Ash contemplated this piece of information.

"And then, they will simply cease to exist," Keegan added softly at the end.

"You mean, kill them?" Ash replied.

Callous chuckled at the word, it wasn't the sound of amusement but something much more sinister.

Keegan nodded. "In order for one to survive, one will die."

"And both Jergon and Havana achieved it?" She doubted a contractor would willingly give their name. They were immortal, why give that up?

They won't, Callous scoffed. Why choose to exit the world? He was finally taking an active interest.

"So...if they didn't give their names willingly then..." Ash trailed off.

Somehow, their contractors found out.

How?

Oh, I'm flattered that you'd be so quick to try and kill me and take what's mine as yours, Callous huffed.

Ash shook her head. I never wanted this to begin with, I still don't. She met Keegan's eyes. "Jergon and Havana found the names and took their power from their contractors forcefully?"

Keegan's eyes narrowed. "That is not known and never will be."

Power obtained by force will always be tainted, never able to bloom to full potential, Callous warned. So, if you try anything, just know, I'll leave behind a curse to haunt you forever.

Ash's lips curled at the thought. No thank you. I'd rather have my soul wander forever without rest.

Callous chuckled.

"Have you ever tried it?" She turned her question to Keegan. "To find the real name of your contractor?"

Keegan hummed. He pulled up a leg and rested an arm on his knee. "The time we have is limited. Our body is but a vessel, one which should have died. We cheated death once. We cannot do it again. Besides," he eyed Ash, "they say the name of a contractor is so powerful that if pronounced even slightly wrong, your soul will instantly shatter, your body burn, and every living thing within radius will be obliterated."

"So," Ash's lips curved in amusement, "if your contractor has a unique name, even if you find it, you're screwed?"

"I'm glad to see you find humor in the situation," Keegan told her dryly.

Ash chuckled.

Our name is the most sacred thing to a contractor, Callous showed a rare moment where he was willing to share.

And why is that?

There was a pause. Because, it is the last thing we have left of our past selves, came the reveal.

You mean that and your power? Ash corrected, her smile dropping.

A name is gifted, power is obtained.

The girl didn't prob further.

Keegan stood. He patted nonexistent dust from his white clothes.

"So, what now? We're done already?" Ash ventured as she began to get to her feet.

A force knocked into her, sending her back to the ground. She found a long finger pointing between her eyes. "The being you formed a contract with has not always been a spirit. To find out how, you must find out what. To find what, you must know why. To know the first step of why, you need to start with who." The corner of Keegan's lips pulled up. "Stay here. Have a talk with the one inside you. Get to know who exactly it is you're the vessel for."

"Only that, huh?" Ash asked. The thought of sitting and trying to have a long conversation with Callous was not something that excited her because she herself knew just how that could go.

"Only?" Keegan's finger came to touch her forehead. "You must defeat the past with your own power, only then will it be willing to show you."

Dodge... Callous' warning came too late.

A bright light exploded and a searing pain spread from the spot on Ash's forehead until it encased her whole head. Her vision exploded and stars raced by her. It was though her whole body was being sucked through the galaxy.

The next moment, she felt the depths of the deep sucking at her, pulling her into dark waters. Several outlines shimmered into view, barely visible. Broken fragments of a crystal floated above her in a trail.

And then, darkness.

A light flickered at the end, growing brighter but only so much so that she was able to see her surroundings.

Coughing, Ash crawled to her hands and knees. She gasped for air, taking several breaths before she lifted her head.

She was in what could only be described as a blank space. The black surface below her spread as far as the eye could see. The space around her was simply empty and colorless.

"Huh?" Ash staggered to her feet. Her legs were jelly. "Where...?" Something told her this wasn't real. She looked at her hands, turning them.

"Get out." At the sound of those cold words, Ash fell to her knees.

Gathering what strength, she could, she pulled herself back to up and turned.

A tall man stood there. Long black hair flowed around a handsome face. Piercing eyes crackling with purple stared. He wore all black, his chest not covered by the cloak on his back, revealing a toned surface riddled with scars. Black flames, growing purple at the ends, licked at him but didn't cause harm. Behind him, countless blades floated in the air.

"Callous?"

The words barely left Ash's mouth when the man before her shimmered out of existence.

Pain exploded in her chest.

She looked down.

The blade of a pure black katana was stained by crimson, sticking out of her chest.

"W-what..." Ash gasped, shaking fingers moving to the weapon. The pain was real, too real.

With a smooth motion, the blade was pulled free. Choking, the girl fell to her knees, her mind screaming in warning. Blood rose in her mouth.

Behind her, the figure didn't give her so much as a second glance.

"C-callous?"

"Leave," the voice spoke behind her.

A force grabbed a hold and dragged her back. Back through the water, back through the galaxies. Back to the white light and pain. Back to the training room.

Ash's eyes flew open.

Gasping, she clutched at her chest. Sweat trickled down the side of her face, her hair drenched. Ash felt around but couldn't find anything. No wound. No blood. Only pain.

"That fast, huh?" Keegan's voice broke into her chaotic thoughts. "Looks like you've contracted with someone quite powerful."

As her vision cleared, Ash saw the man crouch before her. 'If you cannot defeat his past, you will never stand a chance to find out who. If you cannot find who, you cannot find why. If you cannot find why, you cannot find what. And if you cannot find what, you will never know how," he told her clearly.

Ash's hands shook in memory of the pain that was fading.

What's wrong with you? Callous asked.

You just killed me, that's what.

Huh?

Ash narrowed her eyes. "What was that?" she asked Keegan.

The arbitrator stood, clasping his hands behind his back. "That," he walked a few steps away before turning, "was a shadow of who your being was in the past," he gave a smile, "or should I say, the one you call Callous?"

Ash didn't reply. She could only guess she'd spoken the name out loud.

"Like I said. You need to defeat him. On your own."

Ash's fingers curled. She couldn't defeat someone with that amount of power with her strength alone, could she? Her eyes flashed with determination. "Again."

Keegan smiled. "That's what I like to hear."

He reached out a finger.

Ash closed her eyes, preparing herself for what was ahead.