The Search Continues: Back in the Past (Open, Nova)

The search for the legendary swordsman known as Ashram continues. So far, I had covered much of the future realm in moving through the forests and places I thought he would have frequented without any luck of running into the swordsman. I trained my sensing abilities to see if I could feel out his energy, but so far things had been pretty unsuccessful for me. Though the forest was massive and there was no way I could cover all of it, not to mention Ashram could probably hide his energy signature, I still decided that I would look around in the past realm a bit to see if I could bump into him there.

The past realm wasn’t somewhere I often came, and to my recollection, this would be my first time returning since the Division 12 guy lead the future citizens back to the future. I though there were some good times and fun training in this realm, there was also bad memories mixed in with it, most notably what happened with Akera. At the time it happened, I wasn’t strong enough to help her, but through vigorous training, I felt I had come a long way from where I used to be.

As if to set an example of this fact, I find myself teleporting into the past realm. It was my first attempt, at doing this. From the future realm, basically in my room after getting ready for the trip, I would close my eyes and concentrate on a location in the past realm that I had spent time. A white oscillating column of energy surrounds my body which is transferred from that plane of existence to the former camp site of Haven. The scent of the forest comes to my nose before my eyes open to look around and view the surreal scenery of the overgrown burnt remnants of what used to be a human encampment. It was barely recognizable with the vehicles and structures there covered in plant life with the bulk of the clearing unmanicured in green chaos. Looking around, I recognize the spot where Nova and I had fought against the samurai before he told me to go ahead and later kidnapped Akera; that was the last time I saw him. I push out my sensing abilities to see if there was anyone or anything around me as I start to walk through the camp. I wondered for that moment if Nova was still in this realm; if he were, I had a few choice words for him!

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Thinking over it, I never really found out what happened with Nova. I knew that the Division 12 guy and lady somehow saved Akera, but they never mentioned what happened to Nova. Given how strong he was, I wondered if my current sensei, Izumi-san, was strong enough to take him out then.

I shift through the former encampment looking about it and remembering things; at the moment I was wearing a simple ensemble of cargo shorts, sneakers, and a navy blue tee shirt. Among other things, the sword of light, Goronova, given to me by Ashram, was on my back. I didn’t like wearing it to the side like he often did, but I figured I would start after I got better with it. During this time of surveying the expired campsite, I think about the time spent in the past realm and how it had been a bit fun. It wasn’t an experience I would have though ever to happen to me. As I walk through the camp, the specter of Goronova forms to my side in the form of a transient slender silver haired woman in a white summer dress. She stands with her arms folded and looks around, before stating, “Ashram has been here before, but not lately.” Looking to her, I inquire, “how can you tell?” She points in a direction that he had gone in the past and comments, “when someone with a large amount of spiritual energy moves, they leave foot prints behind. Those who are in tune with their spiritual sensing are able to see and track someone by this. How did you think we were looking in your realm?” With a grin, I shrug sheepishly as I scratch the back of my neck and admit, “I thought we were randomly walking around.” She sighs and emits a soft, “you’re hopeless” before turning and commenting, “something strong went this way; he may have sought it out.” Looking in her direction, I didn’t see anything, but I tried to focus my sensing with hers; it didn’t seem to be working too well, so I figured I would just rely on her for now. With the course set, I pick up the pace as I begin rushing through the forest in the direction pointed. For now, Goronova fades away, as she was encased in the sword at my side and moved with me from there.

400 / 825

I continue my run through the forest, pushing through the green sunlit foliage with a direction set but no actual distance on it. While running, I push out with my senses, figuring that if I ran into someone or something, it could lead me to my next clue. It didn’t seem like the past realm forests were like that of the future realm; when I was here last time there didn’t seem to be a lot of forest dwelling humans. It seemed odd that the people from the future were living in the forests while the past people were living out in the open. Of course, in certain portions of the forest, there was the danger of wild and mystical beasts, but I figured if one came around, I should be able to sense it… right? Since there seemed to be nothing but forest in front of me, I look up and my body leaps into the air, with the assistance of my ability to manipulate air. My feet come to land on a large and sturdy branch of one of the forest trees, and from there, I crouch and leap to a higher point. The general thought was to get a good look of the area around me since I couldn’t fly (airboost). My body comes to a halt next to the thick trunk of a large tree top; at least this one was larger than the trees around it. Looking out, I see a clearing in the distance with what seemed to be a cavern or something like that. Figure that seemed like a place to attract someone there, I wondered if that would hold some clues of my master’s whereabouts that Goronova would be able to pick up on. With a nod, I push off of the tree branch, taking high into the skies (air boost), in which case, my body arches over a pretty decent amount of distance and rapidly diagonally continues in a falling manner. I murmur lightly and create a pocket of air just before I land to (buffer) my fall before my feet touch to the ground and I continue forwards sliding over the ground (hover) until I make it into the clearing just before the cavern. My steps start to slow down into a walk as Goronova’s specter form appears to my side and walks forwards with her arms folded, invisible to pretty much the world save for me. She crouched modestly in her white dress and runs her hands along the ground looking about the area. With a frown, she mentions, “I think you went the wrong way. Well... I guess that’s to be expected…” “Give me some slack,” I protest as I look towards the cave. I murmur, “I was hoping this would be a good place… it drew me to it.”

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