Ascension of the Ashen Fiend: Chapter 17 Preparations (Patreon)

"I still don't understand why you want to go off and fight monsters," Rachel sighed as her father questioned her decision for the twenty-fifth time that morning. Rachel didn't respond as she continued to pull on her boots.

Despite his attempts to discourage her, Rachel knew her father supported her choice in the end. She couldn't even begin to count how often her father had woken up early to make her breakfast before going to the gym. Or how he worked an extra shift to afford supplements as the food they ate on a regular basis didn't contain the right level of minerals and nutrients for her to grow properly.

"You know why dad? Ever since mom died, you've done everything you could to keep us afloat. If I get into the Academy, I can make three times what you'd get in a week in a single day on the surface." Rachel stood and turned around, smiling down at her father.

"I don't want you to work in that factory for all your life. And things are getting dangerous around here. With Victor's empire crumbling, it won't be long before the smaller gangs start tearing each other apart until one comes out on top." Rachel's father sighed, and he reached up and cupped her knees.

Closing her eyes as she felt her father's rough hands run down her cheeks, Rachel felt unshed tears form in her eyes, "You're just like your mother, so strong and stubborn." Rachel's smile faltered as she remembered the real reason why she was going to the Academy.

"Please be safe, don't leave this old man alone in this cold empty city." Rachel nodded, her throat choked with emotions, "I will, dad, I'll get you out of here, then we can live together up there away from all this mess."

Rachel's father scoffed, "I told you to stop worrying about me. Live a little, my little raven. Maybe you can finally find your flock."

Laughing lightly, Rachel stepped out of her father's grasp, "I told you dad ravens were solitary birds."

"I only wish for my little girl to act her age, young and adventurous finally." Rachel's father sighed, "Now get going. The lift car is going to be here any minute."

Smiling, Rachel held her father's gaze for one more moment before she turned around and walked through the door, worrying if she stayed for another second, she would never want to leave.

--

Naomie exhaled one final time as the car stopped in front of a large stone obelisk of a building. The pillar seemed to be carved out of the same bedrock as the cave. The only thing that marked the stone formation as a building and not some natural rock formation was the presence of automated sentry turrets installed at regular intervals along the obelisk.

It had taken them an hour of driving after they passed through the first of many checkpoints before they reached what Naomie assumed was the examination facility.

"Naomie, I need you to do me a favor," blinking as her train of thought was derailed, Naomie glanced over at Thane, "Huh, what favor?"

"I need you for at least the length of the exam to pretend you despise me. We can't be seen as being on friendly terms." Thane's face was grave as he spoke, staring at Naomie with piercing steel eyes.

Confused, Naomie narrowed her eyes at Thane, "That shouldn't be too hard. We're not friends either way."

Thane shook his head, "No, I need you to pretend that you despise me. We'll arrive together, but distance yourself from me as soon as we get somewhere. People should recognize you and figure out why you arrived with someone from the slums. You go on a tangent about how I made a deal with your mother, and you've been forced to train with me for the past six months."

Naomie smirked, "Yeah, that shouldn't be hard at all. Any reason why?"

Thane nodded, "I've grown up in several gangs throughout my childhood, and while they have their differences. They always fall within a few archetypes. I need to figure out what category those we'll be enrolling with fall in."

"I think you're taking this a bit too seriously. I doubt anything you're imagining will happen," Naomie said dismissively, waving her hand through the air.

"I hope so, but what your mother told me leads me to be a bit more cautious going into things. Okay, let's get this over with." Without any further preamble, Thane opened the door to the car and nodded at Charles, "Thanks for giving us a minute."

Returning the nod, Charles' face was stony, "Ms. Regis informed me of your talk. Thank you for taking steps to protect Naomie, and I will be relaying your efforts to Ms. Regus."

"It's as much for her as it is for me," Thane's eyes flashed over Charles' shoulder to the looming stone obelisk in the distance, "Thank you, Charles, for getting me this far. I believe my chances of making it in have increased mostly due to your teaching."

Charles only nodded once as Naomie stepped out of the car and glanced between the two, "Are you allowed to go inside with us, Charles?"

The man shook his head, "No, I am not, so this is where we say our goodbyes. Hopefully, I will not see you later tonight. I wish you both the best of luck."

Both Naomie and Thane smiled and they watched Charles get back into the chauffeur section of the lift car before taking off and disappearing down the long road out of the compound.

"Alright, enough of this sentimental shit. We got a test to ace and people to piss off." Naomie nearly shouted as a grin split her face.

"Remember what we talked about? I don't know you," Thane muttered under his breath.

Naomie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, I remember. Don't worry about me. I'll be the perfect little pawn in your grand schemes."

Snorting, Thane turned on his heel and started to walk toward the stone obelisk, "Call it what you want, just do it."

Pausing for a moment, Naomie groaned, "I can't stand you. You're acting like someone twice your age with the qualities of a psychopath."

"Oh really," Thane asked as he turned around and began to walk toward the obelisk, "My therapist said the same thing."

Staring at his back, Naomie couldn't tell if he was joking or not, pushing aside the thought Naomie jogged to catch up with Thane.