News soon spread about Astrape taking part in the upcoming Vex Academy Bash Tournament and wherever he went they were whispers about a certain high school first year student with no battle experience at all taking part in the tournament. His class was no exception as he received glares every time he walked in, sat down or stood up at the teachers request.
He was no stranger to questions at this point as well, being the victim of unwanted interviews by both his classmates and even those he had barely talked to as well, mostly to mockingly question him, ask if he had gone mad or what could possibly be the reason, needless to say he'd usually give excuses or avoid the questions.
The pressure at this point was too much for him so much so that he resorted to spending most of his breaks including the long hour and a half lunch time period in the restroom if he failed to find a more private place to enjoy his lunch. He just couldn't come to terms with telling anyone his reasons for joining this tournament.
Danny, known to be his closest friend was also kept in the dark and he did not waste any time letting Astrape know that this did not sit well with him at all. He pleaded with his friend to at least let him know why he would put his own safety at risk in such a way. But to no avail would Astrape reveal anything.
"C'mon man I'm not asking much, just that you give me a reason", Danny pleaded. "You think this is just something someone decides at random as soon they wake up in the morning? I don't think so and I know you don't as well. Listen man I know you're smarter than this an…
"Tsk, like you'd know", shrugged Astrape as he interrupted him before looking away.
"Well at least I know something happened for you to decide to do this", replied Danny as he sat beside Astrape, "I'm your friend man, just… worried for your safety is all", he assured.
"Don't worry, I'll probably be out by the first round so I might not be fine afterwards but I'm sure it won't be that bad ha-ha", replied Astrape.
"Are you seriously joking right now? You might actually die in like two weeks and you're actually joking right now?", Danny questioned.
"I'd argue that it's the best time to joke actually, who doesn't wanna die happy y'know".
Amused at his sense of humor at such a time, Danny resolved to ask his final question for the time being, "Well at least tell me you're sure about this, maybe you have a backup plan or something?".
Unconfidently Astrape answered "Y… yeah I kinda… do".
Slapping his forehead before closing his eyes and facing towards the sky, Danny replied, "You're impossible Astrape, at this point, I'll take what I can get". "By the way… it was a terrible joke", he unwantedly admitted.
"Lies Danny, you lie", Astrape replied placing his arm around Danny as they digressed and continued their chat.
Panic would be normal at this point but composure still was one of his main goals before the actual tournament. Ensuring composure meant he could at least think with a straight head giving him a chance to at least adequately prepare for the time being. It soon became a hobby of his to sneak out of his room every night with the goal of practicing and honing his skills so they can be at least enough to give him a chance, changing the location of his training sessions every time he snuck out ensuring that there isn't any evidence of him that accumulates later on.
After adequately putting in the much-needed effort night after night, as far as the physical aspect goes, he was raring and ready to go despite only doing so for such short a time. Unbeknownst to many, Astrape was naturally and athletically gifted and that was just one of his many secretes. As good as that sounded, Astrape did not even think to have hope for any victory knowing more than anyone how out of his league every potential opponent of his would be.
Sadly, to his dismay, he soon discovered how long his element had been dormant. And now being part of the boarding school of Vex Academy under the science course, he did not ever feel the need to use his Essent. It was nothing special to him but being a lightning user and having the ability and control to produce a bolt of lightning was a very special feat even among the military or any armed forces. Fearing for her son's safety from any kind of dangerous jealousy, stigmatization and not wanting him to be part of any armed forces, Astrape's mother forced him to only use his element as barely as possible and never produce a bolt of lightning in public again. Such power was often looked upon as either a sign of great potential or severe future calamity. Evidently, Astrape avoided any situation that would force him to use his element in public and he soon found out her reasoning during tournament.
Reaching his physical goals, Astrape now planned to work on his elemental abilities and stamina. For the reason of keeping his training sessions secrete he chose more secluded areas to train. The last time he had used his element was to charge his flashlight and since then hadn't used it in well over a year. Not knowing where to start from, he decided to gauge how far back his abilities had gone. In an area far enough from the dormitories and any classrooms, in an abandoned cornfield, he looked around and picked a heap of old and withered corn target to be the victim of his target practice.
As he closed his eyes and tensed himself, he could feel his element, he remembered what it felt like but only imperfectly, he felt a spark but only faintly and then finally a jolt through his chest. Shocked he let go of his stance and thought "That's it, that's it, just like that", I just have to feel that… whatever it was again". Making his stance one more time he waited patiently for that moment, that jolt in his chest but nothing occurred he could only tense his muscles for so long without frustration.
Again, making his routine stance, with a deep breath in and a deep breath out he closed his eyes still waiting for that jolt in his chest. Doing his best to keep calm it wasn't long before a string of doubtful thoughts was flooding his mind, "What am I even doing? Maybe there's some loophole that could allow me to not have to do this, is this tournament even going to be worth it? I know I won't win anyway".
Frustration followed not long after. Evidently, now dispirited he resolved to return to bed and in the process of breaking his stance, a tingling ran up his arms, sharp but fleeting. It was not much but it was something and now hopeful he decided to take stance again but suddenly before he could do so, he felt another tingling sensation but this time through his whole body, "What the… what the heck was that? Did I just… was that real?" he thought.
And suddenly, without warning a cluster of sparks formed on both his arms, jumping from finger-to-finger and arm to arm, they were uncontrollable, overwhelming, perhaps his element stayed dormant for too long or maybe not long enough.
Feeling rejuvenated with confidence he took up his stance once again, focusing on the heap of spoiled and dry corn as his target. His arms still lit up with the blue sparks of his element, his eyes focused and his mind not at ease, he aimed for the heap as the sparks grew brighter and brighter, his arms now pointed towards the heap with closed fists. For a heartbeat the atmosphere around him buzzed with promise, dried leaves floating in the air and his eyes glowing with the color of blue. A crackle, a flicker and suddenly...
Nothing.
To his dismay it all fizzled out, gone to no one knows where.
The sparks winked out, the leaves fell to the ground and his eyes lost their glow, leaving only the scent of singed air and the desperate and fearful ache in his arms. He looked at the heap of corn as it sat still unbothered, untouched as though it were mocking him. He had reached for his element and came away with nothing, as though his Essent had been locked away for good, as if it could only recoil and was unable to answer his call.
He tried and tried again but none of his efforts availed to calm his restless spirit with the hope of the blue sparks not motivating anymore. Looking up to the night sky and falling to his knees, he muttered "Sparks… just sparks… it's always sparks", under his breath. The boy in frustration recalled his childhood memories of the time he was able so summon two bolts of lightning in the palms of his hand all at once, "Where's my bolt's dammit", not knowing how rare it was to possess such an ability. In normal cases, a lightning user who was able to form a bolt of lightning was considered a top grade Essent user and even in such cases they would only be able to produce it once a day otherwise they would risk draining their Essent. Astrape however, could produce two all in one go and would still have more than half of his Essent left to use.
Realizing his situation may be worse than anticipated, given the fact that for the moment he was not able summon his Essent. He grew angry at himself "I'm so… why?... Why am I always so weak? So stupid, why do I even try? Oh man I'm cooked. I don't even stand a chance at this rate… I'm dead", he thought to himself as he hands covered his face at the brink of shedding tears. On his knees and hands over his face he shivered at the very thought of his weakness.
Suddenly a voice cut through his thoughts, stern and precise, "Essent has never been a right nor an ability we have because we deserve it", said his class teacher when warning his students of the prohibition of Essent use on school grounds.
He added, "For those of us with Essent, it is our very life force itself. Therefore, no one should ever feel the need or the right to use it to take advantage of others. Which is why just like in most other institutions, the use of Essent is prohibited on Vex Academy grounds unless otherwise. I know some of you barely use it as is just to complete your daily chores but due to the risk of overdrawing it, which is consequently followed by death, the prohibition is non-negotiable. Don't forget that you are under our guidance and as such we cannot and will not take any risks".
Astrape slowly got back to his feet as his arms carelessly fell besides his waist back into natural position. "That's right, I'm not dead. Am I dead? No, I'm not, which means there's no way I don't have my Essent anymore", he thought to himself.
As he clenched his fists, the palms of Astrape were fizzled with sparks again, and soon he thought of a bolt powerful enough to burn down not just what was now his archnemesis, the heap of dry corn, but the whole field itself. Taking up his stance once again and pointing his fists forward, he imagined it, he felt it, his element building up inside his core.
He smiled, feeling more assure than ever that this was the turning point of his night. He aimed, he shot and suddenly…
Smoke.
His mouth agape, his arms holding up his closed fists now releasing unwanted smoke fell back to their natural position as he exclaimed "Damn it! That's it?!", before quickly shushing himself.
"What the… ahh screw this I'm done…", he sighed, "I'll just pick up from here tomorrow, I need to get some sleep anyway". Hence Astrape, in disappointment resolved to return to his room for his much-needed rest.