Victor's eyes widen in shock. He instinctively pulls his sword back as he is forcefully thrown against the wall. The warm fireplace's flame that was burning exuberantly has now been extinguished and reduced to a mere trail of smoke.
As Aster gathered himself, he felt off. It was a weird sensation. Aster felt as if he couldn't control the right side of his body.
'How interesting...'
'It appears I've gained control of part of your body' Johan explains, freely moving the boys arm up and down. 'Well, I might finally be able to do something in this world-'
Before Johan could finish his thought, Aster's body trips and falls onto the ground.
'This may be a little more difficult than I anticipated.'
It was clear Aster and Johan lacked the coordination and synchronization to move in harmony. Aster wasn't necessarily a nimble boy before this either.
This was bad considering Victor was fully recovered and now ready to take the head off of Aster.
"You've made a grave mistake, boy. I shall show you no mercy." He coldly states.
'This guy might be a bigger psychopath than me.' Johan comments as he forms a ball of energy in Aster's right arm. Despite his opinion, Johan saw a look in Victor's eyes which he had trouble deciphering.
"We won't beat him. Uncle Victor is far too skilled and one of the most decorated men today."
Johan agreed with the boy, his intuition telling him to flee. The two had not yet acclimated to the situation and would essentially be fighting handicapped.
'You've done your research on this, right? What do you suppose we do?'
Aster concentrates the glowing essence surrounding him into the ground. A spherical hole emitting purple light forms, resembling a black hole.
'Where does that thing lead to?' Johan asks, hesitant to jump in.
"Guess there's only one way to find out."
As Aster's body falls through the hole, he sees a sword flying right by him, nearly piercing him in the chest. If he had made his decision a split second later he would've have been skewered.
Then, Johan was met with a familiar sensation, the one he had felt when he was transferred to this world.
'I wonder why that man spared us.' He pondered.
As Johan concluded his thought, Aster was immediately ejected out of the ground, landing in an open plains.
Aster's body was now no longer expressing its affinity, and the boy spent a few moments vomiting onto the grass.
Johan also no longer had any control over the boys body, and the mask that covered his face was nowhere to be found. Johan was now once again observing the boy from a distance.
"Man, it doesn't feel good to be in that form!" Aster proclaims before barfing more.
'Those few minutes in a physical body did not last long enough,' Johan sulked. 'Anyways, what was that hole you created back there?'
"Apparently, it's called a void portal. I had came across anecdotes about it while reading a book which concerned the prophecy," Aster explains. "The book documented how a prophet of darkness formed it, and it also documented how the user would be able to end up in a different location almost instantaneously,"
'Was there anything on where they would end up? Anyway we can control our destination' Johan further inquired.
"Not that I know of." Aster responds. "It'll have to be something we experiment with,"
As the two continued their discussion, a loud growling noise interrupted them.
'You really are fat. Didn't you just have breakfast?' Johan mocked, to which Aster's face reddened.
"Shut it, don't your remember that I just emptied my entire stomach?" Aster retaliates.
The two bicker back and forth as Aster walks towards a lone apple tree in the plains. The soft blades of grass brush up against the boy's skin as a serene and gentle breeze blows throughout the area.
Once at the apple tree, Aster struggles to climb the trunk. He finds a fallen branch on the ground and decides to launch it up, knocking a couple of apples down.
The fruits were a vibrant red and looked ripe. Taking a bite into one, Aster squealed in approval.
"Wow, these are some good apples!"
The crisp apple was crunchy, sweet, and most of all refreshing. After finishing both of them, Aster felt energized.
"What do you think we should do?" The boy asks.
'Head into the forest up ahead' Johan replies. 'Our priority should be not getting caught by anyone, as I imagine you are one of the most wanted people in this country right now.'
Aster agrees and begins to stride towards the luscious oak forest in the distance. Despite the situation he is in, he finds this stroll oddly peaceful. Aster himself is surprisingly calm even with everything that just occurred.
Johan, being a hitman in his previous life obviously didn't feel uncomfortable at all currently. He had been in far worse situations and managed to escape every time. However, the man was intrigued at how a ten year old was able to act as if nothing had happened.
'I must say, you're quite relaxed considering you're a few mistakes away from dying,' Johan states.
"To be honest, I don't think the magnitude of the situation has set in yet." Aster responds, continuing to walk. "Or maybe it's because of you that I'm at ease right now."
Johan was a little surprised by the boys comment. He had never considered himself to be a comforting or calming figure. If anything, the man either had no presence or made people grit their teeth in nervousness.
'He would make an incredible hitman...' Johan thought to himself.
As Aster walks in the open plains, he notices a few animals grazing and also traversing the field. Johan recognizes bunnies, elk, deer, and a few insects as they move. Or at least, counterparts that look like those organisms.
Once arriving at the edge of the forest, the two are greeted with solid, fragrant oak trees. They give off a sweet and relaxing scent, and the whole area seems to be quite peaceful.
'Your goal should be to make it as deep into this forest as possible. It would be best to stop at a place that has a lot of coverage in order to minimize your chance of being found by another person,' Johan advises, to which Aster simply nods in agreement.
Aster steps into the forest, the soft, plush grass now replaced by a hard dirt and mud floor. They could hear the sounds of various insects, and the occasional rustling of bushes. However, nothing was too notable or alarming to Johan.
Eventually, Aster ended up in a more open part of the forest, one with a river blocking his path. The water was cool and refreshing as the boy approached it, the sound of rushing liquid filling the air.
"I think I'm gonna stay by here," Aster states, cupping some of water into his hands before drinking it.
'As long as you don't set up camp too close to the river bank, this is a good location,' Johan responds.
Aster then retreats back into the forest as he gathers wood and other materials to set up shelter.
By the time in was dusk, Aster had started a small fire and created a makeshift tent using branches, logs, and leaves. While it was a far cry compared to his luxurious bedroom, it was better than nothing.
Aster finally sat near the fire as he enjoyed some wild berries he had picked while gathering materials.
"Thank god I've read a couple of books on survival skills,"
'I think you should continue moving at dawn tomorrow, it is important to not stay at one location for too long,' Johan says. 'Furthermore, we need to do something about that body.'
"You're right, I won't last out here with all this extra fat on me," Aster agrees, pulling at his stomach. "I guess it's time I start exercising. You have any advice?"
'I'll have you know that I was in top shape in my previous life. The physical demands required to be a hitman aren't appreciated enough,' Johan proudly proclaims. 'Anyways, starting tomorrow, your life certainly won't be anymore pleasant.'