Full story [Prologue]

"I wanted peace and I needed money. Dropping school and working in a local dojo seemed like a solution, but now I see it was only an escape. It didn't help save him at all."

What happened after that night Ion did not remember. Where did the little brother's body go, how did the boy get home, what did his parents say when they came back from work - the next couple of days, or perhaps even weeks, for Ion lost the count of time, became nothing but void. When Ion came back to his senses he was faced with a harsh reality - his little brother was dead and his family, burdened with debts, couldn't pay the resurrection fees. No, they didn't even plan to. One less mouth to feed would mean living a better life and actually having a chance to pay off the debts. The boy's parents were sad, truly sad, because of the loss of their son, but not dealing with this situation meant the end of their hardships. Their decision was final.

But Ion's mind was set on saving his younger brother. Fate was too cruel to both of them, and the boy hated it with his whole being. Mother and Father were not at fault for wishing for a better life, Ion knew it. But he also knew that he wouldn't give up that easily. The young Valthos quit school (nothing good came out of it anyway) and went looking for a full-time job. The 12-year-old found what he was looking for in some miles from home - a small peaceful dojo with about three dozen members in it. They gladly accepted the boy despite his young age, since even children were allowed to spend their time in this place. Ion was truly thankful for this opportunity. He worked hard and diligently like he always did and soon grew accustomed to the training grounds.

Something strange, however, started happening with Ion. Whenever he was working at the dojo, mostly cleaning rooms during the members' training sessions, he was seeing things that he surely wasn't meant to see, "that surely didn't exist", thought Ion. They suddenly appeared out of fighters' chests in a form of thin colored threads and floated in the air, creating a sea of colors, waves of small rainbows. Ion couldn't help but feel fascinated by those awe-inspiring sights. The boy also noticed that when he was going to sleep golden threads were coming from his own chest, and oh holy Goddess, he was able to touch them, guide them, control them! Suddenly, Ion's world, always so dull and colorless before, was now filled with the most vivid colors a man could ever create.

Still, the child's mind was full of doubts. Was it magic, was it Ultima that he was seeing? Why now, why during this unhappy time he was given this gift? The boy needed advice and decided to seek one from the dojo's master since fighters were usually users of physical affinities and surely would know what to answer about Ultima. The master only said that Ion needs to find out everything by himself, for one becomes a master by learning on their own and not depending on someone else to do the research. Still, the man offered the little one a place in the dojo, not as a worker but as one of the students. Ion was doubtful at first, but after being promised to still receive his monthly wage, gladly accepted the offer. And so, the boy began the training.

Years had to pass before he mastered one of the magic affinities and became knowledgeable in Ultima. In the dojo, Ion learned how to control his body and his emotions, how to handle melee weapons, and how to externalize his Ultima in order to fight. The Valthos felt like he could do anything now, so with a light heart and earned money, he finally headed to the local chapel to resurrect his younger brother. But Fate was unfair to him once more, for the body he brought and the soul within it had already long withered. The boy's precious sibling was beyond saving and nothing could be done about it anymore. Ion just had to let go.