[B Rank Exam] Letters from Home

It was one of those days for Vinn, when if he was back home, he would just lock himself in his chambers and tell every servant that would come by to piss off. He couldn't quite replicate the same happenings over in Talonia, in the tiny apartment that he now had under his fingers. But it was better than the tiny inn room that he had been living in for the past... while. Along with the apartment, Vinn bought some kitchen equipment and cutlery, so that he wouldn't have to eat out too often. Socializing with other human beings could be very taxing at times. Vinn was making himself some tea, when he had this strange feeling.

It was the kind of feeling when somebody was watching him. Vinn was very familiar with it. The feeling kept on following him every single day, back in Astelron. Its sudden resurgence caught Vinn off guard. With swift steps he walked over to the apartment's door and swung it open. There was nobody there and the feeling slowly faded. The young man looked down and noticed a few envelopes on the floor in front of him. He couldn't fathom as to who would possibly try to contact him, but Vinn picked up the envelopes and went back inside.

The envelopes had nothing written on the outside. They were just sealed with a peculiar seal that was very familiar. That only meant one thing. For whatever reason, somebody from within the Crystal Palace wanted something from Vinn. Wherever he was. The young man frowned and tore open the first envelope. He sat down on the floor as he read through the letter that he found inside. It was just some 'I hope you're doing well' crap and Vinn just tossed the letter away. He didn't even want to know from whom exactly the letter was. There were two more envelopes. Vinn grabbed the second envelope. It had the same seal as the previous one. And just as before, it contained a letter. And again, it was the same deal as the previous one. So it joined the first letter on the floor. The third envelope, however, was very much different.

Instead of just bearing the general seal of the Crystal Palace, it had the seal of the noble family. That meant that it was directly from his parents, since he didn't remember sending a letter to himself. "Whatever could they want from me.." Vinn quietly pondered as he took out the letter from inside of the envelope. The handwriting was very neat, but Vinn knew that neither of his parents actually wrote the words that were in the letter. They were just thoughts, written down by a servant with pretty handwriting. As per usual.


Greetings, son, heir to the House Cerulean.

We are delighted to know that you are still very much alive, wherever you may be. Your mother and I hope that you are taking your task seriously and are preparing for the Burning Fields diligently. It would be a shame to lose such a capable leader, just because he was too foolish. That being said, you will be pleased to know that arrangements have already been made, should you fail in your assignment. Then again, it really shouldn't be an issue for somebody of your strength-


Vinn didn't bother to finish reading the damn letter. "You're just pissing me off at this point." The young man growled as he tore apart the letter in anger. They were just mocking him, there was nothing else to it. The pieces of paper were laying scattered around Vinn. He grit his teeth. The frustration was getting to him, making his anger boil more fervently as he slammed his fist onto the low table. "DAMN YOU!" He yelled and stood up, abruptly. It just showed how much he didn't matter in the greater scheme of things. But he would show them. Show them how wrong they all were. His angered gaze was drawn towards the family heirloom. The blue and purple crystalline gem that was shaped vaguely like a potion bottle. The heirloom that gave him the title of Thunder Heart. Even if it was currently secret. But something was calling him. He couldn't put his finger on it and yet, he followed the call.

Vinn took the crystalline gem into his hand and examined it, closely. He didn't see any changes on the outside, so he had no idea what that feeling was about. The whole day was just so strange. But then...

He felt like something or somebody was invading his mind. A foreign and scary sensation. "Now now, sugar. You want to win, but you don't look like a winner to me. Let me help you with that." A sly voice echoed in his head as he felt intense pain from the inside. The very physique of his body shifting and melding into something different. His knees almost gave out, but Vinn managed to be still standing up. "What are you and what have you done to me?!" He furiously growled as the pain subsided and his hand flew to his face. It felt.. different. "I'm Victoria and you are the lucky one to be my new vessel." The voice replied with a giggle. The young man ran into the bathroom and peered into the small mirror that hung above the sink. Just as his sense of touch eluded to his physical change, so did the visual input. "See? You look much better. And even if you probably don't really feel it, a bit angelic."

Vinn didn't enjoy this change a single bit. Nor did he enjoy the female invader in his mind."Stop toying with me. Turn me back." It wasn't a question or a request, but a firm order. "Are you sure? Your parents wanted you to-" "Don't you dare talk about my parents to me." He would interrupt the Victoria voice. "Prickly, aren't you, sugar? Well, let me help you out, for this time." Victoria replied and everything went quiet for a little bit. But nothing happened. "What's the matter? Why I am still different?" Vinn demanded as he kept a close eye on his image in the mirror. "Sooo... Your body kinda doesn't want to go back." The voice replied and Vinn's face turned into grimace of anger once more. "What do you mean that it doesn't want to go back?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper in his rage. "Beats me. Fact is, you are stuck in this form. Oops." The young man let out a growl. "Oops? OOPS? That's all I get? A fucking OOPS?!" His patience was wearing thin and Vinn was nearing the stage when only physical violence would be the only option to let off some steam for him. "Yup. Sorry mate. It's currently beyond my powers to change you forcibly. But hey, at least you are stuck in your angelic form and not the demon one. Oooh, I wonder what that one looks like."

Nothing was making sense. He was stuck in an angelic form? And that he had a demonic one aswell? He had no idea what was going on. "If you're so useless, at least humour me and tell me what in the hell you are and what you want with me." Vinn would try a different approach. "Well, for starters, I am Victoria. Pleasure to meet you Vinnie." Vinn grit his teeth at the nickname. Mostly because his name was Vinn and not Vinnie. As if she could sense his irritation, Victoria giggled. "I am half angel half demon. It's the reason why you now have two different forms. The only two different forms for you, now. But you catch my drift." She would explain further. "I am also what one would call a Seal, the first one and also the best one, if I do say so myself." Victoria would say with a smug voice. As much as Vinn hated her for transforming him against his will, he wasa slowly but surely warming up to her attitude. "You will have to do the rest of your homework, though. I am not going to spill every bean just like that. Not even for you, sugar." There was that sly undertone, again. The kind of voice that was lulling others to do things for them. Vinn didn't quite enjoy that part. "How do I get rid of you? Can't you just go back into the heirloom and leave me alone?" That was the real question. "Aww. Come on. Don't be like that. You don't even know me-" "I asked you something." Vinn would interrupt Victoria. She seemed to be bent on getting her way. She sighed. "No. I was drawn out from that prison and you became my new vessel. The only escape is death." She said, flat-out. Death was the only escape? "Okay, correction. Technically somebody who is strong enough could rip me out of you, but I don't reckon that you would enjoy that." Vinn wanted to beg to differ, but he felt like that she was right, in a sense. "So you are stuck with me until you die. Happy times, Vinnie!" The young man sighed in frustration.

What in the world actually happened to him? He got letters from back home, his mind was invaded by a Seal or something and now he didn't even look like himself. Where did he go wrong? Perhaps he should never read any mail from now on.