Raven was left in a daze at the sight before him.
The woman before him was breathtakingly beautiful.
It was the first time that someone had taken his breath away without violence being involved. That said a lot.
Her voluminous, pink hair cascaded down her shoulders, somehow complementing her piercing glacial blue eyes, as if carved from the winter skies right before the snowfall.
Her face too, was beautiful. Not only that but she was well-built, relatively tall and well-proportioned body that harmonized with her pretty face.
There was also something about the way she carried herself too....
'She doesn't look a doctor.'
From the vibe she gave, he could tell that she wasn't an ordinary person.
'A hundred percent awakened.'
She certainly was one.
"How are you feeling?"
She asked.
Raven did not reply, his mouth was practically sealed shut as he stared at her.
She sat down on the chair positioned next to the hospital bed and caressed his forehead.
"I'll take that as a yes."
Her piercing blue eyes stared at him, almost as if it was searching his soul for something.
"Broken bones, missing fingers and a blown out brain. You're lucky to be alive."
She murmured.
Raven remembered all of this.
He remembered when the instructor kicked him to the tree, though he had felt nothing then, he also remembered his missing fingers, and the feeling of the gun pressed against his head.
If not for the lingering headache and the absence of two fingers, he would have thought that it was just a bad dream. The whole course of events was just too surreal to believe.
"Now, you have to decide whether you want to stay alive."
She said those words, her expression unchanging as she massaged his forehead.
Raven's eyes widened in shock at her words.
Her gaze finally left the wall, coming down to meet his.
She had been expecting this reaction from him.
'Isn't she the one that saved me?'
Even though she didn't technically save him from the threat, she was still the reason he was alive. With a brain with a bullet through, it was a miracle that he managed to live another day.
"Would you like to become my apprentice?"
She finally asked it.
And Raven stopped breathing for a moment.
'Apprentice?'
'This....'
'….honestly sounds like a good offer.'
He could tell just from looking at her that she was strong.
Aside from her well-toned body, it was fairly evident that she was strong for an awakened.
But even then....
"Can I ask who you are?....Before accepting it."
He croaked out.
She was strong so there was a chance she belonged to some secret evil organizations, if he chose to join them it could cause problems down the line; one of which included an untimely death.
"PRU agent."
She answered, her gaze returning to the window.
'PRU agent.'
He repeated her words internally.
Preternatural Reconnaissance Unit. In short, they were a special task force.
Nothing evil.
But a powerful group nonetheless.
"Can I ask one more thing?"
"Ask away."
The woman replied, her expression unchanging.
Throughout the whole conversation she had her gaze focused on the window. Fixated on the faint morning light, with a world outside that was too calm to match the current situation.
"If I were to refuse?"
'Not that I would try that.'
A smirk would have broken out on his face if he didn't do well to conceal it.
Becoming a student of one of the members of the Preternatural Reconnaissance Unit was practically a godsend at this point.
The woman turned away from the window.
Her eyes met his eyes.
"Nothing."
Raven was once again surprised.
'Just a moment ago she said I should choose right to avoid my death.'
He was sure she said something like that to start it off.
"If you refuse to join me, I won't do anything."
She said.
Her expression was unchanging as the words left her mouth—something that resembled detachment and slight boredom—it had been the same since she entered this room.
"Really?"
"That thing I said about your life was just a bluff."
She noticed his skepticism and added one more thing.
"Do you not trust me?"
She questioned, her tone light.
Raven did not answer, his unblinking eyes answered for him.
She let out a sigh.
"If that isn't enough, I swear on my life that I will do nothing."
The woman finished.
Her hand stopped caressing his forehead.
'If what she's saying is true, then I actually have a choice.'
The realization hit him with the force of a tidal wave.
'A real choice.'
'Not even one that's tied to my current situation.'
'No, this is a real choice.'
Throughout his whole life, the concept of a "real choice" had eluded him.
With his parents dead in his last life, every choice he made was with the constant knowledge that he would die a dog's death if he didn't.
Which occupation would he choose?
It was the one that paid more.
Where would he work?
The one that offered more money.
What was his goal in life?
To make money.
The pay, or the money he could make was a pre-determined factor, he never had to give it much thought.
The choice; considering all the factors—whether it was comfort, the amount of work hours or anything else.
If he refused her, he would lose absolutely nothing.
If he accepted her request, he would gain some things, but the risks associated with being an assistant of a PRU agent would balance it out.
There was no hidden agendas, not even the usual "you have no choice to agree to my demands or die" kind of situation.
He was ultimately free to choose if he wanted to or not.
And Raven.... In both lives, Raven Hesse had never known a "real choice".
The boy blankly stared at her for a few moments.
"Are you alright?"
She asked, sensing that something was wrong.
Tears spilled out of his eyes. Fresh hot tears.
Those were tears of happiness.
"Yes." He finally answered. "Yes."
At his words, the woman's lips curved into a slight smile.
"Good boy."
She said, patting his head.
"From today onward, I'll be your master—Nyx Althea Kael."