Chapter 3: The school of Magic. Meeting the Zero.

I do not own anything from any media.

Opening 1: Koji Yusa - Break Your Destiny


Shadow and Tiffania arrived at the academy. They took notice of the main building of the academy. It was surrounded by 5 towers, each having the same height but different colors.

"This place is huge... I wonder how we'll get around the academy." Shadow said in surprise.

"It is big... We could get lost in that tower easily." Tiffania said, looking at the main building.

"I agree. How will we know where to go?" Shadow asked.

"The headmaster will provide a map for you two to of the campus. He's expecting you both." Agnès said.

Agnès left the academy via horseback. This left Tiffania and Shadow at the academy.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained... Let's head inside Tiffania." Shadow said.

######

The pair were inside the lobby. It had an indoor fountain that was decorative. They noticed a blonde haired girl who had freckles on her face. Her hair was styled in Victorian ringlets with a red bow in back. Her eyes were a pale blue color. She was wearing what appeared to be the academy uniform of the school. She looked a little stressed out.

"Excuse me. I was wondering if you can provide directions for us to meet the Headmaster." Shadow said to the girl.

"Oh, you two must be transfer students. I can lead the way for you two. Mind if I know your names?" The girl asked.

"My name is Shadow. The girl next to me is Tiffania." Shadow said.

"Pleased to meet you two. My name is Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency." The girl said.

'That's quite a mouthful to memorize.' Shadow thought.

"I'll call you Montmorency for simple reasons, unless you want me to address you as Miss Margarita." Shadow said.

"Montmorency is okay for me." Montmorency suggested, hiding her blush.

######

Montmorency guided Shadow and Tiffania to headmaster's office. The walk was rather arduous but they handled without complaining. They noticed a woman heading downstairs. Her hair was a pure, emerald color, but her eyes were a soft topaz. She was wearing a black, long sleeve top with a black skirt. A burgundy cloak was wrapped behind her. She looked rather busy.

"How can I help you three?" The woman asked.

"We need to see the headmaster today. It's a message from the Royal Palace." Shadow stated.

The woman in question was surprised. She than calmed down.

"Follow me then." the woman said.

The woman opened the door, showing an old man. His hair was already a snow white color, reaching down his back. He had facial hair that was as equally long. He was wearing an all-black robe, making Shadow stare at him with an amusing expression.

'If this world is like Harry Potter, then he must be this place's Albus Dumbledore.' Shadow thought amusingly.

"Good afternoon. I'm sure that Miss Longueville hasn't caused you trouble." The old man said.

"No, we were brought here from the Royal Palace. I'm sure the Queen and Princess sent you a letter regarding about us." Shadow explained.

"Ah yes, I received the letter a while ago. I'm well informed of you two, Tiffania and Shadow. Welcome to Tristain Academy of magic. Here, you'll learn how to use magic for special purposes." The man said.

"Um... If it doesn't help, I'm not a Noble... I'm just a familiar of Tiffania." Shadow stated.

The headmaster stopped and looked at Shadow for a brief second.

"Ahem... Yes, I was also informed about that. Forgive me of not noticing right away. I must say though... You're not from this world, aren't you?" The headmaster asked.

"Sharp eyes, headmaster. Yes, I'm not from here in Halkeginia. I was in another world prior to being summoned. I must admit, you have wisdom beyond what a normal person has, headmaster." Shadow said.

"You have good eyes as well, young man. Call me Osmond. You don't have to be so formal with me." The headmaster said.

"I rather stay formal till I know you personally. It's a rude gesture from what I noticed." Shadow said.

"Well said, young man. You're well-mannered compared to most of the students here." Osmond said.

"In any case, we recently arrived from Albion. The reason we came here was to explore the world, but we found out Tiffania here had a relative. The Royal letter you received was from her aunt and cousin." Shadow stated.

"Interesting... I already know she's a half-elf, thanks to the letter. Its okay, Tiffania. No one is going to hurt you." Osmond said.

Tiffania remained quiet, but she slowly took her hat off.

"My full name is Tiffania Westwood. It's nice to meet you." Tiffania said meekly.

Shadow placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Forgive her... She is a bit shy when meeting new people." Shadow said.

"It's okay. I understand. In any case, I have assigned a room for you both. Here's your room location." Osmond said, providing the papers to their dorm room.

######

Shadow and Tiffania were at their dorm room in the academy. While they looked at the place around them, Tiffania walked up to him.

"Shadow, I can't thank you enough for helping me find my relative... I feel so happy." She said.

"Its okay, Tiffania. What matters is, you found someone that you are related to. Plus, we found ourselves a place to rest at." Shadow stated.

"You're right. I'm still nervous of the school though." Tiffania said.

"Well, according to the academic standards from Osmond, you're considered a second year since you summoned me here. I don't have any lingering thoughts of my world though. It's in safe hands to someone I know." Shadow said.

Tiffania smiled and hugged Shadow in response. This made him blush red as he realized how close she was to him.

'She's too innocent to be exposed to anything that may cause psychological harm like war... For that, I'll have to protect her.' Shadow thought.

By then, an explosion was heard. This interrupted Tiffania's hug to Shadow, making them look outside the window. They noticed smoke rising from the main building.

"I'll go have a look to see what happened. Stay here, Tiffania." Shadow said, speeding off in a black blur.

'Please come quickly, Shadow. I feel nervous if you're not around me.' Tiffania thought.

######

Shadow arrived at the site of the explosion. It was a fairly large classroom, although most of the seats were caught from the blast.

"What happened here?" Shadow asked.

"You can talk with that girl over there…" A male student said, pointing to a pink haired girl.

Shadow had a look at the girl in question. Her hair was a strawberry pink color with matching eyes. Shadow noted she was a petite girl.

"What was the cause of the explosion, exactly?" Shadow questioned.

"That girl's spells often cause explosions anytime she tries. She has no talent in magic due to this frequent accident." A female student said.

"Here's a better question. Isn't there a mage who can generate an explosion as the one that occurred today?" Shadow questioned.

The class remained silent, unable to answer the question.

"Do yourself a favor, everyone. Just because all her spells create explosions, it doesn't mean she has no talent. It's obvious that there's something different." Shadow stated.

The classroom remained silent, unable to say anything.

"Thanks for cheering me up. May I know your name?" The girl requested.

"My name is Shadow. I happen to be a familiar from a Noble who recently transferred here." He said.

"Impossible... I never heard of a Plebeian becoming a familiar to a Noble." the girl said in surprise.

Shadow showed the runes on his left hand. Everyone was surprised when they saw the proof.

"You're really are a familiar... Unbelievable. Anyway, my name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière." the girl said.

'Again with a mouthful name... If I'm correct, her name in my world would be Louise Vallière. She does sound rather prideful.' Shadow thought.

"Well Miss Vallière, I wish I could help right away, but I must attend to my friend's needs. I'll see you later." Shadow said, bowing to her.

The class looked at Shadow, surprised on how respectful he was.

"I never met anyone who is kind and understanding like he was." Louise said in a whisper to herself.

"Who was that boy...? His chest was burning with some kind of flame." A male student asked.

The rest of the students could only ponder of how mysterious Shadow was to them.

######

Back in Tiffania's room, Shadow returned in supersonic speed. This startled her as she felt the wind blow around her.

"It's nothing to worry. It was from a female Noble. She appeared to lose control of her magic, which caused the explosion. Oddly enough, it was though she can make explosions." Shadow said.

"Could it be that she has a unique element of some kind?" Tiffania asked.

"I don't know myself... In any case, let's get ourselves settled in the academy. I'm planning to train outside, but you should be able to see me from the window." Shadow said.

He used his hover shoes to fly out of the window and landed on the ground. Tiffania noticed his shoes were producing flames to make him fly.

######

On the ground, Shadow unsheathed Zenyōso and began to train himself on using the sword.

'Concentrate on striking, but be wary of the opponent. I need to make sure I overwhelm the enemy.' Shadow said in his mind.

He began to perform practice swings from his sword. They were simple swings, but it allowed him to get a better feel of the sword.

"Alright, time to step it up a little." He said to himself.

Shadow set up a dummy for practice. He raised his sword horizontally and dashed in supersonic speed. He swung the sword so quickly, it looked as though he didn't struck the dummy. He stabbed the sword on the ground to watch the top of the dummy slowly slide down.

"Alright... Now for aerial combos. These tricks will help me unleash heavy punishment to a helpless enemy or two." he said.

Shadow swung his sword up and jumped up into the air. He began to swing his sword rapidly, slowly descending to the ground. By then, he stopped in midair due to his air shoes. He suddenly turned his body horizontal and began spinning in rapid speeds. He turned himself into a spinning buzz saw.

"Whew... I'm getting the hang of this... Time to for the next step." Shadow said.

Unknown to Shadow, the students were watching him practicing with the Zenyōso. He was performing unique acrobatics in a graceful manner while using his sword. They were all in awe in seeing him perform. Tiffania was watching from the dorm room window. She was surprised of seeing him train a lot, despite glimpsing at him for the past month.

'He's training himself hard to make sure I stay safe... Despite knowing each other for a month, he wishes to keep protecting me. I want to become strong so I can also protect him.' Tiffania thought.

Outside, Shadow continued to train himself. He then performed a series of swings by moving in supersonic speeds. To the viewers, it looked as though he made multiple copies of himself. He then leaped and thrust the sword on the ground, creating a shockwave.

'Alright, now to try out the fire form.' Shadow thought.

He willed the Zenyōso into its flame formation. The familiar o-katana of fire appeared. The unusual aspect of this transformation was a sheathe that had decorative patterns of flames around it. Shadow proceeded to train this sword form, going into an Iaido stance. He slowly pulled the sword and swung it as fast as he could. It made the sword flicker with fire, till he sheathed the weapon. Upon placing it back, an aura of fire was emitted, surrounding him. This shocked the students to see such power.

'I definitely need to know how to channel this power... It feels...natural to me.' He thought in surprise.

Shadow looked around and noticed everyone was looking at him. He remain composed, but he didn't expect the students to show up. Louise walked up to him, amazed of his abilities.

"That was an amazing swordplay... I never seen anyone with that kind of fighting style." Louise said in awe.

"Thanks for the compliment. I hope you enjoyed the performance." Shadow said.

"You seem adept in using that sword though... Can anyone use it though?" Louise asked.

"Oh, no one but me can use it... This sword is sentient, choosing a worthy owner for it. Anyone who attempts to steal it will only find it worthless to use as a weapon." Shadow stated.

"All that power for only one person to wield it... Obviously, the sword chose its owner wisely... Enlighten me though, Shadow. What is your Runic Name?" Louise asked.

"Runic Name? Are you referring to the runes on my left hand?" Shadow asked.

"Yes. What name does the runes show?" She questioned.

"The name displayed is 'Gandálfr'." Shadow stated.

Everyone was shocked of what they heard. The left hand god was right in front of their eyes.

"T-that means you're wielding the legendary sword, Zenyōso!" Louise said in shock.

"Rumors travel fast I suppose... Yes, this is the legendary sword." Shadow stated.

"EEEEHHHHHHHHHHH!?" Everyone said in unison.

"W-who is your master then?" Louise stuttered.

"My master happened to transfer here. She's currently in her dorm room so you'll see her tomorrow." Shadow said.

"Wait, you didn't give me a name." Louise spoke.

"Forgive me, but I'm currently fulfilling her wish. She's incredibly shy, but I'm one of the few people that she can open up to." Shadow answered, bowing.

Louise remained quiet, but she felt respected from the boy. It was more of a relief for her.

"Okay, I understand. May I ask you something though?" Louise questioned.

"Sure, I have some time to answer your questions." Shadow replied.

"What did you mean that there's something different about me?" Louise asked.

"Well, for starters, that magic of yours is like a void, but volatile. If I have to guess, it's probably something like a lost art. I'm not certain what it is, but that's all I could say about your magic." Shadow stated.

"What is with your chest though? Don't you realize you have a small fire burning on it?" She asked.

"Almost everyone questions me about this... This is the fire soul, a spirit of fire named Hien." Shadow said.

"Hien!? The flame spirit!?" A girl said in shock.

Louise and Shadow looked towards the girl who shouted. She had chocolate brown colored skin with red hair reaching below her shoulders. Her eyes were a red brown color. Shadow noticed several male students were ogling at her, due to the girl's voluptuous appearance.

'I may be a guy, but no way in hell I'm a pervert.' Shadow thought comically.

"Who are you?" Shadow asked.

"Oh, my name is Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst. I'm also known as The Ardent." the girl said.

'Yet another mouthful... I guess I'll have to get used to the Nobles for naming themselves.' Shadow thought.

"Ardent... You're referring to your liking with fire." Shadow deduced.

"Wow, you're smart! Just by hearing that title, you correctly guessed which magic I use." Kirche said.

"The title was somewhat self-explanatory... Anyway, regarding about Hien... He's kind of stuck with me, but saying that is a rude statement. We're currently in symbiosis with each other." Shadow explained.

"Symbiosis? What do you mean?" Louise questioned.

"Try to think of it this way. Two animals have their own difficulties with life. They decided to help each other for the benefit of survival, thereby becoming strong. However, they share their abilities for the sake of living." Shadow explained.

Louise and Kirche listened carefully as Shadow provided his explanation.

"In my case, Hien has bonded with me because of a special power I possess. My body was already different prior to being summoned by my master... This power was able to resonate with me. The result, Hien's power is a part of me now. In return for granting me the ability to use flames, I allow the flame to collect energy from my body. Basically, the flame is gaining nutrients from what I eat." Shadow stated.

"Precisely. Allow me to speak." Hien said, surprising everyone.

"Go right ahead, Hien. If you feel tired, switch with me." Shadow said.

"My friend here has since been able to train himself under my guidance in sword fighting. He even trained himself to manipulate fire as though it was second nature to him. It's similar to elven magic, but at the same time, it's not. He's only making the flames appear through his will alone." Hien stated.

"Meaning, he's calling out the flames to his own will." Kirche said.

"Yes, you can say that. In any case, he can create flames without stressing himself. For protection purposes, he can use the flames he made to shield people, even wrapping himself or his allies in fire. The flames won't hurt him. It's almost like a second skin or a barrier surrounding him." Hien stated.

"Wow... To achieve such control with fire... Not even the best fire mages can make something like that." Louise said in shock.

"By the Founder, he has achieved prowess equivalent to a god of fire." Kirche said.

"Hahahahaha... Not really. I'll admit my power is strong, but it's not without weakness. Shadow is by no means a god." Hien said.

"What do you mean?" Kirche asked.

"I'll let Shadow talk since I tired myself." Hien said.

"Take a rest Hien. Anyway, what he said is indeed true. I may show prowess with my pyrokinesis, but it's by no means powerful. For me to conjure a shield of flames, it takes a great deal of concentration. I can't use no more than two techniques. Using more than two techniques will stress my brain up, causing a painful headache." Shadow explained, placing his right hand on his head in remembrance.

######

(Flashback)

Shadow was at the forest near Tiffania's cottage. He was using his pyrokinesis to manipulate the flames around him. He formed a shield while he hurled fireballs in the sky.

'Alright... I can handle up to two techniques at once... I hope I can perform three at the same time.' He thought.

He surrounded his fists in fire and began shadowboxing. He decided to enshroud his left arm with fire, while attempting to hurl fireballs from his right hand. The shield of fire was still around him.

'Here goes nothing!' He thought.

He launched the fireballs up in the sky before using his left arm to make a punch, performing a shockwave of fire. Before he could assess his abilities, a massive headache came up to him.

"What is this headache...? It's too painful…" Shadow groaned.

"Don't stress too much of my power, Shadow... Although you managed to gain the ability to use flames, your brain is not fully ready for such advanced tricks to using three techniques. You may need to wait about 10 seconds after executing two techniques unless you get that headache again." Hien said.

"Well, thanks for the heads up." Shadow said sardonically.

(Flashback ends)

######

"I see. So there's a limit to how much exert yourself." Kirche said.

"Exactly. Also, the Zenyōso has immense power. The problem is, it is stamina taxing to use its special abilities. Hence why I was training myself." Shadow said.

"That explains everything we needed to hear." Louise said.

"Still, I never thought you were a legendary familiar... It's no everyday encounter." Kirche commented.

Shadow couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"I'm like everyone here; a human for starters. I do have special powers before coming here. Plus, I have emotions. So, if you end up summoning a human, treat the person as though you were talking with me. Plus, who knows what power you'll grant them?" Shadow said.

"I'll make sure about that. In any case, I'll leave you alone while you practice your swordsmanship." Louise said.

Shadow nodded and proceeded to perform each slash carefully. He decided to do something extreme.

"I'll stay here and watch him. He caught my interest." Kirche said to herself, watching him.

"What are you thinking, Shadow?" Hien asked.

"I'm thinking of using my pyrokinesis to try and refine my sword techniques." Shadow said.

He then launched several fireballs to the sky. Upon reaching a certain attitude, they began to rain down on where he stood. Shadow held his sword carefully, waiting for them to head on to him.

'Here they come.' He thought.

He began to slice the fireballs in rapid speed. The speed he displayed was difficult to track. Shadow performed a backflip, rolling in the air. He held the sword as he back flipped, slicing some of the fireballs.

"Whoa... He certainly knows how to wield a sword..." Kirche said in shock.

The last fireball was about to hit Shadow till he made an Iaido stance. Everyone was confused, never seeing the stance. Before they knew it, he swung the Zenyōso so quickly, it appeared as though he didn't touch the fireball before it dissipated.

"Whew... My training is fine for today... I should head back to see Tiffania now." Shadow said.

He then teleported, using Chaos control, further shocking everyone.

"H-He teleported! There's no magic that can make a person teleport!" A male student said in shock.

######

Shadow reappeared at Tiffania's room. Upon hearing Shadow's arrival, she smiled, happy to see him.

"Shadow, I'm glad that you came back." Tiffania said.

"Sorry I left you like that, but I had to hone my skills so I feel prepared." Shadow stated.

"I also want to tell you this, Shadow. I'm not sure if you'll understand, but I want to learn how to defend myself." Tiffania said.

Shadow was surprised from the sudden declaration. He then moved up to Tiffania.

"Tiffania, you do realize that it's a dangerous world out there. Not even my power would save you from the extreme of situations." Shadow said.

"That is why I want to learn how to use magic. At the same time, I want to learn how to fight with a sword or anything that will help me." She said.

This made Shadow think carefully. Reluctant, he decided to help her train on using a sword.

"Alright, Tiffania... But you need to realize that it won't be simple from the way I fight. The fire form of Zenyōso is what I prefer using, due to the fighting style I use." Shadow said.

"What was it called in your world?" Tiffania asked curiously.

"It was called, 'Iaido'. It roughly translates to swift drawing of the sword." Shadow explained.

"You mean, drawing the sword from its scabbard...?" Tiffania asked.

"Yes. However, the swords here happen to be European longswords. They may have the power, but not the elegance compared to the Japanese sword. The fire form of Zenyōso is how they normally look, except the fiery look." Shadow said.

Tiffania looked at the sword as Shadow made it shift into its fire form.

"What makes the Japanese sword strong is the swiftness of the blade. The Japanese sword is capable of using the user's natural speed to make swift cuts. They're powerful enough to even pierce through armor" Shadow explained, turning Zenyōso back to normal before placing it back in its scabbard.

"Wow... I don't want to hurt others though... I just wish to learn how to protect myself. I don't like the idea of fighting." Tiffania said.

Shadow placed his right hand on her shoulder, comforting her.

"Tiffania... In any world, there are people whose hearts are as black as night. They cannot be convinced by talking with each other. The only way to stop them is to fight them. I truly wish there would be a way for people to understand than fighting pointless battles." Shadow said wisely.

Tiffania was surprised on Shadow's explanation. She began to realize what he experienced.

"You had the same experience from your home world based on what you said?" She asked.

"I'll admit. There were times I had experienced moments like that. They weren't...pleasant to deal with." He said in a pause.

Tiffania now realized the difficulty in learning how to fight a sword. It made her feel slightly depressed.

"However, there is a sword style that can incapacitate a person without killing. It's called the 'Zatoichi Style', but it's difficult to master. One must learn how to use the blunt edge of the sword rather than the sharp edge." Shadow said.

"If it helps, I want to learn the sword style... I don't want to hurt others, but if it can knock a person out without taking a life, then I would learn that instead." Tiffania said.

"Well said, Tiffania. The lucky thing is, I know some techniques in sword fighting so I'll teach you how to do so." Shadow said.

Tiffania beamed with happiness and hugged Shadow. Unintentionally, she was pressing his head in her bosom, making him blush red.

"T-Tiffania, I can't breathe…" He said.

"S-sorry, Shadow!" Tiffania said with meek embarrassment.

"I-It's okay... I was surprised." He said bashfully.

Both noticed their heart rate increasing. They made brief glances to each other, feeling their hearts beating fast.

'I do feel concerned for her, but my heart is starting to beat for her.' Shadow thought.

'My heart feels strange... It's as though I'm being pulled towards him, yet it feels calming.' Tiffania thought.

######

During the night, Shadow couldn't sleep. He went downstairs to find a lavatory to find some water. He was only able to find a stone fountain, which had water flowing. It was cold and clear.

'Well, if this is where people would get water during the medieval ages, then we live and adapt.' He thought.

By then, a melody was echoing in the wind. Shadow could hear what sounded like a harp or a lyre being played.

(Play Zero no Tsukaima OST - Tiffania's song)

Shadow couldn't help but feel entranced by the melody. Hien was notably decreasing in size appearance. The fire soul looked more of a gentle, candle flame.

"How soothing for the soul." Shadow said.

By then, Shadow heard Tiffania's voice. It sounded heavenly.

"Kami no Hidari te Gandálfr."

Shadow walked inside the academy building. He felt drawn from the beautiful voice he was hearing.

"Yumo Kakanna Kami no Tate."

He slowly walked his way to Tiffania's room. The heavenly voice was very soothing to him.

"Kami no Migi Te Ga Windálfr."

The wind began to blow gently as Tiffania's voice was heard. Most of the students who heard her voice were amazed from the sound.

"Kokoro Yasashiki Kami no Fue."

Shadow managed to slowly open the door without alerting Tiffania. He saw her playing her lyre, something that surprised him.

"Kami no Tsunou wa Myozunitonirun."

He watched while she played the lyre. It made his heart beat from hearing her angelic voice.

"Chie no Katamari Kami no Hon."

The song was mysterious but beautiful to Shadow. It felt as though he was listening to a song of legend.

"So shite saigo ni mou hitori."

Shadow noted the tone started to felt somewhat sad.

"Shirusu Koto Sae Habakareru."

The tone was evident in the last syllable. It sounded as though the last being was forever lost, never to come. Shadow couldn't help but shed a single tear.

"Yonin no Shimobe o Shitagaete."

The tone became more of a hopeful sound. Subconsciously, Shadow placed his right hand on his chest, feeling a strange sensation.

"Ware wa kono chi ni hate kita."

Tiffania played the last notes of the melody before stopping. She placed the lyre down and noticed Shadow.

"It was a beautiful song." He said with honesty.

"The song was taught to me from my mother. It's the only thing that makes me remember her." Tiffania said.

Shadow felt the need to be near her. He decided to sit next to her.

"Tiffania, the names that song mentioned... Windálfr and Myozunitonirun... They sound like legendary figures...not to mention, they may be familiars of Void mages." Shadow said.

"Windálfr, as the song implied, is the right hand of god. In legends, anyone with the power of Windálfr is capable of understanding animals. Myozunitonirun is known as the mind of god. It's said Myozunitonirun has the ability to use magical items as though a Mage could do so." Tiffania explained.

"The song mentioned four beings... The left hand, the right hand, and the mind... The fourth one sounds as though it comes from the heart." Shadow said.

"I'm not sure, but it does sound like it. Maybe the song will provide some answers to what it meant." Tiffania said.

"Maybe... We might find out if we ask the professors here." Shadow said.

Tiffania couldn't help but smile. She decided to lean on Shadow, feeling his comforting presence.

"I'm glad that you find the song soothing though... I thought it would've woke you up." She said.

Shadow chuckled from Tiffania's concern.

"It's okay. I couldn't sleep much so I had to look for some water. I heard your song when I was outside." Shadow said.

"It's strange though... The two moons that I could see from my homemade just like the way I see them from this balcony." Tiffania commented.

"I hope I didn't bring you into a place that makes you feel uncomfortable. I would feel bad if I know it were the case." Shadow said.

"I've been alone, living in that house in Albion for 6 years. I thought I would stay lonely in that place. When you were summoned, it felt comforting." She said.

"Do you regret summoning me?" Shadow asked.

Tiffania shook her head with a smile.

"I never regretted in summoning you here, Shadow. I wanted to see the world and you're helping me explore this vast world. I also want to meet people as well." Tiffania said.

"I never knew. I'm glad that you like to explore the world. There are many places that are unknown, even to me." Shadow said.

"To be honest, I'm still afraid. I've only know how to survive, but I don't know anything else." Tiffania confessed.

"Tiffania..." Shadow said, wordless in sympathy.

"I found out that I was able to use magic when j was about to be taken by the military. Remembering it is still painful for me to this day." She said.

Shadow slowly walked up to her and hugged her from behind. His hands were warm to the touch, comforting Tiffania.

"If the memories of the past become painful for you, I'll help alleviate them. One can't change the past, even if one were to go back time... The universe itself is subjected to change. Had if I went back to protect your parents, then we would've never met." Shadow said.

Tiffania looked at Shadow, knowing what he said was right. She gently touched his hands, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"I inherited the magic power from my mother. But I don't know whether it's a good or bad thing." She said.

"Having power doesn't immediately make you a bad person. It depends on one's spirit and character. If you use your magic for good intentions, then it isn't something bad to think of. There may be a reason or two on why you possess magical powers and being born as a half-elf. I can understand this feeling, since I'm from a different world that I talked to you about." Shadow said.

Tiffania couldn't help but smile. She turned to look at Shadow. Seeing her smile, it made a soothing feeling to Shadow.

"Thank you, Shadow. Words can't describe on how happy I am to be with you." Tiffania said.

Hien began to turn into a pale gold color. Both didn't realize the fire soul was burning quietly.

"I'm glad that you have something more to see, Tiffania. The world is not as small as one would think. It's a vast place, almost as wide as the ocean." Shadow said, looking at the sky.

The wind blew across the balcony. Tiffania's blonde hair fluttered, giving her a graceful appearance. Shadow briefly looked at her, seeing a visage of an angel near him.

'She's not someone who wants to hurt others. Tiffania only wants to protect the people she'll meet.' Shadow thought.

He then shook his head to calm his thoughts off, making him look at the sky. Shadow still felt confused of the growing feelings he had for her.

'It's that same feeling... My heart's beating quickly... Yet, I feel as though I want to stay near her.' He thought.

Tiffania looked at Shadow, seeing his hair flutter in the wind. Her heart began to beat.

'My heart's beating fast when I look at him... He's so calm hearted and is always looking out for me. Shadow, you're a great friend to be with.' Tiffania thought.

Both began to feel tired and were planning to sleep. Much to the chagrin of Shadow, Tiffania requested him to sleep near her.

"A-Alright, I'll sleep with you, Tiffania. I assure you that no one will hurt you." He said, blushing red faced.

Both began to fall asleep for the night. Although Shadow was dead asleep, Tiffania moved from her bed, leaning on to him. She somnolently held on to Shadow, due to having a small nightmare. Upon feeling Shadow's body in her sleep, she calmed down.


Ending 1: Kokia Fate


That's all from here.