Chapter two! I'm still trying to find my rhythm. It's not that simple! Anyway, around 5k words here too. Enjoy!
"I see, so Yuno can do that… But it seems Asta could do this… They never train together, and yet I'm able to see so many new things every day!" Aurora exclaimed. She was writing in a journal with a leather cover, which she receives for her eleventh birthday. She exclusively used it to report anything interesting about magic.
She had been writing a lot about Yuno wind magic, but Asta anti-magic was so fascinating, the possibilities so endless…
"Magic is really… Magically awesome!" Aurora said to herself, eyes shining.
Asta and Yuno decided to train for the remaining six months before the magic knight exam entrance separately. Aurora wanted to study their magic, so she tried to spend as much time talking to them, but they were surprisingly tight-lipped, even Asta.
Perhaps they were wary she'd spilled the beans, or maybe they just wanted to explore their respective potential.
Aurora could respect that. That's why she was sitting on a tree, stalk-watching silenciously Asta swinging his huge sword and theorizing about potential use.
It can't hurt them if they don't know, right?
As for her own training, she was stuck. Sure, she also did a lot to prepare her body physically, but since receiving her grimoire, it was like her sense and her mana perception had been dialed up to eleven. She was overwhelmed at first. Was it a side-effect of her grimoire?
She discussed it with Yuno, but apparently, he wasn't the same. Or he was and didn't tell her. Rude. No point discussing it with Asta because he could not feel the mana. In a sense, they couldn't be more opposed to that field.
Sister Lily told her to start meditating after Aurora asked her about it, and it helped a lot. The young nun showed her how to do it, the proper posture, the correct way to breathe, and the like. And the result came little by little. It wasn't fun at first, but Aurora kept at it.
And four months later, she was at a point she could feel things she didn't felt before. Breathing feels different. Smelling too. Hearing was also another story. If she focused her sense, she could see the mana flow with her own eyes. She could nearly taste the mana! But how does it work? How could she use her magic to her heightened senses?
That question had been like a wall for her for about one week now.
So today, she was taking a break. It had already been four months and one week. Besides, watching her two siblings was also training. She would say that to anyone. It was not for her own pleasure or to satisfy her curiosity or anything.
Something was oddly calming about watching Asta swinging his sword like there was no tomorrow. Perhaps it was the fact he was so focused on that one action, or maybe it was the way there wasn't a sound beside him shouting his number of repetitions.
It's like he wanted to make the heavy sword a part of his body. (And it was cumbersome at best! Aurora knew because she let it fall, surprised, when she tried to wield it one time and couldn't get it out of the ground afterward. She never tried again because Asta had laughed at her so much he cried.)
"Ah!" Aurora brusquely thought. "Perhaps I'm taking it the wrong way since the beginning. Perhaps I don't need to apply my magic to my sense. I should try the reverse!"
She jumped from the tree she was sitting on, cushioning her fall by channeling a little bit of mana in her soles before taking off toward her own favorite training ground. It wasn't that far off from where Asta was training or even from Yuno, but she had to run for about ten minutes before arriving.
The place was a little clearing, with a pair of rocks on the side big enough to sit on, which she used to train her time magic, and some small log from a dead tree she used to prepare her stamina and control.
Today, she would try the earlier theory. Now that Aurora thought about it, "applying one's magic to one's sense" didn't really mean anything. She never heard about a kind of magic who could literally do that. "But that would be really interesting!" Aurora thought before blinking, refocusing herself.
"Calm yourself. Empty your head." Aurora took deep breaths in. And deep breaths out.
She sat on one of the rocks, the most comfortable according to her, and started meditating immediately.
Breathe in… Breathe out…
The young girl repeated this cycle while closing her eyes, and nearly immediately, the feeling came to her.
The ever-present feeling of mana inside her, around her. Its presence, overwhelming yet calm. Yearning to be used and yet wanting to be left alone. She could feel it. Hear it. Smell it. Taste it.
She could see the mana as small lines of many colors all around her. She started to coat herself in it by controlling her respiration and willing some small part to surround her body, like a second skin. It took her a whole week to understand how to do it properly. And Aurora quite liked the feeling of it.
"Now that I am in that state… Let's try it!" Aurora jumped off the rock before breathing in and focusing her sight on one of the trees surrounding her. A huge tree. She could feel the mana emanating from it, like a multitude of brown and green-colored thread.
"Use this. Focus on your intent. Focus your magic on following the thread… The way to knock this tree down in one blow would be… to gather enough magic to strike it at one precise point!" While thinking about that, she summoned her coverless grimoire and started channeling some magic in the palm of her hand. In the mass of threads leading to the tree, two brown of them began to move as if sensing the magic.
Aurorafocused her magic with the intent to strike following these two threads and sniffed. Immediately, she was assailed by an odor that smelled right from the rightmost moving thread, like the pretty flower that grew up in one of the fields near the church.
The girl immediately released her magic, focused on the thread she chose. A concentrated beam of magic flew from her palm straight toward the bottom right side of the tree and struck precisely where she wanted.
The trunk cracked, fissured from the impact, and the whole tree fell without touching the other tree.
… The mass of thread from the tree disappeared. But Aurora didn't relax. However, she could feel herself smiling in joy.
She had finally found how to control her magic! The road had been long. But ultimately, Aurora could see hope.
Creating a second skin of mana. Focusing and reading the mana surrounding herself using her sense to determine where, and perhaps even when to strike…
The possibilities are endless.
"Magic is awesome!" she whooped joyously.
One month and a half later.
.
"Breathe out."
Aurora released a deep breath. Now that she knew what she had to improve, training had become far less of an issue and far more exciting and engaging. The girl maintained her "mana skin" nearly as long as needed. As for her focused mode (which she dubbed "full focus mode") at best, she could maintain it for two hours before everything in her body started to hurt. The key was to avoid wasted effort and manipulate and use mana in the best way possible, depending on the situation and environment.
It was still a work in progress, but still, it was a marked improvement. Aurora even gained two new spells in her grimoire!
In short, she felt more powerful than before. Far more.
Knowing she was barely at the starting line was also an incredible motivator.
"Well, I should go home now. I told Sister I'll help with dinner tonight." Aurora mused. "Asta and Yuno should be done too…"
She started her walk back rather leisurely to the church from her training spot. She was nearly out of the forest before she heard a familiar cry. She chuckled at the sight that welcomed her once she was out of the woods.
Yuno and Asta had gotten engaged in another race. She always loved watching them duke out in the most direct way or for nothing and everything. She never kept count on their ratio of win/lose, though.
But this time, she still had a bit of juice from her session. She decided to test the new spell she had received to show off a bit.
Enhancing her body with some of the mana she could feel and control, she started to run before calling them.
"Yunoooooo! Astaaaaaa! Wait for me! » she shouted at them, but they were too engrossed in their race to hear her.
"Well, looks like a perfect time to try it!" Aurora thought before calling her grimoire to her, which started to lazily float vertically before her, its pages visible and turning around its central spine. She targeted her two friends, both of them unaware of what would happen.
"Time Stopping Magic: Tempus Subsisto!
Two round bluish translucent clocks appeared on top of each of her targets. As soon as they materialized, Asta and Yuno stopped.
The clocks only had one hand each, and instead of being numerated from one to twelve, it was only enumerated from one to five.
I can use some of the time inside my grimoire to stop either a target I can see or everything in a set zone for about five seconds. Because I can't interact directly with the things or people stopped, it's not much for an attack, but it can be used to set up some sweet stuff…
"Like winning this race!" Aurora shouted while running at full throttle. Thanks to her previous enhancement, she ran far faster than usual, even without using her Time Acceleration spell.
One second. She closed the gap.
Two seconds. She was nearly at their level.
Three seconds. They were faster than she thought. She didn't take them over
Four seconds. She passed them.
Quick! Time will resume! She now had a slim lead over them when time continued.
"UWOOOOOOOOO/OHHHHHHH!"Oh yeah, both were shouting. That actually surprised her. She instinctively controlled more mana to run faster because they were really faster than anticipated. And Asta is not even using magic or mana!
"WHY ARE YOU HERE, AURORAAAA?" shouted a startled Asta.
She didn't turn back. Not when victory was so close!
"MAGIC! UWOOOO! I'LL WIN! "Aurora answered the boy, shouting.
"YOU CAN'BE SERIOUS!/ NO, I WILL!" the two boys shouted over each other in retaliation.
But Tempus Substito gave her a net advantage, and soon, she managed to arrive first at the church.
Panting, hands on the thighs, she turned over the two boys.
"You still have a long way to go!" Aurora proclaimed, grinning.
"How did you do that?" asked Yuno. He was more curious than usual. Asta too, and these two are definitely the sorest loser Aurora knew.
"I didn't lie. Magic!" Aurora answered quickly. She summoned her grimoire for them to see. "My grimoire actually had a new spell inscribed not too long ago! The result of my training, without a doubt! The blonde-haired girl proclaimed. "I can't fall behind you two!"
They grinned at her answer. "Eh." Smirked Yuno. "I will be ready for it next time. I won't lose."
"Me neither! Come on, let's go inside! Sister is waiting for us!" cheered Asta before heading to the door.
"Sister! We're home!"
"Well, tomorrow is the day, eh?" Father Orsi started. A week later, everyone was gathered at the dinner table. Night has already fallen outside. "Aurora, Asta, and Yuno are heading for the castle Town! Tonight, we have prepared a feast!" He announced his usual audience (said trio, sister Lily, and the younger kids, including Recca, Hollo, Aruru, and Nash.)
"Father went to all the surrounding villages asking for tatoes," added Sister Lily. "So everyone, eat to your heart's content!
"Fatherrrrr!" gasped Asta and Aurora, tears in their eyes.
"Hahaha… That wasn't much, hehe." Replied Orsi, a bit embarrassed. "Besides, Asta, it's mostly for Aurora and Yuno, you know! They might make it into the magic knights, but you're… well…" he added, a bit sternly.
"'Ah believ' in 'im, tho'." Affirmed Aurora, her mouth already full. Sister Lily sighed. As usual, she didn't even wait before eating. "'-Uno too!" she turned to the dark-haired teeth, who shrugged. He made a face as if he was thinking deeply.
"That would be totally an Asta thing to fail the test, though," Yuno said flatly.
"No one asked you, Yuno, You jerk!" Asta exclaimed while Aurora and the kids laughed at the usual exchange.
"You can come back anytime, Asta. This is your home, no matter how poor or crappy it is." Said Father Orsi, more seriously.
"That's right." Added Recca.
"It'll be lonely without you, Asta. Yuno and Aurora onee-chan too!" Aruru chimed in.
"We're all family here!" Hollo exclaimed.
"Why are you only saying that to me?" Asta asked. "Tell these two they can come back home too!"
"Hmmm… Aurora and Yuno will be fine." Father replied, averting his eyes from the teen.
"What do you mean?! I'll be fine too! I'm gonna become the Wizard King! And then, I'll come back for Sister! So then, Marry – gaaaaa!"
Aurora laughed, eyes bright, as Asta was slammed in the wall by a water fist courtesy of Sister Lily, who then urged everyone to eat while staring at Aurora, who smiled back at her without understanding or pretending not to.
As she gazed at the multitude of dishes made of tatoes, Aurora was struck by a nostalgic thought. This food, this atmosphere… The kids' laughter; Sister Lily's kindness and attention, Father Orsi's care and love…
It was her home, her family. And she was going to leave all of them behind. The possibility of never seeing them again was genuine, too.
"Aurora? Is everything fine? You're not chewing. Are the tato tempura not good?" Sister Lily asked her.
Aurora promptly chewed the food in her mouth before swallowing it, tasting the deliciousness of the tato.
"No, I'm fine." Replied Aurora before getting up, approaching the other women and hugging her. "I'm just going to miss you all." She added with a slightly sad smile.
"Besides, I mean, I'm leaving to get in the Magic Knights Corps because I wanted to find my parents," Aurora admitted softly, playing absentmindedly with the aged wristband she always wore. "But I don't even know if they are still alive. I just want to know who I am, and here I'm about to leave the only place I can call home. It just feels… weird." She hesitated at the end. Was it fear? Excitation? Regret? She did not know.
Her true goal was to discover who she was. Father Orsi doesn't remember who but it was a man who left here in Hage, apparently. Since that fateful night where Asta saved Yuno and her, Aurora had made one vow.
"I will become a Magic Knight too! And I'll find my parents! For sure!"
"Even so I made such a great declaration back then, I'm hesitant even now…" Aurora's body trembled a bit, and she lowered her head. She felt a pair of arms circling her. Surprised, Aurora looked up and realized it was Sister Lily who was hugging her.
"Father said it before. You'll be welcome here, always. And," Sister Lily continued, pushing Aurora to look at her in the eyes, her own a bit moisty, "We'll be in touch through letters, so you better write a lot! I know you're going to be great. Don't forget: no matter what, you'll always have a family here." The nun declared softly. Her loving words and her angel-like face, illuminated by the dining room's soft light, blow away what negative feelings could have felt.
Soon, a smile bloomed on the younger girl's lips.
"Thanks, Onee-chan. I needed that!" Aurora told her, smile widening. She was about to head to her seat when she caught Yuno and Asta staring at her. She could feel somehow Yuno sharing the feeling but keeping it to himself. ("He could stand to be a bit less standoffish!") And Asta looked a bit peeved.
"Sister! Could you give me a hug too?!" Asta asked, eyes shining. She merely smiled at him then, while making sure the younger kids were adequately served, she started to eat too.
"I can't, Asta. I'm sorry." She keeps smiling while the other boy's expression fell.
"Do you want the sister to catch your germ of stupidity?" retorted Nash, smirking. "You should eat before those two devour everything." He pointed at Aurora, who resumed eating with gusto, and Yuno, eating more vigorously than usual.
"Oy! You're right!"
The sun was barely up, yet everyone was here in front of the church/orphanage.
The day of departure has arrived.
"Well, take care." Father Orsi began.
"Aurora, Yuno, don't forget to write!" Recca continued.
"Asta will soon be back with us, after all, " Nash said.
"Nash!" Asta started. He looks more disabused than anything. After all, no matter what, he never managed to change Nash's mind about their condition.
"But you know…" Nash mumbled. "If, and it's a very huge if, you managed to get into the Magic Knights… Then I'll believe it too. Just like Aurora-nee, I'll believe in possibilities. I'll believe I can become anything. And then one day, I'll get too into the Magic Knights!" Ashe affirmed with determination.
"You did it, Asta!" Aurora cheered. Finally, the boy was seeing the light.
"No, never mind after all." Nash turned his back, crossing his arms. Was he for real?
"Ehhhhhh?" Aurora was lost. Which is it? By sniffing Nash's mana, she sensed his incertitude but also his belief in them. He would end up coming around, definitely.
But Asta ignored that. He just smiled at the younger boy and made one promise with him.
"I'll wait for you, then!'
"I'll be off, then." Unconcerned, Yuno walked away.
"Everyone, take care! I'll write a lot!" Aurora was walking after Yuno, waving her hand in goodbye.
Asta instantly runs after Yuno, and the two started bickering. The usual for an unusual day.
The road to the capital was long. Aurora knew it, but boy, she wished she could just fly towards the city, but it wasn't possible for her. Besides, even if the trip was a long one, she had pleasant company. Or so she thought.
Even after Yuno and her managed to hold back Asta's impatience somewhat (He was willing to run the entire way. It was more than a week-long of traveling!), she had forgotten one crucial fact.
These two were rivals. Usually, Aurora thought it was cool, but right now, they were in some kind of desert, and it was scorching, and they just came from the mountain and the forest before that was the great hill, and these two were bickering again. The last one was because Asta offered his flask to Yuno, who needed to drink. And turns out Asta had Meguro Leaf Juice, which is extremely bitter, and not water, like any sane person would have taken for this journey.
So, they were bickering.
And it was just so freaking hot. So, Aurora thought, she had two possibilities.
One: snapping at them. The boys would definitely snap back at her. Especially Yuno. Which will undoubtedly lead to more frustration. A scuffle seemed inevitable. That seemed counterproductive. But at least that would mean punching these two idiots' obnoxious faces. Now, that would be pleasant.
But that would also mean sweating even more, which would lead to her death. So, no, unfortunately. And besides, they would stop soon. The heat was unbearable.
The second, far less appealing (because it didn't involve punching this two right now), was to enter a focused state and control the mana ambient to make it somewhat colder. That was certainly something to try.
She had thought about telling Yuno to use his wind magic, but the air itself was just too hot. It would be useless.
So she focused, evening her breathing, and feel the mana. And understood two things clearly.
One, the multiple feelings coming to her were different. That made sense, but it was the first time she did try that outside of her regular place or around Hage. The mana was hot, the threads with an orange, red color.
Two, she did not have to try to control all the mana in the desert or even around her to make it colder. She just had to coat herself with that place mana, the "mana skin," as she dubbed it, to protect herself like a barrier laterally keeping her from the heat.
"Why didn't I thought of that sooner?!" She internally cried. Now that she had her answer, she acted.
She willed the mana around her, like a skin. And the result came immediately.
It was still hot, but it was really more bearable. Aurora tentatively took a deep breath.
And nearly cried in relief. The air didn't burn her lungs anymore! In the end, she would survive!
"You alright, Aurora? Need something to drink?" Asta offered. Looks like they stopped their dispute after all.
"Oh yeah, need to stay hydrated, thanks, Asta!" she took the flask she was offered, popping open its cap to take a mouthful of water.
"Stop, Aurora!" Yuno uncharacteristically shouted, hands rushing toward her, a vain attempt to stop her.
She promptly spat, looking at the flask in horror. In her mana skin-induced delight, she had forgotten an important fact.
Asta's flask was not filled with glorious water. But with a bitter atrocity called Meguro Leaf Juice.
"Dammit, Asta!" Throwing the flask back to him square in the face, and seeing it falling to the ground, the liquid drizzling around it, felt cathartic.
Asta's comical shout of agony even drew a laugh from Yuno and a satisfied huff from Aurora. They who suffered at the hands of this decoction felt vindicated.
After the too-long and difficult trip in the desert came another mountain to climb, and then another forest to overtake.
It had been a dangerous trip, and they had to use their respective power, whether to protect themselves from the climate, from natural disasters like a landslide or simply to eat.
And so, through good and bad times, they finally managed to arrive to their destination; after more than a week of travel (as expected), they had climbed the last hill. Only a long slope was separating them from their goal.
And the view on said slope was absolutely breathtaking.
Kilometers of lands stretched out before them, and in the middle stood an enormous city atop what could be only called an imposing mountain.
"Whoa, it's huge! So that's the castle town." Asta could only say. He looked a bit jaw-slacked.
"Hn. It's stunning." Aurora wasn't faring better. It was the first time they were seeing something like that.
"Let's go, you two. We need to get into the arena." Said Yuno with a slight smile, lacking his usual aloofness. Even he wasn't impervious to that kind of view.
They resumed their walk, taking in the sights as long as possible until Aurora started running.
"I can't take it! I wonder what kind of magic we will see! Let's go go go go!" Aurora exclaimed joyously, a grin on her face.
"Oh, it's been a while since I saw Aurora like that. Hey, wait for us!" Asta commented before running after her.
Yuno merely kept smiling faintly and ran after them.
The city was massive. They were people and stalls everywhere Aurora looked. She could hear fireworks were getting launched. The three teens' weariness from the trip was quickly forgotten as they took the sights.
"It's awesome!" Asta exclaimed. Aurora, too, looked starry-eyed at the display. Indeed, people were using an incredible number of different magic.
"Ohhhhhhh!" she ran at a stall, looking back at Asta and Yuno. "Look, you two, that magic!" she pointed to a booth before her. "Flower appeared of nowhere! That's incredible! And here! This uncle is making its knife levitate , and it's doesn't appear to be wind magic either!" she continued, unaware of the stares she was getting.
Asta and even Yuno looked really impressed. There was really a lot to see. Unfortunately, there weren't here to do just that.
Asta was the first to remember that by looking at the castle overlooking the city.
"So that's where the Wizard King lives, uh? That means one day, this is going to be my castle!" proclaimed Asta, grinning.
"You mean mine." Replied Yuno, nonplussed.
"Don't worry," Asta replied, smiling with determination at his rival, "I'll let you live there."
"That's my line," Yuno replied, smiling lightly. "By the way, where is Aurora? We shouldn't get separated." He added, looking around him
"Isn't that her here? Look, she is talking to a grandma." Pointed Asta to a stall behind Yuno, where Aurora talked to an old woman with a purple coat.
As if she was feeling their gaze, Aurora turned towards their direction and waved at them, curling her hand in a "come here" gesture.
They moved towards her, and once they arrived at the stall, the old woman started to talk.
"So these are the two friends you came with, Young lady? Are they taking the exam like you?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah! This is Asta" she pointed to the shorter teen, "and this is Yuno!" she introduced her second friend. "You should come and watch us, Obaa-san! We're definitely getting into the Knights!" Aurora stated proudly.
"Aurora, who is this granny?" Asta asked while looking at the stall. She was selling some kind of grilled purple thing. It looked cheap compared to the rest of the booth. And it was cheap too!"
"I dunno, I was looking around at all the interesting magic here, and she called me when I came near her to try and sold me some grilled purple snake. She was telling me all about its nutritious aspect, and I wanted to know more about her magic, so here! She's really kind!" Aurora said quickly in one sentence, smiling.
The old woman looked surprised. "Your name is Aurora?" she asked the girl in front of her. She looked surprised.
"Yes!" Aurora replied, smiling.
"That's a very pretty name… Here, for you and your friends." She handed them three sticks of grilled purple snake. "On the house."
"You sure?" The old woman nodded. "Thanks, granny!" Asta took the handed treat with aplomb.
"I don't want it. Thank you anyway." Yuno said, eyeing the stick with barely repressed wariness. The old woman did not take any offense, looking more amused than anything.
"I'll take one! You have to try before anything!" Aurora took one of the sticks and bit at the grilled meat while Asta did the same.
"It's a bit of an acquired taste," Asta looked at the meat thoughtfully, "but it's good!" he added, eyes gleaming.
"Hm! I agree! I was getting a bit hungry too!" Aurora declared.
"You should go now," the old woman said to the three teens, who looked at her quizzically. "You still have to register for the exam, and it will begin shortly. Make your way to the coliseum; it's that way." She pointed right in front of her. "Turn right at the second junction, and you will arrive quickly to the arena." She informed them.
"Thanks, granny! / Thank you." the three bowed. Asta left first, still munching on his treat, taloned by Yuno. Aurora stayed a bit behind. This granny was friendly, and the young girl hoped she would become her friend. After all, she didn't even see her magic yet.
"Thank you very much! Say, granny, I didn't ask, but what's your name? I would like to be your friend! Hum, if it's not a bother." Aurora asked her, smiling.
"You seem pretty sure you'll pass. It's a difficult exam, you know?" the old woman countered.
"Hmfufufu, don't worry!" Aurora said smugly, "I'm strong! You should really come and see me!"
"Perhaps I will." Said the old woman. "And I don't have any problem with becoming friends with a kind young girl like you. Call me Chronovala. I'm sure we'll meet again, young Aurora." She presented her wrinkled right hand to the girl, who shook it.
"Oyyyy, Aurora! We're leaving you behind!" Asta shouted at the girl. They were a bit ahead.
"Pleasure to meet you, Chronovala-san! I'll see you! Wait for me, guys!" she jogged to her friends' side, who waited for her.
Chronovala just watched them go before taking a look at her right hand, which she rubbed with her left.
"Magic Knights, eh… I'll be watching you, Aurora. Definitely." She said to herself.
Thanks for reading! See ya later!