Walkswithwheels: Hey everybody!
Lyseria: It's good to see you back. Might I ask where you were before?
Walkswithwheels: I was making a map for you guys! :D
Lyseria: Pray, why did you decide to do that?
Walkswithwheels: 'Cause you guys are gonna be doing a lot of traveling within the next few chapters!
Lyseria: Is that good or bad? I'm prepared either way.
Walkswithwheels: Don't worry, it's good!
Lyseria: Then I'll be looking forward to it.
Walkswithwheels: Oh yeah, look at the author's notes to clear up any confusion about this chapter. It was originally supposed to be one, but it got too long, so I apologize if it's a little short.
Lyseria: I don't think the readers will care. Oh, you forgot to tell them something didn't you?
Walkswithwheels: The disclaimer?
Lyseria: Yes, but I'm talking about something else.
Walkswithwheels: Oh yeah! I forgot about the 10 chapter party! :D 11 counting the prologue! This is the furthest any of my (good and still existing) stories have ever gone!
Lyseria: I'll handle the RSVP's. Who should we invite?
Walkswithwheels: Everyone!
Lyseria: That's a lot of people…
Walkswithwheels: Well, if they all bring food we will be covered!
Lyseria: Sigh… I may as well say the disclaimer. The author does not own anything in her story, except for her what she created. Everything used his property of their respective companies.
Walkswithwheels: Tell them something else too! Counting the prologue but not the author's notes and pre-story conversations, we are at 141 pages! We're still going strong!
Lyseria: Of course, I will most certainly tell the readers that! Now go get ready!
10: Unarmed
I could have continued to wallow in self-pity, but I was given no time.
My grieving was suddenly interrupted by another sensation. It pierced my mind, sharper than the greatest of swords. So sharp and intense was this power that my head immediately shot upward. It did not hurt, but it was definitely distinct enough for me to blot out everything else.
Such an action should not have startled me, however. I was used to thought speech, and even more used to people "talking" over one another or ignoring what was going on around them.
Yet this sudden interruption carried no words on its invisible breeze, or even an incomplete desire.
I realized that whoever sent me this feeling had only done so to get my attention.
I prided myself on my mental defenses which allowed my mind to be completely safeguarded. No one should have been able to breach the walls within my head.
But this person somehow knew all of my tricks, and could get around them, for the better or the worse.
I instinctively understood I did not have to worry about the latter, luckily.
Out of all of us, there was only one person who I'd happily share my deepest secrets with.
Lyseria.
I shut my eyes, concentrating. Lyseria was perceptive; I did not need to send a reply signal.
The woman could have known about me while being blindfolded.
She still had her sight, and her magic.
Without hesitation, she utilized the latter.
"My lady! Thank goodness!"
"Thank you for your concern, Lyseria. I am well and listening."
"My lady, only you can stop this! You can use your powers to calm the combatants!"
"Yes, but how can I do it without getting pummeled?"
"I will guide you. However, the indications will be subtle, so stay alert!
"I understand. Thank you."
With that, Lyseria's voice faded from my mind. I nodded, easily spotting her in the crowd. She had gone off to the far right, well away from the fighting. I could also sense protective magic, but not defensively. Rather, she was taking evasive approach and had used her spells to avoid being detected. This explained why she was in peak condition; she had probably moved back as soon as the fighting began.
While a sign of good health clearly be seen, the other ones she displayed were not so.
At first, I thought she was not doing anything to remedy the situation. I expected a hand signal, but received none. She did not speak another word, or even do an obvious gesture with her legs.
Clearly, she was being cautious.
But there was a limit between caution and sense.
Didn't Lyseria know that limit?
How did she expect to help the others simply by standing there?
It was the instant I concocted this notion that I realized I had been incorrect about my previous assumptions.
Lyseria had indeed been giving a hand signal, although it was a rather roundabout one.
Her right hand was now dangling below, slapping the corresponding knee.
Though my eyes could not fathom what was going on, the same could not be said for my ears.
With them, I realized her true intentions.
The sound was not audible enough for the mortals to hear it within their chaos, but I could detect it easily. Furthermore, it was an awkward way of signaling and had barely any noticeable movement; no one would suspect her. As my ears opened further, I finally understood exactly how the message applied to the current situation.
The steady rhythm Lyseria was performing imitated the sound of a person walking.
I took my cue and gingerly stepped out of my hiding place.
Lyseria shot me a well hidden smile and suddenly ceased her tapping. I almost stopped walking, but Lyseria shook her head. I watched intently, waiting for the next move.
Lyseria placed her opposite pointer finger on top of her right hand, bringing both hands up so I could see the motion.
Once again, the delivery was unorthodox, but I understood her right away.
Lyseria wanted me to move to the right.
Carefully, I sidestepped the raging battle and started to move in the indicated direction. Lyseria continued tapping her hand as I moved further and further.
Lyseria wasted no time, and neither did I. The hand signals were swiftly executed, and I did not dare look away.
Yet, almost as frequent as the signal to move came the unspoken command to cease it.
I was thankful my limbs were capable of adjusting to such rapid and unexpected changes.
I could not afford a collision with one of my ignorant comrades.
If I was dragged into the fighting, everything within the area would be dead.
I certainly wouldn't lay down and die if I was forced to fight, even if it was among friends.
A duty was a duty, and sometimes I had to put honesty aside.
Thankfully, this wasn't one of those days.
At first, I didn't realize it, still blindly focused on my orders.
Yet my ears understood and dragged my thoughts along for the ride.
The sound of battle had become almost nonexistent. All I could hear was a faint echo, muffled by sheer distance. While I could still sense the chaotic profiles of the warring ones, I had to be actively looking for them in order to get even faintest inkling of what was going on.
Feet did not scurry like mice or pound against the ground like horses' hooves. Instead, the only thing making noise was the almost inaudible padding of my own two limbs as found their place below me.
Blood was no more, aside from that which flowed in my wrathful mouth. My vision pierced what lay up above me as I registered that it was not dyed red and black.
Fresh air wafted through my nostrils. Gratefully, I exhaled, savoring its sweet, uninterrupted, taste.
War, chaos, and death no longer greeted me. Rage, lust, and eternal hunger wouldn't ever find shelter here.
No, the only being here was Lyseria, who now presented me with the kindest countenance.
I closed my eyes, letting a wide grin make its way across my face.
These sensations could be comparable to entering another world.
Unfortunately, I couldn't stay, despite its constant beckoning.
I had to get back to the true world, or lose my key forever.
I popped my eyes open, signaling Lyseria with a nod. She immediately received my silent message, bowing her head in return.
Lyseria wasted no time as I again made her my target.
The rhythmic tapping resumed, easily detectable in this noiseless place.
I prepared to carry out my order; time was my greatest enemy here.
I placed my foot forward, and almost tripped as I halted myself.
My head waved from side to side; the epitome of stupidity, I was!
How foolish of me, using my eyes instead of my ears!
Visually, the order did indeed resemble my previous endeavors.
Yet, upon audible inspection, they could not contrast more.
My eyes ceased to see; they would not lead me astray again.
Lyseria effortlessly created her rhythm; that was no different.
Yet something was clearly dissimilar.
Before, her tempo was akin to the tortoise. Slowly and steadily, it broke the silence, yet ever mindful of the goal. Now, the tortoise had inexplicably transformed into a hare. It bounded along, racing towards the finish line. The goal blurred in front of it, but it had no need for fear. After all, it held the speed of the stars. Of course, slackers were always undone by their habits, but thankfully my hare didn't slack.
This did not mean, however, that one could simply relax.
On the contrary, my hearing admonished me from doing just that.
Or rather, it was Lyseria's actions.
The tapping was now ominously erratic, no longer forming any sort of rhythm. Were it a heartbeat, Lyseria would be dead and gone. She had whipped herself into a frenzy, and showed no signs of slowing down. Lyseria's hands performed an aberrant dance of death, only stopping slightly short of channeling the magic she was feared for. I was tempted to check for distress signals, yet wisely resisted.
It seemed I wasn't the only one with a mind for getting things done.
But how did this translate into achieving our goal?
I cocked my head confusedly; perhaps cutting off one sense wasn't the best idea.
Rapidly, I enabled what been lost.
Upon doing so, my furious mouth suppressed a mocking laugh.
Perhaps irony wasn't so cruel after all.
Lyseria stood dead ahead of me, continuing her feverish motions.
This could only mean one thing.
Within mere moments, Lyseria had me by her side.
The Sorcery's Epitome would surely want me to get down to business.
Or maybe not.
I did not even have to move, as Lyseria faced me straightaway.
Instead of the serious glance I expected, she flashed me a loving smile.
I stumbled, immediately adjusting to the safe haven I was in.
Why would she do something like that?
I had a battle to halt and she had comrades to heal!
Yet if the last action was strange, the next would be even more bizarre.
"Is it raining?"
I stared straight at the Sorcery's Epitome.
And I thought the rest of my comrades were stupid...
Of course it wasn't raining!
Was she blind?
Apparently.
Lyseria laughed, although subtly.
I placed my hands on my hips, offense shining in my eyes.
What on earth was so funny?
Lyseria was quick to form an answer, yet once again was indirect.
"Well I don't think I've ever seen water that color!"
Promptly after, I screwed up my face.
She certainly wasn't blind!
Lyseria had read me a book!
But which was the better indicator?
Was it the waterlogged sensation on the front of my shirt?
Or was it the red saliva that trickled steadily on the ground?
No matter; they were both annoying.
I reached up with my hand, preparing to slap my forehead.
Yet a single glance made me rethink my notion.
After all, I was still a captured criminal.
I scrunched up my face even more.
This was the exact opposite of what a Goddess should look like!
In my ignorance, I left myself wide open for an attack.
The opening was slight, but still enough.
Immediately, the trickle from before became a waterfall, and the ground below me was drenched red.
The red of the warriors… of course that'd fit me.
But I could stop it.
Immediately, I clamped my free hand over my mouth.
Unfortunately, at that moment, I could not register unintended consequence.
The red matter flowed onto my hand, sticking to it like glue.
Now I had an even larger brand.
Of course, I wasn't one for lipstick, but allowing the world to know about my actions wasn't too appealing either.
Thankfully, Lyseria had a third way out.
"Next time we battle, you should carry a stick!"
The humor was a welcome change, but I was directed at something else.
A white sphere of light glowed from above Lyseria's left hand. Upon closer inspection, it resembled a sun. The upward rays attempted to compete with the sky, though they fell quite short of reality's counterpart. The downward rays could not be seen, having been absorbed into the back of Lyseria's hand. Real sun could destroy mortals with such an act.
Thankfully, this artificial one had no taste for the dead.
Rather, its appetite was reserved for something else.
I should have been jumping up and down with a smile plastered on my face.
Such as spell could only do me good.
But irony overtook me again.
I resisted the urge to cringe, lest the red liquid should spill out.
In order for the problem to be solved, the floodgates had to burst.
They would produce massive cascading waterfalls that could not be stopped even by the strongest.
I would have no choice but to reveal my crimes, as the entire world gazed upon the trail I left with contempt.
Lyseria surely understood my predicament; why was she forcing it upon me?
Once again, even the greatest make mistakes.
Perhaps this whole day was a mistake.
After all, there was one around every corner.
But at least some could be forgiven.
Lyseria chuckled and thrust out her hand.
"Even after all these years, I still have my manners."
I smiled broadly; Lyseria's kindness would never die.
In normal situations, a spellcaster would have to touch the area that he or she was about to heal.
However, exceptions could be made.
Mortals coined the term "courtesy spells".
At these times, the healer would cast the spell slightly above the area that he or she meant to touch. In many instances, healers wouldn't touch anything at all, suspending their hand or instrument in the air held in the air.
This was used quite often if an area was severely injured, painful, sensitive, hard-to-reach, private, or simply property of an unruly patient.
The name was slightly misleading, as there wasn't any particular spell that could or could not be cast this way.
Unfortunately, they could be difficult to master, as one had to properly pinpoint a target without the ability of getting close up.
Lucky for me, Lyseria was always spot on (or at least for as long as I'd known her).
I nodded, and Lyseria thrust her hand out even further.
The white sun disappeared, replaced by a gentle, flowing, chant.
"Plashet."
Mere seconds after the command, a drop of water lost itself to its red adversaries inside my mouth.
Yet the spell would not be defeated so easily.
Countless more drops followed, replacing the ones that had fallen to the sea. They intended to bring hope, but instead were faced with disappointment.
Despite their best efforts, the other drops only met the same fate of that which they reinforced.
Perhaps the spell proved useless, after all.
It was only the most basic of magic, so maybe it just wasn't strong enough.
If it was possible, I would've sighed.
So much for that idea.
All my doubts were about to be proven dead wrong.
Without warning, I staggered backward, a new sensation bringing my tender tongue to full alert.
"Calm yourself, my lady. The spell is simply taking effect." Lyseria explained.
I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath through my nose.
I had witnessed thousands of spells, perhaps even millions, in my lifetime. This one was like all the others; I had no need to fear it.
Well, it was guilty of awkward placement.
So awkward, in fact, that I had misjudged its true intentions.
Within minutes of my thought, the dripping water was no more. Instead, it was replaced by a sensation that drove me madder than a swarm of insects.
Though I had never experienced the situation, my peoples' tales of terror certainly sufficed.
I glared at Lyseria, my accusatory countenance on par with the world's greatest weapon.
She placed her hands on her hips, but did not mirror my rage.
"Come now, surely the strongest of all warriors can tolerate a tiny tickle?"
I tossed my head as Lyseria chuckled.
Oh, the dreaded numbered stick, glowing red within the recesses of a white-clad room!
Thankfully, it would soon be removed.
The intricate feelings forced my undivided attention as I recognized the foreigner inside my mouth had begun to change.
Instantaneously, I realized that the water had not been swallowed by the dark liquid wrath.
No, it had been empowered by it.
The drops of water rose up again, taking their positions from somewhere I knew not. It played with my senses yet again, reluctant to return to its work. I would have sent Lyseria another silent scolding, if such was not an obvious waste of time.
Luckily, the inanimate tormentor could not play this game forever.
I jumped as the spell continued to perform its duty.
While the irritating insects had taken their leave, internal peace could not be found.
I mustn't let my guard down.
Thankfully, I got it up at just the right moment.
The droplets gracefully made their way toward each other, sliding across my mouth effortlessly. Hundreds gathered without a sound, and I followed their example.
Even one completely ignorant of spellcasting would know what was coming next.
I had no reason to be surprised now.
Rapidly, the droplets closed the distance between themselves, until no more of their kind could be summoned. They blended together as they met, their ephemeral greeting only meaning one thing.
Sure enough, the newly formed mass expanded, strangely reminding me of the food mortals called "pancakes".
Yet this spell could not satisfy my stomach; I didn't even have an appetite.
No, it was not a pancake.
It was another object, one of which I'd never found much use for outside of combat.
If memory served me, my people knew this entity as a "puddle". Of course, some of them liked to use fancy words to describe their accoutrements, hence why the spell was known as "plashet".
Such a diminutive word indicated that the spell was surely powerless. After all, what could a simple puddle do?
Apparently, more than one might think.
Within that single moment of doubt, I realized the spell's true intentions.
Without warning, the water waged war against the invading liquid.
It expansion continued relentlessly, overtaking the red with torrents of blue. The enemy attempted to fight back, but my new ally vanquished its hopeless resistance.
Pockets of power foolishly rebelled, endeavoring to overthrow Lyseria's. Unfortunately, it was the epitome of futility, as they too were drowned within seconds.
The water took its place within every corner of my mouth, working its wondrous healing in the furthest places.
Even the gunk formerly lodged in my throat had left its post.
The metallic, bitter, taste no longer ruled my body as it was replaced by the cool clearness that was my rescuer.
I welcomed every bit of the latter, savoring the tiny spell as though it were the sweetest delicacy.
Ah, the beauty within simplicity!
Yet, there were several more sights to behold!
All I had to do was look was take the time to smell the roses!
Or glance downward.
No longer did I suffer the misery of the criminal's brand.
My purified record showed off its magnificent splendor.
Courage was uplifted from the depths of the abyss, and brought to stand side-by-side with its rightful owner.
The sunlight glistened off of the innocent, and overjoyed, they met that which came for them.
It seemed that the outside of my mouth had received the same treatment, as it participated in the cleanliness I now experienced.
Despite that merriment that flowed unheeded my demeanor, I couldn't help but let a bit of confusion pass through the gate.
How exactly had the spell retained its power when its form had been all but destroyed?
After all, a puddle on one's lips wasn't exactly feasible.
Lyseria might know, but I didn't entertain the thought long.
It was not important.
Thankfully, the spell did not hold me captive.
Within seconds, the water dissolved. It evaporated without the faintest feeling; I didn't even have to swallow. Lyseria allowed her hand to fall back to her side, and promptly shut my eyes.
I inhaled deeply, savoring the sweet air that rushed into my painless mouth.
At last, my freedom had been regained!
I could have savored it forever.
Unfortunately, time was a luxury I could not spare.
If I dawdled, there would be no freedom at all.
I opened my eyes, laying them on Lyseria.
"Thank you."
Lyseria bowed her head, giving out her silent welcome.
"I trust my lady is ready?"
"Affirmative." I responded.
Lyseria gracefully moved out of the way, sliding back to give me ample space.
I nodded slowly, my eyes glancing sharply ahead.
Lyseria's powers had done their duty.
Now, it was time for my own.
Author's Notes:
I love cliffhangers! Anyway, moving on…
Lyseria's actions may seem odd, but that's because they're actually the same as something I've encountered in real life.
I chose to do Forensics at the middle level when I was in 8th grade. For those of you that don't know, forensics is public speaking and comes in many varieties. It can be as simple as storytelling or as complicated as making up an infomercial and synchronizing it using a group of people.
Your performance can vary wildly not only depending on what you pick, but also who judges you and their personal opinion. Different judges value certain points of the same category, so in order to get the best rating, you must perform excellently in all areas within your category. This isn't something that is easy to do, since it's basically asking for an A+ performance every time. It takes several tries, and there is no guarantee that it will work.
Because of the unpredictability, all advice is sound and should be looked at as constructive criticism.
In the middle levels, contestants travel from school to school, winning ribbons and trophies based on their performances.
However, the interesting thing in the middle levels is that only competitor is yourself. In the middle level, there is nothing barring someone who scored poorly to come perform again. Competitions are not ranked in difficulty or requirements. Awards are given for separate practices, so it is possible to get multiple blue ribbons, and bad performances will not impact future ones. Although multiple people can enter from the same school, scores are only for the individual (or team, if applicable). I enjoyed that because it takes the pressure off of what some people consider to be extremely stressful.
In my case, I did Impromptu Reading. This required one to read a chapter, section, or multiple chapters within books (fiction) and give a speech within an allotted amount of time. You do not have to memorize anything, but you could take liberties. You were allowed to get rid of, highlight, or do anything you wish in order to make it easier on yourself. You were also given ample time to practice, so you could have your speech perfected by the time you came in.
Readers were judged on things like eye contact, speaking fluency, expression, enthusiasm, and many other things are universal to all presentations. In order to remind themselves, contestants, myself included, were allowed and encouraged to mark up the papers with symbols. For instance, if the character was going to speak loudly, I would mark the line with an exclamation point in order to remember that I had to portray the character's emotions.
However, speech is not the only thing that one needed to be concerned about. In order to get the highest score, one also had to use actions. In this sense, the reading became almost like a play, the contestants also had to act out the story in order to perform well. For instance, if a character kicked someone, the contest was expected to kick out. If a character decides take a walk, a contestant would walk in place to portray that. Many of the conventional actions were beyond my physical ability; however, I still did them.
Instead of using something that people could see, my actions made use of the ability to hear (hence Glory's comments). When I wanted a character to walk, I would slap my knee in a rhythm that made it sound like someone was walking. I sped it up if I wanted someone to run. Unfortunately, my ways had a drawback. Sometimes, they were so subtle that the judges would not realize what I was trying to convey. This is reflected in Glory's initial confusion.
Walking and running wasn't the only way I portrayed myself. I also, strangely enough, could not tell my right from left. However, if someone asked me about my left and right hands, I could point to them immediately. This was later confirmed to be from my disability, since the problem was resolved using a certain treatment. However, it was unknown why this had bothered me for so long, since I had no mental handicap. At the time, I did the only thing I could; pointing to my right and left hands. Thankfully, this is much less subtle, so no one got confused.
Introducing the cameos...
Air Spells (Tao's Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal): In this universe, several different types of magic can be cast by a nationality called the Bente. The Bente can be identified by a mark on their forehead, and they are excellent at magic. However, certain families and their members had an easier time than others. Age is also a limiting factor, as only adult magic users could break through resistances, as well as rapidly build defenses against an enemy spellcaster. The magic the Bente use is called Air Spells, because in order to cast, the caster had to draw a shape within the air. Spells could only be cast with a staff equipped, and one could not equip a physical weapon at the same time.
In this universe, Air Spells are called Bente Magic. Although it originally came from them, anyone can use it. Well there can still be inborn talent, age is no longer a limiting factor. Casters no longer have to draw through the air in order to use the magic, and a staff is no longer necessary.
Sala (Tao): In the original game, Sala is the most basic of healing spells, being of the water element. It did not use much magic power, but only healed small amounts of damage. The other weakness was that it could only heal one person at a time. However, Sala played a decent part in the storyline. Tao, the main character, gained a partner by using Sala on him when he was wounded before the events of the main storyline. This partner becomes one of the main characters in the storyline after that event. Tao is also seen casting that spell, along with a few other basic ones, with his father in the magic training lesson that occurs before the story truly begins. To draw Sala, players had to create a loop almost identical to those formed in some lowercase cursive letters, such as k or h. Unlike those, Sala did not connect to any other object.
In this universe, Sala serves the same purpose, although it has been renamed Plashet. Its animation has been greatly changed (although the universal pre-casting one has not, referred to as the "sun"). The reason for the name change is because I am fluent in Spanish as a second language. To me, Sala means "living room". XD
One last thing I forgot to explain before:
Coriander- This tiny village featured in both Valkyrie Profile and Valkyrie Profile 2. In the first Valkyrie Profile, both Platina, an incarnation of the main female character, and Lucian, her love interest and one of the main male characters, are from there. The town is extremely poor, and to the point where people live in little more than shacks, and have to sell their daughters into slavery in order to be able to eat another meal. In Valkyrie Profile 2, the village is considerably better off, and no mention of slave trade is made. In fact, they are quite a few adult female villagers, suggesting that the slave trade did not yet exist at the time the game took place. The village is small and simple, resembling its counterpart in the story. However, it was considerably less advanced so some of the more elaborate things (such as the clock and the restaurant) did not exist.