As promised in my Tales of Royalty note, this marks the one-year anniversary of Delicate Balance. Funny, it's 42 chapters at this point...it's the meaning of life! I have won.
Jokes aside, thank you for those who have read this and have stuck around—that includes you lurking readers. I've done the same, not to worry. Sometimes, you just want to read a story without extra steps. So, my plan is one more chapter here and then they will return to Orario right at the start of the Xenos incident. It will allow me to better blend it in together.
As for my fight scenes, still trash at writing them but I hope I convey the actions I wanted. Does that even make sense? Whatever.
So, once again, it's been a year...damn, usually I'm done with a story by now but I still have multiple novels to go. Finally, the title is a pun...and I hundred percent regret nothing.
Enjoy.
...
Somewhere within the Far West, there existed an arena, one where people can come and test their strength. The Familia that existed there was none other than the Nike Familia. The Goddess, Nike, was a woman who knew combat as much as her own name, despite being the Goddess—or spirit—of Victory. Victory is a subjectable definition, so the meanings are varied. While Goddesses of War like Shala, Keres, and Menrva exist, none of whom have descended to Gekai, Nike took the opportunity to hone warriors.
Warriors she has made and nurtured. She expressed vitriol when it came to combat prowess. She has personally trained her Captains and her Vice-Captains. That made it so they could pass on those teachings to her familia. It does seem like it promotes elitism but that is not the case. It's so that way, her top two members could be in a better place. Her level four Captain and Vice-Captain. The highest level people can get to if they put forth the effort to succeed.
However, she doesn't just personally train people. She Spartan trains them. There are blood, sweat, and tears. The tears don't make her feel better but they are what she has called 'purging the pain' out from them. There are scars, there are plenty of those; some given and even some received. Her own body from Tenkai has its fair share of those lacerations and deformed skin. She wears them with pride. Even her outfit had outlined them. Wearing strappy sandals, greaves, a combat skirt—a mortal term—along with belt knives, her tunic being a mixture of leather and refined metals, her arms remain bare except for braces that are very comfortable to wear at any time.
Her sandy auburn chestnut-colored hair and blue eyes were prominent features of Nike. She loves it, and when fighting, her expression shows she is a seasoned veteran. The grim determination. The steeled resolve. It screamed the heart of a warrior, despite being a Goddess.
In previous depictions of her, she has golden wings on which she flies from. Sadly, those don't actually exist. Her Familia, however, had made her some as a thank-you present. Those are displayed in her chambers on an armor stand.
She has seen the rise and fall of the heroes. She was interested in Gekai far before Ouranos ever decided to descend first. She remembers volunteering to go first before anyone else and was denied. Her enthusiasm did not go unnoticed as Ouranos had given her permission to go anywhere and to use her Arcanum to build her arena as she saw fit. So, that's what she did. After that, she assumed that using it again would mean banishment so she hasn't used it. If she ever needed to, she could ask for permission. The worst he could say was no.
So, as she was musing from the top of her arena, she was visited by a messenger. The letter was covered with handwriting from undoubtedly the strongest person to be walking the planet, second to the Gods. Nike read the letter with apt precision.
Dear Lady Nike,
If you have received this then that means I am still alive. That also means I have reunited with my family. As of this moment, and if this letter was properly sent out, it has been one month and thirteen days since Dia's departure to Tenkai.
Nike audibly gasped, making the messenger tense with concern and anticipation. Looking up, "Fetch my Captain, if you would please." The messenger gave a crisp salute, an arm over the heart, bowed before taking off. "What…"
If you are asking for the details, it will have to wait until our arrival. I know that Dia was somewhat acquainted with you, Nike. Fear not, for they have found new Familias but the fire they once had has been dulled. Their spirit, if you will, has faltered. I have only seen trace evidence of their fighting spirit. I am writing this in the cover of night, watching over them. As their home forest was really out for blood against them.
However, the greatest surprise was their current level. I am excited for that to be tested against me. Your favorite students will be getting multiple lessons from you and probably a few scars. Have your best healers on standby. I will not be showing them any mercy on that.
Nike sweatdropped at that. The Goddess understands what a level difference means and the arena had just finished repairs a few months ago from the last time she was here which was when her favorite students had departed all those years ago. Her favorite students were of course the Vlahos twins. Not only did they prove themselves at a young age but they both never wanted to fight one another. Not because they didn't like it but because they often knew each other too well and it often led to stalemates.
She had watched them in secret, thanks to Nike letting her. And she was pleased to see it. Now, if it has gotten this bad, then the stage needs to be set.
Another thing, you might have noticed two other individuals arrive from the Anubis Familia, a dark elf and a raccoon demi-human. The dark elf is going to be important to my granddaughter. I can hardly wait. Now, by the time you receive this, we are two days away. They are not aware that they will be arriving. However, this training has not been discussed in full. Isaac is looking to take up more swordplay, possibly weaving his limited magic into the mix. Irene will be going through concurrent chanting with me and if you want your other mages to try and join in, be my guest.
Other training will have to be conducted privately as I plan on boosting their statuses to their maximum before they return to Orario.
We do not have a solid timeframe for how long we plan on lodging with you but it should not be more than one month. When we arrive, I wish to let them write a letter of their own to the people they hold dear back in Orario. So, if one of your messengers is available at that time, I ask that you lend them to me for this favor.
I shall see you soon. It would be nice to catch up for a moment.
Regards,
Sofia Vlahos.
"You called, Lady Nike?" her Captain asked. She looked up from the letter to see her Captain look at Nike in concern. "You look pale, are you falling ill?"
"P-Prepare the lodge. We have guests in two days," a noticeable shake in her voice.
"Goddess? May I inquire who is coming?"
"Hecate… along with her family," Nike eventually answered.
"..." A dumbfounded look reached the Captain's face before he immediately turned out the door and her voice boomed, "Everyone listen up, the Great Mage is coming to our arena! Make the proper preparations. Hima, begin prepping the lodge. Marc, Divial, get the entire familia mobilized. I repeat, we have a VIP coming."
Elsewhere within the arena, a certain dark elf perked up while a raccoon was looking pretty smug. "I told you they were coming here. You thought that letter was a load of shit."
"Shut the fuck up, Jericho…" Dino replied, blushing. I want to talk to her again. It was peaceful…
"I am so glad we're out of that place," a very irate Irene said. "How dare he assume that we're at fault. Alre was no better. He attacked us first."
"Irene, I get it, you're mad and upset for it but that's now in the past."
The younger twin deadpanned the older one, "It happened only three hours ago."
An amused snort, "Like I said, in the past." He looked over to the third occupant of the carriage. "So, we're going back to Lady Nike's arena? Once wasn't enough?"
Sofia hummed, "Allow me to be blunt for a moment because what I'm about to say will hurt to hear but it is my honest truth." She inhaled, "You both have gotten weak since Lady Dia's death and because of that, you don't take any fights seriously so if you plan on going back to Orario, you need to be disciplined. That is one part. The second part is I've seen that fire that resides in both of you. That fire was in you up until her death and when it passed, after waking up, you both were lethargic and honestly, quite pitiful. Your own weapons even recognize this and are more than willing to help. The final part is that of my own concern, as I want you both to be as safe as possible. I cannot hope for perfectly safe because of our occupation. So while we are there, know that I do love you both and I want you to be at your best." Accompanied with a stern gaze that contained no motherly—grandmotherly—affection.
Side note, there are times that the trio gets confused for being mother/son&daughter rather than grandmother/grandson&daughter. It's funny when it's actually corrected.
Back on track, Irene looked offended but saw the truth in her words. It made her feel worse about herself knowing that she was right. Isaac looked pensive but flinched at her words. His fists were clenched and before he knew it, blood leaked between his fingers.
Mikoto…Mikoto…Mikoto, he chanted in his mind but there was no calmness in his words. Sofia moved her gaze to Isaac, smelling the blood before seeing it. He knew her words cut deep and knew they were true. Irene wisely did not reach out like she normally would as they both needed to toughen up.
"I see I've achieved one part of my goal. Isaac, I know that it isn't what you want to hear but can you provide me with evidence to point out the contrary?" Sofia inquired while she leaned back and closed her eyes.
Isaac pondered at her words and huffed before letting out a terse, "You're right…I offer no retort."
"Which is why we are going to be training for the next three weeks. I had sent a letter to Nike ahead of time to let her know. I haven't visited in years, so no doubt they are scrambling to get everything ready," the elder mage said. "Sometimes, I lament my title and notoriety some days because of things like this."
"Oh, so you probably did it when we weren't paying attention?" Irene asked as she subconsciously reached for her staff and clutched it.
"When you were asleep," Sofia shot back. The Great Mage waved her hand and cast a healing spell to close up the cuts on Isaac's hands. He nodded thankfully before sitting back, letting his tense posture drop.
He sighed, "I know your words ring true…I just…you know what it's like to have that goal within your grasp, only for it to be ripped away from you? That was that night, Gran. We almost saved Dia, she was mere seconds from crossing the threshold, and then she was stabbed. My rage never reached a higher point than that. So that means if we have to enter Hell's gate a second time, I'll do it. I never want to feel that helpless ever again."
Sofia positively beamed at the words, even if her ears were the only thing that twitched. "Perfect, and now we can wait. The Kaios Desert is vast and we have plenty of time. Maybe we'll be able to swing by Israfan if we have time and you don't utterly loathe my very existence."
"Do I want to know why?"
The only response they received was the raised hackles of one Sofia Vlahos.
Nike continued to freak out as the day approached. She knew not to make a mage angry. She was anticipating to see her favorite students again. Yes, they are her favorite because of how well they learned and it does concern her that they may be lacking in their drive.
That drive was part of what made them her favorite. They had the desire to learn. They had the desire to protect and survive. What more could she ask for from her students? Nike was pacing in front of her arena, which was somewhat out in the middle of nowhere but there was a town in sight maybe a couple kilomeders out. Her Captain and Vice-Captain looked at their patron deity with veiled concern. They were about to reach out and ask her to stop when they felt it.
The presence of a very high-class adventurer.
A carriage entered their line of sight and from the back, peered two different heads. The pair that Nike was waiting for. She waved somewhat gleefully, worried about the one that had not shown her face. The carriage stopped and the two visible occupants got out, glancing behind them. "You coming, Gran?"
A laugh, "I could but that would ruin the reunion."
The two still looked the same to the Goddess, well, the same being a subjective thing. Time passes differently for Gods and Goddesses. This has been, hopefully, mentioned once before but it needs to be said. They are immortal beings with no concept of time. They can never learn lessons because they can just make the same mistake over and over again without pause. Nike was one of the Goddesses who did learn from her lessons.
The quarter elf twins turned and extended a hand to the carriage and only they heard a soft laugh and reprimand but she allowed it as Sofia descended from the carriage. Her staff resided on her back and her robes looked like they were hurling the heat off of her. Seriously, it was kinda hot out. If it affected the twins, they didn't show it.
Nike walked right up to the twins and was a tad amused as she watched them fidget a bit.
They opened their mouths to greet Nike but she wrapped them in a hug, "I'm sorry…"
"So you know…"
"...about Dia."
""Damn it, Grandma…"" they lamented together.
Quickly gaining a smile, "Is this how you greet me after eight or so years?"
She's going to make us greet her like that, isn't she? Isaac asked.
Irene let out an inaudible sigh, Probably. Let's get the embarrassing things out of the way before we begin our 'retraining' as it was put. We'll be spending plenty of time in the infirmary.
"Hello…Au…Auntie N-Nike," Irene stuttered. Isaac mumbled out something that resembled Auntie and the Goddess pulled away pouting. The Captain and Vice-Captain looked wide-eyed at the twins, feeling the difference in power, but also at the red faces of them. There was a story to this and it made everyone curious.
"Are you done having fun messing with my grandkids now?" a voice filled with humor chimed in, suddenly appearing beside the awkward group hug. For most, they don't see high-class adventurers often. The pure elegance and grace that Sofia was giving off sent most of the Nike Familia off their feet. Her being a High Elf made it even more so. "Or does my 'daughter' need more time with her niece and nephew?"
Everyone held their breath as they tried to comprehend what just happened. Did…did the Great Mage, Hecate's supposed mortal reincarnation…just call Lady Nike…the Goddess of Victory and War…her daughter and…did those two…just call her Auntie?! The answer may shock you.
Nike pouted, jutting out her bottom lip before her demeanor changed in a second. "Matteo, Leonie, with me." Two people walked up behind Nike and saluted. "Welcome to our home, Hecate, Aspis, Harpe. It is an honor."
The twins flinched at hearing their aliases but bowed to return the greeting. The first thing Irene noticed was how Matteo and Leonie looked similar. "Fraternal twins?" Isaac asked the question she was thinking. Shared mindscape, after all.
"Indeed, Harpe."
"Isaac. Call me Isaac or don't address me at all," he snapped back before sighing. "Sorry…just…"
"I understand," Leonie smiled back at him. Leonie had blonde hair in a bob cut with a few loose strands covering her eye. Blue eyes that matched close to Ryuu's. Metal armor clung to her body like a second skin. A quick once-over showed that she was no stranger to combat. There was a subtle tensing to her muscles, which Isaac fathomed that was probably because of the level difference. However, he can't rely on his level anymore, not after a month and a half ago. Leonie raised an eyebrow, "See something you like?"
"I already have someone in line," he responded. "If we have time to train, I'd like to cross swords."
She giggled, "Promise?"
"I don't make promises," Isaac sighed. He broke the last one. He's not about to start making more. Irene looked back and forth to her brother and Leonie.
The male cleared his throat, "I assume that you wish that I address you as Irene?" The man known as Matteo almost looked like, and Irene swears by it, a male Sword Princess. She swears because of the blond hair. Change the blue eyes to gold and bam, there would be the Sword Prince or something to that effect.
Matteo glanced at Nike who was beaming once more, her eyes excitedly looking back and forth between her adopted niece and nephew and her Captain and Vice-Captain. Irene nodded with a small smile.
"As much as I would like to stand and chat," Sofia interrupted the moment, bringing the lingering attention back onto herself. It currently was pretty late in the afternoon and fighting in the dark did not sound like a good plan for the first day of their training. "Could you show us our lodgings? Lady Nike, I would request that you join us, there are subjects that need your expertise."
For anyone else, this was probably straightforward. Confirming the itinerary and the like. However, Nike knew better. This was a coded message. Sofia wanted Nike to be there as a pillar for them to lean on.
"Leonie, please lead them to the rooms we've prepared. Matteo, please conduct exercise fifty-three while I'm occupied."
Matteo gave a wicked grin, "You rarely let me use this privilege, it must be really important."
"Quite. Don't make poor Tiese Mind Down again, you hear me?" Nike admonished her Captain.
"Understood, Lady Nike," Matteo grinned before brandishing his sword and took off. The twins noticed the other members literally fleeing for their lives. "I kinda do and don't want to know," Isaac expressed his curiosity. "If it's something I could enjoy, include me next time."
Nike bit her lip, "Exercise fifty-three is to see how fast Matteo can 'tag' all the combat members of the familia. A battle royale where only he can attack. Fifty-four is where Leonie does the same thing."
Irene chuckled, "Better make fifty-five and fifty-six for Isaac and me." It was a half-joking, half-serious tone that Nike took it as the latter.
Nike hid her growing smile behind her hand, "That was already done, and it's actually exercises twelve and thirteen."
Both twins paused and looked at each other, Did we make that great of an impression? I was under said impression that unless we were in her Familia, we got an exercise tailored to us…
No no, you're right but she is kinda technically our immortal aunt… Isaac responded to his sister's query.
Sofia tapped them on their heads, "You two need to stop communicating mentally like that in front of everyone. It can be considered rude."
""That doesn't stop us.""
Sofia turned and shook her head fondly before following Nike and Leonie. Isaac took a more leisurely pace compared to Irene. Looking up and to his left, he saw someone scramble behind a pillar. The elder twins chuckled lowly and cut the connection to his sister, So Grandma is playing matchmaker…let's see if it bears fruit. I think it's time I let that protectiveness recede a bit.
"Isaac, quit daydreaming."
"Yeah yeah, whatever." To himself, better make a move soon, if she's receptive, Dino.
Over the next two days, the twins quickly adjusted to their surroundings. They constantly talked with Leonie and Matteo. Nike often would linger, seeing the quartet interact before Sofia came in. "Isaac, Irene, you are coming with me."
"Time to begin?"
"Yes, and you won't need your weapons. Nike, no one else is allowed to view the arena while I have them. Can you make that happen, please?" Sofia said with a seriousness that had the twins raise their hackles.
We're about to get it…
…not now, Isaac, please.
Just saying, we might be getting well acquainted with a bed, he mused as he unlatched all of his weapons. He even pulled off the locket from Dia and gently set it on top of it. If he noticed the small tear that escaped out of his eye and dropped on it, he didn't comment, and wisely, no one did either.
Irene patted his shoulder and left the room first. He followed after a moment. He walked cautiously through the hallways. Irene was on edge as well. Sofia betrayed nothing as she led them to the main arena for fighting.
Once they made it to the center of the sandy pit, Sofia turned, "Your training starts now. After conversing with Nike, she's noticed what I have. Your fighting spirits have plummeted to pitiful levels. So, until you get a reason to fight, we'll be fighting until you physically and mentally pass out. Thankfully, Tiese, a lovely girl offered to heal you since her magic is based in healing."
"So, we'll be fighting you until we can't…but are you going to fight us as a level six or as the strongest person to walk the planet?" Isaac cut to the chase, his blank mask slipped on unconsciously. Sofia only grinned and that sent a spike of fear through his system. She is going to kill us…
Irene altered her body language to get prepared. Sofia's smile got even wider, "No, you'll be fighting each other first. It's about time you stop plus you'll get that pent-up energy you kids have. I'll be a pain in your behind since you both obviously can't handle saving one person."
The elder twin clenched his fist while the younger twin flinch like she was back-handed. Psychological abuse… she concluded.
The fact that she's right makes it even worse… Isaac dully replied. His expression truly looked dead
"Oh, and to make this fair… To the Gods above, the power of suppression, I, your humble servant, call upon you to inflict the blessing of silence. Let their minds cease all motion!" Even though Isaac sent a Fissure at her, Sofia dodged with grace and raised a delicate eyebrow at him.
*Seishin Seigen!*
The effect was immediate. Just like that, the connection the twins shared was forcibly cut off. The minor shift in their expression that showed the betrayed looks did not give Sofia pleasure. "Now fight…"
So they did.
For the next twenty minutes, they fought. For that twenty minutes, Nike spectated from above and Sofia basically materialized next to her. "So, the verdict?"
"Well, he has an advantag-"
"That's not what I'm talking about, Nike," Sofia cut off the Goddess. "You know exactly what I'm asking. I asked you this when they were here the first time.
Said Goddess sighed, "Whatever drive they had died with Dia. You'll have to forgive me for asking but why did you come here? You could've gone anywhere else to achieve the same results. Those two from Anubis are wondering where they are. My Familia is running interference. If you are going to play matchmaker, you need to let the participants participate."
"This is where they learned most of their combat skills," said the elven mage, "And it is here where they will relearn it and gain that drive. Zeus believes that a new hero will rise and after meeting his grandson…I'd have to agree. However, he needs support. Support that my grandkids cannot provide in their current state." The Mage laughed softly, "And he will by the way but I need time to set up a proper situation."
Nike turned and leaned her back on the railing overlooking the arena, watching as Isaac jabbed Irene and she responded with a kick to his side. They both were bruised and both bleeding from the mouth. Bitten tongue or knocked a tooth out. "You're right…so how did it happen?"
Sofia fell silent for a moment and unlike other deities, Nike had felt she crossed a line and regretted asking but was surprised when she launched into an explanation. Nike schooled her expression to not give away how she really felt on the matter. She did secretly roll her eyes at Freya's antics. It doesn't surprise her. However, when Sofia got to the point where Dia died in their arms…she understood.
"Even to the best, that would be a crippling thing but they didn't give up, did they?" Nike inquired.
A small upturn of Sofia's lips, "You could say that. A recent example that they still fight was in our home. They were willing to go against me to spare a guilty party."
Looking back to the arena, they could see the two forms laying next to each other, holding hands. There were small bloody smiles on their lips. "So, how close should I have Tiese?"
"Outside of her hearing range, this will be quite the show," Sofia said as she cracked a menacing grin.
The twins shivered and looked sharply up to where the two women were. Nike nervously chuckled. Had she been an adventurer, she might have felt the wave of intent but thankfully she was not and didn't fully feel it.
She just knew that it was going to be pretty rough for them over the next few weeks. When Nike looked over to her left, Sofia was no longer there but instead in the middle of the arena. "This could go one of three ways…and I'm not sure which one is better…in fact, they are all not the best but not the worst."
The very next day, the twins were assembled in the arena, meditating by Sofia's order. "Do you understand why I'm having you do this? Why do I want you to?"
"To get us in the right mindset?" Irene whispered as a question.
"Or are you trying to prepare us for something?"
A long stretch of silence overtook the arena before they felt a chilling presence. The twins snapped their eyes open to see Sofia standing a few meders away looking at them with an expression that they immediately didn't like: a neutral mask. Aptly named, apathy. Other accepted words are disdain and disgust.
In the past—almost—two months, they've never seen that look on her face. For a reason they didn't want to understand or acknowledge for that matter.
"Grandm-"
"Silence."
Isaac gulped, feeling sweat form across his brow. This wasn't killing intent. This was intent that just screamed overbearing. It leaked from Sofia's pores as natural as she looked. "…so"
A frown, "I said, silence."
The twins felt their connection disappear again and they knew that she just cast her spell that restricted one's Mind usage but either the spell evolved from when Irene looked at the status sheet, or Sofia found a way to manipulate it.
"I won't shut up until you explain," Isaac said through grit teeth.
A scoff, "Your training is now in my hands and if you thought educating you was hard…you haven't seen our two Familias go at it…" there was a hidden bite to her words as she realized the small discrepancy in them. "Healers would gain over a hundred points in their magic because of this…and now…I'm subjecting you to the same training. There are going to be times you will actually feel like dying."
"Then I accept…" Irene's voice shook but stabilized, even under the paralyzing fear that crept up her throat, threatening to choke her. "I don't want to be the scared little girl anymore. I-I want to be better than when we lost Dia…I can't live with this aching feeling in my chest any longer."
Sofia's eyes softened a tad but immediately looked to Isaac to see his response.
"It sounds like what I told Bell when we trained for the War Game…I need to not let it drag me down…she wouldn't want us to feel bad…" Isaac reached inside his clothes to feel for Dia's present. "I have too much to prove to just let myself rot away."
Sofia grinned at her temporary students for a moment, "Good, now stand up and fight me."
The twins stood from their meditative positions and both nodded to each other. They've fought together for so long that they just know how to fight with one another.
Nike, who was hidden and heard everything, smiled knowing that the fire within them was just getting started. Sofia was just fanning the embers and adding a few coals to speed the process along. However, the very brutal sounds of bones breaking and coughing were only an inkling of what awaited them. Sofia was always a strict and brutal teacher, even to her fellow mages.
She wasn't called Hecate's mortal reincarnation for nothing. The title held merit. Even Athena acquiesced saying that Sofia Vlahos was one of the most intelligent mortals in the past few generations.
The fight began in earnest and the twins quickly realized how far they still had to go. Sofia easily countered every move they made. Even with her Mind Restriction spell active, they still attacked as if they could still speak to one another.
That is how she knew that if they ever needed to support someone or even had to fight a tougher opponent that wasn't herself. Most adventurers retire or die. In her case, they died, horribly.
Sofia easily swatted away Irene's decent attempt to punch her exposed side. Sofia was going at a mid-level seven's pace, so while it still overwhelmed them, she did not outright pummel her grandkids into the ground.
The High Elf Mage shoved down the thoughts that wanted her to. Just because she was a Mage, did not mean she was unable to fight with her bare hands. There were a lot of men in the Zeus Familia that thought she was useless. She showed them, and Alfia knew not to mess with the High Elf when it came to combat.
The twins were winded but not exhausted. They already could feel their injuries pile up but it was for a good cause. Isaac made his footsteps as silent as possible before launching himself at Sofia.
The elder Vlahos easily used his momentum and tossed him aside whilst giving him a palm strike against his chest. Something gave way and he hit the ground rolling. Irene dodged her brother and turned back to see a blur of green before she joined him as they hit the wall.
Irene felt her breath catch on her throat and she struggled to breathe. She pounded her fist on her chest as she sucked in desperate lungfuls. Once, twice more before she could finally get sweet precious air.
To which she immediately spat out blood, "Okay, even I could tell," she paused, spitting once more, "we have a lot of work to do."
"You think?" Isaac quipped, spitting out some of his own blood, clutching his chest. Even so, there was a smile on his face and that stopped the Vlahos women.
"You're smiling…"
"Huh?" His confusion was present on his face even as he winced. "I've smiled before…"
Sofia shook her head, "What your sister is trying to say is that you just had a genuine smile on your face. You enjoyed fighting like this."
He thought back, running a hand over his mouth, before he vaguely recalled smiling, "I guess I was. I've forgotten how good it feels to fight…"
"You haven't been challenged enough and after being put at such a disadvantage…it killed your fighting spirit. I want to bring that spirit back, to nurture it," Sofia said, waving over to a door as a redhead entered. She was slightly shorter than Irene and wore a grey and silver uniform. At her waist was a simple sword, most likely for training.
"I could hear the fighting from across the arena and I'm only level one!" She said. "At least you didn't destroy the arena…"
"Magic at level one? You must be talented," Sofia said, not surprised but pleased.
The girl blushed under the praise, "It's nothing special, I swear…I just wanted to wield magic to help people."
"A desire to help others in the art of magic," Sofia deduced. "Very well. You'll be a fine mage one day."
"I see you already brought Tiese in," Nike's voice picked up as she walked into view. The twins noted the disappointment in her eyes and shied away from her. The looks softened as she realized what she was doing. She can't expect them to be top-tier fighters after just gaining the fire back within them…and getting the shit kicked out of them too.
Mortals don't work that way.
They're like plants, water them with affection, tough love, and encouragement…and they can be anything they want.
The twins accepted healing from Tiese whose magic identified and gently repaired their wounds. When asked to go another round, they swiftly accepted much to Tiese's and Nike's shock.
Sofia grinned ferally—which seemed unbecoming of a High Elf—and the creepiest part didn't end there.
The twins returned the grin two-fold as the fire within them was only just reforming.
It would be a good thing too because the moment they return to Orario, they will have their work cut out for them.