Arc 1: Wyvern Rebellion - Chapter 13|
Tiffy walked in front of the group and cleared her throat.
"Wyvern Slaying Magic. Lost magic that was thought to be lost to time. But in fact, it was lying dormant in an enormous lacrima. And you, Ewan, are its true Inheritor!" Tiffy shouted excitedly. The group is amazed at this new information.
"But what does that mean?" Ewan asks. "What exactly is the Inheritor?" He adds.
"It means, you are the only person that can use this magic. I said it before and I'll say it again. You're a descendant of the first Wyvern Slayer." She explained. Ewan scratched the back of his head.
"If that's the case, it seems a bit too convenient. As a magic researcher, to just stumble onto my "birthright" seems too good to be true." Ewan expressed. Basil scratched his chin.
"You have a fair point, Mr. Magic researcher. But then again, when you're given great opportunities to do things, do you question every single detail, or do you seize the opportunity and explore?" Basil rhetorically asked.
"Well, I suppose you're right." Ewan states.
"So, what now, Ewan?" Tiffy asks. Ewan ponders.
"Well, since I'm the only person who can use this magic. Then that means, I'll train myself and try to control it. It won't do us any good to have someone running rampant." Ewan confirmed. Tiffy jumped.
"I knew you'd agree! Now, I'll tell you a small story." Tiffy changed into her human form and ran over to the group and sat in front of them.
"Wyvern Slaying Magic is a type of magic that mimics Wyverns. But unlike Dragon Slaying Magic, it doesn't specialize in one element. In truth, it specializes in all the elements! Just not in a powerful way you might be thinking." Tiffy lifted her hands and faced the palms upward.
"Imagine if you take fire and lightning and you smush them together. What happens?" She asks.
"Then you'd just have fire lightning." Coral answered. "They'd exist at the same time, dealing both lightning and fire damage."
Tiffy nodded her head. "Now, what happens if a Wyvern Slayer does it?" She asked the group. Everyone looked to each other and hoped Ewan would be the one to answer. He didn't. Tiffy placed her hands on her hips and grinned proudly.
"Don't worry. Tiffy will tell you. See, Wyvern magic doesn't just put them together, it fuses them completely." She explained.
"How does that happen?" Basil questions. Tiffy shrugged.
"Not sure. All I know is, it can't be mimicked." Tiffy answered. Ewan scratches his head.
"You're saying I have every type of element in me, right now? Wouldn't that be incredibly dangerous? I would explode... or something." Ewan expressed. Tiffy shook her head.
"Nope, Wyvern Slaying Magic is stable. Because Wyvern magic doesn't mimic a single element, your body learned to house the different elements without a problem. You just can't shoot them all out at once. Here, Ewan. Stand up and try it. Pull out lightning and fire." She instructed. Ewan stood up and focused. His palm lit up with fire and the other sparked with lightning.
"Wow, this is incredible. But, doesn't feel like it's enough to stop a Wyvern." He looked at his hands and saw the stability of it. Though she was right, shooting them out at the same time felt off.
"Now, put your hands together. And don't just put them together. Imagine them becoming one." Tiffy instructed. Ewan pressed his hands together. Suddenly, sparks flew. Fire and lightning shot everywhere. Tiffy quickly covered her ears and laughed.
"See? That's plasma flare, the signature spell of Wyvern Slayers." She pointed out. The fire and lightning became a torrent of plasma and arced into the sky. Ewan gasped.
"I'm doing that?" He questioned. Tiffy smiled. She nodded rapidly.
"Uhuh! Cool, right?" She asked proudly.
"What happens if I try to fuse more together?" He inquired. Ewan summoned more elements in his hands. Tiffy's eyes widened.
"N-no, Ewan! Don't do that!" She warned. However, the researcher tried to put his hands together and attempted to fuse them. The magic began to spark and shoot out everywhere in powerful blasts of energy. Tiffy covered her ears as Ewan tried to control it. Basil quickly jumped in front of the group and created a wooden barrier around them all. The magic continued to explode until Tiffy came over and waved her hands around the magical energy. Slowly they began to separate. And soon, it disappeared. Ewan's hands began to pulse a red color.
"What's happening?" He asked in a panic.
"Ewan, you have to calm down. You're about to go berserk!" Tiffy warned. Ewan looked at his hands and they pulsed more violently.
"B-b-berk-" Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes glowed a bright red, and he clutched his chest in great pain. Magic shot out of him once more, striking the trees and grass.
"Whoa! He's out of control!" Fiora yelled. Basil ran forward and drew green circles in the air. Tree roots extended upwards and wrapped around the berserk mage.
"Tiffy, why is this happening?" Basil questioned. Ewan roared and tried to break free, his magic pushing against the restraints. Even held down, the magic continued to shoot out of his body.
"He's losing control of his magic! He's about to go berserk!" She warned.
"How do we stop it?" Basil asked. Tiffy shook her head.
"He needs to be knocked out!" She explained. Fiora charged Ewan, her fist cover in her flame. She hit him hard in the face, sending him flying into a tree. His body went limp and he fell to the ground. His magic stopped exploding everywhere and his eyes returned to normal. The roots released their grip on him as well.
"Tiffy-san, he was growing immensely powerful, but he lost himself." Viperion pointed out. The Lupicyn looked to the downed Wyvern Slayer.
"The difference between being a Slayer and an actual Wyvern is that they are more adept at combining magic. Humans can only do so much. If they try to do more than they should, the primal part of the magic takes over and it starts the process of dragonfication. Or in this case, Wyvernification." She explained.
"Dragonfication?" Abernathy questioned.
"It's when someone who isn't a dragon tries to use too much power and loses themselves to it." Tiffy explained. "They slowly become a Dragon. Or at least, I know Dragon Slayers do. Wyvern Slaying is more susceptible to it. They don't just lose themselves, they become a Wyvern." She added.
"That sounds terrifying!" Coral gasped. Tiffy nodded in agreement.
"It is! When that happens, you can't stop them until they run out of Magic Power."
"Then he turns back to normal?" Gideon asked, approaching Ewan. Tiffy shook her head.
"No, he permanently stays a Wyvern." She answered. The group looked horrified. "But good news, he's not going to go berserk anymore." Tiffy added quickly.
"How do you know that?" Abernathy questioned. "How do you know any of this?"
Tiffy scratched the back of her head.
"Tiffy-san, you said you were from another world. And that you fell into a gateway from your world to ours." Luna pointed out. Tiffy nodded.
"I was just around when Wyverns came to Edolas. But I fell in and went inside the lacrima. I spent a long time with the Wyvern Slaying Magic. A very long time. It was lonely. I got to meet Ewan though." She explained. "The magic taught me things." She added. The group exchanged looks.
"That is so cool!" Zephyr exclaimed. Tiffy smiled at him.
"It is cool!" She replied.
"Well I guess that's a reason." Abe murmured, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What do you mean by that?" Lyra asked, looking over to him.
"I mean that she knows so much about Wyverns but her becoming involved was an accident. It's just as Ewan pointed out earlier. It's all convenient." He said. Lyra frowned.
"She seems genuine to me." Luna said, glancing over at Tiffy. The Lupicyn looked back at her with wide eyes.
"I am! I'm being honest! I swear!" She exclaimed. Abernathy sighed softly.
"I know, Tiffy." He said, giving her a small smile. "I'm just saying it's weird how everything is lining up. The inheritor gets the magic he was destined to have. I know we're not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth, it's just... if we don't train him properly, and if we don't get stronger, the Wyverns will win this war." He added. Basil nodded in agreement.
"That's true. But it's like I said before, you can't question everything. Sometimes you need to take things as they are and try your best to make things work." Basil chimed in.
Lyra walked over to Abernathy and patted his shoulder.
"For a guy that can travel through time, you asking about convenience is as funny as it can get. You know, considering you can change things as you wish." She pointed out with a smile. Abernathy sighed softly. He looked over at Tiffy who was looking back and forth between them all.
"For now I'll drop it. The sooner he understands his magic, the better. We need to train hard if we're going to stand a chance against Wyrnxoth." Abernathy said. Basil nodded in agreement. He took his place in between everyone.
"However much time it takes us to get ready, make every second count. If I could make a suggestion, I'd like everyone to pair up with their sparring partner from before." He recommended, as he eyed each of his guild members. "I'll personally oversee Ewan's training with Tiffy." Basil drew more circles with one hand and green streaks of light appeared sinking toward the ground. The trees in the area began to spread apart, as if they were walking. The guild master walked toward the Wyvern Slayer, the roots following. Tiffy looked to everyone.
"Good luck everyone. I hope I get to know you all better after this." She expressed and ran after Basil. Familiar thick tree roots began to encircle and cover them.
There was a momentary pause. It was another session of sparring, but this time, there were dire consequences at the end of it. Consequences no one truly understood other than Abernathy. Coral clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention.
"You heard master Basil, there's no time like the present." Her infamous smile managed to calms everyone's nerves.
"Will Ewan-san be OK? That looked... painful." Viperion asked.
"I agree with Vi. The way he lost control with just using that much power..." Lyra added. Another pause overcame the group. Fiora took her palms and slapped her cheeks hard. The sound snapped everyone's eyes to her. Her cheeks became a glowing red.
"If the master wants us to become strong, then I sure as hell will make sure I get strong! Strong enough to burn any Wyvern to a crisp. Come on Coral-senpai, we got some trainin' to do." Fiora marched off in a random direction, her gait determined and eager. Gideon smiled with his hands on his hips.
"Heh. She's in a good mood." He chuckled. Abe looked at him.
"That was a 'good mood'?" His raised eyebrow questioned. The earth mage nodded.
"She called Coral senpai." He pointed out. He walked over to Abernathy and placed his fist out to him. "I'm ready if you are." He said, smiling confidently. Abernathy sighed and smiled back.
"Alright mole man, let's do this." He bumped his own fist with Gideon's. The two went off to train together.
"Zeph? I thought you'd be more excited than this. Your silence is worrying." Sylph appeared next to Zephyr, floating in the air. Her eyes looked down at him with concern. He shrugged.
"It's just that..." He paused for a moment, looking up at the sky. Tears were falling down his cheek. "It's my chance to be senpai!" He shouted out loud. Coral giggled and approached him. She gave him a pat.
"Then as a senpai, make sure you take good care of Vi-chan." She said. She turned and followed after Fiora. Viperion approached next, giving Zephyr a bow.
"I'll be in your care, senpai. I'm eager to learn a lot from you." She said, smiling softly. Zephyr sniffed, wiping his eyes.
"You got it! We're going to have so much fun together!" He exclaimed. Viperion smiled back at him and nodded. He ran off to another area with Viperion running after.
"W-wait Zeph! You can't train her without me!" Sylph shouted as she followed after him. Lyra chuckled and shook her head. Luna looked over at her.
"What is it?" She asked, tilting her head curiously. Lyra looked over at her.
"I just realized that I get to finally be the big sister I didn't get to be when I left." The Star Weaver expressed with a soft smile. Luna blushed slightly, looking away. She cleared her throat.
"We should not dally, then. I am looking forward to the things you will teach me." She stated, walking ahead of her. Lyra smiled and followed after her sister.
The three tree spirits hid behind other trees, hiding so as not be seen.
"My word, that girl. You saw the way she turned the whole atmosphere around?" Oakwise whispered to Sylvara who nodded.
"She has a bright future ahead of her." Reldrin added. The other two looked over at him with wide eyes. "What? I can compliment someone too."
"If you've taken a liking to her, there's no telling how else she'll affect the future..." Sylvara said. Her face turned into a frown. Oakwise wiggled his leafy mustache.
"Sylvara? Whatever is the matter?" He asked, his face rotating to the tree spirit. Sylvara looked up.
"What if she starts burning down the grove?" She said fearfully. Reldrin, fell over... if trees could fall over without being chopped.
"That's what you're worried about?! Not the impending destruction Ishgar, nay, the world may face?!" He shouted.
"I'm just saying! You saw how much fire she had in her!" Sylvara defended herself, waving her hypothetical arms frantically. Oakwise shook his head slowly.
"Don't worry Sylvara. As a member of Emerald Grove, they will all feel the Ethernano fill them to the brim. They will feel a connection to this place that no others can comprehend. Even if she explodes in a fiery catastrophe, the Grove will protect and trust her. She will be connected to us." Oakwise reassured her. Sylvara looked at him with wide eyes. Reldrin nodded slowly as well.
"Oakwise is right, Sylvara. Even the grump can be right sometimes. The Grove will always be connected with those who have been touched by it. It's just the way it is." Reldrin added. Oakwise glared daggers at Reldrin.
"What was that? Grump?!" He repeated. The old tree slid across the ground, big branches brought down to become arms. "Come here you ungrateful lump of bark!" The old tree shouted. Reldrin slid as well, branches lowering to swing and give him a head start. Sylvara lowered her branches, catching bird nests falling.
"You idiots! This is why we don't use the branches!" She shouted. The two trees chased each other around, knocking over trees in their wake. Sylvara sighed heavily. "I'm surrounded by children."
A young man, with green eyes and hair, sat in the middle of a forest, meditating. The animals surrounding him went along their way, almost as if they didn't see him. But there was one animal that kept its distance. An elderly bear rumbled as he glared at the man. The man seemed to be one with nature, and yet, he didn't belong. It was because that was no man that sat there. It was a dangerous creature that radiated an otherworldly magic. The bear knew it had to warn the others, but he couldn't move from his spot. He tried to move his legs but they were frozen in place. He tried to roar and alert the other animals but his mouth was shut tight. The man stood. The animals began to move around him, but they didn't stop their usual behavior.
"You. You're special bear. I can sense it. You take the form of an animal, yet you house something so much more in you." The man moved his eyes to meet the animal's. As he walked, the bear wanted to stay in place, but every part of him, down to his basic instincts screamed for him to run. He shuddered involuntarily. The bear went on his hind legs, towering over the man. His scars were visible all over his body. But as the man finally stopped, reaching a close distance, the bear no longer felt bigger. This man was a predator, and him the prey.
"You're ignoring your body. That's quite the tenacity you have. It means you know what I am, and yet you deny the very fabric of nature. You want to run away from me, don't you?" The man asked rhetorically. The bear growled lowly at him.
"I see you chose to be stubborn." The man said with a smile. "An old creature such as you should be wiser than that." He added, walking around the bear, who kept turning to keep his eyes on him. The bear growled more threateningly this time.
"Oh, I'm sorry if I offended you. I'm just here, biding my time. I haven't been in my own world for a long while. Don't mind me, I have no quarrel with the guardian of the forests of... what was the name of this kingdom? Ah yes, Fiore. Well, there won't be any need to remember the name. It'll be erased from history soon enough. So long, guardian." The man turned away and walked off into the forest. As soon as he left the bear's sight, he let out a roar that echoed through the forest. The animals stopped and looked up at the bear. He wanted to charge the man, but that would be a death sentence. He knew that much. The bear ran off into the forest to find the old man that lived in the forest with him and warn him of the impending danger that was coming.
"These are lovely. How much are they?" A customer asked a vendor that had set up in the street. The woman was beautiful. Her hair was a mesmerizing silver and her eyes were violet. The shopkeeper couldn't tear his eyes away. The woman looked back up from the earrings she held waiting for an answer.
"Ah, uh... well they are usually 500 jewels. They are made of valuable material." He bashfully informed.
"I see. I'll take them then." She said with a smile, placing them on the counter. The man blushed slightly as he took the earrings and placed them in a box.
"That'll be 500 jewels please." Waiting for the woman to pay. But she stood there, her alluring smile showing.
"Perhaps, you'd consider lowering the price, for me?" She asked. The shopkeeper chuckled nervously. He was captured by this cosmic beauty. She blinked a few times, her lips slightly spread.
"I would be willing to part with it, if I knew the name of the woman that would be wearing this treasure." The shopkeeper stated with a gentle smile. The woman giggled softly.
"You can call me, Cassiopeia." She answered. As the man was lost in her eyes, there was a sudden shift in the atmosphere. Everything felt cold. He felt frozen unable to move a single muscle. It was suddenly that he felt a blade stab through his back and out the front. The pain was immense but he couldn't scream.
The woman leaned in closer to the shopkeeper. "Do not think for a second that you and I are equals, human. My name for this jewelry is more than enough payment." She whispered. She reached forward and tapped his chest, making the man realize that he was never stabbed. The woman's eyes glowed with an ethereal glow. And for just a second, there was a ghostly after image of this very woman sinking back into her body. Then as quick as it happened, the light faded, taking the feeling of unease with it. Her purple eyes seemed to smile at him.
"Thank you, I shall take it." She grabbed the small box and turned on her heel and began walking down the cobbled path. "I hope we meet again..." She waved to him without looking. He watched her until she was out of sight. His heart was beating rapidly. He was no longer enamored with this woman. He was scared. That monster disappeared into the crowd of people. The shopkeeper decided to pack up for the day. Something was wrong, and he didn't want to be caught in the crossfire.
A crowd was gathered around a fountain, gentle violin music echoing throughout the cobbled streets. The musician didn't know what town he was in, but seemed like a suitable place to play. He closed his eyes as he played his song, swaying gently to the tune. A young woman approached him and dropped some money into his hat. She smiled at him as she continued on her way. The bard didn't care for the money that was being dropped into his hat. He was looking for a target. He was searching for a woman of wealth. Someone who had jewels to spare. He opened his eyes and scanned the crowd. He spotted someone that fit the description he needed and began to play faster. The crowd began to disperse as he a waltz over to her. His blue eyes reeled her in, his unkempt black hair swaying as he spun. The woman looked side to side, wondering why everyone suddenly left.
"My, what a wonderful creature. Do you usually travel this way, miss?" He asked, his voice like velvet. The woman blushed slightly. She cleared her throat before speaking up.
"I do actually." She answered. The bard smiled at her response.
"Would you mind letting me be your beau? I could serenade you every night, if you wish." He said with a smile. The woman giggled softly.
"You're quite bold to ask me such a thing so quickly." She pointed out with a smile of her own. The bard shrugged as he continued playing his violin. "I might change my mind, if you told me your name, kind sir." She added. The man chuckled. He stopped playing and bowed to her.
"You may call me Echo." He answered, looking up at her with those blue eyes. She blushed again, placing her hand over her chest.
"Echo... what a lovely name for a lovely musician such as yourself." She praised. Echo straightened himself up and smiled back at her.
"Would it be too forward of me to ask you for your name, my lady?" He asked. She giggled softly.
"I am Emi..." As the words left her mouth, her eyes went dull. Echo stopped playing. He smirked.
"Emi... What a lovely name. You will house and care for me for the next three months." He instructed. His music had done its work in attracting the right person he needed. The woman nodded slowly.
"Yes..." She said in a trance like voice. Echo smiled as he walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. A magical circle appeared underneath them as they disappeared from the town square.
Sitting on the edge of a cliff was a man with no fear. In the universe where he came from, he was famed as a sky pirate. He took and raided as he pleased. He was powerful, though the universe he came from did not contain magic. He was careful, wanting not to expend what he had left. But, with what he used, it was enough to rule the skies. Now that he was back in Earth-Land, he would be able to conquer the skies, all in the name of the Sky Dominion. He heard footsteps behind him but didn't turn around.
"You're late." He said calmly. The footsteps stopped behind him. The man turned his head slightly. "I'm joking." The man chuckled softly. The other person sat next to him on the cliff edge.
"I see you've been busy." The woman said. The man nodded slowly.
"It's been a while since I could do what I want. Now that we're back, we can take back what was supposed to be ours. I'm sure you feel the same way, Iris." He said. Iris nodded as well.
"I do... but there's something else I feel..." She said softly. The sky pirate turned his head to her with a raised eyebrow. Iris looked over at him with a soft smile. "I think I found someone that might be able to help us." She explained. The man chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly.
"You know how I feel about humans, Iris. But if you think they can help us, then I trust your judgment." He said, turning his attention back to the sky above him.
"This one is different from the others. He has a special magic inside of him. It's powerful and raw. I believe he could be the key we need to." She said. The man sighed heavily.
"Iris... You know what happened last time we trusted a human. We almost got killed." He reminded her. Iris nodded slowly. She looked up at the sky as well, watching the clouds move by slowly.
"Falconer, when the Dragon King Festival happened, when that dragon Acnologia nearly wiped us out, what was the first instinct that guided you?" She asked. Falconer looked down at the ground below him.
"I wanted to protect you..." He answered softly. Iris smiled softly. She placed her hand on Falconer's shoulder gently.
"That's right... let that guide you once more. Trust in me like I've trusted in you. Lord Wyrnxoth will bring it all back. We can be free once more." Iris said softly. Falconer nodded slowly as he closed his eyes. He felt a weight lift off of his shoulders as he took in Iris' words. He opened his eyes and looked over at her with a smile.
"As long as I get to rule the skies, I don't care." He said. With a wave of the hands, creatures of all sizes flew into the air, ready to move at his command.
"Hiding like rats. It's the worst kind of punishment for us to endure, my lord." Garnet approached Wyrnxoth, who was sitting in an ornate chair at the end of a large table. "Must we truly bide our time? We're strong enough as we are now." He pleaded. Wyrnxoth looked over at him with a glare that made Garnet freeze in place. The wyvern stood up from his seat and walked over to Garnet, towering over him.
"Are you questioning my decision, Garnet?" He asked in a low voice. Garnet shook his head quickly.
"N-No! Of course not, Lord Wyrnxoth!" He stammered out. Wyrnxoth let out a deep breath as he turned away from him.
"According to that human, we've been away for four hundred years. What's three months? We have all the time in the world." He said calmly as he walked over to the window and looked outside. "We shall wait until we have enough power to attack Fiore. Then Ishgar.
Wyrnxoth's eyes scanned the surrounding area outside the window. Everything was on fire. Buildings were toppled to the ground, bodies laid all around, charred. They chose to stay in a small castle, the noble family that used to live here charred bodies on the cobbled road. Garnet stood by idly as he watched the future king survey his work. Wyrnxoth turned back to Garnet.
"This town sent all of their guilds at us, and they stood no chance. Imagine after the wait. We may not have our Sky Dominion, but we will make this world ours. Everything will be as it should be. We are the superior beings." Wyrnxoth said with confidence. Garnet nodded slowly. Wyrnxoth turned away and walked out of the room, leaving Garnet alone with his thoughts.
-Emerald Grove-
Viperion fell from the sky, her body skidding across the grass and dirt. She was adorned in her exoskeleton, cracks snaking all around. Zephyr hovered toward the ground and landed.
"I don't think that's how you're supposed to do that, Vi." The young mage said. Training had been going on for a month now. They've made progress, but they had to keep climbing. Viperion stood and wiped the grass and dirt off.
"As Gideon-San would say, I'm a lot further than I was." She said. Zephyr chuckled softly as he shook his head.
"You know, you don't have to call him 'Gideon-san'. We're all guild mates. Which means that these types of formalities don't matter." He explained. Sylph knocked him in the head.
"Look who's talking? When did you ever use formalities?" She scolded. Zephyr rubbed his head as he looked up at her.
"Well... when it comes to Basil, I do." He admitted sheepishly. Sylph shook her head as she sighed. Viperion smiled softly as she watched the two bicker with each other.
"Your bond is quite something. Reminds me of Aranix and Caspian. They always argued like that." She said softly. Zephyr and Sylph stopped arguing as they looked over at her in confusion.
"Who are they?" Sylph asked. Viperion blinked slowly as she realized what she said.
"Ah, of course. They were my comrades in arms for our Fenrir Ant queen. When Gideon-san... I mean Gideon, Fiora, Luna, and Abernathy came, they fought each other. It's how I was introduced to them all, through combat. It's where I met Gideon. He saved me." She explained with a smile on her face. Zephyr and Sylph exchanged glances before smiling back at her.
"Tell us more about them!" Zephyr exclaimed as he ran over to her and grabbed her hand. Viperion blushed slightly as she nodded slowly.
"Oh... Well... Aranix was very strong, but he had a kind heart. But he didn't like to show it. He spoke with authority but deep down he cared for us all. And Caspian was his lieutenant. He's a little older than I, but he was strong as well. I miss them, if I'm honest. When I joined the guild I sent them letters. But now that we're here, I won't be able to read the letter they'd send in return." She said sadly. Sylph floated over to her and patted her on the head.
"I can help you send them another letter!" She offered. Viperion's eyes widened with a smile.
"You will?" Her voice raised a noticeable octave. Sylph nodded.
"Of course! The wind is at my beck and call. I can deliver it to them in no time!" She exclaimed. Viperion hugged the small wind spirit tightly. Zephyr chuckled softly as he watched them interact with each other. Sylph blushed slightly as she returned the hug.
"Ok, Vi. You're squeezing me too tightly." She said sheepishly. Viperion let go quickly as she bowed deeply to her.
"Thank you so much, Sylph! I'll write the letter right now!" She said excitedly. Sylph fluttered in her way.
"Whoa! Hold on. I have a request to make in return." She said quickly. Viperion looked at her with confusion as she tilted her head to the side slightly.
"What do you mean?" She asked slowly. Sylph hovered over to Zephyr and rested on his shoulder.
"In exchange for delivering your letter, you have to promise me one thing. That you push yourself harder. So much so that you make this brat here learns humility." She said with a smirk. Zephyr glared at her as he pointed up at her.
"Hey!" He shouted indignantly. Viperion giggled softly as she nodded.
"I promise, Sylph." She said gratefully.
"Why do I have to be the butt of this?" Zephyr asked with a pout. Sylph fluttered over to him and patted him on the head.
"Because you're my chosen mage. And I love you too much to see you get hurt." She said sweetly. Zephyr blushed slightly as he looked away from her.
"Yeah, yeah..." He grumbled softly. Sylph giggled softly as she flew back over to Viperion and sat on her head.
"Now, before you go, there's some things I've been meaning to talk to you about, Vi. I think it'll make you so much better than what you're doing now." She said with a smile. Viperion nodded slowly, looking up at Sylph with curiosity in her eyes.
"Oh! You're going to tell her about it?" Zephyr asked jogging over. The spirit nodded.
"Just a small lesson. Vi, you are incredibly powerful. Your strength is on another level. You could match Coral or even Abe. But there's something holding you back." She explained. Viperion tilted her head to the side slightly.
"What do you mean? I'm doing everything I can to improve." She said softly. Sylph shook her head as she fluttered down and landed on Viperion's shoulder.
"Not everything is solved with pure strength. That's only part of it. I've noticed that when you fly, your wings are doing everything. When you take off or when you want to turn while flying. But, what if I told you there's something you can do that will make you better? So much so that you'll finally be able to catch Zeph?" She asked with a smile. Viperion looked over at the wind mage with a competitive smirk. Sylph giggled softly as she looked up at her.
"The key to mastering any type of magic is to understand its properties and how it works. Your magic is unique to you. But you're used to using it on yourself. You have to learn to think bigger. That's the biggest problem the master and all the senior members pointed out. If you can use your magic in unpredictable ways, the enemy won't know what to do." Sylph took to the air again and turned to show her wings to Viperion.
"Our wings are a bit different, but they do the same thing. But if I wanted to, I could float for a very long time. Why is that?" She asked. Viperion thought about it for a moment before answering.
"Because your wings are small?" She answered unsurely. Sylph giggled softly as she shook her head.
"Wrong! It's because I don't fight the wind. I let it envelop and surround my wings. Size plays a small part in this. That's why I said that you use your wings for everything. You're not feeling the current of the wind and letting it guide you. Birds of all kinds use the wind to keep them afloat and not tire themselves out. It's how they can turn effectively and rapidly. If you learn to do this, you'll be able to fly much better." Sylph explained. Viperion nodded slowly as she listened intently. Zephyr smiled softly as he walked over to them.
"I don't sacrifice power to do two things at once. Sylph taught me that. I can keep the same amount of power while moving across the sky. Why do you think I cast those wind paths?" He asked. Viperion recalled their sparring match. The immediate first thing Zephyr did was use his wind magic to create paths of wind in the arena. She thought it was just for show, but now she knew what they were for.
"They were to help you move around quickly!" Viperion exclaimed with a smile on her face. Zephyr high fived her as he nodded. He folded his arms and beamed.
"That's right! But the for me, with Sylph's help, I can manipulate the wind to help me move crazy fast. But for you, if you adjust your body and feel the wind rather than do all the work yourself, you'll be able to keep up." He explained. Viperion nodded slowly, taking in everything he said. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the wind around them. Zephyr smiled softly as he watched her close herself off from the world.
The breeze blew softly around her, but she felt their path as it touched her wings. She extended her wings but did not flit. Instead, she allowed the wind to envelop them, like Sylph described. She opened her eyes and smiled at Zephyr as she began to float. The young mage clapped excitedly as he watched her with a smile of his own.
"That's it! Look! You're letting the wind help you, right?" Zephyr ran around his student, admiring how she let the wind be a part of her. Viperion nodded slowly as she looked down at him. She flitted slightly to hover above the ground.
"It feels... different." She said softly. Zephyr nodded quickly as he stopped running and looked up at her.
"You'll get used to it, I promise. Just trust your senpai." Zephyr pounded his chest with pride.
"Gideon will fall for you in no time." He stated aloud. Sylph knocked him in the head.
"You idiot! You WERE eavesdropping! I knew you were!" Sylph shouted angrily. Viperion blushed deeply as she covered her face with her hands. Zephyr rubbed his head as he avoided Sylph's gaze.
"I mean... I was curious..." He admitted sheepishly. Sylph huffed as she folded her arms and looked away from him.
"She's our guild mate, Zeph. You shouldn't go around spying on people like that. What we talk about is between us girls. Not for a kid like you. You're still immature." She said with annoyance in her voice. Zephyr glared at her indignantly as he clenched his fists.
"Hey! I am not immature!" He shouted defensively. Sylph turned and stuck her tongue out at her young chosen. Viperion giggled.
Abernathy and Gideon clashed as they met with their weapons. The time mage held his sword while Gideon's arm had rocked shaped into a blade. Gideon was pushing Abe back, but was swiftly parried.
"Come on, mole man. You're getting better, but I add one little thing to the swordplay and it's like you're starting all over. You gotta be ready for anything." Abernathy said calmly. Gideon grunted as he pushed harder against Abe, who stood his ground.
"You think this is easy? We've been going at it for hours now." Gideon stated while out of breath.
"Weren't you a miner? You have to be used to working hard like this. And I know you can do better than this." Abernathy smirked as he pushed back against Gideon. Gideon growled softly as he pushed harder.
The two clashed with their weapons again, sparks flying from the friction of metal and rock. They both pushed against each other, neither one giving an inch to the other. Abernathy chuckled softly as he looked over at Gideon.
"You're getting closer, Gid. But I think you're still missing something." Abe pulled his blade back and went into a low sweep, tripping the muscular earth mage. He fell onto his back but tried to get back up immediately. But he was met with a blade to the face. Abernathy smiled down at him as he shook his head slowly.
"You gotta be faster than that, Gid." He said with a smirk. Gideon sighed heavily as he laid on the ground.
"How are you so good at this? Your magic is special. But you know how to use that thing like it was a third arm. It's annoying." Gideon grumbled softly. Abernathy chuckled softly as he sheathed his sword and offered his hand to the earth mage. Gideon looked over at him before taking his hand and standing up slowly. Abe helped Gideon brush off.
"Well... I spent most of my life training with this old thing. I don't really remember much about my past, but I do remember this sword. It's been with me for as long as I can remember." He shared.
"You don't know your past? How do you not remember anything?" Gideon asked curiously. Abernathy shrugged as he walked over to one of the benches and sat down.
"I don't know. All I know is that this sword is special to me. I can't imagine being without it when I fight. Yeah, I treat it like it's nothing special, but that's because I don't want anyone taking it from me." Abe explained as he looked down at his blade. "It's the only connection I have to who I was before all of this." He pointed out. He walked toward a tree and sat. He patted the spot next to him. The earth mage followed and sat as well.
"Abe, why do I feel like you're talking about something bigger than just your past?" He asked slowly. Abernathy chuckled softly as he closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree.
"Because there's a lot more to me than what you see. There's a lot more than what a lot of people see. But that's how I like it." He said calmly. Gideon confusion only rose.
"Senpai. How did you meet master Basil?" Gideon changed the subject. Abe smiled softly as he looked up at the sky through the leaves on the tree.
"It was by random chance. I was traveling around when I came across this town in Fiore. I thought it'd be nice to stay for a bit before moving on." Abernathy explained with a smile on his face. Gideon nodded slowly as he listened intently. "But then I used my magic to get a 'free meal'. And Basil caught me. He's the only person who can change the way he acts every time I use a time anchor. It's so annoying, but also kind of cool." Abe chuckled as he closed his eyes and leaned back more against the tree.
"So... what did Basil do?" Gideon asked curiously.
"I used my powers again, thinking maybe it was a fluke or something. But Basil caught me. I tried to redo it over and over, doing something different. He caught me every single time. It was like he knew when I'd try it again. So, we talked about it for a bit. He explained that he had a special magic that allowed him to see things differently. He said that he saw me using my magic every time, even if I didn't know that he saw me do it." Abernathy smiled softly as he opened his eyes and looked over at Gideon. The earth mage nodded slowly as he listened intently.
"He gave me a meal and convinced me to join his guild. And that's the story. I don't know why he wanted me to join so badly, but I'm glad he did." Abernathy folded his arms behind his head as he closed his eyes again and smiled. Gideon chuckled softly as he shook his head slowly.
"You're quite the mysterious guy. But, there's something that doesn't make sense to me. The way you use that sword, says you train a lot. And yet, you present yourself as lazy. Why is that?" Gideon asked curiously. Abe shrugged as he kept his eyes closed.
"I don't know what to tell ya, mole man. That's just how I am." He said with a chuckle. Gideon sighed heavily and shook his head slowly.
"The first day we met, I thought you were just some random guy who was lazy and didn't care about anything. But now... I see that you're much more than that." Gideon stated calmly. Abernathy opened his eyes and looked over at him.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked curiously. Gideon chuckled softly as he folded his arms across his chest.
"Well, for starters, I remember when you tried to outright refuse taking us on our first job. But then Basil convinced you to take us anyway. You said it was because you were bored. But I think there was more to it than that." Gideon explained with a smile on his face. The Chrono Anchor mage finally stood.
"Break's over. Time to get back into it. Now that you're warmed up, we can really start." He said with a smirk as he unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him. Gideon sighed heavily as he stood up slowly.
"You're going to make me work harder than before, aren't you?" He asked with a sigh. Abernathy chuckled softly as he nodded.
"Oh yeah. But I'll give you a compliment. You've improved. Though, I've noticed that with your magic you like to play it safe. You either make a shield with the rock you absorb or armor. You never make just a weapon. Why is that?" He asked curiously. Gideon shrugged as he looked at his arm, where his rock armor had formed into a blade.
"It was ingrained in me. When I was back home, the mines could collapse without warning. We all knew how to defend ourselves with our magic if it did happen. So, we learned how to use our magic to protect ourselves from falling rocks and debris." He explained. Abernathy nodded slowly as he listened intently.
"So... you never learned how to fight with your magic?" He asked curiously. Gideon shook his head slowly as he looked away from the time mage.
"No, actually." He admitted. He walked back to their training spot. He placed a hand on the ground and pushed his fingers into the dirt. Earth began to crawl up his arm.
"I fight because of Fiora. She taught me how." Gideon said softly as he stood up straight again. Abernathy chuckled softly as he sheathed his sword again and folded his arms across his chest.
"I see. You two are close, huh?" He asked with a smirk. Gideon waved his hand.
"Already know where you're going with that. It isn't like that." He stated calmly. Abernathy chuckled softly as he took his place across his opponent.
"All I'm gonna say is that it's ok to admit it. Fiora is a nice girl. I mean sure she's a little crazy and she loves to set things on fire. But she's cool. She's also really strong." Abernathy said calmly. Gideon shook his head slowly as he looked away from him slightly.
"We're friends, senpai. Nothing more, nothing less." He stated firmly. Abernathy chuckled softly as he drew his sword again and held it in front of him, pointing at Gideon.
"Ah, you have your eye on someone else then!" Abernathy charged Gideon, swinging his sword. Gideon blocked with his rock arm. Abernathy chuckled softly as he pushed harder against his student.
"I knew it! You like Luna!" He exclaimed with a smile on his face as he pushed harder against the earth mage.
"What?! No!" Was his response. Abe twist his body for a kick, but the bulky mage dodged it.
"Ok! You like them older. I can dig it. Then it's Coral!" Abernathy stated as he swung his sword again. Gideon blocked it with his rock blade.
"Senpai!" He shouted defensively. Abernathy chuckled softly as he jumped back to give himself some distance from Gideon.
"Man. Coral is a catch, if you can withstand her anger." Abernathy mused while keeping Gideon at his pace. He parried the next attack and elbowed his opponent to tumble behind him. "The only one left that I can think of is Vi. You wouldn't happen to-" Abe didn't anticipation Gideon recovering so quickly. He heard the yell that came with a swing. Abe jumped out of the way and recovered onto his feet.
"No... mole man. Don't tell me..." Abernathy teased. He smirked.
"Wh-what? Why are you listing off all the girls... Hold on senpai. You didn't mention Lyra." He pointed out. Their blades clashed once more, but this time Gideon found an in. He swing his stone blade horizontally, causing Abe to use his forearm to reinforce his own sword then sliding backwards.
"You ok there, senpai?" Gideon smirked. "You seem to be struggling a bit." He taunted as he held his blade up again.
"I'm just getting warmed up, mole man." Abernathy chuckled softly as he rolled his shoulder and winced slightly. They engaged again and again, suddenly the both of them standing on even ground. The time mage had to shake it out.
"You got better all of a sudden." He commented with a smirk.
"I don't know. Must be this crush you have on Lyra-senpai!" Gideon yelled as he swung his blade. Abernathy blocked it with his forearm and pushed Gideon back.
"What?! I do not!" Abe shouted defensively as he charged Gideon. Gideon parried his attack and smirked.
"Doesn't take a detective to figure it out. You guys are always together. You tease each other relentlessly. It's obvious you like her." He explained with a smirk. Abernathy growled softly as he pushed harder against Gideon's blade. The earth mage chuckled softly as he looked up at him.
"I mean, I'm sure she likes you too, senpai. So what's the issue? Why don't you just tell her?" Gideon asked curiously. Abernathy sighed heavily as he jumped away from Gideon and sheathed his sword again while shaking his head slowly.
"It's...complicated." He admitted. Gideon let his magic go, debris falling to the ground.
"Well, we have until it's time to leave. So, I'm all ears." He countered. Abe wiped the sweat off his brow. He placed his hands on his hips and scoffed.
"You play dumb when it suits you, don't you mole man." Abernathy smiled softly as he shook his head slowly, "You know what? I'm done for today. You did good, mole man." He said with a smirk as he sheathed his sword and walked away.
"Senpai, h-hold on!" Gideon shouted while chasing after him.
Lyra and Luna weaved their hands as their respective creations faced each other down. Lyra's Jabberwocky roared as it stared down Luna's Big Bad Wolf. The two sisters smirked as they held their ground.
"Ready to give up yet, sis?" Lyra asked curiously while holding her stance. Luna chuckled softly as she shook her head slowly.
"I believe it is you who wishes to surrender, dear sister." She countered calmly. Lyra giggled softly as she shook her head slowly.
"We shall see about that." She said with a smirk. The two mages charged each other, their respective creations following them into battle. They continued to send their magic at each other.
"Shadow Weaving: Shadow Ribbons!" Luna shouted as she sent tendrils of shadow toward Lyra. Lyra smirked. She weaved her hands.
"Lunar Illusionism: Chesire Cat!" She shouted as a large cat appeared from thin air. It smiled widely, sharp fangs shining in the sun. Its fluffy tail wrapped around Lyra, ensuring her whole form had disappeared from sight. The tendrils raced toward the cat and pierced it. But the illusion burst into colorful ribbons, with Lyra nowhere to be seen.
"Did you like that? That's something we would never learn back home." Lyra's voice echoed. Luna looked around for her sister, but couldn't find her anywhere. She growled softly as she clenched her fists at her sides.
"Shadow Weaving: Dark Forest!" Luna shouted as she swung her arms out to her sides. Sharp spikes of shadow erupted from the ground around her. Lyra gasped softly as she jumped back to avoid being struck by them. She giggled softly as she landed on the ground gracefully.
"Clever. But how many times can you do that before your magic runs out?" Her voice asked. Luna growled softly as she looked around for her sister again.
"You're getting predictable, sis. I can read you like a book." Lyra's voice said with a giggle. Luna smirked as she held her hands out in front of her, fingers intertwined with each other.
"Guess I'll show you some new magic I've been thinking about. Shadow Weaving: Mermaid." She cast. Luna fell back, falling to the ground. As she hit the ground, she passed through her shadow and it rippled. The shadow expanded into a large circle, covering a large area. Lyra tried to move away but her feet sank into the shadows. She tried to pull away but was slowly sinking. The shadowy pool rippled violently until a figure shot out. Luna was covered in shadowy armor, with a tail that resembled a mermaid's tail. She smirked as she looked down at Lyra who was still sinking into the pool of shadow. Her illusion broke.
"Luna!" Lyra shouted as she continued to sink into the shadows. The little sister smirked as she came down.
"I got you!" Luna shouted. The tail was about to smash into her sister when suddenly her sister smirked. The tail came down and struck Lyra, but she burst into a wisp of color.
"No, I got you." Lyra held a sword right in Luna's face, "Always have to be one step ahead." She said with a smirk. Luna growled softly as she pulled her magic back into herself. She jumped away from Lyra and landed on her feet gracefully. She huffed softly as she looked over at her sister who giggled softly as the sword fell apart into colorful lights.
"I never known you to be so easily bothered." Lyra poked. The younger sister folded her arms.
"No one in the guild knows how to push my buttons quite like you." Luna stated firmly. Lyra giggled softly as she walked up to her sister.
"That's because I know you best, sis." Lyra smiled softly as she hugged Luna tightly. Luna closed her eyes and took the embrace. But she shrugged out the hold. She cleared her throat.
"I understand that we are no longer on bad terms. But, our focus needs to be on training. We need to improve if we are to face off against Wyrnxoth. We need to be ready for anything." Luna stated calmly. Lyra nodded in agreement as she looked at her sister.
"You're right. We do need to train harder if we want to beat Wyrnxoth. It's just... now that we're speaking again, I can't help but feel like I want us to be closer. You know?" Lyra asked curiously as she looked over at her sister who nodded slowly.
"I understand what you mean, dear sister." Luna said calmly, "But those type of things take time. And I'm slowly moving past what happened in our youth. I need my senpai, not my sister." Luna stated firmly. Lyra sighed heavily as she shook her head slowly.
"Ok... I get it." She said softly while looking away from her sister. Luna folded her arms across her chest.
"Lyra, I am sorry for the way I acted. But I did not appreciate being abandoned by my only sibling. It is not that I don't want us to be close again, but we are different people now. We have been apart for so long now that it will take some time to adjust to being around each other again." Luna explained calmly. Lyra nodded slowly as she looked at her sister and smiled softly.
"I know. I've carried the weight of what I've done for so long that I've forgotten how it feels when everything is getting a little better. I still haven't found a way to fix the Lunar Fissure. And I feel like I never will. I won't be able to go home and see our parents." Lyra sighed heavily while folding her arms across her chest. Luna walked over to her sister and placed a hand on her arm.
"We shall find a solution, sister. You are not alone anymore in this. You have me now." Luna said with a smile on her face. Lyra smiled back as she nodded slowly.
"Thank you Luna." She said softly.
"However, I would like to know if you'll be changing your last name back." Luna stated. Lyra giggled softly as she shook her head slowly while folding her arms across her chest.
"No way! I love my name!" She exclaimed with a smile on her face. Luna chuckled softly as she nodded slowly.
"I understand. You have changed a lot since we were young." Luna mused while looking over at her sister. The two girls sat in silence for a moment before Lyra spoke again.
"Let's get back to work. If you want Lyra-senpai, then don't complain when I put you through the ringer!"
"I would not expect anything less from you, dear sister." Luna said calmly as she took her place across from her sister once again. Lyra smirked as she weaved her hands together in front of her.
Explosions echoed through the grove. Fiora rushed down Coral, who had summoned her Sailstrike form. She raised her shield to block the incoming flames and counterattacked with spears of water. The two mages clashed with their respective elements. Fiora jumped back to dodge the incoming spears and swung her arms around herself. Flames erupted from her body, creating an inferno that engulfed the area around her.
"I figured that you would have learned that trying to take me down with aggression may not be the smartest idea. Don't you remember our sparring match? Thinking outside of the box?" Coral asked. Fiora smirked.
"I am. You thought I didn't learn from before? You might want to check the ground, senpai." She said. Coral looked around, noticing glowing orange light in holes in the ground. Coral gave her infamous smile.
"I guess I was fooled. You used your explosive show to hide what you were doing. I can assume that if I pass by one, it'll explode." Coral said as she jumped away from one of them. Fiora smirked as she swung her arms out to each side and sent a wave of fire toward Coral. The water mage raised a shield to block it but was pushed back by the force of the attack.
"You got better at controlling your power, Fiora. That's good." Coral said calmly while lowering her shield and smiling softly. Fiora chuckled softly as she nodded slowly.
"Thanks, senpai. I only get my ass handed to me once. I learned from it." Fiora stated with a smirk on her face. Coral chuckled softly as she shook her head slowly while looking at her student.
"Well, that's good to hear. But how quick are you when things don't go as planned?" She asked curiously. Fiora poured more fire into the attack.
"Guess you'll have to see." She responded. Coral didn't drop her smile. She continued to be pushed back until several orange lights began to glow fiercely. The explosions erupted around the ocean mage who was being engulfed with fire and smoke. However, mist burst from the smoke. Everything cleared rapidly when Coral waved a giant hand out, revealing her Jawsurge form. She placed her gauntlets in a defensive position over her face. She sprinted toward the fire mage, causing the landmines in her path to go off. The explosions didn't even slow Coral down. She barreled through them like they were nothing. Fiora's eyes widened as she tried to jump out of the way but she was caught by the giant shark jaws of Coral's fist. She slammed into the ground, creating a crater around her body.
"You really need to think outside of the box more often." Coral said calmly while lowering her arm slightly so she could look at Fiora who groaned softly as she shook her head slowly while looking up at Coral. She smirked and pointed toward Coral's chest. She looked down to see an orb of fire stuck to her. It exploded violently.
"Blazing Soul: Jet Explosion!" She cast. Fire erupted in a stream out of her hands, lifting Fiora into the air and out of the crater. She performed a backflip and landed on her feet. Mist appeared once more. As the smoke cleared, there was a sight that brought memories back to Fiora. An octopus had covered Coral from head to toe.
"Have you met Achlys, Fi-chan?" She asked. Fiora smirked as she got ready for another attack.
"I remember this guy." Fiora said calmly. Coral chuckled softly as she nodded slowly.
"Good. Then you'll get to know what it's like to fight my strongest form." She stated. Fiora raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, Titan isn't your strongest?" Fiora asked curiously. Coral shook her head slowly while looking at her student who stood up straight and looked over at her mentor with curiosity in her eyes.
"No, Fi-chan. In terms of raw power, Titan is my go to. But in the case of overall ability and magic, Achlys is the best." She explained calmly as she took a step back and held her hands up in front of herself. She weaved her hands together and closed her eyes as she concentrated on her magic. Her body glowed brightly.
"Ocean hear my call. Allow me to use the powers of those that I have made contracts with. Let me hold the power of the ocean. Ocean Fusion!" Coral shouted as mist began to surround her body, engulfing it completely. Coral stepped out to reveal a dress she was wearing. Fabric had floated around her, resembling tentacles.
"This is my Venomgrasp form. I have control over all eight of my tentacles. And I can paralyze my opponent with a single touch." She explained calmly while looking at Fiora who smiled softly while looking at Coral.
"I'm guessing that you're not going to go easy on me?" Fiora asked.
"Our enemy... if he is as strong as Tiffy says he is, then you have to be strong enough to withstand even the harshest of his attacks. So no. I will not hold back against you, Fi-chan." Coral stated calmly while looking at her student who nodded slowly while looking at her mentor with determination in her eyes. "I want you to become as strong as me. And perhaps, even stronger. Believe it or not, I have high expectations of you. You remind me of me when I was younger. A little hotheaded, but driven by a desire to be stronger." Coral said calmly while smiling softly at Fiora who chuckled softly as she rubbed the back of her neck and looked away from her mentor slightly.
"Jeez. Don't get all sappy on me. You're gonna make me cry." She joked with a smirk on her face while looking up at Coral. The ocean mage giggled softly while nodding slowly.
"Alright then. The break is over." Coral announced. Fiora's facial expression shifted into surprise.
"That was a break?!" Fiora shouted. Coral ran at Fiora, her fabric tentacles looming around her. Fiora jumped back to dodge them and sent fire toward Coral, but she wrapped herself up in her tentacles like a cocoon. She burst out of it, sending the tentacles flying at her opponent. Fiora used her flames to give her height and distance, but more tentacles came, one after the other, forcing Fiora to twist her body in midair to dodge them. She landed on the ground gracefully and sprinted away into the forest from Coral. She looked behind herself to see Coral chasing after her with a smile on her face.
"You know that I'm faster than you, Fi-chan!" She exclaimed while continuing to chase after Fiora who smirked as she continued to run.
"I don't need speed when I have range!" Fiora shouted as she swung her arm around herself and sent fire back toward Coral. The ocean mage wrapped herself up in her fabric again and dodged the flames. She burst out of it and sent tentacles after Fiora again. Fiora used the trees to block the tentacles, but they broke through them like they were nothing, forcing Fiora to jump out of the way.
"You're getting predictable Fi-chan!" Coral stated calmly while continuing to chase after Fiora. The fire mage smirked as she jumped into a tree and ran along the branches.
"Maybe I'm just letting you think that I'm predictable." Fiora said with a smirk on her face, "Blazing Soul: Ignited Stars!" She yelled as she jumped off the branch and sent stars of fire toward Coral, who stopped running. She wrapped her tentacles around herself and blocked the incoming attack. Fiora landed on the ground gracefully and charged the ocean mage.
"Blazing Soul: Hell's Sun!" Flames shot out from behind her like a cloak while a crown like shape hovered over her head, "If you're not holding back, then I'm not either!" She roared. Flames covered her arms as she reared her fist for an attack. She swung it forward, being met with a tentacle. The fire raged against the piece of fabric. The other tentacles shot out surrounding Fiora. Fiora's flame cloak spread out, shielding her from the other tentacles. Coral began to walk toward her student, pushing against the flames.
"This is the form you used during the sparring event. But your flames were a dark red color." She said to herself. She smiled. You're tenacity is truly inspiring.
The tentacles began to shake. An inky purple substance seeped into Fiora's flames. Her flames began to turn purple. Fiora gasped as she looked at her flames and then back at Coral who continued to push against her student's attack. The ocean mage smirked as she looked over at Fiora.
"As I said, withstand the harshest of attacks." She stated calmly. The tentacles pushed through the flames and wrapped around Fiora. They lifted her up into the air and slammed her into the ground repeatedly before tossing her away. Fiora groaned softly as she looked up at Coral who walked toward her student with a smile on her face while looking down at Fiora. She reached a hand down.
"You did well, Fi-chan. You're getting stronger by the day." She said calmly as Fiora took her hand and was helped to her feet by Coral who smiled softly at her student who nodded slowly while looking over at Coral who folded her arms across her chest, "I'd like to know. That spell, you waited until now to pull it out. Why is that?" She asked. Fiora tilted her head.
"What spell?" She asked.
"Your red flames, do you notice them?" Was the follow up. The fire mage raised an eyebrow as she looked over at Coral who continued to smile softly at her student. Fiora shook her head slowly.
"I've been asked about it once or twice, but I really don't notice it." Fiora claimed. Coral nodded.
"I've seen my fair share of magic. Even ones that change color based on different things. But your fire magic is definitely different. Master Basil surmised as much." Coral stated while looking over at Fiora.
"What do you mean by 'different'?" She asked curiously.
"Never mind. I'll talk to master later on today. For now, great job Fi-chan!" Coral praised. Fiora scratched the back of her head.
"Thanks, I guess." She said awkwardly. Coral giggled softly.
Tiffy waited outside of a wooden barrier, being told to wait by Basil. She paced slowly, wondering why she couldn't be in the dome. It started a week ago, after she explained all the finer details of Wyvern Slaying Magic to Basil. His concern was teaching magic to someone who never had magic before.
Barrier lowered revealing Basil exiting. For a moment, Tiffy thought he was someone else. She tensed up.
"Hmm, what is it?" Basil asked. Tiffy relaxed.
"Nothing, you look like someone else." Tiffy responded. He raised an eyebrow at the statement. It was then that he realized what she meant. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his glasses. Putting them on, he sighed.
"That better?" He asked.
"Yes, master." Tiffy claimed.
"Good. Now, please be careful when you go in, Ewan is being tended to right now." He explained. Tiffy looked inside the arena to see a glowing green light surrounding Ewan. As she entered, she could see plant life all over him. His injuries were being healed and wrapped by plant-like vines.
"What happened?" Tiffy asked. Ewan looked over to the Lupicyn.
"Just training." He replied. Tiffy tilted her head.
"Training? Doesn't look like training to me." She stated.
"Yeah, well, Basil can pack a punch." Ewan claimed. She looked to the guild master then back to the wounded researcher.
"You look like you're beaten half to death." Tiffy stated.
"Half is putting it nicely." He replied. Tiffy tilted her head while Basil approached the duo. She turned to the gardener.
"Master, I don't mean to be rude, but he's been injured like this the whole week. What exactly is happening in this training?" She asked. Basil lowered his head.
"There are quite a few things I'm happy to share with my guild. But, this one thing, I will not share. Ewan swore himself to secrecy as a result. What's been happening in there has been at his request." Basil claimed. Tiffy frowned.
"Secrecy is bad. Trust and honesty are good." Tiffy remarked.
"Unfortunately, not everyone wants to disclose every detail of their lives. All I ask is for your trust." Basil pleaded. Tiffy's ears went back and her tail drooped.
"Trust is a precious gift, Master Basil. Don't hurt it." Tiffy claimed. She sat next to Ewan, waiting for him to recover. Basil nodded and left the two alone. The guild master frowned. He hated this part of himself.