If bodhisattvas who are not smart calculate one hundred million eons / And have the idea that it is a long time, they will painfully progress toward awakening. / They will suffer for a long time while trying to accomplish the Dharma. / They are deficient in the perfection of wisdom and are lazy. / If they think in their minds that starting from the first production / Of the thought up until reaching unsurpassed awakening / Is just one day and night, they should be known / As those with clear intelligence making a vigorous attempt.
If someone says, "After Mount Sumeru is destroyed / You will reach supreme awakening," and if that produces / A feeling of oppression and they think about the size, / Then those bodhisattvas have become lazy. / If they produce the thought that Sumeru is pulverized to dust / In just an instant, thinking, "It is only this size —what is the problem?" / They are smart bodhisattvas making a vigorous attempt. / Before long they will reach the finest awakening of the leaders.
If with the thought, "I will bring beings to maturity and work for their welfare," / They work hard with body, speech, and mind, / Standing in the perception of self, they have become lazy. / They are as far from all-knowledge as the sky from the earth. / When they have no notion of body, mind, or sentient being, / When they have turned back from forming notions / And practice a nondual Dharma, the Beneficial One says that is the / perfection of perseverance / Of those who want the finest awakening, the peace that is never lost.
If they hear someone rebuke or speak harshly to them, / Smart bodhisattvas feel pleasure, thinking, "This is my happiness." / Who speaks? Who hears? Who speaks to whom and why? / Those endowed with the finest perfection of patience are wise. / Should someone fill the billionfold world with precious stones and give them / To the knowers of worlds, buddhas, worthy ones, and pratyekabuddhas, / The merit from that aggregate of giving would not be even a fraction / Of that of the bodhisattvas endowed with the excellent dharma of patience.
The bodies of those who remain patient become pure, / With thirty-two major marks and infinite strength. / They proclaim the best Dharma, emptiness, to beings. / Patient and wise, they are loved by the world. / If a certain being takes up a container of sandalwood paste / And with great respect rubs it on a bodhisattva, / And another throws burning ashes over his entire head, / He should regard both the same, with a dispassionate attitude.
When smart bodhisattvas who exercise such patience / Dedicate that production of the thought to supreme awakening, / They are heroes with forbearance for the whole world, surpassing the worthy ones, / Pratyekabuddhas, and mass of beings, as many as there are. / Bodhisattvas exercising patience should produce this thought as well: / "Given that the hells, animal world, and world of Yama have much suffering, / And I have been hurt through being powerless because of sense objects, / Why would I not put up with what I have up to now, for awakening?" / Thinking, "I will put up with as much suffering as there is in the world— / The whips, sticks, swords, murder, prison, and torture, / Decapitation, and the amputation of ears, arms, legs, and nose," / Bodhisattvas stand in the perfection of patience.
-Aṣṭasāhasrikā-Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom in Eight-Thousand Lines) Sūtra (Mahāyāna Canon)
As Torrent strode through the desolate snowfield, the four sat in thoughtful silence. There was no sign of progress being made- the ground they walked on was just as barren and white as it was an hour ago, the thick blizzard obscuring all that wasn't directly in front of them. The bitter cold would have been a serious concern, were it not for Wolf's control over his inner flame. Wolf felt the flame course through him, radiating heat outwards- yet, this led to him having to deal with a separate problem-
"...You can stop clinging on to me, you know," Wolf grumbled.
"Yeah, well, you're the only source of heat for miles around, so…" Rogier gave him a smug grin as he held on to him. "I don't think I will. Get used to it, friend. We've got a long ways to go."
"Agreed," said Millicent, leaning back onto Wolf from the front of the saddle, "You're cozy. If you want us to stop, you'll have to stop being so warm."
Wolf briefly suppressed the fire flowing within him- the heat around him began to dissipate, and the two huddling up against him began to shiver.
"Hey now," Rogier said pleadingly, "It was a joke! A little laugh between friends. It's cold out here- please, keep doing what you were doing." Rogier gave his best attempt at puppy-dog eyes directly at Wolf.
Wolf sighed, and allowed the fire to flow once more- upon which Rogier and Millicent immediately bundled themselves against him.
From the back of the horse, Yura shook his head and sighed. "Kids…" he grumbled fondly.
Hours went by without much event- Torrent trudged through thick snow, dutifully carrying the four of them with no sign of tiring. Wolf would have to reward him, somehow- fortunately, despite the apparent barrenness of the snowland, a special form of rowa berry seemed to grow there. Wolf had imagined the frozen fruit wouldn't be that appetizing, but Torrent couldn't get enough of it.
Rowa wasn't the only plantlife that seemed to flourish here, though- as they passed through the thick haze of snow, they emerged in a clearing of pale trees with stark red flowers underfoot. Up ahead, an ethereal green light shone- a few stone buildings were visible. Just as Torrent began to approach them, Wolf heard steps from the snow behind- he swiveled his head back.
In the clearing, a hooded woman sat on a wolf, bow in hand. "You're a long way from home, strangers," she spoke warily. "Best return where you belong- you're treading on sacred ground."
Millicent turned to face the woman and began to speak- "We are aware- we have business in the Haligtree. Surely, as an Albinauric, you understand pursuing such a goal."
The woman's face turned grim. "Indeed. As an Albinauric, I also know that…" she raised her bow slightly, prepared to attack if need be, "...Tarnished are not to be trusted. Not after what they did to us. I cannot allow you further."
Millicent raised her golden arm, the archer turning her head in surprise. "This is an arm of unalloyed gold, created by Miquella himself," she began. "I am the blood of Malenia- the same rot that plagues her plagues me. If I am not fit to enter the Haligtree- who is?"
The archer assessed the four of them- still wary, but less so. "...A bold claim. Yet, I cannot deny that you seem her perfect reflection." She turned backwards, signaling something with her hand. In the distance, Wolf heard the distant patter of animals walking through snow- more archers lurked from afar, completely hidden by the constant blizzard. "You may continue to the tree- but know that you are being watched." She turned around on her wolf, quickly fading into the snowy fog.
"I'd say that went well," Rogier commented with mild surprise.
"In truth, I wasn't sure if that would work," Millicent admitted. "I wasn't sure if my heritage would outweigh their distrust of Tarnished- thankfully, it seemed that it did. The tree should be just up ahead."
They made their way through the ruins, eroded and brought down by time and the relentless whipping of wind and snow. At the end of it all, a small set of stairs stood- a single portal resting atop it. This had to be it- the Haligtree.
Yura looked skeptically at the portal- "You know, the last time we went in one of these things, we ended up face-to-face with Rykard. You're absolutely sure this is where we're going?"
Milicent nodded, no doubt in her expression. "This is it." Without another word, MIllicent quickly made her way through- the three hesitated for a moment before following in behind her.
Wolf emerged first after Millicent- as he manifested onto a branch of the gargantuan tree, he looked around in amazement- the sheer scale of the environment was beyond words. Yura arrived just after Wolf, who let out a small sigh of relief upon realizing the portal sent them out at the Haligtree and not gods-know-where-else. Rogier was last, dropping down on a branch- he looked down below him, and immediately jumped back in shock- "Oh- GODS!" He took a brief moment to compose himself. "That's, uh- an awfully long drop, hm?"
"The branches seem sturdy," Millicent said reassuringly, "As long as you're careful where you step, there shouldn't be much risk of falling."
"I would prefer no risk of falling, actually!" Rogier yelled shakily.
Millicent shrugged. "Yes, well… ideals so often fail to live up to reality. You'll just have to deal with it, I'm afraid. Besides- you're finally at the Haligtree- weren't you excited to come here?"
"I thought we'd be at the bottom!" Rogier complained.
Yura gazed around, looking for any important areas- "Well, it looks like we'll be headed towards the center- probably harder to fall over there."
"...Is that where we'll find Malenia?" Wolf asked with anticipation.
"Probably," Millicent said. "All that's left to do is to make our way there."
The next few minutes could be generously described as chaos- the branches were littered with Envoys who were all too eager to barrage them with magic projectiles. This alone would be bad enough, but was only exacerbated by the fact that the slightest slip on a branch would send them careening into the yawning abyss below. Millicent led from the front while Rogier trailed at the back, swearing in panic as he desperately tried to maneuver across the branches.
"There- solid ground," Millicent pointed ahead, "We're almost there." As they continued to make their way through the precarious terrain, they found their way on to a stone platform. Rogier immediately collapsed and took a deep breath in.
"Oh, solid ground…" Rogier practically hugged the stone floor, "I'll never take you for granted again."
Open rooms of carved white stone were held secure by the tree's thicker branches, connected by wooden bridges- it was still perilous, but preferable to navigating on the shaky tree limbs. It was beautiful- the pure white stone covered with red and green foliage gave the impression of a divine sanctuary, although that image was slightly marred by the demihumans patrolling the area with axes. On one platform, a statue of Malenia and Miquella stood, the older sister hugging her younger brother.
They made their way through most of the area fairly quickly.- the demihumans were sparsely found and not particularly observant, so they could be snuck past with relative ease. What proved to be a challenge, however, were the mages that stood guard over a giant marble terrace. Despite their apparent strength, they were outnumbered, and soon dispatched.
"Odd…" Rogier commented, walking onto the massive marble floor ahead, "...what would elite Caria mages be doing all the way here?"
Millicent shrugged- "The Haligtree attracts all sorts, I suppose."
As she spoke, an armored figure approached them on horseback, wielding a halberd of gold- they gazed down menacingly upon the intruders. " Interlopers- turn back from this domain, or face the wrath of Loretta, knight of the Haligtree."
"Loretta…" Rogier spoke with a hint of familiarity- "... as in the Carian knight?"
" No." Loretta said, immediately shutting him down. " Loretta as in the knight of the Haligtree. Now, if you have only come to dredge up old memories, I would recommend you turn back."
"I'm afraid we cannot," Millicent began. "I am the blood of Malenia- and I must see her."
Loretta scoffed. " You offend me, girl- you must assume I am a fool, to think I would buy into such a farce. I know Malenia personally- she does not have sisters, and she most certainly does not have any daughters. Now- remove yourself from the Haligtree, so that I do not have to remove you by force."
"No- I must see her." Millicent raised her blade, and Loretta did the same. It was clear that talking had failed- now was the time for violence. Loretta immediately jumped backwards on her horse, her halberd leaving a blue arc of magic through the air. After she had distanced herself, she manifested a greatbow of pure magic- four great arrows made of pure energy released, each seeking one of the four. Each of them narrowly dodged the bolts- but compared to the others, Rogier had a peculiar reaction. Instead of looking on in wariness, Rogier's eyes lit up in joy.
He muttered under his breath- "I absolutely have to learn how to do that."
The fight dragged on- Loretta seemed to recognize that she had a stark disadvantage in close range compared to the four, and sought to create distance whenever possible. None of them besides Rogier were particularly capable at long range- so, as Loretta wore them down with barrages of magical arrows, they had no option but to slowly approach. Wolf had considered trying to grapple on to her horse, but it was likely that she would see the hook approaching and simply slice it off.
Millicent and Rogier weaved their way through the oncoming arrows- before long, Millicent had gotten close enough to attack. She prepared to perform the Waterfowl Dance, raising herself into the air- which unfortunately made her a perfect target for Loretta's arrows. Loretta fired another volley, all four directed straight at Millicent as she hung in the air- just as they were about to strike, Rogier jumped up to intercept them. All four arrows struck directly into his chest. He seemed to freeze midair as the magic energy coursed through him- yet, he willed his arm to move through the air, leaving a trail of magic behind in the shape of a bow. His other arm moved into place, redirecting the magic outward- four giant arrows coalesced and launched out from the bow, headed straight for Loretta.
Though shocked that her attack had been reversed back at her, Loretta managed to block the arrows with her halberd- yet, that was the perfect distraction Millicent needed to strike. Her blade moved with inhuman speed, knocking Loretta off her horse and devastating her armor. Loretta, now collapsed on the ground, slowly began to rise- and then kneeled.
Loretta spoke, voice laced with interest. "The Waterfowl Dance… your claims of being Malenia's blood are absurd, but to know that technique… you must hold some connection to her." She turned to Rogier- " And that strange move of yours- replicating my own sorcery by absorbing its magic and using it as your own- I must admit, even to a sorcerer such as I, it is impressive beyond words. Truly, to do such a risky thing as absorb such an incredible amount of energy- you must have incredible confidence in your skill. A single mistake would surely kill you. Tell me, how long have you practiced such a technique?"
Rogier smiled nervously. "Um, actually- that was my first time trying it- I wasn't sure if it would work."
Loretta seemed caught off guard by this. "Truly? Then you are the most intelligent idiot I have ever encountered. Were I still a knight of the Carians, I would have offered you a position."
Rogier gave her a nonplussed look. "Oh. Well… thanks, I think?"
Millicent turned to face the door ahead- "Where can we find Malenia?" she asked.
" She rests at the very roots of the Haligtree- but be warned." Here, Loretta's voice grew firm- " Ever since her battle with Radahn, she has grown restless, isolated- I have tried to reach out to her, but she wishes to remain alone. Should someone unknown to her enter a place as sacred as the foot of the Haligtree, well… you might find yourself bisected before you can get a word out."
"And Miquella?" Yura asked.
Loretta shook her head. " I do not know. Malenia has said that she awaits his return- in truth, I suspect she does not know either. I can only hope that she is not waiting in vain."
"Well, guess we're back to having no leads on the Land of Shadow," Yura groaned. "Nowhere to go but forward, I guess."
Loretta bade them farewell- " I wish you luck in your encounter with Malenia- she has not recently been one for conversation." With those parting words, the four walked past the knight, who continued to guard over the platform.
After making their way past Loretta, Rogier turned to Wolf- "Pretty impressive, huh? I thought I'd try your little lightning trick out with magic."
Wolf looked at Rogier in shock- "...That took me dozens of attempts to perform properly. And you simply… did it."
"Ah, well…" Rogier winced, "It didn't go perfectly." He turned his head around, looking back at Loretta- "...You think she's far enough away?"
"...Far enough away for what?" Wolf asked concernedly.
"For this." With those words, Rogier collapsed on the ground, letting out a pained groan- "Oh gods that hurt, that was a stupid idea…"
"...Are you alright?" Wolf asked. Yura and Millicent turned around, looking at the collapsed man in concern.
"No, yeah, I'm… absolutely great," Rogier said through gritted teeth, slowly raising himself to his feet, "Just, uh- never going to do that again. I'll leave the redirection to you, friend. On the positive side, I should be able to cast her sorcery now without needing to be shot first."
Wolf frowned in sympathy. "I don't know if it is different for magic rather than lightning, but the pain shouldn't last more than about half an hour."
Rogier winced- "Half an hour of this? …Can't be over soon enough. How many times did you say you've done this, exactly?"
"I've lost count. But after thirty or so times, you learn to redirect it well enough to avoid much pain," Wolf replied.
"Thirty?" Rogier said in concern. "...Friend- I'm not sure whether to be scared of you or for you."
"I've found that a mixture of both is good," Yura replied sagely.
Beyond Loretta stood the walls of Elphael- Loretta might have granted them passage onwards, yet it appeared the numerous foot soldiers who oversaw the area were not on the same page. They ran across the castle walls, dodging spears and ballista fire alike. After hours spent exploring, they arrived in a basin at the bottom of the fortress, filled with festering rot.
"We've got to almost be at the roots, right?" Rogier asked exasperatedly.
"Hopefully," Millicent commented, "I'm not eager to wade through any more rot."
"Agreed," Wolf spoke.
Navigating across various roots that shot out through the basin, they headed further downward still- finding their way into a church of sorts, strangely enough. Strange bug-like figures stood, arms raised in rapturous prayer- they turned to face the intruders, but returned to praying after noticing Millicent. They hesitantly walked through the stone hall- at the end of the building, a lift sat.
"You think that's it?" Rogier asked with anticipation.
"We're already by the roots- can't get much deeper than this," Yura said. "I think it is."
The four walked onto the platform, which slowly began to descend- they emerged in a dimly lit hall, roots snaking their way through the dingy walls. A red-orange blossom laid across the floor, appearing completely alien in the otherwise grey and brown room.
They all walked forward, possessing both hope and dread- Malenia had power rivaled by few in the Lands Between- what happened next would be entirely determined by whether that power would aid or be used against them. The carved stone hall gave way to a giant, cavernous pit- natural light shone down upon them. It was impossible to say how deep they'd gone. A thin layer of water covered the ground, numerous varieties of flowers blossoming across the rocky soil- yet, the most noticeable feature of all was the enormous tangle of roots that dwarfed them all. At the bottom of the wooded clump where root met stone, a lone figure sat.
"... Four. " The figure's head turned towards them, long scarlet hair parting to reveal a face marred by rot, eyes missing from her skull. " I dreamt for so long. My flesh was dull gold...and my blood, rotted. Corpse after corpse, left in my wake… As I awaited... his return. ... Heed my words. I am Malenia. Blade of Miquella."
"And I have never known defeat."
Millicent began to speak- "I've come to…"
Her words were cut short- with speed barely visible even to Wolf, Malenia swung at Millicent, only barely caught by Wolf intercepting her blade with Kusabimaru. "We're not here to fight," Wolf said firmly.
Malenia's voice was cold- "If you think such a statement will make me lower my guard, you are sorely mistaken."
Wolf glanced back at the three that stood behind him, signaling for them to back up. It was clear that Malenia was set on fighting- but having all four of them attack her at once risked escalating things even further. He may not be able to defeat her- but all he needed to do was stall her until tempers cooled.
Isshin had been a gruesome fight- the Sword Saint's entire existence had been defined by the blade, his life dedicated to utter perfection in every motion of the cut. For all his relentless dedication to the pursuit of cutting, though- Isshin was ultimately only a man. He had the strength of one, the speed of one, and mortality of one. If Isshin were to possess raw power and speed beyond human limits combined with a lifespan that allowed for centuries of constant training, he would be a different terror entirely. That terror's name would be Malenia.
Every deflection caused his muscles to cry out in anguish- he would have to use his techniques earlier than he anticipated. Four arms sprouted from his back, blades manifesting within their hands- it was a painful technique, but useful. As one of the arms came down to strike at Malenia, the sword hit its mark, leaving a gash on her flesh shoulder. She jumped back in surprise, trying to assess what had happened- as a blind swordsman, she had learned to anticipate the movement of two arms- but not six. Still, it seemed she adapted quickly- as he continued to strike at her, she began to block more and more of his attacks, until she could see each and every one coming. This fight would not be easily won.
The fight continued like this, the two about evenly matched, until Malenia rose into the air, blade at the ready- Wolf's eyes shone in familiarity, and then a mixture of awe and fear. He had come here so he could bear witness to the glory of the mastered Waterfowl Dance- and he was now about to experience it himself.
He didn't even try to deflect it- not at the speed with which the blade swung. All of his arms braced, entirely devoted towards blocking the incoming onslaught. The blade swung. And then it swung again. From a thousand different angles, with no discernable beginning or end, a relentless deluge of strikes pummeled away at his guard- if the force had been distributed across two arms rather than six, it likely would have shattered bone, even with his strength as great as it was.
Eventually, the cascade of blows ended, and Wolf emerged intact, if greatly weakened. His eyes locked on to her- she wasn't the only one who knew sword techniques. His blades erupted in bright red flame as he unleashed the Spiral Cloud Passage- Malenia managed to block some of his strikes, but not all. Her rotted flesh crackled as flame licked at it- she let out a deep, rasping cough. The rot had taken its toll on her, and her stamina was beginning to dip. All Wolf needed to do was tire her out just a little more, so that they could finally talk like reasonable peo-
"I will not be humiliated like this again- especially not in the home of my beloved brother." Wolf looked at her expression- it was one he'd seen before, and had experienced himself. She wasn't all there- a combination of hatred and the rot's effects had muddled her clarity, reducing her to a being of instinct and rage. A faint scarlet glow began to emanate around her, petals of a great flower beginning to wrap around her body. Just as this began, Millicent sprinted up to her, ripping something out of her own body and stabbing it into Malenia.
"Enough of this!" She yelled, chastising the demigod several centuries older than her. "The only one humiliating yourself here is you- to blossom in the Haligtree, of all places?" She shook the demigod, as newfound clarity found its way into Malenia's expression. "What were you thinking!?"
Malenia's head darted around in disorientation, trying to recall what was going on and why she was currently being shaken. Her hand lowered to her torso, where a thin needle had made its way into her flesh, courtesy of Millicent. After MIllicent had let her go and she took a moment "Miquella's needle… Where did you- no. Wherever you obtained such a thing, you have my thanks. I was about to do something unforgivable- the chance you gave me, to allow me my sanity for whatever time is left. I cannot deface the home of my brother in such a way." She turned away from Millicent, and looked upwards, raising her blade. " I am sorry, dear Miquella, that I could not be here to witness your return." She turned her blade inwards, preparing to stab herself, when Millicent pulled it away.
"What are you doing!?" she yelled in confusion.
Malenia sighed. "The needle… it was Miquella's greatest attempt to rid me of my curse. Yet, it can only delay the inevitable. Even now, the rot eats away at me, only less so. If I was so close to blossoming this time- how long will it be until the next? I cannot ruin my brother's legacy in such a way- I need to end this curse now. And besides…" she gestured to Millicent, "I can feel the rot clinging to you. It has begun eating at your flesh once more. Put the needle to better use- where it can stop the rot, rather than merely delay it."
"No," Millicent said determinedly. "We may never have met-" she paused to let out a hacking cough, rot spreading across her once more, "...but I am your family. I will not allow you to die so easily."
"...Family? I have neither sisters nor daughters." Malenia commented confusedly.
"That you know of," Millicent added, quickly turning before letting out a blood-spattered cough.
"Enough, girl- you are going to kill yourself." Malenia pulled the needle out of herself, and back into Millicent. She nodded gratefully toward the girl. "You have allowed me to once more feel whole, if only for a few moments. It will take a while for the delirium of the rot to cloud my mind once more. If you truly consider yourself to be my family, so be it- it would be nice to have a daughter, before the rot takes me."
"...Is there truly nothing to be done?" Millicent spoke softly.
Malenia shook her head. "Perhaps if Miquella were still around… all of these years, I waited, only remaining aware through the pain due to my desire to see him return. I suspect such a thing was a fool's hope, now. I know he is alive- I can dimly feel his soul even now- but where he is, or what kind of state he's in- I have no idea. I am hardly in a state to seek him out myself."
"Well…" Yura began, "We have business with a place called the Land of Shadow- we've heard talk that Miquella is there. Perhaps we could find him for you. Would you happen to know where that is?"
Malenia shook her head. " No- I do not. But it is fine- I have accepted my fate. When I carelessly bloomed against Radahn, I condemned all those in Caelid to a worse fate than I. You have all done enough already. There is no way for me to repay you."
"There is, actually," Wolf said bluntly.
" Oh?" Malenia questioned. "That being?"
"Train us."
Malenia tapped Millicent with the side of her blade. "No daughter of mine will be that sloppy. Again," she scolded.
Malenia proved to be quite the taskmaster- strict and exacting in her instruction. Still, it was not as bad as Owl, Wolf thought. Even if his muscles, empowered as the were, ached more than they had in years.
"You said you had to leave soon- I will compress my training in as short a time as possible. But it will be grueling." And grueling it was. The Waterfowl Dance had managed to sear itself into his mind- in Malenia's words, he could not consider it mastered unless it could be done without any thought at all. Yura eagerly soaked up her teaching, too- rare was the chance to receive direct tutelage from such a prolific figure. Rogier, well- he learned a bit, but there was only so much that was applicable to his rapier. As he put it, "I wouldn't want to waste time that's better spent training you. Besides- that looks hard. I'll pass."
Millicent seemed to be having the worst time of it- she had never received any formal sword training, as it turns out. When Malenia asked her where she learned the Waterfowl Dance, she simply replied that she was born with it. Malenia responded by having her repeat the maneuver dozens of times and pointing out the mistakes each time until she was satisfied with its quality. Malenia's focus, above all else, seemed to be on Millicent. "Anything less than my harshest training would be a disservice," Malenia commented. "I will not have my daughter be a subpar swordswoman."
The changes in their skill were tangible- surprising, given how little time the training seemed to take. Wolf readied his blade, raising into the air- the movements of the Waterfowl Dance flowed through him. It was not quite as fast as Malenia's, but it was a close second. He tried the Spiral Cloud Passage, sword swinging in a similar manner. They were such close techniques- he had to try once more.
He rose into the air, beginning with the Waterfowl Dance- where it first paused, he swung his sword with the numerous diagonal motions of the Spiral Cloud Passage. With the last swipe downwards, he returned to the sudden strikes of the Waterfowl Dance once more. It was like they were made for each other- where one paused, the other could be carefully interweaved. There was no room for pauses, for the slightest delay- just sheer focused swordplay.
The technique started out beautifully- but as he continued, his muscles faltered, and his swings grew imprecise. The pauses, as it turned out, were in the techniques for good reason- both techniques required intense speed which would prove tiring for even the most capable warriors. The pauses gave a brief respite, so that the techniques could be executed without much strain. The demanding nature of his created technique would not dissuade him, though- if he could not execute it perfectly, he would just have to keep trying until he could.
"Impressive." Malenia looked down at Wolf. "You used that motion in your fight against me- and now you've incorporated it into the Waterfowl Dance. I don't know what else I have to teach you- nothing that can be compressed in a few hours, at least."
So, the four turned to leave the Haligtree- but not before a goodbye.
"We will return," Millicent said firmly, "We will find Miquella- and we will set things right. So- stay alive until then, okay?" Millicent paused for a moment. "...Mother."
Malenia shook her head. "Do not give me hope, child. It has wounded me many times already. I have lived many long years- and killed a great many undeserving, both through ignorance and petty pride. Do not mourn my death."
Wolf looked back at Malenia sternly- "I do not know much of you, or your history. You may have committed great evils in the past. You may not think you can change- but if you believe yourself beyond redemption- you have already died."
Wolf bowed to her as he turned to leave. "Goodbye, teacher. Next time we meet- allow me to learn from you once more."