"So, how do I start on the sword?" I asked Doni the next morning during breakfast.
"First we'll have to find the type of sword that suits you best," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Then, we'll need to start looking for a way to get one on our level."
"Fuck, I'd forgotten about that," I groaned.
Considering how I was still looking for more parts for my wand I really shouldn't have, especially with how useless my temporary wand is against those on my level being thrown in my face constantly, but since I only had the one it simply slipped my mind sometimes.
The way forward was obvious when I thought about it.
Instead of spending days trying out different types of swords, and then however how long in search of one that I could actually use, I just needed a simple Door to have it all as fast as the cooldown allowed me.
Saying so to Doni, he answered me with a relieved smile.
"I thought I'd have to remind you to think with your Authorities in mind," he explained. "You mentioned how you didn't even think of using it in the Wizard's World until you needed a fast getaway, and you used it poorly against Odin."
I sighed at that, he was right. With hindsight, I really hadn't been utilizing my Authority to its greatest potential, especially with apparition added to the mix.
"Yeah, I really need to focus my training on it for a while, I have a few ideas on how to make interconnected doors, or at least fake it," I said, grabbing some more bread and butter. "Anyway, do you have any other parameters for me to add to the search?"
"I was wondering about that, how does your search work?" He said, leaning in on the table.
"Normally? I have to know the door I want to reach if I want to go somewhere specific, otherwise, the Authority will just send me somewhere random," I said.
"Then how did you get into another world?" He asked.
"The best me and the other researchers of the Order could come up with is that it probably has to do with his Domain over beginnings, as in, it helps me start new beginnings, added with our theory that Janus descended to get rid of the way pop culture views him as a chaos God and, well." I shrugged and took a bite of my bread.
"Makes sense." He nodded.
"Really? Then explain it to me because I still don't get it," I pleaded.
"Authorities don't work by mortal logic," he started, finishing his coffee. "And while you are their current owner, they're still shaped by the Deity you took them from. With experience, you can learn how to apply them in different ways than expected, but you barely started to actually think with them, so that'll take time. Add in the chaos you mentioned and, well." He shrugged with a smile.
"You ass! That didn't help at all!" I accused him.
"Yeah, yeah," he waved me off. "The point is that only you can figure out how your Authorities work. That means training and trying new things with them, discover their limits. You already did a few times, just don't stop looking."
With that final pep talk, he took his mug to the sink and left to get ready for my training.
"Hey! You didn't help me figure any parameters to try out!" I screamed, quickly scarfing down my breakfast to follow after him.
We arrived at the training ground in good spirits, Doni for a decent, even if restricted fight, and me to try new things in combat.
There was no talk before the fight or signal to start. We took some distance from each other, smiled, and it began.
My first action was to use Wind to throw me to the side, giving me distance while disrupting Doni's direct attack.
Not that it slowed him down any, as the second hit foot touched the ground he was already running back towards me, sword ready to strike.
I sent an overpowered Slowing charm followed by a Tickling charm at him, and when he used his sword to deflect the spells, I used Wind again to dodge to the side.
He was ready for it though, pivoting on the spot to avoid being hit and continue giving chase.
Changing tactics, I sent an overpowered Disarming charm and a Shrinking charm at him hoping to disable his sword.
It worked a little too well. The Disarming charm sent his sword flying, which made him jump over the shrinking charm. Distracted by the fact that my strategy worked, I didn't have time to capitalize on my success before he had already retrieved it and was coming down at me sword first.
I jumped backward to avoid his strike and used both of my hands to use the Wind Rune to cast the original Windy spell.
The enormous cyclone hit him dead on, sending him spinning away.
His laughter told me exactly how effective it was.
I paid attention to his position while planning my next move. Lighting and Fire were my best ways to attack, but I couldn't discount overpowering regular spells to cause some damage.
Seeing that he was still some ways away, I took out my want and started conjuring doors as fast as possible. I had limited time to do it, and the more I could put down the better my mobility would be.
It took only a few seconds of conjuring for me to instinctually use my left hand to cast an overpowered Shield charm in the direction Doni was.
Not a moment too soon, as his sword impaled itself to the hilt on it. The force of the impact caused a pressure wave to scatter all debris and dust surrounding me, with the loud *BANG* of the sound barrier being broken arriving a few moments later.
Knowing that Doni would arrive the next moment, I subtly reinforced my shield while dropping my wand in my pocket.
His impact on my shield wasn't as strong, but it still cracked it, and that's when he tried to pull his sword out.
Releasing the Shield charm, I instantly channeled all of my power into my right hand, letting loose raw, untamed Lightning into the world.
Being made of metal, his sword made for a perfect lightning rod, receiving all of my Lightning and electrocuting Doni.
Letting go of the spell, I fell to my knees, panting in exhaustion.
Doni was on his back on the ground, his sword a glowing puddle by his hand and smoke coming off of him.
"That was a good one," he said with a groaning laugh.
"Yeah," I said with a laugh. "You gave me the perfect opening to try it."
"And I can't blame you for taking it," he said, slowly getting back on his feet.
"But you can make me pay for it," I finished for him, getting up myself.
"You get it," he nodded, putting his hand on the ground and forming another sword. "Another round?"
"Sure," I smirked. "Just keep giving me openings like that and everything will be fine."
"Of course!" He said, a sinister smile forming on his face. "What better way to teach my little brother?"
Taking some distance, we smiled at each other and began again.
We arrived at the house by late afternoon. Me full of bruises and cuts and Doni full of burns and scratches.
It wasn't as bad as it looked, since we weren't using Authorities the damage was all superficial, but riding the high of having spent the entire day training combat, both of us didn't notice it until my mom saw us.
"I thought the training was harmless?" She pointedly asked, crossing her arms and glaring at us.
"It was!" Doni quickly replied.
"Yeah, this is just superficial!" I said, casting a Mending charm on the both of us while circulating my power to speed up healing.
Seeing both of us go back to looking as if we had just left this morning, she rolled her eyes and walked away.
Sighing in relief, Doni looked at me.
"Your mother is scary," he said.
"No shit?" I snorted before moving to my room.
"Yeah shit, I'm the one who scares people!" He said, following me.
"And now you've met my mom," I rolled my eyes, getting inside and sitting on my armchair. "By the way, where's Andrea? He wasn't around for breakfast."
"He went to get us plane tickets back home," he said with a shrug, sitting in the chair by the empty desk. "I've already got what I wanted by coming here, so I'll probably stay a day or two more to help you find a decent world for you to go for your sword before leaving."
"Makes sense," I nodded. "What do you think it'll be?"
"No idea, maybe the Doors will give us a hint?" He said.
"Hopefully," I sighed before sniffing the air. "Eugh, better take a shower, we stink!"
He experimentally sniffed the air before making a disgusted face, nodding at me, and leaving.
After dinner, we sat down in the backyard to try to find a Door for me to get my sword.
We were lying down in beach chairs looking at the clear night sky, Doni with a can of soda and I with a bottle of water.
I concentrated on finding a sword that'd suit me and let me fight beings on my level or higher, directing all of my focus to the Door deep inside my soul.
I groaned when I got the result. Too many Doors, possibly thousands of them, were presented to me with no end in sight.
"What's up?" Doni asked, sitting up on his chair.
"Too many options," I said, sitting up and taking a swing of my water.
"What did you ask for?" He asked.
"A sword that'd suit me and let me fight on my level or higher," I said.
"Try 'the perfect sword for you' to cut out anything below that level," he said.
Nodding my head I closed my eyes and focused on the new parameter, only to quickly open them again with a shake of my head.
"It cut down a fair bit, but still too many," I said.
"Hmm, maybe 'the perfect sword that grows with you'?" He wondered.
I closed my eyes and the response was almost instant, the number of Doors diminished greatly, but…
"There's still a few dozen Doors, should I just choose one?" I asked. That seemed pretty damn good already.
"No," he said with conviction. "That means you can specify more."
"How?" I asked.
"Let me think," he said, taking a sip from his soda as he laid back down to think.
In the meantime, I browsed the Doors I had available, looking for anything that could catch my eye.
They were all interesting. One looked like a solid slab of stone, another had some weird brass valves getting out of it, and one seemed to be just a lot of interconnected and rusted gears.
I kept searching through them for a few minutes until I heard Doni sitting up again.
"So, I was thinking," he said, leaning forward to look me in the eye. "What would be a better sword for you than perfect? Better than a perfect sword that grows with you?"
I shrugged.
"A sword that perfectly represents you, that embodies the very concept of who you are in its blade and gives you power for it!" He excitedly proclaimed, his eyes shining with glee at the mere thought of such a sword.
I nodded at him before closing my eyes and focusing back on the Doors.
I was left with one Door, one so simple that it went unnoticed when close to the others I had before.
It was a simple Japanese-style paper sliding door, with no ornaments or markings, just paper on wood.
Then I paid attention to the cooldown and groaned.
"What's up? No response?" Doni asked, instantly becoming downcast at the thought.
"No, there's one," I said. "But the cooldown is going to be annoying."
"How long!?" He excitedly asked, pushing himself forward.
"Six months," I sighed. "That means I'll only be able to go there next year."
"So soon? That's great!" He cheered.
"Yeah, but staying there for so long may cause problems, especially with everything I've been doing," I said.
"If you promise to help me go there to get my own sword I'll do it for you." He said seriously.
"You really want that sword, don't you?" I said.
"That would be a dream come true," he smiled.
"Then fine, meet up in January to see me off?" I asked.
"Hell yes! We can even have a party!" He said.
"You only want to eat more of my dad's food, don't you?" I said, squinting my eyes at him.
"Hehe, busted," He sheepishly said.
I rolled my eyes with a smile at his antics.
"Fine," I said, raising a fist to him. "It's a deal."
"Deal," he smiled, bumping his fist into mine.
A/N: And that's that for this week folks! Can anyone guess where Alex will be going next?
And now, barring the story writing itself next chapter, we should be done with the intermediary part for the foreseeable future, Alex just has to go through the Yule Ball without incident and everything will be on track for the next world!
Like my writing? Want to be able to read a full two chapters ahead? Then check me out on P a treon . com (slash) NickKane.