Chapter 7

Eva Lemuria-9 years old

It has been one year since George has awakened and he has been taught basic magic by Roland while having an occasional training session with Shadow. It seems that Roland has persuaded George to mainly focus on his magic and have little training in sword fighting. He apparently has taken George as his official disciple. I don't believe that focusing only on magic it a good idea. Even though George is my older brother I'm already physically stronger. Even my magic abilities are stronger than his. I think it because of this that Georges hatred for me has increased even more. I don't know why he wants to become stronger than me, but since he's awakened I sometimes notice him watching me train.

As for myself, I've finally become one with my dagger. I don't even have to think of my attacks when fighting Shadow. I simply move like flames blasting forward or like lightning flowing around my enemy trying to stun them. Shadow says I've become strange enough that when I go to the Academy at fifteen years old ill probably be at the top. My only problem is that Shadow has taught me everything he can about magic. He told me that from now on my only limitation was my imagination. All he can teach me now is how to use a weapon that I pick. I just have to find a weapon that fits me. I need something that I can use with my speed and my power.

To find a weapon that fits me I've decided to go to the same place as last time. The street market is the perfect place to look considering its where I found my dagger. Last time I snuck out in a dress as I walked around, but I constantly had to move so I don't get caught. This time I'm wearing plain clothes with a hood to cover my hair and make it harder to see my eyes. I also have two shadow guards with me. There's a woman who introduced herself as Guard 1 and a man called Guard 2. I originally wanted Shadow to help me but he's helping George with his training today. Apparently, he needs a stronger body instead of just spells.

I do wish that Shadow was here instead because even though these two guards are the best after Shadow they are really weird. The Guard 2 is completely indifferent to me and what seems like everything. He doesn't look at me in disgust, hatred, or in a friendly manner. It's a little weird and something I'm not used to, especially since he's not even hiding anything underneath either. He is truly indifferent to everything. Guard 1 is the problem because she seems to be inflicted with the same illness as Mother. She has been constantly looking at me with a predator like a gaze behind my back but every time I look back she quickly changes it to a gentle smile. It makes me wonder about what I heard about these guys all being like plain puppets. I wonder if Guard 1 works for mother and she specifically ordered her to come when she found out I'm coming to the market.

Well, either way, I've come here with a purpose to find a weapon that feels right to me. It has been years since I came to this street market but it seems the only thing that's changed is who's standing behind the stands. The entire air around this place is the same and it's just a crowded as ever. I've grown a bit bigger now so it's a bit harder to sneak around between the people in this crowd. I keep going between the weapon stalls looking for something different. I see single edged swords that are curved and balls attached to chains. I see many weird weapons each one unique but nothing catches my eye. I finally decided to try my luck and I go towards the stand where I got my dagger. When I find the stand it's no longer a weapon stand. Instead, it's filled with fruits that are actually a local product. I decided to buy one of the fruits to eat while I walk around.

I keep walking around for what felt like a couple of hours, but I don't want to give up. I finally spot something that caught my eye. It's a pole arm with an ax on one side that curves inwards down and then points at the top like a spear. The other side of the ax head there is a curved edge sticking out before curving up into another speared point and at the end, there's a third spear point longer than the other two and seems like the end of an actual spear. The entire weapon seems to be made out of black steel and some sort of blue metal covers other parts of it. I'm completely attracted to this weapon now that I look at it closely. I decide to get a closer look at it.

“Ah, little miss I see you're looking at the halberd.” Merchant.

“Halberd? What kind of weapon is this? Where'd you get it?”

“Ah, this weapon I got from the dwarves nation. Apparently, this was a prototype from a Smith that wanted to propose to make them a common weapon for their soldiers but it seemed too difficult for them to use. It's made out of black steel and mithril. The mithril in the weapon allows it to channel someone mana to the blades. There's actually mithril veins running through the weapon that will channel the mana even better. Be careful with it because the whole weapon is made of metal instead of a wooden handle like a normal polearm.” Merchant.

I grab the base of the weapon and feel the comfortability of the weapon. I can even feel how easy it would be to use my mana with it. It's actually almost as if the weapon wants my mana. It's as if it's craving it. I place both my hands on the weapon and try to lift it up. It truly is heavy and because of my small size, it doesn't fit well with my frame for now. I'm only able to lift it up for about a second before I drop it back down and lean it on the rack again.

“Ok, we will take it. I can tell me and this halberd are compatible. Can you two pay and then help me carry it back? After I'm going to have to get something to start training made.”

The two did as I asked and then we started to make our way back but while walking I saw her. A young girl was begging at the edge of the street. She was a mana mutant with hairy muscular arms instead of usual child arms. I couldn't help but think of the incident years ago. I walk past her and deposit a good amount of money in her cup. She looks up at me and her eyes widen when looking at me. That's when I realize that at some point my hood fell down so I quickly cover myself and keep moving back towards the castle.

I make my way straight towards the training grounds where I see Shadow having George go through the usual training routine. He's doing the running, pushups, sit-ups, and everything. I will admit that I do feel a little good seeing someone else go through this. George seems to be doing a lot less than what I did at the begging so I guess Shadow is taking it easy. I have guard one and two set my halberd down in the training room against the hall and then I sit next to it. I thought the two would leave afterward but they're still here.

“Ah, I can't take it anymore! Princess, you're so cuteeeeee!” Guard 1 then jumps at me and grabs me to hug me. Ah, I will admit I was thinking this may be a possibility when I saw Mothers same look on her face. She then sits down with me in her lap. I'm pretty sure I have the same dead look as Guard 2.

“Are you related to mother or something? I don't think others would treat me like this. Also, let me go! I'm not a stuffed animal! Why are you so strong?!” I can't break free from her grip. In fact, she seems to be hugging me tighter. What is going on? Has she been planning this all day? Is this why she's been looking at my like that?

“Ahahaha Princess I don't know what you're talking about. You can call me big sis if you want to be related to me so bad.” Dangerous! I really need to escape.

Luckily Shadow seems to notice us because of the noise we were making. He makes his way towards us and instead of helping me like I thought he would he instead goes straight towards my halberd and begins to examine it. He picks it up and swings it around trying to get a feel for it.

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“So this is the weapon that you've chosen huh? As usual, it is something different and unique compared to the usual. So I'm guessing that you'll want me to have a training version made for you till you're big enough to use this one?” Shadow.

“Yah I want you to have something I can train with. Have it as close to this one as possible so I can get a good feel for it. Oh and also help me!” He is complexly ignoring the petting session that I'm going through. I want to start training myself as well because I always have new ideas for spells and attacks.

I finally feel myself being freed from Guard 1s arms only to be restrained in my usual cage of Mothers' arms. I feel as if there are two beasts staring at each other from Guard 1s heartbroken gaze and mothers serious one. I don't know when Mother came in, but she seems to love sneaking up on me. I look around and spot Lora peeking around the doorway into the room. Lora then spots me and trots over and hugs Mother while looking up at me.

“This is my hug pillow. Go get your own!” She then picks up Lora with her arm and holds both of us. “This one is mine too. Get your own bundles of adorableness.”

“Ah, your majesty you should share with everyone. Nobody else can see little princess cuteness I thought I could get her to myself.” Guard 1

“Can you both just let me start training? I don't even know what going on. Look you have Lora to hug and squeeze.” I point to Lora who's just smiling with a face that says, “I don't know whats going on but its fun.” One day I need to teach her that mother is using her as a stuffed animal and that I also have been using her as a scapegoat.

“Oh sweetheart I've said it many times but no one can replace you. You are both adorable in your own ways.” Mother

“Princess your mother is right you're very cute. With the funny looks, you give people, your beautiful straight black hair, and your determination makes you the best. Watching you makes me want to dress you up and keep you to myself.” Guard 1

“Wait when have you been watching me? Also, I feel like you're having some very dangerous ideas in your head right now. Mother, please let go I wanna train.” She finally relents and releases me. I walk away so that Lora can be their cute distraction.

I take out my dagger and go to my train dummy and go through my usual exercise. I remember Shadow telling me it's like a dance when I fight with my dagger. I don't know what the difference between me and him are considering he's the one that thought me. I keep slashing and the training dummy vitals that I have been thought. Before I used have dummies with their vitals painted on so I knew where to strike but now I do it almost instinctively.

While I'm training my instincts kick in from something coming from behind. I stop mid-strike and roll out of the way. A rock passes right where I was and strikes the dummy I was training with. I look behind me and see George with his outstretched hand and his palm facing me. Behind him, I see Roland so even I can guess why this attack has happened now.

“George! What do you think you are doing? Did you just attack your sister from behind?” Mother is furious. She then looks and sees Roland and her fury seems to rise another level. “Roland, when did you come in and as his teacher how could you teach him things like this? It seems because I've left you in peace while you taught him you've grown a bigger backbone.”

“Your majesty I don't know what you are talking about. It seems as though the Prince wishes to have a spar with the Princess. It's not our place to interfere with them.” Roland says with his annoying grin.

“Roland I believe I'm going to have a talk with you outside now.” Mother moves before anyone could react and grabs Roland's face before throwing him outside the training grounds. I for one am completely shocked. I knew mother must be strong but she is scary strong. I look over and see Lora looking confused and Guard 1 seems like she's about to pounce on her.

“Big Sis, are you okay?” Lora runs over to where I am and starts shaking me while pulling on my clothes. I was going to respond, but my danger senses kicked in and I threw a flame fist towards the direction I sensed danger. A rock blew up and I see George looking at me with an angry face. I myself feel my blood boiling.

“What are you doing?! Are you trying to hurt Lora? Even if you don't like me it's unacceptable for you to put Lora in harm's way. What is wrong with you? Shadow come protect Lora. If George wants a fight then I'll give him one.”

“Very well Princes but we will stop this if it goes too far.” Shadow picks up Lora and then hands her to Guard 2 to watch while Guard 1 has a bitter look on her face a little before looking our way with a serious face.

I hold my dagger in my hand and infuse my lightning into it while I form another flaming fist in my other hand. George begins forming several rocks orbiting him and then I see two smaller swords float of the training rack. These training swords are dulled so they can't hurt anyone but they can still be dangerous. The swords float at Georges sides while the stones orbit around him.

I dash forward while George throws some rocks at me with a cocky grin. I see he's underestimating me too. The first rock reaches me and I blast it away with my fist creating pebbles flying around and a small dust cloud. I swing my dagger at the direction the other rock was and keep moving. As I exit the cloud I see the rock split in two falling to the ground and another rock that was orbiting George has been slashed as well but it looks like my lighting dissipated halfway.

I decide it is better to use my flames more here. I form a fire edge around my blade and another flame fist. I backhand a rock that was orbiting George as I reached him. I then slashed in the direction of two more rocks. They are all blown away in a black flame explosion. Now that I'm within his range I stomp my foot creating a ring of flames that push George and the rest of his rocks away. I was going to go forward to punch him in the face, but the two swords came at me. I deflected the first one to the side but the second one I end up interlocking our blades. The second blade rises back up and comes towards my waist. I jump straight up while pulling my legs up as high as I can. I gather flames at the bottom of my feet and when the training blade is underneath my I stomp my feet down creating a small explosion and a crater forms around me.

The blade is smashed into pieces, but I can relax because I'm still trying to push away the other one. I infuse lightning to my dagger and use a lightning edge to cut the blade in half. It seems as though I was to distract with the blades because now I'm surrounded by stone spikes all around me. George seems like he's a little too happy about this situation. I guess I'm going to have to use that. I wanted to use it in a sneak attack on Shadow when we are having our next mock battle but I guess I don't have an option in this situation.

“Stop it right there Prince! You're going too far.” Shadow toys to stop George. With Georges character, he would never stop anyway.

The spikes all shoot at me at once and I let my mana rush out of my mana heart and form around my body. I then let my flames infuse with my mana armor and form my flame armor. I succeeded in this technique a while ago and I can keep it up for a little over two minutes. The spikes all shatter and explode on contact. I look at George and see his shock has made him lower his guard. I dash towards him and when I'm right at him I remove my armor on my fist before punching George in his face.

He falls on the ground and I jump on top of him and keep releasing my punches on his face. I removed my armor on my hands because I would have burned his face with my fist and at worst I would have killed him. He's still my family even if he doesn't seem to think of me the same way. I keep the punching going for a while and finish it off with a slap on his cheek. I then get up and dissipate my armor before walking away.

“If you're still awake I'll tell you this. You may think of me however and treat my anyway you like, but do not put Lora or anyone else in the middle of whatever problems you have. I don't care if you are afraid of me. I've never done anything to you but even I have limits to how much I can put up with.” I give my warning to him even if he's conscious or not. “Shadow I'm leaving for now. Please have my training weapon ready as soon as possible. Lora lets go make sure Mother doesn't kill that old man.” Lora runs up to me and grabs my outstretched hand. She looks concerned at her big brother before following me.

We get outside and see a disaster zone. There are rocks sticking out of the ground everywhere. There are stone pillars sticking out of walls and roofs. The entire ground is also flooded with water. I see Mother is a very strong water mage. I notice some of the boulders and pillars are smoothly cut like my lightning edge but these seem even smoother. I look around and see a mud monster walking towards us. I look around and don't see Mother or Roland so I grab Lora and start running from the mud monster. I try to run but we are caught and tackled into the mud.

“Why are you running from me? You're going to hurt mom's feelings.” Oh, I see the mud monster was Mother. I calm down, but it looks like Lora is still scared. And now we are all covered in mud and I know Mother did this on purpose for reason. “Oh we are all dirty now I guess we will have to all go take a bath and scrub you two clean.”

“No, you definitely did this on purpose. And you're scaring Lora you mud monster! Wheres the old man? You didn't get rid of him did you?”

“Of course not dear I would never get you dirty on purpose. Also, the old man should be somewhere. He let his guard down at some point and I blasted him away before seeing you two. Lora momma isn't a mud monster I'm your momma. I'm just a little dirty. Look at your sister and yourself too. Now bath time!” Uh oh, Lora has calmed down and looks excited. I look for escape plans but no opportunity arises so I accept my fate and have bath time with mother.