After traversing back into Katraia to rest at King Alderius' Palace, the took another carriage North-East, towards the upland hills.
Vixella was tasked with escorting the Archmage Johnathan Bluestars until they reached the capital of Valoratia for peace talks.
The roaring plains shifted within view relatively swiftly as their wagon rolled down the paved hillside road.
Vixella peeked enthusiastically out of the open window as her hair fluttered in the morning breeze.
Cows moo-ed on the roadside as farmsteads were seen here and there in the distant meadows.
"Ara...? Our lady seems happier this time around?"
Jessica smiled at Xenthur who in return nodded a few times.
Upon hearing such, Vixella decided to pop herself back inside.
"Well, it's because I'm happy to get away from all that snow."
"In my humblest of opinions... Snow is calm and peaceful in a way..."
John mundanely spoke as he looked out the window on the opposite side.
"I don't get how you'd even put up with that."
"What might you mean..."
"The snow... The snow... THE SNOW...!?"
"An endless supply of books is delivered to my room in the wizard tower citadel... That's how I would entertain myself..."
"Speaking of which, weren't you a shut-in for quite a while back there?"
"Yes... I am ashamed to say that I haven't seen much of the outside world after becoming an Archmage..."
"Books are nothing compared to the real deal, trust me!"
"I beg to differ."
"Aah... Okay, I'll convince you soon... So, have you read about that one fortress city built in the middle of a lake?"
"The capital of Valoratia, LadyLake... Yes, I have... Why?"
"Well, don't you want to see it with your own eyes?"
John seemed a bit conflicted before nodding like a curious child.
"Of... Of course... I would..."
Vixella slid open the shutter to meet eyes with Xenthur who was peddling out front.
"FULL FLANK AHEAD!"
"It shall be... AS YOU SAY!"
Xenthur smashed the reins as the horses began to accelerate, leaving quite a big trail of dust behind their speeding wagon.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/404059426413084672/616356273385898061/Tales-of-Zestiria-the-X-01-15.jpg] ((Reference))
"Wow... This truly... This is nothing compared... What I've read in those books cannot... Aaaaa----!?"
"Take it easy, we still have a lot of time before the peace talks begin."
Vixella sighed, tugging back in the John who was about to fall out the window.
"S-Sorry... I... Just excited to see it in person..."
"Anyways, to congratulate throwing away your former life as a NEET..."
"If I may... I did not choose the NEET life, the NEET life chose me..."
"Yeah yeah... But we ain't got all day to be sitting in this damned traffic!"
She kicked open the door and took John by the hand, much to his surprise as he nearly tumbled over.
"L-Lady Vixella... W-What are you...!?"
John seemed a bit unsteady as he was lobbed onto Vixella's shoulders.
"Teheheh, I'll make sure to show you every corner of LadyLake!"
"H-Have you... Been here... Before...?"
"Aah, don't worry! I've been here before... Just quite a long time ago!"
Vixella confidently spoke as she began running down the Great Bridge.
"Ara-!? Lady Vixella! You can't just kidnap my dear brother like that!"
Jessica quickly hopped out of the wagon with the intent to chase them, however-
"You surely jest in going after them?"
Xenthur smiled happily from the peddler's seat.
"Hoh? What might you be implying?"
"As per the contract, I shall request your assistance to unload our trade goods-"
"Why do you need my help? Can't you just use your magic?"
"Use Hands of Darkness to lift the crates? That will surely draw too much attention..."
"Then I shall humbly decline and go after-"
"Ah, it seems like I must make sure... That it will not come to that..."
Xenthur hopped off the wagon to confront her.
Jessica slowly made distance and grasped the hilt of her claymore.
"Please step out of the way..."
"Will you comply? Or shall we make a scene in front of everyone on the bridge?"
Xenthur smiled nonchalantly as he hinted over his shoulder at the many people that began looking their way.
Jessica sighed heavily before letting go of the claymore.
"I... Shall comply..."
After showing John the hotspots of town until noon, Vixella spent the later hours taking John towards the outskirts.
Visiting a nearby farmstead, the farmers welcomed them just like they would to any nobility... Until they saw the pin on her dress.
Elderian Emmisary-!?
Yup, they were nearly shocked to death.
After calming down the farmers, Vixella convinced them to let her and John help out for the day.
There, she showed the Archmage many new things in farm life such as how to handle the livestock.
Milking the cows and pitchforking the haystacks wasn't too fun for John who wasn't physically built.
"Cam an' Johnny Boye! Ya' Gatta help out around ze farm!"
Hearing the fat aunt shout at him from the far, John felt troubled that he wasn't able to do much.
After seemingly reaching his limits, he instead began to handle the tools with precise wind magic.
"Aah... I need some time off to seclude myself to training... So I can do lazy stuff like that as well..."
"Lady Vixella... Did you... Say something?"
John who heard some mumbling turned around, still casually moving around the pitchfork with wind magic.
"Nope", she forced a smile, "I was just thinking how nice would it be if Light Magic can only grab around objects like that!"
"I think... That would be impossible... But I thought Lady Vixella could use all the elements...?"
"I'm bad at controlling anything other than Light Magic, to be honest."
"Well... Just train... Right...? It took me just a few weeks to master this kind of thing..."
He then lifted another pitchfork with wind magic to neatly tuck the hay away in a pile.
"Hahaha, I'm not a genius who can master magic so fast though?"
"I see... That's too bad then..."
At this point, John was quite confused about why Vixella was just standing there... Smiling at him.
For whatever reason, he began to think that the sweet smile on her face somehow felt quite menacing.
John quickly decided to throw aside the thought, seeing how he was still a bit too dense to understand such things.
The next morning after heading back into LadyLake, they stumbled upon Xenthur and Jessica who sat by a streetside café.
Vixella then greeted them before taking a seat beside Jessica as John also did the same on Xenthur's side of the table.
"Ara... I hope my lady did not do something weird to my dear brother?"
At this point, John began to realize that his sister's smile had the same energy as Vixella's smile back then.
To hide simply hide such menace behind a sweet smile... Is it something only women can do?
"Rest easy, predating children is the last thing on my wishlist."
Xenthur sighed at Vixella.
"My lady... How couldn't you know that the archmage's 18th birthday is due tomorrow?"
"Aah, then it's fine even if I did...? Wait... What did you just say-!?"
John meekly raised his hand.
"Lady Vixella... I have a question... Did I seem like that much of a child to you...?"
"Aah, yeah... Sorry", she averted her eyes, "I thought you were twelve or something."
"Seeing the... Sincerity... In your apology... I forgive you..."
"Yeah, anyways... About your 18th birthday present... I think I'll do something special..."
John gulped upon seeing Vixella seemingly hesitant with her words.
Out of curiosity... He had also been those kinds of books...
That's right... The ones about the interaction between men and women!
WAIT... JUST WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING, JOHN-!?
"We're busy right now so you'll have to wait... But... How about I come to visit you at the tower sometime in the future?"
"N-No problem... I-I can wait..."
"Thanks, I'll make sure that you'll love it."
At this point, John's mind had gone blank as he began to fantasize about whatever and whatever.
"John, were you listening? Yeah, since you like reading so much, that's what I plan to do when I come to visit."
He blinked once and returned to reality upon hearing such.
"Wait... Lady Vixella... Can you repeat what you just said...?"
"I said I'll bring some books over to read together with you at the tower sometime in the future... As the late birthday present?"
John's head dipped down slightly.
"To think that I had gotten my hopes up for nothing..."
"What's wrong? You tired of yesterday's farm work?"
Vixella looked at him for a bit before casually munching onto the croissant she took from the plate they had ordered earlier.
"Ara... When Lady Vixella ran off with my dear brother like that... Did she not have any intentions for him?"
"Intentions? Why would I have anything against the Archmage?"
Upon hearing Vixella claim such, everyone around the table sighed simultaneously.
After they were done with the drinks and bread, the four continued to idly stroll through the cityscape.
Vixella and Jessica were out front discussing something, while John and Xenthur quietly followed behind.
"Sir Xenthur...", John weakly looked up at him, "Will Lady Vixella ever see me as a man at this rate...?"
Xenthur glanced at him shortly before slowly looking skyward with a face filled with regret.
"That I cannot answer... For this lonesome path as you walk alongside her... You shall learn to know it well."
"What is that supposed to mean..."
The sun shifted across the sky as time went by.
Late evening.
Stairway balcony.
Xenthur and Jessica conversed to the side as John and Vixella watched the sunset in the azure beyond the walls together.
Jessica then suddenly broke off from Xenthur as she leaned towards her brother who turned his view to face her.
"Arara... John! Did you have fun today?"
"Well..."
"Teheheh, don't you have something to say to all of us?"
Vixella softly shoved him forward from behind.
"Yes... For everyone here to show me the world so far... I'm really... Grateful..."
A subconscious smile appeared on his usually mundane face.
Xenthur raised an eyebrow.
"Surely, the Archmage didn't-"
"Araaaa-!? To think that John would smile!"
"That means he's happy to make memories with all of us, right? Great!"
"You guys..."
"Hoh... Why don't we all head to the local barkeep and celebrate John's upcoming birthday early?"
"Truly a splendid idea! It has been a while since I've last visited a barkeep... Off we go, let us drink all our worries away!"
Xenthur eagerly took the lead as he was the first to begin heading down the stairway beside the balcony overlook they were on.
They all happily laughed as they paced down the balcony steps together.
Vixella, on the other hand, was warily glancing at the far-off belltower.
There was something amiss... Someone was looking at them...
"Lady, we'll leave you behind if you don't hurry!"
Upon hearing Jessica shout from below, Vixella decided to shake off the thought as she hurriedly ran down the steps after them.
A CENTURY LATER
(Eerie Transition Music)
BUSHAAAA!!!
The night sky flashed as heavy raindrops slammed onto the windowpane.
Vixella silently rolled off the bed and snuck towards the door exiting her room.
Not even make the slightest of sounds were made as she prepared herself.
"It's me... Jessica..."
Lowering her guard, Vixella went forward with annoyance to open the door.
"What? Assassins?"
"No... Even if there were... I'll protect everyone..."
John spoke up from below as he fumbled around a little.
Upon realizing that the two were a bit drunk, Vixella smiled wryly.
"Look, people are trying to sleep at this hour."
Jessica glanced up and down to realize that Vixella was in her sleepwear lingerie that most nobles would wear.
"Hoh... My apologies, lady."
"But to see you without your armor... Aah, you wear tunics and pants as well?"
"As well?"
"That's what I mostly wore every single day before I became a lady."
"Naruhodo."
"So why are you guys knocking on my door again?"
"John needs the outhouse."
"And?"
"I've come to ask for your permission to leave your proximity, per the bodyguard's contract-"
"Can't John just go alone?"
"It's dangerous... Out at night..."
John grumbled out.
"You're just scared of the dark, aren't you?"
He looked up to protest, but upon seeing Vixella in her lingerie sleepwear, he quickly averted his eyes.
"Aah, so that's what it is... Stop being scared of the dark soon, alright? You're an adult now..."
"Yes... I'll try..."
"Anyways, I can take care of myself so go ahead with your sister... The outhouse is behind the inn."
The door was then closed shut upon the two of them without warning.
Little did Vixella notice the arm-blade still strapped on as she jumped back into the bed.
She made satisfying groans in her sleep as she shuffled about in the comfy blankets.
Right now, she was all but wearing the noble underwear that she was given a while back.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/455394821364908032/459532990981341214/Ref.jpg]( Something like this?[https://cdn.discordapp.com/emojis/358005925614977026.png] )
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
((Couldn't find "SFW" Garterbelt Panties so you'll just have to imagine it! BAKA BAKA HENTAI!))
During Vixella's time as the last summon, she usually did not have much time to rest.
Xiveall had always been fighting tiresome battles even before the Great War began.
As of recent, she was able to rest without the fear of demons attacking in her sleep.
Vixella was surely enjoying life, especially sleep, much more than anyone could imagine.
Thunder followed by the sound of someone wailing came from the inn's backyard alleys below the window.
Vixella frowned slightly as she grumbled and slowly opened her amber eyes that shone dimly under the moonlight.
"Troublesome night... John can't go to the toilet alone... Rain... Someone outside was struck by...?"
She paused upon realizing that there was no flash in the skies earlier.
Although there was the crackling of thunder...
There was no flash in the skies above...
Lightning Magic-!?
Vixella sprung into action.
She unlocked the window with a subtle click.
Pomf.
She landed into the courtyard behind the luxurious inn as the flooded grass splashed when she ran forth.
Her movements were extremely silent and precise, seeing how each footstep blent in with the raindrops.
Coming to a subtle stop, she peeked around the hedge overlooking the outhouse and washing well area.
Upon approaching the scene, the unpleasant smell of roasted human flesh struck her nose.
BUSHAA!!
The sky flashed momentarily to reveal two corpses near the well.
One of the bodies were burnt to a crisp, probably by Lightning Magic.
"There's not many mages who can use Lightning Magic this well... John, huh."
Vixella knelt to inspect the intact corpse which had a punctured hole through the temple.
There was a struggle.
But where's the thrusting dagger?
"Then... Jessica must've disarmed this man and used his weapon against him..."
Vixella sighed and stood back up as rainwater poured down her soaked body.
But before she was able to put on the imaginary detective cap and smoking pipe, the sound of a crossbow racked off.
(For dummies, that was the meme... 'Vixella Holmes'.)
With a swish of her arm-blade expanding out, the bolt was cut away as she pivoted 90 degrees to avoid the splinters.
Before the shady figure on the alleyway rooftops ahead could react, a magical beam of light pierced straight through him.
Carefully pacing up to the man that fell off the roof, Vixella kicked him over to inspect his attire and gear.
"As I thought... These guys aren't some ordinary street thugs... They're trained killers... Assassins."
Already counting dozens, Vixella traced the trail of bodies deeper into the complex alleyways.
Vixella smiled wryly upon realizing that Jessica and John had done quite the number on them.
Sneaking up behind a presumed assassin, she knocked him out with a single chop to his nape.
(Btw FYI, this kinda shit doesn't work in real life... It's only in movies and anime, LOL.)
Relieving him of his cloak, she swung it over herself and adjusted the collar before knotting it.
At this point, Vixella finally realized that all she had on underneath was her soaked sleepwear.
Leaning out to overlook an open area where four alleyways intersected, Vixella hid her presence in the shadows.
Out in the open, Jessica was confronting an assassin to protect John who was cowering in fear behind her.
John was seemingly in panic, seeing how there was blood all over him... Not his blood though.
Restraining the man by the wrist as she lunged forth, Jessica plunged the thrusting dagger into his temple.
Shoving his corpse away, she heaved heavily upon checking that no more assassins were around.
Jessica was bleeding quite badly in certain places.
All over her body were many cuts and grazes.
The rain, however, washed all the blood down onto the ground.
"Ara... To think that I would get hurt this bad... Perhaps I should've just kept my armor on..."
John trembled as he stepped forth, trying to stabilize his bubbly magical formations.
"I-I have to focus... Use healing magic... Sister is hurt...".
Jessica then dropped the dagger before hugging John to comfort him.
The bubbly magical formations eventually gathered properly and formed around them.
"John... I'm sorry... That you had to go through such an ordeal... But it's okay now-"
PLUCK
A crossbow bolt had found its mark.
John's eyes widened in surprise as he landed on his bum, having been pushed away by Jessica earlier.
In front lied his sister still on the ground with a crossbow bolt oozing with ominous purple liquid jammed in her back.
"S-Sister...?"
Vixella didn't hesitate to fire off a light beam at the sole assassin on the rooftops above.
Out of reflex, the assassin slanted away his form to dodge the beam but was still grazed by it.
The intensity of the impact charred flesh off his right arm, sending him tumbling down into the intersection.
Much to his efforts to stand back up, he was blown against the wall by a funnel of wind magic.
John kept the wind funnel going as he conjured forth a lightning vortex alongside a large blob of water.
Fusing the two elements, bright sparks of electrical discharge flew everywhere as it was hurled at the assassin.
Vixella who still hid in the shadows witnessed the horrifying scene unfold right before her luminous eyes.
Despite John seemingly annihilating him, the assassin was barely alive thanks to his enchanted gear and protective runes.
If taken from his skills and gear that the other assassins didn't have, he probably the best among them... If not their leader.
The assassin coughed out blood as he didn't give up and further tried to break himself out from the wind funnel.
John, upon seeing that he was still alive, cried out in anger as he lifted a gigantic chunk of stone with Ground Magic.
Immolating it with Fire Magic, he hurled the molten fiery slag chunk at the man without a second thought to spare his ashes.
In the aftermath, all that could be seen was hot boiling blood smeared against the cobblestone walls.
Hot steam dispersed into the air as the cold night rain seeped the dark crimson away into the gutters.
There was not a single trace of the assassin left behind.
No longer having the strength to speak, Jessica smiled softly as she reached out to shakingly hold onto her brother's hands.
Vixella made a determined look as she paced up to John who shortly fell onto his knees to cry over his dying sister.
"Lady Vixella..."
John turned over to see her rush up to the scene.
"This is my fault... Because I wasn't paying attention, I didn't notice the assassin."
Vixella compelled out both hands as her bubbly magical formations tended to Jessica.
The lodged bolt clanked out onto the ground as the wound mended within just a second.
"Lady Vixella... It's no use... My sister's already-"
Vixella angrily took him by the collar before letting go.
"Don't you dare say it."
"B-But the poison..."
John claimed out as tears slowly ran down his squinted eyes.
Stopping poison from traversing further into someone's blood system was already a hard feat for herbalists.
However, when it came to healing magic, the sheer mental effort required to circulate it through the veins... It was near impossible.
Vixella who seemed like she had trouble keeping up with healing Jessica's near-dead state smiled bitterly.
"Aah, since it's already like this... Let me ask you... Johnathan Bluestars, do you believe in miracles?"
John was at a loss for words but nodded as he grasped his sister's hand tighter, flooding tears as his composure broke down.
The bubbly magical formations suddenly went away as bright sparks instead began to gather and swirl restlessly around them.
John, bewildered by the strange magical formations, turned to the side to see Vixella's amber eyes fully open.
At first, he had thought that her pupilless eyes were strange yet alluring from the start.
But now, he had finally realized that it was something much greater.
As her eyes began to glow, he could see them... Vixella's pupils.
They were shaped after the Holy Templar Crosses of Old Times.
Those eyes...
It can't be...
John tried his best to hold back the tears as he gawked at the scene of the person who was tending to his dying sister.
The warm Holy Spirits that swarmed out from Vixella caused his sorrows, doubts, and worries to be all put to rest.
The archmage had read many books, including those depicting forgotten tales during the Great War.
Johnathan Bluestars... Do you believe in Miracles?
Vixella's words resonated through him.
No wonder... That's right... Miracles did exist.
The Saint of Hope was right here all along.
John's eyes began to fill with tears once again as hope began to fill his once despaired heart.
Vixella tiredly swiped away the sweat and rainwater off her face.
"Aah... Come to think of it... It would be troublesome if my identity gets out..."
"Don't worry," John sniffled and squinted his teary eyes, "I won't tell anyone!"
He then hugged Vixella's side tightly before breaking down into a stream of tears, wailing aloud.
Much to her bothered look as she glanced at him for a bit before continuing to focus on the healing.
Swallowed by the glimmering lights that Vixella orchestrated with her hand, Jessica closed her eyes to embrace the warmth.
The Holy Spiritual Lights which had previously carried on the hopes and dreams of many then dispersed high into the night sky.
John would not believe his eyes, for all he saw, were fireflies.
"T-Thankyou so much... AAAA-"
"Alright, I get that this is quite the emotional scene and all but I'm not your damned handkerchief so... Get off me!"
Vixella's face twitched as she softly elbowed John away before wiping the tears and snot off her side in disgust.
"O-Oh... Sorry... I was just..."
"Arara...? Seems like I'm still alive..."
Nearly being done with cleaning her side, Vixella unsurely glanced at Jessica who rolled over to lay happily on her back.
"Jessica, even though you've been fully healed, you shouldn't move around too much just yet-"
"If my body is ready", Jessica sprung up onto her two feet, "then so am I."
"Jessica... Were you top of the class back at Knight Academy?"
"Ara? Why is Lady asking this all of a sudden?"
"Answer me first."
"Yes? My instructor back then had also said something about me being a 'Genius'...?"
"Aah, no wonder you recovered wayyyyyy too fast from near-death trauma... Even I would take a while to recover from that..."
"Truthfully speaking, Lady... I would've gotten back up faster if there wasn't any poison that numbed my senses."
"That does it by an obvious margin... You're much stronger than Alexei, huh..."
"Lady Vixella... Who is this... Alexei..."
John walked over to hold his sister's hand, much to Jessica's surprise before gradually smiling.
"What? When did I ever mention Alexei to you?"
Jessica who lifted John up to her shoulder for him to sit sighed softly.
"Lady... If I may... You mumbled his name just now."
Vixella seemed a bit surprised.
"I mumbled his name?"
John nodded as if a bit troubled.
"Yes... Just did a few seconds ago..."
"That's strange... Why would I mumble about him...?"
"Hoh, if I remember correctly, Sir Xenthur once said that he was your future husband? Then, you must miss him a lot!"
"Future... Husband..."
John lowered his gaze as if he was determined to fight against something even greater... That's right... A love rival-!?
Wait, John... What is wrong with you! Bad decision! Cancel! Cancel! Why would you fall for this dense airhead-!?
"That was a joke? He's just my Companion... But for me to mumble about him without knowing... That's a bit concerning..."
The sky flashed once again.
"Then... Lady Vixella... Would it be possible for me to also become one of your Com-"
BUSHAAA!!
The thunder deafened John's words.
Vixella stood up and pointed at the assassin she had knocked out earlier who was unconsciously leaning against the far wall.
"Jessica, can you haul back that guy and time him up? I'll think of something... It might be possible to use him as evidence later."
"Of course, Lady."
"Then... Lady Vixella... Once again... May I-"
"Damn, I just realized... I'll hurry back to the inn first before someone who wakes up early sees me in my soaked sleepwear!"
Completely oblivious of the situation, Vixella ignored them and ran the wall to the rooftop before leaping away out of sight.
"Ara? Was my little brother utterly dumped and rejected just now?"
"Sister... There's something I've been wanting to tell you throughout all these years..."
"Yes?"
"I hate you."