Somewhere Else

“They’re making quite the commotion over there…”

Frein did his best to ignore what was happening outside of his Dream Realm. Elizzel wasn’t helping. She wasn’t holding back her curiosity, leveraging it from the Tether along with his own, making it almost impossible for him to ignore her. She was undecided whether to stay on the task or get involved with Frill.

“Frill’s having some complications with the Mercurial Liquid,” said a small Norazzel. She was in her smallest incarnation yet, a dream wolf pup that was the size of his palm. She comfortably settled over Elizzel’s head, lying on her stomach and looking like an animal hat. With a round face and large eyes, she was admittedly incredibly adorable.

Frein was busy looking around his Exhibit, trying to find the best place for the Fulgurblade of the Thousand-Year Storm and the Shinemoon Scabbard. Elizzel’s proposal to combine the two along with Nakiri’s hilt to create a specialized Meiyal Art added some extra challenge, not that he would back off from something so interesting.

Still, where to put it?

“Katherine’s handling it, right?” Frein asked casually, not really trying to pay much attention to whatever the two faunels were talking about.

“Yes. Things have stabilized,” Norazzel replied.

“You don’t want to look?” Elizzel asked.

“We’ll ask about it later,” Frein said, adamant in his decision. He was considering an area the near north of his Mill. It wasn’t quite at the center since Elizzel had said to reserve that space for when he was sure of his Magnum Opus.

Just going by the name, Frein knew it was a special type of Meiyal Art or meiyal-charged material. One that was unique only to him, one that would define him. He wasn’t sure if a meiyal-charged material originating from a storm dragon Deitar combined with a moon should fit that spot. He could rearrange them when the time comes anyway.

“This looks like a good spot,” Elizzel commented. “It’s not too far away from your Emerald Guidance, so we can still expect some synergy.”

Frein looked to his left where the Emerald Guidance emitted a slight, verdant glow. It wasn’t currently active, but power steadily gathered within it, ready to provide when needed.

“I thought Powers of Color only work with themselves?” he asked. With the location finalized, the three of them returned to the meiyal-charged materials waiting at the entrance of the Exhibit.

“True, but you can always expect some sort of synergy with every material that integrates with your Exhibit,” Elizzel explained. Norazzel drooped over her head, almost falling off, but she casually caught the small pup and fixed her back on her head. “It’s not a drastic effect, so most practitioners don’t really care, but it’s better to allow for it if possible.”

“What sort of synergy should I expect?”

“It could be anything.” Elizzel crossed her arms and pondered for a while. Norazzel was now fast asleep, or she could be busy communicating with her other copy to monitor what was going on with Frill. At least, they would know if she really needed his help.

“Better meiyal flow, easier Drawing to name a few. Other materials might even include themselves with the integration, but I don’t expect it from the Emerald Guidance.” She held up a finger. “In any case, you can work for the synergy but don’t place your bet on it. It’s better to concentrate on the integration with the current materials you have instead.”

Frein nodded. “So how do I combine these?”

Fulgurblade of the Thousand-Year Storm crackled with lightning meiyal. It was a blindingly white blade, with electricity crawling all over it. He knew of Su’karix, who possessed the Thousand-Year Storm moniker, but he couldn’t quite fathom this piece of meiyal-charged material actually originating from such a powerful Deitar.

“You better believe it,” Elizzel said, tugging on the Tether. “If anyone were to actually get something like this, it would be someone as powerful as Rindea.”

She studied the material closely. “I’d say it’s a nicked talon nail or a chipped off tooth. Small enough to fit a human’s sword.”

“You’re saying it’s a scrap of its power?”

“For her, yes. For you, I’m not even sure if you can handle it without my help. For starters, this would probably require a normal practitioner to possess at least eighty-nine meiyal marks to integrate.”

“So only Katherine could possibly use this right now, technically.”

“Well, I’m here, so let’s not bother with that.”

Frein pointed to the other meiyal-charged material. “What about the Shinemoon Scabbard? You’re saying that came from the moon itself? I thought there wasn’t any space exploration in Brymeia?”

“It’s Schrodie.”

That didn’t make sense to Frein. “But Rindea didn’t know Schrodie until we mentioned her.”

“That, I can’t explain.” Elizzel tried not to look away, but she was too honest and pure to keep still when something bothered her.

“You know I can pull on the Tether, right?” Frein asked, giving the faunel a chance to open up herself.

She sighed. “It’s just that, I’m not sure if I should be telling you this.”

“I’m sure Schrodie would’ve warned you about it or shown up right now if you’re not supposed to tell me these things.”

The two waited for a while, but there was nothing except the slight snoring coming from Norazzel. So she did fall asleep…

“Well…” Elizzel hesitated once more. Frein felt guilty.

“Look, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. I won’t pry.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“No, no, no. I’ll say it. But don’t expect me to be able to explain everything.”

He nodded. “Fair enough.”

Elizzel found a display case on the floor and sat on it. Her arms still crossed. “You’ve been on the Shinemoon, Frein. That’s where the Gatekeeper stays.”

Frein blinked twice at the tidbit. “Are you sure?”

“I remember it. I’m sure.” Elizzel crossed her legs this time. Her eyes were full of confidence now that she had decided to tell. “Not only that, but it was Evanclad who actually created Schrodie.”

“But he didn’t know about the Gatekeeper when we met him.” It was now Frein’s turn to find a display case big enough for him to sit on.

“That was the Evanclad of the past, yes. From a time before he created Schrodie. A much weaker version of him.”

“What do you mean?”

She shrugged. “Well, Schrodie and I have reason to believe that the First Monarch might still be alive, but is currently not in Brymeia.” She was also quick to make sure they didn’t go on a tangent.

“In any case, point here being, is that Schrodie used to acquire meiyal-charged materials from the Shinemoon. He’d leave them in significant places or subtly give them directly to would-be heroes to help them out. But this was before he became in-charged with the Visitors and Seekers.”

“Schrodie doesn’t do it anymore?”

Elizzel shook her head. “If he did, he would’ve given you or Katherine one already.”

Questions filled Frein’s mind. He knew the minute he entertained them, he’d be too distracted to accomplish their actual task. And as much as he wanted to theorize on the implications of a healthy and living Evanclad being absent in his Nightmare-filled world, he was also equally excited to finally come up with his own Meiyal Art.

It has to be a sword. There was simply no other option. The thought brought about an image of a blacksmith in his mind, and it surfaced another question.

“So I’m sure the difference is pretty distinct for you, but if I’m making a sword out of all these materials, how different is it compared to Forging?”

“What do you mean?” The question rendered Elizzel confused. She even tugged at the Tether to no avail nor clarity.

“The result ends with a sword, or a Weapon as far as Meiyal Armaments are concerned. And why is it Donning a Weapon? Who makes these terms?”

“But you’re Drawing it, not Forging or Donning,” Elizzel said as if that explained everything. “When Meiyal Armaments was first conceptualized, they were focused more on Armors rather than Weapons. At least, that’s what Schrodie said to me.”

“Did she tell you if the two were supposed to work together? Meiyal Arts and Armaments?”

“How did you come up with that?”

“Bunch of research. Xiv thinks so too.”

Elizzel smiled. “Well, you’re right. I don’t really remember how it all happened, personally. I was busy taking care of Evangeline when Evanclad, Kristella, and Galavand were busy coming up with the disciplines. But what Schrodie said to me yesterday can confirm your theories. The two were supposed to work together.”

“Sorry, you met Schrodie yesterday?”

“Last night, you were busy, remember?”

“Oh…right.”

Elizzel slightly blushed as Frein’s recollection of his intimate night with Katherine oozed through the Tether. The faunel was quick to return to the original topic.

“Anyway, Meiyal Armaments were originally focused on defense, while Meiyal Arts were for offense. But history happened and now the two are their own disciplines. So they adapted along the way. Siffera was eventually developed to create a protective layer of meiyal around you, along with Drawn battle gears, sort of like the Armors of Meiyal Armaments. And Weapons were Forged in response to their lack of offensive capabilities, that’s why Armaments practitioners are stuck with Donning a Weapon.”

Clarity dawned on Frein, but the clouds of mystery quickly took over. “So, why is it so difficult to learn both disciplines now?”

Elizzel opened her mouth but came up empty. Norazzel responded instead, her voice accompanied with a yawn.

“Because thousands of years have passed since a devoted bloodline consistently tried to learn both disciplines. Monarch Kristella Irista was the last person I know to have done it. You see a brave pioneer venture on both paths every once in a while, but none of their descendants followed through. Eventually, the genes simply settled to adapt to one discipline once a practitioner decided whether to Draw or Forge.”

Norazzel hopped off Elizzel’s head and onto Frein’s arms, climbing to rest on his shoulders. She snuggled tightly before speaking once again.

“As for the difference. A Forged Weapon or Armor, as you can obviously tell, are like small Exhibits that can integrate with meiyal-charged materials, turning them into Embellishments.”

“So Meiyal Armaments have more Exhibits?”

“Each Armor or Weapon is limited to how many Embellishments they can have on them, unlike your Exhibit that can constantly grow and make room when needed. They have to Reforge their Armaments in order to make them stronger and make more room. I would say the progression on either is about the same, given all things equal in terms of acquiring meiyal-charged materials.”

Frein had never seen a pup balance itself effortlessly while sleeping on someone’s shoulder. But given Norazzel’s lack of weight, he figured he shouldn’t be surprised in the first place.

With the topic settled, the three of them turned their attentions back to the meiyal-charged materials. No matter how many times Frein considered it, the vision of a sword was still prominent in his mind. Not that he didn’t want a sword, but the type of the weapon in particular brought along with it a memory he’d rather have kept buried. Being inside his Mind Palace didn’t help at all. The memories were vivid and quick to respond to his queries, whether consciously or subconsciously made.

“Why not just recreate it?” Elizzel said. “The sword. No matter how much I pull on the Tether, I can’t get its name.”

“I don’t deserve Ayame anymore, Eli,” Frein said, turning to the faunel. The mention of the name caused a wave of regret to drown his heart. The memory was too vivid, but he prevented a Recollection from taking hold.

He didn’t want to relive it.

The scar on his chest throbbed and ached. A memory of a dancing girl, a childhood friend. A promise he intended to keep this time around. Frein took one breath and pushed them all away, but not before Elizzel could pull from them. The faunel was somber, eyes close to tears, and a sob escaped even as she struggled to hold them back.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“I gave her away, Eli. I don’t deserve the right to hold her anymore, even if it’s a recreation.” Determination filled Frein. He now knew what to do. He pulled Nakiri’s hilt from his Spatiera and presented it to Elizzel.

“We’ll make the sword first,” he said.

Norazzel picked up on the signal and jumped off of Frein, settling a distance away from the two of them.

“Good luck,” she said.

The same determination filled Elizzel. She took hold of the hilt with one hand and hovered her other hand in front of the Fulgurblade of the Thousand-Year Storm. Frein followed suit and reached out with his free hand, creating a circle. Lightning meiyal licked at his fingers, sending a numbing sensation all throughout his arm. He resisted them with Siffera.

“Ready?” Elizzel asked. Frein nodded and the two took hold of the material together.

The closed circuit sent lightning running through their bodies, but with emphasized Siffera surging from them, they managed to convince the material to cooperate, if only slightly. They pulled the lightning blade together and brought it close to the hilt.

The pressure and lightning surging from the Fulgurblade caused the hilt to sustain damage, creating black burn marks all around it. Elizzel was quick to envelop it with protective meiyal, minimizing the damage and preventing the entire thing from turning to ash.

The Fulgurblade of the Thousand-Year Storm was resisting union with the hilt, but Elizzel simply urged Frein to keep pushing. Frein gathered a hefty supply of meiyal and poured his four-meiyal alongside it, strengthening his Siffera.

They forced the material and the hilt to touch and for one instant, Frein thought there was an explosion. But in the next second, he found himself, along with Elizzel, standing in a different place, the material and hilt gone from their hands.

They were above the skies, staring at the distant stars. A large circular landmass loomed above them.

“Another guest? What a coincidence…”

A mature feminine voice echoed from behind and the two quickly turned to find a lady standing so casually in the air. She was dressed in white ceremonial robes. Her silver hair was tied in layers of buns, filled with different hair ornaments, but she still had excess to flow all throughout her body. Her eyes were white filled with sparkling blue with no pupil to be found. They narrowed at him, studying him. And then, she spoke once again, gravity and thunder followed her words.

“No…a Visitor.”

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