(Eve)

I wasn’t sure how long it had been since I entered this cold, dark abyss, but the longer I spent here the less I cared.

At first, it was nothing short of a nightmare, but as more time passed by, I remembered that there was always an end to a nightmare.

It had taken a while to reach the bottom, but once I had, the wind became all encompassing. It was like a horde of wild animals, each struggling against each other, with me stuck in the middle.

Like jumping into an icy lake, there was no hiding from the monstrosity that is wild gales. It seeped into every crevice, pressed down on me from all directions and stole my breath the moment I let my guard down. I had no idea how oppressive wind could be. It was beautiful in a way I was only now starting to understand.

The brutal cold crawled around my bones as the constant bombardment wicked away my body's warmth. It had taken days to grow comfortable enough to risk closing my eyes for rest. A few days after that I was able to stand up and walk around, though there was nowhere to go. As time went on, as my body and mana adapted to the harsh environment, even the wind had begun to bother me less and less.

Now all that nagged at me was the constant growling and growing pain of my stomach. Even though Io had brought me food on occasion, I didn’t have time to eat and even worse I have been using far more energy and mana than normal.

I knew I was still immature. I knew I had a lot to learn, but if I’ve learned one thing, it’s that this world waits for no one. So if this world won’t wait for me, then I’ll just move faster than the world.

‘Right, let’s get back to it.’ Sitting down in the unremarkable spot I had claimed as mine in this cold darkness, as I felt the last sips of the water I drank from the river run through my body.

As I had done many times so far, I let my mana flow through me, filling every vein in my body before I slowly began to release it into the howling gales around me.

But, the result was always the same. No matter how much mana I used, or how much force I put into it, the wind magic that I tried to force into the wild wind of this ravine would just swallow it up and continue moving on its own path.

I quickly brought my mana back into my body, as frustration replaced the feeling of mana in my body.

While I had made no progress yet, I knew that I had to pace myself. I had completely exhausted my mana a few times trying this method, causing me to fall unconscious and lose precious time to figure this out.

‘What am I missing? Why is it that no matter what I do it’s always the same result? I’ve tried different amounts of force, and different levels of mana but the result is still the same.’

Part of me knew I should ask Io for some type of insight, but another part of me couldn’t bring myself to. I’ve been helped countless times, more times than I could ever repay. So that’s why I need to grow and start doing things for myself.

After all, if I can’t even figure this out, then this second chance at life, and this mana heart I’ve been given would be wasted on me.

But what else can I try that I haven’t? What other method could there be? There has to be something I’m not seeing.

Closing my eyes, I allowed my mind to wander. I tried to think of everything I had been taught, all the experiences I had gone through, something that could give me some insight on what to do.

The wind is wild yet…there is an order to its madness. It wasn't random. Each action was a reaction to its surroundings. My mana is trying to force action where it doesn't belong, but how can I control it if I can't, well, control it?

All my thoughts on control caused a very old memory to surface.

I was a little girl in the woods with my father. A tiny bow in my hands, a spot free target a dozen or so meters away with random arrows on the ground below it. I was having trouble aiming, my body was tense and my breathing was rapid from me trying to hold it as long as I could while I aimed.

My father had been chuckling at me every time I shot. I really wanted to impress him but all I had accomplished was exhausting myself. What had he said…

‘That’s it!’ My eyes shooting open, as I felt my determination be rejuvenated.

I felt the mana flow through my body the same way it had since I had arrived here, but I felt like this time it would be different.

As my mana reached the point I felt was sufficient, I began to slowly force it out of me, but stopped myself.

Father's words replayed in my mind. 'Don't fight the rhythm of your body. Relax and become one with it.'

Father had to explain it a few times back then, but now I instantly understood. Relaxing my muscles, I let the mana begin to flow freely from me.

“It’s working!” I said to myself, as a beaming smile appeared on my face.

I could feel my wind magic expand, but instead of being swallowed by the wild wind in the ravine. It was now being carried along with it.

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I could feel the two winds slowly intertwining and becoming one and as they fused I could feel my own wind evolving.

Every second the winds touched, they became one more and more. I could feel everything the wind touched. The smoothness of the rocks, the flowing water, the different temperature levels inside, and I could feel the wind lessen its hold on me.

‘I’ve finally done it! I’ve caused myself to evolve, my first major step in improving my strength. I really need to thank Io for this opportunity, but for now.’ Letting a large smile cross my face for the first time in what felt like years. ‘It’s time for the wind and I to become one.’

~~~~~~~~~~~

It had taken longer than I expected, but the wind that had once been in this ravine was now completely silent.

Slowly standing up, I released my magic once more and immediately felt just how much it had increased. But that wasn’t all, not only had the strength and speed increased, I also realized I was now able to use my wind to sense my surroundings.

Everything it touched, I could feel all of it. As if the wind and I had truly become one.

It would take a lot of practice to understand what I could see and feel, but I was more than ecstatic with how much I've grown.

‘It’s finally time I leave this place, and show them what I’ve accomplished. I wonder how Amelia’s training has been going?’ Taking my first steps towards the entrance.

But as I began to walk I felt my legs buckle from underneath me, as a searing pain shot throughout my inner body.

I couldn’t tell what it was, but it felt like a shackle was violently releasing some of its hold on me from the inside. Then as quickly as it appeared it was gone.

‘What was that just now? Did I increase my rank? Is that the drawback of doing so? Well whatever, now’s not the time to dwell on that anyway.’ Picking myself up off the ground, as I continued my climb up the ravine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Took you long enough, how was it?” I heard a voice ask before I had turned the corner.

“It was a great experience, thank you for your help, Io.” Giving him a smile.

“W-was there something, or someone else down there with you?” He suddenly asked.

I hadn’t realized when I first looked at him, but now I could see the worry spread across his face like an open book for all to read.

“No, it was just me.” Feeling relief as the worry washed from his face.

“I can see you’ve grown quite a bit. That’s good.” He said, fiddling with his thumbs..“I’m sure you’re eager to see your friends again, but before that, please follow me.” Turning and walking away before I could answer.

‘Did he find out something? Did I make it too obvious that something was on my mind?’ Pushing the thoughts away as I quickly ran after him.

Io and I walked in silence as he led me down a path with many twists and turns.

I tried to match his pace since he was much shorter than me so the journey proved to be quite slow. However, I couldn’t complain since it gave me time to be amazed by both the fact he was able to navigate this cave so well, and just how large the infrastructure of this cave was. How long had it been here to reach such a level?

“This is the place.” Io finally talking for the first time on the walk, causing me to be pulled from my thoughts.

It was a rather basic cave compared to what I had seen so far, smoothed out stone walls, and a ceiling that stood about seven meters tall with varying mana crystals placed around to allow light to shine in the cave.

But it wasn’t until Io began walking towards the center of the cave, that I finally noticed what he must have brought me here for.

In the middle on a makeshift podium was an arrow with vines curling around it. But as strange as that was, I couldn’t help but feel the power coming off the single arrow.

“What is this?” I asked as I slowly examined the arrow with my eyes, at a glance I could tell it was well made. Someone who was truly a master at crafting arrows as I looked at the pristine feathers, with the carved oak wood in the shape of flowers and golden tip.

“What do you think it is?” He asked not letting his eyes waver from the object.

“An arrow.”

My response was met with an immediate childish giggle that he tried his best to suppress before talking. “Well that’s quite right, but it’s much more than that. This arrow is an ancient artifact. One so old, I’m not even sure what it does.”

“You don’t know what it is either? And what do you mean by ancient artifact?”

“I’m not the original owner of this cave, but I’m not sure who was either. By the time I had arrived here, it had long been deserted. This artifact has been here since I arrived, but surely you can tell yourself this is no ordinary arrow.”

“I can, the power coming from it is quite daunting. But that doesn’t explain anything about it, or why you’re showing it to me now.”

“Would you believe me if I told you this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to this arrow?”

“What do you mean this is the closest you’ve gotten to it?”

“Everytime I had tried to approach this arrow in the past, a wall of vines would block my path. Not just that, even I felt like if I continued to approach it my life would be in danger. The aura that had emanated from this arrow used to be even stronger in fact, but ever since you arrived it has become a lot more mild.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Ancient artifacts are different from other artifacts, not just because they’re far superior to other artifacts and only few remain in existence but they choose who can use them.”

“Are you saying it has chosen me? Is it a sentient object?”

“Sentient'' may be the word to use for it. I've never heard of one being able to talk, but it’s clear it has some consciousness and ability to think. As for whether it has chosen you or not, we won’t know until you try to pick it up.” Gesturing with his hand for me to try.

I couldn’t help but admit that I felt like I was drawn to it, almost as if it was pulling me in, begging me to take it.

I reached my hand out towards the arrow, but before I could even grab it, it quickly flew into my hand.

Immediately upon entering my hand, I watched as the vines began to grow thorns as they started to flail around.

‘It’s going to kill me?!’ I thought, but before I could drop it the vines were already making their way towards my hand.

‘Is this really how I’m going to die? To a plant? After I finally felt like my journey was starting to take place.’

But as the vines reached my hand, they began to settle.

I slowly began allowing myself to calm down as the vines began retracting back onto the arrow, before one of them quickly swiped at my hand, poking my finger with a thorn.

I quickly jerked my finger back and checked for any damage, only finding a small trickle of blood from my finger tip.

But as I looked back at the arrow, the pain went into the back of my mind.

The blood on the thorn began to disappear and as it did the carved out flowers on the arrow began to glow a faint green before it went away.

‘What was that?…. Does that mean this now belongs to me?’ Quickly looking up at Io, to see him adorning a wide grin.

“That’s right, Eve. It now belongs to you, congratulations an ancient artifact has chosen you to be its master.” Obviously guessing what I was thinking in my head. “But it’ll be a while before you can use it, there is no way a C rank would have enough mana to activate something this powerful.. But nevermind that it’s time to celebrate you’ve greatly improved your strength and been chosen by an ancient artifact. I’m sure you want to get back to your friends so let’s go back and eat together.” Quickly walking towards the exit.

“Io, wait.” His body stopped tensely, as he kept his back turned towards me. “What would have happened if you were wrong about it choosing me?”

“Oh that? Umm w-well… those plants sure looked like they could use some fertilizer.”

“You mean I would have died?!”

“I wouldn’t call it dying, per se. Think of it as mandatory eternal rest, you know? Gotta stay positive!”

“Y-you?!”

“What? You seem really upset about dying, but hey, at least it wouldn’t go over your head!” he said, bursting into laughter and quickly continuing his exit before I could respond.

"Wha… Was that supposed to be a pun?!" I shouted as I released a burst of my mana to dash and try and catch him, but he jumped just as my arms closed around where he was and landed right on my back as I landed on my face.

“I guess you missed the point.”

“I’m going to-” I yelled out as I whipped around to try and grab him, but all I found was a rabbit in my hands.

“I see you’re positively quivering. Well anyway, I’ll go now. Ta’ ”

‘Th-This bastard!! Damn illusion magic, Io you better hope I never catch up to you, or I’m going to seriously return the favor one day.’ I thought as I quickly chased after him.