I stood there, facing Jakari, my heart pounding in my chest. Sora: I know. But I just wanted to see how far apart, are we. Jakari: If you’re feeling that bold, then how about try the same thing?! As we locked eyes, a mix of curiosity and a hint of fear swirled within me. I couldn't help but wonder how far apart we truly were. Sora: Um... Galawnee: Don’t get scared now! Where did that confidence go?! Jakari: I think it’s disrespectful, to ignore me. If you want a test, I gladly give you one!

Sora: I’m good. Ali: Nah, it’s plain rude. Galawnee: Hey, kid! Does this mean you’re ready for my boss fight? Sora: No. And I just wanted to see the fruits of my training after a few years passed. Artoria: If I didn’t know any better, I don’t think you got any stronger. Well at least from training. Sora: But I did, I’m way stronger, now. Jakari: I can’t tell!

Artoria: Leave it be. It’s pointless. Sora, sit back and engage with your unit. Brok: Pisspot, the booze! Sora: You will have your drinks in a moment. Benson: Sora, you seem distracted! Sora: I’m listening. Peyton: Then what are we talking about now?! Sora: How to break up a defense! Peyton: Wrong! The question was, what formations are going to be the best when going against the Serpents?!

I don’t know any formations about this game. I don’t know the game’s tactics. I know in a real battle, there are two ways I know how to handle this. If the enemy is passive, they just sits and wait.

Then you have to be aggressive and push them. Speaking in a group sense, you need to coordinate you're pushing the enemy back. And second way is if the enemy know when to be passive and knows when to be aggressive. Then you have to try to isolate one of them and pick them off one by one.

Sora: I don’t know any of CMF tactical terminology, like that. Brianna: And you supposed to be smart?! Peyton: Next time, pay attention! Sora: I wasn’t done. Brianna: Yeah, you were! Deshon: You were about pull something out of your ass! Don’t even cap, nigga! Valencia: Are you not going to defend, Sora?! Sophia: You’re talking to me?!

Justin: Ah, jeepers, here we go! Valencia: Yes, I’m talking to you. Are you not going to defend him? Sophia: He can take it. This is mere child’s play for him. Valencia: You should at least say something, letting everyone know, I’m on his side. Sophia: First of all, I don’t need someone like you telling me what to do, and how to act! Sophia sarcastically laughed and got up into V’s face with this snobby expression on her that I despised the most about her, can’t stand that fucking look on her. But V remains stoic and seemed unbothered by her antics.

Valencia: And what does Sora see in you? Sophia: A wife. Someone, that actually has a future unlike, you! Valencia: Alright. Anything else?! Sophia: My brilliance, my charm, my ambition. Something you don’t have! Anymore, worthless questions of yours?! Valencia: Just one more. Why does it seem like his love for you, is akin to slave loving their master?!

Valencia stoic expression vanished, you can see the bottled up rage, she’s trying hold. Sophia's words seemed to strike a nerve, provoking Valencia further. With each passing moment, the tension between them grew. Sophia: You don’t know anything about us. From an outsider's point of view, like yours, you simply can’t understand, what an actual relationship is! V, takes a deep breath and looks back at me and starts walking away from the group, and she created herself a chair made of snow, and had a seat near the cabin. As I observed Valencia in her icy chair, I couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and concern. On one hand she is sticking up for me, and she was the bigger person in that little spat. But allowing herself to be agitated by Sophia is a cause of concern, because bottled-up anger can be dangerous for both parties in the matter.

Edwin: You sure weren’t lying about that superiority complex. Galawnee: I remember you were saying, it’s not that bad. When I brought it up. Sora: It’s not that bad. It’s actually reasonably good. Brok: Comparing pieces of shits, to one another. The result is still the same, a piece of shit. Sora: She didn’t treat ya’ll badly, did she?

Jakari: You think, I’m going to let that little royal, talk to anyone us in any kind of way?! Jakari's voice cut through the air, laced with a fierce passion. Ali: Damn, straight. Artoria: Brok, I couldn’t believe that you thought Sophia was the mother Naomi. Artoria let out a quick chuckle. Brok: I went by the hair. I saw blonde and I assumed. Let me be wrong, for fuck’s sake! Isn’t that right, Pisspot?! Sora: I’m not in this one. Brok: Oh, I forgot you were wearing a skirt, while I’m at it, you want a fucking Margarita? Or, a fucking Mimosa or lite beer?!

Vivi, seems like regretting some things internally. And that’s putting it lenient. Should I have spoken in up or remain silent and let them handle it to a certain degree? What’s done is done, I made a decision, and must live with the result. I can reflect later.

Sora: Brok, don’t be cranky. Brok: You haven’t seen cranky, yet, boy! Sora: Oi, before you go off the rails. I have something for my drinkers. Galawnee: If it ain’t good stuff, I’m beating your ass! Sora: Humph! Like you could. Ali: Oh! Jakari: That sounds like fighting words. Galawnee: It doesn’t sound like fighting words. It’s a declaration of war. Edwin: Someone, is in trouble now! Artoria: Galawnee. Galawnee: Yes, mam?

Artoria: Settle down. There’s no need for any of you to fight, right now. It proves nothing. Galawnee: Fine. Sora: As I was saying, I have something for my drinkers. I summoned my grimoire into my hands. I opened up my grimoire and put my left hand through the pages, that created water like feeling around my wrist. And I pulled out a 20 liter white oak barrel with a dispenser that says “Drink your problems away.” and I use magic on the barrel to keep in the air.

Brok: So, you were holding out on us, eh?! Sora: Not really. It’s just takes time to brew drinks, and I don’t feel like buying four years worth of drinks then half of it be gone in two weeks! Brok: Sora, booze are a necessity. You need it for a meal, you need it for working, working out, enjoying entertainment! Booze is life. Galawnee: Facts! Jakari: Preach!

Ali: I can’t say he’s wrong. Edwin: He spoke the gospel truth! Sora: I have to spend one million six hundred thousand each time, I stock up on booze, to keep all of my familiars and Brok and deal with a raging alcoholic that’s in denial! I noticed Justin, took a glimpse to us, he surrounded himself with lightning, and took one big leap and got to us.

Galawnee: Welcome, to Burger Queen how may I help you? Justin laughed for a bit. Justin: I like to have, two number nines, a number nine large, a number six with extra dip, a number seven, two number forty-fives, one with cheese and a large soda, curly fries, and the medieval meal. Galawnee and Edwin, and surprisingly Artoria laughed at his bit. Galawnee: Sir, pull up, to the side. Sora: What is it, J? Justin: I heard you spent, almost two million dollars. Justin, put his arm around me and had this smug look on him. Sora: Yeah, it’s expensive, to quench everyone’s thirst.

Justin: But that’s chump change isn’t? Sora: Not really. That’s a lot of money. Justin: Oh, sure. But I know you can spare a twenty, to your teammate, right? Sora: I don’t carry twenties. Justin: Do you have Pay-Buddy? Sora: Um...yeah, like who doesn’t!? Justin: Send me twenty bucks. Sora: Why? Justin: I’m on a budget. Sora: What do you need to buy? Justin: A lot of things. Maybe not now, or later. But eventually but probably soon. Brok: Pisspot, just give it to him already! For fuck’ sake! And I need a fucking mug or something to drink all of this!

Edwin: Don’t forget about us! Brok: Yeah, and everybody as well! Justin: I’ll take one. Brok: Him as well! Get to it, Pisspot! Sora: Ugh...fine! I snapped my fingers and a sliver briefcase with multiple American flag stamps on the front. And nudged Justin off me, and gave him the briefcase to him. Justin: What is this? Sora: Twenty grand.

Justin: Bet! I have a question. Sora: What is it?! I grabbed five snowballs, and turned them into mugs made of ice. Next, I used wind magic to float them all to Galawnee, Jakari, Brok, Edwin and Justin. Justin: Artoria, are you a swordsman?

Artoria: What makes you think I’m a swordsman? I could wield a bow, or a spear or many other things. Justin: It was the way, you stopped Sora’s attack. Artoria: That’s all you needed, to determine my preference of a weapon? I could be a person that only uses their bare hands. Justin: Sora, am I wrong? Sora: What does your heart tell you?

Justin: She is. Justin draws his blade and surrounds it with lightning and rushes at Artoria, but as soon he tries to make contact his blade was in Artoria’s possession. Justin: How did you?! When did you?! Sora: She didn’t even have to move. Artoria: Brok, what do you think of it? Brok: It’s a piece of shit. Artoria: It’s that bad?

Jakari: It is Meghan’s sword. Artoria: For some reason I expected better. Artoria tossed back Justin’s sword to him. Justin: Are you going to draw you blade? Artoria: Why? Justin: I challenge you. Sora: Sir, you can’t be serious?! Justin: Why not? I just want to see how strong she is. Artoria got up and started stretching.

Artoria: Alright, let’s go. Any rules you want? Justin: Not really. Artoria, casually walks up me, and grabs Homura from me. She continues walk to Justin. Justin responds by rushing forward, he goes for a horizontal slash at her neck, but Artoria countered by cutting Justin’s blade in half. Artoria: Do you want to continue? Justin: You know what, I’m good. I give up. Artoria: Sora, may you please fix me my usual? Sora: Sure. Brok?

Brok: What is it, Pisspot?! Brok trying to drink his pint in peace. Sora: Patch up his blade. Brok: You want me to handle a piece of shit of a fucking blade?! Sora: Just a simple, patch job. Brok: I’ll think about it. Justin: Come on, Brok. Help me out! Brok: Fine, I’ll do it, wanker! Pisspot, keep the booze coming! I snapped my fingers, and canned black tea appeared in my left and I handed over to Artoria. Artoria: Thank you. Sora: How are you liking the new Homura? Artoria: It’s really lite. I prefer my weapon to have some weight to it. Justin: Let me see your sword. Artoria: Sora, do I have to?

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Sora: Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing. Artoria handed me Homura, and she reached out her hand and summoned Excalibur. An English broadsword with a blue handle and a golden cross guard and with a golden cross on the shaft of the blade with a blue outline behind it. Sora: That will be all Homura. Excalibur! Homura and it’s scabbard disappeared. An English broadsword with a blue handle and a golden cross guard and with a golden cross on the shaft of the blade with a blue outline behind it appeared in my right hand.

Justin: Wait, that’s Excalibur!? And there’s two of them!? Sora: No, it’s just, an exiguous fragment of it. Artoria, I won’t be needing this anymore. Sophia: Excalibur! I turned back around, Sophia is with the others trying to summon Excalibur, but only sparks are coming out of her hand. She’s utterly irritated, she’s started messing up her own hair.

Sora: Still need my help?! Sophia: Oi! Why don’t you go back to the bloody kitchen!? I like you more when you keep your mouth shut! I bet you’re enjoying this you fucking wanker! You’re a gormless arsehole pillock who don’t know when to stop wanking off in my bloody ear! You’re becoming a bloody chew toy! That keeps fucking squeaking! Justin: Damn. Her British accent came back with a vengeance! Sora: You’re just mad, cálmate, amor. Don't embarrass yourself, sweetheart.

Sophia: Don’t try to tell me to calm down you bloody moron! I’m about embarrass you! I’m about to put you six feet under, you reverse dyke! Benson: Sophia! Focus on the task at hand. Get to it. Sophia: This isn’t bloody over! Sophia started floating above the ground, and started meditating with her back turned to me with her legs crossed. I handed over my Excalibur to Artoria. And she combined both sword into one, and this golden light shined upon the blade for a brief moment. Artoria: You don’t want Excalibur, anymore?

Sora: Do not misunderstand it. I want Excalibur entirely. Artoria: You think you can handle it? Sora: I want to find out. Justin: I can handle it, easy! Sora: Oh, can you now? Justin: Absolutely. Sora: Let’s put it to a test. If you can wield it, I’ll give you five million dollars. Justin: Bet! Easy money! Artoria jumped down from the roof and planted Excalibur, right in front of the cabin. Justin and I jumped down. Deshon, noticed us and sprinted to us. Deshon: What y'all niggas, got going on?! Free sword, bet! Justin: Go for it, chief. Sora is offering five mill, if you can pick it up! Whoever picks it up, owns it.

Deshon: Easy ass money! De’Niro, runs over to us and seems intrigued about the situation. De’Niro: Five million dollars, just to pick up a sword? Deshon: That’s what this nigga, Justin said. De’Niro, went first and tried to pick up the sword, but it didn’t move an inch. Then a moment later, he released mana, barely any ocean blue aura surrounded his body. It’s only a few parts, it shows on his body. He tries and tries, vines in his started to pop. Justin: My boy, give up, I’ll give some of my winnings, when I get my sword.

De’Niro, gave up and had a seat right next Valencia on the ground. V, picked up De’Niro with one hand while sitting down and made a chair of ice. De’Niro, nods at her. Deshon went up next and tried to pick up the sword, and it wouldn’t budge. Deshon collided his fist and his golden gauntlets manifested. I can’t really tell if he’s releasing aura around him, I think I feel, or maybe it’s the Niflheim Chamber, messing with my senses a bit. Or Deshon is so weak, he can’t release his mana properly. It’s probably because he’s weak.

Justin: Nigga?! Stop trying bro! You’re garbage! Step aside and let me show you a real swordsman can do. Deshon: Fuck off, nigga! I got this! Lightning magic surrounded his arms and legs, he started lifting with his back, but Excalibur didn’t budge a centimeter.

Next, he tried to push the sword to the side, so it will fall down, but his plan failed miserably. Justin: Nigga, it ain’t that deep. Let a nigga, have a crack at it! Excalibur will be mine. Deshon: This is Excalibur?! De’Niro: That’s Excalibur! Justin: Yep, it will be mine. Another blade to my collection, now step aside nigga before I put this boot on the back of your filthy skull! Deshon: Man, fuck you!

Justin: No, thank you. How about fuck your hand!? Oh, wait, even your right hand doesn’t want your bitch ass! Deshon: Shut your dumbass up! Justin: But this dumbass just whooped your clown ass! Deshon: Man, fuck you and fuck this sword! Deshon surprisingly walked away, and went to Valencia and De’Niro.

Justin: It’s showtime. Justin cracked his knuckles and neck, then winked at Artoria, and he went for the sword, and the sword moved up by a centimeter for half a second, but came back down, and it was hard stuck in the snow.

Justin tried and tried but he eventually gave up. Justin: I think I made it move! Tell me, you saw that! Sora: Maybe or maybe not. It might be our eyes playing tricks on us or whatnot. Justin: Saber, tell me it moved. Please?! Artoria: It indeed moved, to be precise, one whole centimeter.

Justin: Does that mean anything?! Artoria: Affirmative, it means, you might have potential to be great to wield it, one day. But it’s uncertain. You have to push your training to a whole new level, you haven’t imagined. You may have to die multiple times, to reach that level, then it’s still not guaranteed. Justin: How do I guarantee it? Artoria: Fight the strong. Keep going against strong opponents, and kill them. A true warrior does not falter or back down. A true king can never be defeated, being defeated is mindset.

Justin: So if I defeat someone like Sora, then I could wield it right? Artoria: Negative, he’s beyond weak. But if he reaches the level, I foresee, then you will never be able to wield it. Justin: I see. So my training has to be very intense. Artoria: No, you have to put your life on the line every time, you train. It’s the only way. Justin: Put my life on the line, every single time, I train.

Artoria: Yes. Justin: Then please train me then. Justin got down on his knees. Sora: You wouldn’t survive her training. Justin: How you know, you’re still standing!? Sora: I barely survived her training. And I started at the age of ten. Justin: And? Sora: My ten-year-old self, would wipe the floor with most of you in here now. Justin: Cap!

Sora: Think about it, I beat and surpassed Benson at the age of ten. Just think about that for a second. Remember what he said yesterday. Artoria: I wouldn’t expect anything less. The talent here is quite lacking mostly. But there are some here, that have some serious potential. Especially Valencia and the one that possesses Estellian aura.

Justin: What about Sophia? Artoria: I already see her ceiling, which is pretty high, but she will fall short, I’ve seen mages like her, fall short many times. But they’re still really powerful, in your point of view. The opponents that I’ve faced would crush her, even at the height of her power. Justin: But Benson said they’re equal. Is that not true?

Artoria: What do you think, Sora? Sora: I consider me and her, equal. Our fights, are constant stalemates. And that’s why I truly hate fighting her. She knows what I’m going to do and vice versa. She’s frustrating to fight. Artoria: I believe you two are at the same level as of right now.

Valencia, got up from her chair and went to sword. Justin: You think you can do it? Valencia: Maybe, maybe not. It doesn’t hurt to try, right? Sora: Right. Justin: Go for it, and fail. Justin laughs for a moment, Valencia, laughs with him strangely enough, Valencia went for Excalibur and lifted it up couple of feet and then the sword dropped back down. Justin: You almost had it, gotta be quicker than that! Sora: How about powering up? Maybe it will help.

Valencia: I can’t power up too much, or I will tap in my cursed family dumb power. At max for right now, before it decrease it like always, is twenty percent. Is that cool with you? Sora: Go for it. Valencia started releasing her mana, this icy blue aura surrounded her, and she picked up Excalibur from the snow but constantly struggling to keep it from falling back down to the snow. Less than a brief moment later, she dropped it back to the snow.

Valencia: It’s so damn heavy! Justin: You blew it! Just kidding, you did better than us. Saber, what happened, she picked it up? But she was struggling. Valencia: It weighs a ton! Artoria: It means, she is worthy, but she needs to accept a part of herself that holds her back. Valencia: You gotta be kidding!? I have to accept their cursed power!? No way, I’m not using it!

Justin: But what about yesterday? Valencia: No one is going threaten my Naomi and get away with it. But if I have a outburst like that again, let’s say it won’t be pretty. And I won’t have an option to accept their cursed power or not. Artoria: You’re a part of the original ice magic users, and you have a daughter, it’s only matter of time, that you’ll be the queen you was meant to be.

Valencia: Why should I do anything for those oppressors? Artoria: When you take up the mantle, you call the shots, nobody else. Valencia: The family still has certain rules, I have to follow. And plus I need something else, if for some reason, If I want to be queen. I went over to Excalibur and lifted it up from the ground and I began to wield it. But a couple of seconds, my arms and back started to feel heavy. For a moment, I began to see visions of a exhausted Artoria with knight armor on, standing on a mountain corpses, I see her staring down a entire kingdom, the sky is illuminated with a thunderstorm. I dropped down to one knee.

Artoria: Can you stand? Is this your limit? I rose back up from the ground and raised the blade above my hand. Sora: The weight that you carry, is truly extraordinary. But this blade remains heavy, I can use it. Artoria: This is excellent, I didn't think you would be able to wield it this well. But if you will train with me, you'll be able to wield it.

I started sensing Naomi, somewhere. No, she's above me! I started flying up in the snowy sky, and I see Naomi laughing while rapidly descending down. I instantly flew to her and grabbed her. Then suddenly Valencia right behind me, flying. Valencia: Where did she come from?! I sense Electra, I looked directly above me. I flew up higher and caught her. Sora: Okay, how did you two get here?

Valencia flew up behind me, with a confusion and worried expression on her. Valencia: Naomi, are you okay? I handed over Naomi to V and she flew back down. Sora: Ele, what happen? Electra: Well, I was playing go seek and hide with mama, and I didn't want to pick a obvious hiding spot so hide, so I decided to find Naomi and she with auntie Sapphire, auntie Ruby, grandma Maina, great grandma Myra. Sora: What they were talking about?

Electra: I wasn't really paying attention. Sora: I've never met my grandma. Electra: You haven't met great grandma Myra? Why not? Sora: Not sure. She might hate me or something. Viki: Recognized, welcome back lady Veronica Accordia. I flew back down to the vault door with the others Twilight Tigers.