"Mm... Okay, we're far enough!"
As the wildlife went through its natural cycles and routines, the birds flew around and chirped, and the sun sat in the sky with occasional breezes managing to cut through the forest... Lylas and Ventrix had found their way to a somewhat open area. Leaves and branches occasionally littered the ground behind grass that reached their calves. As a long wind blew the blades of grass towards the west, Lylas took a deep breath, appreciating the serene grace of the forest.
"Alright. Start drawing targets." Lylas chucked a knife over to Ventrix. The noble kid blinked in surprise as he nearly dropped the blade, but managed to keep a hold on it after the slight shock wore off. "I don't plan on trying to eyeball my precision... This'll be easier."
Ventrix had no words of disposition to throw. So, he gave off a quick shrug and copied Lylas's idea. Using the knives as carving tools, the two of them got to work painting several targets in the surrounding area. While they hadn't kept exact track, it could be figured that they had created over twenty different targets which were carved out over several different trees all around them. Once it was all done, the two of them met back at the center of the clearing.
"So... A trick for a trick... That's what you wanted right?" Ventrix placed his hands and arms behind his back.
"Yup. It wouldn't be fair to ask ya to teach me something and not be able to give ya something in return." Lylas dug his hands into his pockets as he gazed up to the clouds overhead.
"Right. So, name it." Ventrix reached for his bag behind him and felt his hand grasp a thick, hardcover book. Without any hesitation, he handed it straight to Lylas.
"B-he-huh?" Lylas's expression deflated at his friend's nonchalant and direct manner of abiding by his wishes. Lylas swatted the book out of his friend's hand. The reading material landed with its pages open on the ground several feet away. "No, no. Nuh-uh. Blue-Blood! Ya don't get it, do ya? There ain't no fun in that!"
"Ah-huh?..." Ventrix puckered the corner of his lip as he glanced over at the assaulted text. "Maybe I don't get it. I thought that's what you-"
"Blue-Blood. If I wanted to read it from a damn book... I would have gotten a book instead of asking ya to come out here." Lylas shook his head in a dramatic fashion before stomping a foot down and meeting his friend's eyes. "I wanna know how you would do it. I wanna see your method."
"Well... I don't really use techniques often... But I'll try. What exactly do you want to know?"
"A while back, I remember watching ya use this really fast move on the Bitch. It was one of the first real fighting things we did, and it was before that "God Light" thingy you pulled... What was it?"
Ventrix gripped his sword with both hands, and then raised it to his shoulder while keeping it pointed at Olicia. His body glowed with a golden aura. Olicia looked mildly confused. She hardly had time to react as a blinding flash of light sped past her. The sound of metal clashing was heard. Ventrix appeared some ways away from Olicia in the opposite direction of where she faced.
"Hm... Refraction. That actually was a technique..."
"Oh-ho-ho... Tell me about it! But don't over-complicate it. I trust ya to be brief, unlike Brainiac." Lylas crossed his arms, brandishing a wide smile on his face.
"Okay... Hm. First, you make a refined beam of light... Then, the start of the technique is bending and turning it while stretching it at the same time..." Ventrix bent his left arm out in front of him at ninety degrees. Lylas studied Ventrix's movements and methods, watching a small bundle of Mana appear halfway down the length of his friend's arm. Ventrix used his right hand's fingers to grab hold of the Mana and pull it until it became a straight line. It was perfectly rounded and spanned from the origin point to his hand. Then, it got strange.
Ventrix used his right hand again to grab the other end of the line that hung overtop of his arm. Lylas raised an eyebrow as it seemed the endpoint over his friend's left hand served as a sort of anchor. Ventrix pulled the far end of the beam so that it sat perpendicular and pointed at his chest. Lylas noticed that the beam lost its bulbous form, instead taking the appearance of a second dimensional object.
"Whoa... What's the deal with that?" Lylas circled around his friend, noticing that the way he perceived the beam seemed to shift with his own position.
"When primed like this, the light "refracts", changing its shape and dimensional appearance... Hence the name, Refraction... The beam becomes completely invisible when viewed from the angle of where it is pointed at. The only give away would be the soft light that comes emanates to it's direct right and left." Ventrix turned himself to one of the many painted targets in the forest. Lylas had observed how the shape bent and shifted when his friend made slight adjustments. It reminded him of a piece of paper... But even a piece of paper was visible from its thin side. "Think of this part like firing a slingshot. Once I let go... It'll zip right past us. Blink, and you'll miss it."
"Let it rip!" Lylas felt his wonder turn to excitement as Ventrix brought the beam closer to his eye. Lining up his shot, Ventrix released his hold over the technique. Lylas observed the first singular moments of the light. The end his friend held had warped and accelerated past the tip of the beam, carrying the rest of the shaped Mana with it. But anything past that, and Lylas had no way of perceiving it.
All that was left was a result... The target Ventrix had chosen left a result showcasing the power of this technique. The two boys approached the afflicted tree and eyeballed the entry point. Right in the direct center of the target, a small hole was carved out. Lylas couldn't fit his pinky finger inside the hole in order to gauge the damage, but he had some idea as far as how deep the penetration went.
"That is no joke..."
"It's a technique made to pierce just about any armor or magic barrier. What it lacks in outright destructive-ability, it makes up for in the penetration power. Refraction is considered an intermediate level Light Destruction technique. That book wouldn't have had this in it..." Ventrix brushed a bead of sweat off of his brow and turned away from the tree. "It was actually one of the first things my dad taught me. It only takes a hole that small through the heart to fatally wound someone..."
"Morbid..." Lylas followed behind shortly after he studied the entry point of the technique one last time.
"He's always maintained that sort of brutality about him, only nowadays it's more methodical and lifeless."
"Ya sound disappointed."
"Oh? It's not my intention to dump anything on you. I apologize." Ventrix stopped at the center of the clearing and placed his hand over his heart.
"Hey, Blue-Blood. Ya don't need to say sorry. We're friends, right? If it bothers ya, talk to me about it." Lylas rested his arm over his friend's shoulders as he pulled him in close to his side.
"Perhaps later or another time..." Ventrix cast his gaze away from Lylas... But shook himself back into the impromptu training they were having. "Anyways. That's the technique I used. What do you think?"
"Hm..." Lylas eased off of his friend and paced around in a circle. "When I first saw ya do it, ya appeared on the other side of the Bitch. But this time, ya stayed in the same spot. How come?"
"I can let the Refraction carry me forward with it. It wasn't that I appeared, but instead I used its speed to shuttle me over."
"What sort of weaknesses does this thing have?"
"It's tricky to utilize, easy to spot before firing, and will bounce off of reflections, but only once."
"So if a big ol' guy wore shiny, silvery armor... It'd be useless?"
"If he was standing in the sunlight, yes. And if so, I'd have to make sure it reflects once already before it's directed at him."
"Hm..." Lylas stopped in his tracks. Refraction seemed like it could be a deadly move in his arsenal that severely lacked stopping power. However, it was the transitioning of Elements that made him unsure of learning this. "They say that Light and Lightning are the most similar when it comes to casting... How do ya think it'll pan out trying to adapt it?"
"I'm not sure. I don't think lightning can refract like light can." Ventrix crossed his arms and shrugged.
"Good point. Luckily, I'm what they call a bit of an innovator." Lylas copied Ventrix's previous motions. He brought his left arm up, created a bolt of lightning overtop of his arm, and stretched it out. He wasted no time in mimicking Ventrix's movements to a tee. The bolt of electricity lengthened out like the wave of light, however, it retained its third-dimensional property. This did not deter Lylas.
"Uh. Are you sure about this, Lylas?" Ventrix took a step back in response to his own instinctual precaution. With the way Lylas had copied him, the Lightning magic turned to a more volatile state. A wave of rippling electricity drifted down the length of the bolt, threatening to shock anything near. Despite the wide grin on Lylas's face, Ventrix felt anything but at ease.
"Of course! Even if it turns out bad, my magic isn't that potent. Don't be a wuss." Lylas rolled his eyes as he took aim... With a quick-fire release, Lylas let loose a bolt of whirring lightning that stayed true to its target…
With the audible sound of wood cracking and shattering, Lylas felt his heartbeat elevate in tandem with his spirit. It was a resounding success!... But that moment lasted for less than a second when he noticed that the bolt of lightning was getting closer instead of dissipating...
"Oh shit! Get down! Get down, Blue-Blood!" Lylas dropped down onto the ground flat and covered his head with his arms and hands. Ventrix dove to the ground as well and copied his friend's actions.
"Ah Shit!"
"God!
"What the fuck?! I'm sorry!"
The lightning bolt ricocheted from tree to tree, taking different angles and paths with each bounce. It's speed never seemed to drop, never waver. As it whirred above, about, and beside them, it made them aware of the sickly crackling sound it made ripping through the air. The two of them remained with their heads down.
Eventually, the bolt made contact with the ground and reflected straight upwards towards the sky. The terrorizing sound of electricity bolting around ceased entirely. Lylas peaked his head up from the ground and darted his eyes around...
"All clear..." Lylas chuckled as he eased himself up from the ground, dusting off his clothes while he stood up.
"Those were almost famous last words, Lylas." Ventrix huffed and wasted no time in standing up straight again. He wiped off what dirt and grass he could from his apparel.
"I see it's gonna take a little-... Refinement... Heh." Lylas nudged his elbow into the noble boy.
"Right... Anyways, did you plan on having her help with that or not?" Ventrix pointed his thumb behind him back towards a tree. Preemptively turning his head over before Lylas followed suit... Ventrix's eyes met with a familiar face.
"Oh!... Hiya! C'mon over!" Lylas waved the girl over with a big smile on his face. The girl obliged, hopping out of the tree and skipping on over without so much as a sound.
"Vrela, was it?" Ventrix tilted his head to the side. The girl gave a simple, meager nod in response, her hair bouncing slightly.
"Fellas. Let's take a break. Eh?" Lylas yawned and stretched his arms out...
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"Ain't this nice? Just hanging out..." Lylas had his arms stretched out with his hands behind his head. He leaned back against the side of a tree as he sat on the ground. His vision was cast upwards towards the clouds rolling through the sky.
"Sure, I guess... You're supposed to teach me some technique as well though." Ventrix was posted up against another tree with his arms crossed as he stood in the shade.
"Oh-!... C'mon. I'll get to it. Besides, it's a real nice day out. Perfect for just... Relaxing. Ain't that right, hot stuff?" Lylas shot a smirk over to the mute girl opposite of him. She was sitting straight out in the open area between the three of them. She had a few blades of grass in her hand as she perked up at Lylas's words. Letting the green strips flow in the wind, she gave back a small smile.
"Flirting with a woman in front of an acquaintance isn't what I would call tactful." Ventrix sighed as he tilted his head onto the bark of the tree, signaling a measure of defeat. "I guess it's a nice day."
"Exactly. Ya gotta appreciate these moments. Ya only get so many of them..."
A silence dropped between all of them. While words and noises weren't exactly Vrela's forte or standard, Ventrix found himself unsure of what to say or do. If Lylas wanted to relax, there wasn't anything to argue on that matter. That wasn't a sour point for him though. Ventrix knew as much as any of the others that Lylas was the type of person who had a knack for timing. What others viewed as time wasted, Lylas viewed as time well spent for one reason or another. But, what was Ventrix's sudden fixation on time anyways? He wasn't so sure himself...
"Sorry if I wasn't considerate back there." Lylas's smile faded into his resting face... "About your dad an' all."
"Mm? It's okay. Truly." Ventrix took a deep breath and released, then cast his gaze towards the sky. Only instead of the sky, he saw boundless leaves sitting upon the branches of the tree above him. "Sometimes, I just get caught up thinking about how he used to be. I've told Olicia before how he infuriates me anymore... But I understand why he's like this."
"Is it something about the noble life? I mean, big shot family names tend to be miserable families..."
"Well. Yes and no. He was always distant. But when my mother died, he basically turned into a recluse. He used to go on grand adventures... Saving countless people, ridding the world of the cult menace, and establishing order among the other Felsta branches... He used to have a shred of life to him... I just don't want to end up like him." Ventrix grew sick of seeing the leaves dangle above him, throwing his gaze downwards. But before it reached his feet, he locked onto Vrela. She stared right at him... Maybe even through him...
"I can see how that hurts ya... Can't say I can relate, but if it makes ya feel better... My pops hasn't been there for me either. He's kinda-a piece of shit. Wasn't ready for a child, so he left me with my Pap and Gram. I had grandpa Cynthis with me too for a while... But it woulda been nice to have an actual dad..."
"I guess I'm not so alone in that regard..." Ventrix's eyes shifted over to Lylas. He still just sat there, staring at the sky. Ventrix then looked back over at Vrela. "What about you? What's your family like?"
"..."
"She says Grula is her only direct, remaining family... And they aren't on speaking terms..." Lylas relayed the message Vrela gave to him telepathically. Upon hearing this, Ventrix felt as if he might have touched a sour spot himself. He visibly cringed. Vrela took note of this and sent another message... "Oh. She also says not to worry. No need to say sorry."
"Still, my condolences, I suppose." Ventrix sighed as he cast his gaze to the ground. Another silence lingered in the air between the three of them…
That was, until flocks of birds sprang to life and took off in another direction. Trees for miles around wavered in a harsh wind coming from the north-east. The very ground itself seemed to rumble ever-so-slightly... An explosion...
"Rael? Avures?" Ventrix locked onto their Mana signature quickly... But disregarded it ultimately. "Probably some other dispute..."
"Yeah..."
Silence fell again. It was near-maddening. In the midst of the uneasy calm, Ventrix picked up on a few other signatures of Mana approaching. Though not directly coming to them, they were on pace to pass by them. There were four in total... And Ventrix didn't recognize a single one of them. Something about it felt off...
"Ya know what?!" Lylas sat up and hopped up to his feet. "Here's a resolution for both of ya. Let's all make a promise to each other... To help each other with our family problems, huh?"
"Hm? How do you suppose that will work?" Ventrix stepped away from his tree, getting ready to move towards the other group.
"Easy. When it comes to any of that stuff... We'll just be there for each other... How about it?" Lylas moved forward and outstretched his hand. Vrela sprang up to her feet and placed her hand on top of Lylas's...
"Well, sure. Why not?" Ventrix joined the two of them and placed his hand in the center… With a short cheer, Lylas raised his hand up with the other two following in suit.
"It's a promise then!... Hey, where are ya going?" Lylas was all smiles, even as he spotted Ventrix trying to hurry off.
"I'll be back. I promise. Just stay here..."
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"Why are we cutting through here? Seems like a good way to get our asses in trouble..." Trezz ducked and rushed past multitudes of trees with Meius beside him and Kataline behind both of them.
"We'll be fine. It's not like Xilvas himself is going to pop out from behind some trees and attack." Meius brought his speed down to a lower pace, still rushing but not quite as fast. "However, it does remain that I must talk to him before going."
"Just how long do you plan on keeping up this facade, huh?" Trezz matched his speed, but turned around and navigated backwards to look at Meius face to face. "You're gonna have to take him out sooner or later."
"For someone like you, it would be certainly easy. But, someone like me has to tread carefully and use more subterfuge." Meius stopped in his tracks and remained still. "Xilvas Numidis is not someone you simply walk up to and murder."
"Dyzin won't like any more delays. If he really is gonna call for Auriel's Ultimatum, he'll demand you to spill Numidis blood." Trezz continued to back away for a few more moments before stopping as well.
"Cease. Meius will kill when the moment is right. Rushing things will only make it worse." Kataline came up to Meius's side.
"Thank you, Avura. Regardless, the two of you go on ahead and stop at the meet site. Then, once I'm there, we'll move together again. Understood?"
"Fine, but keep your bitch from talking to me again." Trezz crossed his arms and turned away from the two of them. "Ain't no way I'm gonna have some lapdog talk to me like that."
"You hedonistic-!"
"Avura! Quiet." Meius thrust his hand to the backside of her head, immediately stopping her in her tracks. She rubbed her the afflicted area as she sorrowfully met his gaze. "As far as you are concerned, Trezz is an ally. Treat him as such, and do not overstep your boundaries."
"Yes, master..."
"See ya soon." Trezz waved off with two fingers as he continued his dash forward, soon breaking line of sight with his distance from the two of them.
"Sorry. But, I can't have you jeopardizing my operation because someone slights you. You'd do well to maintain that notion of being superior to Korkolo." Meius reached his hand over and pat Kataline on the head.
"My apologies..."
"That's alright. Trezz may not have the maturity to match, but there's a reason he's a part of the inner circle of the Forsaken. Having him around for a favor will make for a great backup plan if something goes awry." Meius waltzed in front of Kataline and darted his eyes off to the side. There was still that same presence tailing them. Whoever it was had managed to catch up after the effects of Vermilion wore off. Meius found it interesting that this person hadn't decided to switch to following Trezz. "Whoever this is must solely be focused on Avura or me... That isn't surprising considering the initial meeting was where I noticed their presence. I've been having doubts that this person is even an Academy spy at all. Only one way to tell… Gotta shoo her away…"
"He does have a point though." Kataline stirred and paced over to Meius's other side. "With both the cult and Forsaken tugging on your sleeves to make a move... I'm not so sure you can afford to put off killing Xilvas for much longer. If you need me to help, I can-"
Kataline bent backwards as she stumbled with a blinding flash of light cutting straight past her face. As the threat zoomed past her, she regained her balance and opened up her right hand. A set of three needles materialized in between her fingers. She clenched them tight as a black liquid dripped off of them. With her weapon ready, she leaned forward and brought her fist back... However, she froze in place... The edge of a blade sat mere inches away from her forehead.
Stolen story; please report.
In front of her stood a blonde haired boy with a noble appearance... Obviously the one ambushing them, Kataline wanted to counterattack and take out the threat. But, Meius placed his hand up, indicating for her to hold off. She found the notion ridiculous, but ate her own thoughts at seeing the boy's sword wobble and waver. He was intending to follow through... But Kataline saw a black tendril wrapped around his sword arm along with another on his back foot.
"Ventrix Felsta... This hostility is unlike you. What's the reasoning for this?" Meius held the boy still with a pool of darkness seeping underneath their feet.
"Ventrix!... What are you doing?" Grula felt her eyes twitch as she watched the ordeal from her position among the trees.
"A Felsta? If I went in now... And targeted the girl... This ordeal could be over. Surely, the man would understand..." The Sergeant reached for his staff... But relented, noting that his orders were to discern a plan, not carry out an assassination attempt. He had to restrain, and pick his battles...
"The reasoning? What you speak of is treason!" Ventrix struggled as he could, yanking his arm in any direction that seemed to give some leeway. However, no matter what, the tendril's grip remained too tight to break away. "Do you expect me, much less anyone else, to sit back and listen to that?"
"Whoa... Easy there..." Meius raised his hands up, aiming to ease Ventrix's outburst. This was to no effect. Meius scratched his head... Then, he waved Kataline away. "Go on up ahead."
"If you say so..." Kataline sighed, letting the needles dissipate alongside the black liquid. She stepped on past Ventrix, eyeing him one last time before she rushed forward and out of the area...
"Now then... Can we be civil about this so I can explain it all to you?..." Meius's eyes darted to the side. That same, stalking presence took off at top speeds, following in Kataline's wake. Meius scoffed as he turned back towards Ventrix. "How peculiar..."
"Choose your words carefully... Or I may cut you down where you stand." Ventrix eased up on his sword arm and stance, allowing Meius to see his willingness to talk. Meius's tendrils and darkness seeped back to his own feet and retreated to his shadow. Ventrix held his sword down at his side as he turned towards the Deputy Headmaster.
"This brat really thinks he would stand a chance against me... I suppose if he was backed into a corner and used the Eye of Felsta then I might lose. But I do like his confidence." Meius smiled as he placed his hands behind his back. "Ventrix, I have no intentions on murdering Headmaster Xilvas for either a cult or the Forsaken."
"Then why would you say something like that? This reeks of conspiracy. What in the hell are you planning?"
"Worry not. If I truly had bad intentions, I would have been sniffed out by now, don't you think?" Meius turned to the side and paced back and forth. "I'm merely using that person as a pawn... In the grand scheme of things, everything I'm doing is for the sake of the Academy... To protect it... I understand your concern. I'd expect no less of a reaction from anyone else not in the loop."
"The loop? There are others?" Ventrix's grip on his sword tightened.
"Of course. Xilvas Numidis himself... You could ask him yourself if you wish to verify. However, this was supposed to remain covert. You knowing about it is a bit of a misstep. So, I think you should just forget this all happened..." Meius reached his right hand out towards Ventrix, inching the palm of his hand to the top of the boy's head... But as Meius blinked, he reopened his eyes to the sight of his hand now being missing. Instead, where his wrist once was, was now a bleeding nub with a ghastly, blue hand sticking out. He darted his eyes down to see the rest of his right hand sitting in the grass below with blood stains at the point of severance.
"Don't mess with me." Ventrix whipped his blade out to the side, sending any bits of blood off of his sword entirely.
"Hm..." Meius bent down and picked his severed appendage off of the ground. He used his left hand to affix his right one back to the nub it was removed from. With a quick glow erupting from his fingertips, Meius was able to flex his right hand once more. It was as if it had never been cut off in the first place... "What reason would I have to mess with you? Who does it serve?... Do you remember the first day you and your friends were here? The fight that I interrupted outside? I held true to my word. Had I said anything about it, your class would have all been removed from the Academy."
"You're bringing up something from a year ago. And something minor too. What does that have to do with this?"
"I could have easily broken that trust and ruined this opportunity for your class. But I didn't. It serves no purpose to lie. Now, you can choose to believe me or simply stay in denial. But, I at least ask that you stay your hand and keep this to yourself." Meius moved on past Ventrix, averting from the boy's stare as he prepared to venture on. "I trust you're a smart kid. That's why I held nothing back there."
"..." Ventrix had no response. Meius's words seemed to ring true, yet he couldn't help but feel bits of malice and distrust.
"Well... Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to stick around and reassure you, things are constantly moving forward. I can't afford to fall behind. Goodbye, Felsta..." Meius leapt forward and maneuvered his way out of this area of the forest…
The moment Ventrix was sure that Meius was gone... He fell down to a single knee and let out an exasperated breath. Clutching at his chest, Ventrix felt a wave of relief and panic. What had started as a simple investigation nearly turned into a life or death situation. It was foolhardy to jump to the forefront of that crossing, but Ventrix felt as if what Meius and that woman were saying were threats that would reach his friends.
The entire conversation was too conspiratorial for him to let go. And yet, if Meius truly had intended to kill him... Ventrix swallowed the hard truth that the Deputy Headmaster would have done so with ease. How many times could anyone say they watched a man get his hand cut off and reattach it without showing a single bit of discomfort?
It would be hard to go back to Lylas and Vrela as if nothing happened, but Ventrix came to terms with the fact that he needed to stay his tongue on the matter.
Grula had watched the entire ordeal go down. The stress that brought Ventrix to his knees made her nearly throw up. If Meius had even dared to attack him, Grula was ready to throw away the entire stealth mission to protect her student. The relief she had was not to be relished though. Meius was on the move once more and she needed to follow...
----------------------------------------
The door to Xilvas's office creaked open and gave way to a set of footsteps. Pulling himself into the room and quickly shutting the door behind him, Meius crept forward to greet his superior. Xilvas was in the middle of his usual routine of paperwork and reading. He didn't bother to raise his gaze to his visitor.
"Headmaster." Meius nodded to his boss as he stood front and center at the head of the desk.
"Meius." Xilvas flipped through a new set of papers as he sat down a different stack.
"Everything is set in place... Just figured I would let you know..."
"Mhm..."
"I'd also call off any spies you have on me. I understand your concern, but things are going to get a little messy while I am out and about." Meius planted one of his hands on the desk and leaned himself towards Xilvas as he looked off to the window. "Dangerous beasts. Dangerous people."
"Hm?" Xilvas peeked up and shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint, but I haven't sent anyone to spy on you."
"Eh?" Meius yanked his gaze to Xilvas's. "So that definitely wasn't an Academy spy then..."
"Meius. You're my protege. You're the only one I entrust to carry on the legacy of Lancer Academy. Even despite your deceptions and secrecy, you are the future of this institution. It would be very distrustful of me to have someone spy on you. And even so, should it ever be the case, it is trust you can earn back."
"Okay I get it... I get it... I was just curious."
"Do you think I'm spying on you?"
"The truth is, if I were you, I'd have someone keeping an eye on me. So, I suppose yes."
"I see... So then, Meius." Xilvas sat his papers flat on his desk. He rested both of his hands underneath his chin with his elbows on the table. "Do you know if I'm spying on you?"
"No." Meius sat up straight again and removed his hand from the table. "That's why I came to ask."
"Interesting that you would say that. Your heart deceives your words."
"No-I mean..." Meius groaned as he held his head in his hand. "I've had an inkling of an idea that you were."
"You are always the paranoid type. I can't necessarily blame you for that. I can assure you that there is no one following you from the Academy. And that I won't consider sending someone to do so. That, especially if what comes next is too dangerous for them." Xilvas climbed out of his seat and meandered over to the window. The man now despised the festering distrust that lingered around. But, Xilvas was no fool. Obviously, Meius had overstepped his boundaries, even if it was for the greater good. He would let this work out, but bring him to heel after.
"Well... I can't argue with a guarantee like that."
"Though, Meius, I thought I had brought you up better than this." Xilvas watched blades of grass bellow in the wind. A familiar sight that sought to always place his life in perspective...
"Headmaster. I-"
"I know. I sent you on countless errands... Tasks that involved you on the outskirts of the Academy far more than any internal affair. I suppose it is my fault that you became involved with these groups the way you did. I also understand that my solutions were never meant to be permanent ones. So, you've sought out ways to reach those end goals. You are diligent, but your secrecy is a problem. What's your next step? What are you doing?"
"I have a meeting with the Forsaken. It is likely to last a week or so as an outing. Then, by that time, I'll be checking on the contract site to make sure none of those students got hurt."
"Hm... When all that is said and done, we're going to talk about you taking over my position." Xilvas turned back towards his subordinate. Meius seemed to retch back.
"What do you mean? You just agreed to my proposal the other day!" Meius swiped his hand to the side in a bout of anger.
"You're right that I did. However, the more I ponder about my place in the world and yours... I realize that it befits neither of us to follow through on that arrangement."
"I-You-... We have an opportunity that will never happen again to be rid of all of these worldly threats... And you want to throw it away?"
"Consider this, Meius. It was never our responsibility in the first place to fight these groups... Tell me. What is Lancer Academy?" Xilvas shook his head and returned to glaring out past the glass pane.
"... Lancer Academy... Is an organization dedicated to the occupation and title of its namesake. Its purpose is to find potential candidates and offer them lodging, schooling, and training in the pursuit of becoming a Lancer. In doing so, we create a series of superior Lancers who can fulfill jobs against greater threat levels and at higher volumes than ordinary Lancers. And, as a result of that, we get subsidies to run our organization from the kingdom itself as a private military force that answers to both the King, and the highest bidders. Unlike the Knights, we are a free-acting mercenary force with ties to the government."
"Good explanation. So, tell me... In what way is it our job to deal with the Cult of Woe, the Cult of Ozix, or the Forsaken? It's not. We simply bring up potential Lancers. Those Lancers can get contracted to fight cultists, but that doesn't make it our fight. There are already the Cult Hunters, run by George Mottis... And as for the Forsaken... They've made it clear that they despise Lancers more than anything. But, until they declare war on us and make their move, it is none of our concern."
"..."
"Meius... What you aim to do is beyond the scope of anything our position is meant for. There's no denying that getting rid of those three groups would make the world a better place... But, if you wish to continue doing that, I'll remove you from our staff." Xilvas took a deep breath and marched to the Deputy Headmaster. Xilvas placed his hand on Meius's shoulder.
"What-... What are you saying?" Meius trembled. His left foot stepped back, but his position didn't change.
"I have no qualms with letting you go free to pursue this goal of yours. There would be no hard feelings. I need someone dedicated to the Academy to run it when I'm gone. And if it isn't you... Then it'll be someone else..." Xilvas turned back around and over to his desk. Sitting back down in his seat and pulling out another stack of papers, he got to work once more. "Maybe Lola... Or Fraythorn... Eks if neither of those two take it. Everyone else is... Not mature enough... You have until you return again to make your choice."
"I see... Very well. I will depart then. I suppose when it is all said and done, I'll report to you and make my choice." Meius took a deep breath and clenched his fist. He gave one last look to Xilvas. The Headmaster was now too preoccupied to look up from his work to even look him in the eyes... Meius huffed and stormed out of the office...
"So, do you really care about this mission then?" The visage of Grula faded into reality as her form occupied a chair to the side of Xilvas's desk.
"Of course I do. I stick to my principles on this... That all of his scheme is none of our business. But, Meius is too much of a wild card to be left alone."
"Huh? Seemed like you had him identified there."
"No. It's not that simple. Meius has always been a-... Troubled one. I thought after all these years that his attitude and outlook were fixed. But, it seems that he's still somewhat oriented towards violence. He can get unruly and unpredictable... Anyways, what do you have so far?"
"Well... Nothing outside of what he's already said or confirmed. He met up with two people... This "Avura" character who didn't seem to be anything special. And some person who is supposed to be a member of the Forsaken named Trezz." Grula crossed her arms and laid back.
"Trezz? Hmph. That's odd. I recognize that name." Xilvas put down the papers he was working on and turned his chair around to a cabinet behind him. Pulling open the drawer, he reached in and retrieved a folder. Licking his finger, he started perusing the numerous sheets until he found what he was looking for. "Trezz Lopoga. We once offered him admission. Reports say that he was a master of Illusionary tricks, more so than most practiced mages. And, he even had a Shade... I remember that the report stood out to me, so I reached out with an invitation... Never showed."
"Right... Anyways, as far as conversations go, Meius may have been holding back. There was someone else watching over them nearly the entire time... However, earlier, I saw that this person was spying on "Avura". Damn fool was making this hard. Otherwise, there were some moments where Meius got to talk freely to Trezz due to the guy's power."
"Interesting that someone else seems to be onto his contact. I wonder why?..." Xilvas put the file back where it came from and gave Grula his full attention. "Let's hear about what was spoken."
"First off, Meius indicated a change in procedure for the contract to "Avura". I guess, originally, there was no care as to whether or not violence would occur. During the initial meeting between those two, Meius seemed to change it to have no violence. Meaning, Meius lied the other day."
"What?..." Xilvas's arm twitched, his fingers recoiling and clenching into a tight fist. A boiling heat rose up from his gut and swirled in his head. Though, Xilvas had already caught him in a lie from the other day. He might be old, but he did remember that round table meeting. But, Xilvas gave the benefit of the doubt to that instance. But here? This was inexcusable.
"Secondly, Meius indicated that his relationship with this "Korkolo" fella might be on the ropes. This Ozix Cult herder wants Meius to go further, but Meius is trying to push back... What's weird is that this "Avura" seems to understand what Meius is trying to do by simply controlling the Ozix Cult. Meaning that whatever game he's playing, she's in on it too... Oh, and "Avura" isn't their real name. Meius doesn't even know her real name. But, apparently her choice of fake name has some intentional purpose related to my student Avures."
"This is too strange. Is there a chance she might be manipulating him? If not, it feels strange that her existence and purpose is kept at simply being "a contact"..."
"Thirdly, in the conversation between Meius and Trezz... There is mention of a person named Dyzin. And oddly enough, they left "Avura" out of this conversation."
"That... Dyzin... He's the leader of the Forsaken. I'm not surprised there."
"They both mentioned the possibility of that guy calling for "Auriel's Ultimatum"...? I have no idea what that means, but they seem to take it seriously."
"That sounds like code for something... It's hard to ignore the implications of that though. Auriel's Ultimatum is an old saying and threat. Way back before our times... During the Ozix incident, the second Magi, Auriel, was said to have been dealing with rampant traitors who thought of Ozix as the rising of a new god, and people who kept their alliances ambiguous or refused to take sides in the crisis at all... So, he gave out a call to action to all warriors and mages. "You will align yourselves with me, or you will cut down like vermin! Those who do not take up our cause will be seen as sinners who desecrate the work of the Angels! Let the enemies of God be the first to greet him!"... Basically a roundabout way of saying "you're with us or against us" but with greater importance... So, in that context, I can only assume it's a plan of action with a mortal proposition."
"Then, lastly, there was interference from one of my students... Ventrix Felsta. After Trezz took off, my student ambushed the two of them and attempted to murder "Avura". Meius restrained him and reassured him of his motives after she took off. Ventrix Felsta was not harmed, but he is now aware of what Meius is to us."
"I see... I suppose there isn't much to be done about that. But, it still appears that Meius's motives are genuine... Even though he somehow bypassed my Shade... I can still be sure that he's going to stay true to his words. But I am worried about this precarious situation he's put himself into..." Xilvas sighed, placing his hands under his chin again as he stared straight ahead at a wall.
"I guess Zen and I might have been wrong after all..." Grula sat up and leaned forward, grasping her hands together in her lap.
"Your concern was righteous and true. I still can't shake the feeling that there is something he's not letting on to. But, I don't think it's malicious." Xilvas peeked his eyes over to his fellow staff. "Grula. I must ask that you continue to follow after him until he returns again. Use your discretion on if and when you need to involve yourself. Otherwise, learn as much as you can. You are the only one who can do this."
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"Ay...! Look who's back!" Lylas fiddled with his arm and shot up to his feet, holding out open arms while his face held a slight red color on his cheeks.
"I am indeed back." Ventrix gave a half-hearted smile, unable to forget what had just happened. He also felt a slight bit of guilt at seeing Lylas flustered. Vrela had also stood up from around the same place Lylas had been sitting. Ventrix practically snuck up on them. While he didn't feel one way or another about it, Ventrix was sure that Lylas was embarrassed about being caught cuddling with that girl.
"Aha...!" Lylas closed his arms and clapped his hands together, rubbing them and averting Ventrix's gaze. But, he knew he needed to get his act together. So, after clearing his throat, he swept away his feelings. "So, I 'spose it's my turn to teach ya something!"
"Eh-ha... That would be the case." Ventrix gave out a small chuckle at Lylas's cleanup act. He wasn't too sure of what exactly Lylas could teach him that would also be compatible with the Light element. But, he wanted to see if it would work out.
"Mm... Okay, I got something ya might like. Cause I know ya, Blue-Blood. It ain't so much about the magic with ya as much as it is the sword. So... Movement is a must, right?" Lylas pointed his finger right in Ventrix's face.
"Mhm. Yes." Ventrix nodded his head with a slight grin, basking in the direct nature of his friend that he always found a bit comical.
"Well. It's a bit tricky. But I can teleport using a really simple trick of a low level technique... I ain't too sure of how well it'll translate for ya... But it's worth a shot." Lylas reached for the inside of his jacket and revealed one of his knives. He gave it a twirl in his right hand as a grin crept across his face. "See. I took a 'lil bit of time to learn a Utility move called "Lightning Lure". Real simple thing, let me show ya."
Lylas ceased the twirling and proceeded to give a swift throw, launching the knife outwards in front of the three of them. Holding his hand out still in the direction of the knife, all his fingers gave a sudden twitch, curling inwards towards the palm of his hand. To both Vrela and Ventrix's amusement, what appeared to be thin lines of lightning became visible for a split second. And directly after that moment, the knife reappeared within the confines of his grip. Ventrix glanced back over to the direction of Lylas's initial throw. Nothing.
"Ya can pull anything conductive to you. It's an instant move. It teleports the object. Pretty nifty. Now. Ya might be asking, "Lylas, ya teleported the knife, not yourself! Ya dingus!"... True. But with a 'lil bit of outside the box thinking..." Lylas launched the knife outwards once again. Ventrix had carefully watched Lylas's hand and knife, but hadn't noticed anything in particular that gave away a trick. Though, being his friend, Ventrix knew that was Lylas's motif. He was a trickster…
As the knife continued outwards towards a tree, both Vrela and Ventrix's eyes went wide. The presence of Lylas having disappeared from beside them was instantly noticeable. And in that very same moment, he was now holding the knife several feet ahead of them. Vrela looked bewildered but with a bit of glee as she clapped her hands together in celebration.
Ventrix was taken aback. As far as speed went within the Academy, he knew the teacher Dulis was known for being the fastest... But after that, it was people with a Wind element like Malia or the Headmaster... Then, it was naturally himself. Ventrix felt a mix of shame and envy. Recognizing this as a bit of pride, he allowed Lylas's display of insurmountable speed to humble him. Ventrix never viewed anyone within the Academy as an adversary, but he would be lying if he claimed that he never thought himself the best among his peers.
"Ya can teleport to a given object with a little effort!... Thank you!... Thank you..." Lylas turned and bowed towards Vrela who continued to clap for her friend.
"Well... How did you do it?" Ventrix tilted his head to the side with a plain expression. His sudden lack of smile deceived his vain attempt to not seem upset at his humbling.
"Well. Lightning Lure brings conductive objects to the caster... I sat down and thought for a bit... "What if I just reversed it?"... I ain't conductive, but I can change the parameters of the move with some effort. So instead, I put the move in my knife, set it to activate when I want it to, and made it so that it only targets me. So, anytime I use it, it teleports me to where the knife is." Lylas gave another toss to the knife, having it whisk past Ventrix's face. Then, Lylas was beside him, resting on his shoulder. "I ended up using this one against that Patchwork fella. Pretty nifty, huh?"
"Hm..." Ventrix was fighting against the unease of his wounded pride, but eventually surpassed his feelings and gave a soft smile. "That is... Cool."
"Wow. Never thought I'd hear you say something like that." Lylas leaned off of his friend's shoulder and took a step back.
"What? Me compliment or-"
"No, no. Ya said "cool". I figured ya would say something fancy or proper."
"I don't do that all the time." Ventrix gave a look of contempt as the smile faded again and was replaced by a frown. However, he didn't hold onto it for long as Ventrix shrugged and shook his head. "Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher? After the Academy and all?"
"Ya know... It did cross my mind once... It'd be a lot better than what I already was thinking. But I guess I'll think about it more if I can make ya learn this thing!" Lylas shot a thumbs-up to Ventrix.
"Fair enough. Though, the first thing I noticed was that this technique seems tailored specifically with the Lightning element. That can be said for all techniques, but mechanically, I'm not sure it will work with Light. It's not like Refraction where you can match it by stretching and thinning the wave of Mana... The teleporting part seems to be linked to the idea of the Lightning employing a form of magnetism." Ventrix put his hand to his chin as he tried to explain his observation as best as possible.
"Geez. Look at ya, giving off ya best Brainiac impression. Close. But no. I ain't gonna lie though... I also try to act like em when I go to learn new things..." Lylas twirled the knife between his fingers for a few seconds before holding it still up to Ventrix's eyes. "I ain't very strong or powerful... So I gotta look for every little advantage I can get. This stuck out to me cause it's a lot simpler than it looks, and has potential to change... Look closely..."
Ventrix studied both Lylas and the knife, taking in what he could...
What immediately stuck out to him was that the knife and Lylas both seemed to radiate a light blue aura. Ventrix recognized that as a sort of shimmer of his Lightning magic. However, it gave off more intention than a simple trace of aura from casting. Two separate auras... When Lylas had the knife in his hand, they became one…
Ventrix's eyes came to life as he figured it out. When Lylas initially cast it and brought the knife to him, that string of lightning was to envelop the knife with a small aura as part of the technique. This aura was exactly identical to the aura around his friend. And Ventrix remembered from one of Zen's many lectures:
"Identical auras are naturally attracted to each other. Everyone has a unique aura, and it is impossible to mimic someone else's under normal circumstances. But this truth is what keeps someone from harming themselves with their own technique or magic unless done by intent..."
What was happening was that the string of lightning applied the aura, and also instantly rejoined the auras by bringing the knife back to him. It was an act of pulling and merging, the latter of which was done automatically. So, when done in the inverse way like Lylas had demonstrated, he was simply merging with the aura he planted on his knife by having the technique cast from the blade.
"That's..." Ventrix slapped himself on the forehead.
"Mhm." Lylas chuckled as he stepped away from Ventrix.
"That's genius... That's brilliant..." Ventrix let out a nervous laugh, letting his hands fall to his side.
"Teleportation is usually a costly maneuver. If ya ain't born with it, usually ya gotta learn a high Mana cost move. But with this?..." Lylas shuffled and placed the knife back into his jacket. "Ya could say I cheated the system."
"You're a lot smarter than you let on to be..." Ventrix furrowed his brow and reflexively gulped.
"It ain't like that. Compare me to Brainiac for a moment. He's really smart. If ya sat him down and showed him this without explaining anything, he'd probably figure out a way to do it himself in his own way given a week without any help across two elements that are opposites... Me? I just sat down and looked for a trickier way to use it. It's nothing special... But most people wouldn't think about it that way." Lylas waltzed over to the side of a tree and rested against it with his hands in his pocket. "Now that ya get it, let's see ya figure it out, Blue-Blood..."