“...alia”

“Oh, the great doggy is rubbing my shoulder and saying—wait, huh? Oh, actually that’s headmaster!

“Chalia, time to wake up, this part of class is already over” *chuckle*

Class? Oh, I’m at school, aren’t I!

“I know most of that stuff must have been hard to understand, but we’ll give you some special instruction and hopefully get you up to pace before too long.”

What? I don’t understand…

“Ugh.” Why are you groaning? And WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP PUTTING THEIR HANDS ON THEIR FACE? I DON’T UNDERSTAND!

“Sheltered beastkin Tellus, sheltered beastkin.” “Alright, so do you know why you fell asleep?”

“Because I was tired?”

“Hahaha, no not actually. It’s because you were bored! Because you didn’t understand what the teacher was saying.”

“Oh”

“Yes, but we will fix that. We will help you understand enough other things for you to be able to understand what the teacher says in class.”

“Oh, ok.”

*sigh* “Another brawn type, I see. Well, no matter. You will still learn. Ok, so let’s meet back up with your classmates. It’s time for swordsmanship practice.”

“Oh, is that like what I did with Gerald at the Bearicks?”

“Barracks, Chalia”

“Barrucks?”

“Uh, yeah, close enough, and yes, we will be doing the same kinds of things.”

“Yay!”

“Yep. Definitely a brawn type.”

*** *** ***

“Sword practice was so fun! Everyone was different, and they fought differently and some used magic even though they weren’t supposed to, and I learned a lot of stuff!”

“Oh?” Selaena asked

“Yeah, like how to move the sword differently and how to use magic to make you stronger.”

“Ah, I see. And what did you learn in the other classroom?”

“...Uh..I fell asleep” It’s so embarrassing! I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t!

“Bwahahaha! I’m sorry Chalia, I just had to. You are so cute when you are embarrassed! *Oomph*

Here we go again…

“I admit, I already knew. Tellus, I mean, headmaster to you told me he wanted me to teach you some things so you will be able to pay attention better in class.”

“So that’s what we’ll do when we get back to your room, but first…”

Oooh, why did your voice suddenly feel icy?

“We have some rats to deal with. Chalia, get behind me.”

Oooh, so many colors, so much magic! We just walked into the event plaza and all this magic started happpening, and all these people are appearing!

“Who are you, and what do you want!”

“Well, aren’t we feeling fiesty today? Haha.”

Tis guy acted like something was funny, but then his voice went cold, too.

“We are from the Black Scarr. Take a guess what we want.”

Selaena pulled out her wand.

“Realm of ice, wind of the night.

Descend and grant us stay

I call forth to thee,

Glacial Twilight!”

Woah. Everything is changing! The sky turned from day to night, and everything froze and looks so cold!

*Fwoosh*

I’m actually really scared. Who are these people and why are they attacking us?

There are so many! A bunch of people with swords are running at us, and there are others using magic from a distance.

First swordsman arrived.

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“Alavanalcontreasosechaelshovrelaentor—”

Selaena is speaking but none of it makes sense at all.

“Ugh!”

A spike of ice came up from the ground and instantly killed the swordsman!

Oh, the mages are working together to use a really strong magic! But why does it take so many of them to do that? The magic Selaena is using by herself is almost as strong as that.

“Th-th-th-that’s, Th-that’s the, the Glacial Poet!”

“Huh?”

The person who seems to be the leader of the group, his eyes just got big.

“Run, escape!”

“We can’t! She is using Tier 5 Domain magic!”

Oh, it’s coming! The mages just cast a really big magic, we need to move!

“Chalia, stay here with me. Trust me, you will be ok.”

“Mhmm.”

Oh, ok, I’ll stay right here then. It’s really scary though!

“Ovelestruincsnmosprilliendauesaltenoiklitos”

*Bang* *Bam*

Woah. A dome of ice just appeared, covering us at the last moment. The magic of the enemies destroyed it, but we were perfectly safe! Moreover Selaena is still saying those weird things.

“No, no! We are losing!”

“I have a question”

Woah, Selaena, your voice sounds so… Majestic. It’s really light and nice, but also so powerful!

“Do you know why they call me the Glacial Poet?”

“It is not because I can do such a small thing as cast some high tier magics. It is because if one is so weak as to fall into my domain, then by definition I alone am qualified to speak of the manner of their deaths.

*By hands of the immortals hewn, a song let us together view, for as the gates are wide, so shall the cries of the lost be many—*

Selaena is… Singing? And the ground, the air, everything is starting to glow!

“No, NO!!!” “Resonance? Is this resonance?” “We are doomed!” “Ah, with this sound I shall accept my death with gratitude”

“Kill her! Kill her before she finishes, we still have time!” “Boss, we can’t move. It’s over.”

“Then I’ll have to do the honors.”

Oh, this is not good! That one can still move, and he is coming towards us!

*Clang*

What? What did he just hit? Oh I think I see it! There’s a shadow—no, that’s actually a person! And the magic seems familiar… They are moving so fast though, that I can’s see either of them closely!

“So you’re that Scarr bastard. Didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to attack Lorovan’s apprentice.”

“Arghhh! Out of my way!”

“No chance in hell, buddy. And trust me, I’ve been there haha”

That’s, that’s…. Slint! It’s Slint!

*Clang, clang, clang* *Clash, boom, clang*

*As the gods have seen the struggle and delight, we too have known joy and despair—*

“No, this isn’t happening! Get out of my way, you hellspawn!”

“I’d say the one looking to dissect a little girl is the real hellspawn, but I’ll take the title as a compliment. After all, time is up.”

*And to all comes the season, of rest*

“No! Nooooo—”

…

They’re dead?…

*Thump*

…

"S-S-Selaena!"

I already lost Gus because he was protecting me, and now Selaena—I can’t lose her too!

“Selaena, Selaena! Don’t die, please don’t die!” She fell over and she isn’t responding! Please, not again!

“Selaena wake uuuuup! Please!

“For Heltrina’s sakes, would you cut it out already?! She’s fine. A good night’s sleep and she’ll be back to normal! Stop making my ears bleed.”

“She, she’s going to be ok?”

“Yeah, she’s fine, ok? Happy?”

“Mhmm.” She’ll be ok, she’ll be ok…

The world of ice disappeared quickly, including the frozen bodies contained in it. Meanwhile, Slint picked up Selaena and carried her until we found a carriage to bring us to the guild residences. The carriage driver was uncomfortable seeing Slint carrying a unconscious woman, but when Slint showed him his Guild ID the man’s skin changed colors and demanded we take the ride for free. He must be a very nice person!

When we got back we went to a room a the top of the building. It was huge and very nice! And there was an old man waiting for us. He had white hair and a really big staff.

“What happened?” The man asked, as Slint put Selaena on the bed. I climbed on so I could hug her arm.

“Found the Scarr rat.”

“The Scarr Warrior. I disagree with their actions, but they too had families.”

“Yes sir. Anyways, I’m afraid her core…”

“Her core?”

“She used resonance, sir.”

“Ah, I see. The child has always been a reckless one. I see there is still more work to be done.”

“B-but, her core, Sir… Does that mean you can?….”

“There are many mysteries to this world, some to be shared freely, and some not at all. Good work, Slint, you may return to your other tasks.”

“Yes Sir.”

Was Slint just polite to the man? Why was that?

“You, too should go from here.”

“No! I don’t care if you hit me or kick me! I don’t want her to die! I want her to be ok!”

“Haha, very well then. You can stay there, but do not look outside until I am done.”

*Whoosh* He pulled his cloak around me so I couldn’t see anything, but that’s ok, as long as I can stay here with Selaena.

Please be ok!

He chanting something, but I can’t hear very well through the cloak. Oh, there is some wind leaking in. Wait, no, that’s the glowy stuff! Or, I mean, mana! Or actually, that’s not quite like mana…. It’s magic but it’s also like mana, and it is super duper thick! In fact, my core is absorbing the energy, even though I’m not doing anything.

He stopped, but the energy stayed there for a long time. How long? I don’t know exactly, because I fell asleep…

*** *** ***

Selaena’s POV

Breathe. Come, on, keep breathing. Why is it so hard to do? I feel like there is a weight on my chest.

I’ve really done it, huh? I got so angry that I used my resonance again, even though I hadn’t even fully healed from the last time I tried it. I probably put another crack in my mana core again. *sigh* I’ll worry about that later.

You know, come to think of it, the weight isn’t actually quite as heavy as I though it was, and there is a warmth to it… *shudder* I’m still half asleep. Wake up Selaena, wake up!

Ugh. My head hurts like crazy. Slowly, my vision returns to me. I’m back in the guild, my own room no less. Guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. Slint is creepy as hell, but that’s just the way he does things. He never actually does anything wrong, it’s just that he does the right thing in ways that are really uncomfortable.

Huh? Movement, I felt something move just now. Look slowly…

“’on’t weave, be ‘kay…”

It’s… Chalia? It takes a minute for everything to process through my muddled head. Chalia must have been worried and stayed with me this whole time! What time is it? The clock isn’t there…

“Please rest, lady Selaena. Your injuries were severe and your body needs some time to recover.” a gentle voice said from a chair at the side of my room.

Injuries? Severe? I might have cracked my core a bit again, but that shouldn’t necessitate bed rest. I should examine myself.

What? My meridians are all ruptured and tangled. It looks like what happens when someone… when someone’s mana core… shatters.

Hold, on, that’s not right, though… if that is really the case then why am I awake?

Oh, good, my mana core is intact. But… there are lines all over it—lines holding unbelievably concentrated magical power. Is that…? that’s… that’s origin aether! No, not quite, actually, but close to it.

“Master Lorovan ordered that you are not to get up until at least half your meridians are untangled and your core has melded back together. Also, you must only circulate the top layer of mana in your core.”

“Ok, Auris, I understand.”

I don’t know all of what happened, but I have enough information to understand one thing: Master Lorovan saved me. Again.

I lay back in my bed, put my arms around Chalia, and drift back to sleep…