As a New Blood sword-caster, we were always taught to sound out each strike to help drill the movements into us. Over time, of course, those movements and their individual timing became almost as natural as breathing. I'd never actively considered doing that for casting a spell, let alone during the odoruki technique. Using my newfound knowledge, I did what I could to catch up to her.
Vertex after vertex, I stepped and moved closer to her position, which was still a few points ahead of me. You weren't joking when you said I gave you the answer, she noted with a sense of pride coming through our connection. I guess I'll have to go faster, then, she grinned, inadvertently prompting me to push myself harder to catch up to her.
The last three vertices lay before us, and I was only one away from catching up to her, but got distracted again by her translucent form moving between the spaces and nearly lost my footing. Forced to recover within a heartbeat, I did my best to catch up to her, but I was too late.
She'd reached the end.
"Damn it," I said lightly, catching my breath. I could feel beads of sweat dripping down my face, but Ysevel didn't even seem out of breath. "You nearly overtook me on those last few vertices. What made you stall?" she asked, patting me on the back. "I thought I saw your translucent form moving between the vertices," I said loosely, hoping Kalia could explain what I saw.
She began to chuckle in disbelief, going so far as to pinch the bridge of her thin nose. "Wh-what? Did I say something wrong?" I asked. "No, no. You've just surmounted my expectations; that's all there is to it," she shook her head. "What do you mean?" both Ysevel and I asked in unison.
"The minaiha and odoruki techniques can build off each other in surprising ways. For example, you can technically use the minaiha while moving with odoruki to cut through just about any spell thrown your way. What you saw happening to Ysevel, in truth, also happens to you," Kalia explained, making both of our jaws drop to the floor.
"Seriously, is there anything you can't do with Wraith mana?" I asked jokingly. "It has its limitations, such as the lack of elemental control, but most things outside of that are possible," she shrugged.
That's insane. To think this power is only really limited by the wielder's skill level… I sent Ysevel, who nodded in agreement.
"If you can master the odoruki, I'll teach you both how to combine the two," Kalia grinned, likely already plotting the lessons out in her head. "We'll do our best," I chirped with excitement before working my way over to Athar and Irun, already seated at the dinner table.
Over dinner, Ysevel explained her thought process for performing the movement technique and mentioned that my observations were correct, though a little flawed. After correcting my mistakes, we decided to try again the next cycle.
"We only have three years left, but I feel like we're just now tapping into the true capabilities of this power," I said idly as I unfurled my bedroll. "We've both made incredible progress thanks to her teachings," Ysevel said warmly, glancing over at Kalia. "I just wish my mother could meet her," I said, feeling a tinge of sadness come over me that wasn't my own.
"I agree. I think they'd find her to be great company," Ysevel replied solemnly, feeling the same thing I did. "You feel it, too, right?" I whispered. "Mhmm, but I can tell she doesn't want to talk about it," she whispered. "I know she has her duties here, but if we're able to stop Nexis, I'd like to find a way for her to come with us, even if it's just for a short visit," I said distantly.
Ysevel looked at me kindly as the sadness in my core subsided. "I think she heard you," she smiled. "I know she did," I grinned, immediately feeling a feeling of embarrassment come through my connection to Kalia. "Come, let's sit with her for a while," Ysevel suggested, leading me by the hand.
We walked over to where she was kneeling beside the obelisk, feeling slights of regret as we approached. "Mind if we sit with you for a bit?" I asked cheerfully. "N-not at all; but you already knew that," Kalia scoffed with a wry smile aimed at Ysevel. We formed a small triangle with our seating arrangements, as Kalia turned around to sit facing us. "What's on your mind, child?" she asked warmly, retracting her faceplate so her voice was much clearer.
"We just wanted to have a small chat," Ysevel began. "We've been training so hard over the last few months that I feel it would be a good time to take a moment and just talk," she shrugged. "Well, I don't really see how I would make for a good conversation partner," Kalia chuckled. "What makes you say that?" I asked in disbelief.
Her features shifted slightly as the feeling of sadness returned. "I'm… scared of growing close to you two. All of you, in fact," she began hushedly.
I knew that whatever she was going to say must be difficult for her to voice aloud, so neither I nor Ysevel interrupted.
"We have a challenge ahead of us that has always seemed out of reach, and now that I've spent these past few years with you and constantly connected to you, I fear for what might happen if we fail," Kalia said, allowing her well-guarded emotions to flow a little through our connection.
"I never thought I'd admit it, but I've grown fond of you both. Seeing your growth in the ways of the Wraithborn has been the pleasure of a lifetime, and I'd do it all over again without a doubt," she said warmly. "As would we," Ysevel said, touching the armored hand that rested on Kalia's knee. "I never would have thought we'd have such an excellent teacher here, let alone a battle-sister," she smiled.
"I couldn't have said it better myself," I nodded. Kalia chuckled through her nose and shook her head. "I didn't think I'd ever have such honesty or care coming from you two. I had my reservations at first, thinking you'd turn out to be yet another Irun, but you two have certainly won me over. Looking back, I should have expected as much when you were crazy enough to make a binding vow with me," she said, looking at me with a toothy grin.
"Eh, I just felt it was the right thing to do," I shrugged. "The right thing to do? What do you mean?" she asked. "When we first met you, I thought you reminded me a lot of Taegin with your cold demeanor. I didn't know it then, but I felt there was more to your personality than you were letting off. The day you accidentally revealed your true face was when I realized that I was right," I explained, feeling a smile grow.
"See what I mean? He's crazy," Kalia leaned in toward Ysevel, gesturing at me from behind an extended hand that covered half her face. "You're right; he's absolutely lost it," Ysevel chuckled. Seeing the two of them laugh at my expense prompted me to join in on the fun. "Well, would you have spent the last seven years locked inside a dome with us any other way?" I asked lightly.
"No, I suppose I wouldn't have," Kalia said distantly. "But that's exactly the source of my fear," she said gloomily, returning the conversation to its original topic. "I've grown fond of you both, sure, though I must say that Irun and Athar have also grown on me," she began. "So you are playing favorites!" Irun shouted from across the dome.
Damn it, I didn't think he'd hear me, Kalia sent us both with a mental chuckle immediately reforming her faceplate when she noticed he was walking over toward us. It's your fault for having him maintain his third stage like you did me, I chided lightly. Shut up, Kalia snapped with a playful tone.
It was more than obvious that the walls she'd spent hundreds of thousands of cycles hiding behind were slowly coming down, and I knew she despised being called out on it. Over the years, I'd often tried my best to help break her out of it in hopes that she might be able to grow more comfortable around all of us, and I was finally winning that battle.
It was my way of showing affection for her, after all.
As Irun approached, Athar stirred in his bedroll and noticed we were all gathering near our instructor. "Oh, no. No, no, no. You're not having an official meeting of Nightfall's Blade without me," he shook his head as he got up and moved over to us. I could feel an internal, exasperated sigh from Kalia and knew she was straining not to say anything. "Alright then, have it your way," she waved him over.
He's not a bad guy, you know, I sent her a raised eyebrow. I know, but I fear I will grow too attached to him, only to have the others of my Clan push him away whenever we get back, she replied with evident worry. I guess that makes sense, but there's got to be something you can do about it, I argued. Changing my perspective of him is one thing, convincing the others will be a true challenge, she replied solemnly.
As much as I hate to admit it, I knew she was right. The Iron Plume Clan held strength above all else, though their hatred for alternates could have easily been considered a close second.
"Alright then, what's this meeting all about?" Athar said, plopping himself down next to Irun with his legs crossed. "Just idle conversation, really," Ysevel answered for the rest of us. "I'm always happy to talk about menial things, after all, you're the only real friends I've had," he shrugged. "Way to lighten the mood," Irun growled sarcastically. "You know me; I just say things as they are," Athar shrugged again.
"Didn't Ardrin ever just sit down and talk to you? Wait, before that, how long were you even there for?" Ysevel asked. "Twenty years, and no, not even once," Athar said plainly. "Didn't that ever strike you as odd?" she asked. "It was all I ever knew. To him, I was just an idiot he was forced to raise like a lamb to the slaughter," he shrugged.
"That's… horrible," Kalia said, surprising everyone. "Eh, it's not so bad. At least now I'm able to have people I care about, even if this moron doesn't know when to shut up," his voice changed as he gestured to Irun. "Not you, too," Irun sighed. "Don't worry; even back in Codrean, he never knew when to shut up," I chuckled wryly. "Oi, take that back," he spat. "Nah, I thought it was funny," I shook my head.