The inn in Rabanastre was quiet when dawn came, the desert heat not yet risen to its midday fury. Clive and Lunafreya had risen early, the former tightening the straps on his sword-belt, the latter adjusting the trinket at her wrist with quiet determination. Vivi had not stirred until sunlight poured directly through the window, falling across his small frame.
He blinked awake, the yellow of his eyes glowing faintly under the brim of his oversized hat. He rubbed them with small gloved hands, then sat up. For a moment, he just stared at the two adults. "You're both… still here," he said softly, as if testing the reality of it.
Clive gave him a nod. "Of course. Sirius didn't bring us together just to wander off."
Lunafreya smiled, her voice carrying a warmth that settled even Clive's storm-burdened heart. "We are companions now, Vivi. That means sharing our strength and our struggles. Today, we train."
The boy-mage tilted his head, thoughtful, then hopped off the bed. "Okay… I'll do my best."
---
The trio left the inn and walked out of the city gates, the morning air already warm with the promise of blistering heat. Beyond the walls stretched the Dalmascan desert, sand shimmering under the rising sun. They stopped at a patch of hardened ground where sparse tufts of grass clung stubbornly to life.
Clive drew his sword with a rasp of steel. "We start simple. Coordination. You cover distance with spells, I'll hold the line. Lunafreya, you… direct. You seem more suited to seeing the flow than I am."
She inclined her head. "Then I shall guide. Vivi—show us what you can do."
The boy hesitated only a moment before raising his staff. The air shimmered, sparks of lightning dancing down the carved wood. "Thundara!" His voice cracked slightly, but the spell roared to life, a bolt striking a boulder a hundred paces away. The stone cracked apart with a boom.
Clive's eyes widened slightly. "That's… no small trick."
"I can do more," Vivi admitted, ducking his head shyly. "But… it gets tiring fast."
"Then pace yourself," Clive said, setting his stance. "Your strength doesn't matter if you can't endure. Strike, rest, strike again—that's how we win battles, not by burning out."
Luna lifted her staff, her pale hair catching the desert light. "Then let us begin."
---
They sparred against the wilderness. Clive cut down desert wolves with efficient sweeps, while Vivi blasted groups with arcs of fire and ice. Luna supported them, calling upon faint whispers of water magic to cool their skin and heal scratches when claws found purchase.
As the sun climbed higher, the desert turned merciless. Luna was sweating heavily, strands of hair sticking to her forehead, her movements slower. Clive, armored and broad, struggled to stay steady on the shifting sands—every step sank his boots deeper, and each swing of his blade dragged heavier.
But Vivi… Vivi simply stood on the dunes as though the heat did not touch him. He tilted his head, confused by their struggle. "Is it… really that bad?" he asked.
Clive wiped sweat from his brow and chuckled bitterly. "Feels like my body's baking from the inside."
That was when a memory stirred. Sirius's calm tone echoed in his mind: Aerith can teach you the barrier. It will shield you from more than blades—heat, cold, storms.
Clive blinked, then looked at the trinket on his wrist. "Aerith…" he muttered, tapping the charm.
The crystal flickered, then glowed. A gentle voice answered, soft as a summer breeze. "Clive? You're calling me?"
Lunafreya's eyes widened in surprise. Vivi tilted his head curiously.
"Yes," Clive said, speaking into the air. "We're training in the desert. The heat's… unbearable. Sirius once mentioned a magic barrier—one that could shield us. Can you teach me?"
On the other side of the connection, Aerith laughed lightly, a sound that eased even Clive's frustration. "So Sirius forgot to explain again, huh? Typical. All right, listen carefully. A barrier isn't complicated—it's about will, focus, and flow. Imagine your mana not as power for offense, but as a gentle layer around your body. A second skin."
"Second skin…" Clive repeated under his breath.
Aerith continued, her voice patient, almost like a teacher with children. "It doesn't have to be heavy armor. Think of it as a cloak of energy, one that adjusts to what you need. Heat, cold, strong winds—you just tell the mana: protect me from this. That intention is the key."
Lunafreya's eyes softened, her gaze turning inward. "Intention guiding flow… like an Oracle guiding prayers to the Astrals."
"Yes, exactly!" Aerith said brightly. "It's not about brute force. It's about clarity."
Vivi raised his staff slightly. "I… think I can try. I've used mana to shield others before. Maybe I can use it on myself."
"Good," Aerith said. "Clive, Luna, Vivi—close your eyes. Feel the mana within you. Let it flow outward, wrapping around your skin like a veil."
---
They obeyed. Clive's breathing slowed, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He imagined fire—Ifrit's rage—then forced it into calm, smoothing it into something gentler. He pictured a shell of flame turned harmless, warm but protective. Slowly, the crushing weight of the sun eased.
Lunafreya lifted her staff, her aura shimmering faintly with light. Cool water rose in her mind, flowing in currents around her body. The heat dulled, replaced by a serene calm. Her shoulders straightened, her expression softening.
Vivi simply… stood. For him, magic was as natural as breathing. He tugged at the threads of his mana, weaving them outward like a cloak. The heat vanished instantly, his small body glowing faintly with blue light.
Clive cracked one eye open, blinking. The desert haze felt bearable again, the weight lifted. "It… worked," he whispered in disbelief.
Aerith's laugh rang warmly through the trinket. "Of course it did! See? You're stronger than you think. Remember—magic isn't just for fighting. It's for living, surviving, protecting."
Lunafreya's smile bloomed, radiant even in the harsh desert. "Thank you, Aerith. Truly."
"You're welcome," Aerith replied. "Now, practice until it becomes second nature. One day, this will mean the difference between life and death."
The trinket dimmed, the connection fading. Silence lingered a moment, broken only by the whisper of desert winds.
---
Clive sheathed his sword, looking between Luna and Vivi. "Well… seems we've got more to train than I thought."
Lunafreya nodded gently. "It is not only power that makes one strong. It is wisdom, too."
Vivi smiled, small but certain. "I'll keep practicing. If I can do this… maybe I can protect more people."
For the first time since dawn, the three of them laughed together, the sound carrying lightly across the desert.
And from the shadows of the fate-woven threads, Sirius watched, satisfied.
"Good," he murmured. "They're learning not just to fight—but to live."