Eph-Herthalsus And Magic

Ribius's P.O.V

This village is so crowded. I can't even spot a good shop. If we're going to train, then… that means we'll… Nevermind. Not necessarily. If we're going to fight using weapons, then there's no need for that*. But isn't the brat a bit too young? She just became a year old, so how can she even hold up a weapon?

...Huh? Who's… calling me? A voice of a man, gently telling me to follow it. And I did. That's probably not the best thing I should do, but it's not my choice. It's like something is leading me somewhere. Still in the village though. "Let me go. Whoever you are." Nothing. They said nothing. Yet my hand is still getting pulled by something invisible.

It stopped. And it stopped me in front of a shady shop. "What even…" God! The smell is terrible! Just where'd it taken me? In an alley of some sort, a little shop with black curtains. Many stuff on display. Yet the smell is terrible, like a rotten body of some form. "Hello… What brings you here?"

What's with this woman? She looks… dead. Like a skeleton. "Something brought me here." Her eyes were dull black. No shine, no light, no pupil. If anything, her pupils were so dilated that it covered her whole iris.

"Hmm… Looks like Atlascius brought someone new." Atlascius? "The diverse warrior? He died centuries ago." The woman's dead expression turned to an intrigued look. "Hmm… He brought you here. The gentle voice yet hard grip." She knows. She knows the man who brought me here.

"That man is Atlascius. He did die a long time ago, but he remains." Alive? In what way? As in… "Alive after the dead*?" She nods. Knowing about such a thing is not so common that a normal person knows about it. "Atlascius is the one who got me here?" She nods again. I looked around the place, trying to figure out what causes my suspicions.

"You… Who are you?" I got in an attack position while glaring at her. She isn't an ordinary person. "You're going to attack an old defenseless woman?" "Answer my damn question!"

"...Ribius?" I turned around, my eyes fixated on the little girl half my size. "Alyth. What are you doing here? Where's Mallo?" She shouldn't be here. This place is dangerous. "Mallo buying Alyth wand. Why Ribius here?" I glared again at the woman. "Answer it. I got things to do." She started laughing all of a sudden. "Boy… You want a sword, don't you? You can take this sword." She pulled out a long object from inside the displaying table.

"This is…!" I took off the cloth covering the sword, only to confirm my suspicions. "...Eph-herthalsus." The possessed sword. "Yes. Possessing is by Atlascius." The sword is possessed by Atlascius? I looked down at the sword in my hands. It's very heavy. I can feel some sort of aura, a very dark aura. Like it's telling me to wield it.

"No need to pay. Just don't let Atlascius regret his decision." So he wanted to be wielded by me. I nod at the woman and grip the sword harder. "Alyth, let's go." She'd been very quiet this entire time, so I had thought she left. "Mhm." She held onto my hand (and I flinched*) and we both walked away, completely ignoring the old woman who was watching us.

"AND…? JUST WHERE WERE YOU, ALYTH*?"

Alyth's P.O.V

Oh god no. Mallo is going to scold me. "I with Ribius!" I declared with my hand on my chest. Mallo sighed. "Anyway, I've got your wand. Its name is Apithanale of the Northern Star and the Death of the End… I think*" I could see him glance at Ribius and look surprised by his sword. "That's not Eph-Herthalsus… Is it?" Mallo disclaimed. Surely, seeing THE Eph-Herthalsus (who doesn't even know about it) isn't a routine thing. "It is," Mallo stared at the sword in disbelief.

Ribius looked even more confused. "But I don't think I can wield it anytime soon." I glanced at Ribius. Why is he like that? Ever since we left that strange place, he became a bit weird. He was only staring at the sword the entire time, I mean, who wouldn't? But it wasn't out of surprise or anything, it's like he was trying to figure it out. Like he was trying to know it.

Mallo nodded as if he understood what Ribius meant. "Let's go back." as Mallo turned around, I saw a strange-looking thing tied on his back. Oh, it's the wand. What was its name? Apithanale of the Northern Star and the Death of the End? That's a long name. We walked around the village, Mallo was in front, and Ribius and I followed behind him, hand in hand. Ribius's grip on my hand tightened and I winced from how hard he gripped it.

He's still staring at it. It must be a heavy sword, but Ribius seems to have no trouble holding it with ONE HAND. Then again, men are really strong. Not just back in my world, but here too- actually, they seem to be A LOT stronger here.

After returning to Mallo's house, we all sat on the table for dinner while Mallo talked to us. "Now that you two got your weapons, I'll start training you tomorrow." Mallo said while looking at the few papers in front of him. "What will the training be about?"Asked Ribius. I could see a smirk forming on Mallo's mouth. "Magic." I spat out the eggs that were in my mouth and Ribius dropped his spoon*. "Then… Why-..." Ribius seemed to be at a loss of words.

Mallo was as calm as ever, his smirk never deforming. "Oh. Getting Eph-Herthalsus and Apithanale isn't going to be part of the training," my eyes almost popped out of their sockets and Ribius seemed to be as surprised as I was. "I just wanted to know what you guys would specialize in. That will help with your training. Of magic, that is." Ribius's surprised look turned into a focused one. Looks like he's got something fighting his logic.

"So Alyth and Ribius use magic?" Mallo used his finger to lift his glasses a bit. "Yes, you both will begin to use magic in a few weeks, at the least." Ribius jumped out of his seat. "And my mother?" Mallo nodded. "I've already gotten her permission. She was delighted to think of you using magic."

Everything was just so sudden. Magic is a rare thing to possess, and Mallo is here suggesting that we start training to use magic? Nothing made sense anymore, and my thoughts sauntered back to daddy. He was able to use magic. But wait, I never knew Mallo could use magic too. But that explains a lot. I am just a year old, so there's no way I can hold a huge wand and wave it in the air.

"How Mallo teach us?" I say as I tilt my head slightly to the left. "You'll see tomorrow." Ribius grabbed Eph-Herthalsus and left. Mallo picked me up and put me to bed. "Night night." "Goodnight." He blew the candle off and closed the door.

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Mallo didn't sleep- he stayed all night reading magic books. He wasn't a user of magic, nor did he have an interest in it. Angyar had asked him to teach the kids to protect themselves and to keep Alyth safe until she can protect herself. And Angyar cast a spell on Mallo so Mallo can use magic.

Then he heard footsteps. "Mallo? That you?" He shifted his eyes from the book and onto the small figure that appeared. "Why are you awake, Alyth?"

She trembled but shook it off and rubbed her eye. "I had nightmare." He closed his book. "Come here." Alyth walked slowly towards him, and when she was close enough, he hugged her. "What was the nightmare about?" Alyth wrapped her small arms around Mallo (who was sitting on the floor) and hugged him back. "Daddy." Mallo knew that she didn't want to talk about it, but he had to know. It was alright though. It was enough. All he had to know was that it's about Angyar to cast a spell on Alyth.

To make Alyth forget about Angyar.

He held Alyth close, to remind her of her father's warmth. Until the spell would take effect. "You're like a child. Act your age, damn woman." He said with a smirk. "Alyth IS child, dummy Mallo!" She laughed. Her laugh echoed through Mallo's house... she fell asleep.

He got up with her in his arms. "I guess... A child is a child." He placed her on the bed and tucked her in. She was almost... like his own daughter.

Then there was a knock. A soft one. Who would come at such a late time? Mallo opened the door anyway. "Ribius? Why are you here?" Mallo was oblivious to the fact that Ribius was there the entire time, hearing the whole talk. "So you were awake. I need to talk to you." Mallo let Ribius in. He wouldn't doubt Ribius of all people, even if it means coming at night.

"What brings you here? Nervous about tomorrow?" Ribius shook his head with a frown. "No, but I am here to ask you a few things. Why are you teaching us about magic? Alyth is one year old only, if anything, I should learn magic and protect her until she can!" Ribius found it strange. She was a baby, even if her mind doesn't prove it. She was physically a baby, and unable to train to use MAGIC of all things. He was determined to protect her himself, since he was nine years older than her.

"That's what Angyar asked me to do. As you already know, Alyth has the Vandestry, meaning she and her father are both Lephetarian. Angyar gave Alyth the Vandestry so it can protect her. But Alyth has to use magic to activate the Vandestry." Ribius shook his head in disbelief. "Why does she even need protection?" He asked. "Because she is from Lephetaris. Meaning people will come after her." Ribius knew that, but it just didn't come into his mind right now. "Then... Alyth... She's not just a baby, right? I heard you two. You said 'act your age, damn woman'." Mallo realized his mistake. 'goddammit.' he thought.

Mallo sighed. "Yeah, she isn't a normal child. She was a grown woman in the past, but was reincarnated as Alyth." Ribius wasn't surprised. He almost knew that completely. "Why was she reincarnated?" Mallo looked down. "I don't know. I know it's not a coincidence though." Ribius looked down too. "Only... two more questions..." Mallo nodded. "You don't actually use magic, do you?" A bead of sweat rolled down Mallo's cheek. He was found out.

"You're just like Alyth. Not a normal child." Ribius smirked. "I am not reincarnated though. I was a normal child up until 5 years old*"

Mallo thought about Ribius's words. "I don't use magic, but Angyar does." Ribius instantly knew what Mallo was referring to. Mallo had a spell cast onto him. That was for sure.

"Last question. You know about Eph-Herthalsus, don't you?" Mallo expected this question to come up, and he was ready to answer it.

"Yes."

___End Of Chapter 8___