Chapter 49 - A Few Questions

<p>Once I had called the Healers back to relocate his shoulder, and to fix the broken bones he now had, Ezio refused to stop calling me his sworn brother, and admired my strength with a laugh.<br/><br/> I didn't have the heart to tell him it was just a broken Skill I had started out with.<br/><br/> Checking my Statscreen, I was surprised to see I had almost leveled up again. 'Fighting against people sure is worth it, in a way,' I think to myself as I leave. In a couple of matches, I'll be where Eniyala is at currently, as long as the rate I earned EXP stayed the same.<br/><br/> Of course, she'll still be a few levels above me, as she's in the same tournament.<br/><br/> As I entered stadium one, where her match was conducted, I spot a small elf who locked eyes with me and smiled.<br/><br/> "Mister Luke!" Taisha calls, running over to me. I lower to one knee to be closer in level as she skids to a stop. "You sure are strong! You were totally like fwoosh! And clang! And btaaaang!!"<br/><br/> A few people's attention is drawn towards us, and several of them begin to gather.<br/><br/> "Hey, isn't that Liwuukay?" One man asks.<br/><br/> "Go ask for his autograph!" A girl nudges her friend, who looks at me with slight interest.<br/><br/> The muttering grows and a small crowd grows. I guess it's pretty easy to spot me since my hair is such a bright white.<br/><br/> I pat Taisha's head. "Yup! I'll be sure to get even stronger in the next matches, so make sure you watch those too, okay?"<br/><br/> She nods, her head rocking like an energetic bobblehead. "Uh-huh. I'm your number one fan, after all!"<br/><br/> I laugh. 'Wonder where she learned that from,' I wonder as I ruffle her hair. She shouts out in mock anger, huffing as she fixes her hair, and I stick my tongue out playfully as I begin walking into the stadium.<br/><br/> Right into another person.<br/><br/> They stumble slightly before righting themselves. Fixing their fragile glasses, the boy smiles shyly. "Are you Liwuukay?"<br/><br/> "Well, it's actually Luke."<br/><br/> He frowns, shaking his head clear. "Can I shake your hand?"<br/><br/> I slowly take his hand and shake it, and with a smile he runs off. Other people are also starting to gather around, whispering, and I slip inside before more people can crowd me.<br/><br/> As I enter, I see Eniyala struggling slightly with her match. She was still fighting, and it was pretty clear it would stay even for now, so I found a seat about three quarters up next to a quiet half-cat couple. My eyes were locked on the blazing blue stadium as attack after attack was unleashed, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.<br/><br/> I knew it was a long shot, but…<br/><br/> 'You there, Alyphia?' I think loudly, waiting to see if I got a response. Sure enough, after a long minute, her presence appears in my head.<br/><br/> 'Eeeee! He is actually calling on me!'<br/><br/> 'I can hear you.' Even though it's just my thoughts, my own voice in my head sounds exasperated.<br/><br/> 'Ahem. How may I help you, dear disciple.'<br/><br/> I sigh externally. 'Acting like nothing happened again… Anyways, can you explain the whole Mana Rebound thing to me?'<br/><br/> She ignores my comment, instead answering the question. 'You already should realize what that is about. Your Class details that you can't learn magic. By being my disciple, your body has adapted to channel Mana much differently than the average person. After all, you're to be the SWORD Saint, not Mage Saint.' I can feel a bit of disappointment in her presence, but she doesn't sound especially bitter.<br/><br/> 'Still, I should be able to apply Elements to other things with my Mana, shouldn't I? I mean, why else do I have Affinities?'<br/> <br/> Alyphia scoffs. 'The Affinities were mostly by accident. The only Affinity you were supposed to have was Light, like what I had. The others were… unavoidable accidents.'<br/><br/> As I wondered what accidents could possibly have given me two other Affinities, I wonder to myself — well, in my head — 'but what about the application of them?'<br/><br/> 'Well, you may have found a loophole for learning "magic" by instead turning it into an applicable Skill, but the use of Mana changes dramatically when using Elemental Magic as opposed to within a Skill. It is the difference between if I put my hair into a ponytail or a braid. Now, imagine if you could put up a ponytail, but you did not know how to properly make a braid. Even if you make it work, without the proper technique, the braid will just fall apart.'<br/><br/> 'So I don't know how to braid magic?'<br/><br/> 'Uh… more like your body cannot handle it when it is braided. It rips through your Mana veins. I am surprised you do not feel immense pain whenever you use your Lightning Sword.'<br/><br/> 'Lightning BLADE,' I correct her. 'And maybe it's because of all the adrenaline?'<br/><br/> She is silent for a long moment, and I can feel the judgment oozing from her. Finally, she speaks again. 'Was that all you needed, my lovely disciple?'<br/><br/> I nod, and her presence disappears once again. <br/><br/> "Could at least say goodbye," I mutter, earning a slightly confused look from the couple, who I smile and nod at politely before turning back to the arena. <br/><br/> "…Oh."<br/><br/> The dome has turned black, signaling the end of the match. 'Shit, I hope Eni won,' I think as I get up and begin leaving.<br/><br/> On the way down, I accidentally trip on a black tail that I swore wasn't there before. Losing my footing, I tumble, all the way down the stairs to the front row seat.<br/><br/> Laying upside down against the short barrier, I look up to the two half-dragons sitting up near the top of the stadium. I wave, mouthing 'Sorry!' before getting to my feet. The boy gives an awkward 'it's okay' wave, before he gets smacked upside the head by the grumpy looking sister. The two look extremely similar, and are both decent looking — as per the usual to dragonkin in any fantasy, I would assume. Although the angry look on her face didn't do her any wonders.<br/><br/> I decided not to get into it, though, as she gives me a tired smile, and I nod back.<br/><br/> And then proceeded the walk of shame back up the stairs, as the people who saw me fall stare at me climbing the stairs once again to get to the exit. <br/><br/> When I make it to the backdoor for participants, I find an even larger group of boys waiting around. Although, they sit quite a distance away from the door. "Guess they learned their lesson," I think aloud, spotting a boy with black hair leaning against the far wall. "And shooters are gonna shoot too, I guess," I mutter with a sigh.<br/><br/> It isn't long before a girl exits, but the group pauses hesitantly, and relaxes when they see it's not Eniyala. I note that they aren't as disappointed as they were with her last opponent, and open a path to let her through. A few of them even ask for autographs as she walks. <br/><br/> Several minutes later, Eniyala finally makes it out, and the boys begin cheering. She shoots them a glare, holding up her middle finger, which has blue flames curling around it dangerously. They fall silent, opening a path. As she starts walking, they cheer even louder than before, whistling loudly as she walks past them. She twirls a snakelike line of fire in her hand as she walks, and seeing this, the wisened boys give her a wider berth to walk until she's past them. <br/><br/> The first person she spots is the emo guy, smiling a bit and walking over to him to exchange small talk. The boys from the crowd are visibly pissed, but they gradually disperse, leaving only me and Lynsel, who had just arrived.<br/><br/> "Where were ya? I heard ya won your fight."<br/><br/> "It's a big stadium. Even though you're half giant, I still can't just find you in a stadium that fits almost 50 thousand people."<br/><br/> A pouty look comes over his face. "Hey! Ma mama said that I'm just big-boned."<br/><br/> I give him my own look that says I don't believe him, looking him up and down once. "Uh-huh. Sure."<br/><br/> We wait a few minutes more before she gives him a little wave, turning and walking over to us. Lynsel looks like a certain happy and hyper 11 year old with dark blue hair, while I lean against a wall with my arms crossed and with my hair in my eyes. It's a shoddy, but clear mock of Emo Guy.<br/><br/> Clearly ignoring me, she says a hello to Lynsel, who can't hold it in anymore. "So?! Spill tha beans, sis!"<br/><br/> Eniyala giggles a bit, but shakes her head. "It's nothing."<br/><br/> Just then, a small chime notifies her of a message on her phone, and she checks her phone. Another smile. She begins texting, and a few chimes prove a quick response has come. I roll my eyes as hers become glued to her screen, gesturing to Lynsel.<br/><br/> "Come on, man. EmoLover420 there is gonna be doing that for the rest of the night."<br/><br/> He clearly wants to ask what the hell an "EmoLover420" is, but the look I give him quickly shuts him up. and he nods as we head back to the inn, the azure girl trailing behind as she texts her new crush.</p>