Chapter 36: Healing a Legend

Chapter 36: Healing a Legend

~Albus POV~

While waiting for the ride to Mantle I began to make some small talk with Maria about what she planned to do and what I'm doing.

Maria is an elderly woman with dark skin and long silver hair, which she wears in a single braid down her back. She is of small stature and appears to be hunched over, requiring the use of a walking stick. However, it is shown that she can walk without it.

She wears a full-length dress in the traditional Tabasco style, consisting of a dark blue top with full sleeves and a skirt comprised of alternating light and dark blue layers.

In addition to her dress, she wears thick brown gloves and a heavy blue cloak trimmed at the edges with a pattern of white, hollow triangles on a light blue background. A similar white and blue trim is around the neck of the cloak. The cloak is secured to her shoulders with ornate white pauldrons.

We talked about her travels since she is a traveler and I'm one myself as she began to talk more times than not about my misadventures.

*Bonk*

"Ow…"

And I received a bonk to my head when Maria heard about my recent adventures for the last few weeks, "Hmph! Boy, I don't know how stupid or lucky you are living! Kidnaped, brutally mauled, Bandit attacks, and Slavers? And all of that without Aura! Don't know if you're very lucky or very suicidal."

Alright, fair point.

Rubbing the back of my head I began to reply back to Maria in the open to her, "Ow… for an old lady, you pack a mean hit. Aura enhanced perhaps?"

She grins cheekily at that as she replied to me with her own bravado, "It's all on the wrist kid. You managed to live off living underground huh?"

It was then my turn to cheekily grin at her when I replied the obvious of hiding underground, "Yeah. I do hide underground because no one notices. Best handy work yet and most people never noticed."

Maria shrugs her shoulders as I saw her glasses glitch in and out at times as I pointed out her gear, "Hey is your prostatic eye okay? Is that the reason you're going to Mantle to have it fixed up?"

Maria snorts at my question as she replies to my question as she adjusts her prostatic eye with her hands, "Yup. I know a good friend that helps me out every few years or so. Heh. We go way back when he helped me out."

Oh…?

Sounds like some interesting stuff happened in her past.

And glancing at her with my Ultimate Eye managed to process everything easier for me to understand.

Maria Calavera inherited her silver eyes from her father, a former soldier who was also her teacher.

Maria's father was able to find little information about the power and abilities of those with silver eyes - so little that he grew suspicious that those with silver eyes were being targeted.

Maria did not attend any of the Huntsmen Academies, but she had the highest score when she took her licensing exam.

Based on her father's suspicions, Maria tried to hide her Silver Eyes by adopting a persona known as 'The Grimm Reaper'. This disguise included using a skeletal mask to hide her eyes.

But I also know that she lost her eyes as I glanced at my Philosopher Stone Ring considering the option to return them to her and possibly her age again with the stone.

Rubbing my fingers on the stone Maria took notice at my face as she question plainly, "Hey kid what got your stick in your behind. Seems to me you want to talk about something?"

Sighing out my breath I then asked Maria a sudden question as I talked to her, "Maria right? Can I talk in private with you? It won't be a waste for you since you can clearly kick my ass. Just can I ask some questions?"

At this Maria glanced at my eyes and twirls her cane around as she mocks me a bit, "Heh. Sorry, pretty boy but I ain't interested in being called a pedo. But clearly, that ain't the question so were to whippersnapper?"

Pedo…?!!

Who do you think your fooling old lady!

Sigh…

Pulling my Lien as I then tried to lighten the mood and completely ignore that statement out my head as I spoke, "No worries. Will talk about this more privately while we eat. I'll even pay for the services miss."

*Clank*

*Clank*

Her robotic prostatic eye blinked as she smirks at this while giving me a playful warning at my Lien, "Ha! I'll take you up on your offer kid. Just don't regret me eating you all out of your Lien. Hahaha!"

Oh, my poor wallet.

/////

*Munch*

"And then when I was younger I beat those entitled asswipes of Atlas like children next you know?"

"Really? Well with your strength I can see that."

"Ha! You have seen nothing yet kid."

"True. Ture. Like the meal."

"Good stuff. The captain has a good chief."

For that, I was treating Maria to private food in a private room to talk but we first lighten the mood with her stories.

In all honestly, though they were interesting considering how old Maria is and her own travels made me want to meet some of them personally.

Next came the hard part where she lost her eyes in a fight and got too cocky for her own good before they got cut up as she laughs bitterly at that, "Hahaha… that was the one mistake that cost me a lot kid. Trust your elders ain't nothing more important than losing one of your own self. Take it to heart."

Nodding at that I began to glance over to her machine as I thanked her for the stories she provided, "No need Maria. You seem to have gone through a lot how about I help you out with that. Oh! How about this."

*Zzzz*

*Swoosh*

Like that, I used the Philosopher Stone Ring to transmute her prostatic eye and returned it to normal Silver Eyes again as Maria got her trusty cane turned into a hand scythe at my neck clearly not pleased at the sudden change.

That was when her cane changed into a scythe as we were in a stalemate before she spoke out seeing without realizing yet, "Kid better stop what your doing – Wait… I can see you clearly… I can see…"

Finally, someone realized something as Maria checked her face to see that the mechanical support is gone she checks her face again as I replied, "I'll have you know I'm the very best at the doing the impossible. Even converting your mechanical eyes into flesh and blood again."

She seems to ignore my words as I began to wait for her to process the whole thing happening she touches her face not feeling the metal wearing down her face.

Maria continues to do so till she manages to view the eyes of silver once more as it glowed as she began to question me, "What… what exactly are you…? You some kind of doctor that can turn objects into flesh?"

Happily taking into a comfortable sitting position I began to ask Maria in a calm tone to her as I want something from her, "Oh no. I don't think I'll be a good doctor. I'm merely a simple Alchemist."

"Tch."

She scoffs at this as she easily replied to me what I wanted since she knew from experience nothing is ever free, "Tch. An Alchemist? Sure what you call yourself. But what is it do you want from this old lady returning her eyes again? Not everything comes free."

Sadly, smiling at that I agreed with a nod.

Nothing in life is ever free and that remains true to this day.

With that, I began to reply to Maria about what I wanted from her as I held out my ring finger stone at her, "Simple. I simply need a guardian, traveler, and trainer with me at all times till I can fight and master my Aura. Who else but a formerly legendary Huntress such as yourself misses Calavera."

*swoosh*

"Heh? Funny kid."

Returning her weapon as she glances at me again she replied how she couldn't to a degree within reason, "As nice as it is to travel again with my eyes is... I'm afraid I can't but I can train you see you returned them… it's nice to have them again…"

Hearing that I completely understand but…

Shaking my head at this I began to reoffer what I mean to her showing my stone as I calmly stated to her, "True with your old age you could have trouble moving as you were in your beautiful youthful prime self right."

"Hey!"

But next came something that completely stopped her as I gave out another solution to her age problem, "But I have a way around your age but what I say is kept quiet. And you have to close your eyes for it to happen. I can return you to your prime but in return, you become my travel companion and instructor."

"What…"

She looked truly shocked by what I said and I truly meant everything that I mean.

I mean who wouldn't want to be young again.

That's what everyone wants even if they don't know.

But I can do it with the Philosopher Stone by reconstructing her body back to its prime with new cells to empower her.

Once again, the Philosopher Stone is truly an almighty powerful item.

It's definitely med tier in some areas but ignoring the rules of Alchemy and Law of Equivalent Exchange is what makes it truly dangerous.

It can be used and abused correctly so long as you know what you're doing.

Maria is no better to fall into this as she thinks back to her life and wonders.

I can see it go through with my Ultimate Eye as she firms herself as she replies to me with some hope in her voice, "Can you… Can you truly put me back in my prime again? Like a second chance?"

I nodded in return fully believing I could as she thinks a bit more before she finally comes up with her response, "Fine then. I'll be your traveling companion and instructor. But only when you master Aura and be a capable fighter do I get to leave. That fine with you?"

Nodding happily at Maria I nodded with joy in my voice as I spoke to my new partner, "Of course Maria. I just hope to learn from the best. Now close your eyes and prepare for some pain."

"I knew there was a catch!"

"Yup. No pain no gain as they say."

Maria rolls her eyes as she agreed and waits for it to happen as I place my hand over her head and begin with reconstructing her cells to her prime.

*Zzzz*