Under the Light of the World at War: Early Chapter 48

My arms flexed as I went down and up, up and down.

The biggest benefit of learning Power Word: Fortitude, had been the increase in Stamina. 

It started simply enough. Three Stamina then it grew another stamina point stronger each level. Similar to Arcane Intellect. 

But while it didn’t seem like much, three Stamina was quite a bit.

And now?

[Power Word: Fortitude lv 5 47/50]

Seven Stamina was nearly a fourth of all the Stamina I had.

“Fortitude.” I spoke, casting the spell once again, pushing it just a bit closer to a level up. 

While I couldn’t refine the spell much, being a Light spell. That didn’t mean I wasn’t making headway. 

I didn’t glare, or even stare. I simply kept my eyes shut and meditated. Using the same method that I’d learned under El’Tela. It wasn’t really Meditation exactly, but I was focused inward as my body moved, and because of it. I was able to keep my mind focused. 

With every pump of my arms, I was pushing myself another step towards protecting people. The pain was temporary, the benefits forever. So I simply kept pushing.

Between Blessing of Wisdom, and my Mana gems, I was able to cast the spell fairly quickly. Which only increased my Stamina letting me push myself further.

The timer rang and I looked up.

I’d exercised through my entire workout time and while I was tired, I could probably keep going.

Instead I shook myself, got up and headed for my room. A quick clean off, and I headed back up for breakfast.

Sliding into my seat I started eating, thankful that while El’Tela was very fond of her conjured food for breakfast, she did order more than just that. 

“Manners.” She remarked, and I pointedly, didn’t reply instantly, instead finishing my mouthful before doing so.

“Sorry.”

She just shook her head. “Your manners will likely never improve if they are still this bad.” She sighed, and I fought off a smile, because she would get annoyed. 

She had gotten to the point where critiquing my manners was almost a joke more than anything.

“The new spell has been giving me a lot of results.” I commented, before grabbing another bite, and she nodded.

“The Healers often use it during battle to support the troops. Long marches are made much easier if everyone doesn’t grow tired… To use it to physically train is a good idea. Not one most can afford. There simply aren’t enough healers.”

“Which is why being your own healer is the best!”

“It’s a distraction.” She grumbled as always annoyed that I didn't spend all day every day studying the Arcane. 

“Have you seen Papa?”

“As always the boy has his head in some enchantment.” She grumbled, and I just nodded at that. 

Mama had come back with a Troll Arcanum. Basically their version of Enchantment. I think it was based on some voodoo stuff as Papa had been utterly enthralled with it, and had gone on long muttering lectures about how different it was.

And yet the same.

Long ago, when the Elves had first come to Quel’Thalas they had discovered the Trolls Arcanum, and it had actually been more effective than the Elvish enchantment. 

Or at least it had been different and interesting enough we had absorbed their knowledge until we didn’t need them anymore, but in this case. Papa had been studying the Arcanum directly, never having gotten his hands on one before. 

And here I was never having known Trolls even had enchantment styles of their own.

It had been a gift Mama very specifically brought back for her husband, and Papa had been enthralled.

Other than Mama, he hadn’t done much besides focus on the Arcanum.

I shuddered at what I had just thought.

Mama was gone again, it had been a week since she left, and still I couldn’t get the fact out of my head.

My parents had been very frisky.

“Your Arcane Mind. Have you made any improvements?”

“Almost.” I admitted, then grumbled a bit. Between the Light and all the other training, Arcane Mind had taken a bit of a back seat, despite the fact it was one of the few ways I had to improve my Mana pool. 

How funny it is, that before everything, it would have been my most important skill. Of course that was before I understood what I was doing wrong with Holy Light.

“I’ve been distracted trying to figure out what Grunkle Zo was trying to teach me.”

“He will hate it if you call him that.”

“Oh I know.” I said instantly, then bit into my breakfast, El’Tela just smirked and took a sip of tea.

“And what did my fool grandson try to teach you?”

“I didn’t say before? He… He mentioned Energy Synergy. He uses the Arcane to power his blows, to-”

“To strike in the gaps of millimeters, only someone using the Arcane could see. Yes, I know what he was talking about… You haven’t already?” She muttered putting down her cup. “But you spent months training with him, you improved massively.”

“I know, but apparently I’m not synergizing? I don’t know… I’m trying to do it with the Light, instead of the Arcane.”

Instantly, her face shifted into a frown. “Why? You already have an excellent understanding of the Arcane. You are being difficult.”

“Maybe, but I want to do it this way. I think it’ll be better…. No, I believe it will be.”

“Without any proof and just deciding it will? Sounds foolish.”

“Sounds like the Light.” I argued back, grinning as she didn’t look happy with me.

That’s right, the Arcane is about facts, logic, and exact numbers. The Light is about believing.

“Believe in me that believes in you, huh?” I muttered laughing at the old line. 

“Hmm. I didn’t realize this was something you hadn’t learned. Unfortunately I am not a warrior.” She said with a dismissive tone. 

“Yeah. I’ve been trying to call on the Light when I practice, but… I’ve not managed to get anywhere with it.”

She considered it for a while as she took up her tea and sipped it, obviously thinking so I did the same, focusing on devouring the rest of my meal, cause I was a hungry elf!

“Warriors that use the Arcane, don’t empower themselves, or their blows with magic. That is not what the Arcane does. They look beyond simple power, and gain insight on where to strike. Math after all, is more than just numbers. Distance, and length of an opponent's arm, or blade is just as much math as anything else.”

I blinked, considering what she said. 

I had been trying to basically fill myself with Light and then hit someone with it, but was that really the Light?

I mean, sort of, but it was more structured than that wasn’t it?

Seals and Judgement were something I remembered from the game. You lay a seal upon yourself and then use that ability as a buff, or strike them with it to do something extra.

Yet the main problem remained. “I have no idea how to do that.”

“Use Arcane, and I can have a tutor assigned.” El’Tela offered, without hesitation and  just puffed up at her.

“I’ll figure it out.”

“Very well.” She accepted without any further argument then looked towards the center of the room. “I expect you to continue training your Arcane Mind. Let’s see if we can’t have a breakthrough today.” 

I looked at her, sighed and got up. Finishing off my juice and heading towards the room. I worked myself hard, but El’Tela was a slave driver!

—---

“Look at all of them!” Kimi cried out climbing up on the fence to look over the field. All the little Hawkstriders were either looking at her, the noise attracting them, or running away as it startled them.

Chocobo was very good at one thing apparently, and that was laying eggs. No wonder she kept getting broody, she really was just telling people what she was good at.

The little flock of birds felt like it was growing every time I came by, or maybe it was just them that were.

It had been months since I dropped off Chocobo, but her babies were getting bigger. Still cute little tiny things, but that was what made them cute.

The braver ones slowly wandered over in packs, their feathers all fluffed up as Kimi clicked and gestured for them. I just reached out and grabbed the back of her shirt to keep her from climbing all the way over.

While the babies were just little things. Their father was more than happy to strike if he felt his babies were threatened and he was looking on with sharp eyes.

As much as I wanted, even I didn’t climb over the fence. 

Instead, while Kimi cried happily over the babies coming over to explore her hands, pecking at her. I checked over the entire flock.

The braver ones were good, maybe one of them would be the ones I take? I mean at this point, I could probably grab two or maybe three of them with how many Chocobo was laying.

Yet, none of the brave ones wandering over and pecking at Kimi stood out to me. I was looking for a future mount, but I wasn’t sure yet what I was actually looking for.

“Aww. They like me!” Kimi cried out, I looked over… Kimi they were pecking at your hand to try and eat you. I think them not liking your taste is the only reason you are keeping those fingers.

But then again Kimi had a way with birds or well, flying things in general, her Dragonhawk had always been sweet with her, and territorial to anyone else. 

I got up on the fence beside her, and the Hawkstriders shifted, tilting their head this way and that as they looked at my own now offered had.

Then suddenly one of them barged in through the back.

The bird slammed into the back of the crowd climbing over her siblings, her darker feathers showing she was a girl, as she in the most ungainly way I’ve ever seen surfed through the crowd, half the time literally surfing on top of her siblings, before she slammed into the fence chest first legs caught on a siblings back and causing the entire front row to wobble and flip around. 

Then the bird noticed us seemingly for the first time, blinking each eye at different times as it look back and forth at us…

Then her head went straight up, waved back and forth bonelessly with a screech,, and then like some horrible monster slammed her head forward her beak open and locked down heavily on my hand, that I’d been too shocked to pull back.

“AAaaAAaaAaA!” I screamed as the bird bit down, and I yanked back falling entirely back off the fence, the smaller bird yanked right along with me, over the fence as she refused to let go, and suddenly I had a bird land on me after getting the air knocked out of me as I hit the dirt.

The crazed bird flipped around and around seemingly not wanting to let go, but then she did release my hand and just started running.

Straight into the fence.

I lay there, cradling my very painful hand, as the bird slammed into the fence trying to get back to its siblings and unable too.

“Dorah!? Are you okay? Does it hurt? It’s okay if it hurts, you don’t have to cry!” Kimi cried, literally already having tears in her eyes as she dropped down beside me, the older girl did plenty of crying for me.

I groaned as I sat up. Yeah that was blood on my hand. “Ow.”

“It’s okay! I’ll get a healer! I can carry you! Don’t cry Doraaaah!” I looked at Kimi who was bawling already and reached up with my okay hand and patted her on the head. 

“It’s fine Kimi. Give me a second.” I winced because that really hurt! I think the bird had broken something? Or just all the pressure hurt.

Those hawkstrider beaks were nasty.

Seeing the bird still smashing herself into the fence, I had a minute. And started casting, which wasn’t easy with an injured hand

Good to know. Hand injuries could slow down casting, be careful about them. Gauntlets.

I needed gauntlets.

The Holy Light was more than enough and I sighed, as the pain in my hand faded to a healers ache. Clenching my hand a few times to make sure all was good. I then stood up, helped up by Kimi who was more of a hindrance, but that’s okay. 

That had definitely freaked her out.

Then I looked at the troublemaker…

“Oh Elune, she’s stupid.” I whispered, realizing what the problem was.

She was stupid.

A certifiable moron. The most ungainly, stupid bird in the entire flock. How in the world did Chocobo the grumpy girl create a child so dumb?

“Hey what’s going on over there!?” The owner of the Ranch yelled out, no doubt hearing my own screams, and Kimi’s bawling. I waved at him, and he calmed down when he approached, seeing there wasn’t a serious injury on either of us.

“This one clamped on my hand and I fell back, pulled her right out of the field.” I explained as he walked over noticing the bird still bashing herself into the fence.

“Oh… That one.” He said in the most done voice I’ve ever heard. “I’m going to have to cull that one. She’s trouble, seriously.” He grumbled, walking over and while the bird wasn’t looking leaned over, pressed her back down with his chest, and grabbed onto her ankles, her legs kicked a bit but he practically folded her up against his chest, her head wiggling back and forth seemingly surprised at the sudden shift in what was happening.

“Let me just-” He shifted to the left, and just chucked the bird over the fence.

She gave a squealing noise as she quite literally flew and then hit the dirt on the other side completely sideways, but then after rolling around a minute got up, chirped and just wandered off.

“That’s… Wow.”

“Hawkstriders are tough. They can’t fly with those wings, but instead they’re surprisingly tough, practically clubs if you aren’t careful, never seen one break a wing in all my years of breeding them. Use them to cushion their falls and things. Anyways, that one is a bit of a mess.”

“She’s a moron.”

“She certainly doesn’t have much going on up there does she? She’s a troublemaker too. Keeps getting into things that she shouldn’t. I guess she’ll be an early meal.”

“You can’t!” Kimi gasped, horrified at the idea of killing the stupid one, and I just sighed.

Honestly, if she was that much trouble…

“She’s just special! She just needs love and care, and she’ll be the most amazing Hawkstrider!” Kimi argued, and I was fairly certain that was 90% fairy tail thinking but…

I shrugged.

“I’m going to take that one.” I decided, which was definitely a bad idea. 

“What? You sure? That one? I think you should pick another one.” I respected the disbelief and willingness to guide me away from probably a bad idea.

“Yep. I guess I have to now.” I admitted and Kimi gave me a bright smile. I was going to regret this. If it didn’t work out at least, I’d have other Hawkstriders to pick from.

“I guess I’ll call her… Chocobo Too.” Heh. 

“You can’t just call her a number Dorah!” Kimi argued, and I shook my head. 

“Not like the number, like… As well? Don’t Worry about it, just call her Chocobo.”

“Okay!”

—---

“Papa!” I knocked on the door. Then I stepped back. I was more than happy to give Papa time to do whatever he wanted, but when no one had seen him for a couple days it was a bit too much.

Finally the door opened, and Papa looked as wild as I’d ever seen him.

He was also wearing the same robe I’d last seen him in.

“Dorah? What is it? Something wrong?” He asked, a bit dazed. I just looked at him and sighed. 

“Papa. You’ve been in your room for three days.” I told him and watched as he sort of blinked taking in the information before nodding.

“Oh. That’s far too long. Felomin will be upset.”

“Only if you don’t realize you were being bad and fix it.” I told him, something I’d often heard as a child whenever I’d really messed something up.

He looked at me, his eyes a bit clearer than before and smiled. 

“I suppose that is good advice after all. Oh. I think I’m hungry.”

“Go get a bath and some fresh clothes, and I’ll get food for you okay? I know you’ve eaten. At least a few times.” Tira’nore had food delivered to his room. The woman was certainly not a maid, but she was very happy to cater to Papa considering how much work he was putting into the store. 

As the store manager, she was probably quite happy to show a massive decrease in costs these last months. 

“Yes, that sounds good… Maybe those things from across the way?”

“Oh those are good.” I agreed and walked away leaving him to get himself cleaned up. I had some money in my pocket. Mostly from my Blacksmithing work, so I didn't even need to ask for money which was nice. 

I headed out of the Shop waving at Tira’nore, as I did, the older woman bowed to me as I walked past, but didn’t add much else as she was actually busy with a customer today. That was kinda cool. While we got a lot of business it wasn’t usually someone walking in.

Nobles liked to send orders out, through the mail and things, and so most of our business was done like that.

Across the Court of the Sun there were a few shops and things, including some really fancy cafes that mostly had their seating up on second or third floors. The ground level of the court was mostly for fancy elitism. They wouldn’t want people just sitting out near the street!

I giggled to myself at the thought as I headed over to the cafe, and inside.

“Good morning. Lady Arkhana’Shola. What can we get for you today?”

“A half dozen of the Meat pastries.” I chirped, and hid a smile as the cafe attendant’s eye started twitching.

“The Royal Blue Ribbon, Ethala are not-”

“Yeah those!” I agreed. The name was way too long to say normally!

“Of course Lady Arkhana’Shola.” She agreed, blandly, but I could tell she was irritated.

I paid for the food, and then headed back. One of the cafe’s workers would deliver it when the food was done.

This was one of the wealthiest areas in the city after all. Nobles didn’t wait for their food.

Back across the road and into the shop, then back up I checked on Papa. Knocking on the door I waited for the call to come in and thankfully it did come.

I really didn’t want to find him asleep or worse distracted again.

My parents' room wasn’t much different from mine. Bigger, but it had the same stone work and ornamentations. I noticed his window was now open, and that was nice as a clean breeze was flowing in.

“Did I worry you?” He asked as I entered, finding him standing by the window enjoying the wind.

“Not worry, but I know how you get. Feel okay?”

“Yes, a little tired?”

“Want some healing?”

“Hmm.. That might be quite nice actually.”

I cast Holy Light and let it flow over him and I instantly noticed how he stretched and eased some muscles in his back. Silly Papa was hunched over his desk again.

Which is where I looked as the thought came and saw the little statue.

“Still looking at the Arcanum?” I asked, before cursing myself. I was trying to get Papa to step away from getting sucked in.

“Oh yes, it’s quite fascinating to see one myself. I read books about them, of course. We gained a vast growth in our standard enchantments from the things Trolls were doing. Of course we could still make things far superior to the Trolls, but their Arcanum was efficient in a surprising way.”

He walked over and picked up the little Troll Statue. It was an object made to hold the enchantment until it was used.

Weird that Mama found one considering she would be killing them near the gate.

“What’s it do?”

“This? It enchants a set of bracers. Makes them a bit stronger. Good for a cheaper enchantment, not quite up to our strongest.” He explained, and that made me interested. 

“Learn anything useful from it?”

“Well… Yes, and no.” He said a bit sadly. “I can’t figure out the power source exactly, it’s not quite like how we do it, but I can see how we were able to copy their work to improve our own enchantments.”

“Well, I think Troll power sources aren’t going to be of much use to us.” Wasn’t their stuff Mojo, and that could be anything from blood, or even Troll Sweat.

Ew.

“Yes. I suppose that’s true.”

“Come on, you can tell me all about it while we eat, okay?” I offered, and he grinned, walking over and pulling me into a gentle hug. 

“I shouldn’t make you take care of me. But thank you Dorah. How is your enchanting coming?”

“It’s okay? I haven’t really dived into it much since we got here. I have resources I guess, but no real time to make what I need to work on it.”

“Why not work with the shop? I could teach you.”

I looked at Papa and smiled.

“Definitely.” Sure I already had so much to do, but no way was I turning down spending time enchanting with Papa.