376 Dragonheart Shenanigans
Taking the lead in teaching him the magecraft she wielded, Celly walked around the secluded garden amidst solemn mountains with a smile, standing by the spring that flowed into a small pond, “That spell you used against the boars was amazing, but even that can have harmful effects. I don’t need to tell you that starving the brain of oxygen is a harmful effect.”
“Yeah, I know,” he rubbed his head.
“Through necessity, the magic you’ve learned towards cultivating is powerful, but singular towards battle; abundant in versatility when it comes to violence, though dormant in other regards,” Celly instructed with a gentle smile, waving her index finger as she left a trail of mana particles that fluttered, “In that case, you need magecraft to de-escalate situations; avoiding harm is important.”
It didn’t occur to him until then, but it was true: the magic he learned was all shaped around battle. Most of what he studied was in accordance with manipulating the elements, though not their mystical properties in other regards.
“The spell I used to put the boar to sleep is called “Tranquil Plain”–it calls upon water’s intrinsic connection to life, using that gentle flow of the element that permeates life to calm one into a peaceful sleep,” Celly explained.
“‘Tranquil Plain’…I see,” he nodded.
Celly was able to step onto the pond itself, not falling through the surface of crystal-clear water as she gently walked over it with a soft smile, appearing like a heavenly maiden to the Dragonheart.
‘She’s walking on water…Is she manipulating the water under her, or is it something else?’ He thought.
“If you wish to use ‘Tranquil Plain’, the essence you need to embody through your mind, body, and soul is a mission of peace,” Celly explained, gently caressing her mage staff, “If you wish harm upon your target, it will fail. In order to call upon it, remember its name, embody that tranquil flow and repeat in your mind–’The Benevolence of Undyne’.”
It seemed the connection with magic that the archmage had undoubtedly became levels more sophisticated since the last time he saw her; a natural grasp of the elements was shown as Celly seemed to wholly grasp incantationless magic now.
“‘The Benevolence of Undyne’? I see,” he nodded.
“Try it out,” Celly said.
He nodded, looking around for a target, finding a squirrel sitting upon one of the branches of the singular, old tree in the secluded garden; the critter was chewing on an acorn.
“Alright, I’ll give it a shot,” he said quietly, holding his artificial arm in front of him as he closed his eyes.
‘I need to erase all malicious intent. That’s what she said…I can’t have any inclination to harm my target or it won’t work,’ he thought.
Taking in a slow, deep inhale, an exhale allowed him to calmly expel the air from his lungs as he opened his eyes again. Invoking the essence of water was second nature to him, though it was a new layer to add aspects of “peace” to it–erasing harmful intent, easing his mind from any frustration or anger, and embodying that free-flowing nature of the aqua.
Moisture manifested in the air around him along with a calm, cerulean glow with the conjuration of mystical bubbles.
‘Allow it to flow through you. Feel the water run through your veins like the blood that gives you life; transmute it into a gift to the squirrel–a serenity! Benevolence of Undyne!’ He thought.
Towards the branch-sitting squirrel, he unleashed it, though at the exact moment he did–he felt something in his heart shift back into gear: flinging spells with the intent to harm had become second nature to him. Commanding a spell into existence naturally allowed intentions of harm to dip into his heart.
As the peaceful bubbles reached the squirrel, they activated–POP. The aquatic bubbles popped in a melody, though they failed to put the tree-occupying rodent into slumber as it instead scurried away, being scared by the bubbles.
“Ah…It failed?” He thought.
Celly walked over to him, “You almost had it. It still surprises me just how quickly you can learn spells…Still, keep it up. You’ll get it soon.”
“Yeah, thanks,” he smiled, “I think I understand what I need to do to practice this one. Thanks, Celly.”
After a couple hours of exchanging and teaching one another spells, the warmth of the afternoon was upon them.
“Should we head back?” He offered.
“Hmm…” Celly wondered before smiling, “Can we go into town? There’s something I’d like to do at the Guild quarters here, but also–well, it’s been a long time since I’ve been in Yullim.”
“Into town? Alright, sure, I think my mom was talking about needing ingredients for the ‘welcome back’ meal she’s preparing for you tonight,” he said with a small chuckle.
“She’s doing all of that? That’s not necessary,” Celly said, walking alongside him.
“Yeah, but she always goes the extra mile,” he said with a smile.
Leaving the secluded garden and the slumbering boars, the pair headed out into the lush fields of Yullim again, following the dirt road to the town itself. As always, the town was lively despite the tucked-away nature of Yullim itself; the marketplace was bustling with shops and travelers.
“It’s just as I remember it,” Celly said, looking around as they passed by a fruit vendor and another selling fresh skewers of pork.
Emilio laughed, “The persistent merchants and overwhelming smell of cooked meat?”
“No, but…yes, I like this atmosphere–the cities in Vasmoria are filled with people simply moving along to do their work, not really stopping to gawk at the scenery. In Yullim, it’s different–it feels more ‘connected’,” Celly said, “Maybe I’m wrong though.”
He shook his head, “No, you’re right. I wasn’t in Vasmoria long, but I know what you mean. Yullim has sort of a “home” feeling, even if you’re not from here.”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Celly smiled.
The Guild in Yullim had become a second home for Emilio since his return; as he entered, Celly watched as the Dragonheart was greeted by local adventurers, even exchanging high-fives and other gestures.
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“Thanks, though it wasn’t anything special,” Emilio bashfully laughed.
The response made the bushy-bearded, fully-armored man at one of the tables laugh as he held his mug up, “I never know if yer being cocky or humble, Dragonheart! Ga-ha-ha-ha!”
“That’s what I’m saying’! Can never read the guy,” another adventurer chipperly laughed, another veteran that wore an ax on his back.
After conversing and catching up with the locals of the Yullim Guild, Emilio followed Celly, who seemed to have something she needed from the receptionist.
“What do you need here, anyway?” He asked.
Celly glanced up at him, “I had something delivered from Vasmoria to Milligarde ahead of time–I requested that the Guild hold it for me.”
“What is it?”
“Patience, Emilio, patience,” Celly playfully said.
As the archmage stepped up to the receptionist desk, flashing her insignia and giving her name, the Guild receptionist retrieved an item wrapped carefully in olive cloth.
“Here you are,” the golden-haired receptionist said with a kind smile, setting the item on the desk.
“Thank you,” Celly nodded, taking the wrapped box.
Though he offered to carry the box that looked quite large in the thin arms of the half-elf, Celly shook her head, insisting that she had it with a confident smile.
“Seriously, now I’m curious–what’s in the box?” He asked.
“Not telling,” Celly said, “You’ll have to just be patient, okay?”
“Fine, fine,” he agreed with a playful sigh.
It wasn’t a far walk back to the Dragonheart residence, nor was it an unwelcome one as the autumn weather never failed to be brisk and refreshing. As they returned home together, he watched as Celly lugged the box up to her guest room.
For some reason, the silver-haired archmage was adamant about not letting him get a single peek at what the box was or what was stored within it, forcing him to wait downstairs.
“So…how was it?”
There wasn’t even a single moment that passed before he already found the nosiness of his parents. He nearly jumped as he found both his father and mother standing behind him, clearly posing such a question with certain intent.
He laughed a bit, averting his gaze, “How was what?”
“You know,” Treyna nudged him with her elbow, “Your special date with Celly.”
“It wasn’t–”
He tried to explain, though found himself quickly intercepted in his words from his father, who slung his arm around his neck.
“That Dragonheart blood, I tell ya! It runs stronger in your veins than any descendant since the First!” Julius proudly said, “So, how far did you get? A kiss on the cheek? Lips? You know, during our first outing together, your Mother and I—”
Before information that he certainly didn’t want to hear could meet his ears, he lightly pushed his father away and stepped back with a sigh.
“That is definitely too much information—whatever you were about to say!” Emilio pointed at Julius.