45 Osha's Induction

"…I can't believe there are so many." Alicia says, gazing into the large waterway that was filled with the large eggs.

These children did not look like infants either. There ages seemed to range although on average they seemed to look around ten years old, some looked slightly younger and older.

"Yes… It's a good thing we arrived when we did. Their size just seemed to explode when we arrived here and put them in the waterway. Once we saw what was happening, we knew that it must have something to do the evolution that we went through due to your skill…" Kaal says, not taking his eyes from the water.

The eggs emitted a pale green light from themselves which gave the water a rather beautiful glow. It was hard to tell with them being in the water, but the skin tone of the children is a green colour.

This made sense as since they evolved, the skin tone of the lizard people went from normal human skin tones, to varying tones of green. Kaal's skin tone for example went from a pink colour to a pale green colour.

"Most likely it is due to Alicia. My mother was pregnant when she evolved and when she gave birth, my little brother was a humanoid like us." Ignis chimed in, recounting her mothers experience in this area.

While Ignis and Kaal discussed this, Alicia was fascinated by the eggs. Lizard people lay numerous eggs per clutch and so parents can have a lot of children per birth.

Eventually, Alicia manged to tear her focus away from the eggs as she realised that there might be a problem in the future…

"Hey, doesn't this mean that your population can basically explode in a very short amount of time?" Alicia says as she looks over questioningly at Kaal.

"Yes it does… If we are not careful in the future then we may run out of room to lay our eggs. This city does have quite a few waterways running through it, but we cannot possibly take up all of them…" Kaal looks deep in thought as he tries to think of a solution to the issue.

"AH!" As Kaal says this, an idea pops into Alicia's head…

"What about if we relocate you to an area with a large amount of water that we can let your people supervise?" Alicia says, clearly with a place in mind.

"You have a place like that here in the mountains?!" Kaal asks, clearly excited by this development.

The place that Alicia thought of was the massive lake that her and Terre visited when they were exploring the kingdoms territory together.

The area was huge and unused with an abundance of resources to live off in order for them to survive.

"That may be the perfect habitat for us! It sounds a lot like the place where you found me." Kaal's excitement only increased as Alicia described the area to them.

Kaal was rather disappointed that they had to leave their previous home, it was an ideal home for them. So hearing that they may have a new home that is just as ideal but even bigger, was a huge relief for him.

"Indeed that does sound like a good idea… It will also allow us to cover a larger area and keep an eye out for threats in our territory… Amazed it came from you, Alicia…" Ignis says while thinking over how such an arrangement would work.

"Hey! There's no need to take a dig at me there!" Alicia meanwhile was rather proud of her idea, though what Ignis said then made her rather upset as puffed up her cheeks to show her displeasure.

Though this only made Alicia look more adorable…

"There, there, big sis." Osha meanwhile patted Alicia the head to try and comfort Alicia. That only made her more upset, due to her feeling she was being treated like a child by someone she thought of as younger then her.

"Fufufu… Ahem, anyway it might be better off putting off that move until we are sure that the threat with undead is gone. We don't want to trying to set up a new home for the lizard people when they could be attacked before they are ready." Vera says, swiftly wiping the slight drool from her mouth caused by staring at Alicia's cute attempt at an angry face.

"Hmm… that is true. I'll bring it up with mother and Terre later, so for now we will have to put it on hold." Ignis says in conclusion and they left it at that until they had a better idea of where the undead where and their goal.

And so, they said their goodbyes to Kaal for now, as he had to attend to some business related to his tribe, and left.

---

"Heeeeey Big Sis, where are we going?" Osha asks as she follows behind Alicia.

"Hehe you are fulfilling your promise with me!" Alicia says happily as she almost skips down the road leading to the plains outside the city.

After they left Kaal, Alicia announced to them all that there was something that they had to do. So, without telling them what they were doing, she led them down the road they are currently traveling down.

Once Alicia said that it was to fulfil her promise, Osha walked while racking her brain as to what she could be talking about. Vera and Ignis on the other hand, had an idea of what she was talking about. And had a rather bad feeling about it.

Eventually they ended up outside of the city walls.

"Fufu… Right! Welcome Osha, to your first day of knight training!" Alicia spun around to face them and happily shouted.

Vera and Ignis' faces dropped as what they had hoped was not coming was now happening. Osha on the other hand, seemed rather excited…

"Knight training?! That sounds fun! What we going to do? Fight monsters and explore places?!" Osha asks, her eyes shining with anticipation.

"That's a cool idea for the future! Buuut, today we are going to be testing out Knight Recruit Osha's fighting strength. And when I say we, I mean me mostly haha!" Alicia says while laughing heartily.

"Ooooo, I see!" Osha's excitement didn't drop as she imagined that she would be having a little spar with Alicia, though Vera and Ignis smiled sadly at her naivety.

"Okay, Vera and Ignis you two can spar together for a bit. I want to thoroughly check out Osha's abilities…" An excited smile starts to spread across Alicia's face.

She was rather impatient to get the sparring going, after feeling rather disappointed to be excluded from fighting the undead ogre.

"Yes, my Lady." (Vera)

"Sure thing… Good luck Osha." Ignis gives Osha a sympathetic pat on the back, then goes with Vera to a spot rather far from them to have a light spar.

Osha looked confusedly at Ignis as she walked away, but then began to feel a growing surge of power near her.

She looked over at the source to see Alicia, now with a massive smile on her face, summoning her spirit armour, but not her weapon.

"As you fight with no weapons, I'll do the same so we can fight on equal footing and get maximum enjoyment out of this!" Alicia shouted over to her.

"Now Osha, give me everything you got!" (Alicia)

Osha was slightly surprised by Alicia's sudden intensity but didn't want to let her down, she wanted to show off how strong she could be.

"'Kayyy! [Body Strengthening]" Osha strengthened her body and entered a fighting pose.

She then pushed herself off the ground to jump straight at Alicia, aiming to tackle and defeat her before she had chance to do anything.

But Alicia was ready for this and moves to the side, allowing Osha to pass by her.

"Fufufu, will have to be A LOT quicker than that if you want to catch me out." Alicia says smiling smugly at Osha.

It was obvious to Alicia that Osha's go to attack, was jumping in to get close, then send attack with numerous big attacks until they are defeated. Alicia was therefore already prepared to dodge before Osha made her move.

"Grrrr!" Osha is easily provoked and jumps straight towards Alicia again.

Alicia activates her own [Body Strengthening] skill and instead of dodging, takes Osha's attack head on.

*BOOM*

The two collide and send out a large shock wave that reaches over where Ignis and Vera are training, The two take a brief look over to see what was going on…

"Osha's quite strong isn't she?" Ignis comments while watching Alicia and Osha, who had now locked hands together, with Osha trying her hardest to overpower Alicia.

"True, she may be quite strong. But that level of strength is not anywhere near the level of Lady Alicia's." Vera replies as she analyses how Osha seems to be trying her hardest in comparison to Alicia who, while taking the fight seriously, is not going all out yet.

Meanwhile back at the fight…

"Hyaaaah!" Osha breaks away from Alicia's hands and launches a massive kick at her, which Alicia ducks away from then jumps back.

"Hehe not gunna catch me out like that! Hmmm?" Just as Alicia started to shout out cocky things, Osha built up a lot of mana inside her arms…

"[Earth Smasher]!" Osha hits the strikes the ground hard while also sending a large amount of earthen mana into the ground, the mana then builds up in the ground causing it to crack and explode. And the explosions in the ground seem to head towards Alicia.

"Woah…" Alicia was surprised, she just expected to have to deal close range attacks and not have to worry about her when she was at distance.

Alicia quickly summons up her partial dragon form and flies up to avoid the attack. Though that was not the end of it, as she looks up, through the dust cloud created from the attack, Osha comes flying out at her.

Alicia notices that the fist that Osha was pulling back to throw, was covered in hardened clay like substance. Alicia thought that it more that likely would make Osha's attack more damaging, while also cushioning her own hand to stop from any damaged she might receive to her fist.

[Hmmm? I seem to be getting better at analysing mid battle… hehe… GO ME!] Alicia thought to herself, but then suddenly realised that she had forgotten to move.

"WOAAAAAH!... Hehe almost got me…" Alicia says as she just narrowly flies over Osha's attack…

[Enough dodging for me!] Alicia coats her tail in flame mana and swings down into Osha, Alicia's response was so quick that Osha was still below her when Alicia counters. Meaning Alicia's tail slammed against her back and sent her back down to the ground.

*Thud*

Osha hits the ground, though she lands on her feet as Alicia made sure not to strike to hard. It still knocked the air out of her lungs however and it took her a few seconds to catch her breath again.

"Fufufu… That all you got Osha?" Alicia says mockingly, trying to get her to go all out and jump at her again.

"NO WAY! I'm gunna show Big Sis that I can protect her!" Osha shouted back, which takes Alicia by surprise with her straightforwardness. She feels her chest get all warm…

"Hehe good! Let's keep going then!" (Alicia)

Alicia and Osha continue their sparring, with Alicia clearly in control of the fight. Eventually, Alicia ends the fight with another big strike with her tail while Osha was restrained by Alicia's shadow element magic.

Osha falls to her knees and Alicia calls for a stop…

"Nawwww… I couldn't even get a clear hit on Big Sis…" Osha sulks on her knees at her own perceived weakness.

"Don't be so down Osha, you held up against her well. It was only your first time after all." Ignis comes from behind her and pats Osha on the head.

"Indeed, we struggle to get many hits on Lady Alicia." Vera too encourages Osha, as Ignis helps her to her feet.

The encouragement works as Osha's frown turns into a smile…

"Hehe thanks you guys!" Their words seem to give her back some of her energy, probably sapped through not being able to hit Alicia.

"Haaah, no problem. Anyway you guys were at it for quite a while. I think we should call it a day-" (Ignis)

"Where do you think you're going?" Alicia's sweet voice echoes in Ignis' ear as she feels a firm hand on her shoulder.

Ignis turns her head to see Alicia wearing a wonderful smile, though Ignis had been with Alicia long enough to realise that this was a ominous sign.

"W-Well I thought because you guys had such a lively battle… Maybe we could just have a break for the rest of the day, you know what I mean ahaha…" Ignis nervously laughs as she sees that Alicia's face was very much unconvinced.

"Not. A. Chance." Alicia's expression grows darker in Ignis' eyes.

"You know the rule. Everyone has to fight with me at least once before we go home…" So says Alicia, which leaves both Ignis and Vera dreading the time ahead.

And so the day ended, the four of them spent the majority of the day fighting each other, with even Osha growing tired in the end.

"HAHAHA! So fun!" Only Alicia in the end is left in good spirits as the others drag themselves behind her.

"Haaah… Big Sis is tough…" Osha moans as her whole body feels numb.

"… Yeah…" (Ignis and Vera)