The Ark Of Verna

"I'd like to use my middle name, 'Verna'. But if you wanna call me Bryan, I don't mind if we are in private," said Bryan, smiling.

"Ah, so you are 'Verna'. Earlier, a girl using the Memory Element came to rescue us. She told us to say 'hi' to someone called 'Verna'. I presume that would be you?" asked Mavislin.

"Oh, that should be my mother. She uses the Memory Element," replied Bryan, nodding.

"Isn't 'Verna' a girl's name?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head to the side.

"Yea, my mother thought I was a girl but realized later. But I seemed to like that name, so I've used it for some undercover missions."

"So, from now on, you shall obey my orders as my piece within the PIllars. You shall now be granted the protection of the Arks, as my First Seat Slayer!" exclaimed Mavislin, with pride and joy.

"I honored to be at your service. I accept my role, as the First Seat Slayer Verna!" replied Bryan, bowing down to Mavislin.

The emblem of the Barren Pillars appeared on the back of his left hand, shining brightly in gold. Bryan looked at it in awe, amazed at how much power was surging through him. It was a lot, more than he expected. Unfortunately, more than what his consciousness could handle, his world turned black.

"Looks like you poured too much power into the man..." said Gillian, looking at the poor fellow.

"I didn't know his body is that weak. I'd forgotten that Ashley was a special case," explained Mavislin, looking out the window.

"At least he isn't asking for the pay," said Gillian.

"Yea... But I'm worried about his body failing during crucial moments."

"Don't worry, you can train him. Get some rest. Maybe you can read this letter. It was delivered here by Baldwin's Puka. It is from the Five Kings," said Gillian, handing her a letter.

She didn't need a name to know who wrote that letter as the smell of coffee was all over the paper.

"I will place the knock-off beside you."

Mavislin glared daggers at Gillian.

"He is my Slayer Verna. Not a knock-off."

"Of course, Lady Roydon," said Gillian, before closing the door.

With a sleeping Bryan by her side and the room finally quiet, Mavislin opened the letter.

A few months had passed, after the Umbra altercation and battle between Benjamin. The Arks knew that they had just barely got through with the help of that woman. If she wasn't there, they would have been killed.

Raiyen had recovered and was busy training with Z using fast-paced attacks. Z tried his best to use his Kunais while receiving barrages of slashes from Raiyen's twin daggers.

Mavislin's arm was fully recovered by the end of a month and proceeded to train with Bryan. Hand-to-hand combat first, later on using various weaponry to help Mavislin understand his fighting style better. He was right, there was no weapon he couldn't use.

But, there was also no weapon he could master. Every time he used a weapon, it never feels like he gets the hang of it, making rookie mistakes. This might prove fatal in a crucial fight.

"Of all the weapons out there, I did not picture you with a whip," noted Bryan as he lost grip with his sword.

"Well, I can use most weaponry but I prefer using whips. Baldwin uses a sword, Z uses Kunais and Raiyen uses daggers. Gil doesn't really use a weapon since Akis prefers using their body as the weapon. And the oddest one should be Ysabeau," explained Mavislin.

"She mains Bow and Arroow but she prefers..."

"Wings," replied Ysabeau as she showed off her Bahamut Wings.

She soared down towards the two, who made way for her landing. Though she was motherly, those features were gone with the sly smile she gave to those two. Bryan shuddered as he gripped his sword tightly. Mavislin remained unfazed as she made her whip vanish. All three were in fighting stance.

"I haven't trained with you in such a long while. Shall we make up for a lost time?" asked Ysabeau, with a devilish grin.

There was a reason why Gillian is scared of her. Bryan remained in his stance but was crumbling on the inside. Her Aura was flaring up, not too much but just enough to intimidate third-rate Magus. Comparing the two, Bryan's Aura couldn't hold a candle against Ysabeau. But it bore no effect on Mavislin, who simply stared at her.

The Valkyrie then extended her wings, which were shining in gold. They looked like angel wings as she slowly hovered over the ground. Her Aura flared up, but it felt less ferocious against Ysabeau. It was, by no means, weaker than Ysabeau. But it wasn't scaring Bryan too much.