Departure from the farming town

The day after meeting with Kaelith and his family, I awoke in the Airblade after a restless night. Stretching my arms and legs as I stepped out of the cockpit, I was greeted by the morning sun casting its warm brilliance over the land.

"Hmm, I guess I'll go see if Kaelith is prepared to head back in an hour or so. Till then, I'll have to find something to do or think about to pass the time…" Letting out an audible sigh of boredom, I let my mind wander, hoping to make the time pass a bit faster.

'Perhaps I should work on my experiment...'

Over the past few months, I have been delving into the mysteries of the mind. I had a thought: what if I could purposefully create a split personality that I could switch on and off at will? The idea intrigued me, and I wanted to see if I could pull it off. Using my current abilities and a bit of stimuli activated through my glasses, I managed to achieve something close. Instead of a split personality, it was more like a trance state. I could limit my capabilities and thoughts, helping with concentration.

"Neuro, activate the combat trance for five minutes and record my vital and brain activity."

...

Inside the Airblade, Farthington had grown weary of the lack of activities and decided to take a stroll outside.

'Who knows, I might just get some good inspiration for my autobiography…'

With a thump, the Airblade door closed, and Farthington stepped out onto the ground. As he walked around the area where the Airblade was parked, he suddenly heard a sharp Fwing multiple times some distance away.

'Huh, whatever could that peculiar sound be?'

Intrigued, Farthington walked towards the sound. As he approached a secluded clearing, he saw Tokei swinging a dagger around. She wore a cloak over a white t-shirt and black cargo pants. Her amethyst eyes glowed as if someone was shining a light through purple crystals, and her face was scarily expressionless, like a robot's.

Each swing of her dagger's blade pushed the air away rapidly, creating swirls of dust with every movement. The precision and speed of her strikes were mesmerizing, each Fwing a testament to the power behind her strikes.

Farthington watched in silence for a moment. He had already known that she was strong from back when she managed to pick him up by the collar singlehandedly in the alley not too long ago but she was even somewhat adept with a blade. 

'Note to self, try not to get on her bad side…"

Breaking the silence, he called out, "Tokei, what are you doing?" However, the only response he received was the continued sound of the resounding Fwing from each of Tokei's swings.

Around about minute seconds later, The glow in Tokei's eyes faded out and her expression softened a little bit, making her seem human once more.

…

Glancing over at Farthington, whose presence I had just noticed, I questioned, "What are you doing here?"

He had a somewhat scrutinizing expression on his face as if he were sizing me up.

"Hmm, your control over your blade was decent, but your form and technique were practically nonexistent…" he said, rubbing his chin while standing condescendingly.

"That's because I lack any form of training with weapons. I specialize more in information and support," I replied firmly.

"Speaking of which, madam, I don't believe you've told me what type of work I'll be handling as part of Shadow Phoenix," Farthington remarked with an intrigued tone.

"As far as I know, you'll most likely be a combatant on the field when necessary and will work to complete different missions. Speaking of which, how adept are you in combat?"

"Hmph! I'm glad you asked. I've trained with the sword and I know my way around firearms, all thanks to my acting job. I can even strengthen weapons using mana because I'm a Martial Artist," he said, pride evident in his voice.

"Ah, alright…"

I wonder if that actually translates to real combat at all… Let me take a look at the attributes of Martial Artists who specialize in empowering weapons as their combat style.

In a whisper, I talked to Neuro, "Neuro, pull up information on Martial Artists who strengthen weapons."

The cold robotic voice of Neuro replied, "Pulling up the information now… Martial Artists who specialize in weapon strengthening are widely referred to as Enhancers and can be found throughout Entwick and Mittelriech countries, as they usually remain neutral. From what is known, Enhancers are capable of channeling the mana they collect and refine in their bodies and applying it to their weapons in different ways to adapt to multiple situations and scenarios."

As I absorbed this information, I couldn't help but be impressed by the versatility of Enhancers. If Farthington's claims were true, he could be a valuable asset in the field. However, I needed to see his skills in action to be sure. At the moment, he seemed like more of a hindrance than a useful ally.

"Well, Farthington, it seems your skills might indeed be valuable. But we'll have to test them in real combat situations to see just how effective you are."

Farthington's emerald eyes sparkled with anticipation. "I'm ready whenever you are. As long as I get paid the right price, that is."

I nodded, making a mental note to arrange a training session soon. "For now, we need to prepare for our departure. Once we get going, it will take a few days to get back to Tekuno, where the Shadow Phoenix base is located."

With that, I turned my attention to the time.

Let's see… Kaelith should be ready to depart any moment now. I should probably start heading over to pick him up.

I let Farthington know I was leaving and made my way towards Kaelith's home. The sun was out with a clear sky, causing the temperature to climb rapidly. I began to sweat profusely as the heat made me feel as if I were getting cooked alive.

As the blue house and rickety red shack came into view, I let out an exasperated sigh, "Finally~"

Approaching the front door, I noticed the familiar scent of home cooking wafting through the air, a comforting contrast to the oppressive heat. I knocked gently, and the door swung open almost immediately, revealing Kaelith with a small bag slung over his shoulder, ready for departure.

"Good morning," Kaelith greeted, his face lit with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

"Ah, right. Good morning," I replied, trying to conceal my disheveled state. "Are you all set to go?"

"Yes, I've said my goodbyes and packed everything I need," he said, stepping out and closing the door behind him. His family members appeared at the doorway, waving and offering encouraging smiles.

"Take care of yourself, Kaelith," his mother called out, her voice filled with maternal warmth.

"We'll miss you, son," his father added, giving a reassuring nod.

His mother then beckoned him over to her using a hand gesture, Before whispering something into his ear, which caused his face to become flushed.

"That's not gonna happen!" He seemed to exclaim in protest.

Giving him a teasing smile, his mother gently said, "Still, you need to take care of yourself and make sure you look your best. Got it? And make sure to visit whenever you have free time."

"I'll be back before you know it," Kaelith reassured them, waving one last time before turning to follow me.

We made our way back to the Airblade, the heat of the sun relentless. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the determination in Kaelith's stride. He was ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead, and that gave me a small sense of relief.

By the time we reached the Airblade, I was drenched in sweat, my clothes sticking uncomfortably to my skin.

 Farthington was already waiting, leaning against the vehicle with an air of impatience.

"About time," he remarked, though his tone was more teasing than annoyed.

"Alright, everyone, let's get going," I said, ushering Kaelith inside. "It's a long journey to Tekuno, so you best get prepared for the long journey to get there."

With everyone on board, the Airblade roared to life, its engines humming as we lifted off the ground. As we soared into the sky, leaving the small farming town behind, I felt a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.