SOULMATE TRAINING

NINA

For two weeks, it was peaceful. I continued working in my designing company, now the star in our industry. I was unstoppable, as what reporters and other people would say. Ren was added to my retinue of guards as I was more targeted now that we came up on the top.

Although I don't necessarily need guards since I can fight head on humans, Ren would take none of it. He says that what if there were mages present seeking out for my life. I acquiesced, seeing that he had my best interests at heart. And I love his company.

We also continued doing team trainings, Sylvia now developing finer control of her magic. Practicing in environments with wild lightning magic enabled her to study and develop strategies that helped her harness them without overloading her magical spirit. It took a while, but with the help of everyone, she's doing a great job.

Along with perfecting our magic, we made progress on developing battle strategies, may it be offense and defense. We revolved our plans on the strategy Ren and I used during the battle with the manticore, now utilizing Ling's spatial magic. Contingency plans were also made in case something goes awry. We have no knowledge of the other beasts Asgard made, so it was important we developed many scenarios.

Last week, we made a mock battle against a manticore, using all of our magic. We took turns on the decapitation process since there may be times that not all of us are present. Ren made them develop spells that could cut the beasts' neck.

I on the other hand, have no such problem. Instead, I focused on how to tap onto Ren's magic. It was a double-edged sword, sparring and practicing with Ren. My hands and my whole body is screaming to be with him and just stick next to him. But Ren, he has some great sense of self-discipline. When it is practice time, its practice. When it's love time, he can give all the love in the world to me.

I was taught to be disciplined, but with him, everything doesn't count. Is this the bond he was talking about?

But maybe I think the reason why he isn't so affected is that he is a little frustrated since he cannot harness my magic in his spells. Sure we consulted with our magical spirits, but it was hard for him to do since my magic is not an output type. It was more of a support and the wielder does the whole fighting and defending.

One thing that's difficult for Ren was that I don't cast the spells. It's just a thought and then the weapon or armor appears before me. No words, no gestures, nothing. Just bam! And Ren wasn't used to that. I don't even know how he can harness my magic, even the magical spirits are at a conundrum.

For me, it was easy as a piece of cake. I can harness his magic and make my weapon with ice. I can throw arrows that release ice when touched or produce shields emitting cold air. I can even make the ground turn to ice when my sword touches it. But of course, if Ren casts so.

"Okay Ren, tell me of your most basic spells. Maybe I can put something into it."

H sighed, clearly frustrated that we haven't moved from this phase yet. We have been in this situation for god knows how many but still it didn't produce anything.

"We have been here before Nina and it didn't work."

"I know, but can we just do it one last time? If it doesn't result to something good, then we'd stop and I'll help you search in the great tomes in the library which I so much hate but I'm left with no choice. But if this turns out to something good, then all's well that ends well."

He breathed out with force and said, "Ok fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Let me ask you, how do you let me use your magic?"

"When you say ice sword, I trace my magic in your appearing sword. When we did that icing the ground, I traced my magic from the tip of your sword to the ground."

"So therefore, you wait for me before you cast the spell. I guess it didn't work because I don't know what you're trying to do. Show me a basic attack."

Ren raised his hand and out came ice spikes from the ground. I held my chin in contemplation.

"Do that again, but this time make it slower. I wanted to see where the magic forms before transforming to the spikes."

He did it again, only this time I saw that ice magic formed from the tip of his hand and flowed to the ground making the spikes.

"Okay I think I got it. Now do it again in the normal way."

He looked at me with eyes full of confusion.

"Just trust me okay?"

He nodded, "Ok here goes."

As soon as he said it, I got ready and at the first sign of the forming spike, I imagined the tip of the spikes to be metal.

Sure enough, it appeared. The metal reflecting on the sun's rays, a sign that we did it.

"Yipee!" I said in happiness. Ren approached the spikes and touched them.

"It is really metal! How did you find the loophole?"

I shrugged, "It took us long enough but I realized, you always asked me of what I wanted to happen when I use my weapons. And when you said you'd trace your power to mine, I took a hint that maybe yours was just fast enough that my mind couldn't comprehend where to weave mine into yours."

"So that's why you asked me to make my casting slow."

"Yep. It was an oversight to both of us, not really understanding what and how it occurs."

He approached me and kissed me in the cheek tenderly, "What would I do without you?"

I pinched his cheeks, "Silly! You could solve it sooner or later. Your frustrations are just clouding your judgment and ability to think straight."

"You're right. I'm really very easily affected nowadays. Is this because I'm awakening my ability to feel?"

I chuckled, "Most probably. You'll get used to it and learn to control it. I'm still even learning how to do that, so let's learn together!"

He laughed then turned serious, "Now our problem is how to communicate during the battle. We can't keep on shouting our next attacks, it might compromise our strategy."

I hummed, "You're right. But we'll take it slow. Let's learn first what spells we can use and develop signs for it. We are still learning."

He nodded, pressing his lips near my neck, spreading a lot of goodness in my whole body. I chuckled and playfully pushed him away from me.

He chuckled before the detection device alarmed in warning.