Even more meetings! Part 4

Senshinzako

Never take her too seriously. The sooner you adopt this line of thinking, the easier it is to get used to Fasnilthar. To start with in this session, I'll comment on some things about the scenes before and after our arrival at that bar. Firstly, a matter concerning part of my interaction with Fasnilthar. At first, when she refused to elaborate on the cause behind her drifting off, I was slightly confused. It did sound like the sort of thing she said was important for this kind of meeting. That said, seeing as Chiaisei showed some hostility to my attempts at pushing the issue, I decided to listen to her advice. For one, in parts due to the debt I felt towards both of them for the chance they offered at that point. For another, the fact that up to that point Chiaisei had been one of the most plainly blunt people I had met, whenever she was speaking to me. If what I had been doing merited a silent threat from her part, it likely wasn't something considered positive by people's normal standards. I saw her as my reference for what behavior should be expected since meeting her, thus felt it would be unreasonable to push back in that situation. 

Especially since I fully believed Chiaisei would be willing to hurt me slightly depending on my violations. She did seem like the kind who wouldn't hesitate to rough up an ally to an extent, and out in public my options to defend myself against an invisible attacker weren't optimal. Suddenly creating a barrier in the middle of the streets could cause some panic, after all. Lastly, there was the warning Fasnilthar offered me. At first, I didn't know whether or not to take it seriously. It appeared to be backed by experience, though I wasn't sure if hers would be perfectly compatible with mine. Fasnilthar didn't appear to be the kind to ever hold back her feelings or thoughts, up until that point. 

It was possible what she described as my means of ignoring them likely had just been an inaccurate perception, and that I had been resolving mine sufficiently well. She didn't know a lot about me as of then, so it was possible both she and the other people who experienced a similar situation had gone through it far differently than I had. Besides, even if her prediction did prove to be accurate, it wasn't that useful in itself. All she did was point out a potential problem, not a means to deal with it. 

"If her observations prove true, then I should consider listening to more advice coming from her. Until then, I don't believe many people would point to her as an image of wisdom or anything akin to that. I shouldn't stress myself too harshly over her wild guesses." As we quieted down and continued our walk, I arrived at said conclusion. Not to say Fasnilthar appeared to be foolish as of that point, or that I considered myself a good judge as to what wisdom might mean. Just that she showed no signs as of that point that her words should be taken as instruments of wisdom. Though she did appear to be a capable fighter, to the point I didn't mind acknowledging her as my senior, this didn't mean I needed to take all of her words seriously, especially not when concerning matters disconnected to the fields of our work. If I was wrong about her, I would learn so with time, yet by that point, many of her words during the more serious part of her speech still felt somewhat vague. 

Then, we entered that bar, only for the issue to immediately burst as she mentioned. Even just from entering and identifying Nalfimiria, a part of me already felt there was something attractive about her, before she even turned around. Perhaps it was the way she sat or held her cup. It felt refined, yet natural, as with many things of her initial behavior, down even to the way she kept her hair tied. Thus, a part of me felt moved just by glancing at her this way. When she turned towards us, I felt completely stunned. Fasnilthar did a good enough job explaining how surreal her face always has seemed to be. How every detail about her expression seems to have been perfectly planned and placed. Or that smile, as alluring as it was welcoming and friendly. I couldn't keep myself from facing away. 

I knew at some point I would need to get used to that, but before I could even hope to try that I needed to regain my composure. To process what I just saw. In part due to Nalfimiria's appearance in itself, though also… Strangely, I felt somewhat familiar with her. Likely a result of the robes, something that probably had an impact in my reaction as well. Not to say that I particularly fetishized our order's dress code, mind you. Or rather, I did find them somewhat enticing, however not just due to the appearance sisters and brothers take while wearing them, though due to the implication carried by their colors. The mantles of Will… Other than their beauty, the mantle of a Path Tracer is a constant proof of the fact their vows have been accepted. And all Will bearers I had met shared certain similarities with each other. 

A sense of boldness, and confidence. Of commitment, dedication and potency that seemingly comes through just in their way of speaking. Not to the same extent in all of them, mind you. Though rather it was a requirement, or if Lady Melynaris simply tended to attract the admiration of this kind, not only did I feel the presence of a warrior so strongly present in most Tracers of Will I met, it also felt like they reflected our wise Victory Star's ability as a leader. Perhaps not in all of the senses, but at least in the matters I already mentioned, as well as the kindness I saw in most of them. The willingness and passion they demonstrated for helping and defending the people around them, be them the innocent accidentally caught in potential danger, or an apprentice in trouble. For the latter, I had received this sort of support from ones with their emblem plenty of times by that point. Most of them tend to smile while helping or instructing others. Something about Nalfimiria reminded me of all of those smiles, likely the reason she felt slightly familiar, I reasoned. 

As a result of the trouble I had gaining a grasp over this reaction, I barely paid any attention to the initial parts of our talk, both the ones before and after that stranger left. For most of it, I was in a constant cycle of trying to recover my calm, glancing at Nalfimiria to see if I had recovered, immediately start panicking again and turn elsewhere. I recalled some parts of the conversation, especially since I tried finding the courage to voice a question at some point myself, and felt it would be rude to drift away while the sister answered me (Even if her joke did make me panic harder, seeing as she clearly had been observing the cycle I had been following very closely). Really, the only thing I could remember easily was the point Fasnilthar tried pulling me towards that counter. In parts because noticing the direction she was dragging me towards made the panic scream louder. Though mostly because when I glanced up at her, the message she was trying to pass was pretty apparent, even for me. 

—See? I could immediately tell that bubble was about to burst, just by glancing at you. — Never mind the actual intent behind that smile, this was the message I arrived at while glancing towards her then. 

Whether everything I had been assuming about Fasnilthar was right or not, it was impossible to deny how accurate her reading of the situation had been at that point. Of course, knowing now what was going through her head back then makes the scene in my memory slightly infuriating. Especially considering the smile she was fighting to keep from growing likely was the result of her struggle not to begin cackling at the situation, but that's besides the point. "Was she expecting this to happen so soon, then? Incredible. Perhaps this is a sign that emotional wisdom can come from the most unexpected people or places. Or just that my own is so lacking it doesn't take much to surpass my vision, in the end." At least I can appreciate that my younger self took some good lessons from the experience, even if I also had taken in the poison my senior laid out. 

Either way, while we headed to the table, I felt all the more pressured to try to surpass my present distress. If I spent that entire conversation looking at the floor, I wouldn't be able to speak with those two, after all. And as Fasnilthar said, if I didn't have their approval to join this unit and the two girls accepted them, I would be at risk of returning to the headquarters without completing this step. A part of me felt tempted by that possibility, as a way of running from the situation connected to Nalfimiria. Yet all the same, that felt like both a disrespectful line of thought as well as a waste. 

Those two, Fasnilthar and Chiaisei. I truly believed they had been fortunate connections for me to make. Giving up on this opportunity due to such an issue, without even trying to overcome it felt cowardly. How could I hope to carry on the path of a brother if I refused to confront such a simple obstacle? Especially so when the cause for this conflict was a Path Tracer herself. Considering her kind could only join the path officially at 110, she hadn't been a full blown sister for that long. Yet when you take into account the potential time of her work as an apprentice, it was possible she had been training and serving under the sisterhood for much longer than either of my parents. As a senior of mine in this path by long, I should be thankful to get a chance to study alongside her. 

"A shameful thought, to even be pondered for an instant. She bears the embers of our Life Warden, the Paragon of Heroism and the very woman who defines what it means to be a warrior. To let cowardice consume me when faced with her would be an insult to this path I'm seeking to chase. Forgive me for this momentary show of such pitiful limits, oh wise Dreaming and Victory Stars. My will shall not be shackled under such a frail bound as of yet." 

Emboldened by the thought of the Greater Ones I sought to stride after, I recalled the very start of my practice as a mage, as simply engaging in spiritual focusing normally had been failing me. The very basis of Iscathnerin, the means through which the soul was allowed to manifest its own power, not just as the core of our ancestry but as an engine for spellcasting. The act of connecting the spiritual in magic to the structures that manifest it directly, as a means of the spiritual overtaking the material within our essential selves. For Iscathnerin is the purest manifestation of the soul a mage could ever strive to achieve. 

Even as I started developing the necessary cores and gates to partake in the form, the very act of activating spirit essence at first felt like a chore, a struggle that took me months of training to bypass. As a result, I still recalled the words I heard from my mother before finally achieving this. When I was having trouble comprehending the precepts of our magic, she often would offer me hints, to guide me to the truth, and in this case, after observing my failures and instructing some of my mistakes before. In one case, she sat down beside me and told me those words, in one of the lessons from her I never could forget, which I then tried recalling. 

—Breathe. And listen. Not to the wind, the passersby or anyone within the temple. Not to the birds singing nearby or to the sound of the footsteps outside this garden. Through magic, all of those sounds and more can grow exponentially clearer. Though the first step to achieving said goal is to hear the sounds coming from within, and comprehend what else surrounds us. — As she had said so, I felt at the time that something was taking shape around her frame. A thin veil of light of sorts, the likes of which appeared to be flowing from inside her body. I wasn't used to the feeling of observing it yet, but I determined it was the result of her own magic. The naked eye didn't understand it very well, though with what little magic I could already wield as of then I could sense it. It was a demonstration of spirit veiling, the main form of conjuration used to empower a practitioner of Iscathnerin physically. 

—This flow of energy. You can only sense it because your own core has just developed enough to perceive magic through its influence. Controlling it requires one to be in tone with it. Can you sense from where my veil is forming? — After she had asked, I nodded in affirmation. 

—In my chest, below the heart but before the lungs meet their official end. Close to the center of my torso. This is where the core is generally located on bipeds, though it is arguable if it lies anywhere in specific, or rather it extends through our whole essential bodies. Simply knowing it's there doesn't mean your soul has fully grasped it, though. Yet, just from the fact you can sense my spellcasting that means your grasp over it is already firmer than you believe it to be. You've already been making usage of it, even if you're unaware. Now, listen. — Saying so, she grasped one of my arms and put a finger to my pulse. 

—Your heartbeat. Your breathing. The blood flowing through your veins. The movement of your bones. The depth of my voice. And feel. The grass beneath your legs. The temperature of the air as it graces our hands. The way your hair is moving, as a result of the wind here, as soft as it is. First observe every detail of your physical self in the moment. Then expand your view. Not just through your eyes and ears. Slowly open yourself to the things I said to discard at first. Like… The out of tune beat in the distance. It appears some of the kids are having their first lesson involving drums. — The music room was on the other side of the temple. I wasn't sure even then if this was just usage of sensory enhancement or if mother was also using extension magic to hear this, and the other many things she mentioned afterwards. During this, I tried focusing on expanding my perception over our surroundings as well. 

—You may not hear the whole temple's or the street's rumblings. But I can tell you this much. Right now, you are listening to far more than a normal human can hope to. Because, as unaware of it as you currently are, as you set out to focus on our surroundings, like you did many times before, your soul was operating as a means to empower your mind. Remember the sensation you had when you noticed my own magic? Try turning that towards yourself as you are now. Spot the place from which your life essence flows, not through its known locations but through the effects it is having on you. Comprehend and delve into it further now than you had before this point, and visualize the structures connected to it. They will be filled with your spiritual essence as you do so, and once you've grasped your power better, focus it around one of your hands. You shouldn't be capable of deploying a full veil as of now, yet simply covering a hand should be easy enough. Focus on controlling it until you manage this much. I'll wait. It shouldn't take long, in this case. — It took me a few minutes, but as I did so I grew to understand better the functioning of my essential self. The spell that formed around my hands as a result, though, barely lasted a second or two. 

Even so, feeling the energy course through me still made me ecstatic, brief as it was. My training was far from over, yet I was reaching all the closer to the abilities of an actual mage. So ecstatic that my reaction likely had been the reason why I lost concentration almost immediately after achieving my first spell. Mother's approval had been enough to quell any frustrations born from that, however. Still, as long as the lesson might have been, the words had carved a permanent place in my memories. From there on, whenever I had trouble concentrating on my form I would repeat the process mother had taught me. Naturally, at that point in time it barely took a second to begin this process. Still, following the steps slowly was a reliable way of quieting down my mind. Be it as a means of remembering the initial satisfaction and pride from manifesting my form, or to remind me that lacking focus would always keep it unstable, going through this process tended to place me in a calmer mood. 

"May my soul remain forever unshackled." Mother liked saying this with some frequency, and I took a liking to it in moments of meditation as well. Be it before training or in any activity regarding work, it appeared to be a common saying among other members of our path. As a result, to me recalling it felt both like a way of drawing my focus towards my goal, as well as drawing upon the connection I sought to create to this cause I chased. It was helpful to have guiding words like that when my mind was in an unstable state, as a means of returning my focus to where it was most relevant.

Slowly recovering my composure, I tried observing what the scene around us was like while regaining my cool. We were at one of the tables at that bar, and shortly before they had made an order for a shared meal between us, though it was yet to reach us. At some point before my recovery, Fasnilthar also had asked for my consent for ordering a drink for me, to which I agreed without thinking much. A kind of juice, I figured from its taste. The others were having drinks of their own, all the while talking amongst themselves. For the most part, the topic surrounded questions and matters similar to which we had spoken about in the hall of the association, and seemingly the four of them had been alternating turns for talking between each other. 

Sometimes they would do so based instead on a central topic. As an example, when I was returning my attention to the table they had been discussing places they had been to before. Fasnilthar and Sowanarcistvir mostly would speak of different parts of the region we were in, while Chiaisei spoke about different parts of Gujimatsuki. Nalfimiria on the other hand would occasionally intercalate with comparisons and comments she had about other parts of the world, seeing as she was the most well traveled member of the group. I wasn't sure if that was the first topic they had been covering. I thought I heard them setting up the rules for this engagement during parts of my meditation, though as for how exactly they arrived on the topic of travel I wasn't sure. 

It did seem like the choice might have something to do with Nalfimiria, seeing as her kind is known for their multiple year long trips. But whether it was the very first thing they decided on speaking about or just developed naturally from other subjects, I couldn't say for sure. As I decided to try to figure out where this conversation was headed, it seemed like Chiaisei and Nalfimiria were commenting about their shared experiences involving ogrish culture*. Nalfimiria mostly talked about it based on her direct perception, seeing as she had far more to share in that regard than any other of us. Things like her past experiences with meeting and getting to know ogres, as well as what she learned about their habits, their city's structures or how they spent their time. Chiaisei would mostly compliment these points on her academic studies**, as well as draw a line between what she had read about similar topics and the things Nalfimiria would say. The other two were struggling to keep up with the conversation a little, but at times they would demonstrate their interest on the topic verbally as well. Especially Fasnilthar, as curious as she seemed to be. 

(*Apparently this topic was brought on when Chiaisei mentioned the first time she had been outside of a human country was to a city of ogres close to the borders of her country. Nalfimiria, as a far more experienced traveler, naturally had been to many other ogrish realms before, including the ones closest to Gujimatsuki, so the conversation likely spawned from that point. And seeing how reclusive ogres tend to be compared to other social kinds, this kind of discussion likely only came when two people who visited them personally came together.) 

(**By that point Chiaisei had three specialization degrees in academics, being the most in depth one concerning sociology. Her other specializations were in general social history and philosophy, being that her focus on both of those were the effects of the Greater Aspects in the regions around Gujimatsuki, seeing how immense the effect of Lady Saenomaria's teaching are around the throne of the Eternal Emperor. An impressive feat for someone our age, though not necessarily beyond the capacity for a mage. Guidance hours can easily be used for studying as well, after all.)

At some point, they started commenting on the music of ogres as well. It was rather unique according to Nalfimiria, due to the emphasis placed on percussion instruments, as well as giant horns and other large scale blowing instruments. As she said it herself: —The average song written by an ogre is around 2 to 3 octaves lower than music produced by most other social kinds. Hardly surprising too. What kind of flute wouldn't be drowned out by an ogre's voice? Supposing one of them could play an elven flute without breaking it with their blowing in the first place. — This also eventually brought up a certain ancient ritual ogre warriors near our region tended to practice, and while listening to them explain it, I decided that despite my return to reality, I hadn't been challenging myself as much as I could yet. 

"I can pay attention to their talk, though I'm still avoiding looking at Nalfimiria. It may not be enough to throw me off again, but even listening to her voice is having an effect on me. And just listening won't be enough. If I want to take part in this, I'll need to learn to keep my cool while glancing her way, not just to the others, the table or my drink." I had been listening, and trying to observe their talk, but all the while avoiding looking towards the sister for any longer than a second or two. I might not have lost composure those times, yet she still felt mesmerizing to glance at, to the point it drained all of my attention just to try. If I couldn't get used to it, taking part in the discussion and therefore finishing this step might be impossible. Recovering my calm simply wasn't enough. I inevitably would need to learn to keep it around her. Something I had done before of course, though with this particular woman it felt much harder than with anyone else, once again making Fasnilthar's words seem like such an accurate read of my situation. 

—After proceeding to an unstable and high enough part of the mountains, the ogre warrior would then attempt to cause an avalanche with their own drumming. If they couldn't accomplish this much, the ritual would immediately be considered a failure, though if they did succeed, they were expected to stand their ground against the snow, only to after it subsided emerge from it unharmed. Preferably without moving as much as a Fyetrij during the process. Naturally, this was never something ogres were put through in early levels, though the rite was meant both as a testament to the bravery and persistence of their warriors. — Nalfimiria described, occasionally adding pointing or gestures to her explanation. 

"Not something a human should ever try. Maybe this boldness is what I need to confront my issue, though." I thought, while trying to continue looking at her through the explanation. The smile she kept up while talking made her strangely feel more radiant. It was tough to keep looking without reacting as I had earlier, but as overwhelming as this all felt, I knew I had to grow used to it eventually. Like the ogre facing the avalanche, just on a much calmer scale. Otherwise, in the long term spending time around her would be unbearable. 

—Really… It indeed serves as a testament to the gap in strength between our kinds, at least, but how did such a ritual even originate? Did some daring man drown this way, only for his countryman to make a challenge out of surviving their misfortune? — Sowanar asked, seeming legitimately curious about the matter. 

—Oh, the stories cover this as well. But first, let's hear more guesses, at least. Chiaisei, have you read the same as well? 

—I have. I'm interested in hearing other guesses as well, though. Fasnilthar, any idea? 

—Hmmmm… They hated the environment around them? Casual avalanches are bound to screw plenty others over. 

—Nope, nope! That try sounded a bit disingenuous of you. Give it more serious thought. — Nalfimiria shot back as playfully as I might have expected of Fasnilthar herself. 

—Okay… — Fasnilthar spent a second thinking, before finally answering. — Maybe it started like some kind of war tactic for them, during the Ancient Age. So, when a force of hostile magical creatures would begin encroaching their territories, the old ogre tribes would send out some of their craziest to drop avalanches on invading foes. If the lunatic survived the attack, they would be received back like heroes and such. And though war was prohibited by the Greater Ones long ago, the ogres continued going through the ritual as a means of showing respect for those who fought for their kind in the past. — Her explanation was surprisingly sound. I knew very little about the Ancient Age or anything before it, but it could make sense in that context. Why fight an enemy army with your own when you can use the environment as a weapon? It made sense a species known for inhabiting mountain ranges might adopt such a tactic. Especially since ogres had inherit access to Favighea, and therefore likely were far more used to the idea of utilizing their ambient as a tool. 

—Good guess, but wrong. The mountain ranges occupied by the ogre domains nowadays have always been a place for varied magical kin, who usually lived in relative harmony based on social enabled coexistence tactics the normal ogres would lead. That, combined with the presence of a social magical kind likely would scare away most normal invaders. And even mythical kin would be careful about entering that area with hostility. At the center of most ogre domains, lies the grounds occupied by Elder Ogres, right? Historically speaking, mythical kin tend to consider the Elder some of the most dangerous among them to try to challenge. So the fear of Great Ogres itself likely would keep any massive invasion from being attempted, since few Ancient Gods might attempt such an attack. No point in causing an avalanche against only a few foes either. — Chiaisei explained, shutting down that answer. Sounded like the most likely one too, which made me slightly more curious. Thinking so, I returned my sight briefly to Nalfimiria, to see how she took the guess as well. It looked like she was interested in Fasnilthar's attempt at explaining things. 

—Ah well. You know, if you gave us some hint as to the age of the tradition other than ancient, the guess work might be easier? 

—Oh, but your imagination has been leading you well enough for now. This ritual predates the Gifts from the Greater Ones, after all. Enough of a hint? — Nalfimiria answered, still sounding as if in play. I was indifferent to it normally, but the playful act made her feel oddly charming. Like if the hints of her ease in taking part in this kind of relaxed talk didn't necessarily diminish the possibility of her showing this same kind of ability for far more serious matters. 

—Does that mean that I get another guess then? 

—Nope! You two are done, now to the last one. — She said while still smiling. I didn't think about the implications to the sentence as she turned towards me. The others seemed to follow her gaze. 

"Maybe this is also a demonstration of leadership. Knowing how to take the lead in any kind of situation. I might have been viewing this ability of theirs from a reduced perspective." As I thought so, I took note Nalfimiria had been looking directly at me. This made me once again lose focus for an instant. Not just out of how overwhelming her presence felt, but with how much stronger the image passed by a Sister of Will felt when looked at directly. That certainty, warmth, and strength… It all felt reflected on her eyes, just as much as it was on the emblem by her chest. Both the mark and other symbols of her mantle seemed to fit her figure and presence well. Not just from a matter of appearance, seeing as she was a scarlet elf, the kind which Lady Melynaris's form reassembled normally. But that attitude, that bold and straightforward glance, the fearless and inspiring voice. Spending time around her made her presence as a Sister of Will stronger to notice, as the sense of familiarity seemed to grow as well. "Oh wise sister, I'll need strength to-". 

—Hey there, Aeyxos to Senshin! Are you trying to visit the moon? Back to your seat now, sky boy! What's your guess? — After a second of staring at me in silence, Nalfimiria started shaking my shoulders. My guess is that if she hadn't been the first, Fasnilthar likely had been thinking of doing the same. 

—Guess? 

—Yup! The ogre ritual, you heard that much, yeah? State your guess now, or I'll put you through a tougher question. 

—Oh, right. Well… — I spent a few seconds in silence then. I had been thinking of a theory for the motivation before they turned to me for an answer, but the distraction made me forget it. While trying to recover my line of thought, I felt how odd it was that this group - which had barely stayed quiet since I first met the initial two - was silent waiting for me to say anything. 

—Oh well, he lost his answer in the little daydream. The tough question, then! — She then spent a second in silence, before asking, in full seriousness. 

—You're into our robes, aren't you? — There was no pressure in her tone, like she had been stating this in a matter of fact way. Like despite the implication of her words with our previous interactions, she had been declaring her acceptance and support to my situation. 

—Wha-.

—The ogres, Senshin. There are no good answers when dealing with them when they feel like teasing. — Fasnilthar said while holding one of my shoulders. For some reason, her mood was somewhat down from its usual as she declared as much. 

—The ogres can wait for a second! If you don't want to answer, at least say which kind of color you prefer, and if the fetish applies to brothers as well. So? Will, Liberty, Harmony, Reason, Virtue or Union? I'm guessing Virtue. You've been raised by a sibling of Liberty, right? If I'm right, I'm guessing you're too desensitized to the robes that use transparent parts. — By her question, I assumed she was asking what style of robe's appearance I preferred. Trying to figure out how to answer that almost distracted me from the extremely accurate guess she placed near the end of her statement. 

—I never thought of- Hold on, how did yo-

—The sword. The insignia in it isn't easy to see, but after knowing what our steel is like, mixing it up with normal weapons is impossible. It's pretty easy to tell it is meant to resonate with your spirit veil too. But the insignia itself can already tell the affiliation of the wielder, even without looking at it. Now, for the questions again. Personally, I'm not sure if I have a preference, it would depend on the mood most of the time. Our path brethren tend to be nice people to be with as a whole, and the designs are so perfect for each of our Magical Stars's style. This is why it's a rule that sisterhood orgies always need at least one representative of each emblem, you know? Our sage Kalfisnar knew what she was doing when she gave that suggestion. — I couldn't say with confidence if that rule existed or not, but decided it was best just to accept it as of then. 

—You're very talkative when you get going, aren't you sister? Well, might we give the explanation to the ritual now? Sounds like a good chance to leave the topic. — Chiaisei said, after the other three observed the sister speak for a second. 

—Sure! Just one final question. You think I would look better with my robes or without them? — Nalfimiria asked. This particular question seemed simple, though for some reason the others panicked a little when hearing it. 

—With it, of cou- — Before I could finish saying so, she got up and started removing the upper straps to her robe. I thought she meant if she would look better on it or with other clothes, by the way. I was still in some shock as she started pulling backwards the front part of her shirt. 

—Mercy! Nalfimiria, there is a limit to toying with someone. — Fasnilthar reacted way before any other of us, though. She grabbed one of the sister's sleeves while saying so. 

—Right. Is your undershirt even compatible with this environment too, my lord? 

—Of course it is. Gotta keep these things in mind when selecting this stuff too. — Saying so, she sat back down, her mood unaltered by the exchange. 

She had stopped removing her robes once interrupted, but the parts she had unstrapped weren't placed back where they were originally. As a result, much more of her cleavage was visible, as well as her shoulders, seeing as most of her upper body was being shown then. Below the outer layer of her robes was a smaller shirt that wouldn't be fully visible most of the time, and part of her bra was noticeable in this state as well. Most of the symbolic parts of her clothing were hidden in this shift, though. Sometimes sisters and brothers back home would also do slight changes like that to their clothing when heading outside of work. Since the robes belonging to the sisterhood had been designed to be used casually as well, if the emblem bearer didn't feel like changing out of them when they got out of work they could simply adapt the robes like that. She was just as attractive as before, and in a sense this look called more attention to her frame. 

Once I recovered from the shock though, I realized this made it easier to get used to her presence. Nalfimiria was still a sister, however the more relaxed look made her feel less imposing to the eyes. It was still hard to look away from her, even more so than it was initially, in some ways, yet the view didn't seem as overwhelming. Once the others noticed me recovering from the shock, their position changed slightly as well. 

—And I mean, I know my frame is impressive but most of the locals here have seen it in the flesh already. Many of which even got their hands or mouths on it. The back rooms have been marked by the various parts of my legs already, if you three get me. Dwarves are so competitive, right? You're also ignoring a little detail… 

—As I said before, the boy's fetish clearly only applies to fully dressed sisters! If he had a choice, he would prefer to fuck me through my skirt, if I had to guess. You also realize he grew up surrounded by women and men wearing mostly transparent robes and shirts most of the time, yes? And unlike with our robes, those of the liberties were intentionally supposed to maximize appeal in what little they choose to cover. My breasts are pretty big, so that might change things a little, but not enough to change the fact this kind of look is what he is used to. — I preferred not to call whatever this was as a fetish, but had no time to mount an argument. Before I could say anything, she placed part of her fingers to my forehead. 

—Boy! Back to ogres. — As she touched me I felt the flow of her magic engage with mine, with neither my agreement or a warning. There was no chance to resist, though, as I felt not only my thoughts being guided to the previous explanation but my spiritual focus being kicked in fully. Better yet, it was clear my mind was acting way faster than it normally did. Her touch barely lasted an instant, yet through it the answers rushed clearly through my mind, and as she let go, I tried thinking what she just did. 

"That was definitely curse magic. But using it to engage my own spell forms…? Or maybe… That wasn't my own spiritual focus. She was transmitting her own magic after surpassing my resistance, all the while guiding mine to action as well. Maybe direct illusionism went into it as well. Clearly she is well into adept rank, however. Her level of inherited magic probably is very high." Based on what I knew of the effects of this kind of magic, she likely was well into adept rank by that point. That wasn't a guarantee for elves her age, so it suggested she ranked highly among them in terms of natural inheritance. 

—...Maybe it's some kind of rite of training? — I said after considering the matter for a second. Fasnilthar tilted her head at the answer like she was about to complain, so I decided to elaborate more. 

—Think of it. Earth infusing is globally inherited to most kinds of ogres, and they also generally have access to fire infusing, as well as strong earth casting by default. Hence why put emphasis on not moving during the test. As a means of deciding if they have the confidence and precision to apply their magic just the right way while taking their stand. Causing the avalanche itself is likely just a way to begin the trial, as I doubt it would be hard for beings so naturally strong, depending on the season. Maybe it was a ritual used to celebrate the growth in level of a warrior? — I said, to which the others listened briefly. Fasnilthar still seemed annoyed by the answer, but the detail put behind it kept her from protesting openly. 

—You make some sense, but you're wrong, as are the others. The boys lose extra points because at least Fas thought up something that would have more use, even if not fitting to the age of the ceremony. Sowanar gets an extra loss due to the random shot at tragedy. — Nalfimiria pointed out, to my slight shock. I couldn't see why my guess had no utility, at least. 

—Well, I was the first to guess. You hadn't told me this was a game either, my lord. 

—Too bad, your imagination just started at the lowest point possible. Chiaisei, give them the answer, please. — Sowanar didn't seem pleased by his qualification, but the light tone as Nalfimiria turned the complaint down kept him from continuing this. It didn't look like he honestly cared a lot. 

—I'll try, but I didn't read that story in detail. Firstly, why do natural avalanches form? 

—Because of accumulated snow on the upper parts of mountains. — Fasnilthar answered shortly after we heard the question. 

—Indeed. When exactly they form is not an exact constant, though at least they tend to follow some trends concerning seasons. Especially since the mountains of that region aren't at that high a latitude, despite their height. Still, that means that despite the slight elements of predictability to the phenomena, a certain element of random chance has an effect on it, doesn't it? — She gave us a second to answer the question. It wasn't a particularly hard one, though it seemed us getting this much would be important to hear the full story, so we each nodded our agreement, with the exception of Nalfimiria, who just observed the rest of the explanation. 

—Right. Be it the rhythm of snow fall, or sudden earthquakes, regardless of intensity, the exact trigger isn't always guaranteed. Living beings or elementals can also speed up the process, another factor of uncertainty. What is known though, is that one can only happen after snow has piled up for a decent amount of time. And that's where the rite we described comes in. Basically, it is a method for the ogres to control and keep track of the accumulation of snow on their mountains over the course of winter. — Saying so, she took a brief pause to taste her drink. It was some kind of tea. 

—After all, though the adult and warrior ogre can handle the avalanche with some ease, what about their children who might need to move through a caravan, or their normal workers, merchants and messengers traveling between their outposts? Not to mention, the smaller magical creatures they were supposed to guard over. Hence why most of the times the ritual happened over that period it was done around the routes the ogres tend to take through their mountains. Once their strongest warrior finished causing it, those backing them up would proceed to help with clearing out the snow. Basically, by causing the wave of snow intentionally and only when ready to clear it away, they avoided the risk of it randomly taking the lives of their own or of blocking their paths on inopportune timing. Since the Azure Lines have been created, the ritual is no longer needed, of course, but it is still occasionally done this day to honor those who fought through risk in the past for the sake of protecting their kind. And in a sense the current generation of ogres, as well as all other kinds who inhabited those lands. — Chiaisei explained, as her smile grew a bit wider than the face I was used to seeing. It looked like she enjoyed talking about the things she studies. 

—Yep. All of your answers connect to aspects of the truth in some sense, but you each missed a little detail or two about the times in question when answering it. This might not make as much sense from the perspective of humans given your relatively recent history, but to the people who remember the Ancient World in more detail, knowing that our countries survived through it is pretty incredible in some ways. Worth the occasional celebration, at least. Most elvish holidays also follow that trend. Habits that spawn from those times tend to have some pragmatic function due to the constant potential for things turning dire. For all the ogres, or all kinds more globally aware at that time knew, all it would take was a random demon lord attack for their temporary peace to end. Wherever an incident could happen, the balance of power between the Ancient Powers was always kept so delicate any wire trip could result in the whole planet detonating. — Nalfimiria explained any doubts we might have left after this, though for the most part their point was made pretty clearly. 

Personally, I wasn't too interested in matters concerning the Ancient World and Ages. It was too violent, volatile and in my few attempts to study it most figures concerned during it appeared to be completely engulfed in terror and the mutual paranoia most intelligent kinds directed to each other. Most lessons concerning it therefore were rarely ever applicable so much time after the birth of the Greater Aspects. It did serve to give better context to their feats, but not in a particularly surprising way. "This being the very world the Greater Ones brought to peace in little less than a millennium after being born. Their strength and wisdom truly is beyond any measure." This bias of mine only ever grew stronger when listening to this kind of story. Whatever the story might say, most of it could be boiled down rather simply, and offer a truly straightforward explanation. 

An eternity the world spent paralyzed, as those who dominated most of it were too afraid of the potential threat each other posed to ever attempt to reach an agreement, or even simply to be done with the silent posing. During that time, all that ever concerned these Ancient Powers was to exert the same pressure their neighbors did as well, and to keep any smaller force from growing into a comparable threat. Whatever it took to sustain that balance, so that their kind and followers wouldn't be the next ones extinct in a sudden war. Yet all it took was one day in contact with the Greater Aspects for these Ancient "Gods" to recognize our Greater Ones were not something to be meddled with. From there, in a relatively short time, a world plagued by constant fear of strife learned how to live in harmony under their aid. Then, some of the imbalances plaguing us were erased. In the coming two millenniums the intelligent forms in Aeyxos knew more growth than they had during the rest of their existence. All of it done so effortlessly from the part of the Great Sisters, only two conclusions could come out of it. That the rest of the world was never intelligent to begin with or that what separates them from us is just so much more than simply a difference in strength. 

Either way, the conversation continued in its natural path, regardless of what position I might have for the start of it. As they continued talking for a while longer, before we had our group meal. Some more comments had been made about history or other subjects, and to an extent I tried taking part in those conversations. Mostly through the occasional question, as my understanding of the topics they chose was somewhat lacking. Yet I still found it important to try taking part in it. Still, it eventually ended with us leaving that bar, to head out to the next stop. Before we left though, one last topic was needed for us to move on. 

—So, about unit formation. Does the fact you're willing to continue that initial talk mean you two are up to working with us? — Fasnilthar asked after we finished paying for the tab and prepared to get up from our table. Nalfimiria had agreed with explaining the situation with Sowanarcistvir before the unit formation was officialized at the associtaion, but that didn't mean that their own conclusion had been formed.

—Of course. I wouldn't have talked with you all in good humor for so long if I wasn't interested. Not sure for the boy, but based on recent memory I'm guessing he is fine with whatever I chose? 

—Yes, my lord. If you wish for me to state my personal opinion as well, I believe our recently met friends are rather pleasant as company. 

—Good to hear. Didn't even need to press you this time either surprisingly. That aside, for all I know whoever is pulling the strings is being pretty picky about who else is a worthy part of this deal. Who knows how long I would have to wait if I rejected you three. — Nalfimiria said, initially sounding just as usual, before lowering her voice as she started commenting on the alleged strings being pulled. 

I felt something akin to a barrier be formed around the group as she did so as well. Though it didn't last long enough for me to try to analyze it, and apparently the layer was thin enough that the others had trouble noticing it. Whether the intent was interrupting any potential spells trailing us or to make sure her voice wouldn't leave her perimeter, I couldn't say, but likely it was a barrier specialized in halting sound. Another hint at the fact she was likely very skilled at using Iscathnerin. 

—Nice. Guess in a way we really lucked out with this one so far. 

—Not sure if it has anything to do with luck in this case, though I'll agree as far as the celebration goes. — Chiaisei said shortly after listening to Fasnilthar. 

—Also… — As Fasnilthar said, she turned towards me, and the group's attention once again fell on me. 

—Technically Senshin hasn't officially been included in the group yet. As you likely saw, he is a little quiet but I don't think any of us will have trouble dealing with that. So… 

—You're waiting for our approval, then? I see no issues with it. What about you, silver boy? Wanna stick around or turn tail? — Nalfimiria said, likely calling me like that due to my hair color. 

—There's that as well. We asked before, remember Senshin? Being accepted by us doesn't mean you need to nod along instantly. So? How do you feel about this group so far? — Fasnilthar asked, smiling as usual. 

She seemed to be expecting my reply, alongside the other four around me. I imagined she wouldn't be content with a short answer in this case. Seeing that, I tried glancing at each of my potential coworkers before answering. I didn't learn that much about all of them, mostly due to how distracted I had been during the talk inside that bar. But I felt like spending time with them wouldn't be hard. Ignoring the potential to lose control around Nalfimiria again - which I was confident I would eventually learn to get a grasp at - it didn't feel that hard to stay around just listening to them. That, and I knew I would never need to be the one taking the lead on that front with most of them around. Each felt so different from the next, even if Sowanarcistvir in particular hasn't had much to say in the book itself as of now. 

"Maybe those differences will make it easier to learn with each of them." Learning about the world comes down to comprehending the different parts of it, after all. And comprehending one's path is strictly connected to how one wants to be of use in this world. If each of them could reflect at least one or two things I lacked, sticking around and observing them already would be very helpful. Especially so Nalfimiria, seeing as she had already gone through my same trial and arrived victorious after it, just as the Magical Star whose path she follows. "Just looking in silence is already interesting, in a way. No reason to complain, my lack of discipline aside." 

—I like it. It feels like my aims will be easier to accomplish with all of you around. I would be grateful if you would be willing to help me along the way. Also… — Knowing already that wouldn't be enough to please Fasnilthar, I tried thinking of how to phrase that other feeling. — It's interesting. You all are. Even the mysterious bird* mentioned occasionally. There is plenty I want to learn from each of you. 

(*By that point, the occasional mention of Finarkzir had already made it clear Chiaisei had been speaking about a magical bird. I was rather curious to see it already. It was also rather surprising that a girl Chiaisei's age managed to bind her soul to a magic kin so early in her life. Most Yealmyrn users I heard of who didn't start with the sisterhood typically tried forging bonds with normal animals first, yet from the looks of it Finarkzir was Chiaisei's only permanent bond. I was confident the story behind that would also be very interesting.)

—Really now… Well, not sure if I'm the best at teaching anything to anyone, but you can count on me. We'll each be counting on you to help out with our own goals at some point too as well, okay? This kind of thing goes both ways, in the end. — Fasnilthar said, while extending a hand. After taking it, we got ready to head out. 

—Indeed. Life in a group is a constant act of balance, in this sense. What will each learn as a result of various meetings, there can only ever be theories about. Let's move, then. Better to solve the last mystery for these meetings as soon as we can, right? — Taking the lead on our exit, Nalfimiria declared in a surprisingly serious tone, considering how she normally sounded. 

We each followed soon after, and from there headed to the place that mentioned mystery would be answered. That conversation would take place in a park nearby, that would serve as a nice halfway point between that bar and the headquarters, since we would need to visit it after that conversation regardless. The path to it also carried more conversation, now more varied as our group had gained two new voices within it. Still, both the short summary of those talks and what was discussed in that park will be left to my current co-narrator. Until my next section, stay well.