Soul Stranger

Filled with the finest silk wraps and fabric, Nadia was a skilled tailor that can provide you with a gorgeous skirt and dress, or the sneakiest holster to strap any hidden weapons.

After a long day of taking in clients, the brown haired Naga had finally closed up shop. Her helpers already sent home, it was only her and her friend that remained.

A rather troubled friend at that.

Lazing at the couch, the unmasked Yazmin had her worry pasted on her face.

Meanwhile, two of Nadia's four arms started preparing a drink from a small table.

"Are you not going to ask me if I want a drink?"

Hearing the Gorgon's voice from behind, Nadia chuckled.

"Since when have you started drinking?" Nadia asked, preparing another glass of Arak for her friend. Distilled grape and anise seeds that makes for one strong liquor.

"Since I can't get her out of my mind."

Now there was an answer Nadia never expected that would have come out from her friend's mouth.

"It sounds like you really want to be with this Althea that badly. What's stopping you then?"

Giving the glass to her Gorgon friend, Nadia took a seat as she enjoyed the both the refreshing alcohol and the dilemma of her friend. It wasn't like she celebrated Yazmin being heartbroken, she merely found the situation so amusing.

"Everything! My Guild, my family, the fact that she's Elarian! And the most of all, she doesn't like me!" Yazmin's outburst was followed by downing the milky white alcohol in one go.

Meanwhile, Nadia savored it in sips, like how she savored this rare moment of her friend behaving as lovestruck maiden. Nevertheless, Yazmin confided in her. It was only fit for Nadia to advise her friend on her woes.

"Those are simply excuses, if you want to be with someone, you will put in the effort." Nadia said.

"I told you, she personally said she doesn't like me that way!"

"And are you just going to give up? She saw you as a friend, build up on that. Make the effort and court!"

Suddenly, Yazmin saw the merit in what Nadia was saying. That magical night that they shared, Yazmin truly enjoyed the deep conversation and the connection she had with Althea.

Did Yazmin perhaps make a mistake when she burned their bridge too soon?

"Do you think that would work?" With renewed hope, Yazmin questioned.

"I don't know. Sometimes love is complicated, other times it isn't so. Just show her that you are sincere and maybe she'll like you back."

"Who said anything about love!?"

Nadia sighed, "Yazmin please, you come in here every night to yap about Althea and how you can't get her out of your mind. I'm your friend, I'm not going to judge you."

It was a point that Yazmin could not refute. Venting her feelings was something Yazmin needed, otherwise she would go insane at how Althea was always on her thoughts.

Yazmin could still remember it like it was yesterday, the intensity of their kiss, Althea's softness and warmth. Can Yazmin still mend the connection she severed?

"Court her, huh. I have to think about." Ruminating on whether she would go with Nadia's suggestion or not. Yazmin put her mask back on and took her leave. Right before she opened the door, Yazmin turned around. "Nadia, you have my gratitude for always listening to my rants."

"Don't sweat it. I rarely see you acting all worked up over someone, it's kind of a guilty pleasure listening to them."

Although hidden under her mask, Yazmin's smile was something that Nadia felt and returned.

As the door closed with a thud. Nadia wondered if her friend was going to be brave enough to pursue the desire of her heart.

+++

2 weeks later...

From time to time, Althea would often demonstrate why she wasn't chosen as the Guild master's right hand simply through familial bonds.

The spectators marveled at the destructive spells being flung across the Guild's training field. What was usually filled with adventurers polishing their skill, none dare step foot in the field, lest they get accidentally get hit by a stray spell and become reduced into ashes.

One her Althea's favorites, a lightning pillar was ejected from her blade, crackling with destructiveness as it made its way into the floating wizard.

The Grand wizard's expression was one of contemplation. Even in the face of a the approaching lightning, Caduceus was able to monologue.

"Your mastery over lightning as improved. Let us fair it against mine."

Needing no catalyst, the supreme arcane held by the Grand wizard allowed him to release a blast from the azure magic circle in his hands, rivaling the Althea's pillar with a steady stream of lightning.

It was as if nature wreaked havoc as their two spells collided.

With their lightning entwined, Althea summoned all her haste. The momentum in her legs allowed her to jump up high, her katana aiming to slice her adoptive father's head.

A patricide that would be met by none other than a haughty smile. Right before Althea's blade touched the Wizard's throat, a magic circle from underneath sent Althea plummetting into the ground.

It was as if the violet magic circle snatched Althea from the air, when the truth was that it was the natural force of the the world that kept her pinned.

"Gravity spell, always handy! Nyahahaha!"

From up high, Althea heard her father heartily laughed. All while still being oppressed by the tremendous force, keeping her on all fours.

"If you could just dispel it father, that would be great."

With a single wave, the magic circle vanished. Gone was the tremendous weight bearing down upon Althea as she rose, sheathing her katana.

"Consider mastering another element since your lightning is already at its peak."

"What for? You know I'm going to die anyway?" Althea wryly grinned.

There was bitterness in her tone, yet not enough to devolve into deep hatred for the man that raised her.

It was in those notes that Althea found deep beneath Melsa's mansion. She was an imperfect homunculi with an illness of the soul that no healer can cure. A rare case of the one's soul rejecting the body.

Which could only mean one thing. She was forcefully reincarnated.

Never once had Althea thought that she would be a stranger in her own body. The fondness for her foreign weapon, skills with it that she seemingly had already learned.

It begs the question...

"Father, just who am I?"

"Patience. You soon learn the truth, I will show it you soon."

A gallop approached them both, it was Althea's centaur friend.

"Althea, you won't believe who's looking for you outside."

Althea immediately noticed the smirk in Telmano's demeanor, what could be the cause of him smiling from ear to ear?

"Who's looking for me?"

"Go and see for yourself, I don't want to spoil the surprise." Telmano chuckled.

Surprise? Now, Althea was even more curious. Just who could this visitor be?