Not Everything Is Perfect

Walking in Xilo saw the crowds of people around him like every other time but unlike the times he came with Tearia alone he didn't feel as much suffocation as before and Xilo definitely had Xelfia being with him once again to thank for that. It was so much easier to be around other people now that she was here and the more he noticed that the more grateful he was. While it might not be a long term solution for his problems with people it was a start that stopped himself from hiding away in a library or his room like the past as much as possible. While thinking that Tearia guided them to an area off to the side where there was enough room to demonstrate his changes.

"Here we are."

Arriving in the place the two of them had been training at for the past couple of months Xilo nodded and stopped. It wasn't the flattest nor the most open place they could find but while thinking about their safety this was the best place for them at the moment. Thankfully after Xelfia recovered they could hopefully explore more and more of this place. Since this was the first Astral Zone he had ever visited he really wanted to explore all it had to offer.

"So what do you want to see first? Since there's quite a bit you can choose from."

Turning to Xelfia he wanted to know what she wanted herself. Xelfia almost couldn't hide her excitement and worry at this moment. Ever since Xilo had talked to her about it in the library asking about her Astral Abilities she had been really eager for Xilo to get to the point she was at. "But I'm also afraid...." She really wanted to fight along side Xilo at some point and know more and more about him but she

kept remembering her dream. She was afraid of himgetting to ahead of herself to the point where she could no longer catch up to him anymore and from what she had seen so far it was slowly heading down that route. "Stop that!." Mentally slapping herself out of that scary thinking pattern she straightened herself as her eyes sparkled in somewhat forced excitement.

"I know what I wanna see first, your Astral Path which should be pretty easy. Typing could mean everything in a fight whether in a group or not."

"True Though that one's a little hard to show. So I can just tell you that one. Though I did get a little lucky."

"Right? Isn't this world completely Unfair. I only have the Speed Path but you got two. Ahhh so ridiculous."

Hearing Tearia Xelfia was surprised while Xilo was a little disappointed that the surprise was ruined a bit.

"He has Two?"

"Yea, can you believe it."

Shaking her head Tearia feigned sadness but she was secretly happy herself for him.

"Well which are they then."

"Haha, You don't have to eat me alive I'll tell you. My first Path was the Attack Path while the second like Tearia was also speed. Though I would have preferred something else because my defense is double weaker than normal."

"And he even has the nerve to complain even while knowing that he can compensate for his lack of defense with other things to make it stronger."

Tearia, tired of him complaining about it still tried to get another ally on her side in this agreement and Xelfia completely agreed. She herself was only an Attack Path and while she understood that weakness of having less defense then normal it still wasn't anything bad.

"I guess you're right, just an annoyance I have that's all."

"Well you're stuck with it for the rest of your life so figure out a way to get better defenses with other ways like Body Fortification."

"True I forgot about that but those things are hard to come by."

"If you want a decent one, sure. But I'm certain you could find a trash one somewhere and that's better than nothing."

"I'll look into it. So Xelfia what do you want to know next? Elements, rings or maybe even....My Ability..."

With a slightly teasing look he walked up to Xelfia and grabbed her hand as he stared into her eyes after he had finished getting an earful from Tearia. Slightly blushing at his actions she turned her face away slightly and answered.

"what about your ring?"

"At least this is more normal."

"...?"

Confused at Tearia mumblings Xelfia tilted her head quietly but didn't get an answer. Hearing Tearia's comment Xilo shook his head but there was nothing he could say honestly. He was surprised himself when he first figured everything out. Thinking a bit he was almost going to ask them all to show their rings together but he stopped himself in time thankfully remembering Xelfia didn't have one herself yet. "Phew." He didn't want to accidentally upset her if possible so he let go of her hand and backed away a little as he willed his ring to show up. Thankfully even though it could never be removed he didn't have to feel it or have it get in the way while invisible which was a nice convenience.

"Wow...."

"That's what I thought when I saw it."

Each ring was always unique to their owner which obviously meant each and every single one of them all looked different and no two were the same and Xilo's was no exception to this rule either. they both stared at the ring on his index finger that shined in a black that reminded someone of a moonless night that plunged the world into a stunning silence where there was only calmness. But ruining that perfect silence all around the ring there were tiny sharp blades that poked out of it in a full circle that blazed in a crimson red that swayed back and forth along the blade's edges.

"Almost more beautiful than mine…"

Tearia quietly muttered that to herself after seeing it again.

"Though this ring is a little weird..."

Snapping out of her stupor Xelfia turned to Xilo wondering what he was talking about.

"What do you mean."

"Well generally your Astral Ring is supposed to show the owners Elements and Astral Path right? But mine doesn't quite do that."

she had almost forgotten that information as she stared back down at the ring on his finger.

"So you mean."

"Mine only shows the Attack Path through the Blade that pops up. But usually it's only one but it doesn't show the Speed Path anywhere and it also only shows two of my elements."

Xelfia was following along with his words until she heard the end of it. Once she heard that her thoughts froze solid as she slowly repeated it in her mind before barely squeaking it out.

"Only...Two Elements...?"

"Yea, you heard right Xelfia."

Tearia chimed in as well as her head was full of complaints. This was what she meant by the most normal thing about it, Xilo was honestly anything but normal and she had no other way to explain it.

"Yes I actually have three. But I can only use two for some reason."

"Only two?"

"Yea I tested it by myself at one point after discovering it but only two of them work while the third doesn't do anything no matter what I do. But that isn't the weird part. The one that didn't show up on the ring is the one that actually works alongside the other that does show on the ring. So one of the elements on this ring doesn't actually work."

"Well Which one's.."

"Well I'll show you now since it's probably as good a time as any."

Turning around he approached the open area and gathered as much Astral Elemental Energy as he could and brought it to his palm as it slowly bloomed into a flower on his hand.

"This is the first."