Vermillion Season (3): Self-training

As the night deepens, the fires are extinguished, leaving smokes and glowing chunks of wood. People began to settle down in their own tents, leaving a few knights left on guard, chattering quietly between themselves. Alara remained awake, not being able to fell into a slumber.

She stepped out from her tent, feeling the chill of the night. Quiet and calming, there's not even the sound of a cricket. Looking around, it's very dark, mist filled up the air, making the view slightly blurry, proving of how cold the night is.

"The temperature is dropping. I hope the people are fine," Alara muttered to herself.

Her hand grazed on the sword sheathed by her hips. Alara had planned to train until dawn rather than wasting away her time, not being able to sleep.

Walking past the guards, they stood up immediately with a salute, "Leader!"

"At ease. Keep up the good work," Alara replied, waving her hand.

"Yes, leader!" The two knights exclaimed.

Not daring to ask, the two knights silently watch the disappearing silhouette of Alara.

"I wonder where she is going?" An albino knight asked the other.

"Don't mind it. Though I heard that she frequents the Rocky Cliff a few whisps away from here," answered the brunette.

"For what?"

"Some said she meditates."

"That's rather commendable!"

"She's the leader, after all."

Alara strides along the barren ground. The chilling air crawled along her back, her silver hair flows with the direction of the wind. She could sense the bits of dust that brushed across her face, but she didn't mind all of those.

The soil on the ground began to receed, leaving the stony path that took shape in a rough terrain. Alara calmly jumps from one even surface to the other. The path became even harder to cross after a 100 strides. Not to mention the blurred vision of a foggy morning and the gradually high steps.

Being the annual occasion for Alara, she arrived at her destination with a plausible speed, even without using any mana. She jumped from the last step onto the cliff, heaving a satisfied breath.

"Haa…that was a great exercise as usual," Alara said to herself.

The Great Canyon, this is the place she would come every year during Vermillion season. It serves nothing but a stony view and a howling sound of the wind that blew through the cleaves, yet it became her favourite place to 'meditate', or so is how it was described by other people.

Alara starts off with stretching her body, a warm up before training. Once she could feel the blood circulating properly and heat began to radiate, she got down on the ground, taking off her outer coat before that, supporting her body with her palms and the points of her feet.

"One….Two….," she muttered everytime she got down.

Alara is blessed with the ability of regeneration, however, it doesn't help much with her physical strength. She had to train it, to get to the peak of form. Eventhough all heroes and villains could wield mana, there are some given moments where mana couldn't be of use.

A glow passed, sweat flowed steadily from her temple, dripping on the ground. The mist of the morning also condensed from the heat of her body, making her exposed skin looks sprinkled with morning dew. She took a break once between the period to change her form for another exercise.

After pushing her own weights for more than half a thousand times, Alara got down, elbow touching the ground and held on for a whole 20 whisps without fail.

This is her routine, prior to training.

"Maybe I should do more," she whispered to herself.

No tremor, stable breathing. This is the result of her consistent buildup. Stamina and strength, she no longer had such a problem. Though many thought a mana wielder does not need a strong physical, that was a misconception. Indirectly, mana does relates with ones physical condition.

In the silence of her training, footsteps echoed, causing her to stagger to alert.

"Leader?" A woman's voice followed.

Already on her feet, Alara relaxed at the sight, sighing quietly, "Melissa, what are you doing up here?"

Melissa shifted her feet slightly, her eyes trailed along the terrain, then back to Alara.

"I heard that there's some interesting creature around this area. Perhaps I could find something new, was what I thought…"

"….The only creature up here is me, though. I hope that doesn't disappoint you somehow?" Alara replied with slight amusement.

"Not at all! Of course not," Melissa denied, although it's apparent that her face went sullen after discovering the absence for her discovery.

"Was that why you participated this year's evacuation?"

"Yeah, but Vincent and Claire had offered to stay, so…,"

"I get it, alright. Now that you're here, would you like to spar?"

"Eh…sparring, with you, leader?"

"With me," Alara nodded.

"I'm no good," Melissa wrung her hands timidly.

"You're excellent, stop denying so."

Melissa had been a very meek child, only indulging herself with books and researches. When the symbol appeared on her wrist, she became frantic, not knowing what to do as a hero. She was well-taught on how the system of this world work. Not even in her dreams had she imagined that she will be a hero, causing her lack of confidence in acting like one.

"But still…how could I be of the same standing as you, leader?" She said quietly, pushing up her glasses.

"I'll let you go two nights to Arlos during this season."

That offer piqued Melissa's interest, very much at that. She had never got the chance to visit Arlos during this season, let alone two days?!

The air around Melissa changed drastically, even Alara felt slightly surprised although she had expected it. The trigger for Melissa is simple - mythical creatures.

*FWOOSHH!*

A dense mana flowed around Melissa, her purple hair waved to the rhythm of the wind caused by it.

"Brought your weapon?" Alara asked.

"Always had it."

With a slight chuckle, Alara unsheathed her sword and said, "What do I expect of a 'storage' owner?"

Out of thin air, Melissa pulled out a silver scythe, covered with creepers around it. One of the most handy skill owned by one, space manipulation.

"In three?"

"In three," Alara nodded.

As the wind howls in the canyon, the countdown begin quietly between them.

Three.

Two.

One.

*CLANG!*