Hot blooded Red-heads [Training/Plot/Private/Ayero]

The fanalis struck the ground with her foot causing a large rock to shoot up, then slammed her hand into it sending it flying forward. She sighed looking around at the vast area of nothing but grass and the occasional trees, a light breeze flowing past. It was a quite afternoon with the sun high in the sky, the perfect day to do nothing or for some light training without interruptions. That was the one of the reasons the warrior was out today but this was be no means the main reason for being in an area alone at the moment. Today was the day for a planned meeting with Ayero to discuss things and possibly train with one another. She wanted to tell her fellow colonel for her ambitions and her plans now that she had a djinn. Some would call them foolish but the king candidate was certain in her goals and would not let anyone change her mind. She had the power to change the world and she sure as hell planned on it.

She would wonder when the other fanalis would arrive to this destined meeting place, Fluffy was sent to deliever a letter that would inform Ayero of that she was ready to meet and he would guide her to this location to where they could be alone and properly discuss things without interference. Letting out a deep breath the fanalis went back to practice, foot slamming into the ground causing cracks and shakes as the large piece of rock was unearthed, fist crashing into it with full force causing the rock to soar forward till it would fall to the ground. It would prove devastating to those it got hit by but as there were no live targets there was no way to test it out on someone.

While preparing to repeat her training actions she began to think about how she wanted to explain things to her partner. She only planned to tell her because she was someone that she fully trusted based of their experiences and interactions together. They were friends, comrades and someone Merrze had looked up to when they first meet awhile ago. She saw the slightly older fanalis as a strong person that she could aspire to be, someone she would ask for advice. She intended to tell the other warrior of her plans not so she would join but for advice possibly and because she felt she it was something she should tell her friend.

Thoughts racing about how things would go the fanalis heard large footsteps in the distance. And accompanying it was a scent that was quite familiar to her and the was the smell of her canine companion. Finally he had come back after a long journey, hopefully with the other fanalis woman accompanying him. She would turn around to where the footsteps were coming from waiting to see the pet get closer and great the woman that would've joined him if she had followed the large pet here.

504/1000

Move training:

Several weeks after her ordeal, Ayero had recovered a good amount of her strength. After gathering up her life, she concentrated on stabilizing herself and nurturing her body. She did little traveling, opting instead to hunt for food. The Fanalis woman was able to recover her weapons and magic tools, but the food she had on her was likely eaten or tossed by the women that had captured her. Her weapons and other items held value, and likely would have been sold had she not escaped the clutches of the young women.

A shiver ran down Ayero’s spine as she used a broad stone knife to scrape the meat as cleanly from the rabbit skin as she could. It was not the grotesque task that she was reacting to, but her own lingering memories of helplessness. What if she wasn’t able to conjure Eligos at all? Stripped of her weapons, she had spent her entire time trying to summon the power of her Djinn without really knowing how. Maybe in her exhausted, drug-induced delirium she thought it was a good idea. Or maybe it was just out of desperation?

Regardless of whatever it was that allowed her to equip her Djinn, Ayero figured that it would be best to move on. She had allowed herself to explore her feelings while recuperating with the tribe, but also didn’t deny herself the thoughts she was having now. Instead, she tried to keep busy. Concentrating on survival and supporting herself allowed her to shrug most of the dark thoughts off. If she was constantly mulling over her own helplessness and feelings of despair, she would get sloppy. Even as an experienced survivalist, Ayero was aware that letting her guard down would only make things more difficult.

She had recently come to terms with the fact she was indeed helpless in her situation. But it was also her own foolishness that got her there in the first place. She was used to having near misses, but this time was too close. As Ayero roasted the meat over a low flame, she vowed to master the powers of Eligos. How could she protect her country if she could not protect herself?

The sound of heavy footsteps shook the earth, and Ayero and her beasts tilted their heads in the direction it was coming from. Eyes narrowing, Ayero lowered her body to the ground so that she was crouching. She tapped her forehead, double checking that her head was still wrapped in a scarf with her red strands tucked up into the muted fabric. She would often cover her hair while hunting so that the bright red strands would not scare away potential prey, but found that it was also good practice when traveling outside of Reim or Kou.

With the figure rapidly approaching, Ayero instinctively reached for the bow on her back, swiftly nocking an arrow and taking aim at whatever was coming toward them. She couldn’t make out what it was, but it wasn’t native to the plains. When the strange beast drew closer, its scent carried by a gentle breeze wafted past her. Surprised at the familiarity, Ayero lowered her weapon and gazed up at Fluffy. After sensing no hostility from the beast, she wondered if Merrze was alright. Her heart rate picked up at the thought, but Fluffy didn’t seem particularly urgent or troubled. Then, she noticed the letter clutched in one of his hands.

With a quirked brow, Ayero took the letter from the creature and opened it. After she finished reading it, Ayero folded up the paper and tucked it into the quiver on her back. She and Merrze hadn’t had a lot of time to chat during the dungeon, as focused on their task as they had been. That being said, she really was curious as to what the other women planned to do with her new power.

---

”That’s definitely her.” Ayero shielded her eyes from the sun with one hand, watching the earth rise and fall in the distance. When she and Fluffy approached, the dancing rocks stopped, and Ayero greeted her friend once she was within earshot. ”Good to see that you’re doing well, Merrze. What is it that you wished to discuss?”

[Training: 707/1500]

Spoiler:

When her fellow fanalis came within hearing distance she gave a warm smile, her face welcoming giving off a very friendly vibe. She approached the other girl as she spoke, it was a normal greeting but Merrze had a lot to say right of the bat. She would give her a big hug as a way to give a more friendly greeting than the last time they say each other. They didn't talk much throughout Buer but she did appreciate the help she gave and believed that they had some great teamwork, their work together in the dungeon was one of the main things that had solidified the idea that she should speak to Ayero.

"It's wonderful to see you again Aye, I'm really glad you came here to talk to me because I have so much to share. I wish we had more time to speak in the dungeon but I feel this is better because there is so much I need to say. I want to explain everything that's happened to me. How my hair turned stark white like this, the original reason I came here to the plains and also the reason I wanted a djinn. You're an important friend to me who has been like a role model despite us both being the same rank in the corps. I also ask you here for advice because I'm uncertain on things."

The fanalis sighed and took a seat for a second, she would begin to tell the story of how she had gone from the maiden with scarlet hair to one with hair white as snow. She wouldn't go into much detail but she would try to get the point across so that she could understand the trouble she had gone through at the time. So she could find away to fully mend the wounds of her past.

"A few months back I met a man named Remus Roma, he is a leader of a slave organization known as the black spiders. Being in the corps you may have heard of them before as they are very large. Well he attacked me with magic and soon overpowered me by trapping me. He bound me tight using my worst fear against me weakening my mental state. I was able to endure as it was not bad enough but then things got worse. He told me how he was the one who took my father, who I believed was dead, away from me. He showed me images of my past of the people and pain I thought I had overcome, but all the shock and pressure had overcome me to the point where I lost it all. My hair somehow changed color from shock which surprised me, I miss my red hair but it's grown on me alright."

She stopped for a second letting some of the info sink in before she would tell the rest of the story to the other person.

"I escaped from the binds in a rage using all the strength I could muster. The day after I felt nothing no pain or anything but then as time went on I started to relapse and break out into tears just thinking about it. Since then I've had to build up my mental fortitude and slowly get over it to where I can face it. I now believe I won't break down again but I still want help, I need advice on how to handle this."

1500+/1500

Move training:

Ayero arched a brow as Merrze enveloped her in a hug, not quite expecting the gesture. While she didn’t exactly return it, she didn’t push Merrze away and patted her on the back gently as a sign of greeting. Without wasting much time, the snow-haired Fanalis got right to the point—something Ayero much appreciate.

As the other woman began to tell her tale, Ayero faced her with a stern look of contemplation on her face. It was not a look of disapproval, but rather a sign that she was listening intently. While Ayero had heard of the Black Spiders in passing, they didn’t seem to be enough of a threat in Reim for her to be further notified of them. Her brows creased downward when Merrze revealed that their leader was the cause for her stark white hair, and she concluded that the attack likely happened after she had left for Kou.

As Merrze ended her story, Ayero turned her face partially away from the other woman and remained silent for a minute. Ayero was no stranger to fear and helplessness, and the emotions it could bring. What had happened to Merrze appeared to impact her heavily. After thinking, Ayero tilted her head back toward Merrze.

”I’m sorry to hear about the terrible things that have happened to you, Merrze. But from what you’ve told me, it sounds like you are dealing with your troubles in your own way.” Stretching her arms over her head for a brief moment, Ayero let them fall back to her sides, the action making her appear more relaxed as she spoke to her fellow Fanalis. ”It sounds like you aren’t over what happened to you. But I think that is a good thing. There is no easy way to heal from a painful ordeal, but you must come to terms with what has happened and accept that you were weak.”

She paused again, giving her words time to sink in while she organized her thoughts. It seemed to her like Merrze had already faced the reality of the situation head on, so Ayero continued.

”Once you realize how you were weak, figure out how to become strong. Whether it be physical, tactical or in your case, mental. You train yourself until you do not have to worry about that happening to you again. But do not forget what happened to you. Do not let it control your life with fear, but remember it as a turning point in your life. And gradually the pain will fade, but your confidence will remain.”

Cracking her knuckles idly, Ayero turned to face Merrze with a hardened expression. ”But that is only if you maintain your strength. You will always carry Remus around with you, but it is up to you to decide how much he will hurt you. It will not be easy, and you will never be the same as you once were, but it is better than letting him win.”

Surprising herself at how much she had to say, Ayero cleared her throat casually, her face relaxing once more as she tilted her head upward to glance at the clouds rolling by. ”It seems that you’ve accomplished most of this by yourself already.” The red head lazily rolled her eyes down to look at Merrze and posed a question. ”Did you capture a Djinn to empower yourself, or is there another reason?”

[Training: 567/1500]

Spoiler:

Ears absorbing every word that was muttered by the Colonel, making sure to keep to note. She thought about them a lot, the other girl was right. Merrze would always hold down the burden Remus had placed on her life but it was her decision on how it affected her. She wasn't sure how long it would take but she would do her best to get over it. It was the main step to making sure that his words and actions could not harm her anymore. She had to become strong enough that if he does try to hurt her again that she will be able to protect herself. She would make it where he was powerless next time they fought him.

"Thank you Ayero, those words mean more to me then you probably imagine, I know I asked you but thank you. I'm glad I decided to ask you for advice, for I feel I'll be able to do it a little bit better with handling it from now on. All I know is I need to prove my strength and become a worthy leader."

She decided to answer her question with the complete truth and not simply say she got the djinn purely for power. Her eyes looked calm like an ocean, but soon seemed bright like a fiery passion. She felt truly passionate about why she desired power as it was one of the goals that drove her in life.

"Yes I wanted the djinn for power but there was another reason, some might find it childish but it is my goal. I wanted the power so I can become much stronger, because one day I plan to lead a country. And I will definitely need the djinns power if I want ot do that because it's a difficult task, especially if I'm going to be creating the country by myself. And trust me if you try and discourage me I know the risks and why it seems foolish."

She gave a strong and sure look showing how serious she truly was about the matter.

Ability Training: 348/2000

Ability being trained.:

Ayero remained silent during Merrze’s response, her dark eyes focused intently on the woman in front of her. The more serious the conversation got, the more interested Ayero became in what Merrze had to say. She had judged Merrze to be an honest and openly friendly person during their first few meetings, and as time went by her thoughts were only cemented by Merrze’s actions. Ayero had watched her grow and learn under the Fanalis Corps, and still retain her heart and convictions.

When Merrze went after Eligos, Ayero began to look at the young woman in a different light. One did not take the risk of going into a dungeon lightly, and the older Fanalis wondered what she wanted to do with the power. From then on she had kept Merrze on her radar, not with suspicion of wrongdoings but simply to monitor her, even going so far as to accompany her into Buer. And she was right to, after learning what Merrze intended to do.

Ayero didn’t let the immediate surprise show on her face, but rather let the other woman talk. She mentioned that she knew about the risks of her goal, but Ayero had to wonder how much Merrze had really thought about this. Establishing a country was an enormous feat that took a lot of support, labor and capital. But Ayero bit back her criticism and shifted to a slightly different topic.

Shifting her weight onto one foot, Ayero crossed her arms over her chest and fixed Merrze with a hard stare. It was not scolding, but demanding. ”Have you notified Octavius that you will be severing your ties with Reim yet?”

[Training: 844/1500]

Spoiler:

She stared back expecting something along these lines to be mentioned at some point. Of course founding her own country would mean separating ties with reim, but it wasn't something that was going to happen immediately. She gave a strong gaze back at Ayerp but it was also a look of understanding since she could see why the other girl brought this up. She spoke in a resolute but assuring tone that there were no immediate plans to leave the country and people that she owed a great deal to. She had her goals but she would not forget the people that had helped her get as far as she was.

"I have no informed him yet but I plan to when I go back to Reim. I once told him of my plans to form a country but I assume he saw it as nothing more than the delusions of a child. When I go back to Reim I plan to offer my services as much as possible before cutting ties. Since before I plan on cutting ties there are many things I need to do. Here I plan to get a self sustaining group so I can manage to leave for awhile. Then I will go see Octavius and inform him of everything, you have all done a great deal for me so I need to make sure to pay everyone back. Eventually I will be my own free person but Reim was a place were I belonged. It has become an important part of my life but I have my goals."

She took a deep breath before continuing to pour her heart out, words flowing like a river. It was not as if she was saying goodbye to the country yet but it felt important to share all she could now,

"Ayero you and everyone else feels like family to me, and I stayed trying to do what I could. I raised others to be stronger and I meant many others there. So many important memories that shaped me, when we first met I was hot blooded passionate girl but I have gone through many trials. I've grown and changed as a person, my passion is still here but I've learned to think more rationally. I don't think with my fists anymore, your advice has helped me once again, I may have to apply it but I know it will help. You all may be my family but eventually you must leave your family to flourish. I will not be leaving soon but I am prepared for that and the painstaking work to come. There are people who will try to stop me that's for sure, it could take years possibly but I'm prepared. It may be hard to get people to follow behind me but I will try anyway."


She would let her words sink in for a second before beginning to speak once again.

"I will pour every bit of my fiery fanalis spirit into this task, it will take every part of me, and I may face troubles I am not used too but I have to try. Honestly I wish I had someone like you to support me, I wish I had others at my side like you to help but I know you have your own path. Even if you may never help or support me like I want you to I can say one thing, this is my path, a path that will change the world."

Her emotion poured into every single word now waiting for a response. She might get scolded for her childishness or possibly get told it was a waste of time. She could get called a traitor but she stood firm, eyes showing the sadness of eventually leaving but the firmness she needed. She may be just learning the troubles of the world but this was her goal. This was the fate she was creating for herself, even if the world tried to stop her she would push on.

Training word count: 1020/2000

ability being trained:

Ayero listened and watched Merrze as she responded to her words, taking in not only the other woman’s words, but the inflection of her tone as well as her body language. Building a country was a gargantuan task, and Ayero wanted to gauge for herself how serious Merrze was about this.

The idea of Merrze leaving Reim and the Fanalis Corps didn’t sit well with her, and she hoped that the woman would at least be leaving on good terms. How she managed that would be between Merrze and Octavius, though. She had proven herself to be a talented warrior and budding leader, and Ayero was curious to see to what lengths Merrze would go to in order to see her dream come true.



As Merrze spoke of family, Ayero felt herself pause in her assessment. As skeptical as she was of Merrze’s goal, she finally began to understand some of what was going on in the white-haired Fanalis’ mind. Though the circumstances were different, Ayero had also left the family she had known in order to see more of the world. It wasn’t as if she didn’t love them, but she feared that living in an isolated area of the world would stunt her. After going her own way for nearly a decade, she had found her place among the Fanalis Corps. As much as she missed being wild and free, the military offered a stable and secure way of life in a good city, especially since she now had others depending on her.

As Merrze finished her passionate explanation, Ayero let her eyes fall closed as she ruminated over the warrior’s words. Admittedly, Merrze had grown quite a lot since their first meeting, and Ayero had no doubt that Octavius’ guidance played a heavy role in the young fighter’s development. Much like how nomadic life was a stepping stone for Ayero, so was the Fanalis Corps for Merrze. And as much as Ayero didn’t want Merrze to undertake this task for fear of failure, she felt that it would be wrong to stand in the way of someone’s growth.

After all, Merrze wasn’t the same hard-headed violence obsessed girl she had met several years ago. She had grown into a strong and confident young woman who had proven herself on the battlefield time and time again, and in the dungeon Buer. Thankfully she retained her earnestness and spark, qualities that Ayero admired.

Opening her eyes once more, Merrze would find that Ayero’s crimson gaze had sharpened to a razor’s edge, her facial expression resembling a cross between a sneer and a smirk. ”If you end up going down a dark path, I won’t let my heart get in the way like I did in the dungeon. I’ll will kill you.”

Ayero attempted to inject some humor into her heavy warning, but it turned out to be more creepy and uncharacteristic than humorous. But it was a sign that beyond Merrze becoming evil, she was not too worried. In fact, she felt a bit lighter now that she knew Merrze’s reason for obtaining power. Still, she wanted to keep an eye on the other Fanalis. Not just for the sake of Reim, but for the sake of Merrze and her potential future country as well.

Her strange look melted into a genuine grin, with a spark of Fanalis energy behind it. ”Well now, how’s about you show me how much you’ve grown as a warrior?” As she spoke, Ayero would focus her maogi into her right arm. She jabbed it forward as she finished speaking, a wave of pure magoi radiating outwards as if to punctuate her point. The effects of higher-tier magoi manipulation were devastating, but Ayero didn’t hold back, confident that Merrze would be able to deal with the attack on her own. The other woman was familiar with using magoi manipulation in battle, and no doubt would recognize its use here.

[Training: 1500+/1500]

Spoiler:

Merrze gave a slight smile back towards the fanalis and her words, she was happy to atleast get some sort of trust from the woman. Even though she was sure the girl was hiding some of her feelings, mainly for the fact that she had not said much she still felt as if she had a little trust in her. Merrze knew there were plenty of dangers ahead of her on this path and someone of them would probably be behemoth tasks. She knew that Ayero was slightly joking about her becoming evil but that was a legitimate concern. There was the chance that someone could manipulate her in someway causing her to venture the wrong path, changing the things she saw as right even. The lioness tried not to dwell on that particular thought at the moment, that was for another day.

"I know that, I'll try my best not to go down a dark path, I've had the guidance of many people. And eventually the support of many also, and I can't dare waste that by going down a path of darkness. I plan to go down the path that will help as many as possible no matter the trials and tribulations that might come my way. I can say this though when it comes to fighting, I look forward to a day when we can fight again to the best of our abilities."

She stood there firm as the girl spoke and then began to prepare to attack her. She didn't expect for this to be the way that they interacted. She was always up for a good training session, her facial expression giving and interested and excited look about the idea. Her eyes showing a slight fire in them and grin equally showing her eagerness to test herself. She had been beaten by the other female in combat and now was chance to prove herself.

"Something I've learned recently from training, getting stronger isn't the only way to defeat your enemies. Sometimes it just requires you to be a little bit creative."

As the warrior said this her magoi was focused into her palms, feeling the energy concentrating. She strongly clapped her hands together as like a way for her to condense it better. After this was done she thrusted her palms forward sending forward a pulse of magoi. It was focused and refined, it was already slightly surprising she was able to launch it since it was something that she had heard of being used before. The focused pulse of energy would collide with the huge wave the two blasts of energy dissipating when touching, Merrze's was large enough to protect her as it was larger than her body. After her attack was done she gave a little smile of pride seeing her new technique work in action.

"Looks like I wasn't the only one who's found a new way to use magoi manipulation, what did ya think of my new technique. I love testing out my new moves, though I also new to test out my equip since I haven't been able to truly estimate it's power from my current encounters. Do ya wanna try a little spar with that or do you need to be on your way?"

Word Count: 1565/2000

ability being trained and used:

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