"Middy notes the pattern of weapons being used as a tune of a melody. Each attack can be repetitive if the person wielding that weapon is a seasoned fighter. Even I can't beat my sister when repetitive clashes and moves. She could read me like an open book."
"I'm guessing Lady Roydon's go-to weapon would be the whip, but her way of using the whip is erratic. That's one of the reasons why Midori is being pushed back right now. If Middy has got the opponent's pattern of fight memorized, she won't be dodging those attacks."
"But when Lady Roydon used a Basic Spell against Midori, my sister could predict the movements and hits of the whip. A spell's movements are precise to get the same result all of the time. Any false move and the spell won't work. That's how Midori predicted that particular spell's moves."
Duncan's explanation piqued the Slayer's curiosity, but the child didn't want to continue the chatter for too long. Raiyen and Tomoe were still fixated on the battle below as the two girls unleashed their Elemental Auras. But the two boys jumped as Baldwin suddenly spoke.
"That's her comfort lullaby."
Everyone looked at Baldwin with confusion.
"It's an old folksong from the future of Earth. I had no idea how a Valkyrie could have heard it or how her mother sang it to her, but it's still her comfort song. Mavislin sang that song to herself when she couldn't stop the nightmares back then. Raiyen, you should know it."
Raiyen felt everyone's gaze as their eyes shifted from Baldwin to the Time Mage.
"Since when did she sing? I've never heard Mavislin sing before!" asked Raiyen.
"The very first day she met you, at Abi's grave. I asked Mavislin how she befriended you, and all she could remember was you trying to play with her before the village folk started rampaging at her. Then, as you defended her despite knowing what a Valkyrie was, Mavislin sang herself the song."
"It's called 'Oh! Susanna' but the particular line she liked was-"
"It rained all night, the day I left... The weather was dry. The sun was so hot I froze to death; Susanna, don't you cry. Yea, I remember that song now, but I can't hear it from here. Is your hearing that good as well?" asked the Time Mage as he glanced at Baldwin.
"Yes, especially when you've lived with this Valkyrie for the past few decades. When she was younger, Mavislin tried to turn everything that could make a sound into an instrument to play her favorite song. Of course, I'm talking about turning my head into a drumset for the song as well."
Baldwin felt a sharp pain at the top of his head when he recalled that memory.
"That Valkyrie was walking all over you, Baldwin. And you let her because she's a child," laughed Raiyen.
"No, I let her because I've got an Aki and Bahamut breathing down my neck if I don't let her do what she wanted as a child during playtime. And another fact is that Mavislin is the Child Of Valokia... Do you know how difficult it is to comfort an angry and crying Valokian baby?!"
"It's hell, and I swear I was meeting the Grim Reaper at some points in time when Mavislin threw her random temper tantrums when she couldn't get second rounds. Mavislin is the prime definition of 'No sharing of food.' But at least that brat was cute and a friend of my deceased daughter."
Rina was still silent, but she felt as if she had heard that song before. It was pretty hazy in her memory, but the children confirmed her suspicion after a few moments. Circe blinked rapidly before turning to Baldwin and Raiyen to ask a question.
"What's wrong, young one?" asked Raiyen.
"Does that song Lady Roydon liked have other parts as well? As in other words, instead of the few sentences, Raiyen spoke about. Because I've got a feeling that the way Raiyen sang those words was the same tune I heard back in the Cages," asked Circe.
"Yes, it's a full folk song, but there are different variations. What's the lyrics you recognize?"
"I had a dream the other night when everything was still."
Before Circe could continue, Nasima chimed in and said the next verse.
"I thought I saw Susanna dear, a-coming down the hill," chirped Nasima in a cutesy voice.
"The buckwheat cake was in her mouth. A tear was in her eye," continued Amanikable, in a deeper tone.
"I'd said I come, from Dixieland..." sang Duncan in a surprisingly lovely voice.
"Susanna, don't you cry," chimed all of the kids.
Baldwin and Raiyen stared at each other before questioning the kids.
"How'd you know about the song?" asked Baldwin.