Chris woke up on his broken bed, as he looked around he realized that Abraxios' knowledge had also helped him to see magic. Small translucent particles of golden light seemed to drift through the air all around him. He lay there marveling at how much magic there was simply in the air around you everyday, he wondered if seeing the magic was permanent and as he thought that the magic faded from his view. He thought of the magic again and it slowly faded back into his sight. He cleared his thoughts of magic as he wondered what he should do next. Abraxios had ordered him to get stronger, starting with training with Victoria in physical defense and to maybe practice with Hala. Though he just basically called them the fox girls. Figuring he couldn't solve anything lying in bed he got up and retrieved Armonite from the rubble of the table Chris's tail had smashed. For some reason the bug had elected to sleep there last night, he wondered if there was a reason behind the strange sleeping location. Shrugging aside his curiosity he left his room and looked around the small five room house to see if Victoria was still at home. As far as he could tell she had left, as she wasn't in her room, the kitchen, the washroom, or the main room. He prepared himself to leave the house when he suddenly saw her standing in the doorway out of the house.
"Well looks like the little princess finally woke up. Had some nice beauty sleep?"
Chris ignored her somewhat harsh tone an gave a earnest reply, assuming Victoria wasn't much of a morning person.
"Why yes it was very lovely, only filled with the most terrifying being in the entire world."
"Uh huh, right. Do you wanna head straight over to Hala's temple? I presume I won't need to guide you there?"
"Actually I was hoping I could get some training from you."
She looked startled by the suggestion that she train Chris and hesitated a second before responding.
"I don't know any magic."
"That's okay. I wasn't talking about magic, I was hoping you might be able to teach me to handle myself in a fight."
"You looked like you handled yourself just fine with the Ent while I just stood around helpless."
"I was onnly able to 'handle' it because of brute strength and stupid luck. But I have a feeling when it comes down to more equally matched opponents you aren't so bad yourself."
She quirks an eyebrow at him.
"And what gives you that assumption?"
Chris shrugged.
"The scary monster in my dream told me so."
She rolls her eyes and sighs at Chris, waving him off as she turns to head to the temple.
"Fine, but only if you're not completely wiped out after training with my sister today."
Chris grins and falls in next to her.
"Sounds like a fair deal to me."
...
The two arrive at the temple to find that Hala is already waiting for Chris on the circular field. She smiled as the two approached the circle.
"I was looking for you guys and came here when I felt your presences grow near."
Chris was slightly confused by this as he understood that he had no magic that she could see.
"How'd you see me? I thought you said I didn't have magic so you couldn't see me."
"When you used magic the other day to create that small fireball I was able to trace the flow of its magic back to you. Now I'm able to see you as I see everybody else."
"As a huge mass of tiny glowing orbs?"
Hala raised both her eyebrows at what Chris had said.
"So you've managed to learn how to see magic on your own, well done. And through that sense what do you see?"
"Well I noticed on the way here that not only do people seem to have their own magic in varying amounts. But that they also seem to attract naturally occurring magic in varying degrees, those with less magic attracting less magic and vice versa. I also noticed that they seemed to move around them in different ways, corresponding with how they view magic. That's all I can guess though, no solid proof or anything anyways."
Hala looked politely surprised at his response and took a moment to compose herself before speaking.
"That is almost completely correct. I see we don't need to go over magic viewing much but, that aside, are you ready to continue where we left off?'
Chris shook his head.
"Actually I was hoping to try some practical application today."
She looked like she was at an absolute lack of words she was so stunned by his suggestion. Shaking her head clear she addresses Chris in a concerned tone.
"What kind of 'practical application' are we talking about here?"
Without hesitation he responds.
"I was thinking it'd be nice if we did a little fighting exercise."
She looked absolutely appalled. What the hell was he thinking!
"I'm not so sure you're ready for that level of training."
He slightly grins and shrugs at her.
"You never know until you try."
"Based on what I saw yesterday, yes, I do know before I try. This is not a joke, you could get seriously hurt if you tried to fight me now. Or worse you could straight up die."
He waves a hand at her sarcastically.
"Oh, relax a little, what do you think I'm made out of paper? I've blown up plenty of times and I'm still fine."
"This wouldn't simply be blowing up. I'd be bombarding you relentlessly with flames and those are completely different than some measly explosion."
"Well thanks for revealing your strategy to me, now I know exactly how to fight you."
You could see that she was starting to get agitated at him for how careless he was being.
"I'm not going to fight you just because you think you're ready when I know for a fact you're not."
Suddenly Chris's body goes a little lax and his eyes start glowing purple.
"Oh is that so? Because you know so much about magic."
Chris's eyes turn back to normal but as he realizes what just happened he also realizes the damage is already done. He begins to feel genuinely afraid for his life.
"Fine! If you wanna fight so bad I'll fight you!"
Suddenly the air becomes sweltering hot and two large jets of clue flame shoot up on either side of Hala. Chris locks eyes with her two burning bright blue eyes and realizes Abraxios has just seriously screwed him over, even with what he's learned from him.