Besides monster hunting, the team trained with one another.
Their instructor was Sargon who continued to train Pharis and Yeseme in Astra. Dexaril trained by himself when he wasn't sparring with the team or speaking with Theor.
"Pharis, keep yourself low when moving and shooting. You don't have to stand up whenever you start shooting. You are making it more difficult for yourself to dodge Yeseme's spear thrust." Sargon instructed as Pharis and Yeseme fought. "Yeseme, no need to twirl the spear so much, keep it simple to keep it fast and strong."
"Enough! Yeseme, now you will face me. I will attack the gap you create whenever you do an unnecessary movement. I will rectify your bad fighting habits now", Sargon said to her.
"Hmph, bring it then...", she muttered.
Thus they began to fight. Throughout the whole fight, Yeseme kept being struck by Sargon on her every opening. As the fight went on, she of course improved and her habit is slowly beaten away.
At the end of the spar, Yeseme says, " Thanks for not going easy, but you're going to have to make up for that Sir Sargon. See you later." She then walked away to tend to her bruises and cuts.
Sargon turns to Pharis now, "Your turn Little Pharis."
"Oh, come on Master, I won't end up looking as disheveled as Yeseme, will I?" Pharis asked this but only got a smirk through the helmet. She couldn't see his face, but could still tell.
He forcibly corrected her habit of bobbing up and down when shooting and moving. By the end, she had a little bump and the top of her head after being smacked with the flat of Sargon's sword whenever she bobbed.
"At least I look better than Yeseme after all that", Pharis muttered. Sargon heard it and chuckled under his breath. He did go easier on her in the end. Although Pharis was strong, she is but a child still and has unseeable limitations.
The day was spent training, after an early end-of-day meal, Sargon ascended one of the peaks that encased Sanctuary. He did not do his usual meditation, but it was still a form of it. He had spent so much time traveling, fighting, and training. Now he wanted to actually take in the world. On top of the mountain peak, he sat down comfortably and fully activated his astral vision as the sun was setting.
Just like the early days of his arrival, he could see a vibrant world of ethereal colors. With the light from the setting sun going through all the ethereal astral bodies of nature, he smiled at the beauty of it.
Thinking of God from this sight, "They do call you Creator for a reason...."
As Sargon was admiring the scene, he was also studying the patterns of nature. The designs of the astral bodies. How the astral bodies are put together and how the energy behaves. He was gaining insight and inspiration into the art of creation.
When he returned from the mountain peak around Sanctuary, Dexaril was waiting.
Sargon asked him, "Dexaril, you seem to be waiting for something. What is it?"
Dexaril turned to him, "I was waiting for you Noble Sargon, I have new magic that needs to be tested. I request a spar."
Sargon was a little surprised but delighted. "I will take you up on the offer, let us get to it then."
On the designated training grounds, Sargon stood ways across from Dexaril. Sargon was the one to start the Spar, "Begin!".
Sargon began defensively to give Dexaril a chance to cast his new magic. Dexaril started simple, a barrage of tracking fire arrows. Unlike before, Sargon had some difficulty dodging them. He noticed they were faster, hotter, and had better tracking than before. Sargon rushed Dexaril and in response Dexaril set a tsunami of fire towards him. Sargon had to stop in his tracks and deploy his astral shield. In his mind, "Dexaril's fire has gotten stronger across the board. Good work."
Sargon struck out with a strong slash to part the tsunami and break it. He continued his rush, but when his sword should have struck Dexaril, it struck fire instead. He had done a fire substitution spell. Sargon raised his shield to take on a beam of fire aimed at his back. While it was stronger, Sargon noticed unnatural fire flares from the beam, indicating it is not a perfect improvement.
Sargon ducked and rolled out of the beam and send an astra beam of his own towards Dexaril. Sargon was of course not going full power in the least, but it was still a very strong attack. Dexaril blocked the beam with a firewall. A firewall that was able to dissipate and even absorb the beam energy. New properties of his magic. Sargon decided to get a little more serious and conjured his storm of astral swords. He sent the dozens of swords to attack Dexaril.
Dexarill responded by casting Protective Fire Wheel. A spinning wheel of fire that would rotate quickly to cut apart any incoming projectiles and magic. He cast a few of these on himself and the swords did not reach him. Dexaril retaliated by casting fire tornados around Sargon. He added a little to the tornados too. For some reason, Dexaril hid sharks made of fire in the tornados that would fly out and try to bite Sargon in half before going into a different tornado.
Sargon was thoroughly impressed now. He could still see fire flairs from the tornados that were unnatural. He thought, "Dexaril is making big gains with his magic, but it is still not a complete level-up yet. Almost though."
Sargon then did an Omni-directional astral slash that dispelled all the tornados. He then flash-banged Dexaril and closed in on him. When Dexaril recovered his sight, Sargon's sword was at his throat.
Sargon said to him, "Your magic has improved Dexaril, but I can still see it is incomplete. I hope our spar has helped you." Sargon then lowered his and took off his helmet to reveal a satisfied smile.
Dexaril grinned, "It has helped me a lot Sir Sargon. Thank you for the spar."
"Anytime Dexaril, now let's clean ourselves up and get some sleep.", Sargon beckoned.
Dexaril nodded and followed Sargon back to the house. Another great day in has passed.
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[Underworld]
"That Starry Knight just has to be in that neck of the monster lands, doesn't he?"
"He will no doubt interfere, but I will not give him the chance to turn the tides in favor of that insufferable Ancient."
"I will send a warrior of mine to slay him before the rise of the Flesh King Murjack. Rotisbougia! Send a message to an ebony-level champion of mine to go and kill the Starry Knight in the monster lands. The stronger champions are doing other important work for me."
Rotisbougia replied to his Mistress, "Of course my Divine Lady, I know who to send already. The Beast Berserker Anfelgor."
"Good, leave me be, and then go give him a divine message."
Rotisbougia left his Mistress to send the divine message with an evil smirk on his rotted deformed face.