[Lorraine POV]
"M-master... haaa haaa... I can't ... Run any... haaa haaa more...."
Plop
"Come on don't go collapsing on me, fitness is just as important for you. Plus don't you think the weather is just so nice today? Running on the beach with the sun high above your head, there's even a light cool breeze to calm you down."
With my body laying on the ground, I look toward my master who has been lightly skipping with me with her hands behind her back.
"Master, WE're not even outside."
"What do you mean? Look at the sun the sky-"
"MASTER!"
"Oh, you don't like it. I thought it was nice."
Snap!
After she finished talking, I see Master snap her fingers and the colour start to pull out of the surroundings before new colours came in showing where we actually were. A room inside the residence of Master Aegis.
"Master, can you turn the gravity down too?"
"That's no fun, you're done already."
Walking to a glowing pillar in the corner of the room, Master takes her finger and presses a button on the pillar causing it to stop glowing.
*cough* *Cough*
With my weight finally being lifted from my body, I let out a few coughs as I continued my ragged breathing. Slowly pulling myself up with my arms, I see Master holding a bottle of water out to me. Grabbing the water, I start chugging it.
Gulp Gulp Gulp Gulp
"Lorraine, you need to work more on your body, 10 minutes in four times gravity isn't enough. Right now, your skill is being limited by your physical strength."
"*Gulp gulp gulp*"
"Lorraine, now that you've reached Unity with your blade, you're strong enough to learn sword arts now."
"Really!"
After demolishing the water bottle, I felt invigorated again. Hearing that I could learn sword art made me jubilant. Once a weapon user has mastered their weapon to the weapon mastery stage of Unity, the user can tap into the mana inside the sword and mix it with their own mana to perform magic-like abilities and techniques.
Sword arts are the techniques that utilize this phenomenon. They teach the weapon wielder a proper way to circulate this mixed mana to create a desired effect. Without proper training and experience in wielding this mana, the weapon may be damaged or the user injured. At worst, the user will break this weapon, resulting in them losing all their hard work in mastery and needing to restart.
"Master Aegis, when can I start?"
"Get changed and dressed up. I then bring you to where I picked out my first sword art."
"Right!"
...
After a nice shower and a change of clothes, I came out wearing some baggy pants, a light pink shirt and a top. I had a belt around my waist where my sword rested to my side.
Draped over my shoulders was the signature red cloak that Master had given to me. Aegis had this weird rule where I had to wear her signature cloak where ever I went now, I simply put it by choice to avoid the hassle of my master forcing it on me.
"Master, I'm ready!"
"Alright, let's go."
Clap!
With that Master's skill works wonder as the area around us are painted a new scene.
Wwuuuuuuu
"Master, I'm pretty sure this is not the place."
Around us was an open grassy meadow where the wind blew my hair everywhere.
"I know, I waiting for space to be right to allow me to bring us there at once."
Clap!
As soon as she finished speaking, I hear another clap as the surroundings change again until I start to see pink trees everywhere around me. Looking around, I found that we were on a beautiful stone path with trees on either side. With a gentle breeze, I see the pink leaves fall beautifully off the tree.
"..."
"Breathtaking, isn't it? I had the exact feeling when I first came here."
"Master, I didn't even know that there was somewhere this beautiful in Euqolia. Where are we?"
"We're in the Sanctuary."
"The Sanctuary?"
"Yep, it's one of the more central territories in the country. Within the Sanctuary, there are no wars or conflicts, any problems will be handled professionally. It's a rule placed by the guardians of this land, the Spirit Race."
"The Spirit Race, are they like the spectral undead I faced before?"
Bam!
"OUch!"
"One chop on the head for you dear apprentice, such a thing would insult any race. They are a race of peace and protection, should there be any large problem in the country, they are often the first to act. A noble bunch."
"But Master Aegis, aren't we here for sword arts? Sword arts don't sound like they could be in a place ruled by a race like that."
"They aren't a naive bunch. They understand that for peace to happen, they need to give in a few ways. Let me tell you a story.
Long ago, before the formation of the country, many powerful individuals would come here to spend their remaining years. A few of these individuals were weapon masters who didn't want their legacy wasted. So, with the permission of the Spirits, they decided to set up a place to teach the future generation of weapon masters. And..."
"AHH!"
Suddenly, I feel my body lift up into the sky as Master starts flying us higher into the sky. Looking down, I slowly see that we were in the middle of a giant pink forest and the only source of civilization was the perfectly maintained road that curved and bent throughout the forest. Soon, we climb so high that we when through the clouds and there is when I saw it.
"...They made this!"
"W-whhhaaat!"
Completely mesmerized by the sight before me, I saw a dozen or so giant islands that were simply floating in the sky. In the middle of the floating islands, there was a much larger island that extended even further into the sky.
"The Floating Islands of Legacies. That is what those old masters built. Seems like they've added a few more islands."
"Is this where I'll be learning?"
"Yep, You'll train here until one month before the tournament when I'll pick you up. Let's get going."
With that, we start flying toward the large central island. As I pass some smaller islands, I could make out the appearances of many people all holding certain weapons. from staffs to spears to bows.
I couldn't stop a smile from forming as excitement bubbled in me seeing how spectacular this place was. Soon we arrive at the central island but instead of landing, we follow the landscape of the island and start flying up before reaching a small house in the middle of the island.
Landing before the door, Master simply pushes open the door without a care in the world.
SHIINNG CLACK!
"AH!"
Registering only a bright spark before me, I see Master holding a thin red sword in her hands. On the ground, there were a few knives that weren't there before. Suddenly the knives come to life as they float up and travel back into the house
"Fufufu, who would've thought that an old friend would barge in today?"
"Starray, how did you become headmaster?"
Seeing Master greet someone, I carefully walked and see a beautiful woman who wore a light purple dress to cling to her body. As Master and the woman continued talking, I glance around the room to see one of every weapon displayed on the rack.
"...so that's why we're here."
"I see. Well, introductions first. Young Lorraine, my name is Irene Starray. I as headmaster of the Floating Islands of Legacies welcome you as a new disciple.
"Waa?"
...
Aegis' Fun Fact: No one knows exactly how the islands float as the method is passed down only to the headmaster of the islands. Some suspect it to be a treasure that the first masters had or perhaps an ancient artifact. Or maybe it is much more boring with large engravings that keep them floating. If it's the last one I would be disappointed.