After studying magic for a couple of hours, the old man chose to reawaken my male counterpart for a more difficult form of training.
"Since I've grasped your individual ability, it's time for you to work on both simultaneously."
"Wait what?! You expect me to be able to do both at the same time?"
He shook his head. "I expect you to try and get used to this. You are of two bodies so you have to live with both if you wish to live at all. Alright now keep reading while the other is working out. Pushups, running laps, or just some practice swings. Get that body moving while studying for my pop Quiz."
I wanted to argue but I knew he was right. It still doesn't feel real that I'm using both people but that's just because the old man has had one be asleep while the other does everything.
With a deep breath, If I can't at least reach the old man's level, I won't make it out of this forest unscathed. So, I start reading while my other takes a light jog.
Except that my male counterpart trips after five seconds while my head feels like it's being overloaded after the first few words.
"FORGET AN HOUR! I COULDN'T LAST TEN SECONDS!"
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It was so long and difficult. I focused my mind while the other body was on the move, trying to split my perspective while focusing on both situations. And as time continued, the male body was tripping over myself less while my focus on the book continued uninterrupted, allowing me to understand what I read for the first time since starting. I could focus my attention on the information before me while autopiloting my other body to stay between the lines.
That is until I trip on a stone that randomly appears on my path that should be barren. Dizziness struck as I was made to eat dirt but when my eyes land on the old fart, I could do nothing more than get back up and try to regain my focus.
Before long, it was quiz time.
The old man told me to swing a wooden sword that he decided would be better training for me overeating dirt the nth time. When the questions began, it took a minute but I was about to answer the important questions that helped me avoid a spell backfiring, that being the main subject I kept in mind thanks to the old man's fear tactic early.
"Well done, you likely won't be petrifying your organs, even if you took your time giving me the answer. Like everything, practice leads to improvement and we don't have forever, so keep working hard."
My face went solemn as the words 'we don't have forever' repeated in my head. "I feel like you expect me to leave any day now despite barely training with you for a full cycle."
He gave a deep sigh, not looking at me. "That's because it's highly likely people will start appearing sometime soon. People looking for the Meteorite that fell to the mortal plane should be showing up to claim whatever made that crater that almost hit you and my concern will be that the unreasonable types will arrive first. Since it has been a few days, there is a chance someone arrived to take it already, and if that's so, then they may think we took it."
"But... I didn't pick up anything! I don't even know... to look and see what was down there as my only concern was what's happened to me."
He gave a sigh before returning to being the rugged teacher. "That is why I'm worried. If you can get used to the basics of life and can defend yourself, I shall have nothing to fear when seeing you off. But staying here wouldn't be for the best, especially because a piece of the heavens fell here."
I wanted to argue, to say I wanted to stay. There is a lot I need to learn even if I finish the basics, but... it's Impossible for me to stay here forever, especially when so many questions I have can only be answered outside this Valley.
With my silence, the old man chose to return to the main subject. "That's enough mood-killing, now answer the question, if you need 3 gallons of milk, how much magic power will you need to discharge to fill the three-gallon jugs."
I inwardly cursed at him for asking that question. "Huff... if 1 ounce of milk requires 50 ounces of mana... over 5 seconds of concentration then... to get 3 gallons..."
My training had only just begun, but I wouldn't get to finish.
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The next day was like yesterday; wake up, fix my hair then head outside as I try to imprint habit into my everyday activity so as not to walk into everything I pass on the way out.
The only difference this morning was the conversation we had.
"I have decided to give you a name."
It took me a moment to register what he just said. He didn't even turn around when he spoke those words a moment after greeting him. These past few days, he was just calling me 'you' while I just called him Old Man.
Though I was feeling reluctant to respond to those words because of the implication behind it, he continued regardless. "For the man, I will name you Verei (Ver-ray), it used to be my son's name. While the woman will be named Veda. Which used to be my Wife's name."
I was shaken, "You're giving me your Wife's and Son's name?!"
He gave a calm nod without turning away from the soup he was making for this morning's meal. "And our family name is Deidura, (Day-der-ah). You will take up the identity as my grandchildren. Born from my son that no one has ever met."
I was hesitant to respond. This news came at me so fast I didn't want to say anything out of fear of setting something off. But after getting a minute to collect myself.
I recognized something from the way he was acting. "What happened to them?"
His hand stopped moving at this question before exhaling. "You really catch on quick for an amnesiac. My son was stillborn. He didn't get a chance to live life when he left the womb. As for my wife, she died of illness five years after the failed birth. It was do to grief from the first and would learn was also the last chance that had an effect on her mental health before surrendering to death when she caught an illness."
He prepares the bowls, setting them on the stump made into a table. "But let's stop there. We have much you still need to learn before you're ready to go beyond the valley."
He didn't even give me time to apologize for bringing attention to those long past painful memories. But he probably didn't want an apology. He just wanted to move on.
'Veda and Verei Deidura. These are my names from now on...'
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After dinner, we continued on with training. I was starting to get used to thinking with 'Veda' and working out as 'Verei' by the time someone arrived at our place when the sun was at its highest.
Five people walk up the hillside leading to our home. My first impression of them is that they all were quite different from one another. The first to arrive was a guy plated in red, he stood tall and walked every step with a purpose but was lacking any expression, not even breaking a sweat despite climbing up a hill after hiking from who knows where.
Next was a guy in black. Just as silent but more mysterious; I can't tell determine his strength, wearing enough cloth to cover his gear to the point I can only guess it isn't metal. I can see is the extremely pale skin around his eyes, paler than every other's.
Third was a female in green cloth, she was alert with sharp eyes but despite looking behind her, I felt I wouldn't be able to catch her off guard. At least she's the first of them I can tell was fatigued from their journey.
Next was the female in blue plate; she looked nervous but also seemed inexperienced in hiking long distances, judging by her heavy breathing under that helmet. The first person I actually felt was normal among the group, and yet, I can't tell if that's a good thing or not.
Last to arrive here was the guy in yellow. If the previous one felt normal, then this guy only looks normal. Clothing I would expect someone ready to sell me something would wear, mixed with leather armor for his own protection. Yet the yellow scarf and matching pauldrons proved he was in the same position as the rest. He may look normal but with him being relaxed compared to the alert nature of the others, on top of the pauldrons and scarf, it makes him stand out the most.
Old man Deidura greets them, "Oh Knights of Siltria, is there something you require for this sudden visit?"
The Knight in Red's gaze goes sharper, "We are Keepers of Siltria and we are here by order of the Queen to collect an artifact that recently fell. Have any of you gone near the crash site a short distance from here?"
The wording felt strange to me. 'Have any of you gone near the crash site?' They're asking if we went there but not if we have the artifact despite that being their mission?
But Old Man Deidura responds by shaking his head. "Me and my grandchildren had seen the meteor fall but we know better than to look for trouble."
We bow when being called, a bit separately and in different postures, as taught. I can only hope it was successful.
The Red Knight, who introduced themselves as Keepers, looks between the three of us. Analyzing us. The one in yellow, speaks his mind. "So, you three haven't been near the crater? I doubt that."
Even if they did check the site beforehand. Evidence of us being there is three days gone, washed away with the God Tears from the rain.
"We have been living here for years. A peaceful life living off the land. We wouldn't have much need for mysterious artifacts."
The Yellow Keeper scoffs at Uldrei's words. "An old man like you living with your grandchildren in a valley crawling with hobgoblins? ... peacefully?"
Before the Yellow Keeper can continue his disbelief, the Old Man makes an oath. "By my name of Uldrei Deidura, we haven't looked for the artifact and live in this forest peacefully!"
I was speechless. He finally says his name but it took a situation like this. And apparently, I wasn't the only one surprised.
The Keeper in Blue was the first to react. "The Cockatrice slayer? I've heard stories but I didn't expect you would be living only a two-day trip from the Capital!"
Cockatrice Slayer? So, the old man was famous. It makes sense considering how secretive he was about telling me his name. Though a normal person can't see another person's soul.
The Keeper in Yellow crosses his arms. "The main contributor to our open trade with the Kingdom of Jiiruno? You made yourself a name second to gods in these lands. But you being here and old must mean you didn't rise high enough."
Old Man, Uldrei, grimaced at the remark. "I didn't want to ascend to the heavens. I wanted to live out the rest of my current life raising my grandchildren before leaving to meet my wife in the next life."
I try to keep a straight face but it's hard to keep my calm towards the lies that came out of him so naturally. Especially so with this entire situation.
Out of the Keepers, the one in black appears to be keeping close tabs on us all throughout this. I've ended up locking eyes with him more times than the others but since he isn't taking action, it should mean he doesn't see through Uldrei's lies about me and my other.
The Yellow Keeper puts a hand on the leader's shoulder, bringing a chilling proposal, "Regardless if he is Uldrei or not, we need to bring back an artifact to Her Majesty. If we do a search, we can find HIS artifact of legend, regardless of if they hold the one from the crater or not. That is if he is Uldrei."
When I heard that, my stomach churned and my knuckles went white.
Despite my training, I am nowhere near ready to fight people, much less them, especially when outnumbered. But the Keeper in green snapped out of the daze she was in when she heard that proposal. "Are you fucking serious?! You are actually thinking of attacking a legend of our history for something that's his?! Do you want to piss off the gods too?!"
The Yellow Keeper turns to her, "But why shouldn't we ask him to hand it over? He isn't using it to defend anyone anymore and it's a very versatile artifact for offense, defense, and support. To have it would be a blessing we can't miss, especially with one person Artifactless."
"But to take it by force from someone who has done wonders for our land would be spitting on everything he's done for this kingdom! Who cares if he isn't using it? It's his and forcing a change in ownership for it would make us nothing more than bandits!"
As the bickering progresses, the Red Knight catches their attention. "Then let's vote. I don't think they could stay away from the crater, and to be sure, we need to check the building."
The Keeper in yellow puffed out his chest. "Heh, then that makes 2 for a 'Military Search' and 1 for leaving empty-handed."
The Blue Keeper was hesitant by the sudden change. But something seemed to bother her as she put a hand on her chest plate before deciding. "I am against ransacking their home. It isn't what Keepers do. And just because I don't have a weapon artifact doesn't mean we should steal from citizens of the kingdom. Regardless, we shouldn't be searching without the Keeper of the Home."
The Yellow Keeper shrugs. "You would say that 'Keeper of the Word'. Oh well, 2 on 2, what is your vote Szilion?"
The Keeper in Black takes a moment to think. The suspense was killing me; his view alternating between everyone's gaze on this decision that would destroy our home.
"I am... also against it. I doubt they have the artifact from the crater. And, having an artifact of their own isn't a reason to ruin the image of our kingdom. We're knights, not thugs."
The Yellow keeper shrugs his shoulders while the leader speaks on their next course of action. "We keep moving then, check the forest nearby. If there's no artifact, we return with the Keeper of the Home to begin a search."
The leader spoke his orders and the team acknowledged as they left the hill. The leader turns to us with one last word of advice. "And that means, don't run before we return or the name of Deidura will become the name of a fugitive."
The Red Keeper leaves the makeshift training ground behind the rest of his party, leaving the three of us with a threat to not run away.