Eliza sat alone in the dining room, her appetite suppressed by the nervousness of meeting Heine. The idea of meeting a member of the esteemed White Trial was something she had never imagined. She remembered Vaos's stories of the White Trial during the void war, the White Trial existed long before the Victorious Ten. During the void war, their duty was to purge the Forbidden, but most importantly, sinners; The White Trials mission since their beginning. Theirs was a duty untainted by personal emotions, neither relishing nor despising their task. For them, it was simply a matter of fulfilling their timeless obligation to cleanse the world of sinners, a calling that persisted across generations, defining the past, present, and future of the White Trial. Every soul of a sinner, tainted by the darkness of their transgressions, found its way into the grasp of the Soul Harvester, Heine.
"Lord Heine is ready to see you now," Sun said, drawing Eliza's attention away from her thoughts.
"I-I see. Please, lead the way," Eliza replied, her nerves coursing through her body. She stood up from her seat, her steps careful as she followed Sun.
As Sun guided her through the corridors, Eliza took the time to send text messages to Eve and Vulcan, informing them that she could potential return late and to notify Bard.
As they reached the third floor, Sun's footsteps seemed to slow down, echoing through the hallway. Eliza took a deep breath and cleared her mind, preparing herself to meet Heine.
"We're here," Sun announced, gesturing towards the door before them. "Please mind your manners when speaking to Lord Heine." With a respectful bow, Sun excused himself.
Eliza took a deep breath, she reached out and placed her hand on the door handle.
"Don't you dare open that door," Eliza heard the familiar voice again, echoing in her mind.
"Heine, is that you?" Eliza asked.
"That's Lord Heine for you, I swear, these juniors," Heine said with a chuckle, his tone warm yet authoritative.
"If you don't mind me asking, why can't I open this door?"
"Firstly, because it's locked. Secondly, I'm withered, a mere shadow of my former self. Even I'm not so arrogant as to ignore that fact. I'd prefer you to remember me as history does, as The Soul Harvester, not the old frail man behind this door," Heine replied, his tone bitter.
"Right, well, I suppose I should ask the important question. Should we start my training now? I'm not sure if you sensed it, but I just got access to siphon magic." Eliza informed as she sat on the floor besides the door.
"Yes, I noticed your use of it during the test with Sun. Your control over it is rather impressive already; we can chalk that up to raw talent. Nevertheless, there is always room for further refinement and potential to go even further." Heine remarked.
"Huh, you mean there's another subcategory of healing magic?" Eliza asked as she raised an eyebrow.
"Foolish junior, I wouldn't even consider siphon magic a subcategory for healing magic. They're complete opposites, serving different purposes and operating on different principles," Heine clarified.
"It isn't like how ice is a subcategory for water magic then?"
"Think of it more as fire and water, completely different, their nature and effects distinct. Just as fire burns and water quenches, healing magic mends and nurtures, while siphon magic consumes and redirects." Heine explained.
"Are you implying that healing and siphon magic are completely separate, then?" Eliza asked.
"Not so foolish as I thought..." Heine remarked, confirming Eliza's question.
"But how is that possible? I mean, don't Ornaments allow only one ability? It's not like some water magic user can go learn fire magic," Eliza questioned, her ears perking up in intrigue.
"That's true, but there are exceptions to this rule. I won't go into detail, but know that you're an exception to this rule; within the circle of 'pure magic'," Heine explained.
"Circle of pure magic?"
"Such a curious junior," Heine began, his tone with a hint of amusement. "There are many circles of Ornaments, the most common ones being elemental and spirit Ornaments. Yours, however, falls into the circle of 'pure magic'. You see, when an elemental user activates their Ornament, they infuse their mana with the essence of their element, effectively 'tainting' it. This deviation from pure mana restricts them to their chosen element."
"And is this pure mana what I use for both healing and siphon magic?"
"Precisely," Heine affirmed, "The use of pure mana is rare, indeed. You should feel honored to possess such a gift."
"One more thing, Heine," Eliza asked. "What did you mean by the potential to go even further?" Her cat ears perked up, showing her curiosity.
"That's Lord Heine for you... Anyway, in addition to healing and siphon magic, there's another branch within the circle of pure magic: White magic," Heine explained.
"Hmm, and what does this white magic do exactly?" Eliza asked as she leaned in slightly to the door.
"You can freely use pure mana without being constraint to the limitations of healing or siphoning magic. In my opinion, it stands as the most strongest form of power, for mana is in every corner of existence. In the tallest mountain, within the depths of the ocean, and even thrives in the vacuum of space." Heine explained to Eliza of her possible future powers, ""Hell, if you wanted you can effectively use elemental magic if you wanted once you're able to control white magic." He added.
"And how do I 'unlock' white magic?"
"You're a long way from mastering white magic," Heine said as he leaned back in his chair, "but you already have both keys to unlock its potential, healing and siphon magic. Now, it's a matter of mastering both of them." He paused, "and when you do so, you'll be able to change the script."
"That's another thing, how do you know I'm going to die?" Eliza narrowed her eyes.
"Foolish junior," Heine said with a smile, "you sure do ask a lot of questions. Let's stop here; I've more preparations to get done before you start your training."
"About that," Eliza her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke, "I can't stay here for long. I have to go back with my sister soon."
"You are a foolish junior," Heine said, his tone firm. "I won't force you; this is your choice to make. You can stay here and commit to mastering your powers, thus altering your fate. Alternatively, you may choose to leave and accept your fate as it stands. Before you say anything," he continued, "I want you to return within an hour to give me your answer. Now, begone." Leaving Eliza to think about the decision she'll have to make.
Eliza stood up and made her way out, deep in thought. As she settled onto a bench in the garden, she couldn't shake the feeling of being torn between two paths. On one hand, she knew she had a responsibility to keep a close eye on her sister, ensuring her safety and making sure she doesn't make any unnecessary decisions. Yet, leaving meant accepting a fate that would mean the end of her life.
However, staying held its own appeal. If Eliza stays she knew Eve had Vulcan and the others. And in staying, she could master her Ornament and change her fate and carve out a future of her own design.
As the minutes passed, Eliza found herself grappling with the weight of her decision, the ticking of the clock echoing in her mind like a constant reminder of the choice that lay before her.
Eliza sighed and reached for her phone, with a hesitant touch, she unlocked the screen and navigated to Vaos's contact, her thumb hovering over the call button as she wrestled with conflicting emotions.
Deep down, she knew she couldn't bear the weight of this secret alone. Vaos had been her pillar of strength, guiding her most of her life. As her finger pressed against the screen, starting the call, she felt a sense of relief.
"Hello, Eliza," Vaos greeted warmly. "Did something happen? I'm usually the one doing the calling."
Eliza sat in silence, she struggled to find the right words to tell to Vaos, the man who had been their steadfast guardian since childhood.
"Eliza..?" Vaos's voice brought Eliza back to the present moment, prompting her to gather her thoughts and speak up.
"Vaos," Eliza her voice trembling with uncertainty, "there's something important I need to tell you. But before I do, promise you won't get angry."
"This seems to be important, Eliza. Very well, I promise not to get upset, especially considering it's you who's taking the initiative to share this with me," Vaos reassured her, his tone gentle.
As Eliza took deep breaths, she mentally prepared herself for the difficult conversation she was about to have with Vaos. But as she opened her mouth to speak, tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall down her cheeks, before she even uttered a word.
"Okay, here it goes..."