// Third Point Perspective //
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, princess Tessia." Virion gave a light bow.
The girl in question had gunmetal grey hair that reached her waist, round gleaming teal eyes with pale skin and long pointy ears. In the middle of her pretty face there stood a small perky nose.
"You know me perhaps?" her confusion was evident by the way she titled her head at the boy with peculiar eyes. He somehow looks familiar but she couldn't quite put her little finger on it.
"My name is Virion Leywin." he smiles. "And like yourself a student under Cynthia Goodsky."
"Ah." realization struck as her round eyes grew even rounder. "So... you are... Arthur's brother." she processed that fact rather slowly. And completely forgetting that this boy had the same name as her gramps.
"Yes."
She quickly recollects herself and clears her throat, new vigor burns in her as she thought about she could score points with Arthur through his little brother.
"But wait you are also a disciple of master Cynthia?"
"For almost two years now." he indicated with his fingers. "So I'm technically your senior." he smirks.
"My senior?" she looks slightly offended or maybe it's just shock. "Bit you are so little though."
"I'm seven but age is just a number don't you think?" his words laced with a double meaning that she couldn't possibly decipher.
He was in fact referring to his brother and Tessia.
"But if you are her disciple that... that would mean that you have already awakened and considering the that you have been here for two years..." she counted her fingers already giving up.
She sighed.
Why does she have to be surrounded by all kinds of prodigies? And this innocent little boy infront of her along with his brother are total monsters.
"Say..." she hesitated feeling guilty for having forgotten his name even though he just introduced himself. "... what was your name again?"
"Oh." he tilted his head. "It's Virion."
"Wha!?"
.....
"Isn't them ganging up on me to much?" Virion pointed towards the two individuals that was going to face of against him while looking dumbfounded at the Director, who was standing a fair distance away from them.
"What do you mean?" she responded with the corner of her eyes creasing in amusement, more than usual actually. "If anything, you just want to take it easy." her arm folded underneath the other's elbow, the other served as a stand for head to rest against.
"You really..." Virion breathed out, slumping his head. This is his first time fighting two opponents at once, one being a cinjurer and the other an augmenter.
His first sparing partner was Cynthia but he could hardly call that a spar. She would beat him senselessly everytime and he was sure she held back even then. So he asked for a more fair sparring partner, that's where Claire came into play.
He was getting to used to her and now she threw Tessis into the mix.
He hadn't even fully assimilated with his Beast Will and now she wants him to spar again.
"He may be strong but isn't this to much?" Tessia showed concern for Virion. Or she pitied him because she knew what is was like back when her gramps used to train her.
This is also the first time she would be sparring against Virion so she was right to be worried. In a way, she was sure he would be alright as a little brother to Arthur.
Tessia narrows her eyes, readying her wand in front of her.
Claire who had been silent this whole time was the one to attack first. Propelling herself forward, thrusting her rapier at Virion. He leaned to the left, dodging her attack as if it was routine.
Claire, twists her body to him, lifting her rapier and follows up on her previous attack with a horizontal slash. Virion ducks and summons his staff from his Dimensional Ring in his right hand. He brings up the staff twisting his wrist outward to block her vertical slash.
He tips his staff downward and it shifts the point of contact between across it the staffs surface until it completely glides of.
Virion didn't take advantage of the opening in her defenses but instead focused on Tessia. He couldn't properly deal with Claire if she interferes so it be best to eliminate her first.
He still couldn't effectively augment himself as a conjurer but he learned a new trick along the way. He focuses and brings forth the cracking lighting in his body. As long as he concentrated on his breathing as well his Mana Heart wouldn't bother him as much during this trick. And also his new assimilated body can handle more strain unlike before.
He dashes pass Claire in a blur with a thundering clap, leaving only dust in his wake. "Look out, Tess." she twists her neck and yelled.
But she was to slow and Virion was already infront of her. Her eyes widened in surprise as she met Virion face to face, staring deep into his eyes. "Don't underestimate me." she whispers.
Vines burst from the earth like landmines. Forcing Virion to back track to a bit and Tess used that little time gap to increase the distance between them as a conjures biggest advantage is long range.
Virion used the earth to diverge a path between the frantic plant roots by condensing the earth between them while also moving more earth from beneath to push the plants apart.
It was like he was molding the earth in such a way that it looked like water.
Claire came in from behind though using [Piston Stomp] but she was stop dead in her tracks as she was lifted of the ground by a invisible force.
Virion had turned around sweeping his arm across his body he held out his hand toward Claire. Again reversing the polarity (conex) but instead of just a plane reversal of the field he push it at an angle therefore it pulled everything up at an angle.
The ground was also being pulled apart under this field. It was his first time trying this so before canceling the spell he blew Claire futher back using wind.
And everything came crashing down. (he felt like a certain white haired character)
While Tessia was stunned for a moment but quickly recomposed herself before launching another spell at Virion while he was busy canceling his spell.
Vines quickly circles around Virion to his surprise but he couldn't react in time so he wws enveloped by them. They reeled him back and forth in the air.
He dispersed of them with wind, cutting them into pieces. He was now falling to the ground and quuckly orients himself mid air for a perfect landing.
As soon as he touches the ground Claire came in hot. He conjures a mana barrier consisting of triangles straining his veins in the process with how fast he erected it.
He needed another spell for situations like this. Casting two spells to land and defend himself was inefficient. But he kept in the back of his mind for now and focused on the battle.
She trusts her sword at the barrier expecting to shatter it which it did but only a singular triangle much to her surprise. She strikes again breaking another while the other piece repairs.
She tries two more times and both times they repair themselves. She was surprised as she was equally frustrated. The onlookers, Cynthia and Tessia, curiosiy's were peaked.
Her blade flares up into flames, opting for a bigger attack. Virion disperses it the moment she reeledher arm back and moved in to parry her attack with his staff supporting it wind to deflect some of the heat.
*clang
They engage in flurry of quick strikes. Virion was obviously at a disadvantage since she has been training in close combat for longer. He was barely holding up. He then uses wind mana in their next clash pushing them apart.
She went to move in again trying to keep it in her favour but Virion already conjured earth pillars in a half circle around her as she approached him.
She grits her teeth and skids to a stop, ducking under the pillars turning all her forward momentum into a spiral motion. Cutting the pillars down while simultaneously extending her leg to trip Virion.
Which forced him to jump. "Now, princess." Claire yelled while Virion was still in the air.
Tessia conjures a singular large vine Virion's way. Virion uses wind to orient himself parallel to the ground and with a burst from his palm to lift hima bit higher. The vine barely grazing his side.
He prepared a fireball as big as a melon in his palm and compacted it to the size of a peach. And slaps it at the body of the vine.
*boom
The massive vine exploded into bits and some bits came out as charcoal even. It scattered all over the place. Claire whom was under him was blown away but she protect herself with mana.
Cynthia and Tessia conjured their respective barriers to protect them from the dust and slight debri.
Tessia prepared a wind spell to blow away the smoke and dust but their was no one hiding in it.
"Wha?" their eyes searched frantically around the training room. "Bo." Tessia jumped around coming face to face with him again.
Cynthia smiled.
He had used that spell to blow away Claire that was on his tail and to create cover to sneak up on Tessia. He made up for his lack of experience with creativity and planning. And even when sparring against her, he managed to cancel out her spells. In her personal opinion, the only reason she won was due the difference in fire power and actual experience.
It was only a matter of time - and they didn't have much left.
"That's it for today." Cynthia announced and puts an end to the little sparring match. Virion hid his staff in his Dimensional Ring again.
Tessia fell down on her bum, sighing in relief. Claire retreated her sword into her Dimensional Ring and walked over to the two.
"What was that barrier spell you used?" she came to a stop in front of them, staring intently at Virion. Her eagerness to learn was all over her face.
"Yeah." Tess looked up at him. "I've never seen or heard about it before."
"It's something I came up with recently." he responds scratching his head.
Originally it was something Arthur came up with and he just copied it. He just felt bad taking the credit but he couldn't put it on Arthur otherwise it would be more troublesome in the end.
"Mind explaining how it works?" Cynthia also crept up on them.
Sigh.
.....
"Ahhh." he breathed out and stretches himself after a cold shower. Easing out the aching muscles because of the assimilation process.
Looking over at his reflection in the mirror, his hair clinging to his forehead and the water rolling down his relatively toned body (maybe he was just skiny). If you looked closely you could see the little steam radiating off of his body so he couldn't help but flex a bit.
Anyway his core progression has been slow due his assimilation. It was now at the bottleneck of light orange which was pretty high. But he needed more if he wanted to live through this war and save this continent.
*knock knock knock
Who was it?
He extended his senses and noticed it was just Tessia. What could she be doing here? Perhaps Cynthia sent her ti fetch me?
"Coming!" he yelled and walks out the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He opens the door.
"What's up, sis?" he asks.
It seemed to take her awhile to respond though.
"Master Goodsky is calling for you." she averted her gaze. "And put on some clothes before you answer your door, Veer."
She had given himthe nickname, Veer, when they first met. Claiming that calling me 'Virion' was weird. Virion tried to protest that the nickname was to cute for him and she should just call him 'Vi' instead.
In the end, he decided to call her 'sis' or 'sister' as payback. The first few times she kept turning into a blushing mess but now she didn't mind at all.
"Sorry."
"You say that but don't sound sorry at all." she pouted at him and he just laughed it off, closing the door to go change himself.
...
He was walking in sync with Tessia to the Director's office. They got a few looks from the passing students but they didn't mind.
They reached the double doors leading to the office.
"H-hey! You can't just enter without knocking." Tessia shouted in her inner voice trying to hold back Virion but retracted her arm and sighed while following him in.
"She was the one who called so it's fine." he responded looking around the room. To his surprise her bond, Avier, was also present this time.
"You're finally here." she greeted gesturing for them to take a seat across from her on the couch.
"Morning." Virion greeted. "Why did you call?" he inquired as he followed behind Tess to the couch before taking a seat.
"It just crossed my mind while I though about Tessia." she took a quick sip of her tea before continuing. "What do you think of joining the school?" she placed her cup down in the saucer.
"I don't think I will..." he replied and Cynthia's eyes narrowed.
She could already guess where this is going.
"Your refusing?" Tessia was used her inside voice while freaking out. She leans into his ear and whispers. "Being personally recruited by the Director of Xyrus is-"
"You didn't let me finish." he cuts her off. "I meant that I wouldn't join for now."
"So you want to follow in your brother's footsteps." Cynthia sighs.
"Your brother's footsteps?" Tessia was lost.
Virion turns to her raising his index.
"Athur became an adventurer." he said blundly.
Tessia was slow on the uptake. Her expression slowly morphing through the stages before she squealed. So much for trying to act prim and proper in front of her mother.
Looking at Virion's dumb face she quickly regained her composure and clears her throat.
"Sorry." she paused. "It seems I must have misheard you." she looks at him desperately (?) as if expecting a different answer this time around.
"You didn't mishear me." he plainly responded. And unsure of what to expect next.
She wouldn't take this out at him... would she?
She hung her head.
"That little -" she whispers to herself. "How could he not tell me." she shakes in anger and half crying at the same time. She was a whole mood when she wants to be.
Cynthia was also lost.
Tessis then grabs Virion's shoulders and attempts to shake him back and forth but couldn't because of her weaker physical constitution (assimilation). It turned into a embarrassing scuffle on her side.
She closed the distance between their faces, slightly hitting their temples against one another.
"Is he safe?" her breath smelled like honey much like the tea. "More importantly, how could let him do something so dangerous? You're strong aren't you? You could've given him a good smack to the head." she backed up and looked at the ceiling still half crying. Struggling in vain to shake Virion around
All Virion could do was manage an awkward laugh.
"Hrm, hrm." Cynthia clears her throat.
And like nothing ever happened, Tessia immediately sat upright in her seat. A cold sweat ran down her face.
"Excuse me." her voice was meek, her gaze looking the other way. It seemed she had found the doorway more interesting than this conversation.
"Anyway..." Cynthia broke the silence peeling her eyes off of Tessia. "About you becoming an adventurer... are you sure that is the best choice?"
"I'm sure."
"I see." was her response.
"Master Goodsky?" Tessia tried to protest. Was she really not going to try ti dissuade Virion?
"I can't do anything about it." Cynthia accepted it. "It's now up to his parents."
Tessia turns to him. Her worry very much scrunched uo in her brows.
"Wouldn't it better to attend Xyrus Academy before going into the dungeons?" she made a reasonable and logical argument.
"That's why I learned under Cynthia these past few years." he gestures with his hands. "Besides I won't fit in as I am now. I wouldn't make any friends."
"You have me and Claire here." she tried to bargain.
"That wouldn't dismay the trouble that others might cause." he shrugs. "And it'll only be for a year."
After that it wouldn't matter much anyways since the war will be at its beginning stages.
"It's dangerous though even for you." she couldn't make up anymore excuses and opted to exaggerate the obvious. She let down her head realizing it wouldn't help.
"Don't worry." he reaches out his hand to her shoulder. "I'll take one of my father's friends from his old party with." I caress her shoulder with my thumb.
She just pouted.
.....
"Have you prepared yourself." Cynthia asks Virion holding her hnad steady infront of his sternum.
"I've been ready since I got this."
"Didn't look like it though." Cynthia snickered recalling the times when Virion winced in pain due to the assimilation process.
"Ha. Ha." he laughs sarcastically. "You are enjoying this an awful lot. You sadist." he said under his breath.
"What." she smiled at him and he recoiled. It wasn't a smile that reached her ears.
"Nothing." he interjected.
"Let's continue then." she pressed against his sternum and tried to ignite his core by injecting a large portion of her own mana.
He felt the heat spreading throughout his body ti the ends of his limbs. He grits his teeth as to not scream.
A green light flashed through the training chamber. And Cynthia moved back just in time before the following eruption hit her.
*boom
A cloud of dust enveloped the area. Cynthia protected herself against the grains of sand. As it settled down she blew away the dust to clear a path to Virion.
He stood up from his lotus position, looking down at his palm. He tightness his hand into fist, marveling at the new sensations he was feeling. He hasn't tapped into it but it felt great.
"You want to give it a go?" Cynthia approached him again.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I can just nock you if it comes down to it."
"Okay." Virion breathed and closed his eyes focusing on drawing out the mana from within his core. He felt the warm feeling spread through his body again, this time much more tame.
It felt rejuvenating even.
He opens his eyes. He felt like a feather and his body had the urge to just move but he kept himself in check.
"How does it feel?" Cynthia asked warily whilst slowly moving forward.
He looks over to her, "It feels great."
He releases the Will and his body felt normal but heavy and all his urges calmed down.
"Congratulations Virion." she smiles. "You are a officially one of the few Beast Tamer." she pats him on the back.
"Thank you." he says gratefully. If it wasn't for her he doubt he would've been able to come this far in the past nearly three years.
"I've been thinking the past few days since." he was referring to their conversation about his future.
"I already know what you are going to ask." she sighs.
"You knkw me well." Virion chuckles. "So is that a yes then?"
"Hm. I don't think I can do that without the consent of your parents."
"What if I can assure you that they will say yes." he smirks mischievously.
She paused.
It was strange. The fact that she even considered to believe the words of an eight year old (not yet).
She sighs again. "Fine."
________
A/N:
I really tried my best to capture Tessia's character.
It proved quite difficult. I don't feel confident enough in my ability to introduce characters to the mc.
Anyway leave your thoughts in the comments.