Alexander got used to the schedule his father introduced him to for their training sessions as the week neared its end; the small run turned into a mile, and the sessions got longer. Alexander woke up expecting his dad to be in the usual spot when suddenly he saw a goddess coming from the distance with purple strands in her white hair. He sprinted to her, stumbling over his feet as he screamed, Master! Amelia smiled, surprised by the sudden embrace and warmth she felt. She returned the hug when suddenly she said, Have you gotten taller? Your hands. Do they feel rougher too? Alexander flexed his little muscles, saying, My dad was training me while you were gone. Amelia smiled but seemed distant; even though she was close, Alexander could tell her mind wasn't in the moment. This feeling was something he couldn't shake off. It's too soon for goodbyes. Alexander spoke freely and said, You're planning to leave, aren't you? Amelia smiled grimly and said, That's the problem. I love magic and adventuring, but you are precious to me too, little one. Thanks to you, I can fight again. I won't leave right away. I will teach you as much as I can. I plan to stay for another year. After all, I have a job to do.
Alexander consolidated his feelings and said, I will learn everything you've got so you can leave and chase your dreams! Amelia said I'd expect no less from a little one under my tutelage. Amelia's face blushed red as she wore a warm expression. Quicksilver greeted Amelia as he scolded Alexander, saying, I understand your excited son, but it's improper to encroach upon her without letting her settle back in properly first. After saying this, instead of training like we usually would, Amelia, my mom, and dad all spoke, and as much as I wanted to eavesdrop, I couldn't. It felt like they had been talking for ages, so I began training like usual and did the last set of exercises my dad taught me, not neglecting my swordsmanship and run. When I finished everything, I was drenched in sweat. I could see the door to my parent's room open. Like they just finished a big business meeting.
Quicksilver came out in a good mood as he threw a wooden sword at me, saying, Good job training on your own. I'm proud of you. You have reached the final stage in my training ambitions with you, so now we spar. You can use magic and your sword. We start 10 paces away. Quicksilver said the spar starts on your first movement. Alexander began by casting wind torrent, which caught his father off guard as the wind came crashing towards him, threatening to sweep him away. He just stabbed his sword into the ground, waiting for Alexander's next move. Seemingly unfazed by the wind. Alexander used this opportunity to attack his father, who easily deflected his attacks as he pointed out his deficiencies, utilizing the butt of his sword to strike his shoulder, elbows, and hip. Highlighting that these areas can demobilize a target. When Alexander went for a wide swing, Quicksilver swept his feet from under him, but in this moment, Alexander scooped up dirt at the last second and threw it in his eyes before falling, casting a wind torrent another time. This off-guard attack of his caused his father to be blown away, forcing him to use his aura to stop like brakes as he broke the spell with a slash, saying, Well done, my son. Quicksilver disappeared from Alexander's vision as everything went black; he woke up in his bed. When he exited his room, his stomach was rumbling in protest. An aroma Alexander knew well called him to the dinner table. Alexander's stomach proudly announced his entry before he could greet everyone properly. Elizabeth, Quicksilver, and Amelia all laughed at his stomach's announcement. Alexander looked at his father and said what happened, and for once he heard his father chuckle as he said, I rewarded your efforts properly by ending the spar. Oh, Alexander said, sulking. Quicksilver said, Be proud. I didn't intend to use aura at all, but your magic proved more troubling than I originally thought it would be. Your swordsmanship could use some work, but the fact that you used techniques from the Slithering style without ever seeing it goes to show that you will exploit any weakness left available, and that is commendable, son. Quicksilver just went back to eating his food.
Elizabeth warmed the room with a gentle smile and wandered over to Alexander, wrapping her arms around him, kissing him on the head, and shooting his father a sharp glare, saying, I will say what your father truly means, which is that we are proud of you. Above all else, we love you. Ever since I met your father, he has only known how to express himself through swinging that sword. I fell in love with his dedication. He loves you, but you know how boys can be, so only for now I will say it for him. Alexander hates these feelings that surface whenever Elizabeth speaks; it's like she peers into his soul and says the perfect words. Alexander just hugged his mother's arms that were wrapped around him and said, I know you and Daddy love me. His father smiled after hearing this not long after he took his leave from the table. Elizabeth began to exit as she whispered to Alexander, Your dad is a teddy bear. Amelia looked at Alexander; as one eye flashed gold, she said, It seems like you're not slacking on your training. I'm going to teach you a few spells tomorrow. It's going to be a lot more in our lesson plan than usual.
Alexander knew this was because she was planning to leave soon. What is it you want to do, Alexander asked? Amelia looked at her hands as they trembled and clenched them into a fist, saying, I want to get stronger. My heart was gripped with fear at one point. Because when you're adventuring, no matter how narrowly it seems, you always scrape by. Having my friend Aaron, our party leader, killed in front of me made me realize we had only been lucky this whole time. This fear immobilized me, and before I knew it, I lost my purpose and became too afraid to fight monsters. I still wanted to work as an adventurer, so I took this job. Knowing it would give me a few years. But you're so amazing, and before I knew it, you all became family to me. You helped me find myself again, little one, and for that we will always be family. Amelia pulled out a ring of a dragon holding a stone; as she gave it to Alexander, she said, Only wear this when I've finally left. This ring is a symbol of our friendship, and if you show this to any other Nomad, they will help you.
Alexander hugged Amelia and said, I will become strong enough to stand by your side. Amelia said your future is brighter than my appraising eyes can see, only loud enough for her to hear.
The year went by swiftly, and Alexander's muscles started to develop during the day he trained his mana, and at night he trained his swordsmanship, though he wasn't as committed to it as he was to his magic training, the results were significant. His comprehension and sudden spurts of insight were the driving forces behind his gains with no room for roadblocks. Alexander learned mana shield, a beginner-level defensive spell that everyone uses because of its simplicity and durability.