Chapter 7 Excursion

  Four years later

  After scaring many villagers with our sneaking training we got a new skill, though Jean had some trouble getting this one, taking an extra 2 days to get it compared to the rest of us.

  [New skill learnt! Basic stealth-have a small increase in sneaking capabilities.]

  After hearing of how our group was giving the village such a headache dad decided to take us out in a small skirmish against slimes, the weakest enemy. He led the way through the forest, fully outfitted in armor and with a real longsword.

  “I know Xion has been teaching you guys some basic stuff, and since you all seem hell bent on being mercenaries, it's my job to show you guys the ropes. We're after slimes today, your wooden swords will do the job if you smack them a time or two. Just stay close, just in case a wolf shows up.”

  We continue our journey, our training allowing us to keep going even after going 2 miles at a walking pace. Sarah, my fellow fox kin walked besides me as we moved.

  “Xion, I gained basic mana manipulation the other day! I'm finally catching up to you!”

  I decide to tease her a bit.

  “Oh Sarah, you might have caught up to me today, but next week im certain ill get basic air manipulation! I've been working on it, see?”

  I focus and make a strong breeze blow past us.

  Sarah frowns.

  “You'll have to teach me once you get it then!”

  We continued walking, occasionly making small talk.

  “Jean, you've been getting better with our spars, think we could ramp things up a bit next time?” I ask.

  “You're on Xion! Ill win next time around.”

  Whenever me and Jean sparred I had the inclination to win, averaging about 7 wins every 10 matches.

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  Dad put his hand up as we came to a large clearing.

  “Hold it, we've found them. Now, slimes are super weak, and they tend to not have anything of value on them, they're nature's cleaners, they eat rotting things and break it down into stuff the plants can eat, thats why they can be found in ruins and in the wild. Most creatures dont eat them out of respect and the fact that they don't taste good. They're perfect for training newbies and practicing new moves on.”

  After my dad's lecture he had Jean take a swing at a slime, it deflated and slowly wiggled away from Jean before he hit it again, and it slumped and stopped moving.

  “Good job Jean, Xion, youre up!”

  I moved towards a slime, its jelly like blue body slowly making its way through the clearing, leaving a small trail of shorter grass in its wake, clearly eating it. I raised my wood sword and cleanly gave it a wack. The slime lost its color quickly and stopped moving, a clean kill. Afterwards we each took on a slime, Alice had the most trouble, she instead wanted to protect the slime, given its patheticness. In the end she killed it quickly while crying for forgiveness.

  After we each had a turn we cheered Alice up and I tried a small fire bolt against a slime a few feet away, it landed, and the slime popped.

  [Congratulations, your skill basic fire manipulation has grown into the skill/fire manipulation-effect, more accurately control flames and flames at range, keep going little pyromaniac!]

  I jumped into the air, telling everyone my skill had leveled up. Everyone clapped and my father gave me a hug.

  “You're gonna be the best magic swordswoman there ever was… im so proud…”

  My tail wouldn't stop swaying in happiness for the rest of the day.

  The day after, me and Sarah were sitting below our favorite tree, we combed each other's tails, taking care to be gentle as we relaxed.

  “Xion, how do you get your tail to be so fluffy? Its so soft that If I laid down on top of it id fall asleep in seconds!”

  I think for a moment on that.

  “I dont know, my tail has always been like that, when I was born my mother wouldn't stop talking about it.”

  I shrug, not really recalling.

  [Memory lock at 79% integrity/limited recalling now available.]

  A small headache hit me as I recalled something, a past life, my dreams had some truth to them…. A screen where I chose something.

  Sarah notices me holding my head.

  “Xion, are you alright?”

  I nod, my hands still massaging my temple.

  ‘Yeah, just got a headache is all.”

  I said while shaking my head a bit.

  Once the day was over I walked back home, my newly tended tail swaying with happiness. Once I got home my father was waiting for me with a serious expression.

  “Xion, theres something you need to know.”

  He led me to the living room, where mother was waiting on a small couch.

  My father stood besides my mother and began to speak.

  “Xion, we fox kin have a sacred martial art thats been taught to us generation to generation. We were going to wait until you were 13 but with you getting fire manipulation we thought it would be best to teach you now.”

  My mother stands up.

  “Xion, all fox kin must learn this so we may pass it on to our children, I know you enjoy training so you can be a mercenary one day, but youll have to cut back a bit so you can take the time to learn this. Even I as a magician have it at the maximum skill level, which is two.”

  I take a few moments to absorb their words.

  “...I understand,can we start tomorrow? I'm a bit tired today.”