Chapter 65: Save Point #3
Maybe...I wasn’t that emotionally invested—no, maybe I was...and care way too much now. I’m not necessarily used to people having undying faith, hope, and devotion towards me, no.
Wait, that can’t be it either...could it? Maybe I’m just not used to someone that close to me. Despite wanting...an entire party like those oldschool JRPG’s. They always seem to get along, despite any conflict.
So why can’t I just get along with one person who swears they have my back till the end of time?
I don’t know...and it’s infuriating that I don’t know.
Thanks to the smell of death in the air, and the fact that I stayed there purposefully for a couple of minutes, I can confidently say that I’m near 80% of health back. No longer exhausted or tired. Despite how cruel, edgy, and...outright weird of what I have to do.
I assumed it was just a Dark Dragon thing. The ability to smell death in the air, was one of their major lorepoints within the game. Didn’t know that the smell alone could just slowly soothe my pain away. Not better than [Soulwarming], but I’ll take anything.
We hadn’t spoken since that moment. Not really. The silence between us had weight...but not hostility. Just something unsaid.
Vaniti and I walked the long corridors, didn’t say a word, not really. She was focused on pinpointing Sultan’s location, which she could expertly see with her Spirit Eye. So, after our...emotional scuffle, I thought now would be the best time to have a conversation.
"So..." I begin. Her pointed ears twitch. She’s listening, good. Not ignoring me outright.
"You’ve gotten stronger. That spell back there, how did you learn it?" I ask, she looks at me as we walk.
"You know, the one where you them like...ugh, I can’t breathe."
For someone who’s naturally emotionally distant, muted, Vaniti chuckled. But it didn’t last long, she hid it within her coughs. Still tense about the conversation we had not to long ago, but something tells me she’s going to open up more.
"Spirit Magic guided me yet again. Remember how I told you I feel as if my body moves with me, not against me?" She says, and I nod.
"It’s the same thing that happened, honestly. It’s called—"
"Dark Spirit Choke, I know." She nods, but the way she rushed the words to get it out as if this was something I’ve never seen before. Is she still on the hunt for a spell I haven’t see yet?
She already has one...[Spirit Stab], right? That’s what it was called. But yet it’s never registered to her that the spell was never real. She created it on the spot. I still think that’s impressive.
"Be wary, though. It must’ve drained you a lot of your mana, right?" She nods yet again.
"Yes...how did you know?"
"I’ve...had friends who demonstrated the spell to me way, way long ago. So I would know. It’s really only good for crowd control and stun. As long as you know the more people you want to choke, the more mana you have to spend."
She takes in the advice, "Very well. I’m still trying to get the hang of being a Spirit Elf in its entirety. While you were...gone, I managed to learn more about my subclass,"
"I didn’t want to be entirely dependent on Spirit Magic in case there may be a situation that renders it useless."
My eyes widen, "Oh yeah? What did you learn?’
Vaniti...groans, actually. Another expression I didn’t know she was capable of. "It was nothing more than...Magic Passives, right? I think that’s how you call them?" I nod again.
"I unlocked three for a Nightstalker, as you can see, my footsteps no longer generate any sound." She mentions...and, well, yeah, she’s right.
I’ve been hearing my footsteps the entire time.
Even before in the dining room, I never heard her footsteps walk away from me.
"Another one is that I become nearly invisible in the shadows," She holds out two fingers, and as demonstrated, does disappear within a shadow, among black and purple aura before making herself known again.
"The third one is something tied to my artifact, however." She notes, holding out her right hand, and there it was, the ring on her middle finger. Embezzled with foreign letters and a dark purple gem in the middle.
The S-tier ring built for Nightstalkers is the Darkstalker ring. The one she currently has of now.
I nod yet again, "Darkstalker ring. I have still yet to see you in action with it, though."
"I agree, but unfortunately, I haven’t ran into anyone strong enough to properly demonstrate it. Most enemies usually fall down to my Spirit Magic, so there would be no point as to using it." She says, but the way she says it comes off as...not weird...just throws me off a bit.
"Have you used it before?"
"Rarely."
"Do...do you think I would use it wrong?"
"Nah, couldn’t. You’re too talented and gifted to."
Vaniti looks away after I said that. Did I say the wrong thing? Does she not realize herself that she’s talented and gifted...?
Has she really been progressing so far to the point that virtually anyone who comes across her doesn’t get past her Spirit Magic? I guess this what happens when a prodigy and gifted Spirit Elf like Vaniti runs quests all day.
She comes back juiced as hell.
Then, all of a sudden, even I am losing track of how fast she’s getting better.
"I wouldn’t have gained all of this power if it weren’t for you, however. Now...I can’t think of a life where you aren’t there." She compliments, in her own way of course. I smiled, and it felt heartwarming.
"Well, that’s the thing, I believe. You gained all of this power when I wasn’t there," I say.
"If you ever wanted to be Ascendant, Exalted–even, all you really have to do is stay away from me for good."
Vaniti doesn’t chuckle, though. She just looks towards me as we continue to walk. Shakes her head, and then I reailze why she’s shaking her head.
"Too early,"
"Ye-yeah...sorry."
She doesn’t say anything after, and there we have it. Just ruined the mood and atmosphere in less than a minute. New speedrun record. Applaud me, please do.
Vaniti steals a few glances at me as we continue to walk, though. Perhaps something on her mind, but it doesn’t take long to come out of her mouth verbally though.
She glanced at me once, then twice. As if she was testing the air and atmosphere before directly stepping into it.
"I like it when you’re more like this." She says.
I’m...slightly taken aback, and she continues.
"When you start to see me as a peer, as an equal. Despite my being a Consort by title and role alone. I don’t know if you care all that much...but it makes my chest warm when you do."
I stopped walking. Mouth wide.
She continued to, and yet again, no footsteps could be heard after.
I felt my face get hot...no, wait, am I blushing?
What’s going on?
Just a moment ago we were arguing...and now...I think I covered it up pretty well.
Man...if this was still a video game, I probably would’ve save-scummed...but truly knowing me, after everything that happened, I still would make this as my point.
My save point.