CH.399 Passion of mes
<span style="font-weight:400">“I wish you luck in your endeavors. And pleasee again.” Gaia said, as we left her domain so that we could head to the domain of the superior fire spirit, Ninatia.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I’ll bring Wilma next time, so you may give her your blessing. If she does live up to your expectations.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If what you’ve told me is true, I’m sure she will.” Gaia said.
<span style="font-weight:400">But we didn’t just leave Gaia’s domain with empty promises, Cailie and I also got a blessing from her. Alice was a bit jealous that she didn’t get it, but one of the greater earth spirits promised that when she was better at earth magic, she coulde back and show her skills. And if she is skilled enough, she will get their blessing.
<span style="font-weight:400">As for our travel ns, what better way to travel than by dragon. And not Lady Janina this time. She might be willing to carry me, and others in emergencies, but I can’t just use her as a taxi whenever I want.
<span style="font-weight:400">But I have dragons of my own, so that isn’t a problem. In fact, I have five very specific dragons that I summoned for us. Ernus, Nudyarl, Sheou, Lorpar and Tinkhec. My full Dragonmaid squad.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">And while their maid forms are in use daily, I don’t often use their dragon forms. And I’ve never summoned all five of their dragon forms at the same time, so this was a first in that sense.
<span style="font-weight:400">Lady Janina got the first pick on who she wanted to ride, and she picked Ernus. Though I honestly think it is because she wanted to leave Sheou for me. Alice rode Tinkhec, Lua was on Nudyarl and Cailie was on Lorpar. With all of us on the back of a dragon, our squad took to the skies and we headed towards Ninatia’s domain.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">The domain of Ninatia wasn’t what I expected. I honestly expected a volcano or something like that, but what we found instead was a rtively normal looking Aztec temple. Sure it had some nicerge mes burning at each of the four corners, but it is still just a temple.
<span style="font-weight:400">After wended, a handful of lesser and intermediate fire spirits came to greet us. Oh by the way, the greater water and nature spirits weren’t with us anymore. Neither of them has the best rtionship with fire, so they didn’t want to go to the areas ruled by fire spirits. We did have some intermediate wind spirits with us though. I’m decently sure Anemoi called them Cailie’s bodyguard spirits or something like that.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hello!” “You can’te in.” “Lady Ninatia is not home.” “No guests.” The fire spirits tried to turn us away.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Have you not heard? We are going around waking up the superior spirits.” I told the spirits. “So could we see where Lady Ninatia is resting so that we can sing her a song?” I then asked. I didn’t want to turn the spirits hostile, but this was also the first time we didn’t have a greater spirit with us to exin things, so I decided to take care of that part.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You are?” “You have?” “Can you wake up Lady Ninatia?” The spirits asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. We’ve awakened Anemoi and Gaia already.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They did.” “Sis did.” “Sis and Hero.” The wind spirits said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Really?” “Come in.” The fire spirits got excited and flew to the top of the temple. They stopped next to what seemed to be arge fire pit. It looked a bit like a sacrificial altar, so I wasn’t the biggest fan of it, but whatever the spirits prefer.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hero, the singer and yourpanions. You as well, supreme dragon. Wee to Lady Ninitia’s temple.” Arger spirit was next to the sacrifice pit. She must be a greater fire spirit.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you. Where is Lady Ninitia resting?” Cailie asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right here. Under the fire that doesn’t burn.” The spirit answered, pointing at the sacrificial fire pit. “If you can light the fire, she will wake up again.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s simple.” Alice said. “I’ll just …”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alice.” I quickly put my hand on her shoulder, realizing what she was about to do. “You can’t just magic up some fire. It doesn’t work that way.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why not?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because it isn’t power that wakes up the spirits. It is the emotions. … at least I think so.” I told her. “So if wind is freedom and earth is … rhythm I suppose. But then again, rhythm isn’t an emotion, so I have no clue. Not that it really matters to this. What do you think fire would be?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... maybe power?” Alice offered. “I mean, fire is the most powerful attribute when ites to offensive spells.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If that is how you see fire, then you must be really bad at it.” The greater fire spirit reprimanded Alice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... am I?” Alice questioned. “I know I’m not the best, but I’m decently good.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“And yet you don’t even understand the basics. Who taught you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“A few of Brian’s monsters. mel was my main teacher. … but we never talked about the … emotions of fire.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. Then this is useless. If you don’t understand fire, you will never wake up Lady Ninitia.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry, miss Spirit.” I said. “We will figure this out and wake her up.” I promised.
<span style="font-weight:400">Walking down the steps of the temple, I came up with a n to move forward.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think we should split.” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why? Shouldn’t we work together?” Cailie asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It''s just… Cailie, do you think Fire is really your attribute?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Maybe not, but still. Shouldn’t I be the one to..?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t take everything onto your shoulders.” I told her. “Alice and I will wake up fire. You and Lua should go to the superior water spirit and wake her. It should be easy for you. Lady Janina, would you take them there?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t mind. Just remember that you can’t return without me, so when you want to go back,e find me.” She responded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. And after you wake up water, head to light’s domain next. I think we can still deal with her before we need to return to the otherside for breakfast.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That is fine. … but how will you find light’s domain?” Lady Janina asked. “Your spell only finds those you know well, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, but I’ll figure it out.” I just told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... are you sure?” Alice asked. “What if … what if we can’t awaken the fire?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We can. Because I believe in you. Like I believe that Cailie and Lua can wake up the water spirit.” I told her. “Besides, I think I have the answer to the question I asked. And if I’m correct, you are the one who has to sing this song.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“A-Alright. I’ll believe in you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">We then saw off the group that was heading for the water spirits domain, before I went on to tell Alice about my idea.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think it is passion. Either that or maybe perseverance.” I told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... why didn’t you say that earlier? We could have done this together.” Aliceined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because of what I said earlier. You have to be the one to sing this song. Think about it. Out of all of us, who embodies passion and perseverance the most?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Lua?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, arguably yes. She does have the perseverance, but her passion is different from yours. And as I also said, fire isn’t really her attribute.” I responded. “I mean, think about it. Why did you study magic for years and years, not seeing any results beyond those written in your status? Was it because of your father? Or was it because you wanted to use magic?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I … I’m not sure. Both?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. It is because you were determined to learn magic, no matter the cost to you. At least that is what I think. That if anything is perseverance. And that perseverance turned into passion when you got the tiniest amount of outside help. And that led to the you you are today.” I told her. “Or am I wrong?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... if you say so.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Alice. Why are you regressing? Don’t be the one you used to be. How is it that you aren’t afraid when you face a SS-rank monster, but a simple song is an insurmountable obstacle to you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because … Because I think I’ll go back to the me I was then!” Alice yelled. “The one who tried over and over and over again. For YEARS! For what!? Nothing!” She yelled with tears in her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And it would have kept going like that.” She continued more quietly. “If it wasn’t for you. … all I am. Even more so now after I was fused with Mana… all of it. Was made by you. I … Alice Watchman. The one I used to be. She is nothing without you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But you are not.” I told her, as I took her into a hug. “You never were. If you were, you wouldn’t have persevered.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just ask yourself this. The day after I gave you ess to the Dark attribute, do you remember what happened?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... the wyvern attack.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“And do you remember what I asked you before it happened?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I think you asked if I wanted toe?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. And how did you answer?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think I said … I want toe?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. You wanted to be on the frontline, well more like the backline, but you still wanted to fight. Despite the fact that just a day earlier you casted your first spell. In that moment, you showed the determination to act, regardless of danger to your own life.” I reminded her. “That is your fire. So just let it out again.”
<span style="font-weight:400">After a long silence, Alice responded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I … I don’t know a good song.”
<span style="font-weight:400">That got a huge smile onto my face, so I responded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry. Because I do.”
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">We spent some time just quietly ying the song I had in mind. Like with Gaia, I was going to deal with the melody, while Alice was going to be the one singing.
<span style="font-weight:400">And oh boy was the song I picked something. For me. I mean, was it not for Guitar Hero, there is no way I would remember all of it, but because of that damned game, I recall almost every note. And the ones I don’t, I can fill in.
<span style="font-weight:400">So after we were both happy, we walked to the top of the temple and we told the greater fire spirit that we were ready to perform a song. I started ying the melody and when it was her time, Alice began to sing.
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">"On a cold spring morning, in the time before him
<span style="font-weight:400">In the void of useless eternal reign, I fell towards the end
<span style="font-weight:400">When the void had swallowed me whole, and the time was running out
<span style="font-weight:400">The sound hisughter echoed around the world for all
<span style="font-weight:400">Fighting hard, fighting for his love, through the magic never known
<span style="font-weight:400">The scattered fates will feel the end, destinies ending in nothing more
<span style="font-weight:400">On the ckest ins in end’s domain, I watched them as they died
<span style="font-weight:400">But in the mes and love, now once again, I know
<span style="font-weight:400">So now I fly ever free
<span style="font-weight:400">I’m free because of the thunderstorm
<span style="font-weight:400">On towards the life I want, my quest carries on
<span style="font-weight:400">Far beyond my hometown, far beyond my dreands
<span style="font-weight:400">Deep inside my heart and his soul
<span style="font-weight:400">So close by, I wait for the day
<span style="font-weight:400">When our lives will finally be one
<span style="font-weight:400">I feel the passion of the love lost in a thousand ways
<span style="font-weight:400">Through the fire and the mes, I carry on
<span style="font-weight:400">As the wedding day is dawning
<span style="font-weight:400">And the bells echo in the sky
<span style="font-weight:400">They''ll raise their hands to the Goddess above
<span style="font-weight:400">With blessings in their eyes
<span style="font-weight:400">Walking forth through the mid-morning light
<span style="font-weight:400">There''s a burning in our hearts
<span style="font-weight:400">We''ve conquered the times of the bad ends
<span style="font-weight:400">And live beyond the stars
<span style="font-weight:400">In your darkest times, persevere to believe
<span style="font-weight:400">Our destiny this time
<span style="font-weight:400">And endlessly we''ll all be one, Tonight
<span style="font-weight:400">And on the wings of a dream, so far beyond reality
<span style="font-weight:400">All alone in desperation, that time has gone
<span style="font-weight:400">Lost inside, I won’t be, lost within my own mind
<span style="font-weight:400">Day after day my passion will go on
<span style="font-weight:400">So close by, I wait for the day
<span style="font-weight:400">When our lives will finally be one
<span style="font-weight:400">I feel the passion of the love lost in a thousand ways
<span style="font-weight:400">Through the fire and the mes, I carry on
<span style="font-weight:400">I love you, I love you, I love You-u-u-u
<span style="font-weight:400">I love you, I love you, I love You-u-u-u
<span style="font-weight:400">Now here we stand our hands joined as one
<span style="font-weight:400">I fought so hard, do you understand?
<span style="font-weight:400">I''ll break the seal of this fate because I know that I can
<span style="font-weight:400">For freedom of our future child
<span style="font-weight:400">So close by, I wait for the day
<span style="font-weight:400">When our lives will finally be one
<span style="font-weight:400">I feel the passion of the love lost in a thousand ways
<span style="font-weight:400">Through the fire and the mes, I carry on."
<span style="font-weight:400">As Alice finished the song, the sacrificial pit as I’ve been calling it, was filled to the brim with bright mes. But not raging mes of hate, nor burning mes of might. Instead, warm yet calming mes of passion.
<span style="font-weight:400">A part of the mes eventually solidified, making a person made of … solid mes? Can mes be solid? I don’t know, but that is what it looks like.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah. Young love. What a passion to wake up to.” She said, as she jumped up from the pit. “I am the superior spirit of fire, Ninatia. May I know the names of the two that awakened me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">I looked at Alice, pushing for her to go first.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I …” She muttered a bit at first, but I then took a hold of her hand and squeezed it a bit to reassure her that I was right here. “My name is Alice Mana Watchman.” Alice introduced herself.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And I am Brian Wood.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you, Alice, Brian. You two truly know what passion is. And as a reward for showing me your passion, as well as your wonderful wake up song, I shall grant you two my blessing.” Ninatia said, before she moved to give both of us a kiss on the forehead.
<span style="font-weight:400">It didn’t burn at all, just felt a bit warm. Alice looked just a bit peeved when Ninatia kissed me, so after I received her blessing, I made sure to take a good hold of my girl and I kissed her deeply on the lips.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will be looking forward to getting an invite to your wedding.” Ninatia said, as she giggled a bit. “... Ah. Water must have awakened as well. I can feel her power.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good. It must have been easy for Lua and Cailie.” I said. “... Lady Ninatia, could you point us towards Light’s domain?”
<span style="font-weight:400">