A soft rustling from the lightest of footsteps was the lone sound suggesting any life in the Aina Forest. Amidst the trees a small figure could be seen traversing the woods. She was dressed in a simple but somewhat elegant robe, denoting her status as a magus, and her emerald-green eyes were gazing around in curiosity. She couldn't help but find herself gazing at the surrounding environment with the same enthusiasm of a child seeing the world for the first time, and in a way, that description fitted her quite well.

"I know you said that we should leave behind the fairies and not return to Caelum, but couldn't you have been a bit more specific in your directions?"

A soft girlish voice came from the figure, and her pointed ears might had easily caused one to mistake her for an elven child. Once more she paused as she stepped past another tree when she could finally hear the ethereal voice call out to her again. "Well, since you were such a good girl, I'll reward you by telling your name~ You were Yu Ming." The child frowned at the words, inquiring back. "Were? What do you mean with that?"

To which the ethereal voice offered no answer. Yu went silent, and after a moment muttered softly. "And now you deign to provide me the silent treatment... First getting me lost by telling me we should hop off the ferry here, and now you don't even finish our conversation..."

Pouting softly she lowered a gaze at her hand and stretched it lightly in front of her. "And what is wrong with me? Ever since we got here I can't help but notice the flow of mana around me is unstable. Is it merely this island? Or am I the one to blame..."

Once more silence, after which she raised both hands to her head and groaned softly. "Can't I have at least a bit of normality in my life? This is a forest! Where are the birds, the squirrels, the bunnies? Instead, the quietness is almost eerie... What is going to be next? A giant dragon falling out of the sky? A demon lord coming to claim my head because he mistook me for the mage of a hero's party? Yeah right, these type of encounters only happen in stories..."

Not to mention what party would even want a mage like her in their group? Her only redeeming quality was to disrupt the flow of mana and nullify the magic spells others could cast. If they desired to see flowing rivers of ice, rains of fireballs and similar fancy tricks then she wasn't the mage for it!

----
WC: 460

Not too far away, but far enough to not hear the commotion, a figure clad in violet sits, legs crossed and palms faced upwards on her knees. Her eyes are closed, breathing even. Meditating was a method of sacred training, a way to strengthen her mind and spirit. Any strength was vulnerable to this woman, but meditation was an old friend.

But her peace was soon broken by a dramatic sign from nearby. On the ground face up and spread lay a small cute blue creature, a bored expression on its face. "Maaaster, I'm boooorrreeeedddd~!" The creature complained.

Her concentration was firmly broken, and the woman resisted the urge to let out her own sigh. It was the cheagle that insisted on coming to this tropical tourist trap in the first place, tricking her by saying there were fierce foes to challenge. Kamui, the formerly mediating warrior, did not expect those 'challenges' to be the games at the local festival going on. Mami, her companion, could be a crafty one at times. So after being dragged around a bit, she put her foot down and left the populated areas to meditate so she could at least be a tad productive.

Just as a bickering match was about to start, both master and servant (pet?) paused. There was a change to the flow of magic in the area, something Mami as a spell caster noticed first. "Master...?" The cheagle questioned, a bit scared and wanting to follow Kamui's lead. The demigod gripped her sword, feeling how magic no longer flowed through it. Thankfully the woman still had her strength as a warrior. Maybe a worthy foe has shown. "Follow me." She orders curtly, and Mami reluctantly does so.

It did not take long for the duo to find the source of the anomaly, but it surprised them both. As they entered a small clearing through the bush, in front of them, was a short girl with elven ears radiating a strange power, and a cat wearing armour, barely larger than Mami. Kamui can only frown in disappointment at encountering a child and cat instead of a foe to fight, while Mami looks visibly relieved. Then eye contact is made, and there is a pause.

WC: 375

Although Kamui had chosen to remain silent, her presence seemingly was announced in a different manner. Indeed, for Yu who had been considering her options so far, and trying to come to terms with the peculiar situation she found herself in, the presence of this stranger needed neither word or motion. Instead the moment she came within the clearing there would had been an unusual sensation. Some might describe it as an oppressive aura that made it slightly uncomfortable to breath in, others would compare it to the sensation of diving underwater and feeling a light wave brush against their being, but they all shared the same traits: For some reason the act of using magic became so much more difficult.

The reason for this was that there was a peculiar space around the Fae, about twenty-five meters in all directions around her, and while invisible to most, the density of mana was much lighter in that space, as if something had been devouring the very essence of that magical force.

In Yu's case she could feel the sensation of the stranger's presence, the mana within her being sensed akin to how a bat might use a sonar to project their surroundings. She might had not seen the woman yet, but she had felt her mana, a peculiar sensation that made the girl pause as she slowly turned into the direction of the sensation.

"..." The girl's emerald green eyes gazed quietly at the stranger's face, yet whether it was a lack of care about her own safety, or overconfidence, she didn't seem to react to the drawn sword. Meanwhile from nearby the elven girl a small Exceed hopped onto its back paws and darted over to stand between the mysterious duo, unsheathing his own blade and holding it firmly in his paws while standing defiantly between the pair and his master.

"Fear not Lady Yu, I shall allow neither bandit nor suspicious wanderers to get close to you."

The girl remained quiet, her gaze continuing to remain fixated on Kamui's face till she finally tilted her head lightly to the side. "Is that so?" The girl looked back at Kamui, but this time her gaze was slightly lowered for some reason. "I'm uncertain what you mean with that..."

The Exceed continued to stand ready, expecting a duel to break out any moment when finally his master spoke. "It's alright Nyancelot... According to the spirits she isn't an enemy." The Exceed was about to sheath his blade, convinced by the girl's words when she continued. "Although one of them does believe the only thing suspicious about her is how she expects to properly wield a blade without these pillows getting in the way..."

The Exceed's expression turned almost dumbfounded, a paw raised to his forehead. "THAT is the first thing she noticed? Master, with all due respect: You shouldn't listen to that particular spirit from now on."

Yu nodded her head lightly in acknowledgment, her gaze shifting upwards again to look at Kamui. "There... is no need for you to brandish your blade, unlike my companion, I am a magus who can only cast a particular type of magic. If it is a martial challenge you seek, then you might be better off asking Nyancelot for help."

WC: 550

As the two stepped closer and into the range of the strange magic, Mami gave a large shiver, and Kamui twitched. It was as if something important was leaving her body, and her sword felt lighter, but not in a good way. The poor cheagle started clinging to her leg and whimpering. It was in fear and not pain, so Kamui ignored them for now and kept her eyes on the two figures before them.

The girl seemed entirely unafraid of Kamui's imposing figure and drawn weapon, so she had to be confident enough in her strength that taking on an armed stranger was not an issue for her. Kamui knew appearances could be deceiving. This theory of Kamui's was intensified when the cat with her drew its sword. That, coupled with the strange magic, made Kamui tense, ready to fight, causing Mami to squeak in protest.

Then, in the tense silence, the girl spoke in a soft voice, saying that a spirit deemed them not an enemy. This caused Mami to shake even more and look around in fear. "Spirits?! There are ghosts around?? Noooo, master, saaaave meeee~!" They wailed, big fat tears coming out of their eyes.

But Kamui was too occupied with what the girl said next. First, she frowned in confusion. Pillow? What did that even...? Then it occurred to Kamui, and she looked down at her chest. Then, she glared at the two in front of them in fury. Kamui was proud of her woman parts and worked hard to gain them, unlike those born as women, along with proving herself as a worthy warrior as a female in her patriarchal homeland. "What unseemly spirit dare to say such a thing? I would rather cut it down than test my blade against your cat. Tell me, are you the master of it, or just its mouthpiece lacking honour as to insult me in such a way?" Kamui said, her voice and face cold as ice, snapping Mami out of their fearful crying.

"Wait, nooooooo, don't fight; they already said they don't want to master!" The little creature begged, tugging at her leg. "They look nice! M-maybe the s-s-s-spirit can apologize? Then you can't be mad!" Mami said, turning towards the girl, big blue eyes wide and begging at both of them.

WC: 395

Yu tilted her head slightly to the side in bewilderment at Mami's words. Honestly the concept of ghosts was a bit different from the spirits she interacted with, although in order to explain that she would have to think for a moment. "To call them ghosts is only partly correct. Ghosts are the souls of living beings that are unable to pass from this realm and enter the lifestream, yet the spirits I mention are closer to guardians of nature. Although some of them were at some point mortal souls that passed into the lifestream and later returned to this world being given a purpose by Gaia to fulfill."

Or at least that was what the fairies told her. However, when Kamui snapped in anger at the spirit's remark the Fae couldn't help but look genuinely bewildered. "I am nobody's master. I am simply a Fae that can commune with the spirits." Yet Nyancelot couldn't help but feel the tension rising even further. "Miss, you shouldn't take such offense to the remarks of that spirit. Although she means well, the spirit belongs to a champion of Gaia who was quite... known for her interest in feminine beauty, well on top of her lecherous behavior at times. But if she compliments your feminine features you should consider it a compliment rather than a slight. Also martial weapons are useless against spirits of that sort..."

With his explanation given Nyancelot remained standing between the pair and his master, waiting to see if the woman would make the first move when Yu finally broke the silence. "... What are pillows?" To which Nyancelot groaned once more. "The spirit is referring to the lady's bust..." To which Yu's gaze started to return to Kamui's torso, and then her own, after which the Fae started to.... pout?

"... Unfair..." The words alone already made Nyancelot blink in bewilderment. "What is master?" To which the girl explained all while still pouting. "The miss has such a pretty appearance, and judging from the way she is holding her sword and the density of her mana she is also strong. Meanwhile I'll be stuck looking like this forever..."

Nyancelot turned toward Mami and whispered softly. "I'm gonna need some help here if we are to solve this without a bloodbath."

WC: 390

As the tension eased with the clarification that they were dealing with spirits and not ghosts, Mami took a moment to exhale audibly, relieved by the newfound knowledge. Meanwhile, Kamui's demeanour remained stern and unyielding, her focus shifting to the feline companion called Nyancelot.

Ignoring the girl's explanation and her assertion of not being the spirit's master, Kamui's angry gaze bore into Nyancelot. She wasn't swayed by the seemingly complimentary excuse given for the lecherous spirit's words. In response to the feline companion, Kamui's voice carried a weight of displeasure. "How could an insult to my ability to wield a sword as a woman, praised in such an indecent manner, ever be considered a compliment? If this one cannot receive retribution from this lecherous spirit directly, then perhaps the one who dared speak for it will answer in its stead. Or her champion?" Each word was laced with a threatening undertone, accentuated by a step forward.

"Nooooo, Master, it's bad to stab the messenger!" Mami cries, gripping her other leg with their full body. Kamui, mindful of the martial principles that governed her actions, hesitated. It wouldn't be honourable to challenge the child or the cat unless the girl was a martial pupil, and the spirit was her master—which, based on her words, seemed unlikely.

However, the course of the conversation took an unexpected turn, and Kamui found herself genuinely baffled. The compliments, although not enough to fully sway her, managed to smooth over some of the warrior's ruffled feathers. Moreover, the revelation of an immortal fey intrigued her, as Kamui had never encountered such beings before.

With a stern yet measured tone, she agreed to a ceasefire. "Very well. If you no longer utter the words of that crude spirit in my presence again, this one shall cease hostility."

Mami, seizing the opportunity for reconciliation, released their grip on Kamui's leg and nodded toward Nyancelot. "Haaaa, yeah, I'm sorry about that," Mami whispered to the feline companion. "We're not out of hot water yet, so we better keep an eye on these two. Oh! I forgot to introduce myself!" The cheagle perked up. "I'm Mami, the cheagle, and this is my Master, Tsunagi Kamui, the great swordswoman!" Mami cheerfully introduced, while Kamui acknowledged the introduction with a formal nod.

"That's some neat magic you were doing, miss!" Mami added, a touch of genuine admiration in their tone. Kamui, though still guarded, found herself curious about the magical prowess displayed by the girl named Yu Ming. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, and Kamui remained vigilant, her warrior instincts ever ready.

WC: 433

Nyancelot couldn't help but let out a soft groan when Kamui voiced her displeasure. For a moment he was about to retort with a 'This is why women are so difficult to handle at times'. But fortunately, the Exceed held his tongue. Instead he nodded his head in agreement to Mami. "Indeed, it is inappropriate to stab the messenger, and unfortunately my creed would require of me to defend my lady, even should the one engaging her in a conflict be another fair lady. I can't promise a duel will let either of us leave unscathed. Not to mention I don't want to imagine what will happen if the other spirits' ire is stirred. I don't want 'that' guardian to emerge again, unhealthy for either of us..."

When Mami had chosen to proceed with introductions the Exceed made a stylish bow as one might had expected from a gentleman. "I am Nyancelot, a noble knight belonging to the Albion Order, currently sworn to protect Lady Yu till the end of my life."

Yu made a small bow in response to the introduction after which she heard Mami's compliments about her magic. However, Yu shook her head lightly, a slight hint of a smile appearing on her lips. "Although I am grateful for the compliment, what you might have felt earlier is closer to an innate ability of mine. You see: there is mana in every living thing. Whether it is a person, creature or even nature. Even the very air we breathe in. For some reason when I was reborn as a Fae I found myself capable of interacting with this flow. Just the slightest disturbance is enough to increase or decrease the flow's strength, which for most causes the usage of mana to become more exhausting. But if I were to actually cast a spell, it wouldn't just disturb the flow, it would break it down into its entirety, when the mana supplied to a spell ends up being broken down like that it usually just disperses entirely, since it loses the ability to sustain itself. However, in some cases there are spells that only weaken when interfered with because their magic is infused with something else that accompanies their mana."

Seeing the confusion on Nyancelot's face, the Fae smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I guess that was a bit too detailed of an explanation." She crouched down to be at Mami's height and spoke in a soft and gentle tone. "It is nice to meet you Mami~" She lifted her gaze toward Kamui and continued. "And you as well Miss Kamui."

WC: 440

Kamui nods, her stoic face showing interest in Yu's explanation. "The ability to nullify magic could be useful," she remarks, her gaze once again assessing the fae girl. "If the wielder can make use of it and survive the attempt," she adds, noting the girl's seemingly delicate physical form.

Mami, however, seems more fascinated by Yu Ming's fae nature. "Wow, you're a fairy?!" the cheagle exclaims, bombarding her with questions. "Can you grant wishes? Do you have pretty wings? Can you fly? Can you give me good dreams?" Mami's wide-eyed awe is palpable as they waddle up to Yu Ming. "Your Lady is so cool, Nyancelot, and so are you!" Mami praises, turning to the other companion.

Kamui, returning to her earlier confusion about fae, contemplates silently. She doesn't know much about the fey, but this girl seems more akin to an elf than the vague descriptions of fairies she's heard from Mami and others. Yet, there's a peculiar air about her—a subtle aura that Kamui can't quite pinpoint. It could be remnants of her strange magic, or perhaps something inherently fae. Without enough knowledge, Kamui chooses not to voice her thoughts and instead addresses Yu Ming directly. "Lady Yu, I would appreciate further explanations on the fae. In return, Mami and I will aid you in your efforts to understand your strange magic," Kamui offers, her words precise and straightforward. After all, ignorance is a form of weakness that Kamui cannot tolerate.

WC: 254

Yu nodded her head lightly in agreement to Kamui's words, yet the cheagle's response made Yu shake her head and smiled apologetically at her. "Not exactly, while Fae is a term most use when talking about the Fairies of Caelish folklore, I am- or rather I was a human turned into a Fae."

As she stated these words Yu tried to think if there was anything in particular she knew about fairies beyond the knowledge she learned during her travels in Sin alongside the nobleman Renshi. "I'm afraid I don't know too much about Fae in all honesty: Even now I only learned recently that I was once a human who died because of her frail health and a terminal illness, but upon the moment of my death the Fae turned me..."

Not that the Fae in question wanted to say anything else on the matter. Meanwhile Nyancelot smiled sheepishly at Mami's praise. "Well, despite her amnesia lady Yu is still quite a proficient mage when it comes to using her magic. Although we took a slight detour from our destination after recent events demanded a short break."

Yu turned her attention back toward Kamui, a slight tilt of her head following to the side in bewilderment. "Are you sure Miss Kamui? Although I been searching for more information about Fae and the Fairies myself, I got reasons to believe the opinions of the Fae-folk are divided about my existence. In fact, when I recently went to my homeland in search for answers I learned that some of their kin wanted to sacrifice me as a part of an ancient tradition to protect their homeland, but then their Queen who seemed to disagree with the notion helped me escape and told me to search for the truth of my origins."

Nyancelot frowned briefly. "Well, we're gonna need to get a lot stronger if we want to gain Albion's approval. No way they will let us return to Avalon if we can't protect ourselves, let stand deal with the Fae who want to make you take an eternal nap." Yu nodded her head lightly in agreement.

"But if you are interested, you could accompany us Miss Kamui, I'm sure there will be a lot more to learn from Fae in the land of their origins compared to trying to discover the answers from a Fae who lost her memories..."

WC: 400

Kamui simply nods at Yu's explanation of her turning into a fae. She had very little info on what the fae even were, so for all she knew that was not too out of the ordinary for them. Mami on the other hand looked mind-boggled.

But Kamui did blink at her next words. "The fae are undead creatures...?" She asks hesitantly. The swordswoman figures her assumption is incorrect since the undead tends to give off an uneasy air about them. This girl did in her way, but not the way prior undead Kamui has met have given off.

Mami, thankfully, didn't hear this because they were too busy making starry eyes at Nyancelot's words. "Oh wowee! But that's sad that she doesn't have any memories...." The cheagle finishes, ears drooping sadly.

Kamui listened to the girl's explanation of her origins and knowledge, and while the woman was disappointed not to receive immediate answers on the fae, this was still a worthy way to gain strength. "Yes, this one offer still extends. Aiding you in practicing your magic will also allow me to learn how to manage myself against others with similar abilities as yours Lady Yu. I am a ronin who focuses on pure combat, but my sword has spells that I use, and Mami has some healing abilities. Knowing how to compensate for losing those abilities will aid me in my journey for strength. That, and knowing what the fey are." She finishes off. "At most, I wish to know what types of creatures they are, how to defend myself if they wish me ill. I know not even a definition of your kind would be, or what this 'Abloin' or 'Avalon' is. The closest approximation I have is the yokai of my homeland." Kamui finishes off, leaving Mami gaping at how many words their usually silent master spoke.

WC: 320

Yu should her head firmly at Kamui's assumption: "They aren't. Being an undead would cause one to presume the body ceased its bodily functions but mine are still very much functional." As if to explain her choice of wording she skipped forwards and attempted to gently reach with her hands for Kamui's free hand and brought it to her chest. The Fae's expression remained calm and indifferent, as if this was a normal thing to do. "As you can feel my body still has warmth to it and my heart still beats. It is for that reason I believe the term 'reincarnation' might be more suitable. When a Fairy decides to bestow their Sidhe upon you, the body of the mortal receiving same boon is altered, in my case it caused my body to be reset, and while I ceased aging as a result of the circumstances prior to becoming a Fae, I do believe I am still very much alive."

Finally letting go of her attempt to take Kamui's hand the Fae nodded her head lightly in return. "Albion and Avalon are places within Caelum, the land most Fairies dwell at."

The Fae paused briefly as she tried to consider her next course of action. "Nyancelot, didn't you mention before that there was a Fiorian mage who was studying the Fae?" Nyancelot nodded his head firmly, looking from Mami to Kamui. "Hmm, yes there was this magus who was quite interested in the existence of Fairies. I believe she was last seen on the outskirts of the wilds of Albion, but if we want to be closer to our current location then I believe the mages of Blue Pegasus have a collection of her tomes, maybe there is some knowledge of relevance in these."

Yu nodded her head lightly in confirmation. "So Hargeon would be our first stop then?"

WC: 316

Kamui nods, relieved yet disappointed that the fae was not, in fact, undead. relieved because it made dealing with this girl easier since Kamui felt no obligation to cut her down, as she was taught to do to any undead. Disappointed because that robbed her of a fight, and any automatic future fights against the fae.

With disappointing peaceful thoughts in mind, Kamui allowed the shorter woman to put her hand to the other's chest. Kamui, not greatly adept in social situations herself, was not entirely certain if this was proper or not. But since it was due to the other girl's actions and there was an explanation involved, it was probably fine. In the background, Mami was looking at the scene and whispering "Don't squeeze, don't squeeze, don't squeeze..." Beneath their paws.

Kamui doesn't hear this and simply nods in understanding at Yu's words. "Yes, reincarnation is a belief in both my culture, and I believe Sin's as well. Tis interesting to meet someone who has experienced such an elevated state of being. Perhaps we are not so different in some ways." Kamui says, thinking of her godly heritage. Then she nods at getting an answer to her other questions, relieved that she knows the country of Caelum at least.

Finally, Kamui gives a short, respectful bow towards Yu Ming and Nyancelot, Mami following a beat after. "It would be an honour to accompany Lady Yu and her knight back to Fiore in a mutual search for knowledge." The woman says, standing back up straight. "Let's get going!" Mami cheers, happy to have new friends to travel with, and they bounce to the edge of the clearing towards the port town they came to the island from, Kamui following them from behind.

Off to Fiore they go.

WC: 304