Chương 6: Bonds
"Sylphie, wake up. It's time to wake up—Roxy will be mad if we sleep any longer." I look down at the beautiful elf clinging to me like a body pillow. She's so cute when she's asleep, and when I try to get up, she grabs me tighter. I can't help but pet her soft hair—she's recently started growing it out because of something I said.
"Huh, Rudy, what are you doing?" A smile spreads across her face, and I notice a slight blush. Sylphie sleeps over at my house now and then, using Roxy's lessons as an excuse.
Both Sylphie and I have been advancing quickly in magic, though she's a step ahead of me. Her magic is stronger, and she has more mana than I do.
"It's time to get up; we have to get ready for graduation." Today is the day of our graduation. We've been learning from Roxy for a year now, and the three of us have become very close. I think Sylphie sees Roxy as a sort of big sister.
"I don't want Roxy to leave. Why can't she stay with us forever?" Seeing the sad look on this adorable elf's face tugs at my heart.
"I know, Sylphie, but we have to accept it. Roxy says she wants to get stronger because seeing us makes her feel self-conscious."
"I know, but it doesn't make sense. Roxy is so talented—she's taught me everything I know." She's not wrong. Roxy is an incredibly skilled magician by this world's standards.
"Well, imagine working hard for years to reach the top, only to see two kids surpass you using techniques you didn't think were possible in such a short time."
Sylphie's frown deepens at my analogy. "Well, I'd feel self-conscious and bad about my talent too."
"Exactly. Now, let's go before it's too late. I can smell breakfast being cooked." Reluctantly, Sylphie lets go of me, and we both head downstairs. I see Lily, Dad, and Mom sitting together, holding their babies, and Roxy, with her striking blue hair, seated beside two empty chairs.
"Oh, Rudeus, did you and your girlfriend sleep well?" my father Paul teases with his usual tone. I glance at Sylphie and notice her blushing furiously at his comment.
"She's not my girlfriend, Dad."
"Not yet, at least," Paul replies with a smirk. There's no point in going back and forth with him.
"Ignore him, Sylphie. Let's just eat."
"O-Okay~," Sylphie mumbles as she sits across from me. I take the seat next to Roxy.
"So, Rudeus, I heard from Lily that you and Sylphie were cuddling all night," Paul says, his grin widening.
"And what about it? Sylphie and I are just kids—sleeping together is normal at this age."
"Well, when I was your age—"
"OWW!" Paul yelps as both Mom and Lily stomp on his foot before he can finish his sentence.
"Rudeus, Sylphie, come outside after you're done. We'll be leaving soon." Roxy finishes her meal and heads outside, likely to prepare the horse. Sylphie and I quickly eat and join her. The horse standing before me looks massive, especially from my small frame. Sylphie seems a little intimidated too.
"Okay, we're riding your father's horse to a field far from the village for the graduation exam," Roxy announces. She picks us up and places us on the horse. Sylphie, sitting in front of me, grabs onto me and closes her eyes in fear.
"Wow, Rudy, she can't stop clinging to you. Next thing you know, she'll—OWWW!" Paul's comment is cut short by another shin kick from Mom and Lily.
This feels like a bad slapstick comedy routine.
"Rudy, I'm scared," Sylphie whimpers. It's funny to think this little girl—so scared of horses—is stronger than many adventurers.
After a long ride, we arrive at a picturesque field that looks like something out of a painting. I make a mental note to remember this scene forever.
"I'll start by showing you the spell. It's called Cumulonimbus, a Saint-tier water spell. Watch and listen carefully."
Roxy begins her chant:
[Oh, spirits of the magnificent waters, I beseech the Prince of Thunder! Grant me my wish, bless me with thy savagery, and reveal to this insignificant servant a glimpse of thy power! Let fear strike the heart of man as thy divine hammer strikes its anvil and cover the land with water! Come, oh rain, and wash everything away in thy flood of destruction—Cumulonimbus!]
A massive storm cloud appears, and rain begins pouring down. The winds pick up, and I hold onto Sylphie while using earth magic to form a rock structure for support. A sudden lightning strike hits Paul's horse, causing Roxy to rush over to heal it.
"Oh shoot, oh shoot—his horse!" she exclaims.
Oh, goddess of motherly affection, close up this one's wounds and restore the vigor to his body—X-Healing!
The horse recovers but looks traumatized, backing away from Roxy.
"One of you needs to hold the spell for an hour," Roxy says.
"Sylphie, you go first. I'll watch with my demon eye to understand it better," I suggest.
"Okay, Rudy, I'll do my best!" Sylphie raises the wand Roxy gave her on my birthday and begins her chant.
[Oh, spirits of the magnificent waters, I beseech the Prince of Thunder! Grant me my wish, bless me with thy savagery, and reveal to this insignificant servant a glimpse of thy power! Let fear strike the heart of man as thy divine hammer strikes its anvil and cover the land with water! Come, oh rain, and wash everything away in thy flood of destruction—Cumulonimbus!]
A larger storm cloud forms, with stronger rain and wind than Roxy's. It's mesmerizing to watch the mana gather. Soon, lightning rains down in multiple strikes.
"SYLPHIE, TRY USING MIXED MAGIC WITH COLD AND HOT AIR!" I yell to guide her over the roaring wind. It seems to help stabilize the storm, and Sylphie holds it for the required hour.
"I did it, Rudy! Look!" Sylphie squeals, jumping up and down with excitement. But before she can reach me, the wind catches her, and she's swept away. I quickly use gravity magic to ground her.
"Sylphie, stop the spell!" I shout. She undoes the spell, and the storm dissipates. Roxy runs over, panic written all over her face.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh my god, your parents are going to kill me!" Roxy starts pacing nervously.
"Roxy, she's fine. Don't stress—we won't tell anyone," I assure her.
"That's a relief. Well, Rudeus, it's your turn. Just… don't make your cloud as big as hers."
After Sylphie's impressive demonstration of Cumulonimbus, it's finally my turn to step up. I take a deep breath, gripping my wand tightly, and begin to chant:
"Oh, spirits of the magnificent waters, I beseech the Prince of Thunder! Grant me my wish, bless me with thy savagery, and reveal to this insignificant servant a glimpse of thy power! Let fear strike the heart of man as thy divine hammer strikes its anvil and cover the land with water! Come, oh rain, and wash everything away in thy flood of destruction—Cumulonimbus!"
A massive cloud begins to form overhead, dark and ominous. It isn't quite as large as Sylphie's, but it's still impressive. The winds pick up, and a steady downpour begins. Using the same technique as before, I manipulate the air currents—hot and cold—to stabilize the storm and sustain it.
From the sidelines, Roxy and Sylphie watch closely. "He's doing it," Roxy murmurs, her voice filled with pride.
"Go, Rudy!" Sylphie cheers, clapping her hands.
As the storm continues to rage, lightning crackles across the sky. The raw energy in the air is exhilarating, but it's also dangerous. I steady myself, focusing my mana to keep the spell under control.
"You're doing great, Rudy!" Roxy calls out. "Just a bit longer!"
I hold the spell for as long as I can, the winds howling around me. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I release the mana. The storm dissipates, and the sky begins to clear. Exhausted but satisfied, I turn to face Roxy and Sylphie.
"Well done," Roxy says, walking over to me with a rare smile. "Both of you have officially achieved the rank of Water Saints. I'm so proud of you."
Sylphie and I exchange excited looks before running up to Roxy and hugging her from both sides. "Thank you, Roxy!" we say in unison.
For a moment, everything feels perfect. But the happiness is bittersweet because we know what comes next.
The journey back to the village is quiet, each of us lost in our thoughts. Roxy has been such an important part of our lives, and the thought of her leaving is hard to bear.
When we finally arrive at the house, Roxy gathers her belongings and prepares to say goodbye. My mother, Zenith, tries to convince her to stay.
"Roxy, you're like family to us. Are you sure you have to leave?" Zenith asks, her voice heavy with emotion.
"I'm sorry, Zenith," Roxy replies gently. "But I have to go. Watching Rudeus and Sylphie grow so quickly has shown me how much further I need to go. I've become too complacent, and I need to continue my journey."
Sylphie, unable to hold back her emotions, runs up to Roxy and hugs her tightly. "Roxy, please don't go! I'll miss you so much!"
Tears stream down Sylphie's face as she clings to Roxy, and I feel my own eyes starting to sting. Roxy kneels down and hugs Sylphie back, her own tears falling.
"I'll miss you too, Sylphie," Roxy says softly. "But this isn't goodbye forever. I'll come back someday, and when I do, I want to see how much you've grown."
As Roxy stands and begins to walk away, I take a deep breath and call out to her. "Roxy! Thank you for everything. I'll never forget what you've taught us."
She turns back one last time, her blue hair shimmering in the sunlight. "Take care of each other," she says with a small smile. "I'm so proud of both of you."
And with that, she's gone.
That night, as I lie awake in bed, I replay the events of the day in my mind. The storm, the sparring, Roxy's departure—all of it feels like a dream. But I know it's real, and I know that Sylphie and I have to keep moving forward. For Roxy, for ourselves, and for the future.
Sylphie and I stand in the open field, facing each other, wooden sword in my hand and her wand in hers. Paul stands nearby, watching us with an eager grin. He loves acting as a referee for our spars, though I suspect he enjoys teasing us even more.
"You ready, Sylphie?" I ask, gripping my sword tightly.
She nods, determination shining in her eyes. "Ready!"
Paul raises his hand. "Begin!"
I charge forward, my wooden sword slicing through the air. Sylphie reacts quickly, chanting under her breath. Before I can reach her, the ground beneath my feet softens into mud—a quagmire spell. My feet sink, halting my momentum.
"Good move," I mutter, pulling myself free with a burst of strength. Sylphie doesn't waste a moment. She fires an ice bullet at me, forcing me to deflect it with a quick swing of my sword.
I dash to the side, using my speed to close the distance, but Sylphie is ready. She casts another spell—a gust of wind pushes her backward, creating more space between us.
"She's getting really good at this," I think to myself, impressed by her quick thinking.
"Rudy, you're getting sloppy!" Paul calls out from the sidelines. "Stop letting her run circles around you!"
Ignoring him, I refocus. This time, I fake a charge, drawing out her next move. As expected, she launches a barrage of icicles, and I use the Water God Style to deflect them. The flurry is relentless, but I press forward, weaving through the onslaught.
As I get closer, Sylphie switches tactics. She aims her wand at the ground, creating another quagmire to trap me. Anticipating it this time, I leap over the mud, closing the gap between us. I swing my sword, aiming for her shoulder.
"Got you—"
Before I can land the hit, a sudden blast of wind knocks me off balance. Sylphie uses the moment to cast another spell, sending a larger ice projectile my way. I barely manage to deflect it, stumbling back.
"Nice try!" she shouts, a triumphant grin on her face.
I grit my teeth, realizing I'm out of options. I can't keep up this defensive stance forever. Deciding to take a risk, I charge forward, using all my speed to close the distance one last time. Sylphie prepares another spell, but I interrupt her by throwing my wooden sword at her shoulder.
Her eyes widen in surprise, and she instinctively casts a wind spell to knock the sword away. I counter with gravity magic, forcing the sword to drop harmlessly to the ground.
Paul whistles from the sidelines. "Cheating already, huh, Rudy?"
Sylphie crosses her arms, pouting. "That's not fair! You weren't supposed to use magic!"
"I was going to lose otherwise," I admit with a shrug. "Besides, I didn't want to get hit by my own sword."
She huffs, but there's a hint of amusement in her expression. "You're impossible, Rudy."
"You're the one who kept trapping me in mud and blasting me with wind," I point out. "You're getting too good at this."
Sylphie blushes at the compliment, a small smile creeping onto her face. "Thanks, Rudy."
I pat her on the head, grinning. "You're strong, Sylphie. You're going to be an incredible mage one day."
Her cheeks redden even more, and before I know it, she's hugging me tightly. I hug her back, chuckling softly.
"Am I interrupting something?" Paul's voice breaks the moment. He's leaning against the doorframe of the house, a familiar grin plastered on his face.
Sylphie jumps back, her face turning a deep shade of red. "I-It's not like that!" she stammers, looking down at the ground.
Paul smirks. "Sure, sure. You two are just practicing, right?"
"Dad, leave us alone," I groan, glaring at him. He raises his hands in mock surrender but doesn't stop grinning.
From inside the house, Lilia's voice calls out. "Paul, stop teasing them! Lunch is ready!"
Paul waves us toward the house. "Come on, lovebirds. Time to eat."
Sylphie and I follow him inside, her face still flushed. As we sit down at the table, I can't help but glance at her. Over the past year, she's grown so much—not just in skill but in confidence too. Watching her improve has been one of the highlights of my life here, and I know we're both destined for even greater things.
Sylphie and I head inside, leaving Paul behind to grin smugly to himself. Inside, the table is already set, and the smell of freshly cooked food fills the air. Lilia and Zenith sit together, their babies quietly napping in cribs nearby. It's a scene of peace that reminds me how precious this time is.
Sylphie sits beside me, still a little flustered from Paul's teasing. I offer her a reassuring smile as we begin to eat. The food is simple but delicious—Zenith and Lilia make an incredible team in the kitchen.
"So, how did practice go?" Zenith asks, glancing between the two of us.
"It went well," I reply, glancing at Sylphie. "Sylphie's getting really strong. She almost had me today."
Sylphie blushes and shakes her head. "Rudy's just being nice. He wasn't even using magic…"
"You still held your own," I say firmly. "Your quick thinking with those spells was impressive."
Zenith beams at Sylphie. "You've grown so much, Sylphie. I'm proud of you."
Sylphie looks down at her plate, smiling shyly. Lilia reaches over to pat her on the head. "You've always been a quick learner. Don't sell yourself short."
Paul, ever the opportunist, grins as he chimes in. "Maybe Sylphie's just trying to impress Rudy, huh?"
"Paul…" Zenith warns, but the damage is already done. Sylphie's face turns red as she fumbles with her fork, muttering something unintelligible.
I sigh, deciding to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Dad, do you think I'll ever master touki before I leave for my studies?"
Paul straightens up, his expression turning serious for once. "Touki isn't something you can rush, Rudy. It's a combination of physical discipline and spiritual focus. You're still young—your body and mind are still growing. Give it time."
I nod, though his answer doesn't exactly fill me with confidence. I've been working hard, but touki feels like an insurmountable wall.
Sylphie, noticing my contemplative expression, speaks up. "You'll get it, Rudy. You're amazing at everything you try."
I can't help but smile at her encouragement. "Thanks, Sylphie. I'll keep at it."
The rest of the meal passes in relative peace, with occasional interruptions from Paul's jokes and the babies stirring in their cribs. After lunch, Sylphie and I help clean up before heading back outside to continue our training.
As the sun begins to set, casting the sky in hues of orange and pink, I take a moment to reflect. It's been a year since Roxy left, and while I miss her deeply, her departure has pushed both Sylphie and me to grow. She was right—her journey wasn't over, and neither is ours.
Sylphie stands beside me, her green hair catching the golden light of the sunset. She's grown so much—not just in her skills, but in her confidence too. It's inspiring to see, and I know that as long as we keep working hard, we'll both achieve great things.
"Rudy?" Sylphie's voice pulls me from my thoughts.
"Yeah?" I turn to her, and she's looking at me with a determined expression.
"Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll always stay together."
Her words catch me off guard, but I quickly recover and nod. "I promise, Sylphie. No matter what."
The sun dips below the horizon, and we head back inside.
A/N: I rewrite most of my chapters I think it would be beneficial to reread from the start also if your wondering about my update schedule it's about 1 maybe 2 chapters a week i mostly do this in my free time.
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