Bia looks at them, and feels a bit overwhelmed. He's not used to this kind of talk, and he doesn't know how to respond. He says, "I'll think about it, but for now... I think I'd rather try to find out why Felix is such an anomaly. He's stated as clanless, but there's no way a beastkin as strong as him could just pop out of nowhere. He's got to have a clan history of some kind."
They all look at each other, and agree. Shen says, "That's a good idea, Bia. If you can find out his background, you might get an edge over him. Try having the clan archivists looks through the records. See if they can find any clues." Yue says, "Be careful, though. Don't make it obvious that you're spying on him. Merlin will be watching you, and he won't tolerate any foul play. You have to be subtle, and discreet."
Silva says, "As long as it's not hostile, it should be fine, right? In fact, I think I'd like to find out a little more about him myself." Shen remarks, "I'll admit I'm becoming curious as well. How about this, if you're intent on being curious. Then find a reason that'd be acceptable to enter his social circle. Not covert spying, but something that will at least look legitimate."
They all nod, and make a plan. They decide to have Silva discover an opportunity to do that on her own with her own discretion. While Bia will focus on his training, and wait for the right time to challenge Felix again. They all agree that this is the best course of action, and that it will benefit the clan. Shen says, "Now, go to bed. You all need some rest. You've had a long day."
They all say goodnight, and go to their rooms. Bia lies on his bed, and closes his eyes. He thinks about the duel, and about Felix. He feels a mix of emotions: anger, regret, respect, and curiosity. He wonders who Felix really is, and where he came from. He wonders if he'll ever beat him, and what will happen if he does. He falls asleep, dreaming of his next encounter with his rival.
Back to Felix…
Felix opens his eyes slowly, and looks at her. She looks so cute and innocent, he can't help but smile. He gently kisses her forehead, and gets out of bed. He doesn't want to disturb her, so he quietly gets dressed and goes to the kitchen.
He finds his mother, Melina, already there, making breakfast. She's wearing a pink apron, and she smells like strawberries and cream. She turns around and smiles at him. "Good morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?" She asks with her voice cheerful and affectionate.
Felix walks to her and hugs her from behind. "Good morning, mom. I slept very well, thank you." He says before kissing her cheek. She's always been there for him, and he knows he can always count on her.
Melina giggles and turns around to face him. She puts her arms around his neck and looks into his eyes. "So, what do you plant to do today? Hopefully not fighting any clan heirs~." She says with her tone teasing and playful.
Felix laughs and shakes his head. "No, not today. I think I've had enough of duels for a while. Though I'm thinking about making a piece of equipment for myself. A mana recovery amulet." He says, remembering how he ran out of mana in his duel with Bia, and how that was a big problem.
Melina raises an eyebrow. "A mana recovery amulet? That's an interesting idea. How do you plan to make it? Do you have the materials and the knowledge?" She asks, sounding curious and supportive. Though she adds, "Before you ask, I'm not giving you any materials this time. The psi crystal and silver I gave you for your thought form anchor were expensive, and I'm your mother. Not an infinite crafting budget for every idea you have."
Felix nods, but then sighs. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that. I guess I don't have the materials, or money. I spent all my money making the tetrahedron. Guess I'll go earn some at the adventurer's guild. Though the crafting itself won't be difficult or complicated. It's basically just a silver amulet with a mana absorbing crystal in the center to absorb ambient mana and give it to me." He says while feeling a bit disappointed but also motivated.
"The adventurer's guild? Been a while since you were last there hasn't it?" Melina says, her voice thoughtful. "Yeah, since before I entered the Academy at least. Though since it's the weekend, I have plenty of time for it." Felix replies.
"Well, maybe you can find Nya something nice while you're out too, and take her somewhere to show her your appreciation for staying with you all week." Melina suggests while winking at him. Felix blushes and scratches his head. "I... I guess I could do that. Though I feel like she'd enjoy any time I spend with her, even just staying here." He says while feeling a bit shy but also happy.
Melina smiles and kisses his cheek. "I'm sure she would, but that doesn't mean you can't make her feel extra special. Trust me, it'll be worth it." She says with her voice warm and wise. Felix smiles back and hugs her again. "Thanks, mom. You're the best." He says, meaning it.
They finish making breakfast, and then wake up Nya. She yawns and stretches, looking adorable. "Good morning, everyone." She says, her voice sleepy and cute.
They all say good morning and eat together. Felix tells Nya about his plan to go to the adventurer's guild, and she says she'll come with him. She says she wants to see what kind of quests he takes, and maybe join him if he needs help. Felix is happy to have her company, and they finish their meal quickly.
They get ready to leave, and Melina kisses them both goodbye. "Have fun, you two, and be careful, okay?" She says, her voice motherly and caring.
Felix and Nya nod and wave at her as they walk out the door. They hold hands and talk about random things as they head to the adventurer's guild. They joke and laugh, enjoying each other's presence. They feel like a couple, even though they haven't really defined their relationship yet. They both like it that way.
They arrive at the adventurer's guild, a large stone building with a wooden sign that says ‘Adventurer's Guild’ in bold letters. They enter and see a bustling hall full of people of different races and backgrounds. Some are talking, some are drinking, some are resting, and some are looking at the quest board. The quest board is a large wooden board with many papers pinned on it, each one describing a different job or mission that needs to be done.
Felix and Nya walk to the board and scan the papers. Felix is the one mainly looking. He wants something that's not boring, but not too dangerous either. Not one that'd take too long either. Something that pays well, or at least pays enough to buy what he needs.
He sees one that catches his eye: ‘Clear out a grotto of giant spiders near the city. Reward: 500 gold coins, and spider silk.’ He thinks it looks great, and the reward is too tempting to ignore. He is about to take the paper, when he hears an unfamiliar voice behind him.
"Hey, Felix. Fancy seeing you here. What are you up to?" The voice says, sounding amused and friendly.
"Do I know you?" Felix asks as he turns towards them. He sees a cat beastkin girl with silvery green fur and a sly smile. She's wearing a kimono with the top hung low to show off her chest. She introduces herself, "I'm Silva, Bia's sister. I don't think we've properly met yet." She extends her hand to Felix.
Felix blinks, feeling surprised and confused. He shakes her hand, still trying to process the situation. "Uh, hi. I'm Felix." He says, not sure what else to say. Silva laughs and says, "I know. You're the talk of the town right now. Everyone's talking about your duel with my brother. It was quite a show. You're pretty impressive, you know?"
Felix feels a bit awkward and flattered. "Thanks, I guess." He says, rubbing his neck. Nya, who has been standing next to him, clears her throat and speaks up. "Excuse me, but what do you want with Felix?" She asks while sounding protective and a bit jealous.
Silva looks at Nya, and her eyes widen slightly. "Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. You're his... friend?" She asks while sounding curious and polite. Nya nods, "Yes, I'm his magic teacher, and I came along to make sure he stays safe." She says, sounding a bit proud and a bit possessive.
Silva smiles, "That's nice. He's lucky to have someone like you. But don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk to Felix about something." She says, looking back at Felix. Felix feels a bit nervous and curious. "What is it?" He asks while wondering what she could want from him.
Silva leans in closer and whispers, "I want to join your party. I'm an adventurer too, you see. I think we could work well together. What do you say?" Felix looks at her, then at Nya, then back at her. He doesn't know what to think. Why would Bia's sister want to join him? Is this some kind of trick? Or is she being genuine? He decides to be honest and ask her directly. "Why? Why do you want to join me? What's in it for you?" He asks, sounding suspicious and cautious.
Silva laughs and says, "Oh, don't be so paranoid. I'm not mad about you knocking my brother down a peg. That's good for him once in a while, and he's doing fine. So don't worry about it. I just want to get to know you better." She says, sounding amused and genuine. "Get to know me better? Why?" Felix asks, still confused.
Silva shrugs, "Because you're interesting. You're strong, smart, and mysterious. You're not like other cat beastkin. You have something... special. My brother came home after losing to some clanless beastkin none of us had ever heard of. Of course I wanted to meet you." She says, sounding intrigued and honest. Felix feels a bit flattered but also a bit weirded out. He doesn't know how to react to this. He looks at Nya, who looks back at him with a conflicted expression. She seems to understand Silva's curiosity, but she also doesn't like the idea of sharing him with her.
Felix decides to be diplomatic and polite. "Well, I'm flattered, Silva, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I don't want to cause any problems with your brother or your clan." He says while sounding reasonable and hesitant.
Silva shakes her head and says, "Don't worry about that. My brother agreed to leave you alone, as long as you do the same. I'm not mad about him getting knocked down a peg either. I'm here on my own. My clan doesn't care what I do, well, not too much. I'm not the heir like Bia is. So there's some good aspects to not being the heir, not having to represent the clan so much."
Felix frowns, "Why me? Why not someone else? There are plenty of strong adventurers around." He says while still not convinced.
Silva smiles, "Didn't I say already? You're interesting. Besides, I saw you looking at this quest." She points at the paper about the giant spiders. "I've been looking at it too. It's a perfect quest for us. You can use your magic and psionics, I can use my qi and martial arts, and together we can clear that grotto in no time. What do you say?"
Felix looks at the paper again, then at Silva, then at Nya. He thinks about it. The quest does sound good, and the reward is nice. Silva does seem to be strong and capable. He could end up regretting letting her come along, but what's the worst that could happen? He sighs, "Alright, fine. You can join us. Though no antagonizing Nya or funny business." He says, sounding resigned but also a bit excited.
Nya gives him a look, but doesn't object. She trusts his judgment, even if she doesn't like it.
Silva grins and claps her hands. "Great! You won't regret it, I promise. This is going to be fun." She says while sounding happy and eager. They take the paper and go to the counter, where a friendly gnome clerk registers them for the quest. He gives them a map of the location, and tells them to report back when they're done. They thank him and leave the guild.
As they walk, Silva elegantly moves in circles around Felix on the way there. "So, Felix, tell me more about yourself. Where are you from? How did you become so strong? Do you have a girlfriend?" She asks while rapidly firing questions at him.
Felix tells her, "One question at a time, please." He says while feeling a bit overwhelmed. "I'm from this city, I've always lived here with my mom. I became strong by training hard, and experimenting with magic and psionics. Also no, I don't have a girlfriend."
Nya pouts and looks like she wants to object to that but knows she can't. Silva notices her expression and grins. "Oh, really? That's surprising. A handsome guy like you, with no girlfriend? I find that hard to believe." She says, sounding teasing and suggestive.
Felix blushes, "Well, it's true. I haven't had time for romance, with all the studying and dueling I've been doing." He says, sounding defensive and honest.
Silva laughs, "That's too bad. You should make time for it. Life is short, you know? You should enjoy it while you can." She says while sounding philosophical and playful.
They reach the entrance of the grotto, and stop. The grotto is a dark and damp cave with a large opening. They can hear some faint hissing sounds coming from inside, but nothing else. It looks like a typical spider nest.
"Well, here we are. Are you ready for some action?" She asks, sounding excited and confident. Felix nods and says, "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go."
They enter the grotto, with Felix and Nya in the front, and Silva in the back. They walk carefully and quietly, keeping an eye out for any giant spiders. Nya speaks up, "Now everyone. Since collecting spider silk is part of the request, lets try not to damage any if we can. So definitely no fire." Felix agrees and says, "Good point. I'll stick to lightning and force spells."
They soon spot their first giant spider, a brown hairy creature the size of a dog, crawling on the ceiling. Felix doesn't hesitate and shoots a lightning bolt at it before it can react. The bolt hits it squarely and electrocutes it, making it fall to the ground with a loud thud. It twitches a few times and then lies still.
Silva watches with wide eyes, "Wow, that was fast. You didn't even give it a chance." She says while sounding impressed and surprised. Felix shrugs and says, "Why wait? It's better to strike first than to be caught off guard." Silva nods and says, "I guess so, but aren't you worried about the rest of them? They might sense the death of their kin and come after us."
Felix shakes his head and says, "Who cares if more show up? I'll just zap them too. They're weak monsters, why overthink it?" Silva chuckles before responding, "That sounds like something my brother would say, well, except he'd swap zapping for punching." Felix's ears flatten against his head at the idea of being compared to Bia like they're similar. Silva catches his expression and laughs, "Just kidding~."
They continue deeper into the grotto, encountering more giant spiders along the way. Some are smaller, some are bigger, some are faster, some are slower. But they all meet the same fate: a quick and painless death by Felix's magic. He doesn't miss a single shot, and he doesn't let any of them get close to him or his companions. He's like a walking spider zapper, and Silva is fascinated by his skill and style.
Nya also helps by casting some spells of her own, mostly to support Felix or to protect them from any potential threats. She's not as fast or as aggressive as Felix, but she's still very competent and useful. Silva mainly focuses on keeping watch and spotting any hidden dangers, as well as collecting the spider silk from the dead spiders. She uses a special knife to cut the silk webs without damaging them, and stores them in a bag. She's very careful and efficient, and Felix appreciates her work.
They reach the heart of the grotto, where they find the largest and nastiest spider of them all: the queen. She's a black and red behemoth, as big as a horse, with eight long and sharp legs, and a pair of fangs that can pierce metal. She's surrounded by dozens of smaller spiders, her loyal guards and offspring. She hisses at them, and the other spiders hiss back, ready to defend their queen.
Felix starts firing force missiles into the crowd of spiders and uses his telekinesis to grab and slam other spiders against each other. Nya casts a directed light spell to blind them, taking advantage of their light sensitivity. The spiders are confused and panicked, and they start bumping into each other because they can't see where they're going. Some of them even attack each other by mistake, causing more chaos and damage.
Silva uses this opportunity to dash towards the queen, avoiding the webs and the legs that try to stop her. She reaches the queen's head, and delivers a powerful qi-infused piercing strike to its head. The queen screeches in pain and rage, and tries to bite her. Silva dodges the fangs, and continues to strike the queen's head, causing more damage.
Felix and Nya finish off the rest of the spiders, and join Silva in fighting the queen. Felix casts a scorching ray at the queen's eyes, burning them and making her blind. Nya casts a binding spell on the queen's legs, immobilizing them and preventing her from moving.
Silva smiles and says, "Thanks, guys. Now I can finish her off." She jumps on the queen's back, and drives her knife into the base of her neck, severing her spine. The queen lets out a final hiss, and then collapses, dead.
They all cheer and celebrate, but then have to start the after battle stuff. Checking for any stray spiders, looting the queen, collecting the silk, and healing themselves. The queen has some valuable parts, like her fangs, her eyes, and her venom sacs. They also find some gold coins and jewels hidden in her web, probably from her previous victims. They split the loot evenly, and feel satisfied with their reward.
They decide to check if there's any more spiders further in the grotto, but it seems like they've cleared it all. They make their way back to the entrance, feeling happy and proud of their work. Felix and especially Nya still aren't sure about Silva, but they can definitely say this quest went fine.
Silva walks beside Felix and Nya, feeling the thrill of the adventure still coursing through her veins. She looks at Felix with admiration and curiosity. "So, Felix, tell me. Who taught you how to fight like that? You're amazing. I've never seen anyone cast spells as fast and as accurately as you. You must have had a great mentor." She says with her tone sincere and flattering.
Felix blushes a little and shrugs, "Well, thanks, but no, I was self-taught before entering the Academy. Unless you count books as a mentor."
Nya nods, "That's true. He was already very skilled when I met him. He just needed some guidance and refinement. I helped him with his theory and technique, but his talent is all his own." She says, her voice proud and supportive.
Silva looks surprised and impressed, "Seriously? You taught yourself? That's incredible. Though what about psionics? Surely you had a master for that."
Felix shakes his head, "Nope, in fact I was using psionics for six years without even knowing I had it until Eleanor told me I was psychic at the entrance exams." He says, his tone casual and modest.
Silva gasps, "Six years? You used psionics for six years without knowing? How is that possible? How did you do it?"
Felix scratches his head, "Mainly because I was using it with my spellcasting like you saw in the grotto, and until Eleanor said something about it... I thought I was just using magic."
Silva stares at him with disbelief and awe. "You're kidding me, right? What were you doing during the duel with your aura, then? Are you telling me that you can channel mana into your body and enhance your physical abilities, without using any qi? That's... that's unheard of." She says with her voice incredulous and amazed.
Felix looks at her puzzled, "Wait, did you think I was using qi during the duel?"
Silva nods and says, "Of course I did. I mean, you were fast and strong, and you had this aura around you. I thought it was qi. But it wasn't? It was mana? How?"
Felix explains his physical enhancement technique to her, telling her how he pushes mana through his body to improve his strength, speed, and durability, and how he uses it to also enhance his senses and reflexes. He also tells her how he made it up on the fly while sparring with his friend Grog. Then refined it the day before the duel.
Silva listens with rapt attention and fascination. She says, "That... Still sounds like qi cultivation. Or maybe like some kind of... mana cultivation? I've never heard of anything like it."
Felix raises an eyebrow, "I've never known, but how does cultivation actually work?"
Silva thinks for a moment, "Well, qi is the life force that flows through all living things. It's what makes us alive and gives us our vitality, but it's also what we use to cultivate our bodies and minds, to transcend the limitations of our mortal flesh. By circulating and refining our qi, we can unlock our latent potential and achieve higher realms of existence. It's a long and arduous process, but it's also very rewarding. It gives us power, longevity, and enlightenment."
Felix nods, taking it in. "So, do you cultivate, Silva?" He asks, curious about her abilities.
Silva smiles proudly and says, "Yes, I do. I'm at the peak of the Qi condensation Realm, the third major realm of cultivation. I've been cultivating since I was five, and I'm very close to breaking through to the next realm. I'm aiming for the Core Formation Realm, which is where you form a core of pure qi in your dantian, the center of your body. That's the realm where my brother is. He's advanced further than me despite being younger, but I like to say my fighting style is more refined."
Felix still isn't sure what that means, "Still don't think I understand, but Maybe I'll just need to look into that later." He says before remembering something, "Which reminds me, what's up with the flying swords? I've never looked at a sword before and thought I should jump on it and use it as transportation."
Silva laughs and says, "Oh, those? They're a special type of enchanted sword that can be controlled with qi. They're called flying swords, obviously, and they're a common tool for cultivators. You can use them to fly, or to attack from a distance. They're very versatile and handy. I have one myself, back at my home. I didn't bring it today because I didn't think I'd need it."