With how tempered his soul was, Greg no longer suffered a backlash from back-to-back dungeon delves. With his yearlong meditation done with, Greg didn't wish to launch into any more serious training regimes for the time being, so the dungeon had been his short-term alternative. "We are all on the same team now. Your well-being matters to me Calyn, it wouldn't have been a bother for you to let me know that you are okay," he informed her, his tone serious. "Also, allow me to apologize for what happened to you. I was so lost in the joy of reunion that I didn't pause to consider how the remnant aura of what I'd been doing would affect you guys. I should have been more careful," he offered. The apology wasn't Greg undoing his teacher's work with the mind-fogging potion. He had talked with both his teacher and familiar about this and had come to the decision that he wouldn't try to hide what had happened. The memory fogging potion was meant to rid them of the traumatic memories, or embarras

Before he could say anything, however, Reina continued. "Terin hates alchemy. He'd much rather practice the sword. The only time I've seen him smile is during his morning exercise routine when he practices with it. And yet, to chase the love of his father who sees him as nothing more than the vessel of his ambitions and unfulfilled dreams, he has almost fully committed himself to the study of alchemy. Enough so that even someone naturally gifted like me has come to respect his prowess in the field. He is breaking himself in half trying to compete with me, all so he can finally be worthy of his father's love. What's worse is that you already know all this," she said her gaze meeting that of her uncle which had gone cold. "You know that your son is withering on the inside trying to please you and yet it doesn't bother you in the least. So long as you get what you want, what do you care about him, right? You'll have to forgive me if the word family means very little coming from you, uncl

Coincidence or not, this airship was exactly what she needed to make good on her plan. She hadn't been lying when she told her uncle that while she didn't love the business side of the guild, she was completely into alchemy. With the Arcana Institute being among the premiere institutions when it came to all things magic, Reina couldn't help her excitement as she wondered what she'd learn when she got there. That said, her first order of business was to erase her trail behind herself as she left. It wouldn't do to join the institute only for her family to come for her soon thereafter, or worse yet, that snake that she called uncle. If she destroyed the records of this one airship, then she might as well stand on the rooftops and announce to everyone which particular ship she wished to board. So, instead, she found a few unsavory types that would be willing to do anything for coin. The room in which the dock master kept all his records mysteriously went up in flames just an hour or so be

Reina couldn't help but notice that the young man's guard had cut into a conversation her master was having, and yet the young man seemed completely unbothered by this. From the way he was now looking curiously at her tattoo, it was clear that he hadn't attached any significance to it before his guard revealed that it meant something. "A Leonid, poison variant," she revealed. Reina couldn't help some quiet pride in the slight look of surprise that showed on Healer Alena. She was the only one of those present who seemed to recognize just how hard it was to have a leonid as a contracted beast. "Can you summon it?" Healer Alena spoke up for the first time in this meeting. Based on their contract, Raksha would have no choice but to answer whenever Reina summoned him. A beast that doesn't answer when called is of no use to a summoner. For the first time in their life-long relationship, however, Reina felt hesitation from Raksha at the prospect of being summoned. Nevertheless, the relat

A primal instinct for blood. A storm of bloodlust.That's what Greg could see in Calyn's eyes even as he leaned back to avoid the gauntleted punch from her. Fighting with Olivia usually felt like an embodied version of chess. You couldn't just let yourself go. You had to not only react to the present but plan out two or three steps into the future. Otherwise, your defeat would be set in stone without you knowing it. In a particularly annoying show of skill and foresight, Olivia could even have you reacting in ways that lead you to the defeat she'd already envisioned. In your mind, you'd think you were fighting her, but in reality, the two of you had ganged up against yourself. No, when fighting Olivia, you couldn't turn off your mind. The same, however, wasn't true of Calyn.When Calyn fought, she went into a battle trance. It wasn't that she didn't think exactly, but rather there was no distinction between her instinct and action. She didn't see you kicking and think to move out of t