Like the old times

A lone chapel resting in the middle of nowhere, slowly falling apart as no one cared enough to try and keep on maintaining it. The entire building was made out of stone, it’s side now covered in moss as nature tried to slowly reclaim the human-made structure for itself. Inside, a small altar, few pillars, and pews that were barely holding it together. Only one of them seemed to be still capable of supporting someone’s weight without completely falling into pieces. The fact was supported by a single girl in black clothes sitting on it and praying to an unknown deity. Leila Vergious was her name. A simple traveling maiden who knew no true home and adored the thrill of adventure. She had no need to pray, for the other half of her soul was a goddess. But she still wanted to pay respect to this place and whoever it was dedicated to. In few minutes, she would finish and look around. She had lit several candles inside of this structure prior to her acting, their flickering and dancing light illuminating the cold and dim stones all around her. They almost felt suffocating. And yet, it all reminded her of certain free beauty she had lived through prior to her awakening, prior to her first joining Golden Phoenix even. Such an old even that seeped it’s way into the girl’s mind, making itself as vivid as if it had happened but yesterday. That day when she climbed one of the heavenly towers that were scattered all over Earthland.

And every single one of them hiding a different secret. Why was she climbing such a structure at that time? She wasn’t even all that powerful of a mage yet, only capable of controlling a handful of spells and not even properly aware of her true connection to the Gardens of Eden. Her whole life was completely different at that point. To put it in perspective, she hasn’t even met Jiyu Kazehime at that point yet. She had climbed the tower because she heard certain rumors about a crystal that allowed one to spent time with their old mentor. The Nameless Golem was alive as of right now, but it was not like that always. He was the one who found her in the wild when she was but a freshly born babe, alone and abandoned beneath Eden’s tree. From that point forward, he would take her with him everywhere he went. He would teach her everything she needed to know about life and how to survive in this world. It was only thanks to him that she got to see so much beauty of Earthland and the love of adventuring she had gained. He was both father and a mentor to her. He was there when she first discovered her magical talent, the fact that she was capable of controlling nature around her. In that single moment, a desire was born inside of the female. The desire to become a mage and explore the world with a completely different view and mindset.

The Golem knew how many risks would come with a work like that and warned her many times. It all eventually grew into their very first argument. And she had thought that it was their last for the longest time as well. Not able to agree with one another, they would go their separate ways. That was how Leila came to Fiore, illegally crossing the border and registering herself as a traveling guildless mage there. The start of her long adventure. It was always important to recall and appreciate the humble beginnings. It was a long and curved road that awaited her. For she soon received a letter from the Golem explaining everything. Machines like him, they would remain operational for only a very specific amount of time. And his time was slowly drawing to the close. Never in her life did she rush so much. Leaving Fiore and traversing several nations on horseback and via boat, she eventually reached the mountains all around Joya. It was where her father and mentor had his point of return, a small and simple shack that would interest no one sane. Nothing more than just a point to which they could come back to if they were ever to become lost on their path. If he was to be anywhere, it was that place. However, she only found sadness here. For the Golem was already gone from this world, only his lifeless body resting against one of the building’s walls.

She had given him a proper burial and accepted the loss, determined to move forward. Such was her path at the very start, filled with thorns that tarnished her will only to make her stronger later on as she recovered from all the wounds she had sustained here. Still, once she heard about the magical stone, she wanted to take her chance with it. She wanted to see the Golem once more, even if it was nothing more than a projection of her memories. She still remembered the feeling that swirled deep inside of her as she climbed to the top of that tower, nearly reaching the skies themselves. Her body was covered in sweat and the cold wind was making her shiver. But she eventually made it to the top. The feeling of freedom she got from simply looking around at the land all around her was incredible. A moment she would surely remember till the end of her days. And so far, it still rested fresh in her memories, as was confirmed by her current state of mind, remembering it all. With her eyes closed, she could almost feel the giant altar still resting in front of her, two masterfully crafted stone griffins adorning it and giving it a majestic feeling of power. The statues were adorned with golden masks as well as many ancient symbols adorning their stone bodies. On top of the altar, the mysterious gem of legends rested too, ready for the girl to touch it and experience the power it held.

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But that was not all she remembered from that time. She also remembered the great nervousness and fear she felt, emotions that prevented her from touching the gem right away. With her back against the altar, she questioned whether the illusion she was about to experience was really what she wanted. It would not bring her father back and once it would all fade, she would feel the sadness of loss again. After experiencing the reunion with the only family she ever really had in that life of hers, she would surely stagger and be unable to bear it. But those feelings did not last all that long. Love, it was still something she wanted to learn more about. Parental love… or love that another individual could present. Such feelings were almost completely alien to the Eden’s Caretaker, a being who was born in the void and started off as someone who knew nothing of emotions and feelings. And she wanted to see the Golem again. So she strengthened her resolve and stood back up. Despite the hesitation in her movement, her adventure was far from over. And she would learn about feelings so much more in her upcoming days. Her fingers touched the gem and the girl found herself traveling through a rift, only to end up in a serene place with a forest, field and a house to use. The Golem stood in front of her as if he had never gone anywhere.

And he had not. The girl’s eyes were open and she was looking at her mechanical companion with a smile. It was no memory anymore. Her father never truly died in the true sense of the word. His creator found the buried machine and made him operational again. She had to find him and thank him for it all still. But the main point was, they were together again. She was never truly able to put into words just how much she appreciated that. Standing from the pew, she would stretch and toss another look at the Golem standing in the middle of the room. He stayed for a little bit to gather few herbs for later. They were on a journey together. There was a good reason why Leila was remembering those specific events where she went to a dream world and trained with her mentor. She wanted to repeat it, but in actual reality with her actual mentor and father. So she took him way out here, where not many would dare go. A week-long draining camp of sorts. She had seen this place during one of her travels and made sure to mark it on her map so that she could find her way back. Together, they would move out of the old chapel and start heading further into the forest that surrounded it and all of the nearby areas. The girl was excited, and the machine was surely too. Though he had fewer ways of showing it.

And why exactly were they even going to a place like this to train? It was true that Leila grew in power a fair bit, her magic capable of crushing even the more powerful of foes. Well, it was not quite to make her stronger per say. The girl adapted to a very specific type of combat that utilized her spirits and connected them to her magic. Well, they already were part of her magic in a sense. But now they were capable of casting take-over forms as well to empower their celestial bodies. This left their summoner a little bit more vulnerable, as was usually pretty normal for a summoning mage. To conquer that, she was to train in combat without using her extra forms or spirits. It would not be easy, especially for someone like the Nameless Golem. While he had no magic, he was an expert in close-ranged combat and wielded many different tools that would help him defeat just about any foe that he could possibly cross. But that also made him such a good mentor and a very fitting sparring partner for this upcoming week. With someone like him, she would be able to explore and improve in just about every single area of her power and abilities. Patting the sword by her side, she smiled, already preparing herself mentally for their clash. Though they still had a few ways to go before they would reach the spot.

And even then, they would not just start right away. They would set everything up and would only clash later on, perhaps not even during the first day. Still, it was good that the girl prepared herself in some way. Hyping oneself up could be both helpful and harmful depending on the intensity and individual people. Roughly an hour or so of walking at a leisurely pace would finally allow them to get where they wanted to be. As they walked out of the woods, a large clearing would open up in front of them with a smaller pond to the side. Some would see this place as ideal for a picnic, others for sparring and there were even those, that would love nothing more than than use the narrow terrain here to build more man-made structures. But right now, they were in the heart of nature and there was no need to be worried about what others would think right now. Such worries were best left for when Leila would return back into society and start working as the mage and Wizard Saint she was.Something that would not happen for at least a week. So while this was a training camp of sorts, she still could use it for relaxation as well. It was something she wasn’t able to afford when she was part of the Golden Phoenix. She mourned her membership in the guild, but being guildless was fairly refreshing feeling that made her feel truly free at times.

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Obviously, there were problems that would arise from not having a guild to back her up, but as a Saint, the Magic Council at least stood by her side and always had her back. But again, right now it was something she didn’t really wish to think about. With a sigh, the girl would perk up a little bit and run in front of her father, stopping once she reached the middle of the open field and turned around playfully to face him with the biggest smile on her face. Just like before, she remembered the past. When she first saw him here after she buried his body. It was… well, she wasn’t even really able to describe the swirl of emotions that took over her body at that time. But now, she only felt joy. It was such a strange contrast to before when she mostly just felt bitter despair. The world really was toying with her, wasn’t it? Well, she didn’t mind all that much. The unknown and unpredictable was what made living so much fun half the time. Even when those things could bring about a disaster, she would cry her share and then move on, stronger than ever. At least that is how it usually was. No matter what hardships she encountered, she managed to get through them all. And now she stood right here, nearly at the top of the magical world and looked up to by many different individuals, regular ones and mages alike.

Suddenly, the Golem launched at her, trying to strike her with his mechanical fist. But it was an oddly slow attack, one that was meant to give her chance to dodge even if she was not prepared for it. Leaping back few meters, the girl looked at her father with a surprised expression, though it quickly shifted to a playful smirk. He moved few steps back as well to create distance again and stared right at her. “I hope you were not expecting me to go easy on you. It has been far too long since we had a chance to test each other to our fullest.” As he said those words, her hand suddenly opened up to reveal a gun barrel within it, pointing it straight at the girl and with a clicking sound, shot. Barely avoiding the rather fast attack with a mostly instinctive side-step, she stumbled slightly but managed to keep her balance without falling down. “Hey, hey, don’t you think that an opening statement like that is a little unfair? You could have shot me, you know~?” Her voice was obviously teasing. The two of them knew one another for a lifetime. He would have never performed such attack if he knew that his daughter could not take it. To contrast his fast and powerful first attack, she decided to go with something slower just to tease him as well. That was the type of journey this would be it seemed.

The ground beneath her feet would start rising slightly, a barely visible bulge suddenly heading straight at the Golem. And, well… he contrasted her too in that he didn’t even try to dodge. Many different roots would quickly shoot out from beneath the ground near him and wrap around his metallic body in an attempt to restrain him. Something that was of no use against someone like the Nameless Golem. Several smaller holes would open up along his entire frame and tiny flames shot out. In a sense, he resembled a sentient walking lighter right now. And poof went the roots as they were reduced to nothing more than ashes. With his body structure and the weapons he was able to use, Golem was nearly the perfect counter to Leila’s natural abilities, the only ones she was supposed to be using during this training. But that only made it more fun! Even the fact that he surprised her with an attack while she had thought that they would not really do much during the first day, all of it was making her heart beat all the faster, adrenaline gathering in her body as she desired this for so long. This kind of fun with the one individual who would never abandon her and would stay by her side no matter what. “What is wrong, Leila? You will have to use your full force if you want your attacks to reach me. Do not hold back too much.”

Getting a giggle out of her with those words, she would narrow her body in preparation. With a single sharp exhale, a gray bark-like matter would suddenly cover the skin of her hands, temporarily making them look a whole lot less humanoid and more like claws of a wild beast that was preparing them to tear apart it’s prey and feed on it’s delicious bloody flesh. Not giving her opponent any warning at all, she would start sprinting toward him and once close enough, he would react by by throwing another heavy punch her way. He aimed at the upper part of her body, but the strike itself was still far too slow for the girl. Since she transformed her hands like that, he probably expected that she would just go ahead and claw away at his metal plating. But instead, she slid down on the grass to let his punch go above her body and as she moved between his legs, she would swung her hands over her head up, swiping straight at his stomach where her hands left two fairly decent scratch marks in his outer shell. She continued to slide further, getting behind him as her body finally started to lose it’s momentum. Once that happened, she would quickly jump back onto her legs again and try to strike the back of his head with her elbow. Though there was plenty of time between her actions for him to turn around.

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With his palm, he would cup the girl’s elbow and stop it’s movement completely, blocking her attack fairly easily. His second hand moved beneath that scene to hit her stomach, though it was also stopped as Leila raised her leg up, clashing her knee with his fist to create a similar scene to their other hands. With a stalemate like this, they would force the other out and a distance was once again formed between them as they both laughed at the situation. “Sorry, I’d rather not break you on the first day. We wanted this to last an entire week, right? Going all out on the first day would not be optimal.” Hearing those words, the Golem suddenly dropped his fighting stance altogether and nodded. But not in an affirmative manner. Instead, it was that kind of nod a teacher gives his student when they do something right without being prompted to. “Good job. I honestly thought that I would have to teach you a lot still, but the life you have been living in my absence, it was perhaps even better teacher than me. In combat, you cannot rush in guns blazing at the very start. The beginning has to be slow and careful, saving your strength later while searching for openings and weaknesses of your foe. Even in a practice fight like this, you have realized this despite my provocation. Perfect.” An honest praise from her father made the girl smile more than anything else.

He was the only teacher she ever had, and at times, he was a very stern one. But she did not mind in the slightest. After all, the world was a large and very unforgiving place for those who choose to pursue a career as a mage or traveler. She was both. “I say this is enough for the first day. Agree?” “Agree~.” And just like that, the two of them would finish their training for today and start walking through the meadow side by side again. And in the distance, she could finally see it. A small abandoned hut that was mostly overrun by vines and moss from the outside. However, one simple look through one of the windows would reveal that the inner part of the home was actually still fairly decent. Certainly enough to house these two for few days. This was why Leila made sure to remember this place, it was perfect. Plenty of room for training and even a place where they could spend the night without having to worry about anyone or anything. There was even a small river running by its side, a place where the girl could bathe from time to time and clean whatever they would render dirty. Well, at least she didn’t have to worry about trying to wash off blood from their clothes this time around… or at least she hoped she wouldn’t have to, it was always such a pain.

Suddenly, a mechanical hand was planted on the top of the girl’s hand right between her animal ears. It made her body bob a little bit, but then she just smiled. Her mechanical father always liked to pat her head, even now that she was all grown up. It was something very pleasant, so there was no need to go against it either. Yes, his hand lacked the warmth of flesh that humans would give off, but the affection was still there. She could feel it as clear as the day. “Make sure to not spoil me too much, pops. That would hinder the training~.” Teasing the man a little bit, she chuckled and ran forward to leave him behind as she hopped onto the front porch and started working on the broken down lock for the door. “I will try not to, but I will have my time with the daughter I missed so much, whether you like it or not.” She got right back her with the teasing but walked up at his own slow and somewhat intimidating pace. By the time he was in front of the entrance to the hut, Leila managed to pry the lock open and the door flew open. They would probably have to try and block it from the inside for the night if they wished to remain secured. Though the Golem himself had many scanners that were active even as he was resting. Nothing could get past him.

Inside of the building was actually rather well furnished, even if there was dust pretty much piled up everywhere. Several closets, a table with four chairs, carpet covering the hard wooden floor and conveniently, two big beds with fluffy sheets. All they had to do was tidy up a bit, clean out the dust and the place would be perfectly usable. Why someone decided to ditch a place like this was a mystery left unsolved, but at least the Eden’s Caretaker could see them as a kind individual who left this place as a gift to them. And so, the rest of their first day in this place was spent by cleaning and leaving all the things and equipment they carried inside of the house. It wasn’t much, really. Leila was fine with using the same outfit several days in a row as long as she could wash it, not to mention that her attire was of a magical origin and could even change its shape. The rest of her things just included a golden bell with a symbol of a rose she received from her spirits and her weapon, the mechanical blade she carried behind her lower back like certain oriental warriors had their katanas. Since the point of this training was for her to improve her abilities outside of the take-over forms she possessed, that weapon would become a huge help later on. But for now, she allowed it to rest in the corner of the room.

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The night eventually came and then faded as seconds, minutes and hours ticked away. Soon enough, the Sun started shining through the windows and washing over the girl’s form, even if it was covered by the sheets. Its warmth was pleasant and comforting, the chirping of birds outside creating a lullaby and allowed for a solemn waking. Slowly opening her eyes, the girl quickly realized that she was not in the usual hotel room that she was used to seeing every time she woke up in the morning. She almost forgot that they were here in the middle of nowhere in order to train a little. It created a strange mix of feeling both relieved, yet somewhat anxious because of the lack of familiar ground. But those mixed feelings soon faded away as she got up and stretched her tired body. Even though she wasn’t a human, she certainly felt as tired as one in the morning. In any case, there was no point in prolonging this. She had to continue training whether she wanted to or not. Gathering what energy was left in her from yesterday, she would jump up from the bed and look around. The room now looked much cleaner than when they arrived, considering the fact the two of them were cleaning it for so long. Perhaps that could be considered part of the training as well? A proper traveler had to know how to properly clean around them for… reasons!

Shaking her head to force those silly thoughts out, she would just smile at the new day and walked toward the door while glancing toward the other bed, naturally empty as her father must have already been outside for a while now. Covering her eyes to ease the strength of the golden Sun above them, she would yawn and look around only to spot the Golem sitting on the edge of the wooden platform that made up the hut’s porch. “Slept well?” Along with his question, he would turn around to face the girl only to witness that big, warm smile of hers. It has been a while since the Golem returned back to her, but considering the shock Leila’s mind received due to Arith’s Miracle power that sent her body back in time, this was still a very fresh and good feeling. As far she was concerned, he was still gone until only a few weeks back. Even now, the confusion of it all was still plaguing her mind. But if nothing else, at least she was able to focus on the present and everything that she had. And she had a very hard time remembering when she last felt this good. “We did not really do much yesterday, but I do think that you deserve a little break. Considering all that happened in the last few weeks.” As he spoke, he would get up from his sitting position and faced the river nearby.

“Why not relax for a little bit? I will be in the meadow where we had out little spar yesterday. Feel free to visit me there if you feel like it later.” And just like that, he hopped onto the grass-covered ground and started walking off. Something like this was a rather big surprise to the girl, as she suddenly found herself with nothing to do and unsure what just happened. Scratching the back of her head, she would yawn once more and look around. “A break this early, huh? Well, I guess I’ll take that offer and relax then.” Talking to no one other than herself, Leila decided to maybe have a little bath in the morning before doing anything else. Jumping the wooden railing, she would plant her feet on the ground much like the Golem before and walk toward the moving body of water leisurely. Testing the temperature with her hand, she realized it was actually quite warm. It was probably last few days like that before it would start getting colder, so this was a chance she should definitely take! Looking around and using her ability to sense even the smallest of magic energies, she made sure no one was actually around spying on her before slipping out of her clothes and neatly folding them on a nearby exposed stone. Jumping in, her body would quickly get used to the temperature difference and start to feel rather pleasant.

While washing her body, the girl’s mind started wondering in all kinds of directions, remembering the many different adventures she had taken on with the Nameless Golem before they arrived in Fiore, before she decided to become a mage. She would do this sort of thing every morning when they were near a source of water, using everything nature had to offer. It made her wonder if this link to nature she had existed simply because it was something beautiful, or because of her magic. Perhaps a mixture of both? Still, this feeling, this sensation… it was something that the Eden’s Caretaker started to miss after she first became a witch. Her work required that she stayed in cities and towns much more often, limiting her interaction with the primordial. Not even realizing it, time passed and the morning started transforming into noon. And to make this a little bit more productive, she decided to also pull her clothes into the water and wash them a little bit. Finally getting out of the water and letting Sun alone dry her bare skin from the crystal clear liquid, she would dress back up in the still slightly moist fabric and look around. Done with what little she had to do, there was not much point just standing around and doing nothing. Her father said that he would be waiting in the meadow nearby, so that was where she should go. Since they were finally back together, then there was no reason to stay apart.

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The path to the meadow was made out of a simple dirt road created by people walking through the grass many years back on daily basis. The grass was trying to reclaim that piece of land back for itself slowly, but even such tiny things could take time after the damage was done. Seeing the Golem in the distance, she noticed he was in a turkey sit in the middle of the field, simply being motionless and tranquil. Approaching him, she would sit down right behind him and lean against his back with hers. “Still like places like these, huh?” The voice she let out was almost feeble and fleeting. It felt like even if she tried, she could not break the serenity of this situation. So instead of speaking any further, she would just run her hand through the grass and flowers all around them. “Yes. Created in the Heartbeat Clocktower, most of my life was spent learning how to do my duties. The outside world, it was… unique. Nature, it is the opposite of me, a sentient machine. And yet, I appear to gravitate toward it. Perhaps I would have an easier time explaining this if I were a human myself. Feelings are… complex.” There was a moment of silence before the girl’s palm suddenly rested atop the Golem’s hand, holding it gently. “Who knows. They are really complex for us as well, you know? I’m lost in them myself.”

Saying that, the girl chuckled. While she appeared to be composed and calm, her feelings were a mess. Her heart was doing whatever it wanted and she had no idea how to deal with that. But perhaps that much was fine. After all, it was precisely her heart that got her this far. She never used cold logic alone when approaching all the situations she was thrown in over her time as a mage. And perhaps she would be better off if she did. But there was no way to know that. Right now, Leila was very happy. And that was the result of all the actions she took in the past. So despite what she once told Elyx, her ex-guild master, if she had the option to change her choices in the past, she would refuse. All the decisions she had made, they lead her here. And she was happy here. She did not desire to be anywhere else. With a faint sigh, she just had to smile at her own silliness. Thinking like this, since when was she so deep and sophisticated? Or perhaps this was just one of her many games to pass time, playing the part of an academic thinking about the meaning of life. This time, it made her laugh out loud, even making the Golem break his pose as he turned his head over his shoulder to see what his adopted daughter was doing that was so amusing to her.

“It’s still pretty early. What do you say to walking around and seeing what this place has to offer?” As nice as this sitting around and doing nothing was, it would be a shame to not look around and discover what secrets this land had to offer. “Indeed, that would be a great thing to do.” They both got up in unison and looked at each other. People usually thought that her father’s face was quite creepy to look at. And true, he kinda lacked many features such as visible eyes, nose or even mouth. But then again, he was a sentient machine. Something like this was probably completely normal for his kind, not that Leila had the pleasure of seeing many Machias. Not to mention that she knew about that single eye he was hiding beneath the outer layer of his face. Her thoughts were, however, quickly interrupted by him extending his hand toward her. “I’m not a little girl anymore, you know?” Pouting, the girl placed her hands on her hips in a displeased manner. But his reply to it was something that completely broke her. “Is that a no?” With a loud sigh, she grabbed his hand and moved right next to him. Well, it felt pretty nice… but she would not survive if someone was to see them right now. “Don’t get too used to this, okay? You’re super tall, so doing this is kinda awkward…”

Not to mention all the other reasons why this was rather embarrassing for the Wizard Saint of Fiore. In any case, they just started walking without really caring about anything too much. Not even having any real destination, they just wished to enjoy this place. And sure enough, they soon found a vast field of crimson red poppies, growing tall and looking toward the sun. The red petals were slowly and gently dancing in the wind and create just about the most beautiful scenery one could imagine. Kneeling down in front of few of them, she would take the flowers into her hands and picked a few rather skilfully. “I take it that the place is to your liking?” The girl would chuckle. “Yes, it’s beautiful here. A perfect example of what this world can be if you look closely.” With one of the poppies in hand, she would stand up and turn to face the Golem, a big innocent and childish smile adorning her expression. He almost couldn’t believe that the girl was still capable of showing him something like this after all the traumatic events she had gone through in the past. She was stronger than anyone he knew… stronger than him. There were no words that he could say to express just how proud he was of his daughter, even if she was just adopted. And if he could, then surely he would shed few tears as well.

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Taking a spot next to her, he would oversee the entire field and gaze at it with great interest. “I’m surprised that this field as actually abandoned. I wouldn’t mind living here at all if I could. Can’t even see the end of this field!” Trying to stand on her toes to get that tiny bit higher, she suddenly felt the mechanical hands of her father grab her sides and pull her up. Before she could even realize what was going on, the girl was sitting behind the machine’s neck as if he was a father with his couple of years old child. And with how tall the Golem was, it felt to the girl as if she had just climbed a tower. “Any better?” “You just don’t care how old I am, huh? Well, it’s not bad up here. Maybe I’ll stay~.” Saying her words in a teasing manner, but her father clearly accepted her words and his grip on her legs grew tighter as he turned around and suddenly started walking with her still on top of him. “Whoa, whoa! Are you actually okay? I’m not that light…” “This much is nothing, dear. Now, hold on!” From walking, he would start running down the small hill back toward the meadow. The wind quickly started making Leila’s hair fly in the air as the refreshing feeling filled every inch of her body.

Though at some point, they moved a little bit to the side and ended up entering the Forest that was surrounding them instead. There, the Golem slowed down and started heading in the direction of their little shack again. They had their fun and now it was a quiet and nice walk back home. Well, at least it was a walk for the Golem. Leila had the luxury of being carried still. So she instead used her attention to look around the Forest and memorize nearly every single tree around them. It was just something she always did when in a place like this. And as time passed, they would eventually reach their destination, that somewhat decrepit home in front of them again. Kneeling down, he let his daughter get off and stand on her own two feet again. While most of the day was a ton of fun, now came the time where the two of them had to start preparing something to eat. They stayed without lunch the whole day, so a hearty dinner was a must. It seemed that fish was on the menu, something that was always good when prepared right. One would think that’d be impossible in a place like this, but the Golem actually brought all the needed equipment with him, hiding it all in that giant cloak of his. And when it came down actually cooking things, well… his entire body could turn into a giant flamethrower, so that was hardly a problem. It was a day well spent.

Morning of the third day was, just like the one before, accompanied with a little surprise. While the girl was an early bird and usually woke up rather early, today she was woken up by something other than her own body entering the world of normal. Loud, yet somewhat high-pitched barks were assaulting the cabin before any normal person would open their eyes. Getting up to the slightly annoying sound, Leila realized that she knew this sound. Well, of course she did. It was some form of canine barking at the wooden house. But more precisely, she knew this specific creature. The sound was different from a dog, almost as if it was less practiced and not so normal to do for the beast. Quickly hopping out of the bed before even the Golem had a chance to move out, the Caretaker busted out the door and ran around the wooden structure to see her companion sitting right there. A wolf with lime green fur, adorned with several red marks. A patter that earned the cub name ‘Melon’. Leila did not take her along for this training session because she figured out that she was the only one who really needed improvements. But clearly, the wolf did not fancy being taken care of by someone other than her and ran away from the people she hired to keep an eye on the little mischievous creature.

Sighing out happily, the girl bent forward slightly and slapped her own knees, a gesture at which Melon got up and ran straight at her, trying to jump hug her owner. “Well, well. You’re certainly excited to see me. How did you even find this place, you little devil?” “She is a wolf. A special one at that. Tracking us was surely no problem for her since we did not put forth any effort into hiding our tracks.” Father was already standing behind her, having left the bed and the house himself, and providing an obvious answer to Leila’s more rhetorical question. She was just glad that she could see her companion like this again. Yes, she did originally decide to leave her behind with hired strangers to take care of her, but now that Melon was actually here, she realized just how much she missed this companion of hers. She didn’t even remember how the two of them got together till recently, but their bond was already this strong. There really was something about that saying. Is a dog man’s best companion? Something along those lines. And Leila was inclined to agree right now, as she broke the hug with Melon and let the wolf fall onto its four paws again. “I’m not sending you back now that you’re here. Congratulations, you managed to force things to go your way, you little you. I guess it might be two on one now!”

Saying that with a cheeky smile on her face, she would turn around and shoot that look straight at the Golem. He remained silent for a moment, but soon raised his head and nodded. “I believe that this will be beneficial to us. While you do need to increase your physical abilities in order to overcome the seal on your body. In order to continue working as a top tier mage, you need to rely on your equipment more than ever because of this. And Melon here, while not exactly a piece of ‘equipment’ is an assent of yours. A member of your team. Improving your ability to work together should be part of this training as well.” At first, Leila figured that shew would just have Melon stay on the side and cheer on with her howls. But hearing her father say things like that, it made sense. Despite being with the wolf for a while now, they did not go through that many missions together yet. And the best way of building trust and cooperation was by going through the thick and think with your partner. That was why Leila was able to work quite well with Jiyu, despite the two of them literally never training together. And while this was technically training, they would be fighting with the Golem for real. The proposal received a nod of confirmation and a bark from the wolf as well. They would not back away from a challenge when it presented itself.

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Leaving some time for morning business, they all prepared themselves in their own way before heading out to the nearby meadow, all at different times. When Leila was done with her usual bath and equipped for actions, she would walk side by side with Melon to the battlefield. And of course, the Golem was already standing there, tall as ever. He faced them with his back as he gazed up into the distance. “Ready?” “I don’t think I’ll ever be really ready to fight someone I love, even if it is just training. But here I go!” Saying that the girl slammed her fist into the ground. But instead of creating a hole from the impact, the dirt and grass rose up as several roots awoke beneath the ground and started heading toward the target just beneath the Earth’s surface, like many slithering snakes ready to swallow their prey whole. Naturally, he recognized the attack right away. She had already used it on him when they got to this place. And just like then, several plates on his body would open up to reveal exhausts from which flames could escape. Surely he knew this, but his adopted daughter was not as dim-witted as to use the same attack twice like that. She observed carefully where the flames were coming out of last time. And so, when the vines and roots unearthed this time, they would coil around the man in a much different way.

Ensuring that they all avoided the spots from which he was able to produce flames, he became quickly restrained. Unsheathing her blade, this was the moment for Leila to attack, as she sprinted forward and took her aim. “I’m not making it this easy for you!” Resisting and focusing his strength into his mechanical body, he showcased the raw physical power of a machine by tearing all that was holding him into pieces just in time to use his hands to block the blade. At that very moment, he also noticed a smirk adorning Leila’s expression. They just talked about it - she was no longer alone in this fight. Melon was already digging her claws into the soft padding on the Golem’s back plates. Since he was not a regular opponent of flesh and blood, it became much more difficult for the poor cub to do any actual damage via attacks like this. But it still surprised the sentient machine, as he was assaulted from two different sides at once. But he did have means to defend himself still. His waist would suddenly start bending in an inhuman manner as his upper body started rotating, his hands forcing Leila’s blade to slide to the side. His body moved 180 degrees to shake the wolf off and then continued to finish the turn at 360 degrees, stopping the movement there. An unfair advantage of someone who had a body made out of metal.

He was easily able to twist and turn in ways that no human could, at least not if they wanted to keep their body in the unbroken state. But an action like that also gave the due a chance to continue moving. Moving as in running away, that is. The meadow was a very open space where they were at a great disadvantage against the Golem’s ability to transform into just about any kind of weapon. “Melon, to the skies!” On that simple command, the wolf cub would suddenly grow much larger to about the same size as your regular horse and even grew a pair of wings that looked like giant rose petals. Hopping onto her back, the due took to the skies before the Golem could do anything about it. Though he was not about to just let them escape. From his own back, a pair of metallic wings formed and allowed him to follow them. “There is a field of tall poppies in this direction. When I tap your back, return to your normal state and let us fall. We’ll hide in the sea of red.” Giving Melon her plan, they would quickly soar over the field she and the Golem saw just yesterday. And just like she said, she would tap the wolf’s back with her palm. In that instant, the wings disappeared and Melon returned to her normal, much smaller size. Only a few seconds of falling and they would both land among the many red flowers.

One would expect them to break something after a fall like that too. But the two of them were agile beings, rather than just a regular human and wolf. Just a few more seconds and they would also hear the Golem land among the many poppies himself. But unlike them, he did not bother tried to crouch down and hide his form. Not that it was even really possible due to his massive size. “Hiding so that you can attack me from a blind spot after a frontal assault failed. You adapt quickly. That is good.” In true battle, no tactic was truly cowardly. Some could see this as running away, but in reality, Leila was just doing something that would increase her odds of winning and surviving this encounter. Well, there was no real risk of death here. But if she was facing a true enemy, then that possibility could appear. And even honor was not more important that one’s own life. “Unfortunately, I plan to teach you how to deal even with a most desperate of situations!” His hand would suddenly start transforming and soon enough, it would be a heavy looking cannon that did not look pleasant for the due at all. Gesturing to Melon, they would break up again and try to surround the Golem as well. In the meantime, he lifted the cannon to the skies and suddenly fired it without seemingly even aiming.

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A small, round rocket flew into the skies before losing momentum and arcing back down. “A mortar?!” Realizing what they were facing her, she heard several more consecutive shots. They were not aimed, which meant that her Father wasn’t using his inner eyes just yet to find them in the field. Instead, he decided to use raw firepower to draw them out or hit them at random. Melon was quick enough on all four to move out of the way before the shot would fall onto her. But Leila had a slightly bigger problem while being crouched. Humans were kinda meant to move around while standing upright, not like this. But it seemed that luck was on her side, as every shot fired missed. Though one of them was dangerously close and managed to singe her outfit slightly. All the while, both her and Melon were moving closer to ambush the Golem. And as he raised his cannon hand to the air to fire again, they took their chance. Grabbing her now once again sheathed the sword, Leila would activate a system within the sheath that fired the sword like a bullet. Hitting the machine straight in the face, he was forced to stumble back as Melon made her attack. She used her magic in order to summon roots much more thick and powerful than the one's Leila displayer earlier, slamming them into the Golem’s back and forcing them around his limbs to restrain him.

Bolting out of the field of poppies, the girl grabbed her fired blade that reflected back from the Golem’s face before it would hit the ground and swiftly pointed it at his chest, roughly where a regular human would have their heart. “And that’s a checkmate I’d say. Fufu, you will never defeat my coward tactics!” Clearly in good spirits and having fun, Leila laughed and her father was set free by the wolf who emerged from the vast field of red petals as well. Looking at the both of them, it was pretty obvious that he was surprised even by the lack of facial features. “Certainly, it seems that you have managed to beat me today. I did not expect that weapon to have such a function, or to pack such a punch. Well done.” Praising the girl in front of him, he would place his mechanical hand on her head and ruffle her hair a little bit. “I think this concludes the training for today. You really have grown to be strong, even without most of your magic. I am truly proud.” “Shush, you. We’re not done yet, right? You still need to take it seriously~” Playfully turning around, Leila revealed that she knew he wasn’t using his full power yet. Until he would use his inner eye, Leila couldn’t consider her training complete. But as he said, they probably had enough for today. No need to strain their bodies.

Ending their day pretty much at the same place as yesterday, the three of them would head toward the shack again. But unlike the morning, they were together. Honestly, Leila did not believe she would best her father at all when this whole training trip started. But here she was, victorious. Even if he did not use all of his available weaponry and even if he did hold back, it was still a great achievement to the girl. It made her rather happy for the rest of the day, especially all the way back to their shack. They also managed to finish rather early today, giving her a lot of time to deal with the accommodations for Melon. The wolf showed rather suddenly in the morning, so there was no planned place for rest for her. Not that it would be a problem to have her sleep on the carpeted floor in the house itself. But not only that, Leila wanted to spend the rest of the day playing with her small companion while the Golem watched from afar, simply enjoying the presence of her adopted daughter being as happy as she could possibly be. These days were harsh for mages and she had gone through a lot. It was important for her to take this time to relax and enjoy herself. She would surely go on another adventure and face many more hardships after this too. And so the day quickly turned into night and then into the morning again.

The girl honestly expected to be feeling much more tired each day, especially after the fighting was done. But the truth was, yesterday’s combat went by much faster and easier than she would ever anticipate. As such, she didn’t even need to sleep in, able to get out of bed fairly early. Of course, the Golem was already out of bed even before her. In fact, she had quickly spotted him sitting at the table with a plate full of scrambled eggs. He wasn’t eating them, he didn’t have to. They were prepared there for her, something that quickly set her mood for the day as she hopped onto one of the wooden chairs and grabbed the spoon. “I am glad that this little trick still works, even now that you are so grown up.” Sticking out her tongue at him, she would just dig into her food, the smile not wavering. It was all just fair jests at the table here. And honestly, it felt like a long time since they were together like this. Yes, she repeated that line in her head all the time. But this time, she actually honestly meant it. While they would journey together from time to time, they would rarely spend a time like this together, just sitting and eating their food while talking about random topics. Well, at least Leila was eating. The Machias had a stomach, but did not need food to keep on going, just fuel.

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Melon, who was sleeping on the floor right next to Leila’s bed until now also joined. Surprisingly, the Golem had prepared something for her too, as he placed down a bowl of a meat mixture next to his chair and got rewarded with a happy bark. This was probably the only wolf in the world who would bark this much. “Food is one of those things that will make just about anyone happy, sir. You just learned how to exploit that to the fullest!” Joking around, she finished her fluffy breakfast rather fast and even licked her lips afterward, the salted taste still lingering on them a little bit. Now that she was done with her little meal, it was probably time to figure out what plans were meant to happen today, too. “So… another duel today? Or just a beautiful relaxation?” The Golem let out a sound akin to a chuckle as he heard it and looked directly at his adopted daughter. “I do have a little something planned for later today. But until then, you can go ahead and relax as much as you want, yes.” Well, that meant he still wanted to teach her something come the evening. Perhaps something related to yesterday, as she most definitely didn’t execute her plan perfectly. Despite winning, one always had the option to improve as long as they were actually willing to go through the hardships of training and practicing.

“And if you are still hungry after that, I have noticed that freshwater fish appear in the river by this shack. You could try to catch one.” With that little recommendation, Leila basically stormed out of the hut, leaving her father and wolf just confused by the nearly instant disappearance of her. The Sun was shining outside warmly, which allowed her to just jump into the water without any real worries. Not to mention she would do this a bit later anyway in order to clean her body for today. That said, perhaps she should have at least removed her clothes before jumping in, as her boots and such were indeed rather wet now. It was actually kinda weird that she never noticed any fish swimming in here the days before, as she used this place to bathe every day of the training trip. Perhaps it was just because of the fact that she grew to attuned to the nature around her that animals were now so natural as the air itself to her. Even with the primordial seal on her body, this aspect of magic was still present inside of her. Along with the very basic feats she already displayed, she was still part of nature itself to a degree. And feral animals were sometimes a better company that humans who could often harbor vile intentions. Not that she would avoid contact with humans, she adored them. But it was nice to have a change of pace like this every now and then.

In any case, she used what little magic was left in her body to slowly transform her fingers into something that resembled claws carved out of gray-colored wood. Now that she was doing this, she realized that her body by itself no longer had any corruption marks on it. This was most likely due to the seal as well, so perhaps there was no surprise. The corruption of Eden, it was something that she always lived with. Gray bark-like spots on her skin that were the result of her connection to all of Eden. While the Gardens were a beautiful place, there were spots in that world that became corrupted when humans tried to control the dimension and its power. No regular human like that actually visited the Gardens yet, but there were those who could use their magic to invade the land with their Ethernano and then try to enslave it. Their dark humanity was what made entire forests in Eden wither away, never to be restored. A place that became home to Lisette, Leila’s most dangerous celestial spirit. It was a horrid place in her own world, but she accepted it. And as such, the corruption appeared on her own body, making her all the more vulnerable to fire, as if she was a tree herself. Perhaps that weakness was gone now along with the marks. Though if she was to regain her magic, would those marks return to her?

Most likely, yes. But she was fine with that happening. After all, she had lived with them her whole life. At least her whole life as Leila Vergious. Not that she really remembered anything from the time when she was one with Aurora. Shaking her head, those thoughts of distant past quickly disappeared as Leila had to focus on the task at hand, else she would never be able to catch anything but the stones at the bottom of the river. With one swift swing, she colored her claws in the small amount of blood that escaped from the captured fish as she pierced its body with ease. Yes, she would never kill any of her opponents, but that applied only as long as they had sentience and ability to think for themselves. Constructs of magic or animals like this, destroying those was either the only option or plain cycle of life. The girl understood that full well and would not feel bad for hunting animals down in order to feed herself. That was just how things worked sometimes. But if it could be avoided at all, then she would show her more pacifistic side. Doing this couple more times, she would eventually get out of the water and lay down into the grass with her body stretched out fully. It felt rather nice to be embraced by the warm Sun, bathe in its glory and let it dry her wet clothes as well as her skin.

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And despite sunbathing like this from time to time, her skin was still so pale. She wasn’t exactly human, so her skin followed slightly different rules than one of the humans. She would not be tanned unless she specifically shape-shifted her body to be like that. Maybe one day. But for now, she took the fish she caught and moved it into the shack. Father was no longer there, as he had presumably left for the meadow again. Despite this place being technically abandoned, it actually still had a working magical stone, a device for cooking that could be fueled by nothing more than a little bit of ethernano in a similar way to vehicles that ran on magic alone. One did not even need to possess knowledge of fire magic to use it, as the transfer happened automatically within the construct. Melon was still around, but she was unsure of how the wolf would actually deal with a fish. Still, she would cook two of them and then plate them. Making sure to remove every single bone from them, she would put the meat on a plate for her companion and then her own on the table. Naturally, the cooking took up the entire noon and it was now afternoon, just a bit after the regular time for lunch. In that way, today seemed like a perfectly normal way so far for someone who lived some distance from your average civilization. Living like this was pretty fun by itself to the girl.

Taking a little nap after the hearty meal, the time quickly moved toward late afternoon and Leila was finally ready to go and do whatever her father had prepared for her. She had absolutely no idea, but she tried to mentally prepare herself for just about anything. Side by side with Melon, they would head out to the meadow once more. That place started to hold some form of symbolic meaning at this point. She was able to spot the mechanical man from quite the distance, too. Once again, he was sitting on the ground in complete peace, watching a little birdy that was hopping from one place to another in front of him. As a machine, he could become perfectly still for any amount of time required. And she had seen it many times during their travels many years back, him becoming so still in once place that animals would start taking him as something completely normal as if he was just another tree among many. It was actually kinda funny, thinking about it in that way. Not to mention how adorable it was. In any case, the bird flew right away once she approached and sat down right next to the Golem, easily letting him know that she had arrived. “Sometimes I wish I could do that as well. Become perfectly still and just let the time pass instead of getting bored out of my mind. Being a machine really does have some real benefits, huh?”

“Interesting to hear that from someone who always wanted to be human.” With a light sigh, the girl nodded. She desperately wished to become a regular human rather than some strange spirit from the Void. Of course, something like that was not possible, but she had come to accept that at this point. “You’re not wrong. So, what are we doing here?” “We will meditate.” It took a moment for that answer to sink in before Leila opened her mouth again. “Really? Just meditate? Nothing more… you know… muscle tearing?” “Nothing more.” With another sigh, the girl assumed a meditating position and closed her eyes. She knew that doing something like this was important as well, at least from time to time. A person’s mental state was often just as, if not more important than the status of their physical body. If the spirit wasn’t willing, then nothing would be. Not only that, it was much easier for one’s body to gather ethernano in a state like this. Since Leila’s connection to the Gardens of Eden was severed by the primordial seal, she had only very little magic left. The bit that was naturally occurring in her body without what she always borrowed from her world. As such, it clearly became important for her to saturate her remaining magic as much as she could in order to turn it powerful enough for it to be useful in combat.

That must have been the decision her father came to after their fight yesterday. She had to use her blade and companion in order to defeat him, rather than her magic. Well, she was perfectly willing to go through with this as an attempt to improve herself. It was nice to clear her head for once too. Far too often was she plagued by many different thoughts, both positive and negative. But only about two hours passed before the girl groaned and allowed her body to fall into the grass, staring up into the skies as they were slowly turning orange from the Sun falling beyond the horizon. “You were never one to sit still for long periods of time. Always overly active and running around.” “Hey, I’d like to think that I grew much calmer and collected! But you know me… always wanted to know and explore everything around me. Nothing happens when you just sit still.” Smiling, the girl turned her head toward her father who was looking back at her. They would laugh at it all, realizing that some things were just not for everyone. Still, it was a lovely time spent together. Since the Sun would soon fade away and darkness would cradle the world instead, they decided to head back. Waking up Melon who just lied down at the start and fell asleep, they all headed back together and ready to enter a new day.

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Waking up in the morning, the girl already felt somewhat unpleasant. According to their schedule, it was yet another day where she would face the golem. And while she was pretty confident in her abilities and this was nothing more than a friendly duel, she still felt little iffy about it all at her core. She might not have admitted it to herself until now and tried to put up a strong front. A single sight escaped from her as she stretched her body. There was a single moment of considering the option of just staying in bed all day long for once, but then she remembered her Father had an actual mortar in his arsenal. Something that made her jump out of the bed faster than anything else. Well, there was no point in stalling for time now. She would just embrace the fact that her body would ache some more and left the house for the meadow. Just like all the other days, it was quite warm outside with the Sun already shining bright and cheerful. Perhaps once she was done with all of this, she could take a little break from the mage work? Enjoy a peaceful moment where she could just lazy around, enjoy the pleasant weather and get her own things back together. But that was something she should decide about later when this whole trip was over. And considering what day it was, there actually wasn’t too long left before they would be going back.

In but few moments, she found herself standing in the beautiful meadow again, her Father already present and standing in the middle of it. Did he have a thing for looking intimidating…? But no matter, she already knew that he was a bit of a gentle giant unless someone were to force his hand. Or if he was training with his adopted daughter, apparently. Approaching him in a relaxed position, the girl gazed in his direction at the few clouds passing by.  “There you are. You took a bit longer today, was thinking about sending a mortar your way to hurry you up.” Did they have a similar sense of humor or did he actually mean it and she called it this morning? Either way, she nervously scratched the back of her head. “In any case, we have two fights left. Originally, I wanted to give you a little bit of a handicap. But after what you managed to demonstrate, I have decided that such thing is not needed. You really have grown quite strong, Leila. I am proud.” And now he was making her blush, the cold machine. The girl just sighed and shook her head. “Well, it wasn’t just me. Melon helped a lot. And I’d say he is an invaluable part of the team by now.”

Saying that she actually noticed in the corner of her vision that said green wolf was slowly creeping up behind her. Melon was still sleeping by her bed when the girl left the shack, so she left her companion be. Clearly, the pup woke up and tracked her owner here with no problem. Crouching down, she would allow the friendly creature to run into her and essentially hug her with plenty of face licking. “You are not wrong. Being able to care for yourself with your own abilities is very important. But being able to work in a team with someone is also very important. Especially for someone like you, a summoner. Once you properly regain all your powers, that aspect will become essential for you.” The girl nodded with a smile on her face as she stood up again after petting her wolf once more. “Spirits of Eden are a bit different. We understand each other as if we spent a lifetime together, even if that’s not the case.” A moment of silence ensued. It was obvious that Leila’s situation was a bit complicated right now, as she was closed off from what she could consider her true family. Yes, the Nameless Golem was taking care of her and adopted her all those years ago. But those in Eden was quite literally sharing blood with the girl, as they were created by Aurora, Leila’s other half. They would both shake away the unpleasant feeling for now though. They were here for something completely different, after all.

Assuming their individual fighting stances, the two stared at each other for a bit. Even if this was just a friendly training, they were taking it seriously. Well… seriously to a point of a fair duel rather than battle to death anyway. But it was still a proper training fight. Breath in, breath out. Clearing out their minds and calming down their bodies. To be rational during battle, it was what all proper warriors had to know. To not let emotions take control of them. In the past, Leila faced many difficult and even desperate situations. And she learned to face them with a smile on her face and a calm mind. And so she would hold her head high now, smiling brightly at the Golem facing her. And it seemed as if it almost threw him off, a small reaction in his body. Funny, considering it was him who managed to teach her to be like this. Or perhaps it was the constant progress she was showing him, the number of things she managed to learn and acquire during his ‘Death’. Pride - it was something every single parent wanted to feel. Even if their child was not their own but adopted. It was a feeling Leila wished to experience once herself. But there was plenty of time for that. For now, she would focus on the matter at hand. The combat was about to commence. The Golem already started taking steps forward slowly and carefully to close the distance between them.

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Not that it did him any good. Leila took charge quickly, determined to take advantage of the fact he hesitated, even if it was for a fraction of second. With few quick leaps, she was already standing right in front of him! And her hands were slowly transforming, covered in a bark-like gray layer. Despite being in a not very good situation magic-wise, she was still able to use at least some of it. And even that little bit could be useful. After all, it was all she had when she started her career as a mage. Those times taught her how to get by with bare minimum, as she pulled through many dangerous situations with nothing but these claw hands. Her eyes had a fire-y spark in them, look of a predator displayed! Yet another thing that surprised the Golem, the difference actual confidence could bring. Before he was able to get out of the way, the sharp claws ran through his side, digging deep into his plating. If not for this armor, her hand would have probably gone straight through him. Damaged, he stumbled back and tried to swipe at her with his own hand that extended several blades on its surface as well. And his attack did connect, but not quite with her body. Even her other hand was now covered with that bark-like layer, thick and serving like a small piece of armor able to stop his not all too powerful attack.

Not only did she do this to stop his attack, it also allowed her to stay close despite being on the receiving end. And that, in turn, allowed her to quickly strike again, her claw-like fingers now trying dig into the Golem’s leg. An attack meant to temporarily cripple him, limit his movements and thus give an extreme advantage to her. It was a moment where he realized that he was actually losing, and rather swiftly. Scolding himself internally for not being careful enough despite coming across as a strict teacher, he at least finally got the grasp of her speed, managing to block a third attack coming from the girl. A moment that allowed him to leap back and create some distance that he tried to erase at the start of the fight. “Dear me… if this continues, the student will soon surpass her teacher. Have you perhaps been slacking the last few pieces of training and not showing what you can really do?” Hearing those words, Leila relaxed her stance a little bit while still maintaining it in order to deflect or escape any possible incoming attacks. “I wasn’t slacking at all. Your style changed a little bit, so I had to observe it and prepare myself. I’ve decided a long time ago that I just cannot afford to lose anymore. So here I am, ready to win! Because I’ve grown strong enough to protect my friends and follow my ideals!”

When the Nameless Golem died, Leila was suddenly all alone in the world she had not quite known. Fiore was a new nation she had not quite visited before and yet, there she was. Without any guardian or guide, simply expected to feed herself and continue on living. It was harsh, but she had no other choice but to manage. And after she experienced loss, she quickly grew tired of being weak. And as such, she did her very best to grow strong and be able to live freely. And while she did not have that many true friends, she still wished to protect that little handful of individuals that were quite close to her. People that she opened her heart to. “I am glad that you are taking this seriously.” Suddenly, the Golem would narrow his tall body. The damaged pates and wiring beneath them would suddenly start slowly self-repairing. Since when did have a function like that?! Despite being proud of his daughter, he didn’t want to lose either. Once a teacher was surpassed by their student, they would become more or less useless in a world like this. And, well… he didn’t want to end up like that. Not in the eyes of the girl he cared for all this time. Perhaps such thoughts were simply stupid, as the girl will always love her father. But perhaps such fear slept in everyone, that paranoid idea of “what if”. The unlikely possibility of being forgotten and thrown away.

“Stop spacing out and pay attention!” Shouting that, Leila was already sprinting forward again, her body right in front of the Golem already. Before he could react, she would shoulder tackle him and force him to the ground. Standing above his big frame, she would look rather serious. “That’s what you always told me when I stopped paying attention. People would probably say that machines can’t possibly show any emotions. But I’ve watched you for a long time and I learned that the opposite is the truth! I won’t abandon you, silly…” Suddenly, that expression grew much softer and gentle. She already knew what he was thinking, or at least had a pretty good idea. The two of them were family. They have been for a long time. So of course they knew one another very well. “We all feel uncertain about things, I know that much from my own experience. I have questioned my friendship with people so many times already… but they never betrayed it as I thought they would. I think it’s normal to be worried about things… but I can promise you that I will never abandon you! Never ever! Because you already left once and it was the loneliest time in my life and I don’t want to feel like that ever again if I can help it! So… please, don’t think that I would ever leave you behind, okay? Because I absolutely won’t.”

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Silence. It could very rarely be described as loud. But right now, it seemed to be one of those moments. Both of them remained silent as faint hints of tears appeared in Leila’s eyes, the Golem remaining motionless on the ground, probably completely baffled by the speech the girl just gave him. What exactly was this whole training camp about? Leila Vergious was one of the mighty Wizard Saints, top ten mages in the world! She had her shortcomings, yes… but she hardly required this sort of basic training. No, this whole trip was about something completely different. It was not about their strength, but their ability to face one another in the first place. It was a fight of wits, but also a fight of emotions. Two determinations clashing against one another and refusing to give in. That was the whole purpose of this place, of these seven days! Clenching her fists, the girl would dash forward again. And the Golem reacted with small jets appearing at the bottom of his feet, allowing him to dash back and get right into standing position again. Throwing fists at each other, their attacks would clash and a small wave of air would make the flowers around them dance. And without any word, they would jump away from one another, creating distance again as they kept on staring at the other person. For Leila, this was about proving that her journey was a fruitful one. And for the Golem, it was proving that he could still be of use in this world.

A young girl that has achieved her dreams and had to prove it against an old fool that had to show he was more than just a pile of rusted metal. But to who? So who did they have to prove all this to? To the other person standing right in front of them? Or was it that they had to prove it to themselves…? Almost at the very same time, they would lower their hands, their tense stances becoming more relax, or rather, tired. There was no need to prove anything in the first place, was there? No, of course, there wasn’t. What they were doing, it was by no means necessary. All they had to do was accept themselves and what they accomplished, what they went through. And look forward to the future that would hold oh so much more for them yet. The horizon was far, infinitely tall and almost unbearable to witness. And yet, there was a bright star shining down on them above it, begging them to try and conquer what they might think impossible. It was quite funny, really. So many differences between these two. And yet, they ended up in the same situation. Like the teacher, so the student. Once more would the girl start sprinting forward. But not like before. There was no malice in her movement. No, she would instead leap into an embrace, her hands wrapping around the metallic body tightly.

And in return, he would place his hand onto her head, ruffling through her hair. Even after all this time, they were the same. Father and daughter, mentor and student. They were family. They were allies. They were so much more… a bond that could never be severed, as they both proved by overcoming death itself and coming back to greet each other once more. Why were they worried about anything at all in the first place? It was so silly… they didn’t have to fear anything. For they would have each other always. They would protect each other and make up for each other’s flaws and weaknesses. That’s how it always was for the past 20 or so years. Has it really been that long since the Golem found Leila beneath that withered tree in the middle of Stella. Ever since then, his life changed completely. And he allowed the girl to live a free and fulfilling life. In the end, they ended up coming back to the cabin together, holden hands in a firm and familiar motion. It was like a dream… all of it was. Quite funny, wasn’t it. They came here to fight and train their physical forms but ended up maturing mentally, even if just a tiny bit. But it was a step in the right direction, for the both of them. A step toward the realization of their roles in this world. And a look back to what they managed to leave behind as they journey on. And so the fifth day came to an end, as the ultimate conclusion drew closer and closer.

Leila opened her eyes slowly as she felt the warmth on her skin, light shining through the window and warming up her sheets that she lied beneath. A single yawn would manage to escape from her body as she carefully seated herself on the edge of the bed and stretched her body to a melody of few crackles inside of her. Her eyes were quickly drawn to the nearby table that was already set for dining. Though there was no actual food present yet. Not for long, however. The main door opened wide soon enough as the Golem marched in with to plates of what appeared to be sushi. The girl wasn’t quite sure if that was something she should be having for her breakfast, but it was better than starving herself. “Morning~” She would exclaim and playfully jump out of the bed, having her feet land firmly on the ground before taking a seat by the table. “Good morning. It would appear that you have slept well, that is good. Rest is yet another thing that is absolutely necessary for proper training, as well as a healthy lifestyle.” Taking but a single bite of her meal as she listened, the girl perked up slightly and turned her gaze toward the sentient machine with her eyes focused directly at him as she smiled.

Word Count: 14,045 / 17,000
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“Are we still training even after what happened yesterday?” Silence. The Golem did not quite know how to respond it seemed his motionless body at that very moment almost making Leila worried that he broke down or something. But after few seconds passed, he would let out a sound akin to a sigh as he sat down right across his daughter. “I suppose there really is not much of a reason for that, is there? I… I am sorry, Leila. This trip, it was not meant to evolve into such a sour experience for you. I have not done well making your time here enjoyable…” his hands were resting on the table as he slowly tightens them in fists. But that tension soon released, his hand relaxed the moment Leila would put her own right on them. Should hold his mechanical palms firmly and continue smiling. “You have done very well in making this a very pleasant experience for me. And don’t think for a moment that I’m lying just to make you feel better, ‘cause I don’t do something like that! Ask anyone who knows me better than not at all~.” While her words had that slight playful tone to them, they were also serious and strong as the girl stood by her point. As far as she was concerned, the Golem has done a wonderful job here. And so did she. And Melon as well, couldn’t leave out the adorable wolf pup that was currently rubbing herself against her owner’s legs and yawning a bit herself.

“If I were to say something, then I believe the training was a success. We both learned something about ourselves. And we discovered the fact that we apparently didn’t change one bit.” She would grin and take another bite of her breakfast. Why was it so that she often looked back at how she was when she started working as a mage in Fiore? In her own head, she justified it as wanting to go back to those simple times, when she was just running around and signing up for new experimental iLac testing or helping recover lost puppies that were scattered all across Magnolia. But the truth of the matter was - she could return there any day. She now wielded power and was often expected to take on very dangerous and important missions, that was true. But she could also very easily take a break from that and walk around the cities and villages, helping the simple folk with their simple problems. Heck, she was having such a break right now. But instead of helping others, she used to have some quality family time. And something like that was not bad either, not in the least. All of these things were important to do every now and then. For Leila, it was to remind herself where she started and that there are all kinds of people with all kinds of problems, not just the earth-shattering ones.

It was quite funny, her whole journey. Running away from her father that was with her now, illegally getting into Fiore and then starting her career as a mage only to help with those extremely simple of tasks. All of that so that she could slowly deepen her connection with Eden and gain more magical power, only so that she could be able to explore old ruins and tombs in order to find treasures to sell. Over time, her love for money hoarding slowly disappeared it seemed. But back then, it brought her to all kinds of places, including the Phoenix mountains where she had met Elyx for the very first time. Instead of tossing her rough out of his guild’s territory, he invited her further in and showed her their treasure. Seeing all of those shiny jewels, she was convinced to join Golden Phoenix in a heartbeat. And so the Wandering mage became associated with a legal guild. And she always did her best when representing it. She would never tarnish the name of the treasure-hunting guild she grew to love and see as a second family. Perhaps it was that sort of lifestyle that actually made riches being all over the place seem like a common thing. Who really knows, perhaps that gold digging trait will come back one of these days now. All of that was part of who Leila was and who she will grow up to be still.

“Normally I would say that it is quite rare to see a smile like. But you have already proved to be plenty capable of giving it to others at any moment.” Her father’s words would quickly tear her out of the fantasy of her past, no matter how warm and pleasant it seemed. And indeed, she was grinning from one ear to the other. “I was thinking about everything that has happened up until now. Looking back at it all now, it really has been quite the journey. One that I hoped for but certainly didn’t expect when I first came to Fiore. It also makes me wonder how much more there will be in the future~.” The Golem kept looking at her for a while before he shifted his gaze toward the nearby open window, a beautiful golden light spilling into the room through it. “I… know the feeling. I thought that my story was already over. I have reached my designated age and ceased to function. My role has been fulfilled and the Maker no longer had any use for me. And yet, I am still here, for the Maker was kind and gave me another chance. This time, without a limed time. I still do not know what to make of it.” “My life was meant to be over as well when I sacrificed myself for someone else. But a Miracle demon brought me back, too. Guess it runs in the family~.”

Word Count: 15,029 / 17,000
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They both laughed at the similarities in their stories and the luck they had to be allowed to continue living on. They were people in this world, not just characters in some already pre-written story. Living and breathing, they chose their own path that would lead to new and exciting discoveries and experiences. And because of this, there was no definite end in sight. Anything could happen at any moment of any day. But they were taking that risk and moving forward with everything they had. That was simply their way of living and moving on. And honestly, it was moments like these that gave them enough of a reason to continue on and look forward to another grand moment in their lives. Another memory they would treasure till the rest of their days. It was almost poetic, really. Chewing through the last of their breakfast, they were finally ready to begin the day. Though, it went quite different this time. After all, there was truly no more reason for them to continue with the training routine. At least, in the same way, they have been doing it until now. If anything, their last battle was enough of a proof that Leila truly did mature and grow strong enough to surpass her old teacher if she had all of her magic available. Something that made the Nameless Golem more proud than anything in the end, even though he didn’t like feeling like the weaker one.

But Leila went ahead and got at least a little bit of training in during the day regardless. Plenty of experienced backed away her claim that at least that much was necessary to keep one’s body in an always ready state, something that was rather important for a mage. Since the Golem had very little to do himself, he happily tagged along and watched his daughter’s routine. It was an impressive thing to watch, as he himself never actually got too close to anyone in this specific profession. He met plenty of magic user along the path when he traveled the world, but not once tried to look into their lives. And as many would suspect, he himself was not a mage either, despite using some ethernano technology from time to time. No, he was just a simple Machias who relied on advanced technology and classical combat. Spending time together, the day managed to pass by rather quickly as the trio, expanded by Melon who also join, later on, enjoyed their next to last day in this tiny paradise of theirs, surrounded by the thick forests. Tomorrow would be their last day here and the end of this adventure. A thought that weighed strangely heavy on the girl’s mind as she went to bed and finally succumbed to sleep.

A wet and heavy sensation was what woke Leila up on the last day of this week. That statement alone sounded rather strange, at least until she finally opened her eyes and noticed melon standing on her body and licking her face with delight in those pink eyes. The pup was awfully clingy and playful this morning, something that actually caused a laughter to be spilled into the small interior of the hut. The Golem was nearby, sitting on an old wooden chair basically right next to his daughter’s bed. It took a moment for the silver-haired girl to get up as she rubbed her face with a still half-asleep expression. “What’s up with that position. Awfully close to my bed… don’t tell me you were watching my sleeping face…!” Finally getting out of her daze, she would grab a hold of Melon and squeeze the wolf-like a plushy while watching her father intently. Though he simply laughed again before shaking his head. “I will leave watching your sleeping face to whoever will capture your heart one day. No, I simply wished to stay close to my daughter before I stop seeing her for a while again.” The words he said, Leila couldn’t quite process for some reason. At least for the first few seconds before her brain finally heated up enough to start working again. And, suffice to say, her expression twisted as she grasped the meaning behind his words. Not exactly something she wanted to hear the moment she woke up into this beautiful and peaceful day they were meant to enjoy together.

“You’re… leaving?” He just nodded as he got up from the chair and walked around the room toward one of the open windows. “I wish to see the world again. It has been a bit since I traveled to the farthest reaches of Earthland. And at least a year since I left the borders of this nation, considering the date of my alleged demise. Things have surely changed.” It was something Leila could not disagree with, despite truly wishing that she could. But in the end, they were both wanderers that had a goal of seeing all of this world. The two of them went through every single country there is before Leila reached adulthood and decided to stay in Fiore in an attempt to become a famous mage. But the Golem had no such desire or goal. He was one without a true home, as the path was where he lived, where his cold mechanical heart was. She could not stop him. “I am glad that we got to spend this time together, Leila. And, well… this is no goodbye, is it? We will see each other again. I will make sure to send you letters regularly. And you don’t have to be afraid for me either. I will be taking Megumi with me, since she wants to visit other countries for the sake of her slime research as well.” Honestly, the girl could not help but chuckle after that last sentence.

Word Count: 16,001 / 17,000
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“You’re taking that girl with you willingly perhaps I’ve hit you little too hard during one of our previous sparring matches?” A statement that was followed by laughter from the both of them and then replaced by silence as Leila moved to where the Golem stood. “I’m glad we got to spend time together as well. When you returned back from the dead, it truly was like a dream to me. A wish fulfilled. I got to show you the fruits of my journey and the reputation I have managed to gather. And right now, I could not be happier. It will be lonely without you around every day, but… I have Melon to take care of me! And plenty of other friends that I met along the way as well!” He would turn toward the girl and nod as he placed one of his hands on the top of her head gently. “I know. And I could not be any more proud than I am right now. To see my daughter grow up to be such a fine woman, mage and someone who reached out to so many hearts, gathered so many friends… I was reluctant when your magic showed up for the first time. I wanted to stop you from pursuing your dreams. Now I can very clearly see that it was wrong of me to be like that. I am so glad you remained strong and followed your dreams, Leila.”

Her ruffled her hair for the last time in a long while. After the exchange, they would quietly sit down and enjoy their last meal in this place, yet another fish freshly caught from the river nearby. Knowing what will follow, the moment was supposed to be sad and heavy. But it somehow felt rather mellow instead. After all this time, they both knew where they belonged in this world. And they both wished to continue on their paths. It meant separation, yes. But just like the Golem said to her, they would see each other again in the future. Saying goodbye was still hard, as it slightly reminded Leila of the moment she ran away from her father to become a mage, only to learn he had passed away shortly after. She hated herself so much for having the last memory of them together be a heated argument about such a stupid topic. But this really was different to them. Because neither of them was going to die! They promised each other to make things right this time around. To properly use this second chance that was given to them from the benevolence of all gods combined. And precisely because of that, they were not sad, nor angry and how things ended up. No, they were proud at each other. Before they knew it, the day was drawing to an abrupt end, the sun dying the skies in crimson colors as all three of them stood at the center of the meadow they were oh so familiar with now.

The nearby shack was completely empty by now, devoid of anything that they had brought with them. Perhaps it will serve to someone else in the future just as much as it served them on this little week-long adventure. The Golem’s silhouette was no longer imposing and menacing to Leila, even as it appeared mostly black due to the Sun being behind the Machias. Most of his body was hidden beneath the very familiar military brown cloak and all essentials packed neatly in the bag on his back. He was ready to leave for his adventure. And the last thing he wanted to do was a bow to his daughter as a farewell for now. “Take care of yourself, old man. I’ll catch up with you one day!” “I will be counting on it then. Go and pursue your dreams to the very end, Leila. I shall watch your progress from distance.” “We will see” “each other again.” And so, their farewells were said. Even Melon barked few times as the Golem turned around and started walking in the opposite direction to Leila. When exactly would they see each other again? They had absolutely no idea. But they were drawn toward one another too much to not meet again. After all, they were a parent and a child, teacher and their student. Their bond could never be broken.

Leila too was now free to go. She had taken a whole week off to be here without anyone really knowing. The magic council was probably wondering where did their trusty Saint run off to by now. The thought made the silver-haired maiden smile warmly as she closed her eyes for a moment, opening then again seconds later and looking up at the beautifully colored skies. “Thank you for everything, father.” For finding me in Stella, where everyone thought me to be a cursed child that should be disposed of. For taking me with you on the greatest adventure this world could offer. For always wanting only the best for me, regardless of the situation. For coming back and allowing me to show you that I managed to at least partially reach my goals and dreams. For being who you are. She would never forget everything that he has done for her, no matter how much time passed. Crouching down, she would pet and rub the green wolf’s head and let it know that it was time for them to move as well. Back toward Fiore, where she belonged now. The nation where she truly became a mage and swore to protect people from everything that could do them harm. The place where she met most of her friends and where she could have tons more adventure she could then tell her father about, once they meet again.

Months later, news started spreading through several nations, mentioning a certain titan-like Golem traveling along with a mischievous witch that researched slime, for some unknown reason. In order to earn their stay in inns, as well as meals to eat, they would eliminate different threats and help people with their problems. Some people were slightly distressed by this odd couple moving about freely and unwatched by some higher powers, while others praised them for their heroic acts, as well as unusual appearances and interests. In the end, it just seemed that the Golem was unable to deny his true nature. He was originally made to wander through the land and record its entire history. Despite being freed from that duty now, he still had the urge to walk places, even if there was nothing interesting waiting for him there. And perhaps, that was the true soul of a wanderer that Leila inherited from him during those many years they have spent together. Only one thing was for certain - the Saint of Eden was not far behind. And she planned to surprise her father, as well as his slime-covered companion with all of her new accomplishments and powers!

Word Count: 17,168 / 17,000
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