Chapter 108 - 106: Typhania
Going back in time a little, when Leena left with Gracier, they went on the second floor and entered Leena's room.
After sitting on her bed, Leena motioned Gracier to do the same thing and she did it.
Leena studied Gracier's expression for a moment before asking,
''Little Cier, won't you consider withdrawing from taking part in tomorrow's rank-up test?"
''No, I must participate Leena. I needed to.'' Gracier instantly rejected Leena's option.
Sighing as she had expected Gracier's refusal,
Leena asked, ''You said you need to participate, why so?"
''It's to be able to move on. I must say goodbye to my previous life. So, I must return and help to recapture the village by killing the monsters responsible for the village demise, by doing this those who died will be appeased and I will be repaying one part of the debt I owe them.''
''What is the other part then?" Leena asked curiously.
Smiling Gracier responded, ''It's to live a great life, a life where they will be proud of it from the other side. A life worthy of their sacrifice.''
Leena smiled in turn before announcing, ''I guess they will be proud of the current you. I have a gift for you.''
Hearing Leena's words, Gracier's eyes shined.
''What kind of gift?" She asked curiously.
Smiling because of how active Gracier had become when she heard the word gift, Leena brought out a package from her storage ring then presented it to Gracier.
''Here take it. It's my gift.''
Taking a deep breath, Gracier took the package before slowly unwrapping it. She instantly overjoyed when she saw what was inside the package, it was a white robe, a shawl, two belts, a waist bag, and shoes accompanying it. It looks like Women's Dress for Final Fantasy XIV White Mage Cosplay.
''Thank you, Leena. I'll cherish it.'' Gracier said.
''No need just stay alive. It's all matter. By the way, the materials used are the same ones used to make your big brother gear.'' Leena explained.
Gracier became happy hearing this, this means she can survive a direct hit from a weak A rank monster.
Noticing Gracier's happiness, Leena chuckled before adding,
''Pour a little bit of magic in the dress and you'll see something interesting.''
Gracier did as she was told and instantly the white mage robe (mixed with red) turned black and red.
''Eh?" Gracier said surprised.
Chuckling Leena explained, ''It was designed to switch color for a specific purpose. White in the day and black at night, perfect for a night mission.''
''Waouh! That's incredible. Thank you.'' Gracier said before embracing Leena, the latter smiled while stroking her hair.
''Ah! I forget to tell you, look in the waist bag you'll see something interesting.'' Leena said still being embraced by Gracier.
Nodding, her head she separated herself from Leena and checked the waist bag, inside it she saw an eye patch, a black eye patch.
Taking it out she looked at Leena questioningly, she already had a lot of these things, she was currently wearing a black eye patch over her left eye. So, she didn't understand why Leena would give her another one.
''I know what you were thinking, however, this eye patch is different, if you pour your magic into it as you did with the dress, it will change color, three times to be exact, black, red, and white. You select which color you want.''
To Leena's explanation, Gracier instantly poured a little bit of her magic into the black eye patch and wished for its color to switch to white, and indeed it does, then she switched to red then black before stopping.
''Perfect,'' Gracier mumbled. She was grateful for Leena not asking why she always wore an eye patch. She was not ready to share why with anybody yet, except for her brother knowing (because he was the reason because it happened) nobody else knows, even when sleeping with Lea when Alex was absent, she always wears her eye patch to sleep.
''Leena it's because I'm half-elf that I can't use Spirit Magic?" Gracier suddenly asked as she remembered that Elf girl, Meera Leaf's magic.
''No, it's because you possess a Gift. You should know that not all Elves can use Spirit Magic, some can use simple Wind magic because they can't hear spirit, while does who have Gift can't use it. Well, there was an exception in the past though.'' Leena explained.
''Oh? I'm interested in the exception who could use Spirit Magic and possess a Gift at the same time.'' Gracier asked eyes shining in curiosity.
Leena gave a helpless smile before giving Gracier, a summary of the exception story.
「 Once upon a time, there was a little girl born in the Elf empire, at the age of 5 five she could already communicate with the Spirits and use some of them. It was at that moment people became aware of how talented she was.
They started to nurture the little girl. Ten years went by, the little girl had grown into an extremely beautiful young lady, the most beautiful of the race, at the age of 15 she could control five different types of spirits, (Spirit of Earth, Spirit of Water, Spirit of Wind, Spirit of Fire and Spirit of Lightning.)
The Elves was happy, the girl was a genius, none of her peers could win against her in a fight, not even those who had Gift, God's benediction it how Elves call it.
The young lady continued to remain unmatched until suddenly one day something unexpected happened that send the whole race into an uproar.
On her twentieth birthday, the young lady now a young woman lost consciousness and when she wakes up she summoned a white rapier, the world rumbled as if to celebrate the birth of a powerful Gift.
Too shocked to comprehend the absurdness happening in front of them, the Emperor, the elders' council checked the rapier, again and again, they only end up with one conclusion which was it's a Gift, her summoned rapier was, without doubt, a Gift.
Normally, it was impossible for someone using Spirit Magic to also possess a Gift, it never happened before, the young woman became an exception.
She was the strongest with only Spirit Magic and what would happen now that she also possesses Gift?
She became a monster among monsters, she was unmatched in the whole empire, she became one of the strongest in the world.
She saved the whole race several times against outside threats, because of her presence, others did not dare to have design on the Elve's continent.
Later she became the Empress, leading her race to prosperity.
Her name was Typhania, she was one of the Goddesses, she was the Goddess of Elves.」
Gracier was mesmerized by the story, her eyes couldn't help but shine imagining Typhania's Life, her adventures, she wants to be like her, to have her name known worldwide.
''What happened afterward? Where is she now?" Gracier couldn't help but wanted to know what had become of Typhania.
Sighing heavily Leena responded, ''She disappeared 200 years ago?"
''What? Where and why?" Gracier asked.
''Nobody knows where she wants. Some say she disappeared to find a way to save her race and more importantly the world.''
''And do not ask me to save her race, the world against what. I don't know.'' Leena added.
Gracier immediately swallows her previous question, she was aware that Leena knows the reason however she didn't want to tell her, as for why only she could answer that.
Also, Gracier noticed something, when speaking earlier Leena seemed melancholic, almost as if she knew this person, shaking her head Gracier decided not to think about it. If her assumption was right or wrong, the future will prove it.
''I want to be like her, I want the whole world to learn about me, the Fire Empress, the one that governs fire. And they will learn about me I'll make sure of it.'' Gracier suddenly declared, eyes filled with unbreakable determination.
Leena was surprised by the aura Gracier was currently radiating, it was a majestic aura, an aura of a Supreme being, for a moment she had the feeling that she saw a gigantic red dragon appeared behind Gracier and haughtily looked down on her as if to tell her Gracier's declaration wasn't a joke, she said, she can and she will.
'Amazing.' she mumbled under her breath before locking eyes with Gracier and says, ''It's good but you will need to work hard in the order to accomplish that goal. First of all, you must survive this rank-up test, pay the first part of your debt and we can speak later.''
Gracier cooled down before nodding her head, the two continued to chat while Alex was on the first floor waiting for their arrival, meanwhile, he was having a chat with Silveria.