Leiya, albeit with a struggle, had bested all the monsters. Similarly to Xerxes, she grabbed a soul shard and absorbed it, gaining the abilities Xerxes had also gained from absorbing the soul shard.
Leiya panted as she took in deep breaths to try and regain some stamina. She turned towards Xerxes and waited for his opinion.
Xerxes acknowledged the fact that she was waiting, but he had to consider whether it was right to tell Leiya. Was it right to tell Leiya that she couldn't use her mana properly after getting back on her feet, or was it not?
The question troubled him, but he knew that telling her now would allow her to be more advantageous in the upcoming tournament, and if she were to face a loss, at least she would know that this was the cause.
Xerxes decided to speak softly, "Leiya, I don't doubt your conviction, you fought excellently, but there's one thing I've noticed."
Leiya cocked her head to the side, "What is that?"
"You see, when you go to release mana, I think something is happening at your mana point, where you actually release it. What I'm getting at is that, within you, I sensed the force of a tier 5 mage, but the release was barely tier 5."
Xerxes went on to further explain, "I don't want you to feel upset about that as well. I think I had that problem in the past too, but not to this degree—it was the lack of confidence I had, but maybe it's something else for you. Can you perhaps think of what it may be?"
Leiya understood Xerxes wasn't trying to patronise her, so she explained, though her voice sounded reluctant. "Ever since Yves came, I think I've noticed it too. When I did everything I could to stop him, all my power... it wasn't enough. He laughed at it, even."
She paused, as it became harder for her to admit it to herself, "Now I... I don't believe I'm, I don't know, good enough. I just don't think I'm good enough."
Her face contorted with a few emotions, but the one most clear to Xerxes was shame. "So you're ashamed of your powerlessness in that moment, Leiya? When everything counted and it still wasn't enough?"
She couldn't help but slouch her shoulders, her face glued to the ground, not even trying to make eye contact as she admitted it, "Yes..."
Xerxes began to walk to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Leiya, I know right now you might feel powerless, and it's okay. It's okay to feel stuck, to feel like the weight of the past is holding you down, but the truth is, we can't keep clinging to what's already happened. The past does not define you; you define what can come next."
"Remember what I told you? This is about the future, the only one we all have a chance to create. But here's the thing: that future isn't just going to happen on its own. You have to step into it with confidence, with a fire within you, that you hold the pen, that you write your own destiny. So don't hold back, because the destiny we want is in our grasp as long as we're bold enough to claim it."
With more vigour in her eyes, she nodded her head, "You're absolutely right, Xerxes. I'll need to work hard as well, so if you don't mind, can we start training as much as we can, and can you help me overcome that?"
Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Of course I can. After all, we've never got to spar properly, and I'm confident I can kick your ass," Xerxes said teasingly.
Leiya punched Xerxes in the gut, and as he hunched over, holding his stomach, she said, "We'll see tomorrow."
***
And for the next few weeks, Xerxes and Leiya began training intensely, whilst building up money from the tavern. Over this time, Leiya was slowly breaking out of her shell, and she was gaining more strength, though her problem was still prominent.
Xerxes and Leiya sparred many times, and it was clear that Xerxes was now stronger than Leiya—so strong that the boy who was once a defenceless and weak mage with an aspiration of getting stronger was, in fact, reaching the higher peaks of being a tier 5 mage, with expectations of soon reaching the 4th tier in fire.
His secondary element of wind was still a mystery, firstly, in how he exactly obtained it. Though it was likely evident that the man within his soul core had some involvement, it wasn't clear. But with the stepping stones and guidelines in how to ascend from the 6th to the 5th tier, his wind was soon breaking forward into the 5th tier as well.
His and Leiya's spell quantity and mana capacity were increasing significantly. Leiya's physical combat was becoming more advanced, and Xerxes' sword skills.
Although swordsmanship was his strong suit, without someone to look towards anymore, he found it difficult to develop in his basic sword style as well as the enigmatic 'Ezurewrath' style.
Whilst those were some benefits, not all things could go smoothly. For example, over this time, with less than a week till the tournament, Thorfum still hadn't shown himself. Was it the recovery he needed from being injured, or something else?
Xerxes didn't exactly know, and without being able to synergise properly and understand everyone's ability, Xerxes was growing ever more tense. He blamed himself for trusting Thorfum so easily, and with the issue of not having a fourth member, Leiya and Xerxes were inclined to spend this time searching for a party, sadly having to leave Thorfum behind.
Whilst walking through the town with many worries in their mind, Leiya asked Xerxes a very compelling question, "Could it be that Thorfum was sent by another person entering the tournament, so that they could prevent us from having the time to form a party?"
Xerxes and Airi thought on it, frowning. "I don't want to believe that Thorfum has blindsided us. I remember how he spoke of his dream, how passionate he was—I doubt someone could lie as easily as that... could they?"
Slipping an arm around Leiya's shoulder and Xerxes' shoulder, placing his head in the middle of both of them, a man adorned in a professional three-piece suit, covered with a trench coat and a top hat—a man whose presence was almost invisible—spoke, as if he had heard every word of the conversation, "I don't think he is, Xerxes."
Instantly jumping around, Xerxes and Leiya both raised their mana, ready for combat, as they were both spooked by this man who had absolutely no presence.
Looking at him, he was roughly in his 30s, his entire body as if wreathed in shadows under the dark night—but it was simply his attire, being dressed in complete black. Whether it be the suit he was wearing, the trench coat, or the leather gloves, everything was there.
His face was quite chiselled, and it was clear, judging by the frame he had, that he was likely an experienced and seasoned fighter. His hair was all covered within the hat he was wearing, only letting a few strands loose.
Xerxes immediately asked, "And who are you?"
Placing his hand out, being very animated in his action, "You see, Xerxes, I am simply a man who loves information—whether it be gaining it or giving it. I believe Thorfum told you the same thing, didn't he?"
Thinking back on his first conversation with Thorfum, he mentioned that there was a man who 'you didn't seek, but they would find you', and if Xerxes remembered correctly, his name was "Orpheus."
The man whom Xerxes referred to as 'Orpheus' then began clapping his hands, "Right on the money. So you do know me, and I know you, so no need to raise your magic—you as well, Leiya. We are all familiar. Aren't we?"
Leiya, still with her fist raised, said, "I wouldn't say we're familiar, but what is it you want?"
Orpheus then smiled, "Oh, I think you know what I want. I want to help you two, of course. You're having trouble—trouble with locating that dwarf, Thorfum, right? Well, a man may be able to help you."
Xerxes mentally spoke to Airi, "Airi, can you sense anything abnormal about him? I know that his presence is absolutely non-existent, but still, it may not be obvious for me, but maybe for you."
Airi spoke, "It's not that it's non-existent, but it's like he doesn't have mana at all? From what I can see, the threads of mana seemingly travel around him and not through him—how ordinary mana works—so he may have an ability or an artifact that nullifies it?"
"Just keep your guard up. I'll constantly observe him."
Xerxes then said, "Well then, tell us where Thorfum is."
Orpheus said, "Certainly. After all, if you're going to enter the tournament, I highly anticipate seeing how you fight. To be quite frank, I am a fan of Xerxes."
He then spoke passionately, describing Xerxes' past like it was theatre, "the past of a boy who went missing for a year, who had everything back in Layne, but now is in the Baratheon Kingdom to earn back a semblance of his former glory, or perhaps... something else."
"Well, sorry for being so equivocal. Certainly, I am willing to take you to Thorfum, and I'll have you know, he has not misguided you. It's simply the fact he is dealing with... other matters. But never mind that—let us get a move on!"
Reluctant but slightly out of options, Xerxes and Leiya looked towards each other, both nodding as they began following Orpheus, who was already on his way to where supposedly Thorfum resided.