Peril's Origin - A Magical Girl Quest [Complete]

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The camp mostly ends up a relaxed place once everyone is fed; you receive some provisions from the Fairy quartermaster and consider what to do.

Some soldiers practice their spellcasting and patrols flutter around the perimeter. Those gleaming spires interest you as they are made completely out of mana, but they are built in Fairy sizes; you could not properly stand in there, not to mention this is an army camp. Chances are the only interesting parts you will find are the constructs themselves.

Not to mention that Lu is a more urgent matter. She kept acting off in a way that no one would notice if they did not know her, ever since you arrived on Milidia.

Then again, she is currently off moping, so you feel like giving her some space for now; as tempting as it is to just take her aside, waiting usually works better with her. But that leaves you with another problem: what do you do to pass the time?

After the months under your angelic friend's tutelage, your go-to solution is to practice. You were not even that big on it when you started, but it became kind of relaxing to just go through a few sequences or think about new applications. Maybe it is because your body got used to the physical exertion.

Not to mention that after seeing yourself so thoroughly outclassed in the closing minutes of the Valhalla campaign, you feel you need more tricks up your sleeve. Plus, you do know there is one thing that is likely to work, require little experimenting, and perhaps even just takes a few hours to work through. You do not have more at the moment.

The area is large enough to find yourself an unused spot, a little bit away from the camp. You can see past the plateau's edge and to the plains and small forests in the distance, as well as the mountains rearing up. It feels untamed, much more so than Valhalla for some reason. Strange birds chirp nearby and some kind of dog-sized lizard is watching you warily, but you pay the creature no mind.

A moment of nothing happening is what it takes you to realise you can not summon your weapon. Then you remember that it is stuck in your sleeve, tied up with a small ribbon. Whoops.

You retrieve your weapon and look it over thoughtfully, then ignite the blade. Melodic noise closes in on you, making you turn to find Luna landing not to far away. "You should rest some more," she tells you sternly, to which you frown. "Buuut I guess I can't force you unless you faint on me. Don't mind me, just watching and keeping an eye on you."

This has you take a deep breath and clamp down on your initial response. Better to say nothing than to snap at her, better to say nothing.

You quickly start going through your basic stances to get your mind off of the matter. Maya's and Elisabeth's advice help with not running your mouth at people who just want to help, but that can only bring you so far.

Your feet are secure on the ground despite the heels, you flow from calm jabs to quick swipes and back into a guard stance without any problem. Slow breaths, deep breaths, make sure to cover as many angles within your reach as possible, give ground with careful steps, take ground quickly and without lowering your guard.

After a while, you switch to Stygian Tempest and repeat the set with wholly different yet just as easy motions. The scythe has greater reach but needs to be aimed more delicately, it can not just cut in all directions. At least not directly, though that sharpening field around the blades can cut into things not directly carved. That makes it require less precision than normal.

Aetheric Tide, meanwhile, is thin and perfect for interruptions; it does not have much in the way of guarding, but no other weapon in your arsenal is as suitable for a quick jab to send an attacker off-target, followed by a bunch of strikes into them.

Lastly, you do the same with Stardust Striker. As a sword, you understand it offers the most versatile set of stances, but also holds less specialised approaches; seeing how most it does is stabilising your magic, you feel that is about accurate.

You return to Reaper's Will to start anew and with time, your stances increase in fluency; single attacks become double as you shorten the first to add another, then triple as you again adjust for a greater combination. You can do it with every weapon, though there are bigger openings in your own guard once you are done with a sequence. Nothing you can not accomodate in most cases, but you need to be careful against peer opponents.

Then comes what you were actually planning to attempt.

You swing your sword and will it to switch to lightsaber while making the second strike in the opposite direction.

However, Reaper's Will only actually ignites after you are past the imaginary target. There is still a slight delay in the switch, the timing of which you need to work out. It is mostly just practice, to do it again and again and vary the times you will it to change. At the speed of your thoughts, you feel you can definitely get it right.

So you start meticulously going through your stances again, playing around with the timing of your different weapon modes. There is the slightest bit of difference when switching between different modes, as for example Stygian Tempest to Aetheric Tide, and vice versa, takes less time than from either to Reaper's Will or Stardust Striker. Not enough to matter outside of this situation, but considerable for what you are attempting.

After some more testing, you also understand why this is: the Handle grows each weapon out of itself; with the polearms, it remains in about the same size while it has to shrink for the blades. Even Stardust Striker, seeing that the Handle only makes up its grip and the rest is solidified mana. Likewise, it has to elongate from either sword to the polearms and takes about just as long in that direction.

Once you have that figured out, you begin to work on the pairs first and-

"That's pretty incredible, you know?"

Your planned swing goes off the imaginary target and you halt, rythm broken by Luna's interjection. You completely forgot she was watching.

After a moment of catching yourself, you turn to the amazed Fairy. "What is?"

"Your weapon." She motions for Reaper's Will, directing your attention to it. "So many different weapons in one, that is a work of a true master. You must have put an incredible amount of work into it."

Oh. Right. She has no idea Magical Girls kind of just get that stuff. Lu commented on how elaborate the setup was as well when you started, saying that it would take a veteran of the craft or a genius to create something similar. Or rather, something of this complexity that worked as a weapon.

You kind of get where they are coming from, too. Your weapon is a single one with five different configurations and an indestructible core. There may not even be many Magical Girls with something like that.

Still, it is nothing you made, so you can not take the credit... even though it would be easy to preen under the praise.

In the end, you shrug and go back to practice, though significantly slower for the moment. "I don't know about that. It's more versatile than most things I've seen, but there is a lot less power in it at base. Without at least a trick or two I practiced, it doesn't compare to most others." As in, the only weapons you feel you surpass entirely are those of grunt types and Elves... or at least the one Elf you met. Even Paoras and Dragul hit harder than you, just nowhere near as fast.

"Hm, I see."

Luna actually eyes you curiously, considering the shifting forms while you slowly get back into practice. "So instead of using brute force to get results, you need to think of good strategies and maybe have a hidden technique to get by stronger opponents?"

Considering how far you can speed up, it is not directly that. Then again, you are kind of screwed fighting someone strong one on one. "Pretty much, yeah."

It is hilarious in a way. You are used to slamming your head against the wall until it gives, metaphorically speaking, but your powers are basically the exact opposite outside of edge cases. All about redirection, interruption, corrosion, anything except direct conflicts. Maybe that is because you are a Story Maker and it would be brute force if you were an Epic. You will never know for sure.

Silence seeps back in and your focus returns. You go about it until the sun starts sinking, then finish the last sequence with a flourish as Aetheric Tide flows into Stardust Striker flows into Reaper's Will flows into Stygian Tempest in a rough but workable four-strike combo.

Luna actually applauds you with a smile, and so do some other Fairies who stopped by to watch.

More importantly however, Lu is watching with a critical eye; upong seeing you looking, she offers a small nod of approval. That means she sees this technique, which she even proposed a month or two ago, as something worthwhile.

"It's incredible you can work out new things so quickly," Luna offers with a smile. The renewed compliment draws a weak blush from you that thankfully remains unmentioned.

Lu is the one to answer in your stead, though the flattery seems to continue nonetheless: "She learns and improves at an astonishing rate. I could not ask for a better student."

You are not sure you agree with that one; it may be faster than normal, but you would not call it astonishing; at least if you disregard the part where you instinctively know how to use your weapons correctly. That normally takes months and years on its own. Either way, it is being a Magical Girl and not inherent to you that makes it so.

Then again, being a Magical Girl is inherent to you. Where is the line between what you were given and what you achieved on your own?

Either way, for the time being, you shrug them off with a grin. "Wouldn't be anywhere without a great teacher, though." Lu does not really manage to hide her own smile at that. You take notice of the sinking sun again and point over to the untouched pasture sprawling in front of the camp. "Mind joining me for a walk while we still have light?"

Luna makes to say something, but then stops and closes her mouth; maybe she caught on that you want to talk to your friend in private. Lu definitely did and nods, motioning for you to lead the way.

Before you do however, you offer Luna a weak smile, which she returns cheerfully; you would have liked to talk with her more, but... you hate this feeling of helplessness. Even if it was because of Gabriel herself, without Lu's presence and Argus' sacrifice, you probably would have died on Valhalla.

So you and Lu make to walk through the knee-high grass; the fact your one-piece does not go low enough to cover your legs gets into the forefront of your mind when it starts to tickle, reminding you about refreshing your transformation at some point. You did that a few hours ago, but maintaining it until the Fairies leave will make a close cut on the time limit. With how visible your transformation is however, you are not sure whether you should.

"Something bothers you," Lu notes calmly after you took some distance from the bustling camp.

She is right, but this is not what this is about. "Just a little sad I can't get to know Luna better and thinking about when my transformation will run out, but that's not why I wanted to talk to you." She gives a slow nod, wordlessly telling you to elaborate; so you do. "Something bothers you."

You do not need to elaborate on this; Lu averts her gaze and slows down, but does not stop walking. After matching her new pace, you gently put a hand on her shoulder; or rather her arm, you can not really reach as high as her shoulder. "Hey, I'm your friend. You can tell me, even if it's about me."

A twitch runs through the fallen Angel and you hear a barely audible "Friend" from her, as if she repeated the word you just said. A soft squeeze is all she gets in response, but the silence still holds for a while until she speaks: "I... I feel uncomfortable, being on Milidia. It is one of False Heaven's realms; after I spent such a long time fighting them, it no longer feels like I belong here."

Come to think of it, you do not know anything about Lu's past aside from that she broke a significant promise of some kind. She never told you.

Then again, the past does not mean as much as the present... normally. Right now, her past is your present after all. How confusing that must be.

Wait.

"Lu?"
"Yes?"
"You said you were born around the time the war started, right?"

She does not respond, but you feel you are getting closer to the bottom of this. "Is the past you living here?"

"No." Her answer is curt and clear, so you give her a nod.

"Okay, that's good." Good thing that; meeting your past self always makes a time travel story messy. If you ever get the hang of that spell, you should have a notebook or something to write down where you go and when, so as to not cross your own timeline on accident.

Which brings you to another thought: ever since Lu took you under her wing, figuratively speaking, you have become good at fighting. Not just parrying, but various other things as well. She hammered discipline and dedication into you, as well as the basics to understanding and expanding your powers.

The only thing you could never really understand so far is Voyage. Yet it is also the most crucial part of your powers; it is damned time travel after all!

So maybe, if you put enough time into it, you can actually figure it out. Train and train and train until that spell, too, does what you want and can be used properly. You could get back to your friends on Sheol, maybe even use the blasted thing in combat. There are so many possibilities!

But that will take time and....

"Huh." Lu gives you a look as you break the by now established silence, so you explain the epiphany you just had: "I realise that we are ages before the time we left. I have all the time in the world to practice Voyage without technically losing any. Even if it takes months or years."

"That is a valid point." Your friend mulls it over as you walk, a calm breeze ruffling her ashen and your silvery hair. You can hear the faint flicker of flames from her magic, as you always have. "The power over time is an incredible tool, if only you can learn to utilise it properly. But another problem you face is that it seems to also transport you into other dimensions; staying in the same area is important as well."

"Yeah, you're right." You were more concerned with the part where you end up in different times, but Lu has a point there. "So once the Fairies left, we find us a place to make camp and get started?"

Lu nods. "That sounds like a decent plan; we were not having anything else to do anyway, though what we have in provisions will not last for long. We will have to hunt for food." You make a displeased noise, but she is right; thankfully, good news follow the bad ones: "I know my way around Milidia's flora and fauna. I can eviscerate our kills and turn them into rations while you practice."

"Whew, that's good to hear. So we aren't as screwed as it looks like at first glance."

"Quite."

Your friend looks up at the setting sun thoughtfully, wings twitching erratically once in a while. "Though you should practice something else in-between. Doing the same thing over and over and over and over gets dull after a while and actually impacts the result negatively." She probably did not see your thumbs up, but that is fine; her advice on these things is always good to have.

"I'll think about it." Either way, once you have a place to stay, you will practice this spell to perfection. The thought of it makes you grin.


Sleeping in Fairy lodgings is weird, mainly because they are so small. That probably goes double for Lu, though.

Soon after sunrise, the army forms up and Luna gives you a big hug before getting into formation. Summer salutes you with a smile and a nod, the last two of which you return while matching the first with a wave.

Portals open and small bodies flutter through them in an orderly manner as they leave for the Fairy Home Realms; only faint echoes of unsung melodies and glimmering residue mana remain as proof they have ever been there in the first place.

It is eerie in a way, but you still wait a little after the portals closed. Then you reapply your transformation and turn to Lu. "I guess we can't just stay here if there's enough negative energy for Dark Star's to home in on?"

Weirdly enough, they can open portals to anywhere with enough bad mojo; graveyards, battlefields, that kind of thing. Not that it needs to be death in particular.

Your friend agrees and picks out the sun before orienting herself toward what you think is north. If magnetism works as intended here. There is one large mountain in that direction, though your plateau slopes into a large open plain before reaching it. "The sea lies that way. I do not think there are any angelic strongholds near the area, so patrols should be less frequent."

You have no problem with whichever direction, but that is kind of weird. "Wouldn't there be more?"

Lu begins to walk and you follow her at a sedate pace. She frowns, has been even before you asked, but the answer she gives makes sense: "Thirteenth Hell normally does not attempt infiltrations beyond Valhalla. If they target any other realms, it is usually with an entire army. The paradigm might shift more toward your time due to Dark Star's influence, though. Hell's assassins and infiltrators are a rare breed as well, so anything they are sent to do is unlikely to be caught by a normal patrol anyway."

Now that makes sense, especially after your experiences on Valhalla.

A few critters watch you as you begin your way down the slope, heels sinking into the soft ground with each step. You eye them in turn, wondering if they are acceptable for a meal. Lu pays them no mind though, wings folded... wings.

You are not sure if that is a particularly good idea, but walking until you find something is probably an incredible waste of time. "Hey Lu, how about flying?"

The question earns you a shrug while your friend stops. Then she turns to eye the morning sky. "I give you that it would be much faster, although I suspect you just want to be carried." It is her way of joking, so you just roll your eyes and wait for her decision. "Can you see any angelic presences?"

...good question, actually. You did not bother looking so far. On a quick glance around the entire area and every bit of sky you can see, there are none. "Nope."

"Then we shall." And just like that, a wing winds around your waist and pulls you close to Lu's chest; her arm wraps around you as well to make sure you can not fall, then she lifts off to the sound of dark chimes and the crackling of flame.

High into the cloudy sky you go, hanging just below the white ceiling as Lu picks up speed. Your hair will get ruffled and tangled once more, but getting it presentable again is ultimately less time lost than walking the whole way. Insects do not fly this high either, so you only need to dodge the birds

The thought of your hair makes you wonder once again, though. Now would be a great time to cut it short, seeing how you have no tools to tend to it. With how it falls lower than your butt, you know you could cut it in half easily, but... well, it grew on you, both literally and figuratively.

Long hair like this is a commitment, though you faintly recall starting to let it grow because people told you you should not, that it would take up way too much time. So you did it anyway and they were kind of right, but screw them. Now having enough hair for your shorter friends to use as a blanket is normal.

Lu has long hair too, but you have the feeling hers is more due to neglect. Maybe it never grows beyond that length unless she wants it to, or something like that; angelic bodies are supposed to represent some kind of ideal form of their souls after all, so you can imagine the hair not changing. Though being unable to cut it off without it growing back to that size would probably suck.

A good while passes with you putting thoughts into inane and mostly meaningless matters like these; not like you can do anything else, soaring through the sky at least five hundred metres above the ground. The plateau you initially landed on vanishes along the horizon and only mountaintops are still visible by the time you land.

When you do land however, it is on the border of a medium-sized forest of normal-sized trees, a nice change of pace from Valhalla's huge specimens; vast plains run into the distance and a few creatures graze or prey in the area. A noticeable river flows through the place as well, with flowers, bushes, and various plants blooming more numerously near its path.

"This should do," your friend notes with a glance around. You have to agree, this does have everything you will probably need. Except a spot to hole up in for the night.

"What about shelter?"

Your question prompts a shrug. "We can dig a little and cut down a tree or two for lumber, then reinforce the walls with Brand Craft. I know enough of it to do that if you lack the knowledge." Her response, however, makes you shove her weakly, though without any heat.

"Don't give me that, of course I can do it. I have an array to preserve food, too." And thank goodness for that; your father was right again, household applications are a useful thing to know.

"As do I, but this is good." Lu nods and glances around. "That means we can hunt the megafauna around as well, though there will not be many of them nearby. Their territories are rather large."

"I'm fine with not having too many murderbeasts around. What do we do if one decides to stomp over here?"

"Kill it."

A beat, with you looking at each other. Then you sigh and summon your weapon. "Yeah, I figured something like that. Where do we start?"

You follow Lu's directions and get to work; it takes the whole day, but as the sun sinks and your muscles ache from the work, you are looking at a small fort; it has no proper beds, but the walls are tight and reinforced, you have some Brand Craft to detect approaching predators set up, and it does not look like a man-made structure from up high. Unless a patrol swoops down to ground level, they will not notice anything.

The night is awkward and a little painful, but Lu managed to get some leaves piled up for you to rest on. Your friend said she was fine just leaning against the wall.

Then she did something you never knew was a thing: she retracted her wings. As in, literally dismissed them like her weapon. Poof, gone, suddenly she was just a giant of a woman with only one arm.

After you got over your surprise however, you managed to sleep at least a little. Things will get more difficult starting tomorrow, so you will need the rest.

-------------


For the next while, Heidi and Lucifer stand without a supporting structure and with little more than the clothes on their backs. They will have to keep themselves fed and thus either hunt for or gather food.

Heidi wishes to practice Voyage to perfection, which will require two months allocated on mastering it. This segment ends the moment she is done; Heidi will bring herself and Lucifer back into the time they came from.

Therefore, from now on there will be two counters: Food and Completed Practice. Both are measured in days.

If Food runs out, Heidi will automatically hunt or forage instead of practicing, and suffer maluses on every undertaking while there is no food.

Completed Practice measures how long Heidi has already spent on Voyage.

In the meantime, votes will now handle a week of time each and chapters may end up somewhat shorter; combat encounters turn into chapters of their own as usual, including a segment to write a battle plan.

Each week, there will be three action slots to be filled from the following list:

• Hunt small critters (secures food for 3 days, auto-success)
• Foraging (secures food for 3 days, auto-success)
• Hunt medium-sized critters (secures food for 7 days, may turn into a combat encounter)
• Hunt large beasts (secures food for 14 days, combat encounter)
• Hunt the biggest and baddest (secures food for 30 days, boss encounter)
• Practice (adds between 2 and 3 days to the training counter; 7 days if all actions are this)

An action may be taken any number of times. Sometimes, a bonus slot will be offered to practice a new exploit from the list; this does not count as a singular training action but as training until the exploit is learned, as Heidi does it in her downtime from practicing Voyage; it can take any amount of time and will be completed when I feel it was enough time spent. How long it actually takes partly depends on the difficulty of the chosen exploit, though.


Food: 3
Completed Practice: 0 / 60


[] Plan for the week
-[] Action 1
-[] Action 2
-[] Action 3

[] [BONUS] Write-in what to practice additionally


[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it


+125xp Ready to Brave time

EXP gained: 125
Total EXP: 856


Unlocked Soft Exploit:
-Switch weapon mode during a series of attacks to get different weapon Abilities on the unified string