The Moonlight Swordsman



"Guys, tell me what it is," Shelly asked.

"If I am wrong, I think your power is related to time," Aizel replied.

"WHAT! You are joking, right?"

"Shelly get ready.

"Aizel, use a fireball at the level of Grade I towards Shelly," Vespara said.

"Wait wait.. I am not ready," Shelly suddenly started to back away.

"I will stop the attack in time; don't worry, Shelly," Vespara assures her.

"What you have to do is use your core energy and focus on the attack. Just like you are feeling sometimes fast and slow, try to make that attack slow. 

"Making it slow for even a sec, I think it is doable," Vespara explained.

"Aizel, please use your weakest fireball," Shelly said in a weak voice.

"Don't worry, Shelly, this is just a practice. Be confident, you can easily do it."

"Get ready,"

Shelly nodded.

Her eyes focused intently on Aizel, and she tensed up in readiness. With a carefree gesture, he sent a weak fireball racing in her direction. 

She drew on the environment's mana and channeled it towards her core, awakening latent magical power. 

Her focus zeroed in on the incoming fireball, her mind racing to slow its trajectory.

A glimmer of doubt played in her eyes as the fireball approached, but she held firm. There was a brief glimmer, a subtle distortion, but her efforts fell short. 

The fireball surged forward, hurtling directly toward her with increasing speed. 

Vespara, ever watchful, acted quickly.

She reduced the fireball's essence to mere smoke before it could make contact with Shelly. 

Shelly's brow showed signs of exertion with the beads of sweat that speckled it.

"It's so difficult,"

"What are you even saying, you did have an effect on it. You just need some practice." Vespara replied.

"Come on, let's go again."

In this phase of training, Shelly faced a relentless onslaught of flaming projectiles. Her whole attention was required on each as she worked to slow them down. 

Fireball after fireball loomed for what seemed like hours. Focusing her mind became her ally, and each try was a chance to hone her skills. Despite being exhausted, she kept going because her resolve was strong.

At last, from the depths of her effort, a breakthrough emerged. Her senses heightened as another ball of fire sped at her. She perfected her command by coordinating her actions with the rising and falling tides of her power. 

The fiery projectile, once a formidable threat, succumbed to her newfound prowess. It finally slowed down.

Shelly felt a sense of triumph as she deftly sidestepped the slowing fireball. 

"You really slowed down the fireball. In this way, you will be able to completely stop it," Aizel said. 

His eyes were sparkling as he glanced at the slow-moving fireball in the air.

"Just imagine Aizel, we can do so many things with time. I just have to perfect it and upgrade my core. Maybe we will be able to travel back in...

"WOAHHHH! Hold right there darling," Vespara suddenly interrupted.

"Don't get drunk on your power so easily. There will be a lot of consequences you don't even know about.

"The more unique power it has, the more consequences it has.

"Even I don't know what sort of risks and consequences this time power will have, but never do anything before asking me."

"I..I am sorry Vespara, I just swayed away in emotion." Shelly apologized.

"Traveling back in time or even in the future will surely have a lot of consequences. We have seen and read about it in the movies and books, right?" Aizel said.

"Which book?" Vespara asked.

"Ahhh..  Alora had some of them where it was mentioned. I read it in my free time," Aizel lied.

"Okay, I should ask her to lend me some books then," Vespara murmured.

"Well for now, let's head back. We will slowly try to discover more about your time power and create some spells and techniques for it. 

"And we can't let anyone know now that Shelly can use time. Don't even tell Daisy for now,"

"But..

"It's not about the trust, Aizel. There are many mages who can even read the memories. Even if you don't want to reveal anything, they can use their power to discover those secrets.

"That's why you should not let the kids or Daisy know anything related to this."

"Okay, I get it." Aizel sighed.

The three of them left the desolate landscape behind and headed back to Felgura City. 

With their myriad sights, sounds, and smells, the bustling streets pulled them into the beating core of civilization.

Inside the potion shop,

"Your mind potions are ready."

"Awesome..." Aizel said.

The wait was finally over. 

Vespara displayed 20 bottles of mind potions, all of which sparkled softly in the light.

A milky white elixir whirled and writhed inside each bottle. The potions gave off a faint glow, their mystical power seeping through the translucent container.

"These are all rare grades. Bring me more ingredients next time, and I will make the epic grade for you,"

Aizel's quick steps propelled him across the room, and he was soon standing next to Vespara. Without hesitating, he encircled her in an embrace that was both warm and sincere.

"Thank you for doing this for me," he said.

Suddenly Vespara's hands embraced back and tightened their grip on him.

"Now you have come on your own, should we head for some other fun, pretty boy?"

"Shelly you can also join us; I don't mind."

"HAGGGGG"

"Leave the kid alone." Shelly and Aizel both tried to open the grip of her arms. 

"Hahahaha..."

"Now that I remember, I heard that you can make Mind Entrallment Potion," Aizel said.

"Yes, do you need one?"

"Yes, but I want the one that will have a permanent effect."

"To whom you want to enslave, pretty boy, if it's for me, you just have to say the word.

"I will serve 24 hours," she replied, licking her lips.

"You horny hag, it's for Jeffrey. I want to make him my minion. He can become a valuable asset.

"Instead of becoming a slave for the royals, it's better for him to become my minion."

"I can make that, but how will you save him from the grasp of the royals?"

"The tournament," Aizel replied.