DAY 100

Spirits are curious by nature. They’ve passed on from the world of the living, and when they aren't serving the Gods, they're wandering between their previous world and the afterlife. Today, the spirits on the Mountain of Yune had found something they had never seen before.

"What is it?"

"I don't know! It looks like a statue though..."

"Statues don't move..."

"Doesn't it kinda feel like a spirit?"

"I've never seen a spirit that looks like that!"

The little specks of light argued back and forth while they hid in their homes. They lived in the trees on the mountain, and on Yuna's orders, they helped the plants grow, kept the water clean, and helped her keep monsters away. These guys were basically agents of the Goddess, so anything out of the ordinary was reported to her.

Needless to say, she would need to know about this new development.

"Go get the Goddess!"

"But she's sleeping..."

"So!"

"You do it then!"

"Fine!"

The spirit rushed off to wake the Goddess from her slumber.

---

Yuna had been sleeping for over a month after she had returned from the Heavens, and she had planned to sleep for a few more. Unfortunately, she wouldn't get the chance.

"Yuna! Yuna wake up!"

"Huuh..." she mumbled, peeking through her hair at the loud spirit.

"Yuna! You gotta see this! There's some kinda spirit statue thingy!"

"A wha-"

"Come see! Come see!" the spirit said excitedly, rushing back into the distance.

Yuna stood up on wobbly legs and half closed eyes, using the the wall of her favorite cave to guide her to the entrance. She was more of an afternoon Goddess.

By time she had reached the location of the anomaly, the spirits had returned to their argument.

"Look! It has arms and legs right? Maybe it's a person?"

"Nope, nope, nope. People don't feel like spirits."

"But we don't have arms and legs!"

"It might a super spirit!"

"There's no such thing as a super spirit!"

"Yes huh!"

"No there isn't..."

"Shh!" Yuna quickly hushed her agents. She had just seen the so called 'spirit statue' and wanted complete silence for her analysis.

The spirit statue was made of stone from head to toe. So the statue theory had to be seriously considered. Yet, it really did have arms and legs, so the spirit part had her sceptical.

"Where is it going?" she asked.

"It just walks around..."

"It's a mysterious spirit statue!"

"Shh!" Yuna hushed them again before they could get too excited. Though she had to admit, it was pretty exciting!

"Let's follow it..." she whispered. Her drowsiness had disappeared completely, so she was in full play-mode now. Nothing would stop her until her curiosity was satisfied.

She stepped out from behind the tree, planning on following the mysterious spirit statue. But it had vanished without a trace.

"Where'd it go?"

"Hello. Are you looking for me?"

Yuna jumped as she looked behind her to find the very statue she had been planning to tail.

"Run away!"

"It's a talking-mysterious-spirit-statute!"

"What about the Goddess!?"

"Just run!"

Her spirits had completely abandoned her to her fate. Yuna gulped as she looked up at the enormous statue. She barely came up to its waist.

"It's rude to not respond when someone greets you..."

"A-ah yes! Hello.."

"What's your name, child?"

"Yuna..."

"Yuna huh? Were you named after the mountain?" the statue asked curiously.

Yuna was still surprised it could talk. She took a good look at its face, and was surprised that only half of it seemed to be stone. It had no eyes, but the statue looked at her as if it could see. "Yes, I-I'm the Goddess of the mountain."

"Oh? A Goddess? That does explain your appearance."

"What's wrong with my appearance!?" She questioned as she puffed out her flat chest. Her makeshift leaf dress rustled in the wind.

"Aww, so cute." the statue said as it patted her on the head.

Yuna blushed as she glared at the statue. She hated when people made her feel small. She was a Goddess after all!

She grabbed the statue's hand, preparing to bite it, but it was surprisingly soft and warm. So she studied the hand instead, flipping it over and poking it. It felt like skin, but this was a statue, right?

The statue had remained completely still during her examination.

"Something wrong?" It asked after she finished.

"Umm...w-what are you exactly?"

"Ah, excuse my rudeness. My name is Thadius, and I am what you would call a Traveler." It bowed as it introduced itself. It completely towered over her.

"A Traveler!?" Yuna had completely revealed her excitement, but she regained her composure quickly. Even if it was a Traveler, it was still strange. "Aren't Travelers supposed to be...living beings?"

"You felt the warmth of my hand didn't you? What about now? Do you feel my presence?"

There was a shift in the way the statue’s presence felt, and the difference was huge. The giant statue felt even more intimidating than it had before. Though the feeling was gone as soon as she felt it.

Yuna couldn't resist a shudder. It definitely wasn't a statue. That much could be concluded.

"B-but what about your appearance!?" she criticized, pointing at stone attire.

"You mean my armor?"

"That's armor!? But you can't even see!"

"It's specially made to strengthen my body and senses. Even now, I guide myself through the forest by sensing the life around me."

"That's impossible!"

"Yet, here I am."

Yuna couldn't deny the facts. A Traveler was walking around on her mountain. A strange man in armor.

"Actually Yuna, I'm glad you're here." the man continued, interrupting her train of thought. At least, she thought it was a man. This was the first Traveler she'd ever seen after all.

"You're glad I'm here?"

"Yes. I'm quite bored, you see. I was wondering if you'd play with me."

"Okay!" Every other thought went out the window. Play-mode activated.

"Do you play hide and seek?"

"Yes!" she cried. Yuna was the undisputed champion when it came to hide and seek on her mountain. She'd never been found.

"Let's play then. The winner will be the first one to count in the next game."

"But that means I'll always go first..." she said with a puzzled expression.

"Wait a minute now. Are you trying to say that you'll win every game?"

"Of course!" she declared proudly.

"Then how about we have a little wager. If you win then-"

"I get to ride on your shoulders!" she said excitedly. She wouldn't miss this chance to see what it was like to be tall. She could almost taste the air up there.

"Then if I win, how about you be my friend?"

"Deal!"

"Alright. Then I'll begin counting. One..."

Yuna ran like the wind, leaving absolutely no trace of her passage. After a few minutes of running, she picked a spot in a tree as her hiding spot.

'He'll never find me now!' she thought. Yuna had never lost. She played with the spirits and the animals all the time, and they’d all given up before she could be found. Her confidence was well founded; however, she had grossly underestimated her opponent.

As soon as she settled into her hiding spot, she saw the man walking in the distance. He was walking in her direction with no hesitation in his footsteps.

Her heart began to race at the sight of him. In mere minutes, he had already become the greatest challenger she'd ever faced. No one else had ever gotten this close!

Yuna's eyes widened as the man continued to walk in her direction. Soon, he was standing directly beneath the tree.

"Where are you hiding Goddess?" the man asked kindly. Yuna wasn't fooled by his sweet tone. She knew she was being hunted.

Her heartbeat went into high gear. She'd never experienced the thrill of the hunted.

"I can smell your fear..." the man said as he looked directly at her. Yuna had to cover her mouth to keep from screaming. The game wasn't over until he had declared that he found her.

Just as she thought that, the man turned his head like he'd heard something. Then he walked off in another direction, calling out to her like before.

'That was close!' she sighed as she got comfortable. If he couldn't find her when she was that close, then he never would. Her victory had already been determined.

She watched in the direction the man had walked in for several minutes. Then she decided to go and find him instead. In her mind, she had already won.

She turned around to climb down the tree, only to bump right into the man she was going to search for. He had been laying down next to her on the branches.

"......!"

".............."

".............."

He was dozing off apparently. All this time she had been watching for signs of him and he'd been behind her! She knew she had been toyed with.

"Hey!" she said as she poked him hard in his cheeks.

"Oh? Finally realized I was here did you? Good job. You can start counting now. I found you." he said with a devilish grin on his face.

Yuna puffed her cheeks in anger. She had lost fair and square. She accepted that. What she couldn't accept was that she was found so easily.

'I'll just have to find him faster!' she thought as she closed her eyes to count.

"One....two.....three."

The man dropped down from the tree and disappeared. She didn't even hear him hit the ground. After she finished counting, the hunt began.

Yuna looked high and low. She tried to hone in on the presence she felt earlier, but there was no trace of him. The man was just, gone.

She stopped in the middle of a clearing to ponder her next move.

"Give up?" she heard a voice ask from behind her.

"Hah! I fou-" she turned around and found no one there.

"Maybe I'm over here?"

Yuna looked into the direction of his voice, but still couldn't see him.

"No fair! I can't even see you!"

The man was laughing as he appeared in front of her. "It's not my fault that you can't see me." he said, waving a hand in front of his face for emphasis. "Now, do you admit defeat?"

Yuna sighed. How could she win if she couldn't even see him?

"Okay..."

"Good. From now on we're friends. Okay?"

"Oka- wah!" The man had suddenly scooped her up and placed her onto his broad shoulders.

"Wow!" she exclaimed as she hugged his head, her leafy dress crackling against his helmet.

The man just chuckled."Shall we go for a walk?"

"Yeah!"

They walked and talked for a while, enjoying the sights and scenery of the forests. Well, at least one of them did.

Yuna was quite proud of herself. She had provided a safe, clean environment for the people that prayed to her. She had fulfilled her duty as a Goddess. After thinking that, she was reminded of an important topic.

"Thadius?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"Do you pray to the Gods?" she asked, her long hair covering his head as she bent over to look at his face. She was convinced that he could see her.

"I pray to my Goddess everyday."

"Me?"

"Unfortunately not. I pray to Tegaia, Goddess of Love, War, and Humility."

Yuna froze. She remembered what she'd heard about that Goddess. None of it was good.

"But isn't she a Fallen God?"

"...I'm not so sure."

"But all the other Gods say she is! They say she's a bad Goddess!"

"Have you actually met her?"

"No...."

"Well until you get all the facts and actually meet her in person, try not to think too badly of her.

"But..."

"She is the Goddess of Love. But should anyone threaten the ones she loves, she'll become the Goddess of War. Then, if all else fails, she'll give herself to protect them, whether they're a God or mortal. That is the Goddess I believe in Yuna. Does that sound like a bad person to you?"

"....no"

The sun had started to set while they were talking. Thadius came to a stop. "It seems it's time for us to part ways for today." he said as he set Yuna on the ground.

Yuna was quite satisfied. Today had been a very fun day. She had even made a new friend.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"That's a strong possibility." Thadius smiled.

"Then see you tomorrow!" she said, running off in high spirits. She hurried to get back to her cave. She had a lot she wanted to talk about with her agents. Especially the fact that they had abandoned her in the face of danger.

---

When Thadius felt the tiny Goddess’ presence rush off down the mountain, he sighed. Such cuteness was a rare thing to see, yet he had been robbed of his sight for the unforeseeable future.

"Oh, well."

"Quite an interesting conversation." a gruff voice said from beside him. Thadius nearly jumped out of his skin.

"How long have you been there?"

"I actually participated in your little game of hide and seek. Both of you ultimately lost..."

Thadius just shook his head in disbelief. He had known something was off, but he had never guessed it would be his master.

His Sense Presence and Hide Presence had leveled up and were ranked at Expert and Advance respectively. Now he had absolutely no trouble finding his way around.

"You've progressed quite nicely Thadius. I do believe it's time I taught you the sword."

"Finally!" Thadius couldn't contain his excitement, much like the tiny Goddess he had met not so long ago.

Together, Thadius and Corban made their way back to the compound, stopping in the grand training hall.

"Now Thadius, I must ask. What weapon do you plan on using?"

"The shield and sword." he answered without hesitation. Thadius had been given plenty of time to think about it.

"Really? I figured you for a two-hander. Well, no matter. You'll be learning all the forms of the Dragon's Path regardless." Corban walked away into the supply room and came back with two objects.

"Now, there are a few things you should understand before we begin." Corban continued as he handed Thadius a large wooden shield and short-sword.

"The first thing you'll need to understand is that weapon mastery skills mean absolutely nothing. Yes, they give bonuses; however, without proper training, you may as well be an idiot that swings a shiny stick.

Thadius nodded. He had guessed that much.

"Secondly, the entire Dragon's Path sword style relies heavily on your Fighting Aura. You are at your weakest when you fight without it. Right now your Aura increases your strength, stamina and dexterity by 50%. However, the effect can also be extended to your weapon, increasing attack power exponentially. You know this?"

"Yes sir."

"Unfortunately, it can only be one or the other at any given time. Just like how a ghost cannot possess two bodies at once, Fighting Aura cannot be split between objects or people. Even if they're touching. We'll go over how to utilize it as you progress."

"I understand."

"Lastly, don't practice without my instruction. I don't want you picking up any unnecessary habits."

"Yes sir!" Thadius was ecstatic. He was eager to get started.

"It's earlier than I anticipated, but you're ready to begin. From here on out, your training will consist of stair sets, pool time, and afternoon sessions with me. That will be your schedule until you've learned all that I need to teach you. Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now, the shield and sword form of the Dragon's Path is called 'Dragon Scales'."

Corban went through the motions. He was patient as always, slowly guiding his pupil through everything.

"Now, try that a little faster."

Thadius obeyed. Though he did it at full speed in his eagerness.

"What in the hells was that!?"

"I don't know what-"

"That's nothing like how you moved a second ago! It's like you didn't even think about your swing!"

'Is he talking about the assist system?'

Thadius quickly turned everything dealing with combat styles to manual control and tried again.

".......better."

'So that's what it was... Thadius was hardly surprised. Almost everything he had learned from Corban required manual control. So the fact that he was actually going to learn how to wield a sword, didn't surprise him in the slightest.

"Ah! I knew I forgot something..." Corban said as he rushed back into the supply room. Thadius could hear the sound of grinding stone. He groaned.

"You didn't think it would be this easy did you?" Corban chuckled, "As soon as you get used to the weight, we'll go heavier. So while you adjust, practice your swings at a reasonable speed. Swing fast enough to get a feel for it, but slow enough to let your body remember it correctly."

Corban attached the stone rings to the armor as he explained. Thadius now had three rings on each arm and two on each ankle.

"Well at least I'm almost done with the weight training, right?"

"What are you talking about Thadius? That's the lightest training armor. After stone you'll move to steel. After steel comes mythril. Only then will you be done, my clueless pupil."

Thadius was stunned into silence. He was no where near finished. In fact, it was as his master had said, he was ready to begin.

"Back to the lesson. The reason why you've learned to control your presence is for this sword style. Using your presence control with the movements I teach you, will allow you to create lethal feints and invisible attacks. A simple lunge, filled with presence and fighting spirit, cannot be ignored. Yet, the moment your opponent reacts, they're doomed."

"Feints turn into killing blows and vice versa..."

"Precisely..."

"I'm ready master."

"I know you are. Continue..."

Thadius continued swinging until late in the night.