Although my mind was swirling with questions, Traiana made it clear that it was enough talking for the time being - and, our time here being one of the many things nagging at my thoughts - that Stella and I should have been working on getting our shit together instead of worrying about something that was beyond our power to change. While that was undeniably true, taming one’s curiosity was not an easy task.

And so, as Traiana walked past us and stood on the edge of the cliff, her eyes fixed on the distant battle she had witnessed so many times, I struggled with my attention to find any inconsistency in my skills. The lack of control over my skills simply wasn’t as obvious to me as it was to Stella. Traiana may be right, and it could simply be because I hadn’t delved as deeply into my skills as Stella had. That, or considering where I came from, the fact that I had only lived under the influence of the system for less than a year.

I wasn’t quite sure how the whole coming-of-age thing worked, but if I had to guess, since accessing the system required having part of it written in your brain - which surely did not come without a strain - its creators didn’t want to burden growing children with it. Pretty considerate of them, yet understandable when their intention was to help future generations, not turn them into brain dead. And so adulthood it was, in the case of humans, the sixteenth year of age. Since Stella was twenty-one, she had lived under the system’s guidance a lot longer than I did, five whole years.

Ultimately, the possibility that the brain of an Earthling like me was simply hard-wired differently could not be ruled out either.

Be that as it may, it didn’t mean that the absence of the system didn’t affect me at all. Digging deeper, I found greater or lesser issues with many of my skills, the biggest of which was with [Indomitable Will]. The passive side of the skill protecting my mind was as hard to judge to me as with any other skill, but when I hit my mind with it, I found it a bit odd, weak and thin. It even gave me a slight headache.

When I realized that the skill I relied on to keep my mind together wasn’t working as it should, it took my breath away. Actually, that was putting it mildly; it scared the shit out of me. The skill wasn’t just my defense against mind mages, but anyone who wanted to mess with my mind - my fears and insecurities included. [Indomitable Will] was the lifeline that kept me sane during my life of slavery and held me together when I regained my freedom.

So yeah, with that, I understood Stella’s meltdown all the more. That was one skill out of so many, and she was having trouble with her entire skill set. In light of that, I had to admire how she handled herself. Still far from being okay, she sat cross-legged next to me, eyes closed, forehead dotted with beads of sweat as she did her best to get her skills under control. Judging by the way her auras kept flickering, she wasn’t doing so well.

“What?” Stella snapped, fixing her so far closed eyes on me when she noticed I was watching her. Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting that and flinched - a sure way to admit I was staring.

“Well, I was wondering how you were doing?” I said awkwardly, scratching the back of my neck.

She continued to frown at me for a moment longer, gauging whether I was serious, before sighing. “Can’t you tell yourself? No better than the last time you asked.”

Yeah, maybe I was too nosy. I just couldn’t help worrying about her, not when she still looked so pale. Her vigor seemed to have returned, though.

“Sorry, Korra. I know you mean well. It’s just...I can’t figure out what’s wrong, what I’m missing. It’s so frustrating. You?”

“The same,” I admitted. No matter what I tried - tackling the issue with the skill from the right or the left, using it more forcefully and even more gently - full control over [Indomitable Will] still eluded me. And, as I said, it wasn’t just that one skill. [Spatial Domain], the way I perceived the world around me, wasn’t quite as sharp as I was used to. Even [Beast] seemed to take more energy out of me than before - though I didn’t try to go full Tier IV beast to fully verify.

In contrast, new skills like [Dancer’s Stride]; [Roundhouse Kick] seemed to listen to me without much trouble, and so did [Tail of Poison Empress]. However, those skills were pretty low-leveled.

The interesting thing was that I didn’t have a problem with magic-related skills like [Mantle of Magic] and [Beast Core] at all. Actually, with magic in general - well, mana control. Magic as such, to actually do anything with mana, was still beyond the scope of my abilities.

Anyway, the answer to that I found rather swiftly; Idleaf. The world tree spirit was the one who showed me how to control mana, not the system. Reminded of her yet again - with an aching heart and regardless of what it might have made Traiana think of me - I tried calling her several times, each attempt a failure like the last.

“Shouldn’t we ask, you know...her?” Stella whispered as she leaned in and tossed her head toward Traiana, the woman from ancient times standing silent a few steps behind us, watching the echo of the past. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some pointers.”

“Well, I...” I’ve been thinking about that, too. Though the way Stella said it made me feel like she wanted me to do the asking. It reminded me of Deckard and how he saw me talking to Esudein - he couldn’t decide whether I was brave or stupid. Nevertheless, even if I was willing - which I was, since I was just as stuck as she was - I didn’t get the chance.

“And what good would that do you, little ones?” Traiana asked, her back still to us, her eyes never leaving the far distance. “The system has already shown you what to do. What more would you want?”

To ask how to get rid of the dependency on the system sounded as stupid as asking how to bridge the gap that the absence of it created within us. I tried, anyway. “I know this is a presumptuous thing to ask, but we would greatly appreciate advice on what to focus on, ma’am. The system can be a good guide, but having someone to show you directly is still invaluable.” I cringed at my own words - blatant flattery, ass-kissing. “It was Idleaf who showed me how to control mana, and she did it so well that I have no trouble controlling it even here, so...any advice would be greatly appreciated, ma’am.”

It was the first time I’d heard Traian laugh heartily, and though her voice was deep, her laughter was soft and easy on the ears. “You certainly have a lot to learn about how to talk flattery, little Guardian. However, your point is not wrong. The system was never intended to be a replacement for teachers, mentors, guides, or masters. Having one is a blessing, and the way knowledge was passed on in my time,” she said, now facing us, smiling with the gleam of fond reminiscence in her eyes. “I have to say, now, your desperation in contacting your ward makes more sense to me. Your connection with her is deeper than I anticipated with such a young tree and a weak Guardian.”

Honestly, I had no idea whether to feel insulted or praised, let alone what to say. “She woke up to my voice.” Saying that sounded better to me, less self-important than saying I was the one who woke her up.

“I see. You can count yourself blessed to have a teacher like her. Believe me, not every Guardian gets that honor.”

That took me aback more than it should have. First of all, I didn’t think Idleaf was someone who favored one Guardian over another, and I judged all the World Trees accordingly. Well, then there was the fact that I kind of forgot who I was dealing with. I should have been more aware of what Idleaf was, one of the World Trees. But to be honest, somewhere along the way, she became a friend to me.

No, that was not true!

She’s been that to me from the beginning. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. The idea of considering someone a friend after the first meeting was both ridiculous and impossible to me, yet no matter how hard I tried to deny and twist the truth, she was the first person I opened up to here on Eleaden and admitted who I was, all my feelings. She never questioned me or made fun of me about it and accepted me as I was. What else could she be but a true friend?

“Indeed, I’m really lucky,” I said heartily.

“Wait, Korra. Idleaf actually teaches you magic?” Stella asked, baffled by what she had just heard.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“No,” she shook her head.

“Really?” I was sure I’d mentioned it at some point. After all, it wasn’t something I was trying to hide. “Wasn’t it in that report you read about me?” Even though she refused to read it before joining Squad Four and our match, wanting to get a feel for us herself, she did read the reports after the fiasco she pulled there on the city barrack’s training grounds.

“I told you there was only basic information, who you are, your background, your stats, your strengths, and weaknesses.”

“Oh.” Actually, thinking about it, she may have already said that. “Well, she helped me with mana control. That’s it. I’m stuck on finding my element now.”

“A great test for a budding magus to overcome,” Traiana said. “One that must be tackled alone.” Asking how she knew that if she wasn’t a mage...well, a magus, was pointless. The woman had long ago made it clear that her knowledge went far beyond the sword at her waist.

“Why alone?”

Traiana raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you told, little Guardian?”

“Well, yeah. That only I can find the element most fitting me.”

“And it is so, little Guardian. Can someone decide your favorite food for you, what music will soothe your ears, or what man will make your insides tickle or arouse your lust?”

I found my cheeks heating up with the thought and myself unable to argue against it. No one could tell me what I preferred, only show me the way to find out, and that’s what Aspen and Idleaf did.

“I see you begin to understand,” Traiana said, my damn expression far too telling.

“You do, Korra?” Stella inquired, her voice eloquently suggesting that I tell her. Bud, did I? What was I actually supposed to understand? What did my magical training have to do with the lack of control over our skills?

“I’m not sure I did, ma’am.”

Traiana sighed. “That’s a problem with you two. You focus on one thing while completely disregarding another. You know, not everything is black and white as you see it. Be it a simple farmer, a whore, a warrior, a magus, or a lord, though in their own way, each of us treads the same path.”

Following her train of thought was incredibly difficult at times, it really was, but unless I was mistaken, she was saying that I truly should view my skills as elements of magic. How the two things were connected still escaped me, though.

Seeing that Stella and I were both at a loss as ever, her chest heaved in another sigh. “Classes and skills shouldn’t be some random rubbish assigned to you, little ones. They should be what fits you the most from the archives of knowledge. Where you are wrong is that you are stubbornly focusing on the footsteps the system has shown you, the steps that someone has walked before you, when you should be focusing on your own.”

“So, not following what the system taught us, ma’am?” Stella asked, trying as hard as I to see the actual advice in her words.

“No, make what it taught you your own. Do not try to copy the knowledge shown to you to the letter, but tailor it to your own taste.”

“Oh...oh, like Deckard’s fighting style, right?”

Both Stella and Traiana gave me questioning looks. Each for a different reason. One had no idea what I was talking about, the other about who. “Deckard is my mentor, he teaches me to fight, but because of my body, I have to adapt what he teaches me to myself.”

“The fact that he lets you make him a great teacher. Even in my time, many were as stubborn as you two, insisting that their apprentices master their teachings perfectly - allowing no deviance. That’s why I’m glad to see that you found the answer in yourself,” Traiana said, looking at Stella with a smile on her lips. “What about you, little one? Don’t you have that kind of experience?”

***

We sat there for over two hours, doing our best to master our skills with the new knowledge. And no doubt it helped, but the miracle of getting our skill control back up to system-assisted levels didn’t happen. I still had problems with my skills, Stella even more. Nevertheless, with the help of another potion, this time from me, and her misbehaving aura, she managed to get to a state where she got rid of her cough entirely, and the color returned to her skin.

The training wasn’t all we did, though.

I simply couldn’t let go of the idea that Idleaf - and the others - was out there somewhere, all freaked out, to find me - us. But no matter what I did, no matter how much mana I sent to the rune on my side, all I accomplished was burning my flesh. Even lighting all dozen did nothing but raise questions with Stella.

And then, of course, there was the question of how to get out of this place.

‘Whenever you see yourself lost, whether in the world, your heart, or your thoughts, finding the steps you once trod, whether they pass through water, mud, or frost, might take you to the path you seek the most, whether you like what you find there or it was all for naught.’

The words were stuck in my mind in a loop, but no matter how hard I thought about them, said them out loud, or listened to Stella repeat them, neither she nor I couldn’t figure out what to find in them except to go through the steps we’d taken in the maze.

“Why the maze, though?” I asked aloud. “Why did this echo manifest in the labyrinth as a maze?”

“I’ve been thinking about that too, Korra. But it doesn’t make sense to me. Every report only talks about the wall, one spot, not something as complicated as this,” Stella said, pointing to Maneur’s notebook we were bending over. The fact that his notes were scattered over several pages didn’t help.

Scratching the back of my neck in frustration, I growled. “It would be great to have this on one piece of paper, you know, like a fucking map.”

“Yeah, it would be, just...”

“You don’t have a pencil or paper either, huh?”

“No, I do!”

“What?! Then what the heck are you waiting for? Take them out.”

“No! Using magical tools here can be dangerous,” she snapped back and paused. “Wait. Don’t tell me you already used a tool...did you notice any problems with it?”

Since my only magic tool was a spatial ring - well, except for the union ring and the Thread, both completely useless here - and there wasn’t much stored in it, anyway - that is, unless you counted a shit load of food - I didn’t have much reason to do so besides pulling out healing potions.

“That look. You did, didn’t you?”

“The healing potion I gave you. Besides, you’ve already pulled one too. Don’t you remember?”

“Shit!” Stella froze, shocked and terrified. Then, as realization flashed across her eyes, her face contorted in remorse. “Are you fucking kidding me?! How could I forget that...?”

To be fair, she was pretty out of it at the time. “Stella?”

“You! Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“What? Are you so worked up about the paper and pencil?”

“No...mbath, for crying out loud! This...” she said, pointing all over herself. “Look at me. Look at you.”

I finally understood what she was getting at. It was the state we found ourselves in here, bleeding, pissed, and covered in vomit, all now dried on our skins and clothes.

“I don’t want you to think I’m some pampered lady, but being like this is gross. All right, let’s see...” she said under her breath, her voice trembling, quite likely with both fear and excitement. Then, when the mbath appeared in her hand, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Great, the spatial storage really works. Here.”

“It’s fine; I’ll wait; you go first.”

Stella hesitated. “Your regeneration is far better than my healing - even on a good day.”

“Wait, what....oh.” The problem with the malfunctioning magic tools we discussed earlier today. “You pussy.”

“Call me whatever you want,” Stella shrugged back. “But it’s only logical that you try it first.”

“Logical, my ass! I could lose all my body hair.”

“If you’re lucky.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, raising my voice when she hesitated to answer. “Stella?”

“It might or might not peel your skin off.”

“What the fu...I think I’m good. I’ve been living in a dump for a year; I’ll be fine like this.”

“Come on, we need to know if the tools work here. The spatial storage seems to be fine, so...”

“Then you try it.”

She bit her lip. “There’s still a chance that....you know.”

Yeah, that it would peel my skin off. No, thank you. “Over my dead body.”

Then, as she seemed to give up, her eyes gleamed with a renewed determination. “Ma’am?” She turned to Traiana. “Do you...think this place has an impact on the function of magical tools?”

“Not at all, little one, but even I would be reluctant to use the tool in your hand. It’s quite a crude one.”

For a moment, Stella paused, thinking, before she beamed. “See Korra, it’s okay to use it.”

Hearing Traiana, I wasn’t so sure. Nevertheless, I took the tool from Stella, and as a shiver ran down my spine at the thought of being skinned alive, I looked into her eyes. “Pussy.”

She just shrugged, and with an eager look, urged me to use the tool. Eventually, I caved in, reasoning that we really needed to know if the tools worked here, and with a deep breath, ready for a hell of a lot of pain, I used the tool.