There was no denying the fact that her wish upon the corrupted Holy Grail had come with its consequences. Certainly, she had been able to ascend and usurp the powers of the void, but in doing so the attempt had taken its toll upon her body. She knew her own strength well, and the fact was that ever since she had ascended, her power had waned significantly. Certainly, she could lament the fact that she had weakened so much, but what purpose was there to be found in that? What meaning would complaining and whining have?

Nay, if she wanted to grow stronger then she would need to start training and honing her skills anew. Fortunately for her there had been a certain place that served as a perfect location for such a desire: The Amaforth Academy.

It was a place where mages could receive education and hone their skills in a relatively secure manner. Certainly, it was not fully safe from danger, but they had gone above and beyond to ensure the students their wellbeing.

However, what had fascinated her was the recent advertisement of a event of sorts The College of Invocation had organized. From the brief explanation the flier had given it was a educational exercise that benefitted tacticians and summoners alike. Namely, it was the concept of leading a force into battle, akin to a warfare. However, in this case the event was shifted into a more playful concept where two students were given the means to create and summon several minions to lead in their attempt to conquer a base. It was quite alike to a 'Capture the Flag' exercise.

For her this was the perfect opportunity to practice her skills anew. And as a result she had volunteered to participate. To the other students her presence might had been a bit bewildering. Most students tended to display either excitement or nervousness before an event like this, but in her case she had been leaning against the wall in the preparations room that students occupied before they could borrow one of the exercise fields for the event.

Her eyes were closed, partly hidden by the thin veil that covered her head. Even her attire suggested she was less of a student and more akin to a priestess of some sort. Yet there was something about her presence, her aura that carried a mysticism that made her stand out from the other adventurous students in the room.

A soft hum escaped her lips. "I wonder who my opponent will be. One of the overseers mentioned a Dominic?"

WC: 400

Dominic's approach did not go unnoticed. Although his steps were somewhat muffled by the conversations of fellow students in the room, it was perhaps something about his presence that felt different compared to the other students. When he addressed her the young woman opened her eyes, gazing from underneath the veil as she listened to his words. Another of the cloth? For a moment she was bewildered, wondering if her outfit had made the man mistake her for a servant of faith, yet perhaps it was not a bad misunderstanding to make. After all, it was much easier to justify her presence as a priestess compared to the revelation of her true identity. There were not many who would believe her identity as a guardian deity of Pergrande, and even fewer who would be able to act normally when they realized she was in fact a fledgling deity of the void.

"I am doing quite well good sir~" The priestess replied, her lips curving into a gentle smile upon seeing the slight bow of respect from the man. "Although your surprise is not unwaranted~ Many believe that these of faith tend to be sheltered, and while that might be true for some religions... Others firmly believe in the value of gaining wisdom through worldly experience. After all, one can rarely be truly prepared for the complicated nature of the world when one lives their entire existence in a cloister."

Nay, such a life was akin to living in a gilded cage. She valued her freedom and as such she would never permit herself to be chained down by such ideals. "Yet Earthland is as dangerous as it is beautiful, and as such being prepared by having some means of protecting oneself is of immense importance."

A slight hum followed as she lowered her hands to the wall and gently pushed her body off it. "I am Veles~" She was a bit curious if the name would spark any reaction. Although it was a name intimately familiar for the older generations within Pergrande, the Voidal religion was still a fledgling faith and as such one was often prone to consider such individuals closer to cultists rather than people of faith.

And honestly? This man didn't give off the typical presence of a worshiper of the void. "Aha~ It seems some of the matches have finished. It shouldn't be too long until the instructors will come to call in the next batch of students and explain the nature of the exercise.

WC: 400

Veles couldn't help but smile gently at the agreement that Dominic voiced when it came to the absence of experience when learning only through books and theory within a sheltered environment. "Indeed, although books and tomes have their own charm, they can not replace actual experience. It is why I encourage others to seek out worldly experiences to support the path they desire to walk."

It was true, while some pantheons might prefer to keep their distance from interacting with mortals, she had always been someone who felt a certain joy at watching people grow and prosper, especially if done through a bit of gentle encouragement. Of course, there was a difference between encouragement and holding one's hand. The latter would lead to the same consequence that living a sheltered life would bring.

"Exactly: a person's faith can be a powerful shield and a mighty blade. Whether it is faith in the goodwill of a deity or faith in one's friends and companions. If you have something or someone to believe in, then you will find yourself capable of pushing past limits that otherwise would have not been possible."

Indeed, the ability to grow past your limits by firmly believing in something had its charm, but there was something she found important to voice as well. "Of course, it is important to always keep an open mind. Unquestioned faith can become chains as well."

When the man introduced himself she nodded her head gently, a smile still lingering on her lips. "A pleasure to meet you as well Dominic~" Yet his concern was unwarranted, as she soon voiced. "I do not mind. After all, one's faith is merely a choice of what path to walk to enlightenment. Whether it is Illumin or any other faith, you will often need to have the desire to seek answers outside of books and a particular faith if you desire to truly find the answers to enlightenment."

Indeed, surely Dominic had experienced it himself already, how the church decided to keep certain secrets and teachings behind closed doors, all under the pretense of heresy. Shortly afterwards one of the instructors started to call in the names of the students, including Dominic and Veles as he started to explain the nature of the exercise.

"We have prepared several tools to aid these with inexperience in summoning creatures. The main objective of this exercise is to train your awareness in the chaos of battle and become capable of instructing your summons even under stress. In order to carry out this exercise we have prepared spacious fields that each house a base for each student. It is within this base, at the 'throne room' that one will be commanding their summons. Victory is earned by capturing the other student and taking over their throne room. If there are no more questions we will head to the field next. Dominic Luzero? You will be competing against.... let me check, ah Veles."

The statement made Veles smile at Dominic. "Seems we will be learning together today then Dominic~ I have to admit I'm quite curious to see how sturdy the shield of your faith will be."

WC: 500

Dominic’s Template

Dominic, Deacon of Light ”Exactly!” in his joyful excitement, his voice caught the attention of several nearby students, to which he corrected himself and cleared his throat, making sure he kept himself calm. It felt like a breath of fresh air to find a spiritualist who shared his thoughts on the matter, and even more so when he wasn’t able to confirm his thoughts with others, given that his only community was the church itself. But now hearing much of his own philosophy which was still being determined, he felt as if he has made a new friend. When she had mentioned spiritual chains, his smile nearly faded, but he held onto it as best as he could to not worry her and break the conversation. He thought about the separation between his mother and grandmother; one became a zealot for the Illumin faith while the latter held onto old faith of the Nahuatl, a faith that many Stellans still carry traditions from. The rift caused tissues in the family and an silence between mother and daughter for some time, ”Such chains can definitely cause pain, loved ones suffer…” he fell silent, realizing he was bringing a dark mood to the conversation, so he quickly corrected himself again, forcing the smile. He was trying to find a different subject he could lead the talk to, but the instructor began calling out to the class, which in a way was a saving grace. Dominic listened intently. His smile was genuine now, for he was excited to be able to practice his magic, despite there was little writings and teachings that taught such a style of summoning, he was confident enough to trust in himself and in his summonings. But the moment it was determined that he would be facing against Veles, as she smiled, his own smile dropped in surprise, he wasn’t expecting this to turn the way it did. He finally found a spiritualist that shared his idea, and now he had to face her in a mock combat game. ”Well then, Veles, I look forward to learning with you as well, it will be an honor to see how your magic is, I have no doubt your faith is strong” Dominic felt relief. Veles was right, they were there to learn, and if he wanted to pick who he would face against in this class, he would pick her as well, feeling more comfortable with the maiden. 404 | 1,271

Veles's smile brightened, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes as she replied with a hint of joy in her voice. "I'll hope to bring you plenty of entertaining surprises then~"

As the pair was being led to their field the first impression the priestess had was the fact that the field did seem to replicate the idea of a simple wargame. The field itself was separated in three sections. At the far left side was the encampment of the first student. This encampment came in the form of a fortress of sorts, well calling it a fortress might had been a bit far-fetched, it was more or less a square-formation that was walled off by large wooden walls with at the center the 'base', that came in the form of a tower with the so-called throne room at the far top that cast a view of the battlefield.

While the far right side displayed a similar construction, of particular interest was the center area. There had been a large field of grass, with at either side a collection of lush greenery like trees and bushes.

The overall idea did entertain her quite strongly and as each student was instructed to take their place at their base the instructor started speaking. "At the throne room you are in you will find several magical orbs that are filled with mana. Each orb will allow you to cast up to five D-rank summons, with each student having been provided 4 orbs. Any additional summons you wish to use will have to be supplied from your own mana. Both sides can provide commands to their summons on the battlefield through these orbs, and also receive feedback on the state of the exercise through the view."

Veles nodded her head gently in acknowledgment, her gaze shifting at the orbs. So she had around twenty summons available for the conflict. Her gaze turned toward the other tower where Dominic would have been at and hummed softly. "May the cleverest tactician win~"

Quietly she raised a hand toward the first orb, feeling its mana pulse as she noticed that at the base of the tower five magical circles started to lit up. Each magical circle seemed to call forth a humanoid-shaped marionette that was armed with a wooden sword and shield, a makeshift soldier.

For now it seemed like a good idea to test out these soldiers, and as such she gestured toward the center of the battlefield. Each of the soldiers had 30 Strength and 30 speed, but their A-rank durability meant they could likely last a while.

However, the instructor did mention they could use their own summons as well... It was something that gave her an idea of sorts. Raising a hand forward she hummed softly, allowing three spheres of water to manifest that each took the shape of a youthful aquatic maiden and spoke in a whisper.

Thread through the forest and wait for my signal to attack~

The water nymphs giggled softly in response as they descended down the tower, disappearing from view while Veles withdrew a small orb from her garments. "Guess it's time to get started~"

As she spoke the five soldiers summoned before started to march into the open fields, intending to approach Dominic's base in a straightforward siege.

WC: 500

It seemed that Dominic wouldn't need to wait much longer, for after several moments five of the puppet-like summons provided for the exercise came marching through the plains and were approaching the entryway into the fort.

The sight of the defenders made the priestess her lips curve up into a smile. "Starting with a defensive measure, are we?" It made sense, one would usually prefer to bolster their defenses and prepare for a potential attack, a sound defensive strategy. Perhaps it was for that reason Veles placed her hand on the second orb and started calling forth the second wave. It would take a while for them to reach the gate, but for now she would attempt to take the initiative.

The five wooden puppets moved in a straight line, each of them marching toward the gate. Soon upon reaching the gate one of the wooden puppets started to approach the defender, raising his sword and attempting to slash toward the defender.

However, while they were encroaching upon the front gate the three water nymphs had moved through the forest and slowly were approaching the fortress from the side, but more curious was the fact that among the three water nymphs a hooded figure was approaching as well.

"Time to set things in motion~"

As she stated these words the remaining wooden puppets started to join in on the siege of the front gate while at the same time the nymphs were sneaking toward the wooden wall, what could their plan had possibly been? Either way, Veles' gaze settled on the opposite side' tower and asked Dominic with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Dominic~ You might want to ensure you have some stable footing. Things are about to 'shake up' soon~

As she hinted at the tease she couldn't help but wonder how he would react once her plan was revealed.

WC: 300

It was clear that Dominic was wary, perhaps he had anticipated the initiative Veles had taken. Although the first wave of puppets had reached Dominic's base, the attack had led to one of the puppets to be broken, yet the follow-up attack of the puppet beside it had led to the destruction of the lone defender. However, it was in that moment, as the first wave started to encroach upon the entrance to the tower that Dominic's remaining puppets moved in from the side!

The remaining four puppets seemed caught by surprise, especially with the second wave being summoned. It was the risk of being so close to the enemy base: to become stuck in a pincer formation. Although it was clear that two could play the game. The second wave of puppets Veles had summoned were approaching the battle, allowing them to turn their attention to the four puppets that were approaching her first wave from the side.

Although the first wave was clearly struggling, one of the puppets had attempted to brace himself by raising his shield, although the flurry of swings at her puppet slowly caused it to crumble under the weight of the assault.

It was in the moment that the two puppets started to approach the gateway, yet it was in that fleeting moment before the clash that Veles revealed her cards.

A sudden drizzle started to cover the battlefield as the trees at the edge of the arena started to shift and creak, as if something was disturbing nature. If Dominic had been curious about who or what had been responsible for this, he would discover it soon enough as a giant creature emerged from amidst the trees, seemingly resembling a mystical Leviathan!



the creature slithered along the grass, quite akin to a snake yet more peculiar was the fact the Water Nymphs that Veles had summoned earlier were seen riding on its back!

With the first two waves of Dominic being caught between dealing with Veles her first waves, it would be curious to see how Dominic would react to the unexpected surprise!

The Leviathan came crashing against the side of the base, raising its massive body from which the three Water Nymphs hopped over the wall and prepared to engage the second wave that Dominic had send to the gate of his base.

And the Leviathan? It simply kept its body raised up, its head gazing quietly at Dominic when a familiar voice ringed through the air: "I am a firm believer of the saying: All is fair in love and warfare~ So I hope you forgive this trickery Dominic."

As the Leviathan started to rise over the wall one couldn't help but wonder: didn't Veles her voice came from quite close, when she was still visibly seen standing at her base' tower? Could it truly be...

The Leviathan was still quietly waiting to see the priest his reaction.

WC: 500

The three water nymphs seemed somewhat surprised by the arrival of the golden retriever. The bark of the canine that was accompanied by a blast of light had cleanly hit one of the nymphs and send her flying toward the wooden wall of the base, the blast obscuring her from view for a mere moment till Dominic would be able to see the outcome: The Nymph had cast a spell upon herself that had shrouded her in a defensive bubble!

With the two other nymphs reassured at their companion's safety they swiftly lunged toward each of the golden retriever's sides, attempting to pin down the canine while the puppets were still engaging the frontline of the priest' base.

However, with a third wave of puppets being conjured by Dominic it seemed Veles had decided it was time to finish the battle, at least before her soldiers would be overwhelmed. The Leviathan's gaze lingered upon Dominic as it moved, circling around the tower like a serpant as it slowly rose to the summit till it was face to face with Dominic.

"Ignoring a lady when she has her entire attention dedicated to you is quite a mean think to do. Even if most priests tend to be a bit oblivious on how to treat a maiden~"

The playful voice of the priestess resounded from nearby once more as the Leviathan opened its massive maw, for a moment looking like it was threatening to swallow Dominic, but instead that act never came. Nay, the creature moved forward as its body seemed to shift back to a familiar humanoid form, and in the blink of an eye Veles was standing right behind Dominic, one hand gently resting on his waist while she whispered softly into his ear.

"Here is some advice from your senpai in the art of summoning: Most summoners tend to always keep one of their strongest guardians near them. After all, most mortals that take up the field of invocation tend to not be too focused on things like martial combat themselves."

A soft hum escaped her lips as she took a step sideways to look at the battlefield. Dominics soldiers were still doing their best to keep the enemy siege at bay, and her Water Nymphs were still struggling to keep the golden retriever busy.

"mhmm~ In case you're wondering, I sort of am a special case as a summoner. Certainly, I specialize in invocations, but as a dragon I am quite capable of holding my own in the midst of combat should it come to that."

She was quite enjoying her time with Dominic, perhaps a sign why she still was acting playful despite being in the midst of an exercise. It wasn't that she wasn't taking this exercise seriously, it was simply that she was having fun with it. But she had to admit she was a bit curious about why Dominic's previous summoning attempt had failed. At least he looked like he had tried to summon something...

WC: 500

Veles smiled gently at him as he listened to his advice, her gaze lingering at the battlefield. Dominic's summons had abandoned the battlefield, fleeing as instructed by their leader. "You are kind, aren't you?" She spoke, her voice softer and gentler, the absence of mischief clearly present. "Although they are bound to your will and could had been easily recreated, you wanted to spare them the suffering of defeat when you instructed them to retreat."

She shifted her gaze toward her base, a slight nod following as the Veles that stood on top of the tower made a slight wave to the side with her hand, seemingly creating a tear into the void that closed behind her as she reemerged at the other side of Dominic.

"Kind and honorable, you're the kind of person I adored reading about when I was a child. I really longed to meet such people, the ones stories often describe as 'heroes'. And yet, when I came to Earthland the first thing I learned was: It are the kind and honorable people that are the first to die on the battlefield."

She turned her gaze away from Dominic, a hint of sorrow momentarily crossing her visage. "Never enter the battlefield with such emotions Dominic, I wouldn't want to see you die in such a way. Earthland is as beautiful as it is cruel, and there is no shortage of people who would exploit such behavior, especially during a war."

As the portal opened into the void and the other Veles emerged from within, it became evident what was going on. The mimic regained her true appearance, looking similar to the infamous dragon tyrant of Pergrande.

"And yet, even if some might call your actions just now foolish, there might be others who become inspired by your kindness. So if that is the path you wish to travel, then simply become someone who is strong enough so that even if one tries to exploit your kindness, they still wouldn't be able to best you."

Veles couldn't help but chuckle softly at these words. "Kind encouragement from the Tyrant Dragon of Pergrande? I guess in a few days we'll see pigs flying over Iceberg or something." The priestess her words earned a brief huff from Ryuko. "Either way, you did well with the initial tactics you employed. Against a normal summoner you likely would have lasted much longer."

Veles nodded her head in agreement. "Since the exercise is over, want to take a short break? I'm certain you have a lot of questions plaguing your mind, and fortunately I'm in a mood to give answers to them~ That and it has been a while since I enjoyed a break at the college's cafeteria~"

She did hope Dominic would accept her invitation, he seemed like a more pleasant conversation partner compared to Ryuko. But at the same time she wouldn't hold it against him if he declined the invitation.

WC: 500

When Dominic accepted her invitation Veles's lips curved up in a bright smile. "Let us go and enjoy a meal at the cafeteria then~"

As Veles guided the duo out of the exercise ground and toward the cantina she turned her gaze briefly at Dominic. "Surprised why nobody is intervening? Amaforth Academy retains a certain degree of neutrality in worldly affairs, so as long as she doesn't cause any problems, it is unlikely anyone would disrupt Ryuko's presence here."

The Tyrant Dragon huffed at these words. "It's more your carefree and reckless nature that I'm worried about Veles." After their arrival at the cantina and giving Dominic the chance to order some food as well the trio was given the opportunity to have a moment of peace and privacy to converse. Ryuko had been quietly eating something called a 'Hamburger', a slice of meat, although in her case it was a thick slice surrounded by two buns while Veles was sipping from some type of juice.

"Then again, most rumors that reached past Pergrande's borders originate from Druringrad, so yes Ryuko's enemies would certainly see her as a heartless tyrannical dragon that crushes these who oppose her, but the people who live in her domain? They actually been enjoying peace and prosperity since she took over the Voda River and its surrounding territory."

Ryuko listened quietly to Veles her explanation, merely muttering under her breath. "War never changes, there will always be victims when words can't resolve conflicts..."

Yet Veles turned her attention toward Dominic and smiled softly. "So~ feel free to ask whatever questions are plaguing your mind~ We'll likely be here a while considering this is Ryuko's first burger~"

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she waited to hear Dominic's question.

WC: 300

Veles' smile wavered for a moment when Dominic asked her about the nature of her relationship with Ryuko. "hmm how to explain it~" Veles began, a soft hum following. "We're similar to the two halves that make up a coin~"

Understanding that such an explanation likely wouldn't be enough to answer Dominic' question Veles continued speaking. "Surely you have heard the stories of how there have been an increase of tears in reality that lead into the Void right? Such occurrences are rarely natural, and most of the times insigated by these with ulterior motives. Whether we are talking about the tragedy that wiped most of Talaz Lagaar off the map when the Fractured Sky became unstable, or the countless tears in the border between Earthland and the void, such acts are always accompanied by something, or someone with an ulterior motivation. In particular, when Ryuko learned of the true nature of the void and the fact one of its denizen was manipulating the people of Earthland for their own nefarious purposes, she attempted to intervene."

Ryuko had just finished her hamburger and added to the story: "Although the civil war in Pergrande led to a lot of casualties, in the end I still sought to unite its people to create a peaceful sanctuary for the future, not just for the denizen of Pergrande, but my own kin as well. If the void breaches into Earthland and consumes it entirely, there would be nowhere left for one to find peace."

Veles nodded her head firmly in agreement. "It was for that reason Ryuko faked her willingness to contribute to the Void's efforts. Through them she learned an immense amount of knowledge about the void and the nature of that realm, but when her benefactor attempted to gain possession of a powerful wish-granting artifact she saw it too much of a threat to be given to the void."

Ryuko turned her gaze toward Dominic as she explained. "Best way was to either destroy the relic, but since I didn't know if such a feat was safely doable, I instead used up all its power by making a wish to usurp the power of the void gods. It worked, to a degree... In my attempt to usurp their powers my being was altered... and now I became a being that wanders the boundary between dragon and a void deity."

Veles took another sip from her drink, humming along. "Although you might had presumed her to be a summon, she is closer to my 'other self', in layman terms she is the dragon part of my existence that I am able to give a vessel to inhabit through a relic I possess."

Dominic's next question made her chuckle softly. "Two reasons: First being that I lost a lot of my former strength, so I have been trying to regain a grasp of my powers, the other reason is that I am somewhat laying low. As you can imagine the champions of the Void are quite displeased that I tricked their masters, and although their masters remain trapped within the void for the time being, the same can't be said of some of their champions..."

WC: 500

Ryuko shook her head lightly at Dominic's words of gratitude. "Although I appreciate the gesture, we never intended to play the role of a hero. If anything, if our deception and movements in the shadows ensured that innocent people could live in peace another day, then that by itself is a reward enough for me."

Veles smiled briefly at Ryuko's earnest words, yet soon turned her attention back to Dominic. A smile still lingered, but for a moment she couldn't help but show a hint of surprise at his question. Their goal? "Hmm, our ambition, so to speak?" She pondered for a bit, one arm gently resting under her torso while the other was slightly raised, bringing her fingers to her lips as she tapped it lightly. "I wonder~ I guess in the end our goal is still the same: To protect these we hold dear~"

Veles gently moved her fingers away from her lips, a playful sway of her hand following. "I might be a fledgling deity, but I did succeed in protecting some people who became trapped in the void. Their entire city was swallowed into the void, but through some clever use of protective magic I was able to ensure the void's influence remains outside of their city. Although I did offer to move them back to Earthland, many people call that place home, and prefer to stay in that city... so all I can do is try to ensure their safety and a chance to prosper peacefully..."

Ryuko's gaze shifted from the table toward Dominic. "We are currently too weak to directly challenge the remaining Void Gods, although should it come to that, we wouldn't hesitate to aid the champions of Earthland in their time of need."

Yet Veles couldn't help but tilt her head lightly sideways in confusion. "Although your attention seems elsewhere than my story~" A soft hum followed, her lips curving up into a mischievous smile as she shifted her posture slightly, leaning in to whisper teasingly into Dominic's ear. "Could it be that even the fair priest can't fully focus when in the presence of two fair maidens?"

Ryuko couldn't help but snicker under her breath, likely expecting the man's nervousness to be for different reasons. Or could it be that even a fair priest of Illumin was not entirely immune to Veles her charms?

WC: 400

Veles smiled softly at Dominic's words. Honestly, while his reaction was unexpected, it was not entirely unwanted. If anything she found his behavior somewhat endearing. "Take all the time you need~ After all, the path to enlightenment is not a race~"

Ryuko's gaze shifted lightly away from the duo, letting Veles have her fun for a while longer as she listened to Dominic's attempt to continue the conversation. It seemed even Veles was pondering about the matter. "I guess my next course of action would be-"

Yet as Veles pondered, the tyrant dragon added with a sly grin. "Seducing a hapless priest?" To which Veles found her cheeks flush up slightly, a firm shake of her head following. "I had no such course of action in mind! Although I do enjoy Dominic' company so far~"

Ryuko couldn't help but snicker softly as she finished her drink, rising from her seat as she spoke. "Either way, I will be returning to your domain for now Veles, make sure not to overstay your welcome~"

Veles playfully waved a hand at the tyrant dragon "Ai~ Ai~ Captain" and with these words watched Ryuko disappear into a tear into the void, closing again behind her. "I actually been thinking of exploring a little~ Although I can rely on Ryuko's memories and knowledge of Earthland, my own memories of the realm are still quite... lacking~ So I been thinking of traveling around a little. Getting to know the locals and such and learn more about them."

It was a sound strategy in her mind, after all if she wanted to protect Earthland she also needed to know the denizen of this realm. "What about you Dominic?" She did admittingly feel a bit curious about the plans the young priest might have had in mind.

WC: 300

Veles' smile turned more solemn at Dominic' pondering about what he would do next. "Amarion is the name of the being you tried to summon during the exercise?" Her voice was as soft and gentle as before, her gaze lingering on the golden coin. "Unfortunately, the nature of Invocation can be vastly different from one to another. For example in my case the beings I summon through my water-based magic simply demand enough of my mana as a catalyst to be brought into existence, and yet at the same time the legions at my disposal through the Monarch of Dragons' power are far more complex."

Indeed, as the Monarch of Dragons she had a different power at her disposal as well. "They are in fact beings with a mind and will of their own, as such it is far more complicated to call upon their aid. Even if they each had sworn their loyalty to the Monarch for eternity, it still requires one to keep their individuality in mind."

She turned her focus from the coin back toward Dominic. "Perhaps you will find the answers you seek once you commune with Amarion." having finished her juice she stretched her arms lightly into the air, a smile still lingering upon her lips. "But I'm sure you'll be fine~ You don't seem like the type to give up that easily~"

WC: 200