Xelqua Rising || The Lost One AU

55. Graduation

"Go right ahead." Miesall was saying, gesturing over to the rest of the room. Outside of himself and Xelqua, the area stood completely empty. "Show me what you can do."

Xelqua hesitated. "But what do you want me to make?" He asked.

Miesall only shook his head. "Make whatever you want. Just try to challenge yourself and test your limits. I want to see how much you have grown as a Watcher."

Xelqua paused. It was strange to think of how much he had learned here. He had used to be a human, unable to even participate in the most basic communication. Now, he was as skilled in magic almost as much as anyone else here. In some cases, his skills had even surpassed others. Most notably, his flying. Spending all his time lately on Miesall's obstacle course, he found himself getting progressively better. He could now say that he was one of the most advanced flyers, though his teacher was still noticeably better.

Just how much time had passed since he had come here, anyway? He knew that he had been asleep for a century. He knew that Ryan had entered his teenage years, and so that was another decade or two. The boy's childhood had gone by in a blink of an eye. To him, it really did feel like The Convex was born just a month or so ago. Just what did that say about how much time had passed?

"Alright." Xelqua replied at last before extending his arms. His hands began to glow as he summoned his magic to them. He held them down low, palms raised to the ceiling. He slowly began to raise them up. Obsidian rose from the floor, rising up to imitate the motion he made.

When his hands were at eye level, he brought them together to hold his own hands. The obsidian pole continued to grow as he held his arms as high as he could directly above his head, his fingers intertwined.

Now he gradually began to adjust his hands so that his palms faced away from each other, his fingers still intertwined. When his hands now faced away from each other, he began ripping them apart. As they came undone, beginning to fall in opposite directions, the obsidian split in two ways as well, continuing to follow to motions Xelqua was making.

Xelqua then began to forgo some of his magic in his left hand, allowing the use of it to flicker and stop, the obsidian coming to an end. His right continued only for a few seconds later before he allowed his magic to settle in that side as well, completing the sculpture of a fountain.

Miesall walked up from where he had been standing. He approached the sculpture before using his wings to hover just slightly over the ground. Reaching out to touch it, he circled around it, feeling the curves with his hands

"What do you think, Miesalt?" Xel asked. The other stayed quiet, continuing to inspect it for a few more seconds.

After sliding his hand off of it and letting it fall at his side, he responded. "It is a bit too tough to be representative of water. However, the structure itself is otherwise very well crafted." Miesall responded before giving a slight smile or approval. "I believe that is all I can teach you. You can only practice what I've instructed you to improve, and you do not need my help to do that."

Xel hesitated. He should be happy, and in a way he was, but he was also a bit saddened by this. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Miesall nodded. "You are very good at flying. Better than most, even. Your magic only needs repetition to get better. I would say that your ability to complete rituals could improve, but I highly suspect that will be a lifelong issue-"

"Hey!" Xelqua cut in, catching on to the casual burn.

His teacher paid him no mind as he continued without stopping. "The only thing you have yet to learn is combat. However, considering your time as a player, you are more experienced than I am. You can create an obsidian sword and use it similarly as you would with a diamond one. To learn to use actual magic is combat, however, would be a teaching more suited for other Watchers. Symus, perhaps. Even so, the Great Ones have told me this training is optional."

Xel frowned as he looked to the male who had taught him for so many decades now. As much as he hated the boring lectures, he also found great enjoyment out of all the detours he took Miesall on. In fact, if he hadn't become his teacher, the two might have never gotten close to begin with. "There must be something that you haven't taught me." He replied, trying to think of something he hadn't learned yet.

"There are many things I have not taught you. For example, I have not taught you the names of the flowers in the garden, but you do not need to know all of such things." Miesall replied.

The blonde continued to frown as he studied the masterpiece he had just created. It really did take skill to create such a thing. He knew that the others could do it better, but it still was an impressive feat.

"But other Watchers don't need such elaborate hand motions to sculpt obsidian." he pressed.

The curly-haired Watcher shook his head, frowning as well now. "That is not something that I can teach. That will come with experience, and even then it is unnecessary." Xel opened his mouth to protest, but the Watcher continued speaking. "Look, I know you want to be my student forever, but that just cannot be. Times passes, things change and fate keeps writing. It is not like we will not be seeing each other every moment going forward."

The former human nodded slowly. He knew the other was right, though a childish side of him still wished to protest. Even though he was supposed to be more mature than the other, Miesall seemed so much wiser than him.

(In human years, the one who had lived two millennia was actually only around twenty or twenty one years old currently. Grian had been twenty-five when he arrived here so many years prior, making Xel around twenty-six or twenty-seven in human years. Xelqua often forgot this.)

"Thank you for teaching me." Xelqua answered earnestly now, giving a small bow. "And you're right. Just because you aren't my teacher doesn't mean we aren't still friends." He smiled.

The Watcher's face immediately flushed a bright purple. "Xelqua!" He exclaimed. "Language!"

Xel only gave a playful smile, softly giggling to himself. "I am speaking Language, Miesalt." He teased, purposely playing a bit dumb. Knowing this, the other  fluttered his wings, crossing his arms and pouting. His blush was already beginning to fade. "But seriously, we're always going to be friends. Even if you don't understand what that means."

---

AN

So I kind of asked in the comments in the last chapter, but do you guys think I should mix in just a bit more fluff? I mean, just every now and then be a little nice to the characters for a change? Just wondering...