Andrellia

19. Felicia

The air hung heavy with the weight of forgotten lore as Felicia navigated the labyrinthine shelves of the restricted archives. Each creak of the floorboards, each rustle of aged parchment, added to the atmosphere of hushed anticipation. Hours melted away as she meticulously scanned brittle pages and deciphered archaic script. Finally, a passage in a leather-bound tome titled "Chronicles of Kings" caught her eye.

Arthur, listen to this!" Felicia's voice echoed through the hushed silence of the archives, a stark contrast to the rhythmic scratching of her pen on parchment. She leaned closer, holding the ancient book at an angle for him to see. "It talks about the Heroic Relics!"

Arthur, who had been perched on a nearby windowsill, his gaze drifting out at the bustling university life below, turned his attention to her. A flicker of interest sparked in his eyes. "Heroic Relics?"

Felicia nodded, her own eyes gleaming with excitement. "Legendary artifacts, apparently. Imbued with powerful magic and wielded by champions who defended the realm against some ancient evil."

She flipped through a few more pages, muttering to herself before stopping again. "Okay, here's the interesting part. They seem to come in different types, each with a specific focus."

"Like what?" Arthur asked, stepping closer to peer at the book.

"Well," Felicia said, tapping the page, "there are these 'Energia' relics. They sound like amplifiers, channeling vast amounts of magical energy for the user. Imagine a gauntlet that lets a mage unleash crazy powerful spells with barely a sweat."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like something Merlin would have appreciated."

"Maybe," Felicia conceded, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips. "Then there are the 'Wielders.' Unlike those, these relics aren't just amplifiers. They're more like conduits, focusing a user's own physical strength. Like an enchanted sword that channels the user's strength and agility into super attacks."

Arthur's hand instinctively reached for the hilt of Excalibur, hidden beneath his jacket. "Sounds useful for a warrior."

"Definitely," Felicia agreed. "But listen, this last one is even more interesting."  She skimmed the text with a frown. "'Wilders,' they're called. Apparently, these aren't external sources of power, but rather a kind of partnership. Imagine a ring that lets you tap into a beast's strength and ferocity."

Arthur crossed his arms and stared at Felicia, a silent question hanging in the air. The weight of his gaze, usually warm and reassuring, felt heavy and scrutinizing. Felicia, lost in the euphoria of her discovery, suddenly felt a prickle of unease.

She reread the passage about Vectors the words blurring slightly as a cold dread settled in her stomach. The symbiotic partnership, the connection with him and Excalibur... it all pointed towards one very distinct possibility. 

"Arthur..." she began, her voice barely a whisper. The book felt heavy in her hands, its aged pages suddenly imbued with a new, unsettling meaning.

As if sensing her dawning realization, Arthur remained silent, his gaze unwavering. Felicia's heart hammered against her ribs. The truth, once veiled in academic curiosity, now loomed large and undeniable.

It hit her like a ton of bricks. "Arthur..." she repeated, her voice gaining strength. "You're a Heroic Relic, aren't you? So that explains the enhanced strength," she murmured, piecing together the puzzle.  "The way you move... it's not just training."

Arthur nodded, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Let's just say Excalibur has a way of amplifying its wielder's capabilities."

Felicia's eyes widened as realization dawned. "Excalibur... that's the Wielder relic! You're not just a skilled fighter, Arthur. You're a conduit, channeling the power of the legendary sword."