LINEAGE

Chapter 21

The crisp winter wind felt delightful against Elianna's skin as she crossed the garrison grounds. She was still breathing a little heavily, with sweat clinging to her skin, after just completing another training session with her father. Now that her father was going to return to his usual duties as the knight commander, Elianna was going to take this opportunity to hang out with Nicholas, like usual.

Approaching the first battalion area, Elianna's lips curved into a smile when her eyes settled on Nicholas. Nicholas looked deep in concentration as he manipulated a small ball of lava the size of a chicken egg. Standing before Nicholas was Freya, who smiled proudly as she watched her nephew manipulate the lava magic. However, Elianna's smile faded a little when she noticed Celine wasn't standing with Nicholas and Freya.

Elianna's eyes darted around the area when she noticed Celine standing not too far away from Nicholas and Freya. Curiosity filled Elianna as she observed Celine wasn't alone. Standing beside Celine was a beautiful elven woman with long teal hair and bright purple eyes. Elianna's eyes looked the woman up and down, seeing she wasn't in Tri-Union knight or mage apparel, but she was wearing teal mage robes that complimented her hair and fit her slender body nicely.

Elianna watched as Celine nodded to what the woman had told her before forming a mana barrier around her, which looked like a dome of pure white magic. A moment later, the elven woman took a staff out of her spacial ring. The staff was made out of light brown wood, with an intricate design running along its shaft. A mana gem was situated at the tip of the staff, secured by the wood of the staff, holding it in place like a snake coiled around a stone.

The elven woman raised her staff into the air, and several swirls of fire magic formed above her before a barrage of firebolts shot out toward Celine. The firebolts struck the mana barrier repeatedly, and Celine grunted a little but held strong. Once the last firebolt struck the mana barrier, the elven woman smiled, lowered her staff, and said something to Celine. Celine returned the woman's smile before dispersing the mana barrier and approaching her.

"Lia!"

Elianna jolted with surprise, and her eyes darted to Nicholas and Freya, seeing that they were both looking at her. Nicholas gave Elianna a friendly smile and waved her over. Elianna returned his smile before walking toward him.

"What were you just standing there for?" Nicholas asked as Elianna approached them.

"I was on my way to see you," Elianna said before she looked toward Celine and the elven woman. "But, I got distracted by what they were doing."

Nicholas and Freya curiously followed her gaze. "Ah," Freya said and looked back at Elianna. "That would be Zera; she's an old friend of mine."

"Is she a part of the mage order?" Elianna asked.

Freya shook her head, "No. She's actually an adventurer. I invited her here to train with Celine a little since she will be taking Celine on her field training soon."

Elianna looked at Freya, a little confused, "Field training?"

Freya nodded and gestured around her, "We can only learn so much in a controlled environment. That's why it's good to go out into the open world and train as well." Freya looked toward Celine and smiled warmly. "Seeing that Celine will be sixteen soon enough, Matthew and I decided that after her birthday, she will be old enough to go out and train. I asked Zera to escort her, and she was more than happy to accept."

"Training in the open world," Elianna said, feeling a little excited just thinking about it. "That sounds so cool!"

Freya chuckled, "Zera thinks so too. It's why she became an adventurer. She loves exploring and fighting magic beasts."