Kitsune of the Blue Sun

Chapter 28- Purification

[Keeno POV]

Approaching Pram’s home, we noticed a gloomy feel around the clinic.  Pram’s expression darkened and she started to run toward the clinic.  I followed quickly behind her, and we entered the building.  We found Miss Mill and Ashe standing beside the bed of an old human man.

“What’s going on?” (Pram)

“It’s nearly his time.  Pram, ring your bell for a while.” (Mill)

Pram shut her mouth tightly and manifested her Soul Weapon.  It was a bluish-green bell about the size of a softball.  When she rang it, it made a delicate yet solemn tone.  The old man laying in the bed became visibly more relaxed and he started to breathe slower.  He opened his eyes one more time and looked at the people that surrounded him.  When his eyes met mine, they widened a little more before his expression turned serene.  He stopped staring at me and closed his eyes for the final time.  As he took his last breath, I saw his soul leave his body and float over to me before it started to orbit me.

‘Ama, what’s happening right now?’

{Go outside and get out of sight.  Then summon your Soul Weapon.}

I did as she said and left the clinic.  I walked around to the back of the building and summoned one of my swords.  The faintly glowing grey orb seemed to become more energetic, and it flew to the edge of the sword.  The second it touched the flames, the grey seemed to start burning away until the soul became a pure white and fading away.  At the same time, I started to feel a bit fatigued.

‘Ama, what just happened, and why do I feel so tired now?’

I slowly made my way over to a box that was placed by the clinic and sat down on top of it.  I leaned back against the wall and unsummoned my Soul Weapon.

{You just purified that soul, Keeno…I…you shouldn’t be able to do that yet.}

Ama fell into a confused silence before speaking up again.

{Keeno, go home as soon as you can.  We need to discuss this, it might change up our plans for your training in the future.}

I nodded my head and sat there for a few more minutes before feeling better.  I got up and made my way home.  When I arrived and walked inside, I went to the closest comfy chair and basically fell into it.  Hearing that, Fia came into the room from her study.

“What happened?” (Fia)

{Someone died and their soul started to follow Keeno, she summoned her Soul Weapon and when the soul touched it, it was purified.}

“…I’m glad we found this out now.  I have to change up the training plans now.” (Fia)

“What exactly does any of this mean?” (Keeno)

{In short, that soul you purified has gone back into the cycle.  Your Soul Weapons burnt away and purified any corruption the soul had, and in record time.  I guess even in its sealed state, the Authority of Death is working as it should.  Now, tell us what happened after that Keeno, all I saw was that you almost fell over.}

“Well, when that soul disappeared after the grey was burnt away, it felt like my mana was used and I felt like I had just finished running all day.” (Keeno)

“So, purifying souls consumes your mana and stamina.  Rasu, can you tell the state of Keeno’s soul, or does that only work when you are in person?” (Fia)

{It works better in person, but if I put my full concentration on our connection, then I think I can get a glimpse.}

“Then please do so.” (Fia)

Ama went silent again and after a few minutes I felt our connection start to grow hot.  If I wasn’t already sitting down, I would have fallen to my knees.  My senses were being overwhelmed with the feeling of Ama being everywhere around me and it was throwing my body into overdrive to try and replicate what she was doing.  After what felt like hours, the feeling went away.

“*Gasp!*  Wh-what was that?  It…it felt like Ama was everywhere.  We…we were so close to one another.  He.  Hehe.  Hehehehehehe.” (Keeno)

“Rasu, I don’t think you should do that again unless absolutely necessary.  I know I’m the one who asked you to do it, but seeing as it put Keeno in this type of state means that she can’t handle this yet either.” (Fia)

{…I agree.  Even if it only lasted a minute, her soul was trying to match mine, but I did notice something else.  While we knew her Authorities were there in a sealed state and that they gave her two of her magic affinities, they are more closely connected than even I realized.  Aside from her illusion magic, when she uses Solar or Death magic, she’s basically using the smallest piece of her Authorities she can while they are sealed.}

“I see.  Then we need to focus on control even more?” (Fia)

{Yeah.  I don’t know what you had planned, Fia, but scrap it all and put most of the focus on control.  Keep the other things she needs to learn as much as possible, but control NEEDS to be the priority.}

“Alright.” (Fia)

By this point, I had mostly recovered from my daze and decided to ask what they were talking about.

{Hmmmm.  To put it in simple terms, your Solar and Death magic are so closely connected to your Authorities of the Sun and Death that they’ve basically mixed.  So instead of using those affinities, you are using the part of your Authorities that you can, granted, it’s basically nothing at all, though it’s more powerful than normal magic, but still, it’s the Authorities all the same.  So when you use magic, or your Soul Weapons as catalysts or to purify souls, you are putting pressure on your soul.  This, in turn, is refining it and making it stronger.}

“And since that is the case, your power will only continue to grow as you live and use your magic.  This means that you will need to master control over your mana, magic, Soul Weapons, and Authorities if you want to be able to do anything combat or magic related and not evaporate your mana and stamina faster than water in a desert in the middle of summer.” (Fia)

{Not to mention that, with what that soul did earlier, if we don’t help teach you how to control all of this, you will be almost instantly incapacitated when you step even a toe into a Dead Zone.  Obviously, we don’t want that to happen, so the training Fia was going to give you is now off the table and a new plan needs to be made.  We’ll handle coming up with it, so you just rest.}

“Alright.  Honestly, I’m kind of wiped out right now, so I think I’ll just head to bed.” (Keeno)

“You do that.  If Pram comes over again and asks what happened, I’ll let her know.” (Fia)

“Thanks.” (Keeno)

I slowly got up from my seat and made my way to bed.

Chaos Realm:

Keeno: …Really?

Luna: No rest for the fluffy, Keeno.  It’s time to learn how to cook.

Keeno: …*sigh*

Tamamo: Now, now, you know that not many can match Luna’s cooking.

Keeno: Yeah, after trying it last time I want to eat more, but can I not just sleep tonight?

Luna: Like I said, no rest for the fluffy.  You will wake up feeling refreshed, but I need to make sure you know how to cook, because seeing what you and Fiametta eat when you don’t go out is honestly unbearable now.

Tamamo: And I enjoy seeing Luna in a teaching setting.

Keeno: See, I have no problem learning to cook from you, but will I even remember it when I wake up, and even if I do, it will just devolve into the two of you flirting.

Luna: …

Tamamo: …

Luna: Now, to get to work.

Keeno: …*sigh*

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