They always say that to teach is the best way to learn, but it didn't seem true until I actually tried it.
Aiden's sister Canna had been watching me for around an hour as I drew and practiced the magic circles I had copied all the way back when we were fighting the blood trent. She had been asking occasional questions, and small suggestions, not rude ones, but questions like
"If you're trying to have the barrier expand and don't care about a specification of target, why not get rid of this part and reinforce this part."
We spent a good few hours working on it before we turned to watch Jax and Aiden. A part of me did the calculation for how long we had before the games, but the new increase in speed had given us a whole extra day to arrive, so it wasn't as much of a concern. What did have me concerned was just how aggressive Jax and Aiden were in sparring. It had started out innocent enough, Aiden practicing his form, and Jax focusing on dodging while also making tap attacks to force Aiden to defend, however the two of them seemed to be getting more and more heated by the second.
It was to the point that Jax's normal white Ki aura was tinting with a strange pink and gray swirl while Aiden had so much heat rising off of him that there seemed to be wisps of flames dancing around his hair.
Both were breathing heavily as they stared each other down, as if waiting for the other to make the first move. Even the ground around them were covered in gashes, and small indents where they were slammed and sliced at. Abel stood to the side, an awestruck look on his face as he watched the two.
Looking at both of them, I wondered why Aiden had been so insistent that I not mention him being their brother to them. While I wasn't one to talk when it comes to family problems, it still struck me as odd. Regardless, I didn't plan to say anything.
A familiar voice drifted on the wind to my ear as I whipped around, the wind beginning to whip around me.
"Canna, get behind me."
I said cautiously, making my influence on the wind expand out to catch Aiden and Jax's attention. Coming from the edge of the treeline, I saw two of Ymer's group, with them Beatrice who I can only assume is a hostage. They seemed to notice that I saw them as the gunslinger said.
"Oh, it's the damsel in distress girl."
There was a moment of quiet where even the wind seemed to pause as I yelled.
"MOTHER FUCKER THATS HOW YOU REMEMBER ME!!!"
I roared, making the wind surge around me. The two stopped as to my surprise Beatrice continued forward.
"Liora stop, they said they aren't being controlled by them…. Their players as they called them."
Beatrice paused for a moment to look back as if ensuring she wasn't saying something wrong as next to me, Jax and Aiden jumped up and were looking at the scene. Jax was rather hostile, his hackles raised, he had this almost manic look in his eyes like a rabbit dog as his entire body shook, almost like he was having to tense his entire body to prevent himself from running to attack. Aiden on the other hand had an unreadable expression on his face. He took a few steps forward as he jumped down and asked a strange question.
"If what you're saying is true, does that mean the others in your group are free from being controlled?"
The two shared an expression as The lightblood rabbit said.
"Technically we're free, but we were given objectives for the down time as they always call it. For us, we were supposed to track your group on your trip to arrive and observe if you make any big breakthroughs."
"Ah, so you have been sent to spy on us, why the sudden turn towards revealing yourselves."
Jax said, his voice too aggressive for the situation, even if he was being defensive of everyone, his claws actively left gouges on the metal as his entire body shook with a feral, barely contained energy. Before I could look over however Aiden walked over as Beatrice made her way back over to us and sat down.
"Tell me, are all of your group currently freed, or are you two a strange exception for the time being."
The pair exchanged a look as if contemplating whether to say anything before the gunslinger said.
"Its something called down time, the players set a period and give us tasks our bodys do automatically, during this time aside from when doing said tasks we are free."
Aiden nodded as if any of that made sense before he crossed his arms and asked.
"So why exactly are you approaching us here?"
At this comment, the gunslinger had a vein of annoyance bulge on their forehead as they threw their hat at the ground and I saw what seemed to be their legs shaking as if fatigued.
"Do you have the slightest Idea how hard it is to chase after a FUCKING car while carrying someone for 8 hours a day!! Just because I'm a courier and can run fast enough to keep up, doesn't mean I can't feel muscle fatigue!"
The gunslinger barked as the rabbit girl next to her averted her eyes out of shame. We all stared for a moment as I broke the silence by asking.
"What, you're looking for a ride so you can rest?"
"Actually yes, that's exactly what we're here for."
There was another moment of silence before the rabbit girl quickly said.
"O-Obviously not for free, we are here to offer information in exchange."
"Hold on, your spies offering to be spies against your own group because your legs are tired?"
Jax asked, turning to Beatrice who had made her way to the roof and shrugged at him.
"Hey, remember the part about not exactly choosing this, our bodys move on their own to follow you, plus it doesn't matter to us if we win or lose this tournament, we just need to participate."
"Really now? Then pray tell why exactly are you participating in this tournament then?"
The rabbit girl crossed her arms as my eyes darted to the small satchel on her lower back where I could just make out the glint of her gloves sticking out as she said.
"Partially because we actively don't have a choice in the matter, but also because we were promised by our players that we could be RTF'ed if we participated, regardless of the outcome. I think they made the deal so you all didn't keep getting stronger as the fights went on against us through your whole "your soul stirs" thing."
Crap, they even know about that, so much for our trump card then. I growled internally as Beatrice gave a puzzled expression and asked.
"Wait, what does RTF'ed mean?"
The gunslinger grabbed their hat from where they had thrown it and said.
"It means Returned To Fate, basically freedom from our players."