"Fire breath! Water splash! Shiny sparkle!"

Alfreda speaks loudly and performs exaggerated gestures and movements.

She wanted to show me something and we are in our backyard.

It has been a few days since Stella left, so it's back to normalcy.

"What are you doing?"

I ask her, unimpressed while sitting and leaning against the big tree.

"I'm trying to summon my holy magic!"

She brings her arms to her chest, as if to charge magic within herself.

She then jumps and lands with a wide stance, her left arm on her hip, gesturing a finger gun at me.

"Butterfly attack!"

Her hair clip shines with magical hymn the magic butterfly comes out and flutters towards me.

It flutters around my face, i try to gently swat it away.

"Ugh."

The butterfly returns back to Alfreda, making her giggle.

"Haha!"

I'm surprised she hasn't grown bored of the butterfly hair clip i got her.

"Can you summon it at will? Does it understand you?"

I'm bored and not really interested, but ask anyway.

"Yes and i think so? It seems to understand me?"

"Is that so?"

She spins a few times before stopping and shouting.

"Sunshine!"

The spinning made her dizzy and loses balance, falling to the grass on her back.

"Hahaha!"

"You're doing it wrong."

She sits up and looks at me.

"What?"

"I said you're doing it wrong."

She gets up and walks up to me.

"What do you mean? How do you know?"

I also get up.

"I've never seen Anna do anything like what you just did."

She eyes me suspiciously.

"Are you being mean again?"

"No?"

"Then what did you mean by your mom not doing what i did?"

"She doesn't cast holy magic like that."

"Wait, your mom can use holy magic? Why didn't you tell me!"

She pouts and stomps her foot on the ground with her hands balled up.

"...You didn't ask."

"Jeez! You have to be more considerate of a girl's feelings, y'know? I'm your best friend!"

For some reason, saying it out loud makes her blush a little.

"Sigh, well, Anna is home so do you want to ask her about holy magic? She might be able to teach you something."

"Can i!? Let's go then!"

Without warning she takes my hand and pulls me towards the house.

 

We find Anna in the living room, combing Ava's hair on the couch.

Alfreda rushes to her side full of excitement.

"Anna!"

"Oh, hey sweetie!"

Anna greets her and pats her head.

"Alex told me that you can use holy magic, can you teach me?"

Alfreda asks her with sparkles in her eyes.

"Um, i guess so?"

I interject to explain it quicker.

"Stella used magic to gauge Alfreda's affinity towards magic, and found out that she has an affinity towards holy magic."

"And she said i have lots of it!"

Anna looks at Alfreda in amazement.

"Is that so? I think i can teach you some holy magic then."

"Yay!"

Me and Alfreda sit on the floor in front of Anna.

"I didn't have enough potential to teach holy magic in the church i worked at but i think i can recall some of the teaching of my teachers."

She thinks to herself for a moment, trying to decide what to start with.

"Okay Alfreda, what deities do you know Alfreda?"

"Um, i know only about Ellythael, the goddess of elves."

"That's fine, but it's not really what we're looking for. Channeling holy magic requires a prayer to a deity. The deity you choose must come from or reside in the realm of holy magic, which is separate from the arcane realm that Stella practices."

"Mh!"

Alfreda let's out an audible sound, listening intensely and taking mental notes of every detail.

"I can list you a few gods that i know of. Each of them represents an idea or a concept from which they derive their power from."

"I think i understand, please tell me more."

"Rithiel, the god of justice, righteousness and retribution. Most paladins choose to worship him to channel their powers."

"What's a paladin?"

I ask her, i don't recall the story book i read to Alfreda mentioning a profession named paladin.

"Paladins are devoted warriors who pray to Rithiel to channel their holy magic and use it alongside their martial weapons. They dedicate most their lives serving him and upholding his ideals while striking down the evils of the world. How does he sound?"

Alfreda rubs her cheek with her finger and chuckles nervously.

"Heh, i think being a paladin sounds too intense for me, i don't think i can hurt anyone."

"Then how about Rithiel's daughter, Victa, the demi-goddess of victory and honor?"

"Isn't she the same as Rithiel?"

I interject.

"Heh, i guess you're right, sorry. Then how about Asteia?"

"Oh, who is she?"

Alfreda asks curiously.

"She is the goddess of fertility, beauty and healing. She is the goddess me and the church i worked at worshiped and prayed to."

"She sounds nice, and i do like the sound of healing. Being able to heal others would make so many people happy."

A healer does sound like it suits Alfreda, considering her personality.

I can't really imagine her wearing bulky armor and wielding a giant sword while shouting something like "Begone foul demons, fear my divine wrath!"

Anna reaches into her pocket and pulls out a necklace.

"This necklace was carved to resemble Asteia, have a look."

Alfreda takes the necklace from her and looks it over.

"It's pretty."

"You can have it, consider it a gift."

"Really? Thank you!"

She happily ties it around her neck.

"I think i want to pray to her, for now at least. How do i do that?"

"Belief is an important component when praying to a deity, but it doesn't have to be exclusive. You can still believe in Ellythael while offering your prayer to Asteia. And remember, they exist within their own realms and have appeared to mortals at various points in history."

"Well, that's a relief. Ellythael is an important deity to us elves, so i'm glad that i don't have to abandon her."

I didn't know elves had gods, let alone Alfreda prayed to one.

"Then let's practice reciting a prayer. Prayer comes from the heart so there aren't any specific phrases you have to say, just put your hands together and say something to that shows your devotion."

"like this?"

She puts her hands together as instructed but then looks to Anna for guidance on what to say.

"I don't know what to say..."

"That's okay Alfreda. Repeat after me, 'O Asteia, please accept my humble prayer, so that i, your devoted servant may feel your love and warmth'."

"Ok, i'll repeat what you said..." She clears her throat and takes a deep breath. "O Asteia, please accept my humble prayer, so that i, your devoted servant may feel your love and warmth."

Silence, nothing seems to happen.

"Did it work? I didn't feel anything?"

"No need to worry Alfreda, i i didn't get an answer either when i first began praying. She probably just noticed and recognized you as a new follower, so give it another try."

Alfreda puts her hands together again, closes her eyes and concentrates.

"O Asteia, please hear my prayer, accept my love and devotion for you, so that you may grant me your divine blessing."

She changed the words and i notice her shedding a single tear.

It's clear that learning holy magic is really important for her and her prayer to Asteia really did sound like it came from her heart.

Nothing seems to happen again, but Alfreda still keeps her hands together and eyes closed, focusing on the prayer.

Then suddenly, her necklace of Asteia begins glowing with golden light, followed by divine hymn.

It grows brighter until it fully envelopes Alfreda in its light.

The light is so intense that it illuminates the whole living room and forces me and Anna to cover our eyes.

Alfreda's clothes and hair begin to flutter and she is lifted off the floor.

"Ah, what is happening!"

She stays afloat for a moment, then light dims and disappears, and Alfreda lands back on her feet.

She looks at Anna, who is just as shocked as she is.

Magic keeps surprising me every time i see it.

"W-What just happened?"

Anna puts her hands together.

"L-Looks like your prayers were answered. How did it feel?"

"I'm not really sure. When i started floating, i suddenly felt warm, like i was being hugged. It felt nice."

"Then that confirms that Asteia has recognized you as a new follower. I had a similar experience when i received her blessings for the first time, although it wasn't as intense."

After hearing this, Alfreda curls up into a ball on the floor, and with a powerful jump, she spreads her limbs wide while in the air and with a big smile on her face.

"YAY! I DID IT! I CAN USE HOLY MAGIC!"

Anna is shocked again by this sight and feels happy for Alfreda.

"Congratulations Alfreda!"

When she lands, she looks at me and lunges towards me.

"Wait, what're you...!"

She wraps her arms around my neck and I fall on my back on the floor, she on top of me.

"Ah, let go of me!"

"Oh my."

Anna says with a hand on her cheek.

"DId you hear that, Alex? I can use holy magic!"

"Yeah yeah, i heard you! Now let go!"

I say loudly with a surprised and annoyed tone.

I try to push her away, but she is clinging to me.

I manage to get her off me enough to see her face when she suddenly begins crying.

"Waah! I'm so happy!"

She tries to hug me again but i'm holding her back.

"Don't cry in front of me! Ah, watch it! You're going to get snot all over me!"

"But i'm so happy!"

I'm beginning to question if these are her actual feeling or is she just overreacting.

Anna reaches into her other pocket and pulls out a handkerchief.

"Come here, Alfreda. Let me clean you up."

She finally lets go of me and i fall on my back again, panting.

"Ugh, finally..."

With the handkerchief, Anna cleans Alfreda's tears.

"Now blow your nose."

She does as she says and is finally clean and seems to have calmed down.

"Thank you, sob."

She says with a rather embarrassed tone.

"You're welcome Alfreda. During my time working in the church, i witnessed a few people have a similar experience when receiving a blessing, both church workers and civilians alike."

Alfreda rubs her eyes off any remaining tears and turns to Anna.

"What happens now?"

"Now that you have been recognized by Asteia and have awakened your potential, the next step is to practice channeling it."

Alfreda sits back down on her spot and listens carefully.

"As i said, the next step is to channel it. Put your hands together like this, and say a prayer either out loud or in your head. let me demonstrate."

She puts her hands together and closes her eyes.

A moment of silence and then her hands begin to glow with golden light.

It's not very bright, probably indicating her lesser potential.

The light emits slight warmth, which i can feel on my face.

The glowing stops and Anna opens her eyes.

"Like that. Now you try Alfreda."

"Understood. Hands together and pray."

Mimicking Anna, Alfreda puts her hands together and closes her eyes.

She breaths out slowly, her expression showing calmness and focus, despite having just cried a few minutes ago.

Her hands begin glowing.

Like Anna's, the light is faint but Alfreda doesn't break her concentration and continues praying.

Me and Anna see the light grow brighter and the warmness following it.

It's growing brighter until it stops.

It's not as bright as when she was blessed, but it still lights up the room and proves that Alfreda has truly been blessed by Asteia.

To what extent?

I don't know, but she's not weak.

She may not look like it, but i can sense her potential.

She can become strong, much stronger.

This was proven to me by Stella and her magic.

You may lack a strong body, but if you have potential for magic, you can overcome that weakness.

But where does that leave me?

What if Alfreda becomes as strong as Stella?

What if Stella becomes even stronger?

Can i bridge that gab with my fists alone and surpass them?

What am i thinking?

Of course i can.

I have to, if i aim to become the strongest.

Unnecessary doubt will only slow me down.

Alfreda ends her prayer and the light disappears.

"I did it again."

Anna claps.

"Great job Alfreda, i'm so proud of you."

She blushes from the praise.

"Now the next step is to learn a spell, 'Heal' to be exact."

"Heal?"

"Yes. A simple but effective spell, every healer of all levels of ability know it. To cast 'Heal', you place your hands near an injury, channel your holy magic by praying and then sat 'heal'."

"But i'm not hurt?"

"That's a good thing, but how do we practice? Hmm, maybe Eric has a few bruises when he comes back from fieldwork? No, he's not that careless."

We sit quietly for a moment when i get an idea and get up.

They watch me disappear to the kitchen and hear me opening drawers and cupboards.

I return and their eyes open wide when they see me holding a small knife.

"A-Alex, what're you going to do with that?"

Anna asks nervously.

I extend my left index finger and bring the knife to it, and slice the tip.

They both scream, Alfreda closing her eyes and Anna yelling.

"Alex, what're you doing!?"

"What? It's just a small cut, it's not like i sliced my hand open."

Quite a bit of blood trickles down my finger and along my hand, some of it falls on the floor.

I might've cut a bit too deep.

I extend my bloody hand to Alfreda.

"Now heal it."

She opens her eyes but once she sees my hand her face becomes pale.

"Alfreda, remember what i told you? Do exactly what i said."

She gives me a stern eye.

"I should ground you for being so reckless."

I roll my eyes at her.

Alfreda takes deep breaths and tries to concentrate.

The sight of my blood makes her feel weak but she tries to push past it.

"Place my hands around the wound, say a prayer and then say 'Heal'."

Her hands begin glowing.

"Heal."

The wound glows with the same golden light as her hands and my finger feels warm.

The pain disappears and the blood stops flowing.

It slowly closes up and once closed up, it stops glowing.

Alfreda's hands drop on her lap and she takes deep breaths.

I take a look at my finger, her healing didn't even leave a scar.

I admit i'm slightly impressed, but i'm not going to tell her that.

"Are you alright Alfreda?"

Anna places her hand on her shoulder with a concerned look.

"Yeah, i think i'm okay, just a little tired."

"Here, rest on the couch. And you, clean that up!"

I don't bother protesting and get a piece of cloth from the kitchen to clean the blood off the floor.

Anna is sitting on the couch, stroking Alfreda's hair who is resting her head on Anna's lap.

Once Anna sees i'm done cleaning, she wakes up Alfreda.

"Wake up sweetie, time for you to go home, it's getting late."

"Yawn, okay."

She hugs Anna.

"Thank you for teaching me holy magic, i'm very happy."

"You're welcome. Alex, escort her home."

"Fine. Come on, Alfreda."

 

We are walking down the road to Alfreda's home.

"Did you really have to cut your finger, Alex?"

I scoff at her.

"Well, we had to make sure your magic works. What, does the sight of blood scare you?"

"I don't like it. Seeing it makes me feel lightheaded."

"You're going to have to put up with it if you aim to become a healer."

"I know..."

She reaches out and takes my hand in hers and looks at my finger.

I grunt but resist pulling away.

"I'm really happy that i could heal you."

"Why?"

"Isn't that what friends do? Help each other when they're hurt?"

I pull my hand away.

"Perhaps."

"You're strong so you can fight the bad guys while i heal you using my holy magic, like in the book you read me?"

I remember the hero and the priestess.

"Or you can work at a church and heal people who need it. I will become strong enough not to need your help."

"But i want to heal you. Ah, jeez, you're such a dummy!"

We reach her house and stop at the gate.

She turns towards me and attempts to give me a hug, but stops when i step back slightly.

She gives me faint smile.

"Good night, Alex."

I turn and head back home.

"...Night."