Ray spent the rest of the day inside of his home. He had already taken some of the food, he and Effie had hunted yesterday, so the decision Ray made was to relax for the day.
The past two months were seldom filled with rest days, and more often than not with fighting or training. So, to Ray, this occurrence gave him the perfect opportunity to take another rest day and continue with his training tomorrow.
And this is exactly what he did for the rest of the day. He just lazed around and meditated, before going to sleep earlier than usual.
While the morning arrived, Ray had another dreamy night behind him. The vision that appeared this time was weirder though.
It felt… close.
Inside this vision he stood inside of a huge crowd, probably a few hundred people, all while blood was covering the floor. Corpses lay everywhere; it was a complete massacre. And in the center of it all… was Nephis.
Ray knew that he shouldn't judge someone based on something that would happen in the future, especially because he hadn't seen what occurred before his vision.
Shoving these thoughts to the back of his mind, Ray left his hut and walked over to his usual training spot.
It was merely a normal clearing, that was a few dozen meters from the direct settlement. Still, it was good enough for him and was always peaceful.
Sadly, for him, just a few minutes into his usual routine of warming up and then going over his usual exercises and weapon movements, another figure appeared.
At first Ray just ignored the presence, because there were sometimes just some people, who would wake up earlier than usual and wander around a bit, only to stumble upon him. Normally such people would leave in a matter of minutes. Currently, the person remained even after ten minutes had passed.
Not able to concentrate anymore, because of the feeling of an intense gaze, Ray opened his eyes and turned towards the presence, only to find Nephis standing there, motionless.
Her gray eyes were locked onto him with an intense focus, yet her face remained as indifferent as ever. There was no visible emotion, no change in her usual expression, and yet, something about her gaze felt different – even sharper, firmer, as if she were searching for something within him that he couldn't quite grasp.
After a minute of just looking at each other, without a single word spoken between the two, Ray couldn't stand it anymore, "What are you doing here, Nephis? I'm training right now, or do you wanna spar, like in the academy?"
Nephis remained silent for a long moment, her gray eyes locked onto him with that same unwavering focus. The intensity of her gaze hadn't lessened in the slightest, yet her expression remained indifferent, betraying nothing of her thoughts.
Ray sighed, rolling his shoulders. He had tried to ignore her presence, but after ten minutes of being watched like some kind of rare specimen, his patience was running thin.
"Alright, what's up with you?" he finally asked, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "I don't mind an audience, but this is getting weird."
Nephis didn't respond immediately. She took a slow step forward, her silver hair catching the dim light of dawn. "I wanted to see how strong you are."
Ray raised an eyebrow at that. "And?"
A brief pause. Then, calmly, she stated, "You're stronger than me."
Ray blinked. That was… direct.
He studied her face for a moment, searching for anything beyond her usual unreadable calm. But there was nothing - no frustration, no jealousy, not even admiration. Just cold, objective truth.
"…Yeah," he admitted after a beat, exhaling. "Guess, I am."
Nephis didn't react to the confirmation, as if she had already known the answer. She simply continued to observe him, her hands loosely at her sides.
Ray frowned. "You don't look too surprised about that."
She shook her head. "I already knew."
That made him pause. He had expected… well, something. Disappointment, maybe. Some kind of shift in her demeanor. But she seemed just as indifferent as ever, as if this realization hadn't affected her at all.
It was strange. Most people, upon learning they were weaker than someone else, would at least show some reaction - annoyance, frustration, a desire to improve. But Nephis? She took it in complete stride, as if it was just another piece of information to store away.
"…Alright," Ray muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "So what, you gonna challenge me to a spar or something?"
Nephis hesitated for the first time. It was subtle - just the smallest pause before she responded. "No."
Ray's brow furrowed. "Why not?"
For a second, there was silence. Then, quietly, she admitted, "I wouldn't win, and I don't see a way to win without both of us going for the kill."
Ray couldn't help but chuckle at that. It wasn't often you heard someone be so blunt about their own weakness. No arrogance, no false bravado - just simple, unshaken acknowledgment.
"Well, at least you're honest," he said with a slight smirk. "Most people wouldn't admit that so easily."
Nephis didn't answer. Instead, she shifted her gaze slightly, glancing at the weapon in his hands.
"You fight differently now," she observed.
Ray nodded. "Had to adapt. The Forgotten Shore isn't exactly forgiving."
Nephis hummed softly, as if processing his words. "Your technique… it's not like what you used back in the Academy."
"Nope," Ray agreed, stretching out his arms. "Had to adapt quickly, especially when you're fighting things that can rip you apart in one hit. My techniques before were mostly what I knew and was taught. Now, they seem to be a part of me."
Nephis considered that for a moment before speaking again. "Will you teach me?"
That made Ray stop. He turned to face her fully, his expression unreadable. "You want me to teach you?"
A simple nod.
Ray exhaled through his nose, crossing his arms. "Nephis, you do realize what you're asking, right? Didn't I just say that those techniques now are part of me?"
"Yes, I know."
"…okay. I will teach you, but know that it will not be everything. And all that is on the condition, that you will teach me a bit about swordsmanship. It's the one skill, that slowly but surely falls behind the rest."
"Okay."
Ray searched her face again, looking for any trace of hesitation. There was none.
Eventually, he sighed, shaking his head. "…Alright, then. But don't complain if you regret it later."
Nephis simply took a step forward, settling into a stance. "I won't."