CHAPTER 34: CH 34: THE GIRL IN THE BLUE [2]

She turned away from me and once again performed a graceful sword dance.

Upon seeing her movements, I knew she was performing the same sword art she had shown me moments ago.

"Why are you doing it once again?" I asked, mildly amused.

"So that this time rather than looking at my curves, you look at the art."

My eyes darted away from her in embarrassment. How did she know that as well?!

"Don’t be shy now, rather look at me and learn this powerful dance." She slashed vertically, the movement not looking anything special before she continued.

"This sword form is the basic of it. The moment you train in it and understand what you are meant to do....only then can you create an advanced art. Yes, create! Don’t expect someone to teach you something like that by placing it on a gold platter."

Confused I inquired of her. "Isn’t that how students learn though? Be it anything...all of it is learnt when they are taught to us."

"Incorrect. You learn not from books and manuals, not exactly. If you really think about it, all knowledge we gain is the filtered out experience of the older people who have accumulated it in their own lifetime."

"In the same way, this basic sword art...which isn’t that basic..." She murmured the last words and then added, "is just an inspiration for Ice Elementals like you. You need to create your own style after that. That’s the very essence of this sword art."

"Also...as I was saying, the difference between mana and your element. Look at this at first."

Raising her right palm, a shard of ice appeared.

"How do you think I made this?" She then asked me a very simple question.

I frowned over the simplicity but answered, "By using the mana from your internal storage, you created that."

"Wrong." I was taken aback by that.

Isn’t that how I had been creating ice all along?

"Hmm...tell me something more simple. What else can you use your mana for other than umm you know using it to utilize your element?"

"Well other than that we can go for the body enhancement and few other skills like basic teleportation, mana bursts...yeah something like those."

"And yet you waste your mana in elements." She shook her head in disapproval.

She then explained, "The shard you see in my hands...I didn’t use mana to create it. Only my element was enough."

My eyebrows shot up at her claims.

The woman ignored my reaction and continued, "In fact, the foolery of people is a sight to see. It should be entombed in a history book eternally! Mana is just a source of energy which you need to use for your other skills, all dependant on mana.

However, your element is your domain over a supernatural force of this universe. The more you practice is, the more your domain increases."

"Just like this..." Saying that, she thrust her sword into the ground.

Instantly, a super sonic wave spread from the sword as the world was suddenly covered in ice. Nothing was spared, and as I looked towards the sky, I knew LITERALLY nothing was spear from her ice domain.

Even the clouds had stilled in ice casings and lightning crackled within them. They were trapped.

With bewildered eyes, I looked down at the woman across me.

She was looking at me intensely, her eyes narrowed. "Mastery of your element means you need to be aware of the places and conditions where you shall find your element."

She pointed her porcelian hand at the frozen air around her. "Even air has water vapours. Only when you have established a direct connection with your element, shall you be able to freeze them all."

"In simple words, our element grants is the ultimate ability to freeze everything. Including time..."

Then sighing she said, "Which unfortunately even I can’t do..."

"Did you get al my rantings?"

I nodded to her, my neck stiff against the cold.

Her face instantly melted into a sweet smile as suddenly, all the ice around us melted, bringing back the real nature.

She stepped forward as if approaching me. But then stopped as her face suddenly scrunched into an annoyed expression.

Glancing back at the sky, she said. "It seems my time here is up."

"It was really good to meet you." Saying that, she started walking away as I watched her.

Midway through her path, she stopped again. And facepalmed.

"How did I forget that?" She muttered under her breath, loud enough for me to hear it.

She retracted her steps back to me. Then waving her hands around, a portal like something opened as she took out an ominous looking bracelet.

The moment it came out of the portal, an oppressive feeling seeped into the surroundings.

Extending her hand towards me, she said.

"Take this as a form of soveineur from me. Shall be useful to hold back this body’s owner from taking iher this body again. Just for one month but I am sure you shall figure out something by then."

My eyes grew wide and fear clogged my throat. But she just smiled and said in a comforting manner, "Did you really think I wouldn’t know that, Karl?"

My eyes almost popped out as she called me by my name.

For Henry, I can understand him knowing my name. He practically lived inside my head. Who knows what else he knew about me...

But this unknown lady....how did she know?

Seeing me unable to speak through my shock, she placed a maternal hand over my shoulder.

"Karl, I have been watching over you ever since you were born on Earth. I might have even visited you there....but oh well, it’s not so simple.

Just remember you have a friend in this world...me."

I finally asked the question that had nagging me for quite a long time.

"Who are you?"

She smiled softly.

"Right now, they call me the Monarch of Ice.But then again throughout history, I have been called by different names. Sometimes the Blood Queen, other times the Herald of Witches.

Huhh...those times were so fascinating.

But you...you shall call me Isolde. It’s not a request, it’s a command. Got it?"

’Her titles make sense...’ I thought as I recalled her display of power.

But I nodded in a friendly manner.

Satisfied, she turned back and walked away.

"Time to go....for now. And don’t worry we shall meet quite sooner than both of us might think.

Goodbye, Traveller of Worlds."