A Few Minutes Later
The Ruins of Capital Oculi
Below the Surface
Sublevel of the Base - Level 0
The lights can be seen turning on one by one in what seems to be a large and spacious training area.
A door opens in the back of one of the upper sections of the stands, and Miss Urius is seen descending the stairs next to the extensive, high bleachers.
[Urius - Calm & Cheerful Voice] ... This place is one of the most interesting within this base. -
Behind her, the Count is walking as well, observing the space with admiration, though the architecture is simple yet extremely refined.
[Count - Calm & Curious Voice] But... It just seems like a regular training area, Miss Urius. -
However, he seemed to feel a strange, almost unconscious sensation that made him anxious to discover what might truly be "hidden" in this place.
[Count - Thought, Intrigued] Strange, my body feels slightly chilled for some reason... -
By the end of the descent, reaching the side of the training area, Urius smiles as she finishes her last "sweet" from a fruit similar to a strawberry.
[Urius - Calm & Cheerful Voice] I told you, the sweets at those establishments are the best. -
[Count - Cheerful & Attentive Voice] Yes, I should've listened to your advice and bought two bags. -
After speaking, she crushed the empty bag with one hand and tossed it into the trash can next to them, then turned to the Count.
[Urius - Calm & Cheerful Voice] You didn't want to listen to me, I told you that you would want more and more, I bought two because of that. [Light, Relaxed Laugh] -
This made him have that unique vision before his eyes as Urius turned gracefully, her long blonde hair flowing with her movement.
It seemed to dance gently, making the Count feel his heart beat a little stronger with the sight.
[Count - Thought, Attentive & Intrigued] I don't know why, but... Her smile makes me feel numb for a few moments. -
As Urius smiled, looking at his reaction and admiring him with an attentive gaze, it seemed that, involuntarily, a subtle tightening in her chest occurred.
He quickly and discreetly diverted his attention from her eyes, finding it so amusing that it made him slightly lose his composure, showing a more endearing side to her.
He quickly brought the conversation back to what made that training area so special, and she realized that, on one hand, he wanted to steer the conversation away.
But, at the same time, he was genuinely interested, not just in the place, but also in the tour that Urius was giving him through the base.
Urius, with her sweet smile and her cheeks slightly flushed, found herself gazing into the depth of his eyes, leaving her momentarily speechless.
[Count's Heart Beating Erratically]
Echoing in the silence of that place, nothing less than the snap of one of Urius's fingers.
It was something so unexpected to him at first, not understanding why she did that while smiling so playfully.
This ended up altering the place in the next five seconds after her snap, as a system activated in response.
He could see the entire side line that composed the rectangular combat zone, subtly glowing in a soft and simultaneously beautiful manner.
It allowed him to see all the sides of the rectangle at the center of that place, with bleachers offering a perfect view of all the sides.
This left Conde deeply impressed, noticing that it had been activated over the entire area encompassing the central training rectangle.
It seemed like some sort of protection system that prevented anyone in the stands from being harmed during training.
Urius, calmly, appeared to look with a very amused expression toward that energized area.
He stated that the system enabled any friendly combat between two people, even allowing them to use their Oculi abilities to the fullest.
Since that place, at that exact moment, had its defenses activated to their highest level, not only protecting those in the stands.
But also preventing any physical damage to the entire underground base's structures during any combat, whether serious friendly matches or more relaxed ones.
[Conde - Curious & Thoughtful Voice] Wait, how is there a subtle protection over the entire training field... [Slight Falter in Voice] -
Before finishing his sentence, Urius, in a very playful yet excited manner, reacting to Conde's disbelief,
Made him look down, where they were standing in the middle of the training field, and the sides subtly appeared to have walls of flaming energy.
The exact moment he looked down at his feet, he saw the ground, which had previously appeared to be made of several stone plates, now extremely reinforced.
[Urius - Proud & Excited Voice] In the past, during training using full activation of the Oculi powers... -
It became slightly transparent, revealing to his incredulous eyes the real system behind that hidden training area beneath the entire training space.
[Urius - Proud & Excited Voice] Part of the training field would always get destroyed, remember? So... [Gentle Fun Laugh] -
Conde could see the functioning of the system, which was nothing less than energy dissipators installed along all sides beneath the training area.
[Urius - Proud & Excited Voice] ...My older sister, Nox, and I came up with this idea together during a connection between the Oculi reality and the Human one. -
Making it so that every strike during the battles on and above the surface would be channeled by the dissipators and then reused.
[Urius - Proud & Nostalgic Voice] And so, after several months of study, hard development, and many failures... -
After being sent by the distribution systems to the transformers scattered throughout the base outside the training area.
[Urius - Proud & Nostalgic Voice] This system, which got its name from a hint dropped by our little sister, Lilian, ended up being called "Infinity" and finally saw the light of day for the first time. -
This system could be something simple for training purposes, but it was extremely innovative because it became the primary energy source for the defense system above ground.
Even though there are other energizing systems scattered throughout the ruins of the former capital, Oculi, above the surface.
Where the entire underground base lies almost ten kilometers deep, efficiently capturing large amounts of energy from solar and wind sources.
It was something so innovative for the Count that upon seeing it, he understood how much technology had advanced in the five years he had been in the human reality.
And not in the Oculi reality, after the fall of the Oculi capital five years ago. Urius had told him that the system, since its activation almost three years ago,
Had never been shut down due to any malfunction, whether minor or critical, for any reason.
[Urius - Hopeful & Nostalgic Voice] The energy released during the training of the new and old generations... -
[Echoing Hopeful Voice from the Past of Luna] The energy released during the training of the new and old generations... -
Just with these few words that make up the beginning of such a special and nostalgic phrase, it was enough to leave the Count speechless.
[Urius - Hopeful & Nostalgic Voice] ...Are enough for us to see through the darkness. -
[Echoing Hopeful Voice from the Past of Luna] ...Are enough for us to see through the darkness. -
This long sentence, finally completed by Urius in the present, was the same that Urius' mother, the former Queen Luna,
Had spoken during the ceremony before the start of the friendly combat championship, held in the ancient Coliseum of the Oculi capital two years ago.
Even though Luna's death had occurred more than ten years ago, the fall of the capital being recent for everyone at the base,
It became an inspiration for Nox and Urius to create that training ground so that the "feeling" so unique from the championships
Could be revived and used as a motivator and entertainment for both the young and old generations present in the Reginae faction.
It quickly became something highly anticipated and fun to follow every six months, where the best and newest fighters
Could test their strength and abilities in front of everyone at the base, including the young Lilian, who loved that enjoyable sensation.
That training ground transmitted—a feeling so comforting to the heart, and at the same time unique for being incredibly fun and light-hearted.
Urius, noticing such an expression of disbelief, not just from the words brought from the past by the now older Urius, at 23 years old,
Also affirmed to him that there were several levels of protection in that place, and that the highest level could withstand even a fight between the Count and Urius' older sister, Nox.
And upon hearing this seemingly "casual" revelation, Urius seemed to return to her sweet and gentle posture, leaving the Count momentarily amazed.
For Urius was in the same position she had often been in his presence when she wanted something badly and knew it would be too much to ask of him.
Urius, using a more affectionate and attentive voice, seemed to insinuate that it would be fun to face the Count in a friendly fight at that place.
Since now she was much older than almost 7 years ago, when it was the last time the two trained together outside the Oculi capital.
That same day being when she finally surpassed him in combat using her own blade materialized from her essence.
Achieving one of her greatest accomplishments in relation to the Count, though there was still one left for her to feel completely fulfilled.
And that remaining achievement was nothing less than defeating him in hand-to-hand combat, which was the Count's true specialty.
Even though he was also extremely skilled in fencing, wielding his own blade materialized from his essence.
While also using the activation of Oculi abilities throughout the fight, with his blade in one hand.
The Count, upon seeing that animated and provocative expression on Urius' face, ended up engaging in the game and accepting her challenge in a friendly manner.
Even though she hadn't asked verbally, it was clear that she was very much desiring it, conveyed solely through her gaze and provocative, hopeful smile.
At the moment when she heard his words accepting the challenge, Urius immediately seemed to revert back in time to her more mature composure, that of a young woman in the present.
[(Count – Loving & Nostalgic Thought) You may have become a beautiful woman in the present, but...]
The Count was given that scene, so innocent yet so beautiful, of Urius jumping and spinning with such happiness, as she had not done even when she was younger.
[(Count – Loving & Nostalgic Thought) ...In essence, even after so many years and all we've been through together.]
After getting what she had desired from the Count, using her cuteness, playful expressions, and above all, her charm.
[The Stronger Beat of the Count's Unsteady Heart]
Urius, after a few leaps, quickly tried to regain her mature composure, realizing the embarrassment she was unknowingly experiencing. She stood before him, still full of the spontaneous joy of her jumping.
[Embarrassed Breathing & Awkwardness from Urius]
The Count, at no point, seemed bothered by Urius' display of her more childish and youthful side.
[(Urius – Embarrassed Thought) ...My God! I ended up jumping around like I did when I was younger, without even realizing it. I wonder... Did he think I was immature? (Awkward Breathing)]
[(Count – Loving & Attentive Thought) ...You're still that cute and shy princess, Urius. (Deep, Happy Breathing)]
And then, in the midst of their genuinely happy smiles, they looked deeply into each other's eyes, teasing each other with an angry, extremely mischievous "grimace," as they always did before their fights.
It was an inside joke between the two, something they liked to do as a warm-up to see who could win the "grimace" competition and make the other laugh faster.
But this ends up as a tie, because, of course, both of them lose their composure and burst into laughter in the most fun and embarrassed way, with both of them finally jumping backward.
They took a considerable distance, nearing the end of the training field on their respective sides, showing the system of the training area reaching its maximum level of energy dissipation and absorption for the base's system.
Recognizing by the intensity of their presence that the ones activating their Oculi abilities on the training field were some of the strongest from the old generation, facing one of the strongest from the new generation.