Preparing

I open my eyes and see Ramia and the ceiling. I'm laying on my back and Ramia is snuggled up against me. I move my left arm, which she's laying on. I can still feel some pain from it being cut of, but I still have it. She feels my movement and looks up at me.

"E-Eric! S-sorry." She says quickly getting up and blushing. I get up and pet her.

"It's fine, I don't mind." I say before standing. "So, how did your observations go?" I ask her and she smiles.

"G-good! I-I think. It'll take a w-while for the data to process and the d-device to analyze the collected mana. B-but it did collect it!" She answers happily. I pet her again on reflex and see her smile. I really need to get my reflexive petting under control. It's fine for now since they seem to enjoy it but one day I'm going to pet the wrong person. I think before she looks up at me. "H-how did it go f-for you?" She asks.

"I broke it. But I need to Awaken, which will knock me out for five hours. So I came back to let you all know first." I answer and she gets excited again.

"C-could I observe t-that too?" She asks and I smile.

"Yes, if that's what you want." I say and she smiles. She starts turning around, I assume to get everything ready. "I'm going to go tell the others. I'll be back when I'm ready." I tell her and she nods without turning around. I chuckle softly while walking out the door. I start climbing down the stairs and see the storage chest. I remember that, when I left my soul, I still had the Cerberus Hammer in my inventory. I check it and see the hammer is still in my inventory. The other items are there as well, and I check the chest to see the hammer is now missing from it. It's now I remember that Myla has a practice sword for Innu. I quickly text her saying I had to call in and asked if she could drop it off when she has a moment. It's the middle of second period so I don't expect an answer anytime soon. I open the door going outside and see the others. They're training. Asami has her Minotaur and Fishman Chieftain out. Luna and Innu have their armor and weapons out. Luna notices me first and stops fighting. As she does the Minotaur swings for her head. I'm about to call out when the Minotaur stops and backs up.

"Alpha! How'd it go?" Luna asks excitedly while running to me.

"Good, I broke the seal." I say before waiting for the other two to join in. I tell them about the Awakening I need to do and how long it'll take.

"Where are you doing it at?" Asami asks after I finished explaining it.

"Ramia wants to observe it again, so I'll be doing it in the workshop." I answer.

"I don't think that's a good idea. You're going to be out for five hours, right?" Asami asks and I nod. "And you're going to spend that on the hard wooden floor of an Alchemy Workshop?"

"Yes, she could learn something from it. Besides, it makes her happy so I'll put up with a sore neck." I answer and Asami sighs before smiling.

"You're too nice for your own good." She says and I laugh.

"Well, I'll let you three get back to training. Oh yeah! Innu, I asked Myla to bring the two handed practice sword by when she gets a minute. So keep an eye out." I tell her and she says she will. I tell them bye and walk back inside. I walk upstairs and enter the workshop. I see Ramia is sitting on a blanket with another set of wires and cables. I know this one is different because I can see the ones I used earlier on the floor next to her.

"Are y-you ready?" She asks. "And I-I set out a b-blanket."

"Thank you. And not yet. I need to wait about... 10ish minutes. But we can set it up." I say and quickly explain that I have to wait for the thirty minute reminder.

"O-okay." She says after I finish and helps me put on all the cable and cords. This time, not all are connected to suction cups. A few wrap around my arms and ankles. One even has to be tied around my hair, and if it touched my forehead or neck we had to redo it.

"Ramia, do you mind if I ask you something? Feel free to not answer though." I say and she nods. "Why did you leave your home? You mentioned you were in a caravan before. Again, you don't have to answer." I ask, my curiosity winning me over. She looks down before taking a deep breath.

"T-that's a long s-story. Are y-you fine with t-that?" She asks.

"If you are." I tell her and she smiles.

"We Elves a-are good with m-magic. So everyone e-else in my tribe b-became a mage. They v-viewed other races as beneath them. But m-my parents w-were human. S-specifically Alchemists. I w-was adopted by t-them. And they r-raised me from a y-young age. So g-growing up with them m-made me want to b-be an Alchemist like them. B-but to my tribe, who o-only let them stay because t-they were good Alchemist, s-saw me as a failure. S-so they e-exiled me as s-soon as I became of age. They sent m-me off with the c-caravan and y-you know the rest." She says. I see her eyes beginning to tear up. I grab her and pull her into a hug.

"Ramia, those Elves were morons. You are not a failure. Look around yourself. I don't know what the majority of this stuff is. You may not be a mage but your an amazing Alchemist. So forget those foolish Elves. They can't hurt you here." I say and she starts crying.

"Thank you." She quietly says in between sobs. I keep petting her and calming her down.