>>5142178Learning how to come back to your athletic ways was a lesson in disappointment. Although Merlina did not lie when she said you were fully healed, you underestimated the effect that 4 months lying down could do to your body. Your joints were creaking as loud as hers whenever you tried to run faster than a slight jog, and you were constantly running out of breath when you kept training with your spear. Should you even attempt to vault over with the pole of your weapon or to climb a tree to approach a bird's nest, 9 times out of 10 you would be gracefully falling down on your ass.
"No matter how high your mastery of magic is, mortals still have to abide by their mortal skin prisons. You only have one body to live with, and it will always warn you when you are going over your limits. We still have plenty of time to let your muscles grow normally, it's best to focus on overcoming the most difficult obstacle courses."
>Your body did not strengthen in the sligthest in your first year, most likely growing weaker than previously. It's not an imediate problem since there are no hostile apostles here, but it would be wise not to test your luck.After some time has passed, Merlina finally judged you worthy of attempting to turn the swamp back into what it was, and the moment of truth finally came to be.
"You do know how to harden your wooden shaft so it does not break against metal, right? Try coating your tip in a similar fashion, concentrate all of that Od spreaded out in your body and weapon into a single focal point. and when you let all of that energy build there, release it by poking the floor."
>A large blast of white encompasses you and Merlina for a brief second as the crimson soil dissolved and receded further into the depths. After looking around you, a perfect round radius of 10 meters showed to be completely freed of demons. You have finally learned how to exorcise the sacrificed with the purifying touch."The creatures... Have gone away..." Merlina's eyes finally show some sparkle as she sees her clan being freed from their misery, finally passing on with their souls being fragmented into evaporating dew. Before you could hunch over and see if she was getting emotional, she clawed at your shoulders and asked for your support.
"Lend me your strength! I need it!" Now that she's seen what you are capable of before her eyes, she presents to you her scythe and pleads for you to bless it, no doubt wanting to see if you could share that touch onto others. Alternatively, there is the offchance that she wants to decapitate herself with it and leave you working on the swamp alone. You want to believe her good intentions and that she wants to set her friends free before herself, but you can't deny the possibility of her calling it quits right here.
"I beg of you... Lend me your strength!"
>Bless her scythe.>You do not trust her enough with that power.>Feel her intent and make sure of what she wants. 