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The still-chilly morning made the warehouse in the corner of Twilight Manor's garden feel serene, with only the sound of Riveria's steady breathing audible.
Riveria sat on a thin carpet, her face serious, her arms extended as she channeled prana into the weapons Shirou had projected earlier. One by one, she reinforced the blades using the Reinforcement she had learned from him. Each time the flow of prana finished, she swung the weapon briefly to feel the difference.
Whsshh! The spear blade she held felt stronger.
Clang! A long sword vibrated as she tapped it on the floor, producing a clear sound indicating its improved quality.
"Hmm... the results are starting to stabilize..." murmured Riveria, slightly satisfied. She neatly stored the weapons away and turned, hoping for a comment from her teacher.
With a light heart, she turned towards Shirou. In her mind, there was a small desire to hear a simple phrase from him—'good, you did it' or even just 'good work'. But what she saw made her pause momentarily.
"...Is he asleep?" whispered Riveria in a half-disbelieving tone.
She rose and stepped slowly towards him. Tap... tap... tap... The sound of her footsteps was almost inaudible on the carpet. Up close, she saw Shirou's posture perfectly upright, his back straight, both hands resting on his knees. There were no signs of his head nodding or his body leaning like someone who had fallen asleep.
Riveria crouched slightly beside him, staring longer. Shirou's breathing was deep, rhythmic, but not the breath of someone asleep. Something was different, as if his entire being had sunk deep into his thoughts.
Riveria stared intently at him, her lips pressed tightly together. This was the first time she had seen Shirou with such a flat expression, as if detached from the world around him.
"...Meditation?" she murmured softly, almost unbelieving.
Riveria furrowed her brow, tilting her head slightly. How unusual... Shirou doing this
Riveria sat quietly for a moment, the dim lamplight reflecting the silhouette of Shirou's peacefully closed eyes. Usually, she always saw that young man full of energy, busy with kitchen knives or explaining magecraft to her. But this time, Shirou's calmness made her chest feel strange—comfortable, yet dangerous.
Somehow... I can't look away, thought Riveria, her eyes tracing the contours of Shirou's peaceful face. There was something about his firm jawline, his slightly furrowed brows, his lips that seemed stiff yet somehow tempted Riveria.
Her heart beat faster, her fingers itching to move. Finally tempted, she slowly reached out her hand, the tip of her finger gently touching Shirou's cheek. Warm...
But right at that moment, Shirou's eyes opened. "Ah—" Riveria almost jumped, hurriedly pulling her hand back.
Her face remained calm, though inside she was panicked and embarrassed. In a flat tone, as if nothing had happened, she greeted him, "Are you finished? Sorry, I hope I didn't disturb you."
Shirou stretched his shoulders briefly and then gave a faint smile. "Oh, no, not at all. I was just... using a deeper level of tracing. Tracing my own body and soul. I just finished."
"Tracing... your body and soul?" Riveria repeated, frowning slightly, her curiosity overcoming her embarrassment. She placed her hands on her lap, looking straight at him. "I see. So, what were you trying to find out... about yourself?"
"I was studying the Falna attached to my body," Shirou explained slowly, his eyes closing again briefly as if arranging his words. "I should have checked it since first joining the Loki Familia, but this is the first time I've seriously tried."
Riveria tilted her head, a little surprised. "Why only now? Why didn't you trace it from the start?"
Shirou smiled wryly, a note of longing in his voice. "Well... it didn't occur to me. I'm not the research type like Tohsaka. She's always diligent about researching, while I'm more the type to jump straight into practice."
That name made her heart pinch for no reason. Tohsaka... that girl again. Riveria felt a small, irrational bubble of jealousy rise in her chest, but she brushed it away quickly. Her voice remained calm as she asked, "So, what did you find?"
Shirou opened his eyes, looking straight ahead. "The Falna feels like a collection of energy scattered throughout my body. Strangely, they're arranged in layers—like layers I can trace. Right now, I found there are four layers."
"Four?" Riveria repeated, nodding, her eyes shining as if gaining confirmation from her own research. "Ah, that makes sense. It matches your level, Shirou."
Shirou turned to her, trying to deduce. "In that case... you, Riveria, must have six layers, right?"
Riveria nodded, graceful yet proud. "Correct. Loki explained that to me years ago. But... it's an interesting coincidence that you could discover it on your own."
That soft tone turned into sincere praise. "Well done, Shirou. Your ability to understand Falna without guidance is not ordinary."
Shirou took a deep breath, then click—the magic circuits in his body activated, glowing faintly as if blue embers flowed under his skin. "I'm trying something," he whispered. The blue light moved swiftly, filling his muscles, tightening every fiber of his body. "Look, Riveria. Falna's magic power can be directly converted into prana... It's one of the energies I use for magecraft."
Riveria was satisfied, agreeing with that explanation. "I do the same. Every time I channel magic, I feel the Falna flowing into my magic circuits. My circuits are shaped like a tree's runes, so it feels like flowing through roots and branches."
Shirou closed his eyes again, now more focused. "If I had to describe it... the Falna is like a flow of clear blue energy. Calm, but limitless. When it enters the magic circuits, it transforms into prana without resistance."
"Blue?" Riveria was stirred by curiosity. She sat closer, her hand lifting slightly before she decided to perform a structural analysis. Her slender fingers touched Shirou's back gently, feeling the pulse of prana. "Hmm... yes. Blue... faint, but there." Her emerald green eyes widened slightly, satisfied to see it clearly.
Her curiosity burned even brighter. "What about other Falna categories? Endurance, Dexterity, Strength, Agility? Can you feel their colors too?"
Shirou looked a bit overwhelmed. "That... I don't know yet. The Falna is still clear. Maybe if I engage in activities corresponding to the categories—like training my body, testing my speed—I could feel them."
Riveria's eyes shone with enthusiasm, like a student who had just found a rare book. "Then let's not delay. Let's try it now!"
Shirou was silent for a moment, seeing her enthusiasm, then followed along. "Alright," he answered, standing up and stretching his shoulders.
Riveria stood up gracefully, her skirt swirling slightly as she moved. "We'll start with light training first. I want to know how it feels when you push your body while paying attention to that Falna flow."
Shirou nodded firmly. "Okay. Let's do the experiments in the field."
They walked out of the warehouse, the cool morning air greeting them. The wet grass shimmered with dew, and the faint sound of crickets could be heard. Shirou felt swept along by the current, though there was a small, fluttering sensation—perhaps because Riveria seemed so enthusiastic.
Riveria stood in the middle of the field, her face serious but her green eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Right, let's check one by one. Start with Strength."
Shirou nodded, taking a position in front of a large rock at the edge of the field. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the layers of energy in his body. "I'll focus Falna on Strength," he murmured softly.
Suddenly, the energy flow ignited within his body. Shirou could feel it, hot and rumbling within his muscles. BOOM! Shirou's fist struck the rock. The rock cracked, small fragments flying off.
"Red," Shirou said, looking at his hand. "The energy feels like fire, full of impulse to release power."
Riveria nodded, making a mental note. "Interesting... let's continue with Agility."
Shirou stepped to the center of the field, taking a breath. "Okay." He shifted his focus again—the energy vibrated, then ignited. It felt cold, light, like wind blowing through his body.
"Now run," Riveria instructed.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Shirou ran around the field. His movements felt much lighter, as if his body was floating. "Green," he called out between breaths. "It feels like there's wind pushing me!"
Riveria continued the instructions. "Good. Now Dexterity. This will be interesting."
She stood ready, taking a fighting stance. "I'm going to try to attack you. Avoid them as best you can."
Shirou nodded, his body vibrating as he felt the Falna flowing into every layer. The energy pulsed subtly like a vibrating string.
Whssh! Riveria's strike shot towards Shirou. He ducked, jumped to the side, spinning his body with incredible agility. "Purple," he said quickly, his breath steady. "This gives me precision... and sensitivity to movement."
Riveria kept up the pressure, her attacks fast and measured, forcing Shirou to focus completely. Each movement felt as if the world was slowing down. But finally—WHACK!—Riveria's fist landed on his shoulder.
Shirou grimaced but didn't fall. Instead, he felt something different. His Falna energy ignited again, this time glowing a golden yellow. It felt heavy yet calming, as if a layer of shield was wrapping his body.
"Ah... this is Endurance," Shirou uttered, rubbing his shoulder, which was starting to bruise, but the pain quickly subsided. "Yellow... feels solid, like stone. My body is tougher against attacks."
Shirou rubbed his eyes. His breathing was steady, a thin sweat trickled at his temples, but a small curve formed on his face. "It seems... I've managed to connect colors with each Falna category. Red for Strength, green for Agility, purple for Dexterity, yellow for Endurance."
He frowned slightly, his expression full of confusion. "Although... I still don't really understand the use of knowing all this, other than as knowledge."
Riveria approached, her face serious. "Shirou, this isn't just ordinary knowledge. Anything you can understand about your body and your Falna might be useful someday—whether in developing your magecraft, surviving, or understanding your limits."
Shirou fell silent, pondering her words. He then agreed, looking at his own hand as if feeling the pulse of the Falna colors once more. "Yes... You're right. Maybe I just haven't seen the situation where this is useful yet. But someday..."
A red-haired woman strolled leisurely towards them, her hands tucked in her pockets. Her mischievous smile widened when she saw Shirou standing there staring at his own hand.
"Hoo~ so this is what you call magecraft training?" Loki's voice was playful, her red ponytail swaying slowly. "But what I see is just you getting beaten up by Riveria. Not learning magic, but training to be a punching bag, huh?"
Shirou scratched his head, which wasn't itchy, his cheeks slightly warm. "Err... well, you could say that..."
Riveria sighed, but her voice remained calm as she answered. "It's not like that, Loki. We were researching Falna. Shirou was trying to understand his Falna energy, and I was helping him test it."
Loki raised her eyebrows, her expression turning half-lazy, half-interested. "Researching Falna? What for? You could just ask me. I am, you know—the goddess who blesses you all."
Shirou was slightly amused by Loki's antics. "That's fine. But I'm surprised, it's really unusual for you to wake up this early. You're usually still snoring when I start cooking breakfast."
Loki snorted dramatically, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't get the wrong idea, kid. I didn't wake up early because I'm diligent, but because of the Denatus later. All gods have to attend, so like it or not, I have to get ready."
"Ah... I see." Shirou felt a bit understanding.
Loki gave a small yawn, then leaned forward with a teasing look. "Besides, I'm bored right now. So? What did you want to ask, Shirou?"
Shirou and Riveria exchanged glances, then Shirou took a deep breath, feeling this was a rare opportunity. "Alright... well then, may I ask directly about how Falna actually works on our bodies?"
Loki's eyes narrowed slightly, her smile turning mysterious. "Oh~ a good question. Sit down, you two. This will be a fun morning lecture."
After hearing Loki's request, Shirou and Riveria glanced at each other, then sat neatly on the garden bench. Morning dew still clung to the leaves, the cool air making the atmosphere feel peaceful.
Loki looked at the two with her characteristic sly smile. "So, what did you two study earlier? Must be something that made you both sweat like this."
Shirou took a breath, still a bit tired from the earlier training. "I just learned about the colors of Falna. Red for Strength, green for Agility, purple for Dexterity, and yellow for Endurance." He looked seriously at Loki. "But what I still don't understand is... what exactly is Falna?"
Loki let out a long sigh, then leaned back in her chair with an expression somewhere between laziness to explain and enjoying the chance to be the center of attention. "Falna, kid, is a blessing from the gods. A system that unlocks your potential, you mortal beings. You are like covered furnaces, and Falna is the wind that makes your embers burn brighter."
Riveria, who already understood this concept, added in the tone of a patient teacher. "And it's not just that, Shirou. The Skills and magic you get each time Loki updates your status all form from your experiences in the Dungeon, your resolve, even your personal traits."
Shirou nodded slowly, processing the explanation.
Loki leaned in, her gaze somewhat mischievous. "Want me to show you a trick?" she asked with a grin.
Riveria sighed, clearly able to guess something annoying was coming from the goddess's mouth. "Loki..."
But Shirou instead looked curious. "What kind of trick?"
Loki chuckled, rose from her seat, and stood in front of Shirou. "This little trick can only be done by a god to their Familia members, so you should feel lucky. Want to see or not?"
"Please," said Shirou, nodding, a little curious. He straightened his posture, waiting for what Loki would do.
Loki's red eyes, usually slitted, opened wide, revealing their sharp red gleam. Shirou unconsciously shivered, as if an invisible pressure had descended around them.
A divine aura spread from the goddess's body, not just visible, but also smelled—a strange, sweet fragrance, like a masquerade ball, wine, and campfire all mixed into one. Shirou's nose caught the scent so strongly his head spun slightly.
"Seal!" commanded Loki, her voice light, but laden with power.
Shirou was startled. He felt something inside his body—his Falna—as if being wrapped and tightly locked. Although his body could still move freely, there was a sensation of pressure in his chest, as if being restrained from within. "What... is this?" he muttered in confusion.
Loki just gave a small chuckle, her eyes narrowing again with satisfaction. "Try doing physical activity like before. You'll understand then."
Shirou frowned, but obeyed. He started jogging around the garden. Tap, tap, tap!
But instantly, he felt different. His movements felt heavy, stiff, as if his body was no longer as supple as usual. Shirou stopped for a moment, closed his eyes, trying to trace inside himself. The four layers of Falna that usually felt alive and pulsating were now completely still, dormant, as if nonexistent.
"So this is what it feels like...." murmured Shirou with heavy breath. Even his steps felt slower than usual, as if he had returned to his self before joining the Loki Familia.
Riveria, observing from the side, nodded slowly. "Interesting. So this is the effect of 'Seal' when a god closes access to Falna..."
Shirou wiped his brow, half-impressed, half-uncomfortable. If it's like this... it feels like all the effort I've put in so far just vanished like that.
Shirou walked back to the garden bench, his breath somewhat regulated after running with a body that felt so heavy. He stopped right in front of Loki and Riveria.
Loki crossed her arms over her chest, her face full of a mischievous smile. "Heh, not bad for my little trick, right? If you dare to act up someday, watch out, Shirou~. Just one seal, and you're done for!"
Riveria just glanced at her as if wanting to say Please don't teach weird things, but let it be.
Loki leaned in, her slitted eyes hinting at temptation. She wanted to see Shirou panic, maybe look anxious, maybe a little afraid of losing Falna's power. But what she heard was instead a calm voice she hadn't expected at all.
"Trace, on."
Clang! A blue-green light emerged from Shirou's palm, and lines of prana shimmered in the air before merging to form a simple sword. The weapon appeared real in his hand, even though his Falna was completely locked.
Shirou looked at it for a moment, then sighed, moving the sword firmly. "Huh... luckily my Od isn't sealed too. So I can still project weapons."
Loki was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh with an annoyed expression. "Tch! I forgot you're a weirdo from another world! So hard to make you flustered."
Riveria just covered her mouth with her hand, suppressing a small laugh. "It seems, even if sealed, Shirou would still find a way to fight."
Loki stood up from the bench, her face turning serious, her mischievous smile fading. "Heh, seems like you still don't really understand the gap between gods and humans, huh."
Shirou frowned curiously, gripping his projected sword tighter. What else does she want to show?
Loki's divine aura burst forth again, far stronger than before. The air around them seemed to vibrate, the leaves in the garden swaying as if blown by an invisible storm. Loki's red eyes opened wide, glowing like embers, emitting a pressure that made Shirou almost lose his breath.
"Kneel."
The word wasn't spoken loudly, but its echo reverberated in Shirou's head. His knees instantly felt heavy, his body rebelling but unable to resist. Damn, this... my body... moving on its own? With a creaking sound, his knees touched the ground. His breath became heavy, as if a mountain was pressing down on his shoulders.
Riveria just remained silent, her eyes narrowed but not surprised—she knew this was a small manifestation of divine authority.
Loki approached, her voice low but piercing. "This is just a drop of the power we gods are allowed to use in this world. Even that is enough to force anyone to submit."
Shirou gritted his teeth, resisting the feeling of helplessness. In his heart, he felt anger—not at Loki, but at himself. If one day I have to fight a god... will I always be like this?
After a few seconds that felt like minutes, the aura slowly receded, and the pressure in the air disappeared. Shirou was panting, sweat dampening his temples.
Loki narrowed her eyes again and laughed softly. "Hahaha~ don't look so serious! That was just a demo, kid. But remember well, if I were truly serious, you wouldn't be able to move at all."
Shirou slowly stood up, letting out a long breath. "Thank you... Now I know what to anticipate."