II. Oathkeeper

Something had been on his mind ever since he mysteriously blacked out in the Hirai household. A dream he had, in which he had to face his fears and was given a wealth of pertinent information on the path forward. A dream that gave him confidence. One that felt so real, it was uncanny. Tobias explained it in one sentence.

"I spoke with a star." he said abruptly. A change of subject from anything that they had been talking about, seemingly coming from completely out of the blue. Yet, it was an event that never left his mind since then. Hours had been spent pondering just what it meant.

"It was in a dream, but I'm certain that it was more than that. It was.. some sort of connection, which robbed my consciousness to have something of a conversation with me. A connection with a star named Omega. It was all very.. surreal, I might add. I wished to inquire on one aspect about it."

As if what he was saying didn't make him seem out of his goddamn mind, he quickly glossed over all of that hot bullshit he just spoke of. He didn't expect to be believed, but he did with to request one thing of Siegfried. "I was given instructions on what I need to do in order to become a greater vessel."

"This included practice. Painful training. He wished for me to work myself through the pain and exhaustion, for my journey is one of suffering. For me to keep working, and try to achieve a greater mastery of cosmic magic. What I'm saying is.."

"I wish for you to help me in this training. Or at the very least, observe me as I do it. Just in order to make sure that I don't kill myself." he requested. This could have been said without making himself look like a complete fool, but Tobias always was a kid who spoke from the heart.

(Tobias Ulrich)

________________________________________________________

"Then I'll need you to help me with my training as well."

That was all he said before leading Tobias through the wood. With the news that Clara's soul yet remained, tethered to a new body, that death's call could not extinguish her, for now, Siegfried is given new purpose. Grasped, and pulled up from the water before he could drown. The boy has a new lease on life, and he intends to use it to conquer all that stands before him.

"As an energy mage, I'm familiar with the ways people strive for greater strength. The one I chose...is pretty unconventional."

Ah, yes. His preferred style of combat. As a method of displaying to Tobias what he meant, Siegfried vanished from the perception of all but the most adept mage, momentarily...and then reappeared, perched atop a tree.

"Trading power for speed, I minimized the effects so that I could overwhelm my opponents before they can react, with a flurry of combinations."

One second, he's hanging from a branch, apple in hand, biting into it, and the next, he's behind Tobi', back to back with the youth. He offers him an apple, his still in his other hand.

"Apple?"

After that, a roguish grin.

"What I intend to do now is strengthen my body to it's physical peak. To reach peak performance, I'll need you to help me subject myself to grueling, borderline suicidal training methods. I'm hopin' that'll bring me more in touch with myself, and closer to the ground..."

He nods.

"And thus, closer to my connection to the world - and, by extension, Energy Magic. That mastery is what I'll need to change the future."

---

Siegfried, an undead Clara, Sors Ultovex, Tobias, Kuja Mori, Isaac Shimasu, Calael…

It all banked on this.

Did he have what it took?

---
(Siegfried)

"I suppose it is only fair that I help you in return." he said as they traversed through the wood, stepping off to some remote place in the wilderness. It was scenic! And, they hopefully wouldn't be bothered by anyone here. A boy, his mentor, and the great outdoors.

The perfect scene for a training arc.

His eyes had widened whenever Siegfried disappeared. Illusionary magic? Some kind of trickery, he thought. When the man appeared again with an apple in hand, he jumped. Nearly leapt, even! He fully turned towards the man, shocked. at his explanation.

"That is all speed? You must be joking. There has to be some kind of trick to it-" he stopped himself, shaking his head. No, it was his own training that he needed to focus on. For cosmic magic, not figuring out how he could perform party tricks.

"Right. Although, I think it's less helping one another and more using the buddy system. If I wereto train alone, I would be at risk of dying if I had no one to drag me to a doctor. And, the same for you. That is just the nature of how dangerous this will be, I believe." he mused, grinning slightly despite the grim connotation. Was he excited?

Well, when else did he get to spend some quality time with Siegfried? This man was always running around getting himself into trouble. "I plan on taking in as much cosmic energy from my star as I possibly can, and enduring the pain. And.. phase two, I'd like to try and fight you through that pain."

"How is that for a plan?"
(Tobias Ulrich)

"Hard work and determination makes the impossible...probable."

After dispensing cheesy slogan number #427, Siegfried finishes his apple in the usual manner - swallowing it whole. The boy munches thoughtfully on it, dabs at his mouth with the back of his hand, and then slaps his hands together, rubbing at 'em. The lad whistles jovially, but if Tobias cares to look, to think deeply enough about it...

He was acting eccentric, even by his usual standards. He's acting even more wildly emotional, more colorful. Like he was running away from how he felt about everything, by playing the part of a character, rather than an actual person.

But if that character did good by the world, what did it matter?

Right?

"Your plan sounds neat, but, and while I accept it as an inevitability, let's leave the injuries to a minimum. I intend to at some point hang around the mountains..an' I don't really want us to get too beat up while lingerin' around there, if we can help it."

The boy scans into the distance, wondering to where they'd head next. Here was scenic, and wonderful, but a good training montage had many misadventures, and scene transitions, and catchy music.

Like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtTmR_v6pz4

Oh. And he should mention...

"I also don't intend to return to Huangzhou or Levengard until I've completed my new technique."

And that was that.
(Siegfried)