Having so ti to himself while Lisa went to take a bath, Logan decided to visit Alma, who had been slowly recovering after her brush with death.
She was in her room, alone for once — Ms. Claire, who usually stayed by her side, was still away in the Pearl Isles but was expected to return soon.
Logan found Alma sprawled on her bed, facedown, music softly playing from her terminal. She lazily swung her knees to the beat, the atmosphere light making Logan smile at the carelessness the girl showed.
He stood there for a few seconds, watching her, then closed the door slightly louder than necessary to get her attention.
Alma's head jolted up, her eyes finding his imdiately. She blinked once before smiling and waving him over.
"Just get over here already," she said, her voice half playful, half tired. "You should know I'm still recovering a little. My body still feels... alien. Like it's not quite mine yet. But I'm doing fine."
She continued swinging her legs back and forth, trying to reacquaint her body with normal movent.
"It's strange that it's taking so long," Logan murmured, moving toward her. He sat down at the edge of the bed, studying her quietly.
"But... it's understandable. Soul injuries take longer than just physical ones."
He rembered vividly the pain and fear he had felt when Alma had died — how deep the wound had been, not just to the body but to the spirit itself. Healing from that was never a simple matter.
"I think I can get back to normal if I keep singing and dancing," Alma said, a soft determination in her tone. "Maybe a few more days. I'll start doing concerts again to get back on track. And tomorrow, I'll join the others in training. I'm probably the weakest right now... which I hate."
"It's fine. Take your ti," Logan said gently.
Alma gave him a small smile and glanced at her stats on her terminal. She was currently level 72 — still slightly ahead of Freya, who would be joining the training sessions starting the next day.
────────༺༻────────
Na: Pala Alma Ortiz
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Class: Harmonic Songstress (Blessing: Light / Wind Spirit) (Soul-Tad Status: Link Logan Aiden)
Level: 72 / Health: 898 / Mana: 976
────༺༻────
Attributes:
Strength: 30 Agility: 65 Dexterity: 68 Constitution: 70 Intelligence: 91 Charisma: 129
────༺༻────
[Skills:]
lody of Valor: Sings a battle hymn that increases allies' strength and endurance temporarily.
Hymn of Clarity: Enhances mana regeneration and ntal resistance of allies within range.
Requiem of Dread: Weakens enemy morale, reducing their attack and defense capabilities.
Whispering Gale: Sends out a burst of sound carried on a cutting wind, pushing back enemies and disrupting casting and aiming for a few seconds.
Echoing Resonance: Amplifies the effects of existing buffs on allies through harmonization.
Spirit's Aria: Channels spirit energy into her voice, granting temporary immunity to crowd control effects for allies.
Discordant Lant: A piercing, mournful song that causes confusion and disorientation those considered enemies.
Ballad of Endurance: Strengthens allies' constitution and passive health regeneration for a limited ti.
Rhapsody of Despair: Drains mana and stamina from designated enemies who hear her darkened tune, slowing their actions.
────༺༻────
[Abilities:]
Voice of the Spirit: Alma's singing passively empowers allies' skills and magic, subtly strengthening their effectiveness.
Resonant Heart: Alma's songs generate spirit echoes that linger on the battlefield, extending the duration of buffs and debuffs even after she stops singing.
────────༺༻────────
"Stop looking at my stats, it's embarrassing," Alma said, her voice playful but needy.
"Now get over here and give a hug. I need you to use that recovery skill — my back still hurts, and you should know why."
Without waiting for a reply, she pulled Logan closer.
Chuckling, Logan indulged her, treating her like royalty as he cast his healing magic.
Of course, it didn't stop there.
That night, Logan never made it back to his own room.
When he woke the next morning, he felt tired but oddly content.
He healed himself first, sitting up slowly, then turned toward the sleeping girl beside him.
Alma was wrapped snugly in a blanket, nothing else hidden beneath it.
He thought about trying to tug the blanket that was wrapped around her, but in the end Logan only smiled and moved closer, casting another healing spell to ease her sore muscles.
He brushed a few stray strands of hair from her forehead and pressed a gentle kiss there.
"Keep sleeping," he whispered.
"I'll be heading off with the others to the Kingdom of Elris. Try to get in a few more hours. Afterward, join the group heading into the labyrinth. Maybe a few levels will help you recover — just make sure you stay in the back."
Alma mumbled sothing unintelligible and wrapped her arms around him in a loose hug, clearly reluctant to let him go.
Logan stayed like that for a few more minutes, quietly talking to her — about his plans, about little things — until she finally relaxed enough for him to slip away.
Exiting the room, Logan glanced around the hallway.
Everyone was already gone.
Alma's room was near Marie's, Serana's (who was usually out on missions), Silvia's (who frequently teleported between Rosethorn and the laboratory), Kryst's (who had insisted on her own space), Lisa's (who he could tell through their bond wasn't there), and Rubina's (also currently absent).
This part of the mansion felt strangely quiet — a fleeting mont of calm before the next big move.
Logan yawned and stretched, feeling the last remnants of sleep leave his body.
The next major journey was about to begin.
He would guide Lisa to her trial at the Temple of Light — hopefully without too much difficulty — while also seeking out a light-elental creature in the sacred grounds surrounding the temple.
After a quick bath and changing into fresh clothes, Logan made his way toward the dining room.
As usual, Ruri was already by his side, ready to tend to his needs.
Logan didn't usually enjoy wearing his crown, but the maid gently reminded him that, especially around the other heroes, it was necessary — a subtle but important symbol of his authority as King of Highrule.
Entering the dining room, Logan imdiately spotted a familiar group gathered around a table.
Lisa, Silvia, Marie, and Rubina were deep in conversation, their voices low but animated as they discussed the details of the next outing.
They were already strategizing how Logan would need a disguise to enter the Kingdom of Elris unnoticed.
There was one more person among them — Yui.
Called here specifically for her expertise in stealth and infiltration, the ninja girl turned to glance at Logan as he approached.
Her expression was wary, almost expectant.
Logan imdiately guessed the situation.
It was obvious.
The others were thinking that if Logan tad Yui — formally binding her to him — he would gain the stealth and infiltration abilities needed to slip through Elris' defenses.
It made sense.
But it also ant walking a very delicate line between trust and loyalty — one of the ongoing challenges Logan faced whenever he spoke or interacted among the heroes.
He sighed softly, brushing a hand through his long hair as he made his way over.
Without a word, Logan sat down at the table, letting the conversation wash over him while he was served food by Ruri.
From the looks of it, the girls had already taken care of everything.
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