The Married Life Of Immortals

Bane opened his eyes to a roof he wasn't familiar with. The bed also wasn't one that he was used to. Turning his head slowly, Bane slowly recognized the shelf full of books, and then his eyes fell on the little blonde elf girl.

"How long was I out for?" Bane asked as he rubbed his head which was still pounding. It felt like he had been drinking, and his body was aching.

"A few hours, but you're lucky. You should have been out for a few days, but you deserve as much for being such an idiot," Lysia growled without looking up from the book she was reading.

"Lucky? What did I do wrong this time?" Bane asked as he tried to sit up.

Finally pulling her eyes from the book she had been reading, Lysia turned to glare at Bane. "Just how do you think you were able to use those skills? Did I not tell you that you had little to no mana? Just where do you think the energy to perform such techniques comes from, you idiot?"

Bane let out a sigh and continued to rub his head. "I guess that makes sense, but how was I supposed to know? It's not like I have some little bar to tell me how much energy I have."

Lysia sighed heavily and set her book aside, walking over to Bane. "Alright, you big idiot, let me break it down for you. Your weapons draw energy from your body, and if you use them too much without enough mana to support them, they drain your life force. That's why you're feeling like you just got hit by a boulder."

Bane nodded slowly, taking in the information. "So, what do I need to do to avoid this in the future?"

"You need to build up your mana reserves and learn to control your energy output. It's going to take a lot of training and discipline, but it's the only way you're going to survive using those weapons," Lysia explained, crossing her arms. "Since Morgana doesn't seem to be teaching you everything you need, you will start coming in the evenings for lessons with me."

At the mention of lessons, a cold sweat broke out on Bane's back. His training with Lysia was a month past now, but the nightmare of it was still more than fresh in Bane's mind.

"Are you sure? I don't want to take up your time, and I already have a pretty busy schedule. You also seem like an important person who has much better things to do than worry about an idiot like me, right?" Bane asked, hoping against hope that he could get out of this, but Lysia wasn't having it this time.

"It is precisely because you are such an idiot that I have to put time aside from my busy schedule! Are you saying that my knowledge isn't as good as Morgana? Or is it that you have a thing for her and would prefer her to teach you?" Lysia growled, confusing Bane from all angles.

"What? Why would I have a thing for her? Ezio clearly likes her, and that little bastard already has enough reasons to want to kill me without needing more! No! I just don't want to get bullied by you again!" Bane snapped back, not even sure why they were both arguing.

"Then maybe you should do as you're told and listen to what I teach you!" Lysia shot back, her glare intense enough to make Bane flinch.

Knowing this was going nowhere, Bane decided to put the topic to rest. He knew that he wasn't going to win when Lysia was like this. "Fine, fine," he grumbled, finally giving in. "I'll do whatever you say, just don't make it as torturous as last time, okay?"

Lysia's expression softened just a bit, but she still maintained her stern demeanor. "Good. We'll start tonight after we have dinner."

"Dinner? Are you cooking, or do we need to go get something?" Bane asked curiously.

"Do you have any money?" Lysia asked, but Bane just snorted.

"I don't even know what your money looks like, so no. I am flat broke," he replied.

Lysia just gave him an annoyed look. "So you expect me to pay for you?"

Bane tossed his hands up. "Since you suggested that we eat, I assumed you had a plan? I can just go and get some food from the place I am staying if you don't want to go out. It's not like I am trying to leech off you, I just don't have any money, nor have I eaten anywhere but my room. There is a kitchen where I stay, so if you want, we can just go there, and I'll make both of us something," Bane groaned, and then let out a sigh. "Can we just stop fighting about everything?"

Lysia sighed and rubbed her temples, clearly frustrated but not wanting to escalate the argument further. "Fine, we'll go to your place and eat. You cook, and then we'll start your training. Just... try not to burn anything."

Bane gave a relieved nod. "Deal."

They made their way to Bane's quarters, the journey mostly silent except for the occasional awkward small talk. Once there, Bane immediately headed to the kitchen and started rummaging through the pantry and fridge.

Lysia watched him curiously. "Do you even know how to cook?"

Bane glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. "I've had to cook for myself more times than I'd like to admit. Just sit back and watch."

He started prepping a simple yet hearty meal, chopping vegetables and meat with surprising skill. Lysia settled at the table, her curiosity piqued. Despite her earlier annoyance, she couldn't help but be impressed by Bane's efficiency in the kitchen.

"So," Bane said as he worked, "what exactly are you planning to teach me?"

"Aside from the obvious mana control and energy management, you need to learn more about the weapons you carry. Their abilities, limitations, and how to maximize their potential. You'll also need to understand how to integrate their powers with your own fighting style," Lysia explained.

Bane nodded as he sautéed the vegetables. "Makes sense. I've been kind of winging it so far."

"That much is obvious," Lysia replied dryly. "You have raw talent, but talent alone won't get you far in this world. You need discipline and knowledge."

As Bane continued cooking, they talked more about the specifics of his training. Lysia's stern demeanor softened slightly as she realized how earnest Bane was about improving himself. She could see the determination in his eyes, and it was hard not to respect that.

Once the meal was ready, Bane served them both generous portions. They ate in relative silence, the tension from earlier easing somewhat as they shared the simple but delicious meal.

After dinner, Lysia led Bane to a cleared space in his quarters, ready to begin their lesson. "Alright, let's start with the basics. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Feel the energy within you."

Bane nodded, and sat down, but then spoke up. "I do this type of training with Morgana, so I already understand the whole, “feeling the energy around me” thing. I can feel it, and inside of my body. I can even move it around, but no matter how much I try, I can't manifest anything."

"Just shut up and close your eyes. I am not training you to use your magic. I am not stupid enough to keep trying the same thing as that child Morgana," Lysia growled, making Bane shut up and close his eyes.

It seemed to Bane that he wasn't the only person on Lysia's shit list, and for some reason, that made him feel better. It also made him wonder what Morgana did to piss the elf off, but he knew better than to ask Lysia.

Suddenly, it felt like a cup of water had been poured on his head, forcing Bane to open his eyes. Lysia was standing in front with her open hand pointed at his face. Between his face and her palm was a fist-sized ball of water.

"Concentrate on the magic or the next one will be made from ice and I will drop it on your head," Lysia snapped, and Bane closed his eyes and tried to clear his head.

Part of him had thought that sharing a meal might have softened the elf, even if just a bit, but that was clearly not the case. Rather than worry about it, Bane focused on the magic in his body just like how Morgana had taught him.

"Finally. Now, try to force it all into the center of your body, and hold it there," Lysia instructed as she walked around to stand behind Bane.

Bane did as he was told, but it was much easier than it sounded. While it was true that he didn't have much of this mana energy, it wasn't like spiritual energy. For Bane, there was at least a flow, almost like a river rushing to him. The one time he had been able to feel the spiritual energy inside of him, it had felt calm, and steady. Mana, on the other hand, just floated around in his body, and in the air. Bane had to pull it from all the veins in his body, but it was like using a net to fill a bucket with water.

"You need to draw it to the center of your body. Mana is a force that is commanded, not guided like the spiritual energy Bai Xiao Meng has tried to teach you. You have identified it, so now all you need to do is command it with your mind. With practice, mana manipulation can help you achieve results even you will be able to see," Lysia explained from behind him, and Bane tried to nod, but she slapped the side of his head when he tried. "Concentrate! You cannot get distracted while we do this!"