Everyone was looking at me as if waiting for my instructions on what to do next. I swallowed and took a deep breath, trying to keep my nervousness at bay. "Well, how about we start with small steps? Joshua said we should feel out first our environment. Why don't we start right here in a circle?" I suggested nervously. "Sit in a way that's comfortable for you and then close your eyes. Listen, smell and feel careful what is around you." I sat down too and decided to join along. "Can you hear the corns of sand being moved from the wind? The few bits of grass brush along with the wind? The waves roll smoothly and steady on the sand and stones? How the fire cracks and emits warmth?" I opened my eyes to see if everyone was able to follow me. They all had their eyes closed, and most looked relaxed except Lazar. He grimaced, trying too hard to focus by knitting his eyebrows and clenching his hands into fists. Quietly I walked over to him. "Lazar?" I whispered.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOKaq2PPk7
He opened his eyes, and our gaze met. "I think you're trying too hard." I pointed at his balled hands.
He followed my gaze and sighed disappointedly.
"Is there something bothering you?" I whispered.
"Someplace else." He whispered and nodded his head towards Quentin and Flora.
I gave him a nod of understanding. As I turned to Quentin and Flora, they were still focusing. For the first time, I see Quentin and Flora not fight or tease each other, and it almost looked like they were in harmony with the environment.
Lazar and I let them focus a bit and then take a short break with some tea I had with me in a thermos flask.
"So, how did you get your powers?" Wondered Flora to Lazar and me and took a sip.
Lazar and I started to speak at the same time and abruptly stopped. "Sorry" We apologized in a chorus. "You go ahead." Smiled Lazar.
I brushed a hand nervously through my hair. "Well, in a nutshell, I got it indirectly from Joshua."
"What do you mean indirectly?" Asked Quentin curious.
"Joshua wasn't sure if I was the right person for this and knew then Lazar, so he asked him to give it to me and see what happens."
"An act of caution." Noted Flora.
"What about you, Lazar?" Quentin turned to him with a warming grin.
"I inherited it from my grandfather as he passed away about a year ago."
"My condolences." Gave Flora.
"It's alright, he went peacefully, and he told me great stories of what he did as a user and what worlds there are out there to discover." Lazar grinned.
"Che? Worlds, you say? There is more than just planet Earth?" Wondered Quentin amazed.
"Yep."
"What sort of worlds?" I asked.
"They are all different and have a connection to magic. There is this one world filled with ice and another world that has a never-ending forest with elves. I especially like the volcanic world inhabited by rock-people."
"I'd like to see that. So, you were prepared for this?" Asked Flora.
"Sort of, I guess." Lazar shrugged his shoulders.
"Okay, my turn." Quentin smiled. "I got the powers through Joshua. I bumped into him one day on the street and helped him up. As a friendly gesture, he handed me the crystal, and it went right through my hand."
"Hold it! Joshua just simply placed the crystal into your hand out in the open?" Questioned Flora sharply.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizWDAvdAsZ
"What's wrong about that?" Wondered Quentin and leaned back with crossing his arms behind his head.
"Usually Joshua does that secretly and not so directly." Remarked Flora.
"Does that mean I'm special? Are you jealous?" Teased Quentin.
Flora squinted her eyes and sighed deeply as she looked away. "Why am I talking to you?" She sighed and composed herself as she faced Lazar and me. "I got my powers through Joshua and also encountered him but during my studies in the library. But he was not alone."
Everyone stared at Flora, surprised.
"There was an elderly woman with him." Continued Flora.
"Who was she?" I asked.
"I don't know." Said Flora softly.
"You really don't know, or you don't want to tell?" Gave Quentin.
"If I didn't want to tell, I won't have told of this in the first place." She hissed at him with squinted eyes.
"Remind me not to get on her bad side." Whispered Lazar to me.
On the next day after school Lazar and I followed Quentin's instructions where to find the boxing school for training. The pouring rain didn't make it any easier to find it that we got lost a few times. As we entered a pungent cloud of warm sweat, old leather and wood hit our faces, and a few men chuckled at our uniforms. "There you two are, you took your time." Greeted Quentin with a broad smile, only wearing boxer shorts, boxing shoes and a towel over his shoulder. He gestured with an arm to follow him. Along the way he gave some comments to the boxers in their rings, complementing them or what needed to be improved cheerily. He was in his element here, although it is not air. I stayed close to Quentin and once threw a glance over my shoulder to be sure Lazar was with me. As I faced ahead, I noticed a boxing circle with Joshua and Flora. "Took you two took long enough." Joshua crossed his arms.
"We got lost in the rain." Answered Lazar before I could.
Before Joshua wanted to remark, Quentin instructed us where the changing rooms are. After a quick change into trainers with a t-shirt, I met up with the others at the circle. The gym was dark and the only bright light shown at the circle where the others were waiting. "Where are the other boxers?" I wondered.
"End of the day." Smiled Quentin. "Here and now we can have our privacy to train."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2D34cXGE3
"Aye, the perfect place to practice physically and mentally, along with your powers. Now, you all remember what I said yesterday, and I have brought with something as a start." Joshua placed a bag in the centre of the circle and placed out gently on the floor, an electric fan, a pot of earth with a packet of seeds, a lighter and a bottle of water. "Each takes your object matching to your powers and try to harness it. Remember, see it as a free spirit so you can't dominate it. Become connected to it and share your thoughts, like in a friendship." Joshua gestured his hands and fingers the merge by interlocking his fingers into each other. "I'll sit back and watch and ready to help." He stepped back from the platform and sat on a folding chair.
Hesitantly I took the bottle of water while the others took theirs and went to a corner. Shyly I looked over my shoulder to see what the others are doing. Quentin did some stretches with his arms, shoulder, chest and finger before turning on the fan at full power. Flora sat down with crossed legs and placed the pot of earth in front of her and placed a seed a bit beneath the earth; she took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. Lazar flexed his hands, fingers and cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath before lighting the lighter in his hand. Soon I looked down at the bottle in my hand. I know what I need to do, but why am I hesitating? My free hand was slightly trembling. I balled that hand into a fist to stop the trembling, closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm my nerves. I am nervous. This is a place of training, and mistakes are allowed here to improve. Just like school, only now I am not alone in this. I can do this. I was able yesterday, so today shouldn't be any different.
"Helen! Helen! Can you hear me!" I heard muffled Joshua's voice. As I opened my eyes, I gasped amazed at what I saw. A thick film of running water and could barely see-through. "Y-yes! What is going on?" I asked.
"I'll explain later, but there is no need to worry as long you calm yourself. Breath deep and we're not going anywhere. We'll wait." Spoke Joshua in a calm tone. "When you calm down, this film of water will dissolve."
"But I am calm. I tried to calm myself." I remarked.
"Evidently not due to your powers. It's alright; you're not alone in this." Joshua paused. "Do you have a favourite melody or song? Try recalling that."
"Okay." I gave uneasily and looked down at my hands, they were trembling, and the bottle was empty. Is all that water done by me? But- No, don't panic. It never helps. Okay, think of my favourite song. The first thing that popped into my head was a hum and then the tune from Enya called 'the humming'. I think I look stupid, but if it works, that's fine with me and kept humming the tune that is in my head. Slowly the water began to dissolve and returned into the bottle, leaving behind not a single drop or moist spot.
Suddenly my knees buckled, and everything became heavy. "Helen!" They called after me as I fell to my knees. Joshua and Lazar held me up by the shoulders. "I think I'm fine."
"It seems I've underestimated you and your connection. Lazar, help bring her to the chair." Noted Joshua concerned and helped me up. As I was seated in the chair, Joshua handed me a cup of warm tea, "drink this; it will bring back your strength."
"But shouldn't I be training like the others?" I wondered with a weak voice.
"You've done enough for today." Joshua grinned. As I looked over, I saw the continue practising but kept throwing a glance over to me. They are concerned about me? I took a sip of the tea; I tasted cinnamon and some other herbs. It gave me a comforting warmth and new strength. "Joshua, what happened? How did I do that film of water or whatever its called?"
"The power that you possess is somehow very strongly connected to you as it should be over time and years of practice. Your connection is at a high rate, nearly as if you were born with this, but I am aware you are not, which leaves me boggled at the moment. That film of water was a method of protection, like a shield and something made you uneasy about bringing that up subconsciously." Joshua pauses and takes a sip of his tea. "Can I ask what made you uneasy?"
I looked down at my hands; they were calm. "I don't know."
"Then it's settled, you will for now on only participate in physical training and find out what makes you scared. I can think of many possibilities and but it's up to you to find it. In the future, when you will face many combats, you will also need to confront your own fears, and the best way to learn that is through yourself. As the old saying goes, 'know yourself.' He grinned at me. "And that is before knowing your enemy."
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