The sun shines brightly on the house in the middle of the woods. The house was quiet.
Elantra was sitting down drinking tea, Jega was outside polishing a sword, and the small child Arius was chasing a flying spirit on Jega's watch.
Everything was peaceful and everyone was serene. Until Jega had an idea, he called out to Arius, "Little one come over here!"
Arius stopped and looked back. He ran over to Jega curiously and stopped in front of him.
Jega was next to a table full of weapons such as swords, spears, estocs, maces, and what he reached for a dagger.
He leaned towards Arius and spoke "Don't tell your mother but here's how you hold a dagger".
He held the dagger in front of Arius's eyes showing how his fingers were wrapped beneath the belly of the handle and his thumb was also wrapped around touching the forefinger.
Arius paid close attention and tried his best to remember how Jega did it. Jega moved the dagger towards Arius with the hilt facing him.
Arius stretched his small arms and grabbed it. It felt wrong at first but he quickly got a hold of it and attempted to grip it the same way Jega did.
"Too tight it's not food. Don't think of it as a tool, it's an extension of your body. Here" Jega gently shifted Arius's fingers to the correct grip.
Arius understood how to now and asked "Why are you showing me this?".
Jega answered "Consider it a part of your training. Now try to stab the practice dummy.
Arius did as instructed but the dagger barely went through the hardwood. Arius got the dagger stuck.
Jega realized this and stepped up from his chair. He gripped Arius's hand and helped pull the dagger out.
"You can use the martial well with weapons, it's easier with daggers for now" he said.
Arius looked up at Jega and said "I still don't know how to use it."
Jega moved back to the table and grabbed another dagger "It's from your body and will."
He walked in front of the practice dummy and stabbed it. Its core was cut in half and fell to the ground.
That really doesn't help… Arius thought to himself.
Both boys straightened their backs as they felt something. "Uncle is something wrong?" Arius asked worryingly.
Sweat fell from Jega's back as he said "yes something is very wrong… it's your mother standing over there" he pointed towards the house where an angry witch stood.
The trees blended towards her and the spirits ran. Pieces of the house bent towards her and ripped off.
Jega tried to make an excuse "I was just trying to teach him something important, nothing bad" he took a step back.
Elantra walked slowly not making a sound. "Elantra I didn't mean to do anything bad but you know he has to learn how to use weapons eventually" Jega tried to reason but his words fell on deaf ears.
Arius subconsciously took a step back in fear, afraid of what was going to happen.
But all the ash-brown-haired witch did was aggressively grab Arius's arm and drag him with her back to the house while staring daggers into Jega the whole way.
I'm not eating dinner tonight…Jega thought to himself breathing out a sigh.
——
Elantra cleared the seat and sat down with Arius on her lap. She stared Arius in the face and calmly asked "Did he teach you anything else like that yet?"
Sweat ran down Arius's back because he knew behind that calm face was an angry person.
It took Arius a second to say "no that was the first time."
"Good" she replied. "Now how about I show you something cool?"
The ends of Arius's mouth curled up as he got excited "yes show me." Elantra relaxed her face and made no sound.
Spirits crept through the windows slowly going towards Elantra as if drawn to her. A warm aura surrounded her. Not like before, it was different. Until suddenly beside them were glowing colors of all sorts.
The spirits immediately ran away and Elantra stopped what she was doing. Through the endless colors was a young girl with soft gold eyes.
"Ari!" She yelled and jumped towards Arius hugging him intensely.
Elantra immediately asked "What are you doing here? I didn't get a letter." She was confused about why Arina had come.
While still hugging Arius she turned towards Elantra "I wanted to stop by. I thought it'll be fun" she said excitedly. "But I don't have too much time."
Arius's face was a plea for help from his mother but no help came as his body felt intense pulling.
"Hey Ari I met with Q a little while ago I came here immediately after" Arina's face was covered in a big smile that everyone could feel.
"Q? I haven't seen him in months he never visits" Arius said sounding annoyed.
Elantra still confused and taken aback took a second to say something "It's not because he doesn't like you Ari he's just busy" she tried to comfort him.
Feeling the sadness in Arius, Arina hugged even tighter. Arius never knows what his brother is doing in the outside world or what his situation is as he rarely visits.
The sadness was immediately taken away as he shrieked for help as the pulling got to a point where it was hurting "Help!"
Arina let go and asked Elantra "So what were you doing before I came? The spirits were all gravitating towards you."
Arius looked confused towards Arina "gra-gra-gravit." "Gravitating" Elantra corrected him "she means flying towards me" she explained.
"Yeah, so what were you doing?" Arina asked again.
Elantra straightened her back once more and explained "I was going to show him a technique I use. It's the ability to…"
"Hey, where's Uncle Jega" Arina interrupted looking around. Elantra's mouth slightly twitched in little annoyance.
"He's outside, but can I finish what I was going to say?" Elantra said. Arina nodded. Elantra opened her mouth once again to speak.
But before she could Arina interrupted once again "So what kind of ability is this?"
Elantra tried to keep a calm face and tone "I'll show you." She finally explained uninterrupted "it's the ability called still…"
"Hey Ari I know I've said this a million times but this bracelet you gave me a while back really helps a lot getting here. It makes me use less mana and energy." Arina cut in.
Shes just a child don't get all riled up…" Elantra advised herself.
Elantra asked "Arina are you going to let me explain?" Arina nodded her head again finally allowing Elantra to speak.
"It's an ability called…" Elantra paused "No interruptions this time?" Arina replied "Of course, I won't interrupt, show us the trick."
I would've if you let me earlier…"
Elantra thought to herself as she described "it's an ability people call the Stillwake. It's where you lay full attention without intention. It allows someone to completely hide all intentions and be aware of everything going on."
Arius stared blankly at her and said "So just paying attention…" his face scrunched "mommy that sounds boring."
Arina commented "yeah just paying attention doesn't sound like an ability. Can we go to Jega?"
This broke Elantra's heart like glass shattering from a roof. Her heart was broken from these two comments as she lifted her hand slowly to point weakly at the door to where Jega was.
Both children ran to the door and out as Elantra sat on the sofa in silence. The spirits crept closer, pressing against her arms and shoulders quietly.
The spirits all gave her warmth but it couldn't cure her of the depression she felt.
——
Two tiny figures of white hair ran out with their tiny feet now on the green floor. Sounds of rustling leaves and branches could be heard while they looked around.
What they saw was Jega who was carving a piece of wood with a knife. Both of them ran up to Jega in excitement thinking of what story or game he was going to make now.
Jega looked to his side and said "Aw, Arina is still as energetic as ever I see."
Before Arina spoke Arius said "hey uncle why are you holding the knife with your thumb on top unlike how you showed me?.
Jega looked down at the knife and said "habit I gue…"
"You showed Ari how to hold a knife? You must've gotten in trouble for that." Arina said before Jega could finish.
Jega paused for a second than responded "thought I was going to die and before you ask I'm not telling you what I'm carving yet."
This piqued both white-haired children's curiosity but before they could speak Jega put up his index finger as a way of saying no.
This disappointed both children but they quickly forgot as they saw a pack of flying spirits fly across them. Seeing this they both chased after them.
As they left Jega muttered under his breath "must've come from the other…"