ALL NOVEL Chapter 4: Training + Time Skip
As I slowly regained consciousness, a dull ache throbbed in the back of my head. Blinking against the flickering light of the candlelit room, I found Sister Agnes seated beside me, her kind eyes filled with concern.
"Cassius, dear, Are you alright?" She asked softly, her voice laced with worry.
I winced slightly as I shifted into a sitting position, rubbing my temples. "I think so, Sister Agnes. Just a small headache," I murmured, trying to ignore the lingering discomfort.
Her brow furrowed with concern as she gently brushed a strand of hair from my forehead. "What happened, Cassius?"
I hesitated for a moment. "I'm not sure, Sister. I was taking a walk outside when I felt a wave of dizziness out of nowhere and passed out." I told her, and although I did feel a little bit guilty about not telling her everything, I knew this was for the best. From the look on her face, it seems she didn't fully believe me, but she trusted me enough not to pry anymore.
"Okay, dear," she begins, "be sure to let me know if this continues; everybody was worried about you. The kids who found you outside were balling their eyes out." I smile as I hear her tell me, "Alright, Sister, I'll make sure to thank them when I get the chance."
....
It's been a few days since the incident, and I've been racking my brain, thinking of how I should go about learning to use my power. But during my mediation this morning, a revelation hit me. Breaking my focus, I take a deep breath and get up to go outside, determined to make this work.
As I open the door, I take a deep breath, taking in the fresh air of the outdoors. A smile makes its way onto my face, giving me even more determination.
Amidst the lush greenery of the orphanage garden, I closed my eyes, trying to steady my thoughts. I focused my attention on the small flower at my feet. I tried to tune out the noise and focus all of my attention on the single flower at my feet. With every ounce of my willpower, I blocked out the distractions, shutting out the chorus of voices until only silence remained.
In the silence, I felt a surge of energy coursing through my veins, filling me with a sense of power. With each breath, I willed all of that energy to my mind, channeling it into a single, focused strand of concentration. Slowly, I reached out with my mind, extending a wave of magic towards the flower. While I focused all of my energy on this singular connection, the rest of the world faded away, leaving only me and the flower locked in our silent conversation.
It didn't have a 'voice', but I could feel what it wanted to say to me. It gave me a simple greeting, then asked what my name is. [Cassius Smith, do you have a name?] I replied and asked a question of my own. It seemed to feel sad as it replied, telling me that it didn't. None of them do.
I asked it if it wanted me to name it, but before I could finish my thought, it cut me off. Telling me that it doesn't need one, it was just glad to talk to me. Although I got a weird feeling of admiration from it, I brushed it aside as I focused on slowly expanding my reach. I tried to add another flower to our conversation, and when I got used to having two, I added another.
I repeated this progress over the next couple weeks until eventually I could talk to the whole garden of flowers at the same time. It was strange at first. Imagine hundreds of people whispering directly in your ears, but one or two were slightly louder than the others when you wanted to just listen to them. Eventually, I could listen to multiple whispers without even making a connection to them first.
As I was conversing with my numerous new friends, I decided it was time to try something else. I focused my magic down to my hands, and with a flick of my wrist, I commanded a nearby vine to twine itself around a nearby tree stump. I was amazed at the ease with which I could bend nature to my will, but I knew that true mastery lay in subtlety and finesse, not brute force. With a gentle touch, I made the soft petals of a nearby flower unfurl and bloom, reveling in the beauty of nature.
{Four Years Later...}
With a stretch and a yawn, I rose from my bed and made my way to the small meditation space I had made in the corner of my room. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, allowing myself to sink into a state of calm and tranquility.
As I focused on my breathing, I felt the familiar surge of magical energy coursing through my veins, filling me with a sense of peace and serenity. After a few moments of meditation, I opened my eyes and glanced at the mirror that hung on the wall opposite me. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I took in my reflection, marveling at the changes that had taken place over the past few years.
Gone was the uncertain boy I once was, replaced now by a young man filled with confidence and determination. My pale blue eyes sparkled with intelligence and curiosity, and my blonde hair fell in unruly waves around my face. But it wasn't just my physical appearance that had changed; it was the knowledge and wisdom I had gained through my studies and experiences.
And now, as I gazed into the mirror, I felt a surge of excitement coursing through me. I knew that soon the long-awaited letter would arrive, ushering me into a world of adventure.