A Crown of Clouds

Chapter 21

Training with Cretan had proved to be more of a challenging task than I thought. Physically, I was growing stronger by the day and surprisingly even starting to enjoy it more. I suppose not feeling as much of a fool each day had something to do with it. Mentally, I found myself drifting off, it was like Cole had wedged himself into my mind, and focusing on anything but was a large task. Which for me... using my brain was usually my strong suit, never exercise... mother truly would have laughed seeing this turn of events.

And it was the thoughts of her, between Cole, learning the language of magic, summoning practice, striking combinations and pushups that kept me going, she was my focus between the blur and the bizarre of all I'd learnt and now knew. I wanted... needed to know more about her, about what happened with my father, why they left both their worlds. There was one other daunting task deep down that I found myself occasionally wondering too... I promised myself that if there were ever a way or a chance, I'd do it, I'd hope to God I could do it.

Cole had become so busy training. The hours the sun shone, I belonged to Cretan... when night fell... I was Cole's. It had been a week of this, this back and forth, this ever falling for Cole and falling on my ass training. "Hal, where is your mind? Focus!" I shook myself from my daze, "off in fairyland or deep in knowledge," Mother would always say. I conjured her face to mind. Gripping my sticks I started moving, this time more out of instinct, my muscles developing a sort of memory that finally connected to my brain. "It still seems so odd that you use these ancient weapons," I said between ducks and bamboo cracks. "These ancient weapons show respect for skill and discipline... anyone can buy a missile, aim and shoot, it would go against the very fabric of magic to do so." I guess it made sense why magic-endowed realms would enforce a spell against the use of such weapons. "Is that boy asking questions?" Cretan eyed me down from behind his sticks, now paused. "Well thanks to your magic now covering my multiplying bruises, all I have to do is hide the truth." Cretan didn't seem impressed, "it's no joking matter Hal, there's no knowing what that boy could and would do if he found out." I stopped too, "I like to think he'd help me... he doesn't speak so fondly of his mother, so I can't imagine him running to tell her." Cretan dropped his head, shaking as he looked from his tattered shoes, I felt exactly how he looked; tired, exhausted, drained. "Hal, this is bigger than a boy, this is bigger than you, bigger than my reputation..." he seemed lost for words, choked up... "this is about all six realms... and if those millions of people aren't enough, it's about your own family... your mother, your father..."

"My Mother and father are dead." I shot back... how dare he put the fate of all six realms into my hands, I didn't ask for this, I didn't want this. Cretan matched my raised voice, "you think that any of us wanted you here either? You think any of us wanted our lives in your distracted flimsy hands? Oh and your Father... not dead, very much alive." Cretan's voice was loud, echoing off the concrete walls, reverberating in my body, it was the most blunt and yet most pointed tone I'd heard him use, not a hint of sarcasm. I wanted to scream back, scream louder, and yet, the only words I kept hearing, your Father... not dead. I had no words, my sticks speaking for me as they flew from my red raw hands towards the concrete wall, splitting in two with a mighty crack. My hands were shaking and I couldn't stand in that room a second longer in the heaviness that lingered in the air. I ran as fast as the tears spilling down my face, up the stairs and towards the dam. I had no idea where to run from here, seeing as I'd only ever come here in a cloud with Cretan's magic, I supposed he knew that and saw no need to chase.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I gritted my teeth and screamed, I'm sure Earth could have heard the echo. I needed to let this out, picking up a good sized stick from the dusty ground I heaved and launched it as far as I could into the dam... my anger still not cooling off after the third violent throw. Well, now is as good a time as any to try and transport myself somewhere, I thought. I'd mastered summoning something real and existing, how hard could it be... I started speaking the words out loud, clear, precise, and strong... angry. For the first time since I'd learnt the language, it didn't feel completely foreign on my lips, it even felt... good, it tasted like power, I found myself revelling in the feeling as a cloud appeared over my head. It didn't look like the ones above Cole or Cretan, it flickered as though there were a glitch. I didn't care, I could be taken to Tessanda's room for all I cared, all I knew was right now, I was getting away from Cretan; Cretan who'd known my father was alive, Cretan who'd withheld information I deserved to know, then to throw the fate of the realms on me all at once.  I closed my eyes, I knew I'd chicken out if I saw the cloud flickering once more to launch myself into it. I tried to slow my breathing, exhaling, I spoke the words over again, louder, clearer, stronger, and without looking up, I held the picture in mind of where I wanted to go, the place and nothing else. I held my eyes shut tightly with the thought the entire time I was in the cloud, only opening once my feet hit the ground. Letting a a certain curse word howl and rip from my mouth when I saw where I was.