The Sun Prince Volume 1: The Trial Saga

Chapter 6: Breaking Limits

It's said that commitment is the most important thing to be able to get stronger and surpass your limits and the more you have the better your odds are of getting stronger but that technically isn't true. When you think about it, we're getting stronger practically every day we train, even on some days when we don't, but the only reason we don't see it as progress is because we set incredibly high standards for ourselves that can make us miserable to try and reach. So, is commitment really the main component or is it just personal standards? I suppose it could be both, standards are what set the goal you want to reach and then commitment is what pushes you to reach it and without both you would just be going after an aimless goal. But something I remember being told once by someone I once knew was that there is a third component that a lot of people forget about, and that's support.

It's been a week since I started training to learn and master flame moulding, and it's safe to say that things have gone horribly. In this week I have learned to control my flames at higher levels of intensity, but I haven't gotten close to actually creating anything, I mean the best I've been able to do is create scattered, unrefined and weak creations that burst into flames within seconds. Of course, that's only the half of it as there is one more thing that has made this week unbearable, and that's this god damn human girl that doesn't seem to want to leave me alone! I mean seriously, no matter how many times I tell her to leave me alone or simply ignore her she still doesn't stop. She'll try to ask me questions every morning at school, she'll sit with me during my lunch time meditations, even though I know she has other friends to eat with and wonder where she is, and then she walks to my house with me after school, even if I don't say anything to her the whole time! But the newest thing that has annoyed me is the fact that she came by my house on both days of this 'weekend' when there is no school and would ask to come in and speak with Ms Sputtermill like they were best friends! And Ms Sputtermill would let her! I swear it shouldn't be this hard to get rid of one girl.

So, here I am waking up once again for another week of pointless school, I get up and do my daily routine of exercises, washing up and then having breakfast, of which I had these things called pancakes and I can't decide if I like them more than waffles or not, it's a hard choice. Anyway, when I finish breakfast, I start to make my way to school, normally I jog but I'm too depressed and annoyed to do that but at least God has bestowed one miracle on me. When I walk into the classroom, I see that Salia isn't by my desk as usual, in fact she isn't in the classroom; Now I would be a bit confused by that if I didn't see this as an absolute win! When the teacher comes in to start the day, I notice that she is just as surprised as I was to not see Salia in class, I figure she's probably just running late or just too ill to notify the school, so I needn't pay it much mind. As the day goes on, Salia still doesn't make an appearance, whether it's during lessons or at lunch so I think she's definitely ill since she seems like too much of a model student to be this late. But again, I needn't care.

Finally, the day ends, and it was, whilst absolutely boring, one of the most peaceful and enjoyable days I've had in a while, if I'm lucky Salia will be ill for another day too. The walk home was nice and quiet, didn't have to constantly have question after question coming into my ear or just general chatter about the school day I just sat through. When I get home, I don't happen to see Ms Sputtermill anywhere, not that it's a big deal, she probably just went out shopping or something. I go up to my room to get changed but when I open my door, I see Ms Sputtermill standing there, probably in the middle of cleaning my room. "Hey Ms Sputtermill, I know you're in the middle of cleaning and all, but do you mind stepping out real quick so I can get changed and start training?" When she turned around something definitely seemed off, she had a look that made her seem tense or worried. I was about to ask what's wrong, but she hands me a note and says, "I suggest you read this, I found it plastered on your window when I came in to clean and this doesn't bode well". I wonder what she could possibly be on about, so I read the note and it says 'Hey there Prince, hope you had a good day at school, however I'm sure you noticed something wrong. Well, I have your friend right here and although they are safe and unharmed right now, if you don't hurry up and get to my location then I'll have to amend my statement. I'm waiting in an open field 23 miles southwest of where you are right now, I suggest you hurry up'. "Um, I think they must've meant someone else; I mean I don't have any friends here. I mean I've barley talked to anyone and kept my distance for pretty much every human here. Well I guess all except Sal-".