Golden Child [Rewriting]

*Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

A ball of aggressive white flames shot from Ignis' hands but it was as if Milo was a mirage he couldn't hit. Milo hadn't attacked him once in the two days they've been training, he just parries and disperses the attacks.

"Aggression is not going to advance your training." Milo warned as he parried another two of Ignis' attacks. He gritted his teeth, it was almost as if Milo were playing on his nerves.

"And neither is firing at random intervals." Milo argued, coming as fast as a tidal wave toward Ignis, and bounding his hands in ice. He was quick to melt the ice cuffs off.

"I cannot train you until you've made peace." Milo said, and turned around.

"Make peace with what, exactly, Milo?" Ignis asked, trying not to sound annoyed but failing gloriously.

"Yourself, Ignis. Your inner turmoil is preventing you from progressing. Until you can face what you are hiding from in your subconscious, there is nothing I can do for you," Milo said dismissively, "spend some time with Vayu, he can help you with meditation, perhaps."

Ignis exhaled slowly, and dared to fire a fireball in Milo's direction in anger, and desperation, but mostly out of frustration. He felt his blood turn to ice in his veins.

Milo turned around, his eyes icy cold, "I told you, Ignis. There is nothing I can do until you find peace." He relaxed his grip on Ignis, and he felt himself regaining function over his arms and legs.

"I understand." Ignis said, almost sounding defeated.

"I know you underwent rigorous training at the combat academy, but all that taught you was to supress feelings and blast through a target. I'm sorry if the Aurean technique seems a little harsh on you, it's simply easier to learn to be more pacifistic when you are at peace with yourself." Milo held a tentative smile on his face as he placed a hand on Ignis' shoulder, "for what it is worth, you are an excellent fighter, and you'd give me a run for my money."

At this, he perked up once again, meeting Milo's gaze, "thank you, I'm assuming you wouldn't engage in a fight, then?"

"No, Ignis. My fighting days are long gone, my brother was the fighter. I've always been soft." Milo said with a laugh, and Ignis joined in.

"Understandable, are there any techniques you can recommend to speed up the process? Finding peace, that is." Ignis looked at him with curious eyes, and Milo shook his head.

"It's different for everyone, for Vayu it was easy, because he had been pacifistic his entire life, I sat with him for a couple of days and he was ready. Avani was more challenging, she struggled immensely to face herself. She could barely look herself in the mirror when she arrived. I spent an immense amount of time with her, and I know it does not seem that way but Avani is very much at peace with herself. By far, Nuri was the hardest. When I found him he was delirious with grief, so much so he could barely tell me his name. He blamed himself so much it almost killed him. I had to resort to more... extreme measures for him."

"Extreme measures?" Ignis questioned.

"Well, it's controversial among Aureans but some of Oceania's Children and the Children of the Wind have the ability to induce a sleep that forces the user to create an image of their self-conscious and defeat that version of themselves. For Nuri it almost didn't work. It's dangerous because if you are killed by that version of yourself, you will perish in the real world," Milo explained, "it's a risky procedure, and I've only ever done it once with Nuri."

"Was it successful?" Ignis asked.

"Not quite. Nuri still struggles with his conscience, so much so he loses sleep over it. I doubt he'll ever find the redemption he's looking for." Milo said gravely, "I love him, but I do not know if he will ever be at peace with himself."