Revolution: Genesis (Published)

Chapter 34: Death Vow

AZURA

Hard work doesn't predict success. It's a built-in phenomenon in a human being to exert their full energy onto what they want or need. They don't waste their hard work on something which atones unnecessary to them. Trying their best is only when they have a purpose to. And often purpose drives a person to give their all. It makes one conclude that without purpose there is no hard work, hence no success. So working tirelessly isn't a solution; finding a purpose is. Because without knowing what to do, forcing the focus onto nothing is, in simple words, a complete waste of time. And time is crucial.

*'*'*

"You must be aware of the angles your hand makes." Rigil instructed us all as she demonstrated hand techniques which exerted different forms of elemental energy. Had I not read enough wizard books, this lesson would've been humiliating. Of course the occasional snickers escaping from Ethan and Charles and even Addison made it hard for me to not find the humor. Old Rigil with her wrinkled hands and face flicking her wrists in mid air was definitely a sight to see. Had it not been the seriousness of the situation and actual magic flowing out, I would've been making videos to tease her later.

"As I informed you all earlier, your powers aren't some external factor residing in you. It is a part of your soul and so it shall come naturally once you believe you have enough control to let your powers free." I snapped back my attention at her words and irk bubbled up.

"Whatever do you mean?" Raising a stern eyebrow at her words, I stopped her as she began flicking her wrist in another angle.

"Ah. I guess I failed to mention it before; your powers need your complete belief and understanding before they start to take form. Without it, I'm afraid you can't quite access them." She blinked her droopy eyelids and I mimicked her actions. Shrugging, I gestured her to continue with her lesson since I couldn't pinpoint my sudden irritation. We spent the rest of the day practicing our wrist movements afterwards.

It was around early sunrise the next day that I woke up. Without any plan in mind I just wandered around the house watching the decor in fascination when Rose called out to me. She was in the kitchen eating the ice-cream away. It wasn't a good sign.

"It's okay Rose, just step away from it. There's a lot of life to live yet." I held up my hands in mock surrender and as I walked towards her on the island table. She took another spoonful and narrowed her eyes at me, slowly pushing away the ice-cream tub as a screech echoed in the empty room. Rose had a tolerance of an ant when it came to sugar but she always had been cautious. So devouring a whole block of icy sugariness was a red alert.

"What is it?" Walking towards her, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and attempted to pull out the spoon she kept inside her mouth. She was childish whenever she had an intake of sugar and ice-cream was no exception. She jerked my hand away and continued to sulk over something she had yet to tell me.

"Oh nothing much, you know." She shrugged, pursing her lips. "Just that, I have a blood related kin as my grandmother who popped out of nowhere and, by the way, is a star soul who just happened to get possessed of another evil freak show. And she has powers of transforming herself into a young girl! Oh and well I have this whole responsibility of taking care of a freaking planet!" Exasperated, she spread out her arms as her yell sounded twice in the big empty kitchen. "Honestly, I'd say this was all just some sort of joke stretching far enough and out of our hands if it weren't for the things I'd seen." Her eyes welled as she hinted towards the loss we all endured.

"Is it selfish of me to want to go to school without looking back over my shoulder and just worry about my assignments?" She held her head heaving out a tired sigh. She definitely was tired of it all. All of us were. But we needed to stand up for ourselves to make her wish work, however nauseating it seemed.