From Within

Winds of Change

The clattering of the walls annoy the hell out of me. The old man promised to get the walls fixed before the coming of next winter, the nights are getting colder and we haven't even started. I can keep the wind from entering my room, but as soon as I fall asleep the bite of the cold air entering will jolt me awake. It's been like this for a few months and I have to keep myself from blowing another hole in the wall. The old man is fast asleep, it amazes me that he's able to sleep through all this noise. I hear him snoring in the next room. I wonder if his old age affected his hearing at all, he's an active worker at the docks despite his age. He doesn't look as old as he says he is, his posture looks more or less like that of a 40 year old. I can't sneak out this time, it's a tradition for her and I to sneak out together and fly around the island every Freya's day night. I reckon she's disappointed.

The old man's snore stops, I hear him getting out of bed, he then walks past my room and down the stairs. Streams of light fill my room through the gaps in the floor, I then hear his footsteps approach my room followed by a knocking on my door.

"Nathan, use this to block the hole in your wall. I know you're awake. Get yourself some sleep, boy."

I hear a thud in front of my door. The old man makes his way back to his room to sleep soon after. I get out of bed to open my door. There was a bag of rice leaning against it, it fell over as I opened the door. This'll do. I pick up the bag of rice and lean it against the gaping hole in my wall, the air still enters my room, but the cold will be manageable. I get back in bed and as soon as I felt comfortable I suddenly feel a stinging pain in my head. Must be because I used my ability for too long trying to keep the cold air from entering my room. I never felt it, I always fell asleep while using my abilities. The sleep must've masked this pain. The pain didn't take long to disappear and I was able to sleep within a few minutes.

I get woken up by knocking on my door.

"Nathan, wake up, it's Saturn's day, time for your training. I'm heading out, get up and prepare yourself. We're leaving at 8. Remember to lock the door."

His voice meant seriousness, so I shouldn't waste any time. I get up and shower, put on clothes and exit the house. The familiar stench instantly hits me after I lock the door, freshly gutted fish from alongside the docks. I make my way down the stairs to the alleyway and make a left towards the docks. Friendly faces greet me as I quickly walk to where the old man's boat is docked. We use his boat mainly for training, but we've taken it out to fish before, I recall only a handful of those occasions though. He's got a cigarette sparked as he waits for me and when he saw me approaching he threw it into the water.

"Ready, boy? Untie the ropes and we're off."

I did exactly that and we headed South, out to sea, where the island is barely visible, to the only place where my powers are no danger to the island and its inhabitants. The old man has been teaching me to try and hold back the wind that blows Northwards to the island. Up until now I've been able to hold the wind still for only a few seconds. He says if I can hold the wind still indefinitely, I'll be able to control the air as I please. Unfortunately five years in training and the only thing I can do well with my ability is fly. I have full control over the air that's in close proximity to my body. But I still can't fly like her... Not even close. I fly fifteen meters South from the boat to a height of about ten meters from the surface of the water. I hear the old man...

"Hold him still for five seconds, release for five seconds then hold again. Give me seventy-five this time. Go on, give it a try, boy."

"Seventy-five? That's a bit much don't you think? Do I get a break?", I asked.

He's made me done only fifty for a couple of months until now. I don't know why he's making me do so much all of a sudden.

"Did I stutter? Seventy-five, boy. Take it or leave it. You can stop for a few minutes, but you can't get on the boat until after you're done."