The Tales of the Shadows

6. The Presence of Invisibility

Everything felt so odd. Surreal. Wrong. Noisy. Chaotic. Isolated. So within the mind...

At least she was here. But he couldn't simply purge it out on her, both for her sake and his own. Those four years ago, his mother had to leave him - and because of what? Some creatures that shouldn't exist? What did that even mean? - and now he was gone for the reason, and she was gone, too, for some reason he didn't know. He didn't understand.

Fire. Energy. He lost everyone that way. At least Audrey was there, but she had a lot to take care of. They were her parents, after all. He couldn't imagine how she was feeling. He was afraid energy would take his best friend away, too, in some form or the other, so...

Yes. It is best to contain it. My energy, all of it, physical and abstract, with my thoughts and emotions and everything. Whatever even were thoughts and emotions? So odd. He could only exist for others, after all. That was his purpose, his wish; it was him. It burned him from the inside to help those around him. Perhaps something beyond compassion.

It is me. Whatever comes with it, I shall withstand it.

Suddenly, a gentle wind circled around Galen, calming his burning thoughts and bringing him back to the physical world. Galen chuckled, easily recognising his friend even before she came to a stop.

"Come on, let's give Audrey the biggest scare of all time, somehow. Disappear!" Evelyn said, the wind stopping and giving way to the composing breeze of Nature, perhaps being influenced by his friend's energy. He had always admired the control she had on her energy as if the two were friends who understood each other deeply. The air carried her sense of life and she carried its freedom.

Galen smiled.

- - - - -

Galen stood beside the fair Shadow, her somewhat tall and bright figure having a modest presence under the clouded atmosphere, the smell of possible rain slowly filling the air around. Galen wore a small smile of comfort, his own presence now diminishing in an effort to replicate Pranetra's, but the innocence of childhood shone on his face, and his mind made his nature stand out through his gentle aura.

"Aah this is going to be fun!" Audrey exclaimed as she pulled Clement towards the two, Ila and Jack following them closely. Jack wore a curious expression, particularly eyeing his sister whose excited aura gave him assurance but also a rather anxious intrigue... it was his first time training with someone other than his parents, although he had known Ila for quite some time.

"The switch should be interesting, though," Audrey said thoughtfully, facing her father, who nodded confidently. The smile on his face made her feel light and almost free... yet bound her to her duty which was, for the time being, to practice. A sudden light filled her vision and the little girl's smile stretched wide.

"All abilities fundamentally come from the same thing, which primarily splits into two important components: energy and aura. While you can have some standard techniques for each, it is important to understand the ways of all for they can be applied to the other abilities. For example..."

Clement's voice trailed off and he stopped, leaving Audrey confused, but she soon felt the presence of her friend beside her. She turned towards her left with narrowed eyes, allowing Galen to appear with a shy smile on his face. Galen walked back to where he previously stood and Audrey turned towards her right, a soft breeze compelling her to do so, the sun seeming brighter suddenly and the clouds clearing a little away, but the air and everything around was silent, still.

A moment of calm.

She turned back to her father, but her eyes widened at not finding him there. She moved her eyes rapidly, looking for his presence before she finally sighed in realisation.