"You can do it! Yes, a little more...oh no.." loud voices of encouragement and then disappointment were resounding in the drill ground.
A twelve-year boy, doubled over with his hands on knees, was puffing and sweating heavily. His clothes were smeared in the dust as if he had taken a dust bath.
A hooded man was standing a few feet away, watching him emotionlessly. The castle guards, with their commander, had huddled together around the dua and were enjoying the rare show.
Their young lord, who miraculously had learned every primary spirit path in his dream, was training with them today. Of course, they didn't buy the story, for they were not unaware of the boy's enthusiasm about learning the wielder's ways and his earlier attempts to coax them to divulge the secrets.
The boy must have gotten his hand on a scroll and memorized all the diagrams before trying one, thus bringing the calamity on himself.
