Blaze Smock's Perspective:
Angelica and I sat patiently waiting for Cato—our teacher for the time being— to arrive and start our lesson for the day.
It never really clicked in my head how Cato was able to use source energy so quickly. Of course, his use of source energy could only amount to a small blade or a tiny projectile, but that was more than I could do!
My source energy won't condense no matter how hard I try. I've thought that maybe only Cato could do these things at a young age. But, I've also heard stories of Ocean Tribe's people using source energy as early as eight!
I had talked to Angelica about it previously, but she claimed that the Ocean God must be stronger than our Goddess to have such powerful subjects. I wouldn't say I liked how Angelica talked about our Goddess, but there wasn't much that I could do about that.
As I sat contemplating what could be going wrong in my purification and channeling process, I started to hear Cato's footsteps on the stairs that led to our training room.
Angelica's ears also perked up at the noise growing closer to the two of us. There seemed to be an odd metal clank with every other step Cato took. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but it sounded like he was coming around that corner with a third metal leg.
Cato rounded the corner and entered our training area. He held onto the handle of a sword so pitch black I could only make out the red gemstone in the middle of the handle. In contrast, the rest of the weapon disappeared into the surrounding darkness.
"Where in Goddess' name did you get that?" I almost shouted as I ran over to inspect the weapon.
Cato grabbed it by its sheath and stuck the handle out to me so I could hold it, "You know that older guy with the missing leg and all the scars?" Cato asked.
Slowly I said, "I've seen him around, I think," as I grabbed the sword to inspect it.
"Well, he told me I could have it because nobody was going to buy it. And secondly, he said he was hoping I could become a real Fire Tribe Warrior." Cato continued, "I mean, there have been fewer and fewer contractors every year. So, if I'm not a contractor, I want to be prepared to become a warrior anyways."
"Makes sense, I guess," I responded. The sword was downright beautiful. It felt as if someone had carved it from the same stone as the figure of the Goddess herself. It also contained this beautiful yet opaque gemstone that felt as if it were originally a piece of the statue itself.
For some reason, the blade shone brighter than the gemstone within. Even though it was so dark, you could lose it just by putting it in a shadow. The blade glistened and shined.
I handed it back to Cato because I knew absolutely nothing about swords when Angelica spoke up, "Are you going to train with the sword or with your source energy, Cato?"
"I'm not sure yet Angelica, I want to train my source energy because if I do become a contractor, I will need to be able to utilize my source energy. However, if I cannot become a contractor or the Goddess does not choose me, I will need my sword skills to protect those I care for."
"So which is it? You haven't even become of age to get a contract, so why are you fussing right now?" I cut in, "Plus, you'll have me, a legendary Wielder, to protect those you care for." I puffed out my chest and tilted my chin up before looking back at my two friends.
Cato held his stoic face, but I could see the corners of his mouth trying to smile. On the other hand, Angelica was nowhere near Cato's level of composition; she was almost crying because of how hard she was giggling on the floor.
My face flushed a bright red as I turned away from Angelica, "S-so..... shall we train?" I asked.
"I don't see why not," Cato responded while Angelica was still catching her breath.
Cato sat us both down in our classic meditation position and told us the same thing he had been telling us ever since he was able to condense his source energy.
"Focus on the small packets of energy floating throughout your entire body. Then ask and herd them into a shape which you will then attempt to push through your body and out somewhere."
In general, this was to help Angelica and me grasp the idea of manipulating source energy.
What Cato could do was much too tricky for the two of us. He was able to force his source energy through his finger, and he could direct it with more ease than we could.
The training that we were partaking in was to help with using source energy, forming it, and forcing it out of the body. Attempting to push the source energy out from a portion of your body made controlling source energy a tiny bit easier. However, if Angelica or I tried to choose which area to release source energy specifically, it gets a bit more complicated.
Because source energy naturally flows within everyone, it also exits naturally out of everyone. Now, controlling where the source energy exits is an arduous task that typically only contractors learn. But, our prodigy of a friend, Cato, somehow has grasped the concept of constricting the flow of source energy to one exit on the body.
I'm not sure how he does this, but the best I can do is send a tiny spike of source energy out of my back like a porcupine without its defenses.
After about two hours of attempting to form my source energy and push it out of my body, I was covered in sweat and panting hard. I had been concentrating with my eyes closed for the past two hours and just now opened them.
Only to see a sweaty yet, still standing, Cato. He held his pitch-black sword in front of him at a low angle. With his eyes closed, Cato swung the blade upwards, stopped it, swung it back down, and then stopped it again within centimeters of the floor.
My jaw fell slack as I watched my friend swing the sword he had just been given, with almost picture-perfect form.
He swung diagonally. He spun on his heel to stab behind him. He continued to perform with his eyes closed, all the while, the pitch-black blade painted lines through the air. The red gem occasionally caught some light and would leave its own, more minor, red tube.
After another fifteen minutes of staring at my friend, he finally sheathed his sword and crumpled to the ground.
Panting, Cato let out a loud sigh, "How did training go for you two?" he asked as he sat up.
Angelica slowed her ragged breathing and responded first, "I was able to get a ball about the size of my fingertip to form on my finger. It wasn't huge because I was losing a lot of source energy through my body." She excitedly stuck up the finger, which she had successfully gathered her source energy in, only to receive a slight chuckle from Cato and me.
"I was able to create a spike in my back about six centimeters long. It was super thin, so it was more of a needle than anything." I told Cato.
"Hm," Cato mumbled, "it's progress, I wish you two could just read my mind to see how I do it, but I think you might be kind of stuck with my teaching for a little while." Cato shrugged as he finished his sentence, and I understood his sentiment.
"How do you think your swordsmanship is coming along, Cato?" Angelica was curious because she had her eyes closed the whole time Cato was practicing.
"It's going alright. I don't know how I would do in a fight, but the sword seems to have a natural fit in my hand." He reached for his handle and placed a hand on it, "I've never taken a sword class, and the Emberson's have never been swordsmen. But for some reason, a sword feels almost familiar in my hand." Cato waved his hand as if dismissing the thought, but Angelica was fully invested.
"Maybe you were made to wield a sword," I stated calmly before jumping up and declaring, "Just like how I came to Terra to wield the Goddess' True Power!"
Angelica giggled again, and Cato just rolled his eyes at me. Even I knew how unlikely it would be for the Fire Tribe to get another wielder, but I just had some odd feeling about electricity and how natural the idea felt.
Maybe it was because I was just a part of the Fire Tribe, and the Goddess has the ability of electricity, which must have made it feel close to me.
I was truly envious of my best friend. He had unmatched abilities in source energy manipulation between kids our age, he could wield a sword a day after holding it, and he wasn't at all worried about becoming a contractor or not.
'Well,' I thought, 'he could be worried about becoming a contractor. But, after that display of swordsmanship? Why would he care whether he becomes a contractor?'
However, regardless of the envy, I felt towards my best friend, I did not hate nor despise him. I admired and appreciated him, he was indeed a symbol of the future of the Fire Tribe, and whether he wanted to admit it or not, he would become a leader.
A leader I, Blaze Smock, will follow until I die.
Snapping me out of my daze, Cato flicked my head, "Come on, let's go get some food with Angelica." he stated quickly before sticking out a hand to help me up.
"Thanks," I said as Cato pulled me up.
"Anytime, now let's get this food. I am starving!"
As I watched my friends back trot down the stairs from our training area, I realized once more.
This man, three steps in front of me, will become our future. I know it.