"Bahhh." Al's face contorted after drinking the potion. "Is it me or has this gotten more disgusting?"
"I've increased the magical energy due to you reaching the early stage," said Dorian as took out the black revolver box. Al's heart fluttered seeing it. "Okay, you've gotten strong enough, What do you say, shall we shoot a bit?"
"Yes!" Al rejoiced as Dorian led him away. He thought he would be taken to the archery stands again, but instead, he took him to a spot next to them. There, ten tables were set up in a line. On them were targets, each smaller than the last.
"Alright, here's how this going to go. Bullets are expensive, so we won't be using them every time we practice," Dorian said handing him the revolver. "Luckily, the gun's Wind crystal, when triggered, shoots a strong wind that is precise to use as a replacement. Your goal will be to knock over the targets, but the wind is weak so you'll have to be precise to do so."
"Great..."
"I don't know much about shooting. After today it will be up to you to practice. I have set up this area for that. You can also take the targets home and practice there if you want. That sound good?"
"Yes, captain."
With enough said, Al started shooting the revolver. The recoil still affected him, but it was manageable now.
The first target was about as big as a torso. Al was standing about twenty steps away from it, but none of his shots hit. He could see the air warp after shooting, but it never hit the mark.
Just like that, it continued for four hours, the vase wobbled a few times but never fell. Dorian had already left hours ago, so as the sun sank behind the horizon, Al decided to go home. It was getting late.
When he walked up the gravel road he saw his mom crouched down in the garden, planting cone-shaped seed seeds.
"Oh good, your home. Come here."
"What's going on?"
She sat down cross-legged next to the seeds she just planted.
"Sit down."
Al did as he was told, and waited for his mom to speak.
"I am going to teach you about Qi," she said.
"What's that?"
"It's refined magical energy. After reaching the Purification the body naturally produces it."
"Huh?"
She sighed. "As dense as your father, are ya?" Sitting in front of the dirt bed she held her hand above a seed she just planted. A gentle green light bloomed from her hand.
As it enveloped the seed, It rapidly sprouted, blooming into an elegant red rose. Sharp thorns grew from its stem and a delicate flower swung on top.
"That, Al, is Qi. You probably felt it. That you are filled with new energy since this morning?"
Yes, he had been feeling energized since this morning. "I can do that?"
"Maybe," Al's mom stood up. "It depends on the attribute of your Qi."
"Attribute?" Al said as he followed his mom into their home.
"Yup everyone's Qi has an innate attribute. Mine, for example, is the wood attribute."
Al followed her into their home, the sweet smell of the flower garden disappearing. Mom opened the storage closet in the foyer. There, she pulled up a box from the back and rummaged through it.
The dust and the smell of withering made Al cough. From the box, she pulled out a crystal ball. "Take this to the kitchen table, honey," she said, shoving it into Al's hands.
Al carried the ball into the kitchen, enveloped in a fresh smell of caramelized onions. He set it down on the stone top when his gaze landed on the stove, noticing his mom's cooking. Al got excited about dinner.
Al's mom had dust on her face as she walked in. In her hands were a book and a first aid kit in hand, "What are we eating, mom?"
"Potatoes with mushroom sauce, but only after we test your attribute," she said while setting down and opening the kit on the counter. He had gotten all too familiar with it during the past two months. Her voice sounded apologetic as she said, "So, Al, since you cannot control your Qi yet, we need to brute force it."
"Um... What do you mean?" Al had a bad premonition due to the presence of the first aid kit.
"Qi flows within the blood, so you'll need to bleed a bit."
Al knew it, it's never good when the kit gets brought out, "How much?"
"Not a lot, about a cup," She said as she brought out a knife.
'I think we have different definitions of 'not a lot',' Al thought. The idea wasn't pleasant. But it was Al who wanted to become an adventurer. His mom was doing this to support him.
"Okay, what do I have to do?"
"Cut your hand, and hold your blood drip onto the crystal ball."
"Alright."
Al picked up the knife, and cut into the palm of his hand. It wasn't painful, at least not like training with Dorian was painful, but seeing his blood flow out of him, made him uncomfortable. It felt unnatural.
The blood fell onto the crystal ball which started greedily absorbing it. A light began shining from within it, and a faint silhouette took shape within. Blood continued to flow, and the silhouette slowly became clearer.
"Stop, Al." His mom said, handing him a piece of gauze dipped in medicine.
Al wrapped his hand and looked at the silhouette, his mind wrapped in anticipation. But the more he looked at the figure the less he understood.
It was an image of a ball, one whose color and shape morphed constantly. At times it looked like a waving woman. Another time, it turned into a leaf dancing in the wind. Another time, it morphed into a tiger pouncing at its prey.
"What does this mean, mom?"
"It's your father's," she said, nostalgia all over her pretty face. "the Mind attribute."
"Mind attribute?"
"A very rare type of Qi that if smartly used can be very powerful, although its raw power is very low." Before Al could ask more questions she put her finger onto his lips. "Let's not get into the specifics of how you can apply it before you learn to harness it. Alright?"
"How do I use it then?"
"No idea."
"Seriously, mom?"
"There is no 'real' method. Everyone has a different Qi and way to harness it." She tapped the book brought from storage, titled [100 methods of Qi control], lying on the table. "This is a compilation of various methods people use. Look through it, see if anything inspires you. I'll finish making dinner in the meantime."
Al did not like how little information mom was giving, but he knew how she felt about him becoming an adventurer. He was lucky she was helping at all. "Okay, I'll be in my room."
[100 methods of Qi control] in hand, he took the stairs to the first floor, where his room is. His bedroom still reeked from this morning's breakthrough.
Al sat down on his bed and did his best to ignore the smell as he studied the methods described in the book.
Wonder grew in Al's mind. The techniques were genuinely creative and diverse. Some methods applied dancing and songs. Others made use of visualization of all kinds. Al especially liked one that envisioned an apple pie. It made him laugh. Surprisingly, there was even one method that made us of their faith in the Five Spirits.
As he read, Al noticed a trend. Nearly all methods made us of some sort of meditation. So, Al determined that he should start there.
From [100 methods of Qi control], he had a general idea of what mediation was. He sat down cross-legged, straightened his back, and slowed his breathing into long, deep breaths. Al's mind tried to focus solely on himself.
He could feel the Qi, it was there. In the meditative state, it grew clearer, Al felt it flowing through his blood and heart. However, when he attempted to control it, it disappeared. It was right there and then it wasn't. So close, yet so far.
Al tried the apple pie method, visualizing Qi as a fresh, steaming apple pie. He took a slice of the 'pie' onto his plate, but all sensation of Qi disappeared again. Al attempted the other methods, but it all ended the same.
It was so frustrating!
"Al, dinner is ready!"
Setting his worries aside, he wandered into the kitchen where a delicious meal waited for him. While eating Al asked mom what her method was. She told him it was visualizing plucking a rose petal, just like the apple pie method.
"Maybe you should ask Dorian."
"But, it's always so hard to find him." Al had thought of it, but his captain was so elusive. He professed he was always running around and working hard, but Al knew that he was just hiding from his duties.
"Hehe- That's because you don't know where to look," his mom said. "I am not a snitch, but If I were to look for him it would be on the western wall."
"Oh, of course, mom, you would never betray a dear friend." Al and mom shared nefarious smiles while eating their potatoes.
After dinner, Al went to look for his captain. A cold breeze traveled through the air as the sun gave way to the night. Behind the Western wall shone the crimson light of the setting sun. The cottage was on the western side of the village, so the trip did not take long.
Al climbed up the wooden rampart, finding a man sitting on the battlements. His legs dangled off them as he sipped the pint of beer in his hand. His eyes were fixed on the sunset.
"Hey captain, Fancy seeing you here."
The startled Dorian almost fell off the wall and spilled some of his beer for the plants to enjoy. he scratched his brown beard.
"Your mom snitch?"
"She would never, captain." Al looked around. "How come there are no guards up here?"
"I don't want to be disturbed, and I make the schedule."
"Fair enough." Al sat down next to his captain. Looking at the sunset on the horizon. "How do you control Qi?"
"Right down to business, huh? My Qi attribute is darkness, so I recite a poem called 'Here Comes the Night'. In my hometown, the poem was used to scare little children," He paused and thought for a moment, "Not all, but most methods, have to do with one's attribute in one way or another. What's yours?"
"Mind attribute."
Dorian took a moment to think. "So, it's the same as your father's. William once told me that it was easy to summon the Mind attribute: One just had to wish for it."
"Wish for it?"
"Yeah, a powerful wish has the power of one's whole mind behind it. So, what do you wish for?"
Al looked at the sun setting on the horizon, beyond the verdant Thaz Forest the enveloping the village. He ought to wish for many things. It was common sense to wish for longevity, prosperity, or to meet an estranged father. But he didn't.
What use did a long life to him? What use did money have? What use did knowing some blood-related stranger have? 'I don't care about those things,' Al thought.
His hand moved, grasping at the sun. All he wanted was to be free enough to grasp what was on that horizon. In the endless world, he wanted to do whatever he wanted and go wherever he felt like.
"I wish for freedom," Al said, while something stirred within him, and when he pulled back his hand it held the sun.