Three months after my birthday, Arlo and I have gone to the library almost daily to study up on the nature of the world and tips and tricks for "Spirit Reathing"
I have come to learn plenty about the soul and how it is practically the essence of using magic and the dangers of actually using your spirit energy can be costly. Arlo and I heeded this warning, never fully draining ourselves while training.
After another uneventful day at the library, we came home right around dusk fall. Mother and Father come running out and tell us to get raincoats on and to head onto the roof for the show!
Arlo's eyes lit up with excitement, saying he almost forgot today was the start of the solar storm from the Demon Continent. This day honestly scares me a bit just from its origin story I read about in the library.
However, every year, it's just a beautiful event where the Mages (Spirit Reathers) assigned from the capital set up a wind barrier around the city. It's like a clear glass bowl; we are the fish watching fireworks from inside.
We climb up on the roof just as the sun dips over the horizon. Per what I remember from the last two years, all the mages circle the town square, 12 in total.
They all cast a divine wind barrier over a radius, and I can't even describe it if it feels to be boundless.
The shaking and rumbling begin as the whole area is covered in wind.
At first, it's a numbing terrifying feeling, as if an earthquake is shaking the entire land. However, for everyone else, it's the calm before the storm. In moments Multi rainbow colored hail and rain slam into the window barrier, causing the wind barrier to begin taking on the colors as they smash into it.
Followed by this are physical gusts of windows that bounce off the barrier and launch into the sky and multiple other directions.
The best way I can come close to an experience like this in the old world would be the Aurora Australis, where the universe puts on the light show of a lifetime. This continues for about an hour before standard rain follows, and the barrier is safe to release.
Once the barrier is released and the fog of the wind evaporates into the night sky, you see the glowing skylight in shades of lime green, baby blue, and violet purple as they dance around in a brilliant glow.
From the books I've read about this event, no one truly knows the cause of the colored rain and gust of wind. However, it started roughly 200 years ago, before the accession of the current ruling family in the year 600. I wondered how and when they started counting years, but it was a fleeting thought as I never really found a good answer to my own world's year system.
, All right, Arlo, Let's head off the bed and hit the ground running tomorrow! I want to study more on fighting basics in the library. No matter how strong how magic – "Spirit Energy Toki!" Arlo snaps back. "Whatever," I continue.
No matter how strong our magic maybe is. If we can't handle a fighter up close, we will likely find ourselves in a hospital bed before too long. "Yea, but if I'm fast enough to keep my distance, I can just spam air attacks, you know!"
Not up for discussion Arlo, see you in the morning; don't be late. He grumbles as he climbs down the roof, almost slipping on a loose rung on the house edge but manages to catch himself. I mock him to be careful next time, or I will make him trip on some rocks. He chuckles before nodding and running off to his house.
I lay back down on the roof of the house, still staring up at the stars in the night sky as they become more and more visible as the shining lights dissipate into nothing but sweet memories to be cherished.
I slowly close my eyes, thinking about what I can do about that women's advice. I mean, I've been going to the library every day, wasting time. I could be focusing on training more with my magic. Maybe she's like a jester who just plays tricks on people. My thoughts slowly drift away, and before I know it, I black out.
I threw myself up, thinking I had dozed off, and to my surprise, I was back in my bed, and large falcon-like creatures were roaring up above, signaling the beginning of a new day. I realized I had slept. The very thing I had told Arlo not to do!
As I stumble out of bed, throwing on my white long-sleeved shirt with my kimono-styled long skirt, I take a look in the mirror to find my hair has started to get pretty long. Much longer than I ever found acceptable before.
Rushing out of my bedroom and grabbing some food left on the table as Mother and Father left to tend to the Crops and ensure the harvest was safe and unharmed after the storm. I sprinted over to Arlo's house, knocking on his door.
His mother, Fashian, answers the door. She's standing around 6"2, possibly the tallest woman in the village. She says Arlo left about an hour ago, and he should be back shortly, offering me to wait inside. No, thank you, Ma'am! I will catch up with him.
I start to head down the dirt road passing a small market space for everything from spices, food, items, and some cool-looking apparel. I turn the corner, and as I see the massive structure that house's all these books, I see Arlo arguing with a girl maybe 2 inches taller than him. It takes me a moment to realize what's going on, but I see they both have a hand on a book labeled "Combat of Arms."
Arlo yells at the crazy woman to get her hands off his book. "I already checked it out he yells."
"I am the great Kya, Master of fire and soon to be the strongest warrior ever!"
"You might have checked it out, but I need it more, little boy."
Arlo summons up a space of wind magic in his left hand as this girl Kia does the same, but it's a ball of fire, maybe twice as big as Arlo's ball!
Stunned for a second, I think this must be what the ghost lady had been referring to!
Hey, both of you, calm down. We can share it, I yell, running in. They both look at me and yell No!