"You know the drill kid, basic exercises till I say stop." He slumped back into the couch, book in hand, reading its contents.
What was really the point, I wasn't learning anything new, and this wasn't going to be enough to earn the scholarship in 3 years time.
Maybe this was just to get my body into shape?
"Lady Ophelia, Sir Murren. I've prepared fruit snacks."
"Perfect! You're always so helpful Priscilla!" She bowed, indifferent to his flattery as she walked back into the house.
"And you kid, keep doing those exercises, you don't deserve them yet."
"You don't deserve them yet, d*ckhead." I quietly sneered, continuing to exercise.
Just like that, drenched in sweat, fatigue caught up, breathing heavily as I dropped to the ground.
"That's enough, come back the day after tomorrow, we'll be doing the same thing." It was already sunset again, and his words were still as disappointing as I thought.
"So, how was today?" Dad asked, "With your instructor I mean."
"Terrible! It's the same thing as yesterday, I didn't learn or do anything interesting."
"Just wait, there's probably a reason right?"
"From his demeanour and body language, I highly doubt it."
"Get some rest Lia, tomorrow will be a new day!" The door clicked, and he was out of sight, the ceiling was the same too. Unchanging.
"Argh, I can't sleep!" I leaned my body up, sensing the particles took less effort than last time. Currently, I knew I could basically crush elemental particles and release its energy, I could also split Aether and grab specific elements. I could inherently see the particles of black fire without needing to pick them from Aether, and combining elements was also successful.
The only problem was that I didn't know how to manipulate elements to my will.
"Yuralis! Second?! How did you get bested by a mere nobody!?" he roared, my cheek burned red as he slapped it again.
"That nobody is my best friend, don't say that his a nobody, he's a someone to me."
"Best friend this, best friend that! I always tell you that you don't need 'friends'! You're strong! Soon enough, you'll realise that no one will be able to call you their friend. And you'll come running back to me, knowing I was right. All along."
"Shut the f*ck up! You don't know anything! Stop trying to defile my life, you don't know anything!"
"Don't yell back at me, I'm your god damn father!" Crashing to the floor, I touched my cheek, it was numb, to where I couldn't feel my very own touch.
"Don't talk to her like that you bastard!" Weiss retorted, he tackled him down to the floor, thrashing and hitting my father.
I ran forward, and with one smooth movement. Blood trickled, flowing down onto the ground. The adrenaline, it was heavy, the guilt too. But it wasn't as heavy as the dagger that I held with my two hands.
"Lady Ophelia? Lady Ophelia, breakfast is ready!" The knocking grew louder, I felt groggy and tired.
"A dream.. Or a nightmare?" I whispered.
I sat, eating the food that was on my plate. Waiting, walking back, the butler, old and frail, continued to dance alone. Elegantly, and skilfully.
"What are you looking at?" Who said that? I looked to the side, Claudia was a hair's breadth away from me.
"Ah! It's just you.. Who is that and why does he do it for so long?"
"Oh him? It's like his pastime hobby, does it till sunset every now and again. I have to go now, but I'll see you again soon!"
"Soon?"
"Yeah, day after tomorrow, with my dad. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired." She waved goodbye, skipping down the hall and out of sight. "A pastime hobby huh."
"Lady Ophelia, please follow me, your instructor is waiting."
"Yes, I'll be right behind you."
"Oh you're here, what is your name dear?" The instructor asked, a voice that was soothing and tranquil.
"Ophelia." Brown hair, glasses and a blue imperial dress that went down to her ankles. Long sleeves and buttoned all the way down.
"Miss Ophelia, a lovely name for such a cute little girl. For the next three years, I, Layla Raye will be in charge of teaching you to the best of my abilities. I specialise in Aether control and Aether arts. I presume you've met Sir Murren already?" Her demeanour was calming and the exact opposite of Murren.
"Yes, I've met him, a total douche." She giggled, covering her mouth as she did so.
"Let's get started right away. First, I'll need to see your capabilities. Fire your wind spells in anyway shape or form." I took a few seconds to sense the area around us, as I reached forward, I picked out the wind elemental particles from the Aether orbs.
Punching out, the wind blasted forth before being blocked by her own wind. Hold on, how did she know I had wind?
"How did you-"
"Sir Murren told me, don't worry, I'm not a psychic." Writing down on her clipboard while she spoke. "First off, we'll have to practice on the very basics! It shouldn't take too long, give or take a week's worth of lessons."
I nodded, she moved toward my side as she spoke.
"Okay, it seems like you have no real concept of Aether control and it's principles. I want you to feel your soul, almost like your tensing the core of your stomach. Feel as if your taking in the energy around you." It was difficult, but because I had already done this with the Aether before it was easier.
"And as if your trying to manifest your thoughts to reality, release the spell." I did as instructed, but nothing appeared at all. It was difficult, how could I manifest my thoughts to reality?
"It might be easier with an action command, like waving your hand." I closed my eyes, waving my hand across, nothing happened.
"It's okay! Take it slower, everyone is at different levels." She reassured me, and so I tried again. And again, and again. Yet, nothing happened every single time. And every time Layla comforted me, I took it even slower, slowly as I gathered the Aether around me I waved my hand.
.
.
Nothing again. What was I doing wrong? At the end of the day, I was unable to progress at all. Moonlight seeped in through the windows as I slumped onto the bed hard. I couldn't wrap my head around it, all the time I had just picked out the particles individually and released it-
A realisation occurred, was it my approach..? I jumped up, breathing deeply, I held out my arm, like it was the area to 'output' the energy I would soon release. Instead of gathering Aether itself, I'd pull in only the specific parts from Aether.
I could see it, one by one green specs of light flooded my closed retinas one by one. Absorbing them, I could feel them enter my soul before travelling up my arm. The thought of it helped too; I could feel the wind start to flow to the palm of my hand as well.
In one second to the next, my arm recoiled upwards, and a blast of pressurised wind flew forth simultaneously as I opened my eyes. I lit up, shocked even. It made a thump on the wall before dissipating.
Without needing to physically grab it and sense it, I had finally done it.