It had been over three hours, and the only progress I'd made was that I could release my Ki without hurting myself or exploding the boulder.
'Damn, stupid boulder. Why can't I cover this thing? Maybe I should ask? No! After telling Stark, I can do it, I'd just make a fool out of myself.
Nox was sleeping curled up on the track. Stark and Stella were inside the giant crab. I was on the cold stone ground, sweating due to the murky heat of the crab's underbelly.
Once again, I pictured the rock being engulfed by my Ki. Red sparks flared from my palm, and my Ki surged, covering half the boulder.
My eyes widened, I smiled, and shot my arms in the air.
"Yes! Progress, finally."
A voice so pleasant whispered in my ear.
"You're still working on that?"
Before I turned, I wiped away my embarrassing expression. As I turned, Stella's face was right in front of me. Stella fixed her hair, putting a strand of her golden brown hair behind her ear.
I slowly pushed myself back so we would have more space between us. She covered her mouth with her hand.
'Was her face slightly pink? No, must have been my imagination.'
She chuckled behind her hand.
"Calm down, I won't bite."
Then she stared at the enchantment Stark gave me with a confused expression.
"I think the problem is that thing he gave you. It was for you to learn how to control your Ki, but it seems that you've already learned. So hand it over so I can return to him."
I stared for a couple of seconds without knowing. So I quickly took the enchantment off and handed it to her. A surge of Ki quickly started to flow through me. I inhaled, feeling way better than I'd ever have.
"I feel way better, in fact, like a new man. Thanks. I hope you're right, Stella."
"Will it be too much trouble if I stay and watch Damien?" She said, smiling.
'She wants to stay?'
She chuckled again.
"You should see your expression."
My cheeks turned slightly pink, but I didn't freak out.
"Just don't distract me."
She took 3 steps back and sat down, making a clanking sound of her armour hitting the stone floor.
'Does she ever take that thing off?'
She pointed at the boulder.
"Go ahead, I bet you'll finish in no time."
With that, I stood up, sat on the floor where the boulders were, and laid both my hands on them. I imagined two boulders being engulfed by my Ki. This time, I closed my eyes. I had stared at the boulder for so long that I could imagine it inside my head.
Red sparks streamed from my hand—not scattered, but flowing like a river. My Ki poured into the image I held in my mind, wrapping the boulders in a steady, crimson glow.
I opened my eyes, and the two boulders were covered in red Ki. My jaw was wide open, and so were my eyes. I finally did it.
As I dismissed the Ki, I froze, noticing Stella. I was completely caught off guard. Stella's usual sharp, confident presence was nowhere to be found—instead, she had her hands pressed to her cheeks, eyes wide and shimmering in a way that almost made her look innocent.
My chest tightened, and I quickly turned my head, trying to hide the heat rising from my cheeks.
'Adorable. I mean, what was that?'
I couldn't even muster a single word.
She had gotten up and walked towards me. I turned around with my normal expression back. She looked at me, that playful spark in her eyes, and suddenly raised her hand and curled her fingers into a thumbs-up.
"See? I told you so."
Before I realized, the corner of my mouth pulled into a soft smile of my own.
"Thanks," I muttered, my voice softer than I expected.
Her expression grew sharp and serious.
"Now that you did that, it's time for the next step. Do you remember what it is?"
"Yeah, I have to create an imitation of the boulder without the help of the boulder. Like training wheels on a bike. Right?"
"Correct. Now, get on with it before Stark thinks you gave up. I'll make some food in the meantime."
"Froggber legs or Titancrobra"
"I'm going to be honest, either one. I've never tasted or heard of those." I said with a confused expression.
"I'll be pleased to show you then," she said with a soft smile.
She left, leaving me alone. I stood up and tried to create the boulder. A stream of crimson Ki left my hand and almost perfectly imitated the boulder, then the boulder dulled, and the Ki withered away.
"Almost first try, nice. Please tell me I can do this fast. I don't want to spend any more hours on this."
Once again, a stream of crimson Ki left my hand almost instantly, creating the boulder. The crimson boulder stood in my hand, weightless. It felt good to finally accomplish something.
As I held the boulder, I swung it with ease. As I swung it, my body felt like it was being drained with every second I held it.
"That's weird, it almost feels like I'm gonn—" I collapsed and fell into a slumber.
After a while, I opened my eyes as if I had just closed them. I was on a comfy bed, my head rested on a nice, cold pillow that made me want to close my eyes again. But then I realized Stella was sitting in a chair with a wooden plate of food. It looked delicious.
The center of the plate had rice and beans, while the side of the plate had two slices of meat, which I had seen glazed with honey, almost making my mouth water. She used the wooden fork to pierce the meat and held it towards me.
I closed my eyes and opened my mouth until I heard an old man trying not to laugh.
"Open wide, boy. Here comes the angel."
I opened my eyes, and Stella wasn't holding the fork; it was Stark. He was making a stupid expression. As he placed the plate with the fork on me. He began to laugh. He laughed—so hard he fell from the chair and onto the ground, and continued.
"That's not funny, Stark!"
In the corner, Stella chuckled.
"So you're in this, too?" I let out a soft sigh.
She nodded.
I looked at Stark, and he had finally stopped laughing. I looked at him, and a bean hung from his forehead. I started to laugh, and so did Stella.
"What's so funny now?" Stark said with a confused tone and expression.
But I didn't stop laughing. A feeling drew from inside me, a feeling of acceptance, a feeling I couldn't describe. For the first time, I felt like I existed; I felt truly happy.
They both stopped and stared at me.
"Are you okay?" Stella said, with a hint of worry.
"What do you mean?"
"Damien, you're crying."
A flow of tears kept soaking into the blanket.
"Why am I crying?"
'Why does my chest ache like this? Why do these tears keep falling…
"We'll let you finish that, have a good night." Stark opened the door and left the room, and Stella followed, leaving a worried glance, shutting the door behind.
I wiped my tears from my face and stared into the field of grass from the window. The night sky was filled with wisps of glowing bugs, or red and green wisps, that were swirling around the grass.
'I hope I can protect them, not just them, but everyone, for their laughter, their thoughts, their hopes and dreams. It could all leave before I'd know it. If this is what it feels like to live, then I wanna keep trying. I want to keep living alongside them and the people to come.'
After finishing the meal, I put the wooden plate on the floor. I lay down snuggled in my blanket, and closed my eyes. A single tear trickled down my cheek, and the corner of my mouth turned upward.