The house had returned to its quiet rhythms.
It wasn't constant but when it came it would fill his ribs like sunlight through cold water, too vast to understand. Sometimes, he'd catch his reflection in the water of a basin and could swore the color of his irises shimmered faintly.
He hadn't said anything not wanting to worry his family. A bad habit he was developing. Against his efforts though Jane noticed.
She watched from the archway one evening as Anecus walked barefoot through the backyard, fingers trailing the long grass. When he crouched to pluck a stem of feathergrass the tips of the stalks trembled in slow synchrony with his breathing.
Later that night Jane pulled Red aside. "His abilities are flaring again..."
Red glanced over his shoulder toward the window where Anecus sat beside Naia quietly sketching something in the dirt.
"I felt it when I hugged him earlier I had Soulgaze active. Whatever this is, its different then me." she said softly. "It's layered stronger. When he fully awakens…"
Red's brow furrowed. "He hasn't even triggered his Awakening yet."
"That's what makes this dangerous. His body isn't ready...I have my guesses of what it is."
Red looked out the window again Naia had leaned into Anecus's side, her head tucked under his arm like it was second nature.
"…She's been doing that a lot lately," he said.
Jane nodded. "She's changed too, ever since the attack she barely leaves his side, I don't think its just protectiveness it's something deeper close to bonding behavior, but accelerated."
"Should we stop it?" Red asked.
Jane shook her head. "Even if we could I don't think we should. forcefully separating bonds could be damaging."
Red nodded in agreement, thinking about a what if he was separated from Jane. 'I wouldn't wish that even upon my enemies."
Cassia awoke late tired from recent lessons.
She rushed out half panicked that her brother had left without her again. But he hadn't Anecus was in the field, sitting cross-legged with Naia pressed comfortably to his side dozing against his shoulder.
'They look… different.'
Anecus wasn't just meditating anymore he was tapping into something he didn't understand. But there was a naturalness to what he was doing.
The grass around him bent ever so slightly inward pulled by a silent force. Cassia felt a pressure in her chest when she neared, it wasn't painful but it reminded her of when their mother would place her hand over their hearts to calm them. 'It feels like he's hugging my heart.'
She watched quietly unsure to announce herself, to her convenience Anecus opened his eyes and gave a gentle nod. Naia stirred and sat up slowly brushing sleep from her eyes. Without a second thought she reached out and took Anecus's hand.
Cassia blinked. 'She never used to do that in front of me. Not like that.'
Naia noticed the look but said nothing her thumb moved across Anecus's knuckles in small circles. 'I don't even think she knows she's doing that...'
"Good morning" Anecus said lightly.
Cassia forced a smile. "Hey what are you two doing?"
Naia answered first. "Just… resting. He has been overworking lately."
Cassia's lips twitched opening her mouth to respond but paused, something about the way Naia said it made her stomach flip. 'Is she ok?'
"I can help too you know," she said, stepping forward. "I'm still your sister and I want to understand what's happening."
Anecus smiled kindly, but Naia tightened her hold just slightly. "Of course." he said. "I want both of you here, always."
Naia's head tilted ever so slightly. "Good because I'm not going anywhere."
Cassia narrowed her eyes, just for a moment, then sat on Anecus's other side deliberately close enough to touch. '...he's my brother.'
The silence between them wasn't hostile.
But it was charged.
It was chore time when Jane noticed Cassia's movements were slower than usual, distracted.
Jane belied in letting people have a chance to bring up what was bothering them. until Cassia dropped a clothespin for the third time and didn't pick them up. "your mind is knotted."
Cassia flinched, fingers clutching a damp shirt, "sorry mom."
Jane wiping her hands on he apron "for what sweety?"
he voice was smaller than normal "The attack... it was my fault."
blinking in confusion gently stepped over, "Cassia what do you mean?"
"I knew something was wrong before anything happened" she said voice a little shaky, "from the moment we left I could feel something. the air felt strange the trees didn't feel safe."
"Breathe Cassie."
"I felt it again near the grove, right before Naia got attacked but I never said anything…"
Jane's heart squeezed. So she reached out and brushed a few strands of silver hair from Cassia's face. "You thought it might ruin the fun."
Cassia nodded silently, eyes brimming now. "And because of me… Anecus and Naia almost got hurt." 'But that's not the worse part...'
After a moment, "just this morning I had a thought I didn't even want, I though what if I didn't have to share Anecus..."
Jane pulled her into a hug that was firm and full of warmth. "Cassia, listen to me." Cassia clung to her mother.
"You're not to blame you're young and learning, All of you are. Trusting your instincts takes time. So does knowing when thoughts like those are your legitimate or not. "
She leaned back slightly and cupped Cassia's cheek.
"But the fact that you felt something is important. That means your heart is awake, and you are on a good path."
Cassia wiped her cheek with the edge of her sleeve. "I just don't want to freeze next time I want to help like Anecus does. I want to be caring like Naia is."
Jane smiled softly. "You are brave my daughter And one day, when your Pillar awakens, you'll see how strong your voice really is."
Cassia sniffed giving a tiny nod.
"Next time" Jane said "you speak even if it sounds silly, even if no one else feels it."
"mmh." Cassia nodded.
"Good girl" Jane murmured pulling her close again. "We all make mistakes. Love means growing from them, together."
----
Father stood in the middle of the clearing behind our house, arms crossed as his eyes watched silently. 'my limbs are swore' stretching to make them feel better.
"Morning father." I said
He nodded once. "again."
I blinked, 'no warm up?' "But we haven't even..."
"You're training to be more than strong." he said "You're training for the time when you have long passed your limit and still are required to fight."
'tsk. today is going to be a long day...I want to see Naia.'
The first few exchanges were simple. Steps, pivots, parries but Red didn't hold back long. His speed increased gradually. Anecus had to adapt on instinct, weaving between blows and shifting his balance constantly.
Red would even throw in a Vector shift here and there just to get him use to fighting opponents with greater agility. 'you are remarkable.'
It Red had to compare Anecus talent was comparable to his own when he was young, maybe even higher is some areas like comprehension speed for example.
'Sweat was beading down my brow. My arms ache...' as tired as he was his eyes never lost focus.
'Duck!' Anecus avoided a sweeping arm and rolled, coming up behind his father. only to be met with a swift reverse elbow to the shoulder that sent him stumbling.
"your to focused on the win, you abandoned your rhythm for a opportunity to strike. Giving your opponent an opening."
'I bet if I had a pillars...' his eyes flared like the sun for a second.
Red sighed knowing what his son was thinking, "I know Anecus." he knelt Infront of him. "Tell me, do you thinking we deserve these abilities?" he posses while summoning a diamond of bending light.
Anecus didn't answer. 'I don't know...'
"If we didn't train with just our bodies than these tools forcefully put into our hands wouldn't be tools. It would be destruction, for yourself and those around you."
Anecus thought on his words " I think I'm starting to understand."
"Good."