Light from the dawn slowly entered the woods and fell on the ground beneath the trees. The cold breeze blew over the leaves, and drops of water shone on the blades of grass. Kael grasped the stick composed of wood with both hands, experiencing pain in his arms because of yesterday's training session. Pain enveloped his entire body, yet he was silent about it.
The man did not even give his name to Kael. The man simply stood with calm eyes and straight stature, like a mountain that stands still and immovable. To Kael, this was rare. Adults usually spoke much, but this adult spoke only when it was important. This adult seemed to have been very serious, even when he remained silent.
After Kael's gaze had held his attention for a few moments, the man spoke on again in his calm voice. He just gave a single order and it was enough to restart the day's suffering.
"Attack."
He moved swiftly and charged forward with his weapon in his grasp. The speed at which Kael attacked became even faster, as he tried hitting the man's shoulder using all the power that he had in him. The man was quick enough to avoid getting hit, thanks to his smooth maneuvers. He was not able to hit his opponent, but before he could think further, he got touched by two of the man's fingers.
He managed to find his balance and rotate, feeling irritated within himself. He watched him coolly, and then explained to him why he was wrong in no uncertain terms.
"Too open."
Kael gritted his teeth and stood up straight. Even before the sun rose, sweat was already running down from his forehead. He kept attacking him over and over again with quick, low, and sweeping strikes. However, all his attacks proved futile, as the man effortlessly dodged each one as if they were dead leaves blowing in the wind.
He continued to speak after witnessing some more violent assaults from nature. His tone was calm, yet the message conveyed was harsher than any physical punishment Kael had ever experienced.
"You attack with fury."
For a split second, Kael paused, breathing in hard. Kael understood the truth behind that statement, but listening to it caused a tightening in his chest. Since his childhood days, Kael has always felt an element of anger. This anger was there when his peers ridiculed him, when his instructors ignored him, and when he failed every single test while others improved.
Kael lowered the stick slightly and looked at the man with tired eyes. He wanted to understand, even if he hated asking for help.
"Then how should I move?"
The man answered at once, his eyes never leaving Kael.
"Move with purpose."
This made Kael frown as well because while the answer was very simple, it seemed complex at the same time. Purpose could not be held as an object or trained as muscle tissue; but Kael raised the wooden stick again. However, before moving towards his opponent, he took several deep breaths and carefully observed him – from his feet to his shoulders.
Kael went for a straight jab rather than an ineffective swipe. Once more, the man adjusted slightly. Kael's stick brushed against the man's sleeve but failed to connect. Despite that, he got much nearer to his target than before. Surprise flashed across Kael's face, and the man could tell clearly.
The man gave a small nod and offered the first sign of approval Kael had received during training.
"Better."
It was these words which made Kael feel stronger than ever before due to all of the praises he had ever received. He clenched his fist even harder and started thrashing about again. Although his physical self might be tired, his mind was not the same anymore; he was thinking about the future rather than the past or winning anything anymore.
Time was passing by with the dawn light. The pain in his arms, the tremors in his legs, the blisters forming on his palms because he clung to the stick too firmly. Many times, he felt like stopping. Many times, he felt like tossing the weapon aside and lying down. However, every time that thought crossed his mind, he remembered the mockery at the academy and kept going.
At last, the man raised one hand, ending the training without shouting or anger. His next word felt like a gift.
"Enough."
Kael knelt down on one knee, struggling to breathe. His forehead glistened with sweat, and his chest was rising and falling as if he had just ascended a mountain. He looked up, expecting yet another lesson from the man, only for the man to simply walk off toward the stream nearby.
After a few steps, he spoke again.
"Come."
Kael trailed along behind, his legs feeling feeble and weary. The water in the stream was clear and cool, and smooth stones lying beneath the water reflected light. The man bent down next to the water and indicated something in the stream. Looking into the water, Kael could see his own reflection looking back at him – disheveled white hair, weary blue eyes, grime-covered skin, and exhaustion everywhere else.
The man looked at the reflection and asked a simple question that felt strangely heavy.
"What do you see?"
Kael answered without thinking.
"Myself."
The man shook his head once and corrected him immediately.
"No. You see what others said you are."
Kael fell silent. The words stung more than any physical blow could have. He glanced down at the surface of the lake, remembering all the insults hurled his way over the years—worthless, useless, failure, bloodthief, half-blood. They had been repeated so often that he had started to believe them himself.
He picked up a pebble and threw it into the water. His reflection in the water was broken by the waves caused by the pebble. He then began to speak just like he had been doing all along.
"Truths change with the surface."
Kael stared back at him, puzzled because he did not entirely comprehend his meaning. He twisted around a bit and added another sentence before getting up once more.
"You have yet to discover your true identity."
The wind was blowing through the gaps between the trees. Kael stared at the flowing river and thought. The desire for power he had all the time was that he wanted to show everybody that he is right and not wrong. But there could be another reason for acquiring power as well.
Back at the training area, the man had in his hands two smooth sticks that resembled practice swords. Tossing one of them to Kael, he surprised him. Immediately after, the man began his instruction for the day.
"Today, you will use both hands."
Kael looked at the branches and then back at the man, confused by the idea.
"Both?"
The man answered simply, as if it were obvious.
"Yes."
He held one stick in each of his hands, and it felt very awkward. One of his hands was weaker than the other and therefore did not feel quite stable in holding the stick. He moved forward and demonstrated an easy posture with one hand raised and the other low down.
Silence was all he could give. Nothing more. He waited and watched. Kael shuffled his feet and tried once more. Again and again and again. Failure yielded nothing for him, but he learned with each attempt. His body began to understand things his mind could not.
By the time the sun set, Kael couldn't even raise his arms anymore. His shoulders were on fire, and his hands were shaking because of tiredness. But when he saw the two training swords, some part of him came to life. It wasn't big, but it was there.
As the sky turned orange, the man faced him one last time and finally gave real praise.
"You learn fast."
Kael was taken aback because nobody had ever told him that before. However, the man didn't stop there before Kael's pride could swell up.
"Talent is worthless without the will."
Kael nodded slowly because he understood that much. The man then turned away and began walking deeper into the forest, speaking one final sentence over his shoulder.
"Tomorrow, we hunt."
All manner of questions filled Kael's head as he looked at his back. What did Hunt mean to hunt? An animal? A creature? Something for food? He wasn't sure. But for the first time in many years, he felt something other than fear. He was excited. He looked at the sun setting between the trees and held onto the wooden swords tightly.