Time Flies

The sun shines brightly but the autumn air is crisp and cool. I know they will not give me a knife to widdle anything, let alone a practice weapon. I look around the small clearing thinking about what I can use to train myself. I figure I have nothing else to do so I might as well train. I look at the ground and notice a stick. Not just any kind of stick, the perfect stick. I grab the stick in my hand and examine it before giving it a few swings. Perfect! A smile creases my face as I begin to swing my practice weapon in a sweeping vertical slash.

-- -- --

The snow blankets the ground like cotton on a Christmas diorama. I decide to do some mental training since I do not want to ruin my perfect stick. I sit down cross-legged in the snow as I close my eyes. I rest my arms on my legs as well and try to focus on creating a light in my hands.

“What are you doing!?”, Gardenia’s voice knocks me out of my focus. I open my eyes to the sight of a ball of light in both of my hands before she continues. “It’s too cold out here Lydia!”, The head caretaker exclaims as she grabs me by my shoulders, dusting snow off of me, and helps me to my feet. That is the point Gardenia! I am trying to train my mental discipline. I cannot say any of that out loud however because I know she will not understand.

-- -- --

I stop in front of Dandelion in the kitchen doorway. My head now reaching her bust so I can actually meet her eyes without her needing to kneel.

“It’s been a year.”, I say to Dandelion as I put my hands on my hips in annoyance. “Can you teach me some more magic?”, I inquire a bit of anger seeping into my voice. The silence between us is almost suffocating until the teen finally speaks.

“Alright.”, Dandelion sighs in acceptance. She walks past me as she speaks, “Follow me.” We walk into the kitchen and the teen quickly pilfers a small knife from the knife block as she continues, “I’m going to teach you a few things this time.”

“Really!?”, I ask full of excitement, “What things!?” We pass through the kitchen and head outside the back as the teen answers.

“The basics of magic for one.”, Dandelion explains as she steps further away from the orphanage. She stops and puts her hands on her hips before continuing, “Everything and everyone in this world has an affinity to one of the elements.” I sit down on the small step in front of the kitchen door as she begins to pace. She seems to have just decided to not figure out if an eight year old can understand words like affinity I guess. “Air, fire, ground, light, metal, shadow, water, and wood.”, She lectures without a pause. She was not a very good student I assume from the way she is poorly teaching me. “Any questions so far?”, She asks as she stops pacing and faces me again.

“None so far.”, I quickly lie, I actually have many but I know she would not be able to answer them. Does anyone here even know about gravity for one? Before she can continue I speak up again, “Actually-”, I begin. “What about poisons?”, I ask. She gives me a look like I just asked her to name every town across Japan. “You know like snake bites or spider bites.”, I explain hastily. The teen’s expression changes from confused disbelief to contemplative understanding.

“I don’t know.”, Dandelion swiftly admits with a shrug. “Any other questions?”, She asks again.

“No, please continue.”, I answer.

“Okay then.”, Dandelion states with a clearing of her throat. She begins to pace again as she continues lecturing, “Beyond simply affinity every person also has potential with each element they have affinity with.” She looks at me as she stops pacing again and puts a hand on her chest in a rather confident manner. “I have three affinities. A rare occurrence, most only have one or two.”, She claims haughtily clearly expecting me to respond with amazement. I clap in response, she has earned a confidence boost from me. She returns her hands to her sides as she has a pleased look across her face. A bird calls in the distance before she continues her lecture once again. “Now while I have many affinities, I do not have a lot of potential in any of them.”, The teen states with a hint of melancholy in her voice. Fascinating, so an individual must have at least one affinity but can only possess so much potential with each one of them.

“Is it because you have more affinities than most people that your potential for each of them is not very high?”, I inquire as my interest has truly been piqued. She lowers her head slightly as she puts a finger to her chin and looks at the ground in thought for a moment as another bird calls in the distance.

“I never thought of that, but it would make some sense.”, Dandelion replies rather dumbstruck by the realization. “Well I know since you could cast the light spell you also have an affinity with the light element.”, She says as she raises an arm. “I’m going to need you to stand next to me Lydia, okay?”, The caretaker explains. I do as she says and walk over to her as she rolls up a sleeve. Without saying anything else the teen pulls out the knife she pocketed and cuts her arm.

“What are you doing!?”, I yell in shock and fear. Why would she just cut herself like that?

“I’m teaching you.”, Dandelion mutters with a grimace. “Now focus on-”, She says before cutting herself off with a wince and pained groan. “Creating a light.”, The teen continues as she collects herself again. She takes a deep breath before continuing on, “A light that can heal wounds.”

I look at the wound she created and notice that it might be infected. Teenagers and their recklessness. She could have just waited until someone was hurt. But for now, I need to focus. I slap my cheeks to center myself before I get lost in thought again. This girl did something incredibly stupid and I need to fix that.

Focus on creating a light. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I can sense the light emanating from my hands but that is not enough right now. What the hell does she mean by a light that can heal wounds? Maybe just think of the light as being able to do that?

“Open your eyes Lydia.”, Dandelion says with a smile I can hear. Opening my eyes I am greeted to the sight of Dandelion’s scarred forearm. “You did really well for your first try.”, My magic teacher continues, “I still have a scar, but it is healed.” She puts a hand on my head and tousles my hair as a form of praise I presume. “Now that you know a more complex spell I’ll teach you a trick for the light spell.”, The teen remarks as she pulls out the knife she took. “You can create a light in your hand orrrrrrr-”, She explains with a smirk. “You could light the object in your hand.”, She finishes as the knife lights up.