Exhausted Progress

The sun shone brightly through the holes in the ceiling when I woke up.

It seemed like I slept longer than yesterday. I could already hear some distant voices and the birds’ early coos.

I sat up and stared outside the carriage.

The weather was clear, and the wind hadn’t picked up since last morning, leaving only a gentle breeze.

It seemed like the villagers hadn't started eating breakfast yet. The voices I heard were probably from the other carriages.

Pushing the blanket aside, I moved to the edge of the cart.

Some of the windows were already open, while others still had their shutters closed. I guessed that they would start handing the food out in a few minutes.

Most puddles had dried, leaving only darker soil and a lingering pleasant smell.

I got back inside.

After storing the blanket inside my backpack, I sat down, leaning against the side of the wagon, and listened to the delightful harmonies of the town.

I still wasn't sure if we were leaving today after eating or if we would be staying another day, but I didn’t mind the idea of staying here a bit longer.

It felt calming, and the fact that I had no idea where we were headed made me anxious.

How much time would we spend travelling until we reached our destination?

Where was it even?

Would it be a similar town to Tristte?

Why did the Old Man send me with the rest of the villagers?

There were too many uncertainties from where anxiety sprouted.

I closed my eyes and waited.

The villagers’ morning ruckus began.

The loud voices of the kids and the sound of their footsteps, soft splashes under the squelch of the wet dirt, made the morning what it was.

Normality. A state I couldn’t reach.

So close, yet so far.

I could only smile.

The clinks of the soldiers’ armour began echoing, and the chatter grew louder. Dirt crunched as more people moved around.

When I opened my eyes and looked outside, the soldiers were already handing out food to the villagers.

Instead of soup, as they usually did for lunch and dinner, they were distributing biscuits and fruits.

I didn’t recognise those fruits.

Purple, round fruits, not unlike apples.

People peeled the skin off with their fingers, letting out a gentle snap and juicy crunch as they bit into it.

Were there any fruits in the storage unit behind the stables I missed?

Losing focus on my surroundings, as I tried to remember what supplies we had brought, I stared blankly at the carriage's wall.

That's when I heard a startling hollow knock from my left.

I swiftly tilted my head, looking over my shoulder in the sound’s direction. It was the Armoured Guy.

I slowly turned to face him while seated. He had one of those fruits in one hand and some biscuits in the other.

He shifted his gaze from the fruit to me, gesturing a toss, so I prepared myself to catch it, slightly extending my arm.

When he threw the fruit, my eyes followed it through the air, and my hand moved to its encounter.

But as it landed against my palm, I fumbled, letting it tumble down my arm before dropping to the floor.

A soft thud resonated as it hit the cart. It was ripe enough not to squash when it fell.

I paused, my arm still lifted in the air, and dumbly stared at the fruit, completely motionless.

A brief chuckle sounded from my left.

I instantly turned to face the soldier, but he quickly turned away, trying to conceal the hint of a smile.

Surprised by his reaction, I began laughing. The soldier couldn’t contain himself and giggled as well.

I picked up the fruit from the carriage floor and reached with my other hand for the biscuits he extended to me.

Too far from where I sat at first, I stretched my body fully towards him, eventually reaching his hand and grabbing them.

I nodded, but he left without responding.

The fruit’s skin was faintly glossy and easy to peel. It released a fragrant aroma, and its pale flesh tasted as sweet as it smelt. It was full of juice and paired well with the dry biscuits.

The morning quietly passed.

I decided to stay inside the cart, unsure if there was still a chance we departed today. I preferred waiting until lunch to know for sure, since I didn’t believe we would be leaving in the afternoon.

Making my decision, I chose to repeat my usual meditation and mana training.

Hours of training didn’t strain me. The mana’s rhythm was soothing, almost relaxing.

I became one with the energy around me, feeling it fill my whole being as it grew in size, spilling out.

I eventually opened my eyes. It was already time for lunch.

The joyful chatter had returned, and so did the warm scent of freshly made soup.

The soldier came by once again, giving me a bowl of soup and a cup of water.

Despite never talking, I felt a growing closeness between us.

What I had taken for a darker grey was only a shadow cast upon a lighter shade.

After eating, the villagers didn’t return to the carriages. Instead, most of them went back to their rooms, while others opted for a stroll.

We weren’t leaving today as well.

I had already explored most of the town. There wasn't much else I particularly wanted to check out.

However, staying inside the carriage meditating didn’t sit well with me either.

I stared at my spear for a few seconds.

I hadn’t tried practising spear combat while managing mana simultaneously yet.

I also wanted something to stimulate my body. I had been sitting in the same spot for hours, after all.

I still didn’t know how to use magic. Honing my skills with the spear was my only way to make progress and stay afloat.

I had my promises to keep.

Besides that, to master mana handling, I would need to maintain constant control over it, no matter how many things I had to focus on at once.

Practising spear combat and mana control simultaneously would help train both of the skills I wanted to improve.

I stood up and stretched, then grabbed my spear and backpack and left the cart.

I needed to look for a place where I could train without disturbing the townspeople.

The spear’s handle felt cool on my hand. But its texture was already quite rough, with some chipped areas from my previous training.

I headed toward the town’s main intersection.

I hadn’t seen any great spots when I went exploring the castle. The park wasn’t practical either, since it overflowed with animals and was lined with houses.

That left only one place I hadn’t tried, the road to the right of the inn’s parking area.

At the crossing, I turned onto it. The dirt path stretched past a handful of houses but otherwise looked emptier than the rest.

As I walked, I tried suppressing my mana while slowly tossing my spear from one hand to another.

It felt extremely awkward.

It was difficult to focus on both things at the same time, but I began getting the hang of it and gradually increased the rhythm of my throws.

I eventually reached a spot where the dirt seemed drier, close to the town’s wall.

Strangely, this side of the wall wasn't as broken as the other, but it was still covered in vegetation.

From there I could see one of the town’s exits and an open space where houses were sparse. Three small but thicker trees stood in the middle.

“T-this seems l-like a great practice a-area,” I stuttered.

I hadn’t tried speaking while suppressing my mana before, and paired with fidgeting with my spear, it was harder than I thought.

I adjusted my technique, simply moving mana around as I walked towards the trees. For now, I focused on gathering it around my spear, keeping its flow in sync with my movements.

It was easier than suppressing my mana, and I was more accustomed to it, as it was how I usually trained.

When I reached the trees, I stopped tossing the spear and put my hand against one’s trunk. Pushing on it, it felt firm. The bark was solid and looked like it would be affected by my attacks.

However, I noticed small dents and cuts spread throughout the trunk. Some of them went deeper inside, exposing the wood inside.

They clearly weren’t being cut down.

The cuts were all over the place, not only on this specific tree but on the other two as well.

Were they being used as a target for combat training by someone else?

It didn’t look like I was the only one who discovered this spot.

I placed my backpack on the ground a few steps away from the trees.

Before jumping into combat, I began calming my heartbeat by breathing more slowly.

I wanted to be able to ingrain the mana-handling aspect of the training in my head.

I wanted it to feel like second nature to me.

I felt the mana pouring in as I inhaled and flowing out as I exhaled. I could feel the currents of mana shifting around me as I moulded them. I felt the flow of mana be guided by my every command.

It was shaky and rough, but it worked. I was able to do what I wanted.

I began spinning my weapon with both hands and slowly swaying my body from side to side with small steps. It was harder. But doable.

I bobbed my head to the cadence of the pulsating mana.

I practised swinging my spear, occasionally thrusting it.

The wind’s swooshes and whistles filled the town’s calm atmosphere.

I increased my footwork, decreasing the number of thrusts I was doing by focusing on particular moments where I could do a strong lunge.

The air felt cooler as it cut across my face and body when I leapt forward.

It was hard.

It was exceptionally tough to focus on several things at once. But I felt ready.

I approached the trees once again.

I slowly moved around them, always making sure to focus on their position, on my position, on the mana around, on everything.

The air was cold and heavy. Heat radiated from me just as mana did.

I slid to the right, gripping the spear hard with my right hand.

I attentively looked at the side of the tree. My gaze fixed on it as if nothing else existed.

The target before me couldn’t escape.

Mana fluctuated in rage. It burned like a wildfire. I could feel it.

Then, I struck.

I heard the air slashing. A cut was left on the side of the trunk.

I leapt back to regain my composure.

It was my first attack, but it felt straining. My grip faltered, and I gasped for air.

My mind was full at all times. I took in my senses, my position, and the feeling of the mana all at once.

I was already sweating.

I neared the trees carefully, regaining focus with each step.

Each breath felt like minutes had passed.

I promptly lunged for one of the trees, thrusting the spear in one rapid motion. In one single breath.

The bark crunched as it clashed with my weapon, as if the tree cried.

I immediately twisted my weapon and slid to the side. The spear struck the tree once more, this time as a parry.

A loud clack reverberated through the weapon, sinking into my body.

The tree shook.

I heard the rustle of the leaves as I distanced myself.

Without a moment’s rest, I jumped forward once again. I pulled mana towards the tip of the weapon and struck the middle of the tree with great force.

The spear bent slightly with the swift thrust.

The wind roared as I quickly stretched my body to attack. Small fragments of wood burst from the tree as I retracted my weapon.

The mental toll of multitasking was catching up to me.

I was losing my breath.

My legs trembled as my focus wavered. I was constantly losing control over mana and needed to refocus to get it back.

I paced myself, slowly walking around the targets.

I spun the spear around. It felt way more challenging than before.

I was losing my grasp over it.

I breathed in.

Focused on the next target.

Breathed out.

Breathed in.

I jumped on the offensive once more, striking the side of the target as I breathed out. Its ferocity jarred my arms.

Small cracks snapped from the spear’s shaft.

I leapt back.

Sweat dripped into my eyes, stinging and blurring my vision.

I struggled to breathe.

My head burned.

My movements turned sloppy.

The world felt cold.

The mana’s rhythm was unnaturally fast. I was losing control.

I tried one more lunge, but in the middle of my stride, my left foot slipped on the ground. I lost my balance, forced to stop mid-thrust to find footing with my right.

I paused, gasping for air, my spear resting on the dirt.

I was drenched in sweat, but the fire hadn’t stopped.

It felt like mana burned my skin. Every time I exhaled, my insides scorched.

I couldn’t think about anything at all. I just watched the enemies as they loomed before me.

My head ached. My legs gave in, and I collapsed onto the dirt.

I stopped controlling mana and simply stared at the deep blue sky.

I followed the gentle drift of the white clouds until my heartbeat calmed, finally catching my breath.

I closed my eyes and spread my arms open, my blistered hand barely managing to grip the spear.

My arms and shoulders quivered. I couldn’t feel my fingertips.

The breeze felt chilly as it turned my sweat to ice. I was frozen in place.

I laughed.

Exhaustion felt fulfilling. I could fall asleep right there.

The town’s noises became clearer. I could hear calls and faint chatter.

“The birds must be too far away for me to hear them sing,” I said with a small voice. “I really wanted to hear their chirps.”

I stretched my body. It wasn’t burning anymore.

The calls grew slightly louder.

A warm light pierced my closed eyelids. The breeze softly whispered in my ears.

A distant shout echoed, “Hooyyyy!”

I continued lying down, ignoring the shouts.

I let nature’s melodies calm me until a shadow crossed over.

Dirt crunched underfoot beside my head.

“Hooyyyy!” came again, this time right on top of me.

When I finally realised his presence, he had already reached me.

Startled, I scrambled to turn my head, my limbs sluggish from fatigue.

Before I could react, a figure I didn’t recognise loomed over me, peering into my eyes.