crossed by Jon’s staff.
“I concur,” said Aldrick, beyond impressed. “May I try?”
“Of course!” cried Jon. “Did you notice how my palm was pointed
toward the boulder while I raised it? That is where we are able to naturally
emit the most storm from our body. With two hands holding it as you did before,
you won’t have to radiate your storm as far and should have less difficulty
focusing on raising the boulder alone. I suggest you continue using such an
approach.”
“Right.” Aldrick marched up to the boulder. “So I must know
myself, that it is within my power to lift it?”
“Yes, focus only on yourself wanting to do so, and then on the act
of lifting it as a secondary thing, because you already know you are capable of
that.”
Aldrick rubbed his hands together.
“Lift it with gravity… I can do that,” he told himself. “I think,”
he added.
Again he bent down and pressed his palms firmly against the rough
surface of the boulder. He wanted to lift it, he knew he could. He visualised
it rising upward, then heaved with every ounce of might he could muster.
Nothing happened. The boulder didn’t even tremble as it had before Jon lifted
it.
Aldrick gave up and slumped down with his back against the
boulder. “It’s no use, Jon. I can’t do this.”
“You will come to learn,” said Jon calmly. “No wielder, nor will
any wielder, ever be able to achieve such a thing on their first day attempting
it.”
For a time Aldrick didn’t move. A faint ache in his head had
become a heavy throb and his left shoulder felt freshly strained. He closed his
eyes. In the background he heard footsteps as Télia walked through the glade.
She began to converse with Jon but Aldrick paid no attention to their words.
Instead he thought of the past and of the future. He wanted the ones
responsible for murdering his parents to meet justice. The wielder Malath must
have his life taken from him. It was his crime. He may have evaded reckoning
all these years, but for no longer.
Aldrick’s mind wandered to his family in the south. They were
dearly missed. He hoped Braem had found Phelvara and his siblings safe in Rain,
that none of this would affect them any more than it already had. It wasn’t
their problem to face. Every memory of them he cherished. Still, it was
infuriating that the life he would have lived was robbed of him. He needed to
master control of his stormpowers—his mother’s one—her ability to take storm
from another. That was how he would defeat Malath. Perhaps they did need the
Halfstone Jon had spoken of, but either way, he wished to come face to face
with Malath. The prospect didn’t ignite any fear in him, not as the mere
mentioning of the wielder’s name had in Télia. Perhaps this was because he had
never known of Malath’s wickedness. There was much he remained ignorant of.
“Do you wish to continue, Aldrick?” Jon’s voice broke his trail of
thoughts.
He got to his feet and rubbed his shoulder. “I do, I want to. I
want to learn my mother’s ability. Can you teach me that?”
Jon surveyed Aldrick from beneath his bushy, white eyebrows.
“I can only guide you in learning it yourself,” he said. “It may
be more dangerous than the practice of common abilities. You will need to practise
on me directly for only I possess storm for you to take.”
“Maybe it is unsafe then,” Aldrick said with dwindling confidence.
“Well yes,” agreed Jon, “Yet it is crucial. What you must first
do, though, is spend more time practising what I have already endeavoured to
teach.”
“Very well.”
“It is the only way. Know yourself, Aldrick. Know your intent.
Focus. Let your storm be heard.”
Aldrick practised for a further hour under Jon’s supervision. Jon
offered no further instruction beyond that point though, encouraging him go on
without distraction. He had surrendered any attempt to physically lift the
boulder. Instead he heeded Jon’s words and searched for the faith to
“I concur,” said Aldrick, beyond impressed. “May I try?”
“Of course!” cried Jon. “Did you notice how my palm was pointed
toward the boulder while I raised it? That is where we are able to naturally
emit the most storm from our body. With two hands holding it as you did before,
you won’t have to radiate your storm as far and should have less difficulty
focusing on raising the boulder alone. I suggest you continue using such an
approach.”
“Right.” Aldrick marched up to the boulder. “So I must know
myself, that it is within my power to lift it?”
“Yes, focus only on yourself wanting to do so, and then on the act
of lifting it as a secondary thing, because you already know you are capable of
that.”
Aldrick rubbed his hands together.
“Lift it with gravity… I can do that,” he told himself. “I think,”
he added.
Again he bent down and pressed his palms firmly against the rough
surface of the boulder. He wanted to lift it, he knew he could. He visualised
it rising upward, then heaved with every ounce of might he could muster.
Nothing happened. The boulder didn’t even tremble as it had before Jon lifted
it.
Aldrick gave up and slumped down with his back against the
boulder. “It’s no use, Jon. I can’t do this.”
“You will come to learn,” said Jon calmly. “No wielder, nor will
any wielder, ever be able to achieve such a thing on their first day attempting
it.”
For a time Aldrick didn’t move. A faint ache in his head had
become a heavy throb and his left shoulder felt freshly strained. He closed his
eyes. In the background he heard footsteps as Télia walked through the glade.
She began to converse with Jon but Aldrick paid no attention to their words.
Instead he thought of the past and of the future. He wanted the ones
responsible for murdering his parents to meet justice. The wielder Malath must
have his life taken from him. It was his crime. He may have evaded reckoning
all these years, but for no longer.
Aldrick’s mind wandered to his family in the south. They were
dearly missed. He hoped Braem had found Phelvara and his siblings safe in Rain,
that none of this would affect them any more than it already had. It wasn’t
their problem to face. Every memory of them he cherished. Still, it was
infuriating that the life he would have lived was robbed of him. He needed to
master control of his stormpowers—his mother’s one—her ability to take storm
from another. That was how he would defeat Malath. Perhaps they did need the
Halfstone Jon had spoken of, but either way, he wished to come face to face
with Malath. The prospect didn’t ignite any fear in him, not as the mere
mentioning of the wielder’s name had in Télia. Perhaps this was because he had
never known of Malath’s wickedness. There was much he remained ignorant of.
“Do you wish to continue, Aldrick?” Jon’s voice broke his trail of
thoughts.
He got to his feet and rubbed his shoulder. “I do, I want to. I
want to learn my mother’s ability. Can you teach me that?”
Jon surveyed Aldrick from beneath his bushy, white eyebrows.
“I can only guide you in learning it yourself,” he said. “It may
be more dangerous than the practice of common abilities. You will need to practise
on me directly for only I possess storm for you to take.”
“Maybe it is unsafe then,” Aldrick said with dwindling confidence.
“Well yes,” agreed Jon, “Yet it is crucial. What you must first
do, though, is spend more time practising what I have already endeavoured to
teach.”
“Very well.”
“It is the only way. Know yourself, Aldrick. Know your intent.
Focus. Let your storm be heard.”
Aldrick practised for a further hour under Jon’s supervision. Jon
offered no further instruction beyond that point though, encouraging him go on
without distraction. He had surrendered any attempt to physically lift the
boulder. Instead he heeded Jon’s words and searched for the faith to
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