Part 4

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-Ha! That's strong blood! As I knew you had more of us in you than your naughty....

Having been hit on the head with a rag by Granny, Grandpa Lon pulled his head into his shoulders. Without ceasing to cheer, he ground his crooked teeth under Toma's condescending gaze. Having listened to this speech for weeks now, Guan Yu only worked his jaws more vigorously, hoping to finish his breakfast as soon as possible. The small bowl of rice and vegetables was still not going to be finished. Bursting with impatience, Yuu simply chucked the food inside.

With a loud bang on the table, the boy attracted the attention of the arguing family members. Under the surprised looks of his relatives, the boy hurriedly threw on his sleeveless coat and rushed outside. Without listening to the admonitions that followed, the child ran briskly towards the forest. Unlike last time, he always took his staff with him wherever he went.

That time, Guan Li, who was frightened by his son's condition, had joined the locals in thinning the forest, driving all the animals as far away as possible. Most of the families in Shu Village had children, and after hearing the stories and seeing the bloody child, they scoured the outskirts of the forest with unprecedented enthusiasm.

Jumping over ditches and streams, dodging branches and dodging powerful tree trunks, Yu ran out to the memorable edge of the forest. Since the battle with the wolf, his progress in earth magic had not advanced one iota, and the towering stone stake was a mocking reminder of his true power. Making a new notch on the stone ledge to measure the days, Yuu began his training.

Simple warm-ups and staff work warmed his sluggish muscles and chased away the cold. The rainy season was approaching, it would soon be impossible to go outside, so all of the captain's son's free time was spent training.

Eagerly putting away his weapons, the boy began to work his magic. The swings of his arms and legs resembled insects rather than the fighting movements of the Earth Kingdom's warriors. Out of breath from the excessive activity, the child sat down tiredly near the pond. The small pile of stones he had been practising with was lying around. The size of a child's fist, they rolled in different directions, obeying the wishes of the conqueror of the elements.

As Guan Yu pointed out to himself, unlike his father's magic, the earth element was much more stubborn, but not so willful. It was easily obeyed by the strong, it didn't need to be monitored to keep it from getting out of control, but without showing enough persistence, a mage could not subdue the earth.

Small stones under the boy's control could accelerate quickly and perform intricate pirouettes, but he could not lift a rock or grow a new huge stake. No matter how hard he tried, his maximum strength was a handful of rubble that flew like a swarm of bugs.

-Father said that was enough.

Stubbornly clenching his fists and closing his eyelids, the young earth mage concentrated on the small stones surrounding him on all sides. First one shook, and the chain reaction that followed made all the stones in the neighbourhood shake. One by one, pebbles rose into the air, spinning around Guan Yu who was frozen in one pose.

-It's just stones... It doesn't matter how many there are.

Whispering a mantra he had invented for himself, the boy concentrated fully on his sensations. Missing sounds and gusts of wind did not disturb the strained mind. Going over his father's instructions and the advice of his neighbours in his head, Guan Yu always came to the same memory. The moment when everything changed for him, when he discovered earth magic.

Relaxed fingers clenched once again, the events of the recent past flashed over and over in the child's mind. The mousewolf's jaws open wide, the shaking of fear, the pressure below his waist, held in check only by willpower. Waves of fear ran through the boy's body until he replayed the moment of his triumph.

-Having magic I won't have to be afraid anymore.

Colourful images flooded the child's mind as the captain's son imagined himself as a great conqueror leading his people to victory. The admiration of his family and relatives, the people chanting his name and the shaking hands of the Fire Lord himself for bringing victory.

Opening his happy eyes, Guan Yu tried to jump up out of surprise and shock, but his stiff legs decided otherwise. Slipping and falling into the pond, the child heard the sounds of hundreds of small stones falling from above.

Shaking his face off the water, Yu looked around and couldn't believe his eyes. Hundreds of small stones of all different shapes were lying around in a chaotic mess. They ranged in size from the phalanx of a finger, to the head of a grown man. Clinging to the soft grass, it was as if they were waiting for a new command from the magician.

-That's right.

Whispering, Guan Yu pondered for a few more minutes. Raising his hand enthusiastically, the boy began to do a ridiculous dance in the centre of the pond, splashing the water and laughing contagiously.

-I'm going to be the greatest wizard in the land!

-Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr Magician? -Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr Magician?

Placing a damp cloth on her son's head, Sipa frowned feignedly and put her hands to her sides. Sitting beside the child's bed, she struggled to keep a stern expression on her face as she watched her boy's guilt and delight struggle.

-I'm sorry, Mum. It's just... You didn't see it! It was! It's just! Ahem...

After finishing his confused and incomprehensible story, Yu coughed and made a strange face while picking up snot. The boy's rich facial expressions mottled with strange expressions until the owner sneezed. Spattering the contents of his nose, he laid back down with a satisfied grin on his face.

-Sorry, Ma, but that was so cool!

Mapping his nose and swallowing the endings in his words, the young earth mage passed out rather quickly, leaving his mother alone with the 'gifts' from the future hero.

-Hello, little one!

A stocky and broad-shouldered man with a funny beard ending at the edge of his lips squatted down in front of Guan Yu. Slamming his huge paw on the child's shoulder, he nearly sent his friend's son into a knockout. As he swayed and came to his senses, Yu saw the dumbfounded and worried expression on the face of Sergeant Ping, who had arrived with his father to celebrate his daughter's birth after almost a year.

Low in stature, this stout short man loomed over Yu like a rock. If his father was wiry and tall, Sergeant Ping looked more like a bodybuilder from the Earth Kingdom. Large muscles all over his body and arms the size of a child's torso breathed power. As the captain's son could see for himself in the next second.

Effortlessly picking the boy up under his armpits, the man shook him a couple of times, causing his head to dangle in different directions. Gritting his teeth and afraid to bite his tongue, the child looked panic-stricken at his father, who was standing nearby.

-Hey, hey, boy! What are you doing? Your father said you were a tough kid!

After receiving a slap from his officer friend, Ping naively grabbed his head, which was protected by a steel helmet.

-Put my son on the ground, with your arms you'll crush him.

Once on the ground, the little mage's first reaction was to try to flee, but the firm grip on his shoulder and the subsequent embrace prevented the fugitive's dreams from coming true.

-Look at him! He's all right!

Gasping and cursing the world, Yuu barely managed to pull his head out of the steel grip. Grasping his aching head, he took a few careful steps back before arcing around his father's co-worker and standing next to his parent.

-I see,' Lee ruffled the growing hair on his offspring's head and nudged the boy forward, 'Now introduce yourself properly.

Formal greetings and introductions passed under the strained sighs of the sergeant and laughter of the captain. When the pleasantries were over, the trio went inside the house, where Tom's industrious grandmother was already setting the table for the arriving guests.

The rest of the evening passed in a few moments for Yui. The sergeant's endless stories of his and his father's adventures had forced the boy to sit up until the last moment, until the child's body, exhausted from the day's activities, shut down.

Carrying his son to bed, Lee checked on his sleeping wife and returned to his friend. Sitting on the bench, Ping, with cheeks red from drinking, sat at the table. Chugging the contents of his glass, he smiled warmly at his thoughts.

-What's up, old chap? Maybe it's time to hit the sack.

-Heh, you can't wait, we've got a couple more jugs, so I plan to enjoy my long awaited rest to the fullest.

Meeting his reply with a cheerful grin, Lee took a seat across from his friend, raising the filled glass.

-What shall we drink to?

Scratching his tangled hair, Ping tilted his head back, pondering the question. Exhaling heavily, the man looked at his companion seriously, moving the glass towards him.

-To peace. I hope to one day have a home like this, filled with loved ones.

Hiding a smile, Guan Li nodded approvingly.

The continued drunkenness of the two soldiers ended in the backyard of the house, where the drunken sergeant tried to stuff his pipe with tobacco. Spilling precious leaves in all directions, he hummed a simple song. The captain, who sat beside him, swayed from side to side, out of tune with the rhythm.

-When are you going to finish? We've been sitting here for an hour.

Having broken away from the useless process, Ping stared questioningly into the void.

-Why? Are we sitting badly?

Sniffing his parched lips, Guan Li wiped his eyes with his hands. Stiff fingers stroked across his face, causing a funny sensation. Hovering over this feeling, the captain missed his fellow officer's further speech.

-... That's the way it is. Hello?! Are you even listening to me?

Shaking his head, the captain shifted his hazy gaze to the blurred silhouette of his friend.

-Yeah. -No.

-I'm saying Prince Iroh is sailing to Yu Dao. -Yes. Pohai Fortress is almost complete, so our colonies will be safe. He's supposed to command an invasion force that will go south and from there east to Ba Sing Se. They'll go around the desert.' As he pointed with his fingers at how the Fire Heir's troops would go around the desert, the sergeant lost his balance and fell to the grass, 'That's about right.

-Hopefully not.

A friendly roar spread across the courtyard. Somewhere in the distance I heard mate and curses against the drunken soldiers. After thinking over what his friend had said, Captain Lee helped the sleeping sergeant up to his seat.

-Isn't it a little early for him? The guy is only twenty years old! He probably hasn't seen anything but the palace and the academy on the islands, has he?

Ping was awakened by his comrade's indignant hissing. Straightening up and clasping his hand to his chest, the sergeant began to chant the hymn of the Fire Nation, completely ignoring the question asked.

-What are you doing?

Twisting and mixing up the words of the song, Ping looked indignantly at his interlocutor.

-I'm singing a hymn in case there are spies here. They will tell everything about us....

The creak of the door and indignant light footsteps on the ground forced the Fire Warriors to turn round. With her arms at her sides, Toma looked at the slumping bodies with a pretence of pretence. Stomping her foot, she pointed her hand in the direction of the house without further ado. Assuming an upright position and standing firmly on both feet, the sergeant again clasped his hand to his breast.

-Mr Captain! I leave the rest to you! I was proud to serve with you!