Training

Just like the three planned, they wander through the forest, lead by Solaris to their new training place where they are comfortable to move into. Catherine chugs down her water bottle while they hike. It's her third one since the high temperature of the sunshine is making her dehydrated. Lucky for Ezio, he doesn't have to and while Solaris' body is used to heat. Catherine sighs in relief after drinking. Good thing the trees and leaves are making it less hectic as they shade them, not completely, but ample for Catherine to save her energy. The forest is silent, all that's heard are the swaying of trees, chirping of birds, and the crunch of their footsteps from the dried leaves, twigs, and grasses they step onto.

"Ezio, how can you determine the time just by the feel of the wind?" Catherine asks.

"People born in Day are able to comprehend the time by just the wind. I was born here," he answers, which Catherine responds with a tilt of her head.

"Right, I'm born at night," Solaris told, he's still facing forward and guiding the way.

Catherine stays silent. All she knew is she is born here though perplexed why she has no such skill like that.

"This Land's people rely on air and when the clocks are invented thus the magic spell which manipulates temperature that the late sorcerers' ancestors created, the wealthy lost that talent while they rely on those things," Ezio adds.

"That makes me recollect the days when humans make status more than thousand of years before." Ezio silently nods at Solaris which puzzled Catherine even further. None of the three of them lives a thousand years back.

"A thousand?" Catherine asks, but she receives no answer after they arrive at the place Solaris is leading them to.

Solaris runs to a nearby large rock and hopped onto it, thrilled. "I found this days ago, but hesitating to dare suggest this since it's a 40-minute walk away from my village," he proudly said, his back still facing his friends. He scratches the nape of his neck, his right hand on his hip while he balances himself on the rock he stands.

"25 minutes of walk from ours, " Catherine stated.

"Yes. Welcome to— w-Woah!" The lad failed to finish his sentence when he tried to face them but lost his balance and fell on his back instead.

A mess of fallen dried leaves flies up from the impact. Catherine and Ezio can't help but let out a laugh at their friend's clumsiness. They peek behind the rock where Solaris fell and there they saw him laying down on his back. His legs are put up and rest on the rock he just stood up seconds earlier. The lad is looking at them grumpily whilst his friends make fun of him.

"You're such a twee, fire head, " Ezio tease.

"Ha ha, very funny, " Solaris said in his sarcastic tone before getting up and patting down all the dirt, dust, and dried leaves which are stuck on his clothes. "Anyway, this will be our new training place. If I got both favours?" He crossed his arms and looked at them confidently as he knows they wouldn't refuse.

The two scans around the area. The field is big enough for the three of them to train in, and there's no plenty of plants nearby which will catch Solaris' flames. Stray grasses, weeds, moss, and wildflowers are all that is there. There's also a high up rocky ground ahead. A large path which looks like a knee-deep snake through to the far-out of the field's place. The area looks fine but Ezio looks around gravely as if he felt like something is wrong. He snaps out of his worry when Catherine speaks.

"Sounds good to me!"

"Sure. Since you go as far as embarrassing yourself."

Solaris growls at his friend while Ezio simply looks away, smirking innocently. While the two boys fight, Went to explore the place. Some plants look dried and wilted, from the direct sunlight and seem to require more water than the land's grounds give.

Catherine hums to herself, hands behind her while she strolls beside the large path in the field where inside is a rocky surface which is dangerous even if it's not as deep. Her magic flows out in every step, waking up the flowers and nature nearby. Like a snap, it gains colour in an instant, reviving them. The girl looks down on her foot and saw the lovely blooms. Her eyes twinkle when she recognises them.

"Guys, I've read these! They're Cardinal flowers which only grow beside the water sources."

The glares of the two boys at each other are averted when Catherine exclaimed. Ezio went beside her and looks around when he realized it's a waterfall before and is now dried up. There's a sign of people living nearby before because of numerous huts built not far from here but they seem to have evacuated after the river no longer flows water.

Ezio frowned while he gravely eyes the surroundings. Just as his mind cloud with concern, Solaris slaps his back, hard enough to wake him up. "Ouch?" he said sarcastically.

"We got no time idling around. Didn't we come here for this!" Solaris surprised them with a fireball heading towards their way. With their fast reflexes, the two quickly dodged the attack. The ball of flames failed to reach its target and instead, strikes a stone, sending sparkles of flames to the air as the flames fade.

Solaris laughs in satisfaction where he couldn't do in their past training field. He stretches and flexes his hands and arms, preparing to use his magic to its utmost capabilities.

"Whoops! Not today." Catherine giggles then landed gracefully beside the flowers. "I will take you to our gardens after this." Poor bulbs must have been frightened, so she crouched down to form and put wood around them for protection.

Ezio slides back on the rough ground, his right hand on the floor. "Is that how you're going to play?" He then used his left hand to manipulate his water and chains and launched them towards Solaris.

"Fool, no one is playing here." Solaris blocks the other chain dashing his way with his kana-wa then purposely let the other chain wrap on the other to pull the lad his way.

The metals clang loudly by their strengths as their weapons clash. Ezio's chains attached to his waist so he grabs onto his weapon tightly or he will be in a disadvantage if he was anywhere near the blades of his foe's reach. They play a game of tug of war, Ezio trying to jerk off Solaris but they're almost equal in strength. Then, their fight comes to a halt when massive Smilax thorns pierced out from the ground.

It was Catherine's doing while she sat down on a rock, legs crossed while she smiles and watch them. Her hair is already tied up, ready for their battle. Solaris clicked his tongue when he had no choice but to let go and dodge the incoming attacks.

"No fair. You guys must have forgotten about me, " Catherine said, and with a move of her finger, the spikes went back down the ground. Once again, the vines stabbed out of the ground repeatedly.

Ezio's lips formed to a smirk while he dodges them. He wouldn't let her do as she pleases so he sends out his chains to her which she deflects with her scythe. Solar looks like he's getting irritated while he evaded the girl's attacks so he burns the vines with his flames. He throws out his blazing kana-wa to the spikes lunging upwards, then it was sliced out neatly thus leaving it ablaze.

They continued to exchange their attacks until the wind tells that the clock strikes post meridiem. They were weary and so they shade under the trees to regain back their energy before getting on their way home.