Chapter 8

Aria pulled her top down a little, revealing more of her cleavage, and placed Ash's hand in the middle of her chest. Ash was at the moment feeling his own heart beating loudly more than hers. He tried to not move his hands, but when she pulled her hand away he had to place his hand on his own, he felt his thumb resting on the top of her left breast, and it sank in slightly, making him feel her softness. It was a real battle of will to focus on her heart.

"I don't know what I am doing," he said. 

"Don't worry, just close your eyes and try to extend your senses beyond your hand" she said.

He closed his eyes and did as she instructed. Her heartbeat was like a rhythm which helped him focus in one place. 

"Good, it's happening," she said. He started sensing a feeling, a smell, of some sort which made him think of one word.

"Wind," he said opening his eyes. 

"yes, I have a pretty strong affinity to wind, water and fire are next but not too strong," she said. Ash nodded, his hand was still on her chest. He removed it, after taking a quick last feel with the tips of his fingers.

"Since I have wind affinity, I could tell it was something vaguely similar, but a little bit of water and light mixed with it, kind of like weather I feel," she said.

"How many kinds of affinities are there?" he asked.

"Nobody knows exactly, there are the most common five or six elements, and then there are less common like weather, they are usually called specialists," she said.

"How can I train it?" asked Ash.

"It will not be easy, you'll need help, I will tell you as much as I can, but I am not a teacher, and I am an elf, I am not sure how it works for humans, you will be better off with a proper teacher," she said and he nodded.

"Well, then see you in the morning, Roren needed to talk to me one last time before I went to bed, goodbye," she said and jumped out of the window.

Ash pulled a chair near the window and sat down reading the book he had taken from Derek's office. At around midnight, someone slipped a plate of food from under the door, most probably Ron. Ash ate the food and then went to bed.

The next morning he dressed up and had a quick breakfast, he didn't see any familiar faces at the mess and went directly up to Derek's office to have a chat with him. He knocked on the door and Derek said to enter.

"Good, it looks like you are ready," he said looking at him dressed and with energy.

"There is no use protesting me now is it?" he asked.

"Not unless you want to be announced a traitor of the kingdom by neglecting your duties as a responsible citizen," said Derek smiling.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing too bad happens to you, after all, you are my apprentice, It won't be a good look for me" said Derek.

Just then there were rapid knocks on the door.

"Geez, I told Roren to give us some time in the morning," said Derek shaking his head, and went to open the door. But it wasn't Roren but a panting and red-faced Ron.

"Sir, Derek, there is something, at the gates, it's asking for you," said Ron in a hurry.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot, don't worry Ron, show our guest to my office," said Derek. Ron nodded unsurely and then ran back down the stairs.

"Your trainer has finally arrived," said Derek going back to his desk.

"Trainer? But I am going to the elf kingdom" said Ash.

"Yeah, I know, but that's not your problem really," said Derek. Some footsteps sounded on the stairs, Ash watched from the open door, first Ron appeared sweating and looking over his shoulder again and again. The thing Ron had mentioned was a seven-foot-tall figure wrapped in a black robe up to the head. The cloaked figure had a strange aura around him.

"Ah, Blade, welcome, how are you, long time no see, thank you, Ron, close the door on your way out," said Derek. Ron bowed and left closing the door.

"Come take a seat," said Derek pointing to the chair in front of him. The figure moved and sat down on the chair, his head still coming close to Ash's shoulders.

"This is Ash Blake, my apprentice, I mentioned in my letter," said Derek pointing to Ash.

"I never thought you would take an apprentice" the voice that came out of the cloak was deep but there was something wrong with it, Ash couldn't put his finger on it, maybe because it was muffled by the cloth. 

"Well me too, but the old man, gave me an earful and outright ordered me to get one," said Derek.

"So, well, as you know, I am pretty busy, and you owed me a favor and I feel you would be a better teacher than me for the physical part at least," said Derek.

The cloaked head turned to Ash and stayed there for a few seconds making Ash feel really uncomfortable.

"Hmmm, he has the touch of magic in him, seems genetical, and quite rare, never seen lightning before," said the figure.

"Lightning? I had sensed something but I didn't know exactly, wasn't there some goddess of lightning" said Derek.

"Electra, but only the valkyries worship her, they might have this affinity so ideally that would be the best place for him to learn," said the figure.

"But, that's not going to happen. impossible, so you are our best choice" said Derek.

"Fine, with this I'll owe you nothing," said Blade.

"Thanks, I will be grateful, also there is a little situation that has arisen that I didn't know when I was writing you," said Derek.

"What?" asked the cloak.

"He has to get the elven kingdom for some time," said Derek.

"I can start the training late then"

"No, that won't work, we can't postpone it too much, he is already pretty behind others his age, if he shows potential I want him to succeed me and I don't want just anyone butchering all my work after me, so you'll have to train him on the road," said Derek.

"And I assume, I won't be allowed to go to the elven kingdom?" asked the cloak.

"No, and he will be watched all the time, most probably, so you'll have to sneak, but I think it shouldn't be a problem with your powers," said Derek.

"i won't be a problem, and putting one over the elves would make me feel better, but why is he going there in the first place, I sense there is more to the story and some other situation might come up as I am familiar usually happens with you, so" 

"Don't worry, you won't get in any trouble, like I said, I'll have other means to control if anything goes wrong, you just focus on his training" said Derek.