Training (I)

I woke up, barely getting any sleep. I got so little sleep, in fact, that I couldn't tell if it was still nighttime or if it was the early morning.

I got out of bed, got dressed, and left the house, ready to try out some techniques I had learned the day before in my fight with Felix.

I exited through the front door, and followed the dirt path that led to the Pegasus Clan Dojo.

I walked past trees, houses, and grasslands. I couldn't wait to get there so I could get some training in. I was under pressure from my dad's deal with my grandfather: if I couldn't graduate within two months, I would have to forfeit my Pegasus powers for good. It was a really heavy burden to bear, but all I could do was try my hardest to graduate.

After a few hours of slowly walking and sightseeing, I finally reached the dojo. I didn't enter the dojo, instead I went around to the back and went into the woods to reach the training grounds.

I had finally gotten there just as the sun started to rise, the brilliant warmth engulfed my body. It was a euphoric feeling that I hadn't felt before. It told me it was going to be a good day for training.

"Well, here goes nothing!" I yelled as I formed a perfect waterball in my hand. Luckily, I had that technique down after my lesson with Grandfather two days prior. I reeled my arm back, and shot forth the ball of water as it demolished four giant dark-brown trees that were lined up before dissipating on the fifth.

"That was a good shot! Now watch this!!" A voice shouted from behind me.

When I turned around, I saw my mother reeling her arm back before forming and releasing a waterball herself that zig-zagged through the air before bouncing off six trees there were diagonal from one another. The the seventh tree was the only one that crashed down.

"What's the point of something like that? Most of the trees stayed standing up?" I asked.

"The point is to leave your opponent guessing. If you make it rotate fastly and don't throw it as hard, you can do that too. It just depends all on hand placement and movement. If I demolished all the trees, then it wouldn't have being zig-zagging like it did." She explained.

"Hm, that's true I suppose," I answered, rubbing my chin, then continued, "By the way, how did you find me?"

"Find you? I followed you here. I figured you went off to train so I thought I'd follow you and see if you wanted any help training, or maybe you'd like to spar?" Mom asked with a smirk.

"Well let's train first, I don't have the confidence to spar right now."

She then demonstrated making a water sword, making it look seamless, while I could barely create a stable stick of water.

"Maybe Pegasus powers aren't your thing. You seem to need a lot more help than the other kids." She observed.

"I can do this! Just give me time!!" I exclaimed back, and continued, "I mean I only have Pegasus powers so I have to learn them, right?"

"Oh come on! You don't remember your flames yesterday?"

Flames?!! Oh that's right, I did use flames when I countered Felix. How does she know about that?

"How do you know about that? Plus, it didn't even seem like it really happened..."

She sighed then spoke nonchalantly, "you have the Phoenix Contract."

"HUH?!"

"You have the Phoenix Contract, and I think your Phoenix side is fighting your Pegasus side which is possibly why you have difficulties performing your powers." Mom observed nonchalantly once more.

I was stunned at the thought of the Phoenix Contract. There had never been one in over five hundred years, I couldn't believe I was the one chosen.

"You need to get in touch with your Phoenix side. It is only then that you will find the answers." Her speech was once again emotionless.

"How long have you known?"

"Since you were five. When you would throw tantrums, little fires would sprout on your hands. I took you to the Power Specialist and he confirmed my suspicions. He also erased your memories so that you'd only focus on your Pegasus side."

I was stunned again. I didn't know what to say, but she continued talking. However, this time, she let out sigh: the first spec of emotion she'd expressed so far.

"I'm going to spar with you use whatever powers you want. I will not hold back. Fight me with the intent to kill, as I will do the same."

"H-How could I fight to kill you-" before I could finish she sent a water dagger flying past the right side of my head, just grazing my hair as it zoomed by.

"Do you see now? I'll fight to kill, so you better brace yourself."

I took the time, though fastly, to make a water ball, but she was quicker. She moved so fast it was almost like she teleported over to me. She put one finger on my forehead.

"You're a failure, Amell. I thought you'd give me some sort of a fight."

Bom bom! Bom bom!

The sound of a heart beating filled my ears. My chest felt tight, as if lassoed. I felt a severe sense of anger flow through my body. In my mind, a flame was building. Before she could send her water powers through me, I blacked out.

Once I awoke, I was standing in the forest, right where I had been. I looked around for my mother, but she nowhere to be found. That was until I looked down to the ground and saw her crouching, holding her arm, and eyes that told a story of bewilderment and pain.

I noticed a lot of blood on the arm which she holding, and I looked down at my hands. They were covered in blood. The crimson pool on my hands was unfathomably painful, though the sharp stinging sensation only lasted a few seconds.

"W-What happened...?"

"You countered me...you...countered...me." Mother repeatedly said at least four times, each time getting slower and slower.

"Are you okay?!" I asked once I rendered the situation.

"Yeah, I'm fine. knew it! Your Phoenix powers are awakened by hate and anger. If you find a way to control that, your Phoenix Contract could be tamed." Mother said, still shocked.

"I don't know what you're talking about. What happened?"

"I think it's better if you don't know for now. However, I highly suggest you be careful when you get angry, before you hurt someone you love," Mother advised.

"I don't understand what's going on, but I'll try. Are we going to train still?"

"I think we've done enough training for the day...let's do more tomorrow. I'm a little shaken up." She announced with a chuckle that seemingly caused her pain as she clutched her right arm even tighter.

I helped her up, and we walked back home.

Once we reached there, I bandaged Mother up and then we decided to relax for the rest of the day, despite the sun just starting to sprout from under the horizon.