The evening sky was painted in hues of red and orange. Sei's tiny figure emerged through the dense trees; he saw the familiar sight of his village.
"See, boy, that's your home, right?" Fari asked with a smug look.
Sei's eyes lit up. "Whoa, you are amazing, Fari."
"Hehe, yes, I am," Fari laughed.
Sei ran through the village to his house, Fari sat on his shoulder; he was desperate to get home. His mind was filled with thoughts of his mother.
He reached his home and froze in shock. The entrance was crowded with a lot of people. Sei slowly walked towards the crowd.
"Wait, Sei, let me hide. I sense someone there," Fari's voice startled him.
He nodded faintly, and Fari jumped and hid behind the nearby bushes.
Sei, now more desperate, ran towards the crowd and found his way to the front, where his heart wrenched at the sight of his mother crying.
He slowly walked to her and hesitated but then spoke, "Mom."
His words were like a bright light to his mother. She immediately looked up and, without any warning, hugged him tightly.
"Sei, where were you? Are you alright?" Her voice was a mix of sobs and excitement.
'So, this is how a mother's love feels. She really loves me. My mom back on Earth wouldn't even have cared,' as these thoughts raced through his mind, his eyes filled to the brim.
"I am sorry, Mom." His lips parted on their own, tears rolling down his face. "I am really sorry, I won't do it again," he cried.
She backed off as a sense of relief washed over her expression. "Where were you? I was so worried!"
"I… I got lost, but I'm fine now." He tried to sound strong, but his heart still pounded.
His mother's hands gently cupped his face, her eyes red not with anger but with worry. "Don't you ever do that again. Do you understand me?"
The crowd laughed and slowly parted away. Sei and his mother were going in when suddenly a heavy voice knocked at their ears.
"Where are you going, boy?" It was familiar—heavy but gentle.
They turned to find the old Grandmaster standing there, his long white beard almost reaching his waist, his robe flowing like a silent breeze. His ancient eyes locked onto Sei, a faint smile dancing on his lips.
"Sei, we have to go for training, remember?" the old man spoke.
Sei looked at his mother; she smiled at him and patted his head. It was a sign that she was not worried anymore, a sense of relief washed over Sei's pondering heart.
He left with the Grandmaster, heading towards the forest once again, his little legs struggling to keep up with the old man's surprisingly fast pace. Fari also followed them from within the shadows.
"I don't like this old man, Sei. He is too perceptive." Fari's voice whispered in Sei's ear.
Sei twisted his face in shock, "Wait, how do I hear you?" he whispered back slowly.
"What did you say?" The Grandmaster immediately asked, startling Sei.
"Hehe, I was just talking to myself," Sei replied, scratching his head.
The Grandmaster continued without another word; Sei also followed.
"Stupid boy, you just got me caught," Fari snapped, the voice ringing in Sei's ears again. "You don't know how to converse using Nature Energy. Well, yeah, you are just a 7-year-old wimpy kid."
Sei pouted with frustration at the realization that he couldn't do anything.
They soon reached a clearing within the forest, or rather, it was the end of the lower part of the forest. A wall stood in front like a mountain.
The Old Grandmaster stopped by the base of a towering waterfall, its roaring waters crashing against the rocks below. A mist of fresh, cold water filled the air.
"Sit," the old man commanded, pointing at a flat rock directly beneath the waterfall's crashing stream.
"Huh?" Sei hesitated. "In there?"
"Unless you wish to learn from your bed, which is also an option… after you die." The old man's voice was sharp.
Gritting his teeth, Sei walked through the freezing water, the current nearly knocking him over, and sat beneath the crashing waterfall. The water was ice-cold, like a thousand needles pricking his skin. He clenched his jaw, his whole body shivering.
"Close your eyes. Breathe in… slowly."
Sei tried closing his eyes, but the cold water nearly made him gasp for air. 'Damn, the water is so cold, and it is coming so fast. How do I sit here?'
"I can't… I can't focus!" Sei yelled.
"Then you will never tame Nature Energy," the Grandmaster's voice was unwavering. "Nature is wild. It is merciless. And so must be your resolve."
Sei tried again and again; every time, he got knocked over by the stream.
The old man just sat on a stone nearby, looking at Sei. "Give up. I can seal your core completely for all eternity if you want."
Those words pierced his heart like a needle.
Sei shut his eyes tighter, forcing his breathing to slow. The roar of the waterfall became a constant rhythm.
"Imagine the energy around you," the old man's voice softened. "Feel it… flowing through your skin, entering your body. Breathe it in… like air through all your cells."
Sei's breathing steadied. In the darkness of his closed eyes, faint colors danced—shades of blue.
Water particles in the mist seemed to slow, drifting towards him. He felt a faint tingle in his body, a gentle warmth beneath the freezing cold.
He focused, his heart pounding.
Suddenly, the waterfall's crashing stream seemed to bend, splitting around him. An arc of swirling water energy wrapped around his small body, shielding him from the downpour.
"I… I did it!" he whispered, eyes still closed.
But as soon as his excitement surged, his focus wavered. The arc of energy shattered, and the icy water slammed down on him again, knocking him into the water.
"Ah—!"
But he didn't feel pain, just the cold. He looked up, gasping, to see the Grandmaster smiling.
"Not bad."
The old man turned, his figure slowly walking towards the grove of trees. He raised his hand. Light particles danced around his fingers, merging to form a glowing blade of pure light.
Sei's eyes shot open as the old man swung the blade in a wide arc.
SHINK!
Ten of the trees behind them were severed at once. The trunks fell with a thunderous crash, the forest shaking. Fari's hidden figure trembled, her silver fur glowing faintly with caution.
"Whoa…" Sei's awe spilled out.
"This is Nature Energy tamed and refined. You wish to wield it? You must first earn its respect," the old man declared, his blade of light dispersing into shimmering particles.
Sei nodded, his determination burning stronger. "I will."
"Then endure."
The waterfall continued to pound against Sei, but now, he shut his eyes with new resolve.
Fari watched from the shadows, her emerald eyes wary. "That old man… He knows I'm here."
But she chose to stay silent.
Because for the first time in centuries, she was curious.