That was a Sunday they let him sleep more than usual because he was considered as many as a rest day. He was exhausted by all the activity of the previous one to the point where it took him a short time to sleep and was more challenging than ever to open his eyes. At times he remembered his routine, the school and everything related to it, or the fatigue that sooner or later caught him. But at Elthea, everything had a different aroma, even at breakfast.

It was still an early day, although it was enough to look around the window to see that the sun had come out several hours ago. After a quick breakfast, they returned to the climbing grounds, but they found much more elthean taking part in them on this occasion.

“What did you expect? Spend the day-off sleeping and eating?” Rune said, rolling his eyes.

They could rest with all sorts of activities, but he didn’t want to leave that challenge for another day. Far from putting it a difficulty above his possibilities, they tried to choose one according to their intentions. The idea of rushing back into a vacuum was very unenthusiastic, but he wouldn’t be reassured until he did. He joined the starting line with the others after putting on his gloves and even a helmet provided by the monitors because he never knew how he could fall.

“Don’t hold back,” Finnian said. “Run like you did yesterday, understand?”

This was an exercise not only for him. He knew that any of them would come to his rescue without hesitation. They had protected him from blows and attacks from other elthean, moments that were not forgotten. That’s why they had to trust that he would surpass the circuit with his own capabilities, even though they were there to help themselves at any other time. Aer, Rune and Leith exchanged earnest looks, aware of what he intended. And although deep down, he was mindful of what it would cost him all, he did not plan to give up.

There is always room for improvement.

The mark started the run, and of course, the elthean beat him without any problems. They were not just about how accustomed they were to their abilities but to moving in that forest. After all, it was his home, and they knew it better than anyone else. But he learned quickly, and now he would prove it.

His path was soon transformed into wooden platforms, each with a different size than the previous one. Although the last ones did not disappear, walking on them were safe, and two appeared in motion instead. He moved forward with determination, conscious that staying in one place made him vulnerable, and for a while, he saw what the rest had advanced. They had arrived at the climbing area!

“Focus on what’s ahead,” Finnian whispered to himself.

Look at the rest; at least at that moment, it would not help him. As soon as he was able to move forward, a new obstacle appeared in front of him in the form of movable walls. He grabbed the liana to cross it, not looking at what could happen, going more slowly, finally reaching the climbing area.

With platforms strategically placed, the way to climb there was one’s choice. He saw some make movements between the walls to jump over them, gaining height in seconds. Others used the lianas or walls to climb, shifting as they needed. He had no claws or any other advantage, just two hands not used to do such things.

Inhaling deep, he activated his magic, but instead of manipulating it with his hands, as Lunaluz instructed him, he decided to do the same thing he saw the previous day. Without any grace note, nor words that started it, the tickling of his feet was temporary. Then, after a jump, the momentum he created was more incredible than he had achieved with his forces so far. However, it was a big one for someone like him.

Seeking not to lose cool and balance, he landed on a platform abruptly, causing his hands and knees to be affected from the fall. Perhaps he would have made use of the environment in his favour, but he still had much to learn from feeling comfortable with something like that.

Regulating his energy, the new jumps he gave were less prominent, although the effort managed to hold his breath. Nevertheless, he had advanced more than the previous day, which should count in his approval, right? However, a new problem appeared before him. Aerial Mines!

“Seriously? Who was the genius behind this great idea? “Finnian said.

They looked like floating lanterns of different colours, something that from the outside could seem beautiful. Still, they generated a substance similar to the gum that spread around the participant if they made contact. Although the effect was quickly passed, thanks to the monitors’ potion, that made it no less annoying.

“Move like a leaf,” Rune whispered.

The air mines could perceive their presence, hoping to destabilize it and lose the pace. But he had made that move so many times with Lunaluz that he remembered it without problems. Circular, simple, without fighting the issues, but looking for a new approach that could help him. After that jump in which he rushed to new lanterns, he would have fallen entirely into the trap for little, but at least that gesture allowed him to reach the last, the top and most complex journey.

With the platforms before at the same level, they moved and alternated their height, making every jump possible between approaching the finish line or falling and being disqualified.

“All or nothing, right?” Finnian murmured.

But to his surprise, he was smiling. For an instant, he forgot all that he had advanced, going with the flow and having fun with that, like the others, who were already closer to finishing than he. Without waiting for a second more, he threw himself, magically pushing his jumps as soon as he had occasion.

One platform.

Another.

The end seemed too far away, but at the same time, it was close enough to grab it with his hand. Then, one of the platforms interrupted his path, rising up and catching him completely, watching that stretch move farther away from where he was, to descend at a speed of vertigo.

Seconds, that’s what he had! But there was no platform near him, not with everything that changed the scenario. However, an element invisible to the eyes remained present with him.

“At this point, what else can I lose?”

Improvise. That’s what he had to do. To take advantage of what he had around him, to make the difficulties potentiate him. And even though he couldn’t run or jump, there was something he could do. As soon as he calculated he wouldn’t sink anymore, he let go of the platform to generate a stream of air through his hands but also through his legs. Doing so much magic at once would overload him, although he learned from the hard way that if he didn’t risk it and proved it was possible, he would never achieve anything.

That blow hit the platform entirely, bouncing and creating a stream of air in which he was suspended. Maybe he couldn’t fly, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t look at what others were doing.

He maintained his course with some stability by generating new air currents, moving him away from the vacuum and returning him to the circuit. However, he did not land with the same brusqueness. He took that momentum forward, making the air his vehicle. And so he managed to complete the intermediate circuit, coming in last place, but with more minor damage than he would have imagined.

“You’ve been great,” Ead said.

“Right now, I’m seeing all blurred,” Finnian admitted, bumbling around, closing his eyes.

“You’ve accomplished it,” Aer exclaimed, laughing too.

“Unorthodox, but you’ve come out of a piece!” Rune said.

Was that what it felt like to win? Completing challenges, even when everyone did not believe that he could achieve it? And he didn’t mind winning! The satisfaction of dealing with such a barrier, especially as it had felt inferior in that regard over the last few years, had no price. Because his friends were helping him open his wings, offering him a vision that no one of his age, or relatively few, had been able to enjoy.

“Did we try again?” Aer said without the enthusiasm of having left him.

“Of course, but as soon as I catch my breath and can get back on my feet,” Finnian said.

With the legs shaking even as if they were jelly, he was unsure if I could repeat something like that, not right away. Now he had the chance to stop, breathe, and experiment with what he could achieve in that world, but that did not mean that he would become reckless. While his friends were involved, he remained in one of the observatories, where the curious analyzed the movements made in the circuits.

“For someone with little experience, you’ve been able to improvise a lot.”

It was not Lizzie, always attentive to what they did there, but Ailfryd. His voice reached him gently, as clear as the water and as calm as the wind surrounding them. The Guardian’s presence stood out in front of other elthean, all observing them in the distance but without interrupting them.

“Have you been watching?” Finnian said, raising both eyebrows without being able to hide his surprise.

“It wasn’t your first attempt, although compared to the previous day, you acted differently,” Ailfryd said. “What has it been?”

“You, everyone,” answered Finnian, “how you intervene, the way you deal with change.”

Far from being theories or acting more than thinking, they did what they could with what they had. Magic was not an exact science, even though it had elements, but a field where knowledge and feelings tangled with every step they took.

“I can’t get up yet,” Finnian smiled, “but you’ve taught me that in this or any world, what a few eyes see is only a tiny part of what actually exists.”

“You’ve opened your mind,” Ailfryd said.

“I also know this will not be enough.”

The Eroder, Ariel… both were beings of great power, so much that he ignored how he could rival them without their companions suffering. Fighting would be inevitable, but what he was advancing in days would be nothing compared to what his enemies were able to do.

“You forget a detail, a fundamental one,” Ailfryd said. “Signers and partners get strengthened more quickly. Just as you make you stronger, you pass it on to them. Whatever happens in the future, whether you can overcome your mission will depend on you or not.”

“Power is within us,” said Finnian.” If we shape it and believe in ourselves, it will give us strength.”

“Indeed,” Ailfryd promised.

Words that were not forgotten, but at that point, he would give everything he knew to learn what he ignored if that managed to keep everyone alive.