The morning was crisp and windy. Enzo jogged around the village and enjoyed the chill, taking full advantage of the solitude it brought. Few people had risen before the sun, and those that had were quiet in their houses. Smoke rose from Olena’s inn and Tobias always seemed to be awake at this hour, but the rest of the town was still. Atop the wall, a sleepy guard waved absently to him as he circled past the gate.

Enzo didn’t actually have to be up this early. Gunnar had found him yesterday and told him that his first shift as a guard would begin at sunrise, but the pre-dawn workouts were becoming therapeutic.

It’s like a form of meditation, just me against myself as I run. I can enjoy nature without any distractions this way, and I can really think.

He thought back to the day before as he jogged. Once he made his escape from Cornelia’s garden for a second time, Enzo hadn’t had much of a plan for the rest of the day. To now, every hour of every day had been spent training with Gunnar or learning to smith with Tobias.

Enzo wandered aimlessly through the main street of the village toward the town hall. He’d bumped into Rena there, and the pair had spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other’s company.

She seemed so awkward when we first met, but now that the pressure is gone, I enjoy talking to her. She seemed pretty happy to have an excuse to skip the afternoon’s work too.

He thought about their upcoming date to the Winter Festival. Rena was so excited to go, apparently she’d been trying to find a date for a couple years now but had been stood up each time. Enzo imagined just how good she’d look all dressed up again, and how much fun they’d have seeing the sights and trying all the different types of food that were sure to be on offer.

You’d have to be stupid to stand her up! Even if we just go as friends, it sounds like a really good time.

The wind picked up and Enzo shivered as he ran. He paused and ducked close to the wall, out of sight of the guards before blowing a small flame between his hands. Even through his gloves, he could tell that the insignia Talwen had left him was faintly glowing.

The morning jogs were about the only safe opportunity Enzo had to practice with his Affinity. After the excursion to the cave to collect iron and the time smithing his dragonstone warhammer, Tobias hadn’t opened up much more about using Affinities.

Enzo had been largely left to his own devices when it came to actual practicing. He gathered mana from the area and collected the heat into his chest. As it built, he pushed the warmth from his core out to his limbs. As soon as he could feel his feet again, he began to jog.

Maintaining control while he ran was tricky at first. Consistently gathering and retaining heat proved to be much harder than dispersing it. The physical distraction proved too tough to fight through to maintain the constant concentration on his Affinity. Eventually though, as he rounded into the village with the sun poking above the trees, he felt like he’d mastered it.

The trick is to visualize the heat throughout my body and just keep that thought in my head. Its sort of like a form of denial, I think I’m warm so the mana makes it so.

He scooped up a training bow, as well as his iron warhammer, and waved to the guard on the wall. The man, Samuel, yawned and stretched as he climbed down the ladder.

“Anything interesting?” Enzo asked as he accepted the thick dark green cloak the guards shared through their shifts.

“Not really,” Samuel replied. “Always tough staying awake on these cold, slow nights. Can’t wait to fall into bed and get some sleep. The wife will have the kids stay outside for a while, so I’ll have some peace and quiet.”

“Hear you there,” Enzo said as he climbed up the ladder. “Have a good one!”

===========================================

The wall wasn’t particularly tall, only ten or so feet of sturdy wooden beams that surrounded the village. The gate was the thickest part of the wall, wide enough to allow for a walkway several feet across. A chair rested in one corner next to a barrel full of arrows. The flights were a bit frayed, and the shafts had seen better days. Clearly, the village hadn’t seen much action in quite a while.

Enzo was perfectly fine with a quiet job posted atop the wall. He’d been sitting up here for a few hours, and the most interesting thing had been watching Manuel lead his herd out into the fields. The cows were ornery today, and insisted on investigating every blade of grass, to the irritation of Manuel.

The easy shift would’ve been more of a problem for Enzo if he hadn’t had his Affinity. The cold wind persisted all day, even picking up at times. The cloak did a good job protecting him from the worst of it, but Enzo knew his fingers and toes would be ice blocks if not for the warmth he cycled through his body. He sat back in the chair and began to daydream about a fancy party, a thin, beautiful woman smiling beside him…

“...deaf… idiot…”

A gust of wind stirred him from his daydream. Enzo stood and looked around the area in front of the gate, but there was no one there. Manuel had given up bringing his herd in and had disappeared into the forest after them.

I could’ve sworn I heard someone say something just now…

“...pay attention…”

There it is again!

Enzo turned around and looked in the courtyard behind him, but no one was there. He closed his eyes and listened carefully. The wind played through the trees, rushing through the leaves. He began to make out words.

“Cornelia?” Enzo pondered out loud.

“...You’re finally listening… So hard to talk outside the garden…”

“You could just come talk to me normally,” Enzo replied quietly. I really don’t want to look like I’m talking to myself…

“...I will teach you to use your Affinity… Come by tonight… Don’t be late…”

“Okay? What time tonight?” he asked.

The wind blew gently around him, but he didn’t hear another word. Enzo scowled as he flopped back into the chair.

She’s so dramatic… At least I’ll have something to tell Tobias.