Chapter 3 Learning the Techniques

The next day, father and I went to practice, taking 4 swords with us. After walking about two hundred meters from the village, my father stopped in the middle of a field and addressed me.

- Jomart. Before you start studying as an airbender, you should know. Learning wind magic is not an easy path, you must learn to control it perfectly. Even a small blemish will be fatal in battle. So for us, wind mages, accuracy and perfect attacks are important. So that each attack is accurate and deadly. For example, look there. -He pointed to the Bushes. -You must be able to cut them as smoothly as if they were cut with a sword. -He swung his hand like a sword and in a second it was cut. Exactly.

-Wow. Can I do this?

-Not yet. You can hardly be called an Entry-level mage, although this technique does not depend on the level of development, but it is used perfectly only after Purification.

- Oh. What can I do?

-Hmm, for starters you can try to learn the technique of Air hands.

-Air hands?

-Have you ever wondered why we have so many swords in our chest?

-Yes I did, and asked you couple times- He ignored me and continued.

-Well, they are needed for the technology of our ancestors. Our family has many techniques, but first I'll show you this technique. Technique of air hands. This is a very difficult technique that requires incredible control over the wind. When you reach perfection in it, you will not differ from 10 opponents for your enemies. My current limit is 6 hands, there is no limit on the number of hands. But the more they are, the more difficult they are to control. Now I can control 5 hands without losing efficiency. If there is more, it will be more difficult. And you can also use your hands at will, if you get used to it, then you can shoot with a bow. Although there's no restrictions on the number of hands, but my grand-grandfather had the largest number. He could control 16 hands without losing effectiveness. You can also modify your hands, but you won't get to this level soon. And it's time for me to pass this technique on to you. First, I'll show you this technique.

As the Father said this, a transparent hand appeared in the air, and a faint noise of air could be heard coming out of the hand a little. It seemed to grow out of his shoulders. This hand took the sword and started swinging it.

-This requires fine control. I wanted to teach you this technique in a couple of years, when you can handle the wind well. But you've already reached the minimum. For a start, you can summon it even from the air, but if it is connected to the body, it is easier to control it. I will also give you a body-lightening technique along with my training. These techniques are designed for fast and agile movements. This technique is not easy, but I'm sure you can learn it. Your movements will be fast and agile. But first, learning our family technique. First try to gather air and make a hand-like shape, slowly.

I tried to do as requested. It was difficult, controlling the air and resisting the winds (which my father kindly did) was not an easy task. I began to create a semblance of a hand, it was transparent and uneven, there were no fingers in it.

- Hmm-Thinking a bit father waved his hand. -The wind broke this half-arm.-You did it wrong, again.

…

(The next day)

- Haah, haaaah haaaaah - I was breathing hard, my whole body ached. My mastery of the body-lightening is equal to zero. Right now, my father is just testing my combat skills. After 10 minutes of * fighting*, my body was exhausted. And my father didn't even attack

- Yeah, you fight like a dog. You hit with all your strength and don't know how to hit. You can't do that, you need to know how to fight. Let me show you. -After he said that, he instantly sped up. The ground beneath his feet exploded. He appeared next to me and began to say -First wait for the moment when the enemy does not expect a blow and hit -He hit me in the stomach

-Da-! -After flying a meter away, my body went out of free fall. My stomach ached, and despite the pain, I tried to stand up.

-When you see that the enemy is trying to gain an advantage or return to the old advantageous position for them, hit with all your strength, we must not lose the advantage in speed and strength. You should always keep an advantage against others. If you fight with other elements, it will be difficult for you. Fire can try to grab you and fry you, earth can block your blows with its body and deliver a painful blow, and water will try to catch and limit you. So know that speed is our advantage. Then he kicked me in the side.

-Aaa,- I said Plaintively.

-Okay, I'll teach you how to fight later. Let's move on to the techniques.

-Okaaay

-You can lie down for ten minutes. First, I'll start by explaining the technique. This technique of relief is called Ustalmas(1). This techniques not only help us move faster at critical moments, but also help us maintain a solid speed advantage. It has 5 techniques. The first is an air discharge. You have to compress the air in your legs, arms, and anywhere. After making an air release, it is easiest when you have the ground under your feet, but you can also do it in the air, but it will be much more difficult. The second technique is the body-lightening technique. Thanks to it, we learn to better conduct the wind through ourselves, and because of it we will be lighter and will be able to fall from a higher distance without taking damage. The third technique is breath control. You need to breathe better so that the air gets to all parts of your body, so it's easier to control your body. The fourth technique is the management direction of the wind. This technique controls the air in the area and allows you to change the direction of the wind in your room. This technique is expensive, but sometimes worth it. You can create a small room and there fight with the center in the form of you. Incredibly useful I must say, but know this is a double-edged sword. It can also give your opponent a chance to hit you. Finally, the fifth technique is the feeling of wind. You will feel where the wind blows. It may seem that this is not very useful, but with it you will shoot better and act better on situations. This technique is very difficult, but I believe you can master it. I'll also tell you one thing, if the wind is favorable, you can use the fourth technique more effectively. So if you have such luck in a dangerous situation, change your direction along the wind, believe me, it will be very useful and also, do not forget one fact, if the wind is fair, then the magic of the wind is more effective and requires less cost. Alright, ten minutes went by, continue.

-Okaay…

…

(9 days later)

These days of many training sessions were incredibly painful. One day for the wind technique, another for the body lightening technique along with training battles.

Under the wind, I tried once again to collect my hand from the wind. Despite the fact that the wind is everywhere, airbenders only use their powers to collect the wind and shape it. After that, they leave their mana inside, which keeps the air inside. Mana should be put in such a way that it keeps the air inside at a higher pressure than outside. Mana is required for gathering wind, compressing wind, and keeping wind compressed during an attack. To destroy sound and resistance, you need to wrap the object weakly with wind or mana, it will hold the sound and prevent it from passing, but if the wind is too thick, it will break due to gravity and the sound will pass, if it is too thin, it will break due to the inability to withstand pressure. In most cases, we train the wind from the age of 5-6, trying to control the wind with mana. At 5 years old, I could barely lift a light breeze. It's incredibly difficult, but years of practice are paying off. Now it will be difficult to lift a stone the size of a hand, but I can lift it up a meter. Creating a wind hand is like making a wind blade that can be manipulated and moved at will. To do this, you need to make a similarity of the muscles in the wind hand, which are supported by mana and allow them to move like normal hands. If you do so that the hands come out of the body, then mana can be delivered directly, as the Father did it in the air, it is unclear. But I think sooner or later I will learn this. Today is a significant day, my air arms can bend! Hurray! Finally after 9 days of labor. Dad saw it and…

-Hm. It's an achievement, your hands are moving. But -after a second, he swung his hand violently, making a huge stream of air, much stronger than before. - they're not strong enough.- Father smiles -So make them stronger, because in battle, no one will wait for you to finish, everyone will attack you, trying not to give you a chance.

- Dad, why are you doing this, at least you would say that they are good.

-They will be good only when they are able to strangle a wolf. - Strictly said Father -My can, so it good. And now practice.

-Alright…

1 -Ustalmas - Ұсталмас, can be translated as Elusive.

P.S: Ustalmas in real means *will not be caught*, but I think that elusive be better.