Practice

Audra

The days passed in a blur. Acheron had me training non-stop. My arms trembled as I lowered them, sweat dripping down my face. My chest rose and fell rapidly, my body screaming for rest. "Why did you stop?" Acheron's voice boomed, sharp and unrelenting. His golden eyes flickered as they took in my shaking form. I clenched my teeth, forcing my legs to move. But before I could take another step, my knees buckled. My vision swam. The ground surged toward me. Acheron was beside me in an instant. One arm slid behind my knees, the other at the small of my back. Before I could hit the ground, he lifted me effortlessly, cradling me against his chest. My breath hitched. I stared up at him, startled by the unexpected gentleness. But the moment was fleeting. His expression hardened as he carried me a few steps before setting me down onto the cool grass. Without a word, he strode to his bag, pulled out a water bottle, and tossed it three feet away from me. I glared at him. "Really?" His lips twitched, but he said nothing. Annoyance flared in my chest. The water in the lake behind me surged in response, sending large waves rippling toward him. Acheron's gaze snapped back to me. A hint of something—pride?—glimmered in his eyes. "See how far you've come?" I frowned, not understanding. He sighed, motioning toward the water. "The first time we trained here, your anger barely stirred a ripple. Now, it's a storm." His voice softened, the barest trace of admiration slipping through. "You struggle with balance, but the control is there. Lifting a water bottle? That used to be impossible for you." He was right. Gritting my teeth, I stretched out a hand. The water responded instantly, coiling into a tight, steady shape. I sent it forward, grasping the bottle before it soared back into my palm. Acheron's smirk deepened. "See? Now, take a few minutes to rest. We'll move on to sculpting something besides a snake or an orb." His tone was laced with amusement at my failures. I rolled my eyes but watched as he turned to leave. And before I could stop myself, I spoke. "Acheron." He stilled, glancing over his shoulder. I hesitated. "... Why do you push me so hard?" For a moment, he didn't answer. His gaze drifted toward the lake, golden eyes shadowed. A flicker of something—pain, maybe—crossed his face before his jaw clenched. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said a name. "Mallory."

Hundreds of Years Ago...

Acheron stood at the edge of the lake, the midday sun dancing across the surface. Laughter rang through the air. A small girl waded through the shallows, silver hair clinging to her face as she twirled ribbons of water around her fingers. "You're too slow, Acheron!" she teased, grinning. He folded his arms, pretending to scowl. "I'm being careful." Mallory giggled. "You're being boring!" She flicked her wrist, sending a small splash his way. Acheron dodged but couldn't hide his smirk. "You're getting better," he admitted. "Obviously," she teased, twirling her fingers. "You should practice more, you know. You're strong, Acheron. Way stronger than me." He huffed. "Strength doesn't matter if you don't have control." She just laughed. "You worry too much." Then— Her laughter stopped. Acheron barely had time to register the shift in her expression before something beneath the surface grabbed her ankle. Mallory shrieked as she was ripped into the depths. "Mallory!" Acheron lunged forward, but she was already thrashing in the water, her small hands clawing toward him. The thing dragged her farther. Dark tendrils wrapped around her legs, pulling her under. She gasped, her fingers breaking the surface one last time. Then—nothing. Acheron dove after her. The water turned violent, thrashing against him as if it were alive. His lungs burned, his vision blurred, but he fought toward the darkness where she had disappeared. He reached—his fingers brushed hers— And then she was gone. He kept diving, kept searching. His body ached, his mind screamed her name. But the lake had swallowed her whole. And he hadn't been strong enough to stop it.

Present Day

I gasped. The world snapped back into focus. My vision swam, and I swayed as if I had been the one pulled beneath those waves. Acheron stood frozen, his gaze locked onto the lake. His hands were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. "... You saw," he murmured. I swallowed hard. "Mallory... She was—?" "My little sister," he said, voice hollow. Something inside me twisted at the weight in his tone. For the first time, Acheron didn't look like the untouchable force I had come to know. He looked like a man haunted by ghosts. "Did... Did she die?" I asked, afraid of the answer. His face fell. "Yes. But not from that." I opened my mouth to ask more, but he turned away, already closing himself off. "Keep practicing. Sylvin will take over your training for the rest of the day." I watched him go, my heart heavy with unspoken questions. Sylvin handed me a sandwich, and we ate in silence. I hesitated before setting mine down. "Sylvin?" He glanced up. "What happened to Mallory? After that day in the lake?" He choked on his food, coughing before wiping his face. "How do you know about that?" "I saw it. In a vision, I think. Acheron left, so he put me with you." Sylvin exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "... Your power is growing stronger." He looked toward the sunset, the clouds painted in soft hues of pink and yellow. "You don't need to know the rest of that story." I frowned, but before I could argue, he stood. "Come on. I can teach you something fun." He led me to the edge of the lake. I blinked as he stepped onto the water. Ice formed beneath his feet, supporting his weight as he glided effortlessly across the surface. He spun back to me, mischief in his eyes. "Your turn." I hesitated. "I don't have ice." "You don't need ice," he said. "Just your will." I swallowed, placing a foot forward— And promptly fell straight in. Sylvin laughed as I surfaced, sputtering. "Not quite what I meant!" I glared. "I hate you." "You're just mad because I make it look easy." With a grin, he pulled me back up. I closed my eyes, feeling the water beneath me. It wasn't an enemy. It was alive. I stepped forward. And for the first time—I didn't sink. Sylvin's voice was softer now, encouraging. "Good. Feel it. Let it recognize you. Walk with it." I took another step. And another. For the first time, I was walking on water. And for the first time in a long time, I felt free.