Book 2: Chapter 29 – A New Face

The pride radiating from Aziz was impossible to ignore. It glimmered in his eyes, threaded through his voice, and anchored in every word he spoke – it was clear just how much he revered his Master.

"I had originally planned on teaching you about this path after you became a Beast-Warrior," he said to Jabari, "but this works too."

He turned his attention to August.

"Your aunt said she'll be gone for two weeks. In exchange for helping Jabari, I agreed to train you in the ways of a Weapon-Wielder."

August's eyes widened. "You mean…

I get to become a Weapon-Wielder too?" he asked, unable to hide the excitement creeping into his voice.

He had only just discovered that this mysterious path existed, and that alone had been enough to ignite something deep within him. He had already accepted that it would be something he'd pursue alone. After all, Aziz wasn't his Master. The man owed him nothing.

"You becoming a Weapon-Wielder is up to your own perception and work ethic," Aziz replied. "But as promised, while your aunt is away, I'll train you just as diligently as I will that brat over there."

He didn't bother acknowledging the taller teen's enthusiasm as he continued in a more serious tone.

"There are many schools of thought about the correct approach to becoming a Weapon-Wielder. Some believe mastering dozens of techniques grants a deeper understanding of a weapon. Others believe perfecting a single technique and refining it further and further, bringing it to all new heights, is the true path. Then there are those who say focusing solely on the fundamentals is the only way forward."

Aziz paused, allowing the boys to digest his words.

"There are a hundred and one theories across the world, but they all agree on one thing – there are no shortcuts."

He smiled.

"But they're all wrong."

Jabari and August leaned in, eyes fixed on him, not daring to miss a single word.

"The true shortcut to becoming a Wielder – the true way to become one with your weapon – is to stop seeing it as a lifeless object… and start treating it as a living entity."

Neither boy was prepared for what came next.

Aziz raised his sabre with one hand and slowly, almost reverently, ran his other hand along the flat of the blade. It wasn't the motion of a warrior testing steel. It was something far more intimate. It was the gesture of a man caressing a beloved companion.

"Look at your weapon as your best friend – your partner. Every time you wield it, do so with the intention of doing right by it. Earn its trust. Seek its approval. The day your weapon acknowledges you is the day you become a true Weapon-Wielder."

"…Seriously?" August asked, clearly sceptical.

"You don't believe weapons have their own will?" Aziz asked, eyes narrowing.

He turned to Jabari.

"When you taught yourself to hunt, what weapon did you use?"

"A rusty dagger," Jabari answered truthfully.

"And out of all the weapons you know of, which do you think would be the easiest for a complete novice to pick up and use effectively?"

Jabari paused to consider. "Because of its weight, length, and simple movements, I'd say the sword."

Aziz nodded. "So you had experience with a dagger and believed a sword was the ideal beginner's weapon. Then tell me, why, as a complete novice, did you choose the glaive as your weapon of choice? One of the heaviest, most complex weapons available – even going so far as to use it in the middle of your selection battle against an opponent so much stronger and more skilled than you."

August turned to Jabari, just as intrigued by the answer.

"Because…" Jabari hesitated. "I felt it calling out to me…?"

Even he didn't fully understand what he'd felt. Only that it had somehow drawn him in.

Aziz's eyes lit up.

"My Master believed the path of the Wielder is the yin to a Mage's yang. Just as Mages are born with varying grades of elemental affinities, so too are warriors born with weapons."

He paused for emphasis.

"Among Mages, there are those referred to as 'Savants' – individuals whose connection to their element is so strong, they can hear it. They don't just command it – they commune with it."

Aziz's voice softened, his reverence evident.

"My Master was one of them. He claimed he could hear his sword speak to him. People thought he was mad, until he carved out an entirely new path – one the world had no choice but to acknowledge."

He looked directly at Jabari now.

"In all my years, I've never met another like him. Until you."

Jabari blinked, startled by the intensity in his Master's gaze.

"You chose a glaive not because of logic but because something deep inside recognised it. That's why I've had you carry it everywhere – even when you cooked. I wanted you to bond with it. I wanted you to reach the point where not having it felt like something was missing."

Aziz glanced down – and so did Jabari.

Only then did he realise it – without even realising he had picked up the glaive again. Subconsciously. Naturally. As if it were an extension of himself.

Aziz smiled knowingly. "You're already on the right path. All that's left is to walk it."

"Okay," August said, his arms crossed and brow furrowed, "so what do I have to do to get to that point?"

He wasn't entirely convinced, but something in Aziz's presence, his certainty, made the impossible sound… possible.

"It's going to be harder for you," Aziz replied bluntly. "You've trained with an axe since you could walk under your tribe's methods. That kind of ingrained conditioning means you've picked up habits – habits that will need to be unlearned."

August frowned. "Are you saying there's something wrong with my tribe's axe techniques?"

Aziz shook his head. "It's not about the techniques. Your tribe's methods are probably effective on the battlefield. But this isn't about how to win a fight – it's about your mindset. Even now, despite everything I've shown you, you still see your axe as just a tool."

"That's not-" August began, but Aziz cut him off.

"I know. In theory, you believe what I said. But in practice, in your heart, you still don't see it as anything more than a weapon."

August fell silent. Slowly, he took the axe from his back and turned it in his hands, studying it carefully. It was a fine weapon – solid, battle-scarred, and deadly. But no matter how long he stared at it, it remained just an axe. A tool for battle.

"What's the purpose of an axe?" Aziz asked, his voice cutting through the silence like the very weapon they were discussing.

August blinked. "Huh?"

"It's not a trick question. Just answer honestly. What's the purpose of an axe?"

"To kill the enemy on the battlefield," August replied after a moment's hesitation.

"So, in your mind, the axe exists purely for slaughter?"

"Well… doesn't it?"

Aziz nodded slowly. "That's one of its uses, yes. But if that's all you can see it as, you'll never become a true Weapon-Wielder."

August furrowed his brow. "Then how do I change that?"

"By using it for something other than battle," Aziz said with a cryptic smirk.

"…Like what?"

"Cutting trees."

***

The following morning, Jabari arrived at August's accommodation, same as usual. He expected to find August stretching or preparing for their usual training session. What he didn't expect was to see Malia standing there, looking both anxious and hopeful.

"I remembered you saying you and August train together in the mornings," Malia said, her fingers nervously twisting together. "I was hoping you'd allow me to join…"

Jabari blinked, surprised by the request. "I don't mind, but are you sure you're up for training so soon after your injury?"

He gave her a quick once-over, searching for any signs of lingering pain or weakness.

"You don't need to worry," Malia said brightly. "It was only a dislocated knee. My Master hired a Mage who specialises in healing. I feel good as new!"

Jabari nodded slowly, still a little uncertain. "The abilities of a Mage really make one jealous," he muttered, recalling Heba's strange and powerful abilities.

"I know, right?" Malia laughed. "I was so shocked. The injury should've taken six weeks to heal naturally. One day with that Mage, and I was walking like nothing ever happened!"

Her expression softened. "By the way, I heard you officially took your mentor as your Master. Congratulations. For that, and for passing the selection with flying colours."

"Thank you," Jabari replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "But really, I was just lucky."

"There was nothing lucky about your results," Malia said, the faintest note of envy in her voice. "To achieve five stars in every event…

That takes insane training. I thought I was working hard, but I'm still far from reaching the five-star threshold. I need that to become a Beast-Warrior of the Earth Element."

Jabari knew that feeling too well. The frustration. The self-doubt. The gnawing sense of falling behind. But he didn't know how to comfort her – not without sounding condescending.

Fortunately, Malia spoke again before the silence could stretch too long.

"So, how does it feel to become a Beast-Warrior?"

Jabari hesitated. "I'm not one yet," he admitted. "Grand Elder Nala is supposed to oversee my awakening, but she had to leave for the Institute's HQ. I have to wait for her return."

His voice was steady, his words a careful blend of truth and falsehood.

"Ahh, that's too bad. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Jabari said with a shrug. "Honestly, I wasn't ready. If it weren't for certain busybodies, I wouldn't have even entered the assessment yet."

Malia tilted her head, confused. As far as she was concerned, everyone wanted to become a Beast-Warrior as fast as possible. Why wouldn't Jabari?

Before she could press further, though, August stepped out of his quarters, axe slung over his shoulder.

August glanced briefly at Malia, then turned his questioning gaze to Jabari.

"She said she wanted to train with us," Jabari explained, already knowing what the look meant.

August didn't respond. He simply turned away, walking to the centre of the garden before sinking into a deep, grounded horse stance. Heavy iron weights hung from his limbs, and his posture remained perfectly balanced – rooted like a boulder in the earth.

'He's easily carrying over 100 kilograms in that stance… and yet, he holds it like it's nothing. This is the power of a Beast-Warrior,' Malia thought, eyes wide in awe.

Her own Master was also a Beast-Warrior of the Earth Element – stronger than August by no small margin – but the impact of seeing someone her age with that level of strength hit differently. This wasn't a far-off elder. This was her peer.

Then, without a word, Jabari assumed his stance.

He wasn't carrying weights like August, but he held his glaive high above his head with both hands – an act that demanded precision, strength, and unwavering balance. From her own experience with weapons, Malia knew that was no easy feat.

August hadn't said a word to her since she arrived, but his silence hadn't driven her away. She took it as quiet acceptance, and with her resolve steeled, she dropped into her own horse stance.

It wasn't weighted like the boys', and that fact gnawed at her. Still, she gritted her teeth and held firm. She had no intention of being left further behind than she already was.

Time passed.

Then, inevitably, Malia's legs gave way, and she collapsed to one knee. Her frustration boiled beneath the surface, but she refused to let it show. With a deep breath, she pushed herself back into the stance.

The next to fall was Jabari. He exhaled with a bitter smile, realising he'd made no real progress since their last session – despite having come so close to becoming a Beast-Warrior.

Glancing up, he caught sight of Malia, still pushing through her discomfort, brows furrowed in concentration. His eyes softened. Whatever else could be said, her willpower was the real deal.

"I'm going to shower and change," Jabari announced casually. "August, I'll meet you back here after I'm done. Malia…

I'll see you around, I guess."

Malia was too focused to respond with words and merely let out a grunt.

Jabari chuckled softly and shook his head before turning to leave, his boots crunching lightly on the path.

A few minutes passed, and Malia stumbled again, landing on the grass with a soft thud. She looked around – and realised Jabari was gone.

"Where did Jabari go?" she asked, turning to August, who still held firm in his stance.

"Shower," he said flatly.

Realising conversation wouldn't get far with him, Malia nodded slightly and returned to her training, falling and rising again and again with quiet tenacity.

Eventually, her legs gave out once more, and this time, she let herself stay down, panting lightly.

"I'm gonna go too," she said, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Ok."

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Ok."

His short replies grated at her nerves, but she refused to let it show.

He might not be much of a talker, but he hadn't told her not to come back. That was enough.

For now.

----------------------------------

Check out the Instagram for official character illustrations and more: Dreamtalesofficial