Chapter 6: The Grey Field

Maelis smirked at the question. Placing his book down, he tilted his head towards Riven, who blankly stared back.

"How did I know?", he hummed, placing his finger under his chin. "Maybe because you crept into my dojo without a floorboard creaking. Or maybe", he leaned forward, grinning, "I just have good ears."

Riven offered a confused look, not knowing if he was being serious or not, "Don't worry", Maelis said, waving his hands. "No one at the academy will realise what you are straight away....unless they're trained to look."

Furrowing his brows, "What do you mean?", Riven retorted.

Tapping his temple lightly, "People sense strength through presence. Intent. Aura. You have none. To most, it just means you're unremarkable". "But to those who can see beyond what's shown.", he continued, "Your silence will be deafening."

Whilst Maelis was reassuring him, Riven had prepared the steaming cups of tea. Placing them onto the table in-front of Maelis, as the gentle aroma spread through the dojo.

"So I should be good to start right?", Riven asked, hand hovering over his cup.

"Mm.", he vaguely replied, grabbing the cup of tea and taking a sip.

'Guess I'll be fine to start...but knowing an academy, they'll probably test me', Riven thought.

For a while, silence filled the dojo. The creaks of the old wooden beams, and the whispers of the wind cracking through broke it.

"...How strong are you?", Riven asked slowly, unable to keep the curiosity out of his tone.

Setting the cup down gently, with his fingers feeling the heat of cup, Maelis' gaze softened with an amused glint.

"What makes you ask that?", he wondered.

Looking at the wall, he replied, "Because....I want to know what real strength looks like."

"What? Haven't you seen those RexTube videos about S Rank Magistrates like "Elyra Voss"- yeah she's the one who turned half a mountain to dust with a flick of her wrist. Impressive, sure...but her stance is lack-luster. She'd trip over in a sword fight in this dojo", Maelis said flicking his finger around in the process as he described her action.

Blinking as he spoke, his mind was trying to process what Maelis was saying, 'Elyra Voss? RexTube? A mountain to dust??'

'I gotta check out this RexTube later', he thought, surprised at that statement.

Not wanting to seem like he didn't know, for obvious reasons, "Yeah, that stuff is crazy", he stated. But he wanted to see it himself, even if he did view it on this so called 'Rextube'.

"Still though...how strong are you?", Riven re-iterated.

For a moment, Maelis' eyes seemed distant, like he was looking somewhere Riven couldn't.

"Strong enough," he naturally said, voice firm but soft at the same time, "to sit here, drink tea and not care who walks through the door".

Raising his cup in a casual toast manner, a grin appeared on his, "Strength is freedom, boy. Remember that."

Exhaling softly, placing the cup down with a clink.

Sigh, Clink

"Do you have anyone waiting for you?", Maelis asked, tone casual as he placed his hand under his chin. 

Caught off guard by the sudden question. Riven's mind shifted to vague memories, his past blurring with the new.

"No...", he quietly said, "No one", the mood dampening slightly.

A smile curled on Maelis' face contrasting with Riven's expressionless one. "Good. Your'e staying here then, you wanted strength didn't you?", he asked.

'Stay here?', he thought, eyes widening.

Opening his mouth to protest at first, Riven confused himself, 'What am I doing?', he thought. If he wanted to survive. To find meaning. He needed to grow stronger. Fast.

Looking up, "Yeah", he whispered, "Yeah I do want to".

"Then." he said, "First thing first, tell me kid, do you at least know the basics? The ranks, from F to S?"

Riven's mind scrambled back to the database he'd seen on the phone. "I...I've seen them mentioned", he stated, "But I don't really know what they mean."

Sigh~

Sighing dramatically, Maelis rose from his seat and stretched his arms. "Figures. Well then," turning to face him with a half-smile, "lesson one starts now."

Walking over to a shelf, he picked up a piece of chalk and a wooden board. Lazily he began sketching a rough column of letters.

"Listen, the world likes to keep things labelled. People are no different.

Gesturing his hand, he tapped the first letter he wrote at the bottom: F.

"F rank. The very bottom. Barely enough power to lift a twig with ki, or light a candle.Most civilians you see lie here.

Right above was the letter E:

"E rank. Better than F...slightly. This is where small time tamers can control harmless beasts. Spirit bonders that can use an ability or limb of a spirit.

The next was D.

"D rank is where you start seeing academy trainees, rookie combatants and people who think they're good but aren't that much better than E rank."

Riven smiled at Maelis' delivery.

He continued, pointing at C.

"C rank is your standard knights, spirit tamers with a minor pact and whatnot".

Pointing at B, "This is where things pick up", he said.

"B rank is where you start seeing elites. Advanced bonders, tamers with mid tiers, and squad captains".

Next was A.

"A rank is where it gets rare. This is where you'll find most academy instructors, city enforcers and royal guards. People who can flatten buildings along those lines".

Finally, he had reached the top which was S.

"S rank. Monsters among men. 'Pillars' they call them of nations and our very planet. People like Elyra Voss who I mentioned sit here.

Staring at the chalk writings, Riven swallowed hard. Trying to take in as much information, he felt like the words where walls that he couldn't see over just yet.

Noticing this, Maelis tossed the chalk away, turning back before saying, "Any questions?".

Hesitating, Riven did have a question. "...Where would you place yourself", wondering because he had something to say about taking Elyra Voss earlier.

Maelis smirked, tilting his head, "Me?", he asked pointing at himself. His eyes glinting with something unquestionable. "Let's say ranks are for those who need the world to measure them."

Turning away, he waved at Riven. "Enough talking, pick up your sword, timing is burning."

'Arghh'

Riven thought, before he picked up the sword on the floor. 

Wrapping his fingers around the cloth at the hilt, he felt the weight on his arms again.

Scrutinising Riven, Maelis said slowly, "It's time to understand weight".

"Weight? I already know the sword is hea-", before he could finish Maelis interrupted him , "Not just of the sword. The weight of your stance, your intentions....the weight of your life. If you can't handle your own burdens, how do you expect to cut through someone else's?"

Walking over to Riven, he lightly tapped his shoulder. 

Instantly, Riven felt his knees buckle, going under the effects of an invisible pressure.

"Your centre is weak. Your grip too tight, and your shoulders are tense."

'What the hell?', Riven thought, stopping himself from falling backwards.

Thinking for a second, Maelis closed his eyes for a few seconds leaving Riven confused.

'Uhh...' 

Riven thought confused at what Maelis was doing.

Not too long after, Maelis' hazel eyes shone. Turning his attention to Riven once more.

He placed his hand back onto his shoulder.

"Swinging the sword even a 100 times....with this weak body?", "No. We'll start where it matters.", Maelis concluded.

"What are you talking about?", Riven asked confused.

"Close your eyes", Maelis instructed, "And centre your stance.", he uttered neutrally.

Closing his eyes, Riven listened. "Uhh.. how long should I keep them closed", he asked, as he spread his stance, trying hold the blade straight.

"Open them", Maelis sounded out.

Suddenly, the dojo was gone. Instead what was replaced was an endless grey field, silent and unmoving.

"What is this...?", he muttered.

"Call it a mindscape, an illusion, or quite simply a training ground for your soul.", Maelis' voice echoed beside him, but he couldn't see him. "Here, your body won't tire. Here, you can swing a thousand times until your spirit understands what the body doesn't".

Riven was mesmerised first and foremost, he had never seen anything like it. It was empty, but it felt full.

"Focus", Maelis commanded, snapping Riven out of it.

"Begin", he followed calmly, "Hold you base. Swing down. Again. And again. Don't fret about time. Let the sword become one".