When they woke up the next day, the stone shelter felts oddly warm. Ein went to a wall to punch out a door, but as he hit the wall of snow came flooding in.
Rev stepped back. "What is that?" he asks.
"Its snow that all. I guess you have never seen it before, have you...Well I don't think you'd like it too much. It's extremely cold." Ein tells Rev.
Rev went to touch the powered snow. It was indeed cold to the touch Rev instantly retreated from his hand.
"Rev would you mins wind blasting the snow out of here?" Ein asks.
"Don't have to ask me twice" Rev says as he reluctantly breath in the cold air and wind shoots out a wide wind blast clearing the snow in front of him.
"Well done Rev," Ein says.
They walk out to see the mountain has been coved in snow. Ein looks at down at Rev's clearly unconformable face.
"How about you climb on my back," Ein tells Rev.
Rev looks up and doesn't hesitate to climb on Ein. They set off step by step. Ein feels the rain below has frozen over. He is focused to create stone pillar to walk on for some parts that are simply too slippery. Rev holds on tight with his cloak wrapped around him. He watches Ein's ever move as he cast stone pillar after stone pillar. He watches how the source moves through Eins' body, seeing the shapes his hands make.
Rev tries his hand at it "Look Ein look!" Rev calls out, showing him the stone cube he made.
"Well done, Rev you're truly a genius," Ein says patting Rev's head.
Rev eyes light up seeing what he created in his hands. He grin as he prepares to launch it with a wind blast.
Pew
It doesn't make it very far, but makes an indent in the snow.
Ein signs and looks up at Rev. "Every thing's a weapon in your hands isn't it" Ein says shaking his head.
Rev laughs as he works on creating another cube. The wind grows stronger the higher they climb, and the snow becomes more thick. No longer could Ein feel the floor below him. Ein taught Rev how to make a rectangle by expanding the basic cube. It's as simple as casting the same art on top of the last. This is why transformation arts drain so much source as to make anything big you must cast multiple of the small rapidly after each other. This does allow for user creativity. The climb continues none the less.
"Pay attention Rev" Ein says.
Ein shoots out source as if it was a mist. It covers the snow ahead of them. He then concentrates an immense amount of source in his hand, especially his fingers. He raises them and as he does; the snow rises in front of him. He then spreads his arm wide, and the snow shoots out, going flying left and right.
Ein laughs, "Isn't it wonderful?"
"What was that?" Rev asks.
"When you release source, it nature looks to cling to something. Usually that's the surrounding air, but if you control it right, you could navigate it to hit whatever you want. Once its attach its like anything else with source. You remember when we were in the fields and i ask you to pull the source out of the grass. Do you remember what the grass did at first?" Ein asks.
Rev thinks for a moment. "The tips of the grass all pointed at me".
Ein quickly responds. "Yes Rev, this is the same idea, but this is an act of balance. If you pull too hard, you will pull the source off of what it's attached to, but if you pull just right and at the right speed. You will pull the source along with what you attached it to. This is what allows you to control projectiles or move walls without even touching them. Having the source be in your fingers for max range and control."
Rev looks at his hand. "Hey look in my bag for a stick with sting attached to it. We will take advantage of this strong wind to learn something new." Ein says.
Rev looks in his bag and pulls the string out and opens up the strange shaped cloth and stick device attached to it.
"That right there is a kite Rev. Have you ever used one?" Ein asks.
"No..." Rev responds.
"Well, you're about to learn. Back at the palace, this was one of the methods they used to get us used to controlling source with our hands and fingers. Just let it go and give it some string to let it fly up." Ein tells Rev.
Rev gives a confused look. "This thing going to fly?" Rev asks.
Ein laughs. "Have some faith child and let it go. "
Rev shrugs his shoulders and lets the kite go. "Good, unwind the string to let it go farther, but know your range," Ein tells Rev.
"Ok... ill try," Rev says, not sounding all that confident.
He unwinds the string and, to his surprise, the wind catches the kite and he watches it soars up into the sky.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
"Woah" Rev says.
"Try to move it left and right." Ein tells Rev.
Rev wines his fingers in the string, using them to move the kite. He gives it more and more string and watches it fly higher and higher. The wind starts to bash it around, but Rev holds it tight and fights back. This is a pleasant challenge for Rev.
"Now...give it some source. Let your source flow up the string to the kite." Ein instructs.
Rev draws in the kite a bit, then lets his source flow up through the string into the kite. Rev's eyes are bright in the sun like a raging fire. He moves his fingers, feeling how each movement affects the kite.
"Look Ein Look. I can make it do a flip." Rev tells Ein enthusiastically.
Ein looks at Rev then up to the kite as it freely flies around the sky above."I wish it was that easy when I first tried it" Ein thinks to himself. Rev then gives it more string, letting the kite appear as if it could reach the sun. A strong guest of wind unexpectedly hits the kite. Rev holds on and wraps his legs around Ein's neck, to try not to slip away. Ein reaches back and pulls Rev back to him.
"Be carful child, the things you can't see coming are usually the most dangerous." Ein tells Rev.
"Yeah yeah...Look how high i got the kite to go though," Rev tells Ein pointing up to the kite.
Ein Lets out a heavy breath. "Alright Rev, we will be hitting the top soon. It's best you pull the kite in. that way your hand will be free to help me if i need anything. It would be in our best interest not to take a fall this far up." Ein tells Rev.
"Ok..." Rev complies and brings the kite back in and pulls the source back to his core.
"Here Rev creates some steps for me to climb up on," Ein says.
Rev tries to remember the sign. Ein sees he's struggling and shows him the signs again. Then Rev is quick to cast it one by one as the steps appear.
Ein praises Rev's work "Well done Rev"
Rev smiles and clings closer to Ein, making sure not to look down. Rev had spent most of the trip looking up, but as they reach the closer to the top there less and less to look at. He handn't really taken in the height there at until Ein mentions the possible damge of the fall, but surly they could save themself. Rev slept for the continue hour of climbing, Ein occasionally waking him up for assistants. Ein suddenly stopped and patted Rev on the head.
"...Hey kid...we made it" Ein says, his breath heavy but at peace.
He takes a knee.
"Opens your eyes Rev for this is what it means to be alive!" Ein declares looking upon the view.
Rev opens his eyes to a sight he couldn't of ever imaged. The top of the mountain had been conquered. The view was a reward like no other Rev had never been stunned by the pure beauty of something before.
"DO YOU SEE IT REV...tell me you see it. Is this the sick world you speak of? No...Rev this is the world in its true form, untouched by the evil of others. Tell me Rev, do you truly believe this all happened by accident? No, there must be a creator for such beauty..." Ein tells Rev.
Rev is almost speechless. "I...I don't know..."
Ein smiles "You don't need to know...you just need to believe"
Rev and Ein take in the view. The thick jungle that lies ahead full of unknown dangers.
"And now...the decent"
Rev, still stunned by the view, snaps out of it and follows Ein down. The descent feels more dangerous than the climb up at times. It's as if there try to fall down, but that wasn't the only new danger. They had seen one or two barrows at once on the climb up, but now facing the jungle, hordes of them would fly past of 10-20s. Surprisingly, they only a few stopped to attack the others seems to focus on getting on the other side of the mountain. Ein notes their weird behavior, but put in on the back burner as Rev snipes them out of the sky for food.
"Thank you twin god for the meal. We will not let any of it of to waste," Rev prayed.
Ein created a small flame and watched as Rev birthed a wildfire out of an ember."Wielding such powers seem unnatural," Ein thinks to himself, but he can't say it's not useful.
"How wonderful a meal feels when you can fully appreciate what went into it," Ein tells Rev.
"food does taste better when you get it yourself," Rev says.
Ein smiles, waiting for Rev to finish before packing up. They continue there decent to the jungle. Rev even gets out his kite again.
"Carful Rev" Ein says.
"Am fine old man, you need to watch your own heavy steps" Rev responds.
Maybe having his focus split between not falling and controlling the kite isn't the smartest idea but Rev none the less manages it. His awareness has grown ten fold sense the start of this whole journey. So far, the descent has gone by way faster than the climb up. It's been about 2 days. Rev and Ein would talk about the jungle a head. Rev would ask Ein to describe the beast as he thought of how they would taste.
"So, what's the biggest beast in the jungle?" Rev asks.
Ein thinks for a moment "Well, the biggest would be the Garno, a giant beast 12 ft tall and 8ft wide with hundreds of spikes covering it back. Luckily, it's usually a peace full create that feeds on plants. Now if we are talking about the most dangerous beast, that would be the Lorama. A flying create twice the size of a Barrow at 6ft long and 8ft wide. It has many hands along its wings, it cast the most basic of arts, a wind blast, but coming out of so many hands it makes the creation quickly fast. It has been known to decapitate its prey in a blink of an eye.
"Woah...could I catch one in a net?" Rev asks.
Ein laughs a hardy laugh "Oh child, fear hides from you while foolishness chases after you."
Rev gives Ein a confused look "I didn't hear no..."
Ein and Rev both laugh. The descent continues, step by step. Rev creates walks way down place that would be out of reach. And at times they simply jump down, it is noted that the power in wind blast required to have Rev land safely and have Ein land safely is very different.
"I wish i was as light as you, child. You appear to float down as if you were a feather," Ein says.
Rev smirks "Of course, am all muscle..." Rev proudly says.
Ein laughs, patting Rev on the head. "Maybe some things can't be done through faith alone," Ein says.
Rev rolls his eyes "Hm..."
Rev looks over the next coming edge and grins.
"Hey Ein...SEE YOU AT THE BOTTOM! " Rev yells out as he runs off the cliff.
"REV!!!" Ein calls out.
Rev feels the initial change in the environment through the temperature.
"So warm..."
WHOOSH!
Rev blast a giant gust of wind blow him. Then looks back up "HURRY UP OLD MAN!!" Rev calls out to Ein.
Ein's heart had sunk for a moment, but Rev's smile from below revived it. "Foolish foolish foolish child" thinks to himself. Ein quickly makes his way down, while Rev takes in the humidity of the jungle. Breathing in had never felt too good.
"Foolish child you could-"
Rev cuts him off. "Do not focus on what could be, focus on what we know. Didn't you say something like that, old man?" Rev says.
Ein signs and hugs Rev tightly. Rev feels that unfamiliar warmth take his body again.
"Hey!...let...go" Rev's voice lacks conviction.
Ein eventually lets go of Rev. "We can't afford to make such carless movements a head you hear me, child. This is no place to have fun. Soon the hunters will become the pray..." Ein tells Rev.
Rev stars at him blankly "yeah yeah what ever you say old man" Rev says as he walks in to the jungle.
"Hey-"
"You said it yourself i have nothing to worry about I have you to protect, me right?" Rev says.
Ein lets out a breath and smiles "Of course...but-"
"And you said that you'd make me stronger. So what's there to worry about? Nothing can stand in our way," Rev says, turning back to Ein with a grin on his face.
"Oh...child your charm poisons me," Ein says as he pats Rev head.
"Well, let the journey continue," Ein tells Rev.