A handful-sized puddle of water moved across the floorboard away from Tao's hand. The water did not flow out in all directions but stayed together, even though it left a wet track on the floor. After a while, the puddle stopped and started moving back. When the water reached Tao's palm, it seemed to stick to the inside of his palm in a thin layer. Tao raised his hand over the clay jug on the floor beside him. The water separated from his palm and fell into the jug with a plop.

Looks like I was right after all... at least partly, the boy thought happily.

One of the first things Tao learned from Eleya was that the spirit power was not part of the Material Realm and existed before it. He had therefore given up trying to attribute the properties of physical elementary particles to the spirit power. It was only after a long time, when other methods did not give better results, that Tao began to reflect on why he had been more successful in the past without knowing the truth. Even if the spirit force is not made of physical particles, it adapts itself to the will of the mind. The boy speculated, that even if the mind gives orders to influence the physical elements, perhaps the spirit force can begin to imitate their properties and thus influence the elements themselves.

Since water runs away from spirit power like iron from a magnet, Tao began to try to 'magnetize' the water first and then repel it. This proved to be quite effective. Soon the boy was able to move not just one tiny drop, but a slightly larger quantity of water. What's more, he also discovered that the 'magnetized' water can also be moved toward the hand.

I wonder how much water I could lift if I used more spirit power? Tao was curious.

To use more spirit power would be to risk attracting unwanted attention, so he overcame this temptation.

"Tao, where are you?" The boy heard his mother's voice.

Not a moment's peace even in the evening... he sighed and got up from the floor.

Indres had told his wife about Tao's attempts to invoke blessings and also magic. As one would expect, Sofra was very shocked, but like her husband, she concluded that Tao was probably a special gift. Of course, they both thought that the boy was still too young to learn how to use the spirit power seriously, so they simply resolved to keep a closer eye on their son to make sure he didn't get in any more trouble. This made it harder for the boy to find time alone.

Sofra sat on her bed with her two daughters. She held Inya under her armpits, trying to get her to stand on her own two feet, while Safia played with dolls beside them.

"Once again you are playing alone in the other room. Is that so interesting?" The mother asked Tao when he entered the room.

"Er... no." The boy didn't quite know what to say.

"Then wouldn't it be better to play with us?"

"Fine..."

Of course, with his success, the boy wanted to continue experimenting with water magic, but that could wait. Tao didn't want to worry his mother or make her suspicious. This meant being prepared to give more of his time to behave like a normal child. Even if now few people considered him normal...

When the boy crawled into bed, Safia quickly got her brother involved in her play with the dolls. The girl also tried to involve her mother. Sofra occasionally responded, but most of her attention was devoted to teaching Inya to stand. Unfortunately, this was not yet possible for the baby. Eventually, she started to cry.

"It's all right... it's all right." Sofra took her youngest daughter in her arms and began to soothe.

When she saw Tao's look, her mother smiled.

"I guess you really have a special gift... " She said thoughtfully, stroking Inya's head.

Sorry for making you expect too much from children... Tao could only apologize in his mind.

He hoped that Sofra would take Safia as an example for raising her youngest daughter in the future. If parents put an over-talented sibling as a role model for their child, it could seriously shatter their self-confidence. The boy knew this well...

"...then the dragon flew and attacked the princess!" Safia said elatedly, hovering a winged toy in the air above the other dolls.

It's a bird toy, but oh well... Tao decided not to point out the difference.

"The princess says help." The girl glared at her brother.

Tao knew what was being asked of him. He touched the doll with the long dress.

"Help. Help." The boy put some life into his voice and moved the doll a little.

It was too embarrassing to play too hard, but he didn't want to speak in a monotone either.

"Don't be afraid, I'll save you!" Safia seemed satisfied and eagerly continued the role-play.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

She put another doll between the 'dragon' and the 'princess', which was the 'hero'. A fight broke out between the dragon and the hero, which lasted for quite a while. Sister expected Tao to mostly just watch though, so he didn't have to do much. For some reason, the boy felt the urge to get involved.

"Fight, hero! Win!" he exclaimed, moving the 'princess' doll.

Safia looked delighted that her brother was taking part in the game without prompting, and more actively demonstrated the epic battle between the dragon and the hero until the latter was finally victorious. Tao realized that he had a smile on his lips.

She just looked rather amusing, that's all... the boy tried to convince himself.

He thought it was too weird to be happy about silly play with dolls. Tao remembered that in his previous life, his parents hadn't bought many toys, he drew superheroes on paper, painted costumes, cut them out, and played with them... Usually, he had to do it alone though, because his brother was busy studying. The memories were vague, so you couldn't tell how much fun it was then.

Maybe the child's body still makes an impression on the mind? Who knows... Tao didn't want to get too deep into his feelings.

When he did that, a good mood usually disappeared.

A noise at the door disturbed the family's peace. It was already evening and dusk was falling outside, so Sofra went to see what was causing it.

Although Inya could not stand, she was sitting quite steadily. What's more, Tao saw that his little sister was reaching with one hand in the direction where her mother had disappeared and making a few sounds like she was trying to say something.

Until recently, she could only sleep and cry... babies do grow up fast, Tao thought.

He even felt a certain envy for his younger sister, who seemed to have doubled in size since birth. The boy was aware that he was also growing, but it was hard to be patient.

Inya's voice showed anxiety; she looked close to tears. Safia noticed this and crawled closer to her younger sister to cuddle and comfort her.

"No crying... " Safia said, patting her little sister's head like her mother used to do.

So, you can be a proper big sister if you want... Tao said in thought.

He didn't mean to reproach or complain, on the contrary, a smile once again was on the boy's lips.

"I'm home" A familiar voice came from the corridor.

"Dad!" Safia exclaimed.

She rolled off the bed and hurried towards the front door, leaving her little sister confused.

Tao could only sigh and shake his head.

Luckily, their mother soon returned to take Inya in her arms and invited Tao to come with her.

Indres had gone to the city for a special purpose, which he kept secret from the children. Tao already knew this thanks to his enhanced hearing, but he tried to show the same surprise as his sisters when their father opened the wooden box, he had brought with him.

"Puppy!" Safia exclaimed happily and began to jump.

Indeed, in Indres' arms was a fluffy cub with fur in several shades. The puppy was part grey but also part black and silver.

"That is not... sereni?" asked Sofra, while her eldest daughter and son petted the dog.

"It's a half-breed, that's why it was cheaper," Indres explained, taking off his coat.

"Won't that affect his abilities?"

"The breeder said no, so let's hope so."

The puppy was full of energy and wagged a small tail excitedly, trying to lick the children's hands. Tao remembered Teru, who had been dead for more than half a year now, but was such an innocent puppy in the beginning... The guilt and shame that had long been repressed were stirring in his heart again.

No, it will be different now, Tao told himself.

He was wiser and more cautious now, able to block his spirit power. The boy was determined not to let the past repeat itself.

"What's his name?"

"It's a girl. They hadn't given the half-breed a name. I had to do it myself."

"Poor girl... what did you decide?"

"Sigita."

"Sigita... it means 'arrow' in the old tongue."

"Yes, the lines on the nose look like an arrow."

Tao agreed that the black line that went across the pup's forehead formed a sort of arrowhead on the muzzle.

Although a bit simple, the boy agreed that at least visually the name was appropriate.

Still, would it have been nice to wait a bit and work it out with the family? He mentally reproached his father a little.

"I thought you had enough money for a pure-bred sereni. Didn't you want that?" Sofra studied her husband's face curiously.

"If a mixed breed can do the same, why spend more? Besides, this baby seemed stronger and sharper than the others."

"Oh so... maybe you just felt sorry for her?" a smile appeared on the woman's lips.

"Hmp! I wouldn't buy something if I didn't think there was a benefit. You'll soon see that Sigita is just as capable as any other sereni!" Indres announced, crouching down beside the children to pet the pup as well.

"Aye, I believe you..." Sofra continued to smile.

***

Tao's family wasn’t the only one that was changing. It was the whole village. The new defensive wall was finished and the gates had been put in. Although the deorgi continued to build towers on either side of the gate, beasts and monsters could no longer freely enter inside the wall, so the old wooden fence was torn down and its materials were used to build new buildings.

Though the stone wall was undoubtedly more secure, it was not easy for Tao to get used to the fact that the usual wooden fence no longer existed. Many others seemed to be at peace with it and started to use the new area more freely. Not only a few new houses appeared, but also workshops, warehouses, and animal barns.

As winter approached, people rushed to finish the various constructions and made a lot of noise, so Indres went out of the village to train Sigita, or Sigi, in the meadows. Safia and Tao went with him.

Although it was a sunny day, an unpleasant wind was blowing from the north, from the mountains. At first, the children ignored it, watching Indres teach the puppy to listen to his voice, sit and run. It was a long work, which required patience. Safia soon lost interest and even pouted when Indres did not allow her to interfere with the pup’s training. Tao wasn't sure this was a good idea either, feeling the wind freezing his nose and cheeks. He wanted to see how to train a dog though, considering teaching Sigi something himself if the need arose.

At one point, when his sister stepped a little to the side and Indres was focused on the puppy, Tao heard a familiar voice.

"Tao!" Eleya addressed him.

Strangely, the voice didn't come from his ear, but from the ground in front of the boy. He leaned in, hoping to see a wisp of air, but instead saw something else.

There was a small pile of leaves and blades of grass hiding in the middle of longer grass, or so it seemed at first. The pile began to move, revealing tiny legs, arms, and a head. A delicate face with bright yellow eyes looked towards him.

"Long time no seen." The tiny being smiled.

***