The Breath of Change: I and the Wind Element-Ch. 1.2 (1)

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"Drakos, I discovered something—some kind of shining energy wand that might be able to stand against the destroyer of universes. Is it connected to all of this?"

"Yes and no, Śri. It’s too soon to say. First, you need to find them. Then, you have to learn how to align them with your chakra points through meditation. And even then… it will demand a lot from you."

"Does that mean… I could be the chosen one?"

The mountain path stretched before us, a winding trail disappearing into the mist.

Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of my thoughts pressing down as much as the altitude. Drakos walked beside me, his presence a silent comfort against the vastness of the world around us.

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"Drakos... this whole thing about dying—it makes my skin crawl," I confessed, my voice barely more than a whisper. The admission hung in the air, vulnerable and raw, much like the wounds I carried within.

Memories of my mother's tear-streaked face flashed before me.

After my triplet sister Śrī-Eïrłŷś... It’s too heart-crunching to imagine how she had felt. I know Mom wanted me to be adopted by Master and stay at the Practice House, to remain safe within its familiar walls. Too much fear. Too much of that after the demise of our Dad.

But I had been stubborn. I gave in to my desire, not my needs. And the stupidity—ignorant about my ignorance, knowing nothing yet about anything. Was I trying to prove myself? Prove that I had the ability to fathom? Far from it. Perhaps, subconsciously, to escape the shadows of my past?

"Maybe Mom was right. I should’ve stayed at the Practice House. Just a kitchen hand, like she wanted. I shouldn’t have—" My voice faltered as I swallowed hard, the taste of regret bitter on my tongue. My fingers brushed against Drakos's fur, seeking solace in its softness.

"I shouldn’t have argued with her. Grandma was against it too, you know? She called Master’s teachings... satanic."

Drakos tilted his head, his amber eyes reflecting a depth of understanding that words couldn't convey.

"And yet, your mom still sent you. She believed in something for you, little one—something beyond what you can see now.

You do know she had her reasons, don’t you? She fought for this, for you, even when it meant going against what others thought was best. Don’t let the past misfortunes—the fear, the pain—take root in you now. Her sacrifices weren’t meant to weigh you down. They were meant to lift you."

His words pierced through the fog of my doubts, illuminating truths I had been too blind to see. Could it be that my mother had seen potential in me, a destiny intertwined with the very path I now tread?

It’s apparent Mom couldn’t handle all three of us—just like what happened to Grandma, who also had triplets. Her way was more subtle, naming them Mongolia1 to Mongolia3. Ours? Different. Hidden better with our last-first names. And now, after all this, I had to give in—to leave my home and village, even though I had felt so strongly about staying, about helping with the laborious chores, mending the bulls, preparing my strength… all just to find out more about the wand energy things.

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I looked away, the wind biting at my face, mirroring the turmoil within.

"Let’s talk about something else," I said quickly, my voice trembling. I tried to steady myself and spoke louder—too loud—without realizing Master wasn’t even nearby. "The Wind Element. Master’s been trying so hard to teach it to me... maybe if we focus on that, I’ll feel less... less like this."

Drakos leaned closer, his voice low and steady, grounding me amidst the storm of my emotions.

"Are you sure? I know the dying thing unsettles you—it unsettles everyone. But running from it won’t help. It’s... part of what we’re here to understand. Especially you." He paused, his gaze flickering with hesitation. "I know it’s hard, not that I mean to bring up your dad’s death, but..."

The mention of Dad again was like a dagger to the heart.

His absence had left a void, a chasm of unanswered questions and unresolved grief.

I had buried those feelings deep, hoping that by ignoring them, they would stop haunting me.

But here, on this path, with the wind whispering secrets and Drakos by my side, the past felt inescapable.

You might wonder—what on earth does the Wind Element have to do with snow, earth, or anything else? I wonder too. And if I don’t get it, then what’s the point of learning it? Why even bother teaching us?

I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and closed my eyes.

Master always spoke of the Wind Element as more than just a physical force. It was about freedom. About letting go. About embracing the unknown.

What does that even mean?

I’d rather learn practical things—shooting arrows, riding horses, trapping runaway animals, doing hard chores. Could I really grasp anything wisdom was trying to shove at me and Tenzin—my best friend at the Practice House, high up in the Himalayas, where the wind howled non-stop almost all year? Could I, like the others who spent so much time and effort in those seasonal sessions, actually let the future’s what-to-must-know guide me—rather than fearing where it might lead?

"I want to understand," I said finally, opening my dry, lethargic eyes to meet Drakos’s steady gaze. He looked… different now. Handsome, in a way.

"Not just the Wind Element, but... everything. My fears, my past, my purpose. I want to face it all."

Drakos nodded, a glimmer of pride in his eyes.

"That's the spirit, little one. Embracing the wind means embracing change, uncertainty, and even the shadows of our past. It’s not an easy path, but it’s the only way to truly soar."

I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and closed my eyes. Master had often spoken of the Wind Element as more than just a physical force. It was a manifestation of freedom, of letting go, of embracing the unknown.

Could I learn to harness it? To let it guide me, rather than fearing where it might lead?

"I want to understand," I said finally, opening my eyes to meet Drakos's steady gaze. "Not just the Wind Element, but... everything. My fears, my past, my purpose. I want to face it all."

Drakos nodded, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "That's the spirit, little one. Embracing the wind means embracing change, uncertainty, and even the shadows of our past. It's not an easy path, but it's the only way to truly soar."

As we continued our ascent, the path growing steeper and the air thinner, I felt a shift within me. The weight of my doubts began to lighten, replaced by a burgeoning resolve.

The journey ahead was fraught with challenges, but with Drakos by my side and the teachings of the Wind Element guiding me, I felt ready to face whatever lay beyond the next bend.

For the first time, the wind didn't feel like an adversary. It felt like an ally, urging me forward, whispering promises of discovery and growth.

And as I took the next step, I realized that perhaps, in embracing the wind, I was also embracing myself.

Suddenly, a face surfaced in my mind—Śri’-reāl, my twin sister. And then... another. Śri'… my triplet sister. The one who was never born.

It felt like something had lodged in my throat, tightening, choking.

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