In the following weeks Gideon continued through his daily routine, with a slight twist. He would follow the access path out of the city and down the market road to the surrounding farms every evening. Captain Daniels would meet him out in the field and they would train, experimenting with his ability and armor skill. Gideon sat on an old wagon that had seen better days. It was now a large planter, flowers of all colors bloomed through out the wagon. He looked at the muscles that lined his arms and legs, admiring the benefits of the hard work he had been putting in. He felt stronger and far more confident than he had just a few short weeks ago. The Grand Awakening holiday was just a few days away, following that, the new semester at the Academy would begin.

It was a very quiet night. He could hear the animals rustling in the distance and the chirp of the insects all around him. After he’d spent the last few weeks training out on the farms, he now realized how much he had been missing out on in life. Being a city boy and never leaving the safety of home seemed like such a trivial thing now. His horizons had been expanded and there was no going back. The air out here was fresh in comparison the the fish and salty sea smells of the lower district. Sure “fresh air” meant fresh manure, but he’d grown to associate the smell with a refuge. It had become a place to escape the stares and whispers. “He used to be a scamp,” they would always say, pointing their fingers like he was a circus performer. He heard approaching footsteps, the captain was finally here. “Captain, it was getting late and I didn’t think,” he began before he saw the vibrant blue eyes and wispy hair. “Raya? Is that you?”

“Hi Gideon. Yes it’s me, who else would it be? Is there some other girl you expected? Do you meet girls outside the gates all the time?” She was mocking him, but the discomfort of being out of her domain was apparent. Her eyes darted from side to side, trying to look in every direction at once. “I came looking for you.”

“For me? Why? Did something happen to the captain?” He asked as he got to his feet. The tension uncoiled from his body as he jumped from the cart, ready to take action. “Let’s go. You can tell me about it on the way back.”

She laughed softly and placed her hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back into a seated position. “No, nothing like that. The captain actually told me where to find you.” She bit her lip and then continued. “You see, I’d stopped by your place to see you several times, like I said I would. You were never there.”

“I’m so sorry, I forgot all about you working my area. I don’t have any coin on me, but I will get it for you I swear.”

Her cheeks flushed. “You forgot about me?” She stared down at her feet, avoiding his gaze. “Captain Daniels paid me for the job awhile ago,” she said. “He offered me the job permanently, said you didn’t need it anymore. I took it. I hope that is okay?” she offered hesitantly.

“Really? That is great Raya! I know it hasn’t been easy for you. Of course it’s alright.” Gideon said. He met her eyes and he could see confusion, pain, and happiness all mixed together. He didn’t think he’d ever come to understand Raya, but she was his friend so he vowed to himself to always try.

“Yes he even gave me a raise. He said I do the job way better than you ever did. He’ll set up an account at the money lender where he’ll pay a stipend. This way I can collect coin from them instead. I’ve done some odd jobs with Madame Grenalda before, so collecting coin from her is best.” She hesitated for a moment, then continued, “Gideon is it true that you awakened an ability? It is all over the streets,” she asked. Her face flushed and she went quiet. Then, as if she just remembered she burst out, “The captain said you have the night off!”

“Really? That’s odd, he has been driving me hard. Yes Raya, I did awaken. It is exciting and infuriating at the same time. I don’t know what I’m doing half the…” he stopped speaking when he saw a tear running down her beautiful face. “Raya are you okay?”

“Thank you so much Gideon. Thanks for everything,” she said. Suddenly her arms were around him in a tight embrace. Her lips brushed his cheek so lightly that later that night he would debate whether it had been his imagination. Then she was gone. Gideon sat in shock, all his training having left him ill-prepared for this battle. He touched his face where the damp tears of Raya rested, imagining he could still smell her scent. He convinced himself he could, lingering on the memory. He sat like that until long after those tears had dried. He had the night off, why hadn’t she stayed. Did she not want to spend more time with him? He sat there with nothing but his memories to keep him company for many hours. He enjoyed the breeze as he stared out into the nothingness of farm country.

He heard the sound of wagon wheels, but chose to ignore them. “Did you go thick in the head Gideon? “ a thick country accent asked. Gideon looked up to see the farmer’s son Bean. “I’m out here to audit any damage for Da, so he can bill the guards, but it doesn’t look like much happened tonight. What kind of crazy training have you been getting up to?” He asked. “I’ve never seen anything that would cause this kind of damage before.”

Gideon stood to greet the boy, the conversation a welcome distraction. “Oh you know Bean, I’m just working on fighting abilities and trying to learn new skills. I’m way behind, so I have been getting a crash course from the captain. Most of the time I was the one doing the crashing. The captain is not gentle in his training.” Gideon said with a grin.

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“Well, you can stay as long as you like, but it’s getting’ late and I’m taking some of the apple harvest and a few hay bales to the dock warehouse. It’s right there outside of the gate access road if you need a lift. You can ride and tell me about your night.”

Gideon looked at Bean with a big smile. “Bean my friend, much has happened tonight and none of it combat training related. Tonight I needed a mentor, far more than any other night, but I had no guiding hand. The training I received was life lessons and not combat related. I’m not so sure that I learned anything though.” Gideon said while shaking his head.. “The things I experienced tonight make men move mountains. I would love a ride and the privilege to tell you about the mysteries of life.” Gideon laughed at the look on Bean’s face. “I jest my friend, but I assure you they are mysteries.”

The two boys climbed up on to the wagon. The little pony attached to the wagon patiently waited, looking at the boys. Bean placed his hand on the magic crystal and a small light shone under his palm. Gideon knew about Magitek, but aside from the street sweepers they used in the lower district, he hadn’t had the opportunity to see many others. “Void powered wagons don’t come into my district. I’ve heard of the tools the dock workers use, but have never seen any of them in person.” Gideon said.

“My awakened Alpha Ability is Strength, with my Alpha Skill being Farmhand. I’ve managed to level Farmhand a bit, but Da says that strength won’t level much until ‘I’m a man,’” Bean flexed comically. “Everyone wants adventure, but my path is stable and safe, or so Da says. Sometimes I’m not so sure, you know?”

Gideon did understand and he sympathized with the boy. Even with an awakened ability he was being steered down a mundane life path. “I just awakened and I’m doing everything I can to learn, but it’s hard. I had a lot of catching up to do before I start the Academy,” Gideon said. “But I have made a lot of progress though.”

Bean steered the cart as he listened about the training Gideon had been doing. “Da says the training I got from the scholar from the academy is enough. They sent me a tutor and the training was hard, but I got it down well enough. My path doesn’t need the full academy training, but I think I’ll always be curious about what I missed out on.” Gideon could see the look of sadness on Bean’s face betraying his inner thoughts and feelings. “Trade skill awakened don’t spend more that a year there. The academy is about training adventurers to get resources that others can’t. It’s about training people to fight so they can become guards in the city. I’m just a farmhand. That isn’t a fighting trade, the dirt doesn’t hit back.”

“That makes some sense, but I don’t see why you couldn’t go. Who’s to say none of your other abilities and skills won’t be combat related? Bean I’d bet the scholar told your Da what to say, he held you back because the academy told him too. You’re of age, I really think you should go.” They continued to chat as they rode along. Gideon saw the gate up ahead. They veered off the road toward the warehouses. The marveled that the warehouse storage area was open this late at night.

Bean laughed when he questioned it. “This allows the farmers to work the hours that suit them, even around the clock when necessary.” He told Gideon. “The larger gate over there goes into the lower districts of the city. They are only opened for the smaller shuttle wagons.” Gideon knew that these were what hauled the goods from the warehouse to the docks for shipping to other ports. He saw these come through along with the small personal carts that were used to supply the lower district’s warehouse stores and market.

Bean suddenly got serious. Gideon saw him chewing his lip as he debated on the words to say. “Gideon, who was the person that I saw come out to see you tonight, I’d hadn’t seen her before.” Bean asked quietly.

“Oh, that’s Raya. We grew up as scamps together. We supported each other to survive.” Gideon said offhandedly as he looked around at the Warehouse, lost in thought. He experienced so many new things lately that it was a bit overwhelming. How were so many things right here in arms reach and I never saw them? How was my world so small just a few weeks ago. Why wasn’t I living my best life then? Why did I settle? Gideon didn’t notice Bean’s reaction, as he was so engrossed in his surroundings.

“Raya,” Bean quietly tested the name, both boys were in their own world, oblivious to the others inner thoughts. “So was she the difficult lesson that you mentioned earlier?”

Gideon chuckled. “As a matter of fact she was. Just when you think you know someone, truly understand them, they go and do something unexplainable.” He got down and paced around the warehouse looking at all the food stored here. He had never seen so much food in one place before. He didn’t notice the inner turmoil that Bean was suffering through.

Bean spoke again, very quietly, “Oh, and what lesson is that, what did she do?” Bean looked down at the floor boards of the wagon, not looking to meet Gideon’s eyes.

“For no reason at all she kissed me, but then she was crying too. That is what I meant. I have no idea what was going on or what any of that meant. Bean, I tell you, it was so confusing. Usually Raya doesn’t get close enough to even touch her, so a hug and a kiss on the cheek was not like her at all. Like I said, a mystery.” Gideon shrugged his shoulders, perplexed.

Bean got down from the cart and went around to the back to unload the cargo into their storage stall. “Just the cheek? That is a mystery.” Gideon noticed that the tension left Bean and he was more relaxed. Something had changed in his demeanor, he was focused now, it was time to work. The boy opened the back of the wagon in preparation.

“You need some help?” Gideon asked.

“Nah, you’d just slow me down. This is what I was made for, a farmhand is what I do best. Thank you for the offer. Good luck at the Academy,” Bean said as he began tossing the bales like they weighed nothing.

Bean may not have leveled his strength ability yet, but it sure was something. Gideon watched Bean work for a moment, clearing the wagon swiftly. His frustration rose a little, realizing that Bean would never step foot in the Academy. Not because he wasn’t capable, but because someone convinced him he wasn’t good enough. Convinced him that his lot in life was just fine where he was. They kept his world small, unassuming, boring. The more Gideon saw of the world, the more he realized how small his perspective had been. The divide between the lower and the upper districts was an insurmountable thing to overcome. Blake and his gang were nothing in comparison to the bigger picture in Rime. Or was it like this throughout the world?