Mythshaper Chapter 04: Friends And Family

Chapter 04: Friends And Family

638 Days later

The na of the ga suggested a novel recreation, which Serenade Circle decidedly was not, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. Its complexity was perhaps too challenging for kids, but all of us had watched it played so many tis that it was practically unreasonable to not play. At least, we had kept most rules intact.

It was a regional favourite. There were even Serenade Circle contests during the Solstice festival. I had barely glimpsed the real, seasoned players play out the ga. The competition was held at night, and Mum was unreasonably strict about my bedti habits.

However, if I knew one thing, it was that the enjoynt from playing the ga far surpassed what one got from spectating others. Ignoring the fact that Serenade Circle particularly honed one’s Way of Balance, which I was on the verge of completing.

“Arilyn, it’s your turn,” said Eran, our proxy leader for this round. He was three seasons older than , already half a head taller, and maybe a full head above most of the kids. “Rember, even if you can’t eliminate anyone, don’t let them move another step. They’re already halfway across.”

His advice essentially translated to don’t ss up, which I didn’t intend to do. I inhaled deeply, set my sights on the opponent’s circle, and left ours, humming the most generic tune of the ga. My spell would hold only as long as the lody.

Keeping my rhythm, I rushed towards their territory. They had five players left in the ga, to our three. I skirted at the edge of their circle, stretching my arm as far as I could to touch my opponents without stepping into the bounds of the circle.

A simple touch would eliminate that player, but if I were to slip into their domain and they touch , I would be eliminated instead. The complications didn’t end there.

For example, with each player eliminated, the radius of the circle would shrink so it wouldn’t beco impossible to reach the remaining players. Currently, the circle was large enough to leave most of them safe.

While I darted along one side of the circle, my opponents retreated to the other. When I rushed to the opposite side, they fell back, all the while shielding their leader, Priam, out of my reach at the centre.

Our team was at a disadvantage, cut down to three mbers, which only ant winning would feel twice as sweet. Although I wasn’t the opener, I could sustain my rhythm the longest, benefitting from ditation and breathing control, and a little help from Alacrity. Little because half of the kids possessed the attribute. A couple with more points in it than myself.

Being the youngest doesn’t help.

I moved back and forth several tis, my throat beginning to strain. The kids mirrored my tempo, advancing and retreating with each shift of my gait. After half a dozen repetitions, they had decidedly morised my rhythm. That was where they made the mistake.

Once the opponent players grew used to my movents—and weary from the repetition—I suddenly cut my motion short and feinted to the opposite side where they had fallen back. My fingertips failed to touch anyone, but the little discordance in the tempo left their whole coordination in shambles.

Other than Priam, who remained safe in the centre, the rest faltered. I set my sights on the weakest mber of the group. Diana was the youngest after . She was frail and mostly mimicked others’ movents. Unable to keep up with the sudden change in pace, she stumbled over when my fingertips brushed her shoulder.

As she banged against a portly teammate, I tagged him too, felling two birds with one stone.

Cheers erupted from my team as I retreated, breaking the hum.

“That was so great, Arilyn!” Eran praised, patting my shoulder. I flashed a triumphant grin, gasps escaping my lips.

“The ga’s ours now…” cheered the other kid.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sat down. My spell brought the ga to even. It was all on them now.

On the other side, the little girl I had eliminated looked as if she were about to cry. It didn’t help that she was the smallest of the bunch and was always among the first two players eliminated. To make matters worse, Priam berated her for costing them a second player.

Guilt prickled under my skin as I looked away. All I could do was urge Eran to start his spell quickly, so Priam and the others would stop scolding her.

We won the round rather easily. Though they eliminated one of our mbers, their circle diminished to such a degree, that the last round beca rely a custom where Eran walked to Priam and eliminated him.

We changed our leader in the next round. The tactic didn’t work well, especially if the new leader played rashly. We might have won the ga already if Eran or I remained as the leader, but what was fun in that? This was no official ga with consequences.

“No, you can’t lead!” Priam yelled. “It’s already 4–3. If we lose another round, we’ll lose the ga.”

“But they switch leaders every round,” Diana said timidly.

“That’s because they’re winning,” Priam retorted.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“If I’m the captain, I can—”

“You want to be the leader every day,” retorted Tullus, the chubby boy she crashed onto during the ga.

“No, I don’t!”

“You do!”

“I don’t,” Diana made a fist. “The last ti I led was three, no, four days ago.”

“And we lost because of you,” Tullus accused.

“We’ll lose on the very first spell if you’re the leader like the last ti,” the others agreed with a crackle of laughter.

“We wouldn’t!”

“We most definitely would!”

Priam shook his head, coming forward. “If you want to beco a leader,” he snorted, “why don’t you join their team instead?”

To her fault, she actually turned to us, her eyes glistening. “Can I?” she asked, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill. “Can I join your circle? I’ll do anything you ask...”

Her plea left Eran in a tight spot. Though we rotated our leaders, he was our spiritual leader. He kept everyone motivated and steady, and others listened to him.

“Please...” Diana pleaded.

It wasn’t simply a matter of taking another mber, since her inclusion would make the team unequal.

Eran glanced around, clearly reluctant to deny her, but equally unwilling to swap anyone from our group. He seed to hope soone would volunteer themselves. Regrettably, none wanted to join the losing team.

Ultimately, it fell to .

Honestly, I had no desire to join the losers, either. But Mum always taught to be gracious. It was much more so of her dedicating herself, rather than simply telling I need to be kinder.

“Fine, I’ll swap with you,” I said, exhaling slowly.

“Really?” Diana’s eyes sparkled.

My teammates protested, but I made up my mind. My new team seed more excited about her exclusion than my inclusion. Priam welcod , graciously assigning the opening spell.

That hardly changed much. While Diana played the role of leader, Eran maintained everything. I eliminated two players in my three spells, but we lost the ga, anyway.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I bolted ho before the others began chanting their taunts. Because it simply wasn’t enough to win; you also had to annoy those you defeated. That was the true spirit of the ga.

Solas, I hope they grow up soon.

Of course, Eran didn’t join in their taunting, nor did Diana, who was simply content with her small victory.

[Congratulations! Way of Running II (1000/1000) is completed.]

[Attribute Awakened: Agility (Elentary).]

[ 2 Agility.]

[ 2 Alacrity]

“Finally,” I muttered, stumbling mid-stride. It had taken a bit more ti than I intended for it.

Mum didn’t allow to sprint like the older kids in the mornings, but she didn’t mind playing for hours. Weird rules adults make.

“Arilyn, wait!” Eran called, running to catch up with the blonde girl in tow. “Why do you always run ho?”

“Running is fun,” I replied simply.

I understood why he was here—his house was on the sa path, the closest to ours—but Diana’s ho was in the centre of town. Why was she out this late?

“I heard tomorrow’s your birthday,” Eran said.

I turned to face him. “Who told you that?” I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice.

Does he want to invite him? But there’s no celebration though... Unlike many patricians, Mum detested pandering to every little thing that was worth celebrating.

“Your ma ca to get fresh eggs and milk this morning,” Eran explained. “She ntioned it to ma.”

“You’re getting a birthday cake!” Diana chirped.

Now I was excited too.

“I’ll wish you a happy birthday tomorrow,” Eran said.

“ too!” Diana chid in. “ too!”

“Then I’ll thank you both tomorrow,” I chuckled.

Eran’s house was further down the road, divided by sprawling wheat fields, all owned by his family. He bid goodbye and veered onto another path, but Diana didn’t follow him.

As I neared my ho, I noticed she was still trailing . I turned to give her a curious look. The spring evenings weren’t as brief as those in winter, but it was already getting dark.

“Mum, I’m ho!” I shouted upon arriving. Diana hovered at the doorstep. Finally, unable to ignore her any longer, I asked, “Aren’t you supposed to go ho?”

Diana nodded urgently. “Mama asked to invite your mama to fix the water at our inn.”

“Fix the water?” I arched my eyebrows. “I don’t think Mum does that. Wait, you an, repair the runes in the water system?”

Diana seed unsure but nodded anyway.

“Is the water not heating?” I asked, while heading to clean myself. “Not purifying?”

“There is no water.”

“That she can fix, probably,” I assured her. “Mum!”

She appeared instantly, wearing her apron. “Welco back. Oh, did you bring a friend ho?”

“No, she ca for you.”

“Good evening,” Diana greeted quietly.

“Their inn’s water system is broken.”

“I see,” Mum said, turning to the girl. “Anything more I should know to fix?”

The little girl looked out of her depth. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Mama asked to bring you.”

“She let you wander alone this late?” Mum frowned. “What if you didn’t know the way? Can you even navigate back in the dark?”

Diana hesitated, finally realising how dim it had beco. “I... Mama asked to call you in the afternoon, but I went to play and forgot.”

Mum rubbed her temple and crouched to Diana’s height. “I’d have co to fix the problem in the morning, but I can’t let you wander back alone now, can I?”

Diana looked relieved.

“I’ll go grab my gear,” Mum said, standing up. “Ari, do you want to co along?”

I considered it briefly and shook my head. Repairs might not take long, but Mum tended to dive into small talk with other won afterwards. And let tell you, they were hardly ever small.

She prepared quickly, slinging a leather satchel over her shoulder. Before leaving with Diana, she crouched beside . “I’ll be back soon,” she said. “Do you rember the house rules?”

“Don’t wander at night,” I recited, “and don’t let strangers in.”

She kissed my forehead and vanished down the path with the blonde little girl. I watched their figures fade into the darkness before stepping inside.

Now that I had the entire house to myself, I wondered what I should do. Then I rembered, tomorrow was my birthday! Mum probably had my gift hidden sowhere.

My eyes lit up with excitent. But before I could begin my search, soone knocked at the gate.

“Who is it?” I called, scurrying to the entrance. Then I rembered the rules and decided against opening it imdiately.

“Is this Ashlyn’s house?” replied a feminine voice.

I crept to the side window to get a look at the visitors. The voice was unfamiliar, and the figures outside were strangers too. In the dim light, I made out two people: a woman and a young girl, both swathed in thick coats and carrying bags.

The younger girl noticed peeking and moved closer to the glass window. She stared at , opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately said nothing.

“Oh, my, are you Arilyn?” the older woman asked, her eyes lighting up as she spotted . “You have Ash’s eyes.”

I frowned. “Mum’s not ho. She’s out, working. Will be back soon. Can you wait until she returns?”

The woman smiled warmly, but the younger girl stared at with frosty eyes.

“We certainly can. After all, we ca a long way to et you. What’s a little more waiting?”

“To et ?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you were here for Mum.”

“That too,” the woman said with a mysterious smile that felt so much familiar. “You may not recognise us, but we’re actually family.”

“We’re your aunts!” announced the haughty girl.