Almost six months pass.

  The routine settled in for Will and Alea and they both grow stronger.

  One morning as Will is eating breakfast he realizes that, sometime in the past month or so, he must have turned 16.

  He also went from being 5’5 to now about 5’8. He’s still trying to get used to the new height and the reach difference when fighting, but he’s just glad he’s growing.

  Unfortunately Alea grew an inch during this time as well so now they’re both the same height. He was looking forward to holding it over her head that he was finally taller than her, but oh well. Hopefully he will continue to grow taller.

  He knows his time for that is almost over though.

  Will shakes the thought from his head. No use thinking about something he can’t control.

  He walks outside to begin some morning training.

  He has no idea where Alea is. When the two women aren’t at the cabin with them, they’re off in some safe house of Taleya’s. She transports them back and forth every morning and evening before and after training.

  He kind of expected them by now. Usually Alea cultivates at Taleya’s safe house, eats breakfast, and then they both come to the cabin to continue training. But neither women are here yet, nor is master Amos.

  Weird for the routine to be broken like that, but he trusts that they’ll be ok. He can’t imagine anyone strong enough to be able to take Amos and Taleya down. At the very least, they would be powerful enough to get away.

  Will puts those thoughts out of his mind as he begins going through weapon forms with his long knives.

  After only a few minutes, Taleya and Alea appear the same way they did when Will first met them.

  “Hello Will.” Taleya says.

  The next second a bundle of something is sent flying towards his head. He catches it on instinct, and marvels how his reflexes seem to be getting faster and faster.

  “What’s this?” He asks.

  “You’re growing like a weed child. These are a new set of clothes so you don’t look like Amos dresses you in toddler clothes anymore.”

  Will barked a laugh. It wasn’t that bad was it?

  Will looked down at himself and notices again how his wrists and ankles were unusually visible. He had noticed before, but he guesses that they are getting a little bad. And the clothes were starting to get uncomfortably tight as his muscles continued to grow. His thighs, shoulders, arms, even his back and his chest, had all seen some growth.

  All the same though, Will hesitated to become excited. Will had refused Amos when he offered to get him new clothes. The clothes he was wearing were the same ones he had on when he came here from his old world. He just washed them and put them right back on again.

  They were worn, too small, and honestly slightly embarrassing to wear because of the state they were in.

  Maybe it was odd that he had a hard time letting go of his old world. It never did him any favors. Was never a source for much joy or love.

  Will hasn’t spent a lot of time thinking about it, but his gut tells him it’s because of his mother.

  A part of him has held hope all this time that maybe she left because she was forced to, not because she just didn’t want to deal with a kid. That maybe when she was done dealing with whatever she had to that she would come back, explain everything, and they would be a family again.

  Will realized his attachment to his old clothes might be a representation of his inability to let go of that idea about his mother.

  Stupid, really. Idiotic. Nonsensical. But there it is.

  He didn’t realize how close Taleya had gotten to him. It was unlike him to let his awareness slip like that. Amos had spent a good deal of time sneaking up on him and surprising him in dangerous ways to help him increase his reflexes and keep him on his guard at all times.

  “Are you ok Will?” Taleya asked.

  Her tone was gentle, kind, and maybe even a little understanding. The tenderness in her voice almost broke him.

  “I’m ok. A little sentimental I guess. These were the clothes I arrived here in, I guess I’m just having a hard time giving them up.”

  Taleya looked at him with knowing eyes. She knows there’s more, but she doesn’t say anything. Allowing him to keep his pride intact as he deals with the real reasons he has a hard time giving up the clothes.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  “Understandable. But if you wear them any longer they might fall apart and I’d like to keep my apprentice’s innocence intact for as long as I can.”

  Alea’s eyes go wide and her face begins to burn. “Master Taleya!” Alea yells.

  Taleya laughs, and evil grin on her face. “Oh calm down child.” She looks back at Will. “Go and change. We’ll be leaving soon.”

  Will’s face brightens up. “You mean…?”

  “Yes yes boy. We’ll be heading to Dunham today.”

  Will’s face breaks into a big smile and he hurries back to the cabin. He sends a grin Alea’s way, smiling at how embarrassed she got. The familiarity of a friend easing the pain slightly.

  Once Will was done dressing, he looked down at himself.

  The clothes fit perfectly. Will was a little alarmed how well Taleya had managed to size him up. He felt himself flush a little and brought his attention back to the clothes.

  The pants were well made, a thick, sturdy material that will last. They were also pitch black. Perfect, just his style.

  The shirt was a surprisingly soft material, somewhere between cotton and silk in how soft it was, but breathes extremely well. It’s a nice clean white color, short sleeve, with an interesting split collar. Almost like a traditional 3 button collared shirt back from his old world, only without the buttons and with no lapel.

  Taleya had gotten him a jacket as well. It was made out of a similar material to his pants, same deep black color, and styled in a very sleek way.

  Will looked down at the sturdy, dark brown boots that Taleya had bought him. His running shoes from home weren’t that bad yet, but it definitely wouldn’t take much longer.

  He was reluctant to switch to the boots. While he still had a hard time giving up his clothes, this was more than that. He loved how light his running shoes were, while also having great support and grip. It was like running around with clouds on his feet. He barely felt them and they had plenty of cushion.

  Will firmed his resolved. In for a penny, in for a pound I guess.

  He put the boots on and was immediately surprised by the quality. If anything they felt lighter than his running shoes. He stood up and took a few steps. They seemed to conform to his feet, and felt amazing.

  I guess these will work.

  Will made his way back outside, grabbing his sheathed long knives from the bed where he left them and buckling them around his waist before walking out of the cabin.

  …

  Alea stared off into the sky, staring at the clouds as they waited for Will.

  She was excited to finally get out into the world again for a while. She wasn’t sure what her masters had planned for them after the tournament, but somehow she doubted spending time in cities was an option.

  She frowned slightly. That actually brought to mind a thought that she didn’t know how she felt about.

  Would master Amos and master Taleya continue to train them together after the tournament? Would they go their separate ways?

  For a long time now it had been just her and her master. Up until recently that’s all Alea needed or cared about.

  Ever since Taleya took her in after she had run away from the orphanage, they had rarely been apart. She had been eight years old then, and her master and her had been together ever since, training and traveling.

  But now…now she didn’t know how she felt. Amos was a rock solid and steady presence. A silent anchor that she, for some reason, felt a sense of security and safety around.

  Will was…she wasn’t sure there either. He isn’t like other boys. There’s a seriousness to him. And a sadness. She’s sure he has his secrets, just like she has hers, but Alea recognizes that sadness. It’s loneliness. A loneliness so deep Alea would bet money that it’s been there since childhood. She knows that feeling all too well.

  He’s also extremely odd. He seems oblivious about certain things, but extremely knowledgeable about things he shouldn’t be. Maybe he’s from some tribe of isolated people that were knowledgeable in certain areas?

  Alea thought on it for a moment and then dismissed it. That sounded like her fitting a situation around evidence instead of thinking of situations that the evidence would fit into.

  He’s certainly a mystery. He’s talented, hard working, and despite the only recent beginnings in training, powerful.

  The memory of him standing off against that spider, harnessing power he couldn’t control, the dazzling golden lightning arcing around him. She has to breathe deeply to control her heart rate.

  Foolish boy. Almost getting himself killed like that. And for what? Her? She was not so valuable…and yet he never even hesitated.

  Ugh! What am I even doing? Stop day dreaming you stupid girl.

  Alea turned around at the sound of the cabin’s front door opening and felt her breath catch.

  Will walks out wearing the outfit that Taleya had showed up to the safe house with.

  He looked…can a boy look cute and dashing at the same time?

  His hair was messy and long enough to almost get into his eyes. His smile was easy as he walked out into the sunlight and his eyes almost seemed to glow an azure blue as he looked towards her.

  The outfit suited him. Much more than his old clothes, especially after he outgrew them. The shirt and jacket was slightly fitted and tapered, allowing for freedom of movement during a fight but also showing off his growing frame.

  She shook her head and turned away from him abruptly. She could feel her face getting warm again.

  What is this?! I am NOT some swooning girl! I’ll show him. I’ll face him in the tournament and wipe the floor with him. I’ll show him I’m someone to be respected and taken seriously.

  With her mind made up and her face under control she turned back around and found he had walked up to her.

  “So, have you ever been to Dunham before?”

  He asks.

  “No, but I’ve been to similar cities.”

  “Nice! I’m excited, this should be fun.”

  She looks over at him, arching an eyebrow. “You’re going to embarrass me by acting like a country bumpkin aren’t you?”

  He just smiles that annoying smile that makes her stomach feel like there are butterflies in it.

  “Of course.”

  She rolls her eyes at him and turns her head to hide her smile.

  “Alright kiddies, are you two ready?” Taleya says as she walks up to them.

  Will looks up at Taleya with a confused look on his face. “Shouldn’t we be waiting for master Amos?”

  “Depending on the distance I can’t use my space magic on too many people so Amos went on ahead to meet us there. The old man is fast when he wants to be don’t worry.” She winked at him.

  Will shrugged. “Oh. In that case I’m ready!”

  Taleya gathered them close. “Then off we go!”

  Alea smiles at the nervous looking Will. She had to admit, she was a little nervous as well her first time traveling like this.

  The familiar feeling of space compressing around and over them filled her senses, and then they were gone.