EPISODE 8 — IN MY OWN WAY

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 8 — IN MY OWN WAY

A few days after the monster surge, life returned to normal once again. At least for Percy. He woke up in the morning. He ate breakfast. He bickered with Clara. He practiced magic. He bickered with Clara again. He tried **[Absolute Cancel]**. He failed. Then he went back to practicing magic.

Percy was sitting in the middle of the garden. A small Orin sphere rested above his palm. He could form the sphere now. The real problem... Was keeping it there. The sphere quivered. Percy frowned.

"Stop."

The sphere quivered a bit more.

"I told you to stop."

Pop. It dispersed. Percy's hair fluttered slightly from the breeze. Clara giggled a few meters away.

"Did you think it would stop just because you talked to it?"

Percy looked at her.

"Maybe."

"Orin isn't your dog."

"It's not yours either."

"Mine stays up longer."

Percy turned his face away.

"For now."

Clara smiled. Lately, that was Percy's favorite phrase. For now.

In the afternoon, Percy found Holar in his study. Holar was reading an ancient book. Percy climbed onto the armchair across from him. He sat down. Holar turned a page. Percy stared at him. Holar kept reading. Percy was still staring. A minute passed. Holar finally lowered the book.

"What?"

Percy asked directly:

"Why don't you help me very much?"

The expression on Holar's face shifted slightly.

Percy continued:

"You see the things I can't do."

"Yes."

"And you know how I should do them."

"Yes."

"But you don't tell me."

"Sometimes I do."

"Not enough."

Holar closed the book. Percy waited. Holar spent a few seconds considering what to say. In the end, he placed the book on the table.

"Because I wanted you to stay a child."

Percy's brows knitted slightly. Holar looked at him.

"You were five months old when I found you."

Percy listened silently.

"You learned to walk."

A small smile formed on Holar's face.

"Then to run."

"I run well."

"You fell down the stairs three times."

"Those stairs are bad."

Holar laughed.

"Then you learned to talk."

Percy nodded.

"I talk very well."

"Sometimes a bit too much."

Percy ignored that.

Holar continued:

"I didn't want you to rush into learning magic."

"Why?"

"Because magic waits."

Percy went quiet.

"Orin waits."

Holar paused for a moment.

"Power waits, too."

He looked into Percy's eyes.

"But your childhood does not wait."

Percy didn't reply immediately this time. Holar's voice softened.

"One day you will grow up."

"I'm already growing up."

"I know."

A faint melancholy touched Holar's face.

"A little too fast."

Percy didn't quite understand that. But he understood the tone in Holar's voice. He climbed down from the chair. He walked over to Holar.

"I'll still call you Grandpa."

Holar looked at him. Percy looked remarkably serious.

"Even when I grow up."

Holar couldn't answer for a few seconds. Then he ruffled Percy's hair.

"I hope so."

Percy ducked his head away.

"Don't mess up my hair."

Holar laughed. Percy walked toward the door. He opened it. Then he stopped. He turned back.

"But you can still help a little more."

Holar's smile widened.

"Percy."

"Just a little."

"Go on."

Percy closed the door. Eleanor was standing in the corridor. Percy looked at her. Eleanor looked at Percy.

"Did you listen to the whole conversation?"

Eleanor wasn't ashamed in the slightest.

"Yes."

Percy looked at her for a few seconds.

"That's rude."

"I was curious."

Percy started walking. Eleanor walked alongside him.

"If you want, I can help you."

Percy stopped. Eleanor stopped too. Percy looked at her.

"How?"

Eleanor pondered.

"In my own way."

Percy's face instantly changed.

"Your way is bad. I don't want it."

Eleanor's mouth gaped open. Percy kept walking. Eleanor remained in place for a few seconds.

"My way is bad?"

"Yes."

"How would you know?"

Percy answered without looking back:

"Clara complains about it constantly."

"WHAT DOES CLARA SAY?"

Percy stopped. He turned slowly. He saw the expression on Eleanor's face. He made a decision.

"Nothing."

"Percy."

"I didn't say anything."

"You just said it."

"No."

"You did."

"Prove it."

Eleanor narrowed her eyes. A small grin formed on Percy's face. Just then, Holar stepped out of the room.

"What are you two doing?"

Percy immediately pointed at her.

"Aunt Eleanor wants to teach me magic in her own way."

Holar looked at Eleanor. Eleanor crossed her arms.

"I'm going to offer a little help."

A suspicious look appeared on Holar's face.

"In your own way?"

"Yes."

"Don't go getting Percy hurt."

Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Who do you take me for?"

Holar answered:

"The person who kept Clara floating in the air for three hours to practice Orin control."

"It was very effective."

"Clara threw up."

"And she never threw up again after that."

Percy's eyes widened.

"Aunt Eleanor."

Eleanor looked at him.

"What?"

"I definitely do not want your way."

Holar laughed. Eleanor turned to him.

"Don't you laugh, old man."

Holar's laughter cut short.

"Old man?"

"Yes."

"You are sixteen hundred—"

Eleanor lightly flicked two fingers. A gust of wind materialized. It snagged the tip of Holar's beard. And tugged. Holar's head jerked forward slightly.

"...Eleanor."

Eleanor looked utterly innocent.

"What?"

"Let go of my beard."

"I'm not doing anything."

The beard was tugged again. Holar narrowed his eyes.

"You did that."

"I did not."

Again. Tug. Percy watched the two of them for a few seconds. Then a slow grin spread across his face. Eleanor saw it. Percy looked at her. Eleanor looked at him back. A silent agreement formed between the two of them. Percy looked at Holar.

"I think it's the wind."

Eleanor nodded solemnly.

"Definitely the wind."

Holar looked at both of them.

"You two teamed up very fast."

Percy and Eleanor answered in unison:

"No."

Then they looked at each other. And laughed. Holar sighed. Something terrible had begun. The next morning, Eleanor stood before Percy.

"First off..."

Percy readied himself.

"...forget half of what Holar taught you."

Percy's eyebrows shot up. From the other end of the garden, Holar's voice called out:

"I can hear you."

Eleanor shouted back:

"I SAID IT SO YOU WOULD HEAR!"

Percy laughed. Eleanor turned back to him.

"How do you feel Orin?"

Percy placed a hand on his chest.

"From here."

"Wrong."

Percy paused.

"What?"

"Not wrong, exactly."

Eleanor thought about it.

"Incomplete."

Percy perked up with attention.

"Orin isn't just inside you."

"I know. It's everywhere."

"Knowing is one thing."

Eleanor raised her hand.

"Feeling it is another."

The wind began to gently swirl around Percy.

"Don't try to force the Orin inside you out."

Percy frowned.

"What should I do?"

"Connect it with what's outside."

Percy went quiet. This was different.

Eleanor continued:

"Don't force it."

Percy closed his eyes.

"Don't pull."

He took a breath.

"Don't push."

Percy felt his own Orin. Then... The Orin around him. At first, nothing happened. Then came a very subtle contact. Percy's fingers twitched. Orin manifested. Faster than normal. Percy snapped his eyes open. Eleanor smiled.

"Again."

Percy did it. Faster this time.

"Again."

Faster.

"Again."

Orin formed in Percy's palm almost instantaneously. A look of sheer amazement covered Percy's face.

"Woooooooah."

Eleanor laughed.

"Now hold it."

The sphere quivered. Percy took control. Five seconds. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Percy realized he was approaching Clara's record. The sphere began to wobble. Percy's face strained. Eleanor immediately chimed in:

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"Don't force it."

Percy let out his breath. The sphere stabilized. Thirty-five. Forty. Percy's eyes widened. Eleanor smiled.

"Forty-two."

The sphere dispersed. Percy looked at his hand. Then at Eleanor.

"Aunt Eleanor."

"Hm?"

"Your way is actually great."

Eleanor put her hands on her hips.

"Say that again."

"No."

"Percy."

"I said it once."

"Once more."

"Let's keep going."

Eleanor laughed.

On the other side of the garden, Clara was watching them. Holar joined her side. Clara looked at him. Holar looked at Percy and Eleanor. Eleanor was demonstrating something. Percy immediately tried it out. The two laughed together every now and then. Holar watched them for a few seconds. Then he turned to Clara.

"Come, child."

Clara raised her eyebrows.

"Where?"

"We're going to practice too."

Clara immediately glanced at Eleanor.

Eleanor shouted from afar:

"OLD MAN!"

Holar's eyebrow twitched.

"DON'T TEACH HER IN YOUR WAY!"

Holar turned toward her.

"What's wrong with my way?"

"DON'T MAKE THE CHILD SIT LIKE A TWO-THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD MONK!"

"Basic discipline."

"BORING!"

Clara looked at Holar.

"It is a bit boring."

A look of deep betrayal washed over Holar's face.

"You too?"

Clara shrugged. Holar took a deep breath.

"Come."

Clara walked after him.

"What are we going to do?"

Holar thought for a moment. Then a small smile touched his lips.

"In my own way."

Eleanor yelled from a distance:

"HOLAR!"

Holar didn't answer.

Days passed. Training had changed. Eleanor was speeding Percy up. Not his raw power, though. His connection. Sensing. Extracting. Holding. Shaping. The time it took Percy to notice Orin shrank drastically. Before, it required several breaths. Then one. Then... Just thinking about it. Orin formed in his palm. Eleanor nodded.

"Now move it."

Percy looked at the sphere. The sphere rose from his palm. It wobbled slightly. Moved to the right. Stopped. To the left. Percy's eyes sparkled. The sphere circled around his head. One lap. Two. Percy grinned.

"BOOOOOOOOOWWW YEAAAAAAH!"

Silence descended upon the garden. Eleanor looked at him. Holar looked at him. Clara looked at him. Even the servant at the edge of the garden stared at him. Percy's grin slowly shrank.

"...What?"

Clara closed her eyes.

"So cringe."

Percy's face fell.

"It's awesome."

"It isn't."

"It's my victory battlecry."

Eleanor pressed her lips together. She was trying hard not to laugh.

Holar asked:

"Where did you learn that?"

Percy shrugged.

"I made it up."

Clara held her head.

"Of course you made it up."

Percy looked back at the sphere.

"BOO—"

Clara yelled immediately:

"NO."

Percy went quiet. Eleanor couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. The next exercise was shaping. Eleanor stood before him.

"You're going to change the sphere."

Percy looked at it.

"How?"

"However you like."

Percy thought. The sphere expanded. It flattened out. In an instant, it transformed into a small, round shield. Eleanor's eyebrows raised.

"Good."

Percy moved the shield to the right. Then to the left. Brought it in front of him. Shifted it behind him. Eleanor sent a light strike of Orin. The shield blocked the blow. Percy slid back a step. But the shape didn't break. A broad smile broke out on Percy's face. Clara was watching from a distance.

"Not bad."

Percy turned to her.

"Not bad?"

Clara shrugged.

"Not bad."

Percy looked at the Orin again. The shield shrank. Elongated. Began to thin out. Eleanor watched closely. The tip of the Orin sharpened into a point. A shaft formed. A few seconds later, a long spear rested in Percy's hand. Holar's gaze turned toward him. Clara paid close attention as well. Percy looked at the spear. One second. Two. The expression on his face shifted. His brows knitted together. Eleanor noticed it.

"What happened?"

Percy didn't answer. He spun the spear in his hand. He looked at it once more. Inside him... An unexplainable sense of discomfort had risen. The weapon wasn't bad. Its shape was clean. Its balance was fine too. But Percy... Hated it. He didn't like it at all.

"Percy?"

Percy closed his fist. The spear instantly collapsed. The Orin reshaped itself. This time it expanded. It became a shield once more. The discomfort on Percy's face vanished. Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Why did you discard the spear?"

Percy pondered for a few seconds.

"I don't know."

"Was the shape bad?"

"No."

"Could you not control it?"

"I did."

"Then why?"

Percy looked at his shield. Then he shrugged.

"I didn't like it."

Holar watched Percy from a distance. He said nothing. Eleanor thought about it for a few seconds too. Then she moved on.

"Alright then."

Percy went back to practicing. Neither of them dwelt on it. Not even Percy. He simply... Hadn't wanted a spear.

In the late afternoon, Clara and Percy were facing each other once again. This time, both held an Orin sphere in their palm. Holar and Eleanor were sitting a short distance away. Clara's sphere was near perfect. Percy's was still trembling very slightly. Clara smiled.

"Mine is smoother."

Percy nodded.

"Yes."

Clara's face fell.

"Again?"

"What?"

"Don't just admit it."

"It's true."

"How am I supposed to argue with you?"

Percy thought for a moment. Then he raised his own sphere into the air. He orbited it around Clara. Clara tracked it with her eyes. Percy's sphere accelerated. It passed over Clara's head. Looped around her back. Returned to Percy's hand. Percy grinned.

"But yours can't do this."

Clara's eyes narrowed.

"It can."

"No it can't."

"It can too."

"Show me."

Clara immediately raised her sphere. Percy smirked. His old self hadn't completely vanished. He just... Knew when to use it better now. Eleanor watched the children and looked at Holar.

"Look."

Holar looked. Clara was trying to move her sphere. Percy was waiting across from her with his arms crossed.

"What?"

"They're happy."

Holar remained quiet.

Eleanor continued:

"They're learning."

"Yes."

"They're still children."

Holar looked at her. Eleanor smiled softly.

"Both can happen at the same time."

Holar looked back at Percy. Percy was laughing as Clara's sphere dropped to the ground. Clara scooped up a handful of dirt from the ground and threw it at him. Percy dodged it.

"BOOOOOOOOOWWW YEAAAAAAH!"

"YOU HAVEN'T WON ANYTHING YET!"

"YOUR SPHERE DROPPED!"

"I'LL THROW DIRT AT YOU!"

"MISSED!"

A small smile formed on Holar's face.

"You might be right."

Eleanor's eyebrow shot up.

"What did you say?"

Holar instantly turned away.

"Nothing."

Eleanor smiled.

"No."

"I didn't say anything."

"You said I might be right."

"You misheard."

"I heard it."

"Prove it."

Eleanor went quiet. A subtle look of triumph appeared on Holar's face. Eleanor flicked two fingers. Holar's beard floated up into the air. Tug. Holar's face fell.

"Eleanor."

Eleanor looked innocent.

"I didn't do it."

In the middle of the garden, Percy stopped. Clara stopped too. Both of them looked toward them at the same time.

Percy spoke softly:

"They're at it again."

Clara nodded.

"Definitely."

Percy thought.

"We're not like that."

Clara looked at him.

"Definitely not."

Percy nodded. Two seconds of silence passed. Then Percy pointed at Clara's sphere.

"Mine is faster."

Clara whipped around instantly:

"MINE IS SMOOTHER!"

Holar and Eleanor looked over at them. Eleanor didn't have a beard. But Holar's was still suspended in the air. The four of them stared at each other for a few seconds. Percy's face changed. So did Clara's. Holar sighed. Eleanor began to laugh.

Percy muttered:

"...We might have swapped places."

This time, Clara didn't object.