Dark clouds gathered in the sky, thunder raged outside. Winds were blowing fast.
August watched the trails of lightning fall down from his room. He was standing against the glassy window carrying amazement in his eyes.
Every time the lights flashed between the clouds he would watch in awe and suddenly at the next moment he would rush to hide within his blanket covering his ears from the loud thunderclaps.
As much as he loved the lightning, he hated those loud noises that came after just as much—more like he was afraid of them.
How wouldn't he? the voices, all of them—they used to hurt him.
Two years ago when he first encountered the elements and their annoying wills to exist, which people used to call the echoes—his life changed ever since then.
Or maybe it was always destined to be like this.
Years had passed, August, now five years old, had a better sense of the world.
He was starting to know things, understand them.
His education about essence and spellcraft hadn't started just yet but he was already a victim of it.
Just like his father had predicted with time the inferior elements did manage to trespass the barrier and eventually came to create problems for him.
Thus began his periodic sessions of misery and agony. Which consisted of nothing but pain.
Just like now, while watching the lightning he started to have this feeling he had grown so familiar with.
A very detailed process that used to make him feel every step of it.
First his senses grew confused, the world seemed blurry before his eyes, every noise faded into the background up to the point —he clearly hears his own blood flow.
Standing against the window he stumbled for a moment but never fell unconscious because that was where his true pain lied.
Unbeknownst to him, faint mist started to gather around him, covering him like a shield.
Then came the voices, countless of them all at once. Everyone says different things —hard to understand.
It felt like he was hearing the phrases from some ancient language.
His heart started to beat faster, slamming against his chest. His breathing grew ragged, making him struggle for even a wisp of air.
The intensity of the sharp voices pierced his eardrums, made his head ache.
Gasping for air he fell on his hands.
Tears left his eyes like tiny streams of water, veins and blood vessels bulged on his forehead clearly giving off the pained expression.
Writhing in pain he let out a low growl but managed not to scream.
Suddenly the door of his room pushed open and his mother barged inside. The tray carrying food fell from her hands as she rushed to him.
"It's okay baby I am here, I am here," she tried to act calm but her mind was in turmoil. However, panicking could not have solved anything.
Picking August up in her lap she pulled him into her soft embrace patting his face rapidly.
It was essential to keep August from falling unconscious. That way the echoes would completely overwhelm him and the results of that would be deadly.
It was hard being a mother who was unable to help her child. She would've cured him already if it was something other than Ambivalence.
For him this pain was also the antidote. With time he would slowly and surely grow used to these voices up to the point where it wouldn't become normal for him.
That was the idea at least. And the faint hope.
Because that was what all remained for the ones born in Ambivalent order.
It was their fate to suffer pain.
The gods love to play their games alright.
August, who was still writhing in pain somehow managed to gather his voice as the barely audible words escaped his mouth,
"Momma I …am alright. …. don't …cry."
If it weren't for his endurance August would've gone insane or probably died by now.
For his mother who had watched her son in this agonizing state many times now—his caring attitude was always a mystery.
From where did a five year old like him get this resilience to stand in the face of pain and still manage to care for his mother's tears?
The echoes tried hard but when they were unable to get past his mental defences—they finally gave up. Leaving him as a vessel for another day.
Not so long after his condition slowly returned to normal.
His heartbeat slowed, so did his breathing.
His body was covered in cold sweat, his eyes closed. Finally being freed from the grasp of echoes he drew a breath of relief—only to face them another day.
Soon after his mind relaxed August didn't realize when he fell asleep on his mother's lap.
His mother took out a soft cotton cloth and wiped the thin trail of blood from his ears.
Her heart pained at the sight of it.
An hour later, the storm outside had calmed down a little, however, the tension inside the room remained as it is.
"So what do you say his condition is getting better from previous times?"
Valerius stood in the room beside his wife patting August to sleep.
Faint mist covered the room as the woman with pearl white hair stood at one corner beside the window. Her expressions were serious as she replied,
"Honestly, I am not sure. He seems to be enduring the strain well but can't say it would go as well with the superior ones. Wind, water, fire—they'll kill him for sure."
At her words both Sophia and Valerius' expressions turn ashen. It was the truth, even if they didn't want to believe it.
"If you can't do something, then what good are you?" Valerius snapped.
"I'm doing my best," the woman replied. "It's not my fault, it's just outside of my control that's all."
She looked at peacefully sleeping August,
"Believe me, I bear no intention to hurt your child."
Valerius glared at her and was about to say something angrily, however Sophia grabbed his hand gently. She gave a wry smile and turned to the woman, around whom the mist swirled flawlessly,
"Thank you, we appreciate your help," she said as she turned to her husband, "she did a very good job holding back the elements of enormous influence. Even I encountered some resistance from her mist."
The smile slowly faded from her face,
"We all know how overwhelming the forces that shaped the world could be. And I saw for myself how well you defended our son from them."
Holding back her pride Sophia lowered her head at the woman surprising both the woman and Valerius,
"August is in your care. Please continue to keep him away from any harm."
The woman unable to say anything just nodded.
"Yeah do that," Valerius said matter of factly. "...but do not try talking to him."
This statement earned him a frown from Sophia as he replied the question she never asked,
"I still don't trust her."
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