The next morning, Jack was awoken earlier than usual to start his training, which he found immensely better than his usual daily routines. His father was teaching him in combat this morning and telling him things he never knew, like the fact he could weild magic.
"You never told me I could create fire with my bare hands" Jack gasped, watching the flame arise in his father's hand.
"It never came up?" his father asked, hoping Jack would understand. He did and he even let out a little giggle.
"So, why don't you give it a try?" Rexus asked.
"Me? There's
no way I can do
that!" Jack said doubtfully.
"It's easy! Come on, I'll teach you" said Rexus, taking Jack's hand and holding it out and uncurled Jack's fingers so his whole hand was out straight.
"Now, close your eyes and think of nothing"
"Nothing?"
"Nothing"
Jack raised an eye socket and closed his eyes, it was hard not to think of anything, but he managed eventually.
"Now...open your eyes as quick as you can"
Jack ripped his eye sockets open and suddenly, a flame appeared in his hand.
"Whoa!" he gasped, feeling the warmth of the fire between his icy hands.
"You did it!" exclaimed Rexus. "Now, to retract it, just slowly close your hand.
Jack steadily closed his fingers and watched as the flame extinguished. Jack let a smile spread across his face.
"That...was so cool!" he said, looking up to his father.
His father also smiled. "Now, to teach you when and where to use your powers correctly"
If Jack had eyeballs, he would have rolled them. He remembered these sort of things happening in books he'd read, someone tells the person their powers and then they have to spoil it by saying how to use them properly.
"Okay, so, take the fireball in your hand" Rexus began.
Jack summoned the fireball again.
"Now, wave your hands in front of you, don't be afraid if anything weird happens, it's natural"
Jack took a deep breath and lifted his arms high in the air and a surge of fire arose from the ground, he let out a gasp.
"It's alright, now, watch me, and then copy, okay?"
Jack nodded and watched his father summon his fireball.
"You may want to stand back..." Rexus said, waving his free hand.
Jack stood back atleast a metre or so as his father did a huge jump, fire vibrating off his legs in a circle.
Jack let out another gasp. "Want to give that a try?" he asked.
"T-Think I'll pass..." Jack said, utterly astonished by what he had just seen.
His father let out a little laugh and checked the town clock.
"Well, you have three hours until you meet your mother for dancing, what do you say we duel?"
Jack's eyes widened at the thought of fighting his father, he was surely going to get hammered by him!
"Umm...sure...I guess" Jack said nervously.
"You worried I'm going to thrash you?" Rexus asked, laughing.
"No! I'm just worried I'll hurt you" said Jack proudly.
Rexus chuckled. "Come on then" he said, tossing Jack a sword. "Let's duel"
Jack's eyes narrowed and he let a half smile crease his face.
"Game on..." he uttered under his breath.
A few hours later, Jack was in the town hall with his mother, practicing a few dance steps as his mother played the piano.
"One, two, three..." his mother whispered.
Jack danced the steps he had been taught, he bent his knees, he twirled and he moved from side to side.
"Perfect!" his mother said, clapping.
"Thanks" Jack said, panting.
"You need some drink, wait here a sec and I'll get you some water from the fountain..."
"Okay..." Jack breathed. "Mum"
"Yes?"
"Why is dancing and singing important?" he asked.
"Well darling, it shows that you are...civalised, that you are cultured and graceful"
"But, isn't dancing for girls?"
"Not necessarily, your father is an excellent dancer...Oh, I remember the days when we used to dance together, they were magical" she sighed dreamily.
Jack frowned. "But anyway, I shall get you a drink" she said, leaving the hall.
'Basically, all dancing is good for is getting girls, blegh' Jack thought, looking around the hall.
He jumped off the stage and touched a key on the piano. It made a high tinkly noise, he laughed and pressed another key, lower than the last and sat at the piano and played a small tune that he'd only heard by ear and began to sang the words that his mother had taught him.
"The bat shrieks..." he sang. "The little girl wakes, no sleep shall I have says she the bat landed on her windowsill, scared is she...but the little bat smiles and says, I shall not harm ye. The two became friends, until that one day when the bat was angered and flew away, the two never met again, the girl soon grew up, and became our dear lady, Miss May Algad"
Jack laughed. "What a stupid name..." he said to himself.
"It was one of your relatives names you know" said his mother from behind.
Jack, alarmed at hearing her voice, jumped off the piano.
"Wonderful singing by the way" she said smiling warmly.
===
Jack's lessons
