9 CHAPTER 9: GIFT

A year has passed since then, and now I am 8 years old. Now I have learned some beginner swordsmanship skills. I learned four skills: horizontal slash, vertical slash, single shot, and sharp nail. I also made progress in my magic because now I know one beginner spell in wind magic, which is called wind slice. I should have learned more, but my father goes to the battlefield, so I need to wait a year for him to return.

I am now in his study room reading books about beginner wind magic. I want to learn magic even if my father is not here, but it is really hard. Magic is not all about chanting what you read in the book; it's also about feeling your mana, imagining your spell, and, more importantly, controlling the magic. That is why it's really hard to learn without someone who has experience by your side.

Afternoon came, and I am now called in the backyard for a swordsmanship lesson. My mother is now teaching me how to consecutively use skills, but I just can't get the hang of it. Maybe it will take time for me to learn intermediate swordsmanship skills because I need to master this first.

Every day before she ends the lesson, we always spar with each other quietly, but today my mother said something while fighting me.

"Isn't it Chris' birthday tomorrow?" She said it like it was the most common thing to say.

That's right!        I totally forgot. What should I do? I need to give her something.

"Here! Opening!" my mother screams while breaking my defense that is full of opening because I'm focused in my thoughts, and I fall to the ground.

"Did you by any chance forget her birthday?" "Even though last year she gave you Philips wooden sword that she begged for as a gift on your birthday," my mother said teasingly, she returned to her normal personality and not the devilish sword saint.

"What should I do?" I asked her for help.

"Why don't you find something valuable in your father's study room?" She answered.

"Isn't Father going to get angry?" I asked 

"Chris begged for Philip's wooden sword just to give it to you; why don't you do the same?" She answered again.

"Okay. "I'm going to my father's study room for a bit," I said before I ran towards my father's study room.

I searched the whole study room to find something valuable that Chris might like, and I found something.

"This is it," I said after I held out what I found.

The next day comes, and my mother takes me to go to Chris' house. There aren't many chances that I can go here because they're the ones who always visit our home.

My mother knocked on the door and was greeted by Chris, the girl who has a birthday today. 

"Happy birthday, Chris," said my mother, and I followed suit.

"Happy birthday, Chris," I said.

"Thank you!" "Please come in," Chris replied happily.

We had lunch at Chris' house and then went to the backyard of his house to play.

"Here!    Chris happy birthday again" I said shyly while giving her my gift that is wrap by paper.

"Can I open it now?" Chris asked

"Yeah," I answered.

Chris opened it and got surprised at what the gift was.

"T-this is a wand, right?" "Isn't this expensive?"  She asked while hesitating whether to take it or not.

"Yeah, but you can have it," I replied.

"Are you sure?"  She asked for confirmation.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Thank you so much, Will!" "I will treasure it forever!" She said this while almost crying.

After that, we come inside, and Chris starts to brag to Aunt Lyshia about her wand, and that is how Chris' 8th birthday ends.