Riven's arms were sore from the day before, but there was something different about today. His master had promised him that today, they'd begin the real work—the lessons about controlling the storm inside him. And Riven? He was all in.
As soon as he stepped out of the house, he saw his master standing in the yard, a wooden sword in hand. He was staring off into the distance, looking far too serious for someone who spent most of their time making fun of Riven.
"Morning, kid," his master called when he noticed Riven approach.
"Morning," Riven muttered, rubbing his sore shoulder. "Ready to teach me how to 'calm the storm' or whatever?"
His master grinned. "Oh, we'll get to that. But first... we need to break you in properly. No use calming the storm if you're too busy tripping over your own feet."
Riven raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
His master gave him a knowing look. "Exactly what I said. Come here."
With a sigh, Riven moved closer, unsure of what he was about to face. His master lifted the sword and held it out to him.
"Today," he said dramatically, "we're going to teach you how to fight with purpose."
"Purpose? What does that even mean?" Riven asked, trying to keep his sarcasm in check.
His master chuckled. "You think fighting is all about swinging a stick around and hoping it hits something, don't you?"
Riven shrugged. "Isn't it?"
His master shook his head. "That's why you always end up tripping over your own sword."
Riven winced. "Hey! That only happened twice."
"Twice too many, kid." His master tossed him the sword. "Try again, but this time, fight like you have a brain."
Riven caught the sword and looked at it. He was ready to retort, but there was something in his master's eyes—something serious that made him pause. He straightened up, raising the sword and eyeing the dummy in front of him.
His master stood off to the side, arms crossed. "Now, fight with control. You've got strength, but no discipline. And that's why you're all over the place. Fight slow, fight calm."
Riven frowned, eyes narrowing at the dummy. He swung the sword at it, moving slowly, deliberately, trying to remember what his master had said. He made a clean strike, then a second one—this time, smoother, controlled.
But before he could even finish, his master waved a hand. "Nope, too quick. I didn't say slow like a snail. I said slow like a calm river."
"A calm river?" Riven echoed, still holding his sword mid-swing.
"Exactly," his master replied, "not a raging river. A calm one. Think slow, think steady, think relaxed. When you strike, do it with purpose, not with panic."
Riven let out a long breath and adjusted his stance. He thought back to the lesson about the storm, the idea of finding peace. He closed his eyes for a second, steadying himself before moving again. This time, the strike was softer, more controlled. He felt it—his mind wasn't racing, his movements weren't frantic.
"Better," his master said, and Riven opened his eyes to see a rare nod of approval.
"So... am I calm yet?" Riven asked, trying to hold back a grin. "Can I finally conquer the storm inside me?"
"Not yet, kid," his master replied, smirking. "But you're getting there. That's the point. Calm is a muscle. It takes time. Every time you fight, you should focus on staying centered, keeping your thoughts in check. It's like trying to balance a rock on your head—if you start thinking about how heavy it is, you'll topple over."
"Right," Riven said, trying to keep his focus while his master prattled on. "Balance the rock. Got it."
"Good," his master said, clapping his hands together. "Now let's see if you can make it through a round without making me want to take a nap. Move, kid, move!"
Riven grinned, charging forward, and this time, it wasn't a mindless rush. He focused, moving with purpose. Each swing was calculated, each footstep deliberate. He felt like a different person, a version of himself that had never existed before.
Then, halfway through a swing, his master jumped in front of him, blocking the strike with ease.
"Nice try, but that wasn't calm," he said. "That was 'I'm gonna throw my sword at you and hope it hits.'"
Riven lowered his sword, a bit frustrated. "I thought I was doing better!"
His master shook his head, laughing. "You're doing great. But it's all about consistency, kid. Calm isn't a one-time thing. It's every time. Every swing, every movement."
Riven exhaled sharply. "Okay, so... calm. Consistency. Got it."
"Yeah, but now I'm going to make it harder for you." His master smiled wickedly. "Let's see how you deal with distractions."
Riven froze. "What?"
Before he could react, his master jumped to the side and yelled, "WOOHOO!" He then proceeded to run in a circle around Riven, flailing his arms dramatically. "C'mon, kid, keep up! You can't just focus on your sword! You gotta keep your brain sharp too!"
Riven stared, half in disbelief. His master was running around like an idiot, making noise, jumping over bushes, and generally being a nuisance.
"Focus, Riven!" his master shouted, doing a ridiculous dance in the background. "Don't let me mess with your calm!"
Riven blinked and let out a surprised laugh. His master's antics were ridiculous, but it worked. Riven had to focus more than ever. He couldn't afford to let his master's absurdity break his concentration.
After a few more minutes of chaotic distraction, his master stopped. "Good job, kid," he said, out of breath. "You're starting to get it."
Riven was panting too, but a smile spread across his face. "That was... weird."
"Yeah, but it worked," his master grinned. "You stayed calm even when I was a circus act. That's what it's about. Not just in battle, but in life. The storm's always gonna try to mess with you. It's your job to control it."
Riven nodded slowly, taking it all in. "Okay. I think I'm starting to understand."
His master clapped him on the back. "Good. Now, you'll have to put it all together. Control, calm, focus. The storm doesn't disappear, kid. But with the right tools, you can weather it. And maybe even... make it fun."
Riven chuckled. "Fun? With you?"
"Especially with me," his master winked. "Now, get back to it."
And just like that, Riven was off again, determined and focused—but this time, he felt like he had the storm in check.