Chapter 7: Dorothy's First Lesson
476 Words
The first rays of sunlight slipped through the cottage window.
"Wake up."
Echo slowly opened his eyes.
The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the room.
He smiled.
"...Morning, Ma'am."
Dorothy nodded as she arranged breakfast on the table.
"Good. Now wake Kodie."
Echo looked around.
"...Where is he?"
Dorothy pointed outside without even looking.
"...Probably asleep somewhere."
Echo searched around the cottage.
Behind the shed.
Near the stream.
Inside the barn.
"...Kodie?"
No answer.
Just as he was about to give up...
He noticed a large Fenrin lying beneath a tree.
"...There you are."
The Fenrin lazily opened one eye.
Curled up against its soft fur...
Kodie was sleeping peacefully.
Echo sighed.
"...How do you keep finding new places to sleep?"
Kodie mumbled without opening his eyes.
"...Practice..."
After breakfast, Dorothy handed each of them a woven basket.
Echo tilted his head.
"Are we gathering herbs?"
Dorothy smiled.
"No."
"...Today's lesson is observation."
"Observation?"
She nodded.
"A mage who only sees with their eyes will always miss half the world."
The three walked deeper into the forest.
After a while Dorothy stopped beside a clearing.
"Tell me what you notice."
Echo immediately looked around.
"Oak trees."
"Wild flowers."
"A stream."
"Birds."
Dorothy nodded.
"Good."
She turned to Kodie.
"And you?"
Kodie remained silent for a moment.
Then he pointed toward a patch of grass.
"The rabbits left about ten minutes ago."
He pointed toward the trees.
"There's a wolf nearby."
Echo instinctively reached for his sword.
Kodie continued.
"...But she's hunting deer."
"So we aren't in danger."
He looked at the sky.
"It'll rain this afternoon."
Echo stared.
"...How do you know all that?"
Kodie simply smiled.
"The forest told me."
Dorothy chuckled.
"Not through words."
"Through balance."
She looked at Echo.
"The world is always speaking."
"The question is..."
"Are you listening?"
Echo slowly lowered his hand from his sword.
Perhaps...
His blessing wasn't the only thing he still had to understand.
As they continued walking, Dorothy suddenly stopped.
She pointed toward a strange blue flower growing beneath a fallen log.
"Bring me that flower."
Echo immediately stepped forward.
But before he reached it—
"Wait."
Kodie gently caught his sleeve.
Echo frowned.
"What is it?"
Kodie knelt beside the flower.
Hidden beneath the leaves...
A family of tiny forest mice slept peacefully around its roots.
"If you pull it now..."
"They'll lose their home."
Echo looked down silently.
He hadn't even noticed them.
Dorothy smiled.
"Exactly."
She looked at Echo.
"A mage doesn't simply ask..."
'Can I take this?'
"They must also ask..."
'Who will lose something if I do?'"
Echo slowly nodded.
"...I understand."
For the first time...
He truly began to understand what magic was meant to protect.
That day, Echo learned that strength wasn't measured by how much power one possessed...
But by how carefully one chose to use it.
- Writer
