Spring, age 8.

I strum the guitar with my fingertips.

I adjust the higher tunes a bit and go again. This time I'm happy with the sound of it.

It's been a few years, naturally since I held a guitar, but it feels so natural. Graham made this for me over the winter, did a really good job of it too. This world has instruments rather similar to guitars, but I asked him to modify it a bit.

I'm sitting on the lawn behind my parents house by myself. Both mom and dad had something to do, and they left me alone this morning. So I've spend the time playing.

My original mother played this tune to me when I was a child. I don't remember the lyrics, but the tune stuck with me. Don't even remember the title. Was something from the time she was young. It's one of the only things about my childhood I can clearly recall. I can't even remember her face, but I remember her singing this to me every night as she tucked me in.

Here I sit, in the early days of spring, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Ahh... So nice.

The flowers haven't bloomed yet, but the smell of ocean and the grass permeates through the air.

So relaxing.

It's been a week since my parents took me to Bightkeep.

We talked to Albert about the cottage, and he agreed to let Tony live with me off campus. My parents would pay the rent for the 9 years that Shawn would let me live there, and Tony would rent a room from them.

There's still a year till i start school though. So until then, I'm gonna keep learning magic and swordsmanship from my parents, and imbuing from Alfred.

Busy busy.

I should probably start practicing the Air Clone spell, I can definitely see the potential of using it with mana crystals, but at the same time, it's such a waste of a warm spring day.

I put down my guitar and lay back on the lawn.

Ahh..

The gentle sounds of the waves and the wind wash over me as I slowly drift to sleep.

I open my eyes sheepishly.

A cold wind is blowing in from the ocean.

It's rather chilly. I shouldn't have napped outside in the early spring.

I tilt my head to the left, and see my cousin Sam standing a few yards away.

``Hi Sam, what are you doing here?'' [Nathan]

``...'' [Samantha]

``Did my mom or dad bring you here?'' [Nathan]

She slowly nods her head, and point towards the pier. My dad is offloading something from the boat.

``Are you going to see Sarah?'' [Nathan]

She nods. Her eyes light up a bit, she must be excited.

``Want to hear some music?'' [Nathan]

Sam tilts her head a bit to the left, before timidly nodding her head.

``Then come sit over here, I'll show you.'' [Nathan]

I pick up my guitar and pat the grass in front of me.

She slowly walks towards me. As I strum the guitar, she sits down a bit further from me than where I patted the grass.

I start humming the tune softly while playing the guitar.

As I strum the guitar and hum the tune I remember from my childhood, Sam listens intensely and slowly nudge closer.

Her azure eyes, gleaming out from under her long bangs, stare at my guitar.

I finish the tune.

Sam's eyes sparkle behind her hair, still fixated on the guitar.

``Do you want to try it?'' [Nathan]

Her gaze shifts to me shortly, before she lowers her eyes and shakes her head.

``You do not need to be shy, you can try it if you want.'' [Nathan]

She slowly shakes her head again.

``Do you just want to sit and listen?'' [Nathan]

This time her eyes light up as she nods.

I smile and play another tune. One of the few others that I remember, though I also don't remember where it's from or any of the text.

``You like music?'' [Nathan]

She nods shyly, looking down.

``Then why do you not want to try?'' [Nathan]

``...'' [Samantha]

``Are you afraid you are going to damage the guitar?'' [Nathan]

Samantha shakes her head, looking dejected.

``Are you afraid it is going to sound bad?'' [Nathan]

``...'' [Samantha]

``Is that it, are you afraid that you are no good?'' [Nathan]

``...'' [Samantha]

She drops her head and slouches her shoulders.

``Samantha, I can assure you, if you try the guitar, it is going to sound horrible.'' [Nathan]

She looks up. A surprised and sad look on her face.

``But do you know what that means?'' [Nathan]

Samantha stares silently at me, a look of sadness and hurt in her eyes.

``It means that you cannot fail.'' [Nathan]

She opens her eyes with surprised wondering.

``You cannot possibly fail at making it sound horrible, you can only succeed. And the next time you try, you can only improve. That is what is so wonderful about music. So will you please show me how badly you can play?'' [Nathan]

I extend the guitar towards her. After a short pause, she reaches forward to take it.

I sit back and smile at her.

She places the guitar on her lap.

With her tiny hand, she strums the guitar.

It could not have been more off-key if I had tried.

``Ha ha. Well that sounded horrible, did it not?'' [Nathan]

I say with a laugh.

``Now all you need is to practice. Your father made this for me, I am sure he will make something for you as well.'' [Nathan]

She clutches the guitar close, and nods with a vigor that I haven't seen from her before.

``Sam, are you ready?'' [Shale]

Dad calls from the pier. He finished offloading the boat.

Samantha looks sad, but seem to remember that she is about to hang out with Sarah. She hands me the guitar and gets up.

``Take care Sam, give Sarah and Tony my regards.'' [Nathan]

She gives me a short nod, and runs off towards the boat.

Alone again.

I wasted enough time with the guitar, I should really work on the Air Clone spell.

I get comfortable. Eyes closed. Deep Breaths. Conjure my aura.

I reach out my consciousness towards Ash. It's forthcoming, but when I try to form the spell, it retracts.

It seems confused. Should I try something easier? Many of the spells won't be worth learning because of my weak aura, but perhaps it would make it easier for Ash to help me. Mom told me that Air Clone is a somewhat high end spell, but it didn't sound like she thought it was beyond me.

I should just power through. Mother told me to train the Air Clone, I should follow her instructions.

Lets try again.