"you take pride in your work don't you?" aero has been a lord for three days and he was just learned how to feel the energy of pride. it wasn't all that surprised to feel it come from every person, it varied but everyone had pride. he did notice that it changed deepened on what they were doing like for example the nurse he was unwilling letting attended to him, he felt it went up as she did her job with a smile.

"of course I take pride in it, doesn't everyone take pride in a job they enjoyed?" Aero mummed as she changed his bandages, her following action was to check the state of the rest of his body which was unnecessary but she likes to be thorough." your muscles haven't weakened, you've been exercising when you shouldn't be!"

"you can't stop me." and they both knew this was a fact even though he was unarmed and injured he's been tried in the art of combat for several years. for a moment she considered just tracking him until he left the hospital but that was likely to gain her his wraith and she read news articles about what happened to those who gained his wraith. even with her years of medical practice, it amazed her how much damage could be done to someone without killing them.' people should not bend such way!' she shivered remembering some of those pictures.

"well see you later" retreating the nurse left Areo alone who crawled out of bed the moment he could no longer her footsteps. in one movement he was on his hand toes all pointing to the roof, he held himself there for 13 petals before lifting his right arm until it was horizontal to the floor. 3 petals passed before he switched to the other arm.

He repeated this 10 times before rolling to his back, there he stretched out every part of himself. lifting his uninjured leg above his head Aero led it there and complemented the recent change to his mind.' i fell for a simple trick and accept a huge responsibility, mom would be so unimpressed with me!' sighing he released his leg and folded it close to him.

sucking in a deep breath he touched the tips of his finger together before whistling a melody, it was a simple one that made light bloom between his hands. melody manipulation, the supernatural ability of the Grine Race. for reasons they don't completely understand by stringing certain sounds together they can perform actions mistakenly for miracles. everyone can use melodies but the level of their actions very, there are ways of changing this but there are grueling.

at school, Areo learned to fight with melody manipulation and by the zalts was it hard. he spent days in bed because he simple overstrained himself or something backfired, the number would be lower if he let teachers help him. but he refused to be glass. Right now he was simply trying to maintain a melody for a long period of time, a simple workout for someone healing was the best thing.

"man I can't wait for when I get my staff back" huffed aero tired from sustaining the light for only 7 petals. the reason he wanted his staff back, which was part flute, was because it took the stress from melodies. but on the downside, he had to do a lot of maintenance or the thing would break mid- that could get him killed.

when his lungs no longer ached he started up another melody, this one made sparks that could be used to make fire. after humming it for a few seconds he switched to one that weakened heat a few more seconds and he switched again. he kept switching melody until his lungs ached again. couching a bit aero laid down looking at the ceiling, the carved stone wasn't anything special but sadly he has memorized it. he wanted out of his hospital soon, he didn't care if he had to fight his way out of here.

"you seem in a bad mood" prejudice said after pooping into the room out of aero rang. and for good reason as the boy swung at him the moment he heard his voice," but I know something that should make you happy. aero turned to the higher being with a late look, "I'm leaving!" okay that did improve his mood a bit," I've taught you enough to get you started and I'm gone go lean my power to the part guarding the last beast before joining the rest of my part watching all of the source's creations."

"well it was strange knowing you!" he didn't like him but the person taught him a few things and he was grateful for that.

"well it was strange knowing you, by the way, you get the helper whether you like it or not!" with that the one name prejudice disappeared.

"I told him I didn't need help!"

'it doesn't matter if you need it or not you will receive my help' a rather deep and fiery voice said.

"try it and you will regret it!" the helper didn't respond to that instead they explained the services they offered. enclouding a shop a status screen and a skill record,' the final is currently empty until you use some skills.' instead of looking at any of them aero went back to his melody exercises, repeating the one he already did until the midday lunch.

the trip to the cafeteria was easier than a few days ago, even though he still refused the help of the nurse that followed him there. downing the jelly that was spicey aero gagged before downing a glass of water, then getting another.' still don't like spice foods!' getting up he began the trackback to his room. the nurse followed him again but stay far enough away that aero didn't mind.

back in his room, he started on the studying his teachers assigned it was honestly busy work but he had grades to maintain. study of fighting techniques was interesting but it also took the longest, hypothetical situations were frustrating. 'how does he come up with this stuff?!' but he got it done as well.

work away he laid back in his bed and thought about taking a nap,' not in a napping mood.' instead his thought moved to him being a lord, more specifically how he should deal with those with too much pride. "what effects would it have on them and me?" this was a question that popped up and there wasn't anyone he could reall-"by the zalts!" several more curses flowed through his mind as he released it was less than a day and he needed the helpers to help. 'doesn't mean I'm gonna ask,' something ugly bubble up from his chest at the thought.

'it, not an urgent matter it can wait until I feel like asking them!' he pushed the ugly thing away with logical thought. sighing he calmed down and rolled over to force himself to nap, it was a long fight.

he woke up to fingers against his cranial exoskeleton and a familiar murmuring sweet nothings to him."hi mama!" the finger paused for a moment before resuming their movement," hi my little beast!" looking up he saw his mother smiling face, it was beautiful actually his mother was beautiful no matter what and if you said otherwise you meet his fist.

"you got time off?" this place was pretty far from their house but closer to the close still a round trip took a whole day." wasn't too hard," her boss gave it gladly but-"your worrying?"

"Just thinking about the bills," this place wasn't exactly on the cheap side," and no I will not take your money!" she cut off her child before he could speak. "why?" he whined/asked, he's earned plenty of money from hunting beast more than enough to pay his own school intuition despite the several scholarships offers he's been offered." don't wanna become one of those parents!." he knew what she was talking about.

'maybe' he felt for his mother's pride and had to refrain from jumping back when he felt it. it was a lot but calm, what really got him was that most of it was aimed at him. "do you take pride in me?" it may have been completely out of the blue but wanted to know her answer.

"of course, I take pride in you. your a strong and independent young man your happy with the way your living and I see you smile every day!" Aero smiled feeling warm to his toes, "I take pride in you as well my mother you raise me supported me even though so many people saying that you should and you should stop me!" his mother laughed before nuzzling closer to him and he nuzzled right back.

' if any more energy builds up she will be in danger from the beast' the helper pipped up a while later. "absorbing it will have no effect on how she feels as the energy is a byproduct of pride, unlike say lust or wraith the energy has no effect on the feeling" Aero took a mental note while not reacting to the helper's words. ' how would I destroy the byproduct energy?' he asked even though it kind of hurt, okay it hurt a lot but something happing to his mother would hurt more.

'as general rule energy is best attacked with similar energy or opposite energy, so turn your pride into a weapon or learn modesty.' aero asked how to turn his pride into a weapon, he knew, in theory, he could learn modesty but he wasn't blind and knew it would take a very long time.' infuse the pride with a medley that's the way your people fight is it not?' that was true but making medley that was order taller than a certain zaltes.

'a perfect challenged for me!' but where did he start medley creation had been brushed on in class but nothing more.' take a step back and think', they have talked about how a medley worked. but that class was almost a year ago and he fell asleep halfway through.' guess I have to hit the scrolls when I go back to school,' until then he should try and become familiar with the energy within himself. he'd do it after his mother went home, for now, he opened his eye and suggested they head to the gardens and walk.

"Should you be walking?" she asked after grabbing his crutch."yes to make sure that my muscle should weaken too much!" he said with utmost confidence. His mother stared at him for a long while to see if he was lying and decided he wasn't, handing the crouth she then helped him climb out of the bed. it was a 10 petal walk for them to reach the gardens and it was worth it as the garden was filled with beautiful plants that had health benefits.

"so what are your plan when you get out of the hospital?" aero shrugged knowing his mother would approve of some of his plans," probably study and learn so this doesn't happen again!"

"asking for help is not such a bad thing," she said as they found a spot to sit in the grass." I'm fine asking for help as long as it from someone worthy of helping me, as she is not and never will be!" the mother sighed at her son pride, "at least say thank you when you go back to school." Aero huffed but agreed, the topic changed to something they both agreed on the sliver clouds floating across their planet's sky.

'lord aero I've been doing a scan of your body and besides your injured leg there appears to be a lot of strain on your body, part of it seems to be from medleys and the other part is how hard you push yourself!'

"I have to push myself hard or is ould be as strong as I am today, and I have to push my self even harder to become stronger,' aero prepared to hear words he's heard before. that he should slow down or stop.

'you're an idiot pushing yourself the wrong way!'

"huh?"

'from your memory, I've seen the way you've train, it abysmal and doing more harm than it is good a saying from the universe work smarter not harder! the reason you had to help is that your body was giving out on you from too much training! if you don't want a repeat, take this advice! increase your skill, not your power!'

"What makes you think that will work?" Aero didn't shoot them down immediately mostly because no one had ever given him advice like this before.

"you have the strength to split rock, raise your skill and you can split the rock four times with half the effort. at least that's what the lord of sloth say and they live trying to do the least amount of effort possible and source help the one who makes them!'

"sound like an interesting person," aero commented, "but fine let's see what increasing my skill can do." less unwilling he asked the helper where he should start.' the basics of how you learned to fight...what was the first thing you were taught when you learned to fight?" the asked after a moment. they quickly learned their helper was self-taught and his first lesson was hit back harder.

'okay, thank the source I'm aware of ten zillion fighting styles, my lord let's start with the proper way to throw a punch or kick!' aero climbed out of his bed and got to his foot and crutch,' sit back down this is a lecture' Aero stood just because of the helper's tone, he got the feeling they sighed but started speaking.

'there are as many ways to throw a punch as there are kinds of punch, but they're a few general rules. one position your fingers the correct way to prevent injury, put your weight behind it to do the most damage, kept your stance in case you need to dodge or bloc...' the helper went on for flowers but Areo paid rapt attention this was the most he learns about fighting from someone else.

when the lecture came to an end Aero decide that the helper was worthy of helping him, but he wouldn't admit it for a while.