LISTEN ALONG WITH AUDIO BOOK CHAPTER 4 (FULL VOICE ACTING, SFX, MUSIC, AND MORE): https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-4-139899061?collection=1796666

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CHAPTER 4 [Time Changes All]: 

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to those.”

Crow murmured as he gazed at the multicolored orbs that hung up in the clear blue sky.

A voice sounded out behind him, “You stay stuff like that and yet you act weird whenever I say you act like those Blessed.”

Crow turned to see a girl who looked to be his age with pale, freckled skin, peach blonde hair, and a dazzling smile.

She put her hands on her hips as she gazed at him with a coy smile. “So, you decide where we’re going to eat yet, honey?”

Crow gave a defeated sigh as he smiled, “Up to you,” he spoke as he raised his hands in defeat, “Not like I know any places other than the Tavern.”

The girl came up to him and wrapped her arms around the boy’s waist. Being a head shorter, she had to look up at him as she questioned, “Oh, and why is that?”

That question caused Crow to pause, feeling as if something was wrong, ‘Why is that?’

“Is it because you let me die?” a soft voice questioned.

Crow’s eyes widened as he looked down, seeing that the girl’s porcelain eyes were now pitch black and her face was dripping with blood as an arrow stuck out of her head.

She opened her mouth wider than physically possible without the slightest tooth inside her mouth.

“Is it because you were too weak, and you only know how to hide away?”

Crow tried to back away, yet her grip around him was too tight as her neck stretched upwards, causing her face to slowly creep into his face, “YOU KILLED ME!!”

“NOO!!”

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Crow shot up as he looked around in a daze.

He was in the smithy at a small table to the very left of the stairs leading upwards.

The table was cluttered with open books, pens, and maps strewn about.

His bag, which he received on his 1st day from the robed figure, was on the floor next to the table.

He looked to his left and right before finally getting up, freezing at what he saw standing behind him.

The robed figure.

The figure stood there as if analyzing the boy, before finally speaking, “Come, it’s been a month since you’ve started training. Time to move on to the real thing.”

Now having recovered from his dream, Crow shook his head as the pair came to the anvil and both took a seat.

“You’ve learned quite a lot in this time, boy.”

Crow nodded his head without a word, as he knew it was true.

Crafting, hand-to-hand combat, weapons combat, throwing weapons, archery, stealth, physical conditioning, mental training, and the list goes on. 

Crow mused to himself, ‘If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this old man’s training me, though… I don’t see the point in that. Regardless…’ the boy looked down, noticing the definition beneath his thin sleeves, ‘I definitely feel the difference.’

The robed figure continued, “Yet, none of that means anything without a Source.” 

Crow’s eyes arched at this, “A Source?” Waddya mean?”

“Come here, it’ll be easier if I show you,” the robed figure beckoned.

The boy nodded as he scooted his chair forward and watched carefully.

The robed figure raised his bandaged hand, pointing upwards, and spread his fingers.

WHOOOOOSHH!!

A bright red flame arose, “This is from my Source.” 

He then clenched his fist, causing the flame to straighten into a line as he turned his hand's thumb up.

FWOOOSHH!

The fire extended upwards with a gigantic ball morphing at the top until it solidified into a hammer of flames.

“Woahh!” Crow couldn’t hold in his excitement as he stood up subconsciously with a look of awe stuck on his face.

Fshhhh…

The robed figure extinguished the hammer as he stared at the boy, “Sit down on the floor and turn around.”

Crow nervously sat down, “Uhh.. yes, Sir.”

The boy then felt a firm hand placed on his lower back with the figure’s voice sounding behind him, “Focus on the feeling flowing through you, alright.”

“Nn.” Crow nodded.

A cool yet warm sensation flowed through the boy’s back and through his stomach area.

Crow’s eyes widened at this as he looked down in wonder, yet a stern voice awoke from his stupor, “Focus! You’ve learned how to meditate this past month, have you not?”

“Y-yes!” Crow responded as he closed his eyes and got in a butterfly stance whilst keeping his back straight, breathing rhythmically through his nose.

The figure's voice guided him as he did so, "Tempor can be any shape, any attribute, it's all up to you. Let it course through, guide it, like an ebbing and flowing tide."

The sensation he felt traveled through his body like wires, sending tingles through every part of his body. 

Finally, after 10 minutes, the robed figure released his hand, Crow thought he could make out silent panting as the robed figure spoke up, “Good work. Now prepare for your training. As celebration, I’ve decided to let you come with me to the Tavern tonight.”

“You serious?!” Crow shot up on his feet, though exhausted, he had to admit it felt good knowing he was allowed out.

Though all this time he was allowed to come with the robed figure to the Tavern after a day’s worth of training, however, with the intensity of training, the boy could barely lift a finger at the end of the day, much less go out to the Tavern.

Every day, he'd wake up to a plate of food, and every night, he'd be fed a potion by the doll since he was barely able to move himself before passing out.

Crow shivered at the thought of this past month; regardless, this was the same as saying that today’s training would be much more laid back.

Crow smiled to himself as he nearly skipped around, ‘Is this what a 1-month anniversary is like? Maybe if I’m here for a year, the old man will give me a mansion.’

“Hey brat, time is money.” Crow turned to see the robed figure standing in front of the anvil. 

The boy slowly approached, “You’re training me today?” 

The robed figure’s eyes creased as if smiling, “Why? Prefer I don’t?”

Crow hurriedly put his hands up, “Nononono, just surprised.”

The old man harrumphed as he began delivering instructions, and Crow followed along.

All the while, the boy was secretly celebrating in his mind, ‘Thank God, I won’t form any new bumps today.’

Yet, out of the corner of his eyes as he was striking the ore with his hammer, Crow thought he could make out a doll near the bottom of the stairs, making a "slicing neck" motion towards him with a cheerful smile on its face.

Crow gulped inwardly, ‘Fuk, so it’s just gonna be double the pain tomorrow?’ the boy lamented as he continued following instructions.

“Feel it, boy!” the robed figure called out to him.

Crow honed in on his body as he struck the metal, focusing on that flowing sensation he felt in his abdomen as time seemed to come to a crawl for just a moment.

The world became muted with particles of all sorts of colors he had never seen before floating around him, before he hit the metal once more.

“Woah!” Crow exclaimed, “What was that?”

The robed figure nodded his head in amusement as he responded, “That is Tempor without a Source.”

The boy moaned in frustration as he pulled at his face, “Tempor, Source, ughhh… all these names, am I gonna have to get tested again?”

“Focus, boy!” The robed figure’s stern tone slapped the boy back into attention, “These are things you don’t have to worry about for now. I will teach you when you’re ready. Now continue.”

Yet, Crow could only gaze at the ore before silently turning and speaking, “Why are you doing all this for me?”

The robed figure harrumphed, “You think you can question me? Continue or I’ll have the slave dealer here in minutes.”

“Oh.” Crow quickly turned and began rhythmically striking the metal while channeling his breathing and focusing on his internals.

And so the day passed…

The doll finally appeared from behind the counter, shining Crow a subconscious smile.

Crow, who was lying on the floor in exhaustion, turned his head and shooed away, “Alright, let’s calm down, Rammy. I’m safe from you today.”

“Rammy” had been a big help to Crow, bringing more and more items every day, and though it was overwhelming, the boy tackled it as best he could, severely under-sleeping this entire month.

When Rammy finally brought a table and some books, it wrote down its name “Ramus”, so Crow decided to call him Rammy.

Whether he liked it or not was up for debate, but seeing as how Rammy was smiling, Crow leaned towards the former.

“Alright, let’s go, runt.” The robed figure called out as he came from upstairs, to which Crow grabbed his bag as he slowly got to his feet, following after the figure who was already nearing the curtain.

“See ya, Rammy! We’ll be back soon!” Crow strapped on his bag as he waved goodbye, to which Rammy pointed 2 of its wooden fingers at its pitch black eyes and back at the pair.

The robed figure who happened to look back as he was walking out of the entrance stopped for a bit before continuing to walk, “Where did Ramsus learn-”

The robed figure sighed as he simply shook his head, as the pair set off.

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