"Come, Sciath," Brahan said, gesturing for David to follow. "Let us begin with the basics. Let us speak of the heart, of its power, and the creatures that dwell within it. "

  David hesitated, his hand tightening around the hilt of the sword, no his partner. He glanced back at the rack of weapons, a silent plea for escape. But the sword in his hand felt too right, too connected to his very being, a being that had changed from egg to whatever he was now. He could not deny the pull, the destiny Brahan had spoken of.

  On some level, David had not accepted his own change just yet. At this very moment, he swore an oath to himself. Gone would be the days of impassivity; the unknown was horrifying, but not seeing things for the depth and breath they held was even more.

  With a deep breath, heavy thoughts and the promise of failure occupied his mind as he followed the old man to a spring. The tinkling of water soon replaced anything that occupied his mind.

  A meandering rivulet of serpentine grace slowly curved along rocky shores, feeding the spring with motherly care. The rivulet's pebble-covered boundaries and natural decline evoked tranquility around the water, beckoning peace and harmony.

  The water remained full of motion, oscillating away to a tune David couldn't understand. Every pulse of water that grew outwards reminded him of nature and its tumultuous passing. The spectacle was like a heart, sending liquid waves through the spring's body.

  "The earth," Brahan began, his voice softening, "is more than just the ground beneath our feet. It is a living, breathing entity, teeming with energy and power. It is the source of all life, the foundation upon which everything is built. "

  He knelt beside the spring, cupping his hands and drawing up a handful of water.

  "This water, for example, is not just H2O. It is the tears of the earth, the lifeblood that flows through its veins. It is imbued with the memories of mountains it has traveled through, the forests it has nourished, the creatures it has sustained. " He offered the water to David.

  David scrunched his face, shying away from the offered gift. His hand once more snaked towards the hilt of steel at his belt.

  "Drink, Sciath. Taste the earth, and let it awaken within you. "

  Courage surged through the connection of steel and flesh, spurring David into action. Gone was the hesitation as he approached and lowered his lips to the cup-like hands. The cool liquid spread cold freshness upon his parched throat; with contentment, he closed his eyes.

  After swallowing, he felt like fairies were dancing across his skin. Their light, feathery touches were nothing but a warm whisper as they left their kiss behind. A tingling warmth spread throughout his body. With his eyes closed, he focused on the feeling and saw images flashing before his mind's eye: forests grown upon massive plains of dirt, towering mountains, and deep winding caves.

  Some forests were mystical as unicorns regal and pure, bihorn-rabbits fast and brutal, tree-spirits jovial and careless, and even dryads relaxed and careful, came together to create an incredible ecosystem. But others were mundane, as Wolves chased elk, foxes found hares, and owls caught mice.

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  Visualization of mountains entered him next. Mighty shapes of reds, grays, blues, and yellows lay before him. Others were high, while some were low, but all had the presence of ancient weight about them. The rocky surface folded and broke, in some, revealing precious ore in the mountain's hide.

  Deep, winding caverns of various states flowed through him next. Cast in orange light, fiery holt molten stone accompanied paths no one had seen since ancient times. They ended in a steep cliff wall looming over the endless chasm.

  David gasped, opening his eyes, his heart pounding in irregular beats. He couldn't believe all the magical sights that had been revealed to him by visions from Gaia. He grew increasingly sure that remaining as he was would not be an option in this magically attuned world.

  "I... I saw them," he said, his voice but a soft touch upon the airs currents. "I saw the earth. "

  Brahans wrinkled face morphed into a smile, as if he was sharing a special meaning with someone dear to him.

  "The earth speaks to you, childe. It recognizes you as one of its own. Now, let us speak of something significant. We must talk of responsibility. With great power… you know the saying. "

  David nodded, already feeling the familiar prickle of apprehension. He knew this conversation was coming as his hand once more wormed itself on the hilt of his sword.

  " Earth magic, in particular, is deceptively potent," Brahan continued, his gaze intense. " It accumulates the very life force of the world. While it can heal and nurture, there is another purpose. This other is steeped in the Song so profoundly that the way to learn and train in it is to reach enlightenment by the Song itself. "

  Brahan tapped David's head with a wrinkled finger.

  "Listen to the song," Brahan said. "Listening to the rhythmic tune and sonorous beat of Gaia's heart will guide you, even in the darkest of nights and gloomiest caves. "

  David closed his eyes, trying to focus. He could hear the trickle of water and the distant chirping of unseen insects, but Gaia's Song felt more like a muffled bass drum playing very, very far away.

  " It takes practice, " Brahan said, sensing David's frustration. " Think of it like learning a complicated jig. At first, it's all clumsy feet and tangled limbs. But with patience, you find the beat, you move with the music, and before you know it, you're dancing like a daffodil in a spring breeze! "

  He gestured towards a patch of withered moss clinging to a rock.

  " Now, focus. Connect with the earth. Feel its weariness, its thirst. Draw on the energy around you, the residual sunlight, the minerals in the rock. Channel that energy into the moss. "

  David concentrated. He reached out with his mind, picturing lush green moss, imagining the feeling of cool dampness beneath his fingertips. He felt a faint thrumming in his hands, a warmth spreading through his chest. He pushed that feeling, that energy, towards the withered patch.

  Slowly, tentatively, the moss began to unfurl. A faint green blush appeared on its surface. Brahan beamed.

  " There! You see? Nurturing. Healing. This, David, is the essence of Earth Magic. It allows you to mend the broken, strengthen the weak, and bring life back where it has faded. "

  " So, what else can I do? " David asked with tentative tone.

  Brahan rubbed his chin, a twinkle in his eye.

  " Well, that, my boy, is where things get interesting. Earth Magic isn't just about healing and nurturing, you see. It also allows you to communicate with rocks. "

  " Communicate with rocks? Like… talking to them? " David asked, but Brahan waved him off dismissively.

  " Not precisely talking. More like understanding their feelings. Their… existential anxieties. You see, rocks are deeply concerned about things like the changing weather patterns, the erosive power of water, and the increasing popularity of sparkly geodes. "

  " Sparkly geodes? " David blinked.

  " Terrible prejudice, really, " Brahan muttered, shaking his head. " The smooth, un-glittery pebbles are often looked down upon. Believe me, it causes no end of distress in the geological community. And, well… " he lowered his voice conspiratorially, " sometimes, rocks have opinions on architectural design. "

  " Architectural design? " David stared at him, utterly bewildered. Doubling down on his effort, Brahan puffed out his chest.

  " Oh yes. The placement of a pebble in a cobblestone path is a matter of grave importance to the pebble in question. It can lead to existential questioning, rebellious repositioning, and even rock-on-rock violence. And who do they come to for help? Me. And now, you! You'll be calming down existential crises, mediating rock-on-rock skirmishes, and offering your expert opinion on whether that new garden gnome needs a tiny top hat. "

  David couldn't help but laugh. It was absurd, ridiculous, and yet he couldn't quite dismiss it. Brahan was clearly pulling his leg, but there was a glint of something serious behind the playful exaggeration. He felt that understanding the "existential anxieties" of rocks was just Brahan's quirky way of teaching him something profound about the interconnectedness of all things, and the responsibility that came with wielding Earth Magic.

  " So, " David said, wiping a tear from his eye, " first lesson… learn to mediate a dispute between a grumpy granite boulder and a philosophical shale tile? "

  " Precisely! And remember, always side with the underdog, especially if he's a particularly smooth, unassuming pebble. And try to convince the granite boulder to consider therapy. They tend to bottle things up, those granites." Brahan's belly shook in joy.