Songbreaker

Chapter 3: Crack

As children, Yvana and Proxina were best friends, but their differing opinions on Songs often drove a wedge between them, yet still they remained glued to each other's side - an aspect of their friendship that was only made stronger when Yvana received news that she had long prayed never to hear

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When the sun beats down on the land one calls home and there isn't a cloud in the sky, one must take advantage of the peace and quiet that a day like that can bring and Yvana and Proxina often did just that, as children. It was too hot to run around and play with all of the other younger Ardoni, and neither of them wanted to sit at home all day listening to whatever drivel their parents would talk about in the meantime and so they both found a shady spot under one of the great trees along the border between Kaltaria and Northwind, just on the riverbank.

It was one of their favourite spots to sit in when they wouldn't be running around after each other, playing sword fighting or hide and seek. It was their own personal place to just talk – even if there was nothing to talk about. It was out of the main village, out in the open and away from the other Ardoni. The river provided them the protection from anything coming in from the mountains of Northwind and the tree provided them with protection from the burning sun.

Proxina sat down at the base of the tree trunk and Yvana laid next to her, using her arm to shield her eyes from the bright beams that slipped through the tiny gaps in the tree's canopy as she rested it over her eyes. Proxina began picking at the grass on which they sat until the sound of the blades snapping got on Yvana's nerves.

"Does something bother you, Z?" she asked with a futile attempt to hide the annoyance in her voice.

Proxina sighed.

"Papa says I will be old enough to wield Songs, soon..."

Yvana lifted her arm slightly to examine her friend's face as she spoke. She looked saddened and somewhat disturbed by the prospect of wielding Songs soon and Yvana couldn't work out why.

"He's right, though. It won't be long, now!" Yvana propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at Proxina, but she could see that her glee was not reciprocated by the other Kaltaris girl. Proxina didn't even look in her direction as she continued fiddling with the grass between her fingers. "Zina?" she prompted.

"I don't know if I want to wield Songs, Yva. I don't like what they can do..."

With this, Yvana sat bolt upright and stared at her friend. They had such opposing opinions on Songs that she began to wonder how they were friends in the first place.

Yvana had dreamed since she learned what a Song was that she was going to wield them one day and become a powerful warrior for her clan. She had heard her father often talk about how Sendaria always produced the best warriors and champions, and he would often rant about the 'bone-headed bluetip' called Thalleous Sendaris. She never understood what he had against the Sendaris clan, but it was enough for him to refuse referring to any of them by their proper names. It was that, alone, that made Yvana want to be the best Song-wielder Ardonia had ever seen – to show both her father and the other clans that Kaltaria had a hidden gem.

It was a selfish aspect about her that she wished she could hide, but she was simply too keen to prove herself in the world. There was nothing she wanted more.

The fact that Proxina wasn't so sure about Songs made her want to do it all the more – to prove to her friend, as well, that Songs weren't all bad. She wanted to change her mind about them. If anyone was going to, it was Yvana.

"Not all the Songs are offensive, Zina. You could have a Protisium Song or a Supporium Song! Every team needs those!"

Proxina stopped picking at the grass for a moment and tuned into the sound of the river as the current pulled the water along towards the Kaltaria/Mendoria border. She enjoyed the rushing sound it gave when it splashed against the dirt edge and onto the grass at their feet. At least, she did until her mind would switch the sound of running water to the sound of a Mobillium Song as the wielder summoned a crack of speed and it would echo across the sky. She shocked herself out of her thoughts and back to reality.