Countdown to the Fire Carnival
With just one month left until the Fire Carnival begins, Hanna is going to need all of the help she can get...
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The countdown had begun. One month until the Fire Carnival. Just thirty-one days.
Hanna had been training hard, but now was when her true pre-tournament training camp would begin. It was going to be her first day of training with uncle James.
Uncle James had always been a mysterious figure of the family. He hadn't stepped foot in Courage Town in almost half a decade.
When Hanna had seen him recently with her dad in the courtyard, she truly hadn't recognised him in the slightest.
She had grown used to adults saying things like "I haven't seen you since you were just a baby". Hanna would nod along and smile, but, of course, have no clue who they were.
She found out later after that meeting in the courtyard that her dad had actually asked uncle James to be her coach. Her dad and uncle James had apparently not seen each other in a very long time as well.
Hanna was told to meet in the courtyard of the castle at noon the next day for their first training session. She was eager to learn and improve. She spent the whole morning training and preparing.
Of course, when she got to the courtyard, she was early. And then it was a waiting game.
She was full of excited energy, itching to conjure some flames.
Uncle James then walked into the courtyard.
"Hello, Hanna," he said. "How are you?"
"Eager," she said simply.
"How's your flying?" he asked.
"My flying is fine," she said.
Uncle James smiled. "Well then, follow me."
He kicked off the ground and flew off.
Hanna followed her uncle James through the air. It was a clear and beautiful day. They flew out of Courage Town and to some nearby fields. Uncle James then landed in the middle of a field of sunflowers. Hovering in the air, Hanna watched as her Uncle James whipped his tail from side to side to knock down the sunflower stalks and create a circular clearing.
Once there was about twenty-by-twenty feet of space, he waved to Hanna and Hanna eased herself down and landed in the clearing.
"We're going to practice breathing today," said uncle James.
He then took a seat on the ground and crossed his legs.
"You have to be joking," said Hanna.
"I'm not joking at all," he said.
Hanna wasn't having any of it.
"This is serious," said Hanna. "The Fire Carnival is a month away and I want to win it. This isn't a game to me."
"I know," said uncle James.
"Are we at least going to be using fire afterwards?" asked Hanna.
"No," said uncle James. "We won't be using any fire today."
Hanna was livid.
"I knew this was a stupid idea," she said. "I need to train. I need you to show me how to do what you did in the courtyard when you burst fire into the air."
"And we'll get to that," said uncle James. "But not today."
"This is useless," said Hanna.
Uncle James smiled.
"Where do you think fire comes from, Hanna?" he asked.
Hanna was about to give an answer but then realised that she didn't have one.
"It comes from the breath," said her uncle James. "Fire and the breath are one and the same. If you master one, you master both. And not just that, but breathing can bring you to the present moment. That way, when it's competition time and the crowd is going wild, you'll be able to focus yourself on the task at hand."
"And how are you supposed to practice breathing anyway?" asked Hanna, still annoyed. "You just do it. It just happens. You don't have to do anything."
"That's very true," said uncle James. "The art comes in being able to drive all of your concentration towards the breath. Being able to shut out the entire world except for your own inhalation and exhalation. When it comes to fire, it means being able to gather up all of your power. The breath is key."
There was a moment of quiet as Hanna thought it all over.
Finally, she sat down across from uncle James and crossed her legs.
Uncle James then closed his eyes.
"Don't worry when your mind wanders off. Do not worry when random thoughts pop into your head or you feel something that distracts you. It's all normal. It's all part of the experience. Just focus back in on the breath. Be patient with yourself."
Hanna looked at her uncle James. His eyes remained shut.
The guided exercise began:
"In… Two... Three... Four...
Hold… Two... Three... Four...
Out… Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Eight..."
Hanna finally closed her eyes and focused on her breath.
"In… Two... Three... Four...
Hold… Two... Three... Four...
Out… Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Eight..."
It went on like that for a long while and then uncle James went silent and they were both just sitting there in the quiet of the sunflower field, each focused on their own breath.
Her mind was constantly distracted. There were points when she got so frustrated with herself that she clenched her fists. But she would then remind herself: be patient. Refocus.
A voice made her open her eyes.
"That's enough for today," said uncle James.
Hanna was befuddled.
"What do you mean?" she said. "That's it?"
He was already standing back up.
"For today," he said.
Hanna pleaded, "I need more training. I can't waste a single second."
"It doesn't matter how much training you get done in one day," he said. "It doesn't matter how much you get done in two days. Or three days. Or three weeks. It doesn't matter how much training you get done in this month leading up to the Carnival. It's about consistency. It's about maintaining your passion. Looking after it. Taking care of it. Nurturing it. That's where true progress is made."
"But I need the training now," said Hanna.
"I've been down the path you are on. I trained every second of every day. I was obsessed. I was training for the Fire Carnival. I thought I could be the very best in the world. I put everything on the line. If I didn't win that competition, I was worthless. That's what I told myself. I thought I was motivating myself. I thought if I put enough pressure on myself then it would mean that I would have no choice but to rise to the occasion. I was wrong."
Hanna was still sitting on the ground.
"Go home," said uncle James. "Breathe."
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