The first clump of mud mixed with cow dung landed just in front of Pange In-Yeon as he turned the corner by the school gate. He tucked in his chin, pulled is books tighter to his chest, and picked up his pace. The next clump hit the side of his head. Its hidden rock made his ears ring. He did not know if the dampness he felt running inside his collar was dung or his own blood. Ducking and weaving he tried to see who his attackers might be. Once around a corner and seemingly out of range, he looked back and spotted his brother laughing and handing coins to the group of rough looking boys.

"Figures" he muttered under his breath as he kicked at the ground. A small spiral of dust formed beside his foot and he collected a bit of his energy and gave it more of a spin. The little twister followed him like a young pup, pausing here and there, but still staying in range. He couldn't help smiling as it zipped around the next corner then hurried back into place at his heel. It followed along the lane and through the gates to the home farm.

"Still playing in the dirt, little brother?" Kyu-Yeon asked as he tried to trip In-Yeon by poking a staff between the younger boy's legs. In-Yeon's anger flared as he jumped away. The dust spinner rose up beside him and picked up speed. It expanded and picked up small stones to hurtle toward his brother. Before In-Yeon could catch his breath, the spinner careened along the side of the house and out onto the back terraces. The sound of breaking crockery was followed by women yelling.

In-Yeon ran to the backyard and drew in some deep breaths. He struggled to find a calm centre to draw his creation back down to its playful origin. Instead, he felt the pressure building all around. He thought he might spin apart until his grandfather started singing a mantra beside him. He quickly joined in and then his brother added a counter-point. The twister danced around them then settled back into the ground.

His brother turned and pointed at In-Yeon. "What were you thinking? Were you trying to kill us?"

"Nothing. I wasn't trying to do anything. It just happened. It was a friendly sort of pet until you tried to trip us." In-Yeon sounded completely bewildered.

Kye-Yeon looked ready to launch into more recriminations but their grandfather put up his hand. "Boys. Enough." He wrinkled his brow and then said, "We will not discuss this here. Your father will make his decisions when he returns." The old man nodded and turned away. His steps faltered a bit as he made his way toward the kitchen door. In-Yeon stepped in quickly provided support and then apologized.

"I didn't mean to throw extra energy into it," he whispered.

"I know. In truth, it should not have been tied to you at all. We may need meet with your training masters." He noticed In-Yeon's panicked look and raised an eyebrow. "More to discuss with your father, I take it."

In-Yeon swallowed hard and nodded. The old man sighed and tried to send the boy off to get cleaned up. In-Yeon insisted on seeing his grandfather properly settled in the warm corner of the kitchen with a glass of water in hand before departing.

In-Yeon's mother could not help smiling at the gentle way her youngest treated his grandfather. The cook nodded to her and then both women braced themselves to face the damage to the storage jars they had heard cracking earlier. The newest batch of fish sauce were almost all ruined but, save a couple of cracked lids, the larger jars of bean curd appeared to be intact. Best of all none of the previous year's rice wine had been touched.

"From the way In-Yeon apologized to everyone I expected to it be worse," the cook said quietly. Her mistress nodded then looked around to see where her boys may have gone. She spotted In-Yeon reading near the window in his bedroom. Kye-Yeon was down by the stables talking with some of the hired-hands. She watched while her eldest gestured toward the garden terraces but the men shook their heads. "Trying to plant his version," the cook muttered to herself, "as usual."

"What is usual?"

"Oh, well we have seen it before. haven't we?" the cook wrung her hands then straightened up and plunged on. "Kye-Yeon always gets backers for his side of the story. Just have to wonder if everything is so clear cut why would he be seeking out the witnesses ahead of time?"

"Why, indeed," the boy's mother agreed sadly then returned to the house. She gave her father-in-law a crooked smile. "I guess I should have sent him to the temple the first time his uncle asked but In-Yeon was barely ten."

"Old enough to train, and start outshining his older brother." The old man shook his head.

"Is that what caused..." her voice faded since she what not sure what happened.

"Caused what?" her husband asked from the doorway.

"A disturbance, a freakish windstorm?" she looked over hoping her father-in-law might help.

"An unbidden, and unanchored, dust devil sprung up to defend In-Yeon," the old man's hand shook as he took a sip of water.

"Defend In-Yeon from what? This is his home, nowhere safer." Baron Pange pulled on his beard and frowned at his father.

"We all know who makes it difficult for In-Yeon both here and at school," the old man sighed.

"What have you heard? Did In-Yeon accuse his brother?"

"Dear, you know he would never say a thing. Even when he comes home bruised and bleeding In-Yeon claims he was clumsy, or unlucky," she gave her husband a pleading look.

"He hasn't said anything but he clearly had enough. If I had not been here, I don't know what might have happened especially since all the while we were singing the anchor Kye-Yeon was trying to take control of the twister."

"But he didn't." The baron looked to each of them for confirmation.

"No. I was still stronger but this can not go on." The old man shook his head and sighed heavily.