Chapter 5

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Growth

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Seeing the sun has risen Teng heads out. He slept nearly twelves hours so he is refreshed. Coming across a creek he picks up some stones beside it. He found a sturdy branch yesterday, now he just needs tree vines. Searching for nearly half an hour he finds decent vines. Some too thick to use, but some are thin enough. Grabbing with his arm he pulls them down, then heads to his cave.

Grabbing a sharp stone, he makes a groove into his branch. Then with some mud which he made with some water, dirt and sand he applies it to the end of the branch. He sticks the stone onto it, and then positions it near his fire. The branches seem extremely hard and resistant here, luckily this one was already broken or he would have trouble getting one. The fire hardens the mud.

Teng continues this with a few branches and stones he picked, making a few smaller ones too. Teng was going to use the vines to strengthen it, but it seems its’ already hard as stone. Excited at his new Spear, he gives it with a few swings, and stabs. Unfortunately having one arm makes its stability drop sharply and he is not exactly a spearman. Teng will have to get used to it later.

Looking up, the rift is still their spewing out a constant stream of energy. It seems after he recovered from a night of sleep, he noticed he could sense different forms of energy. It seems far easier to sense energy near places of water for Teng. Not willing to waste the day Teng heads over to a river close by.

Arriving at the lake Teng begins his daily routine he assigned himself. Although most of the island houses no animals, the river is starting to fill up with sea creatures. Stabbing forward at the water below he barely misses a fish. The fish are slippery and is why he made his spear.

Teng built an enclosure made of stones in the river so the fish passing might get trapped here. It makes it easier for Teng to hunt the fish.

When he stabs them, they’ll slowly bleed and die, or he might be able to fish them out. Teng isn’t an expert on this stuff, but he just uses his brain.

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Teng continues his fishing for a little while. After thirty minutes in what he estimates, he has four fish from his enclosure. He builds the fire, nearly taking him an hour, since he has only one arm. Thankfully he has done it before and slowly heat is generated. Cooking the fish doesn’t take long, and he can finally have his first meal after four days.

Starved, the fish taste like a heavenly delicacy even though they are half burnt, half raw, and have no seasoning. But Teng isn’t complaining and gulps them down, burning his tongue.

Satisfied Teng cleans up. Teng is considering what to do. At the moment there are no obvious predators, it’s a small paradise for him. He is enjoying learning new skills in order to survive, just being one with nature. His plan is to hopefully harness this new energy, using that, he will be able to survive and have a better life here. He is not feeling homesick at all, or has any thoughts of leaving. He plans to hunker down and make this place his territory.

Relaxed and full, Teng decides to practice. He notices a large amount of energy near water sources, but he is still having a hard time tapping into it. Sitting down inside the river only half a metre deep, Teng focuses on the energy. After awakening as he calls it two days ago, he has started to see a new world, like a sixth sense, but it feels much more tangible. Like Teng just got plugged in like an internet cable, and as long as thoughts are focused, he can see and interact with the invisible world.

Slowly a whirlpool forms around Teng, it doesn’t enter Teng, just harmoniously swirls around him. Nature seems undisturbed by this phenomenon. Teng’s forehead is covered in sweat, and his muscles on his forehead pulse. Unable able to continue the swirls collapses, but not before a bit of energy proceeds into Teng.

It seems to Teng that as one works to harness and understand their given energy, they are given approval to absorb it. So far Teng believes his has something to do with water, but he could be wrong. He felt energy in the air, and in living things too, just sparsely.

Teng continues this until the evening.

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After finishing cultivating. Teng feels he is closer to this new law. Before sleeping he repairs any damage to the enclosure, and then heads back to his cave.

His cave is not far perhaps a kilometre or so away from his fish trap. It blocks the wind, and is not too cold. It is positioned near a fresh water pond only a hundred metres as well. Teng thinks the island could stretch more than fifty kilometres.

Laying his spears down, near the pool he washes his face, clothes and shoes. Although his shirt, and pants are bloodied and ripped, it’s better than nothing at all.

After his wash he heads back. Leaves line the cave with some vines for a warmer bed. The cave is well hidden, situated near a hill. Trees and boulders block the entrance fairly well. There is even an exit of sorts if there is trouble.