By the morning light Bios and Clio had gathered outside the Pharmacy. Led by Master Gaia, by the light of the rising sun, she led the two young pupils deep into the woods to the side of a nearby stream running through the forest on the outskirts of Gourd. By the stream and in the light of the sun blocked by the trees she instructed them in rudimentary exercises, showing them how to stretch and bend their bodies like a troupe of traveling performers. Stretching, bending, taking deep breathing, inhaling and exhaling deeply as their instructor demonstrated. Anthony did this without question, but Clio was curious as to why they had started their training like this.

“Remember, as you breathe in through your mouth, exhale through your nostrils pushing air from deep within your diaphragm.” Master Zoe inhaled deeply and exhaled in a scene fashion. “Clio, is there something weighing on your mind?” She noticed the questioning look on her face.

“Ms. Gaia, begging you pardon, but this new training you promised seems a lot more rudimentary than before.” Clio exclaimed. “Deep breathing, stretching, reflex exercises, concentration techniques, these are all things I learn while breaking into the first circle of magic. Why are we training in that?”

“A good question, Ms. Harmonia and it’s one I was hoping one of you would ask.” She then looked at Anthony and chuckled. “I guess following orders comes more naturally in some families... Nevertheless, recent events have made me realize that the fault of the source of the Ion does not reside in one area but in all areas, which means mage craft is fundamentally flawed unto its foundation. In other words Ms. Harmonia, we need to build on fundamentals if we’re going to build a new house of learning.”

“I have been keeping up with my fundamentals Ms. Gaia, just as you’ve taught me.” Clio said.

“If that was true, why were you having trouble with the Flash Freezing until Anthony helped you out?”

“What, I didn’t...Jason.” She realized who had told her about the incident with the strawberry.

“It’s alright Ms. Harmonia, it’s only natural that one forgets the fundamentals when they’ve reached their goal, just as one becomes dependent on running until the day they cannot.” She tapped her leg, reminded of her own personal struggles. “Make no mistake I was one of them, before events in my life changed my way of thinking. I worked on rudimentary forces in my body to build myself up again. One after the other I learned how to compensate for lack of one appendage. It was the hospital in my long road to recovery that I learned that retaining those fundamentals quicken recovery. Mind, body, spirit, and soul forces help me rebuild my former abilities back on par to a Grand Master status. Many who suffer injuries like mine, lose sight of this and end up retiring or losing faith in their own abilities.”

“Ms. Gaia...I never knew.” Clio apologized.

“You’re young, maybe one day you’ll never have to experience this, but for now you should continue to work on these fundamentals in the chance it may save you.” She then turned to Anthony. “Now, Mr. Bios, being trained in the Imperial ways you probably trained your body everyday and with your unique spiritual attribute you can master mind and spirit force in your sleep. For you the training will be more difficult because it won’t be a matter of strengthening your fundamentals, but more of how to act on command. Essentially, trying to make a voluntary action from an involuntary response.”

“With some exceptions, I can control my four forces at will, if you recall from the actions at the Niles farm.” Anthony tried to advocate.

“From what I’ve observed you can control amazing abilities but they’re still lacking Mr. Bios.” She turned into a cold, criticizing instructor. “Even if you can control your veins to slow down wounds, your spirit to stay alert, it’s only when you’re focused on one thing at a time. What about the time your body repaired itself when you were struck by lightning?”

“...It’s true I have yet to explain how or why that happened?”

“I believe that it’s because instinctively you were using all your forces at once. If you can master that, then maybe you need not worry about any mage attacks. Yet, first we’ll have to test this.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“Why do you think I chose this area near a stream?” She turned her gaze to Clio. “Ms. Harmonia, I want you to use the water in this stream and start attacking Ms. Bios.”

“W-what do you mean just attack him?” Clio was perplexed by this command.

“Yes, just attack him, like he’s going to attack you.”

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“I feel attacking Ms. Clio would be unjustified?” Anthony was only accustomed to fighting when provoked.

“Oh, for the love of...” She grabbed Clio by the shoulders and practically dragged her near the stream.

Next, she grabbed Anthony and led him in front of Clio so that they were seeing each other face to face. When she was standing beside Clio, she then placed her fingers out like a frame seeing that everything was in the right position.

“Alright, Clio, use the Water Gun technique to fire a full force directly at Anthony, and Anthony despite your better instincts I want you not to dodge but simply stand right there.” She picked up her hand and waved it down like a referee. “Now...begin!”

As instructed Clio gathered the water from the stream, lifting it into a large ball. Cuffing the water between her hands she compressed the water into a tight form and aimed her hands directly at Anthony.

“I’m sorry.” She said before releasing the high pressure stream of water directly at Anthony.

As instructed he stood perfectly still concentrating to keep his composure showing no fear as he closed his eyes and took the water straight to the stomach.

Splash! The water was enough to get him soaking wet but not enough to push him back. Clio kept spraying until Master Zoe raised her hands for her to quit.

“Stop, stop, stop!” She waved her hand in protest before rubbing the top of her head. “Clio, I’ve seen you use better pressure washing the wagon. Why are you holding back?”

“Ms. Gaia, at full force a water gun can tear up dirt and even flesh? I’m not going to risk hurting Anthony like that.”

“Ms. Zoe is right, Ms. Clio.” Anthony nodded with his body dripping wet. “Like Master Zoe explained, if I sense no danger my body will not respond. In order for me to master control, you must not hold back anything. For the sake of both our crafts, please, Ms. Clio.”

As instructed Clio did try again, this time fully content to let out her full force against Anthony and he stood his ground. Time seemed to slow down as Clio released the pressured stream with enough force to teach through his flesh. In his mind Anthony tried to fight his urge to move, so his instincts were too strong. At the last possible second before his body was in contact, he moved his body to the left avoiding the spray. Then...

Bzzzt! His body was hit with a sudden jolt of electricity running through his veins and muscles causing him to fall into the mud below stiffened in pain.

“Ms. Gaia!” Clio stopped her assault the moment she saw sparks escaping Zoe’s fingers.

She simply stood there smiling with her finger against her knuckle with a disappointed grin on her face.

“Just as I thought.” She approached the fallen Bios.

Clio quickly went over to his side and picked him up and examined him to make sure the shock hadn’t done any serious damage.

“You never said you were going to use lightning against him.” Clio scolded the old master.

“I never said I won’t either. However, seeing how he’s better at dodging than taking a hit, it’s the only way he’ll learn how to change those pesky reactions.” She simply watched as Clio helped him up, then turned around to get back to her previous spot. “Relax kid, I know how much electricity it takes to kill a man, I’m only giving you enough shock to bring you down. Now, get back to your position Clio, we have to set this up again.”

Anthony was a little shaker this time around, but nodded to Clio to continue even though his body was feeling a little more numb than usual. Despite her reluctance, Clio decided to try again, releasing another water gun shot in Anthony’s direction. He dodge again as anticipated and then...

Bzzt! Again he was shocked. Bzzt! Again. Bzzt! Again.

Bzzzzzt! By now he had been shocked over a dozen times, and each time he continued demanding Clio to set up again. When he reached the point where his skin was practically red with burned marks, even with his leather gear for insolation, Clio insisted that they stop.

“He can’t go on like this Ms. Gaia.” Clio said. “If this continues he won’t have any more energy left to defend himself, then the energy could cause his heart to stop.”

“You’re right Ms. Clio, we’ll take an hour to rest and then go back to it again.”

“Ms. Gaia, I don’t understand why you’re doing this? Why risk Anthony’s life so frivolously when there must be another way or unlocking these instincts you keep talking about?”

“A h-h-healer, is r-r-resolved...” Anthony quietly whispered as he was held up in Clio’s arms.

“...no matter one’s blood, race, creed, or faith, the betterment of health is one for the many.”

“The fifth principle of the code of Asclepius.” Ms. Gaia completed his sentence. She then turned to Bios and Clio and looked at the determination in his eyes that matched her own. “Whether it’s a soldier’s duty or healer’s, you understand what this training truly means, Bios.”

“I-I’m not sure...” He said still shocked and weakened. “...b-but I-I-I, have f-faith.”

“Good enough, kid.” She turned to Clio and instructed her to get him some cold water and rub some medicine on his wounds.

Through the remainder of the day they continued the training, sometimes basic fundamentals, sometimes with Anthony’s special training. This went on until the morning of an unexpected arrival at the pharmacy.