Chapter 6 - Rocks
[Cyan]: “Master please tell me what is this all about, 10 billion that is too much”
Arlom shook his head this disciple of his was a lost case
[Arlom]: “It doesn’t matter, go back to sleep I will call you in 8hrs you will need all your energy for tomorrow, or you want me to start calling you stupid again”
Cyan immediately stopped talking and got up from his chair, he did not want to revived that trauma, he has just prevented his name to be changed to Stupid and his master was already regretting it?, ‘no way, I must run away before he really changes his mind’,
Before his master could say anything else, Cyan without saying anything else, started to run away from the circular room into the dark tunnel to the room he was before.
He did not stop until he arrived in front the his bed made of rock, this time he willingly lay down over the rock and closed his eyes, and with a full stomach he marched to the dream world again, he didn’t think he would have any problem to fall asleep again, even if he has just woken up 30 minutes ago, he was still tired with sleepy eyes, not to his surprise after he found a good position to sleep it didn’t took long to fall asleep.
Back in the circular room, Arlom looked over Cyan running figured and he could only think only one thing ‘he is way too slow’, even the slowest of the snails in this forest would be faster than him, that were Arlom honest thoughts at this moment.
‘but building his strength would take too much time and that’s something we don’t had right now, in 1 month the monster king will make his move or other hunters will come attacking me, sigh, the good thing is that weak body of his can be trained for speed, if he can flee the fight then we can buy the time we need and with time we can start training his strength, so he can fight back later, but I first need to make him faster, faster than anyone else in this forest, is the only way, but his stamina will be problem, sigh, there are too much problems’
Arlom was trying to make a sound training plan for Cyan, prioritizing survivability over combat power, Cyan fist were weak, and if he were to throw a punch at him it would be just a laughable act.
‘He doesn’t even have a skill or knows anything about the mana of this world, just what I got myself into, is there really not any hope?’
Arlom shook his head almost giving up before he realize something he has forgotten in his sea of his despair, one thing has come to his mind, a name, well actually there were two names, one was Cyan and the other.
‘Serah name’
She has given her name to him and they have form a connection, even if Serah was death her wasn’t, and that’s something thing Arlom could put his hopes in.
‘I also had forgotten that Cyan has already started showing that power very fast, yes there still hope, I can’t give up without trying at least’.
Arlom nodded his head, his plan was coming together to make Cyan able to survive this place, in a sea of despair, hope still managed keep a float a tattered man floating in the surface, now he needs someone to guide him.
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Like a Clock 8 hours later, Arlom was in front of Cyan that was still sleeping, after giving him the stamina potion and forcing the body to use his hidden reserves Cyan was able to sleep over almost a whole day.
Even in this bed made of rock he was still sleeping with a calm face, this time he was not having nightmares, his weak body has allowed him to sleep in a bed made of rock, after finding a good position, he could slept without much problems.
Arlom shook his head, this was becoming a habit of him now, ‘whatever, if he dies he dies, I don’t care anymore’.
All the hopes and dreams that Arlom has being building up, while Cyan was asleep were destroyed in an instant by Cyan sleeping face, he was always at his limits worry that someone would come attacking them and Cyan was just sleeping without a care in the world.
[Arlom]: “Wake up now!” With bulging vein, Arlom kicked Cyan in his stomach, throwing him out his bed.
[Arlom]: “Who told I was your Mother and that I will wake you every morning with a gentle knot on the door”
Cyan was hit so hard that all the air in his lumps was kicked out of him too, he could not response to Arlom, let alone breathe or make other sound more than a gasping sound, he was trying very hard to fill his lumps with air again, and so far it looked like an impossible task for him.
[Arlom]: “Whatever, you have 30 minutes to eat and be ready to start training, if you are not in the central room in 30 minutes I will leave this base, leaving you behind, and I am never coming back for you, so good luck trying to live for 1 month without me after I leave”
After throwing a plate of food into the floor, Arlom turned around started to walk away to the central room that Cyan had used to eat his food yesterday.
After 10 minutes Cyan could regain his normal breathing, and after letting a few coughs, he started devouring the food, he did not have much time, he only took 5 minutes to eat the food, but after he finished it he has now realized that, he has in fact made a terrible mistake again, Arlom had given him 30 minutes, he use 15 of those 30, then to walk to the exit of this tunnel will only take top 5 minutes, then for what are the other ten extra minutes?.
In this small frame of time, Cyan could remember Arlom word, ‘don’t be so trusting’ before he started feeling a pain in his stomach that was growing, and soon it has became a pain like never before, like something was devouring him from the insides, everything blurred now and spinning.
Before the pain has started, he realize he had forgotten to check the food for poison, and he tried to puke out the food, but his stomach was refusing to puke such a tasty food, and like Arlom has said, the pain he was feeling right now, it was not far of wishing to be dead.
Arlom has giving him 10 minutes in case that Cyan was stupid enough to eat the food without checking for the poison, he put in some pills and mixed with the food, if Cyan search it for it, he would had found them very easily and he could remove them allowing him to eat the food with no problems, but now it was too late, the mistake has being done.
In the circular room was Arlom
’30 minutes has passed, that stupid child did really eat the poison even after I warned him yesterday, sigh’
Turning around Arlom started to walk away to leave this cave forever, but just after he took the second step he stopped and turned around again, he could see a zombie walking out of the tunnel, that zombie was Cyan, holding himself with the walls, and walking like a dead body would, but some way or another he has made it in time, well actually he has not, but Arlom has a soft hearth, even if he himself would never admit that.
[Arlom]: “Good, it seems you like my food so much that have come running for more, What did you say? I have some extras want another plate?”
Cyan white face become even more whiter in an instant, he was a ghost by human standards right now
[Arlom]: “But you made it at the end, I was about to leave this place, you are very lucky indeed, here drink this”
Throwing a Violet bottle into Cyan, Arlom started to walk into a corner with a smile in his face, he was 99% sure that if Cyan eat the poison he will never make it in time, well, at least it was ‘almost in time’ that was good enough for him.
Cyan in the other hand was looking the bottle with a very suspicious gaze, this bottle was filled with a violet liquid, not green or red, it was another color he has never seen before, but the pain in his body was making him unable to think any longer, so he drink it, another strange fluid has entered Cyan mouth and body.
Instantly the pain started to be reduce until it was almost all gone, Cyan could finally leave a sigh of relief, he thought he was done for this time, ‘f…… the first day and I already screw things up’, without giving him time to recover Arlom was talking again.
[Arlom]: “Good, if you are ready, then let us begin, go and stand there, in front of that wall over there, that one with the big red target, or you do really want to waste more time to eat more of my food”
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Cyan immediately shook his head, ‘I don’t want go through that hell ever again in my life’
Arlom could almost read his mind, too bad for Cyan but he was planning to put poison in everything Cyan would touch until he become immune to it, speed and strength were not the only strengths a person can have, he can’t build his strength right now but he can strength his resistances and his stamina.
Ignoring Cyan stupid look Arlom nodded his head.
Cyan mind went numb, ‘What! Just beginning and I almost die! And what’s up with that big ominous target do you think I am stupid!’
[Arlom]: “Don’t make me repeat myself or I will feed you more poison in your dinner.
A new trauma has being implanted into Cyan, without thinking he started running and put himself in front of the target.
‘Now that I think about this look similar to that training I saw once in TV, no wait it can’t be right’ looking over where Arlom was standing he saw a big pile of rocks, ‘I am really going to die today, sigh’
Still not wanting to believe in the true before his eyes, Cyan could not help but to ask
[Cyan]: “Master those rocks over are for?”
[Arlom]: “At least you are not blind after all, but you are not that smart either, nevertheless I am glad that you are getting more stupid”
Arlom nodded his head, Cyan was starting to use his brain, and he was only ignorant of true. A pile of rocks and a big target what else can be?
[Arlom]: “very well as a reward for using your brain I will only use one arm, my left arm is still a little new, so I will be using this target practice to train my arm too, try to dodge as much as you can, and Cyan, try to not die, now, on 3, 2,.. ”
Before Arlom has finished his count down something was already flying in Cyan direction.
Pah!!!
The sound of a rock smashing onto the wall behind him hit his ears
Cyan was not a fool, it was very obvious, that how much of a cheater Arlom was, he will surely start throwing rocks without finished his counting or saying a thing, so Cyan has put a good position to start dodging bullets, I mean rocks, a long time ago and looked over Arlom every move.
But that thrown was out of this world, not even a professional baseball player could throw so fast, he did not notice the rock hitting the wall behind him until the sound was in his ears.
Arlom looked has assume a ‘serious-serious’ now, implying that the real training has begun, and not more playing time was to be allowed.
[Arlom]: “Even if you are prepare for it, there are thing that you can’t prepare for, so you need to prepare for that too, do you understand?”
‘Understand your mother, what is that being prepare for the things I don’t prepare for! Who can prepare for that, but that rock I never saw it until the end, this is your slowest speed?’
[Cyan]: “Master your arm is still recovering, you should not put that much strength in it, I am concerned you could injure yourself that way”
Another trauma was born into Cyan, fear of rocks and anything that look it could throw a rock.
[Arlom]: “Thanks for your concerns, but don’t fret, it will not get hurt at this level, very well, lets us begin for real this time”
With that final words for Cyan grave, Arlom started to thrown rocks at the ‘target’, they were at much lower speed than the first one, at the level of ‘I can see them but even so I can’t avoid them’.
Cyan still could not dodged the lowered speed rocks, every rock hit his mark, that is to say Cyan, but there was something weird, even Cyan was sure he had dodged the rock, like if they were guide by a laser, they will still hit their intended target.
A rock would be aimed to his head head when he got distracted with stupid thoughts, and even if he could it coming he could still not dodged it.
When he was trying to move from his spot in front of the target a rock will hit is legs making him fan to the ground and the a rain of rock will fall upon him in his defenseless state until he could stand again.
Some broke his finger when started using his hand to block the rocks instead of trying to avoid them.
Finally there were the rocks that he has actually avoided, it was one of his greatest and happy moments only to the rock ricocheted on the wall behind him and finally hit in the back of his head, bringing him back to reality.
It was like Arlom was mocking him, all the time, so he has one of those outburst of anger like yesterday, at least his eyes were not hit nor his weak spots, so 98% of Cyan body got plumed down into a pulp but even with that Cyan never stopped trying to avoid the rocks, no, he would be in worse condition if he stopped trying.
After 2 hours, Arlom stopped and has come closer to where remaining’s of Cyan were, ‘yes finally a break’ Cyan thought, but after that Arlom arrived in front of Cyan with a ‘smiling’ face, of course his face expression has never change, Cyan was feeling that something bad will happen again.
With a wave of his hand two potions appeared in front of Cyan, one green and one violet, this time Cyan knew very well what the green potion did, and what was his destiny with it, ‘Rest? You can rest when you are dead’ is what was in Arlom mind. 100% means 100%
[Cyan]: “Master….. Please can you also give me a red one?”
[Arlom]: “So you understand, that’s good, but unfortunately I can’t give you one of those, if I give you the health potion all your 2 hours of training will be gone to waste, and I can’t not allow that, if I want to toughen out your body even a little bit”
A big smile appeared in Arlom hypothetical face, making Arlom look very sinister, if Cyan has asked about the red and the green then he will obviously ask why I took the other.
[Cyan]: “Master… I understand why the green one but then… why are you giving me a violet one, I did it so badly that you will feed me with poison again?”
[Cyan]: “Please master, at least let me heal my hands”
Cyan was clear that he has not managed to avoid one single little rock in the 2 hours of training, and he was very afraid he will be to be feed with poison again.
Actually Cyan never understood that this training today was not for him to actually dodge the rocks in the first place, but to get hit by them, but of course Arlom will never say that to him.
Arlom nodded his head, ‘right I never told him what the Violet potion actually did right?’, another smile appeared over his already existing smile making Arlom look even more sinister.
‘Master what happen to the gentleman with a hearth of gold, which was smiling the first day we meet’.
[Arlom]: “You see stupid child, you never asked me what this violet potion actually do, but if you wait 10 more seconds you will know for sure”
Cyan brain started to think as fast it could, his brain was starting to develop a defense thinking mechanics against this devil in a master disguise of his.
He could only think one thing ‘that violet potion removed the poison from before but, then why is he is giving me another one, I don’t think the rocks could have poison right? Unless…. unless…’
Cyan remember it the word of his master then “you never asked me what this ‘potion’ actually do“, he has made emphasis in the word ‘potion’
‘it was not to remove the poison in my body, sigh, but just to suppressed it, which means the poison has never left my body in the first place’
With a stupid face of realization, the pain that was suppressed by the violet potion had returned, this time with full force.
With the groans of pain of Cyan, Arlom hopes for escaping this place have grew a tiny bit.
‘Surviving for the first 2 hours that’s quite an achievement, it was 50/50 that you would die but you are stronger than I thought, now your chances for the next 2 hours will be only 55/45, rejoice Cyan, you are doing great’
Of course if you said that to Cyan he will puke blood and die on the spot.
What the poison did was, make the person that drinks it feel an unbearable pain, what the violet potion did was the opposite, make the person that drink it, don’t feel any pain, but the poison duration was 4 times longer than of the violet one, and both of the can be considered to be poison, depending in how you see it. Taking both at the same time, what a nice way to increase your resistance to poison.
Arlom thought a way to train Cyan resistance to poison at the same time that his resistance to pain, while allowing him to move, to train his speed, Cyan mind was numb, but his body still could feel the pain, it was the brain that said it was pain or not, you can fool the brain but no the body.
But then again, why did he still feel the pain when he got hit with rocks, the answer to that was, Arlom has made a chirurgical potion, tailored to his own needs.
He has made the pain poison and the anti-pain ‘medicine’ so it doesn’t affect the skin pain receptors in the brain, Arlom was very proud of this, and of his training method too.
‘After his body can handle this grade of pain, I will adjust the doses by giving him more poison and less medicine, until his skin becomes green Bahahahah, I am want to see that stupid face he puts all the time when he notices it, hum but what if I don’t find any excuses to feed him any more poison?’
Turning around and looking over a Cyan groaning in pain in the floor another smile has come to Arlom hypothetical face, it was a record for him to be ‘smiling’ so much in a single day.
‘hahahaha with how stupid he is, tricking him to eat poison will be easy, I’ve never had so much fun in day like this since I enter this forest’
Arlom was holding back his laughter, but unknowingly to Arlom, he was growing fond of Cyan at the same time.
Cyan in the other hand was starting to hate Arlom with all his strength.
Finally with trembling hands, Cyan managed to get a hold of the violet potion and managed to drink it, making the pain disappear again, and healing his broken fingers, it seems the violet potion has some recovery proprieties too, he has realize now.
‘Arlom has always called this violet liquid a potion not an antidote, if I want the antidote I need to ask for it? But then again why he gave me the poison and a suppressor for it to begin with, but… still’.
[Cyan]: “Master the antidote for the poison”
Arlom nodded his head again, Cyan was overcoming his expectations with each passing minute, maybe not everything was lost, so what he should do now, make the training easier for Cyan?
‘Of course not! I will double it!’
[Arlom]: “I will give it to you, if you can dodge a least one rock by the end of the day, if you do that I will not only give an antidote, I will you the best food you ever had, and without any poison in it, you have 6 hours until the training of today ends, Work Hard Cyan”
Arlom turned around but before he started to walk, he had forgotten to tell Cyan something important
[Arlom]: “That’s right, we also need a penalty for you if you fail the test, if you can’t dodge even one rock, I will put poison in your food for one week”
Arlom nodded his head and started to walk away with a smile in his face, he will make it or break it.
There is not time to lose or to fall in despair, and tricking this fool to eat potion was a walk in the park for him, he needs make Cyan into the best ‘human’ of this forest if he wants to not die in 1 month.
‘Even if he a stupid child, he have some good points on him and he learn fast, I can’t wait to see in what he will become’
Funnily enough Arlom was starting to have the same exact thoughts that the Monster King.
Turning around he could see Cyan standing ready to dodge the rocks like his life depend on it.
Arlom hypothetically smile disappeared when he turned around to look at Cyan, ‘this stupid child did not asked how much time the poison will last for, he is as stupid as always’
Arlom shook his head again, and started throwing rocks faster than before.