5 Chapter 5: Training Commences

When Rydel woke up in the squishy bed on his room, everything still felt like a dream. He has a floating sensation that's similar to what he feels like after some deep naps late in the afternoon. His head heavy, his throats dry and his legs soft like jelly. He tried to sit up but gave up right after the initial attempt as his sore abdominal muscles protested against the action.

The Aquarian bed felt extremely comfortable as per usual, however, as the green gel completely swallows him and provides a delicate temperature balance so that it's cool enough for him to dose off immediately but not leave him shivering throughout the night. Rydel decided to simply lied there and stared at the ceiling for a long while.

'You are up, rookie?' Dolon slapped on the outside of his bedroom door a few times, probably as a regular check up.

'Somewhat...' Rydel replied, but his voice sounded distant and extremely quiet to the point that he didn't even think Dolon heard him.

'Exciting stuff.' Dolon split the wall right open and walked in, 'so, what do you think? Did you remember what happened?'

'I don't really...I pulled out a big chunk of rock materials and dropped them in between us, but then I don't know what happened.' Rydel closed his eyes and tried to recreate the fight in his head, but all he feel is tiredness.

'It was maximum effort, I am almost absolutely certain.' Dolon leaned against the wall and bobbed her head slightly, 'It happens to all of us. When we first tried to use the artifacts to its maximum capacity, most of us passed out due to the sheer level of effort required as well as the strain on our body. That's only normal.'

'All of you guys? But Cellica's artifact isn't even for battle, how does that even work?' Rydel breathed a sign of relief, but questions immediately followed.

'Oh she just stared into the distance and went crazy for a few days. It was like "overdosing psychedelic drugs" to quote her saying, but I suspect it's similar to us accidentally chewing Moronoro...' Dolon started tapping on her head as if it helps her with memorizing. Rydel raised his eyebrows at that comment, but decided not to pursue it further.

'The artifacts are something beyond ordinary beings, no matter which race you are from. But with training, we can increase our capacity to do more things, do it quicker and for longer..... That's what Ol did, Cellica's been doing and Torelamri has gotten pretty good at it.' Dolon went on to explain what her plans are, 'from the brief introduction yesterday, we can classify your artifact as a physical type, similar to my one. So in the next short while, we will train together. Like any sort of sport training, we will first explore your limits, find out how to train them and then break through it.'

'Sounds good?'

'Not bad.'

A few minutes later, Rydel finally managed to got off the bed and move around a little. Everything seems to be in slow motion at this point and he just wants to take it easy. On a makeshift table next to his desk, a screen was lit up with a map of the compound as well as information about connecting to the internet, so it seems doing his work here really isn't a big ask. He just need to make sure he isn't passed out every time he really uses his power.

As Rydel set up the work and started a bit of planning, the thirst and hunger immediately pulled him out of the mood for research work. He grabbed a cup and headed towards the kitchen.

To his surprise, despite being midnight by Athena 3's local time, Cellica was having a meal by the table and watching videos on a screen. She looked up as Rydel walked in and waves her hand, which had two wedges that stuck together as one in between her fingers.

'Glad that you are up!' Cellica paused the video and scanned Rydel, 'no injuries?'

'Strange that you are up too.' Rydel responded, 'and I don't think I injured myself. But you are right, these things are dangerous.'

'That's why it's important for you to be here.' Cellica looked at Rydel right in the eyes and the jade green eyes pierced straight through him.'But why are you up at this time...how does time work here anyway?' Rydel walked towards the sink and selected the aquatic solution for humans, which is pure water with minerals added in.

As water fills up the cup, Rydel also moved sideways to check out the food printer located right to the side. The one catered for humans is located at his eye level, with Aquarian liquid meal options located high up and Rockies options located near the ground. No matter what this compound was previously for, some substantial upgrade definitely happened here.

'The days are quite a bit shorter than the home planets, but the compound is synced up with standard days so it won't be long before you are adjusted to it.' Cellica pointed towards a clock sitting on top of the table. It was a mechanical clock made of dark colorized metal and definitely something of the past.

Rydel closed the tap and selected a standard meal to be produced by the food printer and then brought the cup to sit next to Cellica. 'I don't think I have seen one of these ever.' Rydel leaned in close to check out the tiny gears and levers clicking back and forth, 'did Ol buy this from an antique shop or something?'

'No! I made it!' A sharp voice came from behind the counter, but Rydel didn't actually see anyone. However, he can hear clear foot steps going around the counter towards the entrance into the kitchen.

Torelamri came out jogging with an electronic notebook in one hand and a small back pack in the other. He opened the food printer for Rockies, scooped all the food into the pack, which turns out to just be a lunch box with straps attached to its sides, And slammed the door shut.

'In a rush! Got to go!' He dropped these words and vanished behind the counter once again.

'Why is him always in such a rush?' Rydel turned towards Cellica, who's completely oblivious to the Rockie's behavior, and asked.

'Do you know much about the culture of the Rockies?' Cellica continues to dig into her plate of potato wedges, 'their culture values time, and even worships it. As far as I know, it's due to the climate of the dry rocky planet which fosters a strict and organized social structure that operates on adherence to schedules. Things have eased up a bit now that they don't have to fight against time to stay alive, but Torelamri is still Torelamri.'

'Is he....old-fashioned?' Rydel asked.

'I wouldn't say that's the case. From another point of view, that's what's always worked out for him. You can also call it disciplined.' Cellica doesn't seem to like the word 'old-fashioned', 'Many of us come from different backgrounds, civilizations, sectors, but the artifacts seemed to attract a certain character. You may not have realized this, but it shows. That's what makes us, us. That's what makes us bearers.'

'Now I am starting to understand why you chose this name to describe yourselves...' Rydel went deep in thought completely oblivious of the fact that his meal is already produced. The bearers, they not only bear great power, but with that power comes the burden, and the responsibility.

'Ourselves. You are one of us now, whether you decided to stay or not.' Cellica corrected him, 'But yes. Out of us all, Torelamri bears the heaviest burden on the grand scale of things, despite the lack of such manifestations so far. Ironically, this suits him as Rockies are usually the strongest out of the three races when it comes to muscular density and pound for pound strength.'

'It's too early for any conclusions now, if I am being honest. I really want to understand what this thing can do,' Rydel has already returned with the food from the printer by the time Cellica finished her comment about alien physiology. He grabbed onto the hot plate with his left hand and the glove automatically adjusted for the heat and it only feels warm at the touch.

'That's understandable.' Cellica nodded in agreement.

'By the way, how do any of you fund this? Do you have a job on the side or something...How does any of this work? Do you just train all the time?' The moment Rydel decided to settle down and get some food, question simply popped out into his head one after another. Initially, this seems like some shady cult, but after seeing how everyone is, he just wonders how this is even practically possible in relation to the boring finances and other things.

'Well, I do teach online and do some side jobs...' Cellica giggled at the string of questions, 'Dolon is fights professionally as a war game participant, Torelamri takes contracts and make mechanical artworks like the clock you see on the side and Ol...he makes smart investment decisions.'

'No way, so you are saying he is asking the scroll about which investments to dive in?' Rydel felt his eyelid twitching at the mere thought of using an almost all-knowing item to invest in the galaxy economic ecosystem. But it was probably what he did that allowed them to live together in this compound.

'I never said that.' Cellica smiled cheekily and looked away.

'So do you pay some sort of rent here?' Rydel hasn't even been here for more than two days, yet he has already started to worry about the logistics of everything. Years in higher education and moving between planets had him keep the money matters on top of his mind and the lack of such concerns is really freaking him out.

'No. Ol is a monk after all, so he managed to convince himself that investing money to pay for everything here is for the greater good. You just need to be nice though since all of this is him.'

Cellica then put on a serious face because she understands what Ol is doing. He is following in through his vision and what he believes to be the right thing to do. Even though he will inevitably end up meeting and working with a bunch of different beings, it's all worth it in the end. He knew that they need to gather so that they can fight this threat when it comes.

'That's very generous.' Rydel paid Ol some respect deep down, and started eating his dish.

'The galaxy isn't exactly running out of space or potatoes.'

The next day, Rydel actually woke up extremely early, in relation to the standard day set by the compound's central neural network. Everyone except Torelamri gathered to have breakfast, or just hanging out, in Dolon's case.

'Don't know if you know, but us Aquarian don't eat big meals three times a day!' Dolon waves off at the idea as she sat down next to Ol, 'real fighters eat when they need to, and don't when they don't.'

'But are you sure you don't want to try this out?' Cellica teases her with a potato wedge pierced at the end of the fork, 'despite all of our differences, you still consume carbohydrates.'

'Not today.' Dolon dodged the 'attack', 'oh hello, Rydel! Shall we start with our training?'

'Ah, I will have some food first. I am still a human after all.' Rydel made a face and sneaked past the two Aquarians, 'remind me what training we are doing today?'

'Find your limits, train, get turbed, repeat. And you can walk out of here in twenty one days.' Dolon knocks on the table as she spells out what's going to be a hellish schedule for Rydel, 'But there is a plus, you do get free accommodation and food!'

Turbed? Rydel looked around confused.It's an Aquarian swear word. Cellica whispered in his ear.

'Yeah...the things we do for those.' Rydel signed, it doesn't make any difference now.

Improvements here means less hustle in the future, whether he decides to confront this greater threat or not.

The first training session was as simple as it gets. Dolon was the only one there as everyone else have work to do. It seems like Dolon is just the resident coach and artifact master around.'The first and possibly only task for this morning.

'Find the size limit of your...Summoning? Is that what you want to call it?' Dolon looked at Rydel, who's warming up, and laid down the plan for the morning's session.

There are many massive rocks of varying sizes on the outside training ground and he just need to find out the biggest and heaviest rock that he is able to 'summon' and find out the limiting factors.

'Hell yes. Let's go.' Rydel loosens up his arms a bit and clapped the two together to get himself hyped up like he is attempting to lift a heavy weight, which he actually is.

Rydel looked at the smallest rock that he could find, reached out and easily scooped it in. He then turned and released it in an open area to the right of all the rocks. The ballsized rock twisted out of nothing and dropped onto the ground with a light stud. That was easy enough.

'Can't help you if you are not talking to me, on the scale of one to ten, how hard was that?' Dolon sat a few meters away from Rydel and monitors him carefully. She has a notepad between two of her spare hands and is prepared to make notes.

'That was easy.' Rydel moved on to a bigger rock. As the glove glows gently, he easily grabbed onto it and felt the rough edges pressing into his palm. The weight definitely got heavier, but still well within his control. He dropped this one right on top of the previous rock and watched it completely crush the other one and pieces of rainbow colored metal rolled out of the bigger rock.

Now Rydel felt like he is all warmed up. He is a man of reason, but not always one of caution. He glimpsed at a rock similar to the chunk of material he summoned a day prior, breathed heavily and reached for it. Comparing to last time he attempted something that big, it felt much sturdier, but a lot heavier and more densely packed. He felt around the edges until it's well within his grip, then he closes his fist against some hard resistance.

It's like trying to compress a heavy spring, or push together two north poles of magnets together, there is some sort of force preventing him from closing his fist. The resistance felt too great for him, maybe there is a limit to what the glove can handle.

'Which rock are you going for this time?' Dolon was slightly confused as to what Rydel is doing, 'I didn't see anything move?'

'Yeah, thanks fo that....' Rydel shot back, 'just give me a second!'

Rydel once again reached out with his left hand, fingers pointing to the outlines of that giant rock. He grips his right hand firmly around his left wrist and closes both hands slowly. He was once again met with the same resistance, but instead of the impressionability of solids he thought that was putting up the resistance, it actually felt more elastic.

If that's the case, all Rydel had to do is just grip harder and continually drive his fingers towards each other. He just need to force through whatever resistances that's preventing him from moving that damn rock to another place. As he increases the effort and concentration level, the space around the rock starts to bend as light are gently distorted and the straight edges started to vibrate. His gloves are humming gently and letting off bright yellow rays of light in all directions.

'GET. IN. HERE!'

Rydel shouted with all his effort and letting go of the breath he had been holding as he closed the fist with all his might and locks his finger in place.

When he looked up, the big rock is no longer there. His hand was pulled down to the side of his body almost instantly and he had to keep all trunk muscles nice and tight to prevent tumbling and falling on his butt. He took few small steps to orientate himself towards the open area and rocked forward to get into a lunge position and let his arm swing forward. Catching the end of the swing, he finally released the giant rock he had been holding,

'COME!'

As the space twists and bends, the rock spiraled out of a single point and bashed right into the ground. An extremely loud sound of impact and explosion pierced through the air and hurt the eardrums of Rydel and Dolon, forcing them both to raise their arms to block out the ear. When the dust finally settles, both of them slowly put their hands down and tried to shake off the tinnitus echoing in their heads.

'Oh boy.' Rydel was about to walk towards Dolon, but a rush of blood pinned him exactly where he was standing. He put his hands on his knees and gives it a few second to calm down.

'That was very loud. And very heavy.' Dolon looked at Rydel and then turned her attention to the shattered rocks, 'This is very good work. Do you reckon you can do something heavier?'

'That ain't funny.' Rydel waved off the idea as he helped himself stands straight up once again,' but I do think I know what the limiting factors are.'