6 Feel the Earth, Listen to the Water

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*Whack!*

"Wu ~"

"As i said, feel the earth with each step!"

Pain, so much pain. Sieg never felt this much pain in his whole life. It's been a whole day since he accepted his master's teachings, well he didn't have much to learn really since all his master taught him was to 'walk properly'. Wilson demonstrated 'how to walk properly' for him three times already yet whenever he tried to do so a flying stick would always whack a leg or two, signifying that he did it wrong.

Sieg felt like crying. 'It really hurts' he thought, but he refuse to back down. He wanted to stick with his decision, this was only the start and there's no way he's giving up this early.

He close his eyes and recall the scene where his master demonstrated 'walking properly' in front of him. He remembered his master's posture, his expression, the feeling when it was demonstrated before him.

It was very mysterious.

Sieg had no way to understand it. His master was only walking yet it felt like…nothing. Yes, nothing. He felt nothing yet he was sure there was something, it was incredibly profound.

'What is it? Just what am I doing wrong?' He thought.

It was very frustrating for him, he wanted to do that to yet he knew that if he took another step without thinking, a wooden stick would have it's way on his body again, that's just painfull.

He sat down, he was thinking. Repeating the image of his master walking again and again in his mind. His mind sought answers, 'It feels very familliar yet unfamilliar at the same time, just what is it?' The feeling he got when his master demonstrated it was very familliar. He knew that he encountered that feeling before, in fact he was totally sure the already felt it before, he just needed enlightenment about it.

Recalling the picture again, he saw Wilson, his posture wasn't very special, in fact it's just like how other people walk as well, if his right foot stepped forward then his left hand will swing and vice versa. But even it's nothing special, Sieg can feel something very profound in his heart and that's precicesly why his entire body hurts.

'It's like… like he's not walking. Every step feels like… empty Wait!'

Sieg's eyes suddenly brightened up. It like there was a huge church bell ringing beside his ears.

'Nothingness! Yes! That's it! He was clearly doing something which is 'walking' yet it somehow feel like he was not doing anything at all, that's because he was totally blended in the surroundings. It's like he was no longer a person but part of nature as well. Incredible!!!'

Sieg's eyes were glittering because of his discovery, he now totally understood why he was having those familliar feeling. It is because he knew it all along. He was so familliar with his surroundibgs yet because he lived here for the longest of time he took it for granted and forgot the feeling he got from the first time.

The glitter in his eyes died down fast though, since there still exist a problem.

'How do I do it then?'

Confusion came fast for him. His master only repeated one instruction for him so far. 'Feel the earth with each step'. Aside from this there's nothing else.

'Feel the earth with each step, do i really need to step in order to feel it? Or I can do it while sitting down or meditating? Well I guess I just have to try then. If I'm wrong I will feel it since the stick will fly towards me again.'

He then eliminated any unnecessary thoughts in his mind and focused. He gathered his attention to the parts of his body that's connected to the earth. His pelvis, some parts of his legs, and he even put his palms to the ground just to add to his immersion. He felt the little crumbs of the soil beneath him, the uneveness of the ground. He felt the texture, he observed the color, the smell and in the end he took off his clothes and lied to the ground.

He was onto something,

One hour passed…two hours passed…three.

Six hours passed. His eyes flashed open, it was dull but at the core of that dullness there was something. Something that's suppose to be bright but is dimmed at the moment. Only seasoned experts would be able to tell what it is.

Sieg stood up, the dullness of his eyes is still there he took a step forward.

Nothing happened.

He took another one. Still nothing. He made one step after another until he walked for about 10 meters without anything happening. Suddenly a soft sound woke him up from his stance.

*Ding*

The stick that's following him emitted a sound. Sieg's eyes returned from what it's like before. Then following the sound he heard his master's voice and what he said brought joy to him.

"You did well, but still lacking. Next you need to 'Listen to the water'. Begin!"

*Whack!*

"Ow! What was that for?!"

Despite being hurt, his eyes is still brilliant. It may seem that he wasn't aware of what he was doing before but he is, in fact it couldn't even be more clearer. It doesn't feel like walking, for him it feels like the ground beneath him is moving him. The earth may seem rough and reckless but it wasn't without any reason at all, it is protecting something. When Sieg saught what earth feels like he too felt the earth's purpose. And since he felt it the earth considered him as it's own, that's when Sieg found success in his training.

As for what it is that the earth is protecting, Sieg has no idea. He didn't want to pry any deeper since he got what he needed already, he wasn't that greedy.

Sieg's eyes went back to that previous state and made his way near the lake.

It was the same lake where he was fishing before.

He didn't came here for quite some time. It would be a lie if he said that he didn't miss this place cause he does, even if he was only away for a short amount of time.

"What do I do now Master?" Sieg turned his head and asked the floating stick that's following him.

Wilson was not with Sieg physically, he said that he needed to go somewhere to do something so he infused a bit of his conciousness in the stick he uses to whack at Sieg to give him instructions.

The floating stick flew on top the lake, then Sieg heard his master's voice. "Your goal is to jump in this lake without causing any disturbance. Remember! 'Listen to the water'." After saying that, the stick suddenly fell in to the water horizontally. After quite sometime the stick then emerged into the water in a flash and flew behind Sieg.

Sieg on the other hand was dumbfounded. He just saw the stick fell at a fast speed into the water like someone threw it yet he didn't see any disturbance at all. No sound, not even a current or a ripple happened when the stick fell and emerged.

'How am I suppose to do that?' Sieg roared in his head, once again he doesn't have any idea on what to do. He can only sit in front of the lake with a stupid expression on his face. He recalled what his master said.

'Listen to the water.' He repeated this in his mind, and since he doesn't have any idea how to start, he might as well try doing what his master suggested him to do. Wearing that dull expression on his face yet again, he closed his eyes and listened.

*Woosh* *Woosh*

He listened for an hour, two hours, four hours...until once again he spent six hours just listening to the water. He knew that he was hungry but he didn't care. He was exhausted physically and mentally. Constantly forcing one's mind to concentrate on one thing is very taxing but Sieg didn't mind. He also know that his master wasn't forcing him to successfully learn it in just a day but he already made up his mind. He will be successfull before the day ends and he was sure he can do it. Why? Very simple.

He was onto something again.

Sieg stood up after six hours of 'listening'. He took off his clothes and jumped into the water. He reached a height of two meters before he fell into the water and when he did. Something magical happened.

Even before his body made contact with the water, the water itself rose lightly. Seemingly welcoming Sieg onto it's embrace, it was like it's long lost relative, which was away for a very long time, came home and the water entusiastically recieved him. Aside from that reaction there was nothing else that came after. The water didn't let out even a ripple when Sieg fell.

Deep into the water Sieg opened his eyes, just like what happened when successfully 'felt the earth', he was again walking under water. He also felt that same sensation again, it didn't feel like he was the one who's taking a step, it felt like water is doing it for him.

Sieg's face might not show any expression at the moment but in truth he was celebrating deep down.

'I did it!' He thought. It felt awesome, despite being exhausted through and through his mind became very clear. He didn't know if it was because of the water ot entirely something else.

*Ding*

Like a cue, the stick who always followed his side emitted a sound signifying that he was successfull in his attempt.

"Well done! You can go home now and rest. Oh and by the way, from now on you'll be replacing sleep with meditation. That's all." Then the stick emitted a brilliant light which covered his whole body. When he regained his vision, he was back to his hut.

*Grrrr*

Upon seeing his home, his exhaustion was finally realized and with it, his hunger also attacked. He wasted no time and prepared a meal for himself. Thankfully his master hunted the food for him so all he has to do was to cook it.

***

Somewhere across the world, a land way far from where Sieg is, his master, Wilson is currently staring down at vast desolate land. He was standing at a towering mountain where the peak is blanketed by taintless white snow. His gaze showed interest yet uncaring at the same time, his hands were clasped behind his back while a ripple suddenly appeared on his face.

"What a stuborn fool. But he is nothing short of a wonder, it only took him a two days to figure out two parts of the 'Walk of Innocence', those brats back home might end themselves if they knew about it."

His face showed a kind smile, for a person like him to show this kind of expression is very rare. He believed that he picked up a very rare gem.

'If he ever surpass my current achievements then this Old Man can die happy.' But he also knew that for Sieg to do so, he needed a lot of time.

*Clang* *Clang*

The smile on his face disappeared, replaced by the unusual 'uncaring' expression again. He gazed a the thing that made the sound.

The 'thing' is supressed by chains as big as a person's waist, the chains emitted a holy light and countless of unknown inscriptions are embedded in them, there were countless of chains embedded on it's entire being. Some chains are on it's limbs, some are even buried deep down on to it's bones and organs. Despite being suppressed by these chains, the 'thing' still emits a very fearsome aura, one that could instantly kill any mortal just by being in a close proximity to it.

"Still I can't believe it. Those guys are looking for you for the longest of time. They even destroyed countless of plains and heavenly bodies just to look for you yet who knew? Who knew that, of all the places, You're here, and even at this pathetic state. What a funny joke eh?" He paused for a while and looked at the 'thing', the 'thing' was also staring at him, waiting for him to finish.

"Boreas, God of the North Wind."