13 The training begins anew

"So here is what we are going to do from now on." Musa said as he turned towards Jide. "You are going to continue training your ability as it can help us ward of danger. In addition, I will teach you how to fight, but we only have this bastard sword and I only know the basics of swordplay. Therefore, I will augment your training with some martial arts and assassin movement techniques."

Jide looked disinterested and only asked, "what are going to do about Nnenna?"

"Yeah, that reminds me, you said she disappeared along with her creature once the sphere broke open. If that is so she should be safe and she at least knows a few moves from her father's guards. You need to worry about yourself first Jide. I need to be honest with you. As the energy within you increases, it begins to affect your emotions. And the more you use your gift the stronger it gets. Some people even allow their emotions to control them and fuel their mage ability. My father always said a calm mind is the best way to control your emotions but he didn't even have the gift. Anyway, you won't have to worry about this for a while. Before, them I hope you can gain control of your gift so it doesn't happen as often."

Jide nodded his head then reached for the water canteen and took a drink. Then he crossed his legs and got comfortable before controlling his breathing and visualising the energy flowing through his body and his mind calming. He tried to remember that state he was in that felt as if he was between sleep and wakefulness. However, nothing happened this time.

Meanwhile, Musa glanced at Jide before calling the shadow hawk to himself. As he stroked the shadow hawk, Musa could not even comprehend what had happened to him in the cave let alone Nnenna's case but he suspected that he and Nnenna were now external mages. He had not believed they even existed but now he could feel the enormous energy flowing within him. He focused on the darkness elements around him and willed them to surround him like a cloak. As the dark essence solidified on his skin he felt himself blend into the darkness and his presence disappeared.

Musa could not help but smile.

This was greater than the stealth techniques thought by his family. The darkness element had hidden his entire presence completely. However, when he tried to move he found it hard to maintain the darkness cover on his entire body. But he was not particularly bothered. All, he needed to do was practice.

...

Nnenna moved through farms and fields around Mushin trying to say away from anyone. She was not worried about anyone attacking her but she didn't want to have to explain Kayto- not that she didn't already have an excuse.

She was heading for the only place that could be called a city at the Northeastern border, Omole. It was about a three week carriage ride from Mushin, if you followed the roads. One would have to first head south out of Mushin first as there were only mountains to the North and farms to the East around Mushin.

She had been there two years ago with her father and had been fascinated by the hunters and beast tamers that were part of the mercenary guild. Therefore as she had the donned her leather armour which her father had made for her as well as the dagger her father always carried she knew she could pass as a beast tamer albeit a young one. She also wore one of her mother's necklaces underneath as a memento.

It had already been a day since she left Mushin and Nnenna had been practicing the techniques Musa taught Jide in order to gain control of her new ability. However, she could not teleport like Kayto or move to the alternate space like before. In fact she did not know what her element was exactly or what else she could do. She could only feel her spatial awareness growing stronger such that she could even see everything around her with her eyes closed. It was still limited to a 10-meter radius but she felt like she had so much more balance and control of her body than before.

Equally, Kayto was getting bigger. He was already bigger than any dog she had ever seen and Nnenna took advantage of his size to ride on his back every time she got tired of walking.

As Nnenna finally left the farmlands and wondered onto the road that led to Omole, she decided to stop for a while beside the road and practice with her ability while focusing on her spatial awareness as opposed to trying to open the alternate space again. As Nnenna focused on her breathing and felt the black and mercury energy within and around her, she was first aware of the position of her body and then her awareness started to expand.

She could feel every trees and grasses blowing in the wind in a 30-meter radius as clearly as if she were a part of them. She knew about all the creatures scurrying underground, frolicking in the trees or flying in the air. She could even sense things beyond that limit.

Suddenly, she felt like she could move to any point within her consciousness of space with only a little more energy.