Training

The springs didn't let me move a muscle. I tried to do anything even tried to force only one arm to move but to no avail. The weight was not helping at all, as I lay there curled up like a human ball. How in the hell was this training if I can't even move? I was expecting some weight training or some shadow swordplay, but this, this is utter nonsense!

It took me some time before I was even able to move my right arm a bit, the strain and the pain kept me from doing anything else, I thoroughly gave up as I laid there face first.

"Oh, you managed to move an arm, that I quite the progress for a day's work." Said the swordsman Shen. "But you will need to find your way to your bed before we can call this day off. Of course, without help from anyone, else you will spend the night here in the open, which is not strange to someone like you." He said

"But what about Lord Ling's magic training?" I said

"Don't worry about that, I already spoke to him, and as long as you don't manage to move with that thing, you will not be attending his crash course on magic. You need to live with that thing, and using magic requires finesse that you don't have at the moment" he said as he left.

I struggled more and more to get my legs to work, but still nothing. This was a near impossibility.

'Master' said something that I knew very well.

"What is it Nocturne?"

"No need to loudly voice out your thoughts, just think of what you want to say and we can speak I can hear you like that. No need to sound like a crazed man' he said in a snickering voice inside my head.

Great now, I have a voice inside my mind.

'You are approaching this the wrong way. This tool is primitive, it is not about strength; it is about control.' He said

'What do you mean?'

'That tool is sapping a lot of your little strength, but whatever is left, try to control it, and use it equally on all of your body. That way, you will be able to move' he said

'Sounds logical, but how can I do that?'

'That is yours to know. I shall not show you what you need to learn. Power comes from one that seeks it not ask for it, and so does knowledge.'

Well at least that was a hint I could use

I then tried to move every muscle of my body at once, the springs moved a bit but not by far.

This was probably the way, but it seems that I will need more control.

I then tried to focus on just my thigh muscles. I tried to move them in sync.

The springes moved, this time giving me more room.

With a bit of struggle, I managed to stand up, but my arms were still wrapped around themselves.

"Good, this is a start."

There is no need to move my hands at the moment. I should just think about getting back to my room. It turned dark, and I need to rest soon.

But the moment I tried to take a step, my whole body sprung back, and I was on my face again.

What the hell happened? I even made sure to move slowly.

'Master, you seem to have gotten the gist of it, but your body, all of your life has relied on not only its legs to maintain balance, but every other part of it, even your hands, when they moved they gave your mind a sense of balance, trying to move in this strange manner is something your body rarely encountered, so you are bound to fail. Using these tools, you must move like you would normally do, other than that you will fail'

'So no shortcuts… sigh'

I then tried to move back up, which took less time than the first time, then slowly began to move my arms, at first I felt that my legs would crumble back, but thankfully I managed to give my arms less power and just enough to move the springs.

Now that my hands were extended and my body is somehow standing, I decided to move, slowly

I took a step, and with it, I made sure to remain focused on every other part of my body, to know the function of every muscle in my body, to feel everything and to know when to move and what move to make next, which hand to move after which foot.

Right foot first, left arm to the back, slowly left foot to follow and right hand to go back while my left hand was to move forward. In sync, I tried to move, step by step, I managed to move forward.

It took me about thirty minutes to move all the way back to the room, I only fell down a couple of times, once because I had to step over a small ledge, and the second one because I tried to open the door of the house.

Thankfully the house seemed to be rather empty. It must be because everyone went to sleep, I didn't even bother with trying to eat anything, first because I already had lunch about six hours ago. And secondly, because I really didn't want to suffer from eating food. I also was thankful that no one saw me walking in that awkward and weird way.

This is really tough.

Though I wanted to read some books that were here inside my room, the exertion and fatigue soon told me that a rest will be most welcomed now.

And so I got on the bed and instantly relaxed,

I expected my body to spring back, but it didn't

'Worry not about that. For the current you, your body is accustomed to this form and knows it best. To relax means that you are using the least of your strength, and thus, you will not suffer from the jerks of this thing,' said Nocturne

'This is probably for the best, otherwise who would stand to sleep in that awkward form' I said as I closed my eyelids.

Waking up on the feeling of something poking at my right cheek I slowly opened my eyes to see who it was

"Morning sunshine!" said master Shen in a frighteningly cheerful tone.

"Paint me surprised boy, I never thought you had it in you to get here in one night, I truly was expecting to see your sorry ass still back and stuck in the yard, but you managed to get here on your own, believe me I know it, even some of the maids saw you move all the way here so I know no one helped you"

Shit, this means that someone actually saw my awkward ass moving that way. Damn.

"Well, I did my best…"

"Your best? You must be kidding, it took me three days to get myself to move out of that thing, and I can tell you my teacher was proud. You just created a miracle."

'Don't mention me or my help…' said Nocturne

"You gave me a hint, and I followed it, I just needed to use finesse, be delicate, and concentrate on every body part, move naturally but with minimal effort…"

"Good, good that is the gist of it, that seriously took me a lot of thinking, but for you reader boy it really didn't take much. Now up you go, take a shower, you stink and change your clothes, meet me after you have done all that and have eaten your breakfast we will continue our training" he said and walked away

I then tried to stand up, this time slowly and not forgetting to move my body as naturally as I could, I mean I didn't want to end up in these clichéd moments where I will just fall down after having said all that stuff.

Once up, it took me some time to get to where the bathes are. And I had already asked where was the men's bath was this time.

Which unluckily was on the upper floor. Lucky me.

I walked upstairs, which was not fun by the way and managed to get inside the bath chamber. Which was a square room with a big tub filled with hot water, thankfully someone already prepared it for me.

So I dived in, with all the knickers and stuff still equipped on me, strangely it hasn't even been a full day, and I am almost entirely in control over these things. I thought it would take longer to control, but it seems I was wrong.

'The human body is filled with mystery. You should get used to it…' said Nocturne who was still here

I had some inconveniences about another being watching me take a shower, but I soon got those ideas out of my head once I was in.

It took me some time after having finished my business, after that I left wearing a towel, I even found spare clothes (another butler uniform that was precisely my size) perhaps master Shen had asked that from the maids.

Once down, I entered the kitchen to find Melinda with the swordmaster who was way too close to her as she looked disgusted from his approach.

"Would you please keep your hands to yourself Master Shen else they would be cut off, and I think that wielding a sword without hands might not do well with your business."

"True true, I need these things for swordplay and another type of play…" he said in a lewd manner.

I think he was speaking about foreplay.

"Master Shen," I said

"Oh, it took you long enough. Good of you to join us, now have your breakfast and meet me back at the yard. Mely, until we meet again," he said and walked away.

"I hope never to do…" Melinda said with disgust." Damn old bastard." She hissed at him.

"Come here now," said Melinda addressing me as I walked barely properly towards her.

"That thing must be annoying, but you will have to get used to it, you need it for your task, so make sure you don't mess up."

"Alright," I said as I looked for what is to be my food… fantastic… rice…chopstiks and stop. You have to hand it to these guys to make stuff much more complicated than they are, I mean would it be that hard for you guys to make something more comfortable to eat while I am in this condition?

I sucked up my complaints and began eating. It was difficult I even managed to splash my face with food a couple of times due to the sudden jerking of my right hand. This earned me a stained look and a bit of laughter from the people watching.

After having 'safely' finished my meal I went out to meet with the swordmaster.

I was surprised to see him do what he was doing.

He was moving, using a blade, a curved sword of some sort, something I never saw before. He ran as if he flew, the wind-aided him his blade cutting air and leaves that fell like if they were nothing. He moved both slow and fast at the same time. His muscles pumped sudden bursts of power, the minimum and only what he needed, never extending, never giving less or more than what he needed. He danced in the wind as if it was the most commune thing to do.

"What is that?" I said

And he replied never stopping the forms, "This is the lotus blossom move, it has seven stages, this is the third stage."

"That actually looks cool.. complicated but cool," I said

"I know, but don't worry this is just a warmup, your training will be less strenuous," he said

Less strenuous?

"You see those logs over there?"

He said as he kept on moving as he did before.

I looked around and saw a massive pile of wood that was brought in probably this day in the morning.

"Yesterday, you managed to move your body using the minimally required strength. Now you will do so using the maximal required strength,"

"Are you kidding me! I couldn't even eat properly this morning! That is impossible! I don't even think I can do that even without this limiter."

"Nothing is impossible. You only need to change your view of things, find balance between strength and control, then you will probably find a way, I mean you managed to pull off a miracle yesterday, do it once again."

Good god… I thought to myself as I saw the huge pile of logs.

How in the hell do you classify this as less strenuous?