Chapter 15

I lay on the floor for a couple of hours, I even dozed off for a while. When I woke up my whole body was screaming in pain. It was late in the afternoon and Sage was walking around the glade. She started coming towards me after sensing I awakened. 

- You finally recovered, for someone who is supposed to be working out regularly you are extremely out of form. 

- Do you really think so!? Isn't it because you made me eat that fruit, overloading me with energy!?

- That is exactly why~. But it's for your own. 

I knew that, and yet I was feeling so sore that I just wanted to rant for a while. It was a useless thought so I just forgot about it and got up. Once again Sage gave me another blackberry. I almost threw it far while thinking that another excruciating round of workout was what awaited me. 

- Hey, obediently eat the blackberry. Your body needs it. 

And she was right, the moment I took the first bite my body seemed to be screaming in bliss and gratitude. After that, I devoured the entire fruit. 

Finally, after an entire day of exercise and sleep, I could finally move again. If I keep doing things like this I would not be able to see the next day in the near future. 

- Don't you think that this regimen is too much? Even if I gain power rapidly I would not be able to enjoy it for long. 

- Well, you have me to take care of you. Even if you don't believe in me I'm still the second most powerful being in this little forest. 

- After a fucking bear, how could we compete with that if it comes back? 

- I'm practicing too, when I'm not searching for food I'm always trying to absorb more ether. And besides, it would be a two VS one battle with you around.

- So, that means that I'm already powerful enough to fight it!? 

- No, with time maybe but right now you would just die. 

The little smile that was forming on my lips faltered. It was a low blow to hear such different opinions at the same time. Does that mean that I would only be enough to act as bait while Sage goes around dealing damage? Would I become a punching bag!? 

That thought was alarming but with my current progress, it indeed will be quite a while before I could defend myself against the bear that bested Sage. Not to mention being a meat shield I would become minced meat the instant it appears. Let's hope it doesn't come back anytime soon. 

- Now, let's get your soul into shape as well. 

And that was the start of another session of practice. This time I didn't need to use much of my body. The only requirement was to be able to see and control ether, and that was fairly easy. I just needed to take a comfortable position and absorb as much ether as I could. As it was pretty late we decided to go to bed and practice there. It seems that Sage always does it like that, a little practice before going to sleep. 

Once again I used my newly acquired sixth sense and tried to absorb as much ether as I could. Sage did say that I needed to gather small amounts of ether, just enough for me to feel full, and try to refine it fully before gathering another amount. This went on for quite a while, but as I was in a comfortable position with Sage being quite warm sleep finally came to me. The last thing I remember was a wonderful sensation, as if I was floating among the clouds.

The next day came in a breeze. I woke up fully refreshed and ready to take on another round of harsh workout. This time Sage directly handed me another fruit, it was something like a lemon, but this one appeared like a gem. Crystal clear and shining with the rays of the suns. After eating it I began to feel even more energized than when I tried the blackberry. What awaited me at the end of my journey would be pain and more pain.

It was worse this time, I had so much energy that when I stopped, I began to feel uncomfortable and sometimes even sick. I had to keep doing something in order to use all that energy, I tried to slow down a little, try to do some easy exercises, but that wasn't enough. So, I trained like my life depended on it. Maybe it really did.

When all that energy started to leave my body all my muscles were aching and throbbing. It felt as if someone thrashed me until the brink of death. I just wanted to shut down my brain for a while or maybe fry my nerves, anything to make this pain go away. Subconsciously I started to channel and absorb ether into my body, when my pain began to subside and noticing that it acted as anesthesia, I began to eagerly channel it. 

Maybe Sage sensed something because she started to come my way.

- You need to slow down a bit. If you continue to absorb ether like crazy you could blow up~.

I stopped everything all at once. With my eyes wide from astonishment and a miraculous, but painful, movement of my head, I stared at Sage. Wondering why in the world she didn't tell me such an important piece of information or if it was even true. The pain kicked in once more, and after knowing how to relieve it and how good it felt, I once again tried to absorb ether.

- Will you calm down now? You would not blow up because of an excess of ether, but you will begin to have an excess of energy that could be potentially worse than what you experienced with crystal lemon.

Again, I stared at her in astonishment. Could she please tell all the important information at once and not in parts!?

While still in disbelief, I tried to gather enough ether to make the pain go away. I stared at the sky while rethinking all my decisions. My life would be hell if this training continues. Then again, is to do this or truly die out there when the bear comes here to reclaim its prey. I would be the side dish, if anything remains.