Learning is Easy

Megan sat on her bed and made herself comfortable, then focused and said, "Options, please." A tone sounded in her ear, and both a voice spoke as well as text could be seen in her vision.

WELCOME MEGAN TO THE UNI-NET...

SYSTEM ACCESS <redacted> CONFIRMED

OPTIONS

- CUSTOMISE USER INTERFACE

- CUSTOMISE USER PROFILE

- CUSTOMISE USER AI INTERACTION PROTOCOLS

- ACCESS <reda##error> USER OPTIONS

Megan stared at the option 'access <reda##error> user options' for a little while. That was new. What did that mean? As the menu didn't seem to do anything when she tried to select it, she ignored it for now. Choosing the User Interface menu, she was presented with options set up a permanent Heads Up Display or HUD, which would put things called widgets, which were components of programs called Applications or Apps. She found settings to change colour scheme and fonts and even a setting for using her Ear-Comm which allowed silent control using your thoughts, she immediately turned on that option and found navigating and controlling functions from her Ear-Comm became much easier to use.

She practiced with the programs a little, set up some features she liked on her HUD such as a time display, alarm and schedule feature that looked handy and a compass she could toggle on and off at will when she was suddenly startled by a pop-up on her message system.

USER MEGAN - YOU HAVE RECEIVED A FRIEND REQUEST FROM ZANIK - DO YOU WISH TO ACCEPT?

She accepted the request, and a moment later Master Zanik's face appeared in the corner of her vision she had reserved for calls, and she mentally accepted the call, Master Zanik's face became animated and he spoke, "Hello Megan, I was hoping you had some time today to come to training? I have much to teach you about your core and what is expected of you as a cultivator if you wish to learn such things."

Megan was a little taken aback at this new level of respect from Master Zanik and it must have shown on her face as Master Zanik continued, "Megan, you will need to get used to this new set of circumstances you find yourself in, especially in the way that no one can now order you to do anything. If someone is attempting to give you orders that you have not given them permission to do so then you need to consider what it is that YOU want and if this person has your best interests at heart or they are trying to use you for thier own purposes."

Megan thought about it and replied, "Master Zanik, I would be honoured and very grateful for you to continue to teach me as I am not so arrogant to think that just because I have recently awakened my core that I do not need instruction on how to use it and how to interact with other cultivators."

Master Zanik nodded and asked, "Can I expect you for training at our regular times then?"

"Definitely, I will see you soon for this mornings lesson." Megan replied and disconnected the call.

Megan raced down to the training courtyard, revelling in the newfound strength and agility her body now had since her core awakening. Reaching the courtyard in record time, she found both Tau and Master Zanik as well as a new female Zafreen with deep purple scales mixed with slight hints of yellow who was sparring with Tau Noticing her interest Master Zanik explained, "This is one of my past students named Helena, she has returned to assist Tau with training so I can focus on getting you proficient with your core energy and learn some Skill-Arts, which is what we call it when you manipulate your core energy to affect the physical world."

Master Zanik continued, "Now, the very first thing that a cultivator must learn is how to find and pull out their core energy. This may be difficult or easy depending on a few factors, such as how much energy your core can hold and personal affinity with core energy."

Megan asked, "Affinity? What does that mean?"

Master Zanik explained, "There are more energies than just core energy, and everyone's affinity for the different types can vary from person to person. There really are in the universe more energy types than there are stars in the night sky and some people can go their whole long lives without finding the energy that suits them the best especially in solar systems where access to that energy is limited or even non-existent. To begin with though everyone starts with core energy and it is not until the time they condense their core into a solid state that they can then branch off into satellite cores that will revolve and produce that affinity energy." Master Zanik leaned back and studied Megan, "We are getting ahead of ourselves, though, and I will explain in more detail in the future. For now, I will teach you the foundations of meditation, building your energy conduits, and learning core energy manipulation."

Master Zanik proceeded to instruct Megan in the art of meditation, which turned out to be more about breathing the 'right' way and visualising inside your own body. She picked up the breathing technique quickly, mostly due to her newfound control over her body she had been experiencing since her core awakening. The internal visualising took a bit longer, but soon, she found she could 'push' her vision inside by closing her eyes and, well, willing it to happen. It was hard to describe, and the images she received were different from what she saw with her eyes open. She could see in a very vivid detail, noticing the smallest parts that made matter and building blocks of reality. This didn't mean she knew what she was looking at, which is why Master Zanik's guidance was immeasurably valuable in explaining what she saw and to help her navigate through her body. Starting from the top of her head Master Zanik described and elucidated everything from hair to skin then passing her skull and brain over her ears, eyes and nose, lips and tongue, throat, down the lungs and back out into her heart then out in direction of arms and down through her stomach and organs, bowels, groin, down her legs, feet and finally back to that place below her lungs, behind her organs and in front of her spine where her core lay, in a space all of its own.

By this time Master Zanik had been instructing Megan for a few hours more than usual, Tau had long gone to his normal duties, and Megan could feel hunger, gnawing at her insides.

"That is enough for now. You have made quick progress and can already visualise so much, especially as you have only just begun." Master Zanik continued, "Next lesson I will teach you to draw core energy and use it to open your energy pathways, I'll warn you up front to wear clothes you do not mind losing and don't eat or drink for at least one hour beforehand."

Megan nodded and bowed before turning and entering the inn to find something to eat. Another friend request and message came while having breakfast from Professor Ayn'welk requesting her presence 'at her leisure'. Megan really didn't think she would ever get used to people being so polite in dealing with her.

Arriving at the Professor's study room at the same time as Tau, they entered and took their usual seats at the student desks in front of the Professor's desk. The Kroa'tal Professor looked at them silently for a few minutes and directed a question to Megan, "So Megan, I assume you are going to continue to attend lessons and expand your knowledge?"

Megan nodded, "Yes Professor, is this alright? I do not want to cause any issues, but I do love to learn new things, and all your lessons have been informative and interesting."

The Professor looked pleased, "I would be honoured to be your teacher and continue to assist you in your pursuit of knowledge. Just attend lessons every day as you have been for the foreseeable future, and I will provide you with whatever it is you want to learn."

After saying this, he reached into a drawer in his desk and brought out a strange shiny object. It was coloured matt black on one side, what looked like transparent glass on the other. Rectangular, thin, and about the length of her hand.

The Professor stood up, walked around to her desk, and passed her the object. He explained, "This is commonly called a Wrist-Comp and is a wearable personal computer that should be able to connect to your Ear-Comm and further both of the device's functionality and usefulness." He showed Megan how to place the Wrist-Comp on just below her hand, and the device bent around her wrist and snapped shut with a satisfying 'click'.

Megan's vision was suddenly inundated with text.

WRIST-COMP DETECTED, INITIALISING...

CONNECTION SUCCESSFUL, UPDATING...

UPDATE SUCCESSFUL.

SYSTEM ACCESS <redacted> CONFIRMED.

SILENT KNIGHT PROTOCOL ENACTED.

USER MEGAN - TRUST NOBODY - GAIN STRENGTH - DO NOT LOSE HOPE

Megan was startled for a moment after reading. This was new. She looked down at her new device comfortably attached around her wrist in wonder.

Missinterpreting her expression, the Professor continued, "A wonder of a device, isn't it? I'd recommend enacting the stealth protocols for the Wrist-Comp as it is a rare device, even for cultivators, and much coveted by many beings."

Megan nodded and silently directed her thoughts at the much-expanded list of options now available in her vision, quickly searched for 'stealth', found the option, and turned it to 'on'. The shiny black band around her wrist slowly disappeared, and, considering how light it was, she hardly even knew it was there anymore even when touching it. She kept silent about the strange text she had read, silent knight? Trust nobody? There were so many questions, but Megan was smart enough to know she should save them until she was alone.

The Professor now returned to his desk and sat down. "Now, Megan, since you have a Wrist-Comp and Ear-Comm I can send all of your reference material and books to you through those and pretty much teach you remotely from now on, Tau, well, you will need to wait to awaken your core which you know is scheduled for your thirteenth birthday. Until then, I will need to continue to teach you the old school way." He proceeded to type a few things into a device on his desk, then got up to write on the board on the wall where he usually wrote lesson notes.

Megan received a prompt in her vision to start her lesson. She was pleasantly surprised to find when she accepted in front of her a virtual book appeared and although she could not feel it she could manipulate the book just like a real one and at the same time open a notepad and take her own notes without needing to touch a pen. She found this way of learning was fantastic as she could view not just writing but also view pictures, still and moving, hear lectures, listen to recordings and even take tutorials that allowed her to manipulate three dimensional objects and found a whole new learning experience opening up to her.

After spending a few hours immersed in learning new things she reluctantly finished up at the Professor's words advising the lesson was over and, remembering Master Zanik's words went to her room to change into some old clothes.