Chapter 50

Couple of weeks went by and my training with the puppets improved . I was now able to control one puppet . It was nowhere near the skills that Nick possessed but it was a start . I also told Nick about the plan I had and he agreed to get the herbs for me . I insisted that I shall try and make that poison as well as antidote . I told him to just in case have working antidote, so that I wouldn't kill myself if the antidote that I were to create wouldn't work .

My training in the art of stealth hit the wall . I needed some kind of inspiration or idea on how to achieve "Avoid the light" part of the art . Although I adapted new skill that I learned through the fishes I watched in the river, it was not the real part of the art of stealth . It was just an additional skill I came up with while watching the fishes in the water .

My medical knowledge was getting better by the day . I already remembered about 42 recipes . The ones that were left, were hard to remember due to complicated processes of preparation and production as well as handling . It took me more time to remember these types of recipes and I only managed to remember so much because I chose the easier ones to remember first .

In my estimates, I would be able to remember the whole book in about 3-4 months . I promised Nick that I would destroy this book after I've remembered it fully . That way the book would not get discovered by other people but that also meant, I had to remember every detail perfectly .

There was also one more thing left in my possession that could quite helpful . The manual that I found on Rand's disciple's body . It could be useful for me to study this manual but I wanted the real thing . It must be kept somewhere in the Rand's mansion or maybe even a more secure location . My guess was that it was at Rand's mansion with the probability of 80% while only 20% was left for the other location .

There was also one more thing left in my possession that could quite helpful . The manual that I found on Rand's disciple's body . It could be useful for me to study this manual but I wanted the real thing . It must be kept somewhere in the Rand's mansion or maybe even a more secure location . My guess was that it was at Rand's mansion with the probability of 80% while only 20% was left for the other location .

If during my plan I'm able to find the real book, that would be great . Otherwise I still had the copy and so that would still be something . During the morning, I concentrated on ingots . It was almost a month since I've returned to the village and Rand's suspicions should be non existent by now . I still didn't want to go and collect the manual from the forest as I could do it after I'm done in this village .

Instead, I worked on my dagger skills and my control skills . When Nick came over that day and saw me move one puppet around as if it was alive, he said "You can now control one puppet very well . I shall impart the last step in the art of hidden weapons to you now . It is like with the art of stealth, the last goal you have to reach is the hardest and will take you the longest" . I asked Nick "What type of training do I have to do then?" To which Nick responded "It's simple boy . Become a hidden weapon" .

I was baffled 'First I get the "avoid the light" thing, now "become a hidden weapon" thing . What is wrong with the people teaching stuff like this!' . Nick saw my bafflement on my face and said "This time, I will actually tell you more . Remember you are learning hidden weapons from me as well as developing your own art . What this sentence means is quite simple . It means for you to be the hidden weapons, in other words all of you is a hidden weapon" .

I was baffled 'First I get the "avoid the light" thing, now "become a hidden weapon" thing . What is wrong with the people teaching stuff like this!' . Nick saw my bafflement on my face and said "This time, I will actually tell you more . Remember you are learning hidden weapons from me as well as developing your own art . What this sentence means is quite simple . It means for you to be the hidden weapons, in other words all of you is a hidden weapon" .

Nick then continued "How you interpret what I said is up to you . I will not help you any further and I can't really . I didn't master this step . I have some insights in it but I never mastered it and who know what is beyond mastering this step" . After Nick said that, he bid me farewell and said he will come back to check on my progress in a week .

I was left thinking about these words . 'I am supposed to become hidden weapon but how? Am I supposed to have weapons all over my body? So that every inch of my body is a weapon? Or something else?' . I didn't know what else to think . All I could do was train what I could and slowly uncover what Nick meant with time . Maybe I would be able to master it in the future using different path . I had my own ideas that would give birth to new or improved skills .

I trained with the puppet most of the time now and took breaks to eat with Sh.e.l.ly . I also had the work at the workshop and I practised my dagger skills a bit in the late afternoon . Sh.e.l.ly was actually bigger now . When I found Sh.e.l.ly, it was about 40 centimetres big but now it was actually 50 . It grew 10 centimetres . I didn't notice that at first because I used to spend a lot of time with Sh.e.l.ly . Lately I was consumed in my training and only noticed now that Sh.e.l.ly got bigger . 'It may be because the amount of food that Sh.e.l.ly ate while we travelled and then after we returned was many time larger than normally?' I thought to myself . Sh.e.l.ly still ate more now because when it smelled the cooked meat, the drool would come out by itself from its mouth .

I was left thinking about these words . 'I am supposed to become hidden weapon but how? Am I supposed to have weapons all over my body? So that every inch of my body is a weapon? Or something else?' . I didn't know what else to think . All I could do was train what I could and slowly uncover what Nick meant with time . Maybe I would be able to master it in the future using different path . I had my own ideas that would give birth to new or improved skills .

I trained with the puppet most of the time now and took breaks to eat with Sh.e.l.ly . I also had the work at the workshop and I practised my dagger skills a bit in the late afternoon . Sh.e.l.ly was actually bigger now . When I found Sh.e.l.ly, it was about 40 centimetres big but now it was actually 50 . It grew 10 centimetres . I didn't notice that at first because I used to spend a lot of time with Sh.e.l.ly . Lately I was consumed in my training and only noticed now that Sh.e.l.ly got bigger . 'It may be because the amount of food that Sh.e.l.ly ate while we travelled and then after we returned was many time larger than normally?' I thought to myself . Sh.e.l.ly still ate more now because when it smelled the cooked meat, the drool would come out by itself from its mouth .

I was a bit worried as well 'What if it's too big to fit anywhere . For now it will fit through the door but what about later?' I thought . What if it grows to 1 metre or 2 metres big? With that in mind I said to Sh.e.l.ly that was sleeping not far away "How big are you going to grow?" . I didn't expect an answer as it was rather a rhetorical question . To me it wouldn't matter how big Sh.e.l.ly grew, It was now part of the family . Sh.e.l.ly on the other hand hearing that question woke up and stared at me with watery eyes . 'Sh.e.l.ly probably thinks now that I'm saying it eats too much' . I said in clarification "Don't worry, I was just wondering how big you can grow . You can eat as much as you like" . Sh.e.l.ly seemed to become happy about that and went back to sleep .

Sh.e.l.ly acted rather like a dog, if there was food it would be around you all the time and beg for some . It didn't have the same eyes as a dog but it still could use some expressions to beg for more food . It also laid around for whole day and when it woke up it would want to play, just like a dog but the thing was . It was a turtle .

I didn't pay any more attention to Sh.e.l.ly and focused on my training instead . The time for my plan was coming closer and closer . I had to have the best skills possible in the art of stealth as well as the art of hidden weapons . I needed to train like a maniac to be able to better control the puppets and make my fingers more flexible but also make sure my stealth skills are properly mastered .

Couple of weeks went by and my training with the puppets improved . I was now able to control one puppet . It was nowhere near the skills that Nick possessed but it was a start . I also told Nick about the plan I had and he agreed to get the herbs for me . I insisted that I shall try and make that poison as well as antidote . I told him to just in case have working antidote, so that I wouldnt kill myself if the antidote that I were to create wouldnt work . My training in the art of stealth hit the wall . I needed some kind of inspiration or idea on how to achieve Avoid the light part of the art . Although I adapted new skill that I learned through the fishes I watched in the river, it was not the real part of the art of stealth . It was just an additional skill I came up with while watching the fishes in the water . My medical knowledge was getting better by the day . I already remembered about 42 recipes . The ones that were left, were hard to remember due to complicated processes of preparation and production as well as handling . It took me more time to remember these types of recipes and I only managed to remember so much because I chose the easier ones to remember first . In my estimates, I would be able to remember the whole book in about 3-4 months . I promised Nick that I would destroy this book after Ive remembered it fully . That way the book would not get discovered by other people but that also meant, I had to remember every detail perfectly . There was also one more thing left in my possession that could quite helpful . The manual that I found on Rands disciples body . It could be useful for me to study this manual but I wanted the real thing . It must be kept somewhere in the Rands mansion or maybe even a more secure location . My guess was that it was at Rands mansion with the probability of 80% while only 20% was left for the other location . If during my plan Im able to find the real book, that would be great . Otherwise I still had the copy and so that would still be something . During the morning, I concentrated on ingots . It was almost a month since Ive returned to the village and Rands suspicions should be non existent by now . I still didnt want to go and collect the manual from the forest as I could do it after Im done in this village . Instead, I worked on my dagger skills and my control skills . When Nick came over that day and saw me move one puppet around as if it was alive, he said You can now control one puppet very well . I shall impart the last step in the art of hidden weapons to you now . It is like with the art of stealth, the last goal you have to reach is the hardest and will take you the longest . I asked Nick What type of training do I have to do then? To which Nick responded Its simple boy . Become a hidden weapon . I was baffled First I get the avoid the light thing, now become a hidden weapon thing . What is wrong with the people teaching stuff like this! . Nick saw my bafflement on my face and said This time, I will actually tell you more . Remember you are learning hidden weapons from me as well as developing your own art . What this sentence means is quite simple . It means for you to be the hidden weapons, in other words all of you is a hidden weapon . Nick then continued How you interpret what I said is up to you . I will not help you any further and I cant really . I didnt master this step . I have some insights in it but I never mastered it and who know what is beyond mastering this step . After Nick said that, he bid me farewell and said he will come back to check on my progress in a week . I was left thinking about these words . I am supposed to become hidden weapon but how? Am I supposed to have weapons all over my body? So that every inch of my body is a weapon? Or something else? . I didnt know what else to think . All I could do was train what I could and slowly uncover what Nick meant with time . Maybe I would be able to master it in the future using different path . I had my own ideas that would give birth to new or improved skills . I trained with the puppet most of the time now and took breaks to eat with Sh.e.l.ly . I also had the work at the workshop and I practised my dagger skills a bit in the late afternoon . Sh.e.l.ly was actually bigger now . When I found Sh.e.l.ly, it was about 40 centimetres big but now it was actually 50 . It grew 10 centimetres . I didnt notice that at first because I used to spend a lot of time with Sh.e.l.ly . Lately I was consumed in my training and only noticed now that Sh.e.l.ly got bigger . It may be because the amount of food that Sh.e.l.ly ate while we travelled and then after we returned was many time larger than normally? I thought to myself . Sh.e.l.ly still ate more now because when it smelled the cooked meat, the drool would come out by itself from its mouth . I was a bit worried as well What if its too big to fit anywhere . For now it will fit through the door but what about later? I thought . What if it grows to 1 metre or 2 metres big? With that in mind I said to Sh.e.l.ly that was sleeping not far away How big are you going to grow? . I didnt expect an answer as it was rather a rhetorical question . To me it wouldnt matter how big Sh.e.l.ly grew, It was now part of the family . Sh.e.l.ly on the other hand hearing that question woke up and stared at me with watery eyes . Sh.e.l.ly probably thinks now that Im saying it eats too much . I said in clarification Dont worry, I was just wondering how big you can grow . You can eat as much as you like . Sh.e.l.ly seemed to become happy about that and went back to sleep . Sh.e.l.ly acted rather like a dog, if there was food it would be around you all the time and beg for some . It didnt have the same eyes as a dog but it still could use some expressions to beg for more food . It also laid around for whole day and when it woke up it would want to play, just like a dog but the thing was . It was a turtle . I didnt pay any more attention to Sh.e.l.ly and focused on my training instead . The time for my plan was coming closer and closer . I had to have the best skills possible in the art of stealth as well as the art of hidden weapons . I needed to train like a maniac to be able to better control the puppets and make my fingers more flexible but also make sure my stealth skills are properly mastered .