Chapter 60

Together with Sh.e.l.ly, we traveled towards north . In the bag that Nick left for me, I had couple of inheritance items that I never saw . Besides the usual stuff such as puppet strings and weighting containers, I found black clothing . More precisely, it was a black robe with a hood, black pants that were not lose nor tight, pair of black gloves without fingers and pair of black boots .

When I wore the set, I noticed that it fitted me perfectly, as if it was made especially for me . Also my presence almost disappeared and I became less eye catching . I figured out that this was the set of inheritance clothes for The Art of Stealth . I would be better able to blend in the shadows and at night . I took off the clothes and hid them back into the bag . I didn't want to destroy them and besides I was in the forest and I didn't really need to hide from anything .

The other item of inheritance I got was a pair of green gloves . I remember Nick saying something about handling dangerous poisons and that he had tools for such things . This must've been such tool . I guessed that this must've been the inheritance item for The Art of Medicine . It would come in handy when picking up poisonous herbs as well as handling them and cleaning my tools after I've concocted the poison .

After putting back the gloves into the bag, I took out another item of inheritance . It was a mask . The same mask I used, to train in The Art of Stealth . Or at least it looked the same because when I placed it on my face, I got a bit surprised . It didn't block my vision but instead enhanced it . I could see very well in shadows and dark areas of the forest .

I was a bit confused and looked into the bag again, there I found another mask . When I placed the other mask on my face, the effect was the same as to the time when I was training in The Art of Stealth . 'So there were two masks but how come they look identical and Nick even said that he made it look like this because I reminded him of a skeleton' I thought to myself .

I got an idea and said to Sh.e.l.ly "Sh.e.l.ly, I will put on you a mask, let's see how you feel" . Sh.e.l.ly nodded it's head but was slightly confused . I placed the vision sealing mask on Sh.e.l.ly and was stunned at what I saw . The mask changed its shape and became a different mask . It looked like a demonic turtle with two horns sticking out of its head .

Sh.e.l.ly was also startled as it tried to remove the mask . It's vision got taken away and it looked quite afraid . I took the mask back and the mask changed back in my hand to the one I used to train in . I thought 'This is very weird, so the mask will change its shape depending on the user but then why didn't it change when Nick was holding it?' . I didn't know the answer to this question, instead I wanted to try the other mask out as well . I said to Sh.e.l.ly "I will try another mask but don't worry, this one will not make you blind, it will improve your vision" . Sh.e.l.ly was sceptical about my claims but nodded its head obediently .

Sh.e.l.ly was also startled as it tried to remove the mask . It's vision got taken away and it looked quite afraid . I took the mask back and the mask changed back in my hand to the one I used to train in . I thought 'This is very weird, so the mask will change its shape depending on the user but then why didn't it change when Nick was holding it?' . I didn't know the answer to this question, instead I wanted to try the other mask out as well . I said to Sh.e.l.ly "I will try another mask but don't worry, this one will not make you blind, it will improve your vision" . Sh.e.l.ly was sceptical about my claims but nodded its head obediently .

I placed the second mask on Sh.e.l.ly's head and waited . The mask also changed to that of a demonic turtle with two horns . This time, Sh.e.l.ly was not scared but excited . It looked around in excitement . I took the mask back and the mask again changed in my hands . 'So both masks will take shape of the person or animal that possesses it' .

I was a bit annoyed as well and thought 'But why do I get some kind of skeleton!' . I didn't know on what basis the mask will choose the design but it didn't matter . The mask that improved my vision would become useful, I was sure . The mask would also complement the set of black clothes I had in the bag . I put away both masks and reached into the bag again .

The item or rather a book, I took out next was the manual Rand and his granddaughter used in order to train their bodies . I opened the manual and noticed weird diagrams of humans and some vague descriptions underneath them . This manual apparently worked because Rand and Senty were much stronger than usual villagers . Yet it seems they didn't fully understand these diagrams .

Dina did not tell me any secrets concerning this manual . She probably thought I would never get it or I wouldn't need it . I looked at the first diagram and it displayed a human figure that was creating a specific pose . The pose in the diagram was quite weird as one would need to hold both hands on top of their heads while standing on one leg crouched . The description said "Rising warrior stretching before great war" . The description didn't provide any other clues just this one sentence .

Dina did not tell me any secrets concerning this manual . She probably thought I would never get it or I wouldn't need it . I looked at the first diagram and it displayed a human figure that was creating a specific pose . The pose in the diagram was quite weird as one would need to hold both hands on top of their heads while standing on one leg crouched . The description said "Rising warrior stretching before great war" . The description didn't provide any other clues just this one sentence .

The problem Rand had was lack of knowledge in medicine and human body . I on the other hand already noticed that this would create great stresses on hidden muscles and therefore train them . But overtraining was also an issue . I estimated that the maximum someone could stay in that pose was only 15 minutes . Any more and you start to hurt yourself .

Of course that was for a beginner pract.i.tioner of this manual but nevertheless a very fit and healthy one . Under my estimates, I could easily do this pose for 30 minutes but any more than that and I could also damage my muscles . I turned the page and saw another diagram . This time both legs were on the ground but the human figure was still crouching . Both of the figure's hands were straightened out in front of it and the head was tilted backwards .

I thought about this pose and got some ideas as to what it could possibly train . The first thing it trained was legs . The other thing it trained was arms as well as back . Human's back was also a weak point and training it was not an easy task but with this exercise you could train the muscles and exercise all the joints . There was a short description saying "Great warrior pressuring the army" .

I flipped the pages like that and found another 3 diagrams . When I checked all of them, I felt like something was wrong . The exercises would help out and although there were no training durations or other descriptions, other than what I a.s.sumed names of those poses . It was usable nevertheless . Yet I still felt that something's not right . It wasn't that these poses were fake or harmful to the user . It was as if those poses were not appropriate for me .

I thought about this pose and got some ideas as to what it could possibly train . The first thing it trained was legs . The other thing it trained was arms as well as back . Human's back was also a weak point and training it was not an easy task but with this exercise you could train the muscles and exercise all the joints . There was a short description saying "Great warrior pressuring the army" .

I flipped the pages like that and found another 3 diagrams . When I checked all of them, I felt like something was wrong . The exercises would help out and although there were no training durations or other descriptions, other than what I a.s.sumed names of those poses . It was usable nevertheless . Yet I still felt that something's not right . It wasn't that these poses were fake or harmful to the user . It was as if those poses were not appropriate for me .

I thought 'If I want to use those poses for my future training, then I would need to modify them' . I check the 1st pose again and started thinking on how to modify it, in order to suit me . With my knowledge of The Art of Medicine, it wouldn't be that hard to change some things and so I said to Sh.e.l.ly "Let's stop here as I want to focus on something . We can stay in this area for the night . Go hunt something and I will make a shelter" . Sh.e.l.ly nodded its head and went off to look for some food .

I on the other hand constructed a shelter, which I must say was much better than in the past . There was a simple reason for that . I now had proper tools with me and some experience as well . If I wanted to, I could build a wooden shack in couple of days time .

After building the shelter, I waited for Sh.e.l.ly to bring food . I didn't have to wait long as Sh.e.l.ly was very quick and brought a whole boar for me to roast . After the meal, I went straight to the first pose and started drawing it on the ground . I would need to spend some time to optimise this pose for my needs and therefore visualizing it on the ground would be better .

Together with Sh.e.l.ly, we traveled towards north . In the bag that Nick left for me, I had couple of inheritance items that I never saw . Besides the usual stuff such as puppet strings and weighting containers, I found black clothing . More precisely, it was a black robe with a hood, black pants that were not lose nor tight, pair of black gloves without fingers and pair of black boots . When I wore the set, I noticed that it fitted me perfectly, as if it was made especially for me . Also my presence almost disappeared and I became less eye catching . I figured out that this was the set of inheritance clothes for The Art of Stealth . I would be better able to blend in the shadows and at night . I took off the clothes and hid them back into the bag . I didnt want to destroy them and besides I was in the forest and I didnt really need to hide from anything . The other item of inheritance I got was a pair of green gloves . I remember Nick saying something about handling dangerous poisons and that he had tools for such things . This mustve been such tool . I guessed that this mustve been the inheritance item for The Art of Medicine . It would come in handy when picking up poisonous herbs as well as handling them and cleaning my tools after Ive concocted the poison . After putting back the gloves into the bag, I took out another item of inheritance . It was a mask . The same mask I used, to train in The Art of Stealth . Or at least it looked the same because when I placed it on my face, I got a bit surprised . It didnt block my vision but instead enhanced it . I could see very well in shadows and dark areas of the forest . I was a bit confused and looked into the bag again, there I found another mask . When I placed the other mask on my face, the effect was the same as to the time when I was training in The Art of Stealth . So there were two masks but how come they look identical and Nick even said that he made it look like this because I reminded him of a skeleton I thought to myself . I got an idea and said to Sh.e.l.ly Sh.e.l.ly, I will put on you a mask, lets see how you feel . Sh.e.l.ly nodded its head but was slightly confused . I placed the vision sealing mask on Sh.e.l.ly and was stunned at what I saw . The mask changed its shape and became a different mask . It looked like a demonic turtle with two horns sticking out of its head . Sh.e.l.ly was also startled as it tried to remove the mask . Its vision got taken away and it looked quite afraid . I took the mask back and the mask changed back in my hand to the one I used to train in . I thought This is very weird, so the mask will change its shape depending on the user but then why didnt it change when Nick was holding it? . I didnt know the answer to this question, instead I wanted to try the other mask out as well . I said to Sh.e.l.ly I will try another mask but dont worry, this one will not make you blind, it will improve your vision . Sh.e.l.ly was sceptical about my claims but nodded its head obediently . I placed the second mask on Sh.e.l.lys head and waited . The mask also changed to that of a demonic turtle with two horns . This time, Sh.e.l.ly was not scared but excited . It looked around in excitement . I took the mask back and the mask again changed in my hands . So both masks will take shape of the person or animal that possesses it . I was a bit annoyed as well and thought But why do I get some kind of skeleton! . I didnt know on what basis the mask will choose the design but it didnt matter . The mask that improved my vision would become useful, I was sure . The mask would also complement the set of black clothes I had in the bag . I put away both masks and reached into the bag again . The item or rather a book, I took out next was the manual Rand and his granddaughter used in order to train their bodies . I opened the manual and noticed weird diagrams of humans and some vague descriptions underneath them . This manual apparently worked because Rand and Senty were much stronger than usual villagers . Yet it seems they didnt fully understand these diagrams . Dina did not tell me any secrets concerning this manual . She probably thought I would never get it or I wouldnt need it . I looked at the first diagram and it displayed a human figure that was creating a specific pose . The pose in the diagram was quite weird as one would need to hold both hands on top of their heads while standing on one leg crouched . The description said Rising warrior stretching before great war . The description didnt provide any other clues just this one sentence . The problem Rand had was lack of knowledge in medicine and human body . I on the other hand already noticed that this would create great stresses on hidden muscles and therefore train them . But overtraining was also an issue . I estimated that the maximum someone could stay in that pose was only 15 minutes . Any more and you start to hurt yourself . Of course that was for a beginner pract.i.tioner of this manual but nevertheless a very fit and healthy one . Under my estimates, I could easily do this pose for 30 minutes but any more than that and I could also damage my muscles . I turned the page and saw another diagram . This time both legs were on the ground but the human figure was still crouching . Both of the figures hands were straightened out in front of it and the head was tilted backwards . I thought about this pose and got some ideas as to what it could possibly train . The first thing it trained was legs . The other thing it trained was arms as well as back . Humans back was also a weak point and training it was not an easy task but with this exercise you could train the muscles and exercise all the joints . There was a short description saying Great warrior pressuring the army . I flipped the pages like that and found another 3 diagrams . When I checked all of them, I felt like something was wrong . The exercises would help out and although there were no training durations or other descriptions, other than what I a.s.sumed names of those poses . It was usable nevertheless . Yet I still felt that somethings not right . It wasnt that these poses were fake or harmful to the user . It was as if those poses were not appropriate for me . I thought If I want to use those poses for my future training, then I would need to modify them . I check the 1st pose again and started thinking on how to modify it, in order to suit me . With my knowledge of The Art of Medicine, it wouldnt be that hard to change some things and so I said to Sh.e.l.ly Lets stop here as I want to focus on something . We can stay in this area for the night . Go hunt something and I will make a shelter . Sh.e.l.ly nodded its head and went off to look for some food . I on the other hand constructed a shelter, which I must say was much better than in the past . There was a simple reason for that . I now had proper tools with me and some experience as well . If I wanted to, I could build a wooden shack in couple of days time . After building the shelter, I waited for Sh.e.l.ly to bring food . I didnt have to wait long as Sh.e.l.ly was very quick and brought a whole boar for me to roast . After the meal, I went straight to the first pose and started drawing it on the ground . I would need to spend some time to optimise this pose for my needs and therefore visualizing it on the ground would be better .