Don't you like it when you sleep at your house and somehow wake up in the mansion? The pen and the materials Richard gave me yesterday were on a nearby table. After sorting out the confusion that I felt, I looked to the side to see a note floating in the air, telling me to go to the like that was supposedly beside the mansion.
I left the bed and was about to head out when I noticed that my clothes weren't exactly appropriate for whatever Richard planned for me on this day. As I was thinking about how to get some clothes from my home, the doors of the closet in the room opened to show me some fine clothes.
I picked something out quickly and put it on before leaving. When I reached the corridor, I saw Starlet holding some books and heading towards the library. "Good morning," I smiled at him.
He lowered his head slightly and asked, "When did you come here, Master Orion?"
"I was going to ask you the same question," I smiled helplessly as only Richard seemed to know about my arrival. I asked the spirit for directions and headed to the lake.
"At least you could have told me that you were going to pick me up," I complained when I spotted him beside the shore.
He put on his annoying, calm smile and said, "Let's begin your practice."
"Step in the water and close your eyes," he continued his instructions, "try to feel the water. Connect with it."
I did as he asked, but after fifteen minutes passed, I still couldn't feel anything. My eyes were about to open when Richard said, "Focus. Don't let your concentration waver."
I tried again. As time went by, a weird sensation engulfed me. It was as if the water was calling to me. I answered that call and then I could feel some changes around me. "Open your eyes," Richard said.
My eyes opened, and the water danced in the air around me. But when I turned my focus away from it, it immediately dropped back.
"Very good, Orion," Richard smiled and gave me an approving look. "I didn't really expect you to be able to do it just from the second try, but you surprised me."
A twinkle of pride emerged inside me. From his words, I could tell that other people would only succeed, if they ever did, after many tries.
"Now, let me see if you have any talent in Wind too," he smiled, but I could tell that there was something that he had yet to tell me.
I repeated the same actions as earlier, but this time, my concentration was on the air. Soon, the wind converged around me just like the water did. Unknowingly, I was floating in the air, which made me panic the moment I noticed. Then, with a plunge, I fell into the lake water.
I was about to swim back up when a hand took hold of me. Still holding my breath, I opened my eyes and saw Richard beside me, his chest rising and lowering slightly. "Relax, try to breathe," he said without any difficulty.
Deciding to trust him, I tried to breathe. Although it was difficult at first, I was taking deep breaths and releasing them inside the water after some time. I was surprised and looked at Richard who was pointing at something.
I was stunned when my eyes followed to where he was pointing. Many amazing underwater creatures were swimming happily and freely. Some of the smaller ones even came and tickled my hands.
If perhaps I had any doubts about my current situation, all of them disappeared at this sight. I was part of this world now, and there is no going back to the normal mortal life I had before.
With a pat on my shoulder, Richard said, "Let's go back up."
I always found swimming to be easy, but now it was almost effortless. We quickly reached the shore again. Richard waved his hand and my body was immediately dry.
Then, we headed back to the mansion.
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Author note: updated on 26/4/2024