Sunlight pierces through the gaps of the wooden window, giving some illumination to the room.
A boy was sleeping calmly on his hammock as it swings subtly from his breath. The boy was of course Valin.
Yesterday night he has to lie about his condition to the baba and his parents because he knew it was too weird for things like that to happen.
Well, maybe at least according to his experience gained from his past life memories.
Valin who have his fair amount of time sleeping finally woke up. As he sits up from his bed, he feels his mind was so clear and refreshed.
Although subtle, his sense gets heightened that he just feel the world is a bit clearer than what it was used to be.
just as he was enjoying the new feeling, a sudden headache emerge because his brain was trying to sort memories that he gained from yesterday night.
'How many times this headache needs to come?' Valin thought grumpily
Thankfully, it was a minor headache so after some time the headache was gone as he managed to sort all of the memories.
There were some more body development exercises and then he suddenly noticed that one of the content was astonishing this time.
[The Encompassing Mirror technique]
-A mirror is clear and serene, it can reflect anything and everything
-Forge oneself as if a mirror, reflecting the false and accepting the truth
-Unveil the curtains of oneself and the universe.
As Valin read the technique introduction he feels like his very being thirst and resonates with it, unknowingly a sense of longing sprouts within him.
He doesn't know why this technique feels so important for him as if as long he has this technique, he can feel bliss.
Although he doesn't know what the technique is used for, it just makes Valin more curious to just who is the guy beyond the door.
'Is it me in the past life?' Valin silently thought but He then hurriedly stops thinking about it and focuses back on the technique.
Although he never tests the authenticity of the technique, just the body training method he learns from the memories has immensely raised his physique over the years of diligent training.
Currently, the technique only has the 1st chapter cleared while some content is blurry and the rest are downright blank.
Curious about it, he studied the 1st chapter of the technique.
Chapter 1: Serene Mind stage
The mind is the bridge to the soul and the body. Affect any one of them and it will affect the other.
Train the mind as it will strengthen the bonds of your soul and body, making it easier to access the full potential within them both...
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As Valin immersed himself to the 1st chapter a knock on the door awakens him from his reverie.
He sees that it was his mom entering the door.
"Valin you're awake? Are you fine? Still sick anywhere?" asked Eve worriedly.
"I'm already fine mom it's just that I feel weak because of it," answers Valin slowly
"Well, rest for a bit Valin. Tonight is your big day after all. We will go to the town at 12 pm."
"Okay mom," answer Valin.
Eve then gives her son a kiss on the cheeks. She proceeds to left his room to do her house chores.
As she left the room, Valin then continues to immerse himself to the technique.
After quite a while he finally managed to understand quite a bit about this technique.
'This chapter was to teach how to obtain a constant clear mind and a focused state. Making his thought and reflex faster, full control of one's body, and also making one sense more powerful.' Valin thought.
Although Valin doesn't know what is those effected means, he at least knows that it will be very useful for him
He then tried to use the 1st chapter of the technique
First Valin needs to position his body to relax and then he needs to close his eyes and observe his own body.
Next, he only needs to observe and realise every single detail that his body does and feels. From the occasional breathing, sounds in the air, the winds that embrace his body, even to the blood coursing through his veins.
It all seems boring to do this kind of activity but to Valin, it feels wonderful. His senses feel so sharp that all small details he misses during his daily activity come in great clarity. He even feels this experience quite enjoyable and invigorating.
Valin then gets more and more immersed that he started to discover that a weird stream existed coursing throughout inside his body.
As he tried to understand what is the stream was, he heard a sound coming from outside of his room.
"Valin!! Breakfast is ready" Eve shouted from the dining room.
Valin who've heard the call get out of his immersion and started to go to the dining room.
"I'm coming mom" Valin shouted.
Valin then arrived at the room. He sees the whole family was sitting together waiting for him to come.
In the table, a lot of food was prepared ready to enter the starving stomach. In the middle lies a large apple pie. Apple pie was always his favorite and his parent would make it when it was his birthday.
"Happy birthday!!!" His parents congratulate him.
"Thanks, mom and dad," said Valin happily and shocked as he forgot that today was his birthday from all that pain yesterday.
As soon as he sits, the whole family started ransacking the table. Slowly yet surely the plates on the table become shining clean as if the food never existed in the first place.
Feeling full from all those food, Howard started to speaks with Valin.
"Valin, we are going to the town now for your ceremony."
"Why the rush dad?" Valin asked
"It's so that we can rent an inn and travel for a while around the town. You haven't been to a town before right?"
Valin nods wildly to what his dad has to say. He feels really pumped for the adventure he will be doing. He even started to jump around happily as he never real the vicinity of the village.
"From the village to town, we need 5 hours even with a carriage to arrive. We will stay for the night in the town and return home tomorrow evening." Howard continued seeing his son so pumped.
"Let's go, dad," said Valin excitedly
"Okay, we will go now. Say goodbye to mom"
"Mom won't be joining us?" Valin asked
"No, as I'm gonna watch over Milark and the house," said Eve from the kitchen.
Although sad, he was still happy that he will go to town. Valin and Howard then get out of the house and ride a carriage that has waited for them in front of the house.
The carriage was more of a large wooden cart with a 3-meter white cloth dome covering it. It was quite full of goods that will be shipped from the village to the town. It has enough space left for a few people to ride in it.
As they managed to climb in the carriage together with the folks inside, the carriage then suddenly moves pulled by the few horses who were riled by the driver.
The carriage moves farther and farther from the village. Although he was a bit sad for leaving the village, the anticipation of for this trip fills the young child with a sense of adventure.