The first day spent in the forest was well spent, Aria was slowly rising in level. And they had not had to use for the moment only one potion of care. To heal the hole in the shoulder of Aria caused by one of the spiders.
The night was already falling, so they set up their little camps. Logan installed quietly 2 hammocks with 2 blankets. Then they made a small fire to warm up the food before eating quietly. Aria watched Logan eating quietly, while she herself enjoyed the food. Then after a moment to observe it he also looked her in the eyes.
"Do you have anything to say?" He asked quietly.
"Well, do you have any advice to give me?" Said she a little distraught. (Aria)
"Well, so far, you're doing very well. But you could have killed the spiders much faster, by drowning them with your water element for example. You probably could have also dodged the spider webs coming at your back by relying on your hearing. Because you could hear the wolves coming from farther away. So don't hesitate to use all your senses to the maximum. And finally you could have also covered your feet with those ice claws to move better." (Logan)
"I see thanks for the advices, I'll try that. But for my water element, I have never really practiced with it, actually never. So I have a hard time serving of him properly." (Aria)
"Well, we're here to train you, we'll fix that. Are you done eating?" (Logan)
"Oh yeah." Said she as her plate was empty.
"Well, could you put out the fire?" (Logan)
"Sure." (Aria)
Ice then came out of her hand, but Logan stopped her.
"No with your water element." (Logan)
"Ah right." (Logan)
She concentrated her magic in her hands and water came out. However, the water had no form and flowed like a faucet, even having trouble putting out the fire.
"So she really never practiced mastering this element." (Logan)
Logan looked at him once more before speaking to him again:
"Can you shape water into a ball?" (Logan)
"Yes." She nodded.
She then shaped the water into a ball, but after a few seconds she struggled to hold it together.
Until the ball exploded and the water splashed on Logan's face. As Aria panicked at the sight of Logan's wet face.
"I... I'm sorry. " She said very embarrassed, but at the same time amused.
"Maintaining a solid and liquid element is something totally different." Said Logan still remaining focused as his face and hair were soaked.
Then Logan to shake his hand and the fire extinguished instantly.
"From now on, you are forbidden to use the ice element." (Logan)
"But..." She groans as she tries to protest.
"You need to catch up on your mastery of your second element. If you rely too much on what you already have, it will become a handicap. Mastering your two elements will make you much stronger and add a new weapon to your arsenal. And eventually you will be able to do combination attacks." (Logan)
"It's true that since I was a child, I only used my ice element." Acquiesced she understood the necessity of the maneuver.
"In that case, it's settled, from now on, you must master your second element." (Logan)
After that, the two took their seats in the hammocks that were a little far from each other. So that Aria wouldn't have to remember her traumas with the men. Once the two installed Aria fell in the sleep, her first day having been trying.
But Logan remained concentrated, this forest was dangerous. Falling asleep without any surveillance was taking a huge risk. So Logan kept his perception active through vector control.
Nevertheless, he could not maintain the radar while sleeping. So he stayed up all night to allow Aria to sleep peacefully. But while she was sleeping and he was watching. Logan dipped into the encyclopedia, closing his eyes. Diving into the encyclopedia was something very relaxing. It was like dipping into a gigantic library, and this library contained all the knowledge of the earth. And the reason Logan had opened it was because he wanted to train.
"You can increase your physical stats if you train your body. His agility, if you work on dodging and work on movement. So can I increase my calculus stats if I work on it, just solving calculations, equations and everything else?" (Logan)
Logan then accessed some very complex math calculation exercises, which he began to solve.
"Well at least I won't be bored tonight." Said he smiling.
----------
As the sun rise and the first sound of birdsong rang out. Aria woke up and the first thing she saw was Logan making breakfast.
"Come eat." (Logan)
Logan had prepared eggs and meat. Aria settled down and both of them started to eat quietly.
"This is very good." She said with a smiling face.
"Aria is still very skinny the years of slavery have slimmed her down quite a bit. It will still take some time for her to get back to a good body shape." Said Logan having observed it.
Before finally serving her meat again when she had already finished a first portion.
"Glad you like it but it's nothing extraordinary. There's no pepper, no salt, plus I cooked them on a common metal plate." (Logan)
"This is already better than what I was fed as a slave." (Aria)
"You're right, but from now on, I'll make sure you eat your fill." Logan said with a smile.
Aria stopped eating at this point, shaking slightly, and then burst into tears, enjoying her lunch even more. Logan's kindness to her warmed her cruelty-scarred heart. When for years the only feelings she had felt were fear, hunger, sadness and pain.
Once the meal was over and their bellies were full, training would resume for the rest of the day. And for Aria the difficulty would increase, now deprived of her ice element.
She had to use only her water element until further notice. But Logan was aware that sending her to battle like that would have been almost suicidal. So instead of making her fight monsters, Aria need to learn the basics.
This learning began with simple basic exercises that Logan had read. He had read everything he needed to know about the basics of learning elements and mana. Every detail was ingrained in his brain through ultra-fast learning.
Logan made him practice the first exercises like materialization. It was the first step to get her element out. A step that Aria already mastered fortunately. Then the modeling consisting in making her learn to exercise her will. This exercise consists in materializing its element and then giving it various forms. From basic geometrical shapes like squares, balls, pyramids, cylinders. To more complex forms like weapons, tools, etc.. Then comes the intensification, that is to say the power put in the materialization. Basically the mastery of the dosage, the power and the precision.
Each step being essential in this mastery. Aria already mastered the concept with her ice element, and fortunately was able to progress quickly. Even if the mastery of some elements are more difficult and certain to be similar in mastery: like earth, wood and ice all solid elements.
Aria's training in this approximate mastery took about a full week. Before she could launch those very first attacks.
"Splash !"
Aria had just launched a water attack on a stone target materialized by Logan. However, even if she could launch her first attacks they were still very weak. The target had suffered almost no damage, as if she had hit by a simple balloon filled with water. It would take her even longer to launch attacks that could cause real damage. But it was good timing, they were there for that and he had all the time they wanted. And Aria redoubled her motivation and eagerness to progress every day, with Logan to support her.
Each day punctuated by meals prepared by Logan with meat from monsters. And also of ingredients or food taken out of its bag of objects. Their nights was also punctuated by moment of night conservation between them two. Logan could not also enchaîner the sleepless nights to take care of the safety of their camp. Turns of guard had been established between her and him.
While Logan had chained 4 days of sleepless night. Until Aria remembered, they were in a dangerous place. And that she couldn't sleep peacefully as if nothing had happened.
But it was mostly Logan's face decomposing as the days went by, with dark circles as big as mountains. That made her realize that he had been looking out for their safety while taking it easy. And she apologized over and over for that mistake.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She knelt down on the floor herself.
"It's okay Aria." Said Logan yet tired but embarrassed.
While he had never stopped his little computing sessions.
Then Logan was finally entitled to hours of deserved sleep.
"I can finally sleep." He sighed.
Every night, when Logan took his turn to rest. Aria remained fixed on his peacefully sleeping face. While the night sky was illuminated with stars and by the two moons. Creating a beautiful atmosphere in a dangerous forest.
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