"Your posture is still so weak and full of openings."
He admonished the young elf but unlike when they first met, the elf took his words serious and showed a more submissive attitude towards him. Four days had passed since they left the fort and had spent the journey training, so far Karlmine had made Heilis do nothing but swing his sword around everyday until his arms felt like lead then he would traverse the mountains and swim in the river they met. When he did that, Karlmine would join him too in doing the same that is probably why he was being this obedient.
"I told you to swing your blade as if you have the intention to kill me."
"Yes sir that is what I am doing."
Heilis grimaced with sweat trickling down his fair face. His breath was rugged but his eyes shone with defiance and conviction so much that without meaning to Karlmine found himself smiling.
"What are you talking about. A swing so weak can never hope to claim my life."
He responded while strolling back and forth observing the elf's movement. After four days of doing nothing but sword swings he was now willing to take the training to the next level.
"Enough, you have gotten the gist if it though your swings are still dismally pitiful."
Heilis who had realised that he was never going to get a positive remark from his teacher smiled because he was aware that the comment just now was as close to a compliment as he was going to get.
"Swordsmanship uses muscles and muscles uses energy from the body which we get from eating."
After that obvious explanation Karlmine paused but Heilis' face was serious and attentive so he decided to continue.
"But have you ever wondered how that food is converted into energy."
"Errrhh___"
Heilis had never bothered himself about it, this was after all one of those taken for granted questions which were difficult to explain like someone asking how do you know the sky is blue.
"I have know idea Sir."
"Call me Karlmine that is an order."
"Yes Si___ Karlmine."
"Sigh____ anyways I do not have a clear answer either but it has to do with the air we breathe, just like fire without enough air it burns out no matter how much dry matter you put. If you hold your breath for a long time you start to feel light headed because the 'flame' is running out of air to produce the heat which is energy."
"I understand Sir___ errhhh Karlmine."
"So we are doing training at the top of a mountain where the air is thinner so that we can expand our air intake capacity."
Heilis realised that what he was saying was the truth because during the first two days he was having a hard time breathing here and spent most of them feeling like he was suffering from vertigo but he was slowly getting used to this atmosphere so much that although it was still somewhat unsettling it was no longer that much of a burden.
"So today we are going to start breathing, that is your training for today up to sunset."
"J-Just breathing?"
Heilis asked, he had no idea what Karlmine meant.
"Indeed, learn to breathe, feel the air spreading to every part, to every part in your body."
As if he had finished everything Karlmine turned his back and left.
(I have changed a lot to think that I am following a mortal_____ but I feel like he has changed too.) Heilis grinned and started his training.
As soon as the sunset, Karlmine appeared with a whole lot of wild fruits and fish. Elves were naturally vegetarian but after spending four days with Karlmine, Heilis had finally given in to the devil's temptation and tasted of the forbidden fruit called roasted fish, now he was an addict.
In no time a fire had been made and the fish slowly roasting over it.
"To Tiamat."
As usual before eating, Heilis said that and a strange sensation caused Karlmine's body to feel tingly the it was over.
"Say Heilis, why do you always do that before eating?"
"Oh, Tiamat is the ancient guardian matriarch of this great forest, she is respected and revered as a bringer of the bountifulness of the forest."
"In other words a deity."
"Well that is both correct and incorrect, Tiamat is a monster you see the storm dragon and since it was her presence that protected our forest she was sort of deified."
"Noted."
He nodded at the explanation and bit into his fish then he frowned.
"What?"
Heilis had been grinning wryly.
"Its just that you are becoming a little loquacious and more open, your aura has changed."
"You are seeing what you want to see."
He shrugged.
"I am an elf I know what I mean."