Fheniz stood before Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes, his face stern but encouraging. "To command the elements, you must first command yourselves," he began. "Calm your minds, feel the air, the flow of blood within you. Understand your muscles, your nerves. Your mind and body must be in perfect harmony to realize the nature around you." (Duh, sorry for being cliche)
The training began with simple exercises of standing meditation and awareness. In the never ending day, they would stand in a line, eyes closed, breathing deeply. Fheniz's voice guided them through the process. "Feel the air entering your lungs, the rhythmic beating of your heart. Sense the blood coursing through your veins."
Griswa, being a god, quickly excelled at this. He could easily sense the minute details of his body and the natural energies around him. Yesdar and Malaes, however, struggled at first. They found it difficult to focus, their minds wandering to the adventures they had experienced and the unknown challenges ahead.
After a week of training, Yesdar sighed in frustration. "Griswa is so lucky," he muttered. "He gets it so easily while we're still struggling."
Griswa, sitting on the stone-chair with right leg on top of the left, beside them, opened his eyes and said, "Luck has nothing to do with it. Keep practicing. You'll learn too."
Encouraged by Griswa's words, Yesdar and Malaes redoubled their efforts. Over time, they began to sense the subtle energies within and around them. The more they practiced, the more attuned they became. Fheniz watched their progress with satisfaction, knowing that this was only the beginning.
One noon, after a particularly intense meditation session, Fheniz gathered them around in a circle. "Now that you've begun to sense the energies within and around you, it's time to learn about the two main elemental commanding elements within your bodies: Andeoscendium and Andeogerdium."
"Andeo means 'body' in the ancient tongue," Fheniz explained. "In common language, these elements are known as iron and calcium."
He picked up a piece of stone and drew two symbols in the sand. "Iron, or Andeoscendium, is a crucial component of your blood. It binds with the breathing air and carries it to every cell in your body, providing the energy you need to function. Without iron, your muscles would weaken, and your body would fail to perform even the simplest tasks."
They nodded in understanding.
Fheniz continued, "In the context of commanding, iron is also the element that allows you to connect with the external world. It bridges the internal energies with the universal elements outside."
Turning to the other symbol, Fheniz continued. "Calcium, or Andeogerdium, is equally important. It is essential for strong bones and teeth, but more importantly, for the transmission of nerve impulses. Your brain communicates with your muscles through calcium ions. In commanding, calcium enables the communication between your mind and the natural energies around you. It helps you sense and blend with these energies, making you one with the environment."
Malaes leaned forward, intrigued. "So, iron helps us connect, and calcium helps us communicate?"
"Precisely," Fheniz said with a smile. "The balance of these elements along with a dozen other inside your body, is crucial for effective commanding. When your mind and body are in harmony, and these elements are balanced, you can begin to influence the external elements."
Fheniz then shared a deeper insight. "Everything else has life too, like you do, a sort of energy. Trees, rocks, even the sand. Your task is to connect your internal energies, facilitated by Andeoscendium and Andeogerdium, with these external energies. By doing so, you can command the elements."
He demonstrated by picking up a handful of sand. "To command this sand, you must first become one with it. Feel its texture, its warmth. Understand that it, too, is alive in a sense."
The three watched in awe as the sand seemed to flow through Fheniz's fingers, moving as if it had a life of its own. "Once you have connected with the sand, you can dominate it—not through force, but with respect. Request its cooperation. Over time, as you master your skills, you will no longer need to request. You will command."
For the next several days, Malaes and Yesdar practiced tirelessly. They meditated, trained their bodies, and focused on feeling the connection with the elements around them. Despite occasional complaints and frustrations, they persevered.
Griswa, though naturally gifted, didn't sit idly by. He practiced alongside them, pushing himself even harder, a thousand times more than them using his everlasting stamina for hours.. in the never ending day. "Even gods need to train," he said with a grin. "I may have strength, but I must learn power control."
While Malaes and Yesdar rested, Griswa continued his training. He practiced connecting with different elements, feeling different particles of the sand, feeling their energies and commanding them with increasing precision. His dedication was a witness to his determination to master power control as quickly as possible.
Fheniz observed them all, guiding and correcting their techniques. He knew that Griswa's example would inspire Yesdar and Malaes to push beyond their limits.
After weeks of rigorous training, Fheniz introduced the next critical step. "Now that you've learned to sense and connect with the elements, it's time to make yourself one with what you want to command. Feel it, understand it, and blend its essence with your own."
He picked up a handful of sand and let it trickle through his fingers. "To command sand, you must first feel its nature. Understand that it, like you, is made of universal elements. Your body's Andeoscendium and Andeogerdium must connect with the elements outside your body with the help of your mind."
He demonstrated by closing his eyes and holding the sand. The grains seemed to vibrate, then slowly began to lift and form some small cubes and some pointy ends, then a whirlpool. "Once you feel this connection, dominate it—not with brute force, but with respect and understanding."
Yesdar and Malaes watched, fascinated. "How do we do that?" Malaes asked.
"Start by requesting its cooperation like I said before," Fheniz instructed. "Over time, as you build your skills and understanding, you will be able to give direct commands."
The next phase of their training involved endless hours of practice. Yesdar and Malaes focused on feeling the connection between their bodies and the sand, using their Andeoscendium and Andeogerdium to blend their energies. They spent days at the training ground, eyes closed, feeling the grains between their fingers, trying to sense the life within.
"Feel the energy," Fheniz would remind them. "Seek it, obtain it, connect with it."
There were moments of frustration and exhaustion. Yesdar once threw a handful of sand in frustration. "This is impossible!" he exclaimed.
Slowly as time passed, they began to feel the faint stirrings of the sand's energy. It was subtle at first, like a whisper at the edge of their consciousness.
Fheniz guided them through each step. "Blend it with your energy. Feel it become part of you."
Malaes closed her eyes, concentrating hard. She imagined the sand's energy flowing into her, merging with her own. She felt a faint warmth, a connection.
"Good, Malaes," Fheniz said encouragingly. "Now, shape it."
She focused, trying to form the sand into a small shape. It trembled, shifting slightly but not quite forming. She opened her eyes, a mixture of frustration and determination on her face.
"It's okay," Fheniz said. "You're getting there. It takes time and patience."
Meanwhile, Griswa was making significant progress. He practiced relentlessly, using his godly strength to enhance his control. He shaped the sand with ease, forming intricate patterns and structures. But he knew that power without control was dangerous, so he focused on refining his abilities, practicing the same movements over and over.
"Power control is crucial," Griswa said to remind himself that he cannot rest until he achieves it. "Without it, I'll go berserk."
As weeks turned into months, and then years (based on Aeartha's time), Yesdar and Malaes began to see improvements. They could feel the sand's energy more clearly and blend it with their own. They started to shape it, forming simple structures.
One afternoon, after hours of training, Fheniz gathered them and had them repeat the steps they had learned.
"Feel the energy," Fheniz began.
"Feel it," they repeated after him.
"Seek it."
"Seek it."
"Obtain it."
"Obtain it."
"Connect it."
"Connect it."
"Blend it."
"Blend it."
"Force it."
"Force it."
"Shape it."
"Shape it."
"Release it."
"Release it."
The rhythmic repetition of these words became a mantra, a guiding principle for their training. With each repetition, they internalized the process, embedding it into their minds and bodies.
Fheniz looked at them. "You have all come far, but this is only the beginning. Continue to practice, to refine your skills."
Fheniz stood before the trio, his expression serious but patient. "Before you can master the art of commanding, you must first understand your faults," he began, pacing slowly this time. "In the heat of battle, luck may favor you once or twice, but it is not something you can rely on. Mistakes can be fatal."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "One doesn't depend on luck. Instead, one strives to eliminate one's faults. To do this, you must be aware of them. When you practice, don't just go through the motions. Pay attention to where you falter. Is your mind wandering? Are you hesitating? Are you failing to connect with the elements properly?"
Yesdar and Malaes listened intently, nodding occasionally. Griswa, though more experienced, was equally focused.
"Understanding your faults means you must be critical of yourself, but not to the point of discouragement," Fheniz continued. "It's about identifying where you need to improve and working diligently to correct those areas. When you make a mistake, don't blame bad luck. Instead, analyze why it happened and how you can prevent it next time, don't give up because of luck."
He stopped and turned to face them directly. "Confidence is key. But confidence comes from preparation and practice, not from blind faith in luck. The more thorough you are in your training, the less you will need to rely on luck."
Fheniz then shared a personal anecdote. "I remember my early days of training. I would often make mistakes and think I was just unlucky. My mentor, Master Ehayor, taught me to see those mistakes as opportunities to learn. 'Each fault you correct,' he would say, 'brings you one step closer to perfection.'"
He nodded, recalling the lessons. "And he was right. Rest is common sense."
Fheniz continued, "Perfection is a noble goal, but it's also an elusive one. Not everything will be perfect, and that's okay. Aim not to be perfect, but to achieve what you set out to do. Rest is common sense."
He turned to Malaes and Yesdar, who looked eager to absorb his wisdom. "I want to share with you a lesson I learned from Master Ehayor. He once told me,
'One should not aim to be the number one. One should aim to be 'The One'.'
Do you understand what that means?"
"It means we should focus on being unique rather than competing with others. Everyone has his or her own level. Don't waste your time to compete, not even with Griswa. Compete with yourself. Rest is common sense."
Griswa nodded in agreement.
He then shared another story from his own journey. "When I was training under Master Ehayor, I often struggled with complex commanding techniques than these. I would get frustrated seeing that he was so much more ahead of me and I lagged so much behind, I wished I came to him even earlier than I did, I wished to be born earlier. One time, Master Ehayor looked at me and said, 'Fheniz, do not measure your progress in that way, I myself am way weaker than the other Gods beyond the worlds, should I too be feeling frustrated? No, measure progress by your own improvement. Every small step you take forward is a win-win. Solopensar remains Solopensar.'"
He paused, letting the lesson sink in. "From that day on, I focused on my own progress. I stopped comparing myself to him. That shift in mindset made all the difference. I became more motivated, more resilient, and ultimately, more skilled. Today he says I got the potential to be a God. "
Yesdar looked thoughtful. "So, it's about focusing on our own journey and not being discouraged by others' successes?"
"Precisely," Fheniz affirmed. "Perfection is not about being flawless. It's about striving to reach your goals, learning from your mistakes, and continuously improving. If you aim to be The One, you embrace your unique path and honor your own growth. With that you can be like water, as the situation demands, sometimes calm and still, sometimes flowing to the vast sea, to the oceans! Sometimes storming to take over, destroy."
Malaes, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "But what if we feel we aren't progressing fast enough? It can be disheartening to see little improvement despite our efforts."
Fheniz smiled warmly. "Progress is not always visible. Trust the process. Keep practicing, keep learning, and have faith in your fate. Remember, even if it doesn't seem like it at the moment. Rest is common sense."
He concluded his lesson with a final thought. "As you continue your training, remember this: Perfection is a direction, not a destination. Rest is common sense every kid knows. In fact all of what I said is common sense. For you, all this is to be learned, but when you grow up, you'll see people... I am talking about the grown ups. They are needed to be reminded common sense like, 'don't give up, keep moving, get a goal, achieve it, do this, do that, blah blah blah.' when these lines are already a millennia-old, it should be common sense by now. But still in the name of 'motivation for the discouraged' they are needed to be repeated, can't help."
"Rest is common sense..."
Pronunciations:
Andeoscendium: [AND]+[YO]+[SEN]+[DEE]+[UHM] (Iron)
Andeogerdium: [AND]+[YO]+[JER]+[DEE]+[UHM] (Calcium)