It has been a week now, the training that began was that of rigorous activity led by the steward followed by combat training from Councilman Jorgonzilrye. What is worse was the amount of food they had me eating. They told me that food is necessary to build body mass making Transmutation easier. Ever since the training began, there has not been a lot of conversations on the power and how it should be used. Instead, I would get crumbs of information during the exercises. Things like my balance now will not be correct after a change. I have to adapt and learn quickly because I would not have enough time to adjust to the many different body modifications compared to others. I did however find out something interesting, those who are in the rest of the Border Patrol work under different rule sets on how much power to use. While they are limited to avoid crossing a certain safety threshold, Waywards push further. Often pushing themselves on the brink of madness because unlike the others, Waywards work alone most of the time. Not having the luxury of a team covering one’s blind spots.

Through the week I have been told the many faults that I have. Not being aware of my surroundings is one that I am reminded about nearly hourly. Unable to remember certain details of the terrain we pass on our runs, especially irritated the steward. He mentioned many times that this fault that I have will lead to my death. Not noting the number of birds flying overhead can lead to a pack of starved creatures working together to take down a larger foe unless properly prevented. One that the old man brings up all the time is my confidence. Telling me that it was normal to be afraid, what was not having a sense of pride in the decisions and the will to go through with it is what makes me weak. Telling me that even if I make the wrong decision, which from the number of lectures on the subject there really is no wrong answer, I must commit. Telling me that it is more dangerous to stutter-step into a solution can be more dangerous than not doing anything at all.

Today is the day where I begin bookwork and indoor lectures as well as continuing the physical training. Apparently, there are large amounts of information I must memorize and be able to apply it. From how the body is made up, how it functions, customs of the outside areas, survival training, I even had to learn proper etiquette to use in certain scenarios. I was told that etiquette is different per tribe or village, what in one place is considered respectful while in another was disrespectful. I was not looking forward to this, however I needed to get this training done as soon as possible to find brother Tarvan. It was a relief to find that he was not going to his death, but instead assessing the threat of his families' killers. From listening to the old man talk, I have come to assume that they talked before he left. Almost as if they made a plan, I did not want to pry into that just yet.

Sitting in what I found to be my office attached to the bedroom, I had a stack of books in front of me about what all that made up the body. I was told that they would begin the lectures after I read these, I have never been good at reading in the past, however I was determined to rectify that now. Starting this dreadful task, I opened up the first book and there happened to be a drawing of the human body but without skin. It looks disgusting. There were even no eyelids, well now that I think about it, they are made up of skin. Flipping the page again there no muscles, on this page there were markings labeling each and every organ and bones. So far, two pages in and limited writing? This is the kind of studying I can do. Flipping the page however made me realize my folly. The page was covered in writing from top to bottom with no wasted space, and in the tiniest of hands. I actually have to use what the steward called warped glass. It did not seem warped but looking through things were either smaller or larger based on the side I looked from. I began my slow work, which turns out to take me precious weeks before I can begin the lectures.

Weeks pass and now there is a change in my schedule again. Exercise, eat, study in the office, eat, lecture, eat, exercise in the night, and of course, eat. For now, I have been studying how the body works and functions still because every lecture makes me reassess what I thought I knew. Such as, the skin is made up of multiple layers of different stuff. Originally, I thought it was all one and the reddish under layer was just newer. I was laughed at but was told that I was not entirely wrong nor correct. There are layers that push the older up, but below them is the layers that provides life stuff to keep from decaying. I was eating it up, I never found myself more intrigued and in awe of something. This is the secrets of the world. Very few people know details such as the purpose of a kidney or why there are different joints in the body. The steward knows little in this subject which baffled me. I was told that learning this is paramount to using Transmutation effectively. Apparently, the steward was a master at shifting even with a lack of the fundamental knowledge that they are trying to teach me. When I asked about it, they would tell me “That is a lesson for another day.” It was becoming overused and annoying to hear that, but I would not complain.

Weeks pass yet again, and there was a change in my schedule. After my final meal I am to meditate and find peace and quench any inner thoughts. Somehow, they knew if I still had a head full of thoughts because they would smack me with a stick to have me reattempt. Tomorrow is the day where the real meat of the information I was looking forward to. Apparently tomorrow I would learn about the magic in its entirety with no censorship. I was excited and I could not stop thinking about it. Thats why my legs would be bruised for some time, the steward did not take pleasure in inflicting pain. He just did it out of responsibility. I actually did not know who was in charge of who here. The steward would take commands from Councilman Jorgonzilrye, but turn right around and demand the old man to eat or when to take a bath and even when to go to sleep. The old man would always relent without protest and accepted his fate. I was different however, at mealtimes especially after rigorous activities, I would try to avoid eating. It made my stomach upset and I would dispel my contents at times. This was soon followed by another meal and a very stern steward taking no as a yes. When I was told to sleep, I would sneak into the office and read and study before being found out and forced back to bed and the office perpetually locked from then on, when it was time for bed that is.

Walking into the room where we hold our lectures, there were three desks. All three where in a triangle shape and there were large parchments sprawled on one, which of course was the old man. Another was clean of any clutter, being the steward. Mine had books piled on the sides and on top for me to follow along and look up information when either prompted or when I needed to find background information on a topic. Taking my seat before the other two arrived, the steward was cleaning after the meal and would attend after he finished and the old man being, well prompt, ever. I waited, looking at the room that I have been spending lots of time these last months. Nine, nine more months. Apparently, I am doing well and am not falling behind predictions on the timetable. This was good, but they also said that the training had not really began yet.

“Good morning. How was the morning regiment?” Councilman walked in and plopped in his seat. I had not noticed him until he spoke. Thank goodness the steward was not here to admonish me on lack of awareness to my surroundings.

“Councilman Jorgonzilrye, good morning.” The exercises I had to perform today were a full body workout. Kilometers were run, weights were dragged and shouldered during certain sprints. At a certain point I was overburdened with weights where I could barely walk, then told to make it back for breakfast. It took me an hour to get back. The trees surrounding our area were less terrifying now that I had grown accustomed to them. I actually enjoyed their presence. Each tree had its own personality that could be seen with the lack of leaves. The twists and turns show how they avoid fighting for the same resources as it’s brethren. Actually, I did find out that leaves were necessary for the survival of a tree like skin for a person. How did they live then? They-

“That hard?”

Blinking I noticed the old man waiting for an answer, blushing I realized that I got sidetracked, again. “Oh, no just a typical run followed by me contemplating drowning myself in the lake on the way back.”

Chuckling the old man responded “Yes, the steward can be a little, much. However, he is effective. Now we shall begin.” He readjusted himself leaning forward and locked gazes with me. “Let us start with how to properly Transmute.”