The training was a long and strenuous ordeal. They would focus on certain aspects for days on end. First they started with telekinesis. Rokna told Chan and Tech as he told Mikol that you don't 'force' something to move, you 'convince' it to. By the end of that course they where lifting each other in the air. Then they moved into other sections like mind control, atomic manipulation, telepathy, observation and natural expansion. It was these last two on witch they spent the most time. The ability that the old man called observation was one that Chan found particularly interesting. In her mind she could extend a mental sphere around her body and no matter what she was looking at she could see everything that happened within that circle. Her sphere was about tem meters in diameter but with practice Rokna said that she could make it even bigger. After that came natural expansion. This was when you would use your abilities to boost the limits of what you could naturally do. So with practice they should be able to jump further, see further, have more strength and hear better. But they soon found out that it was harder then it looked. If you concentrated to much on your abilities you would lose track of what you where trying to do. If you concentrated to much on you what you where trying to do you wouldn't be able to use your ability. So they had to find their 'balance point', where they could draw on their ability without giving it to much thought. After a while they where pretty good at finding balance point but by no mean where they perfect at it. Every morning Rokna would wake them up before the sun rose and they would train until it set. However upon wakening one morning Mikol saw some sunlight streaming through the only window of their room. Quickly her woke the others and explained the situation. Chan was the first to come up with an idea to where Rokna was.
"It's a test. In fact we may have failed it already by sleeping in to late."
"I don't think so Chan, but I do think that it is a test."
"So what do we do then Mikol?"
"Isn't it obvious?" He gave them a little smile. "He wants us to find him."
"Let's do it then." They all closed their eyes and extended their mental spheres, some larger then others. It wasn't long before Chan found him.
"I think I've got him. Near the top of the tree."
"Yup, that's him." They all exited the tree house and looked up. They couldn't see him.
"Looks like we'll have to go up and get him." Said Chan.
"Yah but the lowest branch is about twenty feet up, we can't reach that even standing on each others shoulders."
"Stop thinking inside the box Tech." She replied as she crouched down and then jumped up and landed with her feet firmly on the branch. Mikol wasn't far behind her but Chan Tech was having trouble.
"I don't think I can make it."
"Sure you can. Just find your balance point and jump. Don't even think about how far away the branch is."
"If you say so. . ." He jumped but Mikol could tell that he wasn't quite going to make it. He reached out with his mind so that he could picture his hand under Tech's feet. He lifted him up so that he could reach the branch with his outstretched hands. He grabbed on and pulled himself up and onto the branch.
"Thanks."
"No problem." The trio then climbed up the tree until they got to a particularly odd sight. Before them was a large cube of branches. They where so closely intertwined that they couldn't see through it at any point. Mikol reached out once again so that he was sure that Rokna was on the inside of this bizarre cube. He was. They where going to have to get inside.
"Some test. The solution is so obvious." That surprised Mikol to be coming from Tech." There is no was that this cube could be formed in nature in the time between when we saw Rokna last night and now."
"So. . .?"
"So these branches ." He pointed at the cube. "Can't be real. They must be an illusion put out by Rokna to fool us." He proved his point by walking right into the cube. He hit the branches hard.
"That looks like it hurt. Well thanks Tech, at least we know that they are really there."
"Shut up, I thought I had it figured out." All during this exchange Mikol had been thinking.
"Well we can't go around the branches." He looked at Tech. "We can't go through them either. So, if we can't get around them we'll have to move them."
"Can we do that?"
"Well it's alive so that should make it easier. Lets just all concentrate on this one point and try to move any branches away from it." He said pointing to the center of the wall just in front of them."
"Why not, it's bound to work better then other ideas some of us have had."
"One simple mistake ok? Neither of you even go hurt so just leave me alone." They all held out their hands toward the woven mess of branches in front of them. At first nothing happened. Then vary slowly the branches started to twitch. From there it went from twitching to fluid movement. Mikol could feel the branches in his mind and so he could move them, or convince them to move rather. Eventually there was a hole big enough for them to step through. On the inside they found that it looked much like the outside surface. There where four walls, a ceiling and a rough floor, all made of intertwining branches. In the center of the square floor the branches extended up to form three seats. In front of the seats was Rokna's staff standing on end. This wouldn't have been so odd if Rokna wasn't sitting on top of it. His eyes where closed and his legs where crossed. He was wearing the same robe that he always wore but there was one thing different about him. His long flowing beard had been cut off. His face was completely bear. They all sat down but no one said a word. Mikol didn't know why but it just seemed like the right thing to do. So they just sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Finally, without warning he started to talk, hi eyes always closed.
"You're wondering about my beard aren't you?" Mikol and his friends just nodded, still not feeling right breaking their silence. "I've been growing that beard since the day my last student, Mikoleth's mother left. That day so many years ago I cut my beard for the first time as my student left me and went out into the universe. Now I cut it again as my students do the same. For the first time one of them spoke. It was Chan.
"You think we're ready?"
"I've taught you as much as I know. The rest comes with experience and practice. There is one thing I have left to do and after that I'll leave you to continue your journey."
"And what is this last pearl of wisdom?"
"I will now share with you the secret of Numenite."
"You mean that black stuff? Damn I hate it."
"Why is that Daeron?"
"If it wasn't for that blob of black goo then we'd all still be at home living normal lives."
"It may be hard now but you must consider all the good things that may come of this in the future." He let them ponder that for a few minutes before he continued. "You all witnessed what happened when you have previously touched this element."
"Yah, it went phyco."
"That is the sign of a mind that is not in peace with your abilities." He reached into his robe and removed a small blob of the black goo. He held it out toward Mikol. "Touch it." Mikol did as he was told and reached out to poke it. Nothing happened. "It seems that your mind is in relative peace. Now, picture something in your mind and keep your hand on the Numenite." Mikol closed his eyes and pictured a tree. It seemed appropriate considering they where sitting in one. Suddenly he heard Chan and Tech gasp in surprise. Quickly he opened his eyes. For a split second he could see the tree that he had pictured in his mind. Then before his eyes it melted back into the black blob of Numenite. "You lost your concentration."
"You mean I did that?"
"Actually your mind did that. Now separate that ball into three so that your comrade may join you in your final lesson." Once they all had a piece they spent the next few hours practicing with the Numenite. When they had finally gotten the hang of it Rokna signaled that he wanted all of them to be quite. "Look" He said as he pointed toward the west wall of their cube. A small circle appeared that framed the sun as it set. The last beams of the days light shown bright as they enveloped the tree students. "Our time together sets as the sun does on you, the universes bright hope." Then he lead them back into the tree for their last sleep before they set back out into the world.
They awoke to find the rain pounding down on the sole window of their room. Rokna was also nowhere to be seen yet again. But he had left a note on the table in their room. It contained but one short message.
Supplies at door. Go now. Do not look back.
There wasn't even a signature at the end.
"I guess he isn't one for goodbyes."
"Guess not." They all walked to the door. There they found all the items they had before. Minus Chan's knife.
"That son of a. . .that was my favorite knife, I made it myself. I'll never be able to make another knife like that one again. Damn him." While Chan continued her ranting Mikol and Tech gathered up all their supplies. They found three small boxes among the emergency rations. Each one had one of their names on it. Mikol opened his. Inside he found some strange brown cubes that looked slightly eatable. He also found a ball of Numenite and a small note. It read as follows:
Keep your mind clear. Big decision ahead. Do what you think is right.
Tech opened his and found the same things as Mikol. Except his note explained the mysterious brown cubes.
They will boost your energy and stanima by a exceptional amount. Only eat a small amount at a time.
Chan had finally stopped cursing long enough to open her box. Nothing surprising at first. But the to read the note.
Keep your temper down. Thank you for your knife. Use the Numenite to make another one whenever you want. Oh yes. . .my mother was a saint.
"I'm not even going to ask how he knew about that."
"Right, some things are best left unanswered. We should get moving if we want to make it to Saduklari before dark."
"How far is it exactly?"
"Oh only about seventy-five klicks."
"Seventy-five klicks! That'll take us at least two days."
"I guess we should get moving then."
"Just let me eat some of this brown stuff and I'll be along." Tech reached into his bag and grabbed a cube. He broke it in half and popped one of the halves in his mouth. "Alright lets go." He started for the door with his bag over his shoulder when he felt a huge energy rush. "Mikol, Chan. I think I know how we can get to Saduklari on time."
"Yah? How?"
"Just try some of that brown stuff and tell we what you feel." They both at half of a cube.
"Whoo. I feel like I could run forever."
"Yah. Let's get going before it wears off." They all gathered up their supplies and they left the tree at full speed.
"If we keep the sun behind us we should be fine." As they left the tree they where being watched from the high branches.
"My plans will yet succeed. Muhahahahaha." The evil laughter lasted until the trio faded from his view. And then well after.