-Welcome to Hell Kid.
-Umm, thank you?
Enkidu extended his left hand offering to help me stand up which I accepted as I had no reason to decline he pulled me up rather quickly which did hurt after all the beating I took but I didn’t say anything.
-Follow me Umm… what is your name again?
-Atlas, My name is Atlas.
-Aha great, follow me Atlas.
I followed Enkidu deep inside the forest I didn’t ask where we were going as it seemed obvious that we are going to my new training spot, as we moved deeper and deeper in the woods I started noticing animals all kind of them walking past us without any fear unlike when Nergal was here.
I think they don’t fear Enkidu but… they feel safer around him!
After a while he stopped in front of a big bush he turned his head around towards me.
*Smile*
-Well Atlas, welcome to my home!
He leaned on the bush and put both of his hands in it then separated them opening a gate way of sort he went throw first and then I followed…
-Wow!
-Cool huh? Built it myself! Do make yourself at home.
-Thank you.
I thought I would find a small cottage or a small house inside the gate but… (He did all of this?)
There was a huge tree, much bigger than any one I have seen before it was hollowed from inside but wasn’t cut, it even seemed like it is still growing inside it was a bed and a bench with many tools (I think Enkidu is a builder of some sort) some of the roots were wrapping around the area creating a camp of sort in its vicinity it was georgics to be fair.
In front of the tree, nearly in the middle of the area there was a bunch of stone and a cooking pot with some trees logs near it and wooden plates and cooking stuff.
I went to one of the logs and sat down the fire wasn’t on and I don’t really know how to ignite it so I just kept on sitting.
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*Very Loud Roar*
I was startled by a very loud scream (I must’ve feel in sleep)…
-This is an Ifret! It has dominion on this region in Kur, and it will be your next opponent! Said my new teacher with a smile on his face and while holding a bowl of soap in his hand.
Here you go, you’re going to need it.
He handed me the bowl and walked back to his tree house.
-get so rest your training starts tomorrow.
He had already lit the fire before (when I was sleeping) so I but my weapons on the log and put my coat under my head as I slept on the ground near the flame.
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The next day
*bump*
I woke up to the noise of Enkidu hammering something in his house
-Oh you’re up, good. (He said that while dropping the hammer and walking towards me)
Oh so it morning, I stood up picked up my coat and my weapons.
-No, no leave your gear. (He said while pointing at my sword and spear).
-What? Why?
-You won’t need them, just wash your face and follow me. (He said while walking out of camp area)
I washed my face from a well that was near the gate I got here from (it was a small wooden well with a metal bucket) after that I went outside the camp, after Enkidu.
I walked in the forest for a bit… then went into an area in the forest that was just a flat surface with some large rocks and boulders (and Enkidu was standing on one).
-Ah you’re here… good, now let’s start.
Well I am not sure what to teach you now, I usually start from zero but you’re clearly not a zero
*Hmmm*
Ah yes… your abilities show them to me (He said while pointing on a rock)
-Well…
I pointed at the rock with my hand trying to hit it with my shadow… but nothing happened.
-Aha I see, that’s… disappointing yes but it does tell me what I need to teach you, do you have anything else besides the shadow?
-I am not sure yet, Nergal didn’t really tell me.
-Aha I see… show me your marks then.
I understood that he wanted to see the tattoos so I took of my shirt and turned to my back… he kept looking for a minute or so.
-You have good ones, they will be useful for sure. Dress up let’s start the real work now.
-There’s another one.
-Where is it? Show me.
After I put my shirt back up I showed him the tattoo on my hand he grabbed it kept on observing it for longer time than the others.
-Interesting… I haven’t seen this one before, so I don’t think I can help you with it so let’s just work on the ones you already have. (he said while pointing at the ground under the rock he was standing on)
-Alright.
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Now to use your powers you will need 2 things, imagination, and a strong personality. You might ask ‘what does personality have to do with it’ well that is a dumb question because your powers belong to a powerful and charismatic figure so they are somewhat of a being themselves so for them do what you please you have to be someone worth it.
I do think that the shadow already saw you as a worthy human otherwise it wouldn’t have helped you in our small battle the other day so no try focusing on what you did back then and (While pointing on a bunch of rocks on his left) try stacking these up on top of each other only using the shadow, that will be your task for the coming days.
-Alright seems easy enough.
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Fuck, that’s hard!
Even after finally getting my shadow to appear it cannot lift anything, the moment I try to lift a rock it just disappears… damn it’s already dark.
-We’re done for today Atlas, you can continue tomorrow.
*sigh*
-Fine.
I went back to the camp and after washing up and eating a soup that Enkidu made I went to sleep.
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*Bonk*
Yet again I woke up to the sound on Enkidu Hammering something in his tree I kept on sitting in my spot until he came to me a while after I was awake.
-Good you’re up, you know what to do now you don’t need me at this point so just go there and practice, don’t forget to be back before its dark.
-Alright then see you later.
*Very loud Roar*
I heard the sound of the Ifret once again but Enkidu said nothing so I dismissed it as well and went on to my training spot and started training my mastery over my shadow yet again.
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A week later
My mastery over my shadow has expanded extremely now I can easily lift, toss and even juggle rocks and all kind of objects with my shadow I did stack the rocks on top of each other (finally) yesterday and today Enkidu said he will have my new assignment today but I have been waiting for a while know and he is nowhere to be found, I guess I’ll train a bit until he comes back I guess.
*very loud Roar*
-Ugh that damn Ifret, could he just shut UP!
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A while later Enkidu showed up and leaped on a rock.
-Now Atlas you have control over your shadow which will be enough for you to understand what I am about to tell you, the abilities given by gods have multiple uses (it is only held back by your imagination really) but the most common uses are defense and offence I know that this is a broad term but it’s all you need… now what I want you to do is to use your shadow in two ways.
First I wasn’t you to cover your body with it and hit it with your sword, start with weak hit until your sword can’t even cross the shadow.
Second I want you to enforce your sword with your shadow and cut that boulder there with it (While pointing at the biggest boulder on his right).
Now you may think that I am not helping you much but, your shadow (and other abilities) are a part of your body and being now. I can only guide you to the finish line but you must find the way yourself.
Now get to it!
-Alright, thank you Enkidu.
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Five weeks later
It has been nearly a month and a half since Enkidu started teaching me (not that he did much teaching to be honest) applying my shadow as a defensive tool was hard but I managed to achieved it in a little bit less than two week it was hard but the results were better than I imaged. But using the shadow to cut that boulder is nearly impossible, even if I damage it a bit it heals itself back up I am not sure what Enkidu did to it but it just won’t BREAK!
*Very loud Roar*
And that fucking Ifret won’t shut the hell up.
Ok… Today is the day I’ll cut it!
Standing straight, left foot in front, right to the back, both hands on my sword holding it on the top left of my head…
*Inhale*
.
*Exhale*
Then I start coating it with my shadow…
*fizzle*
My shadow extended all over the blade and wrapped fully around it until it covered it all…
I squeezed the hilt of my sword and smacked the boulder with all of my might...
*Smack*
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-I did it! Finally!
-Great job Atlas! (Shouted Enkidu from behind, it seems like he was watching me).
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*Very loud Roar*
What the hell? This time it’s much louder than before!
The sound of branches breaking and animals fleeing was hard to dismiss, he is here…
The Ifret!
*Very loud Roar*
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