Water

After lunch, Belinda chose to go back to her room to take a nap. She walked slowly while looking at the ground. She didn't pay any attention to the things around her, so when her shoulder was grabbed she was frightened.

She looked back and saw Bertold.

- Uh, I completely forgot about him!

„… Hello." she was embarrassed.

Bertold nodded at her. „Let's go!"

They went back to the practicing field. They walked past a lot of gates. After a while, Bertold stopped in front of one of them.

Belinda looked at the post and it had a different symbol than the one they used in the morning. Her eyes lit up. She was interested in those special fields.

Bertold took out a card and touched the stone post.

Belinda's face darkened when she saw it was her card! She touched her pocket, but it was still there… Then she suddenly remembered, Bertold had a spare card.

They went in and Belinda was confused. The whole field was a big lake! How could she train here? But before she had the chance to ask anything, she heard Bertold said:

„Walk on it!"

Then she was pushed from behind. She saw herself slowly falling in the water.

- Shit! I can't swim!

She panicked when she fell into the lake. She tried to struggle, but it just made her sink faster. She held back her breath and felt her heart beating in her throat. She felt one of her legs became numb and she felt as if a heavy weight was placed on it what pulled her down.

She was already tired because of the training and now her fright used up all her remained energy. Her tired body couldn't follow her wish and become numb.

When she felt she couldn't even move her fingers, she accepted her fate. She let out her last breath and closed her eyes. She slowly sank while waited for her death…

…

…

An air bubble left Belinda's mouth, then another one… After a while, she took a big breath and she breathed out more bubbles. She lay on the bottom of the lake and blankly looked at the sky across the water.

- Bertold, you bastard! At least say something!! I was sure, this time I'm dead!!!

Belinda sat up and touched her back to see if there's a talisman or something. She searched but didn't find anything.

- Nothing? Then how am I breathing under the water?!

Her first idea was a talisman, but it seemed she skipped something. She breathed out and watched the bubbles slowly go up to the surface.

- Water, huh… ? Water! Right! I have a water type root!

She jumped up happily when she realized it's her own power. She walked around to see if there was anything interesting, but she was disappointed. There were only some rocks and plants. This lake was created for training, of course, she couldn't find any animals.

She sighed and thought back what Bertold said.

- 'Walk on it', huh? I can walk at the bottom, but how to walk on the surface? Really! I knew it! To understand what he means I need to kill a lot of brain cells! Why the hell he can't say more?!

She walked to the edge of the lake and looked up at the steeply rising wall. She couldn't swim, so she needed to climb up somehow. In the end, she gave up the idea. She was afraid, if she went up he just threw her back…

Belinda went to the middle of the lake and sat down. She chose to meditate and later she would go to Horác to ask him about it.

She controlled the energy in her body and circulated it. After a while, she felt that some energy entered her body. It made her feel refreshed. She was surprised when she realized it was natural water energy. Her body was like a magnet and pulled them in slowly.

Before she only cultivated while using pills, so she still didn't learn how to collect the energy from the outside. Now she learned it without realizing it. She really enjoyed the feeling and went deeper and deeper into her cultivation.

Belinda was awakened by Bertold, who pulled her out from the lake. She felt annoyed. She wanted to kick him and jump back. That feeling was so good, she wanted to stay there forever.

„Time for dinner." Bertold said and walked out.

She slowly gathered herself and gave up the idea to fight. The man in from of her was too strong. She reluctantly followed him.

Before they left Bertold touched the post with the card again.

„You can come back anytime. I rented it for a month." he said.

Belinda's eyes lit up. It was her first time to feel so greedy about cultivating. She repeatedly thanked him and promised, she would not skip her classes or meals.

Because she still worked at the library, she chose to come here at night. She somehow felt that even if she slept there it would be okay. Her only problem was that she didn't know if her clock would work under the water. She needed something to wake her up in time to go to the classes.

While they walked away Belinda looked back at the stone post, again and again, to be sure, she memorized the right symbol.

When they reached the cafeteria it was already empty. Belinda realized, the dinner's time passed a long time before. Knowing that Bertold let her play for a long time she felt happy, then she remembered how he threw her into the lake and her feelings became complicated. If only he spoke a little more, then they could evade a lot of misunderstanding and they could have good times together.

She understood that he really tried to help her, but today's event left a bad impression on her. She couldn't read thought and she still didn't find out what he intended to teach her today. She could ask Horác about it, but he wouldn't be around every time. She needed to find a way to communicate.