BOOK 1:THE BEGINNING:CHAPTER XL: INSTRUCTIONS

With a bit of more seriousness, Melizzar turned around to take a look at Bella who was already fidgeting anxiously. She knew at that moment that she had erred in saying something he would not like to hear from her but she could not be sure if he was upset about her statement since his blunt look was that of a puzzling suspicious look mixed with absolute perplexity. He didn’t say anything when he saw her taking her eyes away from his and flinched when he noticed her avoiding his gaze. Before she could avoid his eyes further, he was already saying what he wanted to say to her in a polite manner that she could not have speculated from the onset.
"I may not how feel about Pennant but bringing him back here should not be your primary aim of training hard. The superiors including myself would really want us to be victorious without losing the lives of our comrades in the process which is why we always do our best to make sure you guys are well drilled and prepared to face whatever out there",
"But—",
"Forget about bringing him back. He has a path of his own to follow and you have yours as well. We may train together but each one of us have his personal path to accomplish the moment you are introduced to the outside world",
"Then what's mine, Master? Is it to follow the Bantu code all my life or something more than that?",
Bella suddenly questioned out of the blue which caught him off guard. He wasn't expecting her to ask him issues relating to what had kept bound her to the rules of their sect more tightly than the other trainees like her and what had made possible for her to dwell here in hideout instead of being given a normal life as an orphan though he had long anticipated, before she grew up, that she would one day start questioning her life as Bantu acolyte and he would be directly responsible to be the one to answer such questions. Having studied her attitude right from infancy to teenagehood, he had come to realize that she was the inquisitive type that lacks control of her emotions though highly resilient and tough in combat but too fragile to conceal her emotions that often get the best of her in most things.
"Although I agree with you that being a Bantu requires a lot of endurance to live abstemiously, so as not to be unattached to the material things just as you have been taught by elder Tezmon in line with our rules, but it also helps to discipline your character to be an astounding member of our sect",
"But I don't see it that way",
"Come on, Bella. At this rate, we might miss your training",
He reminded as they resumed their descent down the stairs. Then he continued their discussion after she willingly kept following him from behind.
"You already know that there are benefits attached to being a tattooed Bantu",
"Yes, I already know that",
"Technical scrolls and books on secret combat techniques in our archives are accessible only to past Bantu warriors. This records of their different fighting art are useful tools to you as the only Bantu of this generation yet you haven't master all their cultivation techniques",
"I have tried to study and practice them but they are way too hard",
"That's because you haven't been too focused on your training lately. Distractions isn't a good thing for your mind to be in total agreement with what you want to achieve, and that's why you keep failing. You better up your game because the Bantu duel is coming up next month",
"Next month?!",
Bella yelled in surprise as soon as they reached the exit out of the building.
"Why the complete surprise? I thought you knew about this",
"I'm aware that a trial will be done to check out if I have mastered all forms of Bantu sword arts and I have only been able to cultivate four out of the twenty not to mention that the event is coming up way too early",
"Only four?",
"My performance is really that bad, right?",
"So far, yes but they aren't easy ones to cultivate in a decade especially the last art",
Melizzar replied as he led her out of the building. Then she followed him down another round of steps till they were completely out of the old castle, heading towards the next hall where they could hear faint sound of swords clashing with each other.
"At this rate, you might be banished just like Pennant if you fail to impress the elders with these techniques",
"If I were to fail, then so be it. I rather free myself from this path and find another",
"Don't be pessimistic and doubt yourself. Such a mindset is a greater danger to the one who conceives it than dangerous foes",
Melizzar replied strolling slowly on the pavements with his attached to his back whilst robe seemed to fondle the coarse stones forming the path of the sidewalk. Bella quietly caught up with his pace escorting him to the training arena. As they slowly approached the entrance of hall, Melizzar took her aside to tell her something important.
"From now onwards, I will take charge of your training",
"You will? What if the elders do not approve",
"I don't think they will object against my decision once they understand the reasons for it",
"Thanks, Master",
"Don't thank me yet. You still have a lot to do within a short period",
"I'll try to learn faster",
"Good, you'll need your courage for the upcoming weeks which I bet will be stressful for you.... I will personally intensify your training and will make sure you master those arts before the day arrives. Therefore, there will be no rest for you starting tomorrow",
He explained and was about to leave when someone being tossed by a powerful whirlwind, burst out of the hall through the side of the door. Luckily, Melizzar quickly pulled Bella out of harms way as the victim came flying outside through the bricked wall since the affected concrete wasn't strong enough to withstand the intense wind that violently hauled the victim out of the hall. The two visitors were alarmed at the sudden bang as the victim came through the wall, which almost sounded like an explosion and were horrified as to what caused the loud noise.