Max was back in the space bubble with Angakok, however, the atmosphere between the duo was tense.
There was no ' Shame ' or ' Guilt ' that the Shaman God felt over his actions that had seriously endangered the life of Max, however, he did not feel too good about it either.
Had Max actually kicked the bucket there perhaps the individual that would have been the most affected by his death would have been Angakok himself.
It was nothing short of a miracle that things did manage to work out in the end, but the entire ordeal left a bad taste in the mouth of both men who had became ever so more apprehensive about the intentions of the other.
Max was seriously pissed at how little Angakok communicated with him about the potential threats and dangers that he might face, as the shaman god pretty much treated him like a toy that was supposed to entertain him whenever and however he expected it to entertain him.
With both men having colossal ego's nobody said a word as they travelled in silence through space.
Angakok's destination this time was the time chamber where Max's real training would now begin, but Max had no idea as to where they were headed.
Uptil this point everything that Angakok had done was just to lay the groundwork that was necessary for Max to build upon but now came the real training.
Once they entered the time chamber, many decades would pass by before Max was to perfect his training and become a true powerhouse that was ready for the tier6 promotion test and a suitable vessel for Angakok to take over.
It was going to be the most mentally challenging ordeal that Max had ever faced because while he had spent a couple of decades living in the real world, enjoying life and training in between, he was now going to be forced to spend twice or thrice the time that he had lived inside a time chamber with almost non-existent social interaction and nothing to do but train.
It was an environment that would drive even the sturdiest brains insane, as not everyone could handle the sort of constant distress that such a training regime provided.
Before today, Angakok believed that Max would be able to handle it easily, however, today's experience taught him that he was taking the boy's ability to take punishment a bit too much for granted.
Although Max was talented, Angakok needed to be careful in not overstretching him to the point where his mind would break.
*************
( Meanwhile Anna )
As the sun sank low, casting a myriad of colours across the azure sky, Anna found herself alone in the training grounds of vanaheim.
Her heart was a tumult of emotions, each more potent and overwhelming than the last. Disappointment, fear, inadequacy - all swirling like a maelstrom within her, threatening to consume her whole.
She was the Elven Princess, the object of adoration of her people, the child of the great monarch, an individual blessed with magic and longevity, yet she felt like the weakest link within her own group of friends.
Despite being a noble, her diplomatic skills were not as good as Asiva's.
Despite being a capable warrior, she was not the first choice that Max had to cover for his back, because he trusted Sebastian more.
Despite being smart she had the least important role in the administration and development of the Bloodfall clan.
She felt stuck in a rut, her progress at a standstill.
It was not that she was not trying hard, but no matter the speed of her personal growth the chasm between her and Max's strengths was widening, and Anna could not bear the thought of being a burden to him.
She was determined to earn his respect, not as a princess or a love interest, but as a formidable warrior who could stand by his side in battle. That desire, that need to prove herself, fueled her determination as she stared at the archery target ahead.
The silence of the evening was broken only by the soft thud of arrows hitting their mark. Although a proficient archer by elven standards, Anna knew that she needed to surpass the mundane, basic archery drills that held no value for her.
For her aim was already as sharp as the finest elven archers. Her challenge was to learn the elven way of infusing magic into arrows and become an Archer that could deal more AOE damage than a mage and were more lethal in PVP than a swordsman.
With an arrow nocked, she drew the bowstring back, her muscles straining with the effort. She closed her eyes, drawing on her internal reservoir of magic. A soft hum resonated through the bow, the arrow glowing with a soft, ethereal light. This was a technique she had been perfecting for weeks, it was called [ Elven Resonance ] and it involved her channelling her magic into her arrows to enhance their potency.
Releasing her breath and the bowstring simultaneously, the magic-infused arrow streaked through the air like a shooting star, hitting the bullseye and exploding in a brilliant shower of light. Yet, Anna knew she could do better. The impact of the explosion was not as powerful as she would have liked, and the arrow's speed was still lacking.
Her body soaked in sweat, arms aching from the constant repetition, Anna nevertheless kept pushing her boundaries, determined to master her unique style of combat. Each arrow she loosed carried a piece of her will, a testament to her perseverance.
The benefits of this gruelling training were immense. Not only was her aim improving under the influence of her magic, but she was also learning to better control her magical energy, refining it to a finer point with each shot. Moreover, her physical endurance was increasing, and she was becoming more adept at quick decision-making, analysing the best way to strike for the maximum effect.
As the moon took its place in the night sky, Anna finally lowered her bow, fatigue making her limbs heavy. Yet her spirit felt lighter, the turmoil within her ebbing away. Yes, she was not where she wanted to be yet. But she was getting there, one arrow at a time. She would win Max's respect and stand shoulder to shoulder with her friends not stopping until she achieved it.
—---
/// A/N - Chapter 4 of 5 for the day.
This chapter has been sponsored by patron Cervantez91, please thank him in the comments for this one ///