There was one notable change in Max's appearance once his [ Way Of The Wind ] training ended which was that he no longer looked like a young adult, but rather looked more mature like an individual in his prime.
20 years had passed for Max and Kremeth although only 20 days had passed in the outside world and the physical effects of aging were visible after the 20 years of training.
Kremeth opened his heart to Max on the night before his departure as he told him a lot about the universe and the power struggle of the upper levels and the things that bothered him in general.
Although a fearsome warrior, Kremeth did have a soft spot for his students and after these 20 years spent together he especially had one for Max with whom he had probably spent the most time with in his entire existence.
Max listened to Kremeth patiently and absorbed everything he had to say like a sponge as he knew that come next day the next teacher would enter the chamber and Kremeth would be gone, and that someone would not care as deeply for Max as Kremeth did.
Just as he expected, next day Kremeth stepped out of the chamber and the old water guy Khnum entered the chamber looking all grumpy and surprised that his day came a week earlier than he had anticipated.
Khnum walked with an air of superiority around him, with an attitude that Max had seen time and time again in people who were strong but kind of dumb at the same time.
If he were to think about the people on whom he had seen this attitude on, it would be Eden, Marcus Aurelius and Benedict.
Khnum just like them saw Max as someone beneath himself and hence talked to him like he were talking to a pet or a slave.
" You want to master the way of the water eh? Well MORTAL, I'm wasting my precious years of life for you here so you better believe in my excellent teaching skills that I will definitely teach the way of the water to your small mortal brain even though it may seem something incomprehensible to you.
Since it's the first day of our training let me establish something on the very first day!
Time is precious to me and I will not spend a second more in this chamber than absolutely necessary. So forget about getting any breaks or any off days from your training till you master my teachings.
We start right this second and since I don't like repeating myself I'll only lay out the future path to mastering water once, so listen carefully…. " Khnum said with a rotten tone as Max understood from his visage that he was a god who absolutely detested mortals and was only doing this because Angakok had forced him to do this.
He had no interest in actually cultivating Max and would give him no mental peace or motivation like Kremeth did when he felt low.
Khnum's eyes bore into Max as he began, "Alright mortal, listen carefully to the three stages to master my Way of the Water.
[ Stage one: Water Manipulation ] - We'll start with something simple. You'll learn to control the flow of water - currents, ripples, waves, whirlpools. Sounds easy? It's not.
The currents I'll have you dealing with will be wilder than any river you've ever seen. Imagine trying to tame a tsunami with a stern look. That's your first task. Control. Precision. That's the focus here. Each wave, every ripple, should bend to your will" Khnum gestured grandly, conjuring a globe of water that swirled around before dispersing into a fine mist.
"Once you get a decent hold on that, we move to something harder - Water shaping. You'll have to mould water into a variety of shapes - spikes, shields, hammers, anything and everything that can be used for offence or defence. You need to be quick and precise. If you're sloppy, you'll end up creating a puddle instead of a spear."
His words became sharper, more intense as he continued, "Then comes [ Stage two: Shapeshifting into water ] We start small - transforming a single body part into water and then back again. Each transformation will be a trial, mortal. A test of your control, your focus. The more you train, the larger the transformation. Hand, arm, half your body, your entire self... Transforming isn't enough, though. You'll have to maintain the transformation for longer and longer periods. You'll have to learn to move, to fight, while in this form."
A grim smile crossed Khnum's face, "Finally, there's [ Stage three: Ascendancy ] . Here, you become one with the water. Not just in form, but in essence. You must flow with the unpredictability of water, its adaptability. Your attacks and defences should be fluid, changing and adapting to the situation. A gentle stream one moment, a raging torrent the next. Water can heal, but it can also destroy. You must learn to embody both aspects.
And let me tell you, mortal, the path to mastery isn't going to be easy. There'll be pain. There'll be exhaustion. But if you survive it, if you reach the end... you'll wield a power most beings can only dream of. Now, get ready. We start now!" Khnum said as he picked Max up from his robe and threw him 50 metres to the left like he was a sack of potatoes, straight into the ocean.
" DAY ONE LESSON ONE - SWIM OR DROWN! " Khnum shouted as he snapped his fingers and started a violent storm in the ocean where Max was thrown.
He chilled on the nearby cliff as he saw Max's pathetic struggle against the raging waters and laughed heartily.
From time to time he shouted insults that only made Max feel more hatred towards him as he shouted stuff like
" Oh, so you mastered the wind? How cute! "
" You mastered the wind but can't even swim? "
" Come on now, even 5 year old mermaid children swim better than you "
" Want a gasp of air? No- only one breath allowed per 2 minutes "
It was utter torture as Max felt every hole and orfice in his body fill up with salt water.
For 7 hours Max struggled against the raging waters like a toy before his stamina hit 0 and Khnum finally took enough mercy on him to stop.
That night Max vomited water thrice and felt the most physically drained that he ever had in the last few years.
If this was day one, he was not very optimistic about what was to follow.
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[ A record of Max's first year spent with Khnum ]
The second day of Max's training commenced with Khnum's laughter echoing within the chamber, a harsh reminder of the torment from the day prior. The taste of brine on his tongue and the pungent scent of seawater seemed to linger, invoking memories of yesterday's ordeal. The water god's eyes danced with cruel amusement as he barked out his command, "Day Two, Lesson One: Control the water, or be controlled by it!"
Max's training during the initial months was akin to surviving a perpetual storm. He was thrust into the most treacherous waters, bearing the brunt of the furious waves that relentlessly assaulted him. Max's goal was to govern these wild currents, to tame the tumultuous waters. But it felt akin to commanding a gale with a single word. He had experienced the unpredictable nature of the wind, and now, he understood the untamed power of water.
Khnum's training style was as ruthless as the ocean waves, cold as the deepest trenches. Every failure was greeted with scornful laughter or derisive remarks. His enjoyment in Max's struggle was palpable, only deepening Max's detestation.
However, the trials and tribulations only served to harden Max's determination. His physical form bore the scars and bruises from countless encounters with the merciless waves. Each crashing wave seemed to galvanise his spirit, igniting his determination to prove Khnum wrong.
Gradually around the month 3 mark of his training, amidst the torment and failures, Max began to see progress.
His interaction with the water transformed from desperate struggles to deliberate manoeuvres. The raging waves started to bend to his influence like a wild horse gradually submitting to its rider.
His control over water improved, enabling him to generate whirlpools and ripples with mere gestures.
Khnum was no longer able to float Max around at will as despite the storm that surged around him Max was able to neutralise all waves coming towards him as he would float serenely in one place.
It was at this point that Khnum knew that Max had mastered this exercise and that it was time to move onto the next one.
From month 4 onwards, the second phase of the first stage involving shaping the water into weapons and shields began.
The general idea was to be able to shape the spherical droplet of water into any form of caster's choice such as a spear or a lance.
If Max wanted to cheat in this stage, he could have used [ Wind Manipulation ] to apply external pressure to water droplets and shape them, but he did not.
He did not want to give the old foggie Khnum any reason to be more conceited and rude than he already was and he knew that if he cheated the slightest Khnum would absolutely obliterate him with insults.
Everyday he would focus on shaping a bucket full of water into a sword but everyday his attempt resulted in him ending up soaked to the bone after failure.
Month on month Max persevered. Trying to control each droplet, guiding it to form the shape he willed it to be.
The day Max successfully crafted a sword from water it was month 11 day 6 into their training.
Khnum was rendered speechless by his sudden success as he scrutinised the water sword for any faults or defects but found none.
With his face betraying no emotions. Without any acknowledgement or praise, he hurled Max back into the ocean, this time with an even larger wave as he did not want to show the mortal that his hands had begun to tremble.
Khnum couldn't overlook the rapid progress Max was making. The mortal had completed the first stage of the Way of the Water in less than a year, a feat that even accomplished water manipulators would find challenging. The water god was forced to reassess his initial appraisal of Max.
Khnum looked on as Max confidently controlled the water around him while inside the ocean, his earlier mirth replaced with unease. If Max could attain such proficiency in such a short period, what other potential was lying dormant?
Yet, Khnum kept his thoughts to himself. His pride wouldn't let him acknowledge the truth out loud. Internally, he had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that Max was proving to be far more capable than he had anticipated. This unexpected revelation stirred a sense of unease within the water god.
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/// A/N - After reading through the comments I've decided that I will finish each element with just
two chapters dedicated to each.
We shall be back to the usual action after the training arc in no time ///