Limits Chapter 55

I looked at Shelly and it was still asleep . I thought 'That's odd . Shelly would be up by now and hungry but it didn't wake up since yesterday' . With those thought in my mind, I walked over to where Shelly was sleeping and called out "Shelly, wake up" but I hear no response . 'This is not normal, Shelley would usually wake up when I called its name . Something must have happened' I thought .

I then patted Shellys head and called out again "Shelly, are you alright?" . Again, I saw no response . This got me worried, 'Why isn't Shelly waking up?' I thought and proceeded to examine it in more details . I checked the temperature and it seemed to be the usual temperature that Shelly had . I lifted Shelly's eye lids and noticed that both eyes are in the state of rest but no abnormality there either .

I picked Shelly up and noticed that it weighs about twice as much as it used to . Although it got only a bit bigger, its weight doubled since I picked it up last time at the river . I didn't know what to think of it and went to find Nick, 'Maybe Nick will have a clue as to what is happening to Shelly' I thought .

At Nick's house, I noticed that Nick is as usual sitting in his chair, resting . I said "Nick, I think something is happening to Shelly . Can you check it for me as you have much more experience than I do in the Art of Medicine" . Nick opened his eyes and said "I already saw the state your turtle was in . You don't have to worry about its health, rather did you give it something lately?"

I was confused at first by Nick's response but then I remembered that indeed, I gave something to Shelly . I said to Nick "Now that I think about it, yes . When I created the two vials of Vital Liquid and you left, Shelly came over begging for it . I gave both vials to Shelly and it drank both then happily returned to sleep . I don't think that the medicine could harm Shelly though" .

To my answer, Nick responded "It didn't harm it . Vital Liquid that you gave to your turtle will actually help it develop better . Turtles by nature are steady and live their lives as if in slow motion . Due to that, turtles can live longer . It's not that they can't move faster than usually, it's just they prefer not to . As for your turtle, the medicine you gave it works a bit differently on it . Instead of healing your turtle which I assume had no injuries, it helps it develop further" .

I was stunned by this and asked "Then what is Shelly going to develop?" to which Nick smiled and said "It depends on the turtle . For example, Vital Liquid may be converted to a longer life for the turtle . It wouldn't gain many years but a bit of time here and there and that is how those turtles are able to live twice if not three times as long as humans . It all depends on your turtle's nature, character and what it requires the most" .

I was stunned by this and asked "Then what is Shelly going to develop?" to which Nick smiled and said "It depends on the turtle . For example, Vital Liquid may be converted to a longer life for the turtle . It wouldn't gain many years but a bit of time here and there and that is how those turtles are able to live twice if not three times as long as humans . It all depends on your turtle's nature, character and what it requires the most" .

Nick then continued "Don't worry about your turtle and focus on your training, it will wake up in a day or two . It may even take a week . As I said, it depends on the turtle and what it is trying to improve" . I heaved a sigh of relief and said to Nick "Then, if I give it more medicine, will it improve constantly?" to which Nick said "No . It would be the same for you as well . If you abuse the medicine then the effect it would have on you later would be reduced or even non existent . That is why it is important not to abuse medicine and take it moderately" . I nodded my head and left Nick's house .

Back at my house, I noticed that Shelly was still asleep . I decided to leave it alone and focus on my training . Nick already said that I didn't have to worry and Shelly would wake up eventually . I practised with the puppets as usual . Due to my diligence, I was now able to control 2 puppets, each with one hand .

To control 3 puppets at once was a breakthrough point as I would have to use a combination of fingers in either one of my hands or both of my hands at the same time to control the 3rd puppet independently . It was also much harder to control the two puppets separately because each puppet had to do different movements and with that came different control patterns .

I had to learn how to divide my mind and focus on how to operate two things at the same time while doing different actions . Nick told me an exercise for that as well . He said to draw a circle with one hand and a square with the other at the same time . It may seem simple but doing it for longer than a minute requires a lot of concentration . I practised with that everyday and also changed shapes in order not to learn one repetitive process but to learn how to divide my attention and essentially mind .

I had to learn how to divide my mind and focus on how to operate two things at the same time while doing different actions . Nick told me an exercise for that as well . He said to draw a circle with one hand and a square with the other at the same time . It may seem simple but doing it for longer than a minute requires a lot of concentration . I practised with that everyday and also changed shapes in order not to learn one repetitive process but to learn how to divide my attention and essentially mind .

This way I learned to use my both hands as if two different people used them . One puppet could make attacking movements while the other puppet could make defending movements . It didn't limit me to such combinations only, both could attack and defend as well and in different ways at that . Of course that was only an exercise to learn how to control the situation, I had to maneuver the puppets in such way that they could attack and defend at the same time .

Nick told me that experts in fighting can imagine a strong opponent standing in front of them and fight as if they were fighting for real . Nick said this skill was called Shade Enemy and people needed very high attainments in skill and mind to develop this skill . He even said that there is supposedly even a higher skill to that, a next step so called .

But Nick also mentioned that it was a legend and no one ever saw people with this skill . After a few hours of training with puppets and improving my concentration as well as dividing my mind, I started to train a bit in the Art of Stealth . I tried to use the shadow just like Nick to stay less visible and move only between the shadows .

To some extend, I could hide my presence just like Nick does but I couldn't disappear into thin air even in shadows the same way that Nick does . I didn't discourage myself because Nick had many years to develop his skills, while I trained less than a year under Nick . I trained well into the late afternoon after all that training, I decided to make one more batch of Cloud Haze Poison . I needed to create couple of vials .
But Nick also mentioned that it was a legend and no one ever saw people with this skill . After a few hours of training with puppets and improving my concentration as well as dividing my mind, I started to train a bit in the Art of Stealth . I tried to use the shadow just like Nick to stay less visible and move only between the shadows .

To some extend, I could hide my presence just like Nick does but I couldn't disappear into thin air even in shadows the same way that Nick does . I didn't discourage myself because Nick had many years to develop his skills, while I trained less than a year under Nick . I trained well into the late afternoon after all that training, I decided to make one more batch of Cloud Haze Poison . I needed to create couple of vials .

My initial plan was to make 3 of them but because I was doing the poison myself and the effects may be a bit weaker, I wanted to make as many as I could . I still had to make some antidote which I had ingredients for but instead I was focused on the poison itself, besides Nick already gave me the antidote .

I knew Nick told me to wait because I can't get the proper weight of stuff by hand without tools . He said he will give them to me on the next occasion but he didn't yet and I wanted to try nevertheless . I still had four more batches to make and therefore doing one more and trying one more time will not make my plans invalid, even if I fail this one . With the pot ready including all the ingredients as well as other tools, I started to make the Cloud Haze Poison . I looked at Shelly and it was still asleep . I thought Thats odd . Shelly would be up by now and hungry but it didnt wake up since yesterday . With those thought in my mind, I walked over to where Shelly was sleeping and called out Shelly, wake up but I hear no response . This is not normal, Shelley would usually wake up when I called its name . Something must have happened I thought . I then patted Shellys head and called out again Shelly, are you alright? . Again, I saw no response . This got me worried, Why isnt Shelly waking up? I thought and proceeded to examine it in more details . I checked the temperature and it seemed to be the usual temperature that Shelly had . I lifted Shellys eye lids and noticed that both eyes are in the state of rest but no abnormality there either . I picked Shelly up and noticed that it weighs about twice as much as it used to . Although it got only a bit bigger, its weight doubled since I picked it up last time at the river . I didnt know what to think of it and went to find Nick, Maybe Nick will have a clue as to what is happening to Shelly I thought . At Nicks house, I noticed that Nick is as usual sitting in his chair, resting . I said Nick, I think something is happening to Shelly . Can you check it for me as you have much more experience than I do in the Art of Medicine . Nick opened his eyes and said I already saw the state your turtle was in . You dont have to worry about its health, rather did you give it something lately? I was confused at first by Nicks response but then I remembered that indeed, I gave something to Shelly . I said to Nick Now that I think about it, yes . When I created the two vials of Vital Liquid and you left, Shelly came over begging for it . I gave both vials to Shelly and it drank both then happily returned to sleep . I dont think that the medicine could harm Shelly though . To my answer, Nick responded It didnt harm it . Vital Liquid that you gave to your turtle will actually help it develop better . Turtles by nature are steady and live their lives as if in slow motion . Due to that, turtles can live longer . Its not that they cant move faster than usually, its just they prefer not to . As for your turtle, the medicine you gave it works a bit differently on it . Instead of healing your turtle which I assume had no injuries, it helps it develop further . I was stunned by this and asked Then what is Shelly going to develop? to which Nick smiled and said It depends on the turtle . For example, Vital Liquid may be converted to a longer life for the turtle . It wouldnt gain many years but a bit of time here and there and that is how those turtles are able to live twice if not three times as long as humans . It all depends on your turtles nature, character and what it requires the most . Nick then continued Dont worry about your turtle and focus on your training, it will wake up in a day or two . It may even take a week . As I said, it depends on the turtle and what it is trying to improve . I heaved a sigh of relief and said to Nick Then, if I give it more medicine, will it improve constantly? to which Nick said No . It would be the same for you as well . If you abuse the medicine then the effect it would have on you later would be reduced or even non existent . That is why it is important not to abuse medicine and take it moderately . I nodded my head and left Nicks house . Back at my house, I noticed that Shelly was still asleep . I decided to leave it alone and focus on my training . Nick already said that I didnt have to worry and Shelly would wake up eventually . I practised with the puppets as usual . Due to my diligence, I was now able to control 2 puppets, each with one hand . To control 3 puppets at once was a breakthrough point as I would have to use a combination of fingers in either one of my hands or both of my hands at the same time to control the 3rd puppet independently . It was also much harder to control the two puppets separately because each puppet had to do different movements and with that came different control patterns . I had to learn how to divide my mind and focus on how to operate two things at the same time while doing different actions . Nick told me an exercise for that as well . He said to draw a circle with one hand and a square with the other at the same time . It may seem simple but doing it for longer than a minute requires a lot of concentration . I practised with that everyday and also changed shapes in order not to learn one repetitive process but to learn how to divide my attention and essentially mind . This way I learned to use my both hands as if two different people used them . One puppet could make attacking movements while the other puppet could make defending movements . It didnt limit me to such combinations only, both could attack and defend as well and in different ways at that . Of course that was only an exercise to learn how to control the situation, I had to maneuver the puppets in such way that they could attack and defend at the same time . Nick told me that experts in fighting can imagine a strong opponent standing in front of them and fight as if they were fighting for real . Nick said this skill was called Shade Enemy and people needed very high attainments in skill and mind to develop this skill . He even said that there is supposedly even a higher skill to that, a next step so called . But Nick also mentioned that it was a legend and no one ever saw people with this skill . After a few hours of training with puppets and improving my concentration as well as dividing my mind, I started to train a bit in the Art of Stealth . I tried to use the shadow just like Nick to stay less visible and move only between the shadows . To some extend, I could hide my presence just like Nick does but I couldnt disappear into thin air even in shadows the same way that Nick does . I didnt discourage myself because Nick had many years to develop his skills, while I trained less than a year under Nick . I trained well into the late afternoon after all that training, I decided to make one more batch of Cloud Haze Poison . I needed to create couple of vials . My initial plan was to make 3 of them but because I was doing the poison myself and the effects may be a bit weaker, I wanted to make as many as I could . I still had to make some antidote which I had ingredients for but instead I was focused on the poison itself, besides Nick already gave me the antidote . I knew Nick told me to wait because I cant get the proper weight of stuff by hand without tools . He said he will give them to me on the next occasion but he didnt yet and I wanted to try nevertheless . I still had four more batches to make and therefore doing one more and trying one more time will not make my plans invalid, even if I fail this one . With the pot ready including all the ingredients as well as other tools, I started to make the Cloud Haze Poison .

Chapter end