The rest of the day passed in silence.
Shad Darc sat atop Fray's massive back, his eyes closed as he meditated. There were countless things he needed to think about, but for the moment, he decided to leave them alone.
His battle with Fray alone raised several questions.
The creature had been capable of using Energy Flow, though not in the same way he did. Rather than strengthening its body, Fray had used Energy Flow defensively, creating a layer of resistance that had made Shad's attacks far more difficult.
Then there was the matter of Fray's sudden ability to understand him.
And, perhaps most importantly, Shad had begun seeing the forest differently.
Much differently.
It felt as though something had changed in the way he perceived the world. Almost as if the world had finally recognized his presence.
He couldn't explain the sensation.
It was only a feeling, and he wasn't certain whether it was real or merely another consequence of his changing perception.
Still, the difference was impossible to ignore.
Everything around him appeared enormous.
The grass stretched higher than he remembered, while the flowers and plants seemed to possess sizes that contradicted his earlier observations. Even the trees appeared larger and more imposing than they had when he first arrived.
'Why am I only seeing things this clearly now?'
He knew the answer was unlikely to be simple.
But that wasn't the only strange thing he had noticed.
The moon remained visible in the sky despite the presence of sunlight.
And the nine moons—or rather, the celestial bodies he had previously mistaken for moons—were no longer arranged in the circular formation he remembered.
They appeared to follow a linear arrangement.
More strangely, Shad could now perceive their movement.
They weren't simply hanging motionless in the sky.
They were moving.
Slowly, but undeniably.
Shad opened his eyes for a moment and looked upward.
The sight only created more questions.
He released a strained sigh and closed his eyes again.
"One at a time. One at a time."
He needed to focus.
There were already too many things demanding his attention.
Instead of wasting his energy on mysteries he couldn't yet solve, Shad returned his attention to the short-term goal he had set for himself.
It had already been six days since he left the savior tree in search of water.
At least, six days according to his own estimation.
Time in this world was strange. The days felt considerably longer than those on Earth, and he still had no reliable way to measure how much time had actually passed.
Regardless, his training had produced results.
Shad began reviewing his progress.
The first thing he examined was his ability to channel Energy Flow through organic materials.
During his battle with Fray, he had managed to infuse the bear horn and the snake fangs with Energy Flow. His control was still crude, but he had begun to understand the process.
He could now manipulate organic materials more effectively than before.
It wasn't much progress.
But it was progress nonetheless.
The second thing he examined was his ability to control Energy Flow within his own body.
That area had improved considerably.
During his fight with Fray, he had strengthened his body with Energy Flow more naturally than he had in the past. The process had felt almost instinctive, as though his body was gradually learning to respond without requiring his constant attention.
Shad considered that development carefully.
'My control over my body has improved significantly.'
He wasn't satisfied yet, but he couldn't deny the results.
The third part of his training involved healing.
This was where he had made the least progress.
He understood that Energy Flow somehow contributed to his recovery, particularly while he slept or rested. However, he still couldn't explain how it happened or how to activate the process intentionally.
He had no reliable control over it.
For now, he decided to set it aside.
'I'll return to it when I'm stronger and have a better understanding of Energy Flow.'
With that, Shad removed healing from his short-term goal.
He needed something to replace it.
As he considered the possibilities, one of his identities spoke.
'Why not focus on the speed at which you move and control Energy Flow?'
Shad remained silent for a moment.
'You mean I should train myself to use Energy Flow faster, increasing the speed and efficiency of my output?'
'Something like that,' the identity replied.' 'Although it's more than simply increasing your output.'
The voice paused briefly before continuing.
'You should try to make the process as natural and instinctive as breathing.'
Shad opened his eyes slightly.
'Breathing?'
'Yes. You don't need to consciously think about every breath you take. You can control your breathing when necessary, but your body also performs the process automatically.'
The identity's explanation continued.
'Your control over Energy Flow should eventually become similar. You should be able to manipulate it consciously when you need precision, but also allow your body to respond instinctively when speed matters.'
Shad fell silent.
The suggestion made sense.
What bothered him was where the explanation had come from.
'It's strange. All of this is coming from my own mind, yet I can't seem to arrive at these conclusions directly.'
He frowned.
'How annoying.'
'Does it matter?* the identity replied.
'You understand the idea, don't you?'
Shad exhaled.
'I suppose it doesn't matter for now.'
He adjusted his position on Fray's back.
'Then let's work toward it.'
With that, he closed his eyes and began meditating once more.
Fray continued walking through the forest, carrying him toward the south.
The creature's footsteps were surprisingly steady. Despite its enormous size, it moved with enough care to prevent Shad from being thrown off its back.
Time passed.
How much time, Shad couldn't say.
He became absorbed in his training, focusing on the movement of Energy Flow within his body.
He observed its circulation.
He examined the speed at which he could direct it from one part of his body to another.
He practiced moving it through his limbs, increasing the speed gradually without allowing his control to become unstable.
At times, he attempted to direct Energy Flow into the damaged horn he carried.
The process was difficult.
His concentration wavered, and the Energy Flow occasionally dispersed before reaching its intended destination.
Still, he continued.
After what felt like countless hours, Shad finally opened his eyes.
The sun had barely reached the middle of the sky.
He frowned slightly.
'Is it still morning?'
He had expected it to be afternoon by now.
Looking through the thick forest, he found it difficult to determine the exact time. The trees blocked much of the sunlight, and the cold atmosphere made the environment feel as though morning had only just begun.
Perhaps ten o'clock.
Maybe eleven.
Shad couldn't be certain.
He had spent what felt like days meditating, yet the sun suggested that only a few hours had passed.
He stared ahead.
"Reality really doesn't care about what I expect."
There was little he could do about it.
He knew almost nothing about this world, its passage of time, or the strange celestial bodies in its sky. Until he gathered more information, there was no point in making assumptions.
Shad turned his attention toward Fray.
"Are you tired?"
Fray continued walking.
"If you are, just let me know. I'll allow you to rest for a while."
The oversized cat shook its massive head.
Shad watched the movement for a moment before looking away.
Then he noticed something.
The wounds he had inflicted on Fray had almost completely healed.
The injury around its neck had closed, leaving behind only a faint scar. Even the damage to its paw appeared far less severe than before.
Shad glanced down at his own right hand.
His hand was still healing, and the process was considerably slower than Fray's.
"Well, you certainly heal quickly."
His tone was calm, almost complimentary.
He didn't seem particularly bothered by the difference.
The fact that he was healing at all was enough for him.
After a moment, another thought occurred to him.
"Come to think of it, I only told you which direction I was heading and what I was looking for."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Do you know where we can find a water source?"
Fray released two short, low growls followed by a slightly longer one.
Shad tilted his head.
He couldn't understand the creature's sounds, but he could make a reasonable guess.
'Maybe that means yes.'
Or perhaps Fray was telling him that it had also been heading toward water.
Either way, the response was better than silence.
Shad smiled faintly.
"I'll take that as a yes."
He settled back into his position.
"I'm returning to my training now. If we eventually reach our destination, let me know."
Shad closed his eyes again.
Fray turned its head and stared at him for a few seconds.
Whatever thoughts occupied the creature's mind remained unknown.
Eventually, it faced forward and continued walking.
Shad resumed his meditation.
This time, he focused on making his control over Energy Flow faster and more instinctive.
He practiced directing it through his body without hesitation. He attempted to shorten the time between intention and execution, forcing himself to respond before conscious thought could interfere.
The training continued for hours.
When Shad opened his eyes again, evening had already arrived.
The forest was no longer cold.
Warm air pressed against his skin, and the temperature continued to rise. It was almost hot.
Shad stared at the surroundings.
"...Already?"
He had closed his eyes only a moment ago.
At least, that was how it felt.
But the sunlight had disappeared, and darkness was beginning to settle over the forest.
He considered the possibility that his sense of time had become distorted during meditation.
Then again, the training had felt so long that he couldn't completely deny the passage of several hours.
"Fray, let's rest for tonight."
The oversized cat slowed down before turning toward a nearby tree.
It moved beneath the enormous trunk and lowered its body.
Shad carefully climbed down from its back.
His feet touched the ground, and he stepped a short distance away while Fray folded its massive body beneath the tree. The creature rested its head on its two front limbs, appearing entirely comfortable.
Shad looked at it.
"Why didn't you let me know night was approaching?"
Fray lifted its head.
Its mouth opened slightly, as though it intended to respond.
Then it closed it again.
Shad stared at the creature.
A moment later, he remembered what he had said earlier.
*If we eventually arrive at our destination, let me know.*
He had never actually asked Fray to warn him when night approached.
"...Right."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"That one was my fault."
Shad walked closer to Fray.
The oversized cat watched him approach but didn't move away.
He raised his hand and gently patted the creature's enormous head.
Fray's expression immediately changed.
It attempted to appear indifferent, as though the gesture meant nothing to it.
But the subtle relaxation in its eyes betrayed it.
The creature was pleased.
Shad continued patting its head.
"No matter how I look at you or think about you, you're one interesting creature."
His smile remained gentle.
Fray closed its eyes.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Shad lowered himself beside the creature, allowing the strange forest to fall silent around them.