Rhistmaege

Training the Mind

"How long do I have to sit like this?" Dovi squirmed his bottom atop a patch of green moss and leaned back against rough tree bark. A small bead of sweat trickled down past his ear and dropped against aching crossed legs. Please, somebody send me some hint of a breeze.

"Sit up straight or you'll never get anywhere with this," called Nemi from her perch up in the tree. "Acorns from this height can cause damage, so please just do as I say."

Three hours of agonizing stiffness, all for this futile hope of tapping my Rhist. After two weeks, I would have thought this would have gotten easier, not harder.

"You sure this is what Tuck said for me to do today? Sometimes you don't pay attention and get the details wrong," said Dovi.

"That's another ten minutes. Keep talking and I'll add an hour. Tuck knows you like the back of his hand. Why make it so difficult? Just close your eyes and watch your thoughts, and then let them go."

This is an utter and absolute waste of my time. Where are the incantations? Magic artifacts? Wands? Staffs? Magic books? Anything would be better than this. Just shut up already and concentrate. There, I'm thinking about shutting up, now just shut up and let go.

Dovi's mind jumped from one thought to the next for the better part of the day. Another day lost. No closer to becoming a Maege. He pressed his eyes closed, took a deep breath, felt the sun's dying rays upon his face, and relaxed his body. Tuck said to let go. Just let go. Let go... A silent gray haze drifted in a small gap between thoughts, then flashed blue and blinked away to black.

"There! There! I saw something. It was there." Dovi jumped out of his cross-legged posture.

Nemi was startled out of a half sleep and nearly fell out of the tree. "What? What did you see?"

"My Rhist. I swear, I could see it. There was a blue flash on a gray horizon. Was that it?" Dovi beamed up at Nemi.

"Congratulations, you've taken your first baby step on the thousand mile journey. At this rate, we'll all be dust and bones by the time you truly accomplish something." Nemi shook her head down at Dovi. "At this pace, we're going to need a miracle."

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Tuck tried to help, but working with the crotchety flake had been quite disastrous. Any progress working with Nemi was quickly eradicated by Tuck's demanding demeanor. Tuck pressured Dovi too much. Expected too much. Dovi grew to hate the time spent with Tuck. His frustration level continued to grow as he was unable to recreate the small blue spark, despite countless hours of meditation. If I have to spend one more day at this tree with Nemi, I swear I'm going to go insane. Better than being with Tuck, but just barely.

"Can't you just show me how you use your Rhist? All this time sitting in silence while who knows what is happening in Avrenhalde. When is Tuck going to send Bisby back? What's taking him so long? I want to know what's happening."

Nemi rolled her eyes up to the blue sky. "I told you. Tuck said it wasn't safe right now. I don't know why. Go ask him again. Maybe the hundredth time you ask, he'll give you an answer. And please, stop trying to find your Rhist. Give up. Let go. It's there already. All you're doing is pushing it away with your thoughts. Just relax and stop stressing over it. Just let go Dovi so we can move forward."

Dovi frowned and returned his attention to his breathing. In - Out - In - Out. His thoughts came and went, then eventually slowed and ebbed in and out of a graying mist.

A silence swelled within him. Breathing slowed. In and Out. A calm serenity pervaded his being. Eyes shifted slowly side to side behind hard pressed eyelids. He eased the tension around his eyes. Relax. The gray mist grew more solid, more black. A deepness seeped in all around, comforting him, holding him steady, keeping him still. The new changes brought on an excitement like he hadn't felt before. His chest rose towards the sky as his breath quickened. Slow, in, out, in, out. His breathing slowed, then grew deeper and deeper. Each breath in and out brought a freshness with it, then grew ever fine. A feeling of bliss rushed over him, filling him with joy. His body lightened, grew insubstantial and drifted away from his mind. A steady equanimity rolled in after the fleeting elation slipped away. Deep in the darkness a light began to shine. Brighter and brighter, bluer and bluer, it came nearer, then suffused his being with arctic blue light. He was one with the blue rippling energy. He was filled with Rhist. No, he was Rhist. His face tingled and skin crawled just above his eyes. Fingers flitted in uncontrollable, undulating waves. He felt power there, in his hands. Something swirled among his palms. Knuckled trembled. His wrists locked in place. His mind was no longer his own. He gave it all away. He was all there was to be.

Suddenly something brushed against his physical body, and all the power crashed away. Noooooo! I want it back. I'm so empty. A hand wrapped around his wrist and wrenched him forward. He was pulled forward onto his knees. Waves of regret, agony, sorrow and doubt coursed through him. Finally his eyes came back into focus. Nemi was desperately trying to drag him to his feet. Her eyes flashed. She looked to him, then turned and pointed back towards the lake. Something was terribly wrong. Nemi screamed, but he couldn't hear. A rushing, tumultuous roar enveloped all sound.

"Dovi...move...Tuck," was all he heard from Nemi.

Dovi looked back towards the lake and did not like what he saw.