21 Chapter 10: Techniques (1/2)

Thanks to my : Dan Chekanov, Andrea, Kr0n, kyle, and Peregos

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It was only after a long and hard track did Magnus make it to the orphanage, he felt like dropping dead at the doorsteps and letting somebody carry him inside. However, that would raise too many questions for him and Mother Selin would peck at him like a mother hen if she found out the sort of training he did.

So Magnus hauled himself into the orphanage and tried his best to silently make it to his room, once there he can collapse into his bed and sleep for days on end.

Despite his best efforts of sneaking around and trying out what he learned today, he still ran into somebody. That person turned out to be the Matron herself, who came to a halt once she saw him and the state he was in.

”What happened to you?” The Matron asked with her eyebrows slightly raised in bewilderment.

Magnus came to a pause and silently cured under his breath, he has a long way to go until he will become a professional thief. Nevertheless thanks to his quick thinking Magnus already came up with an excuse.

”Oh, sorry Matron, I did not see you there,” Magnus said as he put on a facade of nervousness which didn't take a lot of effort since that was what you could sum up as his feelings right now.

”How are you doing?” Magnus then asked now fully into character.

”I am doing good like always,” the Matron responded with, ”and do not try to dodge my question, young man. Why are you in this state?”

”Ah, you see I was doing a bit of training,” Magnus answered as a hint of shyness crested his face, and that was the truth, even if it wasn't the whole truth.

”Why were you doing some training,” the Matron asked now very confused on why he would drive himself to this state.

”Well, I will need to be in tip-top shape for whatever profession I choose, whether it be a hunter, gangster, or soldier. So I thought why not start now.”

At Magnus's statement, the Matron's face soured; the limited deadly jobs that the orphans have available to them is a sore spot to the Mothers and Matron. Magnus felt awful for poking at that very spot, but he did not want to include them into his new dealings.

Magnus was pretty sure that these rich and powerful people that they steal from were not quite thrilled about it. Magnus knew that they would unleash hell upon those who dared to perpetuate that offense.

So the less they knew about it the safer that they could be because sometimes ignorance can be bliss.

Then just as Magnus expected, the Matron replied by saying, ”Well then carry on doing whatever training that you were, just make sure that Mother Selin doesn't catch you.”

”Thank You, Matron,” Magnus said as he nodded his head to the Matron in appreciation. In addition to that, he also added deep inside his mind, 'and I am sorry too!.

Magnus turned around and walked off to his room still unsure on his feet and feeling quite trippy ever since he practiced that technique.

Magnus took only a few steps when the Matron called him back to her, Magnus did as he was told and returned back to face the Matron. She surviewed like a hawk and under her gaze small sheen of sweats started to form under Magnus's skin.

For a moment there Magnus thought that the Matron caught on to his lie, but the next few words that came out of her mouth made the situation take on a whole nother fause.

”Are you practicing a technique?” The Matron asked in a hesitant tone.

At her question, Magnus's eyes widened and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor, he couldn't answer back since his mind was too shock ridden.

”So you do, huh?” The Matron asked though it wasn't a question but a statement.

”Ho-... How do you know that I was practicing a technique,” Magnus asked, finally forming some words.

”There are signs and indications,” the Matron answered, ”However those that are new to it are always easy to spot. They have no control over the sudden gains so they are always too twitchy and trippy. So, where did you find the technique, boy?”

At the Matron's question, Magnus's mind settled down and his thoughts came back into focus. The words of Soykan came back to him and on how people would kill for techniques which basically represented power in its self.

Though Magnus knew that the Matron would never kill him over the technique, Magnus also knew human nature. People would feud over fame, scheme for power, fight for land and territory, kill for wealth, and so much more.

That is why Magnus needed some questions answered so that he could get a clear and full picture of the Matron, and that is why he asked. ”How do you know of techniques? You know what forget that just answer me this. Who the hell are you?”

”Well I am a practitioner just like you,” the Matron simply answered back.

At her response, it hit him like a truck, why hadn't he picked on about it when he entered this world of 'practitioners.' It made so much sense, the Matron could never be defined as an ordinary person, she was so unusual with her many enigmas.

Magnus wanted to smack himself for not connecting the dots much earlier, the Matron could only be defined as a practitioner. The knowledge that she passed down to us, orphans; like reading, writing, history, social studies, and so much more- subjects that no commoner should have any idea of. The money she collected which could only be raised through ill-gotten means like we did or through unusual ways.

Still though the Matron's confession raised even more questions, Magnus knew it would be rude to pry into her secrets. However, he couldn't help himself from asking, ”What sort of practitioner are you, Matron?”

”I practice a meditation technique,” the Matron responded, not hiding a single thing from Magnus.

”I see you do not know what that is, huh?” the Matron asked as she addressed the confusion written on Magnus's face.

Magnus nodded his head and since they were being honest with each other, he replied back by saying, ”Yeah, I have no clue what you are talking about, Matron. I practice a breathing technique that focuses on agility and dexterity.” Then Magnus took a step further and removed the technique itself from his pocket and handed it over to the Matron.

Magnus made that move for many reasons whether it be for gratitude for the knowledge she is giving him or to just clear up the air. However, the chief part was that he wanted to test the characteristics of the Matron.

The Matron silently took the technique and skimmed over it, she nodded her head along as she looked over it then she closed the technique and finally spoke up as she took on the pose of a teacher.

”Well then let me fill in the blanks for you. There are five types of technique which go hand in hand; the mental exercise technique, the bodily breathing techniques, the spiritual meditation techniques, the elemental techniques, and the ambient energy techniques.”

”Wow,” Magnus said, breath taken and without words to describe what he was feeling. Who know that there were so many techniques out there which basically meant more power.

Despite Magnus's interruption of excitement and shock, the Matron continued on speaking, ”I do not know what you mean of agility and dexterity but this technique focuses speed.

For clarification breathing techniques focus on either might, speed, or physique. While mental exercise techniques focus on the mind, and meditation techniques focus on the spirit. Finally, the elemental techniques focus on the elements and the ambient energy techniques focus on an energy source.”

Magnus was confused with the Matron's remark, that is why he asked Codex, ”Is there a mix up here with the stats?”

”No,” Codex replied, ”I guess we discovered new knowledge since I am pretty sure that there are two stats going up instead of one.”