Chapter 123 Tribulation
Melissa, Richard and Beatrice sat in a single file- all of them in a meditating posture. Margaret sat in front of them in the same posture, her eyes closed. The entire training ground was silent like the skull of a dead man. Everything felt hollow and their breaths felt like the whispers of numerous spirits as they meditated.
A subtle hum was coming from the corner of the room. It was a synchronic vibrational sound that seemed to create more harmony in the room and as one listened more intently, they would discover that their breaths matched the humming sound being played by Margaret's phone.
The first step to their everyday training was just sitting still and clearing one's mind. The first step was acceptance and recognizing one's failures and strength while coming to a complete wholeness with them. There should be no pain, no joy but blankness. A moment where their mind finds balance among the turbulence of emotions.
Melissa had struggled with this a bit anyways. It was hard for her to actually come to accept the failures of her past life but she did at last. She was already accepting them a while ago and together with Richard, she'd managed to finally rid herself of the doubts they sowed in her.
Richard on the other hand did not have any problems at all. He'd started improving from his first day. Melissa wasn't surprised by this though. Richard was unlike every other person. He lived his life exactly the way he wanted to without any remorse or regret. Every single step he carried had always been predetermined and thought over. That was why he was always silent, because he had a lot he was turning over in his mind.
This exercise was what made Melissa realise the difference between him and Beatrice. As it would seem, the councilwoman had loads of things troubling her and she just bottled them up, leaving her with turmoil. Margaret had called them tribulations for whatever reason. Her mind and soul were afflicted with things she could never let go. This was why she didn't have an innate ability, she could never be whole with her wolf without giving in to what made her who she was. Denial and acting strong will not help.
"Remember that within yourself is the power you need," Margaret began to talk the moment they were deep in the meditation, her words felt like a ripple on water. It hummed throughout their bones and body.
"Search deep within you, dig more, without fear of what you'd encounter, without regrets for what you have done and without doubt for what you can do," she continued, the entirety of the training ground falling into a void-like state. The humming sound had stopped and the only audible sounds were the breaths of the three students as they dug deep through themselves.
"Remember your abilities are not cultured for combat or to be seen as a weapon, they are in themselves a part of you," she said. "A primal and ancient part of you that has been appearing through ages," she added.
Melissa's self consciousness collapsed easily as she found herself in a turmoil of blackness which was her subconscious. She could feel the eyes of her wolf looking at her, watching her. Normally, her first response to being watched would be fear but, she'd already been here more than once to know her wolf wouldn't hurt her.
She tugged at the little colours appearing within the void of blackness. The colour of her aura had always been blue and the more she felt it within her subconscious, the more she understood its purpose. She exhaled as she pulled the colour to herself, letting it submerger her subconscious.
Her entire body flowed with power and she could tweak the power anyway she could. She was so deeply concentrating on this when she suddenly heard a roar. It broke her concentration and she opened her eyes to see Beatrice on the floor covered in sweat, blood was streaming down her ear.
Melissa jerked backwards when she turned to her. Her eyes were red, her nose had blood flowing out of it. She rushed towards her immediately, holding her as Richard tossed a paper towel towards her. She cleaned her ears and nose and Margaret just stood there staring at them, her face frowned.
"What is wrong with her?" Melissa asked, stroking her hair as the councilwoman wheezed in pain.
"Nothing," Margaret said. "She can't seem to tell herself the truth is all and her wolf pushed her back. She has fears that runs deep, and all she projects is just a facade of who she truly is."
Melissa glared at Margaret with a frown. "What?"
Margaret answered her. "It is true,"she said.
"I didn't say it wasn't, just shut up!" Melissa said, then turned to Beatrice who wriggled out of her hold.
"Guess I can't do it," Beatrice said and stood up. "Thanks," she bowed, walking out.
Melissa could feel the disappointment in her without even flaring her aura. It was readable on her face. She sighed and turned to Margaret. "You are such a great teacher," she glared at her and kicked away the bottle of water in front of her before walking off.
"What did I do?"she asked but Melissa only raised her middle finger towards the woman.
"That isn't ethical for a queen," Margaret said. "You know that, right?" she said as Melissa walked out in annoyance, slamming the training room door behind her.
Richard just sat there, staring at the events and not saying a word. He understood Melissa a lot, so he knew the best thing was to let her do what she wanted to do at the moment, or it won't end well at all. She would scream at everyone throughout. So he silently let Margaret bear the brunt and thanked his stars he wasn't seen.
"What do you suppose I did?"Margaret asked, turning to him.
He looked at Margaret, stood up and smiled "I don't suppose I know," he replied and walked out of the training room.