Ebonclad - Taika
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2019 1:05 pm
She listened to the voice as she sat resting on her knees, her hands on her upper legs.
“With your eyes now closed, draw your senses inwards, and see the world with your use of the Ki.”
He had explained her earlier that her Ki was life force, an amount of energy that was there and she needed to unlock her awareness in order to use it.
“Feel how it surrounds you, how it touches you, how it can be used to heal you, as well as warn you…”
To her, sound had been everything next to sight when it came down to dodging danger. But these lessons and these excercises were of a whole different magnitude. Out of my league, she thought, and it was as if the Sifu noticed that spark of uncertainty.
“There are three Keys to learn this particular skill. Practice, practice, and practice.”
Funny guy, he must have been a teacher one time too many.
WHACK!
The bamboo stick hit her on the head, her helmet absorbing not even half the force of that blow.
“AWWww!!” her head snapped to the guy standing behind her. Another of his students who was grinning down on her. Her eyes narrowed ominously.
“You are not focused, Taika. What consumes your mind, can control or hinder your actions. Again.”
The Moon elf rubbed her head, and though grumbling she nodded and turned her head back to look forward at the double door on the other side of this space. It was only a tenday ago since she had loitered about in the Easte Gate, and peeked curiously through those open doors in here. Right before she wandered -sorta half sneaked- in here to see if there was anything of value. Just when she was about to ‘remove’ a small metal can with donations that had been standing near an altar dedicated to some old guy, this man came walking in, casually, with his hands behind his back. Very kindly he had asked her to put the can back, and when she tried to bluff herself out of that, he asked it once more.
But he didn’t ask it a third time, she thought. No, sir. How the hell could she have known this was a dojo?? She hadn’t even known what a dojo was! He had swept the floor with her, literally without moving a finger.
Taika cracked her neck and nodded to indicate she was ready.
“Now, try again to feel those subtle changes in the Ki. Know when the blade that is trying to strike you down from behind. Feel how the energy that surrounds us all, is disturbed when the hand delivering the blow is put to motion. Then… make your escape.”
She sensed a sudden thrill coursing through her body. She knew it was possible as she had seen him and several others doing it before her. And if she would be able to pull this off, it would come in handy very much. Not… that she had asked him to learn though. No, he sorta had forced her into this, blackmailing her. He wouldn’t hand her over to the Flaming Fist if she accepted to follow his lessons here for a month.
WHACK!
And participate. She winced.
“Again! Your mind is the source of your suffering, Taika.”
In a way he was right, she thought with some bitterness...
“With your eyes now closed, draw your senses inwards, and see the world with your use of the Ki.”
He had explained her earlier that her Ki was life force, an amount of energy that was there and she needed to unlock her awareness in order to use it.
“Feel how it surrounds you, how it touches you, how it can be used to heal you, as well as warn you…”
To her, sound had been everything next to sight when it came down to dodging danger. But these lessons and these excercises were of a whole different magnitude. Out of my league, she thought, and it was as if the Sifu noticed that spark of uncertainty.
“There are three Keys to learn this particular skill. Practice, practice, and practice.”
Funny guy, he must have been a teacher one time too many.
WHACK!
The bamboo stick hit her on the head, her helmet absorbing not even half the force of that blow.
“AWWww!!” her head snapped to the guy standing behind her. Another of his students who was grinning down on her. Her eyes narrowed ominously.
“You are not focused, Taika. What consumes your mind, can control or hinder your actions. Again.”
The Moon elf rubbed her head, and though grumbling she nodded and turned her head back to look forward at the double door on the other side of this space. It was only a tenday ago since she had loitered about in the Easte Gate, and peeked curiously through those open doors in here. Right before she wandered -sorta half sneaked- in here to see if there was anything of value. Just when she was about to ‘remove’ a small metal can with donations that had been standing near an altar dedicated to some old guy, this man came walking in, casually, with his hands behind his back. Very kindly he had asked her to put the can back, and when she tried to bluff herself out of that, he asked it once more.
But he didn’t ask it a third time, she thought. No, sir. How the hell could she have known this was a dojo?? She hadn’t even known what a dojo was! He had swept the floor with her, literally without moving a finger.
Taika cracked her neck and nodded to indicate she was ready.
“Now, try again to feel those subtle changes in the Ki. Know when the blade that is trying to strike you down from behind. Feel how the energy that surrounds us all, is disturbed when the hand delivering the blow is put to motion. Then… make your escape.”
She sensed a sudden thrill coursing through her body. She knew it was possible as she had seen him and several others doing it before her. And if she would be able to pull this off, it would come in handy very much. Not… that she had asked him to learn though. No, he sorta had forced her into this, blackmailing her. He wouldn’t hand her over to the Flaming Fist if she accepted to follow his lessons here for a month.
WHACK!
And participate. She winced.
“Again! Your mind is the source of your suffering, Taika.”
In a way he was right, she thought with some bitterness...