|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 16:44:24 GMT
Foren stood besides two young Monks. They both held a small cane, not a walking cane like Foren's, but more like a weapon.
With a tap on the floor of his thick walking cane the two Monks took to the sparring area.
"Now, to be one with the wind, that is your truth." He called out as he watched them begin to fight.
It was more like a ritual dance than a grueling battle.
The one Monk, the younger of the two was sloppy. His footing was all wrong. Foren knew he would fall, he would loose. Within 6 minutes of the begining of the fight the younger Monk, just as Foren had forseen slipped.
The edge of the sparring ground had a large drop, a cliff. The young Monk was now hanging over the edge. Like a bolt of lightning the opposing Monk swept to his aid, only to be shouted at by Foren.
"Leave him!" He bellowed. "Leave him be."
Afraid of letter his friend drop and the fear of being shoted at again he stood back. Shaking nervously.
"Leave him, he must learn..." Foren said as he stepped closer to the hanging youth. "He must learn..."
Foren was now standing over the fallen Monk. Waiting to see what he could do.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 16:49:41 GMT
Lu-Nai enjoyed watching the sparring sessions. He learned so much from the mistakes of others, and even though he was alot better trained than both of these two boys, he enjoyed to see the skills develop in others.
While sparring, a harsh attitude from a Sensai definately speeds up the rate of learning, and today was no exception.
Lu watched as the younger of the two boys clung to the edge, trying to pull himself up. His adversary watched in horror, but knew that a fierce scorning would take place if he helped. The two young boys were brothers, and it would be a matter of time before the elder would pull up his sibling.
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 17:05:53 GMT
Foren, now standing over the top of the fallen brother watched with dissapointing eyes.
If this boy wanted to learn he would have to make sacrifices. He would have to learn to help himself and not rely on others all the time. Foren knew this, it was time to put on more pressure.
He lifted his cane and rested it on the boy's hand. The boy coudn't of been no more than 17, yet Foren still pushed for a better result. He began to put presure on the cane, lowering it deeper and deeper into the boy's hand.
"You must learn to pick yourself up. You must learn to learn. This is the only way you will find yourself." He said as he continued to press the cane into the boy's hand.
The boy struggled but didn't leak a tear although the pain cut into him like a knife. He struggled and his one hand slipped and not was hanging by the only hand he had free, the hand that Foren was putting pressure on.
"Life is not easy, it is difficult. Now you face your demons!" He said shouting at the boy to pull himself up.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 17:12:43 GMT
Lu-Nai rubbed at his chin, he was not sure whether he approved of what was going on, or whether he should help.
The second monk looked around hoping to meet help, Sensai Foren was abnormally harsh.
"I think that will be enough, Foren..." Lu called from the stairs.
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 17:23:22 GMT
Foren turned his head to see Lu-Nai. He frowned at Lu-Nai. He expected more from him. As He turned his head back to the fallen sibling, the boy swung his body and leeched his hand on a clump of grass. Two hands steady, he was nearly there.
Foren smiled with approval as the young man, he was there, growing. Foren appliced more pressure to the boy's hand. In his face Foren could see anger, anticipation, dedication, but most of all he could see the will power in him to do it. And he did.
The boy swung his legs up and threw his body onto the lawn. He had done it. Foren released his grasp and grunted, a grunt of approval. The boy got to his feet and eyed Foren, deep into his eyes he looked. The Sensei frown at the boy, but the boy simply gave a winning grin. He had accomplished his task. His brother looked on in amazement.
With a quick bow from each of them they ran off. Foren turned back to Lu-Nai.
"I knew he could do it. A little pressure is all someone needs to get some perspective. In a dangerous situation, even the foolish of man can acomplish anything..."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 17:32:23 GMT
"Mm." Came Lu's thoughtful reply.
The boys ran past, and then up the stairs as Lu-Nai stood up and walked into the stone sparring grounds. A cold wind pulled at his robes.
"Do you care to spar, Foren?"
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 17:43:42 GMT
Foren looked at the younger more energetic version of himself. He thought about it for a second of two then pulled of his outter-robe, he was now just dressed in his inner-robe, this is what the younger Monks were, only the elders wore the outter-robes to show their positions.
He hung his robe on the bannister and moved to the circle. He grasped his staff tight with two hands and waited for Lu-Nai to take position. Then it would begin.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 18:20:37 GMT
Lu-Nai moved into position, smiling. His fingers clung to the staff as it always did before a bout.
Once again the friendliness disapeared as soon as the sparring kicked off, the two showed no mercy, and held nothing back.
The deadly dance was in full swing, Foren swinging for Lu with great precision, yet lacking the strength that his hits used to possess. Lu blocked easily, but was caught offguard by a quick upwards movement from the block, catching him in the chin sending him reeling backwards.
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 18:29:45 GMT
Foren smiled, Lu-Nai was a good student. He was energetic, dedicated, he was a good example to the others. He would go far.
"You have been taught well, Lu-Nai. Very well. You will make a good Sensei one day..." He said taking a step back.
Foren always waited for his opponent to make the first move. He always was aware of his surroundings.
Back in his days of youth, he would wait for his opponent to tire, then strike. Back then though he was young, alive. Now he was a living memory. But that never stopped Foren.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 18:36:20 GMT
Lu-Nai rushed back into combat, he wasn't failing yet.
The Monk feigned a downward strike, and Foren went to block, leaving his lower half open - Lu brought his staff up, between Foren's legs and stopped an inch from impact with the elder's groin.
Lu grinned and nodded, "They indeed teach well..." Another wind washed over the stone ground, bringing the first of the snow with it.
A slight babble of laughter picked up from the stone steps; coming from some of the younger Monks.
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 18:40:20 GMT
Foren raised his eyebrow. "Excellent..." he said.
But with such praise he shook his head. "For taking me down, rushing into the battle, you have forgotten about your surroundings..." he motioned down to Foren's staff. It was on the ground, seeminly okay.
Foren lifted it up and then thundered it back down to the same spot where it just was. The ledge started to crack. "Footing is everything, Lu-Nai..." He said as he stepped back fast.
"Move fast, Lu-Nai. Don't want to fall now... not while everyone is watching..." He said as the weak ledge began to give away.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 19:05:52 GMT
The ground began to crumble and fall around him, and the older monk had already started for the steps.
What an irresponsible move to make, know that the monks would need to rebuild the sparring courtyard.
No time to complain, Lu-Nai lept for the strong edge, which began crumbling aswell, his footing could never find a strong placement, each time it fell beneath his weight.
He slid down to a point where he could only hold on to the edge, and hope it held.
The Sensei looked down the sheer drop at him, and in turn Lu looked down and watched as the courtyard plummeted to the Earth below, along with his staff.
Foren struck down on Lu's hand with his stick, as he did so earlier with the younger monk.
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 19:14:20 GMT
Foren looked down at him, just as the other boy had done, but Lu-Nais now clinging to the courtyard. Foren shook his head. "Will you young-uns ever learn?" He pushed down on his staff, he used more presure on Lu-Nai than the other kid, he had high hopes for Lu-Nai.
"Come on, boy. You have an audience, do not let me down!" He whispered loudly to Lu-Nai. "I will leave you fall, you know that! Now pick yourself up!" He said slightly louder.
There was now a gathering of Monks watching as Lu-Nai dangled and Foren exerted his teaching on him. Some thought it harsh of Foren, but the Sensei knew how to get the best of his pupils, he knew how to use their advantages to work with them. He always got results.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lu-Nai on Jun 4, 2007 19:18:19 GMT
The pain wasn't as bad as the sheer annoyance of being prodded with a stick.
He snatched the staff, and took Foren by surprise whipping it from his hands and dropping it into the abyss.
The Sensei looked in anguish as his staff spiraled into the mist.
Lu-Nai pulled himself up with relative ease. "That's enough." He said in a hushed tone to the old man, as not to embaress him in front of the others. However, if he told the Elders of Foren's behavior and his disregard for the importance of the Diplomat, they would surely exile him.
|
|
|
|
Post by foren on Jun 4, 2007 19:46:03 GMT
Foren grabbed at him by the collar and dragged him aside away from the others. The sheer arogance of him made Foren angry.
"If you want to be that diplomat, I should hope you appologise and leave at once!" He said in a harsh tone of voice, the Sensai was outraged by the sheer vitaliti of this youth. He was dissapointed more than angry. He had been let down by his most profound student.
Foren whisped his hand away from Lu-Nai and walked over to the ledge, he looked down into the abyss and shook his head. Honor had gone. And if that Honor was to never come back in this youth, he would have rathered him fall. All the teachings were in vain.
|
|
