Dance of the Gods (Gossamer)

[Satyata]

Basic Ataa

TS: Second brightening Optia, Summer, Era II, XIV (pf)

Before the rise of the first sun, just before the gods of Aetheria retook the sky from the Aeternians, a young kemite awoke from a fitful sleep and sat up on his bed mat. Sweat beaded down his forehead and his heart was pounding hard in his chest. He grasped desperately for the tail end of the nightmarish phantasms, yet the dreams which had thrown him into this panic had fled from his mind the moment his dark eyes had shot open. No matter how frantically he tried, he couldn't force his unconscious last thoughts back into his conscious and he eventually gave up, as with many mornings previous.

Rather than focus on his failure to bring the images into his mind, Satyata entered what many called the 'Lotus' position and began his meditation. He willed his heart to slow, forced his body to cool, and conjured up what appeared to be a flickering white candle flame. He fed all thoughts, fears, worries, and emotions into the flame. With each item piled on, the fire grew. Starting as a dancing, dying spit of light and gradually becoming a raging blaze. In short moments the brilliant balefire consumed all things conscious, died, and left him with nothing but pure serenity.

Nothingness shattered with the crisp toll of a bell. Eyelids cracked open ever-so-slightly, then jumped to fully agape as he realized what that signaled. With all he could muster, he flew out the door and sprinted toward the training hall. A disapproving glance from one of the Sunn Monks slowed his pace, but he could not bring himself to simply walk. He jumped over several plants in the garden and almost stumbled as he reached his destination. It took him a moment to realize that he had forgotten his sandals, but he shrugged this off and opted to simply wipe his feet outside before entering.

He glanced twice in each direction before getting to his knees and bending to place his forehead on the floor, hands palm down to each side of his head. "I come to expand my knowledge and learn to better live within my own body, Master Kimsan. If you will guide me."

[Gossamer]

The Monk sat quietly viewing the suns rising in the distance over the monastery walls. It was a peaceful tranquil setting, with some of the lingering moist mist of the morning still clinging to the grass. He always greeted the morning this way. And while the young secretary had pointed the novice in the right direction, his words solidified the monk's understanding of why the boy was there, and what he truly wanted.

"I come to expand my knowledge and learn to better live within my own body, Master Kimsan. If you will guide me."

Kimsan's smile was genuine, and rivaled only the brightness of the rising of the twin suns. "Your words display wisdom already, young one. I cannot teach, I can only guide. You must teach yourself, and the key to that learning is moving out of your head and into the rest of your body." Had someone told him that or did the boy just know? Kimsan took the time to contemplate the thought for a moment before he gently rose. "Walk in a circle for me, lad. A large one, stretching the whole of the yard. I want to see you move." While he did, the Monk pulled forth a leaf from deep within his pocket. He watched the boy, noting various things about how he moved, and as the young novice completed the circuit, he arrived once more in front of the Monk. Kimsan held out the leaf. "Place this under your tongue. Do not chew it. Let its juices dissolve slowly. It is the Rasha Plant. Once you can taste the wind in your mouth, open your eyes, all three of them, and make one more pass around the circle." Satyata would know that Kimsan was asking him to not only open his physical eyes, but his inner awareness. Odds were, the plant was going to aid in that inner awakening...

Soon enough, as Satyata and Kamsin stood watching each other, the young man could taste a freshness in his mouth... a tingling to his senses that was not unlike standing in the wind. He turned, and found his feet moving him once more in a large circle.... only this time things were different. A sunset colored energy painted the air around him, parting for him or resisting him. It had a definite ebb and flow to it, and as the boy moved, he found that if he adjusted his stride and the swing of his hips slightly here, slightly there, he'd slide between the colored light more easily. And in doing so, he realized something. The energy was warm, soothing, inviting. It did not want to impede, not really. It wanted to move the boy's stride.

"What you see is The Rasha'Shing, the Essence. It is the energy that flows through and around all of us. As you grow in your faith, you will not need the aid of our small green friends to see it and sense it. It will become part of you. Ataa, The Dance of the Gods, is about utilizing The Essence, transforming it into the ultimate defense... to restore the peace, protect yourself, and stifle violence. Do you understand?" The Monk asked, even as the boy made his second circuit and came to a halt in front of him.

Gentle and powerful hazel eyes met the boys, awaiting his response.

[Satyata]

A satisfied smile crossed Satyata's lips as the Master informed him the his words displayed wisdom. He wasn't entirely sure if he should tell the Master that he had learned the words from the elven woman, or if he should just let the situation stand. He hadn't actually claimed that it should be credited to him and the statement did was the best way to say what he desired here, so he made no attempt to change what had been said. Rather, he got to his feet and promptly performed as instructed. He walked in a large circle, contemplating how he was to 'move from his head and into the rest of his body'. Satyata knew that he Master was watching him closely, but given that he had no idea what criteria he was being judged upon, the young kemite simply strode forward the same as he would were he traveling across the wilderness. There was nothing special about the walk, but he held himself in a way that hinted at unused strength and power, like a tightly coiled wire waiting to spring.

When he finished his circuit of the yard, he stopped once again before the Master and clasped hands on forearms behind his back. Rasha plant? The thing sound familiar for some reason or another, but he couldn't get a hold on where he had heard it, or something familiar to it. With only the slightest hesitation, Satyata reached out and took the leaf from Master Kimsan. He examined it for another brief moment before placing it under his tongue, as instructed. He closed two of his eyes and waited. When a tingle gently ticked his tongue, the young one opened his eyes, both those for seeing and that for feeling, sensing, and knowing. The latter required a calm not unlike what he achieve during his meditation, but that was as natural to him as breathing now. With little effort he opened himself to everything and waited.

When the Rasha'Shing appeared all about him, he was fully entranced until he remembered that a second circle was required of him. With all the care of weaver creating an intricate pattern for a lord, the youth took his first steps, careful not to disturb the most prominent flows of this 'energy'. With a little experimentation, he quickly found that his own subtle movements could affect the difficulty of traversing the patterns.

"I do believe I understand, Master. He who best understands his own mind and body will also best be able to move with and through the flows, as they are connected with each of us. One who does not seek to understand and know himself will only ever encounter resistance from the Essence because he is not one with himself and thus not one with the Rasha'Shing. Is this correct, Master?" His last words were not as confident as his first, but he made no further attempt to qualify what had been said.

[Gossamer]

Kimsan nodded his approval. Satyata was doing very well indeed. His second passing was much improved, and though he did disturb the Rasha'Shing, he did so in a minimal way, and far less, if truth be told, than most beginners. Yes, Kimsan was indeed pleased. It was always a pleasure for an instructor to see a student and pass knowledge to one who truly cared about the art he learned and delighted in it. Kimsan could tell Satyata was to be one such student.

"Good. Now, to begin. Come before me. Face me... outstretch your hands like this." He instructed, as the boy all but completed his second pass, Kimsan took a basic stance and stretched his arms out like a dancer staking out his dance space. He splayed his fingers out before him, facing the spot where the young man would come to a stop. When the young man copied his stance, fingers outstretched, the instructor reached out and matched the pads of his fingers to the pads of Satyatas so they connected deeply, forming a circle for their own personal Rasha'Shing to pass through.

The boy immediately felt it. It was like touching a wealth of energy, and it burned into his body filling him with a pure clean brilliant energy that burned away his fatigue and his uncertainty. Kamsin smiled, and the two faced off like dancers, touching fingertip to fingertip.

"Ataa is a dance. Its a dance within and without of the Rasha'Shing. Both yours, indeed, your opponents, and the Rasha'Shing of the world in which you walk. You feel mine. Yours will grow as mine does as you meditate and walk the path our founders taught us. Control comes when you learn to sense what you dance through, and can sense what the Rasha'Shing of your opponent will do. Control comes when your will molds and bends the Rasha'Shing... power comes when your Rasha'Shing controls the Rasha'Shing of your enemy. This is sacred knowledge I teach you... sacred, Satyata. You must always remember it and treat it thusly." The monk said, then moved slightly so his feet were taking a basic stance, about shoulder width apart. "This is the first form... Frog.. we call it. Frog is a small creature, with incredible powers. When we bend our knees and shift the energy within us... the Ra.. we feel the power coil. That is your first lesson. Frog. Now show me you have heard." The Monk said, still maintaining his touch until the boy found his stance, and the instructor could nod.

"Next we learn Crane and Horse." He said, shifting his weight and stepping back so that one foot was slightly behind the other. It allowed the monk to paw the air like a horse for a moment. "This is Horse... your second stance." He said, then shifted again, this time putting his front foot forward, taking his weight there, back equal to his shoulder on that side, body well balanced. This is Crane. These three stances you must know well... " He said, nodding to himself... still maintaining the touch on the young novice.

[Satyata]

The moment the Master spoke the word "begin" Satyata's heart skipped a beat and continued to quicken itself. Until that moment he had not been entirely sure if the Master had decided to be his guide or not. With torrents of joy washing away all uncertainty, all he could do was fight to keep his emotions in check. The battle lasted only short moments, but he was certain that the master would be able to puzzle out what had caused his hesitation.

As if to make up for time lost to his foolishness, the youth half-jumped into position before his instructor. Now I look the fool! He scolded himself silently, but kept calm on the surface, as always. Calm.....calm within. Patience... calm. His meditative practices surfaced on his mind as a solution to the situation in which he had found himself. His focus shifted from worry of the Master's view of him to the steady rhythm of his breathing. Deep breaths slowed his heart and calmed a wild mind.

"Apologies, Master. I do not possess your control." Red bloomed on his dark cheeks and he bowed deeply to keep Kimsan's eyes from catching that little detail.

Without giving his Master any chance to further solidify negative thoughts of him, Satyata immediately copied Kimsan's stance to perfection, making minor adjustments to the position of each appendage until he was a near mirror of the monk. He hesitated for a short moment before allowing the pads of his fingers to touch his Master's. It was the first real human contact he had had in the months since the death of his parents. Sadness glanced off the cool void of his mind, but he gave it no opportunity to return again.

He inhaled sharply as the pure, brilliant energy burned through his being. New sensations were coming faster than he could adapt to them. First the viewing of the Rasha'shing and now this rejuvenating flame to throw him off his stride. Satyata could only assume adaptation was part of the testing and training. However, he hadn't the time to contemplate these things, as he soon found that his Master had continued on as his own mind wandered. It didn't take long to recall the few things which had passed him by, but those seconds still made it appear as if he hadn't been listening as closely as he believed necessary.

Rather than attempt to cover his slip, the boy simply moved into the basic stance. No one needed to remind him how sacred these teachings were. Even the most hardened individual in the monastery would be hard pressed to instill more respect in him for what he was learning here. With this in mind he shifted his basic stance into 'The Frog'. He did his best to will the 'Ra' to shift and coil as the Master had explained. The desire to release the coiled energy pressed on him, but he let it bounce off his hardened shell and continued into the next stance.

The kemite shifted feet to best mimic the master, then moved his body until the position felt most natural and balanced. After following the practice 'attacks' on the air, he returned to the basic, then went straight to 'Crane'. The weight shift on this one took somewhat better balance and he stumbled for a moment before catching himself and setting himself back on it. "May I ask why these particular stances must be known well, Master?" He spoke as he finished his balancing on the last stance. Satyata had no intention of disobeying or doubting the master - he was simply curious.

[Gossamer]

Kimsan already liked his new student. He gave his approval grudgingly though. There was no point in spoiling them before they'd begun. "There is strength in knowing ones' weakness." He commented at the boys apology for clumsy behavior. He'd not expected Satyata's feet to understand what the boys mind demanded of them. Such things only came easily with time... far easier than other things. One could not make a foolish boy wise, nor could one make a wise boy ignorant. Such things were irreversible, in his mind, though truth be told one was far better than the other.

"It is a clever mind that asks questions, indeed one that is intelligent enough to have them. I never reward cleverness with silence. Your questions are welcomed." He said softly, and continued, moving first through the frog, then to the horse, and finally to the crane with the boy. Over and over again.... the monk patiently repeated the steps until they both seemed to be dancing together on the bare courtyard stones.

"Look yonder, do you see the arch with its curve of blocks? Do you see the one at the top? Resting against all the others? No mortar holds them, only their own weight and the skill of the craftsman who shaved them to such a tight fit." He said, then gestured back towards the monastary wall. "See the stout stone in the corner of the foundation? There are four such stones, all making the rest of the stones stay in their places and hold the building up strong and fast. Such is the cornerstone and the keystone's duty. They form foundations and apexes so that the work they support holds up to time and the violence of the world. Frog, Horse, and Crane do this for you as well. They are your foundations. Through them, you will remain strong in your Ataa, and will become something that will weather the ages far more easily than someone without such things." The Monk said, and then released his contact with the boy. He steeped back, took a deep breath, and exhaled purposely.

"Next we must speak of your breathing. Move into Frog, and I will teach you something most people do not understand." He said softly, then stepped closer to face the boy where he could easily touch. "The lungs that hold your breath... most people think they fill only from here to here..." He touched the boys shoulder and then touched his chest about where his heart is. "But the truth is, your lungs fill from here to here." Now the hand moved from shoulder to the bottom of the boys ribs. "And when you breath too with your belly, forcing it out, your chest has more room and your lungs can get even bigger. If you have more air, you have more strength, more energy, and a greater will to fight." That being said, Kimsan let Satyata think on that one a bit, before stepping back and continuing the lesson.

"Now, I will teach you something very important in Ataa. The most important thing, in fact. You might not understand this at first, but it must be taught to understand other concepts. You must understand how to be still. I've shown you breath, and three basic stances. Why? First, to be still you need to breath. And the stances will help you occupy your mind as you practice stillness, for bleeding out all thoughts is very hard for young minds, though you must try. So, stand before me, arms loosely at your sides, eyes straight ahead, back tall and proud, weight on the front part of your toes and find your stillness. There is a center of your body that you can move your awareness into. Do not think much on anything, but if you must, reflect on your stances. Grow silent within and without... and find stillness." He said simply.

And with that, he turned and walked away... and didn't return until sunrise the next morning.

[Satyata]

Deep brown eyes held close a quiet study of Kimsan as the Master stood before the young one. Perceptive and discerning, those eyes took in and truly saw more than most believed. As with all things, the 'child' had a respectful gaze locked on to his Master; trying to take in and understand every movement, every slight twist or turn of his features in order to glean something from the information which may give him cause for worry. In part it was a defense mechanism, built to prepare him for the worst before it had a chance to manifest fully. It was his first protection from the world around him, it was...

"Yes, Master Kimsan." His reply had been almost subconscious, but he had known what he was saying and why. "I will come to know all my weaknesses, Master Kimsan." His face contorted in a moment of lost thought, as if he knew he should say more. It brightened somewhat and he added, "And I will work always to overcome them, Master Kimsan." He gave a customary bow of his head and promptly began going through the motions with the monk. After a time his movements grew to be more graceful, more like the monk whom he followed. Frog became Horse became Crane almost without thought. By the time he had been asked to stop, he was already sure that he could practice them in his sleep, and given enough of a chance, he would try to do just that.

Drawing on all the past wisdom which had been passed down to him, Satyata did his best to understand the connection between cornerstones and the animals which the techniques had mimicked. He understood the basics of the concepts at least, but he kept on pondering until he had what he thought was a better grasp on it. "The frog has great power within, but holds it until he truly needs it. The horse may run swiftly from danger, but is willing to stand and defend when necessary. The crane is peaceful and calm, willing to wait for what he knows will come to him if he is still." His words came haltingly, as if the realizations came as he spoke. "Are these qualities the 'cornerstones' which I should build upon, Master Kimsan? Is this why we begin with them?" Despite the monk's kind words and gentle demeanor he still could not help but feel as a fool whenever he made what must have seemed to the Master as a feeble attempt at true understanding.

Brushing from his mind any thoughts of shortcomings, he made himself focus on nothing but the Master's words.

After the monk spoke and drew his hand away, Satyata touched his finger to where had been indicated and made a mental note of where his lungs reached. His parents had never spoken of this, but a few quick tests using both normal breathing and the technique shown to him soon proved that there was certainly something to it. He could hardly wait to put it into proper use. He had always had high endurance and good stamina, but this would surely be more beneficial than anything he had ever learned on his own.

Even as the Master went on, Satyata was still going through the motions of practicing his breathing, at least until he heard the words "most important". At that he stood straight and paid close attention to every word. He followed the explanations with brief nods and adjusted his stance with each instruction. The part about young minds had almost brought the burn back into his cheeks, but he forced that away as he had been taught to force away all unnecessary emotions. No time for foolishness.

With his stance stuck as close as could be to what had been described to him, the boy then moved from physical matters to those beyond simple flesh. Thought, the second half of a true 'body', was harder to conquer; it required more awareness of self and a good understanding of what was behind one's thoughts than the average person had, but he had tried his 'hand' at clearing his mind on more than one occasion and he was sure he could do it again.

He had only begun the usual process when he 'felt' more than saw the master leaving him. Something broke his 'concentration' and eyes flickered toward the monk. For the shortest moment he thought of calling out, but he quickly dismissed that as a childish reaction. Had he mis-stepped and angered the Master? No, that couldn't have been it. It had to be a test of will and dedication. At least he knew he had a great deal of both in any case.

As minutes passed into hours, Satyata found that the master had been all too correct about 'young minds'. He thought that he had mastered his mind to some degree at least, but this exercise quickly showed how much a fool belief that had been. The first few hours before full darkness he had concentrated on nothing but the forms, hoping to grow so accustomed to every motion that they would drift out of his conscious mind completely and into some far of area of thought. After that it had become a struggle between forceful cleansing and a cycle of knowing that knowing he knew had already defeated his attempts at knowing that he could not know what he knew.

With more hours passing, he grew tired of inane thoughts and soon quit focusing on anything. It was only when he ceased to force himself that things slid into place. Awareness of self came not from force of will, but from quiet acceptance of what is. It was much akin to meditation, but also far from the same. He no longer sought understanding or perfection. Desire and all other emotion melted from him. He had achieved pure awareness.

The suns eventually rose again and with them came the Master to see his pupil's serenity.

OOC: Sorry if I got carried away with this. Just really enjoying the thread.

[Gossamer]

Kimsan returned with the light, a large basket under his arm and a wineskin over his shoulder. He surveyed his student, and approached him, bowing low (far lower than was appropriate) to the boy. "Those that watch the monastery at night have told this one that each pass they made you stood still and silent, and the only movement about you was your shadow the stars cast upon you as they wheeled overhead. That pleases me greatly. Will you move, break your stillness, stretch, and join me for breakfast before our next lesson?" The monk moved then, leading the boy over to the bench gracing one side of the courtyard. It was odd though. No guards had passed by Satyata's position. Only stone dragons, carved into the reliefs above his head overlooking the courtyard observed his vigil. And even though once or twice in the night he could have swore he saw them blink, even move, during the day they looked as normal as any old carvings upon the roof did.

Kimsan removed bread, cheese, and rolls of sausage from his basket, and poured the boy a bit of wine in earthen mugs he removed from their wicker confines as well. Everything was divided equally, and the meal was light, tasty and very welcome after the long nights vigil. The two sat and ate in relative silence, enjoying the morning. If Satyata had any questions, Kimsan was well and able to answer them then. However, once the meal was finished, he rose and beckoned the boy to follow. The Monk lead the boy through the maze that was the outer courtyards of the monastery, and into a high walled courtyard that was entirely filled with a landscaped garden and an enormous steaming stone pond. It looked like a hotspring, for certain. Once at its edge, the old monk entirely disrobed and waded into the steaming water, beckoning Satyata to join him.

"You understand frog, horse, and crane... and the stillness within now. You understand breathing as well. Now I must teach you the true nature of Ataa." He said, waiting for the boy to completely disrobe and join him in the pool. Kimsan faced Satyata and gestured to the water. Where they stood it was chest deep and refreshing after the long slightly breezy summer night in the open courtyard.

"Ataa is a lot like the nature of water. You can direct your body's energy at water and water will just patiently absorb the force. So too must you learn this technique. Then, as water will do, at the most unexpected times, you... as water can... will retaliate with an unexpected force thats so much more powerful than expected. The quietest stream flowing down a mountainside bringing water to a village can at a moments notice turn into a raging flood and sweep that same village away. That is the nature of water. So too is it the nature of Ataa." Kimsan said, moving his arms gently in the water, letting it relax his old bones and unwind him from the sleep he just enjoyed in his simple cell.

"This artform is not one of swift killing and emotion filled action. This is a subtle artform, deadly. As you progress, those who know Ataa at its strongest know it as something that can cause death at just a touch... just like water can drown the unsuspecting at a moments notice. Never attack anyone out of anger, jealousy, or spite. Those are poisoned emotions and ones you should never harbor within your body. This is doubly so if someone is directing those emotions at you. Let their passions destroy them and do your work for you. Instead, embrace the stillness and quietness of your mind. That is the true pathway to power." Kamsin said softly, then moved into what Satyata recognized as the basic frog position.

Kamsin opened his hands and beckoned Satyata to take them. "First we learn to move. Force redirected as force, backwards and forwards in this combative dance." As soon as the boy grasped Kamsin's hands, the man pushed with one arm, and pulled with the other, in a smooth flowing motion. It didn't take Satyata long to realize that all he needed to do to keep pace with Kamsin, to keep within his flow of energy, was to push and pull equally and oppositely, moving and changing in respond to Kamsin's efforts. The boy soon realized, in their odd water dance that he was absorbing Kamsin's energy and redirecting it back at him in a counter attacak type method, for all that it was slow and undulating in terms of a movement. As the motions continued, Kamsin started to vary them, and Satyata found himself anticipating the movements by not really watching Kamsin's body, but by watching his eyes. Before long, they were no longer touching, but almost dancing, circling the steaming pool of water, acting and reacting to each other's movements. The boy, had he been able to pull back and watch their actions as an observer, would see a very exotic almost mesmerizing dance across the water.

Before long, Kamsin called a halt to their movements, and quizzed the boy. "Now, tell me what you've learned from this... its important that you understand this step before we move on."

[Satyata]

A small, tired smile broke over Satyata's lips as the lack of rest finally caught up to him. The mention of those who watched over the monastery brought buzzing questions into his mind, but he did not allow his lips to give them voice. "I would very much like to break my fast with you, Master." Now that he had permission to move once again, he took a single, stiff stride toward Kimsan before feeling the effects of the hours previous. The ache of disuse which pervaded his every muscle kept him from moving with any great alacrity, but he put his every effort into keeping his movements smooth and graceful. When he was finally able to take his seat at the Master's side, he also took the opportunity to stretch individual areas of his body, particularly his legs, in order to ease the ache and get the blood flowing again.

He took his first few bites in silence, partially because he wanted to enjoy the food as much as possible and partially because he still had a great deal to ponder. He left his Master in peace for the time being and held still any questions which he may have had. All things would be answered in time. Of that he was sure.

When Kimsan stood an went forth into the maze of the outer courtyard, Satyata followed without question. Their arrival at the inner, 'hidden' area of the monastery brought back a joyful smile and a renewed appreciation for the beauty which was all about them. He knew just how lucky he was to be given the opportunity to see this place and to train with his Master; he would thank the gods for these things at his every opportunity. But for the moment, he put such thanks to the back of his mind and followed after his teacher.

He removed his robe and quietly folded it before laying it on the warm stones. The water was warm and it helped greatly in easing the aches which had escaped his stretching. The night's chill dissipated from his bones and was lost to the gentle swirls of the spring.

The young 'monk' listened in silence, storing each word and every meaning away for further contemplation and meditation. The Master most certainly had a way with his words and his style of teaching. Satyata readily understood what his master said, but there were always hidden gems of wisdom within what was spoken which one could only uncover through deep thought. He could only believe that it must have been the mark of a truly wise man.

When Kimsan adopted the frog position, so too did Satyata. He did his best to anticipate what might be ahead and he did catch on quickly when the exercise began. He let himself become as the water and flow with the movements made by his teacher. Rather than providing direct opposition to the master's movements, he flowed with them, matching each move with its counterpart in the opposite direction. After a time, when variations were added, the boy let himself relax to the point where the his movements were hardly conscious at all. He learned to let Kimsan tell him what was coming without a word being said, simply by paying attention to the flow of everything. When the exercise ended, he felt a slight tinge of sorrow that the 'dance' had come to an end. Not having to exert one's self upon the world, as all others did, felt like an immense weight off his shoulders. Quiet acceptance, once again.

"I've learned to be formless. Shapeless, like water. I've learned to not be assertive, but to adjust to the that which opposes me and I shall find a way to let him defeat himself. If nothing within stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves to me. If water is put it in a teapot it adapts to the teapot, as I must adapt to any situation into which I may be placed. Water can flow gently or it can crash down without a moment's notice." He looked vacantly into the water as he spoke, because he was deep in thought even as he described what he had learned. "Be like water." The innocent smile returned and he turned to look up at Kimsan for his judgment once again.

[Gossamer]

Kimsan exited the water with the young Satyata in tow and picked up a soft towel from a stone bench beside the steam pool. He handed one to his student, then used another to dry the water from his skin. "Though we remove water from the outsides of our bodies, we do not and cannot remove the water from within. Blood is water. Never forget that. We are mostly water because we are mostly blood and liquid. Its what lubricates our bones and causes our tears. Like the sea, our water is salt. Never forget that... and although us Kemites live far from the shore these days, here in our new home. Once we lived along the coasts, fished, and dwelled with the sea happily. Its always apart of us because of that. You can remember the storms if you close your eyes or hold a shell to your ear. Be that storm... quiet, contained, explosive." He said, slipping on his sun colored robe and waiting for the SunnSon to join him.

Then, together they moved out into the courtyard. Kimsan wasn't planning on keeping Satyata up much longer, but he wanted the lesson to stick. "Now, take my hand again. Let's dance in the air... and be as water." With a similar gesture, Kimsan offered Satyata his hands. If the boy took them, the SunnFather would start to move, pulling him, pushing him, and flowing around the courtyard just practicing being like the water, moving with absolute control. What Satyata might notice, had he been really paying attention, was that such motion took a lot more muscle use than just normal walking and normal functioning. "Our bodies are inherently lazy. They will try to get away with movement using the least amount of energy and the least amount of muscles. Part of Ataa is that we teach them to use all our muscles all the time so we have micro control of our bodies." The SunnFather said gently as the pair circled. "In Ataa, everything moves.... everything...." He said, repeating himself.

Then suddenly, just as Satyata was getting comfortable in the dance, he moved, changing it up, adding more intensity, forcing the boy into a tighter pattern, forcing him to move more closely with him. It was like the pair were bound to a loom and Kimsan was the weaver. Satyata had no choice but to follow the weaving. They were moving faster and faster... swirling.

And then he stopped. Kimsan just stopped.

"Rest. Now rest. Your breathing is good. Your understanding is even better. Come tomorrow to the courtyard here to break your fast. We will learn about strikes, both by hand and by leg... and I will introduce you to the animals that help us learn these things. But rest well, quiet your mind, do not sit up at night thinking this over. Its a slow process to reteach your body the world is not as it thinks it always is. Our forms are stubborn... and there is much to unlearn and relearn. Have patience, and I will see you tomorrow." The monk said, smilng and wandering off. Truth was, he had classes to attend and a service to perform, otherwise he'd have stayed all day with the lad working on their Ataa.

[Satyata]

With his customary silence, Satyata accepted the towel and took time to dry himself completely. Kimsan's words ran through his mind in the form of vivid images seeming as memories. It all felt true and though he did not know the true history of his people, he simply knew the words to be right. Another addition to his mental library. Marked, ordered, and filed. With his mind still working, the SunnSon donned his robes and checked them over to ensure cleanliness.

"SunnFather, how does one gain true experience in this art?" Satyata interrupted Kimsan with a curious but sincere tone. "Though we may practice for many hours each brightening, we cannot grow unless we are forced to use the art in the world around us in circumstances which are alien to us. Though we are water and we will adapt to any situation which arises, should we not bring ourselves to know what may be expected when we are not within the confines of our monastery? Though water always flows to adapt to its surroundings, doesn't it flow better where it has already smoothed a path for itself?" He sighed softly to himself and gave up on his attempt to explain what he meant. "Apologies SunnFather, my mind must simply be weary." He gave a weak grin and allowed Kimsan to offer his reply before engaging in the next exercise.

When the dance began once again the first thing the boy noticed was intense effort it took to match Kimsan's moves. The generally neglected muscles in his body immediately began to burn and it took a great deal of effort to simply keep his breathing paced and his movements smooth. Hard labor in the fields had made him inordinately strong for a child of his years, but it had not given him as broad a base as he had thought in the way of exercise. He might have been nearly as strong as the more aged one in simple strength, but in this exercise, Kimsan made him feel as weak and frail as an infant. He strained his every muscle to keep time and pace with the SunnFather and he ignored the burning aches in his muscles until he was about to collapse. Then it became really difficult. He barely held in what would have been an audible groan as Kimsan increased the intensity of the exercise. It was growing ever more difficult to simultaneously focus on his breathing, attempt to be water, and match the SunnFather's moves.

When it all stopped, he felt a terrible ache overtake every newly used muscle, followed shortly by a flood of whatever it was that brought relaxation after intense exercise. He was on the verge of panting and collapsing, but he made himself stand and listen in silence until the master strode away. "I will most certainly sleep this night." He spoke only to himself, but he was sure the SunnMonk knew exactly what he was thinking at the time.

Stretches before falling asleep helped greatly with the pain of waking, but there were still small aches to be felt. A final set of stretches were done before the boy made his way to the courtyard.

OOC I continued calling him Kimsan in this post, as you had with previous posts because I was unsure of whether you intended a slight name change or not