[The Sunn Monastery] Arc of the Waterfall Palm (Artemis Asmadi)

[Zen]

Training: Basic Ataa

16 Immanis, Winter, Era I, PF XV

The directions rather simple. Follow the beaten path to the right after the courtyard, then down 2 short flights of stairs, a minutes walk to the left along the herb garden, then down past the storage shed, then a right turn to the vegetable patch, then straight ahead until the back Gardens.

After leaving Lileth and following her directions, it took Artemis a good Candlemark to find the destination. However, it did give him the opportunity to revel in the simple elegance of monastery life, as he wandered past the quiet peaceful community - lost.

When he arrived at the back gardens, he would find a monk, bald except for a long white beard flowing down his chin - as if the sheer length would make up for lost hair elsewhere. The monk sat cross-legged, eyes closed in apparent deep meditation. A faint hum could be heard emitting from his throat. Clothed in customary saffron robes, he looked the picture of a Zen Master in deep meditation.

It was left to Artemis to approach his new Master-to-be in what ever manner he deemed appropriate.

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis was beginning to think that he would never find Sunnfather Lifang, but he was patient for he was rather enjoying the stroll through the beautiful monastery.

Reaching the back gardens he finally spotted a monk who appeared to be Lifang, but he was in deep meditation. Artemis almost cursed out loud, but instead kept quiet. There was no telling how long the monk would stay in his meditative state. Artemis was anxious to get to learn Ataa and it had already taken him a lengthy time to get here from Zinn'sunn. But he decided that he couldn't just disturb him from his meditation, he didn't want to upset the man who's choice it was to train him or not.

Begrudgingly, Artemis sat cross-legged directly across from the monk not five feet away. He was careful not to make a sound when he pulled his guitar from his back and set it on the ground next to him. Artemis put his hands on his knees and waited.

[Zen]

As the Sun above soared far away towards it Zenith, Artemis Asmadi - guitarist extraordinaire and Ataami-in-training - was left sitting in the backyard in apparent devotion, awaiting upon his Master's instructions. Even as he begrudgingly placed his guitar down on the ground, he would look up and see no sign of the Master seated in front of him. How odd. Even the faintly annoying humming had stopped.

"Torek's guidance be upon you - Lileth sent you, did she? Gather your things for we move to another place more to my liking. And what would your name be?"

He awaited Artemis' compliance, his face a mask of composure and unending patience. The Mask of a Zinn'Sunn Master.

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis didn't have to wait long. Artemis' brow twitched at the words the Zinn'Sunn Master, Torek's guidance be upon you. Even though Artemis had a rather normal kemite upbringing, he himself was not a kemite. So he had never felt like he belonged in the society, and had always felt unwanted. He especially held a large disdain for the religious practices held in and around Zinn'Sunn. He had not been exposed to other deities or religions, but he was sure he would dislike them just the same.

Trying not to scowl at the words, Artemis answered as he rose and slung his guitar across his back. "My name is Artemis."

[Zen]

The fluid sound of flowing water thundered in Artemis' ears. For a moment, he was overcome by giddy sensations of being engulfed in an oncoming avalanche of crashing waves invisible to the eye.

As he opened his eyes and the residual confusion cleared from his mind, he would see the upright form of the Zinn'Sunn Master Monk staring back at him, his piercing blue eyes searching the young penitent's very secrets and soul.

"Very well, Artemis. We have a long brightening ahead of us, follow."

Brusque and to the point, the old Zinn'Sunn Monk had long learned how to get to the point, and disregard small talk.

He didn't wait long for the young man to prepare himself for the long journey ahead. With a saffron sac slung over his shoulder, the elderly monk lead the way speedily out of the monastery via a hidden beaten track. As the vines masking the pathway whipped at their faces, the elderly monk turned to the younger man, prying out more information about his new pupil.

"Where are you from, Artemis? Why do you wish to learn the form of Ataa?"

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis didn't like the sound of having a long brightening ahead of him, but he showed no protest as followed the old monk. Artemis was holding his hands in front of his face trying to protect it from the barrage of vine stems, when the monk turned to him, "Where are you from, Artemis? Why do you wish to learn the form of Ataa?" Artemis mulled over the question for a short time replying, "I've lived my whole life in the city of Zinn'Sunn, although obviously, I'm not a Kemite." (Artemis' blond hair was a testament to this.) "As for why i wish to learn Ataa, well....that's a bit harder to answer. I suppose it's because as of now, i lack direction in my life. I don't know what it is i am supposed to do. I think maybe studying Ataa could help me in this." Artemis brightened, "Plus, I heard it could be used as a dance. Or is at least similar to dancing. I'm very fond of dancing and music."

[Zen]

As the pair continued on the beaten track, they could hear something in the distance. A constant rushing sound that continued to grow louder and louder as they approached. As they drew near the source of the sound, it crescendoed into a thunderous roar; as the foliage finally parted before the two, they could see the waterfall that roared its greetings.

"Serale, friend. I come with a new student. Please be nice to him." The Zen Master seemed to talk to the waterfall as if it were alive. The waterfall only roared back in its usual manner. The roaring water collected into a river that drained outwards past the road of foliage lining its banks. At the bottom of the waterfall, a row of rocks elevated above the water level awaited to be seated upon.

Without a word to his pupil, the Zen Master leaped upon a rock under the waterfall in a single fluid motion. The heavy stream of water roared towards him, and parted as it reached his head. Serene in a cross-legged position, the Master beckoned to his student to follow.

"Here, we train. Prepare to get wet."

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis thought it strange that the Zen Master would speak to the waterfall. Artemis was very spiritually open-minded, but not so much as to talk to waterfalls. For a second, he half expected the waterfall to answer back, but the only thing he heard was the continuous rush of water.

He awed at the subtle grace displayed by the monk as he easily leaped upon a rock underneath the waterfall. Zen Master indeed. "Here, we train. Prepare to get wet."

Artemis didn't think we would start the training immediately, he thought at the earliest he would start the next day. Eager to begin, he hastily removed his guitar, shirt, and footwear. Then he waded into the water, he climbed up one of the rocks, and seated himself in a similar manner. The water wasted no time in drenching him as he waited for the next instruction.

[Zen]

The Monk eyed the youth before him.

"You say you study Ataa to gain a new purpose to your life? Many people in this world believe that we are all born with a destiny. A design set before our birth into this world that determines the course of our actions; Fate if you will.

But regardless of whether this is true or not, unless you have ways of peering into the future, it is best to just go with the flow of the present. That is the philosophy of the Ataa way, fluidity of time and matter is everchanging and fleeting."

He paused, and looked at his student, wondering if he understood the rhetoric he was expounding. Not that it mattered much if one merely wished to learn Ataa, but it was a way of life for the Monks of Zinn'Sunn. Some say, the philosophy was the source of their superhuman athleticisms.

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis listened intently. It was the first time the monk had spoken more than a single sentence. When the monk paused and looked at him, he felt as if he should speak.

"I don't believe fate. I'm actually as strongly opposed to the notion as anyone could be. I believe in free will. Only through your choices will you live your life and become what you are. Not through some preordained fate. What is the point of living if all there is is fate? If Ataa is centered at all around fate, then i would have to take my leave now and not waste my time here." Artemis then realized how strongly he was speaking. He was embarrassed by how easily his temper was set off just by the monk mentioning fate. The monk wasn't trying to make him believe in fate, he was just using it as an example to help him find a direction in life, the reason he came to study Ataa.

Artemis looked away, "I'm sorry, i didn't mean to be so rude." He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he merely just kept staring into the water, waiting for whatever the monks response would be.

[Zen]

Ah, youth. The period of recklessness and vigour. The Master knew it well - he was once like that himself, Ordinances ago. He could not fault the young man for his behaviour, for who was to deny the natural course of life. He merely nodded and smiled warmly.

"No, don't be sorry. Growing up, it is good for you to develop your beliefs and own thoughts. I guess I shouldn't dwell too heavily into the philosophical aspects."

The waterfall cascaded down the Monk's shoulders, splitting at his bald head into a veil of water on either side, before continuing down its course to merge into the pool beneath.

"I can imagine why you would think Ataa is a combination of dance and fighting. But, with me, I will explain it perhaps a bit differently, as I know how best to explain. Think of Ataa as the embodiment of flowing water - able to deflect, and absorb attacks. It is a defensive art, unlike many other martial arts."

He stood up, and motioned his student to do likewise. "By the end of these series of training, I expect you to be able to neutralise your opponent's attacking abiliities. Let's begin.

We'll begin with a basic stance: The Floating Rock."

It was an elaborate name, for a simple stance. The Master assumed The Floating Rock stance, for his pupil to emulate. He stood with both feet a shoulder-width apart, his whole body relaxed, calm.

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis was grateful that the monk was so kind and forgiving. He had held the notion that his master would be harsh and unforgiving and work him to the bone. But this master was much different. Although he was still assured that he wouldn't breeze through training.

Artemis listened with apt attention as the monk began to describe the actual art of Ataa. The description of it being like water and a defensive flowing type of combat is what Artemis had heard in vague descriptions of the martial art before coming to the monastery. He was glad to hear it. It was what he came here for.

He watched the monk rise into the floating rock position. It was a very basic stance but he figured it was best to start with the basics. Artemis rose with care not wanting to slip off the wet rock, and moved his feet shoulder-width apart. He looked over to his new master and made sure he was doing right.

[Zen]

Being unaccustomed to standing or even walking on a slippery rock, with running water over and around them, it was really no surprise that Artemis lost balance as his feet over-reached and slipped over the edge. The push of the cascading waterfall helped push the young man over the edge, into the pool waiting below.

The Monk barked a laugh. A quick glance at his pupil reassured him that no serious damage was done.

"Let's try that again. This time, be careful. Remember, we are after all practising on a slippery surface with no room to make mistakes. It's difficult, but it will help you greatly with your balance and grip - once you get used to it."

The Monk beckoned the drenched topless man to clamber onto the rock again and have another go at The Floating Rock.

[Artemis Asmadi]

Artemis surfaced, sputtering for air and coughing. He didn't appreciate the monk's short laughter, and shot him a disgruntled look, but he would've done the same in the monk's position. He was disappointed in himself that he wasn't able to do such a simple maneuver on the slippery rock.

Artemis nodded to the monk's words, and climbed upon the rock. This time with much more care, and his full concentration, he rose and assumed the Floating Rock position.

[Zen]

Artemis' second attempt at The Floating Rock was executed successfully. Paying attention to the slippery quality of the rock he stood on, and the grip of his legs, he was able to maintain balance despite the flow of water that sought to interrupt his concentration.

"Not bad. Your feet are a bit too wide apart, and relax your body! You have to relax your body more."

Seeing that his pupil had grasped the concept of The Floating Rock, he would move onto the next stance.

"We'll practise the Floating Rock later. We'll move onto the next stance; The Flowing Rock."

With that, he assumed a stance similar to The Floating Rock, except this time he extended one drenched leg in front. His upper body bent slightly forwards. It wasn't much harder than The Floating Rock, except in this case, the issue of balance was along a different axis.