Chapter 20
Luckily I was able to keep the forms straight. I found an unexpected sense of balance to the entire routine. I found myself pushing harder then I did with anything else. My favorite instructor was, strangely enough Sy` Kahn. I tried to call him Sir one day and still regret it. He beat me so thoroughly that I had to miss the rest of the day and most of the next. He said the next time I insulted him by calling him a title given to the ‘lesser species,’ as he called us, he would make sure I did not get back up.
It took me a week to learn how to regain enough respect in his eyes for him to start teaching me again. After trying to apologize and feeling like I was just insulting him further, I decided that I would look him in the eye and show him just as much arrogance as he showed me. I treated him as if he were insignificant, which was rather hard to do when I had to look up to look down on him. He found it amusing and started teaching me again.
I did everything I could to learn about the Order and Sy` Kahn’s culture so that I would be ready when I arrived at the Order. Sy` Kahn was fascinating to me. I could tell that the energy I felt rolling off of him was only what he didn’t have shields strong enough to contain. I had the feeling that if he wanted to take out my city all he would have to do is drop all of his shields.
Most of his lessons were about not just knowing the forms, but letting myself feel them. At first I didn’t understand what he meant. I knew all of the steps of the forms, at least all of the ones for the Inokahn, but I couldn’t figure it out. He finally got fed up with repeating him self so he had me spar with him.
He did a series of steps then looked at me, “Form and steps.”
“Third Form sixth through ninth steps Sy` Kahn.”
“Good. I am going to do them again, only this time I am going to strike you unless you counter with ninth Form fifth, ninth, and third steps.”
I reviewed the steps in my head and picked myself off of the ground. I hadn’t even realized he had moved yet. I glared at him and he laughed, “I even told you how to counter it. That is why I say you must let yourself feel the Forms.”
I stood ready, “Again.”
He smiled, “Good. You have teeth after all.”
He moved and I just managed to counter. He nodded, “This time I want you to watch my body. See my foot work, the way I shift my weight, the way I move my head, and how I hold my hands to identify the steps and Form at a glance, then counter. We will work on this until you learn to feel the Form.”
It was harder them it seemed at first. My biggest motivation was to not get hit. Every time he landed a hit he would laugh and it would take me a few minutes to stand back up. I set a goal to be able to feel the Forms for all of the Elements by my birthday. I made the Forms the first thing I did when I woke up and the last thing I did before I went to bed. I noticed a vast improvement in my Forms by doing this. I finally got to know the other Elements as well as I knew the Inokahn Forms.
One day I decided to try meditating while going through the Forms. I didn’t let myself sink all the way into meditation, just enough to feel the energy. I started with the first Form of the Ashentok and moved as if I were dancing rather then fighting. I felt the Earth energy separate from the rest of my energy and flow with me as I did the steps. I noticed that when I did it this way the last step of each Form pushed the energy from the last Form to a specific place and flowed into the next.
I continued on through the Forms of the Ashentok until I took the last step and pushed the energy down around me. I brought myself out of meditation and looked around. I was standing in the center of the symbol for Ashen. I reached out with my energy to the edged of the Rune and brought it in until it was only just below me. I then raised it up and pushed it to the wall in front of me and tied it there with Earth energy.
I noticed that it glowed a deep green color then started on the Forms of the Ethasian. With each set of Forms I only drew on the energy of that Element. As I danced through each one I could feel what each one invoked inside of me. Ashen gave me the sense of being firm on the ground and steady with my energy. Ethas gave me insight to myself and a better understanding of what I had become and glowed a deep golden color.
Inok took me through joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain. I began to understand how we were able to mold our bodies. Each Form whispered to me the secrets of the flames. I finally knew what it was to feel the Form. When I finished the Forms of the Inokahn I held the Rune of Inok just a bit longer then the others then sent it to the wall. It burned a deep red.
I continued to dance through the others and learned what each Rune was. Ociana glowed a deep blue and taught me how to balance the emotions sparked by Inok as well as how to balance my energy within myself. Usina taught me how to have peace within while I felt chaos around me. It also taught me how to see things for what they were rather then what they wanted to be and glowed a beautiful silver. Yenia took me through my life from where it began to the end and not just my physical life. It showed me when I really started to live rather then just go through existence. It taught me how to balance my past against my future and guide myself down the paths I needed to go. I finished it and pushed it to the wall where it glowed a deep black.
I could feel each element flowing together but separate for the first time in my life. I decided to continue and did the Thirteen Forms of the Kier in the same way that I had done the Elements. When I was done with that I brought the other six Runes together and laid them over the Circle created by the Thirteen Runes. I felt the energy flash and burn into my being. I pulled the energy in and brought it in front of me.
I found myself looking at an image of a crescent moon surrounding a banded planet with a dragon skull set in the planet. That was encompassed by a Circle woven from all six elements and the raw energy that had created the rune cloth. I felt six others that seemed familiar embrace each of the six elements. A claymore was formed by Ashen and slid into the top of the moon, through the planet, and out the bottom of the moon.
A scimitar of Ethos and one of Inok were formed and crossed under the claymore followed by a punching dagger of Ociana and Usina that were crossed then set above the moon to crown it. The words ‘By the Blade we Live. By the Blade we Die. Until we all come Home.’ were written by Yenia and set to either side of the moon and just below the scimitars.
By this time I was struggling to hold the entire thing together. I felt all six of the others push the symbol toward me so I pulled it in. I felt it burn into my core and become a part of who and what I was. I dropped to my knees to catch my breath and steady myself then looked at my right arm. Sitting on my wrist was the symbol of the Order of Saleen.
I looked up and saw my instructors standing in front of me dressed in the color of the Element they taught me. Anna Marie stepped forward and said, “Stand, Yarianna Nicole De` Ekar. Knight of the Thirteenth Order of the Order of Saleen. Stand and be welcome as a Knight.”
I slowly stood up and stepped forward. Ja` Sair stepped forward and strapped sheathes on me that were woven with the element of Time. There was a back sheath for a claymore. That went over my shoulder and hooked to a belt that had sheaths for twin scimitars and twin punching daggers. As soon as they were set he slapped me hard enough to put me back on my knees.
I stood back up and received a punching dagger made with Spirit and Water from Amy and Anna De` Cain. They each slapped me hard enough to put me to my knees. Sy` Khan and Anna Marie were next with the scimitars made by Fire and Air followed by slaps that put me on my knees. I stood back up and Lady Ca` Fain stepped forward with a claymore made of Earth.
She walked around me then gently slid the blade in its sheath then slapped me even harder then the others.. She stood in front of me, “This day you have become a Knight. This day you have been made to kneel after receiving your gifts of Knighthood. This day I ask that you kneel on your own and pledge yourself to the Oath of the Order of Saleen.”
I was still on my knees so I said, “By the Blade I Live. By the Blade I Die. Until we all come Home.”
She smiled and offered her hand to help me up. I stood and while still gripping my forearm she said, “By my Honor I raise this Knight. Are there any who dispute?” After a moment of silence she continued, “By my Honor it is done.”
I pulled each blade and the sheaths into my mark and looked at Anna Marie, “Have I passed the basics to your satisfaction Ma’am?”
She nodded, “Yes you have.”
“Good, but I’m not done yet. There is still something I would like to do before you send the instructors back to the Order.”
“Very well. What is it you would like to do?”
I looked at Sy` Khan and gave a half bow of respect then said, “Sy` Khan Dr` Agon. Will you Dance the Forms of the Inokahn with me?”
He looked at me and laughed. He stepped forward and returned the bow, “I would be honored to Dance the Forms of the Inokahn with you this day.”
We took our places in the center of the room and the rest of the instructors walked to the edges of the room. They layered the strongest shields they could and nodded saying they were ready for us to begin.
I went into my half meditation and called in Inok then stood ready with flames playing at the end of my fingers. Sy` Khan took a ready stance and with his natural flames running along his body. He grinned and attacked. I let the flames whisper to me and was able to block and counter his attack.
Block, counter, dodge, attack, counter, fall back, rush forward. High kicks, low strikes, fists, feet, body, head. We danced in perfect harmony, neither one of us able to gain any ground with the other. He stepped up his effort and I followed suit. The only sounds in the room were the sounds of strikes and blocks with the pleasant roar of flames drug through the air.
We continued our dance until we both were starting to get a bit slower. It pissed us both off that the other slowed down so we started using the flame itself to fight with. He was larger and stronger, but I was able to get inside of his reach, being smaller and faster. He finally knocked me back a ways then launched a blast of Dragon’s Fire at me. I rushed toward it and became one with my inner Fire. I let the blast enter me and pulled enough from it to rejuvenate me then let the rest pass the rest of the way through me. I felt something inside shift when I drew on his energy. It was like the Fire I had been using was asleep and suddenly awoke. I saw a slight spark of surprise cross his face when I grinned at him with eyes the color of molten rock and landed a flying punch laced with the new energy of Inok to his jaw.
The blow knocked him back a few feet and we stood facing each other. He rubbed his jaw then started laughing. He grinned and said, “Finally, someone worth Dancing with. You play things may want to double your shields now. This is going to get fun.”
He was right. It did get fun. Every blast we threw at each other sent the other one flying. It still turned out that neither one of us was able to get the advantage over the other, but several hits connected on both sides. It would have hurt more if we both weren’t using Fire to fight with, but as we were only using the Forms of the Inokahn we were able to use the energy used against us to heal ourselves.
I don’t even know how long it lasted. We finally had to stop when Ja` Sair sent the thought, “I hate to cut this short, but if you hit the shields too much harder that are going to fail and your city will turn to dust.”
I stepped back and smiled at Sy` Khan, “I have enjoyed this dance and look forward to the next one. Perhaps when we are in a place that the shields won’t fail so readily.”
He nodded and smiled, “Well done, child. It has been a long time since the last time I was struck and the one striking was able to continue for so long. Next time we Dance I will remember to hit you with something a bit more solid the first time so that it doesn’t pass through your meager frame.”
I grinned at him, “And I will have to hit you harder the first time so as to stop you laughter.”
He chuckled some more, “It is good you finally you feel the Forms as they were meant to be Danced. I will enjoy the day we meet on less friendly terms.”
“As shall I. Good day, Sy` Khan.”
“Good day, Yarianna.”
He stepped into the flames that were still burning on the shields and vanished. The shields lowered and Anna Marie walked up to me with Lady Ca` Fain. Lady Ca` Fain looked me up and down then looked at Anna Marie, “How is it that you find one of the few Kier who can still Dance with the Children of Dr` Agon?”
Anna Marie shook her head, “If I knew I would search more. Truly this is a good day.”
“Truly.” Lady Ca` Fain turned toward me, “I shall look forward to seeing you soon within the halls of the Order.”
I gave her a nod of respect, “I look forward to walking those halls, Lady Ca` Fain.”
She nodded then left with the De` Cain twins. I looked at Anna Marie and Ja` Sair, “So my birthday is tomorrow. I think I could really use some time to relax. Would the two of you like to join me tomorrow evening?”
Anna Marie smiled, “I wasn’t sure if you would want me there. I would be happy to join you. I have to get back to work now though. You made me proud today.”
I pulled her into a hug and laughed at the look of surprise on her face. She walked out of the room and I was left with Ja` Sair. He seemed slightly lost, as if he was torn between pride and longing.
He looked me up and down then sighed, “I suppose there isn’t really a way to get your pupils back to being black is there?”
I gave him a curious look, “They aren’t black?”
He shook his head, “No. They look a lot like Sy` Kahn’s eyes.”
“Huh. I guess drawing on his Dragon’s Fire wasn’t the brightest idea I ever had.”
“You were able to draw on his energy when it passed through you? The fact that it passed through you at all is something, but drawing on it? That’s unheard of.”
“Leave it to me to stumble on a way of doing the impossible.”
“You do seem to have a habit of doing that.”
We stood in silence for a few minuets. Neither one of us really seemed to know what to do. We tried to make small talk but the conversation kept dieing before it got started. Finally I sighed and walked up to him.
I wrapped my arms around him and said, “Thank you for teaching me, Dad.”
He slowly put his arms around me and whispered, “Your welcome.”
