Chapter 11

After Zale accepted Malchi as his master he was quickly dismissed while Malchi and the Senior Abbot talked about confidential matters. A monk brought him to a new room located in the underground compound where the hot springs were located. The storm outside was in full effect so it was probably a good idea. He didn’t want the Spirit Hall to be struck by lightning and catch fire because of him. It seemed that the Senior Abbot and Malchi had made arrangements long before Zale had even accepted Malchi as his master. 

His new room was bigger than the small room which was meant for monks, but it was wet and damp because the walls weren’t created. Instead the room was dug out. Zale was reminded of the smell of wet hay after a strong rain from the community barn where he grew up. The same barn in fact that burned because of him. The monk told him that Malchi would come to see him later in the afternoon and that lunch would be brought down for him. With the weather as it was it was best for him to stay below ground.

It was strange to Zale that everything was prepared for him. His room was not hastily put together by any means. Everything seemed to have been arranged around a week ago. There were a lot of books, that from a cursory glance seemed to be about different types of martial arts different from the Imperial Family’s Ruling Fist. Serious thought had gone in to making this room for him specifically, this was not something done quickly in the last couple hours. Even a wooden training dummy was in the corner that he could use to practice his techniques.

A weird feeling emerged in Zale’s stomach. Had he just been duped? How long had Malchi been planning to make him his disciple? Two days? Three? Or had it been directly after Zale had left the tavern a little over a week ago? He didn’t appreciate being manipulated like a chess piece. If his suspicions were right the Senior Abbot was in on the whole thing as well.

He decided he wouldn’t bring it up when Malchi came to see him. Zale could tell that even if Malchi had planned ahead of time to make this disciple master relationship happen, it was not for bad reasons. When Malchi had spoken about his deceased daughter Zale could see the truth and pain in his eyes. It wasn’t something fake spewed just to manipulate him. The past was the past. By accepting Malchi as his master he had already forgiven him for being rude in the tavern. He had already looked past Malchi’s weakness.

He spent the rest of the morning practicing Ruling Fist and working up a sweat. He couldn’t get his cardio in because there was limited room in the Spirit Hall's underground cave network but he did his best by compensating with push-ups and sit ups. The week’s workouts and large meals vastly improved his body’s constitution compared to the frail sickly malnourished condition he was in when he entered Delvers Ridge. In primary school they had been taught that despite having abilities, a strong body was still important to facilitate progress. Abilities, no matter how strong could only assist the user. With no actives Zale didn’t need a master to figure out he would need to be in shape to stand a chance at all against another in real combat.

Food came at noon and shortly after Zale finished eating a knock sounded at his door.

“It’s open.”

Malchi walked in and inspected the contents of the room, picking up one of the martial arts manuals on the desk and looking it over.

“I was surprised to hear you chose to train without a weapon. It is a hard path. Every fight you enter against a someone who wields a weapon will be a fight where you are at a disadvantage due to reach, power, and lethal threat,” Malchi lectured.

Zale had never thought about the disadvantages in actual combat. He had only thought about what suited him. What he could excel at. Real world application was never part of his decision making process. That wasn’t the smartest decision he had ever made. He made a mental note to take real world application more seriously next time he had a big decision to make, however he still stood by his choice. He believed tougher roads led to greater rewards. The more he struggled now the easier things would be in his future.

“I chose to learn Ruling Fist because it felt natural to me. None of the weapons seemed to fit me.”

Malchi smiled and put the book down. “Your instincts led you on the correct path. If you wish to survive the lightning you will need more than just the pill you received for your sponsorship. You will need a strong body, a willpower that exceeds human norm, outside help, and a supportive ability. Training in most weapons forgoes training the body and focuses more on gaining insights into the particular weapon. While you may gain insights later into the way of the fist, it will not be the core of your training. To match the swiftness of a blade, the power of an axe, and the accuracy of a bow you will need to train your entire body. This will aid in your goal of surviving the lightning.”

Zale soaked it all in. Malchi was like a fountain of knowledge that only gave out water in small spurts. He had too many questions. “Master, I can train my body. I can even temper my mind. With your help I believe I can gain the required outside resources. But abilities are extremely hard to come by. Only scrolls made by an elemental master can pass an ability on. How can I get one before I even enter one of the great academies?”

How rare were Elemental Masters? Only someone who raised all abilities in a specific element were labeled Elemental Masters. So someone like Zale, who was born with the Lightning affinity and awoke to two Lightning abilities would have to acquire another two abilities of the Lighning affinity and raise all four to level ten to be considered an Elemental Master.  Maxing out an element that one wasn’t born with was less prestigious because someone can only learn one active and one passive out of the other elements. People who accomplished this would be labeled grand master of Water, Lightning, Fire, etc. Two abilities maxed in a single element were much less powerful and time consuming as four which was why the accomplishment wasn’t awarded with as much shock and awe. Many people who were born with low level abilities that were easy to level reached this level just living their lives normally. Zale’s father had maxed his active out at level ten long ago, and his passive had been at level nine for a couple years now. Given a little more time Zale was sure his father would reach the level of Grand Master of Earth.

Malchi laughed. “That is the easiest one in the whole list because you already have it. Dual Passive users are always given their abilities for a reason. You wouldn’t have been given Lightning Rod without a chance. Although Impulse Control is recorded to be hard to level it was also only trained by a normal civilian, not someone with the resources of the Spirit Hall behind them. I believe your passives are symbiotic. The only problem is figuring out how to raise Impulse Control high enough to the point it can actually help you.”

Zale had tried numerous times over the past three weeks since his awakening to self-train in the one ability he had that wasn’t trying to kill him, but he couldn’t get anything out of it. Sensing the electrical currents in his body and controlling them is what he was supposed to be able to do. So far he hadn’t been able to “sense” anything.

“I have no idea how to make use of my passive, let alone level it,” Zale said.

“Leave that to me. For now, let’s focus on your body. I heard you had a rough journey to Delvers Ridge. It seems you have mostly recovered during your time here. Strip so I can inspect your condition.”

Zale took off his clothes without any hesitation. He wasn’t modest or scared. Malchi wasn’t trying to do anything weird. He needed to see the state of Zale’s body so he could work out a proper training regimen. Malchi took one of the wooden arms from the training dummy and circled Zale.

“Spread your legs to shoulder width apart and raise your arms so they extend straight out. Hold like that as best you can.”

Zale obeyed. He waited for Malchi’s inspection to be over but the man just continued to circle.

Smack.

The wooden arm smacked the back of Zale’s calf making him bend his knees. He didn’t fall but he came close. The wooden arm came down a dozen more times on his thighs, arms, stomach and shoulders. Malchi paid extreme attention to how he responded to each strike. Through the whole thing though Zale never cried out in pain or argued to stop. He was committed to survival at all costs. He couldn’t go back in time to a period where he didn’t have abilities. He couldn’t run from lightning. He could only take it head on. This was something he had to do. Finally, Malchi put the wooden arm back into place on the wooden log.

“Your upbringing on a farm has built you a nice base to work off of. You need to work more on your upper body and leg strength. Your legs need work; they are much too weak. That stomach needs to be worked hard as well. As an empty hand fighter you will need to make use of your entire body. Nothing can be lacking. Balance between all of your muscles must be reached.”

Zale understood this point. He didn’t know he had weak areas, but in the book he had read on Ruling Fists it had stressed on multiple pages that a strong and balanced body was extremely important to displaying its true might.

“I thank you for your guidance,” Zale said.

Malchi nodded but his mind wasn’t even really focusing on it. Giving guidance to one’s disciple was expected. There was not any real need to thank him for some tips.

“Demonstrate what you have taught yourself this last week. I want to see your proficiency in Ruling Fist.”

Zale re-clothed and got into the standard stance that most of the kata and moves used. “Which kata would you like to see,” Zale asked.

“All of them,” Malchi responded.

The rest of the day Zale performed kata and demonstrated techniques. Most of the time Malchi silently watched, but occasionally he would stop Zale and correct him on something then make him repeat from the beginning until he got it right. When he finished displaying everything he had learned Malchi just made him repeat from the beginning. A good sweat was worked up as Zale repeated from the very beginning. The second time around there were only a couple errors that were pointed out by Malchi.

“Again,” Malchi said as Zale finished the second set.

Annoyed he was repeating what he already knew, Zale started the first kata a third time. He emphasized every punch, block, kick, and stance change. He was frustrated at Malchi for making him repeat the techniques and forms over and over. He was frustrated at himself for every time Malchi would stop him and correct something that he had done right previously. By the time he finished everything the third time around, the day was over and Zale was covered in sweat.

“Again.”

Zale sighed. “I’ve gone through it three times already master.”

Malchi stood up and looked at the wooden practice dummy. “In a real fight all of this needs to be instinctual. You can’t think about it.”

Malchi faced Zale and pointed his finger at Zale’s head.  “I’m aware you know the kata and how each move should be formed. The problem is that you haven’t been practicing for long enough. It all exists up there in your head instead of in your arms and legs where it should,” Malchi said as he smacked Zale’s arms to make his point.

“It isn’t your fault. You’ve only been practicing for a little over a week. Our goal is to make all of this second nature. Your reflex should be to block perfectly not to just move your arm in the general motion. That takes time and more time.”

Zale understood. He had let frustration get the better of him. He begun to do his fourth set.

“It’s late. Take a bath and meet me first thing in the martial training room. If the storm is still going on I will meet you here instead.”

Zale bowed to Malchi as he left the room. Day one of being a disciple and he could feel himself getting closer to his goals. He got a second wind and did a fourth set anyway doing his best to make sure he didn’t get sloppy with any of his moves. He wanted to survive the lightning. He wanted to be accepted into the best school. He knew a master disciple relationship worked both ways. Malchi could teach him everything but it was his job to put in the effort. Zale would put in everything he had plus extra to get what he wanted.  

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