A Daily Occurrence (Chyril 27th, MT)

[Ly Binh Hue]

After the ceremony of the greeting of the sun, Hue had found herself a private, unused room to practice her martial arts in. Between leaps, kicks, and punches to unseen opponents, she had carefully considered Phu's words.

Do not rely solely on your teachers.

Her right leg pushed her weight upward, left leg lifting slightly as the right shot out and kicked upward, her left foot catching her falling weight as she did so. A teacher had taught her that.

Do not be a stranger to the world.

Her frame dropped, her right fist punching forward as her left pulled back to her side. Each action had a reaction and a counterbalance. Hue lived her life that way, but it did not fully occur to her that all things lived this way.

Accustomed as she was to doing and being exactly what she had been warned against, Hue had been left feeling somewhat unsettled. Unsettling Hue was a very difficult thing to do, and it was even more difficult for Hue to be unsettled. The whole mess had left her tense and discontent, so she had spent many burns releasing that negative energy.

It was only after Hue felt calmer and more able to listen that she left the room and made her way to the Pagoda of Harmony, just over half a mark after the ceremony. She hoped Phu would still be waiting for her and had not assumed she'd taken his advice to heart concerning their meetings.

[Maeve]

The Pagoda of Harmony was a large square tower that stood out in the middle of the monastery with its multiple red roofs, each floor a little smaller than the next until finally a thin pillar reached up to the skies, supporting a large bell. It was this bell that called the Sojen to attention during important ceremonies or festivals.

Inside in the lower hall the four elements Fire, Earth, Air and Water each had their own shrine, each its own wall, forming the perfect square, while in the middle the four were symbolically combined to form harmony. In front of the shrines were countless little statues that visitors had left, representations of Kami. Some burned candles or incense, giving the air a heady scent.

The higher floors were reserved for the Weigh Heigh who performed their dedications to Harmony within.

After she had braved the stairs it was not Phu who awaited her at the Pagoda. A woman awaited her, sitting on the floor in meditating stance. A little stick with incense was circle into the air in front of her. The woman had facial tatoos like the ancient adhiel were sporting. Her hair was grey and curly, running down her back, held back with a few tiny braids to keep it from her face, but not bound in a large braid as most Sojen tended to do.

[Ly Binh Hue]

Hue climbed the stairs slowly and thoughtfully, her movements careful and measured. Maximum effect with minimum movement. Of course, in harmony, movement and stillness were the same. But it was not this which Hue considered on her way up.

Long Minh An had said something unusual at the greeting of the sun that morning. She had spoken of change -- it wasn't a warning, merely a statement. Hue wondered what sort of change was coming, as she glanced back toward the ocean. The storm had passed, but had it been a herald? She felt a bit troubled, but put this out of her mind when she neared her goal.

It was not Phu that she laid eyes on, however. It was someone entirely different, though she knew not her name. Her dark eyes passed over the woman's tattoos, then her hair, and she noted almost immediately the absence of the singular braid most Sojen were inclined to wear. It made her more aware of her own, resting gently near the curve of her spine, reaching down easily past her waist. Hue paused at first, not sure how to react. Where was Phu? And who was this? It comes on the wind, An's voice echoed in her ears.

Almost instinctively Hue brought her hands to fold at her chest as she bent at the waist, giving a deep bow of respect to the woman. Her braid fell over her shoulder as she did this, and Hue sent it back to its rightful place with a gentle toss of her head when she stood again.

[Maeve]

"Welcome Hue," she spoke, her Noi Long strangely accented, as if she had spent most of her time abroad, which in Eastern Empire society was a thing unheard of, even for the ancient adhiel "Phu told me you have a desire to learn and An asked me to take a few students now that I am back home.

She paused, looking at the girl, before smiling and offering an introduction "My name is Rioja de Valdepenas and I know about courts beyond our borders. Will you be willing to submit yourself to the unknown?"

[Ly Binh Hue]

Hue's features remained passive as the woman spoke in strangely accented Noi Long. Inwardly, however, Hue was curious. It was terribly unusual for anyone to speak with an accent. in fact, Hue had never heard someone talk in this way. Who was this strange woman, and where had she come from?

Her mention of Phu eased Hue slightly. If he had spoken of her, perhaps he had left and wished Hue to learn from this woman instead -- rather than thinking she had deserted their daily lessons. But Phu had almost been more like a friend to her, and Hue felt a slight pang of regret. Quickly she brushed it aside; there was no use worrying herself about it now. She would speak with him later. Perhaps he could answer some of her new questions about this lady.

"My name is Rioja de Valdepenas and I know about courts beyond our borders." This news was so surprising that Hue absolutely could not keep her eyebrows from raising. That explained her strange accent. Naturally Hue knew that other lands existed outside of their empire, but she knew nothing of them. And why should she? The empire had no dealings with the outside world. There were no foreigners in Long Danh, no customs but their own. Their policy was not one that welcomed others. That was simply how it was.

"Will you submit yourself to the unknown?" Schooling her face back into its normal peaceful appearance, Hue then smiled softly, bowing slightly again -- this one simply polite, perhaps apologetic. "Chaoo, I am Ly Binh Hue." Here a slight hesitation. She wasn't sure how to address the woman, with such a strange name. "Toai xin loai, Bao Em.* I have recently chosen to join the ranks of the Weigh Heigh. I do nothing without careful consideration."

Well, that was honest enough. But Hue couldn't very well just be expected to accept an offer just like that. She was far too careful, and she thought far too much, to simply give in to her curiosity -- however great it was. She wanted to ask the woman a few questions, but Hue carefully bit her tongue, keeping her palms pressed together at her chest; it was something she often did in the presence of unfamiliar people.

*I beg pardon, respected lady.

[Maeve]

"Chaoo, Ly Binh Hue Em, " the older lady nodded, waiting for the young one's words.

"A wise person always does," Rioja commented drily upon the answer that was no answer. The girl was trained well, yet all that she had learned now needed to be unlearned. Teachers required answers, not avoidance.

"There are many levels of the unknown. There is ancient lore that even our own people have forgotten. There is the stories of foreign shores that bring new insights. Above all there is truth itself. From here on, Hue Em, you will learn, and the more you know, the more you will realize what you do not know. Studying harmony is studying truth, seeing what is all encompassing, what is the deeper meaning of it all. You will need an open mind and let go of old assumptions that close your eyes to truth. Only this will lead you to enlightenment and true harmony."

There was a significant pause and Rioja looked frankly at the young girl "I will teach you to call upon the Kami, upon all Kami, not just those of the Ly family. I will even teach you how you can call upon your very own kami, your soul. Yet to do so you must embrace the unknown and leave the comfort and safety of what you have learned previously. Are you willing to do so Hue Em?"

[Ly Binh Hue]

Hue considered Rioja's words carefully, her gaze roaming to the side to seek some natural view, her features passive. She took in their meaning like breath, allowing them to roll over her like gentle waves. Rioja spoke of truth, and of harmony. These mattered greatly to her; she sought them in all aspects of her life. Opening her mind..this confused Hue. Perhaps through naivety, she had already thought her mind was very much open, as well as her eyes. Yet this woman spoke as if she were utterly clueless, as if there was much more she did not know -- And not just about the world, but about learning itself. Hue was intrigued.

For a few long flickers Hue remained silent, her breath the only thing that stirred her otherwise motionless frame. She was listening, praying, focusing on the Kami as best she could through her simple training on the matter. She was asking for guidance, listening to the stirring in her heart, in her very being. It sounded as if this woman wished to take her away from the palace -- and yet she had just arrived, after spending much of her life preparing for said arrival. Would this woman truly be able to teach her more than that which she could learn within the monastery? How could one teacher offer more than so many others combined?

And she would have to rely on this woman to teach her if she accepted. Phu had warned her against relying too heavily on her teachers. But he had also spoken of going out into the world. Just barely, Hue's eyes widened slightly. Did he know?

Well, she couldn't just accept without asking questions. At the same time, she had learned long ago to quiet herself and ask only the most important questions -- the deeper questions, which would help her to answer the others without having to ask them. After considering her words, Hue turned her gaze back to Rioja.

"I am willing to take the path the Kami wish me to take. Will you tell me why you guide me toward this one, Bao Em?"

[Maeve]

Rioja smiled "I sense many questions in you child and you are.. afraid." She tilted her head, almost as if listening, half closing her eyes "Yes, you find your world to be in balance. Remember your lessons. Put your feet on the ground firmly, standing with knees lightly lowered. You will fee the energy of the earth flow better and it will reduce your fear." She opened her eyes, looking upon the lady frankly "Am I right?"

"You wish to become part of Weigh Hei. For that you need wisdom and that is only gained by listening to one self. Our elderly sister asked me to guide you, solely because my thought patterns are fresh, my view different from the traditional. She hopes I train a new generation of Sojen so that we might be better prepared for any changes we face. Does this offend you Hue?"

The elderly lady shrugged "We can reassign you to somebody else. Somebody safe. There is no shame in admitting it."

[Ly Binh Hue]

Hue did not bend her knees or seek the energy of the earth as Rioja reminded her how to do so, for the woman was suggesting it to calm fears -- and Hue did not feel fearful. She did not want to give Rioja the impression that she was feeling something she wasn't, for that would be a deception.

She was a bit surprised at the way Rioja shrugged her questions off. Could this woman not understand how Hue was thinking? Or did she simply not care? Her flippant attitude suggested the latter, and Hue was surprised at this. Was this how the Western world had taught her to think? Or was she simply trying to get a rise out of Hue, to coax her into accepting by calling her fearful? Well, that wasn't going to work either.

Hue's words were firm and self-assured, though still carefully respectful, when she spoke again.

"I believe you are wrong. I do not understand why you feel it would offend me, but it does not, and if you wish only to answer my questions by telling me I ask them out of fear, Respected Lady, then I certainly do not wish to learn from you. I ask questions to find knowledge, so that I might not be ignorant in my decision. If you would prefer a student who does not have a mind, I shall not argue."

She expected to be dismissed, after this, but Hue refused to put her future into the hands of a woman who would misuse or otherwise impair it, and Rioja certainly wasn't doing a good job of convincing Hue otherwise. Yet despite the fact that she should be irritated, Hue was still calm and peaceful, no hint of resentment in her dark eyes.

[Maeve]

OOC: I am going to summarize this. I would like you to write a summary in return what your understanding is and how you would personally approach this since using magick is different for everybody. On the basis of this I will skill and you can use this as a basis for your Recess write up.

IC: Yet Rioja only smiled, as if the little bit of fire her student showed was exactly what she had been looking for. She nodded with out words. "Let us begin. Hue Em."

Today's lesson was one of awareness. She had known of course, of the Kami, it was the cornerstone of their religion. However the ceremony which they performed together felt different. Instead of mindlessly going through the motions this time the air around her took on a new vibrancy. "We are calling on the air Kami today," Rioja whispered "They are fickly and flighty yet they are everywhere, even in the most difficult of places.

"Now breath in, breath out. I want you to find an inner core in yourself, center all your life's energy in that core, your understanding of self. Make sure it is balanced and in harmony. Now, once you have found that core I want you to imagine extending it to the ground below you and the air above you, to water, to fire. All elements that together make harmony. Visualize Hue Em, visualize and will it to come true." There was the gentlest touch in her mind, aiding along her understanding, showing a path forward.

"Now open your eyes and look at the world anew, concentrate on seeing air. Understand that is not nothing that you look at. You are looking at your ancestors.. at the Kami of Air, writhing around like clouds or vague shapes in the air. Concentrate hard and you might detect their faces."

In the days that followed Hue was made to do this again and again and again, till she had it down to perfection. Only then was she allowed to the next step.

[Ly Binh Hue]

When most would have been shocked at the simple acceptance of such an argument, Hue did not hesitate at all when Rioja changed the subject entirely and began a lesson. Learning was what she had come here to do, and Hue was perfectly willing to listen to the woman, despite their apparent differences. Rioja was still a good teacher, and an honored one at that.

The ceremony was not one that was unfamiliar to her, but that day Hue felt something different. The air felt thicker, more alive somehow. Hue nodded gently at Rioja's words, carefully noting a key point. Air Kami are everywhere. A gentle nod was given, as well as a silent prayer to her ancestors for their aid. Please guide me as you will.

Standing perfectly upright, Hue placed her hands, palms together, in front of her chest. It was that spot she concentrated on -- the spot where she felt her strongest emotions, when she could not keep them under control. It had been a long time, but she still remembered that feeling. Her eyes closed, and first she ignored the world around her, breathing deeply. She imagined her energy moving up and down her spine as she did so, and continued until she could almost feel it physically shifting with her breath. Then she pulled it inward, to that core, concentrating and willing it to grow. Only then did she push it outward, visualizing it. First it fell to her feet, then rushed out like a flood, rolling across the floor in gentle waves and continuing outward, upward, in all four directions and toward all four elements, much like the stone garden.

All of this took her some time; it was only her first attempt. Yet she felt as if she were being guided, gently led toward the correct path. Once she believed herself to be in harmony, Hue slowly opened her eyes, their inky depths gazing through only half-opened lids at the world around her. She sought the Kami, willed and asked herself to see them. It is not just nothing. It is my ancestors. Air Kami are everywhere...

Hue used this same method each day, in the hopes that custom and familiarity would begin to aid her in quickening the process. Even when alone in her small apartment she practiced, sometimes replacing her morning meditations with the lesson as well.

[Maeve]

Slowly Hue was getting an understanding of what it entailed to see beyond the Tether. The lesson had included centering and grounding, becoming aware of the Aether which is the plane the Kami, those ellusive forefathers gone elemental, were residing.

After some weeks Rioja declared "I am pleased Hue Em."

OOC: Skilled!
Your character may leave for another part of Tazlure (I hear of players going to Dragonskeep or Rogue) or you can retire this one and start another one.
A warning: you have yet to learn shielding. This is vital for your characters protection when using magick.