Gregory Yates

The sun rose slowly in the guí-yué valley, casting pink and orange hues over a land hardly touched since the day of Creation itself. The chún trees cast off their white blossoms, letting them dance and spin with the morning breeze. They flew across the grassy plains, finally coming to rest in the mián-lo river that wound its way through the centre - and there they lay, floating slowly along on the water's surface.

But, all was not so serene. High up, in the leafy branches of one the chún trees, Tobiishi and his esteemed mentor Suan-Yin were just starting their daily meditation.

"Tell me of the mountain, Tobiishi," the old master said, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands.

Tobiishi smiled inwardly. He knew this one. "The mountain is strong and proud," he began, "yet aged and beaten. It takes the weight of the centuries upon its shoulders, and bears it as if it costs it nothing. The mountains have always been, and will always be, regardless of what the arrogant man may believe. Our passage of years, for them, is but a blink of the eye."

"And of the legacy they give to us?" Suan-Yin asked. He stood up as he said this, turning away from his student and brushing off his dark red wái-táo coat. He then began to stretch each of his limbs in turn, massaging the life into his weathered joints.

"Eternal," Tobiishi replied quickly. He gestured to the twin peaks in the distance, Kanjin and Fuipo, and then carried on: "We draw our strength from the mountain, master."

"Why?"

This one caught the young warrior off guard, and for a moment panic flared in his bright blue eyes. He scratched the back of his neck, turning away from the teacher and thinking desperately for an answer. "I-" Tobiishi started, stopping again as his mind failed to improvise. He glanced down in shame...

...and entirely failed to notice the bo stick whistling towards his head. It connected with a resounding crack, pitching Tobiishi off the treetop. He fell through the air, twigs and leaves whipping his skin as he went by - but just about managed to grab hold of one of the thick lower branches. He gripped hard, and brought his descent to a wrenching cease. There he hung for a few breathless seconds, before his mind caught up with the events.

"Master!" Tobiishi cried in confusion, as the small shower of dislodged blossom caught up with him. He shook the tiny petals out of his hair, and then glanced back up at Suan-Yin, who was now striding along the treetop with a certain amount of grim satisfaction in his creased brown eyes.

"You are too slow, Tobiishi," the old man began, waggling a gnarled finger at his student. "And now, you have a sore head."

"But...it wasn't fair! How could I evade the blow, if I was focused on the question?"

"Life is never fair, Tobiishi. You just need to be prepared, yes?"

Suan-Yin tossed the staff into the air, then caught it neatly in one hand. He turned to face his student. "Fight back this time, you bén-dán!" he shouted, leaping from the branch.

Tobiishi swore under his breath, swinging up onto the bough and throwing off his knapsack. He drew his own weapon, a tough, hardwood-based nunchaku crafted specially in the small town of Nujujin - but then paused, as he realised the old man had disappeared from his field of vision.

"Behind you, chong chong,"

Magic, Tobiishi thought, suddenly, whirling around and swinging the nunchaku through the air. It hit the man behind him hard, driving the air out of his lungs and sending him stumbling backwards.

"Much...better..." Suan-Yin wheezed, smiling despite it all.

Tobiishi merely retreated a step, flexing his muscles and twirling his weapon expertly. His young eyes showed a grim determination now; after the embarrassment of being caught unawares, he was ready to show Suan-Yin that he was indeed worthy, as a warrior. For the better part of these last few months, he had been subjected to rigorous training, preparation, and ritual - all in the name of becoming one of ke-guí, the officers, and inspirational leaders of the Emperor's royal army. Day after day of mile-long runs at dawn and freezing cold baths in the river had toughened him as a man, and a warrior.

And now it was time to show it.

"Jijikanja!" Tobiishi screamed, launching himself at Suan-Yin, and bringing his nunchaku down in a blurring arc. The old man ducked to the side, balancing on the very edge of the branch, and brought his staff up to block the attack. The two weapons crashed against each other with a wooden crunch, and both men felt the jarring impact as they connected. Then Suan-Yin reversed his grip, crouching and sweeping the staff at waist height. Tobiishi jumped up, grabbed a branch overhead, and swung outwards with his feet outstretched.

"Better!" Suan-Yin shouted, grabbing the man's right leg with his free hand. He wrenched hard, dragging him down and whacking him hard on the shoulder; Tobiishi swore again.

The mentor laughed. "Such language, Tobiishi!" he said, jumping backwards and landing neatly on another branch behind him, "It's lucky I'm a man of the world, yes?"

Tobiishi didn't share in Suan-Yin's laughter; instead, he threw aside his nunchaku and took a fighting stance, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. He shifted the weight to his right side and glared up at his mentor, his eyes blazing.

"Ah," the old man said, nodding slowly and releasing his grip on the staff. "Yes,"

Suan-Yin leapt down, his wispy grey hairs streaming in the wind, and landed with surprising grace, ducking a blow from Tobiishi's outstretched palm and lashing out hard with a right hook that almost broke the young warrior's jaw; then he crouched, delivering a swift sweeping kick that Tobiishi only just managed to dodge.

"You are fast!" Tobiishi cried, almost incredulously.

"Surprised, yes?" the mentor chuckled.

Suan-Yin attacked again, sensing the advantage - but this time the student blocked his hand, hammering in with his left. Suan-Yin's head snapped back, and Tobiishi drove forward, driving in with brutal punches to his chest. The old man struggled against the punishment, flailing wildly with his arms, but Tobiishi had the upper hand now; he was faster than his mentor, and stronger. He knew this, and the feeling of victory surged in his chest.

"Not surprised," Tobiishi grunted, driving his mentor back to the very end of the bough. He grabbed the old man's shirt and hoisted him up, then drew close, until their faces were just inches away. "Just angry," he spat.

He pushed forward with all his might, hurling Suan-Yin bodily from the treetop and sending him spiraling down towards the ground below. There was a breathless moment as he fell - then Tobiishi turned away, bowing his head respectfully. "You are beaten, master," he whispered. He wiped the sweat off his brow and looked up.

...and, for the second time that day, failed to avoid the bo stick, as Suan-Yin brought it down on his head. There was a dull thud, and Tobiishi pitched forward, falling into merciful unconsciousness. He heard just one last thing as his vision turned to dark:

"Surprised, yes?"

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