Taught by a Master

“To master the spirits, Tylun,” the Broken explained, “you must welcome them as part of you. Let them flow through you, and move with them as they flow.”

Tylun stood on the surface of the lake’s tranquil waters. His teacher stood only a few paces away. He could feel the water spirits of the lake supporting him, holding him up instead of pulling him under. It was like a soothing tingle in his hooves. He reflected on the feeling a moment, then looked back to the Broken as his teacher continued.

“The water spirits, more than any others, are like this,” the Broken explained, “They flow naturally, constantly. If you flow with them, they will treat you as one of their own.” As the Broken spoke, he began moving. He set his hooves on top of the water and raised his hands. Then, he began to move. He swung his arms together, moving slowly, deliberately around himself in a large circle. The water responded immediately, gushing up from the lake and following the Broken’s movement. To Tylun, the scene looked like a dance between his teacher and the lake. The Broken moved like the water, shifting his arms and his weight as if flowing through the air, and the water answered every motion.

“If you do not flow with them,” the Broken spoke again after a moment, continuing his elaborate dance with the water spirits, “then they will flow around you and leave you behind.” He stopped moving abruptly and the water flowing around him stopped just as suddenly, falling back into the lake with a splash. When the noise faded, the Broken continued. “If you try to move against them, they will throw you down and trample you. Many times, your opponents will not know how to move with the water and will try to stand against it. By flowing with the water spirits, you can uproot even the most stalwart opponent.”

The Broken turned toward Tylun and stepped back a pace.

“You can already call upon the spirits to hold you up. Now, feel how they move, how they flow, and move with them. Listen until you can hear them, and then follow the sounds of their voices.”

Tylun nodded and slid his hooves into a set stance, then closed his eyes to listen…