The Trials Of Ashbarn ( Book 5)

by Jeff Gunzel

  “How long are you planning to—” Another chip blurred past her ear. “Stop it!”

  “You can stop me anytime you want, Jade. Believe it or not, you’re not a complete novice. Deflecting these chips away should be a simple task.” Nima threw another. “I’ve seen students do this on their first day. Just concentrate.”

  “How am I supposed to concentrate like this?” Jade sidestepped another bit of wood.

  “This is nothing, Jade. Imagine having to deal with something like this.” She scooped up as many as she could and scattered them in Jade’s direction. Impossible to dodge them all, Jade just turned around, letting them bounce harmlessly off her back, then sighed in defeat. “You see, my dear, power doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know how to use it,” Nima finished.

  “I don’t understand what you’re trying to prove here,” said Jade, dejected.

  Nima looked down at the next woodchip she was holding, then tossed it aside. She went over to Jade and threw an arm around her shoulder. The two walked over to what was left of the pile. “Stand here,” said Nima. She walked back and took up Jade’s former position. “Now you throw one at me.” Nima’s dy-chita began to glow faintly.

  Eager to take revenge for what she felt was an uncalled-for humiliation, Jade threw one. Nima held out her hands and flicked her fingers. A moment before the bit of wood hit her, it seemed to strike something in the air. There was a dull flash of white, then the chip vaporized into smoke. A white light hung in the air for a second longer, much like the afterglow from staring at a lantern too long. Then it, too, vanished. “Throw another, Jade. Anywhere you want, as hard as you want.” Jade grabbed another and flung it at her friend’s face, hard. Nima didn’t do much; a flick of her fingers, a dull white flash, then smoke with a hanging afterglow were the results of Jade’s effort. The piece of wood never even came close.

  Jade smiled impishly. She scooped up several woodchips with both hands and flung them at Nima. Eyes wide with surprise, Nima flicked her fingers in rapid succession while moving her body backwards. There were white flashes all around her. Puffs of smoke everywhere caused an instant haze to form in the air. White spots surrounded her like ghosts, then faded away. When it was over, the lingering smell of burnt wood wafted around the small clearing. Her brightly glowing dy-chita dimmed, then faded out.

  Jade frowned despite the impressive display. “You used some kind of invisible shield,” she accused. “Each one disintegrated just before touching you.”

  “Oh really?” mocked Nima. “Very well. Throw another.”

  Jade grabbed another and wound up. With a flash of white, it burst in her hand, leaving a stream of smoke behind. Her fingers tingled, but it wasn’t particularly painful. Jade kept shaking her hand, trying to relieve some of the tingling. “Well, that’s how it looked to me. None of them touched you, and— I mean, you weren’t actually striking them down one at a time, were you?”

  “Indeed I was,” said Nima proudly. “The amount of nature’s energy used to eliminate a woodchip is quite minimal. But to harness that energy quickly, lock onto your target, apply it, and then repeat the process over and over with efficient speed... Well, that’s what takes years of training.”

  “I don’t have years.”

  “And that is precisely the point I was trying to make. You asked me not to take it easy on you. Make no mistake, you are most certainly a prodigy, and the possibilities for you are endless. But you must crawl before you can run. You must learn to control your energy before anything else.”

  “Alright then,” said Jade, determined. “Control, right? So show me what to do first.”

  “Yes, dear. Now, did you notice anything unusual before our exercise took place?” She tapped the green jewel on her head as a clue.

  Jade thought hard for a moment. “The jewel began to glow with energy, but it always does that,” she mumbled, more to herself than to Nima. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. “It began to shine, even before I threw anything.”

  “Correct. You’re catching on, Jade. The link between yourself and your Chi energy must be established before anything else can happen. So that’s where we need to start. First, I want you to close your eyes.” Jade nodded, then shut her eyes. “Good, now tell me what you see.”

  Jade paused a moment. “Well, nothing. Just darkness,” she said, not sure how to answer.

  “That’s right, dear. Every masterful painting ever created started with a blank canvas. Now, do you remember when the two of us journeyed into your subconscious together to link you with your Chi?”

  Jade nodded. “Of course I do. It was frightening.” She could still remember the crystallized insects crawling around her face and covering her body; the frigid, icy pain while they scurried down her throat, so cold it seemed to burn.

  “You just need to re-establish that link. Visualize your Chi, Jade. Flowing down like a waterfall. The same way you saw it the first time.” Jade pressed her eyelids together tightly, trying to concentrate. “Relax, dear. I told you before: The easy way is the correct way. Let the energy come to you.”

  Jade relaxed her facial muscles, followed by the rest of her body. Her breathing began to slow. Everything began to slow. When she opened her mind’s eye, she found herself in darkness once more, only this time it seemed to be raining. The pattering of large raindrops all around her feet drummed in her ears. Large, blue drops splashed against the translucent floor. It was a soothing, calming sound. But instead of breaking apart or washing away, each large drop just stayed in its place, more like solid hail rather than water.

  Jade quickly recognized them for what they were, and forced herself to stay calm. Each blue drop began to grow tiny legs, then scampered about the invisible floor. The large drops felt heavy, hitting her with a modest amount of force on top of her head and across the shoulders. “I accept you,” she whispered, her confidence growing. “You are a part of me, just as I am a part of you. We are one.”

  She began to feel different as the large, blue crystals continued to hit her. Fewer and fewer were bouncing away now. Instead, they melted into her body right through her skin. Jade could feel the cold seeping into her veins, only this time, it felt good. She felt the raw energy coursing through her. More and more crystals began to sink through her skin. Even the ones scampering along the floor scurried up her legs and melted into her flesh.

  Jade could hear Nima’s voice, a far-off echo through the darkness. “That’s it, dear. Drink your Chi. Absorb it. Make it a part of you completely.” The cold filled Jade’s lungs, her heart; every part of her body tingled with cool energy. She opened her mouth and blew out a large cloud of icy mist. The raining crystals stopped falling. The remaining crystals still scuttling along the ground found their way to her feet and legs, then melted into her.

  Jade gasped as her eyes opened up wide. The cold sensation still tingled through her body, but was quickly dissipating. Before long, her body felt warm once again. “Excellent,” said Nima. “My dear, I know you’re exhausted, but we must finish this now. The link is nearly complete.” Jade certainly was tired. That voyage had taken a lot out of her, but she nodded her agreement anyway. “Give me your hands again, dear. I need you to concentrate once more.”

  Nima guided Jade’s Chi. Energy that was fully absorbed now was now easily accessible. Jade felt the energy flow through her. Her green dy-chita began to glow dimly. “Now release,” Nima instructed. The light of the jewel faded. “Pull it in again.” The faint light returned. “Release.” It faded.

  It wasn’t that hard with Nima guiding the way, but then she let go of Jade’s hands. “Again,” said Nima. There was a pause, and Jade’s expression became strained. “Easy, dear, let it come to you.” Her face relaxed. The green jewel began to glow once more. “And release.”

  The drill went on for an hour or so. Jade was mentally exhausted, but pushed through the endless exercise anyway. Despite her fatigue, it became easier with each cycle. “That’s enough, dear,” said Nima. Jade fe
lt as if she might collapse right there. “You’ve come a long way today. You can now seize your power on command, and I doubt you will forget how anytime soon. You’ve mastered the first step in becoming a Palin. Go and get some rest. You’ve certainly earned it.”

  “No,” said Jade, her voice harsh and raspy. She swooned slightly, grabbing Nima’s shoulder to steady herself. “I want to keep going.”

  Nima eyed her uncertainly. “My dear, you can hardly stand. Oh no, I think we’re done for to—”

  “I said I want to keep going,” Jade insisted, her voice a bit steadier now. She pushed off Nima’s shoulder and stood on her own. Astonishingly, her strength seemed to be returning by the second. “You promised me.” Her glare was hard as stone.

  Nima continued to watch her hesitantly. Had her strength really returned that quickly? Amazing, she thought. The vast amounts of Chi this girl could wield made her a prodigy. But it seemed her body could recover much faster than a fully trained Palin. Why was that? Nima sighed reluctantly. “Very well, dear. But I’m afraid you’re going to hate me before we’re through.”

  Jade smiled, looking fully recovered now. “I doubt that very much.”

  Chapter 11

  Nima insisted that Jade rest a while before continuing. Of course, she refused at first, insisting she felt fine and was able to continue. But once it was made clear they would go no further until she rested, Jade reluctantly agreed—but only to humor Nima so they could proceed. She flopped down on a makeshift bed of woodchips and leaves. Once there, she had to admit, resting a bit wasn’t the worst idea after all. She stretched her arms and legs, then locked her fingers behind her head. Her body still tingled a little, but that too was beginning to fade.

  Nima threw herself down next to her and began to lightly rub Jade’s knee. “You’re catching on fast, dear. What you’ve managed to accomplish in only a few hours, most take several weeks or longer.”

  With the back of her head sunk deep into the soft leaves, Jade gave a subtle nod. Her eyes were closing, and she was beginning to fall asleep. Then, in a sort of delayed reaction, she rolled her head back and looked at Nima, confused. “But you told me you’ve seen students do this on their first day.”

  Nima laughed. “I only told you what you needed to hear. Of course it wasn’t true, dear. I was simply trying to motivate you. And it seems to have worked,” she said with a wink. Jade sniffed indignantly, then threw her head back into the leaves. She hated being fooled. Nima grinned, then stretched out beside her. The two of them lay in silence for a time, gazing up at the green canopy of leaves, which quivered in the light breeze, making a light buzzing sound. Every now and then a few broke loose, spinning in circles, fluttering down to the ground. “So how did it feel today?”

  “What do you mean?” said Jade sleepily.

  “Oh, I think you know what I mean.”

  Jade grinned knowingly. “I felt...alive. Everything just seemed clearer to me. My senses were heightened somehow.”

  “I’ll bet you’ve never felt anything like that before, have you?” said Nima. Still grinning, Jade rolled her head back and forth in the leaves. “Trust me, you never get used to it, either. The sensation of your own Chi combined with the power of nature as it flows through your body... Well, let’s just say little else compares.” Another few minutes went by before Nima sat up again. “Alright then. Are you ready to continue?”

  In a heartbeat, Jade was on her feet, brushing off the clinging bits of leaves and sticks. “I was beginning to think you were going to make me spend the night here,” Jade teased with a return wink.

  “Before we’re through here, I’m afraid you will be begging for that deal. Now then, I’m going to show you an exercise our students practice daily. We’re basically going to practice a form of telekinesis. This is a wonderful drill for our students because it accomplishes multiple objectives at once. Now then, do you see that tree right there?” She pointed to a smallish sapling. It looked young and flimsy and had very few branches or leaves.

  “Sure I do.”

  “Good, now watch.” Nima’s dy-chita began to glow lightly. She held out both hands and leaned forward, as if she were pushing against a wall. Her eyes began to glow green. The sparse leaves on the young tree began to quiver, even though there was no breeze to speak of. She leaned in further. It was an unnaturally deep angle, as if she were being held up by the winds of a hurricane. By all rights she should have tipped over. Slowly, the young tree began to lean away from her. The wood began to pop and crackle in protest while it bowed in the opposite direction. She lowered her hands, stopping the pressure before any permanent damage was done. The green light glimmering in her eyes faded out.

  Nima took Jade by the shoulders and guided her over near the tree. “Now it’s your turn. Stand here like so.”

  “But I don’t even know what to do first.”

  “It will be the same as before, dear. I will guide your Chi the first few times, and then you will do it on your own. This method of training seems to be working quite well for you. Now, the first part you must do on your own. Go ahead and make the link.”

  Jade closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Let it come to me. Let it come to me. The easiest way is the correct way. The link formed quickly. Her green gem began to glow.

  “Good. It seems you have mastered that part. Now allow me to...” The Palin placed her hands on the back of Jade’s shoulders. “Now you need to feel my energy merge with yours. Just try to maintain the link and I will do the rest.” Jade felt her Chi begin to warp and stretch. It felt as if it were changing shape. Elongating somehow. Then, once again, the tree began to lean away. Nima slowly removed her hands from Jade. “Stay focused. This energy is all coming from you now.”

  “I’ve got it,” she said. The tree stayed bent, but began to sway around. Maintaining the balance between her Chi and the constant flow of nature’s essence proved difficult. It was hard to determine how much energy to use, or not to use. She immediately had trouble holding the tree steady.

  “Now release,” said Nima.

  Without completely understanding how to do that gradually, Jade simply cut herself off. Halting her flow of Chi so suddenly was like blowing out a candle; the flame was instantly gone. The tree snapped back with a whooshing sound. The few remaining leaves went fluttering in all directions, leaving the thin branches completely bare.

  Nima giggled. “We will have to work on that. Now, dear, here is the real test. Do it again. From start to finish without my help.”

  Jade rubbed her hands together, determined, yet she found she was already beginning to tire. No matter, I have to do this. I will do this. She swiftly established the link. By now she had become quite proficient at this. Her dy-chita began to shine; dimly at first, but then the glow intensified. She held out her hands like before, but it felt as if she were only touching air.

  “Keep trying, dear,” came Nima’s voice. “You’re getting closer.”

  Jade stood there holding a full link to her Chi, but something was not quite right. Something she couldn’t put her finger on. The shape is wrong, she thought. It doesn’t feel like it did before. She could picture the living block of energy. Although it filled every inch of her, it was not shaped like her. It was more like a square: solid and blocky. In her mind, she began to push and roll it, like preparing a piece of dough for baking. The glowing energy began to stretch, growing longer and thinner as she pulled and twisted. She could feel the cool energy radiating into her fingertips now. That’s it. I’ve got it.

  She felt the unseen force move away from her hands, connecting directly with the tree. The young tree rocked back and forth; invisible hands thrust against it in chaotic waves.

  “Steady it, dear,” Nima whispered in her ear. “Control the energy, don’t let it control you.”

  Suddenly, energy surged through Jade’s hands in a torrent of force. Jade had only meant to try and steady the flow, but had instead released a massive rush of Chi.

  Th
e young tree toppled over like it had been torn from the ground by a tornado. Long, thick roots clumped with moist black soil ripped from the ground with a noise like someone was tearing a curtain in half. Jade clasped a hand over her mouth, astonished and embarrassed.

  Nima clapped her hands together, laughing. “Now that was impressive.”

  “I’m so sorry,” said Jade, still covering her mouth. Mortified, she didn’t even want to look at Nima.

  “It’s quite alright. No need to apologize. You were able to make the link on your own, then perform the proper actions, completely unaided by me. And I only guided you through it once! You should be very proud. But I must say,” she looked at the poor tree, mangled and uprooted, “I think we’re going to need to work a bit more on your control.”

  Once Jade found the courage to look her in the eye, the two friends shared a laugh.

  * * *

  “You’ve lost the trail, haven’t you?” Jacob grumbled, swatting at one of the swarming insects that was trying to dine on him. “I’ll bet you don’t even know where we are.”

  “Well, I know you have no idea where we are,” said Amoshi, chopping furiously at the endless brush. Sweat trickled down from his temples, dripping off his chin. His back felt clammy and moist beneath his clinging shirt. The thick foliage all around acted as an insulator, keeping them both wrapped in heat and humidity. The air felt thick and smothering; it was nearly too dense to breathe. “As far as the trail goes...” Amoshi’s voice trailed off into an inaudible series of grunts.

  Jacob backed away, pointing an accusing finger at the back of Amoshi’s head. “I knew it! The mighty tracker has lost the trail.” He threw up his hands in exasperation. “Remind me again why Nima insisted you come with me.”

  “So you wouldn’t get yourself killed, you idiot! I made a promise to her, and I plan to see it through for her sake—not yours. The truth is, I don’t even care what happens to you or your hairy beast of a woman!” Jacob’s expression went blank; his eyes turned cold and unreadable. Amoshi wilted, immediately shamed by his own words. “I-I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry, Jacob.” He turned away, unable to meet Jacob’s eyes. “It’s this heat. The heat is getting to me. That, and the frustration of not being able to find—”