Editor's Note: This is the second installment of an 11-part short story written by Shawn Smith, a junior English major from Keene, N.H. A new installment will be presented in each issue of The Norwich Guidon during the 2001-02 school year.

Reality's End

by Shawn Smith

Part 2

CHRONICLE I: ECHOES FROM THE PAST

The day had come. The test of all tests would begin in just a few minutes. I was extremely nervous and scared, but I told myself that I wouldn't let it get to me. I had to focus on each technique, the pace that I set for myself, and the goal of being an instructor at the end. I knew that all the instructors would be there to yell and scream at me for however long it took to complete the test. Just to get through this would be the ultimate reward, but I put extra pressure on myself to excel and impress every one of the instructors.

I was isolated in the healing room while the dojo was closed off to the rest of the students. They were at their homes, and I would have to face this alone. I clenched my fists at that thought but realized that this was the only way to face this great unknown.

Master Akagi threw open the door to the room and told me that it was time. His expression and tone were icy cold, and I had the feeling that the rest of the instructors would be the same way. That would be hard on me, since I had befriended most of my teachers during the course of six years.

I said nothing, just bowed and stepped out of the room. I was trembling slightly, and I hoped my nervousness wouldn't interfere with what I would have to do during the belt test, and, more importantly, whether my jitters would make me sick to my stomach.

"Are you ready for this black belt test?" Master Akagi asked as I stood before the board of black belt instructors.

"I hope so, sensai," I said.

"Let me ask you again. Are you ready for this test?"

"Yes, sensai!" I yelled.

My master grunted and told me to stand at the end of the table for the black belts and face the far wall.

I did as he told me, and I looked down the ominous length of the table. It was at that moment that I grasped the reality of the intense difficulty of this test. I knew I'd have to perform all the techniques up and down the floor with the proper command, but I didn't realize that the length of space would be that long. I swallowed hard and readied myself for the ultimate test of wills.

First were the hand techniques, and those combined with multitudes of push-ups tired me out within the first quarter of the test. Punches, blocks, and open-handed techniques were all executed with decreasing excellence. I thought I was in good condition for this test, but I had sadly underestimated the intensity of the black belt test. My crisp techniques were turning into complete garbage as the minutes ticked by. What made matters worse were the waves of nausea that crept up from my stomach to my throat, then out my mouth into a bucket in the room.

After more sets of push-ups, I was ordered to perform my kicks. Front kicks, side kicks, roundhouse kicks, hook kicks, and all the advanced spinning and jumping techniques all suffered the same fate as the hand strikes. The nausea hadn't subsided, but gotten worse. Before I was done with my kicks, I had paid my respects to the bucket a total of four times. After all that, I was running on pure willpower and fantastic amounts of adrenaline and stubbornness. Each minute that I was out there felt more like hours. Pain was rippling through my muscles in tremendous shockwaves, but I had to hold on no matter what.

Throughout all that pain and fatigue, the instructors constantly screamed and corrected my mistakes. I tried to do as they asked, but I couldn't please them. It was a no-win situation that I had to endure until the very end. Again and again, they would ask me if I wanted to quit, go home. I resisted the easy way out and said I wanted to continue.

Next, I was told to break wooden boards, sometimes two at once, with various basic and advanced techniques. I figured this was my only time to rest and tried to make the best out of it. One by one, I broke through each of the boards with kicks and hand strikes until there were no more. It wasn't long before I would crank out more push-ups, then move on to the next part of the test.

I was tested on all the self-defense techniques, from basic to advanced. I struggled with them, since my strength was extremely low, but I drew some up from some hidden place within and made it though. By the time that was completed, I had no concept of time or even physical being; I merely existed to take more punishment.

The final stage was to fight two instructors, one at a time. Simply put, the first one kicked the living shit out of me. Sensai Richards only saw me as a rag doll meant for his personal abuse. He kept pounding me with multiple strikes until I was completely disoriented. Up was down, and down was up to me at that point. Then, a hit to my face sent me to the floor.

"Get up! Now!" It was Master Akagi yelling at me. I couldn't see much, but I automatically knew what sensation I felt at that moment. Not anger or rage. Just pure determination. There was something else, though. Something strange that told me that I needed to-

"Kiai!" Sensai Richards had thrown a kick at me and somehow I knew it was coming. My arm was already raised to block it and I did so with ease. My vision returned, and I leapt up and sent a jump spinning side kick into the sensai's stomach. The only weird thing was that no more than a few seconds ago, I was sprawled out on the floor practically knocked senseless. Now, I was on both feet in a fighting stance with my sensai on the floor, clutching his stomach in pain.

Several members of the board helped Sensai Richards to his feet as a second instructor was brought out. I was still trying to figure out what just happened as Sensai Ikari landed several strikes to my body while I was distracted. While he lacked the quickness of the first sensai and was considerably older than the first, that didn't have much bearing on what happened. He had the experience on his side. I wasn't hit as much by him as Sensai Richards, but I still felt each impact as they hit home. The same determination to get through the test was still there, as well as that strange feeling deep inside me, and I gritted my teeth and let out a loud kiai as I attacked him with everything I had left. He sidestepped several of my attacks, but my body responded naturally and delivered a series of blows to his abdominal region and chest. He was bent over, and I slammed my heel into the back of his head with an axe kick. The fight was stopped, and I was called before the board again as the sensai was carried off.

Each of the instructors blasted me with the mistakes I had made and the lack of preparation I had for the test. As each one told me what I had done wrong, I cursed myself for being such a failure, and I wished that I had trained harder. I wished I could've done something that made them pleased. Master Akagi was the last one to speak, but his words were just as scornful as all the others. Based on what I'd heard previously, I had a dreadful feeling that I had failed the ultimate test of my life. How could I face the class now?

I bowed to the board of black belts as I was dismissed from the test. I walked over to a corner of the room to get some water and to collect myself. I fell to the floor and put my head in my hands and rubbed my face with them. It was then that I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw the face of Master Akagi.

"Congratulations, David-san. You have done it," he beamed at me.

It was the greatest feeling I'd ever experienced in my life. Greater than the feeling during my very first belt promotion, better than when I beaten my intense anger. It's indescribable to those who haven't gone through it, but it was the most powerful feeling I've had. My master grasped his hand in mine and shook it with pride. I had passed the test.

The doors to the dojo opened, and the entire class walked in with smiles on their faces. Had they been outside for the entire test? I didn't know, and it didn't matter much. What did matter was that they were here now to share in my triumph.

As I approached the age of twenty and had been an instructor at the dojo for four years, my master called for me and asked me what I had learned. I thought it odd that he should ask me this, especially with the dojo completely deserted save for us.

"I've learned discipline, inner-strength as well as peace, respect for those around me, self-confidence, and a sense of identity," I told him in Japanese.

"Hm. Is that all?"

"I know how and how not to teach others what I've learned and gained over the years. I've beaten my rage to a point where it only returns on very rare occasions outside the dojo. And that my black belt test wasn't made to test my skills, but my mentality and integrity."

"Yes, that is a good start, but only a small part of your journey ahead, David-san," he told me.

"Master, I don't understand."

"You have acquired much knowledge in these ten years, but now you must start from the beginning to learn what I have to teach you. Watch."

He held his hands palm up in front of me as I watched his every move. His hands began to glow slightly then what seemed to be lightning danced across his fingertips and onto his palms. The bolts of energy continued to run down his arms as though it were water. Then it subsided. His hands were no longer covered in light or energy, just flesh.

"Do you remember what happened during the last part of your test? During the fight?" I nodded in response as he smiled. "It was then that your inner power that I spoke of all those years ago was first brought out. David-San, when you are ready, you, too, will have the ability to be as powerful as I am. First, you must learn a new martial art, the very first and essential art. It is called Tir-An-Yi, and it is as ancient as time itself." He paused for a second. "Yes, now is the time for you to learn of the world of magick."

"Magic?" I asked quizzically.

"No, not magic. Magick. Real power and the ability to shape the world as you wish. All you need is the proper training and the right imagination."

He led me into his private chambers, where all the instructors would follow him out and back in at the beginning and end to each class. He closed the door and told me not to be frightened.

I watched in amazement as he waved his hand in the air and a glow shone through the wall directly in front of us. The wall literally rippled as if it were water and someone had thrown a pebble into it. From the center of the ripples, the wall dissipated and was replaced by a silvery surface.

"You are about to enter a new world, David-San, apart from the outside world. This is where reality ends and magick begins," my master said as the ripples expanded and revealed a portal into that new world Master Akagi spoke of. He and I faced one another and he placed a reassuring hand on my arm. "Follow me inside and do not be afraid, my young sensai."

I bowed and followed behind him through the silver, rippled gateway. It felt as though liquid stretched across my body as I stepped through and then bounced back like a rubber band when I emerged. A cool breeze swept across my face as I took in one of the most awesome sights I had ever seen.

A flat landscape adorned with pure green grass stretched for an endless distance all around me. The only exception was the single hilltop with that same unusual grass; the shadows cast from the sun as it set in the horizon made it seem monumental as I approached it slowly.

"Come, David-San; there are people that you must meet," Master Akagi called from the hill. I immediately noticed that his karate gi that he had just worn was replaced by a long, black robe with a black and white-striped sash wrapped around it and black pants to match.

"What's going on here?" I asked aloud.

"Hurry! Come!" my master shouted.

I walked forward, still in awe of this place, and made my way up the hill. My master had already reached the top by the time I was halfway up, but I soon made it to the summit and saw a group of people that apparently waited for my arrival. They were all from the dojo, instructors and students alike. Their gis, like Master Akagi's, were replaced by black robes and pants with various colored sashes.

They, along with my master, came to me and bowed. I bowed out of respect and waited for an explanation. Every one of their faces had a smile on it as my master stepped forward.

"David-San This is an Outer Realm, created by magick and used for training and sanctuary. We can shape it to whatever we need at any given time. Our ability is the most potent here, but we are still limited by what skills we have." He paused. "Even with that limitation, this is where you can hone your ability."

"My ability?"

"Yes. Remember the first day we met, how I told you that you had an inner power, David-San? I told you that I would help you find it, and now the day has come for you to realize what you are and what you can truly do. Do you remember the day that you came into the dojo? Yes, I can sense that you do. The voice that you heard inside your mind was not a dream; it was real. I projected my thoughts into yours and made you listen to the fear inside you."

"Then you did the same thing to me during my black belt test?" I asked him sternly.

"No, David-San That was done on your own. It was not only a test for rank, but to see if your heart was true enough to accept the realm of magick. I do not test every person that comes through the door for a very good reason. My instructors all have this gift and have not only been given the black belt, but also the black sash of Tir-An-Yi."

"Black . . . sash?" I had a notion of what my master alluded to, but not a clear understanding.

"The black sash represents that you have mastered the basics of the art and can focus the inner strengths of your body in a way that amplifies your ability whenever you choose to use it. The art itself is merely an advanced form of Akagi-Do and when used properly can produce astounding feats."

"But, with all due respect, not everyone here is a sensai," I told him.

"True, some are students in the dojo, but they are here because they have the power while the others do not. When you begin your training, you will understand, David-San"

A student held her hand out and took mine in hers. "Sensai Sands, you have a gift. Join us and the Brotherhood," she said with bright eyes.

"The Brotherhood?"

"The name of our sect. We rely on martial arts to control the power. There are others that use different and sometimes brutal methods to control not only their ability, but also to control the people that do not have it. We are here to serve the human race and to protect those who do not have our gift," Sensai Yukimoto replied.

"You have come a long way since you first came to us. Now there is only a little farther to go before your journey is complete," Master Akagi said to me. He reached in his robe and pulled out a white sash. "The color white marks the first step into Tir-An-Yi, as it does for any other martial art. But this sash will stay with you forever, and as you progress, it will change colors as you reach higher into our ranks. Welcome to the Brotherhood, David-San"

I took the sash from his hand and bowed. The members of the Brotherhood surrounded me and embraced me as their own.

Before I could learn Tir-An-Yi, I had to understand the concept of magick and its diverse range of studies. Without that knowledge, I would have no way of tapping into my ability. I discovered that our powers are based upon the laws of reality and are, for the most part, very practical. Essentially, the ability actually increases the odds of events that occur naturally. For instance, if a car drove down a street and I wanted it to stop, I could stall the engine or blow out a tire. Human beings, too, can be manipulated in the same way by hypnosis or control over the muscles and bones. The more imaginative we are, the more options we have to use our ability, but only if we possess the right skills and amount of power.

As I progressed, I learned that while I could conceive certain options that were beyond my reach, I didn't have the skills necessary to make them real. These options, I discovered, were called effects as we view the term "spell" as an inadequate means of describing our displays of power. It's not a spell that causes something to happen, but an effect that changes the world around us. In order to fully encompass reality, magick contains nine separate studies to which a person can spend a lifetime mastering just one or two. While others concentrated on only a few studies, I felt that I should study all of them. I couldn't explain it, but I believed that I would cheat myself if I didn't learn as much as possible. This seemed to disturb some students and instructors, but not Master Akagi for some reason. I soon understood what each study meant and what could be at my disposal.

We can see into and travel to other lands in an instant. Fate and coincidence can be molded to whatever we see fit. The natural elements of the world are ours to control and manipulate. All forms of life can be ours to have and become whatever we please. The powers and inner-workings of the mind are unlocked to use as we wish. Substances and their compositions can be bent, altered, or destroyed with a single thought. The very source of our ability can be tapped to suit our needs. Spirits and the spirit world can be called upon and entered at will. Time itself can twisted and even traveled through.

At the same time I unraveled the intricacies of my power, I was taught the codes of the Brotherhood and the relationships we had with other sects in our world. The most important code, as Sensai Yukimoto told me the first day I arrived in the Outer Realm, was to protect and serve others. We must also guard our special ability and not allow the Unaware any knowledge of magick. Once that happens, the fabric of reality will break down and all things in the universe will be destroyed. The Brotherhood is seen as the foremost authority in protecting both the human race and the secrets of the ability, but has fallen into conflict with several of the other sects over the last few centuries. There have been wars, but now most hostility is limited to minor skirmishes between small groups of people.

Several months went by before I actually began my training in the art of Tir-An-Yi inside the Outer Realm. As Master Akagi had said, it was an advanced form of his own martial art with the addition of weapons use as well as magick. Akagi-Do is meant to teach the body to be under the complete control of the mind, whereas Tir-An-Yi relies on our inner powers to accentuate our controlled movements and enhance our perceptions. As with my conception of effects, this new art came very naturally to me and I excelled at most of the techniques I was shown.

A normal exercise session would be conducted on a very large white surface very near the bottom of the hill. The surface was smooth and resembled linoleum tiles, but with no shine and no need for maintenance. All twenty-seven of my master's students fit in neat rows of five people in each with the masters - the Brotherhood refers to its instructors as such because usually by the time they earn the black sash, he or she has mastered one study - along the perimeter to critique our techniques.

The stances, blocks, punches, and kicks were all the same as the ones I had learned from Akagi-Do, but now I had to focus my ability to heighten my senses and the amount of speed and power for each technique thrown. We moved up and down the surface in our two main stances as we executed each punch, kick, and block with as much precision as possible. Snaps from robes and pant legs shot through the air as we performed the strikes and blocks as instructed by our master, one of the instructors that I fought on my black belt test.

"Attention!" Master Ikari demanded.

We snapped to and stood straight as we awaited the next command. Some of the students were sweating and quickly tiring, but I was still pretty fresh in both respects.

"Ready stance!" our master ordered. Once we had ourselves in the ready stance - a position that we stand in to wait for the beginning of another set of drills with feet less than shoulder's width apart, arms down about an inch from our thighs, and fists tightly clenched - he prepared the next set of techniques to be done. "Kicking stance, right leg back. Iku!"

We drew our right legs back and set up into a forward stance, but with a quick strike with both fists into the body of an invisible opponent in front of us. This kicking stance allows us to execute the entire range of kicks in our arsenal at any given time.

"Moving down the floor, front snap kick to the solar plexus, set it down, then side snap kick to the head. Ready, iku!" our master ordered again.

We all moved as one. Our right legs came up as we chambered the kick by drawing the knee up until it pointed at the invisible target in front. We whipped out our legs with the ball of the foot as the striking point. As soon as the kick was completed, the legs were re-chambered and set down on the ground in front of the left. Our movements were so fluid and so fast that the whole motion was no more than a blur. We pivoted on our right feet and brought our left legs up into the chamber, knees pointed to the left side. As we threw the side kick, our right feet pivoted all the way around so our toes were pointed in back, and the left foot was bent so as to strike with the heel and bony edge - the knife edge - of the foot. Once that leg was re-chambered and set down in the front, we waited for the next command to keep going. As before, the entire kick could only be seen as a quick streak in the air.

"Iku!" The command was given once more as we completed the same sequence as fluently as the first time.

Various other drills that used combinations of strikes, kicks, and blocks were ordered and executed in the same fashion until our master dismissed us for a quick break. Most of the other students were a little out of breath, but I was still fine. It was as though I could go on for hours without so much as a pant.

At the conclusion of these drills, a sparring match would usually be called forth. During these matches, referred to as contests, the fighters can use both physical and magickal attributes until the masters call stop. Ranks would be intermixed so that advanced students could practice combat against multiple attackers while beginners could work together to overpower a stronger opponent.

While I was resting before one of these contests, Master Ikari approached me and ordered me to attention. His voice was stern and his expression was very cold as his black robe and sash whipped in the breeze.

"You will fight alone today, David-San Enter the center of the ring," he ordered. He pointed to the white surface, as it was used as both the exercise ground and the sparring ring.

I bowed and stepped onto the surface. No sooner did I reach the center before two students with green sashes entered the ring with me. I raised an eyebrow as I shifted my feet into a fighting stance. I assumed that this was some kind of test of my abilities, but I wasn't quite sure. Sure, I had only begun my training a few weeks ago, but my sash had already turned from white to yellow. Typically, this only happens after eight or nine months of straight training with an orange rank in between, but my skills were somehow high above the lower ranks and almost equal to a few of the lower ranking advanced students.

The two students, Masahiro and Tomi Nagumo, stood on either side of me as they circled the ring; I was caught in the middle, but wasn't too concerned. I began to move sideways to try to line up my two opponents, but they both rushed in simultaneously. Masahiro threw a side kick to my head while Tomi waited for an opportune time to strike. I managed to duck underneath the kick, but lost track of where his sister was. She, however, didn't lose me and landed a hard front thrust kick to the center of my spine.

I winced in pain as I rolled right into Masahiro's legs. He quickly lifted his leg and stomped on my head three times before he smashed my cheek and jaw with a crescent kick. My neck twisted so quickly that I heard my vertebrae crack as the rest of my body flopped about on the smooth surface. I reached up and touched my hand to my face. There was a good amount of tenderness, and I moved my tongue around the inside of my mouth to make sure there was no blood. I was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and thrown across the ring.

"You must concentrate, David-San!" Master Ikari urged.

I was still a little woozy from the blows to the head and the throw didn't help any. I focused my power as best I could to clear my head. I saw Tomi come toward me and arched my back while I placed both hands on the ground. As soon as I flipped back onto my feet, a ridge hand strike was headed right at my face. I threw a high block with my left to protect myself and countered with an inverted thrust - an uppercut with a slight scoop at the end of the technique - to her floating ribs. As she gasped for air, I grabbed her head and smashed it with my right knee.

"Kiai!" Masahiro yelled as he attempted to deliver a roundhouse kick to my chest.

I grabbed a hold of Tomi's robe with my right hand and twirled her around, her back now faced me, as I used her as a human shield against the kick. When his kick landed, Tomi folded over and I thrust her skull into her brother's stomach then pitched it up into his head. Masahiro was staggering around and holding his now bleeding head. I focused my ability and tossed Tomi clear out of the ring, then marched right up to Masahiro. A surge of energy filled my body as I threw a jump front thrust kick directly into his already hurt stomach. The added boost from my ability into my kick propelled him likewise outside the ring as I landed into a kicking stance quietly on the white surface.

"Stop!" the master called. "Very good, David-San You have now reached a new level in your studies. Look." He pointed at the sash around my waist.

I lowered my head and my eyes swelled slightly at the sight. My sash was no longer yellow, but green. I raised my head to see if the brother and sister team were all right. I was relieved when I saw them slowly get up as several masters went over to tend to their wounds.

"Competitors, line up!" Master Ikari ordered.

I stood on his right side while the Nagumos stood on his left. The three of us were at attention and stood completely still.

"Face me. Bow. Face each other. Bow," our master said. He turned to the rest of the class and straightened his robe. "Class! Line up!"

A wave of black rushed by the three of us and lined up on the white surface just as we all would at the dojo. The Nagumo siblings and I followed suit and the entire class remained at attention as Master Ikari walked to the front.

"Very good today. Tomorrow is a new day and we will begin training once more. Be here at the same time," he said. "Class, face me! Bow!"

We all did so and then returned to attention.

"Class dismissed," our master said as he bowed once more.

We returned the gesture and spread out to talk with one another before we would head back to the portal into the dojo. As I made my way through the crowd, I was congratulated by everyone for my recent promotion.

A hand lightly touched my arm and I turned to face the owner. "Tomi-san. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am. How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

Masahiro came over to his sister's side and put his hands on his hips. "Yes, how did you move so fast?"

I had no idea what they were talking about. I shrugged my shoulders and held my hands skyward as if to say I don't know.

"When I threw the ridge hand, I couldn't see you block it or even the counter that you threw. In fact, I don't even know what it was really other than a good hit to my ribs," Tomi said.

"And I didn't even see you throw that kick, David-San It was so fast," Masahiro added.

"I'm not sure. I blocked high, then countered with an inverted thrust. And I saw that front kick go straight in as if it were a normal technique. Not a lot of speed with either of them, I just . . . threw it."

"That is because you did not think about what you could do, you just did it," Master Ikari said from behind me.

We turned to face him and bow, but he held up his hand.

"No need now, my students. David-San, you have a unique gift even among us. Master Akagi saw it, and so do the rest of us. In time, your skills will grow beyond your expectations and you will be a vital asset to the Brotherhood."

I thought about what he said and nodded my head. Perhaps he was right, maybe I was special. I tried not to think about it as I knew it would go to my head and inflate my ego to dangerous proportions. I followed the master and the Nagamos back through the portal to the dojo with the events of the contest still on my mind.

After almost a year of training, Master Yukimoto called upon me to meet him at the top of the hill. This hill had not only served as an place of initiation, but also an arena for students and instructors to test their skills.

I arrived at the hill and saw that the master had two katanas driven into the ground beside him. The breeze whipped the bottom of my black robe and shuffled across my red sash with two black stripes, a sign that I would be soon ready to wear the black sash myself.

The master's robe and sash, too, were blown by the breeze, but he quieted it with a wave of his arm. His black sash with two thin white stripes - a Second Master's rank - and black robe calmly floated back onto his body, as did mine.

"Today, David-San, you will fight me until one of us is unable to continue. Are you ready?" he asked.

"But I don't want to hurt you, Yukimoto-sensai."

"Why do you think that you must hurt me to have me stop? Have you learned nothing?"

I understood what he meant. "I've learned enough to understand, Yukimoto-sensai. I'm ready."

"Then begin." He drew one of the swords out of the ground and started a run at me.

I extended my right hand out to the katana that remained in the earth and pulled it to me with magick. It withdrew from the hold of the earth and entered my hand in seconds, enough time to step back into a fighting stance and raise the sword to a guard position.

Yukimoto swung his katana down at my head, but I blocked it and countered with a front kick to his abs. He grunted as he was flung into the air for a moment before he levitated back down on the hill.

I took advantage of his situation and swung my sword horizontally against his blade. He went with the momentum of the strike, but I anticipated such a move. I made a vertical slash with my blade as he came back around, but he had his katana ready to block my attack. Our swords clashed once again as he threw a roundhouse kick to my ribs. I blocked the kick with my elbow and spun on the ball of my foot while I chambered my left leg for a hook kick.

He tried to throw a side kick to my spine as I came around, but I managed to quickly scan his mind and body movements. Yukimoto felt my scan, but couldn't act in time as I planted my left foot back down and flipped over his head. He pivoted around to face where I would land and just as I did, he threw his side kick square in my solar plexus. So much for fancy aerial techniques.

I fell to the ground, but quickly flipped back up on my feet with katana in hand. I had the wind knocked out of me a little, but used an effect to recover quickly. No sooner had I done that, Yukimoto attacked again. I was quick to respond and sidestepped his slash and brought my blade down hard upon his. Without thinking, I focused my powers on his arms and paralyzed them.

"Aaaaaa-" he said as he winced with pain.

I threw a spinning hook kick to the top of his skull before he finished his thought and sent him tumbling through the air in a corkscrew. I ventured forward to where he landed and had my katana out in front of me, ready to block any kind of strike.

Yukimoto vaulted from the ground and used his telekinetic magick to toss me in the air. I felt the impact of his powers, but I instinctively pushed it back out at him. The effect was amplified, thanks to my own ability, and cast against the master's body still in flight. He was blown back over the top of the hill to the sloped sides of the hill.

I ran until I could see his body on the hillside and kneeled at his side. I was in a daze over what I had just done and wasn't sure what to do. I could tell by the blood dripping out of the corners of his mouth that he had internal injuries, but I didn't feel confident enough with my own life magick to try to heal him.

"You must believe in your ability, David-San Focus your ability with mine to heal my wounds," Yukimoto said.

I gripped his hand with mine and we combined our powers to remedy his injuries. I felt a surge of energy ebb and tide within me, then pour out into Yukimoto's body. I closed my eyes and visualized the damage I had caused.

"No, do not focus on that," Yukimoto said telepathically. "Focus on the life in both of us."

I did as he said and the energy flow increased until his body was almost completely healed. I helped him up and as I did, I noticed that my sash had turned from its original colors to black with one red stripe.

Yukimoto looked in amazement at my sash. "I have never seen this color before, David-San Perhaps Master Akagi was right about you," he stammered.

"What does it mean? What did Master say?" I demanded.

"It means," Master Akagi appeared on the hill right next to us out of thin air, "that you are in between magicks, David-San"

"Master, what-" I started.

"It is nothing to fear, my young student. You have not mastered Tir-An-Yi, but you have mastered a portion of your ability. But, you do not have control over all the areas of magick yet. You are in a magickal limbo and until you gain the right focus this sash represents that your powers are strong, but your mind must be stronger." He took in a breath. "Enough for now, let us return to reality."

The three of us walked together, with Yukimoto and I at our master's left side back toward the portal to the dojo and the real world.

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4

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