"Time to whip you into shape", announced Doza, eyeing down Kenos from the top of the waterfall. "I can't keep pulling your weight myself, that being said, I think it's time you learn to utilize Zen", he continued. "Will continue our history lesson later on."
"Zen," said Kenos in a confused manner.
"Zen is all around us", replied Doza. "It's what connects us to the Void. Everyone has a connection to the Void realm, through channeling Zen we can release our void energies", Doza explained conjuring a ring of lightning in his hand.
"SOO Cool!!" screamed Kenos in excitement mimicking Doza's movements, "how do we start?"
Doza chuckles, "you have to understand the basics before you can jump to that. Most people can release one of the five elements depending on their affinities. However, through many decades of battle and experimentation, many clans have developed unique releases exclusive to their bloodlines alone. There are 5 stages of Zen", Doza explained as he and Kenos meditate under the falls. The first is the stage of commencement. "To achieve this, one must find enlightenment in themselves so that they may begin anew. Once you attain this your body will begin naturally taking in Zen. Wash away your impurities", whispered Doza, "let go of your negative emotions and allow the Zen to flow through you."
Kenos began to think, "hmm negative emotion." Visions from the banquet replay in his head. "Noooo", screamed Kenos, "Doza we gotta go back. Stop", he yells, as his father appears in front of him. "Your weak", yelled the vestige of his father. The environment changes from the clan estate to the desert ruins of Amata. Memories of Kenos and Doza running from a number of pursuers flood in, "Kenos keep running" he hears as Doza vanishes from his vision. "What is this really all for", he pondered, "Is there even an ending to all of this?" His surroundings faded to black. Only Kenos remained, "This is it huh", he thought, "I won't let it end with just me", he cried clenching his fist. Suddenly a quote from Doza played in his head "Burn bright like the stars that push the dark night away" Kenos looked up to see light push away the darkness. Eradicating it in near seconds changing the world to a dawn sky. Kenos opens his eyes to a new world, he was amazed at what surrounded him. A castle in the sky, the castle was in ruins yet it gave Kenos a sense of comfortability. What is this place?'' He wondered, suddenly feeling faint Kenos begins falling back collapsing on himself, "No wait, I don't want to leave yet", he grumbles.
Kenos opened his eyes back to the real world in shock. Doza looks up and gives him a smirk, "it took you several hours but, it looks like you were able to deal with all the impurities hindering you. Your body's taking in Zen as we speak."
"So how do I start zapping people with lightning-like you?" said Kenos excitedly.
"Slow ya roll there little ken", replied Doza, "the next stage is body enhancement. We should give your mind a little rest, and will pick this up tomorrow."
"We've been sitting here all day," Kenos argued. "Why should we break now." Kenos tries to stand up and quickly passes out.
Doza laughs, "you'll never listen will you Ken. If you just waited for a little I would've explained your body needs time to adjust to the Zen flowing through it. I guess I'll go secure food for tomorrow", said Doza, picking up Kenos and bringing him closer to the fire.
Doza awoke the next day to see Kenos had already cooked the boar he caught last night.
Leaving him a plate neatly packaged along with tea brewed from the herbs found nearby. "Where is that brat", thought Doza as he ate his breakfast.
Doza refreshes himself in the river, he then closes his eyes and begins concentrating on his surroundings.
*Huh*Huh*
Doza heard in the distance.
"There you are",
Almost without a sound, Doza sneaks up on a shadow boxing Kenos,
*Huh*Huh*
Kenos grunts throwing a combination of punches and kicks sharper and fiercer with each throw.
"Morning", Doza interrupts.
Kenos stops his training, "Finally, you're awake I got bored and decided to start on my own."
"Good so you should be all warmed up", replied Doza. "Today's lesson is stage two of Zen, body enhancement. This will take a little finesse, but if you take control of the Zen flowing around you and circulate it through your body, You can heighten your senses and even increase your body's durability. As your body goes through body transformation. any impurities you have will begin to leak out from your body." Doza demonstrates by punching a boulder into pebbles. "Before I leave you to figure it out", Doza warns as he walks away. "There is a limit to how much Zen one can take in. Each has their own but tread lightly considering you recently adjusted to accepting Zen.''
"This should be cake", thought Kenos, walking up to a large tree. "Concentrate", he says to himself channeling the Zen through his body.
"Haa!" He shouts thrusting his fist forward.
"owwww" Screamed Kenos, jumping around shaking his hand.
"Again, again, again, this isn't working," thought Kenos, resting on a tree watching the sun get lower and lower.
"Doza looked so calm and relaxed when he did it, maybe I'm forcing it too much. Or am I just not using enough Zen."
Kenos took a deep breath and closed his eyes, clearing his mind. He began to hear the chirping of the birds in the area, the wolves nearby who were preparing to hunt, and even the wind blowing in the trees. "I can see it or feel it at least", thought Kenos as he envisioned the tree. Kenos began to channel Zen for the whole day. His body slowly began to change as he grew more muscle mass and his body began to steam. All of Kenoses' muscles started to tone up as hard as stone and a dark liquid dripped from his pores.
(The next day)
Kenos slowly emerges from his meditation. "I should be able to output a little bit more Zen than before now"
Kenos positions himself in front of a fairly built tree. Planting his fee down and widening his stance he thrust his fist forward, knocking the tree down.
"That looks sort of like it", he panted. Kenos continued practicing body enhancement Zen going from tree to tree. Usually taking 1 hit to knock one down.
"I guess this is all I can put out", thought Kenos, gasping for air. "I'll call it a day here. Some insight from Doza might help."
Kenos returned to the camp to see Doza packing everything up.
"We've been here too long already", said Doza.
"What did you manage to accomplish in your training today."
Kenos demonstrates his control of Zen by knocking off a piece of the tree next to him. "I couldn't manage to knock down the boulder, but trees aren't hard at all", he explained. "I don't think I'm capable of outputting enough Zen yet".
Doza stairs in amazement, "all that in a day", he thought to himself with his jaw open in astonishment.
"You did well enough", said Doza out loud. "Will work more on that in the next area we set camp up in."
"Cool", replied Kenos helping Doza grab the last few items, putting them on their horse Noir's wagon. "We leave after you wash up", said Doza holding his nose in Kenoses' direction.