"Let us see how many tries it shall take you, young prince," said Miksha she wore a look of disapproval as Lucian stood still on the field.
"Only one," Lucian replied as he pick up a wooden sword from the field and took on the opening stance.
As he took the first step he spoke, "The first eight motions of the kata teach you how to draw upon your strength," Lucian took eight fluids motions, "In this part, the sword is the tool we use to release our strength," each motion displayed a little more strength than the last.
"The next five motions teach balance," as he moved increasing the strength behind his strikes his posture improved, "In this part, the thin layer of sand coating the floor is the tool, it allows us to track our movements and see where we went wrong,"
"The final three motions teach control and how to direct the power we gather," Lucian moved through the first and second motions like a razor through water, "In this part, our body is the tool," his right foot smacked the floor as he brought his sword down from overhead.
The sand around him which had been left unmoved so far suddenly erupted clearing an area 15 feet ahead of him.
As he finished Lucian tightened his grip around the handle of the training sword as his body trembled along with it, "But of course this is just the beginning," Lucian stated as Miksha looked on with trembling eyes.
"That is merely what I learned from the students, but there was much more to be learnt knowledge and demonstrations that the others all missed,"
"The master lied when he said he would demonstrate no more, he demonstrated the kata at least a hundred times, when mistakes were made,"
"The first eight motions were about drawing strength, I can now draw my strength at will," said Lucian, and with one swift motion, he joint the eight motions of the first kata and stepped into the second part.
"The next five teach balance, I now know how to balance as I move," once more with a single motion he reached into the final part.
"The final three motions taught me of control, I can now control the energy I release," he finished the kata once more and the sands parted, in three seconds he repeated the three motions each one parting the sands.
Each parting was exactly three feet longer than the last.
"But that is not the end, the master did not perform the motions in three parts during his demonstrations, the master showed the final part,"
"Where it is all done at once," Lucian sucked in a deep breath and drew upon his strength, he moved his legs and found his balance, and with a single motion, he combined his strength, balance, and control to unleash the completed form.
Every grain of loose sand in the room puffed up into a cloud around Lucian before settling down, as he heaved with the mask in place, text appeared across his eye.
[You have acquired a skill]
[Novice Swordsman]
Lucian panted as sweat dripped down his body, and a sense of exhaustion washed over him as he turned to the pair that were gaping at him with wide eyes.
Miksha was one thing but even the Master was currently at a loss for what to say, his mouth involuntarily mouthing a word that Lucian was just barely able to catch.
Lucian walked of the field and back onto the platform, "Well now that I'm a novice I shall take a break from classes until the rest of my fellow students catch up," Lucian announced the mask was unable to hide the glee in his voice.
'Ha I am a genius, one day of effort, and I'll be off the hook for months,' Lucian celebrated internally at his own ingenuity.
Seeing that the two were still unresponsive, he strode to the door and slid it open.
"Wait," the master called out, he looked at Lucian with a type of respect he rarely showed even to his fellow Master swordsmen, "I fear that I may already know your answer to this but I must ask anyway, would you be willing to become my personal student?"
Lucian was shaking his head before the master finished, "No way, no offense Master but I would truly much rather spend my time doing nothing," he answered.
"Do you have any idea what you're turning down?!" Miksha shouted with her hands balled into tight fists, this was an opportunity she was dying to receive, even after all her years as an adept swordswoman she was still unable to take that next step of becoming a true swordswoman.
She would have done anything to get the guidance of a master.
"Yep," Lucian replied in a layback tone, "I just turned down a whole ton of work I really don't want to do," he answered.
Lucian looked down at the sword still grasped in his palm, "It's understandable to pursue the sword," he said at a slow pace, "But if I pursue it merely because I'm good at it, it will mean that I pursue the sword for the sake of the sword, I know that this is a major aspect of the Taoist way, but to me, this is a meaningless pursuit," he explained as he released the sword.
"But a day might come when your skill with a sword might be necessary, what shall happen on that day, would it not be best to be prepared for when that day comes young prince?" asked the Master as he stroked his hooked beard.
Lucian frowned as he gave thought to the words of the Master, "I suppose that you do have a point, though so do I?" he answered with a soft sigh.
"Diego!" he shouted, "To the carriage let us return to the palace I could seriously use some rest," he announced as he walked back the way he had come in.
---
On the carriage ride home, he pulled open a shutter that allowed him to speak to Diego.
"Hey Diego, I have a question for you," he said.
Diego seemed to sigh ever so slightly; it was hard to tell with all the armour he wore but Lucian felt himself to be exceptional at telling when a person was tired.
"I shall assist you however I can my prince," Diego replied as the carriage wheels crushed down on something that was lying on the road.
"Have you ever heard the term Arman-Katulas?" Lucian asked as he leaned back in his cushioned seat.
Diego's grip on the reigns tightened suddenly, "Where did you hear that term?" he asked.
"Well, I can't say that I heard it, rather it was something the Master mouthed when I completed the kata, now tell me what you know," Lucian demanded.
Diego went silent, it seemed like he was contemplating a lot of things.
"What's wrong, is this some kind of secret you're not supposed to share?" Lucian asked a touch of mockery leaking into his voice.
If Diego heard the mockery he didn't show it, "No it's not a secret, but rather I fear the effects this knowledge will have on the size of your head," he replied.
Lucian laughed, "Well your only worry need be my safety, so let me hear it,"
Diego let the reigns slacken, and the horses immediately slowed in their pace, though the stamping of their hooves grew only louder.
"Arman-Katulas has many meanings, but they all kind off mean the same thing, it comes from the convent of the late Olympian Goddess Athena"
"Some say it means ancient soul, others call it a wise soul, a blessed soul or a special soul,"
"But really the only time that people are actually called an Arman-Katulas is when they display wisdom and skill in tasks that go beyond the boundaries of natural talent and their life experiences,"
"It's believed that there are those who once achieved great things in the name of the celestial heavens and for that, they carry their fortune into their next lives," Diego explained.
Lucian narrowed his eyes with a panging pain in his head, it was like a hammer was striking an anvil inside his head, "Wait, so you're saying that the Master thinks I'm one of these... ancient souls?"
"It's not just the master that thinks so young prince," Diego replied, "Your mother has been certain about it since you were only a few months old, and anyone that actually knows you would be foolish not to consider the possibility,"
"But don't go getting a big head because of this, it just means that your natural instincts are much better than someone your age," Diego quickly added.
Lucian closed the shutter and started messaging his temples, this new revelation was stirring up something inside of him, and the more he taught about it the more his head pounded with bursts of pain.
---
Entry 134: The Journal of a Slothful Prince
The 14th day of Aeos the year 106 992 P.C.
Arman-Katulas
A new word I learnt today…
It terrifies me just thinking of that word…
In some ways it makes so much sense, it's like all the questions I have about myself that cannot be explained can all be attested to that one word…
But it also scares me, the thought that I could have once been someone else…
It terrifies me because there are things that shouldn't terrify me that do, for instance, my fear of sleep…
Every time I think about it, I can't think of a reason that I would be afraid of such a simple instinctual action, yet the thought of sleep fills me with dread…
I wonder what could have happened that could instill fear in me even after reincarnation…
I fear that one day I shall remember… I hope that day never comes…