At dawn, Devon woke feeling fully recharged. Instead of going to school, he went to Ras Nine's place. He discovered Ras seated atop a flat rock surrounded by small forest creatures. Birds flitted around his shoulders as Ras hummed softly, radiating a profound aura of peace.
Waiting patiently so as not to disturb the tranquil scene, Devon finally approached when Ras opened his eyes and beckoned.
"I trust yuh rest well, Devon?"
"Yeah man, like a baby. Yuh have a pure meditation spot here."
Ras smiled. "In nature's garden, soul and senses revive." He sprang up smoothly. "Today's lesson begin here -"
With nimble grace, Ras leapt up the sheer rock face bordering his hut, dodging from handhold to foothold. In seconds he stood twenty feet above peering down expectantly. A waterfall poured dramatically behind the waiting master.
Devon balked. "Uh, yuh want me to climb up there?"
Ras said nothing, just smiled patiently.
Shaking his head ruefully, Devon walked up and tested a promising notch in the vertical stone. Muscles burning with effort, he painstakingly ascended inch by inch. The waterfall spray made handgrips slick and treacherous.
By the time Devon hauled himself up over the final ledge, he lay gasping and trembling before Ras' feet. The rasta hadn't even broken a sweat watching his exertions.
"Brute force only carry so far. Learn to conquer with speed and cleverness," Ras advised. "Again now." He sprung lightly off to begin descending the far side of the mountain.
Biting back a frustrated groan, Devon followed his mentor down the rugged slope. They continued in this fashion for hours - Ras demonstrating agile parkour fluency while Devon scrambled to keep up. Tumbling often, he doggedly repeated every challenging climb and leap.
Finally in late afternoon, Ras allowed a halt beside a burbling brook. Devon flopped down rubbing throbbing limbs. Everything hurt but he brimmed with satisfaction. Each failure brought a lesson in balance, courage and persistence.
"The body now knows limits so spirit can transcend them." Ras rinsed sweat from his brow. "Tune to your inner natural flow, not opposing it. This grants divine power."
Devon pondered those words, watching leaves swirling gracefully down the brook. He drank deep of the cool mountain water, feeling blessed calmness spread through his being. Everything aligned in nature's perfection.
They continued practicing advanced defensive techniques and sparring drills where Devon sought to evade and redirect Ras's blows rather than resist them directly. The way of water, his mentor called it.
Late in the day, while cooling off by the waterfall pool, Devon remembered an urgent question. "Ras, I need to know what happen at the beach when rescued me. Did anybody find out about me?" he asked earnestly.
Ras gazed at him pensively before responding. "The escaped man now back in proper custody. But... he speak nothing of yuh when I alert authorities."
Devon sagged in relief. So his role remained secret for now. Nobody realized a powered youth had roamed free taking such risks.
"I reason not to expose yuh recklessness, or endanger the seedling gift within," Ras explained kindly. "There is time enough for grand heroics when the fruit ripen."
Devon felt both gratitude and shame. "Yuh show mi more grace than I deserve, honourable Ras. I only hope to walk in yuh footsteps one day."
The rasta smiled and embraced him. "Keep thy heart pure, Devon. Wisdom flow from that moral wellspring, not force of powers. Lead others by example first."
Moved by Ras's faith in him, Devon vowed to live those humble words.
The next weeks brought daily rigorous training beneath Ras Nine's guidance. The rasta master pushed Devon's physical abilities to their limits, then taught focus and recovery techniques involving meditation, nature energy and fasting. Devon had never felt so perfectly challenged or at peace.
Ras also showed him methods of channelling electricity to revitalize cells, synchronizing breaths and heartbeats to elemental rhythms of the island. "Our spirits draw life from this land, and owe a debt," Ras told him. "Cultivate gratitude through sharing gifts freely."
To build self-discipline and service, Devon now rose before dawn and hiked down the mountain to assist with harvesting crops in a village below. Ras only smiled knowingly when his exhausted pupil returned with baskets of fruit and vegetables for their simple meals. Devon was maturing in mind and power.
With his mentor constantly enhancing every aspect of his development, Devon felt ready for real trials. But Ras urged patience. "When the fruit ripen, it will detach naturally from the branch," was his guidance.
So Devon cherished this idyllic opportunity to absorb Ras's wisdom. Training was tailored perfectly to strengthen his weaknesses while allowing strengths to flourish unforced. He learned more about himself in weeks here than years of traditional schooling.
On rest days, Ras Nine showed Devon how to craft drums, sandals, ropes and fishing nets from forest materials. They traded these creations for other necessities when visiting local towns. Devon admired how self-sufficient his teacher remained. He also observed how eagerly children and the needy looked forward to Ras Nine's arrivals. The rasta brought free medicines, herbs and remedies crafted through his powers.
When Devon commented that the people must adore Ras, the humble man just chuckled. "Gratitude should flow both ways. I need their kindness too."
Ras showed Devon the secret of seeding clouds to bring rain relief to drought-stricken farms. "Powers only bless true purpose when flowing to roots of community, nourishing all," Ras told him. Devon vowed to live by that wisdom.
At night, lying outside beneath the dazzling Milky Way, Ras taught Devon to interpret guidance in the stars' patterns and constellations. The language of destiny was etched overhead if you had eyes to see it.
After two months tutelage on and off the serene mountain, Devon felt ready to emerge as a hero. This time with Ras Nine had transformed him profoundly. The wise rasta had helped awaken Devon's true heroic potential from within. There was no limit to what lay ahead now.
During their final scrumptious meal together of stewed ital vegetables and coconut dumplings, Devon asked a question he'd long pondered. "You've gave so much wisdom and knowledge. But what can I offer back, Ras?"
The rasta master smiled thoughtfully, chewing his food. Finally he said "Yuh friendship. Come visit dis old lion sometimes and share news from your journey. Nothing enrich life like company."
They embraced tightly before parting ways a short distance down the mountain. Ras Nine preferred maintaining harmony of his isolated home. Devon could feel their souls still connected, no matter how far. Ras had offered the greatest gift - faith in his own inner light. That could never fade.
Descending the zigzag jungle trail, Devon looked back just once. He glimpsed his mentor sitting in lotus position atop the plateau to resume deep meditation. Then mists swallowed the scene and Ras Nine.