Xenia took Jacek’s hand and led him to the hill where Evo once stood at the base of a rushing waterfall. She then said, “Show me your fighting stance.”
He assumed his stance and she began to examine him. She walked around with her hand up to her chin and said, “Not bad. Not bad at all. Remember, you are one of the strongest ki users in the world. Any criticism I offer isn’t meant to take away from what you have already achieved. It is to propel you even higher into the ranks of the top ki users in the world.”
Jacek nodded saying, “My teachers come from many different backgrounds. However, the master I learn the most from even to this day is my father Jarek.”
She stopped in front him after making a full circle and said, “Yes, I can tell.” She then said, “Now raise your aura just enough for me to see it easily.”
Jacek did as she said raising his aura to a thin layer surrounding every inch of his body, and he waited for her assessment.
She walked to his side and approached him slowly. She took her hands and began to shift his stance. She pushed his chest back, arms down just a touch, and leg angle up ever so slightly. Although she genuinely meant to correct his ki flow via physical positioning, she also couldn’t help but notice how rock hard his muscles were and how chiseled his entire body felt.
She took a step back and said, “Do you feel any different? Can you feel the flow of your ki more acutely?”
Jacek half-smiled and said, “Err, not really?”
Xenia sighed and said, “I was afraid of that. Can you perform the basic ki technique of Shadow Steps?”
Jacek laughed and said, “Of course I can. I am a 7th degree black belt!”
Xenia didn’t laugh along with him and said, “Then why weren’t you able to track me when I used it during our sparring match. I must have seemingly vanished in your eyes, only to reappear to strike at you. Do you recall?”
Jacek did recall, “That wasn’t Shadow Steps. That was a much higher degree of a similar technique.”
She rebutted, “Oh I assure you. That was Shadow Steps. It’s true form.”
“I can perform Shadow Steps. Allow me to show you.” Jacek said sternly.
Xenia motioned with her hand as she said, “Very well. Follow me. Let’s pass through this waterfall to the grotto behind it.”
Xenia stood before the waterfall and suddenly made several quick movements with her feet before disappearing behind the waterfall without a trace of a disruption in the water. Jacek followed behind her performing the exact same technique as he also disappeared behind the waterfall albeit with a small splash.
Xenia stood completely dry laughing at Jacek as he appeared in front of her soaking wet. She exclaimed, “Jacek! If you could perform this technique, you would be completely dry like me. Admit it! Let me help you!”
Jacek couldn’t argue with the results before him. He had never seen this form of a test, and he couldn’t deny that he was soaking wet while she stood dry as a bone before him.
He incredulously asked, “But how?!”
Xenia approached him cautiously as to not get wet from touching him and said, “Ki is a basic unit of energy. It is the same for us all. My guess is that you don’t meditate often, do you?”
Jacek uncomfortably answered, “No, I never meditate.”
Xenia sighed and said, “Okay, we have lots more work to do than I thought. Follow me.” She began to perform Shadow Steps through the waterfall again but stopped to say, “You might want to walk around this time.”
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She disappeared through the waterfall coming out on the other side dry as can be while Jacek shamefully walked around the entire waterfall to avoid getting wet again.
She assumed the lotus position and motioned for him to assume the same position across from her. She said, “I will all but have to teach you how to meditate. You have no control over your own ki much less the ki of others.”
She continued, “This is why you failed to detect the ambush earlier, and it’s also why you failed to track me during my Shadow Step maneuver.”
He became wide eyed, “Did you detect it?!”
She said, “Of course, I detected the ambush. I said nothing because I figured you had too and were prepared.”
He looked down with shame as he said, “Okay, I am open to your teachings although I don’t consider myself someone who meditates.”
She quipped back, “Do you consider yourself a warrior?”
He nodded, and she said, “Then you are someone who meditates. Histories most legendary warriors meditated. I would daresay your father is one of them.”
He began to respond, but she raised her hand to stop him. She raised her own ki aura, and Jacek immediately felt how pure and peaceful it was. He couldn’t believe it.
She then extended her own ki to envelope his body as the two became entwined in her ki. He felt as if he were inside a warm cocoon of power. He had never felt such raw power be so peaceful.
She then quietly said, “I am going to slowly retract my ki over the next hour. As I do, you will supplement any imperfections in our connection with your own ki, and you will eventually envelope me with your own ki as I have you now.”
Jacek’s eyes went wide as he thought to himself, “Over the next hour!” However, he elected not to say anything. They did have the time, and she was an expert, so he went along with the plan and focused on matching the slow retreat of her ki with the advancement of his own.
Over the next hour, Xenia inched her ki back into her own body as she felt Jacek advance his own. For her, meditation was second-hand, and she expended next to no energy. However, for Jacek, he was sweating and tense as he tried to maintain a perfect ki aura.
He did well to remind himself to calm down to ensure his ki was as peaceful as possible to match Xenia’s. However, he struggled mightily.
As the one-hour mark passed, Xenia had completely retracted her ki as she sat awash in Jacek’s ki. She savored the feeling. It was like a big warm hug from a man she had maintained a crush on for many years, since she was a teenager in fact.
While Jacek took a mental note of one hour passing, Xenia made no move as she tried to extend the experience as long as possible. This went on for an extra fifteen minutes until finally, Jacek relinquished his ki to disperse into the environment as he hunched over breathing heavily.
Xenia immediately praised him, “Jacek! That was wonderful! Did you feel it? Your ki was so much more at ease by the end!”
Jacek caught his breath and managed to say, “I did. I did feel it. Your ki led mine as an example, and I finally understand what you mean.”
She leapt up to her feet with boundless energy and said, “So… the sun is starting to set. We need to get back soon. But before we do… we are going to meet on the other side of this waterfall one more time.”
She walked over to the waterfall and performed Shadow Steps as she disappeared without the slightest hint of a splash vanishing beyond the wall of water. She landed completely dry on the other side within the dimly lit grotto.
Jacek stood up, fatigued from the meditation training. He was sorely mistaken to think that meditating was for the weak. It had nearly drained him completely. He stood before the waterfall and focused his ki. He formed a peaceful layer of ki around his entire body and maintained a solitary focus as he began to perform the technique.
Xenia could feel his ki building on the other side of the waterfall and began to anxiously anticipate his arrival.
Then, suddenly, without the slightest hint of a splash… Jacek appeared before her… completely dry save for one small splash on his face.
Xenia shrieked and clapped with excitement, “You did it! Look at you! Completely dry. I’ve never seen someone improve so much in so little time. You are supremely talented Jacek.”
Jacek laughed her comments off and pointed to his face, “Let me remind you that it wasn’t a perfect showing.” He wiped his face off and looked back at Xenia. The dimly lit grotto had a hint of red illumination from the setting sun peeking through the waterfall creating a romantic ambiance.
Xenia reached for his shirt and began to feel it. She muttered to herself, “Completely dry shirt.” She then inched closer as she began to rub his pants muttering, “Completely dry pants.” She then looked up at his face as she inched her body even closer to his and said, “Just a small splash on your face.”
Jacek and Xenia looked into each other’s eyes as she stood with her body flush against his. She then said, “Oh. And you missed a spot.”
Jacek began to raise his hand; however, Xenia forced it down to his side as she said, “I’ll get it.”
Without hesitation, she then kissed him on the lips softly and slowly. Although brief, the two could feel one another’s passion as they shared their first kiss. She stopped, taking a half-step back as she bit her lip and looked him in the eyes. Jacek then pulled her close again, and the two embraced in a passionate kiss as he wrapped his arms around her pulling her in closer and tighter as they continued to kiss to the sounds of the raging waterfall in the dim red light of the setting sun.