Ten called in sick from work and has decided to go visit his mother instead. Before seeing her he decided to buy her some flowers. As he comes out of the flower shop after buying a bouquet a man and a woman in suits cross his path. They are talking about their jobs.
“Yeah, I just started so it's…”
He can't hear the rest of the conversation because they are walking at a rather brisk pace. Ten stands still and watches the two people walk away from him. Seeing a man in a suit like that, talking about his job made Ten remember his father.
In the memory, his father wore a suit similar to the one he just saw and he took Ten to see a friend of his. He remembers the two men sitting in the living room at the dining table as Ten watched TV. Ten remembered parts of the conversation between his father and his friend.
His father was just hired for a new job and he seemed a bit nervous.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I can do this. I didn’t lie to get the job, but you know…”
“Hey, it is what it is man, just do what you can. You’ll figure it out.”
“Nah man, this level of think tank is different. They gave me some stuff to read as like homework and …”
Ten remembers looking back and seeing his father shake his head with a frowned look on his face as if to signal that it was extremely difficult. Tens father's friend was smiling at his father's insecurity as he replied with a slightly amused tone of voice.
“You were always nervous before tests, but you were the smartest in our class for a reason. You got this.”
“Nah man, seriously, this stuff they got me reading and working on … I don’t know.”
“You haven’t even started yet, let it happen first and then worry about you being able or unable. For now, just be happy you got the job.”
“You right, you right.”
Tens father then looks at Ten watching TV.
“T!”
Ten looks back at his father who has a gentle smile on his face.
“You want some ice cream?”
Ten excited at the prospect of ice cream jumps up and answers a resounding YES. The two then left the friend's house hand in hand and went for ice cream. This was the end of the memory and it was able to put a small smile on Ten’s face.
Ten turns and continues on his journey to see his mother. As he walks down the street the sun is up high and the sunlight blinds his eyes a little, and in a room in a gym the sunlight comes through the window as Demo is in the middle of a special training with Li-On. Demo spent the night at the gym in a room that was made for special guests. Demo is now sitting at the table with Li-On his eyes are closed and he is focusing on creating a visual image of a diamond.
In his mind's eye, he can see a diamond floating in space. He hears Li-On giving him instructions.
“Imagine going into the diamond. Then take a look around you, and try to see all the small pieces in the diamond”
Demo nods, and in his imagination, he goes into the diamond and visualizes the diamond being a collection of small pieces that stick together to make a diamond.
“Open your eyes. I don’t know how strong the image is in your head, but you say you’ve got it down right?”
“Yes.”
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Li-On smiles as he picks up the diamond on the table and places it in Demo’s hand.
“Ok, then let's check. Look at the diamond, focus on it. Then close your eyes and keep the image of the diamond in your hand.”
Demo does as instructed. He can see a very big version of the diamond in his hand.
“Now erase your hand and keep only the diamond.”
Demo does as instructed and removes his hand from his imagination. The diamond is now once again floating in space. Li-On looks at Demo as his eyes are closed and Li-On can sense how focused Demo is as he says.
“Go in.”
Demo goes into the diamond and he can see the small pieces that the diamond is made of as clear as day. He can even see the connections between the parts, Like an intricate puzzle connected through wires and pillars that keep up the shape of the diamond. Li-On looks at the diamond in Demo’s hand and can sense a faint glow coming from the diamond. It's clear that Demo’s focus and connection to the diamond are strong enough to resonate with the energy of the world.
“Now destroy it.”
Demo smiles at the command given as if he had been waiting eagerly to hear the order of destruction. He charges at the small pieces in the diamond and the connections. He strikes everything that comes in his path. After a few moments, the diamond is no more as he has severed all ties and laid waste to all the pieces. He thoroughly enjoyed destroying it. Even in his imagination, he is smiling with a grin that goes from ear to ear. Li-On surprised at what he is seeing stands there with a shocked look on his face.
“Open your eyes.”
Demo opens his eyes and looks down at his hand. The diamond is no longer there and in its place is a swirling vortex of energy. Demo’s eyes pop open with amazement and surprise which is then quickly followed by a smile of pride as he is able to deconstruct the diamond.
Due to his enjoyment and happiness his focus lapses and because of it the energy that was created from the diamond dissipates. The small particles of energy seem to flow with an unseen current in the air as they evaporate into nothingness.
“What happened?”
Li-On smiles, he is genuinely surprised Demo was able to do it within a day. But because he is a little unsure of Demo’s character and disposition he wants to hold back on giving him too much praise to see how he reacts to strictness first.
“Your focus slipped. If you lose focus you lose all you’ve done. Breaking the diamond is step one, maintaining the energy is two, and using it to create what you want is three.”
Demo looks down as if he is thinking to himself and going over his mistakes. He looks back up after a few moments with eyes determined to do better.
“Ok.”
Li-On walks towards a dresser that’s in the room and opens up a drawer. He takes out a rock and then places it in Demo’s hand.
“You now know how to break it down, now we are going to focus on keeping the energy you created calm and flowing like a small river.”
“Why does it need to be calm?”
“Forcing an angry beast into a cage is a lot harder than doing it with a calm one, right?”
“True.”
“The same principles apply here. This step is a small one compared to the other two, but it is equally important. The faster you can calm the energy, the faster you can mold it.”
Demo nods his head.
“Close your eyes. Imagine you just finished breaking down the original. Do you see all the loose pieces floating around?”
In Demo’s imagination, he can see all the parts floating around him. It’s as if he is floating in a world of debris.
“Visualize all the pieces coming together as one. Create a focus point for them to come to, it can be anywhere you want.”
Demo sees himself in the middle of all the floating pieces and holds out his hand he keeps his gaze on his palm. And tries to turn the palm of his hand into a magnet that will force all the pieces floating around to come to him. The pieces of energy around him start to vibrate as if they are enraged. Li-On sensing the tension coming from Demo decides to help him further along.
“Do not force the energy to do what you want. Let it come to you naturally. Let it flow, just be its guide.”
Demo a bit confused recognized that the pieces floating around him didn’t seem as peaceful as before. Clearly, his magnet idea wasn’t the right way. He then holds out both hands and instead of focusing on his hand, he looks up at all the pieces and then looks back down in a very calm and serene way. The energy responds in kind and flows down to gather in between his two hands. Once all the pieces are between his hands they start to flow in a very calm circular manner.
Li-On realizes that Demo was able to calm down and visualize a subtle flow of energy.
“Now, with that energy try to turn it into a diamond. Don’t try to piece it all together like a puzzle. Just imagine the diamond as a whole and allow the pieces to fill it in for you.”
Demo listens to Li-On and is able to make the diamond shape in his head and just as Li-On said, the energy flows into the image of the diamond, and with a bright light, it turns into a diamond.
“Open your eyes.”
Demo opens his eyes and in his hand is a diamond.
“Hell YEAH!”
Li-On smiles as he tries to hide his amazement. Never before has someone so quickly been able to master this process.
Li-On leans forward to look Demo in the eyes and with a serious face that almost seems threatening he asks the question.
“What are you?”
Chapter 7 Fin