Beaten

Chanaka was well beaten. He was even more humbled. He had accepted that he will not be the strongest person. Even if he practiced harder than any one possible could. He would still not be stronger than Master Marisho. He went and rested in the caves, this time.

"Come here," said Master Marisho.

Chanaka stood before the Master.

"Man does not suffer, man dies not go through pain," said Master Marisho.

"Man only goes through suffering when he tries to remove himself from pain," said Master Marisho.

"Accept the suffering and you will never go through pain," said Master Marisho.

"But," said Chanaka.

"Your sisters death," said Master Marisho.

"Can you get her back?" asked Marisho.

"No," replied Chanaka.

"But," again said Chanaka.

"But the pain will make you the strongest person in the world," said Master Marisho.

"Yes," replied Chanaka.

"Has it?" asked Master Marisho.

"No, but Kage San and Master Moto have all got stronger because of pain," replied Chanaka.

"Yes," said Master Marisho.

"They said the same thing to me, when they came to me," said Master Marisho.

"They came to me because they understood pain alone will not be enough to make one strong, make one achieve something," said Master Marisho.

"Teach me,Master," said Chanaka.

"Teach me to become the strongest," said Chanaka.

"First, remove the idea that you want to become the strongest," said Master Marisho.

"First, remove the pain that haunts you," said Marisho.

"How master l, how do I remove the pain that I have carried with me for so long?" asked Chanaka.

"You need to accept it first, you neeed to accept the pain," said Marisho.

" You will need to accept that your sister is no more,"

"That she has passed on to a better place," said Marisho.

"I can't Master," said Chanaka in tears.

" I can't forget my Azuki, she was my world," said Chanaka.

"She was," smiled Master Marisho.

"Not anymore," he said to Chanaka.

Chanaka sat down.

The memory of his sister chasing butterflies in the snow, put him through varying emotions.

He laughed, he smiled.

He got furious and then he cried.

"You are in delusion," said Master Marisho.

"Face reality," he said.

" Face the caves, face the mountains, face the trees, face the trees, taste the cool springs," said Master Marisho.

"Tomorrow you breathe," said Master Marisho.

"Tomorrow you breathe the fresh air," said Marisho smiling.