First day test

A short Asian man was the one to bring me clothes a few minutes after the bald woman left my room.

The man wore red and yellow robes, kind of like the ones he handed to me.

Before I could ask how it was I was supposed to wear them, the man turned and left my room, leaving me to figure it out on my own.

As it turned out, it was actually pretty simple to figure out, as it was pretty similar to the gi's I wore throughout my hand to hand combat days.

The clothes were made out of rather soft fabrics that also felt quite sturdy.

Tying the belt around my waist, I twisted my body a few times, testing out my flexibility in the clothes.

Stepping out of my small room, I had to squint my eyes for a few moments to get my eyes accustomed to the bright sunlight outside.

"Done already." the familiar voice of the woman asked beside me.

Flinching to the side, my body went on autopilot as I hadn't realized she had gotten so close beside me.

Back peddling, my body instinctively went on the defensive.

"Well trained reflexes." the woman noted as she looked me up and down, as I slowly lowered my guard.

We stood there in silence for a few moments as the woman seemed lost in thought.

But eventually she seemed to come to a decision.

"Follow me Andrew." The woman said, turning to walk down the side of the building where my room was.

Following her, I spoke.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

She turned her head to look at me.

"Your military ID. We found it in your pocket." She said, turning to look back ahead.

Her words sparked a flame of fear in my chest as I realized I needed to get back in contact with my superiors.

As I opened my mouth to speak, the woman interrupted.

"I wouldn't worry about contacting the military. To them you are dead." She said simply.

My feet came to a halt.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, panicked.

The woman stopped as well and turned to face me.

"You heard me. They believe you died." She said turning and walking again.

"And my family!" I asked, really starting to panic, the weird feeling in my chest growing.

"They also believe you are dead." She said, nonshalontly.

That's when I lost my cool.

"What!" I asked angrily, my hands balled into fist, not realizing there were currents of dark blue energy surrounding them and my forearms, as the stone ground under me cracked under the intense currents of energy emitting from my body.

The woman looked at me, a fascinated look on her face, then she smirked.

The woman's smirk only added fuel to the fire burning within me.

My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one more frantic and desperate than the last. 'How could this be happening? My family, my superiors, everyone I knew believed I was dead. And this woman, with her calm demeanor and cryptic words!' She seemed unbothered by the chaos she was unraveling around me.

"I can see you're struggling to understand, Andrew," she said, her voice softening slightly, though the smirk remained. "But you must listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you."

As she spoke, I forced myself to breathe, to calm the storm inside my mind.

"You've awakened a power within you," she continued, her eyes never leaving mine as she gestured to my arms with her hands. "A power that your body can't withstand—not yet that is." She said as I looked down, finally seeing the blue currents crawling up my arms, and the cracked stone under me.

"Not until you learn to control it, can you leave Kamar-Taj." She said, distracting me from the blue energy.

"What do you mean, control it?" I asked "What kind of power are we talking about?"

The woman, who I now realized was far more than just a guide, began to walk again, motioning for me to follow.

As we moved through the ancient corridors of Kamar-Taj, she explained.

"As far as we can tell, your abilities allow you to manipulate all forms of energy," she said, her words echoing off the stone walls. "From magic to kinetic, even cosmic energy. Rather an impressive ability," she said light heartedly, "But your body can withstand such power. If you're not careful, it will tear you apart."

I stopped in my tracks, trying to wrap my head around what she was saying. "So, what? I'm some kind of energy conduit now?" I asked incredulously, my voice tinged with disbelief.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," she replied, stopping to face me once more. "And that is why you must remain here. To learn control, to harness your abilities safely. Only then can you think about returning to the world you once knew."

The realization was a punch to the gut. My life as I knew it was over—or at least on hold indefinitely. The thought of being stuck here, in this foreign place, learning to control powers I never asked for, was daunting.

But deep down, beyond the fear and confusion, there was a flicker of something else—a sense of purpose, a challenge. Perhaps this was a new chapter, one that could lead to understanding not just of the powers within me, but of myself.

Reluctantly, I nodded, accepting the path laid before me. "Alright," I said, determination seeping into my voice. "Where do we start?"

The bald woman smiled at me.

"In the training yard. You have been in a coma for three weeks, so you might be a bit rusty, but we want to see where you stand in combat skills." She said, walking again.

Following after, I mulled over the fact I had been bedridden for three weeks.

'How am I not weak?' I thought 'All it could take to start losing muscle mass is a week if they aren't used.'

I continued to think about that until we reached a large courtyard with stone flooring and wooden walls surrounding it.

Standing in the courtyard were multiple people of different ethnicities going through different combat stances.

Leading them was a middle aged Asian man, who paced back and forth in front of them, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched them.

Standing still, we watched as they moved through different drills of a form of combat I knew.

But unlike most combat forms, this one seemed to be a blend of different types mixed together.

After a few minutes of watching, the man noticed us.

Raising his hands, he brought everyone to a halt as we approached.

"Master Wei, I would like to introduce the newest member of the mystic arts." The woman said, gesturing to me.

The man looked at me, his face stoney as he looked me up and down.

"I would like for you to put him through some combat exercises." She said, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Of course, Ancient One." The man said in a bow to the woman.

'Ancient One?' I thought, confused.

Rising from his bow, the man turned to look at me.

"Follow me." He said in an accented voice.

Turning to look at the woman, she nodded her head.

So…I followed the man.

He led me to the center of the courtyard where those who had been going through the different drills from before were still milling about.

"All of you go to the boundaries." The man said, shewing everyone away.

"You," the man said, pointing at me, "stand there." He said, pointing to the furthest end of the courtyard from himself.

I did as he said, and walked to the other end where people were standing just outside of.

Turning to face the man, I watched as he bent his knees in a defensive stance.

"Throw everything you have at me. Don't hold back." He said, his eyes watching me like a snake.

So, following his instructions, I got ready to attack, hoping my martial skills hadn't gotten rusty.

The wind whistled through the courtyard as I waited a few moments to focus my mind, throwing anything that wasn't needed to the back of my mind.

Once done, I closed my eyes for a moment, letting out a deep breath of air.

Then in an instance, my eyes popped open and I charged.

The moment I charged, the air around me seemed to electrify, and my senses sharpened with a clarity I hadn't experienced before.

Each step I took resounded in the courtyard, echoing my determination.

Master Wei stood his ground though, his eyes locked onto mine, unblinking and composed.

As I closed the distance, I began with a series of quick jabs, testing his defenses.

Wei moved with an elegance that belied him, deflecting each strike with minimal effort. His movements were fluid, almost as if he was anticipating my every action.

But I had a trick up my sleeve.

As I engaged him, flashes of his future moves flitted through my mind, like glimpses of a movie playing just seconds ahead.

When he shifted his weight slightly, I saw a vision of his upcoming strike, a swift palm aimed at my ribs.

I pivoted on my heel, narrowly avoiding his attack, and countered with a spinning kick aimed at his shoulder.

To my surprise, the kick landed, causing Wei to stagger back a step. The onlookers murmured in surprise, their eyes widening at the unexpected exchange.

The success of my counterattack fueled me as I pressed the advantage.

I flowed into a series of complex maneuvers, blending techniques from various martial arts styles I'd learned over the years.

My fists and feet moved in a blur, each strike calculated and precise.

Yet, for every hit I landed, Wei countered with a graceful sweep or block, turning my momentum against me.

The courtyard became a battleground of wills, where each of us tested the other's limits.

I could feel the blue energy coursing through me, seeming to guide my movements, enhancing my reflexes.

Each time Wei prepared to strike, I saw it, an image in my mind, clear as day.

I ducked, dodged, and retaliated with a ferocity that surprised even me.

But Master Wei was not to be underestimated.

Despite my abilities, he adapted swiftly, changing his tactics with a cunning that spoke of decades of experience.

His strikes became more unpredictable, slipping past my anticipatory visions.

I felt the sting of his palm against my shoulder, the force enough to send me skidding across the stone floor.

Undeterred, I rose quickly, refusing to yield. I charged again, this time aiming for his center of gravity, hoping to catch him off balance.

As I lunged forward, my vision flickered—a brief image of him sidestepping and using my momentum against me.

I adjusted mid-stride, twisting my body to deliver a sweeping kick instead.

But Wei anticipated my adjustment, meeting my kick with a well-timed block before stepping inside my guard.

His movements were swift, almost a blur, as he delivered a series of rapid strikes.

I felt each impact, like a drumbeat against my ribs and arms, forcing me to retreat and regroup.

Yet, even as I staggered back, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

This was more than just a sparring match.

It was a dance, a conversation of fists and feet, where every move spoke volumes. Despite the pain, I found myself smiling, exhilarated by the challenge.

As we continued to exchange blows, the realization sunk in that this was not about winning or losing, but learning.

Each strike that Wei landed taught me more about my own abilities, about the potential within me.

And though I fought with everything I had, it was clear that Master Wei's experience and skill were insurmountable.

In the end, with a final, well-executed maneuver, Wei swept my legs out from under me, sending me sprawling to the ground.

The impact jarred my senses, leaving me breathless.

I lay there for a moment, staring up at the sky.

Master Wei extended a hand, helping me to my feet.

His expression was one of respect, mingled with a hint of amusement. "You have potential, Andrew," he said, his voice steady. "But you still have some way to go."

I nodded, wiping the sweat from my brow. Despite the outcome, I felt invigorated, eager to continue this journey.

The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time, I felt ready to embrace it.

The training yard was not just a place of combat, but a sanctuary where I could uncover the depths of my newfound abilities and perhaps, one day, return to the world that believed me lost.

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Please comment and let me know what you think of his powers and how the story is going so far.