Part 32

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***

-Hello, Yui. It's nice that you've finally come.

The slight rebuke in Master Kai's voice made the boy's ears turn traitorously red. Embarrassed, he hid his gaze, trying to avoid his teacher's mocking gaze.

After a conversation filled with tears and painful memories, the orphan didn't come to class for four days. Ignoring the earth mage, he gave all his attention to the guan dao. Hiding from the servants and guards, the child wanted to be alone. By practising the techniques, he was able to calm down and come to the conclusion that he needed to continue his conquest of the land.

-Good morning, Master Kai. I'm sorry...

-Nothing, my young friend. I'm glad you were able to get over yourself. How do you feel at the thought of conquering the earth?

A grit of teeth and a heavy sigh was the answer. The old man grinned good-naturedly and invited his companion to sit opposite him.

-Thank you, I'm fine. And though I don't like the thought of subjugating the land, I'll do it.

-Great, great. The first step in a difficult journey has been taken. Then we'll get a bit active today, sometimes it's good to get the blood rushing through the old body.

-I'm only thirteen, Master... -I'm only thirteen...

-It's no big deal.

Staring perplexed at the master's face, Yu felt he was being mocked, but didn't know how to react.

-Today we will finally start learning earth magic. After a month and a half. It's about time, because I'm tired of lying to the Viceroy about your progress.

-What?!

-Now, the first thing you need to realise is that earth is the foundation. Many people think that water is the principle of life, but I think otherwise. The earth is everywhere, it is solid and unshakable, from the bottom of the oceans that can withstand thousands of tonnes of water, to the mountain peaks that will not disappear even millions of years later.

Breathing measuredly, the teacher continued to speak with his eyes closed. His voice plunged them both into a trance-like state where the two minds imagined the majesty of the earth's firmament.

-Everything in this world is connected. Each element of the four elements supports and helps the other.

-Teacher, I understand that water is necessary for people and animals, it feeds the plants and nourishes the earth, which in turn feeds everyone with its fruit, but.... What about wind and fire? Aren't flames only made to destroy?

-Think about it some more, the answer is simpler than it seems. There's no sacred meaning to the benefits of fire. Look around you and you'll get the answer.

Opening her eyes, Yuu had to sharply squeeze them back shut. The sun's rays brightly illuminated everything around her, causing a slight burning sensation and black spots. Putting his hand to his forehead and squinting, the boy searched for an answer to his teacher's question, but only got angrier because of the bright sky. Today it lavished its rays especially strongly....

Looking at the other hand, the child twirled it in different directions, feeling how the brightened side heated up under the sun's rays.

-It's warm. The sun is like fire! It warms you up and gives you warmth.

-It does, and you can make amazing komodo or duck-bear kebabs on the fire.

-Erm. Yeah, that too.

Confused by the master's businesslike reply, Yu watched the man's cheerful smile, unsure how to get back on the serious side.

-To the question of wind, you need it just as much as the other elements,‖ lifting a handful of sand, the old man held his hand out to the side, allowing the grains of sand to drift away, swept away by the gusts of air.

-The wind blows the sand around so there's more of it everywhere?

-You're not a very smart kid, are you?

-I'm a good learner...

-Learning doesn't mean knowing. Oh, okay. Imagine tree seeds in place of sand. Or clouds filled with water travelling across the sky. He sends them where they're needed most.

Watching the fluttering grains of sand, Yu mentally agreed with Kai's words, but in his head he searched for more answers.

-Birds. He's helping the birds.

-That's right. Maybe there's still more to you. Ha-ha.

The kind laughter caused a feeble smile to appear on the child's face. Watching the cheerful master, Yu didn't quite understand what this philosophising was all about, but reverently followed all the commands and listened attentively.

-What was this lecture about, master? I don't argue, it's very interesting, but how will it help me master earth magic?

-Yui, Yui,' Kai shook his head disappointedly and with a wave of his hand he summoned a small boulder and made it float above the man's hand, 'I can easily teach you the army techniques of conquerors, but is that what you want? If you're going to learn magic, you have to immerse yourself in it. Doesn't it thrill you to realise that you will be a master of the elements?

As he pondered his teacher's words, the boy kept his gaze on the floating cobblestone. Although the child's pain no longer rushed out like a rabid beast, it still smouldered in his chest every time he spoke of earth magic.

-I don't know. Sometimes I think I can do it, but then the memories come back and it's hard for me to think rationally.

-Hmm. Maybe more action would help. For example, I could attack you using elemental conquest, and you'd have to hit rocks with your hands?

-I'm sorry, Master Kai. Are you really a teacher?

A stone slammed into his forehead and an expressive look from beneath his glasses was his answer. Slamming his hand on the stone platform, Kai lowered them a couple of metres underground in one motion. A couple of swings and the passage closed over their heads, leaving them in the pitch blackness of the stone bag.

-We'll try something else. What do you know about Muladhara?

-Nothing.

-Well, I'm not surprised. -Well, I'm not surprised. It's called the root chakra or the earth chakra...

-It's responsible for earth magic?

A new pebble to the forehead made the nervous child hold his tongue.

-It's responsible for fear. It's the foundation that helps open the other chakras. Once you've overcome your biggest fear, you can move on and live.

-I don't understand. I don't have any particular fears.

-You don't?

Guan Yu didn't see it, but he could sense that the teacher was ironically raising his eyebrows and looking in his direction. With the last word, the boy felt a vibration in the ground. A soft pop from Kai's side only assured the orphan that something was about to happen. A moment later, Yuu felt the ground beneath him rise. The rumbling of the ground and the creaking of grinding stones were heard from all sides. It looked like the walls were beginning to converge.

-Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you. I said sit down, Yuu!

The mentor's commanding and confident tone helped the boy pull himself together. Feeling sweat dripping down his face, he swivelled his head suspiciously, listening to his surroundings.

-Let's continue. Are you still sure you don't have a pronounced fear?

Crouching down, Yuu admitted that he was wrong. In the darkness of the cave, it seemed to him that Kai smiled approvingly at such an admission.

-Let's start small. Yuu, you must realise that the earth is neither your enemy nor your friend. The earth is the earth, it has no favourites or outcasts, it accepts us all. Bandits and soldiers, commoners and aristocrats. It doesn't care about our problems.

-I realise that, but there's still nothing I can do about it! -Hmm.

-Hmm, then maybe... -Maybe. I've had a great idea!

Without waiting for her to continue, Yuu remained demandingly silent, tensing his whole body to keep himself from doing something stupid.

-I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was thinking.

In the child's imagination, Kai was now waving his hand away as if chasing away a fly.

-What's the idea, teacher?

-Oh, yes. You've been practising with the Guan Dao, haven't you?

-Yes, I told you about it. -Yes.

-That's right, that's right,' the old man's affectionate voice put him in a positive mood, calming the nervous child, 'but you know that many soldiers of the Earth Kingdom also use glafes, right?

-Yes. -Master, I don't...

-And you realise that sooner or later you'll have to fight them, right?

-Yes.

-And many bandits and pirates use them. -Yes.

-Yes.

-So you're afraid of your weapon? -Yes.

The long wait in the dark, stuffy room was not in a working mood. Sitting in front of his student, Kai could feel the boy sitting unmoving. Yuu's silence was seen by the teacher as a positive result. The orphan finally began to think about it from a different angle. If it continued like this, he would soon be able to start normal schooling instead of this psychotherapy.

'When I was invited for this job, they said I'd be training a rough diamond, but instead I'm washing the dirt off the stone.' Looking longingly into the darkness where his ward sat, Kai exhaled tiredly, realising that the boy wasn't going to change in a couple of weeks. It would take long and painstaking work before he could use magic properly. The first and most difficult steps had been taken, all that was left was to convince him that the choice he'd made was the right one. It was lucky that the kid had enlisted in the army and was mentally prepared to fight for the Fire Nation, if Kai had to politically pump the kid up, he wouldn't have been able to take it.

Noticing that the kid had finally come out of his musings, the master prepared for a new stage of the conversation.

-You're right, as always... I am not afraid of Guan Dao and easily use it against my enemies. Then there is no point in being afraid of magic.

A shiver ran through his voice, despite his words, the boy hadn't fully accepted his phobia yet. Though the fact that he was willing to engage in subjugation was already boosting Kai's spirits.

-Then we'll have a little training today. Now I'll put you in conditions where your fear will press you from all sides, - without listening to the boy's indignant and pleading shouts, Kai stood up from his seat, ready to twist on the spot, - here's my last advice to you: when you try to get out, imagine that you are holding a glaive in your hands.

With the last word, the old man spun round, digging into the ground above his head. After a brief noise, there was no trace of him left.