My Own Initiative
Since the two masters explained a few more things to me, and even provided some examples, I had a better idea on what to do. That didn't mean it became easier. Breaking past the Half Step wasn't something I could simply wish for. The same was with my Aura, though this relied on something else entirely.
Not only the ability to release my energy was required, I had to understand or comprehend a mood of some sort. Because my specialisations were Formations and the sword, I had to choose from one of them. Of course, the choice was obvious. Sword was the only way to make an Aura that I could think of. With the sharpness, swiftness and deadliness in mind, I tried many things to gain a mood.
That brought no results. 'Perhaps my inability to release the energy from my body is to be blamed', I thought. The weird part about this, was my already existing Aura. I had to be angry for it to awaken, but there didn't seem to be any problems with releasing it under those circumstances. In other words, my energy had to leave my body in order to create that Aura.
"Hey, can you help me understand something? The Aura full of anger that I have, you said that all Auras use energy, right? That means I must have the ability to release my energy outside my body. Otherwise, the Aura wouldn't be able to awaken and affect the outside world. Then, how come I can't release my energy when trying, but can do it easily once I'm angry?", I asked.
"The answer is simple. You could always release your energy, it's your mind that's limiting you. The anger inside you has no way of using things you don't already know, or can't do. Me and your father were the same. Our anger showed us the real extent of the skills. In a sense, we actually learned from our anger, because we were limited by our own minds", master Irwin replied.
"Which means, I have to get angry and find out how to do it, right? I guess there's no other choice. I don't even have to ask if you are up for it, since you'd gladly beat me up", I said. "Of course, since this is your own wish. How could I possibly decline?", he replied. This sort of thing became necessary, in order to find out how the energy left my body. I knew my body could do it, the question was how? "Curly, go stay with master Yater for a while. I'm gonna get beaten up…".
With Curly out of the way, I drew my sword. Awakening my anger wasn't so difficult anymore. Especially when I faced master Irwin. The amount of times he beat me up, gave me a deep seeded anger towards him. Usually I controlled myself, but once that control was lifted, my anger would simply awaken. "Hehe, let's fight, old man", a wicked voice escaped my mouth.
Though more in control of my body than before, the anger was able to dictate my movements, and the use of the Aura. I had to figure out how. Master Irwin didn't play around, he beat me up before preventing me from killing myself. "So? Did you figure anything out?", he asked. "Ungh... I hate you, you know that, right?... I'm not certain yet, but I think this has to do with how the energy flows inside my body… I hate to say this, but I'll need a few more tries before figuring this out", I replied.
Curly returned to my side, and as always tried to take away my pain by licking me. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier? I could've done much more progress, once this sort of stuff was explained to me", I asked. "First reason, you didn't ask. Second reason, we are handing you stuff on a plate due to lack of time. If it wasn't for the deadline, you wouldn't get any answers from us. Remember, Anna. You have to think about it yourself, and come to your own conclusions. When you follow someone, you are just that, a follower. Neither us, nor your father wants you to be a follower. He wants you to be strong, and think for yourself", he explained.
"Yea, but I can be strong when things are explained to me. You guys are old, with time comes change. Didn't my father prove that to you already? Maybe I require some explanations at the start, but then? Who knows, maybe I'll be stronger than both of you, maybe even stronger than my father. The future is unknown, just like my father told me", I replied.
"Hehe, perhaps you are right, but there were many people like you. They thought that getting things handed to them, would solve their beginning, their start in the world. The history shows otherwise. All these people who were or are famous, they had to think for themselves. They had to work on themselves, before being remembered by others. Those who simply chose to follow… They are lost in time. That's why each Art has a record of the previous master. There are no records of students, who chose to follow. Why should they be remembered, when all they did was copy?", master Irwin said.
'He has a point. But why can't they simply explain everything, and let us, the students decide where to go with it?', I asked myself. This made me think of Formations, but then I recalled my aunt and Suly. They didn't copy from each other. They used similar techniques, true, but their uses were different. Moreover, my aunt and Suly studied different Elements and Formations. They had their own paths, even though they were family. Even though Suly learned from my aunt, she didn't copy her.
'I hate to admit it, but he's right about me. All my life, I tried to copy my mother, my uncles or aunts, and then my father. Even the sword techniques, the movements… They might seem like my stuff, but in reality, all of that was copied from others. I have nothing that is truly mine. Like my father, mother or the two masters…', I thought.
"... What does it take to make my own… Things?", the question escaped my mouth. "There is no answer to that question… Maybe there is though. Everything is in you already. No one said you can't learn something new, once you were taught certain skills. Your father was like that. He was taught the Arts, but the one who taught him did it carefully. He allowed your father to figure things out by himself. Your father had affinity towards the Arts as well", master Irwin said.
"That's right. We only taught you some of the concepts in our Arts, to make you a bit stronger. That isn't the path for you though. You might have a chance with the Art of War, since it is in your nature, but other Arts are pretty much off limits to you. You don't have the necessary experience, nor state of mind to actually achieve mastery in them. Don't try to copy us, your father or mother. You are your own person, therefore choose to pursue something you feel at home with", master Yater added.
The question was, what did I want to pursue? Was it Formations? The sword? I wanted to learn more about Formations for sure, but was this something I could pioneer in? The sword wasn't different. Everything I learned about swords came from other people. I might've combined a few different things together, but I was as clueless as with Formations.
"... Hey, have you heard of anyone using swords and Formations to battle at the same time?", I asked. The two masters looked at each other, then back at me. "No, not really. I mean, there are people who battle using Formations, and there are those who use swords… actually a lot of them. Though, we never heard of anyone using Formations and a sword at the same time… I'm not sure how you could achieve that either", master Yater replied.
"Hehe, then that is something I'll pioneer. Since you heard of no one, and all Formation experts I know don't practice swords... This must be a new concept. I'm a bit different. Not only did I learn Formations from a young age, I learned how to fight with a sword. In other words, I should be able to create a new technique. A Formation Sword Technique, if you will", I replied.
The two masters seemed stunned, but nodded their heads. "That is something you can try for sure. Indeed, this would be an unique and excellent technique. If you can get the Formations working with the sword. Before that, your energy control has to improve, or rather, you have to figure out how to release your energy into the outside world", master Irwin said.
That was correct. This sort of technique would require a lot of work, but it would be my own technique. 'Who knows, maybe an Aura that concerns both Formations and swords will be born. I never heard of anyone that possessed an Aura related to Formations', I thought.