Remember More

Chapter 42

REMEMBER MORE

CHAPTER 42

"What does this mean?" Jonas searched the faces of the other three. He gazed upward to address Zhang. "Will you show my father to the door now?"

John turned his face up too. "Yes, Guardian. Will you take me there now?"

Zhang smiled at them. He stroked his beard. "Why don't you tell me yourself? Do you feel that you're ready for it?" He directed this at John.

John looked down. He balled his hands into fists. The power that he felt now was nothing like he had felt previously. He looked up again. "I…"

"Be honest, my child." Zhang crossed his arms over his massive chest. "Yes, you have come to the last level. The power of the living fire is upon you. You know well how to use it and yet you still stand alone. Ask yourself. How did you feel when you used that power? When you healed Yan? When you healed your son?"

John thought this over.

When he had reached out to Yan and Jonas, when he went to exercise this new fire, the source of his energy was deep within himself, as always, likely generated from his omentum, as at the beginning when he had first learned how to manipulate his qi. Though the form, the manifestation of it was different now and more bright and more glorious, the root power has remained the same throughout. And why shouldn't it? What else could he expect?

And yet, because of this, because the source of his power has remained the same, he has finally noticed that an odd thing was happening.

In passing through the Gates, in gaining one level after the next, it's become obvious to John that with each new level, with each new transformation, the process, if anything, has left him feeling…weaker than he did before. Especially after this last Gate, since it was such a long way up from the others.

It was as if he had traded in his old jalopy of a car and now he was the pilot of a space shuttle, except the gas tank for the vehicle has remained the same size.

Zhang smiled at him. "Have you not noticed? If anything, the effort in using it has become more difficult?"

John began to nod, slowly.

Yes, the old man was right. And this was the reason why.

This was the reason why John was feeling what he was feeling. It was also why he had been feeling the same thing since the evening began. He was never able to keep up with Zhang. Whenever they fought or sparred, John was always tired and exhausted, sucking in breath like he could never get enough, while Zhang always looked like he was having the time of his life and nothing could be easier than fighting and flying and whipping up fireballs at John, like he could go on doing it all day or forever.

John's wielding of power has been transformed, all right, but the source of that power, alas, has not.

So, how was Zhang doing it? What was he drawing from? How…

Reading his father's expression, Jonas stepped up. "So, what does that mean? I don't understand."

Zhang bent to a crouch so he was on a level with the others. He placed his hand on Jonas' shoulder. "It's all right. Do not worry. Your father has taken the first step. I must be satisfied with that." He glanced over at John and smiled. "I have faith in him. In time, he will realize it. He will, one day, open the door. I am sure of that."

Jonas was shaking his head. "No, no! Guardian, that's not right! We've come all this way! We have to go to the door! You must allow us through!"

Zhang smiled at him. "No, son. Your father is not ready. He is well on the way, yes, but he is not yet ready. If he was to try and force it, he would only bring harm to himself. Please, trust me on this."