Black Ice ✓ | Deathsworn #1

Chapter 26 ∞ Morning

"Evy, Evy..."

I woke to my Mistress Veronika urging me to rise from sleep. I tossed around under the covers to face her, rubbing my eyes and looking out the windows that, once again, I had forgotten to close. The sun hadn't even peeked out of the horizon and the crickets were still singing.

"Mistress, what is it?" I asked, mouth stretching to let out a yawn.

"Get up and get changed."

"Why?" I queried, lazily rising from my bed and throwing off the covers. I was met with a chilly night breeze, causing the hair on my skin to rise and a slight shiver to run down my arms. "It's way too early. Can't I go back to sleep? I was having a good dream..." I pouted.

"Get up or I'll drag you," she said.

Frowning, I changed into the clothes—the good, comfortable clothes. I reckoned she was about to give a lecture on some stuff which I wasn't really looking forward to. If it was about the bow, then I was definitely excited. However, I could tell by the time of the day that the lessons we would be having were definitely not the usual.

I followed her to the garden and she led me to the willow tree. I noticed the energy was much more purer and thicker at this hour, so this must have something to do with it.

"The first stance of the Movement of the Seven Dragons involves opening yourself to the energies around you," she said, making my eyes pop wide. "Breathing helps with the circulation. Your physical body is a reflection of the state of your mind and soul and it is also your most accessible weapon. First, you enter a state of calmness that help you tune in to the energies around you—which is what the breathing is for. I will demonstrate the first three stances to you, so you must watch carefully."

I did. With wide eyes and an open mouth. Mistress Veronika carried the fierceness and grace of a tiger as she moved into the first three stances. Her movements were fluid and well-practiced, arms and legs seeming to whistle as they cut sharply through the air. The energy she gathered was only a little inferior to the old monk Myrrh, but I realized it carried more of an edge—sharpness where the old monk carried power.

When she was finished, I was still drowning with awe. "You're teaching it to me?"

"Let's start with the breathing," she said. "Put your feet shoulder's width apart and find the balance of your body."

That was easy. She'd nailed this into me when she was still teaching me the sword. I quickly moved into position and cast a glance at her, watching her rise to her toes as she breathed in and settled back on her heels upon the exhale. That was easy enough. We did this in Zumba classes during gym for the cooldown part.

"Now, I will begin with the footing. Take a notice of how I angle my ankles when I turn. They are very important." She sank to a bend on her knees, turning to her left side. "Just the movement of the feet for now, and not the arms."

"Okay." I imitated her, crunching to a bending position just like she had.

"Good. Move from the breathing position to that," she told me.

I stood back to the breathing position and took a few moments before twisting and bending to my knees like she had.

"Good. Take note of the gap between the feet. You are not sticking your ankles together. Just twist from the breathing position to that and maintain that distance between your feet."

"Yes, mistress." I shifted myself, accommodating her advice.

"Next, you extend your right leg to your right smoothly. Make sure to shift some of your weight upon changing stances."