Death Frost | Deathsworn #2

Chapter 6 ❆ Trust

Finding the same secluded spot, I removed my hood in order to help me breathe properly. I would not be able to practice with it in the way.

Since Mistress Veronika had gone through the Movement of the Seven Dragons with me piece-by-piece, I had no trouble comprehending and executing the different moves enclosed within the booklet. I had practiced this more than once. However, even now, I was discovering bits and pieces about it that I didn't know before. This time, I noticed something was different. Before, I was only emptily executing the moves, but now it seemed the enlightenment I had gotten with the old monk was fueling my execution.

It seemed when one executed these techniques, they were essentially communicating with the universe. One flick of the wrist, one sweep of the feet meant so many things—things that humans would not necessarily be able to comprehend. Combined with the breathing and other movements, it formed a language altogether.

It was just like how poems would pack so much meaning in one or two words—the interpretations and ways to see it were almost endless.

I just had to figure out how to exactly decipher each movement because it seemed they meant so much to how the energies would gather to oneself. The evaluation would be based on the performance, but considering what the old monk said, it probably might have something to do with how well we connected and interpreted what we were doing. If martial arts was, like, a dialect of the cosmic language, then this...whatever this Movement of the Seven Dragons was should have a meaning and a story to it, right?

"Oh, yes," I muttered out loud, suddenly realizing something with that train of thought. "Movement of the Seven Dragons. This must have something to do with the myth of creation...when the dragons and serpent fought for this world and its resources?"

I slid into the footwork as I remembered Mistress Veronika demonstrating and found fluidity when I started putting a story and meaning to everything I did.

I took a deep yoga inhale as though calling the energies to myself. For the first few moves, I would embody the snake—the largest entity among the eight, symbolizing his physical prowess and invulnerability. He curled with strength and flexibility, getting into position to start the battle with the first strike.

A series of attacks would follow and the dragons would come to join the dance, increasing the tempo of execution as the battle would reach its climax.

No wonder. These movements of the first section had thought deeply of defense and snappy attacks to characterize the serpent well. Not only did these movements have very good defensive maneuvers, but they also were good preparations for launching an attack. These defensive positions did not mean hiding from the enemy and sacrificing attacks completely. It still took into account jumping at openings during the fight.

However, that was just about it for the serpent. The next few ones were all for the seven dragons as the name would entail.

As I inlaid the story to each movement, the natural energies gathered very thickly around me as well, fueling my movements with power that I was very tempted to release at once. I gave in to the energy by accident when I stuttered and felt some burden weigh down deep in my bones as a result. The bubble of energy sucked the rest of the power I had inside me and dissipated with a pop.

The natural energies I had gathered initially dispersed and sent a small, discernible wave of power washing over everything around me. A small disturbance could be physically felt in the air. The leaves of the plants were seemingly swept aside by an invisible force tiding off. Almost instantly, fatigue washed over me. My knees buckled and I fell to the ground, perspiring heavily.

I panted. "I don't think...I did that one right."

I then gathered my thoughts as I sat on the warm pavement in disappointment. It felt as though I ran a marathon in one second.