The Martial Arts Prodigy

Chapter 13

"There's a moment in fighting when strength of muscle ain't everything because the enemy has already given you enough energy to gain the victory." – Toba Beta

Danyelle and her group arrive in a room filled with shining jade walls and weapons from every dynasty in history. As the group looks around the room, Asia and White Tiger appear before them.

"Welcome to the Dojo of the Jade Dragon Tiger. Here we will train you extensively in how to better access your inner spirit power." the group sits in front of the two masters, patiently waiting for a more elaborate explanation.

"Inside our souls, lies a deeper power that we all know as Chi. When we fight, we focus our Chi into every attack we throw, making it even stronger." White Tiger explains.

"So, if we focus our chi? Our attacks will become stronger? That sounds amazing!" Vanessa said with glee in her voice.

"Why yes miss Urban, it is very, how do you say it? Amazeballs!" Danyelle and the others laugh at White Tiger's words, making him do the same. White Tiger asks for Vanessa to extend her hands out forward. He grabs her hands, much to her confusion.

"Close your eyes, breathe, find the Chi that is within you. This is the key to realizing your true power, it is essential to becoming one with your mind, body and soul." Vanessa feels a rush of energy jolting through her body, as if it was an electrical current running through her veins. When Vanessa's eyes open, they glow a bright shade of scarlet red. Looking at her hands, she sees a blanket of red energy cover her entire body. Vanessa panics in fear, dreading that she may destroy this dojo, along with everyone in it.

"Vanessa, listen to my voice, It's me Dani. I need you to do something for me, I need you to think of the happiest memory you ever had." Danyelle tells her, attempting to calm Vanessa down. Vanessa breathes uncontrollably, until she sees a memory of her High School friends, spending a Christmas day with her at a ice skating ring. Vanessa exhales deeply and the red energy fizzles down to a crawl.

"That's it, good." Danyelle compliments her. White Tiger applauds Vanessa in gaining control of her Chi, while also complimenting Danyelle on helping her friend.

"I have a feeling that these nine months are going to be amazing!" Asia happily says while White Tiger nods in agreement.

"I have a question, why are we being taught every aspect of Martial Arts? I thought you guys were teaching us one thing." Laura asked Asia and Tiger.

"Since the date of the tournament has been pushed forward to nine months, we have decided to train you all in groups instead of one whole class." Vanessa nods in understanding, upon hearing what Asia has said. Meanwhile, in Kenneth Drake's dojo. He spars with the students, teaching them how to adapt to their opponent. A student fights Drake, but is unsuccessful in trying to defeat him.

"Rule number one; never underestimate your opponent. Watch, adapt, every strike should be your best and your most lethal. Rule number two; don't be a sitting duck, be a moving target. Keep your opponent guessing." Carly tries to kick Drake in the face, but he catches it without looking at her and he slams her to the ground.

"Rule number three, concentrate your senses, never limit yourself to one style. Keep an open mind." As Carly gets up upon hearing those words, Drake tosses her a broadsword for weapons training.

"There is a lot you all have to learn in such a short period of time." Drake says.

"Well, let's get on with it then! I want to know if everything you were telling us is true, or just bullshit!" Carly brazenly says.

"Enthusiastic aren't we? Well in that case..." Drake turns his back to Carly, confusing her and the other students, "...attack me." he finishes

"But you have your back to me!" Carly replies.

"Strength is not always a factor, Carly. Attack me!" Carly lunges at Drake with her sword, but Drake guards the attack and he quickly gets into a defensive position, where Carly's sword and his sword are crossed behind his head.

"It is about manipulation of the body, as well as the mind." Drake says while holding the guard against Carly.

"Really? Well I am in control." Carly confidently says.

"Ha-ha, are you?" Carly looks confused by Drake's question. Drake releases the hold, spinning around and stopping his sword at Carly's neck.

"Jesus H Christ! You could have killed me!" Carly exclaims.

"What's the matter princess? Too delicate for a training exercise?" Drake asks her. Carly walks away, feeling embarrassed over the lesson.

"Remember all of you, in combat you must be at least five to ten steps ahead of your opponent, one mistake and you will be defeated." Drake says to the students. Meanwhile, while the students are sparring with each other, Danny is talking on a phone to someone, in a dark corner of the dojo.

"Yes, yes, understood. It will be done." he says into the phone before hanging up. Carly runs into Danny, who puts away his phone.

"Calling someone important?" Carly flirtatiously asks.

"None of your business cupcake. Don't you have someone else to annoy?" Danny rhetorically asks.

"Hold on tough guy, I am not some cupcake! I am a prodigy in Tae Kwon Do and you will treat me with some respect!" Carly demands.

"Śenorita, as far as I know, your Martial Arts is full of Ćaca." Danny says.

"What in the blue hell is Ćaca?" Carly asks.

"It's Spanish for shit." Danny says while walking away from Carly. Carly rolls her eyes in disgust over what Danny has said to her. She goes over to a training dummy to practice her kicking power. After three kicks, she kicks the training dummies head off of the shoulders. Elsewhere, Master Tigerblade is training his students by having them spar against each other. Draca and Johnny spar with each other, as the other students watch with amazement.

"You're pretty good! No wonder you were a UFC champion." Johnny compliments as he blocks a kick from Draca.

"I have other tricks up my sleeve!" Draca flips Johnny over with her legs and he traps him in an Omoplata submission hold. Jonny tries to fight out, but Draca playfully tightens the hold.

"Come on, tap out! You clearly lost this one." she says. Johnny taps out forcing Draca to break the hold. As Johnny lays down to recover his arm, Draca kneels next to him in a friendly manner.

"You know, you are way tougher than you look." she says to him as a complement.

"Thanks... that's real sweet of you. Even though you almost broke my arm." Johnny says to her. Suddenly, a woman approaches Draca and she stands face to face with her, looking deep into her blue eyes.

"You fight good, I'll see what you can do in the tournament." The Woman says.

"And you are?" Draca wonders.

"Zoella Raiden, I'll be seeing you later." Zoella says. Draca and Johnny look on as Zoella walks away, wondering what her agenda is here at the school. Meanwhile, in Master Tigerblade's dojo, Aaron trains with Master Tigerblade in a sparring match to test and improve his speed. Aaron tries his absolute best to land a hit on his master, but he fails and Tigerblade Judo flips him to the ground.

"You're good, you are very fast, efficient and precise. But, you lack conviction in your soul." Tigerblade helps Aaron up, while describing to him the power of chi control and how it works.

"Chi is very important, but you must learn how to focus it and not expel it all at once." Tigerblade says to him. Aaron nods at him and he gets into a fighting stance. The stance looked familiar to Master Tigerblade, as he smiles with impression.

"Val Tudo, a very dangerous style. Meant for the strong, I guess that's why it's called 'Strong-Style'. Let's see if your Val Tudo can match me blow for blow." Master Tigerblade challenges.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Aaron attempts to roundhouse kick his master, but he is caught by Tigerblade. As Master Tigerblade tries to throw him, Aaron uses his other foot to kick Tigerblade hard in the jaw, making him spin around horizontally before hitting the floor.

Master Tigerblade gets to his feet and he smothers Aaron with multiple punches. Wrestling him to the ground, Tigerblade hits Aaron with brutal elbows to the face. Aaron covers up, but eventually, Tigerblade breaks his guard. Aaron quickly turns it around and he hits Tigerblade with a punch so powerful, he sends him crashing into a weapons rack across the room.

"Very good, let's see how you do with a weapon." Tigerblade tosses Aaron a wooden sword, while he grabs two of the same objects. Tigerblade front flips over to Aaron and he relentlessly attacks him with his wooden swords. Aaron uses his wooden sword to block all of the fast incoming attacks, but he is knocked down by Tigerblade by getting his legs swept from under him. As Aaron lies on the ground, Master Tigerblade helps him up and he is impressed by Aaron's determination.

"You have great potential, but you need to learn how to mind your surroundings. At anytime, you could sacrifice sure footing for a killing stroke, but you risk letting your guard down. Work on this and remember, progress not perfection." Master Tigerblade says to Aaron.

"Thank you master. I will not let you down." Aaron bows. Meanwhile in the Jade Dragon Dojo, Danyelle is meditating, while Laura and Vanessa spar with training dummies in the corner. Asia walks up to her, amazed at how she controls her chi at such a steady rate.

"You never cease to amaze me, you and your friends actually. You three are progressing faster than expected." Asia complements.

"I have one question. Why does it feel like time is passing by much slower in here?" Danyelle asks while opening her eyes.

"In the dojo's, we are cut off from the flow of time in the outside world. On the outside, time will be speeding by, while it will feel like an hour has passed in here." Danyelle's eyes increase, shocked over this revelation.

"So how long will nine months be in here?" she asks Asia.

"Nine months in this dojo will be equivalent to five hours, in that time, you will receive all of my knowledge." Asia replies. Danyelle leans forward to Asia, not forgetting about their deal.

"Speaking of deal, you owe me an explanation about this random ball of energy I have talked to. Just what the hell is happening to me?" Danyelle wonders.

"Come with me, young warrior." Asia takes Danyelle into a room filled with ancient scrolls and books that span over centuries. In the center of the room, lies a giant fountain made from unbreakable jade stone.

"What is this place? It's so beautiful!" Danyelle says, amazed of the detail of this mysterious room.

"Welcome to the Fountain Of The Dragon. This is where I have stored many scrolls and guides to martial arts of great importance." says Asia.

"This is crazy, I have never seen anything like this before!" Danyelle exclaims with joy and amazement. Asia hands Danyelle a large book that is colored green, with golden pages.

"What's this?" she asks Asia.

"What you are holding in your hands, is the rare edition of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", written in the blood of his enemies and covered in the densest jade metal in the world." Danyelle's eyes light up with shock, while holding the book in her hands.

"Shut up! This book redefined all forms of combat, is this for me?" Danyelle wonders, while looking at Asia smile at her.

"Yes, consider it a gift. Your birth mother wanted to give you that when you were little." Asia reveals.

"This ball of energy... does it have something to do with my parents?" Danyelle asks. Asia grabs a scroll, from a shelf on the right near the entrance door and she shows Danyelle a drawing of the ball of energy, described as she explained it to her.

"This energy is the manifestation of your soul. It is the dragon within, ready to merge with it's chosen warrior." Asia explains.

"My parents must have experienced the same thing I did. How do I merge with this energy?" Danyelle asks.

"To really merge with your warrior soul, you must put yourself in a dream state." Asia explains to her.

"And with all due respect, how the f**k am I supposed to do that?" Danyelle asks.

"Well my jade dragon, there is a slow way and there's a fast way. Luckily for you, we don't have time for the slow bullshit..." Asia suddenly blindsides Danyelle with a roundhouse kick, as her foot glowed a bright jade green. As Danyelle lay on the floor unconscious, Asia kneels down towards her.

"Sorry, but you will thank me later. Plus, that was payback for making me tap out. Nothing personal. When you wake up, you will be more powerful than you have been before." Waking up to a darkened area, Danyelle looks around and she sees the energy ball sparking in front of her.

"Hello Danyelle, we have much to talk about."