Jin IV: The Breath of Life

The grass glowed with a vibrant green thanks to the Sun’s light, matching the emerald coloring of the leaves of the surrounding trees. The wind rustled the plant life but could not stir the majestic mountain overlooking the trees.

The monolith of stone rested at the edge of the trees, harmonized in nature, but uncompromised by the elements.

In the space of greenery between the trees, Jin sat firmly planted on the grass with the blades grazing the sides of his toes. His hands rested on each knee of his crossed legs, eyes closed, and muscles relaxed. His long black hair swayed to the wind’s command, with the skin of his arms tingling in its gentle breeze. The cool air rushed in through his nose as he breathed. The crisp scent stirred in his nostrils. Jin exhaled steadily. His lungs contracted, tightening the muscles of his defined chest beneath his dark blue tunic. His legs loosened in the fabric of his dark pants, shifting with each breath.

Jin straightened his posture and continued breathing. The tapping of sandals meeting the ground sounded in his ears, and the subtle crunching of grass joined every step. Jin opened his eyes. He turned to his right, seeing his master.

Augus walked toward his student. The Sun’s all-giving light outlined his toned, muscular frame, along with his long, silverish white hair and beard. Clutched in his right hand was a small wooden log; his left hand held a sheathed katana, its length resting on his shoulder. The sword’s golden round guard and golden linings of the sleek, black sheath gleamed with a golden hue in the Sun.

“I trust you’re ready to begin?” Augus said, his voice deep yet calm. Augus reached Jin and stood across from him as he turned his way.

Jin rose from his legs and stood firmly at attention. His blue eyes locked onto his master’s gold. “Yes, master,” Jin said, his voice strong.

Augus focused on Jin’s rapt gaze at his voice. He saw the young man stand before him. His eyes met the young warrior’s, seeing the mountain’s stillness in them. A small smile played on Augus’ lips, and he dropped the log to his feet. “That look in your eyes,” he said. “Such a bold expression. Like a man who has faced war. You’re definitely a far cry from that baby who knew nothing about the world.”

Jin placed his hands behind his back. His eyes drifted downward, looking away. He blanketed his past ignorance on the ground, seeing it become the vast, emerald expanse of grass. “There was no way I could’ve known. I didn’t know how to fight, much less anything about our world housing demons.”

Augus nodded at the truth. He took his sword off his shoulder and flipped it so that he held it in reverse in his hand. He then placed the end of his sword on the ground with his hands stacked on the pommel. “And now, here you stand. A young man with a name known to demon kind, having his blade cut the flesh of some of the higher demons.” He firmly gripped the pommel as he continued. “But, you still have much to learn, even with all that you have witnessed and accomplished.”

The facts of Augus’ words quickly settled in Jin’s mind as he nodded. “Yes, master,” he said. “I am ready.”

Augus looked at Jin. He examined his student’s posture. His golden eyes scanned the young man’s stance, still as the mountain in the distance. “Very good,” he said. He reaffirmed his hands’ positions on his sword’s pommel. “Now, answer me this question. Before sight, before sound, before even speech, what is the one thing that is innate to us? The one action that we all know at birth?”

Jin looked down at the grass. His brow knitted in concentration. He set his hands to his sides. “The one action we do we all do at birth,” he repeated.

Augus saw Jin lower his head. He pattered his fingers on the pommel of his sword. Patient. “That’s right, Jin,” he whispered to himself. “Use your mind. Think it through.”

Jin’s thoughts ran as far as the vastness of the fields, but he maintained his stillness. His toned chest heaved as the air filled his lungs, then contracted as he exhaled. With every instance, the cool sensation of the air rushing into and leaving his nose focused Jin’s mind. The only thing apparent to him was his breathing.

Jin snapped his open at his master, who looked back at him with a heightened brow at his expression. “Breathing,” Jin said. “All of us are born breathing.”

A smile played on Augus’ face at Jin’s answer. “Yes!” he said. His voice rose slightly in confirmation. “Breathing. All living things breathe.” Augus then lifted his sword by the handle and gripped it in his left hand. “And there is more.”

“What is that, master?”

“As all living things breathe, there is a breath to all living things. That breath is a form of energy. It is an energy that transcends our very being, even this world. This power has earned many names throughout history, but we have now come to know it as ki.”

Jin looked down as he repeated the last word, “Ki...”

Augus noticed Jin’s eyes diverting. From their corners, he saw them laced with curiosity as Jin’s brow knitted together. “Jin,” He called out, quickly regaining the young swordman’s attention. “Do you remember what I taught you about ki, before you found the Eye of Genma?”

Jin stood firm. He looks at Augus. The interest in his eyes mixed with pondering as a corner of his mouth upturned. “Ki,” he began, “is a fundamental life-force, a latent energy that is present within the body of every being. It said that it is what gives us life and what creates the flow of life. You also taught me that it keeps our senses sharp.”

Augus smiled, chuckling. His head raised with a slight hint of his pride at his past wisdom being carried in Jin’s answer. “Very good!” he said. “You remember my teachings, after all. “He then lowered his head and turned his back to Jin. “But there is even more to it than that.”

“Master?”

“There is still much you haven’t learned about ki yet, my boy.” Augus directed his attention to the sky. “You came upon the Eye and went without my teachings for two years.” He then looked down, closing his eyes. “But that is my fault. As your master, I shouldn’t have left you with only sword and breathing techniques, especially if you took it upon yourself to guard the Eye, he said in a much lower voice.

Jin saw his master’s head lower with his tone. “Master, I–” His voice halted as he caught Augus raising his hand.

Augus then lowered his arm as he said, “It isn’t right. No. It’s shameful for a master to only give his student the bare minimum to fight monsters. I should’ve sought you out, but I wanted to allow you to forge your own path when you acquired the Eye.” Augus then raised his head and looked back at Jin. His face contoured into a firm countenance. “The thought of a master losing a student is not a comforting one, and  I am responsible for your lack of proper skill.”

“Well…” Jin began. He looked to the side. His lips scrunched, shame mingling on his face. “It wasn’t my best move to journey with the one thing that demons sought, especially with no effective way to defend myself.”

Augus fully turned around. His eyes softened as he saw his student glance away, but he could see ignominy lacing his countenance. He walked toward the young swordsman and placed a hand on his shoulder. As Jin looked up to him, Augus looked back. “Then, I believe this is a chance for both of us to do right,” he said, his voice slightly raised in assurance. “Of course, even with your victory over Entei and Shimotora, you will only encounter the more powerful demons over the course of your journey. And with the loss of your sword, you’ll need simply more than tin to face them.”

Augus continued, “In truth, you ki will be one of your greatest assets in battle. Allow me to explain.”

Jin remained focused on his master.

Augus removed his hands from Jin’s shoulder. He walked back, placing himself far away from Jin. A wind blew from the east in the space between them. Augus only saw the gap between where he and Jin stood, and what he left behind for Jin in both distance and guidance. “Ki not only sustains life, but it can also strengthen it,” Augus said. “Many people live their entire lives ignorant of its existence, let alone its true capabilities. However, for those of us who live the life of a warrior, it is as vital to us as breathing.”

Augus held out his sheathed sword before him. He then closed his eyes and breathed. A yellow stream of light soon enveloped his hand. The glowing force snaked from his hand to the sword in his grip, layering into a pulsing cast of energy. The light slowly flickered, flowing like fire in waves off both Augus’ hand and sword.

Jin’s eyes widened at the light stretched through its master’s hand and blade. The blue of his eyes shimmered at the ethereal glow. “That’s… your ki?” Jin asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen you do this before.”

“Indeed, but you will come to know this and your own ki during your training,” Augus said. “Ki has always been viewed as man’s first weapon. When properly trained and guided by a serene state of mind, your ki can be harnessed and manifested. In terms of the basics, you can wield it as a tangible force. It can empower you, make your strikes harder, bolster your speed to where you become unseen, and hone your senses to greater heights.” Augus tossed the log with his hand before catching it and looking at his sword as it glowed with his power. “You can even focus your ki into your weapon, to make it more effective.” He tossed the log into the air again and caught it before pulling his arm back. “Like this.”

Augus turned in the great mountain’s direction. The elder raised his arm and drew it back. Breathing deeply, his lungs filled with the cool air, and his arm braced,  muscles tense. With his finger clutching tight, Augus heaved his body and threw the log hard into the distance, the very air whooshing in his toss.

Jin watched the log spin in the air as high as his eyes could follow, broadened at his master’s strength. He then returned his attention to Augus.

Augus shifted his position, lowering his body as he widened his stance with his left leg stretched behind his right. He then gripped the sheath of his glowing sword in his left hand and drew it to his side before gripping the handle with his right.

Closing his eyes, Augus braced his legs with the steadiness of the mountain’s stone foundation, unmoved and unconcerned by the world’s worries. He breathed in, taking in the brisk air through his nose. The flickering energy grew brighter, with more arcs. He then breathed out. The air left his body, and the waves grew smaller, the light growing slightly dimmer. Every breath became his power, his very ki rising and falling at his command and temperament. He exhaled the final time, and his energy shrank, tightening into a line of pulsing yellow light around the sheathed blade.

 Augus raised his head. His golden eyes snapped open, and he locked the log as it started falling. His grip tightened. He swung out his sword with a swift flash, and a yellow arc of energy flew from the blade.

The shimmering crescent rushed high into the air, racing toward the log. It met the wood. The lumber split easily, coming apart in a manner befitting paper. The wave ran through it in a single, bright streak, then dissipated into etheric embers, fading away. The one single log snapped apart into two thick pieces of wood.

Jin’s eyes widened as the cleaved halves. The pieces thudded hard as they hit the ground. “Amazing,” Jin said, as he faced his master, who straightened his stance.

Augus guided his sword to the entrance of his sheath and slid it inside until the guard met the end with a sound clink. “Your ki is one instrument that functions as many,” he said. “When properly harnessed, it can act as a guard to protect your weapon from damage. You can even extend the reach of your strikes with pressure alone. It would have undoubtedly worked in your favor when you fought Entei and Shimotora.”

“Yes,” Jin concurred, “Their blood ate away at my blade with every strike I made to their flesh.”

“Some demons have advantageous abilities, even in their very blood. But ki can be effective against it.”

Jin’s expression hardened. His master’s words churned in his mind. They came together in images: a blade cutting through a horned demon like paper, a fist breaking stone, and a great aura flowing from the human body. His eyes almost beamed, but then they settled, looking down.

Augus’ eyes followed his student’s. “What captures your mind, Jin?”

“I’ve seen… No. I’ve felt that power before,” Jin said.

“Yes. When you used the Divine Dragon’s power.”

Jin raised his hands and gripped them into fists. “I could feel it running through my body. It healed my wounds, made me stronger, faster. It even became a blade.” His eyes narrowed as his fists tightened. The muscles in his arms strained at the lingering sensation of the divine power that surged through them. “I was able to harm Entei with its sheer power alone…”

Augus nodded at Jin’s words as he said, “A mortal’s ki can stand against demons, but even more so with divine ki of the gods. Its purity can overpower a demon’s yōki, their own wicked life-force, setting back their power, even those of stronger demons who can heal as if nothing had happened.”

Jin’s hands loosened their grip. His eyes narrowed but remained stern. “But… it was overwhelming…,” he said. “For as powerful as I was, I could feel my life being sapped away.” His arms lowered slightly. The tension in his arms faded at the mention of his strength diminishing.

Augus lowered his head, placing his fingers to his chin. “Hmmm. Yes. Mortals naturally cannot withstand divine power. There is an endless series of tales of those who have sought this power and have either died or gone mad, thinking they can control it.”

Jin looked at his master as he said, “Their spirits must’ve been weak.”

“Come again?” Augus said.”

“When Genma bestowed his ki to me, he told me to use my spirit to focus it.”

“I see. Yes. I suppose those of weak will never truly wield divine power, much less have any control over the power they already have.” He reaffirmed his focus to Jin. “But you,” he said. “You were able to not only hold the Divine Dragon’s power but wield it long enough to face Entei and soundly defeat him before I found you.” Augus then approached Jin, towering over his student. “It seems that you have a particularly strong ki and quite the talent of channeling it that few people possess.”

Jin looked up to his master. His face softened, his eyes widened with optimistic anticipation. “You believe so?”

“If your life force is that strong and that adaptable, there’s no telling what you can be capable of when properly trained. I’ll be sure to guide you through the basics of harnessing that power. Afterward, you’ll be on your way to making it second nature.”

Jin nodded, and he straightened his posture. “Then, I suppose I’m your student once again,” he said. A light smile spread across his face at the idea of training with his master once again.

Augus lightly chuckled in agreement. “And this time, you’ll learn fully, I guarantee it. Then, once you’ve mastered the basics enough, we’ll get to work on forging a new sword for you.”

Jin placed a hand on his hip. He looked down on it to find the sash of his tunic free of any object. His mind flashed; images of his battle with Entei swarmed. No weapon, only able to use his hands, at Entei’s mercy. His brow knitted with his mouth drawing a hard line at the thought. He loosened his sash upon further gaze at his sash, picturing it as the place for the possible fruits of his labor as a new blade. “Yes…” It feels…off to be without a sword.”

Quickly drawing his attention to the sword in Augus’ hand, Jin scanned the gold decoration on the black sheath from its linings to its pommel and end cap. “Master,” he said to Augus. “If I may ask, what is that sword? I don’t think I’ve seen you use it before.”

Augus stepped back from Jin and held out his sword. “You mean this?” He gripped the handle with his free hand. “This is a blade that I don’t bring out often. But since you’ll be fighting against it, I believe that you need an example of an effective weapon.”

Gripping the handle, Augus pulled the sword halfway out of the sheath. The blade gleamed in the light of the Sun. The rays reflected off the blade’s very edge, and it shone with a diamond’s luster. “This is Tenyūyo,” he said. “It’s one of the finest blades you’ll ever see, only five others like it in the entire world.”

“Incredible!” Jin says, eyes lit at the sword’s shining edge, making their blue brighter than usual.

Augus then placed the sword back into its sheath. Afterwards, he returned his attention to Jin, who looked back. “But remember, be it ki or a weapon, both are merely tools. At the end of the day, neither can compare to the warrior’s hands or his strength of will that wields them.”

“Yes, master,” Jin said with a nod.

“It’s common, and so easy for one to become absorbed into the power of their weapon and their ki that they forget to develop their own strength physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.” He placed his freedom on Jin’s shoulders. He looked into his student’s eyes, furrowing his brow. “And they die by some horrid creature, or lowly thug, because they got sloppy. Never forsake your training, Jin. And never forsake everything you learn today.”

Jin’s expression matched his master’s as he looked at him. “Yes, master.”

Himself nodding, Augus removed his and turned away from Jin. “Good,” he said. “Then we had best get to work.” Augus then turned and began walking to the mountain. “Come.”

Jin followed his master. He looked at Augus’ back, and then the great mountain before him. “We’re going up the mountains?”

“Not too high up,” Augus confirmed. “Just to the mid-region. I’ve prepared means for which we can conduct your training.” He then looked back at Jin, and his lips joined in a smile. “I’m curious to see how your skills have improved while you were gone for two years. And I believe a proper bokken session should suffice.”

“Bokken training with you?” Jin asked. “Huh. It’s been a while.”

“Yes. Let’s see if you will emerge from our session with fewer welts this time,” Augus chuckled and looked ahead.

“I believe you’ll be surprised, master,” Jin said, laughing. “Two years is a long time, and I’m not eight years old anymore, either.”

Augus only gave another chuckle in response, and the two proceeded to the cave entrance within the mountain. The wind greeted their backs, turning to faint whistles as they entered the cave.

The mountain remained still, unbothered by the wind.

• Bokken (木剣): 木 (Bok(u) = Wood) and 剣 (Ken = (Double-Edged) Sword), also known as Bokutō (木刀): 木 (Bok(u) = Wood) and 刀 (Tō = (Single-Edged) Sword). It is a Japanese wooden sword, usually in the shape of a katana, used for training in Japanese swordsmanship.

• Tenyūyo (天猶予): 天 (Ten = Heaven/Heavenly/Divine) and 猶予 (Yūyo = Grace)