At dawn, Shinu`s students gathered. Unlike their usual routine, Patriarch Xing sat at the head of the courtyard, and Elder Shinu to his side today.

　　"Junior Zelek, come forward," Xing growled. Zelek stepped forward, his head hung low. He bowed and waited, his eyes never left his toes. "Junior Enril, come forward." Enril approached Xing, but before he could bow Xing held up a hand. "Stop. You`re injured. This Patriarch knows you would greet him formally under normal circumstances." Xing glanced between the boys. Zelek`s head never shifted as he continued to stare down. Enril`s fingers fiddled with the leather strap of the sling that held his left arm. "If I understand this correctly, Zelek injured you in yesterday`s sparring match. Is this correct?"

　　Enril`s mouth was drier than a grape left in the summer sun. "Yes, Honored Patriarch."

　　Xing paused, rubbing his chin as he scanned Enril`s arm. "Elder Heles gave me an account of your injury. While it`s not life-threatening, it may impact your future. Speak if you have decided on your desired punishment for your peer." Xing rested his hands on his knees and closed his eyes.

　　Enril blurted out, "Please don`t punish him, Honored Patriarch."

　　Xing`s eyes snapped open. "Look me in the eyes, Enril." Xing maintained his stare until Enril met it. Enril felt like Xing`s emerald eyes would shred him apart. The moments stretched to what felt like minutes. Xing ceased his silent interrogation after two minutes. He turned his attention to Zelek. "And what do you think of this, Junior Zelek?" Zelek bit his tongue and did not answer. Xing supplied a demand instead of a request.

　　Zelek dropped to his hands and knees. "I am unworthy of mercy. Punish me as you see fit, Honored Patriarch."

　　Xing closed his eyes with a huff. Though he held them in high regard, without appropriate punishment, it would open other children to harm`s way. On the other hand, with too harsh of a punishment, Zelek`s growth could be stifled. Xing looked to Enril again.

　　"This Junior holds no grudge, Honored Patriarch. If you deem a punishment as fit, I will accept it." Enril tried, but a jolt of pain shot through his arm before he reached a quarter-bow.

　　With a sigh, "Junior Zelek, you should note your cousin`s magnanimous character. I take no pleasure in delivering punishment, especially to children. Enhance yourself. You will receive a strike from me as punishment." Xing stood up. Enril`s blood ran cold as he watched Xing walk closer to Zelek.

　　A white glow overtook Zelek as he remained on the ground. "I`m ready, Honored Patriarch." Zelek`s fingers dug into the dirt. Xing raised his hand high. As Zelek waited for his punishment, a single thought ran through his head: You deserve this.`

　　Xing waved his hand in an exaggerated motion and brought it outward. Before he swung, an enhanced Enril jumped in front. "I was wrong, please don`t, Honored Patriarch. It is not my desire for you to strike him," Enril begged. He dropped to his knees, pain shot through his arm, and he put his head to the ground. "Please, Junior begs you. Please stop." Tears streamed from his face and stained the dirt.

　　Xing lowered his hand and let out a laugh. "You`re something special, Enril. Zelek, note again the magnanimity and forgiveness your cousin offers. He`d rather torture himself and see no recompense for your transgression. He would fight through injury to see you safe." Xing raised Enril back to his feet and wiped his face with a rag. "The punishment will be changed. Junior Zelek, you will go the week without sparring and training. Instead, you will meditate on your actions and why they were wrong." Xing gave a dry smile.

　　"Junior thanks Patriarch." Zelek raised himself and placed both hands behind his back before bowing deep.

　　"I am not the one you should thank. Your cousin is the one who honors you so. Were it not for him, you would have received a strike from me. Your luck defies Heaven, to have family that would fight for you to this degree. Cherish him, Zelek." With his duty complete, Xing disappeared in a blur.

　　Shinu sat in silent thought. The young Seekers before him would be too inexperienced to understand what Xing had done. The strike he would have delivered amounted to theatrics. It would`ve left Zelek`s skin reddened, and nothing more. While that would fulfill the requirement of one strike, it would not have been a true punishment. Shinu chuckled to himself.

　　"Enril I&" Zelek paused and chewed his lip. "Being called family by you is far too much of an honor. What I`ve done to you is unforgivable. Please hit me." Zelek`s enhancement faded as he stepped forward. Enril watched Zelek for a moment and then shook his head. He wrapped his uninjured arm around his cousin. Enril wandered to his seat after. Shinu had to order Zelek back to his seat.

　　The week of training saw Zelek meditating in silence while the other students practiced. Enril was forced to the same fate per Elder Heles` instruction. If he circulated his riken through the limb it would accelerate the healing process. It would take less than two weeks to recover. One extra caution had been given to Enril, though. Elder Heles had told him that his left arm would be weaker than his right. If he ever injured this arm again, it was possible it could cripple him.

　　The two boys sat and the breeze surrounded them in their meditative state. On occasion, Zelek would peek at Enril who sat only an arm`s reach away. A gentle smile sat on Enril`s lips as he meditated.

　　"Junior Enril, Junior Zelek, come forth. We will try this again." The boys walked to the center of the ring at Elder Shinu`s command. "It has been two weeks since your last spar. Junior Enril, do you feel whole?" Shinu turned and raised an eyebrow.

　　Enril swung his left arm in circles, "I do, Honored Elder. It is healed." He palmed his left fist with his right hand.

　　"Good," Shinu turned to Zelek. "You understand the rules of a sparring match, correct?"

　　Zelek gave a deep bow, "I do, Honored Elder."

　　"This spar will commence, begin boys." Shinu waved his hand and stepped out of the ring.

　　The boys set off without a second`s hesitation, both swathed in white light. Zelek made the opening move just as before, flurrying fists at Enril. Instead of retreating, Enril met each fist with his own. While his weeks had been filled with meditation, he did more than just nurse his injury. He trained his mind with repeated bouts against an image of Zelek. What actions he could take, reactions he could make; accounting for every conceivable possibility. He had spent two weeks forming a strategy.

　　After a few clashes of fists, Zelek swung for Enril`s midsection. With a deft swipe, Enril brushed the fist aside and leaned into a head kick. Zelek ducked, and once his hands were on the ground, he pivoted and swept at Enril`s planted ankle. With a small, single-footed hop, Enril avoided the sweep and brought his already skyward leg straight down. Zelek raised a fist to block. As the limbs clashed, Zelek`s fist was buried into the ground. Zelek looked up to see Enril`s fist hurtling straight at him. Zelek was freed from his earthen prison and launched across the ring. His head lay at the rim, threatening another loss. Zelek launched back onto his feet and lunged forward. Enril met him at the center, their left fists clashed, then right, then left again. Drops of sweat flew with each greeting of fists.

　　Enril`s left arm faltered and dropped limp to his side like a rag in the breeze. A pricking sensation invaded his arm, but it didn`t cause pain.

　　Zelek hesitated as his eyes dilated and teeth chattered. Enril seized the opportunity and delivered a rounding kick to Zelek`s abdomen. Zelek lay outside the arena on his back, motionless.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

　　"Junior Enril is the victor by ring out. An exceptional match. You boys both showed considerable improvements." Zelek remained on the ground as Shinu continued. "Now, go meditate and recover, then cultivate for the day."

　　Enril walked over and offered Zelek a hand up. Zelek scrambled to his feet in a nervous fit and retreated away, never meeting Enril`s eyes. Enril sighed and returned to his seat to meditate.

　　The boys recovered their riken and prepared to cultivate. On this particular day, they both rolled a three. Whipping streams of green encapsulated them and swirled back and forth. As if the riken was fighting for which boy should absorb it.

　　Whispers spread among the other students. Many faces were graced with a jealous sneer or angry scowl. When the torrent of riken ceased, Shinu stood before the boys. "It seems you two will be ready to spar with your peers now that you`ve entered the Third-Step." He smiled at each boy as he patted their shoulders.

　　"What do you mean they have reached the Third-Step?" Di Yu gasped from her seat. "How is that possible?"

　　"Shocking, isn`t it?" Shinu asked. He combed through his long beard as he gazed at the steaming cup in front of him. "Just thirty short days and they`re already at this point. Most of their peers who were already Third-Step haven`t reached Fourth-Step yet. Jealousy and anger are plain on the faces of the other children." Shinu`s fingers left his beard and grasped the cup. Before he took a sip, "I fear they may be treated unfairly by the others."

　　"Heaven operates in mysterious ways, who are we to have a hand in the actions of the young?" Di Yu shrugged. Xing shot a nasty snarl at her. She ignored him and began again. "If they are harmed, we can take proper action. Seekers sharing pointers is an ancient practice. We wouldn`t dare disturb that, would we?" She gave a sly grin.

　　"As my wife and Matriarch, where is your compassion for two talented youths?" Xing barked. "Shinu, I assume you have a suggestion since you came to us with this matter? We`ve seen one tragedy with poor Junior Enril, I don`t wish to see another." Di Yu scowled at Xing.

　　"Well, I may have an option or two. We could stop their sparring altogether and avoid the potential issue. The other students should be leagues stronger since they have been cultivating for months, rather than weeks like those boys. I imagine it would be like throwing meat to wolves and expecting them to not eat," Shinu chuckled.

　　"If these boys are as talented as I`m led to believe, that shouldn`t be the case. Filters are not equal, and that`s very apparent with those two," Di Yu said.

　　"Yes, Matriarch is wise. My concern is more to do with ensuring they build a strong foundation. These formative months are crucial. Maximizing their potential is my goal. My suggestion is for one of you to personally observe their sparring sessions. I don`t believe the children would dare dishonor their families with one of the leaders present." Shinu ignored Di Yu and glanced at Xing.

　　Xing stroked his chin and furrowed his brow. His pupils darted back and forth. "Yes, I think that is a brilliant solution. We don`t have to coddle them but can guarantee their growth. I`m happy to supervise their next sparring session. Thank you, Shinu." Xing rose and bowed to him.

　　"Come now, Xing. You and I both know the clan is declining. These two boys are the first prodigies of your reign. Hard to believe it`s been thirty years since you took over from Haoran. Since then, through no fault of your own, we`ve failed to produce any new Expressionists like yourself. Not even our beloved Matriarch has joined your realm." Shinu gave a side-eyed glance to Di Yu who gnashed her teeth. "I say this with no dishonor to you Xing, but these boys could become your equals." He paused and fiddled with his thumbs. "Dare I say, they may surpass you&" Xing gave a silent, wry smile. Shinu bowed and left.

　　"You truly think those branch family brats are worth something?" Di Yu complained.

　　Xing let out a sigh. "I know the coup d`etat that destroyed your family leaves scars on your heart, Di Yu. My Foon Clan will not repeat the mistakes your family did. Branch families are just as important as the main family. We should nurture them and raise them up instead of hinder their growth." Xing waited. Di Yu sat tapping a finger against her arm with a scowl. "We will do better than those before us. My grandfather annexing the remnants of your family brought us together." Xing placed a hand on her shoulder. "Your help is crucial. I cannot rule alone, nor do I desire to. To bring our clan out of the pits of third-rank and jump into second-rank, has that not always been our dream?"

　　She brushed his hand away and left.

　　"Children, today we have a guest for our matches. Please, show them your best." Shinu motioned to his home. The double doors slid wide to reveal Patriarch Xing. With a smile, Xing walked to an ornamental chair sitting at the head of the arena. His pony-tailed black hair trailed behind his silver-trimmed green robe.

　　"Greetings children. Your Patriarch is here to observe, please show me your skills." Whispers spread among the children.

　　Shinu cleared his throat. "First match will be Juniors Dai Fu and Xiyu." The two children entered the ring and bowed to their superiors before bowing to one another. Xing leaned forward in his seat, hands steepled in front of his chin. His emerald eyes locked onto the children. Shinu announced the start. After four moves, Dai Fu emerged as the victor.

　　Xing gave a small applause. "An excellent display. Your speed and dexterity are quite impressive Junior Dai Fu."

　　She stiffened upright. "Many thanks, Honored Patriarch."

　　"Junior Xiyu, you made a critical mistake. Had you shifted to your left instead of your right foot, you may have claimed victory. Do not take shame, but instead, use this to improve. You did well."

　　"Junior thanks Honored Patriarch," Xiyu said with a bow. The two cleared the circle.

　　"Next, Juniors Enril and Vitu," Shinu announced. The two stepped to the center of the circle and followed the traditional greeting.

　　"Hope you`re ready," Vitu whispered as he wrung his knuckles. Enril stood silent and nodded. Vitu was someone he dreaded being matched against. Two days prior, the group of children had witnessed Vitu ascend to the Fifth-Step. The two waited for Shinu`s mark to begin. As the seconds stretched on, Enril`s eyes fixed on Vitu`s right fist. The light of enhancement seemed brighter around it, almost solid. No sooner had Shinu announced the beginning did Vitu crash toward Enril.

　　The two flitted around the arena. For each punch Vitu threw, Enril deflected or dodged. Vitu`s kicks were greeted by Enril`s guard. Xing was on the edge of his seat as his foot tapped the dirt. Enril had only shown a defensive posture, but he did not lose ground nor incur damage. Enril managed to deflect a kick from Vitu skyward. He swept a kick to Vitu`s planted leg. It landed a direct impact on the center of Vitu`s shin. He didn`t budge. The kick that Enril had deflected came crashing down on his head. His world shook and his vision blurred.

　　Vitu threw a combo; a fist to the ribs, a kick to the flank, followed by an elbow to the chest. As Enril stumbled back, Vitu crouched and swept Enril`s legs. Enril was robbed of his breath as his back smashed into the ground. His enhancement faded.

　　Vitu stepped over Enril. He clasped his fists together overhead and swung down. Xing clicked his tongue. He didn`t sense any malicious intent from Vitu, but it didn`t excuse the poor behavior. Just as Xing began to rise from his seat, he relaxed back.

　　Zelek had stepped over Enril, holding Vitu`s fists back. "He`s on the ground and his enhancement has faded. Are you trying to harm him?" Zelek accused with a low and shaky voice.

　　"Whaddya mean? We`re just sparring. Get away from us," Vitu spat. Xing tapped a finger to his chin with an amused smile. Shinu was the only person present who had noticed the slight movements of the Patriarch. "Get your hands off me, now," Vitu yelled.

　　Zelek released his guard and let Vitu recover his arms. "That was a great match, Enril." Zelek beamed an excited smile toward him.

　　With a hand from Zelek, Enril was hoisted to his feet. "Thanks, Zelek. It was a bit scary, Vitu is impressive. I overestimated myself, but it was a great lesson." Enril turned to Vitu and bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Vitu."

　　Vitu didn`t respond, but instead raised a fist. Zelek met it with his own. A small ripple of air burst out from the union of fists.

　　"Juniors, this is no time to squabble. Clear the arena so we may proceed to the next match," Shinu said.

　　"Junior would like to make a selfish request of Honored Patriarch and Honored Elder," Zelek said, his fist still locked against Vitu`s. Xing urged Zelek to continue. "I would like to challenge Vitu for my match." Zelek shoved his fist forward.

　　Vitu gritted his teeth at the push. "And how is that fair? I`ve fought once now and am not at my best." Vitu forced their fists back to a stalemate.

　　Shinu stroked his beard in thought, "He has a fair point, Junior Zelek."

　　"Then let him rest. His Reserve will recover after a match or two, yes?" Zelek`s eyes were glued to Vitu.

　　"I don`t see why not," Shinu hummed.

　　"But, but, but Elder Shi-"

　　Xing stood and interrupted, "I think that`s a splendid idea. Junior Vitu, go and rest. Once you`ve recovered, you can share pointers with Junior Zelek in front of your Patriarch." Xing closed his eyes and gave a toothy smile.

　　Vitu withdrew his fist and bowed, "Of course, Honored Patriarch." He scurried from the arena and began to meditate. Zelek bowed and gave his thanks before he returned to his seat.

　　After two matches, Vitu and Zelek met at the center of the ring. Vitu scowled at Zelek, who returned a glare.

　　Shinu`s voice rang out, "Begin."