Chapter 11 – The Weight of Power
The morning mist clung to the mountainside, wrapping the dojo in silence. Ashura stood barefoot on the stone floor, katana sheathed at his side, the diamond seal glowing faintly through its bandage.
Master Iroh faced him, arms folded, his staff resting against the wall. His presence was calm, but the air felt heavy, as if the mountains themselves leaned closer to listen.
Master Iroh: "Today, you will not train your sword. You will train your soul. The blade is meaningless if the hand that wields it is unsteady."
Ashura frowned, gripping his sword.
Ashura: "Then what do I do? Meditate again?"
Master Iroh: "No. Today, you will bleed. And in bleeding, you will learn."
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Iroh suddenly struck the floor with his staff. The ground cracked, energy surging upward. Ashura's seal burned in response, the power inside him roaring like a storm.
Master Iroh: "Control it."
Ashura fell to one knee, clutching his arm. The surge threatened to rip him apart. His sword vibrated at his side, begging to be drawn.
Ashura (shouting): "It's too much! I can't—!"
Master Iroh (voice thundering): "Then hear me now, Ashura—Strength is not the fire in your veins. Strength is the silence that chooses when the fire should burn!"
The words cut through Ashura's panic like a blade. He forced his breathing steady, eyes narrowing, as he tried to will the raging energy into stillness. Slowly, the burning subsided.
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Temari, watching from the sidelines, was wide-eyed.
Temari (whispering): "Silence that chooses…? What kind of training is this?"
Ashura rose shakily to his feet, sweat dripping, the seal glowing steadily instead of wildly. For the first time, it felt quiet.
Ashura (breathing hard): "I… I did it. It's listening to me."
Iroh allowed the smallest smile to tug at his lips.
Master Iroh: "Good. But remember this, boy—Power is not something you own. It is something that waits. And if you lose yourself, it will wait for someone else."
Ashura's grip on his sword tightened. The thought chilled him—but it also steeled his resolve.
Ashura (determined): "Then I'll never lose
myself. Not to anyone. Not even to this power."