TCO: Chapter Thirteen

After Jabari's class, the group followed Sorda dutifully to their meditation room to await their next instructor, Master Asia Vigor, who was a tall, brown-skinned female with long, red hair matching the red halo around her blue eyes. The Celestine meditation room reminded Gyan of the meditation room at the domusé in Yevani except that it was decorated in shades of blue and silver rather than navy, violet, and gold.

Asia guided the warriors through the group meditation, instructing them to focus on connecting their light energy across the room with their partners.

"The more internally balanced you become within your own energy, the easier this exercise also becomes," Asia said, repeating Jabari's words.

Gyan found it difficult to concentrate in meditation due to the lingering irritation he felt after practicing the Damsé in Jabari's class. He internally argued the notion that he wasn't very good at partner-related activities.

At the midday meal, Gyan shared some of his thoughts about training with Valora.

"I think Master Jabari can see different forms of energy," Gyan said between mouthfuls of food. All the recent studying seemed to have increased his appetite.

"Why, because of what he said about me being dominant in masculine energy and you being fairly balanced in energy? Yeah, I thought about that too."

"How else would he know?"

"Could be based on a feeling or intuition," Valora replied.

"True." Gyan shrugged. "However he does it, I think the others do it too. How else would Master Asia know about the strength of the connection between us?"

Gyan was referring to Asia's remarks on the degree of intensity that was lacking between each set of partners. She claimed that there was "enormous room for improvement," which Gyan took to mean that the energetic connections between team members were weaker than they should be. As a result, part of their meditation assignment was to learn more about their weekly partners, just as Jabari suggested earlier that morning.

The san warriors' brief rest after their meal was interrupted by Sorda, who had been sent to retrieve them for their afternoon classes. Gyan and Valora, who were enjoying the cool weather while lounging beneath a large tree at the edge of the temple grounds, took their time to gather their belongings before following Sorda back into the temple.

The first class in the afternoon was a communication class taught by Master Cahira Anor. Cahira was a member of the Alpherian race from a planet called Tridaun. Cahira's father, who had also been a light warrior, had married an Alpherian after visiting their community many years ago.

"I am Master Cahira," she stated in a thick accent as she swept gracefully into the temple classroom. Gyan stared in awe at Cahira’s exotic appearance. Her pink, red-haloed eyes stood out brightly against her light brown complexion. Her long white hair, interweaved with strands of blue, was pinned away from her face. Gyan felt a chill as her gaze swept over him.

"I am to teach you about communication patterns and common perceptions of other civilizations. Due to being raised in Alsar, you are already well aware of the importance of tolerating diversity among cultures. However, you may wonder how the ability to communicate in a diverse manner ties into the training of a warrior, and I would respond that you would not reach your full potential as a light warrior without this training. Understanding another's thoughts, behavior, and the potential influences culture has on individual perception is essential to effectively interacting with others. This training builds on the surface understanding of what you know so far about other cultures. To increase your understanding of another is to increase your power, for the information you learn about those that are different from you can be utilized to stop your enemy, or it can be used to maintain connections with your allies."

Cahira spent the rest of the class discussing the customs of her own culture, highlighting several differences between certain civilizations on Elsaria and the civilizations of Tridaun.

"We will begin our next session in taking a deeper look at the Kingdom of Kraundor. Some of you may have either visited or heard of it, as it is the kingdom that lies south of Alsar," Cahira said near the end of class. "The Kingdom of Kraundor is ruled by Zye Mordán." She pointed to a picture of a dark-headed male dressed in navy blue robes on the cover of a book entitled, The Kingdom of Kraundor. The Crest of Kraundor, two crossed swords centered in the middle of two black bird wings, was embossed on the upper right corner of Mordán's palace robe.

Cahira handed each warrior a book. "Read the first four chapters for our next session."

After the first day of formal training, Gyan no longer wondered why training with Jabari was the only class that they attended every day, and why the warriors were required to attend the other courses only twice a week. Due to the events of the first day alone, there was enough information, questions, and assigned readings to keep his mind occupied for weeks. To make matters worse, thoughts of Jalena swam in between thoughts of the Damsé and images of Alpherians as he attempted to rest that night.

Irritated by his lack of mental control, he finally gave up trying to sleep. Fatigued and restless, he crossed the temple grounds at midnight and retrieved Valora from her room to practice the Damsé.

Yawning, Valora grudgingly followed Gyan out to the chinálei.

"You owe me, Mesengic. Next time I want a partner who likes to sleep as much as he likes to think."

"You'll thank me later."

"Not so sure about that."