II. Week Thirteen: Lesson One

  Watching the woman meditate was an easy task. Actually meditating?  Xeq thought that he was good an concentrating but when she said to concentrate on nothing, to clear his mind, to think of ‘nothing’ but when he thought of ‘nothing’ wasn’t he thinking of something? The absence of thought is still something, Xeq thought.

  “It’s simpler than you’re making it to be, do not speak. Think.” The woman said.

  Taking another deep breath, Xeq tried to clear his thoughts but the first one to breach was Zamer. He wasn’t supposed to think about anything and that included her. He wondered what special guest was going to visit, and then he wondered how his brother was doing. Snarling at him, the woman order.

  “Clear your thoughts. Of nothing. No worries. No stress. Nothing. Nothing at all. A blank slate. Say this in your head as you think to let go of the world that encases your abilities. Think that you are not of this world. Repeat after me, the word ‘release’.” She was aggravated with him. For being a peaceful dragon she claimed to be she sure was viscous.

  “Release.” Xeq said quietly to himself, his hands one on top of the other in an Indian style sit.

  “No!” She roared, making Xeq open his eyes to meet hers.

  “I told you not to open your eyes, to concentrate!” She growled.

  “How can I when you’re yelling at me?” Xeq questioned. “Look, I’m trying. You have to give me time.” Xeq sighed.

  “Don’t say the word as crisp.” She said calming her nerves. “It’s supposed to get you to ‘release’ so think of it as two parts not one.”

  Xeq sighed.

  The woman shook her head. “How many millennium are you?”

  Confused, Xeq looked up at her, still sitting in the position he was told to be in. ‘Millennium? Not to be of rudeness but I’m only nineteen…”

  “In human years?”! The woman looked at him dazed. “A new generation has risen?”

  Again, Xeq shrugged. “I’m not sure.” He said with a smirk. “The only dragons I’ve ever interacted with were my brother, the wyvern I mentioned, and Mioko.” Xeq paused. “And now there’s you, although I don’t think we had a proper introduction he said as he got up and she watched him in amusement.

  “Xeq.” He said as he bowed.

  That made her smile. Curtsying, she smirked. “My name is Xi. I inhabited the first temple built here, after it was destroyed I took refuge at the Xian river. But now that it is back, I am glad to serve my people.”

  “Xi.” Xeq smiled. “How long am I supposed to meditate for anyway?” He wondered.

  “You said you are nineteen. If you can go through this for forty minutes or twenty minutes twice I will let you eat and rest, depending on which one is more important to you.”

  Xeq looked at Xi with determination. “It might take me a bit with this whole 'don’t think about anything' idea but I’ll do my best.”

  Xi nodded. “Your rebirth, what were you before?” She asked.

  Xeq shrugged. “Silver dragon who could breath fire.” He smirked hearing how lame that sounded. I can reach an altitude that most dragons fear if that means anything.”

  Xi looked at Xeq from head to toe and then usher him to return to his meditating phase.

  Nodding, Xeq kept his eyes on hers. “When I came here the first time I was shooting beams of light. As if my soul were the source of power. The light was so pure I closed my eyes every time. The pain was unbearable. I was flying. I don’t know if you’ve ever reached your flying limit but I did at that time. Me and my brother used to fly out and back to see how far we could get. Of course, if it was by water he would win but as a flyer I could beat him any time.” Xeq sighed as he thought about his brother. “I went missing for three days before my brother went to go look for me and then he fell at sea. It turns out we both had our adventures to pursue.

  While Vile was learning that he was the reincarnation of the Lernean hydra, Mioko told me to about the hydra’s heart that I had consumed to consume my own. I would die but I would come back to life with the hydra’s heart instead of my own. I haven’t tried to breath fire since. But I was engrossed in wanting to learn more about this culture that I ‘winged it’ and came back.”

  This time, Xi didn’t get mad, she listened. “You also think of your Wyvern friend?”

  Xeq nodded. “He has a God’s daughter for a girlfriend now. I’ll be hearing more about that when I get back from here.” He smirked, looking down at his watch. “I’ll need to be back by Saturday night so is it okay if I train under you for these days and then I go? My girlfriend, the phoenix request/demands I be there for their special guest.”

  Xi nodded in understand. “If you wish to leave, since it is Wednesday you must complete two sittings of meditation of at least twenty minutes. I will not tell you when the twenty minutes is up and if you give in to check the time and it is not yet twenty minutes you will have to start over.”

  Letting out a sigh, Xeq nodded. “I understand. You must do that today, tomorrow, and the next. Then you may leave but, if you still cannot detect a single dragon on your flight back you are to come back as soon as she lets you.”

  Checking his watch, Xeq waited for the time to start evenly and closed his eyes. He would do this. Not for anyone else this time, but for himself, to make him a better dragon. By the time twenty minutes had passed Xeq figured the word release wasn’t going to help him so he listened to the wind and the night. Opening his eyes, he looked down at the time. Twenty five minutes had passed.

  Xi smiled, as she held out a tray to him. “I’ll be nice this once.” She said. “But that’s only because I know you have never had a rice ball in your life.”

  Xeq looked at the seaweed wrapped triangle. “What’s in it?”

  Xi rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you won’t eat it if I tell you what’s in it?”

  Shrugging, Xeq took a bite and nodded in approval. “That. Was actually really good.” Xeq grinned.

  “There is much to learn here,” Xi smirked. “I hope you come back with enough stamina but don’t forget. When you do go back you still have to meditate.”

  Xeq smirked. “I do? I actually have to?”

  “Do you think the training stops the moment you go back?” Xi was looking at Xeq in annoyance again.

  “No ma’am.” Xeq smirked. “I’ll do what you say.” He sighed. “But I have to tell you thinking about nothing is really complicated.”

  Xi shook her head. “You’ll figure out what appeals to you the most and you’ll find your way. For now, eat. I’ll get you new clothes at the market tomorrow.”