Chapter 3: The old man and his rum
Lee Fe was struggling; he was robe less as sweat beads sat all over is body. His arms were tired, his thighs were burning, and his knees were about to buckle. He had been squatting with his arms stretched out in front of him holding a heavy stone for the last forty-eight hours without rest. "Ughhh! I've been holding this damn position for nights, how does this help?" Lee Fe groaned.
The old man took a gulp of the bottle of rum he was holding in his hand, "And you shall hold it for one more."
Lee Fe dropped the stone in between his legs, allowing himself to collapse. "I am merely strengthening my body and exhausting myself without rest." Lee Fe complained, breathing heavily.
"In order to control the flame, you must strengthen your mind, body, and spirit. This is a test of all three, this is conditioning." Said the old man taking another gulp of his rum.
Lee Fe looked up at the old man, understanding what he meant, "....."
"On your feet!", the old man said with intensity!"
Lee Fe jumped up, picking up the heavy stone once more with a groan and resumed his squatting position, he had no choice, but to continue. A month had passed, and Lee Fe was indeed physically stronger, his mind was sharper, and his spirit was tenacious.
Lee Fe had been sitting in the Lotus position with his eyes closed and his palms stretched out toward the unlit bonfire that was in front of him for the last two days.
"Light it!" the old man yelled.
Lee Fe's eyebrows twitched with annoyance. "I am trying!" he shot back at the old man.
"Men do not try! They do!", the old man yelled again.
Lee Fe hissed as he grew more irritated and suddenly his hands heated up, and fire came bursting out of his palms. Lee Fe opened his eyes wide with surprise, he was proud of himself and he jumped up. "Do you see that old man? The bonfire is lit!" Lee Fe said happily, but his victory was short lived as the old man threw a bucket of water on the bonfire, putting it out. "Do it again! Go and collect more firewood!" the old man shouted.
Confused and surprised, Lee Fe glared at the old man, "I've lit the bonfire like you have asked, yet you are still unsatisfied!" said Lee Fe beyond annoyed with the old man.
"You have done nothing but prove that your flame is only useful when you are emotionally distraught! Will you wait until the Midnight King has beaten you to a bloody pulp before you are able to use your flame?" said the old man glaring back at Lee Fe.
Lee Fe lowered his head, the old man was right, he could not control it at will unless he was upset and that would not help him in the long run. Sighing heavily, Lee Fe turned around, going off into the woods to grab more firewood.
Weeks had passed and Lee Fe was still sitting in the lotus position with his palms facing an unlit bonfire and he was beyond frustrated.
"Give up and walk away." said the old man as he took a gulp of rum.
"I cannot quit!" Lee Fe yelled.
"Can't you?" the old man asked indifferently as he sat down by his own lit campfire in front of him.
"...….."
"Come, eat, take a break with an old man."
Lee Fe got up and sat down by the campfire, grabbing the bowl of meat and bread the old man had made for him. "..."
"Your temperament has gotten worse lately, you only know frustration." the old man said, stuffing bread into his mouth.
"....."
"The old man glanced at Lee Fe who was glowering at the campfire while he ate. "Perhaps you should go find a heavy stone after you've eaten and rested.
Lee Fe quickly snapped his head at the old man, "No! I can do this!"
"So, he does speak?" the old man chuckled.
"I can do it; I do not wish to go backwards." Lee Fe said firmly.
"Tell me young man, why do you stay only to be angered with me, when it was you who followed me?"
"Because I need your guidance." Lee Fe said softly.
"Why do you need my guidance?" said the old man taking a gulp of rum.
"Because I cannot control the flame. I burned my Father when I was only a child. I am dangerous."
"So, it is fear?" said the old man.
"It is not fear!" Lee Fe shouted, the flame in front of him suddenly growing larger for a minute and returning to normal the moment he calmed down.
"Tell me young Lee Fe, blood of Wen. What is fear?"
"To be afraid." Lee Fe responded softly.
"Wrong! What did our Fathers teach us of fear?" said the old man passionately.
Lee Fe thought a minute back to when his Father was training him, "Fear is the misuse of one's imagination."
"Correct!" Said the old man. "It is fear that is stopping you and anger that is hindering you. Don't you want revenge?"
"There is nothing I want more in this cursed world!" said Lee Fe firmly making eye contact with the old man.
The old man let a smile creep onto his face and looked back at the campfire, "Tonight you will eat, then you will rest, tomorrow you will go and find a heavy stone."
Lee Fe sighed internally, "Yes sir!" he said firmly and continued eating.
More weeks had gone by and Lee Fe was quite determined, but exhausted. He had many sleepless nights with no food nor water. He had held a heavy stone for days at a time, cursed and had singed more campfires than he cared to count.
The old man had dropped a pile of wood in front of Lee Fe, startling him as he was tired from holding up the heavy stone. "Enough, light the bonfire." Said the old man walking away and sitting on a nearby rock.
Lee Fe dropped the stone, it making a loud crash as it hit the ground. Rolling his shoulders back and cracking his back, Lee Fe sat down in the lotus position in front of the unlit bonfire and held up his arms. With his arms stiff and his palms flat, Lee Fe closed his eyes and began to concentrate.
"A brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.", said Lee Fe, the old man cut his eye at his student and smiled, taking another sip of rum.
Lee Fe sat for hours, concentrating on manifesting his flame. With anger it was easy, but off of the sheer will of strength, something of this nature was not so simple.
More hours had passed, and Lee Fe was still sitting in the lotus position, while the old man had helped himself to a nap. Lee Fe's arms were tired, as they shook in midair, but he was not giving up. Suddenly Lee Fe's body flushed hot, he panted heavily as his arms felt like they were on fire. His eyes snapped open and a burst of flames came shooting out of his palms, lighting the bonfire. Lee Fe's eyes grew wide and they began to water, he had done it! He had manifested the flame without anger and nothing more, but sheer will!
Lee Fe's tired arms collapsed as did his body backward onto the ground. So many emotions were running through him, he couldn't do anything, but smile and cry tears of joy. The old man smiled, taking a gulp of rum, "Rest young blood of Wen, you've done well.", he praised his now passed out student.
Lee Fe had slept for hours, fed, drank and was now standing in the middle of the forest with the old man a few feet from him. There were various bundles of firewood placed around him, ready to be burned.
Standing with his eyes closed, Lee Fe took a deep breath, and exhaled softly. It was quiet, except for the sound of his own breathing and suddenly the old man shouted, "Began!"
Lee Fe's eyes snapped opened as flames erupted into the palm of each hand. He jumped up, spinning around in midair as multiple balls of fire sped into different directions. Lee Fe hit the ground, landing with a kneel and one palm on the ground. He stood up removing his hand from the ground, leaving behind a scorch mark in the shape of his hand. The old man slowly walked over, seeing that Lee Fe had effortlessly lit every targeted bundle of firewood.
"You have done well these few months, young blood of Wen. There is nothing more that I can teach you." Said the old man turning around to face Lee Fe.
Lee Fe steadied his breathing, dropped to one knee, and saluted the man who had selflessly taken care of and trained him for the last three months. "Thank you for your persistence, your guidance and sternness. I will be forever in your debt." Said Lee Fe.
The old man grabbed Lee Fe's arm and pulled on it, intending for Lee Fe to stand. Lee Fe stood up to see a smile on the old man's face, "It was a pleasure, an old man will go and rest now.", said the old man walking away from Lee Fe. Lee Fe nodded, going to hunt so that dinner would be prepared when the old man woke.
Hours had passed and Lee Fe had made it back with two rabbits and a bottle of rum. He first cleaned the rabbits and lit a small campfire with his own flame to cook them.
"Old man, are you awake? I have returned with dinner and a gift for you." When there was no answer Lee Fe got up and walked over to the old man's tent, but he was nowhere to be found. There only lay an empty bottle of rum and nothing else. Lee Fe backed out of the tent and looked around. He sighed and saluted for the absent old man one last time, "three months had been a long time to be with someone every night, had you grown tired of me old man?" Lee Fe said with a smile, placing the bottle of rum down inside the tent and walking away.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone