Dahe felt as if he was being measured. ‘He’s probably scanning me right now.’ He stood straight, pressing his staff firmly into the ground, trying to display himself at his best. “Leader Fangsu,” he said, bowing quickly. Fangsu’s hand wave seemed more like a spear thrust. “Be at ease. I have heard about you recently. You are interested in the spear. Why?”

Dahe wanted to lick his lips. He had a few different answers but they all tumbled around, and he didn’t know which he should say. He felt an internal clock ticking. The only thing he could do was pick one, almost at random. “To keep my enemy further away from me.”

Fusang had been reaching to stroke his beard, when his hand stopped short. A corner of his mouth curled until a smile appeared on his face. He let his hand hang down. “That is a good answer.” Then he turned in the direction of the sparring grounds and said over his shoulder, “come.” He was moving away before Dahe could understand what was going on. He could only follow Fusang, and see what the spearmaster wanted with him.

They moved through the sparring grounds, until they came to a wall of hedges, on the far side of the grounds. Dahe had never given the hedges much thought. But as they approached, he saw that behind the hedges was a wall, and that they were actually going towards a gate in the wall.

The gate swung open with a slight push of Fusang’s hand. He had never stopped or slowed, he simply walked through at the same speed. Dahe followed, his feet moving quickly, trying to imitate the flow of Fusang.

The gate shut behind them. When Fusang had reached the center of the large yard, his movement ceased. Dahe arrived in front of him. Giving a respectful bow, he asked, “what can my humble self do for you Leader?” Fusang simply scratched the side of his nose. “Attack me,” he finally spoke. Dahe’s eyes blinked repeatedly. “Surely, that is impossible. I would not begin to be a challenge to your greatness.” Fusang’s hand waved about in the air, brushing off his comment as easily as brushing off a fly. “I know this. That is not the point. Attack me.”

Dahe had half an idea this was a test. So the decision had to be made. Attack or don’t Attack? Attack. His hand struck out, a stiff pointed hand aiming at Fusang’s throat. The hand that had waved aside his comment now waved aside his attack. Jumping back, he gripped his staff with both hands, and thrust forward again. Again, he was blocked. He tried to study his opponent, but Fusang was giving nothing away. All Dahe could do was attack, again and again. He tried to feint, aiming for the face before shifting target to the stomach. He tried to use his staff as a spear and use every kind of attack he knew. He even kicked out, trying to sweep his opponent off his feet. Nothing worked.

For a moment a thought appeared in his mind. Step back and give up. But what? Maybe this was a test of how long he could hold out. Would hold out. So why stop? He wasn’t tired yet. The only thing he could do was to increase the lethality of his attacks. He targeted the soft points of the human body. He feinted often, even going so far as to aim for the eyes but divert towards the feet. Still nothing worked.

He hadn’t managed to stab this guy even once. Stab. Stab. Stab. The thought began repeating in his mind. So he thrust, again and again. Remembering his practice. A simple thrust. Thrust. Thrust through. His variation waned, he aimed for basic points. But the thrusting increased. Again and again, the wooden staff pushed towards Fusang, always to be deflected. Always. He could almost imagine a steel spear on the end of his staff. Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.

Dahe grit his teeth. There was no other thought. He could see the spear now. He stabbed forward once more. As he pulled back to thrust once more, his staff refused to follow his arm. His staff was being pinched by Fusang’s thumb and forefinger. He realized he was exhausted. His lungs worked like bellows. The tunnel vision that had crept upon him faded. He breathed slower, and finally looked at Fusang’s eyes. There was a slight smile on his face that was reflected in his eyes. Fusang released his staff. “I think you have possibility,” he finally said.

Dahe bowed, using his staff for a support, “thank you.” Fusang nodded. “I hold my lessons daily during sparring hours. Come here with your spear.” Dahe bowed once more, “yes Fusang shi.” Fusang simply waved his hand, and Dahe knew he was dismissed. He turned and walked out of the gate. On the way back to his little house, he gazed in the direction of the barracks. He had such great news, but he no longer was able to share it with them. Wait. Why not? ‘I can share with them. I shouldn’t cut off human connections simply because I work for a goddess part-time.’

With that thought he turned and walked towards the barracks. A few men had stopped off at their barrack to change clothes and grab their supplies. They welcomed him back. By the warm expressions on their faces, Dahe knew they honestly were glad to see him. He felt tired but warmed. And when he told them he had been accepted by Fusang, they were envious but still happy for him. However, time waited for no one, and so they gave him a few hearty slaps on the back, wished him luck, and left.

Standing alone in an empty barrack, Dahe held on to the warm feelings that he had just experienced. The wooden walls seemed empty without their raucous laughter. So he went home. To his home. And on the way home he listened to Enya.