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[Tai Kwan Leap]

---

Hugh stood immersed in the shadows of the courtyard of the Garden Freehold. He had been leaning against the doorway to Tai Kwan's office for the last three hours watching Tai there in the meditation pond.

Tai was dressed only in his black obi, golden hakama, and blindfold. The Tokuno Champion was hip deep in the pond. Tai would pause and use a whetstone to sharpen his axe, then polish it. He was chanting in a language that was not his native tongue. Then he would move through a kata amongst animal carcasses hanging above the pond.

"Hugh-san I know you are standing there. You know we know when one of our kind is about."

"How could ye be so sure twas me, ye fekkin' wee lad" Hugh said as we allowed the shadows to fall from himself.

"Few shadows that follow me smell as you do, of rich pipeweed, red meat, and strong drink."

"So, wha' are ye tryin' ta' say aboot me, then?"

"Hugh-san I cannot tell you the path to walk. I have known you too long to understand it would be like trying to teach a pig to sing. It would waste my time and annoy the pig."

Hugh blinks, "Did ye just tell a joke? I'll be damned. I would have said tha' havin' a family was makin' ye less serious if I hae no been watchin' ye do tha' in tha' pond there."

"Hugh-san, I am trying to focus here. Did you want to ask me something?"

"Tai, is tha' carcasses ye hae hangin' aboot tha' meditation pond?"

"Hai. They are the bodies of some revenant lions and some others I sparred with earlier,” he says while removing his blindfold.

Hugh staggers and falls into the pond and starts counting the hanging bodies. He starts counting the bodies and reaches down to pull his left boot off.

"Tai, there's 9 revenant lion carcasses an' a representative o' each sect from tha' Citadel. I canna believe ye would mistreat animal bodies so. An' I wi' no point oot tha' all those from tha' Citadel are elves."

Tai pulls out his whetstone and starts sharpening the blade of his Talon Bite and begins chanting again. As he chants the eagle in flight tattoo spiraling up his left forearm began to glow.

"Hugh-san you are disrupting my training."

"Wha' tha' hell are ye doin' wadin' aboot in tha' pond?"

"I never know what my surroundings will be. I am training in the pond to learn to adapt to having my movements encumbered."

"Ye know ye wee lad, if I dinna know better tha' chantin' sounds verra shamanistic."

"You do know better. This is the ritual that Black Feather, shaman of the Proud Ones, or Cherokee, taught us."

"Ye are doin' tha' Bear Shirt ritual? Tha' one where ye take on tha' mantle o' tha' beserker warrior on a divine mission? Holy hell, who is aboot ta' die?"

"Hugh-san, I must return to my training."

"Ye dinna answer me fekkin' question."

"He says his name is Xerxes of Xohar."

Hugh shrugs and his body is consumed by a green glow as the alcohol is burned from his system and the facade of professional drunkard falls to the side.

"Tai, this man is insane."

"Hai, he is. He has threatened all who are dear to me."

"Little Dragon, ye are no ready for him. He is a spellweaver like meself, an' he wi' use distractions ta' keep ye off balance. Ye shouldna worry aboot him. He is most likely here for me."

"Noble Wordsmith, heed my words. This is not about you. He did not even know you were my teacher."

"Och, I hate when ye get this way. Come on let's go have a drink an' forget all aboot this."

"Iie, old friend. He has already tried to kill my student Lord Takeda."

Hugh snaps his fingers and his mage blade appears in his hand.

"Fine, tell me where is can be found, an' I wi' take care o' tha' problem."

Tai sighed and closed his eyes. He focused on his mind's image of the room as it was before he closed his eyes. Nodding once, the bells in his topknot jingling, he jumps spinning around twice and lands his left foot directly into Hugh's chest. As Tai gently landed, Hugh was picking himself up off the courtyard ground.

"This is my fight."

"Bloody hell I think ye broke a few ribs. I dinna realize ye were this serious. Thanks for no kickin' me in tha' noggin. I ususally get in trouble when ye do tha'."

“This is no time for another Black Lotus.”

Tai jumps and flips in the air to land at Hugh’s side. Then he shakes himself like a wet dog.

“I will not tolerate your interference in this.”

“Dammit, Tai ye are so stubborn. This man has kept tha’ head o’ every one o’ us he has taken.”

“You underestimate me.”
_________________
"He's been fired from the Shrimp Boat?" -- Charlaine Harris "Living Dead In Dallas."

[Tai Kwan Leap]

---

Tai looked at the machine Riff Raff had made. It was bulky and rough, but it should do the job.

He waded into the pond wearing only his hakama and obi and a blindfold.

Tai had placed his breastplate on Grigori and had piled the rest of his armor on his son.

"Oy! You boys load the device and crank the handle."

Tai stood waist deep in the pond as the contraption flung daggers, chairs, bola balls and explosive potions. He slapped each to the side pacing back and forth in the pond.

The boys enjoyed loading the device and cranking the handle and Tai spent the better part of an afternoon deflecting what was shot at him.

As Tai paced towards the north, his body was suddenly enveloped in a green noxious glow. Tai bowed to the west and dove into the water. He came up with his hand around Hugh Kinley's throat, and his axe cocked back to deliver a fatal strike.

"Ye are a wee bit jumpy, there me lad" Hugh said trying to adjust his kilt.

Tai relaxes his grip on Hugh's throat and let's him fall backwards into the pond.

"Hugh-san you interrupt me again. I did as you asked and am not using carcasses" Tai said as he pulled down his blindfold.

Hugh stands up and shakes himself like a wet hound.

"Tai, ye are too tense" Hugh said wringing water out of his kilt.

The samurai kneels in desai position.

"Hugh-san you have something on your chin."

Tai bows his head to the floor of the pond, and then flips and plants his right foot at Hugh's chin.

Hugh blinks and backs up a step.

"Och ye bloody heathen, ye almost kicked me" Hugh says as he rubs his chin.

Tai hears his son giggle and hears something drop into the contraption. Then his son pulls a mace out of his obi and smites the handle on the machine.

The Champion of Tokuno moves as fast as he can through the water and runs towards Hugh.

"Maneuver 87, Hugh-san" Tai says as he somersaults out of the pond to land his left foot in the cupped hands of the Wordsmith.

Hugh hefts upwards and Tai flips backwards through the air deflecting the daggers and explosive potions and bola balls.

The Wordsmith claps his hands and a green arau surrounds him. He points at the incoming objects and then gestures to the sides.

"Tai, ye have three incoming at 2 4 and 6 o'clock. Try yuir Bushido thing ye do on them" Hugh says using his shoulder shrug to point them out.

Tai Kwan, closes his eyes as he kneels. Then he leaps out of the pond and flips across the surface of the water. He bats the one at two o'clock out of the way with his left foot and slaps the one at four o'clock to the side with his right hand.

"Hugh-san, duck three inches" Tai says as he leans in and head butts the bola ball at six o'clock. He has deflected it's path from slamming into Hugh's skull.

Tai staggers up and pushes Hugh-san down under the water as three poisoned daggers create a deadly triangle on the wall behind where Hugh stood. He uses Hugh's body as a springboard and flips back across the water knocking things aside.

The machine finally ran out of ammunition.

Hugh had crawled out the northern end of the pool and watched as his student fought against the barrage.

"Tai, I dinna think he will fight ye in a pond" Hugh says shaking himself off.

The samruai wades to the edge of the pond. He lifts himself up with his feet pointed skyward and then lifts his left hand and does 20 one handed push ups.

Then, he slowly lowers his feet over his head to stand on the ground.

"Lord Wordsmith. I tell you again. I am in training" Tai says as he stands fully erect to his five foot height.

Hugh waves his hand and mutters a few words and Tai is dry.

"And I tell ye I know this Xerxes" Hugh says patting himself for his flask.

Tai nods slowly and bows, the braids in his top knot jingling softly.

"Banzai!" Tai screams lowly as he rolls to the left and thrusts his right foot towards Hugh's jaw and his left hand towards Hugh's codpiece.

Hugh jumps back stumbling backwards into the pond. The boys giggile and Taichi Mao manages to deliver a death blow to the machine.

"Bloody hell. I have no bathed this much in weeks" Hugh says as he stands to his full six foot six height.

Tai holds out a hand to pull his sensei out of the pond.

"Hugh-san, do not forget I taught you unarmed combat" Tai says as he pulls Hugh out of the pond.

"Dammit, ye bloody heathen, ye scared tha' hell oot o' me. I am no yuir enemy" Hugh says as he again wrings out his kilt.

"Lord Wordsmith, you watched my entire training and then chose to interrupt. Why is this" Tai asked questioningly.

Hugh adjusted his kilt, looked down to his booted feet and then looked back up.

"Old friend, this man once shamed me" Hugh says trying to look regal.

Tai kneeled before Hugh in desai position his head touching the floor and as he rose his armor fell upon his body.

"Sensei Hugh, allow me to remove that onus" Tai stood with his Mystic Staff in hand.

Hugh stepped back involuntarily but kept heed of the pond.

"Put tha' damned stick away, it scares tha' hell oot o' me" the Wordsmith said as he backed up again.

Tai twirled it in a circuit that spun about his body three times before he placed it in a sling across his back. He then kneeled placing his head at Hugh's feet.

"Lord Hugh, Wordsmith, Sensei ... I am your weapon of vengeance" Tai said keeping his head at Hugh's feet.

Hugh blushed and tried to move his feet out of reach.

"Bloody hell, stand yuir fekkin' wee arse back up" Hugh gently told Tai as he leaned down.

Tai slowly stood with one hand going to the fans in his obi.

"Sensei, you are in danger" Tai Kwan said as he spun about Hugh brandishing several different weapons.

Hugh lets out a world weary sigh and whispers a few words. Suddenly Tai is held immobile by the majicks that Hugh wields.

"Tai, I ken ye hate bein' paralyzed but trust me" Hugh says as he approaches Tai. He places his right hand splayed across Tai's nearly bald skull and the other on his arcane focus

The samurai growls in rage at first but then calms as the images flash before his eyes.

Tai first sees images of Xerxes leading a raid on the Macintosh clan, one of the Kinley's staunchest alllies. He sees images of Xerxes sitting in a cave surrounded by the mounted heads of his vicitims.

Then he sees images of Lord Xerxes paying the British to lead an assault on Portmore. He reaches out to support Hugh as the memories fall from his mind.

Tai staggers as the images of the British buring and sacking Portmore flood his mind. Then he is onboard a warship stuck outside the harbor. He sees Hugh ordering the men to sink any ship in their way.

A single tear rolls down his cheek as he sees from a distance Hugh running into Portmore as it burned. Tai involuntarily shivers as Hugh drops to one knee and chants. Old whiplash wounds on his back bled anew. Hug stood, the backs of his hands glowing in celtic runes. His right hand bled love and his left bled hate.

"Oiright ye soddin' gits. I hae hae enow" Hugh said softly as the fires stopped burning and the invaders stopped in their tracks.
_________________
"He's been fired from the Shrimp Boat?" -- Charlaine Harris "Living Dead In Dallas."

[Tai Kwan Leap]

---

Tai Kwan was again dressed only in his hakama, blindfold, and his black obi. He was hip deep in the bubbling baths in the Garden Freehold. Before him in the water was a bloodwood wing chun.

He spun towards it striking it with devastating blows and weaving and dodging the return blows. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat, his tattoos glowing and growling as he dance around the wing chun.

The air crackles and the bloodwood wing chun explodes. Tai flips back and forth around the water smacking fragments down and then flips screaming an oath back towards the entrance to the pool.

“Boot to the head” he growls.

His foot connects with a shadow and Hugh Kinley goes sprawling backwards.

“Bloody hell, ye fekkin’ wee lad tha’ hurt like hell” Hugh says as he staggers up out of the shadows.

“Hugh-san, must you disrupt my training” Tai asked pulling his blindfold down.

“Tai, ye are approachin’ this all wrong” the Wordsmith says crumbling some herbs and heals himself.

“Hugh-san, this is not your battle, I ask you to stand down” Tai bows to Hugh.

“Me, wee little ryu, was tha’ Ng Mui’s style” Hugh asks wincing as he touches his ribs.

“Hai, it is. This style was developed by Shaolin Ng Mui, a senior kung-fu master. Lord Sensei Ng Mui had need to teach kung-fu to a young woman named Yim Wing Chang, which means Beautiful Springtime, so she could defeat a warlord who wanted to force her into marriage. From this a new style was created and taught to Wing Chun which combined the best techniques from the broad array of Shaolin kung-fu, into a simple, master style. Yim Wing Chun defeated the Warlord with little effort, using his energy and force against him.” Tai says as he climbs out of the pool.

“But, lad all yuir flippin’ an’ dodgin’ an’ weavin’ wi’ no help ye again’ a spell tosser” Hugh says as he heals the last broken rib.

“I do not question your path it is not your place to question mine” Tai says as he shakes the water from his braids, setting off a jingling cacophony.

“Bloody hell, ye are as stubborn as a mule. Let me stand in yuir stead. I wi’ remove this lad” Hugh says drawing forth the Kinly claybeg.

“Hugh-san as you know, a major principle of Wing Chun is the center line theory. This is where a center line runs down the middle of your body from the top of the head, down to the crest of your lower body” Tai says as the hammer fist strikes pinning Hugh’s arm above the coals of the sauna.

Hugh struggles and struggles again.

“Let go o’ me bloody arm ye wee fekkin’ an’ annoyin’ rubbish” the Wordsmith says trying to get his sword hand free.

The samurai chuckles lowly and releases Hugh’s wrist.

“Hugh-san, as you know” Tai says running a finger from the top of his head to his feet, managing to kick the flask from Hugh’s hand as he was doing so. “The center line is the most vulnerable part of the body. One must protect the center line at all times with one’s defense and strikes, and always attack from one’s center line.”

“This will avail ye no when it comes ta’ this Xerxes o’ Xohar” Hugh says spitting. The Wordsmith crumbles some herbs and a field of flame sprouts around the room closing in on Tai Kwan and himself.

Tai kneels and stands with his mystic staff in hand at the throat of Hugh, stepping forward and pressing Hugh against the forge.

“This man is mine. He has harmed my student, and threatened my family. I will use whatever it takes to take him down” Tai says letting up on his staff.

“Dada? Bam! Bam” Taichi toddles in with a beserker’s maul.

Tai looks over, and pushes Hugh down behind the forge.

“Run while you can. It looks like he has received a visit from Xeron” Tai says as he somersaults across the room tickling his son and disarming him and leaving him holding a loaf of French bread.

“Taichi-san. Sit upon that bench and do not move” Tai tells his toddling son.

The boy nods and climbs on the bench.

Tai Kwan bows to Hugh. “Let us dance again, old friend. I will not use a shield.”

“Ye fekkin’ prat, ye never use a shield” Hugh says as he bows to Tai Kwan.

Tai pulled his fans out of his black obi. “Approach me that you might gain wisdom.”

Taichi giggles out, “Lay on, dada!”
Hugh spun and dodged but every time he tossed a spell, Tai chuckled and knocked it to the side. His fans confused the Wordsmith as he tried to keep his wits. He staggered back summoning a horde of insects to plague Tai Kwan.

The Wordsmith blinked as Tai flipped and dodged about the room even smiting a hornet trying to land on TaiChi’s upturned nose. The Samurai ended his movement with the razor blade edge of those fans at Hugh’s throat.

“Hugh-san, did you not tell me once… In the end there can be only one” Tai pressed his fans into Hugh’s throat.

“Bloody hell, ye fekkin’ insane bastich. I believe ye are ready” Hugh says feeling the edge of Tai’s fans at his throat.

Tai Kwan tucks his fans into his obi and helps Hugh to his feet.

Then he cups his right fist with his left palm. “I am what you have made me, my sensei” Tai says as his dragoon tattoo spirals in colours through the spectrum to end with the mouth on his right hand raging.

Hugh adjusts his kilt and stands to his full height and places his claybeg on Tai’s shoulder, having to bend at the knees a bit.

“Go forth an’ smite this fekkin’ arse” Hugh says as he knights Tai.
_________________
"He's been fired from the Shrimp Boat?" -- Charlaine Harris "Living Dead In Dallas."

[Silent Poet]

---

Hugh sat drowsing by the fire, his tankard empty, and a book of ribald verse forgotten in his lap. He is startled awake by the all too familiar feeling when another immortal is around.

“a bhidse” Hugh exclaims.

His body is suddenly covered in a green flame that burns the alcohol from his system.

“Tis a fine way ta’ greet yuir wife, ye prat! Imagine tellin’ me ta’ sod it” says, Heather saucily.

“Nay me love, there is someone else here” Hugh says standing up and drawing his claybeg.

“Hugh-san, you know the Freehold is considered Holy Ground” Heather says looking worried.

“One moment, love. There may be trouble” Hugh says walking to the edge of the roof.

Hugh looks down and sees two men meeting in front of the Garden Freehold.

“What is it love” Heather asks as she pulls out her frying pan.

“Bloody hell, tha’ Xerxes arse has interrupted Tai’s vigil. This willna go well” Hugh says as he jumps over the battlements of the roof and shimmies down the front of the Garden.

Heather runs to the teleporting pad to take her to the plaza on the first floor. As she runs up she sees Tai Kwan stand up with all his tattoos glowing a bright blue.

“The great elder is among us. How happy I am to see you, when I take your student’s head I will place yours beside it in my trophy room” Xerxes of Xohar says.

“Lad, ye are sorely in need o’ an attitude adjustment. Tai, beat tha’ hell oot o’ him. Make me proud, ye wee fek” Hugh says as he spits on the ground at Xerxes’s feet.

Heather walks up behind her husband her bow nocked with an arrow pointing at Xerxes. “Gi’ me a reason” she says walking forward.

Hugh reaches over and tries to convince his wife to lower her weapon. “Love, this is between them. Tha’ rules state we canna interfere” Hugh states coldly.

“Wordsmith, create a magical wall of stone between us, then step back” Tai says as he pulls his mystic staff from the sling on his back.

Hugh ground some herbs between his fingers and a stone wall appeared between Xerxes of Xohar and Tai. The samurai knelt in desai position and slowly removed his armor. Heather gasped and started forward, but Hugh held her back.

“This is his battle, love” Hugh says.

As the wall fell, Tai stood twirling his staff one handed and motioning Xerxes forward with his other hand.

“Approach me that you might gain wisdom” Tai said motioning Xerxes forward.

“Arrogant fool, your head will be a great addition to my trophy room” Xerxes raged as he tossed fireballs at Tai.

While still spinning his staff, Tai held up his left hand and knocked the fireballs to the side. “Your magery will not help you. I have taken on the mantle of the Bear shirt” Tai says as he suddenly jumps flipping and twisting. As he lands he sweeps Xerxes feet knocking him to the ground.

A look of fear steals into Xerxes’s eyes. “You have me at a disadvantage” he says blinking.

Tai steps back, switching his staff to his left hand. “Again” he says calmly.

Tai nods to Hugh and he chants and drops another stone wall. The samurai again kneels and pulls a set of holy beads from his obi. He chants briefly counting them one by one and tucks them back into his black obi.

As the wall falls, Tai remains kneeling in desai position keeping his center line guarded in the Wing Chun style. His staff spins around him as Xerxes attacks. “Damned fool for granting me a second try” Xerxes screams as lightning leaps from his fingers.

The samurai’s staff moves drowsily blocking the bolts of lightning. Tai then strikes upward with a hammer fist blow knocking the wind out of Xerxes’s lungs preventing him from chanting words of power. He slowly stands and walks towards Xerxes. The man has backed up to the wall of a nearby home.

Tai spins his staff left handed and then abruptly brings it to a jarring rest alongside Xerxes’s neck. “Do not think for a moment that I could not remove your head with this staff. It would take time, and you would be in much pain” Tai says calmly.

Xerxes has grown very pale. “Again you have me at a disadvantage. It is your staff it is too powerful” Xerxes pleaded.

Tai rubs the chin of his mempo. “Very well” he says tucking his staff into the sling on his back. He then reached for the fans in his obi. “Truly a man of your might would not be afraid to face my fans.”

Xerxes smiles some confidence returning. “Fool. You will never defeat me with fans.”

The samurai backed up weaving his fans in an ancient kata. “Hugh-san, one last stone wall, if you will.”

“Tai, take his fekkin’ head, an’ stop toying wi’ him” Hugh says dropping the wall.

He again kneeled in desai positon his fans fluttering about him like a swarm of butterflies.

The wall fell and Xerxes rushed forward. Tai calmly stood and bowed and then flipped over backwards his foot disarming Xerxes. He spins clockwise striking upwards and knocks the helm from Xerxes’s head. He plants his left foot and looks to Xerxes.

“I am going to take this right foot here and place it on the left side of your head and there will not be a thing you can do about it” Tai says calmly.

Xerxes tries to back away but Tai’s right foot hits him so hard on the side of his head he loses consciousness.

Tai stands over the unconscious body. “Take him into custody. He will stand trial for crimes against the royal family.”

“mac an donais! (damn it!) Tai, finish him off. It is what we do” Hugh says.

“Iie. There are laws in these lands. He will stand trial” Tai says. “Now, bind him with your magery.”
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"When he spoke, what tender words he used! So softly, that like flakes of feathered snow, They melted as they fell." - John Dryden