Chapter 2 - The Nature of Jin
Tuyapine knelt in the courtyard of her newly established class in Darhause, hands hovering over the damp earth as she sensed the jin flowing through the ground. The morning air carried the sweet scent of blooming whiteleaf, a tree unique to this region where human lands met the great elven forest. Above her, massive stone arches curved gracefully into living branches. The city's famous blend of architecture that married architectural precision with elven organic flow.
The sound of running feet and young voices pulled her from the memory. Through the morning mist that wrapped around the courtyard's pillars like curious spirits, she saw her three students approaching. Their friendly bickering echoed off the stone walls.
"You can't be serious!" Parthus was saying, his dark eyes wide with disbelief as he jogged alongside the others. The boy from the southeastern kingdom had already managed to scuff his freshly polished boots. And his noble outfit looked decidedly rumpled. "An entire city in the trees?"
"It's true," Kadine insisted, her hair bouncing in its elaborate braids as she walked. She gestured enthusiastically, nearly dropping the scrolls clutched in her arms. "My father visited the Southern Elven Kingdom last year. He said their buildings spiral up through the branches like..." She paused, searching for the right words.
"Like dancers frozen in wood and stone," Korys finished quietly. The third student moved with careful precision, each step measured, her grey eyes taking in everything. Unlike the others, she carried no scrolls or bags. Only a single thin book pressed against her chest like a shield.
Tuyapine cleared her throat, hiding her amusement as all three children startled. "While the architecture of my homeland is fascinating," she said, "perhaps we should focus on today's lesson?"
"Now," Tuyapine began, but Parthus's hand shot up immediately.
"Have you fought in wars?" Parthus leaned forward eagerly. "With jin?"
"Did you help build the Tree Palace?" Kadine chimed in.
"Can you really make fire dance?" Korys asked, speaking up for the first time, her quiet voice holding genuine curiosity.
Tuyapine raised a hand, stemming the flood of questions. "Jin is not a toy or a simple weapon," she said firmly. "It is fundamental to our world. As essential as air or water. Before you can learn to use it, you must learn to sense it." She moved to stand before them, raising her hand palm up. "Watch carefully."
The children leaned forward as a small distortion appeared above Tuyapine's palm, like heat waves rising from sun-baked stone. Slowly, she drew her other hand above it. And the distortion stretched between her palms like glossy threads.
"Jin exists in everything," she explained, letting the visible manifestation fade. "In the air we breathe, in the stone beneath us, in our own bodies. Close your eyes. Feel your breath. Now, try to sense the layer just beneath your skin, like a second pulse."
The courtyard fell silent save for the rustle of leaves and distant city sounds. Tuyapine watched her students' faces. Parthus's brow furrowed in concentration. Kadine's fingers twitching slightly. Korys gone completely still.
Minutes stretched by. She remembered her own first attempts. The frustration and wonder when she finally felt the subtle energy moving through her. Before the void had first taken hold of her mind...
A sharp gasp broke through her thoughts. Parthus's eyes flew open, gleaming with excitement. "It's like... like lightning under my skin!" he exclaimed. "But tiny, and... and..."
"Keep your eyes closed," Tuyapine instructed. "Don't try to grab it. Just observe."
A few moments later, Kadine made a soft sound of surprise. "It's flowing," she whispered. "Like... like warm honey, but made of light?"
Korys remained silent. But Tuyapine saw the slight tremor in her hands. The wonder breaking through her careful composure. When she finally spoke, her voice was thoughtful. "It's different in different parts. Faster in my chest, slower in my fingers..."
"Excellent observations," Tuyapine said. "Each of you senses it differently because everyone observers jin in different ways." She walked around them slowly. "Parthus feels it as energy, quick and bright. Kadine senses its flow and warmth. Korys perceives its variations and patterns. These differences will influence how you learn to work with jin."
Something moved in her peripheral vision. The NoraCat, perched atop a nearby pillar. Usually, the creature's ancient eyes followed only her. But today they were fixed intently on her students. More specifically, on Korys. The girl shivered slightly, though her eyes remained closed.
"That's enough for today," Tuyapine announced. She could feel the great moon's influence growing stronger, the familiar heaviness seeping into her bones. But watching her students' faces light up with their first taste of jin, she felt something else too. A spark of purpose she hadn't experienced since before the Void took her mind...
As the children gathered their things, chattering excitedly about their different sensations, the NoraCat moved closer. Its tail twitching with unusual agitation.
"Teacher," Parthus called from the doorway, "will we learn to fight with Jin?"
Tuyapine glanced at the NoraCat, which had now moved to a closer pillar. "In time. Jin can be many things - weapon, tool, art. But first, it must be understood. Now go, rest your minds. Tomorrow, we begin again."
The NoraCat's tail lashed once, and in its ancient eyes, Tuyapine saw something she'd never witnessed before － concern.
Six years, she had committed to teaching these children. But watching the NoraCat's unusual behavior. Feeling the weight of ancient powers turning their attention to her small courtyard, she wondered if they would have even that long to prepare for whatever was coming.
