The Lost Books
Angel of Aphelion
Episode Eight - The Gentle Way and Red Sky
In the Alley of The Lost Books…
Odette stares down the alley to the tiny corner window of the Library. Bale approaches from the street. "Any sign yet?" he grumbles. "No," says Odette. "She hasn't…." Suddenly, Dee steps into view through the window.
Odette feels a warmth rush through her body. She steps out from the corner into the alley and waves. She whispers… "Dee…"
Bale steps out in time to see Dee start to speak. From this distance, it's hard to even see her lips move. But... Odette nods. Then, Dee smiles and goes. "What did she say?" asks Bale. "She wants us to meet her at the SchoolYard," says Odette. "You and me?" says Bale. "Everyone," says Odette.
Harley leads James down a hallway. "You'll train five hours and study three hours a day. As Judo is your primary discipline, most of your training will happen here," he says as they enter a small, pristine gymnasium.
Harley leads James to a table with two objects: a thick stick that looks cut from a broom handle and a thin, willowy reed. "Choose," he says. James studies the two items for a moment and points to the reed.
Harley picks it up, swings it in the air making a crisp whishing sound, then whips James on the shoulder with it. James yelps in pain. "Aah! The stick!" says James. Harley shrugs and swaps the reed for the stick.
"That's yours," says Harley pointing to a white Judogi hanging with its arms extended. "Change. We start now."
Having changed into his crisp, white judo uniform, James walks to the centre on the mat to join Harley and another man. "Do I get to learn to throw somebody now?" asks James.
"Groundfighting," says Harley. "We'll start with you on top. Any position you want," says Harley. "Try to hold him down." James's opponent lies with his back on the ground, and James reluctantly sits on top of him. "Begin," says Harley, and the grappler instantly flips the position on James. Harley crosses his arms to make an X, a signal to the grappler, who then applies a chokehold on James.
"Stop!" comes a voice from the stands. And, instantly, the grappler lets go of James. The Grandmaster walks down from the viewing area to the mat. Harley and the grappler bow to the approaching Grandmaster, who sends the grappler away with a slight pointing of his chin.
Still on the ground, James catches his breath as the Grandmaster passes by with the words: "Break falls."
He exits the gym.
"Break falls," says Harley. "Do as I do."
He leads James through break fall after break fall. Showing James how to fall without hurting himself. James crudely break falls his way across the gym. "Again," says Harley.
"When do I get to learn to throw someone?" asks James, exhausted — beads of sweat run down his face and neck. "Again," says Harley.
James sits on a bench in the quad. He leans back to let the sun wash over him. "You don't feel like the real sun," he says. Harley glides by, "Afternoon session."
Harley leads James to a garden courtyard.
"You'll learn your first form now. Do... as I do," says Harley as he moves smoothly and crisply through a set pattern — blocking, now punching, now stepping and turning, now kicking. Harley's movements snap in the air. James follows along as best he can.
Back in the Judo gym… Harley and James enter.
"You didn't break a sweat during the pattern. Perhaps this next drill will be more to your liking," says Harley. From the hallway emerges the fighter in the black mask and black gi. He joins James on the mat.
"Put these on," says Harley, handing James a pair of grappling gloves. James puts them on.
"Your only weapon is your right hand. Try to connect with a lead hand strike," says Harley. The Masked Warrior starts to prowl around James. "Attack any time," says Harley. "I thought I didn't have to do this?" says James. "I know about your aversions," says Harley. "At least try to hit him in the chest."
The Masked Warrior feints towards James, taunting him, but James finds himself only able to circle. "Engage your opponent, James," says Harley. But James only circles. "How can you be here if you can't even attack?" asks Harley.
Even The Masked Warrior gestures for James to make a move, but James can't… or won't. "Put him down," says Harley. The Masked Warrior steps forward and, with one punch… sends James to the ground.
James sits at a table using a small towel to wipe his face. Joshi sits across from him, enjoying the simple but ample food laid out.
"I don't think my teacher likes me very much," says James. "He resents you," says Joshi. "He tried for three years before successfully joining the Black Crucible. You joined in a day. Don't take it personally. If he didn't have you to resent, he'd find someone or something else to resent just as much."
James looks over at another mosaic depicting Light Hand. He wipes his face and reaches for a drink when he sees Harley walk out to the quad. James catches up to him in the sunlit yard. "Harley," says James. "May I speak with you?" "What is it?" says Harley without stopping.
"I don't feel you're preparing me for the situations you're putting me in," says James. "Is that so?" says Harley.
"I want to train with Light Hand," says James.
Harley stops in his tracks, stifling his amusement. He locks eyes with James, then points to the tower. "You see that entrance? Go in there, and make it clear you want to train with Light Hand," says Harley.
James knows it can't be this easy. But he feels a burning need to defy Harley at this moment. He walks to the doorway of the tower. Harley crosses his arms. James enters, and immediately, a soldier strikes him in the chest, sending him flying out of the doorway to Harley's feet.
One look at the stoic and imposing guard in the doorway, and James gives up any idea of another attempt. On his back, James sees someone looking down at him from atop the tower... a figure.
"Everyone in the world wants to train with Light Hand," says Harley. He goes, and Joshi runs over and helps James to his feet.
In the Second-floor lounge of the Library…
The group is gathered. Dee enters to find Eli carefully turning pages in The Black Crucible. Nether, Shen and K watch closely.
I don't know why you're worried about him. He's safer in there than we are out here," says Dee. "In a book, safe somewhere... That's where we belong. We don't belong out here. Look at us. We're all just… misfits."
"We're going to check on him," says Nether. "Let's just pull him out at the end," says K as he opens a lollipop and puts it in his mouth. "What if he gets seriously hurt?" asks Eli. "No," signs Shen. "We check in on him." "Fine," says K. "But let's keep it to 15 minutes our time. So…" K reaches over Eli and turns past a couple pages.
"Not too far in," says Nether.
"Okay. Let's pop in… here," says Eli pointing to a sentence.
"I'll hold the fort," says K, sitting before the book.
In the Main Gymnasium of The Black Crucible…
Nether, Eli, Shen, Rowle, Carissa, Dee and Asha appear from a portal in the stands.
At the centre of the gym below, James, now with a significant amount of stubble on his chin, faces the Kendo Swordsman again, both with shinai — their bamboo practice swords — in hand. The Grandmaster, Harley, and Joshi watch from the sidelines.
"Your Kendo partner will allow you to strike his glove, but first, you must defend against his attack. Do you understand?" asks Harley. "Yes," answers James.
A mission bell chimes.
The swordsman, moving at 25% of his usual speed, strikes a blow at James and then allows James to block the strike. James counters, striking his opponent's glove with his sword.
"Good!" calls the Grandmaster. James feels a sense of accomplishment, and after he receives the swordsman's next attack, James repeats the move. This continues, and James's confidence grows with each pass. The pace increases. The blows come faster and land harder, and James is able to keep up. The swordsman starts to move in less predictable ways — shifting quickly to the left or right. He circles James, pressing him, with strikes coming faster and harder.
The swordsman shifts left. Over the tip of the warrior's sword, James sees a single, bright wall light... shining behind it. He feels an intense fear shoot through him. The fear is so great that James stares only at that light on the wall and forgets the sword and the warrior holding it. And this time, when the swordsman brings his sword down, James doesn't move. The swordsman halts his blistering attack — the bamboo stopping an inch before James's forehead. Still… James doesn't move. He just stares at that light overhead.
"What's he doing?" asks Eli as the group watches from the stands. Rowle gets up.
"Knock him out, Quimby!" calls Harley.
But the Kendo warrior sees the glazed look on James's face -- staring off into the distance. Quimby lowers his sword and backs away.
James, overwhelmed by a feeling of panic, falls to the ground, unable to focus… unable to breathe.
"James!" yells Asha. James writhes on the ground, squeezing and pulling at his chest. His face red with the struggle of trying to draw a breath. His eyes fixed on that distant single light.
James lies there, discombobulated by panic, as Nether, Eli, Shen, Rowle, Carissa, Dee, and Asha arrive by his side. "We're here. We won't leave you," says Carissa. "You're safe. Just breathe, James… slow deep breaths." His friends hold his hands and kneel beside him.
Later, in the dining hall…
James reclines at a table, exhausted, sipping his drink with Carissa, Eli, Shen, and Dee sitting with him.
Rowle and Asha sit at a distant table. "What happened to him?" asks Asha. "Was he hurt by that other man?" "No," says Rowle. "I think something triggered his Complex PTSD." "What is Complex PTSD?" she asks.
"Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," says Rowle.
"PSTD is when a person experiences a terrifying or distressing event that's too much to process all at once. While PTSD is generally caused by one event, Complex PTSD is caused by multiple events occurring over months or years — often in childhood. More subtle forms of trauma... abuse, neglect, or… bad memories… can harm a child in ways that echo in their lives for years -- through what could be the entirety of their lives.
"People with Complex PTSD may have some of the same symptoms of PTSD. But Complex PTSD sufferers can also have distorted negative feelings about themselves, difficulty managing emotions, feelings of emptiness or hopelessness, and challenges forming healthy relationships," says Rowle.
"Because they were mistreated when they were children?" asks Asha. "Yes," he says.
"Can it be healed?" asks Asha. "Yes," says Rowle. "How?" she asks. "The brain is constantly changing. We can guide that change. We can even speed it along," says Rowle.
James sees the Grandmaster and Harley walking down the hall and approaches them.
"Grandmaster," says James bowing respectfully. "I want to… I want to train with Light Hand. Tell me what I have to do to make that happen."
"Light Hand chooses the student, not the other way around," says the Grandmaster.
"He's the man to help me. I just feel it! Please." But the Grandmaster turns and goes. James feels his chances to succeed here slipping away. "You want to quit?" asks Harley. "I'm not quitting. But no teacher is better than the wrong teacher. I don't need you anymore," says James. And Harley, half-satisfied, half-insulted, goes as well.
James tries to compose himself, swallowing his frustration.
"It's time for us to go," says Rowle. "Do you want to return with us, James?" says Carissa. "You don't have to do this," says Asha. "If this can help me get memories back… I have to try," says James.
He finds himself in the middle of a group hug. Rowle and Dee watch from a few steps away. Asha is the last to let go.
"Is there anything we can bring you? Anything you'd like? Anything at all... we'll get it for you," says Eli.
James thinks carefully for a moment. "I'd like to feel the sun… the real sun… on my face again," says James.
They all walk past Rowle toward the gymnasium. Carissa leans into Rowle and whispers… "If Asha's forgiven him…" and she goes.
Rowle follows, stopping in the doorway. "What are you so afraid of, James?"
James can't bring himself to answer.
"What are you so afraid of?" repeats Rowle more gently than before.
"That I'll…
"You'll what, James? You'll what?" asks Rowle.
"That I'll be lost... forever," says James.
"That I'll always be alone." Tears stream down James's face.
"What if I'm lost and alone forever, Rowle?"
Rowle can see that James is terrified.
"I was lost and alone once, too. I've... wandered. Like you're wandering. You can give up, and we can go back to the Library, or you can keep going, and I can help you train," says Rowle.
"These are professional fighters, Rowle. How do we compete with that?" asks James.
"Step by step. I'm exceptionally good at team-building," says Rowle.
"Should I stay with you, James? Should I help you train?" he asks. "Yes, please," says James.
In the second-floor lounge of the Library…
The group appears around K. "Where's Rowle?" he asks. "He's staying with James," says Carissa.
Rowle and James enter the morning courtyard.
"I've spoken to the Grandmaster," says Rowle. "You meet your new Judo Instructor this afternoon. But first, let's see how your pattern is coming along."
James walks out to an open space and goes through the motions of his pattern.
"I don't want to practice this. I don't feel I'm getting anything out of it," says James.
"You know that teachers here designed this pattern specifically for you," says Rowle. "Really?" says James. "Every move, every position, every technique was selected from your performance in the two assessments and integrated into this pattern," says Rowle.
"I just need to stop getting my butt kicked to pass this training. I don't see how repeating a form will help me... win," says James.
"You learn many things by practicing the form. But at its core, the central lesson of pattern practice is self-regulation," says Rowle. "And self-regulation is a tool that benefits all people in all situations, including the fighter. There are many ways to learn to self-regulate. Martial arts have the form, the pattern. In the fight, you get hit, or you almost get hit, and you feel fear or anger."
"They can rush through you before you even know it. These uncomfortable feelings can overwhelm you, even before your opponent does. You lose control. Do things you wouldn't normally do. You make mistakes. But in learning to self-regulate, you're learning to stay in control in adverse conditions — and every ounce of fear and anger (coursing through you) can be focused to sharpen the edge of your tool."
"You decide how that energy is used; you don't let that energy use you. What will cause a fighter to lose — in any discipline or endeavour — is an inability to self-regulate. Show me someone who hasn't taken their pattern practice seriously enough, and I'll show you someone who loses their composure in a fight. So practice the form… and learn to self-regulate."
James pauses momentarily, then steps into the next move of his pattern with renewed conviction.
Rowle sees Joshi at the door and waves him over. "Joshi, you look like you can move well. How old are you?" "Fourteen," he says. "James, before each session, I'd like you to warm up with a game called shoulder tag," says Rowle. "Joshi, would you like to participate?" Joshi nods eagerly. "Alright. Just face each other in a loose fighting stance. All you have to do is touch your opponent's shoulder while not letting them touch yours. Don't block. Just move out of the way. The first person to 5 touches wins. Go ahead."
Joshi tags James on his shoulder. "Very good! One for Joshi," says Rowle. "Come on. Show me what you've got, young man," says James playfully.
They continue the exchange, and the more slaps, cusses, and laughter Rowle hears, the wider his smile becomes. Then… the distant mission bell rungs. "It's time to meet your new Judo instructor," says Rowle.
James and Rowle enter the judo gymnasium to the sound of SMACKs… the sound of someone being thrown.
A woman in a crimson judogi throws her sparring partner to the ground with a resounding SMACK. Her speed is remarkable. Her technique is flawless.
Her sparring partner gets up and lunges at her, and she slams him into the ground again. The Grandmaster watches... enthralled.
James and Rowle approach the Grandmaster, and the three watch in admiration as the woman throws the man hard into the ground a third time. "Oh!!!" says the Grandmaster. "Did you see that Seoi Nage? The best I've ever seen!" "Who is she?" asks James. "Red Sky," says Rowle. "Your new Judo instructor." "She's amazing," says James. "She is amazing," says the Grandmaster.
Red Sky sees the three of them and gestures for her sparring partner to take a break. She approaches. "Red Sky, this is James. James… Red Sky. James bows respectfully, and she happily bows in return, greeting him in Japanese. James notices how kind her cheerful smile is -- such a contrast to the performance he just saw.
Rowle speaks privately to Red Sky, and the Grandmaster turns to James. "You are very fortunate. Be sure to make the most of your training time," he says. "I will, grandmaster," promises James.
"Let's get you back on track, shall we?" says the Grandmaster. "Thank you, sir," says James as he lets out a great sigh of relief.
"Come… we have a lot of work to do," says Red Sky. Her voice rings with a sweet invitation. And James joins her and her sparring partner on the mat. She shows James his first throw. He successfully uses it against her sparring partner. James feels hope and joy wash over him.
Rowle and the Grandmaster watch them training from the sidelines.
Later in the afternoon...
James enters the gym. He joins Rowle and the warrior on the black mask. "Good morning," says James. "Good morning," says Rowle. James reaches for one of the gloves on the table. "James, we'll be doing things a little differently today. He'll be the one attacking you," says Rowle. The Masked Warrior smiles at James as he tightens the straps of a boxing glove on his hand and steps out to the centre of the floor.
James, reluctant, joins him. "He'll only be attacking with one hand. His glove hand. You have one task here, James. Don't let him hit you. Evade. Block only if you have to. The glove should never even touch you. Understood?" asks Rowle. "I think so," says James. "Begin," says Rowle.
The Masked Warrior advances, striking at James with his lead hand. James manages to avoid more than half the punches. "Good, James," says Rowle. "Now, two gloves." As the Grandmaster enters, Rowle helps the masked warrior put on a second glove.
The Masked Warrior chases James around the mat, landing every other punch. "Hmm," says the Grandmaster to Rowle. "He can actually move." They watch the exchange closely. "Time," says Rowle.
James is covered in sweat and pants for air during a brief break. "Now, James. He can kick you, too," says Rowle.
"Good," pants James. "Begin," says Rowle. James summons all his strength and all his speed. He does everything he can to evade or block the punches and kicks of the masked warrior. "Good," says Rowle. " Now, full speed." "That wasn't full speed?" asks James.
The masked warrior fakes a punch and then kicks James, sending him to the ground.
In James's Room at the Black Crucible…
James falls into his bed as Joshi puts a drink on his table. "This will help speed your recovery," he says. James takes a sip, then downs the whole cup in one go.
Days of training pass, and James can feel himself getting more muscular, skillful, and knowledgeable.
Now with a light beard, James enters the training hall.
The Masked Warrior warms up in the corner. Rowle picks up a padded stick from the table. "The average punch travels at a speed of around 25 mph. An experienced boxer and smaller fighters can throw punches reaching 35 mph. The tip of a stick, however, can reach speeds in excess of 100 mph.," says Rowle. "The good news is that there won't be any gloves today." Rowle places the stick in the Masked Warrior's hand.
Red Sky joins Rowle.
"Run when you need to, engage when you choose to," says Rowle. "Evade when you can, Block when you have to."
The warrior attacks, swinging the stick with incredible speed, aggressiveness, and precision. He lands almost every blow. After one minute, Rowle calls out, "Time."
"I can't possibly stop his attack! It's too much! It's too fast!" says James. "Are you hurt, James?" asks Rowle. "My pride, mostly," says James. Rowle hands a second stick to the masked warrior, who deftly spins the two sticks. Then turns his focus back to James. "Oh, come on," says James.
"Just when I thought you were playing it too safe with him," says Red Sky.
Later in the evening...
Rowle walks down a passageway overlooking the courtyard. He sees James, down below, practicing his pattern.
The Grandmaster joins Rowle, and they watch James training with his pattern in the courtyard below. "Self-regulation is a super-power," says the Grandmaster.