If only you knew what truly hindered me… but you mustn’t ever know.

Jacob inhaled deeply, taking in the sensations of the wind and rain as he calmed his nerves. He hated to argue with Silas, the closest person to a father figure he had, but the old man just didn’t get it! How could he? He didn’t know of his student’s illness, and it probably would have made little difference either way. Silas had enjoyed extraordinary health his entire life; he couldn’t possibly relate. He wouldn’t understand that Jacob needed his psionic powers just to balance out the effects of his hidden illness.

“Master… I…” Yet, there had always been the hope that with honesty would come understanding from his paternal sensei. He desired the liberation from deception and from the constant effort to hide his condition. But… he couldn’t stand to risk Silas then refusing to train him after learning of his student’s condition. Thus, the secret was preserved. “I’m sorry. Let’s just finish the exercise, no more psionic tricks.”

“Good,” Silas replied. “Now show me the Jacob I used to know.”

With a feral grin, the student lunged at his master without warning. He attacked with the aspect of the tiger, just as Gesse had taught him, lashing out with a flurry of carefully aimed strikes. Thought Jacob remained far more dexterous than most men, Master was always faster, able to bat aside the youth’s attacks with almost condescending ease.

The youth ducked a high strike, but caught a low one in the stomach. The hit had been light, but it felt as though a sledgehammer had struck him. Through force of will, he kept fighting without showing signs of weakness. Sidestepping another blow, Jacob powered forward and drove his forehead squarely into Gesse’s face. The student grinned with satisfaction, and was quickly punished for letting his guard down.

The sensei delivered a calculatedly forceful and blindingly swift open-palmed strike to Jacob’s diaphragm, sending the student back several steps. He slipped on the wet deck and found himself, once again, squarely on his ass.

“What… am I supposed… to be learning, Master?” he asked, climbing back to his feet. His lungs burned as he struggled to hide his shortness of breath, knowing full well that Gesse would express disapproval at Jacob’s lack of stamina.