After work on a quiet Friday, Elena decided to pay a visit to someone she hadn't met since the past month.
She drove quickly to an old traditional building. Not many people knew about the existence of such a place. Those that had happened to find the place only thought no one lived inside, because it was always quiet.
It wasn't really quiet, the place was soundproof, one couldn't hear what was going on inside or outside.
Elena parked her car beside a tall mahogany tree. She walked to the door after raising her head to look at the person seated on the roof, he hadn't seemed to notice she had already seen him, he sent an arrow flying past her, it landed on the doorbell which alerted the others inside.
Elena shook her head in disbelief. Who could it be? how dare they alarm the others.?
Two young men suddenly appeared behind her. The young man on the roof shouted their name.
" John!! Luke! Defend the academy!" Elena's eyes widened in disbelief, how naive were these three men? She shook her head in disbelief, she better fight back than try to explain herself to these hot-headed young men.
Two young men, had their eyes fixed on Elena with a mix of disdain and challenge.
"You think you're tough, huh?" one of them sneered, cracking his knuckles, when he noticed how relaxed she appeared to be.
Elena raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Depends on who wants to test me."
The two students, john and luke, charged at her simultaneously. Elena smirked, her movements a blur as she danced into the fight.
John swung a wild punch; Elena dodged it with ease and countered with a swift kick to his stomach. Luke tried to grapple her, but she elbowed him hard, sending him crashing to the ground.
John came at her again, faster this time. Elena sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and flipped him onto the grass. Luke scrambled up, breathing hard. They attacked together.
Elena's fists and feet moved like lightning. A jab to John's jaw sent him stumbling back. A spinning kick sent Luke flying into a nearby tree.
The two students lay on the ground, groaning. Elena stood over them, unruffled.
"You guys...should train harder," she said, turning to back to walk into the house.
The disciples scrambled up, shamefaced, and fled. Elena smiled, shaking her head.
Elena pushed open the wooden door of the training house, a familiar creak echoing through the house. It had been a month since she last visited, but it felt like a very long time ago, the scent of incense and sweat suddenly brought back a flood of memories.
Master Li stood in the center of the training hall, his eyes closed in meditation. Elena smiled, her footsteps silent on the wooden floor.
As if sensing her presence, Master Li opened his eyes. A warm smile creased his weathered face.
"Elena, back again," he said, his voice low and soothing.
Elena bowed deeply, her hands clasped in respect. "Master."
Master Li beckoned her closer. "It's been too long. How have you been?"
Elena straightened, her eyes shining with determination. "I've been training hard, Master. Testing myself in the city's underground fights." She assured him though it had been a long time since she fought, she still had some practice at her private gym in the company.
Master Li's expression turned serious. "You've left the path, Elena. The fights are not what we taught you."
Elena looked down, a hint of defiance in her posture. "I need to test myself, Master. To see if I'm strong enough." What did he even mean? She hadn't been fighting with people all this while, she thought inwardly.
Master Li sighed, his eyes understanding. "Strength is not just in the fist, Elena. Come, show me what you've learned."
Elena's face lit up. She bowed, and the two began to circle each other, ready to dance in the ancient art of kungfu.
After half an hour of dueling, Elena became tired.
"No more.. no more master li." She sat on the floor.
The two disciples with whom she had fought with came in, they bowed and greeted master Li. Elena smiled as they shivered when their eyes met hers.
"Master Li, this must be your new students, little wonder why they are so silly." Elena spike in a way the students there would never speak to him, she sounded more like a daughter complaining about someone to her father.
"Yes... Yes, they are indeed new students, I'm sorry if they troubled you, I would have stopped them if i had known it was you, but i believe you have taught them a lesson already." He looked at the disheveled young men.
Elena smiled devilishly. "I couldn't explain myself,I never meant to beat up anyone, but i couldn't just stand and be beaten up."
Master Li sighed.
"It's okay, these two were in dire need of a good beating, you have helped me handle it." The two men looked at him with disbelief written clearly on their faces.
"Now the two of you greet your senior Elena, you disrespectful bunch." He cajoled them.
They bowed their heads immediately.
"Welcome, senior Elena." They said in unison.
Master Li shook his head. "Are you waiting for me to ask you to apologize to her for being troublesome? He scolded, the men bowed their heads in shame before apologising,
"We are so sorry, senior Elena,for the inconveniences, it won't happen again." They sounded remorseful, so Elena nodded her head in acceptance.
Master Li waved them off. "Two of you!! Go back to work, stop lazing around." The two men walked quickly away. He turned to Elena. "So how have you been?
She smiled at him. "I've been good, just the usual." She decided to keep the marriage topic a secret for now until lucien's son was back and agrees to marry her.
"What about you, master, how have you been?"
Master Li sighed. "I'm okay, it's just these old bones of mine tire easily these days,I've been thinking about closing this place and going back to my hometown.