There’s something you should know:
I was once a disciple,
A shadow behind the helmsman,
His throws like light,
While I stood in the dark,
Watching, learning, dreaming.

That bond is now but memory,
A fleeting echo of what was.
He’s set sail on a new course,
Leaving me behind,
Alone at the helm.

No guiding hand,
No teacher’s voice,
No steadfast rules
To ground me.

This burden—heavy, unyielding—
Is now mine to bear.
And so, I grip the shot,
Step into the ring,
And steel myself.

I must become the helmsman,
Steering this ship and its crew,
Charting the course to victory.
For the triumph isn’t mine alone;
It belongs to all of us.

Am I ready?
Perhaps not.
But ready or not,
I must be.