Two sides of the same coin

A Jade Empire Fanfiction

Written by Olmo

May 2015

This is the author's very first written work at and so, errors are to be expected. The author would appreciate greatly any advice about a better outline for future works, if there is any to be spotted.

This is an attempt to show how unhealthy it is to live following unconditionally either of these two opposing ways. Only by balancing both of them true happiness can be achieved.

The story itself doesn't involve the game itself, but the inspiration comes from the opposing philosophies of the lifestyles presentable.

Jade Empire and all of its contents belong to BioWare. The icon is self-made through Paint.

An open palm receives anything

A closed fist shrugs off anything it comes across

An open palm seeks harmony by being compliant

A closed fist seeks to assert itself and so spreads discord

An open palm accepts even the harmful

A closed fist takes no nonsense from anything

An open palm wears out it's skin,

should it never close

A closed fist breaks it's skin and bones,

should it never open

A seed falls to an open palm

Water can feed it and the sun warm it

But the wind may steal the seed

Or too much moisture or heat may kill it

So the open palm is left with nothing

A seed never gets past a closed fist

And therefore finds no place to grow

Or any heat or moisture

So the closed fist receives nothing

A seed falls to an open palm

Water can feed it and the sun warm it

But the palm remembers to close itself

To prevent the wind from stealing the seed

Or the moisture or heat from killing it

But the closed fist must remember to open itself

Should it want the seed continue growing

The cycle of closing and opening continues

Until a beautiful flower has grown from the seed

Then the hand can let it go safely

Having grown by the experience

To experience the values of

Being Gentle and

Being Ruthless

At the same time