“I will miss you as well, Mother.”
They touched their foreheads together.
“Remember, the woman’s name was Tsegi,” I told Saruul once their moment had ended. She took off the armor they’d stripped from one of the guards, letting it drop onto the floor.
“Tsegi, got it.”
“Short for Battsegseg, and I don’t see any fire out there,” Roger said, his eye pressed against the dark windowpane again.
“Tashi will know when it is right to attack,” Dohna assured him. “Remember, he was a treasure hunter, and even though he has atoned for his sins and given up his former life, he still maintains the cunning nature of one of these hunters.”
“And what about Tashi anyway?” Roger asked me.
“Once we reach the ship, you can fly to him and lead him back to us, unless you’re planning something else?”
“No, that sounds about right,” Roger said.
“Is everyone ready?” Dohna asked.
I looked from Lhandon to Saruul, who was now morphed into a snow lioness. “Let’s do this.”
The masked lion man was the first to press out of the door. I heard the thwip of an arrow, the man expertly batting it away with his sword.
We had been discovered.
Dohna was the next to go. She turned to her daughter once more, nodding before slipping out of the door.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
“We’re up next!” Roger told Saruul in her lion form, both of them charging out.
Lhandon and I were the last to exit the private residence.
As we ran along the bridge connecting the stone home to the plankway, Dohna and the masked man provided cover for us, cutting away the arrows being fired from the other side of the bridge.
Once the Druk guards realized that wasn’t going to work, they charged us, a few of them blown back by a rune cast by the masked lion man.
The docks were to the right. I started to shift my trajectory toward that direction, yelling for Lhandon to stay behind me.
We were going to have to fight our way through, and just as I was bringing Saruul’s sword up to the ready, a comet-sized fireball slammed into the group of guards awaiting us.
Tashi had made his appearance.
The spirit tore into their ranks, a terrible inferno raging around him, the men crying out as their leather armor caught fire.
One of the braver guards tried to engage me, our blades meeting.
I managed to parry his second strike, delivering a blow to his side body. It cut deep enough to wound him, giving me enough time to move past.
A reptilian man with blue plumes burning off his body fell in front of me.
I stepped around the burning man, looking over my shoulder to make sure Lhandon was still with me.
He nodded, and we continued.
Another man with his entire upper body on fire ran past us and jumped over the boardwalk, hoping to get closer to the water below.
I could see our exit point; the guards that weren’t on fire were either engaging our companions or trying to help those who were burning.
With the path ahead clear, I turned back once more to see Dohna, Tashi, and the masked lion man taking on the Druk guards, moving the fight away from us.
Dohna locked eyes with me and I gave her the thumbs-up, and in that gesture, I thanked her for everything, for her training, for saving Lhandon and me, for raising such an amazing daughter and allowing her to journey to the Island Kingdom of Jonang with us.
Lhandon and I continued toward the docks.
“Keep up!” I told him, the monk a few steps behind me. The lights in some of the homes were starting to come on as people heard the commotion.
“It feels so wonderful to be outside!” Lhandon said, sucking in deep breaths as he ran. “To breathe fresh air.”
“Agreed!”
We turned in the direction of the ships, following their masts to the docks. I wanted to get off the main thoroughfare, but I also didn’t want to get stuck in an alley, or run into a potential dead end.
Luckily, the further we got away from the fight, the easier it became to keep to the shadows, to the cover of night.
Sights and sounds were coming to me, smells too. The metallic scent of fish in the air struck me; the squawk of the seagulls overhead momentarily caught my attention.
We were going to make it.
And about as soon as this thought skipped across my mind, just about at the point that I was starting to feel optimistic, something zoomed over our shoulders.
I skidded to a halt, Lhandon nearly colliding with my back as a man seated on a black cloud hovered before us, a blue energy radiating off his form.
“I didn’t expect this,” Gomchen said as he hopped to the ground, the black cloud dissipating. “But I should have been better prepared, I should have known someone was coming for you. Perhaps I should have even listened to your warning. Perhaps.”
“Get behind me, Lhandon!”
Gomchen withdrew my Flaming Thunderbolt of Wisdom, the flames adding light to our surroundings, and casting terrible shadows across his reptilian face. “But it doesn’t matter now.”
I brought Saruul’s sword up, taking a deep breath in as I did so and visualizing the switch that activated my power.
It appeared, but as it did, the evil monk charged forward, not swatting at me with his sword, but throwing a fist to my face instead, his strike going wide and hitting me in the shoulder.
The Fist of Force power sent me flying into the outer wall of someone’s home, a piece of the clay roof falling onto my head and shoulders, dust kicking up into the air as I lost Saruul’s blade.
“It is not my intention to kill you,” Gomchen said as he approached me, flames licking off my former weapon. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t do something about your means of escape.”
I rolled to the side just in time to avoid having my leg cut off.
Gomchen was about to strike me again when I mentally hit the switch, time coming to a complete standstill.
I looked left to see Lhandon crouched as if he were about to pounce. Gomchen was precariously close to me, my Flaming Thunderbolt held overhead, illuminating the darkness around him.
Had my power not activated, the evil monk would have certainly struck me with my own sword.
I knew that I didn’t have long to react, so the first thing I did was step aside, and I would have pried my sword free from his hand too had time not sped back to its normal pace, Gomchen colliding with the wall.
I started to visualize the switch again, Gomchen turning and conjuring a rune that swept me off my feet as a gust of wind blew past me.
The evil monk approached me and lowered my blade so it was inches away from my face, the flames piping hot against my skin.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” and just as these words left his lips, Lhandon slammed into him, Gomchen losing the Flaming Thunderbolt.
Everything stopped, even though I hadn’t mentally triggered my ability.
I saw my sword sideways in the air just about to do a complete spin.
Stepping over to it, I reached up and grabbed my weapon in the way one would pluck a book from a high shelf, my brain starting to boil inside my skull from using my power.
Time returned to its normal pace, Lhandon and Gomchen crashing into a roadside stand.
The evil monk let out a gasp.
As I came to Lhandon’s aid I saw a tendril of frost moving across Gomchen’s face, icy blue energy rippling around Lhandon’s hands as the evil monk’s nostrils flaring, his dark eyes locked on Lhandon as they turned azure, a wicked smile stretching across his cheeks as his skin froze.
“Let me finish him,” I told Lhandon.
“No,” he said, a coldness to his voice I’d never heard before. “This is karma I can afford to bear.”
Gomchen opened his mouth, letting out his final breath, the back of his head hitting the wooden boardwalk.
“Take your ring,” Lhandon said as
he got to his feet, not making eye contact with me.
We both stood there for a moment, an awkward silence stretching between us.
I found my ring on Gomchen’s dead body and twisted it onto my finger.
“Ready?” he asked.
I sheathed both Saruul’s blade and my Flaming Thunderbolt, and quickly affixed them to my belt. “Let’s go.”
I noticed that my shoulder was sore, and I would have healed it too, had I not already used my power for the day.
It didn’t matter.
We were almost there.
Lhandon and I ran again, the sound of the ocean growing stronger, the ships looming into view.
We were just about to reach the dock when Roger lowered, the tropical bird flapping his turquoise wings rapidly. “We found the ship! We found the ship! Saruul’s waiting out front. I’ll go get Tashi.” The bird gave both of us a curious look. “Is everything okay?”
I glanced between Roger and Lhandon, my hand still on my shoulder. “Yes, we’ll meet you there.”
Lhandon and I continued forward, the ground beneath us a little less sturdy than it had been when we weren’t directly over the water.
I could feel the sway of the dock now, and had we not been trying to escape, I would have enjoyed this moment, the magnificent ships on the water, the stars twinkling in the sky, dawn upon us.
I saw Saruul and waved at her. As I approached, I removed her sheath from my belt, handing the lioness her weapon.
“You got your sword back?”
“It’s a long story,” I told her as I placed my hand on the hilt of my Flaming Thunderbolt of Wisdom. “But yes. And thank God.”
“Thank all the gods,” Lhandon said solemnly.
Tsegi stood next to Saruul, a concerned look on her face. “The less I know about what has transpired, the better. Also, you are lucky that I am here. My sister is taking care of my son over the next few days; I don’t normally volunteer for this post.”
“It is wonderful to meet you,” Lhandon stepped in front of me and bowed, the cold-handed monk from earlier no longer present. “We appreciate you providing us passage. The karma you will reap from this event alone…”
Tsegi smirked. “Save it, Monk. The only karma I am looking to cultivate is one of a financial nature.”
“I see,” Lhandon said, clearing his throat. “All of our money was stolen…”
“Take my sword,” Saruul said suddenly, brandishing her weapon. “The hilt is made of pure lion’s gold, parts of the scabbard too. I believe that it’s worth something down here at sea level.”
“Real lion’s gold?” Tsegi asked as she took the sheathed blade from Saruul. The Druk woman examined it for a moment, an indecipherable look on her face.
“It’s real,” Saruul assured her. “On my father’s grave. Actually, the blade once belonged to him.”
“You don’t have to…” I started to tell her.
“It’s just a weapon,” she told me.
“Your father’s weapon, huh? I just so happen to know that this blade is worth much more than a trip to the Island Kingdom,” Tsegi finally told us, “but, considering we need to leave now, and that we may miss out on a few passengers because of our early departure, this will have to suffice.”
Still holding onto the weapon, the Druk woman stepped aside, motioning for the three of us to come onto the ship. “Hurry.”
We walked along a plank where we came onto the main deck, Tsegi quickly leading us down to the hold. There were other men on board, all preparing for the journey and paying little attention to our motley group.
“Do you see those barrels at the back?” Tsegi asked once we were in the hold, just after Lhandon’s hand illuminated the dark space.
“You don’t want us to get in them, do you?” the monk asked, his brow furrowing.
“No, certainly not. They are false barrels; the middle one is actually a door that leads to a secret compartment in the hull of the ship. This is where you will stay until I tell you otherwise. Will it just be you three? Or is the bird returning?”
“He should be here soon,” I told her, “along with a fire spirit.”
Tsegi started to laugh. “A fire spirit on a wooden ship? You must be joking. That’s going to cost you another sword, and you will still have to ask permission from the captain, who just so happens to be my father.”
“He’s a well-behaved fire spirit,” Lhandon assured her. “I guess it’s a little demeaning to say it like that, but he won’t catch anything on fire, that I can promise you.”
“And he will stay in a bottle if you provide one for him,” I added.
“Will he now?” Tsegi mulled my statement over for a moment. “There are plenty of bottles around here…”
“Guys!” Roger flew into the hold, nearly colliding with Tsegi.
“Hey!” the woman shouted, batting him away.
“Sorry!” Roger landed in front of me. “What are we waiting for?” he asked, hopping around. “Someone whip the slaves below, let’s get this ship moving!”
“This is not a slave ship,” Tsegi said, shaking her head at Roger.
“Where’s Tashi?” Lhandon asked.
“Yeah, about that, he’s not going to make it, not that he’s dead or anything. Nick, just translate this: Lion Mama and Lion Ninja need some help escaping, and Tashi is that help,” Roger said, catching his breath. “Plus, he can aid them in the Great Plateau. He told me to return to the ship, for us to leave without him. We’ll catch back up with him when we return to Dornod.”
I quickly relayed the message to the monk.
“How selfless of him,” Lhandon said with wonder in his eyes. “He truly is an inspiration to us all!”
“So no fire spirit?” Tsegi asked. “Because if not, it would be best for us to get moving. Go to the barrels at the back of the hold, like I said. Look for the one in the middle with a chip on its outer rim. It opens like a door, smooth too.”
We did as instructed, Lhandon quickly finding the barrel in question. He slowly opened it up, revealing a rather large compartment cut into the hull, the space illuminated by his runic power. “I believe it’s…” he nodded as if he were having a conversation to himself. “Yes, it should be large enough for prostrations.”
“Wait, we have to stay in there?” Roger asked, looking back toward the open doorway. “Because that’s not what I signed up for.”
“Having second thoughts?” I asked him.
“I’m always having second thoughts,” the bird said as he flew into the secret compartment. “It comes with being well-educated.”
Saruul was next to enter, the beautiful lioness lightly tapping me with her tail.
“Good,” Tsegi said after I finally made my way into the secret compartment. She stood at the front of the barrel now, ready to shut it. “Just stay down here until I tell you otherwise. It might get a little choppy out there, but the four of you are safe for now, and I guess that’s what matters.”
She shut the door, and I heard a lock click into place.
“And you are sure you trust this woman?” Saruul asked, turning to me.
“We don’t really have a choice now.”
“We’ll be fine,” Lhandon said. “We can meditate together.”
“Or sleep,” Roger said. “Not sleep together. Dammit. Nick, you know what I mean,” he said as he fell onto his side.
I took a seat on the floor, finally able to rest, finally able to catch my breath.
Saruul sat next to me, resting her head on my shoulder.
“Are you happy I came along?” she asked me privately.
“Incredibly.”
“Good.”
“How’s sea level treating you?”
She shrugged. “Not great, but I’ll get used to it.”
It wasn’t long before the ship began to move, the loud sound of something shifting beneath the water echoing through our chamber, the men crying out as they prepared to sail.
I closed my eyes and focuse
d on my breath.
The journey that felt like it would never end, had truly just begun.
The end.
Back of the Book
Reader,
Thank you for reading and reviewing Way of the Immortals Book Two. Without your support, this series wouldn’t be possible. If you haven’t already reviewed the first book, which is the book that kickstarted the adventure, please do so as well.
Bonus points if you review both! And rest assured, book three will be out soon (or it may be out by the time you read this!). Without your reviews, Way of the Immortals would have never hit:
#1 Asian Mythology
#1 Metaphysical Science Fiction
#1 College/New Age Fiction
#1 Spiritual Science Fiction
#1 Contemporary Fantasy
So thank you. Reviews drive book sales nowadays, and your support is truly appreciated.
Inspirations
Books don’t exist in a vacuum, and the things that happen in mine are generally inspired by something I have either experienced, something I have read or consumed via other media forms, or something a person has told me with names and situations changed to protect the innocent.
Nick’s training came from something that a person told me. I once worked at a coffee shop, let’s call it McStarbucks (extra bonus points if you’ve read any of my Proxima Galaxy books), and my coworker claimed to have once been a ninja.
I mean, who hasn’t?
Anyway, he told me that he started getting heavy into the practice of martial arts once he met a fairly powerful teacher, and that the teacher would arrange for him to have battles at basketball courts and other city parks during the wee hours of the night. My friend said that he would wake up early in the morning, dress in all black including a mask, and then go to the agreed-upon location, where an opponent would appear.
They would then spar.
This was exactly how I envisioned the training sessions Nick experienced. Unlike with Nick, my coworker’s story with his training didn’t end with him hooking up with a beautiful snow lioness, especially after his teacher told him he wanted to my coworker kill someone. My friend refused, and his teacher proceeded to beat the living hell out of him, my friend narrowly escaping through a window.
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