“When I was with him, I mean trapped by him, he made mention a few times of a larger threat, something we are not ready for.”
“He is not mistaken. I am aware of a threat on the fringes of this plane. As soon as I try to pinpoint it, it eludes me.”
“Eludes you?” Meja said, surprised.
“Yes, even I have my limits, monitor.”
“But if it can elude you this means—”
“That means that whoever or whatever it is, is immensely skilled, at my level or above.”
“How can that be, you are Samadhi?”
“It is true, we Samadhi are skilled and some would say powerful but we are not all powerful, and while many of us are long lived, all of us are human and someday must perish.”
“Of course, Samadhi,” Meja said, “I meant no disrespect.”
“I know, but in regards to this entity, it may be we have one of the keys to its discovery here.”
“A key here? How?” I asked.
“Your dark weapon, warrior, is it sentient? Does it speak to you, do you hear a voice?” I looked at Meja and she nodded at me.
“Yes,” I said, “it sounds like me, only deeper.”
“Hmm, does it have a name?”
“Yes, his name is—”
Owl held up his hand. “Do not tell me, warrior. I will discover it in time.”
Meja turned to me. “It speaks to you?”
“Yes, almost like speaking with me and through me. It’s difficult to explain.”
Meja looked at Owl. “Samadhi, I don’t trust this weapon. How is it a key?”
“Tell me, monitor, have you noticed how everything in the Way is based on the triad? Monitors are sent in triads. The Samadhi are always three for each discipline. It is always a Master and two seniors. And yet in the pairing, we join only guardian and warrior?”
“Yes, it has, Samadhi. It has always struck me as odd but I thought considering the conflicts, it was a matter of using resources wisely.”
“Yes, that is what we tell each other now.”
“You mean that isn’t true?”
“Not entirely. Long ago even before the time of Samadhi, it was always the triad, two guardians and a warrior.” Then he paused and looked at us. It took a moment to sink in, then it dawned on me that even though Meja was a monitor, she had also given her word to protect me, give up her life, if need be to keep me safe. We were two guardians, one warrior.
“In that time,” Owl continued, “a warrior arose who was the first Karashihan, but rather than take the title of Karashihan, he accepted the status of warrior, which meant he would be paired with two guardians. His name was Lucius.”
“Lucius, as in Lucius the Destroyer?” said Meja.
“He wasn’t known as the Destroyer in those times, just Lucius the First. Do you know the House he came from?”
“Yes, I do but only because my brother shared this with me. He came from the House of Iman.”
Owl nodded in agreement.
“But wasn’t the House of Iman cut off and extinguished?”
“If you mean, weren’t all of the relatives of Lucius hunted down and killed, then yes. We could not risk another Karashihan from the same bloodline.”
“Why?”
“Their discipline was twofold; they were chi amplifiers and wavedancers.”
Meja looked stunned. “No it can’t be—no.”
“What’s a wavedancer? I’m guessing we aren’t we talking surfing here?” Zen looked serious.
Owl smiled. “Of a sort guardian. You are aware of the mirror, yes?” Zen nodded. “Well, a wavedancer can use almost any highly reflective surface to enter and exit the mirror.”
“You mean a pane of glass?”
“A pane of glass, a mirror, a clear lake, a still puddle, anything that reflects an image can be used by a wavedancer.”
“That’s an amazing ability,” I said.
“It was and we deliberated for days before eradicating it. In the end it was decided the threat outweighed the benefits and the bloodline of Lucius was destroyed. Or so we thought.”
“Sylk,” Meja said. The name carried a weight all its own.
Owl nodded. “Some of us believe that he may be the last of Lucius’ bloodline. It would certainly explain how elusive he has been and it also explains the warrior’s weapon.”
“Chi amplification, of course, if he can amplify chi he could accelerate Dante’s ability into manifesting his weapon before he was ready,” Meja said as she looked at me.
“Why destroy the bloodline? What did Lucius do?” I asked.
“Lucius amplified the chi abilities of his guardians to the point that they were for all intents and purposes, invincible,” said Meja. “Then he began to kill the warriors, saying that they were weak and unskilled. His guardians, corrupted by his abilities and their own lust for power defended him and he slaughtered thousands of warriors.” “His true crime was much worse,” Owl said. Meja turned, questions in her eyes.
“It is true he killed many on this plane. What is not shared any longer is that he went across planes to eliminate entire populations in his bid for power and dominance over the planes connected to this one.”
“I’ve never heard of this,” said Meja.
“And after today you never will. The order of the warriors will never admit their moment of weakness. They still call that act the great betrayal, rather than what it really was the great complacency.”
“Wait a minute sir.” I said.
I shuffled around on my pillow. As large as it was, my ass was still beginning to hurt.
“You said all the planes connected to this one. How many is that?”
Owl looked at me and smiled.
“How many planes of existence do you think there are, including this one?”
“I don’t know. I’m not even going to guess.”
He turned to Zen.
“How about you?”
“I would say ten?”
“You will make a good guardian, willing to risk even when you do not know the outcome.”
“After the great betrayal, it was decided that warriors would never be part of a triad. It took an untold number of warriors to stop Lucius and his followers. Some of us believe that he managed to escape somehow. His body was never found.” Owl stood up, his pillow barely holding an impression. “My old bones are tired and we have a long day before us tomorrow. One of my sentinels will take you to your quarters, where you can rest and bathe. There is also food if you are hungry. Tomorrow we will meet your dark weapon.” We all stood and bowed as he bowed to us. He stepped out of the circle, which I noticed had three levels. As we stepped out, a sentinel silently approached us.
“This way, please.” It was the ‘homeless’ man from the subway. Except that now he was wearing a silk robe that barely contained his muscular torso. His head, shaved bald, glistened in the low light. His hands were large and powerful, his wrists were wide as my forearms. For all his size, he moved silently towards one of the doors.
“Hey,” I said, “he never answered my question about the planes.”
Meja was walking beside me, deep in thought. I looked at Zen.
“I can’t even guess, at least we know it’s not ten, right?”
Meja, snapped out of her reverie, answered. “It’s the most important number in our Way, Dante. The answer is three.”
MAELSTROM
OUR QUARTERS WERE sparse but very comfortable. I had not realized how hungry or tired I was until the aroma of food wafted by me. I was ravenous. It seemed Zen was as hungry as I was, matching my mouthfuls. Meja looked at us and announced she was going to bathe.
“And I expect there to be food when I get out of the bathroom.” I looked around at all of the food.
“Don’t worry, I don’t think Zen and I can eat all of this,” I said as I pointed to the fruits, breads and carefully cut portions of meat.
She entered the bathroom and closed the door. Once I heard the water running, I turned to Zen.
“You think she’s okay?”
“What do you mean? She seems okay.”
“Zen, she just faced her teacher, which we barely escaped. And she has monitors after her.”
“Dante, I think she will be fine. She gave her word to protect you. And you heard Owl; something is going on behind the scenes.”
“Yeah, I really hope it’s not that Lucius character. He sounded like a nasty piece of work.”
Zen nodded, his mouth full of food. I looked around the room and noticed that it seemed to be part of a larger room that was divided.
“Who knew this place was down here?”
“From what I understand, there are a lot of places like this: old abandoned stations or hotels, even some bunkers that no one remembers.”
“True, like that whole setup under the Waldorf that Roosevelt used.”
Zen was looking at me, staring, actually.
“What? I have food on my face?”
“Hey D., are you ready for tomorrow?”
I stopped to think about how I would have to manifest Maelstrom, and my appetite quickly left.
“I don’t know, Zen. I don’t know if I can manifest it again. Don’t know if I want to.”
Zen grunted in assent.
“I get you. When I saw you at Sylk’s place, I barely recognized you. I knew it was you but it was also not you.”
“It’s hard to explain, one thing I can tell you, it feels wrong.”
“Good, it should feel wrong.” It was Meja who had stepped out of the bathroom noiselessly.
“It should always feel wrong. The moment it feels good, you are lost.” She wore a white robe laced with flecks of blue, which complemented her bronze skin. Her hair, which was usually in a ponytail or bun, was loose and flowed around her face, framing it. It dawned on me that she was exceptionally attractive. Zen bumped into me when he caught me staring.
“Shouldn’t you go shower, long day and all that?” He looked at me and smiled mischievously pointing at the bathroom with his head as Meja busied herself with the food, oblivious to us. Or so I thought.
“Yes you should bathe. The stench is starting to become intolerable,” she said as she placed some portions of food on her plate.
Zen laughed. Meja turned to face me, her face all business.
“I’m going, I’m going.” I entered the bathroom, which was immense. As I ran the water for a shower, I could hear Meja speaking to Zen, but I couldn’t make out her words. I guessed it had something to do with my dark weapon and the threat it posed. The water crashed to the floor further drowning out the voices. I made it as hot as I could take it and then a little hotter. It felt good on my aching muscles. I was exhausted and it was finally catching up to me. I had no idea if I could manifest Maelstrom or if I could control it if I did. And how was Maelstrom a key to stopping whatever was coming? My thoughts wandering, I let the hot water wash away the soreness. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Meja was fast asleep. Zen headed to the bath.
“Try not to make too much noise. I get the feeling she is a very light sleeper.”
I nodded as I walked over to my bed. The robe felt cool against my skin and sleep was overtaking me.
“What were you guys talking about?” I asked Zen.
“Contingency plans in case something happens, to one of us.”
I lay down on my bed, barely able to keep my eyes open.
“Contingency plans?” I yawned.
“Nothing to be worried about right now, so get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Hey, Zen,” I said, “Thanks for everything.”
He faced me, placed his right fist in his left hand, and bowed.
“You’re welcome. See you in the morning.”
My last image was of him entering the bathroom as I feel asleep. I dreamt in fits and starts. At one point, I found myself in a vast desert. The sun was blazing and the heat was oppressive. Everywhere I looked I saw sand. I knew this was a dream. I had the surreal sensation of being outside looking at myself, knowing it wasn’t real.
“Hello, Dante,” a voice behind me said. I turned to stare into myself, albeit an older, scarred and noticeably stronger version of myself.
“Who are you?” But I knew the answer even before I asked the question.
“I am you and I am not. I am the chaos, the anger, the power that resides in the deep dark places.”
“Maelstrom.”
“Yes, and we have much to discuss, you and I.”
“What can we possibly need to talk about?”
“You know, Dante, as far as vessels go, you can prove to be one of the strongest.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let me explain. I am you or rather a manifestation of you. I am also beyond you and all mortal life. I have always been in one form or another. After you perish, I will continue.”
“That’s encouraging. What are you?”
“I thought I told you. I am the chaos—”
“No, what are you – are you alive? Are you a being, a spirit, what?”
He looked at me a moment, pensive. “I apologize, this form of communication, words, is so limiting. Permit me.” He drew close to me and placed a hand on my heart and another on my forehead. A flood of images cascaded into me, war, strife, death, anger, hatred; vision after vision of battles, duels, power plays, murders flooded my mind. I fell to my knees, overwhelmed, holding my head. It felt as if it were about to burst.
“Do you understand now?”
“I do, but using you would kill me.”
“What is the death of one when an entire plane of existence hangs in the balance?”
I always hated that argument. It always sounded like the right argument, unless of course you were the one called to make the sacrifice.
“Is there any other way that doesn’t involve you completely taking over?”
“It has always been so. The moment you take a life with me, and I am bonded to you, it is your life’s energy that directly gives me my manifestation.”
“That is the only way?”
“Well, there is another way that you can wield me but the cost is higher and none accepted the burden for very long.”
I figured it couldn’t be worse than being possessed by some ancient weapon. I was wrong.
Maelstrom/Dante looked at me as if assessing if I could handle what he was about to offer.
“Very well, my vessel, I will tell you. In order for you to wield me, I must absorb life. If I bond to you and your essence is closed off to me, I take the essence of your adversary.” It didn’t sound too horrible but it felt like there was a catch.
“What happens to the person?”
“The physical being perishes.” He stood quietly as if waiting for my next obvious question.
“And their spiritual being?”
“Becomes a part of me and therefore you.”
This sounded bad.
“You mean I you— absorb who they are?”
“Yes, it means your life is prolonged in a considerable fashion.”
“Stop talking in circles. What does it mean? What happens when you absorb an essence?”
Maelstrom smiled at me but it was a cold, empty smile, haunted and alone.
“It means everything that person is, good or evil becomes part of you. You acquire their knowledge, their desires and dreams. You are given access to their innermost being. It is an opportunity to achieve great power.”
“Stop it,” I said, knowing full well that I was having a conversation with myself, but not with me.
“What happened to the last person who agreed to this arrangement?”
“After several years of dispatching his enemies, he went quite mad, not being able to distinguish who he was amidst the accumulated essences. In the end, he killed himself. It was actually for the best.”
“Is there another option?” I had a feeling there wasn’t but it didn’t hurt to try.
“Well, yes, but no one accepts it.”
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“What is it?” I asked, hope in my voice.
“Well, you simply surrender your will and I take control of your body and mind.”
“I become a puppet?”
“You become a very powerful puppet.”
“Is there any way to rid myself of you? You know, make it so you are never a part of me?”
“No, once I am manifest, I am with that vessel until he or she dies.” He cocked his head as if an idea struck him.
“I would imagine that is one way to get ‘rid of me’, as you say.”
“Not an option,” I said.
“You did manifest me, not the other way around.” He crossed his arms as he looked at me.
“I know.”
“When do I have to decide how you do this, my life or my enemies?”
“When you take your first life, you will have to make the choice and I never said enemy.”
A strong wind began to kick up sand, obscuring him from view.
“The choice will be in your heart and then I will act. You cannot lie to me for I am you as much as you are me.”
It was only his voice now, the sand blocking my view in every direction.
When I opened my eyes, I was alone in the room.
MANIFESTATION
IT WAS MORNING. Zen and Meja were nowhere to be seen. I got out of bed, stretched and got dressed. I helped myself to some of the fresh fruit and bread that was prepared for us. Last night’s dream had me shaken. Did I imagine it all? Somehow I knew that what Maelstrom had said was true. This meant that all I had to do was avoid killing anyone with it, ever.
I really doubted that was going to happen. I knew that today Owl was going to try and have me manifest Maelstrom. I just didn’t think I would be able to do it. It wasn’t like I could just think about it and summon it up. Or was it really that easy? The last time it appeared, I was in a fight for my life. Maybe it only appeared when I was in danger? I had no way of knowing how this was going to work. I was lost in thought when a shadow crossed before me. It was Zen.
“Hey there D., sleep well?”
“Not really, had the craziest dream.”
“Hmm. I guessed as much. Who did you see in your dream?”
How did he know I saw someone?” I hesitated. “Why do you ask?”
“Dante, this is me, okay? I’m here to make sure you stay safe.”
Warriors of the Way-Pentalogy Page 9
