SPENCER CALLAGHAN : The Fight for Heaven and Earth

by Ryan Conway

  "Only recently," he responded. "I've been reading verses from it, trying to apply them to my life. "

  "Very wise. Verse 76 states, 'The mighty and great shall be laid low, while the humble and meek shall be exalted,'" recited Brother Jing.

  This scripture sounded uncannily familiar to Spencer, although he didn't remember reading it in the Tao Te Ching. He asked, "So, does that mean kings, presidents, and other world leaders will fall?"

  "Actually, it means that abusing power and lording it over others for control of them shall eventually result in defeat and failure," Brother Jing elucidated. "That is its common interpretation, in any case. Working in servitude for others regardless of power, and humbly cultivating one's self, shall be recognized as true mastery, as is also understood by the Shanzenian civilization." Brother Jing smiled faintly. "We Shanzenians emphasize the importance of cultivating and improving our individual persons internally, and assisting mankind through acts and deeds and even words of inspiration and encouragement." He looked upon Spencer and pointed to his heart and his head. "Above all else, strengthening yourself here and here is most important. Meanwhile, Verse 33 of the Tao Te Ching states, 'Knowing men is clever, but knowing oneself is true insight.' And likewise, it states, 'Conquering men is a display of force, but conquering oneself is a mark of true strength.' Then, accomplishing all other tasks can happen with great balance, peace, and contentment."

  Slightly doubtful, Spencer asked, "Even in times of war?"

  "Especially during times of great conflict, though it is easily forgotten," Brother Jing replied. "Within the necessity to defend oneself or one's fellow citizens exists an even greater responsibility to remain just and fair. And remember, one's honor is not determined by the respect one receives from others, but by the respect one gives to others, no matter the circumstances. Treat even your enemies as they would like to be treated, without crossing the line of satisfying their wrongful intentions."

  Leaning in, Sean changed the direction of conversation. "Brother Jing, I understand the reason we've sought out your guidance is to gain safe passage to the sacred archives of the Thirteenth School. Is this true?"

  Brother Jing's eyebrows rose. "Yes, this is true. As I said, there's an entryway to the archives that only proven members of the Thirteenth School of Enlightenment can take." Sean confirmed that he understood. "But this passageway is heavily guarded by beings of such indiscriminate response that allowing free passage to outsiders would still result in their inevitable peril—even in the presence of an enlightened escort of the Thirteenth School. It is a fine dilemma."

  The group sat eagerly but quietly, waiting for Brother Jing to present the solution to their dilemma. He rose up from his cushion, turned around, and strolled over to his desk. Once he reached the other side, he knelt for a moment, and rose holding a dull, rectangular metal box. He returned to the group at the small table and set it down in the middle. "Please, safeguard this device to the best of your ability, and bring it back to us," Brother Jing implored. As he sat back down upon his cushion, he said, "It is indescribably rare. There is a secret surface route leading to the back entrance of the archives, and this encrypted map board will guide you there."

  Marcel examined the contraption; so did Spencer, but he couldn't figure out how to open it. A groove ran along the outside of the box's narrow sides; an elaborate latch mechanism covered the groove on one side, while three hinges held the box together on the other. The latch bore an octagonal indentation with a minute trigger mechanism. "Brother Jing, how does this map board work?" Marcel asked after a long moment.

  "Oh, it works with the amulet," Brother Jing responded, "Just as the entrance to the archives should."

  Marcel requested the amulet from Spencer to unlock the metallic contraption; Spencer was glad to hand it over. The warrior inserted the medallion into the matching slot, and attempted to turn and jostle the oddly shaped key, but he couldn't budge it. The amulet fit only loosely into the slot, without matching up with the grooves. "The key doesn't quite seem to fit the keyhole," said Marcel.

  Brother Jing turned to Marcel. "The amulet in your possession is merely a replica of the true key," he said gently. "The true key is here." Brother Jing reached into a deep pocket on his robe and extracted a medallion that looked exactly like Spencer's, except that it was slightly larger in circumference and thickness.

  "Then why have we been carrying this medallion?" Spencer demanded, then said quickly, "Um, I apologize for being rude, Master."

  Jing smiled. "You are forgiven. Your amulet has its importance; it acts as a marker, telling us that you are the one correct person for this quest, the one we have awaited on for a decade. You must understand that leaving the true key with any Nirmanian is far too risky for this world." Then Brother Jing looked at Spencer with a stern expression. "Guarding this medallion is of paramount importance, for all of you." Brother Jing thought for a moment in silence, then continued, "Spencer, you may have been raised a Nirmanian, but I sense you possess a marvelous gift. You have an internal wisdom you may not even be aware of yet… but it's there."

  "A gift? What kind of gift?"

  "I believe you feel it yourself. Do you ever find yourself disgusted by blatant ignorance and purposeful deceit, even if it is in your favor?" Brother Jing asked. "You possess a strong desire to see people be treated fairly and act honestly. Perhaps your disgust even manifests as physical discomfort." Brother Jing closed his eyes for a few seconds and reopened them. "But I also feel that at this time in your life, you often become overwhelmed by this attribute."

  "Yes," Spencer admitted. "I experience terrible migraines when people argue or even try to assert ideas that don't seem right."

  "Brother Spencer, you must learn to control your reaction to your special gift. It's a good thing to be able to discern between honesty and deceit, or truth and bias, or even justice and vengefulness. You despise manipulation. Speaking untruthfully is too great a practice, even while believing oneself to stand for and speak truth. And bias shall always cloud honesty and good judgment, especially when people strive to prove what they already believe for the sake of a personal storyline." He cocked his head to the side and said forcefully, "Remember, Spencer: Good men are not argumentative, and argumentative men are not necessarily good. Just as wise men are not necessarily scholarly, and scholarly men are not always wise."

  "Is arguing a negative thing, then?" Tom asked.

  "Learning and growing in deed is not negative," Brother Jing reassured them, "even if it requires debate. That is the basis of all science, after all. But complicating speech without deeds or meaningful, heartfelt reason behind it, just for the sake of exalting one's intellect, is unwise."

  "I've known way too many people who over-intellectualize to impress other people," Spencer responded.

  "Yeah, tell me about it," Tom said sourly. "All through high school."

  "Wisdom is the mindful application of knowledge, but ignorance is the misguided use or rejection of it," Brother Jing noted. He turned to Thomas with a look of concern. "Brother Englewood, you bear feelings of worry and even internal conflict… Finding peace with oneself is paramount, before one is overcome with the temptation to act against one's conscience, But I also sense you feel you are trapped in a predicament," Brother Jing added. "Never act out of fear or desperation, Brother Englewood.” Tom’s eyebrows raised and mouth slightly parted, right before he agreed with a slight nod, as if he secretly knew exactly what Brother Jing was speaking about, but tried concealing his surprise

  Then Brother Jing looked to Marcel. "Brother Marcel, some struggles are incredibly severe. Being burdened with an immense responsibility to keep part of oneself under control is, in some cases, a valiant task. But remember: you are human, and I know you are very aware of your needs." After a long moment, the sage said, "For your own sake and for the sake of your peers, please hold true to your routine. But also know that those around you, those who know of your struggle, sincerely want to help."

>   Finally, Brother Jing addressed Sean. "Brother Sean, I can tell you have a great zeal for your mission. For you it's not just a duty, but more of a personal endeavor. But caution must always be taken; the greatest of intentions can be overwhelmed by emotions that only distance one from his goals." Then he smiled. "You possess genuine loyalty for your friend and his family. That is good."

  Sean said, "Thank you, Brother Jing… I'll maintain my focus as best as I can."

  Suddenly, an unnoticed door on the opposite wall of Brother Jing's office opened, and Spencer was surprised to see Shin Li, Master Xin's assistant, step through the threshold. Brother Jing turned and acknowledged the new arrival, then turned back to the group and explained her presence. "I believe most of you have met Sister Li. Her talent and gift is literacy and translation of ancient Chinese characters and texts, and should be quite beneficial to your team's endeavors." Spencer was even more surprised, to find out she was joining the team on the next leg of journey. After all she wasn’t a warrior or protector like Sean, Wakana, and Marcel, even though, Spencer had witnessed her hold her own, battling the undead before. She wasn’t nearly as timid and shy about taking action, as her meekness would let on. Then Brother Jing included a second but even more significant purpose for her joining their team: "But her membership in the Thirteenth School of Enlightenment is most significant for your quest, for she shall be your escort and ensure admittance into the Sacred Library."

  Sean and Marcel greeted Shin Li warmly, welcoming her to the team. "I just hope my skills and accesses will help the team accomplish its mission," she responded. "I'm honored to have this opportunity."

  The second they opened the door to depart Brother Jing's chamber, Wakana dashed swiftly up the staircase, a look of urgency on her face. Those exiting the room froze and stepped back. "There's reason to believe we have unwelcome company in the temple," Wakana said without preamble. "As we pass through the meditation room, we must keep a lookout for anything out of the ordinary. I have definitely seen Rakshasas outside the main entrance, but I'm uncertain of their numbers at the moment."

  "I know an alternate way out," Brother Jing informed the group, gesturing for them to follow him down the stairs. "We'll try to outsmart them." He led the group back down to the circular meditation chamber and a quarter of the way along the parameter to another exit. As they escaped out the side door, they were startled to find a group of six towering, dark figures waiting in the courtyard outside the temple's main entrance. The crystalline sky had already dimmed to a dark indigo color, and in any case, they were in the temple garden, shielded from sight by anyone standing in the courtyard. Each member of the group followed behind Sean and Marcel, creeping cautiously among the temple's decorative plant life to avoid the Rakshasas' view.

  Spencer saw a seventh dark figure approach the group of six Rakshasas from the other side of the temple, as if the ominous individual had been searching for another possible entrance. The dark figure wasn’t as tall and stout as the six standing before the main entrance, but was at least over seven feet tall. The giant Rakshasas in the courtyard mainly wore thick, dirty loincloths and a few of them wore thick straps and satchels made of some kind of animal - or God forbid human - skin. But the new arrival wore a long black hooded cloak, resembling the Grimm Reaper. Facing the temple’s main entrance, the figure grabbed the sides of his thick, shadowing hood and pulled it down off his head. What… Drake? Spencer almost lost his breath as soon as he witnessed the very monster that attacked him in his own home. Even though the shear sight of the six other Rakshasas was a frightful image, Spencer found the presence of Drake - or the monster that called itself Drake - to fill him with more dread than anything else.

  Feeling repelled by the scene unfolding before him, Spencer stepped back slowly. Inevitably, a twig cracked beneath Spencer's feet, and everyone in the group froze in place. The Rakshasas immediately shifted their attention to the foliage, their eyes shifting back and forth, peering into the spaces between the leaves.

  Spencer's heart was beating wildly. They had come way too far in their journey to be thwarted, threatened with capture, and certain doom. Drake never left his spot, but stood waiting and staring intensely into the lush garden.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The Great Escape

  E veryone remained completely still behind their veil of leaves. Three of the Rakshasas immediately began to approach their hiding places. The eyes of the incredible monsters shifted back and forth, peering into the spaces between the leaves. They stopped before the short garden wall, towering higher than the tallest members of the group. Then the Rakshasas spread out along the outskirts of the garden, from one corner to the other, to scout the dense foliage.

  One of the Rakshasas began brushing branches and other flora aside with all six of its scaly arms. The weirdness of the beast, and its proximity, made Spencer's heart beat so fast he was sure the awful thing would be able to hear it. He and the other members of his team inched their way quietly backward, away from the outer branches of the temple garden and deeper into the trees, taking great pains to remain silent. Then the Rakshasa stuck its horned head in between the branches and began sniffing and snorting through his wide, flaring nostrils. Spencer was horrified; each of the Rakshasas was ten times more frightening than he remembered Drake being.

  As the beast continued to claw at the foliage, one of the three Rakshasas still standing in front of the temple entrance called for him to rejoin the group. Spencer exhaled in slight relief, but they still weren't out of the woods yet, to coin a phrase; they were unable to exit the garden, and had to remain very still to ensure that they didn't make any more sounds. Spencer's heart continued to thunder in his chest, and he strived to control his heavy breathing, hoping the monsters couldn't hear either. Spencer glanced right and left at his friends and protectors and saw all of them except for Mei Lynn, holding their palms together with eyes closed and mouthing a chant without the slightest audible whisper.

  The other two Rakshasas, who had walked passed the group's hiding spot, started strolling back to join their gang. Each step forcefully smacked the floor of the courtyard. As they were tromping past the group, the last Rakshasa shifted his head for one last glance through the garden leaves. It—he?—halted for a moment and stuck his tusked, growling snout through the leaves. He began snorting and sniffing around as Spencer and the others cautiously stepped backward yet again, watching the ground beneath their feet. Finally, the Rakshasas standing before the entrance of the temple called out angrily to their colleagues one last time. Drake never as much as twitched, still staring in the direction of the team’s cover.

  They growled back and forth in a harsh, gargled language, as if they were arguing about leaving the Shanzenians behind. Every time the temple doors opened, their attention was immediately drawn to the visitors who exited the building. A few of the visitors walked nervously around the Rakshasas, trying to keep their distance until they reached the gate of the courtyard; those were the brave ones. Most meekly retreated back into the temple upon first sight of the beasts. Drake finally turned his head and focused his attention on his own flock of Rakshasas.

  As soon as the last of the Rakshasas had reached the huddle, Sean whispered urgent instructions to the rest of the group. "When I say go, I need all of you to jump down and run across the courtyard as fast as you can." He sighed. "They're probably going to see us, but we have to beat them to the gate. Do you all remember how to get to the docks?" They nodded in confirmation, so he straightened and waited for the first opportunity to escape.

  After a wait that seemed interminable, Sean whispered, "Go," and leaped down from the garden wall. He held the branches open as each member of the group dropped to the ground below in single file. As the first few of them darted across the courtyard, the rustling leaves caught one Rakshasa's attention; he turned just in time to see the last of the group, Wakana, jump from the wall. His nostrils flared, and he let out the most horrific cry from the pit of his lungs. Hi
s companions turned to see Spencer and the rest darting toward the main gate, sprinting as fast as they could through sparse lines of temple visitors, both coming and going. As some of the new arrivals saw the monstrous Rakshasas they were fleeing from, they turned and began running away as well. The multitude of people running through the courtyard caused enough confusion for the Rakshasas that Sean and his group were able to escape with a significant lead.

  Behind them, the bellowing Rakshasa closed his piercing red eyes and concentrated intensely. He slowly morphed into a bulky, razor-backed wolf with eyes even redder than before. He loosed a hair-raising howl before lunging forth in a powerful, pouncing gallop, charging like a bull through the helter-skelter crowd of Agarthans, knocking some of them aside while trampling others. To Spencer, this was even more frightening than his experience back home on the night of his graduation. Drake was only one Rakshasa, not nearly as large as their current predators, and had been fended off by what Spencer now recognized must have been a contingent of the Satyarakshatian chameleon warriors he'd seen earlier. The crowd was also confusing and upsetting; he kept bumping into the people running around the courtyard, and lost his balance a few times, almost tumbling on to the pavement.

  Another Rakshasa slowly morphed into a large, dark hawk, spreading his wings wide before launching into flight. A third Rakshasa leapt forward with his arms held out to the sides; his top pair of arms transformed into bat wings, leaving his other four free for clutching and grabbing. Both creatures soared high to get a bird's eye view of the debacle in the courtyard below, trying to spot Spencer, Tom, and their protectors.

  The wolf was advancing rapidly on the group as the last of them passed through the gate's pillars. Marcel was waiting behind the gate, and shoved it closed on the beast's snout just in the nick of time. The latch caught and locked in place as the gate endured a forceful thud from inside. Meanwhile, the Rakshasa hawk spotted them and began to dive- bomb the group. Sean immediately realized that the hawk was aiming for Spencer and sprinted to his rescue. He reached into his backpack as he caught up to his charge, whipping out two firebombs that he chucked high into the air, meeting the hawk in mid-flight. A ball of flame flashed in the hawk's face and singed his feathers, leaving a nasty odor in the immediate vicinity as the Rakshasa became disoriented and spiraled out of control. Spencer lost sight of it before it crashed into the cavern floor, so he didn't know if it pulled up in time.