Road To Shandara (Book One of The Safanarion Order) (2 page)

Farewell my Grandson.

Reymius Alenzar’seth

Alenzar’seth?
That wasn’t his grandfather’s last name. Frowning he reached back into the chest to retrieve the cloth bundle. Wrapped inside he found two swords each resting in a black scabbard, both were the length of his arms. He drew each sword from their scabbard revealing a strange form of writing along the center with all types of holes running the length of the blade. They were surprisingly light in weight and fit perfectly in his hands. Along the hilt of one sword was the word
Fate
and along the other was the word
Faith.
Set in the base of each sword was some type of crystal. A calling came to Aaron in that moment. A force that lay sleeping within him rose from the pit of his stomach and filled his chest and emanated from his hands. He carefully wrapped the swords back into the white cloth and picked them up.

The calling had him entranced guiding his footsteps as he exited the sparring room. Zeus walked beside him until the lights of the house faded away and the trees gave way to a moonlit clearing. There were horses grazing nearby. Aaron gazed up at the night sky as the clouds blew passed the moon allowing the light to dance upon the surface. He knelt and set the white bundle before him. Unwrapping the swords, he drew them from their scabbard feeling his grandfather’s presence all around him. That same calm and unwavering force that watched Aaron grow from a boy into a man. The swords warmed to his touch as if they too were alive.

Falcons they are called, w
hispered his grandfather’s voice.

“Grandpa?” He whispered, a lump filling his throat, but silence was the only reply.

He closed his eyes and shoved his feelings away allowing himself the comfort of the black void. He probed about with his other senses, but he couldn’t feel anything. The medallion grew warm in his pocket and he opened his eyes. The crystals in the hilt of each sword emitted a faint glow. Aaron looked up believing it was the moon, but the pure white light was coming from within each crystal pulsating in rhythm with his beating heart. He heard the soft urgings of a thousand voices within.

Wield the swords.

Release the power.

Claim your birthright scion of Shandara.

Slowly and with a certain amount of grace he began to wield the Falcons. The pure notes of the bladesong poured forth. He felt a force awaken within him as if the shield that held it in gave way to an awareness of the world around him. Life’s energy surrounded him pure and simple with its elegant force blazing vibrantly all around and he felt his connection to it strengthen. The crystalized light danced upon the ground at his feet. Among the pure notes of the melody that comprised the bladesong, Zeus could be heard howling, not a howl of despair, but a howl of triumph. Aaron became infused by his connection to everything around him, losing himself within the music coming through the Falcons. This was his song. Nature was drawn to this spot as the clearing quickly filled with wild animals and horses circling around him. A nighthawk cried from above. Life’s wellspring filled Aaron with such joy that his sorrow momentarily fell away to a brief respite at this gift bequeathed to him by his grandfather Reymius.

C
HAPTER
2

THE THINGS A MOTHER KNOWS

TIME SLIPPED BY while he was out in the clearing, but when he finally got back to the house he was spent. His mother sat straight backed in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch with a solitary candle for a companion. Her long blond hair tied back in a pony tail. She stood up with the poise of a dancer, her head held high, when he emerged from around the stables with Zeus by his side. Relief shown in her red rimmed eyes as she held her arms open to him.

Aaron stood silently for moment before the steps, but with each step towards her his will began to weaken. He could still see her crying and his father putting his arms around her.

“Mom I…” He choked dropping the white bundle, hugging his mother. For that brief moment he was a boy again seeking a mother’s comforting embrace. “I can’t believe he’s gone. I just can’t believe it.”

“It’s okay,” she said soothingly, “He would have said it was his time.”

“Do they know why?” He asked.

“No,
they
don’t know why,” she said, “If they did would it really make a difference?”

Aaron hadn’t thought of it that way, “No I guess not.”

“Come on, let’s go inside and get some sleep,” said his mother leading him inside.

“You’re staying here tonight?” Aaron asked.

“It’s late and I just feel like I need to be here tonight, don’t you.” She stopped and looked directly at him as if sensing his thoughts.

“Yeah," Aaron agreed. Zeus nosed his hand and together they entered the empty house.

Aaron was plagued by strange dreams and an awareness of every living thing around the house. He sensed the energy given off by the trees and the earth and he kept seeing himself out in the clearing making the Falcons sing. He felt that he was something more than he was yesterday despite what he had lost. Until yesterday he had led a pretty normal life, but now he was plagued by more questions than he had answers for, like why Zeus seemed to be present in all of his dreams, a constant companion and a reminder of the events that took place. Alenzar’seth, the name his grandfather had signed the letter with. What did it mean?

He abandoned trying to sleep in the early morning hours and gazed out the window until the night sky grudgingly gave way to the morning sun. Nothing made sense anymore. Why did his grandfather leave him these things? What was he supposed to do with the swords? Should he tell someone about what happened last night? His thoughts drifted back to the letter.

One day soon you will discover that your life is nothing like you thought it would be…
What was going to happen?

A soft knock came from the door.

“Come in,” he said.

His mother opened the door and took a step inside, “Did you sleep ok?” she asked, but she didn’t look like she had slept at all.

“About as good as you did,” he answered.

“I see,” she smirked, “Come on down, let’s have breakfast.”

Aaron didn’t think he could eat, but he thought it would make his mother feel better for the company. He threw on a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt and looked at the nightstand where the medallion lay. He considered just leaving it. A ray of sunshine peeked through the window caressing the edge of the medallion which shimmered slightly. Sighing, he reached out and stuck it in his pocket.

When he got down to the kitchen the sweet aroma of cinnamon-raisin bagels wafted from the kitchen table. He sat down and took one as his father came in through the front door. His dad’s great size filled the doorway without any effort. Being a carpenter kept him fit and trim.

“Morning,” his father said.

“Does Tara know about grandpa?” He asked.

“Yeah, your sister will be out here later,” his father answered then looked at him in a way that made Aaron feel like he was an open book. “Are you alright?”

He heard the echoes of the bladesong in his head and the medallion warmed in his pocket, which he rubbed absently.

“I guess,” he said, “I’m numb really,”
Should I tell him about the letter?

“There are no words that I can say that will make this any easier,” his father said. “He was a great man and he loved you. I’ll miss him too. I keep expecting him to walk in at any moment. But you know what, it’s because we loved him so much that mourning the loss will be hard. At the same token we can count ourselves fortunate for having him in our lives for the time that we did.” He paused and took a sip of his coffee glancing out the window. “We don’t have to talk about this now if you don’t want to.”

Aaron looked out the same window, the sun was shining with no hint of a cloud in the sky. It was a perfect day outside and it mocked everything he was feeling inside. The room felt like it was closing in on him, suffocating him, and he just wanted to run and not stop until he was far away.

“It’s fine Dad, I just need to get some air,” he said rising out of his seat grabbing his bagel.

He stepped outside not knowing where he was going and before he knew it he was standing inside the sparring room gazing at the fountain. His breath came in quick gasps. It was dark with all the shades shut. He took deep rhythmic breaths finding his calm center when he felt the attack come. A slight shift in the air blared warning bells in his mind and instinct took over as he tumbled out of the way and came easily to his feet. He ducked again as he heard a staff whistling through the air towards his head. Aaron spun towards the wall that held the hanging weapons and grabbed his own staff.

The lack of lighting in the room clouded his view, but he could make out a shape. He moved into the center of the room meeting it head on. The staff was one of the simplest weapons to use and among the deadliest in the hands of the right person. The way his adversary moved with the staff told him that he knew how to use it. His assailant rained attacks down on him, which he blocked and probed with a counter to feel out his attacker. His size was often deceptive because he was quick as well as big, but all his attacks were blocked. It was like he was practicing with his grandfather. He baited his opponent with an opening. As the staff came down he shifted to the right and forward rendering the blow useless and launched a powerful front kick that sent his attacker across the room. He expected the grunt of a man, but heard the gasp of a woman.

Aaron quickly reached over and turned the lights on only to see his mother resting on one knee leaning on her staff. Her hair had been tied back and tucked into a black shirt.

“Reymius has taught you well,” she gasped with a pride filled smile. “I am my father’s daughter, Aaron, no need to look so surprised.” She answered his questioning stare.

“Are you okay?” he asked quickly kneeling down and helping her to her feet. Aaron never viewed his mother as anything other than a mother and it was shocking to think of her as just a person.

“Yeah, you kick pretty hard,” she mused rubbing her side.

“I’m sorry,” he left the unasked question hanging in the air for a moment. “But you’ve never been in here. Not with any of the classes or while he taught me.”

“There was so much I couldn’t remember after the accident. Almost all the time before meeting your father I can’t remember. What I can remember doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s like trying to see something through a thick fog.” She said regaining her feet. “One thing I did remember was how to defend myself. I know all of these weapons here, but I don’t remember learning how. I know all the forms for gaining flexibility and quieting the mind as you do, but evidently not so well practiced,” she sighed.

He could ask her about it now, show her the medallion, but wasn’t sure if he wanted to just yet. He read the sadness in her eyes and decided to wait.

“When is the funeral going to be?” Aaron asked.

“The day after tomorrow. Tara should be here soon,” she said while they walked back outside. Aaron took a last glance at the fountain and the center of the floor where the secret chamber lay hidden.

“Where has she been?”

“She’s been away with Alex looking at places for the wedding reception.”

His sister had recently got engaged and he was happy for her and he liked Alex, her fiancé much better than anyone else Tara had ever been with. She was just a few years older than him, but had always looked after him as long as he could remember.

“Do you have any final tests left?” His mother asked.

“Yeah, one tomorrow, I was thinking of calling the professor to see whether I could have it changed.” Aaron answered.

“Well, that’s up to you,” she said, “Life will go on whether we are ready for it or not.”

“Carlowen,” his dad called.

“We’re in here,” his mother called back.

“Jack is here with the paperwork,” said his father.

Jack was the family lawyer and a good sort of man for a lawyer at least. His mother left him and followed his Dad back into the house. Aaron decided to drive that morning to campus and see Dr. Kozak about the final rather than calling. It really was an excuse just to do something, but it gave him something to think about besides everything he preferred not to. Maybe his mom was right life does go on, but he knew that it would never be the same as it was before. As he pulled away from the house he caught a glimpse of Zeus before he disappeared into the trees. Though there was no chill in the air he shivered.

C
HAPTER
3

NEW PERCEPTIONS

THE DRIVE TO campus revived him. He had the top down on his Jeep and the fresh air did him good. He walked into the humanities building where the sociology department was and went up to the fourth floor. He turned the corner thinking about what he was going to say when Professor Kozak came out of his office heading in his direction. His steel-rimmed glasses caught the Florescent lighting above and he appeared to be muttering to himself. His gray hair was in its normal disheveled state and he looked up, saw Aaron, and waved him over.

“Hello Dr. Kozak I need a few minutes of your time.”

“Sure Aaron.” Dr. Kozak said looking up at him expectantly and when Aaron hesitated, “Oh, would you like to step into my office?”

“If that’s ok, this is a personal matter,” Aaron said.

The office wasn’t much bigger than a closet and was jammed with all sorts of books and dusty objects. There was a picture of a mountain cloaked by a swath of clouds. The writing beneath it said ‘
When seeking truth always have faith.’
Aaron stared at the picture thoughtfully for a moment before sitting down.

“Do you like the picture?” The professor asked.

“Yeah, I like the caption,” Aaron answered.

“Oh really, what do you think it means? I mean it sounds good, but what does it mean.” The professor asked with a dubious tone.

Aaron paused considering, “Seeking truth is a noble pursuit, but if you lack the faith to accept the truth you find you will never have wisdom. If you’re lucky I guess. Seeking wisdom can challenge the values upon which we govern our lives. The path to wisdom is predetermined by our willingness to accept the truth of matters.”