The Awakened: Book One (19 page)

Turning around to address the group, Ukiru spread his hands wide.  “This is
the lawn
, where our outdoor training will take place.”

It was an enormous grass-covered field, hundreds of yards across.  The large field was lined with iron torches at the perimeter, huge structures that were set into the ground like trees.

As they made their way across the field, Kael was amazed at the softness of the grass.  He even stopped and bent down, running his palms across the lush blades.  The way that it was carefully maintained reminded him of his mother’s garden in the courtyard back home.  When he looked up again, the group was already across the lawn and heading for a path on the other side.  Kael had to run to catch up.

At the edge of the lawn was a gravel path that wound its way through low walls of sculpted shrubs.  Ukiru was in the process of explaining something to the group when Kael reached them.

“…they take care of all of this.  In fact, there are many places throughout the monastery where the monks have created tranquil surroundings for meditation.”

It sounded to Kael like Ukiru was answering someone’s question.  After glancing around, he saw what must have prompted it.  On one side of the path, the shrubbery opened to form a circle, twenty feet across.  Boulders were placed randomly throughout the meditation spot, with rings drawn into the sand around each one, as if the sand were actually water.  In the center of the circle was a short platform of polished wood.

Ukiru led the group farther along the path until they reached another small circular building with vaguely square structures sprouting from its sides.  As they entered the building Kael realized that it was the dining hall where the tour had started.

“This concludes the tour and our time together today.  While you were away, your rooms were prepared for you.  Your servant will help you get acquainted with your new home.  He will be your escort for the remainder of the week and answer any questions that you may have.  I will see you all tomorrow morning in the arena where your training as warrior-priests begins.  Rest well; you will need your energy.”  With that, Ukiru walked across the room and through the doorway to his living quarters, his blue robes fluttering as he walked.

Chapter 12

Kael awoke before the sun and dressed himself with the clothing he found in the chest at the end of his bed.  Just as he finished lacing his shoes, a knock came at his door and he opened it to find his servant standing in the hall.

“It is time,” he said, in his strange accent.

Kael left his room and followed the man down the hallway.  “What’s your name?” Kael asked when they reached the stairs.

“No name.  Only, one who serves All Powerful.”

“Why don’t you have a name?”

“Cannot talk of this,” he said, shaking his head and quickening his pace down the stairs.

Kael wrinkled his eyebrows, then watched his feet as they took the stairs at a rapid pace to keep up with the servant.  “Well, my name is Kael.”

They retraced their steps from the night before, taking them down to the dining hall and out a door on the right side of the room.  The sky was growing brighter in the east as the pair moved down the covered walkway toward the arena.  The air was incredibly cold and Kael crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to keep in his body heat.  As soon as they entered the arena, the air was warm and Kael got the shivers as his body readjusted to the new temperature.  He was only the third boy there.  The other two were looking out the windows lining the far wall.  In the few minutes it had taken to walk to this building, the sun had just started to peek above the horizon.  The view was majestic, overlooking a valley of rolling hills, turned a pale yellow from the cold air.  The sky was awash with orange and pink light reflecting off the thin wisps of high clouds hanging in the air.

Kael expected to see Ukiru, but he was not in the building.  The servant led Kael over to the far side of the room where the others were standing.  The floor of this pie shaped section of the arena was a raised platform covered in canvas.  Ten square mats were arranged on the floor in a double line and Kael could only assume that they would be part of the morning’s event.

“He will be here soon,” the monk announced.  “I will go now.”

The other boys turned around from the windows and Kael suddenly felt awkward being in this strange place without an escort.  Even though he was supposed to think of it as his new home, he still felt like a visitor.  One of the boys walked toward Kael with a smile on his face.

“My name is Coen,” he said with an outstretched hand.

Kael was so surprised by his joyful manner that he almost forgot to respond.  “I’m Kael,” was all he said, shaking the boy’s hand.  Then the thought occurred to him that in all their time together in that prison, no one had introduced themselves.  They hardly talked at all.  It was like they had turned into animals while trying to survive.

Things are different now.

Coen was short, like Kael, though a few years older.  His shaved head was just starting to grow thin black hair.  He had a large nose and full lips that almost looked like a girl.

“That’s Berit over there,” he said, pointing at the other boy who was still standing at the window.  Berit waved and turned back to looking at the sunrise.

“He’s a little shy.  So where are you from?”

Kael was just about to answer when he was interrupted by some of the other boys entering the building, their attendants turning and leaving just as promptly as Kael’s had done.

“Do you like it here?” Coen continued.

“Uh…I…I don’t know yet,” Kael stumbled. 
This kid sure likes to talk.  At least he’s nice though.  I’d hate it if he were mean and talkative.

The rest of the boys came in seconds later, some in groups, some alone.  None were as talkative as Coen.  Berit continued to stare out at the valley, which was now a series of rolling shadows carved out by a blinding orange rising sun.  Two of the other boys talked quietly with each other, but mostly, the room was silent.

Suddenly, Kael noticed that Ukiru was standing by the wall, only a few feet away.  Somehow he had slipped in without anyone noticing.  “I trust that you all slept well last night.  This morning we will start with introductions.  Everyone pick a mat and stand in the center of it.  I want you to state your first name only, loud enough for everyone to hear.  We’ll start with you,” he said, pointing to the boy who occupied the leftmost mat at the front of the room.

The boy shifted his stance, uneasy at the unwanted attention.  “Donagh,” he mumbled.  His accent was thick and guttural sounding.  He was tall and appeared muscular, even beneath the thick clothing that each boy was wearing.  Kael couldn’t tell if his hair was brown or black.

Ukiru nodded in response and shifted his gaze to the second boy in the front row.  Berit seemed even more nervous than Donagh, but it showed in a different way.  His scalp and face turned a bright red beneath his sand-colored eyebrows.  “Berit,” he stated in a pinched voice.

“Horace,” the next boy offered, merrily.  He was of average height, but a little thick through the midsection.  He also had sand-colored stubble just starting to grow on his odd shaped head and skin that turned red easily, though the redness seemed to be concentrated on his bulb-shaped nose.

Coen was next in line and announced his name without any signs of nervousness.  He was clearly comfortable in front of people.  Kael on the other hand was dreading his turn.  Not for any reason, particularly.  It just made him uncomfortable that it would soon be his turn.

“Narian,” came the deep voice from the last boy in the row.  He was just as tall as Donagh, though his features weren’t as dark and his smiling face made him look friendly.

Instead of choosing Kael, who was standing behind Narian, Ukiru pointed back across the room to the boy at the other end of the row.

“Arden,” the boy said, in a loud and clear voice.  He, too, had an accent and Kael wondered how they had all ended up in the same jail together.  Arden was only a little taller than Kael, with a protruding nose that was even larger than Coen’s.

The next boy waited until Ukiru pointed at him before speaking his name.  “Soren.”  This was the boy who had become their group leader while in the prison.  Kael could tell he didn’t like following rules.

“Rainer,” said the next boy.  The only thing that Kael noticed about him was that he looked younger than all the rest of the children in the room.

“Jorn,” stated the boy standing next to Kael.  He was the shortest one in the room and also the pudgiest.  The tiny hairs on his scalp were thick and black, and it reminded Kael of his father’s beard.

Finally it was Kael’s turn.  He felt his face turn red and his voice tightened a little as he spoke his name.  Suddenly, his turn was over and he felt a sense of relief.

Ukiru nodded and began to pace across the floor.  “Thank you all.  Now, I only asked for your first name because I do not care to which family you belong.  I do not care what country you were born in.  All those things are dead now, just as your former life is dead.  We will only know each other by the names that were spoken here today.  That is all that matters.”

Kael could see that a few of the boys were finding it hard to concentrate on Ukiru’s words.  The view of the rising sun behind him was distracting.

Ukiru noticed and immediately walked back to the front of the room to regain his audience.  “Every morning we will meet here at sunrise and begin the day with some exercises.  I will instruct you until you memorize each step and position.  These exercises will help you gain balance, coordination, and flexibility at first.  Eventually, when they are committed to memory, you will find that these movements also help to clear your mind of distractions.  A clear mind is essential to hear the voice of the All Powerful.  In time, these exercises will become a meditation.”  He now had the attention of everyone in the room.

“Place your feet together and stand straight,” he said, demonstrating the stance.  “Pull your shoulders back and look straight ahead.  Put your hands together in front of your chest and close your eyes.  I want you all to remain quiet, so quiet that you can hear yourself breathe, so quiet that you are able to hear your own heart beating.”

Kael had his eyes closed, but could hear a few of the boys snickering.  It felt a little strange to be standing in a room full of strangers with his eyes closed.  But even though it was awkward, he must have been more comfortable than some of the other boys, who were whispering to each other.

Oh well.  Just try to ignore them.

“Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for a moment,” said Ukiru, sounding a little irritated with the uncooperative children.  “Now let it out and continue to breathe deeply, concentrating on the sound of your heart.

Kael kept his eyes closed and tried to follow the instructions.  He could hear his heart beat and felt a sense of peace and comfort at the sound of Ukiru’s voice.

“Now open your eyes.  Move your left foot out to the side and stand like this,” he demonstrated.  “Extend both of your arms out from your body and hold this position.”

Kael followed Ukiru’s mesmerizing voice, as he led them through many different poses and stretches.  Most of the time was peaceful, barring the occasional suppressed laugh from one of the other boys.  Kael’s limbs were a little shaky with fatigue, though none of the exercises were difficult for him.  He used to spend many hours at a time climbing trees and balancing on the branches.  Such feats of daring bravery were part of his ongoing competition with Ajani. 
I wonder if Ajani is still alive.
  He had stopped screaming long before Kael was able to stop Lemus from beating him.  He couldn’t remember anything after Lemus hit him with the handle of the pitchfork.  He felt tears begin to form in his eyes and shook his head to stop them. 
I can’t cry here.

“Now place your feet together again and stand up straight.  Put your hands together in front of your chest and close your eyes.”

They ended up in the same position in which they started.  Kael found himself breathing heavily, despite the ease with which he moved through the exercises.  When he opened his eyes on Ukiru’s command, he felt invigorated.  Horace and Donagh were trying not to laugh at some private joke they shared.