Zachania (19 page)

Sitting down on
the sand Talon looked out to sea, he caught sight of some fishermen
and sat motionless for hours wondering what and where he would go
or become.

Of all the
things that entered his mind the one thing he kept on thinking was
about revenge, he felt so lost, so alone but he knew somewhere and
in some way he must find a way to avenge his family.

He looked at
the horizon, it was getting late and he could see that the sun was
falling, he thought of Zachania, he had never seen it but he
wondered how it would look, he also found himself thinking about
his Grandfather, he wondered if he was still alive “where are you
Grandfather.” he mouthed as wiped away a tear.

Talon was
suddenly disturbed as he heard a voice from behind.

“Greetings
stranger, you looked troubled.”

Talon turned
quickly surprised that he never heard this man’s approach.

“I never heard
you.” Talon instinctively replied.

The man smiled,
he was dressed as a monk and his voice was soft but direct.

“I am Chang, a
monk from the Pangkor temple nearby, we are trained to move in
silence but please excuse me if I startled you.”

“Not at all.”
replied Talon before turning his look back towards the ocean.

“The sea is
beautiful here” added Chang as he sat down next to Talon.

“That depends
on whose eyes are looking” replied Talon.

Chang gave a
slight smile.

“Tell me
stranger what your eyes see?”

“My eyes see a
vast sea and a fisherman breaking his back catching his
supper.”

The monk
reached out and softly put a hand on Talon’s shoulder, quietly he
asked Talon to close his eyes.

“My friend,
listen carefully, ignore what your eyes have seen, listen to the
birds, listen to the sea gently washing against the rocks, and now
feel the warm breeze as it sweeps upon your face.”

Talon opened
his eyes and turned towards the monk who was gently smiling at
him

“Seeing things
differently now stranger, there is beauty in everything, you only
have to look.” Replied Chang.

After short
silence Chang began to speak again.

“As a monk we
are trained to see things from what may not be the most obvious
option, we train our minds and bodies to constantly be aware of our
surroundings, we open our minds to feel them, join with what is
now, only then will you be one with everything, at first you saw
what you was feeling, and I feel that you have not been looking
with beauty for some time.”

Talon nodded
slightly as he tried to understand this sincere stranger,

“Do you know
how I approached you without you hearing.” added Chang,

Talon turned
and answered.

“Walking on
sand makes no noise.”

“But it does my
friend.” replied Chang before picking up a handful of sand and
letting it fall from his fingers.

“I am one with
the sand and the sand is one with me.” he added.

“Look!” he said
raising his voice.

“Look from
where I approached, do you see any footprints.”

Talon turned
and to his amazement he could see no steps.

Chang smiled as
if embarrassed.

“Your ways seem
very wise.” Talon replied.

“No my friend,”
smiled Chang “I am just the sand.” he added.

For a brief
moment the monk made Talon smile, forgetting his troubles he nodded
and smiled before turning back to the sea where once again he felt
his despair.

“So my friend,
you are waiting for someone?” asked Chang.

“No one, just
answers.” replied Talon.

“Maybe we could
find these answers together.”

Talon
winced..

“Maybe I could
walk you home, we can practice walking without steps on the sand.”
Chang added.

“I have no
home.” Talon replied after a short pause.

“Then I insist
that you be my guest at the temple tonight, we have food and by the
look of you a warm bath will do you no harm, and who knows maybe we
will have some of them answers you are looking for.” Chang said as
he rose to his feet.

Talon felt
tempted, very tempted it had been days since he last ate well and
bathed, he looked again at Chang as if to see if there was any sign
as too why not to trust him, Talon was just about to refuse when
Chang spoke again.

“You can trust
me friend.”

Talon looked at
this monk again; the words he had just heard were as if they were
just read from his mind.

The Pangkor
Temple was ancient and was situated on top off the blossom hill; it
was home to around one hundred monks. As Talon and Chang approached
its large wooden gates Chang knocked loudly, moments later two
monks opened one of the doors.

“Brother Chang
welcome, I see you have a guest.”

“Welcome
brother Moo, he will be staying with me in my cabin.”

As they walked
into the compound Talon quickly noticed some monks who were
gathered under a large tree moving in similar movements to that of
which he knew as Zung-Lu, the ancient fighting art taught to him by
his Grandfather.

“Chang what is
it that they do.”

“It is called
the ‘Shivar-lass Durat du Pangkor’ but we call it Pangkor for
short, it is an ancient way that disciplines the body.”

True to his
word, that night Talon ate well and relaxed in a long hot bath, the
two men spoke long into the night about the temple and the duties
of the monks.

The next
morning Talon was woken at the crack of dawn with Chang bringing
him some fresh milk and bread, Chang then left Talon and walked
into the forecourt where he joined other monks in the movements of
Pangkor. Talon walked outside of Chang’s cabin, cup of milk in hand
and stood against a wall watching the monks, he looked on and
noticed how concentrated and how graceful the movements were.

After around an
hour Chang finished and returned to join Talon.

“I have to
attend my chores, would you like to join me Talon.”

Talon nodded
with a smile.

The two men
with tools in hand soon made their way to small adjoining field
where Chang joined other monks planting seeds.

“Chang, is
Pangkor a fighting art?” Talon suddenly asked to a slightly
surprised Chang.

“No! It was
created to tune the mind body and spirit with nature, why do you
ask Talon?”

“It reminds me
of a fighting art.”

“Where have you
seen such an art Talon?”

“From my youth,
I was taught similar movements by my Grandfather, he called it
Zung-Lu”

Chang suddenly
stopped his planting and turned to face Talon.

“Zung-Lu is not
a fighting art, it’s a defence, used by the ancient monks of the
northwest province, you say you are trained in it?”

“I am
Chang.”

“And you say
your Grandfather taught you this form.”

“Yes with my
father.”

“Was your
Grandfather a monk Talon?”

“No” Talon
replied smiling as he thought of his Grandfather’s bombastic
manner.

“I have not
heard of anyone being shown these moves, I thought Zung-Lu was
forbidden”

Talon suddenly
felt uneasy.

“It has been
taught to every generation of my family, who knows Chang maybe
there was once a monk in my family.”

Chang smiled
awkwardly.

“So you have
holy blood my friend” he smiled “There, maybe we have answered one
of your questions.” he added.

Chang then
resumed his work which Talon duly followed, Talon looked at the
monks face and could see he was in thought and for a moment Talon
was worried that he had indulged too much about his background.

“I must be more
careful in the future.” he thought to himself.

Both men worked
hard until nightfall and when they could see no more Chang led
Talon back to his cabin in the grounds of the temple. Talon slumped
himself on the bench outside the cabin as Chang went to fetch some
water for them both, it had been a hard day’s work where both men
had been deep in thought all day about each other.

Chang handed
Talon a large cup of water before sitting next to him.

“Tell me
Talon.” but before Chang could finish Talon interrupted him.

“My family are
from Tallasian Chang.”

Chang looked
shocked at Talons outburst.

“How did you
know I was going to ask you that?”

Talon
shrugged.

“Where are your
family now Talon?” asked Chang now finding himself becoming very
interested in the young man he had just met yesterday.

“They are all
dead.”

“I am sorry my
friend.”

“It was an
accident Chang, a fire they all died in a fire.”

“It must be
very hard for you.” Chang replied as reached out and gently grabbed
Talon’s shoulder.

“Yes it is.”
replied Talon before looking down at the ground and remembering his
family’s faces, he grimaced strong in a mixture of sadness and
hate, Chang noticed Talon’s actions and thought it wise to quickly
change the subject.

Over the next
three months Talon and Chang became very close, Chang had started
to teach Talon the ways of a Pangkor monk and he marvelled at the
speed in which Talon leaned, he was like a sponge absorbing
everything, Chang never had to repeat himself, once was always
enough for Talon.

On the first
day of the changing seasons, Talon was brought before the high
monk, the most senior monk in the temple where Talon was to ask
permission to stay and be taught in all the ways of the Pangkor’s.
This would be a monumental privilege as most monks where chosen at
birth, seldom does anyone get this far in Pangkor’s as Talon.

Talon was very
optimistic, he had mastered everything Chang had taught him and he
knew that Chang praised him to everyone.

To be a Pangkor
was what Talon now wanted, he had not forgotten about his family or
his own plight, his passion for revenge could wait as Talon
strengthened himself, he had become very impressed with the monks.
He liked the way in which they conditioned themselves and how they
had mastered the control of the mind, “revenge can wait, first I
will better myself and prepare my body and mind, then I will spill
the blood of those who have hurt me.”

Chang was busy
fixing Talon’s monks’ robes; straight after the two men entered the
preying room where Talon glimpsed Lord monk Mowloon seated at the
far end with an array of senior monks seated around him.

Talon then
walked over and kneeled before the Lord monk followed by Chang.

Talon remained
kneeling as two monks approached him, one monk sprinkled him with
water while the other one blew some smoke in his face from a pipe,
once this was done the two monks walked away and the Lord monk
summoned Chang to speak,

With his head
still bowed Chang begun.

“My sovereign
Lord I seek your divine permission for my ‘Yatchka’ to remain at
the temple.” said Chang using the ancient word for student.

“Brother Chang,
my fellow monks have told me all about this young man, his reports
are very good, if he is given permission could you elaborate on
your plans for him, our resources here are limited.”

“I would take
personnel charge of his education my Lord.”

Lord monk
Mowloon nodded and then turned to Talon.

“What do you
wish?”

“I wish to stay
my Lord; I wish to become a Pangkor.”

“You understand
what you will be giving up, a Pangkor’s life is very dedicated,
there will be no luxury for you, and your life will be helping
others.”

“I have no need
for luxuries holy one.”

Lord Mowloon
lowered his head towards Chang and with that Talon was granted his
wish, Talon was to become a Pangkor monk and the Lord Mowloon also
added that he would personally like to help in Talon’s education,
Chang smiled in happiness before Mowloon began a small ritual where
Talon had to swear an oath that the secrets of Pangkor would be
forever safe in his hands.

Once the oaths
were finished, Talon was then introduced to all the surrounding
monks.

Later that
night Chang treated Talon to a special meal, the two men sat
outside Chang’s cabin beneath the stars eating a feast of freshly
cooked vegetables.

“You shall
learn many things my friend” Chang said in an excited tone.

“You have
already taught me much my teacher.”

“Ha!, you have
not even scratched the surface, before I was forbidden but now you
will learn things that only the monks of Pangkor know, secrets from
the ancient ages will soon be yours.”

“When we I
begin Chang?”

“At dawn, your
first assignment will be to learn our ancient language.”

“Language I
have never heard this.”

“No, you
wouldn’t Talon, it is forbidden to speak it but all our ancient
books and scriptures are scribed in it.”

“Forbidden by
whom Chang?”

“It was
forbidden centuries ago by one of the gods.”

“Why?”

Chang smiled
then rose and tapped Talon on the shoulder before telling him to be
patient and that he would learn all in good time.

Later that
night Talon lay in his bed thinking about his past, the talk of the
gods had reminded him of something that his father had said to him,
he remembered his father telling him about how Kratos was once
ruled by the gods and how the gods left taking with them all
religion, the Pangkor’s had survived but religion in Kratos today
was nothing to what it once was centuries ago.

Talon closed
his eyes and thought that it must be something to do with the
Emperor.

The next
morning Talon dressed and joined Chang who was already sitting in
the sun outside the cabin, after a brisk drink of milk and a piece
of bread Chang began to lead Talon to temples library.

As they walked
Talon wondered why the library had never been spoken about, after
three months at the temple this was the first time that Talon had
ever heard of it. Chang led him to the far side of the temple and
down a staircase until they reached a corridor, they walked to the
end until they came to dead end, Chang reached up to a large
decorative curtain and pulled it to one side revealing a large and
very old wooden door.