by Jared Stone
“You did it, buddy!” cried Gus, staring and pointing at the boy’s arms. It took some time for Lucian to understand what he was talking about, but, when he did, he, too, felt a spark of joy rising within him.
“I did it?” Lucian mumbled at first quietly. Then he exclaimed, “I did it!” with a giant smile creeping across his face. Panhavant sat beside the two of them with a gleeful look on his face, giggling softly.
“I told you that you could!” said Gus proudly. “You truly are your…. Well, anyway, great job!”
As they celebrated for that brief moment, the light in Lucian’s arms rapidly faded, then extinguished altogether. The boy’s smile immediately fell from his face.
“Wait!” shouted Lucian, shaking his arms in a futile attempt to bring back the qi. “Where’d it go?”
Gus just laughed lightheartedly. “Generating qi is only a momentary thing. It takes many more years of practice to be able to sustain the emanation of energy over a long period. But, for now, we’ll work on teaching you to release that energy in an aimed blast.”
Even the slight disappointment of this knowledge could not dampen the boy’s elated spirit. He felt more motivated and accomplished than he had at any other point in his life.
“So, what’s next!?” asked Lucian anxiously.
“Next?” said Gus with a smirk. “You do it again!”
* * *
Lucian spent the rest of the day sitting in meditation and bringing himself back to that fleeting state of emptiness. It was a hit-or-miss process, sometimes successful, other times not. But with each instance that Lucian successfully brought himself over that threshold of understanding, the easier the next time became. Over the course of the day, Lucian found himself discovering tricks for emptying his mind, and, as he became more proficient in it, the energy gradually lasted in his arms for longer periods.
After a while, Gus even taught Lucian how to hold his hand out in front of him and release the energy in a quick spurt. The secret was all in concentrating on guiding the energy to flow down his arm and coalesce in his palm, then focusing on the intention to release it in a single blast. Lucian soon learned that it wasn’t as much about forcing it, but was more about sending out the intention of having it go where it was needed. At first, Lucian was horrible at this, and his energy simply fizzled out before it even reached his hand. But, after a while, the boy finally succeeded in sending a blast exploding against the tree trunk. Gus applauded the boy for his extremely quick progression, insisting that he was clearly a natural. Looking around fearfully at first, Lucian realized that the people around them in the park still paid them no mind, and he was thereafter free to generate and fire out energy whenever he wished.
Eventually, the day came to an end, and Lucian was too exhausted to continue any longer, though he still desperately wanted to. Gus told him that he had probably overexerted himself for the day, and no amount of trying would allow him to generate any more qi until he rested. The Kílán offered a protein bar from his jacket to the boy, telling him that he needed to eat high calorie foods as often as possible to replenish his bodily energy. Lucian reluctantly ate the chalky-tasting food-substitute and soon after tried again to call upon his energy, but with no luck. Reluctantly accepting this defeat, Lucian sat down with Gus and Panhavant under the setting sun and partook in more of Panhavant’s fragrant tea.
The three sat in silence for several minutes, looking up at the various colors of the sunset and enjoying their soothing beverages.
“So, if you practice on your own for the next couple of days,” Gus said suddenly, “do you think you’ll be ready by Wednesday for battle?” He looked over at Lucian with a somber face.
“I… I don’t know,” responded Lucian, shaking his head in doubt. “I mean, today was really great and all, but I still don’t think I’m ready to defeat Zagan myself.”
“You don’t have to,” Gus stated resolutely. “I’ll be there with you. I just need you to keep him other-wise occupied while I try to remove the coin from his neck.”
Lucian took a deep breath. Though he was afraid to face the demon again, he was also fairly certain he could at least serve as a worthy distraction. “Fine,” Lucian finally said. “I’ll be ready Wednesday.”
“Good,” responded Gus before taking another sip of tea and gazing off thoughtfully. Panhavant just sat in silence, watching the other two individuals with seemingly unceasing interest.
Lucian’s mind began to wander. So far, he had been lucky. When I almost died next to the library, Gus saved me. Then, when I almost died in that church, Panhavant saved me. What if, this time, no one can save me?
“Gus,” Lucian said to the Kílán beside him. “What happens after we die?” He suddenly felt aware of his own fragile mortality, as the date of his potential brush with death had now been set.
“That depends on who you ask…,” Gus responded absently, without looking at the boy.
“Well, as a…,” Lucian paused. He realized he had never before given much thought to what religious/ spiritual/philosophical tradition Gus and Panhavant followed. “What are you guys anyway? Buddhist? Daoist?” Lucian found that he unexpectedly had a new, deeper appreciation for the myriad religions of the world after taking Schuntz’s class, even despite the professor’s cynicism.
“Only one truth!” cried out Panhavant in response to Lucian’s inquiry. “Many names!” he added after, with a flourishing of his hands before him.
Lucian heard the tiny sage’s words and found them profoundly wise. He had always focused on the differences between religions; he never stopped to consider that all of them were just different paths to the same destination.
Lucian drank down the rest of his tea, then stood up and brushed the dirt and dead leaves from his pants. He was tired and wanted to get back to the dorm to rest before his classes the next day.
“I’m gonna head home now,” the boy announced to his companions. Gus stood up as well.
“Yeah, I have to go, too, in fact,” he said somewhat reluctantly. “I need to go and have a really awkward conversation with an old friend I haven’t spoken to in a long time. Gotta set some things in order….”
Lucian still didn’t appreciate how vague Gus could be at times; but, like the night he had cryptically reached out to Dareia, it always seemed to have a positive outcome. Wishing Gus and Panhavant a good night, Lucian turned to leave. His mind was still filled with apprehension and doubt over their planned encounter on Wednesday, and he abruptly stopped and turned back toward the old man with one parting thought.
“Panhavant,” Lucian began. The sage lifted his eyes up toward the boy upon hearing his name. “What’s the purpose of life?”
Panhavant’s brow furrowed, as if he was deep in thought. Lucian assumed that this was more in an effort to find the right words to convey his meaning than to figure out the answer for himself. Suddenly, Panhavant’s eyes widened, and he shot his finger into the air in a revelation.
“To live!” he exclaimed jovially.
* * *
Tuesday, November 11th
Zagan once again ascended the stone steps to the old mansion, passing through the heavy oaken doors and long elegant hallways to the study where he had previously met with Samael. The demon wore a scowl on his face, remembering his disgrace at the conclusion of their last meeting. Since that time, he had remained inactive, as commanded, but he now found himself summoned again by the masked man.
After the doors to the study had swung open, Zagan entered and stood before the large elegant armchair in the center of the room. Sitting comfortably in this chair was Samael, with a thick brown leather-bound book open in his lap. His golden mask flickered in the red and orange light cast by the fire beside him.
“You read with that thing on your face now too?” Zagan said sardonically.
“Only when receiving guests,” replied the masked man without humor. “I would not want you to see my face, now would I?”
“I am sure it is not the
most hideous thing I have seen in my long existence,” responded Zagan dryly. “You called for me?”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Samael, suddenly snapping the book shut and placing it on the small table beside him before standing up. “It appears that this boy, Lucian, has the potential to pose a greater threat to our plan than originally anticipated. We need you to eliminate him.”
“And how do you propose I do that,” snapped back Zagan, “when he is protected by the old master?”
“The sage will no longer be a problem. Leave the technicalities to me,” Samael said quickly. “We did not call upon you to think, Zagan; we called upon you to obey.”
The demon’s face twisted in a snarl at these words, and he had to fight with all his better judgment to refrain from lunging at the smug villain. Clenching both his fists and teeth, Zagan stood there silently, steaming. He’d never been one to willingly accept a subservient role, and the urge to exact revenge upon those who slighted him was an ever-present blight upon his psyche. The masked man’s eyes squinted in a grin upon seeing the demon so afflicted by the turmoil within.
“I hear many things, Zagan. I have eyes and ears scattered all over this world. I happen to know that Lucian shall be going out tomorrow. Alone,” stated Samael assuredly. “We must take this opportunity, when he is cut off from his Kílán allies, to strike.” The masked man made a fist with his gloved hand and smacked it down into his other palm as he said this. He walked over and stood face-to-face with the demon. “If you hunt down the boy tomorrow and do as I say, I personally guarantee that you will never have to hear from us again.”
Zagan liked the sound of that offer, and he couldn’t help but grin at the prospect of finally being free to roam the earth, subject only to his own whims. He also appreciated the opportunity to make Lucian pay for the humiliation he had suffered in the church. Locking eyes with the masked man, he said, “Consider the boy dead.”
“Splendid,” whispered Samael, releasing his gloved fist with a slight wave of his hand in front of him. He then turned from the demon and walked over to resume his reading in the armchair. Seeing that their business had now concluded, Zagan began his own escape from the abominable situation.
“I wish I could say that it has been a pleasure work-ing with you,” stated the masked man before Zagan had the opportunity to leave his presence. “But, alas; I find your kind to be absolutely vile.”
The demon shot back around and glared at the masked man in fury, his silver eyes flashing as the anger boiled inside of him. Samael reached over and gently picked up his book, opening it again on his lap and resuming his reading. Before he began a fight which he would surely lose, Zagan turned back toward the exit and strode forcefully out into the night.
14 - Sacrifice
Wednesday, November 12th
Lucian held a drink in his hand while he looked into the giant panda habitat. It was a tremendously huge soda that the man at the kiosk called a “large;” but Lucian thought it looked more like a “GIGANTOR, DESTROYER OF WORLDS!” At least a destroyer of health…. Whatever the official classification, it was too much for any one person to consume on his own, so Lucian sipped away at it slowly, trying to look busy and calm his nerves.
The pandas helped to settle his anxious mind. They were just lying about the enclosure, casually eating and seeming perfectly content with being fat and lazy. Lucian envied them greatly, highly doubting that any of them had ever been charged with the heavy burden of saving the world by banishing a demon back to the underworld. If any of them had, they seemed to be coping with it very well, and Lucian doubted that he would ever again be as tranquil and relaxed as those pandas – if he even managed to survive the day.
Gus was around somewhere, but Lucian had no idea where. Because the plan was dependent on Zagan believing Lucian was alone and vulnerable, Gus would have to remain hidden and suppressing his energy signature until the moment was right. Still, it made Lucian nervous to be standing there without aid, just waiting to be ambushed. At that moment, however, the panda exhibit was crowded with many people taking pictures and talking to one another louder than Lucian would have liked.
The sky was overcast that day, with layers of clouds stretching out as far as the eye could see. Though occasional rays of light pierced through, the tongue-like vapors would once again quickly lap them up, returning the world to its dismal, gray tones. The refracted light provided little heat, which made the air feel as though it cut through one’s skin and settled deep into the bones underneath. Lucian was dressed in a pair of jeans with a t-shirt and light jacket on top, and he wished he had better prepared for the weather that day. He didn’t know if it was his nerves or the temperature or both, but something was making him shiver almost uncontrollably.
They had been waiting there all day, and it was already well into afternoon with no sign of Zagan anywhere. Lucian was fearful that the zoo would close soon and he would have skipped class and spent an entire day looking at depressed animals in cages in vain. He suddenly decided that he had seen enough of the pandas. They were adorable, but they were also more or less black and white blobs that didn’t move much. Lucian chuckled to himself as he thought about how much better a panda fight club would be. Or maybe panda jousting matches. That was something he would want to stay and watch!
Keeping his mind busy with this fantasy was a good way to stay relaxed and maintain his composure. After all, if Lucian started to act strangely, Zagan would notice, and the whole plan would be ruined. Plus, Lucian had his secret weapon – the spear tip – stashed safely underneath his jacket in his back pants’ pocket. When the time came, he just had to trust that he could use it. He only hoped that that time would be sooner in the battle, rather than later….
Lucian found himself meandering down the twisting pathways of the zoo, dodging families with kids running everywhere, hopped up on candy and ice cream. Most of the parents looked absolutely beaten down and miserable, with either despair or apathy in their eyes as they pushed gigantic strollers or carried armfuls of various childcare necessities. The children were all very young, as most of the older kids were probably in school that day. Still, it was surprisingly crowded for what Lucian had expected on this Wednesday afternoon. He certainly didn’t mind, though, as waiting around in an empty zoo would have been much more taxing on his nerves.
Walking down the path a little farther, Lucian came to a big fountain in the center of a circular clearing. There were several carts in this space dispensing overpriced water and treats, and the primate habitats stood to Lucian’s right. The fountain was made of cheap concrete, and several animal statues stood in the center, flanked by shooting jets of water all around. With a quick glance, Lucian thought he saw at least a lion, a hippo, and a stork represented in the stone, and he pondered over how tense of a situation it would have been if those had been real animals in the wild, forced to pose together for a group photo.
Turning from the fountain, Lucian decided that the primates would be interesting to watch, so he made his way over to the entrance of the enclosure. The doorway was fashioned into the shape of a giant gorilla head with its mouth open so that the visitor would feel as though he was walking directly into the gorilla’s gaping maw. As he passed through, looking up at the sharp teeth hanging from above, Lucian recalled several medieval paintings he had seen depicting the multiple layers of Hell, with the very worst of sinners being chewed up for all of eternity by the torturous fangs of Satan. Lucian felt a sensation tingle up his spine at the notion of this, particularly given his current situation.
The inside of the building was relatively dark, and Lucian had to pause for a moment in the entryway for his eyes to adjust. As he slowly began to see through the darkness, he noticed that the habitats were viewable through clear paneling stretching from the floor to the ceiling, which did allow a small amount of light into the center area, just past the initial darkness of the entrance. The middle of the wide viewing platform was filled with awed onlookers at the front of encl
osures, staring and pointing at the various primates contained within. The popularity of this exhibit was likely due in large part to it being indoors, and heat could be felt blowing in from the vents by the ceiling, warming up the interior comfortably when compared with the dreary outdoors. With relief, Lucian walked further into the area and stood before one of the large viewing windows.
Looking through the pane before him, Lucian saw a massive silverback gorilla facing away from the viewers. The animal sat slumped over, playing with something in its hands. It was clearly not interested in putting on a show for its audience, and preferred instead to sit almost contemplatively. Lucian briefly considered that he must look similar when he sat in meditation, and he suddenly became overwhelmed with sadness at the pathetic existence of this trapped creature.
“Mommy, why doesn’t it MOVE!?” screamed a little child next to Lucian. It was a tiny blonde girl dressed in a pink skirt and leggings with a yellow shirt. Lucian estimated that she was around 4 or 5 years old, and she held in her sticky little hand the bare paper tubing from a consumed mass of cotton candy.
“It’s just a stupid animal, honey,” her large mother responded coarsely. “There are better animals in other places in the park. Come on.” At this, she grabbed the little girl’s hand and pulled her along down the hallway of the viewing area. Lucian stood there shaking his head at the ignorance of some people, and he remembered why he didn’t like to come to these kinds of family tourist attractions often. He looked behind him to share a sympathetic glance with anyone else who had witnessed the scene but found no one.
Turning around in the other direction, Lucian again searched for someone with whom to commiserate over the slow degradation of the human race, but he did so in vain. In fact, what had once been an absolutely packed mass of irritating spectators had almost instantly turned into a vacuum of emptiness and solitude. Down the hall, the very last sound that could be heard was that of a single door closing and slowly latching shut. As the unsettling silence of the interior of the building seeped into him, Lucian felt the gnawing sensation that he was completely alone.