by Heidi Skarie
“I know.”
That night Toemeka lay in bed, unable to sleep as she thought about the fate of Jelmur. “Michio, are you awake?’ she asked.
“I am now.” He rolled over and put his arm around her.
“When do you leave for your training?”
“We already discussed this. I’m not going.”
“We both know you have to go.” She snuggled closer to him.
“Maybe later after the baby is born.”
“Samrat Condor’s power is growing and I feel the darkness spreading. I don’t think you should wait. I sense you’re key to stopping him.”
“Do you want me to leave so you can join the war on Alandra?”
“No of course not. I can’t go back on active duty.”
He kissed her. “Then I suppose I’d better go. I’m expected in a few days.”
“So soon,” she said, her heart heavy. “Promise me you’ll come back. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”
“It’s just a training session. There’s no reason to worry.”
“Space travel is dangerous in these times.”
“True, but I won’t travel by known routes.”
She wished his training wasn’t so important. Doing the right thing was hard. A lump formed in her throat. If he knew how hard his leaving was for her, he might not go.
“I’ll miss you,” Michio said. “I was looking forward to this training before we met, but not now. I’ll be thinking of you and wondering how you’re doing.”
“I’ll be thinking of you as well.”
They spent as much time as they could together over the next few days. When the time came for Michio to leave, Toemeka went with him to his Viper.
“I hate that you’ll be so far away,” she said sadly. They’d made love and talked until morning and now it was agony to watch him go.
“Take care of yourself and the baby.”
A lump formed in her throat. “I love you.”
He drew her close. “And I love you more than life itself.” He kissed her one last time then boarded his ship.
She felt her heart breaking as she left the hangar. She opened the locket that hung around her neck and gazed at his picture. His leaving tore at her. He was her life now and a part of her irrationally feared she’d never see him again.
5
School of Eagles
Planet VoxMar
Michio flew his Viper 4X over the surface of planet VoxMar. Off in the distance he could see the village of Kasper and the jagged mountains that rose above it. He skimmed over a lush forest until he found an opening and landed his ship.
After leaving Kanai, he’d made a jump to VoxMar. Despite his reluctance to leave Toemeka, he looked forward to starting his training.
When he deboarded the ship, it felt like he’d stepped into a furnace and he was grateful his aviator sunglasses shielded his eyes from the harsh sunlight. It was good to be out in the open after being in the domed city. The air was oxygen-rich and the planet had a strong gravitational pull compared to the moon he was just on. The place looked and smelled alien with its unfamiliar plants, unusually tall trees, and colorful birds.
Michio changed out of his flight suit and into a short tunic, loose-fitting pants and sandals—the attire of the local people. Then he began cutting branches off nearby trees with his laser and used them to cover his ship. VoxMar wasn’t a technologically advanced planet and the local people wouldn’t know what to make of an aircraft if they came across it. Soon sweat soaked the back of his tunic and he paused to drink from his canteen. Despite the heat, he enjoyed engaging in physical activity after being cooped up in the cockpit for hours.
After concealing his aircraft, Michio put on his backpack and set off through the woods at a brisk clip, using his communicator GPS to find his way to the village. Before long he found what looked like an animal trail and followed it. As he walked, he thought about Toemeka and wondered how she would fare while he was gone. She no longer had morning sickness and seemed to enjoy helping with the project of building a new dome. But he knew it wasn’t easy for her—leaving her home, friends and job to be with him and now he’d left her for an indefinite period of time. Although his commitment to Master Bakka took precedence, he hoped the training wouldn’t take too long.
The path led out of the woods and he could see the village ahead. He passed thick-furred animals grazing in the tall grasses. Since they weren’t frightened by his presence, he assumed they were domesticated.
As he neared the village, he saw Kasper consisted of a couple dozen round mud-and-straw huts. He stood and watched a moment while dark-skinned children played a running game. Each child used a stick to hit a crudely made ball back and forth across an open field. When they noticed Michio, they stopped playing and stared at him.
One boy came over and started talking rapidly in an unfamiliar language. The child’s golden eyes were round like a cat and his dusty feet were webbed. He came up to Michio’s shoulder, although he looked quite young.
Michio smiled and greeted him in the universal interplanetary language.
The boy smiled back and motioned Michio to follow him. The other children came closer, curious about Michio. The boy led him to one of the huts, then dashed off to rejoin his friends. Michio peered inside and saw a woman squatting by a fire.
“Hello,” he said. Her round eyes widened and she gaped at him as the children had. Then she motioned with her hand for him to enter. He stepped into the circular hut, glad to get out of the sun.
The woman rose and stepped toward him, speaking in the same unfamiliar language as the boy. She was more than a head taller than Michio.
“Can you speak the universal language?” Michio asked.
She shook her head and pointed to herself. “Sheon.”
He pointed to himself and said, “Michio.”
Recognition came to her eyes. “Michio.”
She pointed to the pallets along the wall and said something in her own tongue. He wondered if he was supposed to sleep there. She filled a mug with water from a clay jug and handed it to him.
Michio’s canteen was empty and he gratefully drank the water despite its sulfur smell and taste. He sat down on the hard-packed dirt floor, wondering how soon someone would come for him.
Sheon began slicing up vegetables, then she put them into a cooking pot along with some beans and a grain. Insects buzzed around the food and she brushed them away as she worked. Her long hair, braided into a series of plaits, had colorful strings of small stones woven into it. She wore a sleeveless tunic tied with a sash around her waist.
Once the food was done, she handed Michio a wooden bowl. Sheon ate with her fingers so he did the same. Unfamiliar flavors exploded in his mouth.
When it grew dark, she pointed to a nine-foot pallet. The men of the village must be very tall, he thought as he removed his sandals. He lay on top of the coarse blanket since it was too hot for a cover. Although exhausted from his long day of travel, sleep eluded Michio. It was the first time he and Toemeka had been separated since marrying and he felt uneasy being so far away, especially with the interplanetary war escalating.
Finally, he drifted into a troubled sleep.
The next morning, he awoke to find the hut empty with warm sun shining in through an open window. He fastened on his sandals and headed outside. A black man in a green robe, sandals and a turban, sat in the shade talking to Sheon. The man unfolded himself and rose when he saw Michio. He looked to be about eight feet tall.
“Blessings,” he said in the universal language. “I’m Mazarka, from the School of Eagles.” Mazarka touched the center of his forehead, indicating his spiritual eye and bowed.
Michio returned Mazarka’s greeting and said, “I’m Michio. I’m honored to have a chance to study at your school.”
Mazarka studied Michio with golden, round eyes. His face was narrow with high cheekbones and his hair was worn in a long braid down his back.
At last Maza
rka spoke, “Few are given the opportunity to study at the monastery. No one leaves until they have passed all twelve tests, mastering the way of the eagle and entering into the Order of the Eagle-eyed Adepts. I am a student here, as well as a teacher. I have passed all but the last two tests. Come join us.”
Sheon broke off a piece of bread from a round loaf and handed it to Michio. He used it to scoop vegetables and beans from a pottery bowl.
While he ate, Michio pondered Mazarka’s words. He hadn’t realized the school was for training to become an Eagle-eyed Adept. Mastership could take many years to reach, if he reached it at all. He couldn’t leave Toemeka indefinitely.
After eating, Michio fetched his backpack, refilled his canteen from the well, then thanked Sheon and offered her some coins. She shook her head. He realized the coins probably had no value on her planet.
He followed Mazarka to where two huge, four-legged reptiles stood. The creatures had a bone ridge around their heads and long thick tails.
Mazarka sprang into the saddle fastened to the back of one of the beasts and looked expectantly at him. Michio envied Mazarka’s long legs as he walked cautiously up to the beast. He tied his backpack onto the saddle, then grabbed the rope around the reptile’s neck. The creature hissed and spat at him, its long tongue darting out of its mouth.
“Are these creatures safe to ride?” Michio asked.
“Not completely. They’re called tryworts. The key is to show no fear. If you’re afraid, it will know and be hard to handle. Mount. We have a long way to travel.”
No fear, Michio thought. The animal made a loud clicking noise, revealing a double row of sharp teeth.
“Watch out for his tail!” Mazarka shouted.
Michio jumped back as the tail swung toward him, almost knocking him off his feet. Annoyed that the creature was making him look like a coward, Michio leapt forward and vaulted into the saddle, grabbing onto the rope as the creature tried to throw him off.
“Good,” Mazarka said, chuckling. “Perhaps you are ready to study at the school after all.” He started up a path leading into the mountains.
Michio urged the trywort forward, wondering if Mazarka had deliberately given him an especially ornery beast. They rode all day, traveling through unusual terrain as they zigzagged their way up the mountains. Gradually the vegetation and trees became less dense and the air cooler.
The tryworts proved to be surefooted and strong. Michio found his main task was to stay on, as his beast kept trying to throw him off and going under low branches, forcing Michio to flatten himself on its back.
The rugged mountain range was spectacular with high, snow-covered peaks, which stood like giant castles. The higher they climbed, the thinner the air became, making it hard to breathe.
They stopped to eat late in the afternoon and had strong-tasting cheese and bread. Michio supplemented his meal with an energy bar. He offered one to Mazarka, but he shook his head. Michio’s arms and thighs ached from riding the unruly trywort and he asked Mazarka how much farther they had to go.
“There is no time here,” Mazarka replied. He was a man of few words. So far Michio had learned nothing about the monastery or training he would receive. When he tried striking up a conversation, Mazarka said idle chatter was a waste of energy and Michio better get used to solitude if he was to study at the School of Eagles.
The next part of the trip was more challenging. The animals climbed swiftly up nearly vertical rock cliffs, their clawed feet grabbing onto the rocks. Michio found he had to lean forward in the saddle so his chest nearly touched the creature’s back. He held on with his hands and pressed his knees against its sides.
At dusk they reached the top of a rocky cliff and Michio gazed into the valley at several purplish-gray stone buildings surrounded by a fence. Terraced into the side of the mountain were large vegetable gardens and fields of grain. The crops looked well-tended and nearly ready to harvest.
Mazarka led the way down to the monastery by following a scarcely perceptible rocky trail. They rode past two robed guardians posted by the gate and dismounted. Michio untied his backpack from the saddle, then a young man came over and took their tryworts to the stable.
Michio was glad to part company with the beast, though he appreciated not having to make the journey by foot. Mazarka led him into the monastery, down several hallways and stopped at the entrance to a small, dark room.
“This is where you will stay,” Mazarka said.
The closet-sized, windowless room was sparsely furnished with a sleeping mat, a jug of water, and a wooden bucket that smelled of urine. The only light in the room came from the hall.
“As you can see, there is nothing here to distract your attention from God. You may see Master Jadock after you’ve proven yourself worthy by passing the first test.”
“What’s the first test?”
“You have to find the key to getting out of this room.”
“I don’t understand. Do you mean the door will lock and I must find a way out?”
“Yes.”
“That could take a long time.”
“I see you are still in the physical state of consciousness. As I told you earlier, time has no meaning here.” Mazarka’s face was serene, untroubled by the world, yet there was also a slight look of superiority in his proud stance. His penetrating eyes flickered slightly and compassion entered them. “It can take a long time from a physical viewpoint; it depends on you. It can take a moment, a week, a year or a lifetime. It took me three years.”
“Three years! But I don’t have three years!”
“Time is an illusion. Water will always be available and, after the first ten days of fasting, you will be given food as well.” Mazarka touched his spiritual eye, bowed and turned to leave.
“Wait!” Michio exclaimed.
Mazarka didn’t pause as he left the room and closed the door behind him.
Michio stood in complete darkness, stunned. Everything happened so quickly. He held his hands out in front of him and walked in the direction of the door until he hit a solid surface, then he felt around for the door handle.
Once he found it, he tried to turn it. When the door knob wouldn’t budge an uneasy feeling spread through him. He was trapped.
“Dear God, what have I gotten myself into? Three years?”
Three years seemed like a lifetime and this was only the first test. Would he ever get back to Toemeka? Michio examined the edge of the door, then the walls, seeking an opening somewhere. Panic rose. He was trapped here, a prisoner without even a way to outwardly contact his wife.
“You think three years is too long, too high a price to learn the spiritual lessons you need?” said a familiar voice behind him.
Michio spun around. Master Bakka materialized in his Light Body. The Light that radiated from him lit up the small room.
“It’s just that I have responsibilities now. I’m married and have a child on the way.”
“It’s hard to say how long the training will take. I didn’t think it would take you years, but perhaps I was wrong. You are reacting strongly to the first test. Did you think the training would be easy?”
Michio swallowed. He should have known he’d be tested where he was weakest. “No, of course not. But what about my responsibilities?”
“You accepted many responsibilities, made many commitments, not only in this world but also the Inner Worlds before you got married. You need training to meet the commitments.”
The Master gave him a thoughtful look. “I see you’re not sure you want to train to be an Eagle-eyed Adept.”
Michio uncomfortably looked away from the Master’s gaze. Master Bakka always knew what he was thinking or feeling. Michio didn’t want to back out, but how could he stay here indefinitely? It would certainly be a test of Toemeka’s love and devotion if she had to wait years for him to return. “It doesn’t seem fair for Toemeka to go through pregnancy, and possibly childbirth and raising a child on her own, while I’m here.”
/> “Toemeka knows your training is important and she is safe at Kanai,” Bakka said carefully watching Michio. “There are twelve tests in all. Once you start, there is no turning back. If you choose to leave now, I’ll unlock the door.”
Michio glanced at the door, torn between the desire to return to Toemeka and the desire to serve the Master and fulfill his spiritual destiny. At last he said, “I have always trusted you with my spiritual training and I trust you now.” As he bowed his head an unaccountable fear for Toemeka washed over him. But he chose long ago to surrender his will to the Master, no matter how things appeared on the surface. “I don’t wish to spend years of my life here, though.”
“Toemeka will be your incentive to work hard and pass the tests quickly. Remember the tests may take only a moment. Find the key to each one as you go.” The Master faded away. The light went with him and the room immediately seemed dark and foreboding.
Michio resisted the urge to call Master Bakka back. Instead he sat on the floor with his legs crossed under him in contemplation, knowing he might as well get started. He knew his own fears made this test harder than it needed to be: fear of something happening to Toemeka while he was gone, fear of being gone for years, and fear that he wouldn’t pass the tests.
Setting aside his doubts, Michio began to sing HU, to align himself with Spirit. He moved out of his physical body and crossed into the Inner Worlds. Once there, he examined the lock to see how it opened. He discovered the door was not locked with a physical key, but by a powerful mind using psychic force.
Tuning into this mind, Michio felt Mazarka’s energy. Mazarka planted the suggestion that the door was locked and said it could take years to unlock. Michio smiled at his own foolishness in accepting Mazarka’s suggestion as truth. The test was really a fairly simple one: the key was realizing that, as a pure channel for God, no psychic force could control him.
He pondered what the purpose of the test could be. There must be an important lesson. He remembered one time many years ago when he remained in a cave for an extended period of time. It helped him develop inner awareness and gave him a strong motivation to perfect the ability to leave his body and travel freely in the Inner Worlds.