by Heidi Skarie
“Do you think she’s dead?” Her eyes were wide with shock.
“I don’t know.”
He started to move away and she grabbed his arm. “Don’t go out there. You’ll be shot, too.”
“I’ll be careful.” He ran from behind the boulder, expecting to be shot at any moment. When no shots rang out, he suspected the sniper had taken off. Reaching the edge of the cliff, he looked over. Toemeka lay motionless on a ledge about six feet below. Blood seeped from a wound on her left shoulder. His heart hammered in his chest. Let her be alive.
He lowered himself over the ledge and dropped to the ground. Squatting next to her, he felt for a pulse. Her heart beat steadily and relief flooded through him. He zipped open her jacket and pulled aside the shoulder of her knit top so he could see the wound. The bullet had torn the flesh on the top of her shoulder. Most likely she was also injured from the fall.
Toemeka groaned and opened her eyes. “What happened?”
“You were shot by a sniper and fell off the ridge.”
“A sniper! Is Koriann safe?”
“She’s behind a boulder. The sniper’s probably gone by now.”
“He might not be. Help me up.” She started to sit up, then cried out and put her hand to the back of her head. “Ow, I must have hit my head when I landed.”
“Stay still. You had a bad fall. You could have a concussion or go into shock.”
He pulled off his jacket and shirt, then put the jacket under her head and pressed the shirt to her wound to stop the bleeding. “Do you feel like anything is broken?”
“I don’t think so, but I haven’t tried moving.” Overhead the roar of an aircraft engine drowned out the last of her words.
“Help’s here,” Erling said. “We’ll get you off this ledge in no time.”
“Leave me and protect the Queen. She’s our primary responsibility.”
“You’re the one who was shot and needs attention.” Erling glanced up the sheer rock wall. “Besides I don’t think I can make it up without a rope. We’ll have to wait for the rescue team. I left my blaster with Koriann.”
“Good, she can take care of herself.”
Erling agreed. Koriann had been part of the Kameet Resistance before becoming Queen and was trained in how to use weapons since she was a child.
The world spun in a murky fog as Michio regained consciousness. Gradually the spinning stopped and he opened his eyes to find the other students gathered around him with concerned expressions.
Mazarka knelt beside him. “How is your head?” he asked.
Michio put his hand to his temple. His vision was blurred and his head throbbed. “I feel like I was kicked in the head.”
“That’s because you were. You need to see a healer.” He held out a hand.
Michio grasped it and rose unsteadily to his feet. The wind began to pick up and Danjuro slipped a robe over his shoulders. Michio thanked him, grateful for its warmth.
Master Jadock came over. “What happened?’
“I lost my focus,” Michio said.
“And I kicked him in the head,” Mazarka said.
“Michio, you must keep your attention on the fight at all times. This is not a game.” There was no criticism in Master Jadock’s voice; it was simply related as a statement of fact.
His words slid off Michio like rain off a smooth leaf. He was too worried about Toemeka to be concerned about himself. Why had she called out to him in terror? He slid out of his physical body again and searched for Toemeka. While in dual consciousness, he was aware of Master Jadock addressing Mazarka.
“You must be in tune with your opponent at all times. You should have known the instant Michio lost focus. Michio is a student here and you almost killed him.” The Master looked at the brothers gathered around. “Let this be a lesson to all of you. Michio and Mazarka, come with me.” Michio stumbled unsteadily after Mazarka and Master Jadock.
When they were away from the others, Master Jadock said, “Mazarka, why weren’t you aware that Michio’s attention had shifted?”
“Michio seemed invincible in the way he passed so fast through all the tests.” He lowered his head. “I wanted to beat him and win the fight.”
“You were engrossed on winning, instead of seeing this as a match between two brothers, both working toward Mastership.”
Mazarka stared at the ground, not answering.
“Go contemplate on what you have learned.” Mazarka left and Master Jadock looked expectantly at Michio, as if awaiting an explanation.
Michio blinked, trying to clear his vision. Two images of the white-robed Master danced before his eyes. His head still pounded and he wondered if that was why he still wasn’t reaching Toemeka in the Inner Worlds. “My wife is in trouble. I must leave the monastery at once.”
“You may leave the monastery as soon as you complete your training; that was the agreement. You are a danger to yourself and others until you are fully trained.”
“I will return once I’m sure Toemeka is safe.”
Master Jadock gazed at Michio, his round eyes intense. “Do you love Master Bakka?”
“With all my heart.”
“What are you willing to sacrifice for him?” he persisted.
Michio tensed, knowing the sacrifice being asked of him.
Master Jadock gestured with his hands as he continued, “If Master Bakka asks you to do something, would you do it with unquestioning obedience? Do you trust him completely?”
“I have always done what Master Bakka asked. I turned my spiritual education over to him and agreed to serve God’s will instead of my own.”
“Good. Then there is nothing more to discuss. You will finish your training as Master Bakka requested.”
“Surely he doesn’t expect me to stay. Circumstances have changed.”
Jadock tilted his head. “Do you serve Master Bakka only when it is convenient? Do you trust only when there is no risk?”
“I will gladly risk my own life, but not my wife and future child’s lives.”
“Toemeka is a warrior and can fend for herself. You’re not ready to go back. Your lack of self-discipline almost caused your death in a friendly match. How will you survive a fight with a sorcerer?”
“It wasn’t a friendly match. Mazarka wanted me to fail. The training here is leading to competition among the brothers. I want no part of it. We should be working toward self-mastership, not fighting to see who is best.”
“True, a warrior for God is a person who works for divine love, truth and freedom. Sit down, before you collapse.”
Michio gratefully sank to the grass with his legs crossed beneath him. He lowered his head into his hands to stop the spinning.
Master Jadock sat across from him. “Heal yourself. You healed others for the seventh test, now you can use your skill to heal yourself.”
Michio closed his eyes, took several deep breaths to relax, and let his mind go blank. He surrendered his will to Master Bakka, knowing the healing would come from Spirit, not from himself. Healing energy began to flow through the top of his head and continued throughout his whole body. He felt lifted into a higher state of awareness as his vibrations began to adjust to the eternal essence of all life. In the next instant, he stood under a waterfall of Light in the Inner Worlds. Energy continued to flow through him. Nearby Master Bakka sent waves of unconditional love.
The inner experience faded and Michio became aware of his physical body once more, feeling clearheaded and free from pain.
“Good,” Jadock said. “Let’s continue our discussion. It isn’t the monastery training that leads to competition. This desire came from within Mazarka. He still has to learn he is only competing with himself. The goal is personal excellence. We are all learning to be the best we can and do the best we can in every task we undertake. As for you, you have an emotional attachment to your wife. In a match, you need to rise above your emotions. Mazarka was able to catch you off-guard because you didn’t stay centered, focused and det
ached. If Mazarka were an enemy, you’d be dead. Do you think you’ll never be in a fight where you won’t be emotionally concerned for another?”
“I know I have more to learn, but I can’t live in a monastery when I’m needed in the world beyond these walls,” Michio protested. “There’s an interplanetary war going on. If I spend my life working toward my own enlightenment, instead of serving in the world, I will have failed my true mission.”
Jadock’s face was lit with a serene look, as if he was untroubled by any of worldly problems. “Agreed, you must go back into the world and serve, but only after you are ready. There is always a war going on somewhere in the physical world. It is a warring universe. The physical world is a training ground for Soul. Have you thought about why students are required to stay until their training is completed?”
Michio’s chest tightened. “Because a half-trained man is dangerous to himself and others.”
“What about a man who is near mastership, who has enough psychic skills to kill another, even at a distance? What about someone who has great power, but doesn’t fully understand that power? Couldn’t a black magician like Samrat Condor find and exploit such a man’s weakness? Condor would realize the man couldn’t fight with detachment and use that against him. Condor could corrupt such a man or kill him in the attempt.”
“I won’t be corrupted.” Michio didn’t like the direction this conversation was taking. “And I’m not afraid to die.”
“Of course, you’re not. Dying isn’t a concern for a man who travels so easily and regularly into the Inner Worlds. You know you’re not your body and death is an illusion. It’s living and fulfilling your spiritual destiny that you need to focus on. You have to stay alive to serve God in this world. It’s your destiny to bring Light into this warring universe. You trained for many lifetimes to reach this point of evolvement and are near mastership. You are the best you have ever been.”
“I won’t have a life to return to if Toemeka dies.”
Master Jadock shook his head. “You talk like a new Initiate with no spiritual foundation. Life and happiness aren’t based on people or things in this world of change and illusion. Your life was meaningful before you met Toemeka and it will still be meaningful if she dies. The bond of love between you is not limited to this world and you will be drawn together in future lives.”
“I won’t put my training before Toemeka’s life.” Michio knew he was being stubborn and sensed Jadock was displeased with him.
“Toemeka insisted you keep your promise to Master Bakka and come here to train. She knew it could take a long time and knew if she chose to put herself in danger while you were gone, she would have to face those dangers without your help.”
“She is young and impulsive. She doesn’t always make good choices.”
Master Jadock threw up his hands. “You’re acting as if you’re also young and impulsive. Your training should have taught you better. Must I remind you, Master Bakka, who is the spiritual leader of the Masters of the Eagle, wanted you to train here? If you leave now, it will be worse than if you’d never come.” Jadock sighed. “I see you are too distracted to listen to reason.” He looked toward the empty mat on his left, and said, as if speaking to someone, “What should I do with him? He’s young and ruled by his heart.”
Master Bakka manifested in his Light Body beside Master Jadock. Michio swallowed and lowered his eyes from Bakka’s all-knowing gaze. Finally, he raised his eyes back up. “I will stay, Master Bakka, if it is your will.”
Master Bakka looked at him with kindly blue eyes. “It must be what you want. You must want enlightenment more than you want to breathe.”
“I do want it. That’s not the issue.”
“You are causing yourself needless worry,” Master Bakka said. “Make a Spirit Flight and see for yourself that Toemeka is out of danger and getting the help she needs.”
Michio focused on his spiritual eye and moved out of his physical body. Putting his attention to Toemeka, he instantly transported to blue ridge. From an aerial viewpoint, he saw Toemeka on a stretcher being loaded onto a helicopter. Fresh red blood stained the left shoulder of her jacket and she was pale. Royal guards surrounded Koriann and Erling.
Whatever danger they had been in was apparently over, but he was still worried about Toemeka. What had happened to her? How badly was she wounded? And what was she doing on Planet Borko, instead of being safely in the domed city of Kanai? He sent her a wave of love, trusting Erling and Koriann would take care of her, then returned to his body.
Michio opened his eyes to find Master Bakka was gone. “I’m sorry for arguing with you, Master Jadock. I’m not yet that which I have set out to become.”
“I can’t find fault with you when your motivation is purely out of love. You are ready to take the eleventh test. This time you will spar with me. Come, let’s return to the matches.”
“With you, but—.” He adjusted his comment. “I didn’t know anyone ever fought you.” Michio didn’t see how he could win a match against a Master, but realized he’d already passed the much harder emotional test of staying to finish the training. Soon they reached the sparring area where matches were being fought on two different mats. The spectators turned to Master Jadock and Michio as they approached. The two men stepped onto an empty mat. Danjuro took Michio’s robe as Jadock handed his to Mazarka. Jadock was over eight feet tall and as muscular as Mazarka.
Master Jadock held out a large gold coin with an eagle on it. “Whoever picks up the coin wins the match. We’ll chant the sacred word Huk nine times then begin.” Michio chanted Huk with the Master while focusing inwardly. The sound current roared in his inner ears and he felt as if he’d stepped through a doorway into greater awareness, love, service and responsibility. He let go of his desire to win, surrendering to the teacher.
A gong rang and Michio opened his eyes to see their audience had grown. Word had spread quickly that Master Jadock was Michio’s new sparring partner. Michio touched the center of his forehead and bowed to his teacher. Master Jadock returned the greeting, then tossed the coin. It sailed through the air, looking like a gold star as it glistened in the sunlight. It fell onto the mat between them. Michio sprang forward thrusting the heel of his right hand toward Jadock’s shoulder. His hand hit against an invisible shield surrounding Jadock. Michio stumbled backwards almost falling, but managed to regain his balance and stay upright.
Jadock swung his leg up and slammed it into Michio’s side. Michio fell to the ground from the force of the blow. Jadock reached for the coin. Michio rolled onto his elbow, lifted his legs off the ground and smashed them into Jadock’s shield, knocking him away from the coin.
Michio flipped back onto his feet. As they continued to fight, Michio became more centered until he was a completely clear vehicle for Spirit. He let go of all his remaining emotions so he was fully present in the moment.
Michio moved with fluid grace, fighting from his core. No longer thinking about winning the match, he focused on what he was learning from it. The match was like a dance that required deadly skill. Jadock fought with such proficiency that Michio could be seriously injured if he allowed his attention to slip as it had in his match with Mazarka. He surrounded himself with an impenetrable shield of Light.
Master Jadock spun around and slashed his forearm into Michio’s shield. Michio stepped backward, unharmed. Jadock smiled. “Good. I wondered when you would mock up a shield. You are moving through all limitations.”
The inner sound began to roar in Michio’s ears, then he found himself watching the match from above, like a bird, while simultaneously continuing to fight with single-minded concentration. Jadock appeared beside him in the worlds of Light.
“You figured it out. You don’t have to remove your attention from the physical world to tune into the Inner Worlds. The art of dual location would have served you well in the fight with Mazarka.”
“How can I win against a Master?”
“You are no different fr
om me. I’m just more aware of who I am as Soul. We are all a part of the Universal Essence of Life, growing and unfolding to ever-greater spiritual heights. If you try to pick up the coin you will never get past my guard. Is there another way?”
Michio looked down at himself fighting Jadock. In his physical body Michio delivered another kick. Jadock grabbed his foot and twisted it, sending Michio to the ground. The pain brought Michio fully into the physical consciousness. He rose, letting energy flow through him to restore himself. Jadock lunged toward the coin. Michio sprang forward, feeling the joy of a perfectly executed Namay movement called the dragon.
As his body flew through the air, time seemed to slow down. He saw surprise on the faces of the Initiates and the Master’s smile as the gold coin levitated off the mat and appeared in his hand. He hit against Jadock’s shield, sprang around and landed on his feet. Holding out the coin, he bowed to Master Jadock.
“Here is the coin.”
“Well done. You may keep it. The eagle represents the enlightened Soul.”
Michio looked at the eagle on the coin, reflecting on the Master’s words. He was aware of the excited voices of the Initiates surrounding them. He felt oddly detached that he’d won the match. He was aware that he still had much to learn.
“You have passed the eleventh test,” Master Jadock said. “Now you must go alone into the mountains and face the twelfth test.”
Dinner at the Marsindi palace was a large formal affair attended by Zanton’s guests from Haklute. Koriann decided not to cancel it despite the sniper shooting on the mountain earlier in the day. Toemeka was recovering in the palace infirmary after having surgery on her shoulder. While Erling was tending to increased security and meeting with her guards.
After eating, the guests gathered in the drawing room. Koriann was talking to one of Zanton’s guests when she sensed Erling enter the room. She tensed when he headed toward her. She wasn’t up for the usual friction between Zanton and Erling. Her nerves were frayed enough from a sniper nearly killing Toemeka.