by Saxon Andrew
All the warriors in the room stood and raised both arms over their head. The Kahn looked around the large assembly and saw that the vote was unanimous. He could not remember anyone ever getting everyone to agree. He turned and looked at Cynthia, “You have been granted favored status in the Clan. Please kneel and extend your left arm.” Cynthia looked at the young man and he nodded to her. She knelt on her right knee and extended her arm. The eldest Clan Mother came forward and put a bracelet around her wrist and snapped it closed. The Kahn then said, “Cynthia, you are now one of the Clan’s Favored. We welcome you to our company.” All the warriors in the room loudly chanted, “Wang-dao, Wang-dao, Wang-dao,” and then sat back down in silence. The Kahn then said, “Please join the Clan Mothers.”
Cynthia looked at the Kahn and asked, “May I first speak with the one that has chosen me?”
The Kahn nodded and thought, “This should be an interesting conversation”.
The young man was sitting on the floor when he saw Cynthia say something to the Kahn and turn and walk toward him. “Uh oh.”
Cynthia sat down next to him, “First, what is your name?”
“Anthony Gardner.”
“Do I call you Anthony, Tony, what?”
“Just call me AG.”
“Two letter name, that’s cute. Why did you say you saw this day happening nine years ago? Were you lying?”
AG stared at her for a moment, “Cynthia, to lie in this building would be a sin. These people know when they hear the truth. I would not disrespect this building by being dishonest. I saw this the moment I chose you.”
“How did you know today was the day?”
“In my vision you were wearing your cheerleading outfit and Robert had on navy blue slacks and a red and yellow striped shirt. I always checked your car in the mornings to see if your outfit was in it or if you wore it to school. I also looked at Robert to see what he had on. This was the first day both of you wore the clothes in my vision at the same time.”
“I suspect it is not in your nature to be dishonest about anything is it?” AG simply nodded. “Why have you not approached me and told me about your interest?”
“I’ve already answered that question.”
“Yes, but you’re saying that I would have rejected you.”
AG stared at Cynthia and finally said, “I have been watching you over the years and have seen all of the boyfriends that you have chosen. They all had common characteristics; good looks, wealthy families, popularity, and a total lack of substance and character.”
“Ouch. You’re right and none of them really touched my heart. Did you ever wonder why I selected that group of losers?” AG was surprised at her response but nodded. “If I didn’t have a boyfriend then I was constantly harassed by boys wanting to ask me out. It was a nuisance. By choosing those boys most of the others left me alone for the same reason you did. I honestly did think that Robert was better than the others except for his ego, but even he didn’t make me really happy. I find that you interest me greatly and now you’re going to go and get yourself killed because of me in a few minutes and there’s nothing I can do to prevent it. I still have so many questions about how you know so much; is there anything you can do to avoid this fight? Would apologizing, groveling, begging, or anything keep you from this duel?”
AG smiled at her, “What do you think would happen if I tried that?”
Cynthia looked down, looked over at the angry warrior, and shook her head, “He’d kill you anyway. That warrior is pure evil.” Cynthia leaned forward and hugged AG and kissed him. “Thank you for saving my life. I’m dying at the thought of you losing yours because of me.”
AG smiled, “You just made the whole night worth it, but there’s something I haven’t told you.”
“What is that?”
“I’m here to tonight to save two people.”
Cynthia furrowed her brow, “Two? Who’s the other?”
AG smiled, stood up, and said, “Tao, of course. He’s actually worth it.” He looked over at Tao and said, “If he doesn’t kill me first.” He walked out into the middle of the floor.”
Cynthia watched him walk away and was shocked. She didn’t know what to think. She stood and walked over to the Clan Mothers.
Chapter Four
The Kahn watched the young man stand and walk out into the middle of the floor. Tao was already there twisting and bending to loosen up for the challenge and he looked impatient for it to start. The Kahn actually liked the young man and wished there was some way to save him but he knew that it was out of his control. He was going to have to rein in Tao or have him voted out of the Clan; he was becoming too dangerous and unpredictable. However, that was for later; right now, it was the Gen-Cho. He walked out and stood between the two. Tao seemed to dwarf the smaller challenger. Tao was six feet seven inches tall and powerfully built. The Kahn knew he was as quick as a cat, even at his size. This was not a fair fight. The young man took off his jacket and the Kahn immediately noticed that he was also well muscled. He was about six feet tall and he was a match of Tao at a shorter height. The Kahn knew, however, that muscles were not the important thing in these challenges; fighting skills and training were necessary for success and Tao trained incessantly.
The Kahn faced the gathered members of the Clan and announced, “We have had a Gen-Cho challenge to Tao from this outsider. I ask again, Tao, that you release this challenge.”
“I will not.”
The Kahn saw that the Clan was not happy with Tao’s decision. “It makes it easier to vote him out later,” he thought. “Then as challenged you have the first choice of weapons unless you wish to offer that choice to your challenger.”
Tao sneered and said, “I choose the two swords.”
Now the warriors were angry. Tao was deliberately killing the young man for no just reason and wasn’t even pretending to make it a fair fight. No one could stand up to Tao when he had the two swords.
The Kahn was also angry, but he turned to the young man and said, “What is your choice of weapons?”
“I choose the gauntlets and rods.”
The whole room was stunned including Tao. Tao remembered his trainer who had actually been trained by Wang-dao himself saying, “You are invincible with the two swords. The only weapons that can beat you are the rods, but no one has ever mastered those tools.”
The Kahn knew that the young man had made a bad choice. The rods could stop a sword but Tao swung them too fast to match with the rods. The gauntlets would also stop sword blades, but their function was to protect the hands holding the two rods.”
Tao was starting to feel nervous. He had not seen how this bug had defeated the two warriors at the parking lot. He also knew they were not weak warriors but were well trained. He hadn’t even thought about the skills this man must possess to have done that. Was there more to this challenger than he thought? He had planned to cut him many times but now he decided to end it quick.
Cynthia was watching Tao when AG had selected his weapons and could tell that the choice had shocked the large warrior. Why was that selection having the impact on the gathered warriors? All of them were whispering among themselves about it. What did AG mean by saving Tao?
The Kahn looked at the two and said, “Is there no way to stop this challenge?”
Tao almost said he would, but his pride got in the way and he shook his head. He had noticed that the bug had put the gauntlets on with no one helping him and picked up the rods without looking at them. He did not appear to be frightened and that worried him more than the choice of weapons. He was not going to be careless.
AG watched Tao and saw that he was beginning to worry. He knew that before one can gain strength they must first be weakened. He had not seen this moment before and was uncertain if he would survive. He knew Tao was fast with the swords and AG wondered if the talent he had discovered when he was ten years old would be enough to save his life.
He remembered being cornered by two older boys in
his room at the orphanage while a third kept watch to make sure no one interfered. AG was frightened and it turned to outright fear when the oldest boy hit him in the face. Then something happened. Everything started moving slower. The punches thrown came in at half their normal speed and AG found he could avoid them. He stepped inside the next punch aimed at his nose and swung as hard as he could at his attacker’s stomach. He doubled over and fell to the floor unable to breathe. The other boy tried to swing but AG dodged it and hit him in the face with an elbow. Since that moment, whenever Ag was in a moment of stress, time seemed to slow. But he knew that Tao was going to be much faster than anyone he had ever faced. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to avoid being killed. He then heard the Kahn announce, “The Gen-Cho has begun.” He quit thinking, turned and faced Tao, and felt the world slow down.
Tao rushed forward and slashed at AG’s head, hoping to end it quick. The sword was stopped by a rod. Right behind the first slash Tao swung the second sword for a leg cut, followed by a thrust toward the heart; the rods ran loudly and he then swung an overhead slash for the shoulder, and finally a double slash by both swords at the legs. All of these took place in less than two seconds and every one of them was stopped by a rod. Tao stepped back to gather himself.
The gathered warriors watched and could not believe that the man was still alive. Tao’s attack was faster than most could see, but every swing was announced by a loud ringing of the rods as they stopped the blows.
The blows seemed lightning fast to the observers but AG saw them come at him in slow motion. Tao’s blows came in faster than anything AG had ever seen. He could only get the rods in front of them and move away. He was totally defensive and was barely avoiding being cut by Tao’s flashing swords. The match turned into Tao attacking and AG retreating and defending himself.
Tao attacked time and time again only to have every blow, every thrust, every swing stopped by the rods. The two moved around the floor in a dance of death that was rhythmic and fluid. Tao was a sword master and he was trying everything he could to break through the defense of this challenger. Nothing worked. He was starting to get tired and the challenger was not even working up a sweat. It dawned on Tao that the bug had not even tried to hit him. He started to feel the embrace of fear. He had become a master of making others fearful and now he was starting to experience what his victims felt. It was not a feeling he wanted.
After three minutes the Kahn said, “Stop! The first session is done. One minute and we will begin again.” The Kahn was amazed at the young man’s skill with the rods. He had no way to explain how this outsider was so proficient with the unique Wang-dao weapons. He caught a glimpse of something under the young man’s left arm when he raised it to parry one of Tao’s blows and noticed that it was blue and green in color. He thought, “This can’t be. He can’t be the one.” He sat and was troubled by his suspicions.
Cynthia went through many emotions as the challenge progressed. When Tao first attacked she knew AG was going to be killed. As the fight continued she felt wonder at the skills AG used to defend him and then she knew deep inside that she was never in danger this night. When he told her in the van that he would not allow anyone to harm her, she now knew that he was fully capable of keeping his promise. She felt something deep inside that she had never experienced toward another person; humility and wonder. Here was someone that was actually stronger in spirit than she was.
• • •
AG sat on the floor and felt his fear. He could not keep up with Tao’s speed. It was just a matter of time until a sword would break through his defenses and his life would be over. He took a deep breath and looked at the lantern overhead. As he stared at it, he saw the bugs flying around it slow to a stop. The Khan had stood and his mouth was open but nothing was moving. AG smiled and knew his talent had gone to another level because of his fear. He stood and looked at the Kahn as time returned to normal.
The Kahn stood and announced, “Begin the second session.”
Tao had recovered his strength and moved into the center and faced AG. AG said where only Tao could hear, “You have inside you the talents to become a great leader but you allow the demons to control you.” Tao heard him and he attacked with a vengeance. AG saw his blows coming in very slowly and he repelled them easily. Between each blow he reached forward and tapped Tao on the top of his forehead with a rod. Tao felt the taps and continued to attack. AG whispered, “You have been harmed as a child and your anger has caused you to lose your way. You must let the anger go and become what you are capable of being.” Tao surged forward with anger and hate but nothing worked and every time he swung a sword he felt the tap on his head. His head was now bright red and a small trickle of blood began flowing down his face. No one in the room saw the taps because they happened too fast but they could see that something had caused the blood flow. Tao was beyond anger, he was now frightened. He knew the man could have ended the fight anytime he chose by delivering a killing blow to his head with the rods. He could do nothing. None of his efforts worked and now the bug was attacking him and pushing him around the floor. He was totally defensive and could only block the rods. Then both swords were knocked from his hands and his forearms were broken by the rods hitting them. He was then struck on the head and darkness took him.
AG could see that Tao was too scared to think clearly. “Time to end this,” he thought, and knocked both swords out of Tao’s hands and broke his forearms. As he knocked Tao out with one of the rods he sat down next to the huge Wang-dao warrior and waited. He was thankful that his talent had grown during the fight or he might have been the one on the floor.
The room was silent. Every warrior in the building knew they had just witnessed something that none of them were capable of doing. They didn’t want to but they felt bad for what Tao had just endured. He was, after all, one of their own. The Kahn stood and walked over to the young man sitting beside Tao. “Did you kill him?”
AG looked up at the Kahn and said, “Not yet.”
“Why are you waiting?”
“I would rather heal him than kill him, Great Kahn.”
Tao moaned and AG lifted his head. Tao opened his eyes and AG said, “Do you agree that your life is now mine?” Tao nodded slowly. “I am going to give you your life back but only if you follow my instructions exactly. If you do not agree, then I will end it now. Do you understand?”
Tao was totally defeated. All his swagger and confidence was gone. He had been beaten soundly and he almost wished for death but he had to know how the man had conquered him. If he died now, he would never know. “I understand, what are you requiring me to do?”
“Until your arms mend and heal you will teach the children the Book of Wang-dao; you will also memorize the entire book. Once you can recite any passage from memory your life will be your own again. I give you one year to make this happen. Do you agree to my terms?”
“If I don’t, will you kill me?”
“Unfortunately, I must because of the danger you represent to those you should be protecting. This is the only way I’ll spare your life.”
Tao thought and said, “If I do as you order, will you tell me how you were able to defeat me.”
“I will in one year.”
“Then I will do as you ask.”
The Kahn motioned two of the guardian warriors forward and they helped lift Tao. “Take him to have his arms set. You can start your task tomorrow morning.” Tao looked down and nodded and then left the room with his head down. The Kahn went back and sat on his chair. He looked at AG and said, “Your skill is surprising. Where did you learn to fight?”
“I come by it naturally Great Kahn.”
“Come forward and raise your left arm.” AG did not move. “Did you not hear me?”
AG bowed and lowered his head, “Great Kahn I humbly ask that you not make me do what you’re ordering.”
Cynthia wondered what was happening.
“Tell me why.”
“I am not
yet ready for what would follow. I still have much to do before that time comes.”
Everyone in the room wondered what was being discussed here. “Is what I suspect there?”
“Please don’t make me answer. You know that if you knew for certain you would be forced to do things now. I tell you again, I am not ready.”
The Kahn looked down on the young man and now knew in his heart that his suspicions were verified; but not in reality. It was not proven. He knew the young man was sincere. “What is your name loyal servant?”
“Anthony Gardner, Great Kahn.”
The Kahn remained silent for a moment and then asked, “When will you be ready to do as I ask.”
“Four years.”
“Why so long?”
“I must develop the skills necessary to perform my function.”
The Kahn sat in his chair and felt immense curiosity but also knew he would have to wait. “It shall be as you request. You will please notify me if anything changes?”
“I will, Great Kahn.”
Cynthia was amazed at the deference being given to AG by the Kahn. She and everyone else wondered what they were talking about. Then she heard, “You may take your chosen and go.”
AG bowed and turned toward Cynthia and offered his hand to her. She smiled at the Clan Mothers, walked forward, took AG’s hand, and walked out of the building with him. Two warriors standing at the entry bowed and opened the two large swinging doors. Sitting in front of the entrance was Cynthia’s corvette, with the motor running. “Why no blindfolds,” she asked?
“You are now a Clan Favored and I am recognized as a loyal servant. They know we will not betray them.”
They got into the car and Cynthia said, “Where do you live?”
“I live in the orphanage off Munford Road.”
“I’ll take you home.”
“Won’t your parents be worried?”
“They are worried now, but taking the time to take you home will not make a difference.” She pulled away from the Clan Hall and said, “You could have saved me in the parking lot and avoided all this, couldn’t you?”