Lenora heads in the direction of the snapped twig. She marked every third tree she passed with a knife as to not get lost. She found Bill within two hours, but he was alerted to her approach and ran off, starting the search once again.
Bill hid under some brush. She is using tracking skills but her stealth needs work, he thought. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He jumped, seeing Lenora behind him.
“Found you, Master Bill,” said Lenora in a sing-song tone.
The Native American grunted. “Well done on passing the first test. The next test is through the door. I wish you luck.”
Lenora headed to a door that materialized in front of her and went through.
She found herself in a dojo with mat, and saw a man of Asian ancestry standing in the middle wearing a white gi. “Greetings, prospect. My name is Lei and this test is a skills test, but first I will show you my form known as the Mantis.”
"Of course, Master,” said Lenora.
The master explained the form as a counter and low attacks, making it hard to defend against. “There are two forms of Mantis: the Northern Mantis Style and the Southern Style. I will be teaching you both,” the master explained as he goes into a stance, right leg in an arch still on the ground; left leg behind slightly bent to provide support. The arms are bent downward one in front of the other for quick strikes.
Lenora mirrors him.
The man stands across from Lenora after she has proven capable with the style. “You must land a clean hit on me to pass.”
Lenora bowed and gets into Muay Tai style with the man going into mantis style. Lei charged first going for a downward jab, but it is stopped by Lenora’s knee. Lenora goes for a roundhouse, but Lei grabbed and threw her across the room.
Lenora manages to land on her feet and she ran forward, sending a knee thrust to Lei, who managed to dodge it. He then blocked an elbow headed to his face. Going low, he tripped her with a sweep kick.
Lenora got to her feet and blocked a kick. Gripping the leg, she threw him, trying to make him fall down. Using the momentum of the throw, he flipped midair and lands on his hands and flips back to his feet
Lenora let out a growl in frustration, His defense and recovery are superb, she thought.
Lei rushed and sent out a short jab which is caught by Lenora. Seeing an opening, she went for a knee thrust which is blocked by Lei’s left leg.
Lenora smirked and sent a strong punch with her free hand hitting him in the chest. Lei breaks off. “Well done. You pass the second test,” he said with a bow.
“Thank you, Master Lei.” Lenora bowed in return.
“Now head to your final trial,” said Lei, and he disappeared.
Xxx
Lenora head through a door and come out in a deserted western town. Looking around, she saw a handsome man, a cowboy with a hat and two pistols in holsters. On his brown vest was a sheriff’s badge. “Greetings, pretty lady. You must be here for your trials,” said the man in a thick western accent.
“Yes, I am,” Lenora says with a slight blush.
“My name is Sheriff Billy Bob, and I’m the weapons specialist of the Order of White Rose,” he introduces himself.
“Lenora,” she said trying to regain her focus and lose the blush.
You choose the weapon. Your goal is to disarm me with your weapon of choice, but you must not lose your own. First, we need to get you with a variety of weapons,” said Bob.
Lenora looked around and saw walls covered with different hand weapons. “Pick three weapons you want to learn and I will teach you,” said Bob.
Lenora picked two daggers, scimitar, and a short, straight sword.
“Let us begin.” A construct of one of the weapons appeared in his hand.
The training lasted for a week until she was ready for the test. “You have done well. Now it is time for your test. You know the objective, correct?”
"Yes, Master.” She nodded and takes out her bo staff with another one appearing in Billy’s hands. The two stood across from each other. Lenora ran forward and swings her staff, forcing Billy to block it with his own.
Billy broke away with a strong twirl of his staff and brings it over his head to strike. Lenora blocks the blow but the force of the hit brings her to her knees. “I am disappointed, little lady. Maybe you are not fit to be a master,” he taunts her.
"Don’t count me out yet,” she growled as she pushed back. “I have not yet begun to fight.”
Billy grinned as Lenora flipped her bo staff sideways and pushes down on Billy’s weapon.
Bringing the other end of the bo staff up, she tries to hit him with repeated blows of her staff, forcing him to dance from side to side to avoid the attacks.
While spinning away from her, he didn’t see the staff heading to his hands, slamming into them and forcing him to drop the weapon. Billy let out a yell.
“Yaahoo! Very good little lady. You pass the final test. Head to the passage behind me, and go to the top of your tower.”
Lenora nodded headed to the passage. She climbed to the top of the stairs where a black shroud hid the other towers from view.
She is shocked at what she sees, which then turns to anger. “You!” she growled.
A giant man appeared out of the shroud chuckling. “Congratulations weakling. Now I will end you like I ended your master,” Vladimir taunts as he sets his feet apart, arms spread and ready to wrestle.
“I am not the same little girl you swatted away last time, you piece of filth,” Lenora growled as she got into a Muay Tai stance.
Vladimir went for a punch, but Lenora dodged it and sent a knee thrust into his chest making him stumble back. Vladimir recovered and slammed a fist into Lenora making her cough up blood. Lenora recovers. “Still brutal, but I will beat you!” she declared, grabbing Vladimir’s head and slamming it with a jumping knee causing his nose to bleed.
“Your master couldn’t beat me, what hope do you have?"
Lenora pulled out her staff as small blade appeared at the end of her weapon. She swung it, blade manages cut him in the chin. Vladimir pulls out a big hammer from a holder on his back. It had black head. He tries to hit Lenora, but misses as she rolls under it.
She backed away as Vladimir tried to hit her, missing every time.
Moving to the side, Lenora kicked Vladimir on his right side making him stumble back. “You call me weak yet I have been dominating this fight,” she shouted, rushing forward.
Vladimir grabbed her head and slammed her on the ground. “You’re overconfident, girl,” he snarled.
Lenora sprung up and starts land blow after blow on the goliath of a man. Backing him up to the edge of the tower and sent a powerful kick to Vladimir, toppling him over the edge. Lenora breathed in and started to relax, until she saw a hand on the edge.
Lenora growled, “What does it take to put you down?” She slammed her foot on the man’s hand. His yell echoed as he fell. Master Thompson has been avenged. She stands in the middle of the tower as the shroud on the top disappears.
Xxx
In the Shadows temple, the Lord of Shadows waved one of his hands, using the dark arts to form a storm of lightning and rain around his tower. “When the masters and the armies come, I will be ready.” He laughs darkly. Next to him was his sword. On the wall was Hathaway’s great sword and the sword of Master Eirik that was taken from Alexander’s home.
A soldier in a black cloak and hood, obscuring his face except the red eyes, entered and bowed. “My Lord, I bring bad news.”
“Hmm, let me guess. We lost a general?” asked the Lord of Shadows with no worry or care. “Which one?”
“Vladimir has been killed by a master.”
“I see no significant loss; I have other pawns. Any news from the trials?” the Lord of Shadows inquired.
“Alexander of Norway and Lenora of the United States passed their trials.”
“Perfect; keep me posted on the situation,” said the Lord of Shadows.
Yes, my Lord.” The f
igure slunk back into the shadows.
Xxx
Mason was heading to his first trial. He followed the passage until he got to a wooden door. Upon opening it, several candles lit the room. “Welcome, Master of the Order of White Rose,” said a Spanish-accented voice. A man appeared, dressed in a black suit with red shoulder pads; on his arm was a red cape “I am Alfonso, champion matador of Spain.”
“My name is Mason. It is an honor to meet you.”
“This test is about endurance,” the matador explained. “We will fight hand to hand but we must take the attack head-on, no blocking or dodging. You have to last an hour minimum.”
Mason gent into a jiu-jitsu stance with the master getting in a boxer stance. Alfonso goes for a jab hitting Mason. Mason retaliates with a strong punch, making Alfonso grunt as it hits his chest.
Alfonso sent a haymaker at Mason landing it on his chest making the teen gasp. Mason sends a kick to Alfonso’s head making him stumble from the force of the kick. “Not bad,” Alfonso said, returning a kick to Mason’s left side. Mason held his ribs. “The enemy won’t give you a chance to recover.”
Mason, fighting the pain rushes forward and slugs Alfonso in the face, bloodying his nose. The battle continued until Alfonso notices the time, and halted the test. “Well done. You lasted for an hour. You pass test one.”
Mason’s injuries start to visibly heal. “What is this?” asked the young master.
“This tower makes it look like you suffered damage; it will disappear. It is the room playing games on the mind,” said Alfonso.
“Thank you, Master,” said Mason as he bows to his senior. A door appears on the stone wall.
“I will warn you, you must not hesitate; look forward, not back. Move without fear.” With that bit of advice Alfonso disappears.
Mason nodded his head and walked to the door.
Xxx
Walking through the door he sees a labyrinth and a man wearing the uniform of the French military “My name is Henri, I am Brigadier General of the French Military. This test challenges your intelligence with riddles. You must make it to the other side of the maze and answer riddles to access the passageway to the next room.”
Mason nodded his head and walked to the maze. “First, you will need to read the books on the shelf. Once you have done that, we will start the test,” said Henri.
Mason gets to the shelf and picked a book. After reading all of them for about an hour, he returns to Henri to begin his test. “I am ready,” said Mason confidently as Henri nods his head. A door opens revealing the entrance to the maze.
Mason enters. At the first wall where a statue of a sphinx appears. “First riddle. For most, it is short and limited but long and unlimited: what is it?”
Mason thinks for a moment. “Time, it is short and limited for all living things but long and unlimited in general,” Mason answers.
The statue’s eyes glow and the wall moved to the side, revealing a passage. Heading into the passage, he continues down the corridor, making turns and getting to his first dead end. He retraces his steps and heads to the next riddle. A statue of a phoenix appears from the ground. “I am flimsy and I contain knowledge but it is limited. I am a teacher of intellect: what I am?”
Mason thinks for a bit. “The only thing that comes to mind is a book since the pages itself are flimsy.” Another the passageway opens.
Heading around the corner, he sees a wall with a scroll and writing on it. Reading it, he see another riddle. “Give me food and I will live; give me water and I will die. What am I?” says Mason as he reads the riddle.
“Fire,” His answer is correct and the scroll crumbled to dust. The wall lowered, showing a passage and another wall with two statues of humans holding spears and covered in armor of stone.
“This is your last riddle,” said one of the statues in a deep voice.
“It can run but not walk. Wherever I go it follows: what am I?” asked the other statue in a deep voice.
Mason smiles. “That is an easy one. What is a nose? It runs when it has a cold and it goes everywhere I go.” The statue’s eyes glowed as they stepped aside, revealing a corridor with a door at the end.
Getting to the other side of the door, he saw the room he just left before entering the maze. Henri appeared in a spectral image. “Well done on passing the test of intellect. Head to your next trial.”
Mason bows and climbed up the stairs to his next trial.
He entered a room as it morphed into a river with a log over it, suspended by metal wires. “What?” he asked shocked at the scenery.
A man with a black beard and overalls appeared from the other side of the river. “So you passed the first two tests!” exclaimed the man in a French accent.
“I am Mason of Brazil, and a master of the Order. May I have your name, Master?”
“You will have to pass my test to earn my name. We battle with staffs on the log over the river. You must knock me off to pass; this is a test of balance,” said the giant of a man.
Mason eyed the log and grabbed a staff, walking onto the log. The former master walks onto it with his staff. “Get a feel for the log and make sure you don’t have trouble balancing."
Mason walked forward, trying to keep his balance on the log. He swung the staff at the man who blocked it and went low, trying to trip Mason. The two continued the battle, with Mason trying to keep his balance as he swung his staff. Mason was hit in the chest by the man, making him hunch over. “Is that it?” He towers over Mason, who looks at him with defiance.
“I have not yet begun to fight.” Mason kicked the man’s leg from under him, giving Mason some room to prepare. Getting his staff in position, he blocked the strikes the man launched at him and managed to parry, then slammed his staff into the man’s head, knocking him into the river.
The room itself reverted back to its original state as the man grunts, “Well done on passing the last trial. Andrew Bear is my name, young master. Take those stairs to the top to complete the trials.”
Mason bowed and the man disappeared into thin air.
Heading to the stairs, he sprinted up. At the top, a kunai whizzed by his head. “So they did come before us.” Mason takes out his spiked gloves from his side and puts them on. Kyral appeared in black smoke.
Kyral gave a bloodthirsty smile. “So now the student is the master. I am going to enjoy this.”
Mason gots into his stance as Kyral threw two kunai at him. Mason punched them away with his gloved hands. “Your tactics won’t work on me.” He rushed forward and threw a punch at Kyral who managed to block it with his kunai.
“It seems you are as strong as your master,” said Kyral.
Mason sent a kick his way, but was blocked as Kyral slashes upwards with his kunai, forcing Mason to tilt his head back, avoiding the slash.
Grabbing Kyral, Mason knees him in the chest making the assassin stumble. Kyral growls and slashes Mason’s cheek with his kunai, drawing blood. “It seems I will have to try,” Kyral taunted, grabbing eight throwing stars and launching them at Mason’s body, forcing him to duck and spin to avoid the sharp metal objects. Getting in closer, Mason went for a punch which Kyral manages to avoid. Mason followed it up with a kick, hitting Kyral and tripping him.
“I see you’re not so strong after all,” said Mason. “I wonder; how could you have killed my master? From what I have seen he should have defeated you with little effort.”
Kyral got back up “You’re right. Your master would have beaten me, if it weren’t for my pawns. They held him off long enough for me to finish him.”
Mason ran forward slamming Kyral into a pillar with his shoulder. Then he repeatedly punched Kyral into the pillar with his spiked gloves making it crumble from the repeated blows. “Master, I have avenged you,” said Mason as he breathed in. The black shroud drops, revealing and blue sky. Turning his head, he gasped at what he saw.
Chapter 19 Guan and Yuan Trials
Guan was heading to his first trial. Gett
ing to a dark room, he tried to look around as his eyes adjust. “Greetings, Master, and welcome to your first trial,” said a feminine voice.
“Why is the room dark?” asked Guan.
“This test is using your other senses. You find me in this room,” said the voice.
Guan looks around, sees nothing, and tries to find a wall as he stretches out his arm and continues to walk slowly. “Feeling for the wall; no one tried that before,” said the voice mockingly.
Guan sighs to himself.
“You know, you have to find me somehow.” Guan turns his head to the right. “Clever using my voice to locate me.”
Guan searched in the direction of the voice. He vividly remembered a lesson Sifu Shin taught him and the other Shaolin monks.
“Listen well, my young monks. Your eyes are blind all the time and should not be relied upon. I will teach you to locate my chi by utilizing your own like sonar and will pinpoint the nearest living thing,” His master voice echoed clearly in his mind
Guan closed his eyes and expelled his chi. The chi found an obstacle and Guan smiled. He rushed to the living thing and grabs it.
“Nicely done, young monk, on finding me.” The light came on and Guan clutched a dark haired woman in a red kimono. “The next room will have your second test.”
Guan bowed releasing the woman. He head up to the door and enters the next room.
He saw a classroom, and a man with a scar on his chest is in front of a chalkboard. “You passed the first test. I am Boar and your proctor.”
“Guan, master of the order,” said the monk.
“This test is to challenge your critical thinking. I will describe several scenarios and you will tell me how to handle each situation. First situation: you are currently facing five enemies in a narrow alleyway. At the end of the alley is an opening. The area is deserted of pedestrians. What do you do?”
Guan runs through numerous options in his head. “I will flee down the alley, letting them chase me. Speed and endurance are different for every person. By fleeing, I can take them out individually when each one reaches me.”
The Lord of Shadows Rises Page 14