by Jason Tesar
I know what I have to do!
Quietly, so as not to disturb anyone, Kael began to lay out a few articles of clothing on his bed. He got dressed and wrapped the rest in one of the sheets from his bed. Easing open his door, he peered down the hallway until he was certain that all was clear. As he tiptoed out into the hallway, every sound seemed amplified in the silence. Even the sound of his own breath threatened to wake up the whole monastery. He continued moving cautiously until he found himself outside, heading through the outer wall and along the path that would eventually lead down to the harbor. He wasn’t sure how he was going to get off of the island, or what he would do once he did. But it didn’t matter; he just knew he had to go. The moon was nearly full, illuminating the fields and casting shadows beside trees. Within several minutes the monastery began to disappear into the darkness behind him and Kael was feeling better with each step.
Suddenly, a shadow flitted behind a tree at the corner of his vision and Kael stopped in his tracks. His heart was beating in his ears, making it difficult for him to listen for further signs of movement. He waited for a few seconds, but there were no other noises.
“Who’s there?” he called out, more sure with every passing second that it wasn’t just an animal.
“Where are you going?” came a voice out of the woods.
Kael immediately recognized Ukiru’s voice. Now he was scared. He looked around, but wasn’t sure where Ukiru was, and had forgotten exactly where the voice had come from. “I can’t stay here,” he shouted, the panic rising in his voice.
“And I can’t let you leave.” A figure, silhouetted by the moonlight, walked from the trees and onto the road, fifty feet away. Ukiru was silent, standing sideways as he watched Kael with the careful but relaxed look of someone in complete control.
Kael’s heart was beating powerfully in his throat. But he choked down his fear. “It’s all a lie. This whole…place. You. Your so-called god. Everything!”
“You choose to see it that way,” Ukiru responded calmly.
Kael didn’t know what else to say. He knew the truth, but Ukiru was deceived along with everyone else. Once Kael experienced the true presence of the All Powerful, felt the hatred and filth of being near him, his fragile faith began to unravel. He was lost now, unsure of anything but the powerful need to leave. Any trace of gratefulness at being rescued from the prison, cared for, and trained, was swept away by an overwhelming sense of betrayal. And then a thought occurred to him, a thought that would have seemed ridiculous until this very moment.
“You didn’t rescue us from that prison, you miserable liar! You put us there. You locked us up like animals to see who would survive!” Kael was yelling now, his volume in sharp contrast to the silence of the night.
Ukiru turned to face Kael. “Pack animals develop their own hierarchy, especially under threat of extinction. Humans are no different. I had to have a winning team, to see who was capable of survival.”
“You bastard!” Kael shouted between gritted teeth. “How could you do such a thing? We were just children.”
The figure before him, who now seemed more like a complete stranger than a friend, crouched slightly into an attack posture.
Kael had seen this many times before, but it was never directed at him. He dropped his bundle of clothes on the ground because he knew that it would only be a hindrance. “If I had a sword, I’d cut you down right here!”
In response, the ring of sharpened steel rang clear as Ukiru pulled his sword from its scabbard, a shaft of reflected moonlight moving down the length of the blade. “The All Powerful was displeased with what he saw in you. It was obvious to him that you were never one of us. I told you time after time that you must let go of your past, but you just wouldn’t listen.”
For a moment, the two stood still.
Then Ukiru burst into motion.
Kael spun on his heels and ran as fast as his feet could carry him. He lengthened his stride and breathed steadily as he had always been instructed to do. A quick look back told him that he was keeping just out of Ukiru’s reach, even if he was closer than expected. The monastery came back into view and Kael circled around to the right following the outside of the perimeter wall, not wanting to get trapped inside the grounds of the monastery.
He was gliding now across the meadow between the monastery and the ocean cliffs. The ground started to rise before him and he sprinted up the hill as his legs burned and his lungs gasped for air. Another panicked look behind showed that he had gained a few strides on Ukiru, but not nearly as much as he had hoped for. The older man was still as fit as a man half his age and ten times more deadly when the chase was over.
Cresting the hill, Kael picked up speed and started down a slight decline. He suddenly realized that he had been heading for his favorite spot and knew that now he was trapped between Ukiru and the cliffs. He slowed to a stop.
Ukiru stopped just past the peak of the hill, knowing that he had already won. “You’re trapped,” he stated, hardly out of breath.
Kael turned and stared into the eyes of his mentor, his mentor who had now become an enemy. Slowly, a calm presence came over him, slowing his heartbeat and breathing. It was a familiar sensation that made him feel safe, and consequently, he felt a confidence stir up inside him. “You can’t have me!” Kael yelled, turning toward the cliff.
* * * *
Ukiru lunged forward, but it was too late.
Without hesitation, Kael ran and jumped off the edge, spreading his hands to the air.
Ukiru only caught a brief glimpse of the swirling fog as it enveloped Kael’s body. When he reached the edge of the cliff, he stood for a moment, shocked at the outcome of the situation. Already, the words were forming in his mind of what he would say to the other students. Kael was a traitor and his true self was revealed to him at the temple. He threw himself over the edge because he couldn’t tolerate his own unworthiness. Ukiru tried to look down at the ocean, but it was obscured by the fog.
I’ll have to send some men down to recover the body, or what’s left of it. Re-sheathing his sword, Ukiru turned and headed back toward the monastery.
The Awakened: Book Two is available at Amazon.com for the Kindle. Or click here to get books One through Three in a single edition.
About the Author
Jason Tesar lives with his wife and two children in Colorado. He works in the microelectronics industry improving and developing processes, and writing technical documentation for integrated circuits manufacturing. In his personal time, he enjoys graphic design, playing guitar, reading books, watching movies, and doing anything outdoors with his family. The Awakened is his first fictional writing. To learn more about Jason, The Awakened, and future writing projects, check out his blog at http://www.jasontesar.com
Figure 1: The City of Orud
Figure 2: The Northern Territory
Figure 3: The Southern Territory
Figure 4: The Island of Tur'cen
Figure 5: The High Temple-Profile View
Figure 6: The High Temple-Plan View