“Could we really be entering a new age?” he asked out loud. Glaide abruptly stopped eating, and looked at the man, his eyes wide. He swallowed quickly and, before shoving anything else in, he asked, “What do you mean master? What do you mean by a new age?”
“I mean a new era, one of peace and prosperity, and marked by the return of the different races of Galadria. I’m talking about a new chapter in the history of this world.” Glaide thought about that for a moment before replying.
“It seems very difficult to imagine that,” he replied at long last. “Of course, if everything goes well, many things will change, even if I can’t picture being at the center of all of this upheaval. Can one man really change things?”
Kezthrem gave no reply, but a small smile flitted across his lips.
“My dream has come true,” thought the adolescent, “but I understand now that it would have been impossible for me to picture the true importance of just what ‘another world’ really meant. When the guardian appeared, I was sure of what I would do and what would happen, but in reality, I didn’t have a clue. This adventure could have taken on any form, and now that I think of it, the turn it’s taken hasn’t been a bad one. There have been many people on hand to guide my friends and I, and we have a goal, even if we didn’t choose it. What would we have done if no one had known we’d come?” He sighed and tried not to think about that. A unique and glorious destiny like the one he expected here was much more interesting than an obscure destiny in an unknown world. He may not have the choice of his own future, but he decided now that that actually simplified things a great deal. Afterwards, once Baras was vanquished and peace had returned, he would be able to choose the life he wanted. Perhaps he would build a home for himself, because he had no place to call home—besides the dojo, which he would leave soon—and that was something he missed from before. And why not continue to perfect his training? And there were many other things he could do, as well. He again become lost in his thoughts, this time focusing on the more distant future for a change.
Now Kezthrem ate heartily, while his disciple merely nibbled at the food. Finally, he shook his head and seemed to return to the present. “Master, what do you call the creatures with the green skin that we saw in the camp? They were too big to be goblins, but not big enough to be orks.”
“Those monsters fall in the same family as goblins. They’ve sort of evolved from them. They come from the north. Their living conditions are radically different from those of their cousins that we encounter more often. To survive, they eventually grew taller, though not necessarily stronger, which gives them their strange appearance.”
“I see. And do they have a favorite weapon?” asked the young man.
“Generally, they are very good archers. They don’t seem to be capable of carrying swords like the orks, and they don’t have the agility of standard goblins. They were probably the main attackers in the ambush that we escaped with Koeris.”
Glaide thought back to the Forest of the Worlds and the death of the guardian. In hindsight, it had almost certainly been archers from among the goblins of the north that had launched that attack, too, and not orks like he had originally thought.
“Will we come across some on the road, do you think?”
“It’s not terribly likely.” Kezthrem thought for a moment, then added, “Well, we might come across some accompanying other monsters. Archers alone are ineffective, especially in the tall grass of the plains that make up so much of the Known Lands. However, they become deadly in the forests, especially when they work together with warriors carrying swords or lances.”
“It’s difficult to defend against arrows,” murmured Glaide. “But what you’re saying is that if I’m careful about the paths I take, they shouldn’t be a real problem. So, are there lots of monsters that I don’t know about yet?”
“There are dozens of different creatures in our world. Without even discussing those that inhabit the Desolate Plains, you can find all sorts of beasts, not all of which are hostile. However, you can consider your knowledge complete enough. The monsters you’ve confronted in the past are the most common. However, if you encounter a creature you’ve never seen before, start by making sure they’re enemies. On the other hand, watch out for adversaries you meet alone. If they are alone, it’s often because they don’t need to be in a group to be effective.”
“Right,” replied Glaide. “I’ll be careful.” They stayed for a while longer talking about this and that until the darkness of night fell. Kezthrem gathered their things in the dark, then he and his student took the path back toward the temple. Once they’d arrived, they immediately sought out Ralon, and managed to find him at the edge of the forest of the elves. He was just leaving the prayer room. In a few words, they summarized the situation, though the monk showed no particular alarm at their news. As Kezthrem had said earlier, the monk declared that the dwarves and elves would lend a hand, and once more Glaide felt frustrated that he would no longer be there when they arrived.
However, it was with a sense of accomplishment that he went to bed that night. All of the new things he’d learned since arriving at the temple bounced around in his mind: thoughts about the katana, this world, his master... He felt peaceful, however, because he now had a clear idea of what he needed to do in the next few months, and he could see the new chapter that his adventure—and his life—were about to take drawing ever closer.
In the end, it was decided they would leave the temple the day after next at dawn. Kezthrem wanted to make absolutely sure he and his disciple were able to pass out of the area without being spotted, so he decided to wait one more day to watch for enemy movements. Ralon had already sent out two messengers; one to ask for the aid of the dwarves, and another that of the elves. The young man was surprised to find how easy it was to contact the two peoples, but the monk explained that he was actually calling on a few small groups who had refused to go into hiding like the rest of their kind. Though they no longer wandered about in the Known Lands like humans, they still lived near enough to the rest of the world to remain up-to-date on current affairs, and would willingly offer their help in a battle against the disciples of Baras. They had replied to the temple’s call for aid on multiple occasions, and Ralon had no doubt but that he would be able to count on them once again.
Glaide and Kezthrem took full advantage of the time to give the soldiers some extra guidance. In general, none of them had received any particularly specific training, and had instead learned most of their techniques through trial and error in combat, rather than study. The young man quickly discovered that that had its advantages; the soldiers knew how to use many different weapons. On the other hand, however, he noticed the men weren’t always very precise in their movements, and they sometimes lost power because of the positions they used. More than once, he had to say that some of the attacks they used weren’t particularly efficient. And so it was with joy that he taught some of the little tricks his master had taught him. In exchange, they gave him tips on how to deal with this or that specific situation, or especially when it was necessary to protect someone. The adolescent took great pleasure in sharing knowledge with the others.
He watched his master spar with the soldiers to show them their weaknesses so that they could correct them, and he was surprised to note that Kezthrem, too, got on quite well with a diverse collection of weapons, including the knife, the staff, and the short sword, none of which had anything in common with the enormous blades that were characteristic of Iretane.
The boy also took some time to look through some of the books in the library, which reminded him of the time he’d spent in the Great Library of Shinozuka with Jeremy, Gwenn, and Emily just a few months before. There were far fewer volumes here than in the capital, because though the room was immense, it also housed a great number of other things that had nothing to do with books. There were a number of ancient artifacts, eorens the size of a fist—which had been made into that size so they would work well in weapo
ns—and a number of other strange treasures with mysterious properties.
Even amongst all of the odds and ends, however, it was possible to find many dusty volumes that were hundreds of years old, if you looked hard enough. Some recounted legends and the adventures of forgotten warriors, while others compiled knowledge on innumerable other subjects. Sometimes, Glaide felt as though he’d already seen a work, and he realized that it was possible the library of Shinozuka had copies of those books. He was sure of one thing, though: the books here were the originals, and they weren’t recently written. The adolescent found himself particularly fascinated by the writings of Dzen and Novak.
He discovered what Galadria had been like five hundred years ago, and the differences that he saw compared to the current time were vast. Though people often told him that life had been different in that era, he had never realized how different. In his notes, the protector mentioned many villages that no longer existed. He also recounted many encounters with dwarves, elves, and barbarians, and gave various tips for traveling in the rain without getting drenched.
The boy thought how much he would have enjoyed meeting the ancestor of his master. The two would certainly have had many things to discuss with each other! At the same time, though, he realized how hard his task would be now, because though circumstances had been worrying five hundred years ago, they now seemed hopeless. In the end, Glaide wondered if everything they’d done back then had only been a prologue to what came today. Whatever the case, none of the information changed his mission.
The day before their departure arrived without the orks, goblins, noruks and other creatures showing themselves. That was a good thing, however, since the messengers had had time to return, and had declared that the elves and dwarves were naturally quite willing to lend a hand, though it would take them a few days to arrive.
The young man felt pulled in different directions. As was the case every time he left a place he’d become attached to—not to mention his newfound friends—he found himself in a gloomy mood. He couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever see these people again, and it filled him with a deep melancholy. However, he was also thinking about the future, and he knew he would have to leave the temple to make any advancement in his plans. The prospect of everything that awaited him built a great sense of excitement in him, so that he was eager to go, though he already missed Koeris, the soldiers, and Ralon. Seeing his mixed emotions, his master counseled him not to think about it too much. “Meeting people often leads to leaving people,” he declared, “but you should never fear that. Much to the contrary: one must always accept that, and turn toward whatever is to come next, without forgetting what each encounter has meant to you. That gives rise to the memories that make us who we are.”
Glaide thought on those words a great deal, and in the end, they helped dispel the gloom. For their last meal with their guests, Ralon had decided to throw a great feast, and they entertained Glaide with all kinds of dishes. He recognized some, though others were completely new to him, and more than once he was so thrilled that he wondered if the cooks would give him their recipes!
Later, they set up benches in the courtyard, with the main gate and its walls to one side, and the great stone staircase leading into the main tower on the other side. There, they lit a great bonfire. All of the monks and the soldiers were invited, and some began to play instruments, while others simply sat and talked. Kezthrem took the opportunity to share his talent on the shakuhachi—the kind of flute that he made himself, and that he now carved with the knife his student had given him for Christmas, and that he sold and traded for food and clothing.
Glaide found it all very pleasant, and he decided that this would be one of the memories he would return to whenever he thought of the time that he’d spent here at the temple. He would see this fire and music, and he would see the horizon to the east, as he had seen it from the tower built by the elves. Like so many other places, the home of Ralon and Koeris now had a special place in his heart, and everything that it represented had become a part of him. It was here that he’d learned so much about the history of Galadria, and Dzen’s katana and how important it was, and more than anything else, it was here that he had fixed his plan for the future into his mind, setting goals that could lead him to accomplish what he was destined to do.
Even after eight months in this world, and even though he was beginning to understand everything around him, he was still constantly surprised by what he saw. More importantly, the joy and happiness that had spurred him on since his arrival was still there.
He thought back to what Baras had said to him near Fyth: “No world can be your home.” A smile appeared on his face then, because he was sure of one thing: Galadria was the home he had always searched for. The time he’d spent wandering through life on Earth, perhaps his most important experience of wandering aimlessly—one that could perhaps never have ended—had ended in the moment when the guardian had opened the door to a new life for him. His new life.
Chapter 19
KEZTHREM walked calmly down the stairs, his student at his heels. It was still dark outside, and the walls and the great gate in front of them looked like nothing more than an inky blot among the shadows. The master and his disciple stopped silently for a moment in the middle of the little courtyard in front of the temple entrance. No light was burning there. The night before, Kezthrem had discussed his concerns about Baras with Ralon, and how, if the god truly wanted to send his troops to capture Glaide, it would be better for them to escape quietly. In one accord, they had decided the two should leave early the next morning.
Ralon and Koeris were waiting for them, both leaning against the gate. A few guards had been dispatched to the spot as well. To an outsider, they would appear to be simple scouts, but actually, they intended to accompany the two guests for a few miles, in case they were spotted and attacked. Naturally, Kezthrem had opposed that idea, arguing that putting the lives of those men in danger was senseless, and in the end, after much negotiating, Ralon had at least decreed that only those who volunteered would be sent with the master and his disciple. “And there were so many volunteers, we had to handpick them in the end,” remembered the adolescent with a smile.
And so it was that they were to leave the temple as inconspicuously as possible in the company of ten additional men. As the disciple and his master joined the group, the latter whispered, “There is no reason for our enemies to expect us to leave this morning, but you never know. So, let’s go over the plan one more time. I’ll step out first, accompanied by five men, as if we were nothing more than a patrol. Once we’ve reached the trees,” he continued, pointing to the stand where he and his student had been ambushed just days before, “it will be the turn of the remaining five soldiers and my disciple. Walk calmly, as if you were on an ordinary patrol. Our adversaries know that we saw them, so they shouldn’t be surprised to see more patrols being sent out than usual.” The soldiers nodded, then checked their equipment.
Glaide admired how they’d been able to enjoy a feast, like that of the evening before, then, just hours later, get up early and focus on their objective. The men who surrounded him—and who were willing to give up their own lives in order to protect his—represented his ticket out of this place. He tried to forget that fact, though, because the responsibility he felt for them weighed heavily on him. The soldiers split themselves into two distinct groups while the adolescent and his master approached the two monks.
“I want to thank you for everything one last time, Ralon,” began Kezthrem.
“No need, my friend. In fact, it is I that should be thanking you. After all, you’ve shown us the future, of that I’m sure.” With that, he smiled toward the young man, who stood ill at ease. Then, he turned back to Kezthrem, and the two said their farewells to each other. “You are always welcome here. When all is said and done, when the new age has begun, don’t hesitate to return to visit us, if you still live.”
Then, Glaide spoke to Koeris.
; “Thank you for giving us a place to stay, and for the lovely meals, and for everything you’ve taught me. You’ve left me with many intriguing things to think about, and I hope one day to be able to speak with you again.”
“Who knows? Perhaps we will come across each other on the road, entirely by chance. In the meantime, be careful, and don’t worry too much about questions that you cannot answer. There is too much going on for you to torture yourself with those things. Save your questions for later, and who knows... Once Baras is gone, you might find yourself very bored!” With that, he laughed. Glaide remembered something suddenly, and opened his sack. He pulled out his jeans, his sneakers, his watch, and his damaged sweater and showed them to the monk. When he had met his master, he’d promised to get rid of those bulky and useless pieces of clothing. “Koeris, could you keep these clothes here, in the temple, like you kept Dzen’s katana? They’re no longer useful to me, but I can’t bring myself to throw them away, either. Whether I like it or not, they represent a part of me.”
The man nodded, then carefully took what the young man held out. “They are a sign that the Destroyer did not come from this world, and perhaps, years from now, you will have some need of them,” he said softly.
“That way,” thought the boy, “instead of being destroyed, they will remain for a long time as a symbol of who I am. Along with that legendary weapon, these represent a legacy bequeathed to me during dark times.” Silence fell on the group. Their farewells were finished, and it was time for action. For a moment, Glaide wondered if he would ever see the place again, and he reminded himself that that would be up to him in the end. Like Koeris had said, the battle against Baras would not last forever, and it was even possible that the young man would reach his objectives in as little as a few months from then. And after that? Why couldn’t he return?
Chronicles of Galadria III - Lessons Page 14