It was bitterly cold. A gust of wind blew sleet into Sanjaya's face as he sat huddled on the back of a merchant cart, adding another layer of moisture to his already damp clothes. Ice crystals clung to his short, brown beard.
With evening fast approaching, the ox cart slowly crested the final hill, its destination barely visible through the swirling sleet. A small mining town known as Lone Creek.
The time was soon. In fifteen days, by Sanjaya's observations, calculations, and extensive research, the dark planet would cover the sun and, according to the ancient texts, the veil between worlds would become thin. Perhaps this small town was secluded enough to avoid disaster. Perhaps its natural resources, defensible location and small, hardy population would allow it to prevail. These were Sanjaya's hopes, but he wasn't prepared for the cold and winter had barely begun.
Breathe in… hold… release… hold… breathe in…
A young man sat with crossed legs, his eyes half open facing the wrought iron fireplace in the tap room of the Riverside Inn. The fire before him reflected in his mind. With each inhalation, he would raise his kundalini energy from his base, snake it up through his chakras to his crown. Hold. With each release of breath, the energy would sink back to base. Inhale. He could smell the wood burning, a whiff of roasting pig, baked bread and freshly tapped ale. Exhale. He could hear the low chatter of the inn patrons, the steps of the serving wench and the crackle of the fire. The door behind him creaked open and a slight ripple of energy flushed over him as a distinctive presence entered the room.
Sanjaya felt a welcome wave of warmth as he stepped through the door, immediately, his gaze was drawn towards the source of heat: a wrought iron fireplace, a young man with a shaved head sitting before it. Who shaves their head in this weather? He quickly stepped inside and closed the door, breathing in the smoky atmosphere. A wheel of a ship fastened above the bar. Strange. The sea was a long way away.
"Table for one sir? We have ale brewed in house, vegetable stew, fresh bread and a pig on the spit"
"I'd like a room and a hot bath" replied a shivering Sanjaya, wiping the melted sleet from his face with a moist sleeve.
A few minutes later, Sanjaya sat on a soft, clean bed in a pleasantly warm room, the wrought iron chimney from the fireplace below ran up a wall and radiated heat from the fire. He opened his damp bag and laid out the sum total of his possessions:
His belt pouch with 9 copper commons and 31 silver Talens. He had managed to rent this room for a week with his last gold sovereign. A crossbow with 19 bolts, a long dagger, a short knife, a set of good clothes, a palm sized chunk of clear crystal, a pen, a bottle of ink, a notebook, a velvet covered ritual book and a large leather bound tome - his spell book. The spell book was his biggest secret. No living person knew that he had embarked upon the path of magic. He lovingly ran his hand over the cover and opened the first page. "Condensing Ether" was the title, written by his own hand. It seemed dry enough. He closed the book and stashed it under his blanket - enough to fool a casual glance - he would need to find a better place to keep this. Magic practitioners were often treated with fear, suspicion and even outright hostility in some places. Those with magical talent were sought out and recruited into various organisations where they could be monitored and harnessed. On the one hand, this provided a safe environment where one could learn and grow among peers and masters. On the other, once they had you in their grasp, they would not let go, and if you were deemed a threat….
A knock sounded on the solid wooden door to Sanjaya's room. "Sir, your bath is ready". Sanjaya opened the door to see the young man who was sitting by the fire. "Thank you." said Sanjaya. He looked over the man: Shaved head apart from a small, light brown ponytail. A wiry frame with brown eyes that held a soft, innocent expression. Lean, well defined muscles visible on his bare arms. He wore a dhoti tied in ksatria (warrior) style with bare feet and had clay markings visible on his forehead, throat and upper arms. Sanjaya had heard about the devotees of various orders but this was his first time meeting one like this.
"It is strange to see someone like you serving at an inn," Sanjaya probed gently.
"My guru sent me out for life experience." replied the young man, I haven't been here long. The innkeeper said that I can sleep by the fire if I clean the tap room in the morning. He offered me a meal if I help out, so I carried your bath water."
"May I have your name?" asked Sanjaya
"Prādyhutita Gardaba Das" replied the young man with a smile. Seeing Sanjaya's confused expression, the young man laughed. "Most people call me 'Prād'."
"I am Sanjaya, pleased to make your acquaintance."
Soaking in the bath, Sanjaya felt the cold and fatigue of the journey melt away, his thoughts drifting. Was coming here the right choice? Where to get money to supplement his very limited funds? Were his suspicions unfounded? No, the planets would align, of that there was no doubt, but what would the consequences really be? And finally, the question that his master left him: What is the nature of magic?
He lifted his hand and focused ether, watching the gray mist slowly condense. Ether condenses into air. He snapped his fingers and a small flame appeared between his thumb and forefinger. Air burns into water. He watched the flame for some time - maintaining this level of focus was a simple matter even without an energy array, but reaching this point had taken many years. Still, he had only mastered a few spells in the first circle of magic.
Sanjaya woke up early as usual. 14 days left. He lit his bedside lamp and began to condense ether and prepare his spells. As the first rays of sunlight entered the room, he closed his spell book and began to set up an energy array. Placing his crystal as the focal point, Sanjaya proceeded to draw wards over the window and door. He then drew a strand of ether from wards to the crystal and from the crystal to himself. Anyone entering the room would alert him, provided he wasn't too far away, but since he didn't intend to leave town, this wouldn't be an issue.
Breathe in. The smell of baking bread. A hint of pine smoke and camphor. Hold. The sound of running water, the water wheel turning. Release… the wooden floor beneath his crossed legs. Hold. The subtle feeling of his heartbeat. Footsteps on wooden stairs…. Prād opened his eyes to observe the man descending the steps. Calf length black leather boots fastened over spotless white pants. A matching silk button down shirt tucked into a black leather belt with a pouch at each hip. A black cape with yellow spiral patterns embroidered on the edges. A wide brimmed black leather hat covering dark brown hair. Deep blue eyes, a sharp nose and a short beard. A distinctly different appearance to the weary traveler he had met the night before. Prād placed his hands together and dipped his head in acknowledgement. Inhale… his mind as still as a lake.
Sanjaya sat at a nearby table and called over: "Prād, would you like to join me for breakfast?" Prād smiled and stood up. The Lord was merciful. He would eat today.
"Thank you prabhu, may I prepare breakfast? There are some things that I don't eat."
"Of course," replied Sanjaya. He recognised the word 'prabhu' as a term of respect, roughly translated as 'master'.
"Good morning sir!" A buxom middle aged woman in a simple brown dress stepped out of the kitchen and greeted him. Sanjaya recognised her as the waitress from the night before. "I hope you slept well and that the room is to your liking. We don't get many guests in these parts, especially not with winter. Prād said that he is making your breakfast. He's such a good young man even though he dresses a bit strangely. I am sure that we can find him a nice girl if he wants to settle down. Oh, I'm Tercia. My husband owns the inn but he's probably still sleeping. He doesn't like to get up too early these days, says the cold makes his joints ache. He used to be a merchant and captain of his own ship you know." The woman paused to take a breath. "He told me that you are staying here for a week and that you paid in gold. We don't see much gold around here and your clothes look so fashionable I would think you to be a lord. I don't mean to pry but may I ask what brings you here? If you don't want to answer, just pretend I never asked."
Sanjaya smiled as he calculated his response. Undoubtedly whatever he said would be the gossip of the day. "Thank you. The room is very much to my liking. The way that the chimney heats everything is quite ingenious."
"Oh that was forged by Shaun, '' interjected Tercia. "My husband saw it in his travels and got him to make it when he built the inn. He also forged the water wheel. Such a clever man. I don't know why he married that Druver girl. He could have done so much better. Some people even say he's got a bit of elven blood in him but he never speaks much about his family and…" Tercia caught herself. "Oh dear, sorry, you were saying?"
"If I told you my reasons for coming here, you probably wouldn't believe me," said Sanjaya with a half smile. "Before I tell you, I'll need to make sure that it is safe to do so. Let me discuss with the town authorities first. Do you know who I should speak to about military matters?"
A few minutes later, the kitchen door swung open to reveal a smiling young man holding a large tray laden with fresh, hot bread, butter, preserves, cheese, cut fruit and a jug of hot milk with honey.
"Well, I had better get back to baking," said Tercia as Prād placed the tray on the table and began to serve. "Been lovely chatting to you." Sanjaya smiled, it was amazing how much mundane information a person could accumulate and the woman certainly loved to talk.
"Tell me a bit about yourself," said Sanjaya as he placed a thick slice of cheese on a slice of bread smothered in butter and honey.
Prād closed his eyes in thought as he savored a piece of sweet melon. "I have been in the monastery for as long as I can remember. I was taken in as a baby and know nothing about my parents. My guru says that I am not ready to hear some things yet. I am not very good with letters and numbers but I have trained hard every day in martial arts. My guru says that some people study the path but do not know it and some people know the path but do not study it. I don't really understand this, but he says that I can feel the path. When my third eye opened, I was sent out for life experience. I wasn't told where to go, but I was told that I should come back when I have mastered my ki". Prād poured himself a cup of warm, honeyed milk. "So I came here since it is only two days walk."
Sanjaya had so many questions that he did not know where to start. After a big mouth full of bread, butter, cheese and honey, he asked: "Do your scriptures mention Rahu?"
Prād thought for a moment. "Yes!" he said, "Rahu is a demon who drank the nectar of immortality but had his head cut off. Now he fights with the sun and the moon." He smiled proudly. "I heard about that in class."
Sanjaya chuckled. "That sounds about right. Well, Rahu will be 'fighting with the sun' in two weeks and we need to prepare for the consequences. That is why I am here. Tercia told me that I should speak to captain Jack Slate about military matters. Since you already know about it, would you like to join me?" Asked Sanjaya, thinking that a bit of backup might add weight to his words.
A few minutes later, Sanjaya and Prād set out up single the paved stone road towards the iron mine. Lone Creek was situated in a gorge that they had named "Iron Valley". Sunlight lit the western cliff and glinted off the frost-covered farm land. On their left, a small river flowed past the Riverside inn, gently turning its water wheel.
Breathe in… 3 steps. The crisp air entering his nostrils. Smells of wood smoke and people cooking. Hold… 3 steps. The chill air on his arms. The sound of ducks softly communicating in the river. Release… 3 steps. The air condensing into mist as it leaves his mouth. A rooster crows in the distance. Hold 1 step…. Heartbeat… breathe in…
Passing through the market area, Sanjaya noticed the wagon that he had arrived in. It was still too early though, nobody was around. Soon they came to a stone warehouse. There was a training ground with a few wood and straw dummies and a small barracks in front of it.
"27… 28… 29… 30." A man in full chain mail and breast plate yelled while doing push-ups. 12 men, also in chain mail, followed suit. "Up! Attention! 3 laps around the yard. Go! Go! Go!" He yelled and started to run at three quarter pace. Prād was tempted to join in, disciplined training was fun.
3 laps later…
"Attention! Inspection in one hour. Go!" The man took off his helmet and wiped away the sweat, revealing short, brown hair graying at the sides and a muscular, clean shaven face. He approached the low wooden fence behind which Sanjaya and Prād stood. "Can I help you?" He asked in a loud, gruff voice.
"Captain Jack Slate I presume," replied Sanjaya extending his hand by way of greeting. "A pleasure to meet you. I have some information and concerns that may be of military importance and was directed to speak with you."
"Humph," grunted Jack Slate as he glanced over Sanjaya's tailored appearance and Prād's distinct but simple clothes, as if sizing them up. "This way." He lead the pair to his office in the warehouse, sat down behind his desk and quickly gulped down two cups of water poured from a clay pitcher. "Speak," he said turning over an hourglass.
"In fourteen days it will be full moon," said Sanjaya. "At that time, the dark planet Rahu will cover the sun and there will be a day of darkness. The sun will neither rise nor set. The last time this happened was 315 years ago. Exactly the time when the great portal opened…."
Everyone knew about the great portal. Demons had flooded into this realm and rampaged throughout the land. Cities were left in ruins and empires were destroyed. The portal was eventually closed through enormous sacrifice and the work of great heroes. The tainted land stood testimony to where it was and although it was slowly healing, the corruption was still clearly visible.
"Are you sure?" Jack Slate asked with a scowl.
"Rahu's presence in the sky can be detected by the lack of certain stars," Sanjaya opened his notebook to reveal a few pages of drawings and calculations. "I am sure. Here is the mathematical proof. It is also mentioned in a number of scriptures," he said, glancing at Prād.
Jack Slate looked over the pages. They certainly seemed impressive but his mathematical knowledge stopped at basic arithmetic. He was in no way qualified to verify the claims. Probably nobody in town was. Could this be a hoax? What did the man in front of him stand to gain? Fourteen days was not a long time. "Have you told anyone else about this?" He asked.
"Not in this town," replied Sanjaya. "Tercia at the Riverside inn is curious but I thought it was better to speak to you before it becomes common knowledge."
"Good. Let me think about this. Is there anything else?"
"One more thing," said Sanjaya. "I have paid for a week at the inn and have enough money to sustain myself for that time span but then I need a source of income. Prād on the other hand," Sanjaya gestured to the young man next to him, "has no money and sleeps by the fire. Is there any way that we can be of service to you?"
"Maybe," said Jack Slate after a moment of thought. "What skills do you have besides being good with numbers?"
Not wanting to reveal too much, Sanjaya answered carefully. "I am knowledgeable in a number of fields, but scholarly pursuits aside, I have spent a lot of time traveling and am a good shot with a crossbow." He looked at Prād.
"I have been trained in martial arts from birth. I can also splint bones, stitch wounds and make healing poultices." Sanjaya raised his eyebrows. "My guru says that a warrior who can't treat his wounds won't be a warrior for long," explained Prād.
Jack Slate looked at the hourglass on his desk. "I've got a few minutes to spare. Show me." He said, handing Sanjaya a crossbow and heading to the training ground.
Sanjaya took the crossbow bolt in his hand and channeled either into it until it glowed gold in his mind. Then he drew a line of ether from the bolt to the target, took careful aim and fired. Twang… thunk. The bolt hit the target in the inner circle. He took another bolt and repeated the process. Twang… thunk. The bolt hit the target dead center.
"Impressive," commented Jack Slate. "And you?" He asked, looking at Prād.
Prād slowly inhaled, filling his lungs to capacity. He then proceeded to execute a complex series of jumps, kicks and palm strikes. With each strike he would release a hiss of breath, culminating in a massive strike. "...ssssSAH!" The air in front of his palm seemed to quiver. One would not want to be hit by that. "Interesting," said Jack Slate. "I'm not sure how practical it is, but definitely interesting. All right, I have a small task for you: over the last few days, there have been two separate reports of smoke coming from the Catspider forest," he gestured toward a tangle of trees spreading up the gorge from the other side of the river. "Early yesterday morning, a fire was spotted close to the river bank over there. It burned out quickly but this is a concern. It is winter and the ground is cold and damp. Fire would not start naturally. We asked around and no-one in town has any knowledge. Nobody goes into the forest these days. Spiders the size of cats have been seen in there, hence the name. In the early days, we lost more than one hunter in there. This said, nothing has ever come out of the forest, so we leave it be. Don't go in deep, just go to where the fire was and see if you can find something. I'll give you 5 stamps each to check it out."
Sanjaya glanced at Prād, who nodded his head. "We'll go," he said, "but what are 'stamps'?" Jack blinked a couple of times. "Ah, you're new. An iron stamp lets you get an iron bar worth one silver Talen from the warehouse. We use them as currency in town since there's not a lot of gold or silver here. When the merchants come, they trade their stamps for iron to sell in the lowlands. Good luck." With that, Jack turned and headed into the barracks. "INSPECTION!"
"I need to get changed and grab my crossbow," said Sanjaya. 5 stamps was not much but the task appeared easy. Besides, this would help to develop a relationship. An hour later, the pair set out for the Catspider forest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A huge, reptilian eye blinked open. How long had he been asleep? A decade? More? His massive tail shifted slightly causing an avalanche of coins and jewels. The eye closed again. Another week or two wouldn't hurt….