Shade
Part 1: Lost!
It's nighttime: just a couple hours before dawn. The sky was dark but not quiet, the passing planes roaring in the shadowy sky, garbage tumbling down the invisible roads, and engines rumbling on the dim-lighted avenue. Half-awake and asleep, he lay in his apartment room. "Jamie", he heard, "Jamie" he heard again. Every few minutes he would listen to where the whispers came from. First in his dreams, then right next to his bed side, he wasn't scared or frightened, for he knew who it was. He arose from his bed and headed for a quick wash up, jiggled his keys and headed out.
There, he drove away into the illuminating city, passing through building after building. Then there, into the wilderness he drove, warning every living or dead being that he was coming. His destination had been reached, opening his door; he looked up at the molding temple. The windows had been fractured; the stone steps overgrown with weeds. Walking slowly towards the masque, the calling presence grew closer and stronger. The door had already been opened as if he was welcomed. There inside, was an even darker and foggier road ahead; the road which he had already took long before. Boom! The door snapped as he entered.
"What do you ask for me now?"
"The forces are back, they have returned and will soon come and seek you and me. You are not safe Jamie Neale, the evil is coming."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry, Jamie, I'm sorry. If they were still here, we would be able to stop this threat. You are not safe. You must return and undo this, for you are the only left to her survival. The world you know today will no longer be the same anymore."
"Master, what are talking about? Who are they and who is coming? Tell me."
"By the time I finish, they will already be here."
The mood of my lost teacher was different, he was no longer the cheerful and happy teacher, I once knew. He had seen something, no one had seen. His body trembled with fear and sadness, his eyes looking down and never upon me. He wasn't the teacher that taught me years ago, for he had change into something I never knew or thought. He was different.
"They are here. Go now and undo what I had done, my son. You are Earth's only hope of survival. Go now!" My Master explained. Boom!
"Soichiro, your time is up!"
"Who are you?" Jamie asked the intruder entering the temple.
"Good Bye, my son." My Master whispered.
Before, I could say anything, my mind and body had disappeared along with the wind. I began swirling in a black abyss, not knowing where I was going or when I was going to stop. The darkness had surrounded me and then, everything was loss! My screams became mute and my twirling, petrified. I had forgotten where I was or what had happened, everything was loss.
"Are you sure he's not dead?" A young boy said dressed in an orange kimono.
"No Tori, he's still breathing." Another more mature boy told dressed in an orange kimono with a blue inside.
"I think he just fainted." The last boy suggested dressed in a more formal kimono.
"Taka, go and get our Master."
"Where am I?"
"You're in Tokyo, Japan, the Atsuta Jingu."
"Where is the boy?"
"Right here, Master." Taka answered as the old master examined the lying stranger.
"Bring him in the temple."
The dark abyss had sore every part of my body, although when I had landed no pain had entered me. The chattering and talking was loud but I couldn't emphasize it. My eyes lids were too weak to open as well as the movement of my body. The scent of the room was familiar along with one of the voices around me. Master Monk, it was. I recognized the scent of his morning and afternoon tea along with the laughter and happiness in the temple, but what had happened the other morning? Was it a dream?
"Hey! He's awake!"
"Stand back, Kishi. Hello, my boy, I am Master Soichiro."
"Master…. Soichiro."
"Stand up, my boy. Come let's take a little walk."
"Taka, let's help get him up."
My back ached as the young boys lifted me up. The pain occurred at every movement of my body. The other boy, Kishi, handed me a wooden walking stick, while the other two followed along with Master Monk as he headed outside the masque. The building was definitely Master Monk's. The wooden old tables and creaky old floor, with a little fireplace for cooking along with a tiny bucket half full of water for washing dishes. Outside of the minister were big overgrown trees with nicely placed stone step; a gently fixed road along with a tender mowed lawn. The breeze of the wind was gentle and smelled of the morning summer; the chirping of hungry insects and the morning song of the bush warbler. To me it felt as if I had entered a different world from the one I had lived in. Everything felt at ease, my mind lost in the calm sea and the stings of my body absorbed.
"Hey, you awake?" Kishi asked waving at me.
"Yes."
"Good. You know that I was the one that found you lying on the ground. I bet you, if I didn't have found you, a bunch of Ezo wolfs would've come down and ate you. Believe it!"
"What are you talking about, Ezo wolfs have been extinct for long ago?"
"What? What world have you been living in? There are thousands of Ezo wolfs today."
"Hey Kishi, hurry it up!" Tori shouted from in front.
"Okay, okay." Kishi answered. "Don't mind Tori, he gets a little tense sometimes."
"So you're Kishi and he's Tori and that's Soichiro. Who's the other guy?"
"Stop, our Master does not allow us to address so weakly. We must address him as Ma\ster Soichiro. Anyways, we call the other boy Taka."
"Pretty short names you guys got there."
"Well, actually those are just our nicknames. You see our real names are too long so we shorten them. My real name is Kishimoto Masashi, Tori's is Toriyama Akira, and Taka's is Takahashi Kazuki. Imagine our Master saying our names together, Masashi, Akira, Kazuki! Quite long isn't it. Now shorten to this, Kishi, Tori, Taka, much better isn't it? Believe it!"
"I guess."
"By the way what is you name and how did you know our Master?"
"I need to talk to your master." Jamie told as he paced up to the others. "The name's Jamie Neale and it's great to meet you!"
"You're sick, Tori!"
"Come on, it's just a joke."
"Master Soichiro." Jamie interrupted. "May we talk alone?"
"My boy, if you are here to ask me to train you the answer is no. I already have three to take care of."
"No, I'm not here to ask for you to train me, because you have already had. I need you to tell me what happened yesterday morning and why is I here today with you and these three."
Silence struck the forest, the laughter of the boys muted and the morning song of the forest paused. No wind had blown in any direction for a second the world was frozen in time, leaving phase for my former Master and me.
"Taka, Tori! Go and continue your training and make sure Kishi comes along."
"Yes, Master."
As the three left for their training, the gap that was between me and my master, felt to have enlarged. The wind had blown both our directions as if a great amount of energy was growing. The look on my master was a look I had seen before; it was no longer happy nor sad, but serious. He gaped at my eyes as if he was reading my mind and what I was seeing. The same look before every battle we had against our enemies in the past. A look of anger but yet serious.
"Who are boy?"
"Before you ask any questions I shall ask you first."
"I will not answer, to a boy like you, you are still young and yet you speak to your elders like this. You should be ashamed."
"What is shame; is what happened yesterday, the tears in your eyes and the frown on your face, the aura of pain and sadness."
"I have no sense of what you are talking, never in my live have I seen you."
"Don't act like you don't know, answer now Soichiro." I ordered.
The fire began to brew in my master's eyes, his fists crunched for a punch, and perfectly still for an attack. With noticed, he charged before me, right elbow first and left hand behind, he charged. With the lessons I had been taught, I easily deflected the charged.
"You deflected my attack! Impossible for you to had read my movements. What are you?"
"I told you already, I was your student. You taught me for five years. Do you not remember?"
"Tell me boy, who are you?"
"My name is Jamie Neale, My father died at war and my mother of my birth. At age four, I was adopted by an American couple. They died in a car crash, when I was ten. After that, lived on the streets and kept myself from hunger by the remains of stray cats. Then one day, I was caught stealing bread from a local bakery. The store manager chased me down the street. I ran into this forest and lost him. Ironically it began to rain; I ran for cover and ended finding a temple. When I entered, you were in there, sitting by the fire, warming up. You invited me to warm up and sleep over. The next morning, my entire life had change, you offered to let me stay and train. After five years, you began to change. You weren't the happy fellow I knew those five years ago. You told me to leave and start a different life. After that, three years later you called me. Knowing that it was you I returned your call and went back to the temple. There, you told me you were sorry and that I wasn't safe. Later then, an intruder came in and next thing I know is that I'm here, talking to you. Now do you remember?"
He thought hard, thinking if what I said was true. He didn't say, but the look and aura around told me so. The frustration and truth swirled around him, not knowing what to say or to believe it. Everything around him soon became thin and hollow. The chirping of hungry insects and the morning song of the bush warbler had gone mute. Right then! A passion of energy past through, a sign of remembrance!
"Jamie Neale, I do not if what you are saying is true, but there is someone I want to meet."
"So you don't think that guy came to ask Master Soichiro for training?" Taka asked.
"What are you talking? Of course he came to train. Who wouldn't?" Tori told.
"Jamie Neale is his name, you guys know that." Kishi interrupted.
"Jamie Neale, doesn't sound much like Japanese." Tori replied.
"Maybe he's Chinese." Taka told.
"Tori, Taka, Kishi!" Master Soichiro emerged.
"Yes, Master."
"Jamie and I are to going take a walk to town. You all are to remain here and continue your training. Tori you're in charge."
The walk down the gentle road was quiet; the chirping of insects began to calm down along with the morning song of bush warbler. The cry of pelicans and croaking of toads silently arose from beyond to be heard from a far distance. We kept to our selves and never looked at one, only looking forward or to the opposite side of our shoulders. Soon afterwards, we came across an opening out of the forests, which had let us to an enormous wall made of concrete; a gigantic wall of concrete.
When I had entered town, I was shocked to what had happened to world. It seems that everything had been brought back in time; the clothing of what people wore were now no longer in adapt and the home status of everything had been down graded to clay and wooden homes. I was surprised how it had changed, no one I that saw was a recognizable face for me. A strange feeling past down my spine telling me that people thought I was weird for what I wore. Although, the embarrassment was uncomfortable, Master Soichiro quickly took a turn where everybody soon began to disappear. There, ahead of us was a purple cloth hanged over to block a doorway. When we stopped at the entrance of the purple cloth, Master Soichiro patted my shouldered and told me to go in alone as he turned away and left.
I took a deep breath and slowly lifted the cloth and entered. The room was bright with candles and weird picture frames. In front of me was a purple cloth table with two chairs and a fortuneteller ball. I gazed into the ball and say my reflection, the reflection slowly turned into mist and appeared another to the front of my Master's masque. I entered the temple and walked into the room, the smell of Master Soichiro's tea and wooden old tables along with the creaky old floor, with the fireplace, and bucket of water. Behind the broken wooden bed stood a cracked door, a door which I had never seen nor entered. I reached for the door and just then the reflection appeared again. What was behind the door and for what purpose did I see this image for?
"What did you see?" A woman asked.
"You scared me, there."
"What did you see, Jamie Neale."
"I saw myself entering Master Soichiro's temple. Behind the bed was a door, but before I could open it, it vanished."
"Tell me Jamie, do you still think you are in the same world as you were yesterday morning."
"What?"
"Do you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"No Jamie, you are not in the same world anymore. Your Master has sent you back in time, 10 years to be précised. Do you know, why?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The battle is about to begin."
"You will have to choose your path. To let them die or help them. Which will you choose?"
"I do not know what you are talking about. This is nonsense. I'm leaving."
"If you leave you now you will forget everything, you will let your world and this world die. Choose carefully. I can tell everything you want to know."
"Why did Master Soichiro send me back?"
"Think back, Jamie. Your Master told you before you left for this world." The woman told him. "Do not think now, you will have time think. Right now, just ask me everything you want to know?"
"Who was Master Soichiro talking about? Who are they?"
"They are those who will come for him and all who know of Master Soichiro?"
"Why?'"
"You will learn when the time is right."
"How do I undo this? What do I have to do?"
"That, you will have to learn on your own. Remember, think."
"Thank you."
"Before you leave, take one last look into the crystal ball."
"What is this? Why am I seeing this?"
"That is what will happen if you do not choose the correct path."
"How will I know to choose which is correct?"
"You will." She said. BOOM!
"All right, now is he dead."
"No, he just fainted again."
"Get him up, boys."
"What happen?"
"She knocked you unconscious."
"You are safe now, get some sleep. You too boys go to sleep."
"Soichiro, your time is up!"
"No!"
"Farewell my boy, you are our only hope."
Boom!
"It's just a dream."
The air was cold tonight and everything was asleep. The sounds have finally gone away. Staring onto the ceiling, I wondered. What was the lady was talking about, how will, I know when the time is right. The only chance for me right now is rest and found out. Creak! The door open and presence glided outside, murmuring began to be heard. Silently tip-toeing, I went to the door and found that Master Soichiro was outside along with two men; one with wearing a purple kimono with glasses while the other dressed in a black cloak hiding his every part.
"I do not know what your leader needs but please leave us alone."
"I'm sure you know exactly what we mean. Now hand it over!"
"Hand what over!" Jamie demanded.
"Who's this punk, interfering with our business?"
"He must be a student of Soichiro's."
"I doubt it."
"Jamie, go back inside this is none of your business!"
"No, this has gotten too far; I have to know what is happening around here."
"You don't need to know anything, boy"
"I'm afraid I wasn't talking to you."
"You sure do talk a lot for a little man"
"Enough! Seru! We did not come here to start a war. Let us return."
"Soichiro, it seems fate has smiled upon you, but the next we meet I assure you that it won't upon you and your students."
The night was long as my master and I waited outside for the morning song of nature. We stood quietly and still, not staring anywhere but just in our minds. The enemy had taken his comrade and flew to east. I wonder if these were the enemies my master told before I left to this world and if so, was it just them or will there be more emerging.
"Tell me, what was there purpose?"
"Their leader is a mastermind of business and he will do anything for the life he has, but it seems that he is growing old and his life span will not last long. I know the person who can stop it."
"Who is it?"
"Jamie Neale, there are things in life that cannot be explained, as destiny or fate. Two days ago, a boy had entered into my story and I have to choose whether to make him a main character or a side character. The fortuneteller you met the other day, she has lived for a time, longer than any human has. I have known her for my entire life and everything she has told has come true, although she never tells me why."
"Perhaps when you read a story, you don't what anyone to ruin for you."
"Around her neck wears a necklace, known as the Bangle of Enduring. If the enemies retrieve that pendent from her, she will age to her lifetime and became weaker and past faster than water. She is the key to Earth's survival, if she dies, the Earth itself will crumble and explode."
"Why is that?"
"She is the beginner of life and ender of death."
"Are you saying that the enemies think you have the necklace?"
"Yes, but soon they won't and another victim will be a stake. Only she knows when they will come after her and if that happens, it will be too late to stop it."
"You never spoke about her, in my world."
"Stay here, Jamie Neale. Help us defend this threat from happening."
"Why can't we just go down there and destroy the enemy?"
"If the world finds outs that she exists, for just that necklace, it would be too dangerous."
"I understand, I'll stay and find my answers, if there are going to be any."
No matter what lies ahead of us, I'll never let my master fall or my comrades. Everywhere I go I know that I'll always have to protect someone and for that reason I am willingly to sacrifice my life for any of them. This journey may just be the beginning but as I force myself to continue, I will find the answer of my questions. Alone in distance may I be alone, but never in heart shall I be.