Epilogue
Rain fell steadily, its hypnotic rhythm repeated on the dense foliage long after the clouds discontinued its release of fat droplets. Birds chattered noisily, ever watchful for the many predators that called the rain forests their home. The local village went about their daily routines, unaffected by the storm brought about by the Empire. Poor and primitive in many respects, their humble existence was either ignored or forgotten by the invader's menacing presence.
Deep in the forest, miles away, five individuals sat outside a hut they called home. Feared by the superstitious villagers, they were given the privacy they sought to live in peaceful existence with nature. The quiet solitude provided the perfect training ground.
A woman and a man sat in stillness, watching the three individuals before them with silent awe. With great skill and concentration, two men and one boy (well on his way to being an adult), practiced an art that was a curious mixture of ancient and newborn knowledge. Shaolin Monks had taped into many of its principals, yet they knew only a hint of its potential. The three who now practiced were well advanced beyond the mastery of the body and the mind and its connection with the Earth. With total control, they were able use this knowledge to become one with the Universe.
Dressed in tan colored robes, they represented an order that was once thought extinct. The boy and the older man with blond hair were obviously the students and the dark haired man the teacher. In truth, this description was not entirely accurate as they were all three constantly learning and growing. The old saying was true – when a teacher instructs, they learn more than their students.
Light, the color of violent flames, emitted from the ancient weapons they held, humming and crackling in the wet air. With closed eyes, the three engaged in a complicated dance with a unique rhythm. The song they heard was all around, yet the two who watched could not hear it. The male observer had the potential to hear parts of its melody but could never completely tune in the symphony that guided their movements. The woman could hear nothing at all. Despite their inability, the two could not help but feel connected to it in some way.
The boy swung his flaming sword with furious speed, clashing with the weapons of the other two. His body twirled and danced, flipped and twisted as he avoided the attacks of the two stronger opponents. This dance - this fight - was beautiful and hypnotic. Their involvement was complete, yet the individuals were well aware of all around them. In truth, they were not only aware, but were extensions of the events that made up the circle of life in the wet jungle. Ants marched along carrying their spoils. Trees swayed and bent under the weight of the creatures they housed. Primates chattered and birds sang. The three were everywhere and a part of everything.
The dance slowed and ended as the three disarmed their weapons and opened their eyes. With a bow, the boy and the two men ended their session with respect and appreciation. The two observers stood and joined the three.
The group was small but their intentions were great. Here, in the forgotten part of the world, the seeds for revolution were growing. The five who now stood would one day rise and lead an army against the invaders. Their revolt will echo through the stars and extend to another group of individuals equally oppressed by the same tyrannical government. The five will see many deaths in the struggles to come (some of the deaths will be within the small group itself), but the result of the uprising will justify the means.
The woman smiled as she met the teacher, the man she loved as only a wife could. He smiled in return and hugged her gently, careful of her protruding belly. Their child would be coming soon.
The five (soon to be six) revolutionists continued their preparations in the dense, wet, South American forest. A chain of events, like colliding dominoes, was paving the way for their return. The day of their uprising was approaching faster than they knew.
END