Seeking the True Master
I took the True Master book back to my quarters. Once there, I got an old duffle back and started packing changes of clothes, weapons and tools, food preserves, and finally the book on top. I left the special powders and spells the Old One had given me. It would be unfair if I took those along too.
Shaun stood in the doorway while I was stuffing clothes into the duffle bag. He was leaning up against the wall. "Are you sure there is nothing I could say or do to change your mind?" He asked.
"No, Shaun." I replied. "I'm going to train with the True Master and that's it." I placed the book in the bag and zipped it up. I swung the strap over my shoulder and headed for the door.
"You don't even know where the True Master is." Shaun protested.
"Legend has it he lives on the other side of the world in the Himalayas. That is where I'm going." I said.
"Oh, yeah right. You're going to go to China and climb a mountain just to find someone who might not even train you. That's just great, Slade."
"Sorry, man. I'm going. Wish me luck." I said as I approached the elevator.
"And what will I tell everyone?" Shaun asked.
"If anyone asks where I am, lie." I said. I then stepped into the elevator and was off.
Since this is a coastal city on the west coast, I thought it wouldn't be all that hard to find a ship heading toward China. I was wrong. I checked all the ship schedules and only found one ship headed off in that direction. But it was going off to Thailand! Besides that, it was a fret ship. Only carrying cargo.
So it was time for me to go incognito. Before the ship left, I got on and hid beneath the decks. Of coarse, being a Masked, holding the position of warrior, I could easily hide away without anyone knowing I was there.
It was a long, boring, three-week trip across the ocean. Hiding in the old, rusty, not to mention cold hull of a ship gets really dull after the first thirteen hours. My food preserves didn't last as long as I'd hoped they would. The ships crew was a little bewildered to find some of their food missing. To keep myself entertained, I practiced my battle moves and attacks. I once got in a fight against a big wooded box. The crew was also surprised to find a punch hole strait through the wooded sides and even denting the object inside. I don't know what the item was but I know it was hard.
I also read up about the True Master. While reading I found that in order to get to the top of his mountain, I would have to pass three challenges. Well that was just great.
The ship finally docked in Thailand and I was off without the crew knowing I had ever gotten on. A few of them were still confused with the missing food and slightly damaged cargo. If you call smashed and basically destroyed slightly damaged.
From then on out I hitch hiked my way from Thailand to the southern end of China. That, in itself, took at least a week. When I finally got there, I found a small village at the foot of a mountain. Inside the village was a statue of a great warrior with a sign that said 'True Master' next to it.
I walked into the village and no one seemed to notice me, even when I walked up to them. There was a guy sitting on his cart being pulled by an ox. I walked up to him and asked, "Excuse me, do you know how I can find the True Master?" He didn't even look up when I talked to him. He just went about his business. "Boy, people aren't very nice here."
"You seek the True Master?" A man said. He was tall, much taller than myself, and very muscular. He was bald and had a very serious face. He wore a large black robe with deep red trimming.
"Yeah," I replied slowly, "why?"
He pointed out to a field on the edge of the village. In the field was an old woman planting turnips. "She will tell you about the True Master." He said.
"Thank you."
"You are welcome. My name is Katigeri." He then left.