The Lord of Shadows Rises (15 page)

“This is your last riddle,” said one of the statues in a deep voice.

“It can run but not walk. Wherever I go it follows: what am I?” asked the other statue in a deep voice.

Mason smiles. “That is an easy one. What is a nose? It runs when it has a cold and it goes everywhere I go.” The statue’s eyes glowed as they stepped aside, revealing a corridor with a door at the end.

Getting to the other side of the door, he saw the room he just left before entering the maze. Henri appeared in a spectral image. “Well done on passing the test of intellect. Head to your next trial.”

Mason bows and climbed up the stairs to his next trial.

He entered a room as it morphed into a river with a log over it, suspended by metal wires. “What?” he asked shocked at the scenery.

A man with a black beard and overalls appeared from the other side of the river. “So you passed the first two tests!” exclaimed the man in a French accent.

“I am Mason of Brazil, and a master of the Order. May I have your name, Master?”

“You will have to pass my test to earn my name. We battle with staffs on the log over the river. You must knock me off to pass; this is a test of balance,” said the giant of a man.

Mason eyed the log and grabbed a staff, walking onto the log. The former master walks onto it with his staff. “Get a feel for the log and make sure you don’t have trouble balancing."

Mason walked forward, trying to keep his balance on the log. He swung the staff at the man who blocked it and went low, trying to trip Mason. The two continued the battle, with Mason trying to keep his balance as he swung his staff. Mason was hit in the chest by the man, making him hunch over. “Is that it?” He towers over Mason, who looks at him with defiance.

“I have not yet begun to fight.” Mason kicked the man’s leg from under him, giving Mason some room to prepare. Getting his staff in position, he blocked the strikes the man launched at him and managed to parry, then slammed his staff into the man’s head, knocking him into the river.

The room itself reverted back to its original state as the man grunts, “Well done on passing the last trial. Andrew Bear is my name, young master. Take those stairs to the top to complete the trials.”

Mason bowed and the man disappeared into thin air.

Heading to the stairs, he sprinted up. At the top, a kunai whizzed by his head. “So they did come before us.” Mason takes out his spiked gloves from his side and puts them on. Kyral appeared in black smoke.

Kyral gave a bloodthirsty smile. “So now the student is the master. I am going to enjoy this.”

Mason gots into his stance as Kyral threw two kunai at him. Mason punched them away with his gloved hands. “Your tactics won’t work on me.” He rushed forward and threw a punch at Kyral who managed to block it with his kunai.

“It seems you are as strong as your master,” said Kyral.

Mason sent a kick his way, but was blocked as Kyral slashes upwards with his kunai, forcing Mason to tilt his head back, avoiding the slash.

Grabbing Kyral, Mason knees him in the chest making the assassin stumble. Kyral growls and slashes Mason’s cheek with his kunai, drawing blood. “It seems I will have to try,” Kyral taunted, grabbing eight throwing stars and launching them at Mason’s body, forcing him to duck and spin to avoid the sharp metal objects. Getting in closer, Mason went for a punch which Kyral manages to avoid. Mason followed it up with a kick, hitting Kyral and tripping him.

“I see you’re not so strong after all,” said Mason. “I wonder; how could you have killed my master? From what I have seen he should have defeated you with little effort.”

Kyral got back up “You’re right. Your master would have beaten me, if it weren’t for my pawns. They held him off long enough for me to finish him.”

Mason ran forward slamming Kyral into a pillar with his shoulder. Then he repeatedly punched Kyral into the pillar with his spiked gloves making it crumble from the repeated blows. “Master, I have avenged you,” said Mason as he breathed in. The black shroud drops, revealing and blue sky. Turning his head, he gasped at what he saw.

Guan was heading to his first trial. Getting to a dark room, he tried to look around as his eyes adjust. “Greetings, Master, and welcome to your first trial,” said a feminine voice.

“Why is the room dark?” asked Guan.

“This test is using your other senses. You find me in this room,” said the voice.

Guan looks around, sees nothing, and tries to find a wall as he stretches out his arm and continues to walk slowly. “Feeling for the wall; no one tried that before,” said the voice mockingly.

Guan sighs to himself.

“You know, you have to find me somehow.” Guan turns his head to the right. “Clever using my voice to locate me.”

Guan searched in the direction of the voice. He vividly remembered a lesson Sifu Shin taught him and the other Shaolin monks.

“Listen well, my young monks. Your eyes are blind all the time and should not be relied upon. I will teach you to locate my chi by utilizing your own like sonar and will pinpoint the nearest living thing,”
His master voice echoed clearly in his mind

Guan closed his eyes and expelled his chi. The chi found an obstacle and Guan smiled. He rushed to the living thing and grabs it.

“Nicely done, young monk, on finding me.” The light came on and Guan clutched a dark haired woman in a red kimono. “The next room will have your second test.”

Guan bowed releasing the woman. He head up to the door and enters the next room.

He saw a classroom, and a man with a scar on his chest is in front of a chalkboard. “You passed the first test. I am Boar and your proctor.”

“Guan, master of the order,” said the monk.

“This test is to challenge your critical thinking. I will describe several scenarios and you will tell me how to handle each situation. First situation: you are currently facing five enemies in a narrow alleyway. At the end of the alley is an opening. The area is deserted of pedestrians. What do you do?”

Guan runs through numerous options in his head. “I will flee down the alley, letting them chase me. Speed and endurance are different for every person. By fleeing, I can take them out individually when each one reaches me.”

Boar nods his head as he writes down Guan’s answer. “Next situation: You are holding a priceless artifact and taking it to a museum with a comrade. Someone attacks and surprises you. Holding your comrade hostage, he demands you hand over the item for your comrade’s release. What do you do?”

Guan thinks for a moment. “The problem is that you don’t know if he is going to hold up his end of the bargain.

He does not know if you can be trusted, so what you do is make it so we send the item and hostage to the middle of the standoff. The negotiators walk to their respective objects, meanwhile keeping an eye out for any sign of betrayal.

I would save a life, rather than hold a valuable artifact which can be retrieved at a later time. Lives can’t be retrieved.”

Boar nodded. “Last situation,” said the former master. “You are leading a platoon and are ordered to retrieve a document that determines the victor of the war. Your information is faulty. Instead of facing a small number of troops, you find yourself outnumber by a force three times the size of your own. Do you continue with this mission at the cost your platoon not making it back, or leave the information that made victory certain for your side, and retreat, giving you a higher chance of survival?”

Guan sighed. “The losses will be heavy with both choices, but I will continue. Is my platoon worth more than absolute victory or should a team be sacrificed for the greater good? In this case, I would fight to retrieve the document and send a small force back to deliver the plans to the commander. The rest of my platoon would fight a losing battle to save the lives of the whole army. I hope that situation never arises but that is what I would do in this scenario.”

“You pass because you answer the highest probability of survival for the main objective. In the first question, you take out your opponent individually,” he explained

“The second choice was the completion of a mission to a comrade’s well being. Commanders are forced to make this call constantly. I will say this: your comrade should never be sacrificed for an object,” said the man.

"The last situation was is vital for the survival of everyone, you must take the mission. Commanders are not cowards, and should be willing to go into battle with little chance of survival, if it is to attain ultimate victory,” said Boar. “There will be times when it won’t be as simple as I have told you, so be mindful of all factors presented even those not presented.”

Guan bowed “Thank for the lesson, Master Boar.”

“Head to your final test.”

Guan entered the door in time to see the room morph into a coliseum. Standing in the middle is a woman of Asian descent with red hair and battle dress with red metal plates and gold trims on the hem. On her back was a quarter staff with a cloth wrapped around the middle “Greetings, young master. My name is Shun.”

"Guan of the Shaolin,” the monk says with a bow. “May I ask what the test is?”

“The final tests are usually combat related; this is no different. We will fight with nothing but quarterstaffs while on the balance beam. The purpose is to test your balance in combat with limited movement. Here, think fast.” She threw him a staff.

Guan jumped on the balance beam with the Shun doing the same. The two looked at each other as Guan stood still allowing Shun making the first move.

Guan brought one end of his staff up blocking the blow. Raising the other end he swung up to Shun’s head, forcing her to raise the staff up, intercepting the staff “Impressive,” comments the female former master.

Guan stepped back and twirled his staff behind his back. “As a monk we try to not use lethal weapons in battle. I am not the strongest staff wielder but I am proficient in it.”

He swung his staff at Shun’s feet. She stepped over each low strike making it seem like a dance more than a fight.

Shun put the staff behind her back, with her left hand holding it and knee up. Her right palm open, facing Guan. She quickly brought her staff to Guan’s foot. Guan did the unthinkable and stepped on it. Shun tried to get it loose but struggling made her lose her balance causing her to fall off the beam. Doing a flip, she landed on her feet. Guan bowed to the female master and jumps off.

“Well done, young master, you pass the final test,” she said and bows in respect to him.

“Thank you, Master Shun,”

“Now head up the stairs to finish your trials.”

Guan headed up the stairs. After getting to the top, a shroud formed and Guan saw a brown haired man with a scar on his chest and with two pikes strapped to his back. He was wearing a green robe “Well done, Master Guan. I am Kevin of the Wind, general of the Lord of Shadows.”

Guan stood still, no emotion on his face. “Master Shin was a worthy and honorable enemy. Let’s see if his successor can equally impress me,” said Kevin.

Kevin eyes Guan’s weaponless hand. “You don’t have a weapon.” He took one of his pikes and tossed it to Guan.

Guan caught it and holds it in a ready position. “You’re different than most generals. You’re more honorable.”

The two clash pikes as Guan went for a jab with the bladed end. Kevin repeatedly dodged, one of the blades tearing into his cloak. Kevin swung his pike, going for a deception but misses as Guan ducked under and sweep kicks the man, sending him to the ground.

Kevin flips back onto his feet as the two rushed forward and clashed. Kevin’s superior strength started to push Guan off balance.

Sending Guan to the ground, Kevin rushed the downed monk, forcing Guan to be on the defense with repeated strikes aiming for his head.

Blocking each blow with his own pike, Guan used one hand to swing his pike, making Kevin tilt his head back to avoid it. He did not see a palm heading to his chest until it connects, causing Kevin to stumble back from the force of the hit. “We are getting nowhere with the weapons.”

Guan impales the ground with the pike. Kevin nods his head and throws his pike down to get in his stance.
Ba Shan Fan style;, it will be difficult to fight this form,
though Guan

Guan threw the first punch with a hammer fist, hoping to achieve first blood, only to be blocked. Kevin went for a palm thrust, hitting Guan in the chest. “First blood goes to me,” said Kevin as he throws his left elbow at Guan, but fails to connect. Guan caught it and threw it back, turned Kevin around. Guan retaliates with a kick to Kevin’s back, making him stumble forward. Kevin spins around and backhand’s Guan in the face, splitting his lip.

The two combatants jumped away. The cold wind howled as the two stared each other down. The fighters suddenly lunge at each other with a flurry of punches and kicks.

Kevin was sent back by a kick to his stomach by Guan. He Struggled to get up Guan walked slowly to Kevin, ready to deliver the final blow. Kevin closes his eyes with contentment on his face.

Kevin feels a hand pull him up “Why?” The general said confused.

“You are too honorable to die needlessly,” said Guan. “I would recommend you leave.”

Kevin bowed to the superior opponent then headed back into the tower.

Guan watched the shroud dissipate and then saw the other Masters who passed their trials.

***

Yuan was heading down the hallway of the path he picked, his curved sword at his waist. The room he entered was filled with flora of all types, giving it the appearance of a jungle. Glancing around he saw a man wearing a simple black robe with a white helm, and white, wooden sandals on his feet. “So the young master to be has come.”

Yuan looks at the man. “Who are you?”

“It is respectful to gives one’s name first, before demanding someone else’s,” said the man.

“Yuan.”

“You can call me the Gann. Your test is a game of tag. To pass, you must make physical contact with me. You have two hours. You can use anything in the room including your own weapons. Ready.... Set... Go!” Gann back flipped in to the flora.

Yuan looked around as he cautiously headed into the man-made jungle. He spots his target and rushes forward. He got a millimeter from him and grabbed something. Yuan looks at his hands and sees nothing. “You’ll have to do better to catch me,” the Gann taunts, and scurrying away with Yuan in hot pursuit.

Gann grabbed a branch and let it fly, forcing Yuan to dodge to the side. “You know, strategy is the name of the game. You must not only rely on your skill, but also the very environment,” said the master. “Take everything into account and use it to your advantage or it will be used against you.”

Yuan ran through the foliage as Gann’s' voice echoes with tips and advice. “Easy for you to say; strategy is not my forte.”

“How do you hope to beat me and enemies like me? Deception is the key to winning an actual fight.” Jumping down from a branch, Gann motioned a challenge with his hand. “Is that all you have? I am disappointed.”

Yuan rushes blindly, hoping to overpower the master. Gann dodges each punch with both hand behind his back rubbing more salt into Yuan’s injured pride, “Come now, a child could beat you with the way you’re fighting,” goaded Gann as he ducked under a sloppy punch. “Come on, make me sweat, at least.”

Yuan jumped back, breathing heavily, sweat on his face. In contrast, Gann was completely relaxed. Gann frowns.
Too easy to get under his skin and have him lose focus,
thought the master.

Gann smiled “Maybe I should not use one of my legs to make it even,” Gann says and even illustrated by balancing on one foot. Yuan growls. “Don’t get mad at your inability to pass the first test.”

Yuan, grinding his teeth, sat down. “Giving up already?” asked Gann.

Yuan closes his eyes and listen to his heart beat. Throwing his hand forward, Gann was thrown back by a guest of wind. “You were saying?” Yuan jumped up.

Gann recover just before he got slugged in the chest with a fist.

Gann wheezed “You used chi energy to repeal me back. Not surprising considering Mistress Wu was one of the few to master chi usage completely.

Yuan composed himself. “So I passed?”

Gann nodded his head. “With thirty minutes to spare. However, you are reckless and easily angered. I was able to make you lose focus rather easily. Had I been out for your life, you would have died within ten minutes of engagement. Rein in that temper and you will be stronger for it. Head to your next test and remember the lessons that were taught here today.”

Yuan left for the next test and comes to a room with a balance beam and different staffs and pole-arms on the wall. Hearing footsteps, Yuan turns around and saw a dark skinned man shorter than him by at least a foot. He was wearing a brown robe, and had two braids going down both sides of his head.

“So you have arrived,” said the man, his voice high with excitement. “My name is Yandi and you are here to take the test?” he inquired with a Jamaican accent.

“I am. What is the test?”

“It is simple, young master to be; you must knock me off the balance beam barehanded. This test is a test of balance,” said the short man.