Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 19

Morning broke before he arrived at Midelay. He emerged from the forest upon a scene of Endel being robbed of food by peers and harassed. Shen inserted himself into the thick of it.

“Enough,” Shen said.

“Go sleep yourself,” the alpha of this arrangement said. His name was Brent.

“Endel has submitted to your authority, it’s over,” Shen said.

“I don’t want him to submit,” Brent said. “I want him to fight.”

“To what end? You’re superior in strength, and number. What else is there?” Shen asked.

“I am responsible for his training, and you’re interfering,” Brent said. “He will demonstrate skills or go hungry.”

“How will he improve if he is weakened by hunger?” Shen asked.

An older boy came over. “Shen is off limits.” His name was Shyo and he was a higher level.

“He is interfering,” Brent said.

“Let me train him for five cycles, and he will exceed your expectations,” Shen said.

The boys laughed. Endel asked, “Really?”

“Don’t let the girl boy fill you with his delusions,” Shyo said. “Shen, walk away, or not only will I condone a lesson to you, I will engage as well.”

“I am not backing down,” Shen said.

“I warned you,” Shyo said.

Shen didn’t run. He also, deflected the blows, using a style known as Wu Wei Gung Fu. In his head, he felt connected to one of his heroes, Jackie Chan. It was if they were one. It was also as if he had separated from himself and Chan took over. And, from a third perspective, he and Chan were separate from the whole affair, simply talking.

“The environment always offers assistance,” Chan was saying, as one of the boys that had been working the garden came running over. He dropped the hoe to fist fight.

Wu Wei was an excellent form for close contact defense and attack, because one could defend while simultaneously attacking, usually using the opponents own energy against them. Energy in was redirected back out. One could do this with their eyes closed, because all energy is telegraph. Contact was essential. Clutching the gift gave him a 3D view around him, sort of a cheat; one of the boys was also clicking, trying to use a different sight than vision. Clicking identified his location in 3d space. Shen stepped on the business end of the rake, the other end went up, between boy’s leg, and dropped him. His bag held a crystal, and when someone tried to take the bag, it’s weight and momentum was included in combat. Using a developed form against boys who just wanted to fist fight and or wrestle felt like a cheat. Shyo went down hard. He seemed more confused than stunned. An adult male entered the fray and he, too, went down, severely hurt. Groin kicks could make a man wish he were dead. When the immediate action stopped, five peers, three older boys, and one adult lay on the ground. One unconscious, two crying, the others dazed. The man had yet regained enough air to cry. Shen didn’t escape injury. He had a higher tolerance to pain than most, likely because he had been beaten before, by family and by school peers. Consequently, pain had made him stupid; when he got hurt, he dug in and stood his ground, as opposed to running away. In his past, he had always dug in and chose the beating because he hoped for death; this inner thing apparently lingered in his psyche. He never got death, but usually, after a severe enough beating, he was never targeted again because he didn’t fight or run and eventually most people just don’t bother; his injuries never got him pity. His track in martial arts came way later in life, when he no longer needed the skill of fighting; most adults learn to avoid fighting, or to avoid places where fighting is likely to occur. He had wished he had the skill earlier in life, and now he had an inkling how things might have been different- at least on the school yard. If he had beat up family at home, he would likely have been put in foster. Still a step up.

There was an audience. Females were curious. Other males were pissed, but had stayed back, calling for others to come witness. Witnessing was over, now it was escalation. The group of men coming was going to be more serious. Endel’s eyes were big.

“How did you…”

Shen took his hand. “Run!”

Endel pulled Shen along. They ran. They were chased past the fire pit. Shen came to an abrupt stop inside the Circle of Stone. The men chasing came to a halt. Two guards brought their staffs up.

“You’re interfering with men affairs,” one of them said.

“All who enter the circle are provided sanctuary,” Flame said. Her hair was green.

Her peer, Lisha, her hair was also green. Lisha was more on the heavy side, but well defined muscles. Gindy held the inner circle. Her hair was green with blue streaks. She was tall, and though she wore the attire of apprentice, she also had chain art hanging about her neck, a spider web pattern.

“You aren’t going to violate the circle,” Lisha said.

“This is not…”

“We will sort what it is and what it isn’t, Kole,” Lisha said. “You boys disperse. Go on.”

Kole said something and some of the men went back to business. He and his compatriot lingered, arms crossed. Kole was a thin, lanky man. His friend was massive, likely the result of pushing carts of stone or ore. In the circle, both Endel and Shen were on knee, bowing, hands open and on the ground. If anyone had noticed he had held the gift, no one said anything. He was aware of its weight in his pocket. He wanted to hold it.

Gindy tapped her staff on the ground. “Shen, if it is found that you are abusing this ground, you will be severely punished.”

“I accept. I request an audience with N’Ma,” Shen said.

“You’re not a woman…”

Lisha pointed at Kole and he fell silent.

“We don’t interfere in the affairs of men,” Gindy said.

“I respectfully request an audience…”

“Shen,” Gindy said, popping the ground with the butt of her staff. There was a sound, strange harmonics, and he the other end of her staff was alive with energy. He had indirect evidence by the shimmer in his shadow on the ground, the light on her legs. It occurred to him, randomly bizarre- people of this world walk differently. Their shoes tended to be more cloth, and so they could walk naturally, their feet testing the ground, where as his modern shoes were heavy, bulky, and he stepped harder- people stepped harder. His inner voice of Chan commended the observation. Most people have forgotten how to walk, how to breathe…

He lifted his right hand from the ground, turned it over brought it to his chest. “My heart light needs strengthening. I come with gifts, seeking gifts, but in truth, I am impoverished.”

Flame was angry and raised her staff to hit Shen, but Lisha took hold of it. Gindy came out of the circle.

“Flame, go request N’Ma,” Gindy said. “Lisha and I will hold the circle.”

“This isn’t…”

“We always respond to heart light…”

“He is a boy,” Flame said. “He can’t use…”

“I don’t know that. I only know the words and that calling requires a response,” Gindy said. “Only a Master can respond. You go, I will hold the circle…”

“No, you will go,” Flame said.

“I am giving you a directive,” Gindy said.

“I want rule of three. I am the better warrior,” Flame said.

“You are,” Gindy agreed. “This is not a war. This is not going to escalate. I will use your speed, though, to resolve this. N’Ma favors him. That much is clear. Now, go.”

“I agree with Gindy,” Lisha said. “You’re faster.”

Flame pushed air. A curl of hair was displaced because of her huff. “I will not be placated.” Two had decided, rule of three was done. She bowed. “I will return with an answer.”

Endel whispered to Shen. “Can you teach me to be like you?”

“Shh,” Shen said.

Gindy re-entered the circle. Shen and Endel remain in their pose. They weren’t invited to stand. Peripheral vision gave Shen insight. Boys and men were lingering. Coming out of the circle meant further hostilities. Kole had positioned himself so a glance up revealed his glare. Heart light extended from the center of the circle to a meter out. The stillness, unusual quietness, made it easier to see.

“May I stand up?” Endel said.

“Hold your pose,” Shen said.

“Quiet, or leave the circle,” Gindy said.

“I am hurting,” Endel said.

“May I petition…” Shen began.

“Silence,” Gindy said. “You have been given lenience enough.”

Time passed. The smell of lunch being passed around was enough of a threat, as Endel complained of hunger, but the boys were loudly hitting spoon to bowls. Endel collapsed, crying due to leg cramp. Gindy went to hit him, and Shen lay on top of him, taking the brunt of the stick.

“Enough,” N’Ma said.

N’Ma entered the circle. Her entourage folded around the top of the circle, but only one entered, Tian, and she placed a stool on the ground. N’Ma sat.

“Stand up, boys,” N’Ma said.

Shen and Endel stood. Shen was shaking. Shen was about to draw a circle around his heart…

“Don’t do that,” N’Ma said, pointing at him.

“I am trying to honor…”