Under a Starless Sky

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…”

“You are male. You are not on this path,” N’Ma said.

“Can a Shaman be on this path?”

“You are not that,” N’Ma said. “You requested an audience.”

Kole stepped up to the circle. “I wish to enter a complaint.”

“Not now,” N’Ma said.

“You’re intervening in men affairs, I have the right to enter,” Kole said.

“Come,” N’Ma said.

Kole entered, bowed and after being recognized by Gindy, N’Ma asked him to stand.

“He abuses the privilege of circle. He instigated a fight,” Kole said.

Shen didn’t correct his elder.

“That’s not the story I received,” N’Ma said. “My understanding is he schooled your students.”

“We were instructed not to fight him. That is the only reason he was successful,” Kole said.

“He doesn’t look uninjured to me,” N’Ma said.

“He instigated, we defended ourselves, per code,” Kole said.

“You don’t really want to quote code to me, do you?” N’Ma said.

“I am not trying to be disrespectful,” Kole said.

N’Ma turned to Shen. She frowned.

“You can fight. Why have you held back?” N’Ma asked.

“I cannot fight,” Shen said. “I can survive. One on one, I can extricate myself. That leads to escalation.

There is limit to how many people I can fight without surviving resulting in someone’s death, mine or

other. I am determined to survive.”

“People die,” N’Ma said. “Men, women. Fighting is your way.”

“There are better ways,” Shen said.

N’Ma pointed. “If in this discovery I find you entered sanctuary simply to avoid a beating, I will beat you

myself,” she said.

“How many people need die before I can respectfully bow out?” Shen asked.

Kole laughed. “You’re a child, you’re a monster, and you’re a rogue, you will never hold that kind of

respect.”

“If I kill Kole, will I hold such respect?” Shen asked.

Kole laughed. “You can’t kill…”

“Shen, state your reasoning for entering my circle,” N’Ma said.

There was silence. He pushed the boundary of not responding. Gindy, Lisha, and Flame lit their staffs

ready to execute punishment.

“I wish to formally declare war against the men of West Midelay,” Shen said.

Everyone laughed. N’Ma frowned, got up to walk away.

“Neogitate, or there will be collateral damage,” Shen said.

N’ma turned back, slapping him hard. “You dare threaten me or women?”

Shen took it. He went to his knees, putting his head to the ground. “I am formally declaring war against

the men of West Midelay, and wishing for oversight, and the establishment of rules of engagement.”

“There are no rules in war, idiot,” Kole said.

“You’re going to want rules, Sir,” Shen said.

“Stand up,” N’Ma instructed. “What sort of rules.”

“No more than five people can engage me at a time,” Shen said.

“That’s stupid,” Kole said.

“Silence, Kole,” N’Ma said. “No, Shen. I will not honor that.”

“Please. If there isn’t boundaries, people will die. I don’t see a way around that,” Shen said.

“People will die,” N’Ma agreed. “Likely you. I am okay if you die. Sometimes, death is the best instructor

for hubris.”

“Limit all engagement to daylight,” Shen requested.

“If you can’t fight in the dark, you shouldn’t be fighting,” Kole said.

“Speak one more time, and I will take you out of authority,” N’Ma said. “No, Shen. War is war, day or

night.”

“Tell me what the end of war looks like,” Shen said.

“When you are dead, or Kole is dead,” N’Ma said.

“Then allow me and Kole alone to enter battle,” Shen said.

“No. You declared war.”

“Then we need another way to declare the end of hostility, because I will not kill Kole,” Shen said.

“Explain,” N’Ma said.

“He speaks for the men here. If I kill him, I become that authority. I don’t want that authority. Every

fighter from the Domain of Sinter will come to challenge me. There is no end in this way. Also, I need

someone who is capable of learning. I will injure him. I will kill is friends and favorites. I will kill his son.

He will suffer greatly. And he will call for you to intervene and I will remind you, you denied formal

restraints and the war will go on until there are no men willing to oppose me,” Shen said.

“Or until you die,” N’Ma said.

“Or until my death,” Shen said.

“So be it,” N’Ma said.

“Will you honor one request?” Shen asked.

“Ask,” N’Ma said.

“This war is to end war. To allow boys the opportunity not to fight if they chose not to fight. Endel was

being treated unfairly. I intervened, that’s what this is about. I want a promise he will neither be harmed novelbin

nor punished due to my intervention, until the end of the war,” Shen said.

N’Ma looked to Kole.

Kole snickered. “I promise, Endel has my protection. No one will harm him or punish him, with one

caveat. If you go two days without engagement, I will personally kill him, break of third.” Translation,

third day’s light.

Shen fumed, reconsidered killing Kole, but contained it. “Not reasonable.”

“This condition of war is accepted,” N’Ma said.

“Seriously?” Shen asked.

“Leave my circle,” N’Ma said.

“Grant me safe passage to the forest,” Shen said.

“I will give you your head start,” Kole said. “Run, coward.”

Shen bowed to N’Ma. She gave him a palm gesture saying he was heard. It was a half-ass gesture.

She didn’t mean it. He then bowed to Kole. Kole smirked, but the look N’Ma gave him made him return

the respect. Shen walked to the forest, verbally taunted and harassed. Shyo was up. ‘You’re dead.’ He

disappeared into the forest.