Chapter 2
Sanctuary Origins
The trip to the camp was long and uneventful. Mr. Stoneman didn’t offer any conversation. He just drove in silent reflection and listened to the radio. Mostly my brothers just dozed or listened to music. The earlier storm clouds were starting to dissipate and thin slivers of light were spilling through like molten gold. That’s how we saw the camp for the first-time golden streaks of light reflecting off the polished dark wood buildings and a beautifully sculpted totem pole of different animals each made of different varieties of wood. It was like the buildings were on fire from the light hitting them. Mr. Stoneman pulls the van up to the totem pole and parks.
"Well boys, we are here." He says in his deep voice.
We disembark the van with bags in hand we made our way to the totem pole. There was a group of people standing around obviously waiting for introductions to the camp. We set our bags down and waited with the rest of the people. It was a mixture of women and men, young and old, but no one was as young as us, late 20's was about the youngest I could see. We got several looks from the others, which we were used to, Shyft was the handsome one always drawing the attention of the opposite sex. He was tall and skinny but muscular. He had short spikey hair and a clean-shaven face. Baker looked oddly like Seth Rogan, so we often got stopped for autographs. I got looks because of my full beard and long hair. I often got likened to a Viking or a bear, so people always looked at me like I was about to eat someone or pillage their village. No doubt some of the people were thinking we were too young to be here.
Soon after our arrival an older gentleman walked up next to the totem pole and called everyone to order. There was an air of ancient wisdom about this man
"My name is Roland and I am the leader of this training society, this sanctuary from the world and from ignorance. I'm here to train you in the art of survival. Not all of you will pass and some might get hurt, but if you follow my rules and my instructions you will be fine." He continued "We will be separating you into groups of 10 or so. These people will be your family for the time you are here. Now who here has weapon training?" Several people raised their hands, the three of us included. Roland went from person to person asking what weapons they knew. Then he came to us and for a fraction of a second a glimpse of recognition shown through his steel blue eyes. The look was gone before I could even think about if I was seeing it.
"What weapon training could 3 young kids have?" he asked without any condescending or doubt. I smiled thinking back to our lives growing up.
For years, our parents had insisted on us learning at least 4 types of martial arts and several different weapon styles. "All medieval, oriental, archery, and firearms. Plus 4 different martial arts. We each are a little different in style, Master Roland" I stated matter of factly. "I am an archer and hunter. I can also use staves and naginata with fair proficiency. I prefer distance from my enemy to see all the angles"
Shyft answered next "I use fast flexible weapons and love improvised ones. Im also a throwing weapon user. I like unpredictability and multiuse impliments" Roland nodded then looked to Baker
"I am more versed with shield and spear, maces, and ww2 era firearms. I enjoy sturdy and solid equipment." Baker answered
He smiled "We shall see." He made his way back to the totem pole. "Ok now we are going to get you all split up into battle groups." He came back down off the platform around the totem pole and went amongst the crowd giving people their groups. He never came to us though.
After he was finished I walked up to him and asked "Sir, why did you not sort us?" He looked at me with that recognition he had before.
"Not sir, just Roland please." He smiled with his eyes and then continued. "You boys have a huge potential and the camp's normal training regimen won’t unlock it, but I can." And he added "You all are certainly Steve's kids adopted or not." He pointed at a smaller cabin off in the distance. "You will stay with me and I will train you."
I thought to myself 'Dad did say they were friends with the guy that ran the place, he obviously was told to expect us.'
He started out slow getting us in shape. Training us in weapons and martial arts that honestly made our past training feel like high school gym. He took us into the woods and taught us what plants were used for what, how to track animals not by signs but by instinct. Then we stopped going outside he kept us at the camp, reading and studying old texts about monsters and magic. We learned several extinct languages and a few that I believe were made up. Master Roland made us meditate for hours. We started to notice that we could "Talk" to each other just by thinking. At first it was just emotions and single word thoughts. Eventually developed to entire conversations through implied meaning and pictures.
We also noticed certain abilities specific to each of us starting to blossom. Baker could take a punch like it didn’t even hit him, Shyft got more agile and could jump 8 feet in the air from a static stand, and my tactical awareness and accuracy became more acute. I could look at a situation and could see all aspects of it. Any questions about what was happening to us were brushed off by Roland, but he seemed pleased by our progress. Training went on like this for several months with us getting stronger every day. Our physical prowess became almost superhuman. We could run faster and further with little effort. Our strength grew to where we could lift hundreds of pounds with ease. Our senses grew too. Eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell.
One day Roland called us to his private library. He was standing over a large table covered with books that were emitting an energy that I could feel without even trying. The room was covered with bookshelves holding books, scrolls, and other odd objects. Everything in the room had runes and sigils carved into them some I had learned some I didn’t recognize, but I could tell that all of them were old and powerful. Roland looked up from the books and smiled.
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"Thank you all for coming. Please sit." He motioned at three chairs set around the table. "The time has come to tell you the truth, the truth that your parents and I have known for a long time. You boys are special. You three have power beyond what humans believe is possible. There is a war coming very soon. Those of us that know of it can feel that much. The reason I have been having you learn all this seemingly nonsensical information is because it’s all real, monsters and magic, but it isn’t like the books or movies. Magick is science that “sleeping” humans can’t fathom. It is the use of your body’s own energy to effect change around you. What that change is depends on your focus, intent, and the nature of your energy. Your energy then reacts to the ambient energy in the world to effect the change you are trying to accomplish. The problem is that as the world is right now there isn’t a lot of ambient energy out there. The world has been cut off from the source of this energy for hundreds of years, since the dark ages. People like us “The Awakened”, have been around for a long time but we couldn’t do much because of the lack of energy. You three seem to be able to compensate with your bodies creating more than enough energy for your abilities to manifest." He paused to take a drink of water. "That is what I have been training you boys for and that is why your parents sent you here, they knew it was time. Now the war that is coming will not be easy, but you will have more at your disposal than ever before." Roland walked over to the wall where a large chest of drawers stood. He opened one of the smaller drawers and pulled out 3 vials of a brilliantly glowing liquid that seemed to shine in all colors at once. He handed each of us a vial. "This is concentrated raw energy, it will unlock your potentials, making you more powerful than you can imagine. Take it and let me see what each of your natures are." Master seemed almost giddy.
We all opened the vials and the liquid inside seemed to evaporate immediately entering our bodies and I felt the change start immediately as the energy spread throughout my energy channels. One of the things we studied were the pathways or meridian, that energy follows throughout one’s body. As you get stronger the pathways grow through a process called ascending. It is not supposed to be pleasant. It wasn’t. Everything hurt. I could tell I was changing in a specific way. My mind was buzzing, my eyes were burning, and my birthmark was tingling. I could feel that my brothers were feeling similar discomfort from their changes. Roland was eyeing us closely a slight smirk on his weathered face and a deep interest in his steel eyes. The discomfort started to fade, and I felt that the change was complete. I could feel a stirring in my chest and a pressure in my head.
"So how do you feel?" Roland asked finally.
"I feel tingly." I answered. My brothers looked at me surprised.
"Your skin is tingling too?" Baker asked Shyft and myself.
"No bruh my hands and legs are tingling. Wingless?" Shyft asked.
"My head, eyes, and my birthmark are tingling." I answered confused. I turned to look at Roland but before I could ask, he held up his hand
"Your natures are coming out my students. Baker stands up and place your hand in the center of the table, in the rune circle." Roland said as he moved the books off the table to reveal an intricate rune circle. "This will help reveal your energy nature and where your strengths are." He took Baker’s hand and placed it on the circle. "Now focus your energy and project it into the circle." Baker placed his hand a few inches over the table and closed his eyes.
The minutes dragged by and nothing was happening. Sweat began to pool on Baker’s face as he strained to make something happen. Roland placed one of his hands on Baker’s shoulder and said, "Don’t force it, just use the meditation technique I taught you" Baker calmed down and lowered himself into a deep calm. He exhaled softly and his hand started to glow a silver metallic color. The energy then seemed to absorb into the runes and instantly the whole table changed, becoming metal, unlike any metal I’ve ever seen. The energy then left the table, returning it back to wood, and reentered Baker’s hand and then spread across his body. He stood there with a definite metallic sheen to his skin.
Roland smiled, drew a sword, and swung at Baker so quickly that none of us could react. The sword caught Baker’s neck, there was the sound of metal hitting metal and the sword shattered. Baker looked scared and about ready to hit Roland at the same time but then he realized what happened as his eyes widened.
"Did I just break that sword with my skin?" He asked not believing it.
"You are a metal user, master of the art of defense, your energy can be used for anything you can think of but it will be best suited for defensive or augmentative arts. This is the advanced usage of Earth magick. You have a kinship with the durable, unmoving, and unyielding aspects of magick" Roland explained. "Now it is your turn Shyft." Roland motioned Shyft forward. Shyft stood up and placed his hand over the rune circle. He closed his eyes and followed Baker’s example.
A blue glow started around his hand and absorbed into the runes. The table erupted with a brilliant blue fire. Shyft opened his eyes in surprise. The fire extinguished and the energy returned to Shyft. His hands then coated with the blue fire. He stood there a few minutes stunned and then started moving his hands around. They seemed to blur slightly as he moved.
"You, Shyft, are a fire user, master of the art of dexterity, your energy is made for quick up close attacks. More so blue flame is also useful for sapping the energy of others. Its not as powerful as white, red, or yellow flame that is all about damage nor black flame that is all consuming but very slow. It seems your energetic nature is speed and suppression." Roland looked at me and smiled "Your turn Wingless."
I walked up to the table a little nervous, but excited. I placed my hand over the table. I closed my eyes and used my meditation training to empty my mind. I could feel my hand get cold and go numb. I opened my eyes, and I noticed the table was wet and covered with water. The water was moving, flowing from side to side, like it was in a glass and then it froze instantly. The energy came back to my hand, water snaked around my arm and then went back to my hand where it froze into a beautiful ice crystal that had a black core.
"You are an ice user, master of the art of range, your energy is best suited for long range use, and it seems that you also have some skill with water energy which is best for healing and sensory magick and shadow energy best for stealth. It seems you are the ultimate hunter in terms of magick." Roland motioned me back to my seat.
"Now my students." his voice softened "My friends, you have reached your end here at the sanctuary. Now I need you to investigate some strange occurrences I have received reports about. We will disguise your mission as an early graduation test. Use what I have taught you and what you have read about to aid you. Everything about what I need you to do will be in a scroll at your camp spot I have marked on this map."
He handed me a map of the surrounding the camp. "Now my friends I have a few gifts for you." He walked over to the chest of drawers and opened a large set of doors and revealed 3 beautiful chests. He pulled them out and laid one in front of each of us. We each opened our chests exposing 2 gifts each. My chest held a beautiful pair of kukri daggers and a vial of condensed energy. Baker opened his chest to find a helm with two amazing rams’ horns on the sides and another vial of the condensed energy. Shyft had his chest opened and was already holding his gift, an ancient warrior’s chain and his own vial of condensed energy. "Each of these gifts were handpicked for each of you. Baker you are a master of defense, and your energy is also meant for that purpose so this helm will aid you. Shyft you are as flexible in your style as the chain which I'm gifting to you. Wingless instead of something to help with your long-range fighting I thought a pair of these special daggers made for your stealth style would round out your fighting ability.
"Thank you, Roland." we all said simultaneously bowing to our master.
The next day Roland had everyone gathered at the totem pole for the announcement of our early graduation. The sky was a grey wash of clouds. The air was heavy with threats of an approaching storm. Roland addressed the other camp goers after a few minutes.
"Today we congratulate these 3 men for completing the training here and 2 months ahead of schedule. After this last test is completed, they will be asked to come back and teach here from time to time to part their gained knowledge back to the newer students."
He looked at us and smiled, the smile of a proud father. "You three have become great survivalists and my friends, go to the location on your map and complete the task I have set out for you." My brothers and I nodded and set off out of the camp with our packs and gear in tow.