"Who am I?"
"You are nothing." the voice replied.
"Nothing?!"
"You are everything." The voice continued.
"Everything?"
A ray of light made its way through the curtains of Bodhi's bedroom, warmly landing on his face. He pulled the sheets over his eyes to shield them from the swell of photons inundating his room.
"Wake up Bodhi!" the loud voice echoed through the hallway. "It is time for school. You will be late... Again."
"Just five more minutes dad."
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bodhi was startled by the thunderous knocks on the window pane.
"Raj, I swear, that better not be you!"
"Of course it is me! Who else would it be?!" Raj proclaimed as he burst the window open.
"Fiiine, you win. I am waking up." Bodhi replied while reluctantly moving onto his feet.
"There you go Bodhi, it is a fine morning and there is plenty of day ripe for seizing. So let's go!"
"Where do you even find all of this energy so early in the morning?"
"You know, from the fire burning bright in my belly! Ahahaha."
"It's burning a bit too bright if you ask me." Bodhi replied with a smile on his face.
Bodhi and Raj had been friends since they were four years old, having met not in the greatest of circumstances. A month after his fourth birthday, Raj's home was swept away by a tornado during a major storm. Eldred, Bodhi's father, told Raj's family they could stay as long as needed while they rebuilt.
"Thank you Eldred for opening up your home to us."
"It is my pleasure Rhon, you would do the same for me and my son."
"Hello young Bodhi," Rhon said as he directed his attention to the little boy hiding behind Eldred's legs.
"Hi," Bodhi replied as he looked up at Rhon.
"Bodhi, would you like to meet my son? His name is Raj and he is the same age as you."
"Hmm... okay."
Rhon moved a bit to the side to make way for young Raj to step forward from behind him. Raj was looking down with tears streaming down his face.
"What is wrong Raj?" Bodhi asked.
"My house is gone and all my toys were in it." Raj managed to speak through his sobbing.
For the first time in his life, Bodhi felt a deep pang of empathy for another's suffering, experiencing the turmoil in Raj's heart as if it was his own. Bodhi sprung away to his room.
"Bodhi, come back, don't be rude." Eldred yelled out.
"Don't worry my friend. They are so young and this is quite an overwhelming experience."
"You are right, I just didn't expect him to act this way. I guess I thought he was more mature than that."
A few moments later, Bodhi walked back into the living room. Eldred looked at him and noticed he was holding something behind his back. Once he made his way to Raj, he revealed the carved toy.
"Raj, this is Cayden, he is a heroic Knight and he carries a mighty sword of light that can cut through the darkness. He will help you and your family through this."
Raj's soaked eyes gradually began to open wider, becoming transfixed by the wooden figure. He slowly reached out and grabbed it. No longer sobbing, it was as if the mighty sword did in fact cut through the dark tempest in his heart as he shoved it against his chest. With a renewed light, Raj smiled to reveal his pearly white teeth, snot still streaming down his nose.
Eldred watched in disbelief. That was his son's favorite toy. Eldred could not believe he would part with it. The sting of disappointment from moments ago turned into a blossoming feeling of pride.
"I am such a fool." Eldred thought to himself. His eyes welled up with tears, as did Raj's parents.
Bodhi then revealed a second toy. "This is Aidan, he is Cayden's best friend. Let's go on an adventure together with them!"
"Yes!" Raj replied and they both took off running through the house.
"This reminds me of a saying. If there is kindness in the soul there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person there may be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home there might be balance in the kingdom. If there is balance in the kingdom there could be peace in the world." Rhon said.
On their way to school, they passed by the city center where the early morning buzz was building as the shops were being set up and villagers made their way to their destinations.
"If we are late again Ms. Isabel will have our hides," Raj remarked, referring to their homeroom teacher.
"Yeah, and it's not like we have a lot of hide left," Bodhi replied while yawning.
"Okay let me guess, you were up all night again reading those old books weren't you?"
"Yeah, I can't help it."
"What is so fascinating about them anyway?"
"Hmm... how about nothing."
"Nothing?!"
"Or better yet, everything."
"What? You are not making any sense."
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
"Oh look who decided to show up. Thank you for honoring us with your presence your royal highnesses." Ms. Isabel said as she sarcastically bowed to them.
"You are welcome," Raj replied with a grin as he returned the bow.
"Raj…" Bodhi hurriedly whispered. "What are you doing?"
"Oh you think you are so funny don't you Raj."
"Ms. Isabel, you are the one who started this bit and the first rule of improv comedy is to follow the flow... so, you are welcome." Raj reiterated with an even bigger grin on his face and hands-on-hips pretending to be a prince.
Bodhi's head dropped with a sigh, knowing full well they would be sent to the principal's office; again.
"Oh... aha… ahahaha." Ms. Isabel burst into laughter.
Bodhi looked up in disbelief. With a hint of suspicion and a sprinkle of hope he asked, "does this mean we don't have to go to the principal's office?"
"Oh no, you are going, but I will admit, that was kind of funny."
"The two of you again," said principal Hammond. "Let me guess, you were late again?"
"Well, it was just a small misunderstanding." Raj tried to salvage the situation.
"A small misunderstanding huh? So how about the three of us come to a big understanding then?"
A while later they both awaited their punishment at the back of the school.
"Helping set up for the festival suuuucks." Raj said.
Ms. Isabel then gave them their orders. "Okay boys, take all this firewood to the main square."
"All of it?!" Raj exclaimed looking at the towering pile of firewood. He turned to Bodhi in dismay and with his shoulders down and mouth agape he said, "Aaall of it."
"Yes, I know, this suuuucks."
Beaten and bruised, both fire festival warriors were dismissed by commander Isabel, left to nurse their battle wounds by the barracks.
"I guess you really can move a mountain by carrying the small stones," Bodhi remarked but was met with silence. "Raj? You okay?"
Raj just sat there staring down at the ground, seemingly paralyzed by the hardship they had just endured.
"Raj?"
"I… I... " Raj mumbled momentarily before screaming, "I am not okay! That was brutal! Not only that, we have the talent and magic tests tomorrow, they can't work us to the bone like this the day before!"
"Don't remind me."
An hour later, the townspeople began gathering for the festival. From the corner of his eyes, Bodhi caught a glimpse of Vana as she approached the first fire being lit. Her golden hair glistened in the luminescence of the flames, emanating sparkles of fairy dust, or so it seemed to his eyes. Vana caught his gaze and softly smiled as she looked down.
"Oh man, look at your cheeks. They are sooo red! Hahaha." Raj teased as he caught wind of the awkward exchange.
"Shut up Raj." Bodhi retorted under his breath.
Bodhi caught Vana covering her mouth as she gently chuckled and then waved at them.
"Hahaha even redder!" Raj teased Bodhi further. "Are you thinking of your first kiss with Vana right about now?"
"What?! I have never kissed Vana!"
"Oh that's right, she kissed you."
"No! What?! You know damn well no one kissed anyone."
"Alright, if you say so."
"Ok, now you are just asking for it."
"Hahaha, calm down. I am just messing with you, hehe."
About three years ago, Bodhi and Raj were playing in the woods next to the Sacred Waterfall. They were running around and pretending to be knights on a mission as they hacked and slashed their way through the vines with their wooden swords. They then came face to face with a wild chicken. The three of them stared at each other for a brief moment, uncertain of how the scene would play out.
Bodhi then softly said, "Raj it is now our mission to save the people from hunger with your mom's famous wild chicken stew." Raj looked over at Bodhi and replied, "mission accepted". They burst towards the chicken as it darted away. They huffed and puffed through the woods after it, all the way to the very edge of the river bank. They could hear the waterfall downstream not that far off.
"Where did it go?! I didn't think it would be that fast!" Raj said while catching his breath.
"Yeah, no kidding. Wait... do you hear that?"
There was a noise of bustling brush a few feet away from them. With a menacing couple of steps, the wild chicken revealed itself from behind a bush, its eyes no longer that of prey, but of a predator.
"Whoa there, hold on little buddy. We meant you no harm. We were just playing." Raj spoke as he slowly took a couple of steps back while reaching for his bag. "So you see, nothing to worry about, let's be friends."
"Raj, it is gonna come for us any second now," Bodhi said.
"When it jumps at us I am gonna catch it with my bag."
"For real?!"
"Yeah, trust me. Ready?"
"Hmmm... sure."
With a flap of its wings, the chicken rushed towards them and jumped. Raj barely had time to fully open the bag so it could swallow the chicken with its cloth jaws.
"I got it! Whoa, wait, it's super pissed!" Raj rushed to tie the bag as he tussled with the trapped chicken. He took a few steps back during the struggle, but that was one too many.
Splash. Raj fell into the water. The strong current swiftly gripped his body.
"Raj! Swim ashore!"
"I... I can't..." Raj managed to speak as he bobbed in and out of the water.
"He is not gonna make it." Bodhi thought to himself.
Acting on instinct, Bodhi jumped into the water without a second's hesitation.
"I am coming... Raj... Hold on..."
"Bo... Bodhi...."
Bodhi managed to reach Raj and grabbed him. He was unsure of what to do next, so he just put his all into dragging Raj close enough to the shore so they could try and grab onto a vine or overhanging branch to pull themselves away from the grip of the current. Bodhi tried grabbing a couple of them as they whizzed by, but failed.
"No! I can't let Raj die!" he thought to himself. "Not again!" a voice echoed from deep within his mind.
He reached with all his might and was finally able to snag a branch tightly enough to pull them closer to shore.
"Raj, hold on... here... grab on..."
Raj reached for the branch with Bodhi's help. He was able to hold on to it with both hands and started pulling himself out of the water. Bodhi, on the other hand, having spent all his grip strength, could no longer hold on. And so he slipped away, back into the clutches of the current.
"Bodhi! No!"
Bodhi was now the one bobbing up and down the water, with barely enough strength to surface and breathe. He still had enough of his wits about him to notice the sound of the waterfall getting louder by the second. He knew he was done for.
He used his last bit of strength to brace himself for the fall. And it came. The sensation of freefalling was overwhelming and made his stomach sink. Then came the impact. Tremendous pain shot through his body as all the air rushed out of his lungs. He was now sinking like a stone.
"Is this how I die?... At least Raj is safe." Those were his last thoughts as he began to fade. Then a light appeared above him, its rays flowing through the water, softening the cold sensation of its embrace.
"What is that?" Bodhi thought as a silhouette with swaying long hair descended through the water, reaching out to him. "Mom, is that you?" Bodhi reached back.
"Cough... Cough..."
"Bodhi, you are alive!" Raj exclaimed as he fell on his knees. "Thank goodness you are alive!!! And look! I still have the chickeeen!" Raj yelled as he elevated the bag over his head like a trophy.
"Chicken?... What chicken?" Bodhi asked.
"Raj, be quiet, can't you see he is still in a daze," a female voice resounded inside Bodhi's throbbing head.
"What happened? Who are you?" Bodhi looked towards the voice as the sunlight forced him to squint. A silhouette came into view. "Is it really you?"
"Yeah, it's me. And you boys should be more careful. If I didn't happen to be out here collecting herbs you would have surely drowned! You boys are so reckless!"
"Wait, I know that voice. That's that girl from school... It's Vana." Bodhi had finally realized.
"Bodhi I can't believe you would get yourself into this situation. You always seemed so level-headed."
"Vana, it wasn't his fault. He actually jumped in to save me."
"Ah, it figures it would be your fault Raj. And you Bodhi, don't try to be the hero next time, call out for help instead."
"But... Raj... he was drowning."
"Still! You almost died!"
"I'd rather it be me..."
"Bodhi..." Vana had no retort.
Raj threw himself onto Bodhi. "Thank you Bodhi, you are the best friend a guy can ever have!" He yelled as he began wailing, finally succumbing to the terror he was trying to keep at bay with his antics.
"There there Raj. Everything is ok now." Bodhi said as he stroke his hair, remembering how his mom would always say that to calm him down as she caressed his head. It always worked. Until the fateful day in which she passed, and Bodhi would never again feel her soft hands comforting him. Bodhi joined in as he began to cry. Before long, Vana was also crying.
Mr. Buckman, the school's history teacher, gathered some of his students around one of the fires of the fire festival.
"Okay kids, be quiet and settle down over here."
Bodhi, Raj and Vana sat down alongside the others in a circle around Mr. Buckman.
"As usual, some of the fires are dedicated to the fallen heroes of The Great War and the Time of The Great Sorrow. Does anyone know anything about this topic?"
"Me, Me!" Raj could hardly contain himself as he darted his arm up.
"Raj."
"The Great War and the Time of the Great Sorrow covers the period of time when the Shadow King waged war on our Kingdom. The war lasted for many years before it ended about 30 years ago."
"That is correct Raj. And can anyone tell me what the war was about?"
"Power!" Bhran blurted out.
"Simply put, that's correct Bhran."
Bhran's face was adorned with a smug grin. Bodhi couldn't tell if he was enjoying Mr. Buckman's praise or if he was simply relishing in the idea of power. He was the son of a noble known for his greed and callousness after all.
"The talent and magic tests will be held tomorrow and a month after that you will embark on the Pilgrimage of The Youth to the Capital for those of you who will be accepted into the Royal Academy." Mr. Buckman reminded them.
"Why are you not more excited about this Bodhi?!" Raj asked.
"I am Raj. It's just that… Are we ready?"
"Of course we are!"
"Yeah, I guess we are."