"Young man, if you don't want others to find out, don't do it in the first place. A clear conscience is the strongest armor." the voice said.
"Who is there?!" Bodhi shouted as he took a defensive stance.
"No need to shout. I am right here." A white-haired capuchin monkey was sitting on Bodhi's right shoulder.
"Aaaaah!" Bodhi screamed as he swatted the monkey away.
"Wow, that was rude." The monkey said as he landed on the ground.
"Rude! You scared me half to death!" Bodhi shouted at the monkey.
"Like I said, I am right here, no need to shout."
"Yooou…"
"Ok listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let's start over. Hi, my name is Simi. What is your name?"
"Sigh... Fine, I am Bodhi. But who are you exactly? And how come you can speak?"
"How come I can speak? How come you can speak?"
"That's a dumb question."
"Exactly."
"Ok, fine. At least tell me who you are?"
"I am the guardian of this temple."
"Oh, you are a guardian. Do you know Okhan by any chance?"
"That stubborn thickheaded beast! Yeah, we are old pals."
"Ok, well, he is the one that brought me here. But if you are a guardian like Okhan how can you actually speak? Shouldn't you be using mental transmission?"
"Details schmetails."
"Fine. Then at least tell me what is this place and how come there is all this treasure here?"
"These old things? They have been here for a long time, even before I became the guardian of this temple."
"How long ago was that?"
"Hmmm... A long time."
"I see I won't be getting a lot of information out of you. You are the opposite of Okhan. You talk so much yet you say so little. I really do want to explore this place but I also need to make my way back before someone notices I am gone."
"That would be wise."
"Though the writing says I can take one thing with me. Is that true?"
"Anyone who makes it here can indeed take one thing back with them. So what will you choose?"
"I… I don't know."
"Well, take a look around. There is plenty to see. And here is a small tip, the deeper you go the more valuable the items become."
"More valuable? But look at all of this gold and silver everywhere."
"Gold and silver? Just because it glitters doesn't mean it is valuable. Granted, you can make things out of them and you humans like to accumulate them, but there are far more valuable things in here."
"You mean magical gems?"
"Magic gems are more valuable than metal, however..."
"Perhaps books of old or ancient scrolls?"
"Indeed, knowledge can be more valuable than metal and gems, but..."
"Oh, artifacts!"
"Artifacts can be created to do some cool things but they can be reproduced if you know how."
"Hmmm... I know! Relics!"
"Ding, ding, ding."
"But aren't artifacts and relics both just made of metals and gems."
"That is usually the case. But unlike artifacts, relics are one of a kind, made by masters of their craft at the peak of their skills while devoting a great amount of their own mana, spirit, and intent to them. That allows the relic to transcend the metals and gems they are made of to convey great powers, abilities, and knowledge to their bearer."
"So it is really true, there are such relics like the books of old mention… and you are saying there are relics deeper in."
"Who knows?" Simi said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess I will just have to go take a look and see for myself then."
Bodhi walked deeper into the cave and began to notice scattered scrolls amongst the treasure. Then whole bookshelves came into view filled with books of old.
"I could spend a year here and still not get through half of these." Bodhi felt overwhelmed as he went further in until he was met with a beautifully adorned double door blocking his way.
"Why is there a door here?"
"Why indeed?"
"I guess you won't tell me, nor will you tell me how to open it."
"What would be the fun in that?!"
"Fine."
Bodhi noticed writing above the doors.
"The mind is the lock. The heart is the key."
There was a round gem in the middle of the two doors right where handles should have been. It reminded Bodhi of the gem used in the school's magic test. "Should I touch it? Is it a test?" He asked Simi who once again simply shrugged his shoulders.
Bodhi reached towards the gem and as soon as he touched it he was transported to a chaotic battle scene. He was standing among thousands of men clashing shields and weapons.
"Is this… Is this The Great War?!"
He then zoomed through the scene towards a black tower in the background. On the top floor was a man in black armor sitting on a throne.
"The Shadow King!"
Bodhi now stood in front of the imposing figure. Yet, it was not fear he felt at that moment but a gnarly pang of pain in his heart.
"So much pain!" Bodhi said as he grabbed his chest. "Why?!"
Bodhi's vision zoomed into the face of the Shadow King as a tear rolled down his cheek. As the falling tear hit the ground, the scene transformed into a sunlit peaceful village. In front of Bodhi was a child. He ran into a house, jumping into the arms of his mother as his father roughed his hair while laughing. The scene then morphed into the night. Men with torches and swords in hand burst through the door. In a matter of moments, his family was gone. The leader of the bandits stood in front of the boy grimacing. His sword, clothes, and the black gem he wore as a pendant were soaked in blood. He seemed to marvel at the child frozen in a catatonic state.
"I can feel it, you will be one of my greatest masterpieces. Seek me for your vengeance when you are ready. The name is Balbek."
The scene then began to crumble around the boy as he curled up and began descending into a black abyss. As he floated down, the walls of the abyss displayed scenes of him starving as he scavenged for food. Then scenes of him being beaten and called a rat by others in a city's alleyway.
As he got older he joined a small band of bandits and was introduced to their lifestyle, including learning how to use weapons. The scenes then displayed him as a teenager leading a small group as they killed and robbed. Scenes of drinking, indulgence, abuse, and crying himself to sleep followed.
He eventually joined a larger infamous group of bandits and that's when he saw him again; Balbek. His blood began to boil and he uncontrollably lunged at him in an attempt to stab his neck, but Balbek was too quick and strong. He was able to avoid the attack and fend him off.
"Oh, you must be one of my creations hahaha!"
The young man was now locked up in a cell. Scenes of torture and screams flickered by.
"Once a day I will let you out and we will duel for a chance for you to kill me. And don't worry, I will bring you food and water every day so that it is a fair fight. And for my generosity, all I ask is that you be a good boy and entertain me, otherwise, I will hang you upside down and let you starve to death."
Every day he fought and every day he failed. Months passed. At some point, despair had given way to focus. Nothing else mattered. All thoughts had been purged from his mind except for the thought of killing Balbek. A single point of absolute focus.
One fateful day, Balbek opened the doors and the beast jumped out of his cage and onto his neck, biting off a chunk of it with his teeth. "Ahaha that's it boy…" Balbek swung his sword but the young beast dodged before lunging once again. He stuck a dagger through the side of his leather vest. "Hahaha... I knew you would be one of my greatest masterpieces." Balbek said with his last breath as he lay bleeding on a pool of his own blood.
The boy beast let out a ravenous wail. His captor and tormentor had been slain. His vengeance was gotten. He got up to leave but something called to him. He looked back and noticed the black gem Balbek had always worn as a pendant. He grabbed it and placed it around his neck, as a trophy of sorts. He now wandered aimlessly around the world, his single point of focus no longer of it. He was an existence without purpose. All he had left was the pain. And it was too much to bear. He sat by a river holding his dagger, contemplating the end. At that moment, his ears caught an exchange of a couple of passersbys.
"Have you heard about the king's kindness and generosity?"
"Yes, he is such a great king! He protects and cares for all his people."
"The king's generosity... protects and cares for all his people… the king's generosity... protects and cares for all his people… generosity…. protects... cares... protects... care...." those words played in an endless loop in his mind. "A generous king?... Protects and cares for all his people?!... He was supposed to protect me and care for me! For my family! I hate you... I hate you... I HATE YOU!" His single-focused mind and unresolved hate now had a new target. "I will kill the king!"
"I can help you..." A shadowy voice emanated from the gem around his neck.
Bodhi was once again facing the Shadow King sitting on his throne. Tears streamed down Bodhi's face.
"I can't imagine what that must have been like. I wish... I wish that had never happened to you… I... '' Bodhi felt profound compassion towards him as he fell to his knees and cried in deep lament, feeling the Shadow King's pain as his own. When he finally looked up he was back with the crying boy at the bottom of the abyss. Bodhi got up and stumbled towards the boy.
"I am here... I am here now... It's okay." Bodhi said as he hugged the boy and began caressing his hair. "It's okay now... You can cry all you want... I am here... everything will be ok." Compassion overflowed from Bodhi's heart as he caressed the boy's hair. Bodhi thought of his mother. A light then appeared above him and a soothing warm flow of love and kindness flowed through him and into the boy in his arms. The boy gently looked up and through his sobbing, he called out "Mommy?"
At that moment the boy disappeared from his arms and Bodhi was again facing the Shadow King who jumped up from his throne and let out a deep bellowing cry before he fell onto one of his knees while clenching his chest. Suddenly, knights stormed the room. Among them were a young Thelos and Master Bian.
"Shadow King, cease your madness! This is the end!" Thelos proclaimed.
The shadow king did not respond. He breathed heavily as he continued to clench his chest.
"Is he injured?" Thelos asked.
"No, that's not it," Bian replied as she looked around and locked eyes with Bodhi. She smiled.
"Wait. Master Bian, you can see me?!"
"It is NOT over!" The Shadow King yelled as he stood and grabbed his shadow gem.
"Stop him or we all die!" Thelos yelled out.
But before the Shadow King could make any moves, another deep pang of pain struck his heart. He again clasped his chest and stumbled. Unable to cope with his predicament, he called on his shadow familiar. The black snake came out of the shadow gem and wrapped itself around his torso and its body morphed into shadow wings on his back. In one fell swoop, he jumped through one of the large windows of the tower.
"What in the world?!" Thelos said.
"The right question is who in the world?" Bian corrected him as she slightly bowed to Bodhi.
"Master Bian, you can really see…." In the blink of an eye Bodhi was back facing the double doors with his hands on the orb. "...me?"
One of the doors was now open.
"Whoa, what was that?!" Bodhi asked.
"Trippy right?" Simi replied.
"Yeah... But what was it? Was it an illusion?"
"What is and isn't an illusion? Hard to say." Simi said as he went into the room. "Come on in."
Behind the door was an extension of the cave, a chamber-like room with bookshelves along some of the walls as well as a variety of artifacts scattered throughout. And at the back was a rock formation with a sword cleaved into a chunk of crystals at the top.
"That is the Sword of Light," Simi said.
"It is beautiful," Boddhi remarked as he walked up the rock formation and gazed at the flawless sword. He then noticed words were etched onto the crystal.
"You who will not unsheath this sword for the sake of your desires. You who will wield this sword in the service of others. Oh, you of noble heart and clear mind. May you pull this sword free and may its light illuminate your pathless path so that others may follow."
"Hmm… Am I supposed to pull the sword?" Bodhi asked Simi who simply shrugged his shoulders once again.
"Very helpful as usual. I feel moved to try but I am not sure I fit the criteria."
Bodhi stepped up to the sword. The cluster of crystals it was cleaved into as well as the gem etched onto the center of the sword's guard began to shine.
"Is that a light magic gem?!"
Bodhi was now transfixed by the gem as he slowly reached out to grab the sword's hilt. The light gem and the cluster began to shine brighter. In one fell swoop, Bodhi pulled the sword out and it now shone intensely bright as the whole body of the sword began to radiate light.
"I guess you fit the criteria after all," Simi said. "Or at least you have the potential to. Here is the sword's sheat. I have been holding on to it for a long time."
"Thank you Simi. But what does this mean?! Can I really take this sword?! It feels… too much."
Simi didn't say anything, instead, he climbed up to Bodhi's right shoulder. He grabbed his face and looked into his eyes.
"Simi, what are you doing?"
"I am taking you back now."
"You are what?"
Simi slowly pulled his hands away from his face and in one sudden move, he swung both of them back, slapping his cheeks as hard as he could.
"Heeey!" Bodhi protested as he jolted up.
"Bodhi?! What's wrong?!" Raj sat up as well.
"What the… Where... How… Huh!? I am back!"
"Back?" Raj asked.
"Yeah… I was… I…. I guess it was all a dream..."
"Wow must have been quite a vivid dream."
"Yeah… Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you awake. My bad."
"That's fine Bodhi, we all have intense dreams from time to time. But there is one thing I want to ask you... What is that?" Raj asked as he pointed to an object on the floor next to Bodhi.
"The sword!"