It was already mid night. The moon was dazzling with it’s fairness. It was so bright that no one had ever seen it such beautiful in millennia. The old man didn’t wait for the sunrise to start their journey. Mr. Smith didn’t even dare to stop him. Mrs. Smith’s eyes were filled with tears, bidding her boy a bye with kisses and love.
“If some one had followed us or try to reach or find the boy, he would never ever return to the town again. Mark my words Mr. Smith, those are for you especially”, the old man said. No one dared to reply him. This is where their journey and the story began.
This was the first time the boy stepped out of his house. Nearly after an hour of their travel, they entered into a forest (Something that Moon had never even heard in his life).
“Where are you taking me?”, asked moon with amusement and fear at one side and with tears on the other. He waited a long time for the old man to speak but, that never happened. “Hold this”, the old man said, handing a stick into Moon’s palms.
Moon, throwing away the stick shouted, “I am not your slave, and I ain’t doing anything that you say, until all my questions are answered”. The old man opened his mouth but, his words were not what Moon expected.
Handing Moon two sticks this time, he said, ” You are no less than your father, well but, for each arrogant way you behave, you will be handed with an extra stick”. This didn’t help the old man in shutting the boy’s mouth for a while. But, as they went the boy had so many sticks that made his way tough and he didn’t even dare to speak again.
This was the worst day Moon ever had in his life. He walked liked a zombie, as he was already tired and sleepy. Every time he dropped those sticks, another stick was added to the bundle. The moon had gone, the sun was ready to rise and they reached a place where moon could see a large house. Nothing else was noticed. His eyes were shutting, his body wanted to rest, his tummy might even accept grass, if he was further delayed to be given food.
“Welcome back master”, said a girl, as she was running towards them and getting hold of the bundle from Moon’s hands.
“Wateeer, Wattter”, Moon murmured falling to his knees, then to the floor.
The first thing he saw after opening his eyes was the same girl, whom he had seen before. She was so pretty, nearly the same age of his. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her.
“Take this. And, this is BAISHU”, she said, handing him some food (Fruits and vegetables).
Well, food got his attention, which was on Baishu till now. He ate like a donkey, as if he hadn’t eaten anything in ages. As soon as he finished those fruits and vegetables (Which were never his favourite), he saw the old man coming to him.
“MASTER”, exclaimed Baishu and bowed.
Moon doesn’t seemed to care and his mouth wide open, started staring at the girl again. Baishu kicked his leg and sighed him to bow too. Though he had no will, he did as the old man’s eyes were already on him.
“Get ready for your second lesson”, he said.
“Second? Where is the first one? Anyway I don’t care. I never even thought you as my teacher and so I am not learning anything from you OLD MAN”, he yelled. Soon after he finished saying his words, he couldn’t notice what had happened the next second. But, then he realised that his hand was hurt and when he had a view at it, it was in the old man’s palms, being pressed, in such a way that caused the pain.
“When are we starting with the lessons, MASTER?”, Moon murmured with pain.
“The first lesson is over my son. Baishu get him to the field”, the old man said who was already on his way.
Soon after Moon noticed that the old man was gone, he gasped to Baishu,” You are his slave too?”.
“Slave? What makes you say that? Anyway, not my concern. We will have to reach the field in a while”, replied Baishu leading her way to the field.
“Then what is he trying to do with all of us?”, he said pointing towards a window
that had a complete view, where kids were being taught. They weren’t rhymes, poems or poetry that Moon had learned in his town. Most of them had knives, few fought with bare hands, few had bows on their hands.
“He is training us for something”, Baishu replied.
“Training? What for?”, yelled Moon curiously.
“Something, about which he never said to anyone. Something that is big. But, few kids here say that, there was an evil spirit which existed here centuries ago. They even say that, it had lost its powers when a king named CASPIAN THE GREAT tried to have control over it. And, they have even heard of stories about the evil spirit gaining its power back. So that might be the reason for the old man to train us”, exclaimed Baishu, more in a fierce tone.
Shocked and little scared about what Baishu said, Moon became sick for a while.
“Do you believe in it? What happened to CASPIAN THE GREAT? So the old man wants us to fight against spirits?, asked Moon curiously.
“Come on man, calm down! They say Caspian had died his worse death. Well, none of us here believe it, except for those two brothers, who had told us.”, Baishu said.
They had reached the field and there stood a boy, who looked a little elder than Moon. Baishu pointing at him said,” We have been told by the master that we will be announced a head to lead us and we suppose he is the one. He is even the most beloved student for the master”.
“Ohh, his name?”, he asked.
“Liger”, she answered.
“What name is that? Liger?”, shouted Moon who had already burst into a mini laughter.
“Shut up, don’t dare to become an enemy of his, if you wish to survive a good time here.” she murmured.
Li, already had an ear on their talks, though he pretended as if he didn’t listen, he knew everything that happened there. He glanced a look at Moon, that nearly showed that hate he had on him.
He had his first class. Though he didn’t learn much that day, he liked it and he had a will to learn. He learnt how to hold a sword. As days passed, he became good in sword fighting. As months went, he became the best. He was good at everything. He had a good hold with bows and arrows. He was very good that he nearly won a challenge between him and Li. He loved being there, that made him almost forget about his town and parents. He was even loved by everyone, especially by Baishu. He started to admire and respect the old man. He never called him an old man from then, he made him as his master. The old man too liked his skills and admired him back. The only person who hated Moon was Li, because he couldn’t see anyone growing better. He even knew that Moon would be better than him one day.
Nearly a year was over, and it was time for Moon to leave. He had no will, but he wanted to see his parents. He had many memories with Baishu and those two brothers who were funny(Fred and George). Li was the only person who seemed to be happy for Moon’s departure. Baishu broke into tears. No one could forget the adventure he had with Baishu, Li and the two brothers. Every one spoke about it as a story. He met with things he had never seen in his life. That was the best adventure Moon ever had in his life and it was called as ‘THE ADVENTURE OF THE FIVE’.
It was time for Moon to go now. He went to his master to speak his last words with him.
“Master? Won’t I ever return again? Is this the end for my relation with this place and people?”, he asked with a tone that was almost broken.
The old man took Moon in front of everyone. He started,” I am not here to say why I have trained everyone all these days, as the time has not yet arrived. But, I am here to say something important. It will be Moon who will lead you when it is time for us to fight”. Li left the place soon after he had heard what his master said. His grudge on Moon was unconditional now.
Before Moon had left the place, Master said him,” Moon, do you think the story has ended? Well, the story had just begun my son, the story had just begun.”
Euphoric Aesthete 