Soni takes a seat on the big pillow facing the monk. He copied the monk's sitting position crossing his legs Indian style. He closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths, slowing his pulse beat down as his grandmother originally taught him.
Soni heard some of his classmates walk by making sly comments, so he blocked them out going deeper into his meditation.
Ten minutes into the process Soni entered the dream world. He never noticed the monk sitting across from him in the real world was staring at him through slit eyes.
The monk stared at Soni briefly then closed his eyes too, rejoining Soni in meditation.
Soni's dream world had him on grassy plains. Hills of endless grass ran as far as his eyes could see. He looked in all directions around him looking for civilization.
"Come on come on," he said to himself. "Just give me something to explore."
Looking up towards the sky he noticed that the weather was the same as in the other real world, the only surprise was that there were two moons and a sun in the sky. Soni looked down at himself.
"Everything's the same," he said aloud.
Taking two steps he leaped into the air, climbing to a hundred feet. He flew several miles seeing nothing but grass. He stopped in mid-air looking around. "Wow! Now, this is a first. Where's everybody at?" he said looking down at the endless grass.
A bright light from the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Soni's head snapped in the glimmer. Well, it's about time. Soni flew toward the glimmer of light. As he got closer he saw that it was a statue of the ancient warrior holding a sword.
He landed a cautious twenty feet from the statue observing the as he walked closer. It looked hundreds of years old. The sword the statue was holding was the cause for the glimmer of light Soni noticed. He studied the sword. It looks brand-new. Startled Soni felt a slight tremor coming from the ground. Heard a rumbling sound and took a startled step back from the statue bracing himself.
Looking around seeing nothing approach. The rumbling got louder and the ground shook harder.
"What's happening here?" Soni asked himself aloud.
Suddenly everything was quiet. No rumbling, no tremble from the ground. Nothing but silence. Soni glanced around himself landing his eyes back on the rock statue. A moaning sound erupted from the statue. Soni, unsure of the sound and got closer.
The moaning grew louder from within, working it's way out. "My subconscious is playing a serious mind game on me," Soni stated getting close to the statue.
The statues rock structure started cracking startling him. "No way," Soni said backing some distance from the statue.
Pieces of the rock fell from the ten-foot statue hitting the ground. Soni stood amazed from a distance staring at what was happening.
In the real world, the monk had a smirk on his face. He was loving the reaction he was getting from the kid sitting across from him.
Back in the dream world, the stones, rocks, and dust finish falling from what was left of the statue. As the dust cleared Soni saw a new statue in its true form. The only difference between the old and the new was that this statue could move. He took another step back as the warrior turned his head and looked at him. The warrior's eyes glowed red as he stretched and flexed with the sword.
"What's your name, little buddy?" Soni asked out loud.
The warrior stepped down from the pedestal raising the sword above his head. As the ten-foot warrior's foot hit the ground, the ground shook slightly.
Soni noticed the aggression coming from the warrior. "I know you're not about to swing that sword at me, are you?" Soni said with a grin on his face. "I'm just a kid."
The warrior took two more steps toward Soni and let out an animalistic growl. He swung the sword as if he was loosening up for a battle.
Soni took a step back, "you want to play? I've gotten tricks of my own," Soni said as he sized up the situation. Soni willed himself to grow ten feet tall. When he saw the warrior stop swinging the sword he added, "and that's not the half." Soni then closed his eyes and willed himself into a warrior identical to the one attacking him.
In the real world, the monk no longer had a smirk on his face, but Soni did.
Back in the dream world Soni formed a sword in his hand and looked toward his assailant. He took a defensive stance and said: "you first."
The warrior didn't hesitate. He ran toward Soni raising the sword. Their swords clashed together, throwing sparks everywhere. The warrior swung again and again at Soni only to make contact with his sword. Soni jumped 20 feet in the air bringing the sword down on the warrior.
The warrior blocked the attack with his sword, but could not stop the kick Soni gave him in the combo. The warrior flew falling on its back losing the sword in the attack. Soni ran picking up the warrior's sword as the warrior got to its feet.
Holding both swords in his hands, Soni smiles. "Didn't your mom tell you not to play with swords?" He said laughing.
The warrior raised his arms over his head clasping them together. A bright aqua light from the warrior's hands blinded Soni, "Whaaaa!!" Soni shielded his eyes from the light with his arms. As the light dimmed Soni saw the warrior had another sword.
"Impressive. You're one of the best competition I've battled with to date," Soni said leaning on one of the swords, the other resting on his shoulder.
As the warrior brought his hands down, he separated them now holding a sword in each hand.
Soni whistled, "not bad, not bad at all," he said pulling both swords back up. "Remember, this is my world little buddy.”
The warrior approached him slower this time. Soni decided not to rush the situation as they circle each other. "so, can you talk or is there dust still stuck in your throat from that kick I delivered to your chest?" Soni asked.
The warrior pounced swinging both swords like a baseball bat. Soni jumped in the air doing a backflip avoiding the blades of the warrior's sword by inches.
"Come on buddy, I know you have a name," Soni said. "You look like a Jack or a Michael hidden behind that mask."
The warrior tried a different strategy this time. He took a quick step forwards jabbing the sword at Soni. Soni sidestepped the attack noticing the warrior swinging the other sword in the same motion. Soni brought both swords up defending himself. The warrior brought the other sword down on Soni like a sledgehammer. Soni jumped back in time.
"Good God you're getting quicker." Soni taunted the opponent.
The warrior caught his balance from the last attack then stood erect. He brought both swords together in front of him, one facing the ground and one facing the air. The moaning sound came again.
Soni couldn't help but laugh. "What's with the singing? Don't tell me that there's a woman behind the mask." The warrior stopped making the noise and took a battling stance again.
Soni hunches his shoulders, "Are you through. If you need a moment to yourself, I'll be happy to give..." Soni stopped mid-sentence. Something's wrong, he thought. Somebody else is present he could sense it. He glanced behind himself and jumped startled. "Shit! Where you come from?"
Two identical warriors holding two swords a piece now stood on both sides of Soni. He stood so that both warriors were in his eyesight.
"Hey, I'm sorry for beating up on your twin sister. she started..."
The first warrior charged first cutting Soni's sentence short. He blocked the sword attack using both of his swords. The second warrior started in raising his swords. Soni lashed out both swords swing around in a circle fending both warriors off him. Soni stopped spinning and looked at both warriors.
"Think about this fellas. I've trained and fought hundreds since six. I've only broken a sweat twice, and that was while I was stretching my muscles," Soni said watching both warriors. "I could have ended this minutes ago."
"Show me,” warrior number one stated charging in at Soni again.
"So she speaks," Soni said charging toward warrior number one ignoring the second coming from behind. Soni brought both swords in front of his chest, then stretched both arms out to his side leaping into the air as the first warrior leaped into the air. Their swords crashed into each other with a thunderous sound.
Soni hit the ground first as the second attacked. He had to admit that they were good. In fact, they're the best he's done fought against to this date.
He fought both warriors searching for a weakness. Once he had both warriors a distance from him Soni dropped the swords. Both warriors paused from seeing his actions. "Enough of this. My time, my world." Soni closed his eyes and ridded himself of the armor, and shrunk to his normal height. The ground shook forcing the warriors to brace themselves for whatever was coming.
Soni concentrated harder. The grass for miles around him lost its color, turning to dust. The hills that were once there evened out to a flat land. In the hills place stood boulders and rocks spreading for miles. Soni opened his eyes and eyed the warriors. He noticed that there were two moons and a sun now. Soni observed the warriors spreading out around him. Soni smiled.
"You guys just don't get it." Soni turned toward the closest boulder to him. The boulder stood at 15 feet around and must have weighed ten tons. Soni walked over to the boulder, dropped to one knee and lifted the boulder over his head. This warriors both stopped and stared. He threw the boulder at the closest warrior, watching as he jumped out of the way. The boulder hit the ground rolling fifty yards before it stopped. The warriors stood looking at each other.
Soni could tell they were perplexed by his strength and probably couldn't figure out what was going on. The warriors brought their swords together like the first one did and started the moaning again.
"You guys need to stop. If you're looking for a singing contract you won't get it from me." Soni started laughing. Two moons and a sun, and these guys are duplicating themselves, he noted to himself. He leaped on top of a twenty-foot boulder sitting a distance from him. Once he landed he observed his situation.
Four against one. Not bad as long as I know that the odds will stay that way. "Seems you guys have the ability to duplicate yourselves," it wasn't a question.
"Open minded, little one," one of the warriors replied. Soni sense that it was the first one he encountered, "sooo, are all of them a part of you? A figment of my imagination." The warrior shook his head started approaching Soni.
"This is far from your imagination little one, far from it." At that moment two warriors jumped in the air towards the boulder Soni was standing on. Soni anticipated this and jumped toward one of the warriors kicking out into the armored chest, sending him back down to the ground by the other two warriors. The other landed on the boulder swinging the swords at Soni as he landed. Soni dodged the attack and noticing the other warriors on their way up.
Soni ducked the head attack from the warrior, kicking his foot out knocking the startled warrior back. Feeling the attack of another warrior coming from behind Soni jumped straight up being missed by inches. Landing in the center of the boulder with all four warriors around him Soni stopped and raised his hands above his head. Two of the nearest boulders a distance from the one they occupied gravitated in the air. The warriors turned in unison upon seeing this and immediately charged to attack him. Soni willed the boulders toward the two closest attacking warriors.
The impact of the boulders and the warriors sounded like two cars crashing. The two warriors hit the ground with the boulders landing on top of them. Soni turned back to the other two warriors still on the boulder with him. He raised an eyebrow. "Who's next?"
The warriors looked down at the fallen comrades then at each other. The dropped their swords freely go the ground, clasp their hands together, bowed their heads, and disappeared into thin air. Soni stood puzzled for a moment. He turned toward the boulders he crushed the warriors with, willed one Boulder into the air shocked to see that nothing was under it. No warrior, only dirt. He forces the second boulder in the air and saw the same. Nothing!
" What the hell is this?" He whispered to himself.
Soni glanced around one more time taking note of the two moons and the sun. "Odd. Real odd. "
Closing his eyes he willed himself awake. As he opened them the first thing he noticed was the monk that was sitting across from him was gone. Nothing but a huge pillow sat there. Soni glanced at his watch. He couldn't believe it. Thirteen minutes had passed since he'd sat down. Felt more like 30 minutes.
He looked around to see if he could spot the monk. He didn't seem like the type that could disappear in three minutes with all of the open space around unless the monk ran.
Marty approached as he was getting to his feet.
"Soni, Soni, Soni. Trying to talk with the Gods?" he said laughing. Soni shook his head at Marty's childish behavior but decided to ignore it.
"Hey, did you see a bald guy wearing a robe run out of here?" Soni asked.
"Nope. The only bald guy I've seen is our teacher, Mr. Daniels," Marty said. They both laugh and started walking toward one of the temples.
As they got closer to the steps that led into the temple Soni stopped. Marty looked at him and stopped too. "What's wrong Soni?" he asked.
Soni glanced around as of searching for someone. "You can't hear it?" Soni asked. Marty glance around and shrugged his shoulders.
"What? I don't hear anything," Marty said listening intently.
"The moaning sounds," he said looking curiously towards the entrance of the temple.
"Awww man Soni," Marty said in a disgusting matter. "Those monkey guys have been moaning all day. I don't even think these guys take a breather. Nothing but that constant MMMM...." Marty impersonated a zombie, walking with his hands outstretched, moaning like the monks were doing.
"Hey, cut that out," Soni said quickly jabbing him in the arm before they attracted unwarranted attention. “Respect their culture.”
Marty stopped immediately and started climbing the steps toward the entrance. "Come on. Let's go see what all the moaning about," he gestured onward.
Soni hesitated then started up the steps behind Marty.
"Hey, you two. Come back down here. Hey!" Soni and Marty stopped turning around. A tour guide stood at the bottom of the steps with a clipboard in his hand. "You can't go into an occupied temple. There are other temples that are unoccupied that you can wander in," the guide said watch as both Soni and Marty came back down the stairs.
Soni glanced over his shoulder towards the entrance. He saw somebody, then they disappeared back into the temple.
"You're to stay with your assigned group," the guide said as if he were their parents. "Yeah-Yeah, we hear you," Marty said rolling his eyes as he walked by the guide.
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