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Chapter 2: A Special Occasion

Sar'Kal awoke in the early hours of the morning. The world outside was silent as he climbed out of bed and slipped on a pair of simple cloth pants, his bright yellow eyes piercing through the semi-darkness.

Sar'Kal was about six feet tall and well muscled. His body was covered in shining black fur and he moved with the unmistakable precision and deliberateness of a well trained warrior.

He quietly slipped outside being careful not to wake Tian'shal as he passed her bedroom. After that restless night, Sar'Kal wanted to loosen up his body and clear his mind so he headed outside.

He opened the front door and stepped out into the fresh morning air. The cold air was refreshing as it penetrated Sar'Kal's fur and chilled his body. He took a deep breath and felt the cold enter his lungs, waking the rest of his body from the inside. He began walking towards the nearby forest, and as he walked he could smell its fresh, fragrant perfume. The smell of pine and moist wood filled his nostrils, stimulating his body into full wakefulness.

He made his way into the forest toward a small clearing about three hundred yards from the forest's edge. As he walked he looked around, taking in the sight of the sleeping forest. The sun had just sent the first few rays of light over the horizon and as it hit the forest it percolated through the canopy speckling the forest floor with broken shafts of golden light.

Sar'Kal reached the clearing and began to stretch his sleepy muscles. The ground here was beaten flat from the countless number of mornings that Sar'Kal had exercised here. When he was finished stretching he stood in the center of the clearing with his arms at his sides and took several long, deep breaths. He then quickly jumped into a fighting stance and envisioned an opponent in front of him. He ran through the complex sets of movements that he had learned many years ago when he had learned to fight. For even though he had lost his memory, he still remembered all he had learned as a young boy about fighting. It was imbedded in his mind so that it was more instinct than memory. He began to fight his imaginary opponent. He punched, blocked a kick to his head, punched again, blocked a lower kick then kicked for the imaginary opponents head.

His movements grew faster and more complex as his body warmed up and began to get into the imaginary fight. Soon, many of Sar'Kal's movements were almost a blur as he sped through the most complex forms, his breathing remained controlled and steady. After thirty minutes of this imaginary sparring, Sar'Kal finished the last of the forms and, satisfied that his body was limbered up and awake, he sat down in the very center of the clearing to clear his mind.

Sar'Kal crossed his legs and laid his forearms on his knees. He closed his eyes and took long steady breaths as he began to relax his mind. He focused on his own heartbeat and closed his mind to the world around him. As his mind entered its deep state of meditation Sar'Kal could feel a familiar energy begin to flow into his body. It seeped into him from the planet itself, filling him with warmth that was unlike any other.

This was the magic that Sar'Kal's people had learned to control. He focused the energy's flow into his muscles, into his heart, lungs and bones. He continued until his entire body was saturated with the planet's energy. Now he could either let the energy slowly flow through his body like blood, giving his body increased stamina, speed and strength for a longer duration of time. Or if he chose, he could release larger bursts of the energy into specific parts of his body, giving those areas short periods of unbelievable strength or speed.

When Sar'Kal could absorb no more energy he slowly began to slip out of his meditation. It had been about an hour, and the sun was now sitting comfortably on the horizon. Sar'Kal opened his eyes and stood up.

"C'mon out Korek. I know you're there." Sar'Kal said with a chuckle.

There was a rustling of branches and a lynx stepped out from behind the trees.

"Aww man! How do you do that Kal?" said Korek in a disappointed tone. "One day I will catch you off guard." Korek laughed.

"Well when that day comes I'll be glad to congratulate you myself." Sar'Kal laughed as he walked over to Korek and embraced him in a quick hug.

Korek was slightly shorter than Sar'Kal and of a similar lean and muscular build. His fur was a light tan in color and he had faint, light grey stripes mixed in here and there. He was twenty-five years old and therefore a year older than Sar'Kal. He was dressed in simple cloth pants and a sleeveless cotton shirt.

"I'm glad to see you out of that workshop of yours. You've hardly come out for nearly two weeks now. If I didn't know you better I'd say you had something special you were working on." said Sar'Kal.

"Ah... you know me too well Kal. I have indeed been working on something very special. Lets head back to town and you can see what it is." said Korek.

They turned and headed back toward the town. They left the forest and headed for Tian'shal's house to say good morning, and to let Korek say hello after his long seclusion. As they approached the house they could see Tian'shal sitting out front in one of the three wooden chairs. As they approached she waved at them and motioned for them to join her.

Tian'shal was a white tigress with an extremely kind and generous disposition. She was about five and a half feet tall and lightly muscled. It was Tian'shal that had brought him here.

She had first found Sar'Kal stumbling through the nearby forest with a large gash on his head and a broken arm. He was barely conscious for loss of blood and fatigue and he passed out soon after she discovered him. She brought him to her house and spent the next few months taking care of him. She had been so kind and selfless that Sar'Kal had immediately felt a connection to her. When he had told her that he had no memory of what had happened before she found him, she offered to let him stay with her. That was five years ago and he had been there ever since.

Sar'Kal and Korek approached Tian'shal and greeted her.

"G'morning Tia." greeted Korek. "You're looking lovely today." He approached Tian'shal and embraced her in a hug before taking a seat to her left.

"Good morning to you too Korek, it's good to see you. Been busy lately I assume?" she asked with a wink.

"Yes indeed. I'm finally finished with it. Just wait till you see it." Korek replied with an excited expression.

"What's going on here you two? Why do I get the feeling that you are both in on a little secret?" asked Sar'Kal with a smirk.

"Ah Kal... you are as perceptive as ever, but perhaps you don't realize what's special about today." said Tian'Shal with a smile.

Sar'Kal pondered this for a moment and then spoke. "No I'm afraid I can't say that I'm aware of anything special about today. Why, what is it?" replied Sar'Kal with an intrigued look on his face.

Korek and Tian'shal exchanged looks of amusement and then looked back at Sar'Kal with large happy smiles.

"It was five years ago today that I first found you in the forest and brought you back here!" exclaimed Tian'shal. "Korek and I each have a surprise for you. I sure hope you like them. I'll go get mine, and Korek will give you his in a little bit." She ran back inside the house and they could hear her rummaging around inside.

Sar'Kal turned to face Korek with a disappointed expression on his face. "You guys really didn't have to do anything special. I didn't even get you guys anything. Now I feel bad."

"Oh quit whining Kal, that's the point. You have given both of us so much over the years that we wanted to do something nice in return." said Korek with a wave of his hand.

"But Korek... I haven't given either of you anything over the years, what are you talking about?" asked Sar'Kal sounding confused.

Korek looked Sar'Kal in the eyes and spoke in a solemn tone. "*Sigh*...you know Kal... I've known Tian'shal for about eight years now. I knew her before you came along. Before you appeared, Tia was very reclusive and depressed. She had lost both of her parents in a terrible mountain slide about a year before you're arrival, and she was alone. She had no siblings or extended family for company and she seemed like she would never be happy again. I tried to cheer her up, and keep her company but nothing seemed to work. All of that changed the day you appeared. As she took you in and nursed you back to health, she began to look happy again. I watched as you both seemed to recover from your wounds. Yours physical, and hers emotional. I think it made her happy to have someone living with her again, someone to care for; just so she wasn't alone. She saw something in you Kal, something that lifted her spirits from their dismal depression. When you agreed to stay with her...well... I don't think I've ever seen her happier. Tia is like a sister to me Kal; I would not have her hurt for the world. Seeing her happy once again lifted my heavy heart. I can never repay you for what you have done for her. I just hope our gifts can express our thanks adequately." Korek finished speaking and looked at Sar'Kal expectantly.

Sar'Kal spoke in a hushed tone. "I never had any idea Korek... Thank you for telling me this." Sar'Kal paused and turned to glance at the door before turning to look at Korek.

"Korek, there is something I wish to ask you." said Sar'Kal quietly.

"What is it Kal?" asked Korek, his eyebrows raised in interest.

Sar'Kal spoke in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "I have grown quite fond of Tia over these past five years, and I believe that she feels the same. I have been thinking lately that it might be time to see where our relationship can go. However, since you are the closest thing Tia has to a family, and my closest friend, I would first ask your blessing." Sar'Kal finished speaking and waited for Korek to respond.

Korek smiled a large happy smile at Sar'Kal and spoke in an elated tone. "I was wondering when this would be coming. Sar'Kal, you have whatever blessings I can give. There is nobody else I would want to be with Tia." Korek finished speaking and turned his head to look at the door.

Tian'Shal opened the door and stepped outside with a large bundle in her arms. "Whew! Found them all. I'd forgotten where I'd hidden some of them." she said with a laugh.

She handed the large bundle to Sar'Kal and took a seat in the empty chair. "Go ahead and open It." she said with a smile.

Sar'Kal looked at both of his friends and then down at the large heavy bundle. He un-wrapped the cloth, and as he laid eyes on its contents his jaw dropped. Inside there were several pieces of beautifully crafted leather armor. The leather was pitch-black in color and as Sar'Kal took out each piece he marveled at the quality with which it had been crafted. The leather was soft enough to be flexible and comfortable, but firm enough to protect from light weapons. Each piece had intricate designs that had been pressed into the leather, depicting things from the moon and stars to vines and animals. However it was the chest piece that nearly made his heart stop. It was the most beautiful piece by far. It had no arms so as to allow for greater freedom of movement, it was padded on the inside for comfort and it had beautifully detailed vines and roses pressed into the leather along the shoulders and back. As Sar'Kal turned the piece around to look at the front he nearly broke down into tears. For there on the center of the chest, pressed and painted in silver, was the symbol and crest of his people. The emblem was a great eye resting above a horizontal crescent moon with the two separated by six four-pointed stars.

Sar'Kal raised a shaking hand and traced the image with an expression of such longing and sorrow that Tian'shal almost spoke to try and cheer him up, but she was stopped by Korek who placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. After a moment Sar'Kal looked up at the bright blue sky and took a deep breath before turning to look at his friends. His eyes were watery as he spoke.

"I... don't know what to say Tia." he spoke in a soft tone. "I...I never thought I would see this symbol again." he paused and steadied his wavering voice. "Though I've forgotten most everything else from my past, I have never forgotten this symbol and what it meant to my people." he stopped and composed himself once again. When he looked back he had a large smile on his face and he spoke in a happy and enthusiastic tone.

"How did you find out about this? The symbol of the Guarding Eye was never a common sight in other countries."

Korek laughed. "Well for one Kal, we're not idiots. We did our research. When I went to the imperial city last year I paid a visit to their grand library. It didn't take much searching to find that symbol."

Sar'Kal laughed as he spoke. "Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You two have always been quite resourceful." His face grew more solemn as he paused for a minute. "But seriously... I can't ever repay you for this Tia. Having a proper piece of armor with this symbol on it means more to me than you can ever imagine. I will wear it with pride."

He stood up and walked over to Tia and embraced her in a hug. He spoke softly as they embraced. "Thank you Tia... I will never forget this." He gave Tia a quick kiss on her cheek before stepping back and scooping up the leather in his arms. "I guess I should go try everything on. I'll be back in a minute." With that said he walked back inside the house to change.

Korek looked at Tian'shal and smiled. "Well I guess he liked it eh Tia? I must say that was some of the most beautiful armor I've ever seen. You did an excellent job." he put a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly. "He really appreciated it. That symbol affected him more than I thought it would. ...Maybe it will help him remember some things if he has it around."

Tian'shal smiled and spoke. "Mmm... I hope it does Korek. I'm glad that he liked it so much. If he gets some sort of peace or hope out of having it, than I will have accomplished more than I had ever dreamed... I..." she stopped and turned to face Korek with a smile of embarrassment. "I love him Korek. I love him, but..." She paused again and her face changed to an expression of sadness. "But... I... with his job I'm worried... I'm worried that something will happen to him Korek. I don't think I could take it if someone else that I loved died. I don't want to be open with him and then have something happen to him. ...You're like a brother to me Korek; I trust your judgment more than anyone else. What do you think I should do?" She stopped and looked at Korek expectantly.

Korek smiled a reassuring smile. "What I think you should do is give it some more time. Kal has a mission coming up and I believe, for his sake, that it would be best to talk to him about this afterwards. The last thing he needs on a mission is to have anything more to worry about. I'm positive that Kal would be overjoyed at what you just told me, but it would be best to wait." Korek finished speaking and gave Tian'shal a hug to try and comfort her.

Tian'shal broke the hug after a moment and sat back down in her chair, with Korek taking his own seat. "Thank you Korek... You're right. Ill talk to him after he returns from his mission." she stopped speaking as there was a sound from inside and Sar'Kal opened the front door.

Sar'Kal stepped outside and turned to face Tian'shal and Korek. He was fully dressed in the leather armor. The leather was quite form fitting, especially around the legs and chest, however it was still soft enough to be highly flexible, it had truly been masterfully prepared. The soft, black leather pants were covered with hard leather greaves over his shins, and these had a flap of hard leather that covered the tops of his feet. The greaves each had a mirroring design of vines and a crescent moon and stars. The chest piece was perfectly fitted. It showed off his muscular chest and gave him plenty of room to move his arms freely; the Guarding Eye was centered directly in the middle of his chest. There was only once bracer, which he wore on his left forearm. On his right, he wore the black steel bracer that his father had given him.

"Well? How do I look?" he asked with a cheerful smile.

Tian'shal and Korek both looked surprised. It suited him perfectly; the black of the leather was almost the same midnight black as his fur. "Wow, it looks great. It suits you perfectly." said Korek with a grin.

"Indeed it does. I'm glad it fits you so well." added Tian'shal.

Sar'Kal smiled and took a seat next to Tian'shal. "Thanks, it really does fit perfectly. You did a wonderful job Tia, Thank you." he smiled and looked at Korek.

"Well Kal, if you are feeling comfortable in your new gear then why don't we head over to my shop and I can give you my gift."

They all stood up as Sar'Kal spoke. "I still can't believe that you both got me something. I hope tha-" Sar'Kal was cut off by Korek waving his hand.

"Oh be quiet Kal, we've been through this already, Tia and I did this because we wanted to, so quit complaining." This ended the conversation and Korek turned and led them toward the opposite edge of town where his workshop was located; Sar'Kal and Tian'shal walking side by side.

As they walked through the small town, people stopped to greet them and they greeted people in return. They passed the carpenter shop where an old leopard was training his apprentice how to carve designs into the wood out front. He looked up as they passed and greeted them all warmly. They said hello and continued on their way. The town was clean, and the buildings were well maintained. The simple wooden buildings were never taller than two stories and most were painted in warm browns and deep reds. They passed the town square where there were merchants hawking their goods to the few passersby. As they continued down the main street they passed more shops and restaurants. Many of the shop owners greeted Korek warmly, as he was the town blacksmith; therefore he knew most of the people in the town and was good friends with most of the other shopkeepers. The town was not very large, there were only a few hundred people but it was a close-knit community where people looked out for each other.

Finally the buildings began to thin out and they could see Korek's shop off in the distance. It was kept away from the town because it was a blacksmith shop and if a fire got started then the town would be in serious trouble seeing as how all the buildings were made of wood. They crossed the small field that separated the shop from the rest of town and walked up to the large door in the front. Korek pulled out a key ring with about twenty or so keys on it and began to search for the right one. He grabbed a key that was well worn and inserted it into the large lock on the door. It clicked open and Korek smiled. "Yay! First try!" he laughed and opened the door. Korek walked around the shop and opened all the windows to let the light in.

His shop was like that of any other blacksmith Sar'Kal guessed. There were tools strewn all over the place and hung on pegs in the dirty wooden walls. There were large shelves in the back of the shop that held all the raw materials Korek would need until his next shipment. The massive forge stood in the very center of the building and it was surrounded by anvils and hammers of various sizes, several pairs of iron tongs, and two large barrels; one full of slightly dirty water and the other full of oil. At the front of the shop there were a multitude of completed items that Korek would sell to other shopkeepers in town. Some of these included nails, hammers, knives, shovels, plow blades, pliers, hatchets, and other items for everyday use. The entire shop smelled heavily of charcoal and smoke.

Once Korek had opened all of the windows he turned to Sar'Kal and spoke.

"Now wait here a sec Kal, my gift is in the back room, let me go get it." He walked over to a large metal door in the back of the shop and pulled out another key and opened the door with a surprisingly loud click. He stepped into the room briefly and then returned holding a long bundle about the length of his leg. Korek walked over to Sar'Kal and beamed at him.

"I've been working on these for a little over four months now Kal. I spent the last two weeks hidden away in here finishing them. I hope you like them."

He carefully handed Sar'Kal the bundle and then stood back. Sar'Kal glanced at his two friends before unwrapping the heavy package. For the second time that day Sar'Kal's heart skipped a beat. Inside the bundle was the most beautifully crafted sword Sar'Kal had ever laid eyes on. The blade was a large steel scimitar as long as his leg, its edge curving elegantly back. However, it was not its size or design that made it special, it was its color. The blade was as black as night and its surface had been polished to a mirror finish. The hilt was elegantly crafted in the shape of an eye, with the blade protruding from the pupil. The handle was wrapped with a polished silver wire and the pommel was shaped like a crescent moon and made of pure silver.

Sar'Kal was amazed at the skill with which the blade had been crafted. The weight ratio from the hilt to the tip was perfect for the style of blade; with the tip just slightly heavier than the rest of the sword. Sar'Kal then noticed that there was a matching dagger about the length of his forearm in the bundle, its blade was of the same color as the sword but it was not the same shape. The edge was very slightly curved and on one side there were several notches in the metal that curved into the blade.

This is no ordinary dagger, it's a sword breaker, Thought Sar'Kal. As Sar'Kal was about to thank Korek, the sword caught the light in a way that made him stop. There was something on the blade near the hilt. As Sar'Kal looked closer it came into view again. There on the left side of the blade, etched into the hard steel was the symbol of the Guarding Eye. Sar'Kal flipped the blade in his hands and looked on the other side. On this side there was an inscription. It read:

To Our Friend and companion,

We will always stand at your side

No matter the Storm that awaits us.

Korek'elar and Tian'Shal

Once again Sar'Kal was rendered speechless at what his friends had done for him. He looked up to see Korek and Tian'shal beaming at him and he couldn't help but smile too. He set the weapons down on a nearby bench and then walked over and embraced both of his friends.

"Thank you so much Korek, and you too Tia. I really love my gifts. I just hope I prove worthy of such good friends in the future." He released them from his embrace and walked back over to pick up the sword again. He tested the weight and grip in his hand and marveled again at how perfect it felt. He looked up as Korek spoke.

"The blade is made from an extremely rare ore found only in Umbra'Kahn. It took me a long time to track down enough but it was worth it. The blades are both made of pure shadow steel. Being made from this steel makes them entirely unbreakable. It's one of those mysteries that surround the metal. Not even a diamond can cut or scratch the finished product. It's also said, and this is just hearsay, but it is said that the Umbra'Kahn could use the metal to store or help channel the energies that they commanded." Korek finished with a nervous smile.

"Hmm interesting, I will have to try that tomorrow morning." Said Sar'Kal distractedly. He was busy twirling the sword around in his hand, testing it. He stopped and looked up again as Tian'Shal spoke.

"That blade really does suit you Kal. Korek really did a fine job. Why don't you two go test it out? It's been a while since you've sparred and I'm sure that people would love to watch. I know that I'm interested in watching." She smiled at Sar'Kal, her bright blue eyes meeting his yellow ones.

"Okay." said Sar'Kal as he smiled at Tian'shal. "Well what do you say Korek? Up for a little sparring? I must say, I'm dying to try this sword out." Sar'Kal looked at Korek expectantly.

"Oh very well Kal let me go get my weapons and I'll be right back." He walked back into the back room and quickly returned with his twin short swords. Both blades were the same in size and shape. They were made from ordinary steel but polished to a shine and beautifully crafted. Their silver hilts were the same color as the blades. The blades themselves were straight and slightly flared at the ends. They were quite elegant in their own right.

Korek slipped on a belt and attached both weapons in their frogs, which were loops of reinforced leather that held the blades in place. He looked at Sar'Kal, puzzled.

"Didn't you get a scabbard from Tia?" he asked.

"Ya but at the time I thought it was for my old sword so I left it back at the house." said Sar'Kal.

"Ah oh well, I guess you'll just have to carry them for now." Korek said with a shrug. "Well lets go Kal, Tia wants a show and I'm sure that some other towns folk will enjoy watching. It has been a while." Korek turned and motioned Sar'Kal and Tian'shal through the large door. He locked the door behind them and they started walking towards their usual sparring area near the center of town.

They made their way toward the center of town where there was an empty lot of land between two buildings. This was the area where they usually sparred. It was about forty foot square and covered in hard-packed dirt. As they approached, carrying their weapons, the old shopkeeper from the store to the right spoke.

"Ahh, Sar'Kal and Korek. Are you going to give us another show? It has certainly been a while since you last gave us a demonstration." the old tiger said with a chuckle.

Korek smiled at the old tiger and spoke. "Yes Ranulth, we will be doing a bit of sparring. Go ahead and call some people over if you must." Korek and Sar'Kal stepped into the patch of dirt and began to ready themselves. They stretched and warmed up their muscles, Sar'Kal giving his new sword some practice swings.

Meanwhile, Ranulth the old shopkeeper had begun ringing a large brass bell out in front of his store. This was his usual sign to tell people that there would be a show. Upon hearing the bell, people began to make their way over to the shop. Soon there was a crowd of about thirty people all crowded around the opening to the empty lot. Sar'Kal and Korek figured it was time and so they took their positions in the center of the lot about five paces apart. They stood facing each other ready for the starting bell. Korek looked at Sar'Kal with a sort of half smile and gripped his twin swords in his fists. Sar'Kal returned Korek's smile and readied his two new weapons.

The bell rang and Korek was the first to move. He leapt forward and slashed at Sar'Kal's left arm but was blocked by the black dagger. Sar'Kal sidestepped and brought his sword down in an arc towards Korek's right shoulder, but Korek was fast and he stepped out of the way and spun around to bring his right sword spinning up towards Sar'Kal's chin. Sar'Kal leapt backwards and readied himself again. Korek paced in a semi circle around Sar'Kal and was surprised as Sar'Kal leapt forward with unnatural speed and slashed toward Korek's left arm. Korek parried the blow and brought up his other sword only to be stopped by Sar'Kal's dagger.

This fighting continued for about thirty more minutes and as the time progressed, their movements got faster and more complex. The crowd was silent as they watched with wonder and awe; amazed at the prowess of the two warriors in the empty lot. Not once did either warrior land a blow. They were truly evenly matched. Finally the movements escalated to a blurred pace and the spectators knew that it would soon be over. Sar'Kal spun around and then altered the course of his sword to parry a blow from Korek. Korek sidestepped and brought his sword down toward Sar'Kal's back only to be blocked by a lightening quick movement from Sar'Kal's dagger. Then they both spun around and brought their swords arching around toward the other person's neck.

The dust began to settle and Sar'Kal and Korek were standing with the tips of their weapons quivering at their opponent's neck. It was a draw. The crowd was awoken from their stupor and they began to cheer. "Well done!" "Amazing!" came the shouts.

The crowd finally began to disperse and Korek and Sar'Kal shook each others hand; congratulating each other. Tian'shal ran up to them and beamed. "Wow! I think that was the most spectacular show you two have ever put on. It was amazing to watch." she smiled and looked at the two of them.

"Good fight Korek that was fun." said Sar'Kal; patting Korek on the shoulder.

"Yes it was. Best fight yet, I think." responded Korek with a large smile.

"Let's head back home you two and I'll prepare a nice dinner. I'm sure you're hungry after that." proposed Tian'shal. They agreed and headed back to the house. Tian'shal took Sar'Kal's arm in hers and they walked back side by side; Korek walking a few paces ahead.