“Good,” Mazarka said,chuckling. “Perhaps you are ready to study at the school afterall.” He started up a path leading into the mountains.
Michio urged the trywort forward,wondering if Mazarka had deliberately given him an especially ornerybeast. They rode all day, traveling through unusual terrain as theyzigzagged their way up the mountains. Gradually the vegetation andtrees became less dense and the air cooler.
The tryworts proved to besurefooted and strong. Michio found his main task was to stay on, ashis beast kept trying to throw him off and going under low branches,forcing Michio to flatten himself on its back.
The rugged mountain range wasspectacular with high, snow-covered peaks, which stood like giantcastles. The higher they climbed, the thinner the air became, makingit hard to breathe.
They stopped to eat late in theafternoon and had strong-tasting cheese and bread. Michiosupplemented his meal with an energy bar. He offered one to Mazarka,but he shook his head. Michio’s arms and thighs ached from ridingthe unruly trywort and he asked Mazarka how much farther they had togo.
“There is no time here,”Mazarka replied. He was a man of few words. So far Michio had learnednothing about the monastery or training he would receive. When hetried striking up a conversation, Mazarka said idle chatter was awaste of energy and Michio better get used to solitude if he was tostudy at the School of Eagles.
The next part of the trip wasmore challenging. The animals climbed swiftly up nearly vertical rockcliffs, their clawed feet grabbing onto the rocks. Michio found hehad to lean forward in the saddle so his chest nearly touched thecreature’s back. He held on with his hands and pressed his kneesagainst its sides.
At dusk they reached the top of arocky cliff and Michio gazed into the valley at several purplish-graystone buildings surrounded by a fence. Terraced into the side of themountain were large vegetable gardens and fields of grain. The cropslooked well-tended and nearly ready to harvest.
Mazarka led the way down to themonastery by following a scarcely perceptible rocky trail. They rodepast two robed guardians posted by the gate and dismounted. Michiountied his backpack from the saddle, then a young man came over andtook their tryworts to the stable.
Michio was glad to part companywith the beast, though he appreciated not having to make the journeyby foot. Mazarka led him into the monastery, down several hallwaysand stopped at the entrance to a small, dark room.
“This is where you will stay,”Mazarka said.
The closet-sized, windowless roomwas sparsely furnished with a sleeping mat, a jug of water, and awooden bucket that smelled of urine. The only light in the room camefrom the hall.
“As you can see, there isnothing here to distract your attention from God. You may see MasterJadock after you’ve proven yourself worthy by passing the firsttest.”
“What’s the first test?”
“You have to find the key togetting out of this room.”
“I don’t understand. Do youmean the door will lock and I must find a way out?”
“Yes.”
“That could take a long time.”
“I see you are still in thephysical state of consciousness. As I told you earlier, time has nomeaning here.” Mazarka’s face was serene, untroubled by theworld, yet there was also a slight look of superiority in his proudstance. His penetrating eyes flickered slightly and compassionentered them. “It can take a long time from a physical viewpoint;it depends on you. It can take a moment, a week, a year or alifetime. It took me three years.”
“Three years! But I don’thave three years!”
“Time is an illusion. Waterwill always be available and, after the first ten days of fasting,you will be given food as well.” Mazarka touched his spiritual eye,bowed and turned to leave.
“Wait!” Michio exclaimed.
Mazarka didn’t pause as he leftthe room and closed the door behind him.
Michio stood in completedarkness, stunned. Everything happened so quickly. He held his handsout in front of him and walked in the direction of the door until hehit a solid surface, then he felt around for the door handle.
Once he found it, he tried toturn it. When the door knob wouldn’t budge an uneasy feeling spreadthrough him. He was trapped.
“Dear God, what have I gottenmyself into? Three years?”
Three years seemed like alifetime and this was only the first test. Would he ever get back toToemeka? Michio examined the edge of the door, then the walls,seeking an opening somewhere. Panic rose. He was trapped here, aprisoner without even a way to outwardly contact his wife.
“You think three years is toolong, too high a price to learn the spiritual lessons you need?”said a familiar voice behind him.
Michio spun around. Master Bakkamaterialized in his Light Body. The Light that radiated from him litup the small room.
“It’s just that I haveresponsibilities now. I’m married and have a child on the way.”
“It’s hard to say how longthe training will take. I didn’t think it would take you years, butperhaps I was wrong. You are reacting strongly to the first test. Didyou think the training would be easy?”
Michio swallowed. He should haveknown he’d be tested where he was weakest. “No, of course not.But what about my responsibilities?”
“You accepted manyresponsibilities, made many commitments, not only in this world butalso the Inner Worlds before you got married. You need training tomeet the commitments.”
The Master gave him a thoughtfullook. “I see you’re not sure you want to train to be anEagle-eyed Adept.”
Michio uncomfortably looked awayfrom the Master’s gaze. Master Bakka always knew what he wasthinking or feeling. Michio didn’t want to back out, but how couldhe stay here indefinitely? It would certainly be a test of Toemeka’slove and devotion if she had to wait years for him to return. “Itdoesn’t seem fair for Toemeka to go through pregnancy, and possiblychildbirth and raising a child on her own, while I’m here.”
“Toemeka knows your training isimportant and she is safe at Kanai,” Bakka said carefully watchingMichio. “There are twelve tests in all. Once you start, there is noturning back. If you choose to leave now, I’ll unlock the
