Landing at the airport of this foreign land, Aubriet and felt utterly lost. It was like going back decades in time. The immigration process was as manual as it gets. The decors on the walls looked like they were from a different century, the broken tiles, the grimy staircase and the unfamiliar and somewhat repugnant odor that greeted Aubriet caused a sensory overflow, causing him to feel giddy.
Rian, on the other hand – seemed nonchalant and eyeing the only lift in the building and seeing the crowd surging towards it, chuckled and said to Aubriet, “let’s get to the hotel posthaste.” Making a beeline to the airport pickup area upon collecting their luggage, the duo exited the airport into the wild east in this new land, a city whose name they can’t pronounce, in a land that threatens to consume them at every turn.
The trip to the hotel was filled with sights and sounds that were entirely alien to Aubriet. And the traffic was just out-of-this-world. The way cars, motorbikes, bicycles, human and animals traversed the roads, zig-zagging, horning, start-stopping were inexplicable. It was a wonder to Aubriet how people managed to cross these precarious roads and how cyclists managed to weave in and out between vehicles without being knocked down. It was intense, heart-stopping action and Aubriet was quite sure his vehicle was going to get into an accident any minute.
“Relax Aubriet.” Rian muttered. “Although you might think the roads are chaotic, there is an unspoken rule governing their actions and a certain structure and beauty to it. Here, the traffic light system we are used to doesn’t quite work the same way. As a foreigner, if we impose our understanding of how traffic ought to be and insist on right of way, we won’t last five minutes out there.”
Speaking in a tongue unknown to Aubriet with the chartered vehicle driver, Rian seemed to be able to chat up the middle-aged man, and they seemed to be having an animated conversation.
“How and when in the world did Rian pick up this language?” Aubriet was flabbergasted. Rian had offered to see to the travel arrangements and handled the flights, ground transportation, hotel, and most importantly – arranged the meetings for the week ahead, the first one being a meeting with one called – Thomas the good luck.
Amazing. Aubriet thought. What would I do without Rian Douglas…
* * *
Where are we headed, Riadok?
Aubriet trotted his mount at half-pace beside Riadok’s diminutive pony as the apprentice mage leisurely pored over his book of magic, murmuring and memorizing strange-sounding incantations that seemed to cast a spidery web of mystical energies around them as they rode towards the secret abode of Sir Ector. Sir Ector was an aged knight of the round table and presumed dead by the council of knights. Merlin was one of the few who knew Ector’s location, as he had prepared for this well in advance as part of the prophecy. Indeed, he who will join the party next is none other than Ector’s ward – a lad named Tosham whom Sheja had charged Riadok to meet after joining up with knight Aubriet.
In his dream, Aubriet vaguely remembered Merlin mentioning that there will be a party of four adventurers. So is Riadok bringing me towards the third member? Aubriet contemplated.
It took the whole morning for the duo to slowly make their way out into the woods towards a non-descript shack in the middle of nowhere. This sleepy settlement did not even exist on Bretunia’s map – thought Aubriet as he got off his steed and followed Riadok towards an unmarked alley and coming face-to-face with a dead end.
Aubriet was about to ask if Riadok had taken a wrong turn when he heard the apprentice mage speaking the spidery-sounding words that he had heard him mumbling to himself along the way at the pale wall in front of them.
“… eck du rum revela!” Riadok pointed towards the wall as he completed the dispelling the enchangment. Aubriet gasped as he saw the wall dissolved in a web of shimmering lights, revealing an opened doorway. He let out a whoosh and hurriedly entered the opening into a chamber.
“We are here milord Sir Ector”. Riadok bowed. “My master Merlin sends his greetings.”
“Young Riadok.” A voice intoned. “you are most welcomed.”
Aubriet was a little stunned and did not react to the sound of the man seated at the end of the chamber. As he adjusted to the somewhat dimly lit room, the knight caught sight of a young man standing protectively over Sir Ector.
“So the time has come for us, Tosham.” Sir Ector looked at Tosham knowingly with a pained smile. As the old knight stood up slowly, he breathed in and sounded an audible sigh. Facing his ward whom he had raised from infancy, Sir Ector cast a forlorn look. Yet, within this meaningful glance by the flickering of the warm light of his staff – it was at the same time a gaze of accomplishment, and of completion.
Aubriet was about to speak but stopped himself abruptly. His intuition told him this is a sombre moment – Sir Ector would be relieving his guardian duty over this youth – Tosham. He could sense that there was a close bond between Tosham and the aged knight, and neither was willing to let the other go. Yet, both knew this was to be – as foretold by the sands of destiny.
As Sir Ector presented the Makidon Tosham, one trained in the Arts of pathfinding and illusory magic to the duo, a burst of energy broke through the opened doorway and a cold chill engulfed the room as a sinister looking dark knight with an aura of deep darkness entered the chamber.
Aubriet blinked and took a second look as he readied his sword. He? Me?
Apart from a few facial differences and hair color ~ it was clear to everyone in the room that this uninvited guest was a manifestation of Aubriet himself! It was the dark enemy within him – but how? the confused Aubriet thought.
“Here we are again Aubriet.” The fiend spoke.
That voice! Aubriet panicked and fell two steps back.
It was HYDRA – now no longer in phantasmal form. Aubriet was facing a flesh-and-blood doppelganger of himself!
Workplace Coaching Inquiry by Coach Tom: You’ve uncovered your lifetime mission. Who would you choose and how will you persuade them to join you?
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