A Seeker: Book 1 in the Warrior/Healer Series

By Zai Fox

A Seeker is a tale of an orphan, Veenad, struggling to raise himself out of slavery. At great risk to himself, Veenad commits to a quest to become a golden ruler. Veenad has an encounter with a warrior/healer adept when the gang he is involved with tries to rob the adept.

The abilities this adept demonstrates help bring about a new awareness to Veenad. Unfortunately, this awareness breaks through somewhat later than would have been easiest and Veenad finds himself entirely on his own in a fairly hostile world.

Veenad seeks assistance from Elohim and the guardian spirits who seem to help him only when it is most essential. Veenad struggles through a series of adventures in his quest and stumbles onto a community where most of the people at least profess higher ideals.

Veenad still struggles to emerge beyond the strictures placed on him even in this community. But everyone involved seems to grow through his or her challenges as Veenad becomes less and less hypocritical and more capable as a warrior/healer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 14, 2006
• ISBN: 9780595846092

Zai Fox

Dale R. ?Zai? Fox goes by the nickname Zai. Zai has been developing his abilities for healing and defense for quite a few years. He prefers philosophies that work to combine the qualities of a warrior and healer as complements. His warrior/healer website is at www.esaitu.net.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

VEILHOM

Veenad is distracted from the fire by a branch snapping off to his right in the woods. The air is so cold and still it feels like it’s absorbing all sound, even the crackling of the fire is muted. He looks off to try and see what caused the noise, but the lightly falling snow makes it hard to distinguish movement in the distance. It’s a bit of a risk to build a fire when Stenz and Thierry aren’t around, so Veenad quickly smothers it with snow and backs off into the woods. In a few moments he realizes he has nothing to fear, because he can see the two lumbering forms approaching. He recognizes them by their gait, though he is surprised to see them moving so fast.

Stenz hurriedly hushes the rendezvous, and doesn’t even take time to say anything about the fire, There’s a lone man coming down the road toward Sybarand. From his clothing he looks like he’ll be carrying money. If we move fast we should be able to take him. Veenad finds the whole thing hard to believe, but Stenz isn’t in the sort of mood to tolerate any questions. They move off at an angle, toward Sybarand.

The snow makes the going a bit slow, but it allows Veenad to catch a glimpse of the moon through the clouds. The dim reflected light through the snow gives him a pleasant shiver. The root that catches his foot gives him a face full of cold reality. Thierry bursts into laughter, Ha! The dreamer can’t keep his feet on the ground. Stenz cuts off any conversation with a quick cuff to the side of Thierry’s head. Thierry snarls. But remembering the ever present need for money, he quickly pulls Veenad to his feet. The unlikely trio is on the move again.

About fifty meters from the road to Sybarand they realize their rush has been worth the effort. They can see the lone man moving on his way. Stenz quickly hatches his plan, Veenad, you get around behind the man and come running up to him. Thierry and I will pounce on him from either side of the road. I will do a Noirrey trill when we get in place. Just make sure you make enough noise to get him to turn around, but not enough to draw a weapon. Now get going.

Veenad moves quickly and quietly toward the road to let the man pass. Stenz and Thierry run on ahead to give the little guy room to catch up to their prey from behind. As the man passes, Veenad realizes how old the man is and wonders about his unusual clothing. He thinks that the draping white cloak might help the old man hide in the snow, but it would get in the way during a fight. He hopes the man has grown so arrogant due to a wealthy life. Though, it is still hard for him to believe that anyone would travel alone in any of the five lands. But then a pang cuts through him and he hopes that Stenz and Thierry won’t feel a need to kill their victim. Suddenly he hears the trill of the night flyer and starts his approach.

The cold stillness helps Veenad feel like a sleek Panthra moving through the night. The sensation seems to help his approach until he slips on a patch of ice and falls on the road. Before he’s completely down he sees the old man turning around and catches an impression of Stenz and Thierry about to pounce. He’s glad that the old man doesn’t draw any weapons. Now Stenz won’t be able to blame him for any mistakes.

Suddenly, Veenad sees the most beautiful glow start to emerge from the old man. It feels much sweeter than the moon casting its light on the snow. Veenad climbs to his knees and watches, immersed and enraptured as the umbra reaches out and surrounds the old man. Stenz and Thierry don’t hesitate, they’re growling as they approach. But then Veenad notices that neither of them is approaching the old man very quickly, in fact they’re almost staggering toward him. Thierry begins emitting a stifled screech of selfish rage and weakly collapses onto the ground. It seems to Veenad that the glow has cut into the depths of Thierry’s being. Stenz is writhing towards the old man with his knife drawn and his teeth bared. The powerful beauty of the old man just seems to grow deeper and stronger in the face of this onslaught. Finally Stenz also drops unconscious to the ground.

The old man turns to face Veenad, and Veenad is struck by sheer terror and then the glowing stops. The feeling of fullness is cut off. Veenad is immobilized and almost shivering with fear. The old man approaches him and reaches out his hand, I am sorry for what you have put yourselves through. Veenad is not even sure the old man makes any sense, but for some reason, against his better judgment, he lets the old man help him up.

The old man asks, What do you call yourself?

I’m Veenad, though some people call me weasel. Sir…uh…old man…uh…what should I call you?

My name has been lost, in a manner of speaking, most people call me Veilhom. I was Lemait of a school in Calabryn. Unfortunately, we were close to the border with Keer. The school has been disrupted by the Keer thirst for ‘living space’.

Veenad nearly bursts, What have you done to my friends? Are they dead? Why are you being so nice to me?

Veilhom chuckles, I’m sorry about what your friends did to themselves, they aren’t dead, just unconscious. They will be very sore in the morning but they will come around. By that time I will be well outside their reach. One of them will be in quite a bit of pain. He came very close to killing himself with his hatred for my ease and his lust for money and dominance. If you help me carry them off the road, we can make camp for the night and talk if you’d like.

Veenad’s head is swimming in confusion yet he helps Veilhom carry Stenz and Thierry just behind a slight rise where they can build a fire. Then he wanders back where they’ve hidden their equipment so they can have some bedrolls and food. Veenad carries what he can back to where Veilhom is nurturing a small fire. Purely out of habit Veenad melts some snow for a soup. He is feeling so overwhelmed by the experience that he can’t bring himself to ask any of the questions that are racing through his mind.

After eating some soup and crust Veilhom initiates the conversation. I am a follower of the teachings of the prophets, or at least I try to be. One of my reasons for traveling is to find sayings attributed to them and see what I can learn. I have learned some of the most essential lessons from the sayings of Our Mait.

Veenad replies, I have heard of this man called Mait. I’ve always figured the stories and sayings were the invention of some Headman. Do you really get anything from all of that talk?

Veilhom smiles, It isn’t safe to assume that because something is unfamiliar it is false or useless. I think you are missing out on a lot by not investigating Our Mait’s sayings. For example, since you stopped your attack I assume you experienced something that helped you make this decision. Obviously, this something had to be quite powerful in order to protect me from your friends. We try to guide students to discover this self-defense technique at the school, though they seldom have enough self-honesty. It was called ‘the mirror’ by many of those that knew Our Mait, and there are several stories of him using it.

Veenad says, I’ve heard of people attacking this man Mait and dropping flat and even dying, but I always figured some of his followers were using poison darts.

Veilhom replies, Well, I certainly think it is healthy to be skeptical. But it is an illusion to think that a believable explanation is necessarily true. Believable explanations can keep you from considering a lot of useful possibilities.

Veenad is laughing now, I’m sorry mister Veilhom, that may make sense to your students, but I sure don’t understand what you just said. So I just saw this fearsome power come out of you, something that you say makes other people hurt themselves, but what good is it to me? How can I ever do such a thing? What has this got to do with this Mait?

Veilhom manages to get himself back in the conversation. You sure aim for the heart of the matter. But it is only fair that I warn you that you must be very, very patient, Veilhom sighs to himself, yet impatient. Be still for a moment and I will show you something. Tradition says this is a Cantan Dante Spianato to which Our Mait would dance. The words have never been written down and some say that Our Mait forbade ever doing so, but I have gained much from this little song regardless of the accuracy of its details.

Veenad eyes open wide in awe and he struggles to keep breathing as the old man starts his slow spinning and singing and becomes suffused with an almost unreal energy.

When the two become one, like the moon and the sun, when the day becomes night, but the dark lacks no light.

For the light without dark, is a sprite on a lark, but the dark fused with light is a warm golden sight.

When the hard kisses soft, and the heavy has loft, then the soul will it know,

when to reap, when to sow.

With no pieces to pare, and all’s done with no layers, for you’ve nothing to hide as the whole grows inside,

Seek the spirit of grace, and its strong fresh embrace, to cleanse from your soul, all that clogs up a hole.

When you love those you hate, in a flow without weight, you lift up those you smite, and you’ve nothing but might.

For you fight and you heal, with no burdens of zeal, anger lessens its hold, as the hurt leaves untold.

When inside yang hugs ying and your lives as one sing, then the star in your core, will light up you and more.

His confusion about the meaning of the words yang and ying shakes Veenad out of his reverie and he starts to fear that this old man wants little more than to ride a fresh young boy for the rest of his journey. He starts to panic and thinks about bolting when Veilhom speaks, I’m sorry if this frightened you. Does it make sense?

Veenad runs through his options in his mind and decides to stay here with the equipment, he figures if he needs to run he’s quite sure he can get away. He replies, No. It seems just a jumble of words that dance all around. I’m trying to be honest with you, so please don’t take offense. I really appreciate that you didn’t lay me out like my friends. I understand parts of what you say, but I must be very tired, because most of it sounds very strange and seems to twist on its self.

Veilhom shakes his head slowly, That is unfortunate. Hopefully these words will stay with you and help you and make more sense to you as you grow older. Even though there is much more I could say, you are best just to remember to always try to do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Veenad replies, Pretty words and many people say them, but everyone seems to want to do unto me what they want. Stenz says that saying’s just for the rich church people to use when they don’t get what they want from others.

Unfortunately, it is complicated and difficult to dispute your point, Veilhom replies, but you should try anyway as much as you can.

Veenad says, Stenz and Thierry are always making fun of me because I get so concerned when we rob people. They say these people rob me all the time, they just have a society to back them up. I don’t know, it’s so confusing to me.

At that, Veilhom shakes his head and sighs, I’m sure that we have all had a challenging night, we should probably get some rest.

CHAPTER 2

DEPARTURE

Veenad is nudged out of his slumber. He notices that it is just starting to get light, before the sun rises.

Veilhom whispers to him to get up, Veenad, I must get on the road. If you would like you may come with me. You should be learning ways to live that are far more fruitful and less difficult on others.

Veenad’s face is somber and tense, he’s thinking to himself about the beauty and the strangeness of last night, Stenz and Thierry really need me. They don’t treat me too bad, and they rescued me from being a slave to those that say they want to take me into their family. I’d really like to go with you, but I really want to stay with them.

Veilhom smiles and nods, You obviously have tremendous loyalty to them, I just hope it isn’t misplaced. I am heading west into Tient and then north into Sustin. I’ve visited there before and the people are not as self indulgent and divisive as they are in Calabryn within this land of Clin. I am going to try and found another school. Hopefully the people will consider me to be someone more than a side-show attraction that should take care of all of their problems for them. If you want, you should search me out. Even though you don’t seem aware of it, you have a lot of the qualities of someone who would gain much from, and give a lot to, the school that I want to develop. Take care of yourself, and above all else, be honest with yourself and Elohim. Even if you don’t feel it now, you will learn to feel His embrace.

With a little wetness in his eyes, Veenad says good-bye. He watches the old man move back toward the road and before he can check on Stenz and Thierry he drops back to sleep.

* * * *

The next time Veenad wakes up the sun is glistening off the thin layer of new snow that has fallen. He decides he should get up and at least get something to drink. As he’s rebuilding the fire, he notices both Stenz and Thierry stirring slightly in their sleep. That helps him feel a little better, even though they have been breathing, they have been sleeping like someone dead. He wipes their faces with a damp rag. Quite soon after that both Thierry and Stenz are awake and moaning about their aches.

Stenz starts in, Can you imagine that old man having a troop of defenders shadowing him in the woods? Out of nowhere, beneath a flash of blinding light they were all over me, pulling at my limbs until I passed out from the pain.

Thierry adds, I don’t know what hit me, but all I saw was this light and then it seemed like I hurt all over. They must have sneaked up on me, because I never saw them. One of them must have hit me in the head and in the chest at about the same time.

Veenad manages to get in, The light came from the old man. He just started glowing. There wasn’t anybody else.

Thierry starts laughing, Yeah, and then a gentle zephyr came out of his ass and knocked us both over. I think you got hit first, we both saw you go down, and then you dreamed the rest.

Veenad knows he can’t tell them he slipped and fell because he’d never live it down, so he tries a different