Tengu and the Sage

By Jacques Margain

Tengu and the Sage is a thrilling action love story that defies the ages. In a time and place beyond anything and anyone, a man questions all that he has come to know to understand a smile that captures his heart. When the heart overrides destiny, which will you choose?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781514421666

Jacques Margain

Jacques Margain is from the beautiful and sometimes controversial city of Oakland, California. He is a long-time fan of comics, anime, drawing, and storytelling. Since childhood, he has been drawing and writing adventure stories as a hobby. This hobby grew into a love for art and creative imagination. The author now invites you, the reader, to enjoy and escape into his original, creative thoughts.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by Jacques Margain.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2015917969

ISBN:                     Hardcover   978-1-5144-2168-0

                           Softcover   978-1-5144-2167-3

                           eBook   978-1-5144-2166-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/28/2015

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

724960

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

To all the travelers of the way who suffered this affliction.

Chapter 1

The Echo of Solitude

Fear is the great immobilizer of all beings but, in rare cases, the greatest of motivators.

—The Sage

This story takes place at such and such place at such and such time.

T he king stands out in a courtyard. People are packing and moving things, running; soldiers are being armed, and the advisor walks up to the king. "My lord, we’re almost done. I can’t believe the whole king’s army is near. I fear for our kingdom’s surv ival.

The king observes a man, a foreigner, calmly gathering his things. Things will be okay, high scholar. If such a humble man like our guest has no worries, why should we? says the king.

Before the king can speak again, a large comet screeches across the sky. The noise and speed shakes the entire courtyard, and everyone breaks out in a panic. The guards surround the king immediately. The king speaks, What ill omen is this? Can this really be the end?

The foreigner the king has observed earlier calmly walks over to the king and speaks. My lord, that is no ill omen. That is a Tengu, and that thunderous noise was its howl. The foreigner then goes back to gathering his things.

The king speaks to himself and says, So it’s true, but why has such a thing exited the sanctuary of its forest to fly over our kingdom. These really are strange times.

In a peaceful small garden, a man is in the seiza seating position. His hands lie softly on his knees as he meditates. The serene man is wearing a T-shirt and loose-fitting pants. His skin is smooth, yet his face carries a strong presence. The serene man opens his eyes and smiles as butterflies play around him. He slowly sits up, places his hands behind his back, and walks through the garden barefoot. There is another man in the distance, slightly older, in a simple robe. The serene man walks over to him and speaks. Good afternoon, Sifu.

Good afternoon, says the sifu.

The serene man speaks again, Soon it will be time for me to blend with infinity completely. I must admit, as happy as I am and ready to go, Sifu, you and everyone here I will miss.

The sifu looks down with a smile, places his hand on the serene man’s shoulder, and says, And you will be missed also. Everyone feels this before they leave. It’s perfectly natural, but what’s important is that you stay focused and leave with no trace.

The serene man says, I know, Sifu, I know.

The serene man walks off. He heads toward a temple, still walking calmly with his hands behind his back. He stops to look at the elaborate temple as if it were his last. The symbols and decor are of the finest design; beautiful colors of white and gold patterns laced the exterior walls. As the serene man heads in, he walks through the halls, passing by and greeting others who live in the temple. The serene man comes to the center of the temple, which opens up into a beautiful pond and breathtaking courtyard. There is a woman who stands in a simple robe with two monks by her side. The serene man walks over and deeply bows and speaks, Good afternoon, Your Grace.

She simply turns around and smiles then says, I’ve been waiting on you.

They both begin to laugh. The serene man says, So just visiting us today, Your Grace?

She responds, Actually, I’ve come to see how you are. Being so close to the time where you will enter forever, how are you really holding up?

"Honestly, Your Grace, I’m good. A little sad. I will miss you all. This place has been my home for the last five hundred years.

Yes, half of a millennium is quite quick. You are the fastest being to come here and leave us so soon. If you choose to stay, in time, you can replace me, says Her Grace.

Replace you! Never! Not even in a million years can I equal your smile, says the serene man.

Flatterer! says Her Grace with a big smile.

Well, Your Grace, I’m heading over to the Lake to view it one last time. I’ll take my leave, says the serene man.

They both raise their hands in peace with a fist pressed against an open hand. Then he leaves. He is walking outside the back of the temple. Though it is daytime, the further he walks away from the temple, the darker it gets. There is a stream in the grass, then it widens to a calm, running river as he walks along the green grass. It’s nighttime, and the serene man is surrounded by stars. It’s almost as if he is walking in the outer space. As he nears the end of the river, he notices that it falls over a cliff, creating a waterfall. As the serene man nears the edge of the water, he sees that it is falling into space and fading away. The serene man stands there on the edge peacefully with his hands behind his back. He is looking down at a planet. Did he come from there? Is he going there? We just don’t know, but he stands there looking down, and every so often, he says something to himself and laughs. With him having the same look as earlier, you get a sense this is good-bye. Some time passes, and he is sitting with his legs crossed. He says out loud, Well, it’s been fun.

He gets up, presses his fist into his hand, slightly bows, starts to look up to leave, and pauses. He slowly drops his hands to his side and places them behind his back with a look of awe on his face. He looks as if he has seen something he has never seen before. He turns around and takes a few steps, but he looks back, walks to the edge, and looks downs at the planet again. His mouth partly opens, his eyes focus but soften, and he looks back and wants to walk away, but he looks back over the edge, and we see through his eyes a woman lying on the beach. She has a small fire going in a rock pit; a few fish are hanging above the fire, being cooked. She is lying down on an oversize white blanket. Her clothes are off to the side, suggesting she has been swimming. The sun wraps around her soft body. She lies there in her underwear.

The serene man is mesmerized by her caramel skin. His every thought follows the curves of her hips as she turns over. Then she sits up and places her hands over her eyes to look out at the horizon on the sea. She stands up, places her hands on her hips, and smiles. She looks up, and the serene man is startled. It’s as if she has looked right at him. She smiles, looking up toward the sun, shielding her face with her hand. She stares straight up and has a smile so warm and inviting that the serene man’s heart begins to race. The woman walks to the shore and jumps into the water for a little swim.

After a few strokes, she comes out of the ocean dripping wet, making her underwear see-through. She runs her fingers through her hair, shakes it out, and lies back down. The serene man’s eyes are now widened, not out of shock but sheer disbelief. Completely entranced by this woman, the serene man cannot look away. A feeling inside him constantly builds. He places his hand over his heart and realizes he hasn’t felt this feeling in a very long time. The woman on the beach rolls over, unsnaps her top, stands up, takes her underwear off, and lies back down to bask in the sun.

The serene man turns his back and returns to the temple. When he returns, he simply retires for the night. He enters his room, and he lies down on the bed, not getting under the covers. He folds his hands behind his head and stares at the ceiling with a smile.

The next day, the serene man sits at the edge of the garden deep in meditation, or so it may seem. His breathing is calm, and his face is relaxed, yet inside the memories of this woman occupy his thoughts. He opens his eyes, unable to focus, and allows his thoughts to be free. He walks the garden and stands under a sakura tree. He watches the leaves fall, yet all he sees is the smile of this unknown woman. Who is she? he asks himself.

The sifu from yesterday walks up, Troubled, I see. Don’t let worry trap you. The transition is beyond awareness. You will be fine.

The serene man smiles. "I’m okay, just a little distracted today. I’m tired. Didn’t sleep much last night.

The sifu speaks, Never knew you to have trouble sleeping, not unless Mira was cooking again in the kitchen.

They both start to laugh. She is a lovely woman, truly awakened, except for her bread, Sifu says as they both begin to laugh again. Well, I’m off to do some training. Until next time, Sifu, says the serene man.

Later on, near a pond, upon a boulder, with his lunch lying partially eaten, the serene man is sitting in Zazen with his hands on his knees, staring at the sky, and thoughts of this unknown woman’s smile entertain his mind. Such eyes, such a smile—her skin seems so soft, her body that of a female warrior, firm and strong yet still so feminine, he thinks to himself. The serene man finds himself standing behind the temple looking toward the direction of the lake.

Her Grace walks up to talk. I have noticed something is bothering you. What is it?

Nothing, Your Grace, just nerves for the coming day, says the serene man.

She speaks instantly, Half of a millennium has passed, and now you choose to lie. You haven’t in all this time, so why start now?

The serene man stands in silence; a look of guilt is on his face.

She sees right through his ruse. I understand if you do not wish to share your troubles with me. All I ask is that you do not lie.

He bows in shame. My Grace, I’m sorry. I just need to figure it out on my own.

Of course, we all need to, for only we know what’s truly in our hearts. Take your time, she says and walks away.

The serene man stands there then heads toward the lake. He finds himself walking at a faster pace than usual, very excited. He reaches the lake, and there she is, alone in the woods, training with two blades. Her hair is in a ponytail, with a string of hair lying across her face. She is lightly armored, just enough to protect her yet have mobility. She works through her forms with subtlety and grace. Her flexibility draws him in even more as she stretches and bends through each technique. In the end, she lets her hair down, sits on a log, and drinks some water after a long round of practice.

As she begins to practice once again, she looks to the sky as if she were looking right at him. She smiles, says something, and then leaves. The serene man takes a few steps back, lies down with his hands behind his head, closes his eyes with a huge smile on his face, and replays that moment in his mind again and again.

Sifu is walking through the main courtyard where he sees Her Grace bow out some