The Strangers

Prologue

Winter, Day 21, 2986 B.C.

It was the night of no moon. This was the night that eldest monks warned their students not to venture from their sleeping quarters unless they wished to come face to face with the wicked. So when his mentor, a baby faxed woman in her mid twenties, stumbled into his quarters just hours past curfew, Wei Liang quickly assumed that something terrible happened.

His mentor was breathless and only dressed in her sleeping clothes and a pair of indoor sandals on. Her light hazel eyes filled with relief once she saw her young student laying on his sleeping mat in the corner, half awake beneath his handwoven blanket.

"Chhaatr," she said, voice heavy with panic. "You must come with me at once!"

"Mistress?" The young boy pushed his blanket off of him, instantly shivering at the icy temperatures. "W-w-What is wrong?"

Mistress glanced at him before rushing over to the place that the monks had him store his day clothes and staff for training. The woman's body shook as she grabbed the staff and turned back to the boy. "Litsen carefully Chhaatr." She spoke in a quiet, determined voice as she crouched down in front of her student. "We must leave at once."

"But Mis-" The young boy willed his protests go reach the ears of his mentor but instead was silenced when she pulled him over to his dressing area. He knew that he had no grounding to backtalj to his mentor. If had done, there would be big punishments for him. He hoped that Mistress was understanding.

What Mistress wanted him to do was against all rules the Monks drilled into his head since he was three summers of the Moonless Night. Monks had told them to stay in their sleeping quarters and not to come out until dawn the next morning.

"The monks told us to stay inside tonight," he protested, yelping as an item of clothing was forced over his head.

"There is no time to protest," Mistress explained, crouching down and yanking the thick robe tightly around his shaking frame. "We must leave before it comes. There is danger nearby, Chhaatr!"

"Bu-" The student's drifted off to silence as a small creature lying beside his sleeping mat began to stir. It only took a few seconds for the creature, a small floating turtle, rushed over to his mentor, green eyes widening.

"Wayzz!" Wei Liang frowned as the small creature rigged on his winter robe. "What has gotten into you?"

"We need to flee, Master," the small creature corrected, shivering as a deep wave of hatred lashed at him. "There is something coming. It holds much hatred."

Wei gave a mute nod as they walked briskly through the temple. A hushed silent was looming over the temple as the young student felt chills run up her spine. His bare feet grew chilled as he struggled to keep up with his mentor until they came to the sacred sealed door that contained the Sacred Jewels. Nobody but the High Ranking Monk was allowed to enter this room but to his shock the door was slightly ajar.

Stopping in front of the door and turning to face her student, Mistress crouched down. "Abhinhaavak Wei Liang," she spoke. "I know  you are just a mere child of six summers but it has come time for you to join the ranks of the mentors." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You maybe a mentor but you are still too young to fight. As your task of being a mentor, you must have the Sacred Jewels and flee." Her hazel eyed face moved to the floating creature. "Wayzz, guide him and teach him in the ways of being a proper mentor and Guardian.""

"I will be honored to do so," Wayzz said, resting on his master's left shoulder.

"Wei.." The woman reached up to her earlobe that were hidden behind her raven hair. Pulling her hand back, she revealed two plain black earrings that was quickly deposited into his palms. "Protect these with your life, Abhinhaavak. You must tahe them far away from here and keep them safe."