Chapter 7
Sean came into view of the treehouse and halted himself stationary in the air to over his surroundings. The area was somewhat quiet with alone noises of certain villages in other neighboring treehouses exuding noise around him, he looked around at them and Sean’s face shot with wonder and curiosity as he floated in the air.
“Wow, this place is pretty huge. It looks like there all kinds of people around here. Well, whatever I better not waste any time. Let me go straight to the dojo and ask around if they’ve seen anyone I know from my team.”
Sean looked over to the treehouse of his destination and in slow motion descended toward the platform holding up the treehouse interconnected to the neighboring bridges. He glanced over at the protruding entrance and began to hear voices echoing off toward the open air around him. He began to walk forward with a slight bit of tension cascading down his spine and body but he stayed bold and walked forward until he came through the dark entrance and found three men before him as he came through the doorway. Two of the men were facing away from him with the other with his arms crossed by a doorway with serious expression across his face as if he was standing guard. Sean stood still as he listened in on what they were saying.
“C’mon man, just let us in!” shouted a large muscular man.
“I can’t do that, sorry,” responded the guard.
“Why the hell not? I told you I can take ‘em by myself!” The buff guy cringed his teeth in as he lifted up his arm gripping his hands in tight faced toward the guard. His face was filled with rage and ferocity.
“No, can do like I said you need at least three team members to do this challenge. You ain’t allowed in with just two or less.”
“Just let it go brother. He’s not gonna let us in,” the other man next to him said.
“Alright fine then, who needs him, we’ll find another way to get in then,” the buff guy said with an irritated grin. “C’mon brother, let’s get out of here.”
The guy in the white coat turned to the guard and bowed. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
The buff guy began marching toward the doorway until he witnessed the boy with his hat backwards approaching him as he began to speak.
“Hey, how’s it going I’m looking for two guys named Adam and Noah, have you two seen them?” Sean said.
“What’s up, you’re looking at them,” the buff guy said. “I’m Adam and he’s Noah, what the heck do you need us for?” He said pointing at his brother with smug look on his face.
“Yes, what is it that you needed from us?” Noah said while taking a step forward.
“Oh, nothing I just wanted to find my teammates. My names Sean, nice to meet you guys. I’m your newest team member or one of your team members rather, again nice to meet you,” Sean said laughing.
“Oh, cool! Perfect timing dude, you see we were just about to do the challenge but that lame guard there won’t let us in because we didn’t have three team mates or more. So now he can’t no excuse anymore and we can go in!” Adam said.
“Cool, I came to do the challenge as well actually. I’m ready to give the first one a chance since we’re allowed to take it early. So let’s go in then since I’m here,” Sean said with an excited smile.
“Yeah, let’s…Hey you, stupid guard guy! You heard the man, we have three teammates now so you have to let us in to challenge the dojo and battle the Master to win our medal,” Adam said pointing toward him.
“Sorry, no can do,” said the guard.
“What why not?” Adam said gripping his fist with his teeth gritted.
“I’ve been deeply offended by your approach for entering the dojo, we do not tolerate such misconduct and impropriety here in this dojo. And also the Master is tired and needs relaxation for today for personal matters, he will be better rested for tomorrow to challenge. But only if you come to the challenging grounds here again politely and nicely. That is all.” The guard gave off his eye content toward them and went back to a stoic facial expression looking in the distance like a statue. The boys looked at him with different reactions and emotions floating through the air and then Noah closed his eyes and waved his hand and head back and forth as he released a huge sigh in the air.
“Like I said brother it’s no use, let’s just follow the man’s orders since he’s still giving us a chance. If we try to force our way in now we’ll just be disqualified from the tournament. Let’s just call it a day and come back tomorrow,” Noah said.
“Fine, then. Alright, let’s go…” Adam said sucking in his teeth. “But we’ll be back tomorrow no doubt! So be prepared for us because we’re going to school this dojo in the ground when we get here tomorrow!” Adam said.
“Indeed, we shall see,” The guard said while still not giving eye contact.
“Alright, c’mon guys,” Noah said.
“Ok, I don’t mind. I can take the challenge whenever, it’s no big deal with me,” Sean said.
The boys walked out of the tribal doorway until they reached the main entrance in the outside area that stood before the neighboring trees and treehouses nearby. They turned to look at each other as they spoke and shook each other hands.
“Hi, my names Sean like I said in there again. Nice to meet you again,” Sean said.
“Yes, hello. My name is Noah like my brother introduced me before, and this is Adam like he said before, say hello again brother to be polite because that earlier meeting was hardly a proper meet up and introduction,” Noah said.
“Yeah, ok. Hey man, what’s up. The name’s Adam, how’s it going,” Adam said.
“Nothing much, but yeah like I said I’m Sean nice to meet you guys. So what do we do now then since we can’t actually start the challenge?” Sean asked.
“I don’t know I guess hang around with the villagers here a bit I guess, but we don’t really know these people that well here up in the treehouses, we just got a bit more acquainted with the shaman village down in the grassy plain area down there more when we got here,” Adam said.
“Yes, they were very nice people. They welcomed and even let us spend the night before we we’re ready to come up here and take the challenge,” Noah said.
“Oh, that’s great then. How about I take you guys over there then because I became good friends when I got there too, I actually saved their chief’s daughter from these bad guys and became better acquainted that way. We can probably ask to spend the night over there and then come back this way tomorrow to do the challenge finally together now that we got three people.”
“Alright, then it sounds like a plan. But how are you going bring us?” Noah asked.
“I can fly, so I’ll just hold both of your arms and hands and carry you both down carefully so it would be faster,” Sean said.
“Oh, wow you can fly. That’s very interesting indeed. Yes, that would be convenient if you can carry the both of us that is, I hope we won’t be too heavy for you. Is that ok with you brother?” Noah said.
“Yeah, it’s cool. Whatever’s quicker, it beats walking like how he had to do before to get all the way up here,” Adam said.
“Alright, then take both my hands. And don’t worry like I said I’m plenty strong,” Sean said. The boys each went by his side and grabbed an opposing hand. He gripped then tight as he rose up slow through the air and began to cascade as steady rate down toward the shaman village in far out view down in the distance.
They came into view as Sean travelled light through the air, striving to maintain his balance as he held both of the boys in each hand with his firm, strong grip. They came down slow onto the grassy, plain land just in front of a big campfire open space area with Amaru and the elder and AJ all chatting away until they saw them come down and gave a big wave for them to come toward them.
“Hey, how is it going guys! I see you find them ok Sean. Was it hard to discover their whereabouts or did they show up just easy?” AJ asked.
“I found them just find, they were in the treehouse just like you guys said. But hey, we wanted to ask could we spend the night over here today since the guard got mad at us for trying to barge and said we’d have better luck partaking in the challenge tomorrow. So I wanted wanted to ask or rather we wanted to ask do you think we could spend the night here just for today and then go partake in the challenge tomorrow? I hope we won’t be a huge burden on you guys,” Sean said.
“Oh, no its perfectly fine. Of course you can stay, we at least owe you that much for what you did, right father?” AJ said looking proud up to his dad.
“Yes, son. We would gladly like to welcome your new found friends to our village for the night, we will be having a nice big dinner for everyone tonight so it would be nice if they would join us and partake in our mild feast. This is all ok with you as well father?” Amaru asked.
“Yes, yes, I see no problem with letting our guests stay as long as they please. We have become acquainted with all of them and like my grandson said before this is the least we could do for what you did for us before with saving my son’s daughter,” Chief Taka said.
“Ok, thank you very much,” Noah said.
“Yes, thanks a lot chief,” Sean said.
“Come, plenty of food should already be prepared for us to eat, you may eat early if you wish,” Amaru said. “We are not having a traditional banquet today so you do not have to stay at the dinner table long,”
“Alright, let’s go then,” Sean said.
“Yes, let’s” AJ responded.
The men all walked into a large neighboring tipi, a large wooden rectangular table extended throughout the wooden stick house. They huddled around the tables next to the other villages tending the food and cooking and entering and exiting the hut back and forth while working the dinner.
“They are still preparing the rest in terms of quantity but feel free to eat as you please early on,” Amaru said.
“Wow, thanks. It all looks great,” Sean said.
“Yes, thank you very much, say thank you to the nice people brother,” Noah said.
“Oh, yeah. Thanks a lot man, this all looks great. We’re very grateful for all this you know, so yeah thanks a lot,” Adam said.
“Oh it’s no problem at all, here let me hand you these plates we have and forks and spoons,” AJ responded. He walked over a few steps and picked up small ceramic bowls and wooden spoons and forks coupled with it. He handed them to each guest and proceeded to speak to his family members.
“Father, grandfather do you wish to eat now as well?” AJ asked.
“No, we do not at the moment. We wish to eat our dishes later when we are ready, we each have a lot of work to do and other personal matters to attend,” Amaru said.
“Yes, I will take my leave and comeback to take my meal later as well,” Chief Taka said. “You boys take care now and feel free to take your meals as you please anywhere as you please, you do not have to eat at the dinner table after all today since the villagers today all seem busy and do not wish to meet for a collective banquet like we normally do on special occasions.”
“Alright, thank you, we will,” Sean said.
“Yes, thank you very much for everything,” Noah said.
“Yeah, thanks a lot,” Adam said.
“Alright, then. We shall take our leave,” Chief Taka said. The chief and burly hunter man walked out of the ancient tipi as AJ turned toward them and looked at them big with a modest and light hearted smile.
“Alright, then boys. I hope you will enjoy your stay while you are here. We will be around the village if you need us, so feel free to contact me or my family if you need anything important or have something to ask that you do not know about,” AJ said.
“Ok, thank you, we will contact you guys if we need anything,” Sean said.
“Yes, we much appreciate the hospitality you have given us today. We will notify you if we need anything else important that we do not understand,” Noah said.
“Alright, then. I should take my leave as well. Like we said or if we haven’t then feel free to explore the village at your leisure, the tipi just straight across this tipi here past the campfire is my personal house and I have extra beds for the three of you prepared for guest when you are ready to sleep. Feel free to come and go when you please to rest there,” AJ said.
“Ok, thank you. That sounds great,” Sean said.
“Well then, I will head out too to attend my personal matters, call me if you need anything else. Thank you,” AJ said. He bowed to them all and turned around and walked out of the tent leaving the three of them to attend to their plates and food at their leisure. They each basked in the variety of meats, fruits, nuts, and exotic nutrition before them. After they some time they each filled their small rectangular bowls with sustenance and then proceeded to look at each other to discuss their following actions.
“Well, I’m going to take their offer and take this to go,” Adam said, “I can get some exercise in for the mean time after I eat in preparation for tomorrow. I’ll just explore the village while I chow down and then go for a good jog around the village and area and explore the outskirts of the mountain area as well. I don’t know man I just feel that’s what I should do, for some reason I can’t sit still after that retarded guard pissed me off today,” Adam said with a grunted and upset facial expression.
“Alright, that’s fine. You do what you want. Sean and I will stay here and get better acquainted. We probably won’t talk here but rather around the village or in another area as well outside of it too. How does that sound to you Sean,” Noah said looking at him.
“Oh, yeah that’s fine. Anything works for me, I’m just ready to get to know and each other and to eat and relax,” Sean said.
“Alright, then guys. See you all later, I’m heading out. I’ll see you guys around for the challenge tomorrow.” Adam turned around with his bowl and spoon and fork in hand while they waved him away walking out.
“Alright, see you later then,” Noah said. “Well now, let’s head out too, I think this place might be to cramped for us to talk and get to know each other here. Let’s go outside and get some fresh air while we eat and we can meet up and discuss any subjects you like too.”
“Ok, do you like analysis, philosophy, and just analyzing life and morality in general?” Sean asked with a modest face.
“Oh, yes I do like those subjects very much. Analyzing, concepts, philosophy, morality, and life in general are topic I enjoy greatly to discuss when I can,” Noah responded.
“All right, so let’s go out and find a good wooden area with a modest amount of trees and logs nearby the village and talk about those things and life overall there. I’m really good at coming up with ideas and cool and unique subjects to talk about,” Sean said.
“Ok, then. So now let’s be off then,” Noah said.
“Ok, then after you,” Sean said.
They each walked out of the tipi hut and left the banquet area without a trace or sign of their earlier presence.