139 Man of Integrity

I took a sip from the water cup he handed me. It filled me with relief as the cold and refreshing water sucked away the heat in my body.

He was gazing into the fire, watching as the blade I was just working on heated. He was probably going to melt it back down. "The metal is not the sole aspect of forging which I adore. What is arguably even more important is how much one reveals about themselves when they pick up their hammer."

I raised my brow, curious about his words. "What do you mean?"

He smiled lightly. "The force with which one strikes upon the metal reveals their passion. The care with which once handles that metal reveals their stability. How one waits as the metal heats and cools reveals their patience. How one adapts as the metal changes reveals their honesty."

To be frank, his words confused me. I did my best to hide it.

He chuckled. "I can feel your confusion, boy. Fret not, for wisdom such as mine does not come from a mere lifetime."

I sighed. "Well, what did I reveal?"

He looked away from the fire for the first time in a while and made eye contact with me. "You're a man of integrity. You care deeply for the things you deem important while remaining attentive to that which you do not deem as such. You never grew frustrated despite the soreness in your flesh nor the blisters upon your hands. You paid careful attention to the metal throughout the slow processes of heating and cooling. You were flexible in both movement and mind as you progressed through the forging process, accepting both mistake and success in stride."

I scratched the back of my head. "Thanks, I guess."

He looked back into the fire. "Might you know why we are here?"

I shook my head. "I was hoping that you knew."

He sat back in his chair and took a sip of water. "Years before I parted with my mortal form, I was informed that I was to be buried in the Mausoleum of Shamans. However, only my body, and a few trinkets for generations yet to be, shall be laid to rest there. My mind and spirit would be cast to a world lost long ago in a galaxy far, far away. There, I would live on in perpetuity, passing the time however I pleased. Well, it turned out that this place I was sent to was not lost and not so far away after all."

I was enthralled by his words. My brow was furrowed as my suspicions regarding the game began to resurface. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "I never was a good student of history. What I do know a lot about, besides the arts of creation, are the stars. From a brief glimpse into your memories, I can tell you one thing. While we may share the same home, we do not share the same skies. If you're curious, you'd best look in the archives at the Grand Temple. I do hope that there is something left to find there."

I leaned forward in my chair, barely able to contain my excitement. "Where is the Grand Temple?"

He tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling. A smile snuck onto his face. "There is no word in your language for that place. However, I once visited the Grand Temple. It was built on the edge of a great desert. The leadership was quite fond of building megalithic monuments. Maybe you know of such a place."

My eyes widened as Egypt flashed through my mind. Desert? Megalithic structures? What could be a better fit? "I think I know the place. Oh! Were there other temples like the one you were buried in?"

He nodded. "Yes. One was constructed upon each mass of land... Enough! We must remain focused."

I nodded slowly. "Yes, sorry."

He smiled as his gaze returned to the fire. "The purpose of this method of burial was to preserve my legacy such that a worthy, deserving, and willing candidate might one day inherit it. Based upon your reactions to both this place and having no idea who I am, it is safe to assume that the Order of the Force has been buried in the sands of time. I do hope that you, being a man of integrity, can make use of the knowledge I am going to offer you in order to raise our world to new heights. I also hope that you might be able to figure out why we do not share the same skies."

My eyes widened as I realized something. "Wait, you're right. Who are you?"

The man smiled. "My name is Shaka Otunko, but I typically referred to as The Smith."

I nodded. "Nice to meet you, The Smith."

Shaka laughed heartily and slapped his knee. "Ahhhhh, I haven't heard a joke in far too long."

He trailed off as he stared at the wall. A look of concern formed on his face. "It would appear we are running short on time."

I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Here, you are but a mere projection of yourself. Your body remains beside mine in the mausoleum. Soon, it will be in great danger."

I clicked my tongue. "They caught up to us."

Shaka shook his head. "I will not inquire into such mortal strife. However, I must ask, do you, Kyle, accept my legacy?"

I nodded without any hesitation. "I do."

Shaka smiled and raised his hand. A soft white glow formed on his right index finger. "I, Shaka Otunko, The Smith, High Priest of the Order of the Force, bestow upon you my legacy."

His hand slowly moved towards me. Then, he tapped my forehead. I heard what sounded like a gong ring in my head as a foreign energy entered my body. It settled in the middle of my brain. "What now?"

He gestured towards the open archway. "Now, you return to your mortal coil. There, you may retrieve my legacy before moving on to the trials." He paused for a moment. "Until next time, Kyle."

He swung his hand. I felt an insurmountable force swallow me whole as I was thrown through the air. The room blurred past me. I turned just in time to see the open archway. As I passed through it, everything once again faded to black.