The First Step In A Long Journey [Flash Back]

[Nolan Elwood]

1st Day of Spring 502 A.V. As Nolan stood in front of Shinyama Pavilion he wore a look of determination rarely seen on one so young. This determination was fueled by a goal. A goal to "Make the star lady happy again." As he would always say when himself when he was alone. As he stood there, the memory of Zintila stirred. He was back in Lhavit during last years Mid-Winter festival. From a far he saw her. A woman whose whose smile could make a person's heart leap from their chest. A woman who was so graceful that the people around her looked like uncivilized animals stalking around; however, that wasn't what Nolan saw. He saw a woman whose sadness was like an endless ocean. A woman that deserved to be happy. He remembered asking his mother who that woman was. His mother just simply smiled. "She is our Matriarch, Nolan. Her name is Zintila, goddess of the stars." Then as quickly as the reverie started it ended as his father's voice broke through. "Nolan. Nolan! Are you alright? You aren't getting second thoughts are you?" his father asked with a worried look crossing his face. See Nolan's father was a Shinya guard and the thought of his son running away from the family tradition was unnerving at best. Nolan wasn't interested in family tradition nor his father's pride. He only cared about making Zintila whole again. "No, father. My mind is set on becoming just like you." he replied with a smile. Which wasn't really a lie but not entirely true either. In any case it seemed to null his father's worries causing him to also break into a warm smile. "That's my boy." he said wrapping an arm around his son. "Now. Let's go." With his father's arm around him and his own goal to keep him going. Nolan took his first step towards a whole new life. A life he planned to devote solely to Zintila.

[Nolan Elwood]

As Nolan and his father walked the path, towards what would become his new home, a figure hurried to meet them. The figure was actually a boy. He was half a foot taller than Nolan with his head completely shaved and eyes like that of newly formed Spring leaves. Nolan was intimidated at first because of the boy's figure. He seemed to be only a couple of years older than himself yet he was very well toned. The boy stopped in front of them and nodded his respects to Nolan's father. "Hello, Master Sig. This must be, Nolan?" he asked as a grin spread across his face. He was obviously excited to see him but Nolan seemed rather reluctant. "Nolan, this is Hamon. He is going to be showing you around and acting as your mentor. Any questions you have will be directed to Hamon. Now I would love to stay and chat but I have my other duties as a guard." Nolan's father slowly unwrapped his arm and patted Nolan on the head. With that he said his good-byes and left Nolan with Hamon. "Alright, Nolan. Let's get you all suited up for life here at the pavilion." and with that they walked into the belly of the pavilion. From the outside it was massive and the inside was no less impressive. It was enough to make a ten year old go reeling. "Wow! It's so big in here." Nolan said whirling around in a circle trying to take it all in at once. Hamon simply smiled as he watched Nolan being typical kid until Nolan sudden fell to the floor with a heavy thump. Hamon rushed over worried that Nolan's excitement had gone a little to far only to get greeted by sound laughter as Nolan let out a loud giggle. Breathing a sigh of relief Hamon straighten reached over and gently helped him back up. "You're quite the bundle of energy aren't you? Let's hope you can focus that energy on some productive task. In fact. I need to meditate for the day. Would you be interested in joining me?" Nolan's look of excitement faded and was replaced by the determined look he wore outside. A stern nod told Hamon that Nolan wasn't like the others. His goals were much deeper than making his father proud but Hamon didn't say anything. "Alright, let's get going." with that the two made there way back outside and into a small clearing. In the circle were several stones that looked like larger versions of skipping stones Nolan used to play with. "Sit here, Nolan." Hamon said motioning to the rock directly opposite of the one he had sat on. "This can be your first lesson on the ways of meditation. Now all you do it sit your back straight up and breath in nice full breaths, making sure to fill your lungs completely, before releasing it again." Nolan walked over and sat watching Hamon intently as he showed him the methods of meditation. "Do you know what meditation is used for?" "To sleep?" Nolan answered innocently as he thought about all the times he tried getting his father's attention during the middle of his meditation sessions. Hamon chuckled whole heartily remembering answering something similar whenever he was his age. "No it is actually used to clear ones mind by casting away all of your problems. Think of it like this. With every breath you exhale imagine you're whisking away one of your problems. Then as replenish the air in your lungs you allow a calming wind inside your body. It works for me every time." With that in mind Nolan straightened his back and exhaled and inhaled. At first his mind wandered a little bit allowing the song of the birds to echo through his mind but after a short time his mind began to clear of not just the bird's song but all of his worries as well. It was like his mind and all it's problems had been replaced by the vast emptiness of space. Sadly the experience lasted briefly before Nolan came out of it and was back to normal.