After gathering a few of his belongings, Poo made his way out of the Palace. As he headed out, he was briefly addressed by a young girl his age, wearing a red silk kimono with her hair done up over her head. "Prince Poo..." she greeted warmly, a maidenly blush on her cheeks. "...you're my favorite!" She then burst into giggles from her audacity, even as Poo nodded and smiled warmly in recognition before stepping out of the palace and onto the winding path through Dalaam.
A friend of yours? Ness asked curiously.
Indeed, Poo responded readily in his mind. She has been a frequent playmate, though not as much since my training has begun...though she always sought to attend me during my training.
Did she now? Moondancer mused idly before taking in the land of Dalaam through Poo's eyes.
The green grass waved peacefully in the calm breeze around the brown dirt path, with small brick houses with thatch roofs here and there. The citizenry eagerly invited Poo into their homes as he approached, urging him to take anything he felt might help him in the journey his destiny had laid on him. Poo graciously accepted each invitation and gift, storing it against possible use.
There were many young girls wandering around Poo's age, and all of them greeted Poo respectfully and affectionately, much to Ness delight and Moondancer's amusement. You seem to know a lot of girls, Ness observed hopefully. Maybe you can help me with... His thoughts faded as he remembered what had happened to Paula, and emotions began to roil.
It would be my pleasure to assist you both with the rescuing and courting of your special one, Poo offered warmly, quickly dispelling the beginnings of Ness' dark emotions.
As Poo continued down the path, one of the girls came up to him. "Prince Poo, will you make out with me again like you used to?" she asked eagerly.
'Make out'? Ness asked in confusion, not understanding the term.
Really now? Moondancer inquired, just a trifle wickedly.
Poo felt embarrassment race through him. Suddenly, those moments of 'innocent pleasure' with this young maiden no longer seemed so innocent. "I am sorry," he managed to say, "but I must continue to my training just now."
The girl pouted. "Your training has changed you!" she complained petulantly. "I'm jealous of your training!" She spun around in a huff, the swift movement briefly making the hem of her kimono whirl, drawing attention to it so that Poo almost saw her ankles.
As Poo felt his own embarrassment increase, he felt Ness' growing confusion and Moondancer's growing amusement, which only served to increase his embarrassment. He quickly continued down the path, seeking to clear his mind.
As he came to the final fork in the road, Ness found himself focusing on something out of the corner of Poo's eye. What's that? he asked, trying to draw Poo's attention to it.
Smiling, Poo walked over to a cave entrance blocked by three statues of rabbits dressed as ninjas. This cave is said to hold something extremely important, Poo explained readily, but no one knows for sure. No force attempted in the history of Dalaam as it is recorded has ever managed to make the statues budge.
Sounds like we might need another invention from Apple Kid, Moondancer observed thoughtfully. Or something similar.
It would be of great interest to my people if the true contents of this cavern could be discovered, Poo marveled happily. Any records of such have been lost to time.
We'll look into it, Ness promised. Satisfied with this answer, Poo turned back to the other path.
The path led out to a peninsula of land with a tall spire rising out of it, a single rope leading up to the top. This is the Place of Emptiness, Poo explained softly, where I will complete my training. I am led to understand it will be...intense.
An old man rested calmly before the rope, blocking the path. He turned with a smile as Poo approached. "There's a strong look in your eyes," he murmured warmly. "You must be Prince Poo."
Poo nodded in confirmation. "And who might you be, Elder?" he asked curiously.
"One who completed Mu Training long ago," the old man answered readily. "I want to show you a higher level of intelligence. However, my own mastery of it is still incomplete. I'll see you again. So long." With that, the man disappeared in a whirling spiral of wind and shot up into the air.
...that was different, Moondancer murmured thoughtfully.
I am certain it will make sense in time, Poo mused as he began climbing the rope to the top of the spire.
When he reached the top of the spire, the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere of the land seemed to fade, to be replaced by an almost but not quite menacing air. Poo sat down calmly to meditate, seeking to clear his mind. Ness and Moondancer joined him in this, letting him guide them in seeking emptiness.
As they meditated, one of the maidens from before stepped onto the only part of Dalaam that could be clearly seen from the pinnacle, as though something about the pinnacle blotted out everything else. "Ah! Prince Poo..." she called out worriedly. "I am a messenger from your Master! He sent me to tell you that you must stop your meditation immediately! It is far too soon, and you are not fully prepared for this!"
Too soon? Ness murmured thoughtfully.
Pay it no mind, Poo murmured back, his thoughts quiet. It is the stars and the fates that dictate the timing of such things. If I am not ready...then I know you both will aid me.
"Prince Poo!" the maiden called out again, no longer sounding quite like herself. "You must come back with me instead of staying in a place such as this. Your Master wishes it...please rise, Prince..."
I believe staying is the right thing, too, Moondancer observed softly as she sank into the meditation, so like the training her father had given her to grasp the full power of her PSI by suppressing her emotions. I'm not so sure that message really comes from your Master.
"Your highness, you must give up this trial for now," the maiden called out desperately. "Believe what I say, for it is the truth!" Seeing that Poo refused to heed her, she turned and walked away.
Poo almost wavered there. After all, if it had been one sent to sabotage his training, would she not have continued? He started to pull himself out of his meditative state, only to feel Ness hold him back.
If she had kept going, you would have known her for a saboteur, Ness pointed out softly. You would have ignored her words. By giving up there, she makes you question. His voice seemed somehow...older and wiser as his mind gently released full awareness.
Accepting Ness' words, Poo sank deeper into meditation. The world faded around them, leaving only emptiness as a ghostly apparition approached them. It was the face of one born in Dalaam, but far older and wiser than anyone Poo had seen in his country, even older than his Master...and there seemed to be a cold cruelty in the gaze.
"Prince Poo..." the apparition spoke harshly as it reached him. "I am the spirit of your ancient lineage. To complete your trial, I am going to break your legs. You will lose the use of them. Do you accept this?"
Poo hesitated, not just from the thought of having to go through life unable to walk, but at the absolutely emotionless way in which the spirit dictated this, as though it didn't care one way or the other how he responded. Swallowing nervously, he murmured... "Yes..."
Poo clenched his teeth as he felt the bones of his legs shatter, from his pelvis all the way down to his toes, every nerve in him screaming as the bone shards dug into muscle and sinew, tearing away at it. Ness nearly screamed in agony in their shared mindspace as he felt the pain as well, only Moondancer's support keeping them all from breaking down...though it was a struggle for her as well.
"So Prince Poo..." the spirit continued, ignoring the agony they were going through, "you cannot walk, as your legs are broken. Next I will tear your arms off..." He seemed...amused at the sense of horror pouring off the trio at the idea. "I shall then take your arms and feed them to the crows. The taking of your arms...do you accept this?"
Poo struggled through his agony, knowing his new friends within him felt it too...and faced up against the trial he faced. "...yes..."
He tried to scream as he felt his arms violently torn from his body, falling limply to his back in agony as his life's blood spilled out from his wounds...but no sound came from his mouth. The screams in his mind as Ness and Moondancer felt the pain as well were more than enough, and pushing through his own agony he struggled to comfort them. In the shared agony and comfort, they faced the spirit - faced death - in strength.
The spirit seemed...intrigued at the defiance. "Ah, Prince Poo...without legs and arms you can only lie there. Now, I'll cut your ears off." The spirit seemed...surprised that this garnered no emotional response. "You do not mind my taking your hearing away, do you? Do you accept this?"
"Yes," Poo spoke immediately, strengthened by his friends with him.
A lance of pain struck through Poo's head as his ears were sliced cleanly off, but none of them screamed even as all sound vanished. They were determined to see this through to the end in strength.
The spirit's eyes twinkled for unknown reason. Words floated in the air between the spirit and Poo. So, Prince Poo. No legs, no arms, and no sound. By floating words through the air, I must ask you...do you care if I take your eyes? Do you want to live in eternal darkness? I shall steal your sight...do you accept this?
Though they could not hear it, they knew Poo said 'Yes,' and he managed to make his head nod to be certain of it.
A last stab of agony shot through them all as the world went dark, trapping them in eternal emptiness...but no screams came. Clinging tightly to each other in the space of Poo's mind, they held each other up, refusing to be broken. And then another mind touched theirs, one immensely ancient and powerful.
So, Prince Poo...now I can only communicate directly with your mind. Your mind is all you have left. Soon I will take your mind, but you probably don't want to allow that, do you?
To the spirit's surprise, strength flowed through the three joined minds, and Poo spoke up in thought. ...do it...I accept this...
The spirit chuckled darkly. Then I shall take your minds and possess them...
The trio felt themselves sinking into darkness even deeper than before, clinging desperately to each other for strength...and then slowly felt the need for such strength pass. The darkness was not fearful, nor was it harmful. It was simply...empty. Waiting to be filled. Waiting...to be accepted.
The darkness was peace...and held no fear. The trio felt their minds relaxing as they embraced the darkness, the emptiness, and made it their own...