Page 4. Monk

That took place a long time ago and nobody knows whether it really was. In the far Country, in the thick of the forest there stood a Monastery. Monks lived in concord: farmed the land won from the forest, took care of their modest Monastery household, prayed together to the Enlightened for peace and prosperity of their Country. But the time was disquieting. The Country was surrounded by warlike neighbors; this is why one of the main Monastery occupations was training to be skillful in battles and to use weapons. All monks were warriors, and each of them was ready to make a stand for his Fatherland at critical moment.

…An early morning had not gilded the tops of strong trees with the first rays of Sun yet. One of the monks stood on the glade looking the way where the first ray of the rising daystar was just about to appear. That Monk got up earlier than others and went to his hidden glade not far from the Monastery to greet the Sun. The birth of each new day he experienced as his own birth, as the birth of the World. With the first sunray he stood on tiptoe, stretched up his hands turning with all his heart to the life-giving Light “Hello, Morning, you are wonderful!” he exclaimed in his thoughts. At that moment he wanted to embrace the whole world, to vanish in each blade of grass, in each dewdrop, to shed birds’ warble, to thunder mountain echo. But he had to hurry back to the Monastery, where with the sunrise life was in full swing. His Morning Prayer was short, not a part of monastery discipline, but the Monk came back to the Monastery full of Joy and Calmness, and that feeling did not leave him during the whole day.

That morning began as usual. Season of monsoon rains had not started yet, and the Monk went out to his familiar glade to sing his silent morning Hymn to greet the New Day. The first ray was about to flash over the horizon, but something prevented the Monk from joining in the single burst of joy with the triumph of dawn; something was drawing away his attention. Obeying the alarming premonition, the Monk took several steps towards the rising daystar and stopped stricken. On the edge of the blade, in the tall grass there lied a man.

The monk remembered him well. That was one of the Borders Guards. The border was not too far – only in few hours of walking, and the Monastery had also the strategic part – one of the advanced posts. If an alarming message came – the same moment heralds would be sent to the nearest cities and to the Capital, and what about monks, they used to accept the attack with fortitude.

…Feeling the cold inevitability of the Forthcoming, the Monk bent over the lying Guard man. He must have died not long ago – the body was not cold. He had not reached the Monastery just a bit, when his strength failed him. Having shouldered the soft body the Monk ran to his brethren.

Preparations were not long – monks lived in the constant expectation and combat readiness. Supplies were safely hidden, weapons sharpened, advanced points deployed. Not much time the conversation of the Monk with the Father Superior took. The Father Superior embraced him and said:

My boy! No coincidence that this is you who have brought the alarming news. Although you are not young now, but you have kept the pure childish soul and the ardent heart. Go to the capital, warn our Emperor, help him defend our Country!

Father, beg you, don’t send me! Let me face this horrible hour together with you, fight, and if I am to, then to die for the glory of our Great Country!

I know, I know, my boy, you won’t hesitate at the critical moment and will lay down your life for our fatherland. But there is other destiny for you. You have already died a hero’s death not once, and your readiness – is the sure sign of the fortitude. But there is another ordeal in store for you. Here is the letter for the Emperor. Deliver it as fast as you can, give it to him personally and don’t go away until the Great read it. Hurry up, my boy, the enemy is near. May the Blessed protect you! – With these words the Father Superior turned away and went to the yard.

The Monk’s eyes were full with tears. The Father Superior always talked a little and each word seemed to breathe with the ancient Wisdom. Nobody knew his age, nobody remembered how he had appeared in the Monastery, but even the eldest monks honored him like their own father. It was said that he knew the Past and could see the Future. And now the Monk felt, that their teacher knew about the forthcoming terrible ordeals and was ready to face them. Many monastery residents realized the gravity of the situation. The Borders Guards had never left their post by sending their heralds at the first signs of danger, and the Guard man’s coming to the Monastery indicated that the enemy’s attack had been sneak and crushing.

Within one hour the Monastery was ready for the battle. But the Monk did not see it. He was rushing far inland the Country, to the Capital, to the Emperor’s Palace without knowing that heralds from the other local monasteries were rushing there too. The Great War was about to begin…

“My Brother! When you read this letter, I won’t be alive. The time of the great ordeals for you and the whole County has come. The big losses are ahead, and the taste of victory will be bitter. Be brave. Don’t let the fear and despair penetrate into your heart. Not only will we – the whole Country will be your shield!” – the Emperor tore himself away from the letter, glanced at the dirty, dusty Monk who stood motionless before him, and again got absorbed into his reading.

“… My Brother, - the Father Superior wrote, - I send you one of my best followers, my hope. Don’t pay attention at his untidy looks – he was in a hurry too much. His plain appearance hides keen wit, ardent heart and the great devotion to you and your folks. Keep him close – my Hand, my Word, my Wisdom will help you via him. I know, his help will have its part in the future victory.”

“Thank you, Brother, - the Emperor thought. – Sleep calmly, I will honor your last request.”

So, the Monk’s fate was predetermined. He started serving to the Emperor and shouldered all the burden of the war time. The monastery life had hardened him, but even for him that was difficult to see the enemy’s avalanche rolling to the Capital wiping off struggling hard defenders. In several weeks the city was captured. Hordes of enemies ravaged the streets, robbed houses, and killed citizens. The Emperor’s family did not escape the horrible lot. “How sadly you have been mistaken, my Brother! - The Emperor thought in expectation to die the death of a martyr. – The losses are really great, but where is the promised victory?”

The news of the Emperor’s death the Monk knew outside the walls of the Capital. He remembered the parting words of his Father Superior, the great depth of its meaning was revealed to him just now. In the guise of a wandering monk he was going along the country to gather the uncoordinated remainders of the army. Almost for a year, everyday risking his life, he lighted people’s hearts with hope of the Country’s revival. And the great hour came! The wave of the united forces rose, when invaders did not expect any opposition, dispersing all over the occupied Country. There was no mercy for the invaders, and the blow, throwing them far beyond the borders of the Country, was terrible.

“…Miserable city, miserable land!” – The Monk thought going along the streets of the devastated ruined Capital. But there was no time for grief and mourning over the fallen – it was necessary to build the new stronghold of the Country, to restore the destroyed economy, to begin the life in the Country anew. The new Capital – a symbol of the New Day of the restored Country – was founded not far from the ruined City, where only sharp peaks of the ancient majestic temples were left.

“Hello, the Morning, you are wonderful! – The Emperor thought, facing the first sunray on the balcony of the new Palace. – I have honored your request, my dear Teacher. I have had to endure a lot: death of the dearest, destruction and humiliation of the Country, defilement of monasteries and temples. You are right that has been more awful than death, but now it is past. I bow down before your wisdom, that sent me with instruction at that terrible day and gave me a part of Your Spirit, Your Life. Be blessed, father, I’ll try to remain worthy of your memory!”

He closed his eyes, placing his face under rays of the rising Sun and it seemed to him that the caring hand of the Father Superior brushed away a tear from his coarse cheek.

“Dear friend and Brother! – The Voice of Eternity was coming to him. – You’ve done everything right. Restore the Monastery that was your home, and may the new Guard men watch vigilantly over the vast borders. I bless you, my brother! It is honorable to give away your life for the glory of your Country, but particularly honorable is to live so that your life will be closely interwoven with its Life and will strengthen its mighty!”

…The new day was coming. The sun was rising over the Country, there was a hope that it would bring Joy and Love not only to all its residents, but to all people living on the Earth, whose color of blood was the same red.