The Redemption of Tong Lieng
Nov 21, 2007 4:56:30 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2007 4:56:30 GMT
Tong Lieng could still feel himself floating away. He breathed deep, letting the cool air flood into him, and he closed his eyes to quietly meditate. He was floating on his back, moving somewhere through an endless white abyss, but he didn't give much thought as to where he was going. In death, time and direction are meaningless concepts. But eventually, he could feel a hand gently catch him underneath his shoulder and pull him. At that moment, he opened his eyes.
"Hello, Lieng." spoke the face standing over him.
"Grandfather..." he replied.
The man standing over him looked nothing like the grandfather he remembered, but it was unmistakably him. Lieng remembered him being frail and fragile, reduced to skin and bones, confined to a wheelchair, but it was obvious that his spirit was ever-strong. This man looked mature and strong, chiseled with strength, and glowing with energy. His spirit was more powerful than ever. His hair was pure, shining white, and it waved back on his head. As he took Lieng into his arms, Lieng could feel himself being lifted off of his back and set upright. "I'm happy to see you, Li."
"I'm happy to see you, too, Grandpa. I.. I don't know why I didn't come sooner."
Lieng's grandfather loosened his embrace, grasped Lieng's arms, and held him out at arms length. He looked into his eyes and gave him a sageful smile. "We all have our work to do in our lives, Li. We should do our best not to leave until that work is done."
Lieng cast his eyes down and to the side, "I guess I didn't make it."
"No... but it's okay."
"I wasn't strong enough."
"Hmph," he scoffed, letting the corner of his mouth slip into a grandfatherly smirk of disbelief, "Is that what you think, my boy? Is that why they sent me to greet you?"
Lieng's speech slowed to a crawl, "I... I couldn't protect the ones I loved."
"It's okay, Lieng. You did your best. Now all that's left is the road ahead."
"But Grandfather, I don't even know if I deserve to be here."
"Li, enough. I will tell you now: the Kaios have a work for you to do."
"A work?"
"Do you wish for the power to protect your friends?"
"More than anything."
"Then follow me, and I will take you to men who will give you that power. The planet needs a new guardian, and the Kaios have chosen you."
"Hello, Lieng." spoke the face standing over him.
"Grandfather..." he replied.
The man standing over him looked nothing like the grandfather he remembered, but it was unmistakably him. Lieng remembered him being frail and fragile, reduced to skin and bones, confined to a wheelchair, but it was obvious that his spirit was ever-strong. This man looked mature and strong, chiseled with strength, and glowing with energy. His spirit was more powerful than ever. His hair was pure, shining white, and it waved back on his head. As he took Lieng into his arms, Lieng could feel himself being lifted off of his back and set upright. "I'm happy to see you, Li."
"I'm happy to see you, too, Grandpa. I.. I don't know why I didn't come sooner."
Lieng's grandfather loosened his embrace, grasped Lieng's arms, and held him out at arms length. He looked into his eyes and gave him a sageful smile. "We all have our work to do in our lives, Li. We should do our best not to leave until that work is done."
Lieng cast his eyes down and to the side, "I guess I didn't make it."
"No... but it's okay."
"I wasn't strong enough."
"Hmph," he scoffed, letting the corner of his mouth slip into a grandfatherly smirk of disbelief, "Is that what you think, my boy? Is that why they sent me to greet you?"
Lieng's speech slowed to a crawl, "I... I couldn't protect the ones I loved."
"It's okay, Lieng. You did your best. Now all that's left is the road ahead."
"But Grandfather, I don't even know if I deserve to be here."
"Li, enough. I will tell you now: the Kaios have a work for you to do."
"A work?"
"Do you wish for the power to protect your friends?"
"More than anything."
"Then follow me, and I will take you to men who will give you that power. The planet needs a new guardian, and the Kaios have chosen you."