Great White Hunter Shangra la

The Great White Hunter In Shangri la

Shortly after meeting my new apprentice Patsang and narrowly escaping my own death at the hands of a yeti.  Myself, Patsang, and Pat'butso were flying back home when we encountered a mysterious storm at the edge of the Himalayas.  We were forced to make an emergency landing in a remote valley.  As we lowered our altitude we glimpsed through a shroud of mist a lush river valley filled with exotic plants and animals the likes of which none of us had ever scene.  The chopper came down hard on a riverbank and was damaged beyond our meager means of repair. 

I was still injured from my encounter with the mountain beast known as the yeti, It's skin now acting as my blanket.  Pat'butso left to scout the area for settlements or a route of escape, he grabbed a gun and a canteen and disappeared off into the mist that filled the valley.  It was now just Patsang and I, at first I had nothing to say, but I realized this was the perfect chance to get to know my new apprentice.  "So kid, you recognize any of these strange deer we saw on the way down?"  No answer.  I turned to look at him he was staring off into the mist.  I faced to see what had him so entranced, and saw a shadow begin to emerge from the mist.  "Who goes there?" I shouted.  The figure ceased its moving and shouted, "It's me you fool".  It was no doubt Pat'butso,

"Back so soon did you get scared all by your self?" 

He moved in closer "No, I found something extraordinary you must come and see". 

I pulled myself up and slid out the door of the chopper, "Hurry!" shouted my stout manservant leaping around waving his arms in the air.  Patsang ran along with Pat'butso and they both disappeared out of my limited field of vision.  I tried my best to catch up with them but with my various injuries made it difficult.  After a moment of exhaustive sprinting I could once again see my companions in the distance.  As I drew neared I saw a faint silhouette beyond them.  With a mighty gust of wind the mist momentarily dispersed and I saw before me the most amazing sight I had ever laid my eyes on.  A massive structure that easily surpassed all seven of the wonders of the world natural or man made. 

Before me was a building that must have stood fifty stories high, it was carved into the side of this ancient cliff.  No doubt hidden away from all mankind for centuries.  The building had terraces covered in giant flowers that bloomed bigger then a mans head.  There were vines covered in fruit that I could smell from hundreds of feet away.  There were tiny monkeys and giant deer even what appeared to be snake covered in quills all living in perfect harmony.  The building it's self was a marvel in its self, it was covered in gold and jewels that collided with epic carvings that told the story of creation and the truths of all the universe.  Upon seeing them all the pain of my injuries lifted and I felt that I had regained years of my life.  Sadly those scenes have since slipped my mind, but I do recall that all of us were moved to tears every time we moved our heads. 

We climbed the terraces and lived in harmony with the animals for who knows how long several days at the least perhaps even several months.  In this new place time seemed not to exist, But I did not waste this time, I spent countless hours training Patsang in the ways of the hunter, he learned quickly.  All was well for a time, then one night with out thinking I took a wicked piss, I mean it would have made a toilet over flow, I don't even know how I was able to hold it all in for so long.  Anyway I was in such a hurry I just went in a corner with out realizing that I was taking the biggest piss ever on a holy icon of some fat elephant dude.  As I was about to finish up I felt a rumbling and herd the sound of stone crumbling. 

I looked up to see the animals wither away into tiny goblins and the plants shed their flowers and fruit in favor of massive poisons thorns.  I wasted no time awakening my comrades and fleeing the area.  As we ran for the river the stone face of the temple crumbled away to reveal a fortress of iron and rust. Spikes jutted out of the cliff walls and the water in the river began to run dark and foul.  Then the rumbling came to an abrupt stop.  We all turned to see what was happening, the valley was filled with the smell of decay accompanied by a dead silence.  The building facade was now diminished to six giant pillars.  The terraces were no longer visible and the carvings had changed to a darker nature, the stories they now told were those of absolute terror.

Pat'butso suggested we flee before more trouble followed, But I would have none of it.  I went back to the temple to try and surmise why this had happened.  As I approached the six pillars all slid down into the ground each leaving a withered skeleton in its place.  I stopped upon seeing this gruesome sight.  Slowly each skeleton began to twitch they grabbed their weapons and began to stagger towards me.  With each step they took their flesh lightened, their eyes opened and the rust crumbled off of their armor and weapons.  In seconds the skeletons were revived and marched towards me as ancient warriors.  One was a Hun archer on horse.  Another a solider of Alexander the great abandon far from home.  Another an eastern master of the martial arts Wearing a coat of red and black.  Another an ancient Chinese warrior with spear in at hand.  Another a dark skinned solider of Persia in a fine uniform of purple and yellow, and the last was a mogul war lord riding atop an elephant covered in a coat of armor, with great swords jutting from its tusks.

All of them faced me and pointed their weapons at me.  "You have defiled the Holy Land of all creation, Now we shall punish you."  With that they all charged forward.  Patsang and Pau'butso jumped in front of me to offer their aid but were assaulted by the Greek and Asian.  I fall back chased by the Mogul and Hun, I realized I couldn't out run them with their mounts, so I turned to face them man to man.  As I turned an arrow flew past my head, a narrow miss.  The elephant bore down on me, I knew better than to flee again, doing so would be futile.  I stood my ground pulled out my knife and let out a mighty yell the elephant bucked up.  I took a jab at it's exposed gut, blood gushed forth.  Then the beast began to fall I rolled out from under it's Gurth just in time to escape injury, but I was far from safe.  An arrow flew at me from the Hun's bow I caught it only inches from my head.  Then from out of nowhere the Chinese warrior jabbed at me with his spear, it sank into my shoulder and blood poured forth.  I ripped it away from him with my other hand and flipped it around just in time to drive it into the heart of the Hun's horse.  He was bucked and tossed high into the air falling on his face.  I took a few jabs at the china man then dodged an arrow shot at me by the Persian, only to take a second in the leg.  Just as I was thinking I might be able to win I was blindsided by the mogul and fell into the river.

I was cold.  I opened my eyes and looked around.  I was in a cave with a fire burning a few feet away.  I got up, I was in sever pain from all my injuries.  I walked to the mouth of the cave to see who had dragged me there and lit the fire.  I saw no one, But I did find a basket of herbs and mushrooms.  I found a path leading up a hill, I decided to follow it.  I stumbled up the rocky path and pulled my self over a boulder at the top and fell onto a meadow of moss and lichens.  In the center of the meadow sat a bald monk in a tattered white robe.  Without moving he said "I was suppressed to find you here."

"You know of me?"

"Yes from my brother, you saved his temple from the mountain demon, I believe that fur you wear is proof of that."

I stroked the Yeti fur that still clung to my back, "So how are you?"

"I told you the brother of the mountain preset, I am not as highly regarded as he for my love of spirits and women, but my powers are far greater.  I was surprised to find you in the Shangri la.  Even more surprised to watch you resist its draw for seven months, a record no doubt.  But perhaps I should have expected so much from a man who could defeat the mountain demon."

"You mean I was there for seven months?"

"Time has a funny way of escaping from us."

"Where are my companions?"

"They were captures by the Shan la saa, the warriors you awoke when you defiled the Holy Land.  I can help you get them back, but it will be difficult......What do you say?"

"alright, I'll do it what ever it takes."

He jumped to his feet and with lightning speed he lunged at me and jabbed me in the chest.  I was blown away falling on my back and sliding to the edge of the hill.  I then felt a burning on my chest I pulled my head up to see a strange mark branded on my chest.

"What the hell is this?"

The monk laughed "just think of it as a contract, that mark will stay on your chest until you are able to defeat me, and to do so you must become a master of gurnjutsu.  The most powerful and dangerous of arts."

"Master a martial art, a few punches and kicks no big deal."  I said as I regained my footing.

"Martial art.  Gurnjutsu is nothing so primitive or barbaric, it is the art of the mind.  That is why it is so deadly."

"Wait just a minute, aren't you upset that I destroyed the Shangri la?"

"There are more in the frozen north and else where.  Once long ago there were thousands all across the world, but one by one they haven fallen to man.  But as you have scene they can also corrupt men, their absolute beauty and purity is too much for most men to handle, and they become Shan la saa; slaves of the Shangri la.  It is my duty to destroy them all so they can no longer corrupt men.  You see, Never suffering, or feeling pain or sadness, and never aging, men will rely on them, and use them as a crutch. If they exist man would become reliant on them, and never achieve enlightenment.  The Shangri la are too great a gift to be given to men.  I had been summoning and attempting to destroy it for a year then you destroyed it in only a moment.  If any thing I should thank you."

"I see where you are going, but what about those guys?"  I said as I peered into the dark valley.

"Now that you destroyed the Shangri la the corrupt souls of the Shan la Saa have risen again.  You must destroy them to save your friends.  We have wasted enough time we will begin your training."  As the old monk said this he approached me and gave me a nudge, I fell off the edge of a great cliff.  I landed far below in an icy river.  There was no clear path back up the cliff side so I had to scale it, two hours later I was back on top.  I found the old monk just sitting there waiting.

"What the hell!..."

"Too slow." He answered as he gave me another nudge over the edge.  My second climb only took an hour.  Once I was back at the top of the cliff I lunged at the old monk who quickly dodged my attack and cracked me over the head.  "You have no respect.  Attacking your master, you have much to learn."  He then gave me a mighty kick sending me back over the cliff.  This time it only took thirty minutes to scale my way back up.  Again the old monk was just waiting.  "Your getting better now you are ready for the real training." 

Now at this point he swore me to secrecy.  I promised I would never reveal the ancient training techniques to anyone on pain of death (The cursed seal he placed on me would guarantee my oath on pain of death).  He also made me promise I would never use these forbidden skills on any living creature.  Only on the dead and accursed could I employee these techniques.

After three months of intense training I had mastered a deadly new art, its crowning move was a skill known as Tibetan mind transmission.  This ability allowed one to momentarily posses the mind or minds of any attacker in eye line distance.

"I have tried my best to train you and I fear I have taught your stubborn weak mind very little.  Now go prove me wrong!"  Those were the last words I herd from that old monk as I prepared myself.  I knew what I had to do, I dawned my yeti skin and set off alone down a rocky path in the distance I could hear the old monk chanting his prayers.

I came down the cliff side on to a bank of mist out of the mist appeared six shadows.  With the six of them all standing in front of me I knew Tibetan mind transmission was my only hope of defeating them.  There was one problem I could not see their eyes through the mist, rendering my skill useless.  The six warriors began to charge me, it was then for just a moment I heard the old monk's chanting again.  The mist was suddenly dispersed.  The warriors were now upon me, and I was surrounded.  My view was clear, my mind was clear, I wasted no time in unleashing my attack.  I made quick work of the warriors, or better I say I made them make quick work of each other. 

With a mighty rumble the corrupted temple shattered like glass and crumbled away.  From out of the rubble stumbled Patsang and Pau'butso. 

"Where have you been?"  "What happened?"  They asked franticly.

I simply laughed and answered, "Now do I have on hell of a story for you."