Shoa tells a story of his past.
The large inn that the Shado Pan used within the Vale was busy that evening. Several volunteers that came from other provinces helped to run the establishment for their protectors, the new generation that was being trained to become fully fledged Shado Pan. The orange glow of the evening sky cast a heavenly glow as it reached into part of the room. Several Pandaren sitting in the way glowed as they quietly sipped on their bowls, small movements of their paw which held onto their chopsticks.
The room ignored when a huge fireball rose into the air as the cook shifted the pan before skilfully sliding the contents into a bowl and yelling out. "Chicken with noodles are done!" A female pandaren came up, grabbed the bowl and made for a table before the sound of more cooking hissed into the air, spreading it's aromas as the smoke drifted upwards and out of the hole in the ceiling.
Shoa walked past, riding on top of his tiger that turned its head towards the smell of food but the Pandaren placed a finger onto the back of the neck and spoke quietly. "You get fed soon, look ahead." His paw had pointed forwards to a much older Pandaren that bowed gently as Shoa came up and slowly he slid off as he smiled. "He hasn't eaten today." Shoa saw his tiger follow the Pandaren who had nodded and he turned around to look about the Garrison.
Times had changed since the last time he had been stationed here, gone was the light hearted mood, after the recent events of what happened at the other end of the Vale and the aftermath that had left behind. The descruction was devastating, even to those that had seen pretty much all the darkness that Pandaria had to offer. Shoa had been in discussions before; much blame was put onto the outsiders. Horde more than Alliance but both was seen as the catalyst to the disaster and for him, he had to agree.
A pandaren wearing the Golden Lotus garment came up to him and bowed. "Ah Kegfist, how was your patrol?" Shoa gave a small smile, though they both knew it was faked. "As best as it could be, why was I summoned back?" Shoa listened as he walked alongside the Pandaren with a grim look on his face. "And he's in the inn now?" Shoa saw the pandaren nod and he smiled. "Thank you for looking after him, I will speak with him." Shoa shook the other Pandaren's paw and moved towards the inn itself as the other pandaren walked off elsewhere.
As Shoa walked, he slowly lifted his hat from his head as he placed it underneath his arm, holding it in place as he carefully pulled his from around his head. This allowed the cool evening air to press against his warm face, not to mention allowing the strong scents of spices and ale that he could smell from within, mixed with the various scents of other Pandaren.
Some Pandaren turned to see who it was that entered the inn, most nodded towards Shoa as he nodded back and headed to where TanTan was and he dipped his head. "Hello Kegfist. You have someone waiting for you upstairs, it is much quieter but I cannot guarantee it being so for long."
Shoa nodded as he slipped a few coins across. "Bring up two mugs of ale and some sweet buns." He left as he made his way through the tables, paused to watch two large Pandaren who were having an arm wrestling match, another small crowd as they watched a Pandaren chug down a barrel of ale without stopping. Slowly he climbed the stairs and left the noise of a busy inn with it which came down to a dull rumble.
TanTan was right, there wasn't many about up on this floor as Shoa looked about the room until he spotted a young Pandaren sitting in a corner. He walked over as he saw the Pandaren get up and dip his head respectfully. "Master Kegfist." Shoa dipped his head back again and with a wave of his paw, he gave permission for the young Pandaren to sit back down again. "Hello Xio, I heard you had an eventful day?" Shoa slowly placed his hat down gently as he settled to sitting down as well and saw Xio do the same with a nod of his head. "Care to tell me what happened in your own words?"
Xio looked about and then down at the paws that had clasped together on top of the table then he released his grip, wrung them and then swallowed. "Some say I shouldn't be in the order. I should've gone and joined the Lorewalkers."
"I see..." Shoa said quietly. "And tell me, do you believe what the others have said to be true?" There was a look of concentration over Xio's face as Shoa saw him ponder this before he answered. "It must be, I have not been doing well in my training."
Shoa nodded once again as he looked to the left and saw a female Pandaren arrive and bow before placing down two mugs of ale and a bowl of sticky honey buns before she bowed and headed off again. Shoa looked at Xio in thought as he spoke quietly. "I am about to tell you something that I haven't told many but I believe that it will help you." Xio looked at Shoa as he took hold of the mug closest to him and Shoa continued. "You see, I also walked the path of being a lorewalker.... It all began long ago when I was just a little bit younger than what you are... It all began just after the Jade Serpent Temple tournament...."
***
Shoa never fitted in with most from Tian Monastry, his parents had never really been about. His mother died during his birth and as for his father, he remained for a few seasons until he fell to the cold of the winter when he was caught in a snow storm in Kun Lai. Of which of course led to Shoa being left to be looked after by the others within the monastery. He had other family of course, his uncle came about from time to time with various fireworks and tales of what was happening in Four Winds. But Shoa was a Kegfist, the family were mostly brewers who brewed the apples that fell every autumn within the lush forests. But there were a few that did go to join the Shado Pan in the past or to become a lorewalker and in this case with his uncle, a fireworker.
Training was of course the way of life for Shoa in his young years, especially the days, weeks and months spent in front of a trainer who kept saying. "You must perfect your form..." It was tiring, Shoa always found himself to be exhausted by the day's end. But he always found the books and scrolls to be fascinating. At first it was in secret, any free time he had he spent munching on a black bean bun while reading some dusty old record from a long time past of what happened at Tian monastery.
Through the months he wanted to be both, after reading tales of both monk and lorewalker deeds, he found that both appealed to him. But of course it began to slowly effect his performance, though Shoa continued to work hard and the elders who at the time Shoa did not know had noticed this strange behaviour and had discussed this matter secretly.
By the time the Jade Serpent tournament was to happen, the training had increased. An influx of various temples, dojo's would arrive from Jade Forest and beyond to enter the competition and Shoa had been picked during a few matches to represent Tian Monastry. It was a huge honour and Shoa did not decline, even though a few of his age suggested that he should, the fact that some had found out about his lack of choosing one path had caused them to pick on him, calling him weaker, a dumb dog for not being able to choose one path or another.
***
"It was the elders that made the decision." Shoa said as he looked at Xio across the table, he lifted the mug of ale and took a small sip before he gently placed it back down again. Two others had come up the stairs as they sat down in another part of the room and began to talk themselves. Shoa continued. "But the day came where I and others turned up at the Temple. I won through the early matches easily, my confidence that I was making the right choice was proving to be right but around about the quarters I know that I was facing some stiff competition."
"Did you lose?" Xio asked as he looked at Shoa who nodded his head. "How I managed to get through the last few rounds to face off in the final, only the celestials would know... But here I was facing a favourite to win, a Pandaren named Takame. The fight went well but I was behind on the training and it showed. I fought well but I lost." Shoa smiled as he took another sip of his ale. "It happens though, but I thought being second would be enough however...."
A cheer rose up from down below, then the sound of singing could be heard, Shoa continued on. "The rest though was not happy about it, how we should've won and that my taking two paths brought us to lose in our own province. Of course the elders had tried to still the trouble that was coming my way but one day...."
***
"There he is." Chai said as he walked over to where Shoa was sitting under the orange tree, scroll resting on his knee as he looked up to see that Chai had come along with four others behind him. "Reading again?" Chai said as he pulled the scroll away from Shoa and looked at it before scrunching it up into a ball. "You always read, that's why we lost in the tournament. You bring shame to us and to cap it off you went and shook the paw of the winner as well."
Shoa pushed himself up from the ground with a paw and stood up as he looked at Chai properly now in the eyes. "It was the right thing to do, what did you expect me to do?" Shoa felt anger well up inside of him as he glared at Chai who laughed. "Get a scroll halfway through the fight and probably read to the opponent until he falls sleep."
Shoa felt his paw clench as Chai smiled. "Heh, thinking on hitting me, come on, you know you're behind on your training dumb dog. Pick a side, you're either with us or you're against us." Shoa had enough, his arm went back as he sent his paw forwards but he felt himself flying back against the tree as his head remained a few seconds behind the fact. When he realised that his head had hit the bark of the tree, he didn't noticed that an orange had hit his head on the way down and bounced in front of him. Shoa's brain waited for a few seconds before he had realised that the orange was now lying in front of him as he pushed himself up and then he was back down again on the ground.
The attack lasted for a short time, but his mind was unable to keep up with the events that were playing out. Every time he saw something happen, his mind was two or three moves behind. Then it was over as Chai leant down and growled. "Leave dumb dog, we don't want you here no more. You bring dishonour. No one wants you here." Then they left as Shoa slowly stood up, wincing as he looked about and turned around.
Shoa could hear the laughter as he walked out of Tian, then he ran down the hill, each step was painful as his bruised chest and sides ached but it drove him on as he heard the bell toll behind to signal another training session but he vanished through the forest undergrowth.
It was a long time before Shoa came to a stop, bruised and cut from the sharp branches of the forest, he looked about as he could see the sky above him darken with the thick storm clouds that had drifted overhead and he looked about. Shoa stood there for a moment as he rubbed at his sides, listening to the birds in the tree's and frowned.
The elders didn't understand, he tried to make them understand this is what he wanted but he knew it wasn't liked and due to his actions he never really had any friends at all within the monastery, the books and scrolls had become his friend, guided him as they took him places he had not seen before. Writings about how tall the mountains were in Kun Lai. The farms when it came to harvest time in Four Winds and the great Stormstout Brewery. And he read about the dangers of the wildlife within Krasarang Wilds with its thick jungle.
"If they do not want me there, then I will go and see these places myself." Shoa said as he looked ahead and saw he was talking to a bug climbing up a tree. He walked forwards and gently poked it, making it scuttle away as fast as its small legs could take it. "Humph, even you don't wish to be my friend. I'll find someone who will understand me." Then Shoa stormed off through the forest, not caring that he was not prepared as the sky grew darker.
***
Shoa smiled. "I was young, reckless and so full of ideas that would terrify most elders and masters, not to mention the inability to control my emotions at the time. I didn't think, I was so angry, ashamed and well... In all honesty at the time I was terrified of it all being true and so I ran."
Xio nodded his head as he listened; not saying a word as he idly chewed on a honey bun slowly and swallowed. "What I felt earlier, but I was caught leaving." The youngster looked worried as Shoa nodded his head. "So I was told... But do not worry as there is more to the tale and I so dislike any tale that hasn't been told to the end..."
***
Claws scraped on the bark of a tree as Shoa panted, it was as though night had made a deal with the sun and came out early to play. And as much as Shoa denied to a part of himself, he had got himself lost in the forest as there was no landmarks that were familiar to him at all. He slowly turned around and placed his back against the rough bark and closed his eyes as he heard the faint rumble in the distant and sighed. Great, now the sky was against him as he felt the wind rush past him in its cold embrace, the leaves singing their song and he heard the birdsong go quiet around him.
Shoa didn't know what time it was now, he guessed it was around late afternoon or early evening as he looked about but the dark storm clouds had forbade any chance of telling the time properly. Slowly he pushed himself from the tree and looked about, before he walked instead of running. He needed to find some shelter, leaving without anything was stupid and he frowned that he was out in the middle of the forest without so much as food, water or supplies. He crossed his arms around him as he felt the cold wind get stronger before the sudden realisation that he was about to get drenched as well as the first droplets of water splashed against the top of his head.
This quickened his pace as Shoa looked about but all that he could do was stumble in the dark, the rain coming down as it dripped from the leaves, the gaps in the foliage above as he cursed his bad luck. Several times he tripped over and fell onto the wet ground but he picked himself up with the resolution that he would find someplace to hide from this storm sometime, a house, a cave, anything.
***
"As much as most would like to say, the forest can be a dangerous place for someone young and inexperienced in the dark." Shoa said as he looked at Xio. "Many tigers live in the forest, deadly spiders and not every Pandaren is as you say friendly as surprising as it may be, this is the true fact of life." Shoa paused as he stroked his beard in thought. "I made that mistake but you have yet to learn of the full story..." Shoa took another swig of his ale. "You see I was about to meet my path as well as face my first real danger. At the time I did not know if I was to get out alive..."
***
It had become impossible for Shoa to find anyplace of safety now in the bad weather as he pushed himself through a bush and stumbled into the middle of a camp. He moved a paw to wipe away the water from his eyes and saw the bright flash of lightning which lit the way ahead of him but all he could see was a large dark object and then darkness.
How long he had been out, Shoa did not know but the storm had passed and it was dark outside, he looked up and saw the stars and the moon and then he realised that there was dark lines moving across and as he moved, he groaned but he stopped as he heard a deep voice speak softly close by. "I would not be so hasty young one, you took a hefty blow to the head."
Carefully Shoa got up but he regretted doing so as his head throbbed and he placed a paw onto the place where it hurt the most. "Who's there?" He looked about and stopped as he backed away from the sight of the Pandaren sitting there, scars on his face and he looked quite old.
"I am Xu Greypaw." Xu held out his paw and smiled. "And you seem to be lost, little one?" Shoa sighed and nodded his head. "So what is your name, little lost one?" Shoa looked at the Xu and replied. "Shoa Kegfist." Shoa saw the arched brow from Xu but the older Pandaren didn't say why. "I see, well... It would seem that your arrival has complicated things."
Shoa saw Xu move closer and lowered his voice. "My friends were to come tomorrow but your arrival has made our captors change their plans. They plan on moving tonight and I can't allow that." Shoa looked about as he turned his head to look about outside of the cage and he stared at what he saw. "They're..." Xu placed a paw on the younger Pandaren's shoulder and nodded. "Shh..." He looked out as he spoke quietly. "They were about to kill me but you came along, they now plan on doing so with you, a ritual of sorts." Shoa swallowed as Xu squeezed on the shoulder and spoke again. "This won't happen, we have to leave." Xu moved away as he spoke quietly. "I hope you are better prepared than you were at the temple."
Before Shoa could respond, Xu was at the cage door and began to work as Shoa crawled over and looked. Xu whispered. "Do what I say, when I say. Got it?" Shoa nodded his head as Xu pushed and he opened the door by force and was away and into the group of Mogu before they knew what had happened. Shoa pushed himself out as he looked about as Xu shouted. "Look out!"
Shoa jumped to the side as he heard a clash of metal against stone and stared as a looming Mogu stood there with a wicked grin. "Well, well. The little cub slave wishes to play..." Shoa frowned back. "Not your slave..." He reached as his paw found a rock and he threw it as hard as he could which landed right centre of the Mogu's face which made him roar and charged. But before he had taken two steps forward, Xu was in between and he smiled. "Now, can't have you playing with little one. Let's see how you do with me?"
Xu used chi as Shoa was pushed back, his foot paws slid on the wet rock as Xu smiled and dipped his head a bit in his direction before sidestepping out of the way of the sword that had crashed down just where he was. Shoa blinked as a few punches came in quick and fast as the older Pandaren fought with the remaining Mogu.
"Watch out." Shoa shouted as he saw more running, one fired an arrow as it hit Xu hard in the chest. With a growl, the older Pandaren pulled it out and he punched the Mogu hard as it fell to his knees and then forwards. Xu turned around and saw the danger and ran towards Shoa and picked him up and vanished into the darkness with the sound of persuit right behind.
***
"They gave up the chase not long after, they aren't good at running. What with all their heavy armour, it can wear a person down." Shoa smiled as Xio as he sipped at his mug again. "Though you have learnt this, correct?" Xio nodded his head as he looked at Shoa as he saw the older Pandaren continue with his story, the both had not realised that the room had filled up during this time but they were pretty much still able to hold a private conversation in their corner of it.
***
Xu coughed as he ran with Shoa held within his arms, the older Pandaren breathed heavily and stumbled before he slowly came to a stop as they pushed themselves through the undergrowth and into the open. They had lost their pursuers as Xu looked about and walked over before he sat down to lean against the tree as he stared in the direction where in the distance the faint glow of the morning sunrise would come.
"Shoa, please come here..." Xu Greypaw said as he coughed, looked into his paw and frowned as he wiped it away. Shoa walked over and knelt in front as he stared into the eyes of the elder. "Your hurt."
Xu smiled weakly. "It matters not now... Tell me, why did you leave the monastery?" Shoa looked down and frowned. "They said they hated me for coming second, I'm a dumb dog for choosing to be a monk and a lorewalker. I don't think they like me on my decision to walk my own path."
"Listen to me, I saw you fight that day and to get to the final was not someone who was unable to, you did that on your own. How did you do this?" Xu Greypaw asked as Shoa thought about it and moved aside as he sat down in the wet grass beside the older Pandaren. Slowly in the distance the sun was starting to rise as a faint glow of red, orange, yellow came into the distance as Xu smiled as he watched while listening.
"I read scrolls from those who wrote about their styles, tales of other places around Pandaria that makes me want to see them one day and yet to read some tales of those that want to ruin it..." Shoa went quiet as he frowned. Xu Greypaw nodded his head. "It is beautiful isn't it, something worth fighting for?" Shoa nodded as he looked about. "I should go find help." Xu reached out and stopped Shoa from getting up. "No, it's okay. Sit with me and watch the sunrise with me. So what would you do differently now than what you did yesterday?"
Shoa gave it some thought as he replied. "I should not just stumble into things that I'm unprepared for, even when I am pushed..." Shoa lowered his head. "I am ashamed I lost my temper and ran off. There will be some worried about my absence."
Xu gave a soft smile as he looked at Shoa, the fur on the youngster had changed to a golden glow from the sun rising slowly in the horizon. He reached and pulled out something as he slowly took Shoa's paw, opened it and gently placed something down within it. "It takes courage to walk a path that has been laid out for you. And even more when you take that path when others are blind to it and try to make you walk their path." Xu coughed again as he turned his head back to stare at the front and spoke softly. "Thank you Shoa Kegfist..."
Shoa turned his head to face Xu Greypaw. "Thank you for what?" Shoa looked puzzled but he didn't get a reply. Xu Greypaw continued to lean against the tree as his eyes stared out at the sunrise and slowly Shoa realised that the old Pandaren had succumbed to his injuries. And Shoa felt a tear roll down his face as he bowed his head and whispered. "Thank you for saving me Xu Greypaw. I will never forget you."
Shoa continued to sit there as he watched the sun continue to rise and opened his paw, he looked at the ring within his palm and studied it as he heard yells from the other side of the clearing and could see an elder, two other Pandaren from Tian and three strangers who came running up. The strangers wore a red scarf around their face, only their eyes could be seen as one knelt down in front of Shoa and spoke. "Tell me what happened."
***
Shoa looked at his empty mug and sighed as he looked at Xio. "I couldn't lie, not that I would ever want to but they had that look that made you tell the truth and so I did." Shoa said. "Afterwards the pandaren got up and turned to the others and nodded, he said I had spoken the truth and looked at their fallen comrade." Xio hadn't spoken in a long time, listening to the tale as Shoa continued.
***
Shoa was helped up as he looked at the elder and bowed his head. "I'm sorry." The elder looked at Shoa as he said. "We will discuss it when we get back..." Shoa felt his ears fall down as the elder continued. "After you have slept and eaten though, you must be tired." The elder moved his paw to say to Shoa, follow which Shoa did but stopped as he turned to the mask Pandaren. "Er, I think he wanted me to give you this." One of the masked Pandaren came forward as Shoa showed the ring but the masked Pandaren slowly closed Shoa's paw and spoke. "No, he was giving it to you, when the time comes you will understand more. Thank you for staying with him." Shoa nodded as he turned to move back to where the Tian Pandaren were and walked back home.
***
"There is more to this tale..." Shoa said as he smiled. "You see, after I had left, the masked Pandaren talked with each other. It would be many years later that I would find out what had transpired after I had left..."
***
Sho Kegfist watched as he saw his youngster brother vanish with the Tian Monastry monks and he turned his head to the side as Xan Hu Xo came up alongside him. "So you didn't tell him then?" Sho shook his head. "For now it would be best he didn't know. He has to make his choice without my involvement. If he so chooses to join then I will tell him." Sho turned his head to look at Xu and shook his head. "If he does not, I would not want him to face another loss again. But he has to make the decision on his own without myself being a factor." Slowly Sho Kegfist helped to take care of Xu Greypaw, he could rest now but left by giving Pandaria another potential protector...
***
"And so, I made my choice in the end and here I am now." Shoa looked at Xio and spoke. "Open your paw with the mark and show it to me." Shoa watched as Xio did as he was told and Shoa nodded. "Now look at it." Shoa saw the youngster look at it as he spoke. "You have the mark, those that have been given the mark have earned it, you have earned it. We have lorewalkers in the Shado Pan as well. Do not ever allow anyone to say that you are not worth being part of this family."
Shoa showed his mark as he looked at Xio. "I have walked the path of the monk and the lorewalker and I am a Master... Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard. Prove those wrong in their words." Shoa smiled at Xio who nodded back. "There will be no punishment this time; I will have a talk with those that think otherwise." Xio looked to say something as Shoa lifted a paw. "They will know you said nothing, but we know more about what goes on than you believe. Like you being late for guard duty of the food cellar."
Shoa smiled as he saw the shock on Xio face and laughed. "Go on, go find your friends." Shoa smiled as he saw Xio bow and left and Shoa turned his head around to look into the darkness. "So how long have you been there, listening?"
Sho stepped out from the shadows. "Oh, the part where you told about how you ran from Tian." Sho pulled himself into the seat that Xio had just been sitting and grinned. "So am I buying the drinks or is it your turn?" Shoa looked about and called over a Pandaren waiter as he spoke back. "I believe I will buy the drinks. Heard you needed the coin since you're about to retire..."
As Shoa and Sho enjoyed their company upstairs, Xio had found his friends and was laughing as they enjoyed an evening of rest for tomorrow would come another day of hard training. For if anyone came to see the Shado Pan like this they would be bemused but even those from the Shadows had to have some time to remember just what they were fighting for.
And they were very good at doing both.