Collain was no city or village. Pontus told me that it was a series of treacherous mountain peaks on which an ancient monastery had been built several hundred years ago. He thought the place was in far worse shape than Goren's estate, and for good reason. It was hewn out of the mountain side, he said, and completely at the mercy of howling winds, driving rain and even pelting ice and snow during the coldest days of the year. Pontus warned me that it was an inclement, windswept and desolate place.

The worse part wasn't his description of the monastery or the prospect of living with monks indefinitely. The worse part was his account of the climb. He told me that the way was slippery, narrow and got increasingly more dangerous the higher one went. If that wasn't bad enough, Pontus then told me that I would be climbing to the heights of Collain alone. Honestly, any fear I might have had about giving myself over to the monks until they saw fit to release me, was totally forgotten after the description of the deadly climb ahead of me. It was a wonder I found the courage to start the journey up there at all.

I did arrive after several days of strenuous travel. A single, modest monk waited for me at the crumbling gates to the monastery. She bowed but said nothing. She simply indicated I should follow her and so I did.  A strange feeling of trepidation came over me as I stepped through the ancient gate. The wind howled something fierce there and I felt like it might blow me off a cliff if I wasn't careful and didn't mind each and every step. The place felt positively hostile and did not give me much hope for the future. Still, I trekked after the monk. There was no going back, for now, and I was truly fearful of being left alone at the top of this menacing mountain peak.

My escort looked back at me from time to time and waited for me to catch up to her. I would have apologized but it was difficult to breath, let alone speak, given that the air was so thin up here. So, I simply gave her a penitent look and hoped she understood I was not purposely dragging my feet. Her expression was rather patient and quite serene. It gave me hope that she was not troubled too much by me.

The monastery, which Pontus told me might have housed 50 monks and 100 students a hundred and fifty years ago at its peak, now only boasted 12 monks and 20 students. Consequently, the place was in ruins because there simply wasn't enough manpower to keep the monastery in good working order anymore.

He'd told me not to expect much and I was glad for the warning. The state of the monastery was appalling even to me. Looking my new home over carefully, I thought to myself, if only they had slaves. Slaves could see to all the upkeep and have this place looking beautiful in no time. Master Bangkai's slaves could at any rate, I believed. But, Pontus told me there would be no slaves here. Monks did not keep slaves. 

The monk ahead of me disappeared through an open arched door on the side of the mountain. I hurried to catch up with her. I half ran and half stumbled over the threshold and into a totally different world from the hostile one outside. There was an enormous room on the other side of the door with a beautifully ornate domed ceiling. Somehow, the monks had hewn this fantastic, cathedral-like room right out of the mountain itself and I stood gaping in awe at their handiwork and mastery of the stone. 

I looked around the skillfully crafted room with its polished stone floor, delicately carved walls and pillars, and was amazed. It was an astonishing contrast from the wet, windy and grey world outside. The unexpected sight brought tears to my eyes. I wiped at them continually but could not stop the flow of them.

The monk, who had not spoken at all, cleared her throat and said, after seeing my enormous surprise and awe, "It has taken three hundred years of dedication for the monks of Collain to cut this room and many others like it out of the mountain."

'Many other like it?' I wondered with amazement. When I looked over at my escort's plain face and saw that her eyes were shinning with pleasure, it occurred to me that she probably didn't get a chance to share this incredible sight with too many people (even if I was just a slave). I couldn't imagine who would be silly enough to make the trek to see it.

And yet, if people knew how extraordinary this place was, surely they would come in droves no matter how difficult the climb. It was like a hidden treasure only revealed to the bravest of souls. I was just lucky to see it because I was a slave and had been forced here by my Master. I was sure, knowing myself, I never would have witnessed such a sight any other way. The treacherous climb would have kept me away.

I wasn't just met with beauty when I walked in the room but also with profound silence. I had no idea how loud and how disturbing the wailing winds were outside until we escaped into this quiet place. My heart felt eased of a burden I didn't know it had been carrying. I could finally breath freely here. The heaviness I felt earlier, when I walked through the gate, was gone and a peacefulness was in its place. This room was truly magical. It soothed me, heart and soul, to stand in it and simply look around.

My escort did not let me tarry though. She interrupted the wanderings of my eyes with a gentle, "Please, come this way."

Her soft words and slow, deliberate movements were so different from anything I'd ever seen before. She was fascinating to watch and despite the fact that she was freeborn, her humble demeanour made me feel at ease even in this peculiar environment.

We walked through a small side door and down several simple and functional corridors without any unnecessary embellishments unlike the room we had first entered. The corridors were lit at equal intervals by candles along the walls that reflected off the polished surface of the well worn rock beautifully. It created a warm and calming environment in the corridors, which was not at all what I was expecting. I thought it would be as dark, wet and cold inside the monastery as it was hostile and uninviting outside. What a relief it was to find the place quiet, soothing and dry. And, the deeper we walked into the mountain, the more I liked what I saw of my new home.

We finally came to a halt at another open and arched doorway. The room beyond was large but the ceiling was average in height and the room appeared to be full of shelves overflowing with reading materials. I could see scrolls, books, parchments and all sorts of similar items piled precariously here and there all about the spacious room. The room had no windows and no natural light either, but was as bright and warm as the halls had been. We stopped at the door and waited. 

Another gentle voice called to us saying, "Come in." 

We entered and found three monks waiting for us. My escort bowed and I followed her example. Then she introduced me to the three monks. The oldest and frailest of them was the Master Monk, Kazee. He was so ancient and decrepit looking that I thought a gentle breeze would blow him away and a little water might dissolve him into clay.

I had never before laid eyes on such a wrinkled face. Slaves never lived very long and the few white-haired freeborns I had seen coming and going from Goren's or Master Bangkai's estates would be considered children in comparison to the Master Monk, Kazee. I bowed before the monk and thought only that his eyes were very kind. Something about them reminded me of my mother. I felt strangely at ease with him in that moment.

Next, my escort introduced me to Yuyo, Kazee's long-time pupil (or perhaps apprentice was a better description of the man), and then Flist, who was the pupil's young student - a man easily 10 or 15 years older than myself.  Clearly, once a student of a monk, always a student no matter one's age.

Yuyo and Flist were quiet, calm and they made me feel strangely at ease when I looked at them. There was nothing overbearing or disapproving about the way they observed me. I did not sense any desire in them to put me in my place and establish clear lines of hierarchy or control over me. In fact, they all treated me with such respect and kindness that I wondered if they understood I was a slave and was not due any consideration. I tugged at my silver collar a bit nervously. Perhaps they hadn't noticed it or maybe they had me confused with another guest? I couldn't be sure and I was too afraid to ask.

The Master Monk beckoned me forward with his withered hand and, instead of feeling fearful, I felt happy to come closer. I was excited to see such an aged person up close. I felt it was a strange sort of privilege. He was fascinating to me.

But, when I neared him I felt immediately that his life force was waning. I sensed he was sick in his body somewhere and my heart sank. I knelt down beside him, because he was sitting comfortably all this time on a large, embroidered cushion, and blurted out quite suddenly, "Master Kazee, you are ill. Let me heal you."

Never in my life had I been so bold and so straightforward with a freeborn but I felt a deep desire to help this elderly monk with the kind eyes and gentle demeanour. I was practically burning with the need to heal him. It was the strongest impulse to heal someone I had ever experienced.

Instead of being scolded or worse, his eyes merely brightened and he gave me a sweet smile. I felt tears appear at the corners of my eyes and tried to blink them back. I simply wasn't use to such gentle souls as these here in the monastery. It was truly unsettling for me and totally foreign.

"Is that what you do child?" he asked as the others looked at me with interest and genuine curiosity. I looked back at them all and then nodded my head.

"How will you heal me?" he probed - his eyes intent on my face.

"I only need to touch you Master Kazee and I can heal you," I told him.

"I am not long for this world," he said quietly. "A little suffering will not harm me now." He was touching my cheek ever so gently with his shriveled fingers.

His touch reminded me of my mother and my eyes filled with more unexpected tears. I was not generally moved to tears except when very angry or frightened. It was strange to feel so moved by every little thing here in the place. I briefly wondered if there was something wrong with me - if I was getting sick.

Regardless, I smiled through my tear-filled eyes and told him, "I cannot give you more life. However, I can remove sickness and unnecessary pains. Your time is not yet up." I looked at him eagerly and cupped his hand which still held my cheek.

The Master Monk smiled affectionately at me, reminding me again of my mother, and said to me, "Then heal me child." 

I can't quite explain it, perhaps because the place was so still, or the Master Monk so receptive, but my gift was at my finger tips and pouring into his body without me having to even think about it. It was unlike any other time I had ever used my gift. I smiled to myself, even as I closed my eyes. It made me truly happy to heal him.

I saw and felt the gift wrap itself around his organs and infuse them with new life. I could instantly feel his pain and discomfort subside as his life energy surged. When I released his hand there was a spark in his eye that had not been there before. I couldn't help but grin widely at him.

"This is your gift?" the old monk asked with awe.

I smiled and nodded at him as I wiped a few stray tears from my eyes. I couldn't say why I was crying. I felt strangely light and giddy - almost happy. It was all so unusual but not unwelcome.

The Master Monk reached out a hand to his pupil, Yuyo. Yuyo came directly and took that hand gently in his.  "Yuyo, I give you charge over our new friend. You will train her and watch over her."

Yuyo bowed and said, without hesitation or disgust, "Yes Master Kazee." He turned his eyes to me afterwards and gave me a soft smile. I was a little surprised to say the least and could only bow towards him with my mouth hanging slightly open in my surprise.

Master Kazee spoke again, interrupting my thoughts, saying, "But, for now, someone must see she gets a warm meal and a bed. Our little friend is very tired. She has had a long journey."

How right he was too! I was very tired. I felt ready to collapse and thought that the food might have to wait. Otherwise, I was likely to fall asleep into my bowl of scraps! I didn't imagine the monks had much food to spare because the monastery looked so barren outside.

Master Yuyo gave a brief nod of his head and turned to walk out of Master Kazee's room of books and scrolls. "Come with me child," is all he said and I followed him as swiftly as I could.

Yuyo was going to be my new master, as Pontus had been. I couldn't help but wonder if Master Yuyo would have to punish me as often as Pontus had to. I also wondered if he would grow weary of it like Pontus had? Only time would tell. For now, I hurried to catch up to him.

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I found the monks very hard to comprehend. They lived like slaves in many respects. They did not keep anything but the clothes on their backs and whatever was necessary for everyday living such as gardening tools and kitchenware. They depended on hard work, their own skills, and prayer to see them through from day to day, week to week, month to month and so on. Most worrying was that they subjected themselves to such harsh conditions and poverty willingly!

In some ways, their simple lives and the difficulty of them reminded me of my life as a slave. I had known nothing but strife and indigence all my life. Only, the Collain monks chose this life, which made them profoundly different from me. My mind could not fathom why a freeborn would choose to live this way?

And, even more startling to me was that they loved their lives and were fully dedicated to the Master Monk Kazee. They embraced their lack and their difficult circumstances with joy because of him. They were entirely devoted to him and his principles. I couldn't imagine ever loving my life or my master as they did.

I had never fully embraced my life as a slave, despite being born to it and not knowing anything different. I had always rebelled in my small way. It was in my nature. Mother had said it was because I was a Dhuuni. And, I certainly did not love my masters - either Goren or my current master, Bangkai. Nor was I dedicated to them like the monks were to Master Kazee.

In fact, I only served my masters out of fear and for no other reason. I puzzled continually over the monks' love and fidelity in the face of such formidable living conditions. What would it be like to be truly committed, heart and soul, to a person and an ideal? I couldn't fathom it. It was beyond my comprehension entirely.

But, perhaps, this was all because I had never been given the choice. It was hard to say. I felt, even if I could chose, I would never chose the harsh life of a monk (or slave) no matter how altruistic the monastery's mantra.

The monks remained a mystery to me for a very long while despite the fact that my training, under the monk Yuyo, began right after my arrival. Master Kazee instructed Master Yuyo to instruct me in the way of the monks of Collain. Yuyo stressed to me that he was not my master but rather my teacher as Kazee was his teacher. I was not to look at him as a master whom I should please but rather as a teacher whom I should emulate.

The gentle Yuyo often tried to explain that he was there to instruct me rather than to give me orders to obey. I did not readily understand the distinction between instructions and orders in those early months. I did not see the difference between a teacher and a master. I was a slave. What did I know but obedience and punishment.

Since the principles and precepts of the monastery were too culturally different and deep for me to grasp, my ever wise and kind Master Yuyo decided to simply train me to follow the daily routine of the monks. I was instructed to listen closely and to follow Master Yuyo as much as I could. He told me that he fully expected me to fail and to come up short. He also assured me with a soft and encouraging smile that everyone did. What was important was that I did not despair and give up.

I thought to myself, Master Yuyo could not know much about slaves. We despaired all the time but we never gave up. We could not afford to. It would only lead to beatings and empty stomachs.