Free Secret Of the Sighing Mountains (The Quest Trilogy) by Iram Dana

grass, keeping the gardens and the general are free of litter and also helping out with the farming and gardening. You should know, Mt. Chimpu is self sustaining and has its own animal farm and fruit garden. We grow all our own organic vegetables. All of these also need care and attention and besides, it will also help you with your training since you will learn basic skills, such as … how to milk a goat.”
    This statement was met with jeers and laughter directed at the third group by members of the first two groups.
    “Don’t be too happy.” Master Shengdu’s voice cut through the commotion. “Your duties will change after the first month. Group one will take over the duties of group two, group two will take on the duties of group three and so on. Your duties will keep rotating with each passing month.”
    Members of group three took this opportunity to make faces back at the members of the first two groups and Master Shengdu sighed. “You’ll grow up here, don’t worry.” He muttered to no one in particular. He called the sequestors to attention. “Let us now begin with our very first session of yoga, which will be taken by me.”
     
    Master Shengdu removed his blue and white robes to reveal a loose t-shirt and track-pants worn underneath. “Please stand in neat rows one behind the other.” instructed Master Shengdu, and the sequestors shuffled about to take their places.
    “Shall we begin? Good. Now take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Let’s start with slow rotations of the neck …”
     
    Forty five minutes later, they had wrapped up and were all heading back to their dorm rooms. Sierra and Diego entered their room to find their kits on their respective beds. Sierra leapt up onto his bunk and tore off the clear plastic wrapping. Inside, he found two pristine white garments that looked like karate suits. They had the maroon and gold dragon’s head emblem of Mt. Chimpu embroidered on them, on one side of the collar.
    Besides that, there was a large, printed manual, a pair of gloves – one full and one half, and a yoga mat.
    Sierra lifted up his karate suit and its slim white belt to examine it better.
    “We got a Gi and Obi.” He lifted and opened a small note tucked inside the suit and read out loud, “Wear these for your morning training sessions as they are more conducive to free movement. Well … okay.” shrugged Sierra. He moved on to the thick manual and opened it. “What’s this? Oh … our time-table and the exact nature of our different lessons. First, there’s the yoga, followed by an hour’s break for breakfast. Then, our first training session … where we’re gonna start with ‘a history of weapons’ and then ‘introduction to martial arts,’ oh yeah, baby! Four hours gone into that, then we break for lunch. Then there’s time for a nap. Afternoons are slotted for ‘practical skills’ and our first class is …”
    Sierra looked up at Diego with disgust. “You won’t believe this, D … we’re going to learn stitching. How silly is that?” he didn’t wait for a response but continued, “Then, we break for our respective group duties, then dinner and after that … Games and Life skills? Wonder what’s that? Oh, games that require logic and strategy. It says here we can also use this time to study, pursue personal interests and hobbies, whatever they may be …” Sierra thought about this for a minute. “Do girls count as a hobby?”
    Diego, who had been successfully ignoring Sierra until now and had been going through his own kit, now took the time to give some attention to his babbling brother.
    “First of all, Si, does it strike your thick head that I have a manual of my own and am perfectly capable of reading? Secondly, we’ve only been given an hour’s break of which, thirty minutes have already gone. We need to shower, dress up and be at the dining hall in fifteen minutes or we’ll miss breakfast.”
    “Breakfast!” cried Sierra, clutching his tummy,