Sitting lotus-wise in the middle of your favorite garden, you are lost in meditation with the voidness of the universe. Suddenly, you feel an intrusion into your finely shaped reverie, but in a moment you relax your senses as you recognize the footsteps of the intruder. Indeed everyday for the past many years have you heard those familiar footsteps. The intruder stops at the very edge of your periphery, patiently waiting for you to finish your meditation.

A few moments later, you draw yourself out of your communion and return back to the real world, thoroughly refreshed and ready for the challenges of the day ahead.

"Sensei," you begin, bowing and greeting your lifelong teacher. "To what do I have the honor of your presence today?"

Your teacher returns your bow. "I wish it would have been a casual visit between an old sensei and a former student, but..." His voice becomes gravely serious. "There is an important matter that has come up concerning you. Would you please follow me immediately?"

"Hai!" you respond. Quickly fixing yourself up, you follow your teacher out of the garden and into the twisted labyrinth of corridors of the large palace. You gather your thoughts in silence as you try to keep up with the surprisingly pace of your teacher. What could be this important matter that your sensei is keeping from you? There is both excitement and fear pumping in your blood.

You end your short journey in front of the closed door of a guarded audience chamber -- you notice that this is a little out of the way than the normal ones, and is bewildered why there would be armed honor guards in front of it. The guards curtly bow to your sensei, as if expecting his arrival. Before opening the door, your sensei turns to you and whispers, "Your questions will be answered when you step in there."

The audience chamber opens and as you step in, for a moment you are aghast at the person sitting on the main dais -- it is your Clan Champion! A shuffle to your side returns you to your senses -- you follow your sensei, kneeling and bowing lowly in front of your daimyo.

A court attendant announces your arrival. "Master and Student have arrived!"

There is a hush before your Clan Champion speaks, "Sensei, is this the student you have talked about and highly appraised?"

"Yes, milord," your sensei answers. "The most insightful student of this year's class."

Your Clan Champion nods, and you feel the attention turn to you. "Young one, I will make this brief. For this year's Topaz Championship, I have chosen you to be a representative of our Clan."

You are momentarily stunned! Of course you have heard of the Topaz Championship, and the prestige it brings to its participants and most of all, to its winner. Your heart pounds rapidly and it takes all of your will to maintain your composure, as you try to stammer out a response your daimyo is waiting for.

"Daimyo-sama, this honor overwhelms me, but surely there are others above my station who are more qualified for the Daimyo's reckoning."

"In dispensing service to the Clan, all are equal in the eyes of the Daimyo. And for this particular service, I have deemed you are most suited for the interests of our Clan."

"Thank you milord," you reply exuberantly. "I will represent our Clan with the best of my abilities."

Your daimyo nods once more. "Yes, I know that you will. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."