The Shaolin Adventures: The Twelve Talismans

One: The Prophecy

In the present day (2016) it is a new day for the Shaolin Academy, the academy in which the first Shaolin Warriors built to train new warriors. It is a start of a new chapter as the next school year accepts new students. While the academy masters and staff are busy preparing for the arrival of the new students, we found the school's two head masters - Grand Master Xiang Chen and Assistant Master Frank Chan chatting on the academy garden, discussing about the ancient prophecy about the special chosen ones.

Grand Master Chen: "Ah, it's another day, another school year and another batch of students to handle."

Master Frank: "You're right Chen. It's just yesterday since the last batch just graduated...they grow up so fast.

Grand Master Chen: "So Frank"

Master Frank: "Yes Chen?"

Grand Master Chen: "I was just thinking about the ancient prophecy."

Master Frank: "Ah, about that ancient prophecy concerning the chosen ones...forget about it. You know that it is already a thousand years since the prophecy was foretold yet nothing happened and you know.....most ancient prophecy rarely happened. Besides, there were no great shaolin students after the original masters. Most of us were just Shaolin."

Grand Master Chen: "Maybe you're right, but we have to be on watch on any signs or wonders that may happen just in case the prophecy occurs.

Master Frank: "Or not......just kidding, I saw many signs and wonders in my life"

Grand Master Chen: "That's another sign you're talking about. Anyway let's be serious about it"

Master Frank: "You're right Chen, Come on let's help the others."

Master Frank: "Uhm Chen, just to be frank but I think this Prophecy cliché' is so over rated. I mean almost other stories use this technique."

Grand Master Chen: "Yes I understand this but we'll just keep our own. Besides this is our story not theirs."

Master Frank: "Yeah you're right. Now let's help the other masters here."

The two masters left the garden and went inside the school hall.

Grand Master Chen is the academy's chief master, mentor and principal whereas Master Frank serves as his deputy and assistant. It has been 38 years since they graduated in the same academy. The two had been the best of friends and although they may have differences – Chen's serious attitude compare to Frank's comic behavior, they still manage to keep their differences behind for the sake of their friendship. There appearance also differs with the other. Grand Master Chen resembles a Buddhist monk - he is wearing the traditional yellow robe and is bald with a beard. Master Frank however is more of a modern martial arts instructor. He is wearing a white robe with a black belt. Unlike Chen, he is not bald but with no beard. Grand Master Chen first taught in the academy around 1980 but left a year later. He returned around 1990 and became Grand Master 7 years afterwards. Master Frank meanwhile, took his job as a teacher in 1983 and became a master 2 years later.

Back in the academy, everyone is still busy in preparing for the new batch of students. Master Frank and the other masters are busy building the new hall while Grand Master Chen is busy for the design. He based the design on the recent building design he got from Home Magazine. Other masters such as Master Jeremy Lim, the apprentice of Grand Master Chen; Madam Jen Brown, the only Canadian and female teacher in the academy; Master Wu Lee, the martial arts instructor; and others went to the building site to assist the other masters.

Master Frank: "Why can't we just name the others (other masters not mentioned), that would be unfair."

With the help of the other masters, the hall is finished within a day, thanks to their carpentry skills which they combined with their martial art skills. After they finished the hall, they went to the old hall to rest after the all day's work. While they are resting, a mysterious thing suddenly happened as they saw something up in the heavens. It is somewhat a comet that shines so bright. Everyone went outside to investigate, carrying with them telescopes, laptops, ancient scrolls, and even their personal cameras and tablets so they can take pictures of the comet to their Instagram accounts.