Tenashar decided that the rocks meant nothing and that he should not waste time trying to interpret things outside his realm of knowledge.
Tenashar was very disappointed.
chapter 16
Stone Guardians
Something of a burning feeling came to Tenashar’s heart—a desire to be with Tansatei. It was as if she were speaking to him over a distance not only of miles but also of time. He received the disorienting feeling that her voice was that of an older woman, much older, a grandmother, speaking to him from the future. Is she truly speaking from a time when she is a grandmother with grandchildren? Is she warning me about something she couldn’t do or perhaps didn’t even know about in the present? All kinds of fantastic thoughts came to him.
Tenashar had so many worries and fantasies about Tansatei. He imagined what she would be like as a full-grown woman, or even elderly. He worried she might get hurt slipping on a rock on the river bottom, get lost in the forest, or run away from the tribe. Tenashar imagined so many worrying things that could happen to her. Deep in his heart, he felt more than friendship Tansatei, but on the surface of his heart, he didn’t realize any of this.
Her voice was heavy with significance yet cryptic in the extreme. Never come back to the rivers that never flow back to their birth in the mountains. Keep to the waters that flow and never fight the current. I see you are now safe.
Una-sei pointed out to Tenashar that many rivers flowed down the mountains. Some were dead rivers that an unwary person could fall into and become trapped in the muddy bottom. Some rivers’ currents were swift and deadly to any who ventured in.
Tenashar wondered about Tansatei’s wisdom—where did it come from? The words were definitely Tansatei’s, but they sounded as if years had passed and she was no longer a sapling but a tree, a guiding force with no boundaries. Tenashar wondered if he would ever hear her words again.
All of a sudden he felt something grab his shoulder. It was Una-sei, who stared deep into Tenashar’s eyes and spoke. “Sometimes I think you do not trust us.”
Tenashar paused to consider the truth of this and said, “Yes, because back there at the glass waterfall you didn’t seem to see the strange structure.”
Una-sei snorted. “There will be many things you’ll see that those around you will be unable to perceive or sense. A leader must be alone at times on his path and not let anything hinder him.” His tone now turned friendlier. “Let us go. The morning is about to turn hot.”
They walked for a time, though Tenashar continued to be troubled by what he had heard in Tansatei’s voice. However, his thoughts on the matter fled when he glimpsed something gleaming between the trees ahead. He looked closely but saw only the same figures of stone they had seen before. Una-sei and A-amar also saw the stone figures, a fact that gave Tenashar a sense of relief. But then he saw again the strange transparent crystal images appearing and vanishing.
“What’s that?” He grabbed Una-sei and pointed, shouting, “There! Do you see it?”
“What?” The buffalo-headed man seemed baffled. “You mean the stone figures? I see them.”
“No, the crystal things I saw back at the falls.” Tenashar already knew the answer though, for he realized they saw only the stone figures and the trees. Rather than argue, Tenashar tried to make out what the things were, and he began to catch glimpses of glass flasks and glass trees among the flashes of light.
Tenashar, Una-sei, and A-amar crept farther into the forest to investigate. When they got closer, they could see these weren’t glass flasks or glass human figures. Their shapes were generally conical. Each seemed to have a head or face, or sometimes a number of faces, with a potbellied body and legs posed in a squatting position, but no two were alike. Some had arms pointing to the sky, some to the ground. Others were frozen in complicated hand and arm gestures, making them look like wise men, and they all wore different headdresses. Their faces had deep-set eyes that made them look stern and austere, like a gathering of chiefs or kings, capable of cruelty and compassion at the same time. They looked ominous. What do these figures represent? Are they part of some religious ceremony? thought Tenashar. He saw some transform into other shapes. They seemed to elongate themselves, morphing from a basic cone shape to other forms, but they all retained stern faces.
Tenashar was relieved that his companions saw them as well; this let him know he was not seeing things and that they were not playing games with him. A surge went through Tenashar like a soaring spirit, and well-being filled his heart. Tenashar’s confusion and anger melted like wax as he realized his companions would always be with him.
Suddenly one of the crystal figures attacked. It snatched at Tenashar’s mind, trying to bind it in a vice with no outward sign, no physical movement. Frozen to the spot, Tenashar was too dazed to know what had happened to his companions. A-amar and Una-sei were also in the same situation, standing unmoving. Only their eyes could convey what was happening.
The crystal figure began to move. It slowly changed shape and closed in on them. As it approached, it changed again. Instead of a squatty conical figure, a beautiful human form coalesced before their eyes. The thing was now a man of strong and broad proportions, though his stern face was still very similar to the one it had always worn. His voice was commanding. “Why are you here?”
Tenashar couldn’t think of anything to say, and his companions were frozen, unable to speak. The creature continued as if Tenashar had answered. “We know of your journey—but why are you headed in the wrong direction? I know about your doubts and the glass waterfall. You’re no longer frozen. You’ll be able to walk now. Come closer and look into my eyes.”
Within the dark, crystal eyes of the creature that had them trapped, Tenashar saw picture upon picture—perhaps past events, perhaps future. He saw a party of travelers following the path they were on, but that trip ended in tragedy, for the travelers were turned into tormented shadows, their minds locked in a limbo in which nothing existed but silence, despair, anger, and hopelessness.
The crystal man spoke. “We are the stone guardians of the forest. We were put here by a long-ago tribe renowned for their magical powers and their ability to bend men’s minds. You and your companions have woken us up, but we believe your hearts are pure.”
“You thought we were trespassing on your land” asked Tenashar, somehow feeling at ease with his captors. “Are my friends A-amar and Una-sei similar to you?”
“No,” replied one of the stone guardians. “They belong to your world and are an important part of its well-being. Neither spirit nor flesh, they take form then reside with a chosen human being. When their service is done, they go back to the high mountains.”
“Now I know something about A-amar and Una-sei,” said Tenashar. “Are you going to punish us or keep us here?”
“We are only custodians of these forests. We wanted to know who you were and what your intentions were. We tell you and your companions not to come this way because it’s often dangerous. Think of these words not as threats but as gifts.”
“Let me ask you a question, if it is permissible,” said a worried Tenashar.
“You may ask one, but no more,” the stone guardian replied menacingly.
“How long have you—all of you—been here? Where are your creators now?”
“We have been here since we were put here and will be here until this world ends or when the stone we are made of crumbles. We do not feel time the way you do and cannot say in your words how long a time may be.
“And for the second question you asked, though I should not answer, for I said one.” The creature’s voice became dreamlike. “The Sileizan were once a simple people with no desire to be a great nation. Their only goal was imparting powers of true craftsmanship and spirit to their work. They did not waver from the path of purity. They developed this beauty within themselves and produced great and wonderful works of art and craft, which in turn invited spirits to reside in them because of their superior design and bea
uty. We are spirits who chose to inhabit these carved figures.”
The crystal figure began to settle back into its original form, becoming more and more still, though its voice spoke on for a time, even though its lips no longer moved. “Remember to learn from the mistakes you’ve made. Teach those who walk alongside you on your path. If you become lost, trust the first feeling that tells your heart to turn. Do not think too much, otherwise you’ll be truly lost and will perish.”
As they found they once again could move, Tenashar, A-amar, and Una-sei felt as if they had been in a dream. All they saw were the weathered rocks with vague human features eroded by centuries of weather.
“I saw strange faces,” A-amar said, “thousands of them whirling around me, each with a hideous laughter. I tried to lunge at them, but I couldn’t touch any. I seemed to be tied down. Each said I wasn’t a true companion of Tenashar, crying out, ‘You’ll never impart any wisdom or guidance to Tenashar. None of your words would do any good. They will create only mistrust and evil.’ Each of the faces bit me, causing eruptions of sores.” A-amar touched his face as if checking to make sure it was normal. “Fires started to come out of my body from these sores. More faces attached themselves, then my body fell apart, and nothing was left of me. My skin wasted away to nothing, and I became a skeleton. Then it all stopped. Everything was quiet. I was whole again, and peace dominated. I saw visions of the people who had made the stone guardians. They knew of animals’ and plants’ inner spirits and had the wisdom of the stone and the earth they worked with. They worshiped a wolf god with great devotion, and they also had great respect for the moon god, which they served with absolute loyalty.”
Tenashar thought he saw a flicker of pride or satisfaction on A-amar’s face when he said this.
“Then a figure of a wolf twirled around me until it turned into fire, after which I was consumed in darkness. Then I was staring at dark figure of a man with a head of a wolf and eyes glowing with malevolence. Great fear gripped me, and I called out for Tenashar.
“This wolf creature said, ‘Call all you want, because no one will come to help you. For you’ll come to stay with me and become a guardian.’ It squeezed me, causing me great pain, as if my life force were being consumed. I fell unconscious.”
A-amar seemed worn out from his ordeal. In a sudden jolt he fell to the ground. He seemed a shell of his former self, lying on the ground, not stirring.
When Tenashar asked Una-sei what he had seen, he said he couldn’t recall much, just an endless tunnel of human faces.
Tenashar looked up the hill and into the forest where he had first caught sight of the figures. Nothing was there. It was as if they had vanished, or perhaps had never been. However, he did see something move in between the trees. He couldn’t be sure if it was an animal or one of the stone guardian figures. With a shudder, Tenashar determined to forget the ordeal. He decided to rest and reflect upon the events.
chapter 17
A Friend on the Other Side of the Water
When they resumed their journey, they walked under the stars and felt the cool winds of the night. Occasionally, they thought they heard noises. A-amar once swore he saw a guardian figure following them, but after a while he saw nothing. Una-sei told Tenashar he heard human footsteps very far away.
Tenashar understood the scientific meanings and the ancient legends concerning the stars. They took turns telling stories about the stars. Tenashar pointed to a group of stars toward the west and recounted how in the beginning of time, the earth had no water, and the creatures of the world were coming into being. The fish needed water to live in. The frog needed water to lay its eggs in. Animals and humans needed water to drink. Obvi, a celestial rainbow bird, came from the stars and told all the creatures they would have water. But Savhizein, the god of light and earth, said no. He had made the earth and wanted it to remain rock and soil.
Obvi begged, and the creatures begged, and finally, out of compassion, Savhizein relented. But there was one condition—Obvi must agree to become small. Rainbow birds were very large at the beginning of time, and Obvi was as large as the world—and so was his pride—but he finally agreed to become small for the sake of bringing water to his new friends. Obvi transformed himself into a bird with a body small enough to carry water from the distant stars. He flew and flew, bringing water bit by bit, never letting himself rest or grow tired. Water began to fill the basins of the earth.
However, as fast as he brought water, it drained away. No matter how much water Obvi brought to the world, the lakes and oceans remained empty. Obvi got the idea that perhaps the inside of the earth was filled with water, for he had heard Metzijia, the goddess of the galaxies, say that water was everywhere. Obvi dug into the earth with his beak, and water gushed out. Savhizein was touched with admiration for Obvi.
Soon the plants grew, oceans formed, and all creatures resounded with gratitude. Savhizein said, “If you wish, you have my permission to reside with your friends here on earth.” Obvi accepted the god’s offer, wishing only to be part of life and its truth.
“That story of yours was beautiful,” said Una-sei. “Obvi’s courage and perseverance touched me. There was a sadness in the story. I like it, and so does A-amar.”
“Do you love the stars? You’re always looking at them,” A-amar asked Tenashar.
“When I was lonely and an outcast, I used to go up to a hill to be with my friends, the stars and the sky.”
“You’ve gained much wisdom. If you were strong of limb and body, you would not have understood the stories the stars tell. You suffered, so the story of Obvi strikes deep within you. You know you are like Obvi, because you are to bring water to a thirsty people.” A-amar’s words reached deep into Tenashar’s heart.
Tenashar never spoke another word that night. He just stared into the dark sky scattered with twinkling stars, though his wondering mind ran back to his normal doubts. Should I believe in all that Eirshiquanai, A-amar, and Una-sei have told me? he could not stop asking himself. Should I go back? What are the answers to the multitude of questions I’ve asked? Is it right to ask, or should I simply be like the others before me who traveled through life and only relied on themselves?
He eventually fell asleep and dreamed he was staring at the night sky. Nothing changed, but soon he saw a face of an unfamiliar, elderly man peering silently down at him from the sky.
“Who are you?” Tenashar asked in his dream.
The ancient one replied with the same words, and every time Tenashar spoke to him, his words were simply echoed back at him.
He became angry. “Please don’t make fun of me!” Again and again, the old man’s words merely parroted his own. Frustrated, Tenashar held his tongue. A thought came to him, from where he didn’t know. Somewhere deep down, he realized that the voice—and the old man—were coming from himself in the future. Why am I seeing myself in the future? Did I complete this journey and find what I was after? Or is this a vision of a poor, old man returning to his tribe in disgrace? Confusion gripped his thoughts just as storms can rule the sky.
Tenashar let this nightmare go, forgetting it ever happened; he did not want to confront his future as an elderly person. He was still young and believed he could weave the fabric of his destiny.
He sat by the fire with A-amar and Una-sei to contemplate which direction to take. The mountains were coming closer, and nothing would deter Tenashar.
At daybreak, they continued their journey. Once they came closer to the mountains, they found themselves walking on slippery, moss-covered rocks, and balance was difficult. Pools became more frequent. Tenashar decided to refresh himself in one of the larger pools. He saw his reflection in the pool’s still waters. Images came and went in all directions. The image of his face transformed into a new reflection. It was of a young girl. It wasn’t Tansatei, but it was a funny and interesting person. She smiled. Tenashar didn’t know what to make of this situation.
The girl asked with a laugh, “Who are you?”
Tenashar replied, “I’ll ask you the same question. What are you doing in the water?”
“What do you mean?” the girl asked. “You’re the one in the water. I’m real, and you’re just an illusion, someone from my imagination. Well, say something. Who are you?”
Tenashar just stared into the pool. When A-amar and Una-sei walked over, the girl screamed, “Monsters! Will they hurt me?” The girl cried out. Yet Tenashar suspected the girl wasn’t so much scared as she was curious. He thought she was quite brave for not running away. He could see her more clearly. She was dressed in a red-striped, long-sleeved shirt and blue pants that Tenashar thought very strange. She was like no one he had seen before. Her skin was very pale, her yellow hair reached past her shoulders, and her eyes were as blue as the ocean. Everything about this girl fascinated Tenashar.
She asked, “Why are you wearing such weird clothes? You look like someone who lived a long time ago. Are you some kind of savage?”
“Why do you live under the water?” Tenashar put his hands into the image and watched the girl do the same. She appeared to be just as confused as he was. “How can we speak to each other?” he asked.
The girl shrugged. “My name’s Jerry. What’s yours?”
Tenashar told her, which caused her to laugh. “That’s a funny name.” Tenashar told her in turn that her name was very strange to him.
“Where are you from, Tenashar?”
“From here. My people in a large community surrounded by plains, hills, and forest. And you?”
“I’m from right here, and I don’t know how you turned up in my backyard. It’s quite remarkable you have your own monsters. You and I should be friends.”
As the two talked, Tenashar realized the girl’s world was very different from his. He asked Jerry if her place was on another planet, but she wasn’t sure. Jerry said that she was on “earth” and lived in a community named Maple Hill.
A Journey of a Thousand Seasons Book 1 (Journey Series) Page 8
