Such a nice and kind voice could only belong to something or someone that is good. What is Aneo’s problem with this man?
He didn’t share Aneo’s irritation. “I don’t know. This Teki person seems quite genuine,” said Johannan. Aneo frowned and pointed with his chin in a way that hinted to Johannan to stop commenting and to pay close attention.
They watched the Soburin leaning back against his throne, “What is it that you suggest, Teki?”
“If you leave the tillers to their own accord, as you have done the last seven years, they will eventually destroy themselves. Lift your spirit from Europe, that I may enter with plague and chasten the lands,” replied Teki.
Another pillar of light formed, and another man stood opposite Teki. His brown hair glistened with every turn of his head, and his robes glowed like Aneo’s. He was adorned with many ornaments of gold and precious stones.
“No!” the man objected in a sharp, direct tone. “Your way is to kill the good with the guilty. Master, it is better to wait for the good of man to increase.”
Teki tightened his jaw, “Why object, Vestnesis? Will the tillers ever increase? It has been seven years, and they have devoured themselves. If something is not done, they will wipe themselves out.” Teki angled his head to face the Soburin. “Great One, it is with anguish that I bring this to your attention. Will you grant me the warrant?”
The Soburin stood up. “Is there anyone present that could stand for Europe?”
There was a long silence. Teki lifted his head and folded his arms in victory, his soft light increasing to the refulgence of a blue star.
“A man or a woman—a child even? I will honour the word of objection from a child.”
The Soburin sat back down, rubbing his forehead with his hand “Go, Teki, the warrant is yours.”
The images of the Soburin, Teki, and Vestnesis disappeared.
Johannan covered his mouth, “What just happened?” He didn’t understand everything that was taking place, but he knew that what he had heard didn’t sound good.
Aneo stood there with his arms folded. “Teki has won the right to kill as many people as he possibly can. He hides behind a guise of concern, but deep down, he hates man and indulges in his suffering.”
Johannan remembered the people at the village in the mountains, all the women and the children who died. “Can’t anything be done to protect those people?”
“No, nothing can be done now, this happened over a hundred years ago. In such a situation, the people of the land must object, but they do not know how.”
“I wanted to say something to you. When Vestnesis defended the people, he said that the good can increase. But Teki would have lost if Vestnesis had asked for a way to change the people’s hearts and to wait.”
Aneo leaned back, he seemed astounded. “Son of Nepal! You have perceived very well. I can now see why the Master has chosen you.” He lifted his hand upwards, “This concludes one of your many lessons as a Judge. It is time for us to return.”
It was pitch black, and Johannan could smell the strong scent of roasted fowl of some sort and vegetables. He could hear the crackling of a nearby fire. He opened his eyes—he was back from the Everplanes. Aneo had prepared a fire and made food for Johannan to eat.
“Eat, Son of Nepal. You have done most well.”
Johannan approached the food and began to eat, but his concerns were on Rinzen. He gazed into the sky and noticed that the geese had already moved further ahead. It was time to leave.
“Son of Nepal, do you know why judgment destroyed the people of that village, and why you were taken there?”
Johannan cupped his mouth, whispering into his hands. Abruptly, he shook his head. “No.”
“The wickedness they practiced had made them a tool for Teki to use in the courts. If you hadn’t turned up when you did, he would have requested that he chasten the lands of Asia.”
Johannan jerked in surprise. “He would have killed many more people!”
“That is correct, he would have halved the population of Asia right back to your homeland, the good and the bad—it matters not to him.”
“So, we are safe now?” Johannan’s feelings that moment were open to whatever words came out of Aneo’s mouth next.
“For the time being, but there is much you must do to prevent calamity. There are many good people in the land, and though they know it not, they need you.”
There was a noise of a footstep crushing the ground behind them. Johannan’s attention shifted to peek over his shoulders. He was careful, but he wanted to see what it was, so he went to investigate. It was Rinzen, but what was she doing here all alone?
“Where is your mother?” he asked softly to avoid startling the child.
She pointed back in the direction of the shrubs. “Mama’s sleeping.” Johannan noticed Rinzen’s interest in the food he was eating.
“Are you hungry? Come and eat with me, there’s plenty.”
Johannan raced over to where he rested against the tree, and he noticed that Aneo had already left.
Typical!
Rinzen chewed some of the roasted fowl and vegetables. She insisted that she save some for her mother. Johannan gave her as much as she could carry. The negative beliefs Pema had of Johannan had bothered him, and he thought he’d seek some relief for it. “Do you think I’m a good person?”
Rinzen nodded after a slight pause. Johannan returned a gentle smile.
“Good! You must tell your mother not to be frightened of me. I am not evil.”
She nodded again. He observed her in a way that expressed admiration for her innocence. So many of them were killed in the village. They stoned those prisoners, and yet one sits here beside me, enjoying a meal. That Teki was wrong: people can change just like they did, from good to evil. They just need to know how to come back.
Climbing out of his well of thoughts, he noticed a staggering figure past the wall of haze, further into the wilderness, and believed it to be Pema.
“I believe your mother is searching for you. Take the food to her and a skin of water. Take your time.” Rinzen went back to her mother, taking Johannan’s advice. As he saw Rinzen safely return, he got up and continued his journey towards the Yarlung Tsangpo River.
Aneo observed Johannan from the Everplanes; though he had disappeared from Johannan’s sight, he remained close by.
“Even though these people were cruel towards you, you still can show forgiveness and kindness to your enemy. Yes, Son of Nepal, the Master has chosen very well, and I am eager for your story to unfold.”
CHAPTER 23
Even the river bows down!
Johannan arrived at the Yarlung Tsangpo River. He had been travelling along its banks of greenery and hills for days. As the long blades of river grass whipped against his legs, and his shadow flickered to the surging, burbling sounds of the river waters, he turned around.
“I wonder if they are alright,” he said in a voice lower than the hiss of the rushing waters.
Johannan felt an uneasiness inside of him, a feeling resembling guilt, but not quite the same thing. He was indirectly responsible for the destruction of this woman’s entire village. It was a horrid heaviness that churned within him during his travels to bear the burden of a travelling companion that despised him so much. Johannan knew that Pema was terrified of him, so much had happened; but she followed him, maintaining her distance, nonetheless.
He expected her to follow because he was leaving behind portions of the food that Aneo had prepared for him. So many times, he endeavoured to go and speak with her, but as he stepped towards her, Pema would scamper in the opposite direction. It was exhausting and frustrating, and he gave up after some time, putting it down to her wanting to survive. She made it obvious that she didn’t want to be his travelling companion. Even after accepting all the food he had left out for them, day after day, for weeks. It bothered Johannan that he still couldn’t make peace with her. It wasn’t Johannan who cam
e down from the sky and destroyed it all.
He continued to journey down the banks. He detected the voices of men in conversation, which led to an immediate pause in his steps.
He investigated further and found two Tibetan fishermen enjoying each other’s company. Johannan beamed and danced on the spot he was standing. Pema was a weight he hated to carry, although he helped her out of an obligation to a good conscience.
Maybe he could just leave her here, and these men could take her back to their village. Johannan danced again, jumping and clapping his hands. He ambled through the river bush to greet them.
“You will never believe what I just saw from the bushes along the river bank further down,” said the tall fisherman, holding a basket of fish.
A short figure wearing a sedge hat chuckled, “What is it? Tell me, I want to hear it. Don’t keep it all in now!”
The taller man beckoned the other to come closer, as though it was some sort of secret. The sedge hat swivelled to the left and right. “There is no one out here, my friend. You don’t have to be so secretive.”
Johannan could hear their voices through the surging noises of the waters.
“I saw a young man with magnificent power strolling along the river banks. He was trying to get to the other side. Then an amazing thing happened—”
“Well, speak up, tell me, don’t hold back—I want to hear it all!” the short man said, rubbing his hands.
The man dropped the basket and lowered his voice. “The waters divided to allow him to cross to the other side.” He folded his arms with a smug smile on his face. “Now, tell me what you think of that!”
The man in the hat gasped and wagged his fingers, “Why, that’s—that’s impossible! I don’t think I believe that one, my friend. Is this one of your tricks?”
The conversation sounded so odd to Johannan. Yes, that is impossible, how is a river able to part like that? He approached them from behind the trees in the middle of their conversation.
“Hello, sirs, it is a relief to meet other people out here.” They stopped talking for a moment as if to allow Johannan to speak. “I was beginning to lose hope. I need to get to the other side, and I was wondering if you could help?”
One of the men glanced Johannan up and down, turned his head, and continued in his conversation.
“I’m telling you the truth. The river parted, and he stepped across the wet river rocks to get to the other side,” he said, waving his hands about to assist with his explanation. “I remember myself thinking, please don’t slip, that looks slippery.”
“You’re not so secretive now, are you! I’ve been meaning to ask, why do you always do that?”
The other reciprocated a perplexed expression. “Do what? What are you talking about?”
“You always get so excited, act like you have a big secret, but after you’ve revealed it, you don’t care who knows.”
The tall man jolted in surprise. “I actually do that? That’s silly.”
“Yeah, it’s creepy, you need to stop.”
Johannan attempted to get the men’s attention, but they just continued to squabble as if he wasn’t even there. Finally, after a few more failing attempts, he decided to just give up. He swatted the air towards them, whirled around, and marched away.
“Don’t be so hasty, Son of Nepal!” said one of the fishermen in a deep, scolding tone.
Johannan felt like his blood began to rush like the rivers, all the way up to his head. “Where did you hear that name!” he yelled, turning around, but the men were gone. It was just like something Aneo would do, but this time there were two of them.
What were they talking about? Is there another person like me? He cast his glance towards the heavens. The birds were up high, surfing the spinning winds above him. He remembered something that moment: the Master had said he would meet with him here—perhaps he should keep searching until he found him. Then he could make sense of all this.
Johannan continued to trudge along the banks. It had been hours, and the words of the men, or whatever they were, settled in his mind. The soothing noise of the river’s waters had helped him to focus more on what these men was talking about.
Then, from behind him, there was an abrupt shrill of horror, alarming Johannan. It belonged to Pema and Rinzen. They were still following him, and judging by the sound, they were not that far away. He circled around and ran back as fast as he could.
Pema was on the ground, pushing herself away from the river. She saw Johannan and threw her back against the ground while screaming as hard as she could. Rinzen’s reaction, being already acquainted, was different. She wasn’t frightened of Johannan at all, and she calmed down as soon as she saw him. Her mother held onto her hand with a firm grip.
What did I do now? I kept my distance, I was nice.
He waved his hands about, “Please don’t be frightened, please don’t.”
Little Rinzen started to cry, extending her hand to reach Johannan. Her mother snatched her arm, pulling her back. After some time, Pema had regained some control over the little one. She scowled at Johannan, jabbing the air with her index finger towards the river.
Johannan swivelled his head and saw the flow of the river had been reversed. It made sense now—all this time, there had been a different sound coming from the river, and Johannan couldn’t describe what it was.
“That’s impossible! Water never runs uphill!” he shouted, expressing a frown of confusion. “No wonder she screamed.”
He noticed a glare out of the corner of his eye, and though he looked around, he couldn’t see where the delicate light was coming from. It suddenly dawned on him: it could be his hair. He clutched a handful, pulling it before his eyes. It was sparkling white.
“The Master is here! This explains everything!”
Pema’s eyes were moving fast, here and there, something was confusing her. Johannan rushed away in a form of excitement, leaving Pema, to find the Master.
The riverbanks were mostly hills crowned with an abundance of greenery, and its floors were covered in a sheet of coarse browns from the fallen leaves. He arrived at a clearing on the bank and scanned around for anything that was out of the ordinary. The surging force of the rapids and the midday glare of the sun were all he could see.
But, in that very moment, after all the searching, Johannan witnessed something astounding. It was something he had never heard of or seen before.
He saw a ghostly image of himself pacing to the edge of the river and stamping its foot against the waters. He couldn’t grasp what it meant, so he kept observing. The image started again and continued to do so: walking from where he was, stamping, and then disappearing.
Johannan stood there for some time in a maze of ideas. Pema and Rinzen had regained the distance they kept behind him. They watched him from the trees, waiting for him to move.
Hours went past, and Johannan continued to watch this image repeating itself. His hair colour hadn’t changed back, which he knew meant the Master was still present. He sat down on the ground, rubbing his forehead. Why doesn’t he show himself? Where could he be?
The sun was beginning to descend when an idea presented itself to Johannan—things were beginning to come together in his head.
The conversation those fishermen were having, and the image. Perhaps they were linked, maybe he should mimic the image.
He got up to his feet and began to shamble closer to the edge of the bank. It displayed threatening surges of thunderous waters. He wondered why he was doing this; it didn’t seem to make sense putting his life at risk—one misplaced step, and the currents could sweep him away. But, it could also mean that the image was an instruction of what he must do next.
Johannan lifted his foot and stamped it against the shallowest part of the river. As soon as it collided with the riverbed, the earth shuddered. The waters detonated, freeing a screeching wind that forged the liquid into two serrated walls of ice. Pema and Rinzen with eyes wide open were silent and
petrified.
The mighty rapids were now divided into two parts that exposed a bouldered pathway of secrets all the way to the opposite side of the river. The shimmering walls claimed their dominion further up. The noise of swirling liquids accumulating was like a dying wail as the crackles of forming ice subdued its movement.
CHAPTER 24
Come, Mama!
Johannan inhaled, his lungs filled with the cool vapour that formed in the air. Spots of light danced along the rocky pathway to the other side of the river.
The image of Johannan appeared, walking through the valley to the other side. It was obvious what Johannan had to do next. Scanning the structure a few times to make sure it was solid and safe was the only natural thing to do before he submitted himself to the mercy of this frozen wonder.
Not long after he began to journey along the path, he could hear the loss in little Rinzen’s voice that was calling out to him. She had run away from Pema; the idea of losing Johannan was something she was not prepared to live with.
Johannan stopped, a gentle smile formed on his face. He could hear the echoes of her voice getting louder.
“Hello!” she said with a slight quiver of unease in her tone.
He went back and found her searching for him along the pathway.
She laughed and ran into his arms, it was a great feeling for Johannan, and he felt his heart growing towards the child.
“We have to go back and get Mama. She is scared,” said Rinzen.
It wasn’t long before Pema was at the mouth of the pathway shouting herself hoarse with demands that she come back. Johannan picked up Rinzen and carried her on his back towards Pema. As soon as they saw her, Rinzen beckoned her mother, “Come mama, come! Don’t be frightened. I told you he’s a nice man.”
Pema didn’t want to take another step in. She broke down and began to cry. She had an inner battle with herself and had let go of all the pain and hurt that was rooted within her. Johannan went over to her and held out his hand. This was the closest he had gotten to her since they were in her village. She sobbed, gazing into his face and extended her hand to him.
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