by Travis Pond
He and Seth continued to stare, mouths open, but saying nothing. Finally, Eammon came up behind them chuckling, “So, is this some kind of game we’re playing? Really, what’s going on?”
No one responded to Eammon but just continued staring at the rocks. An audible gasp was heard as Ailish apparently saw it as well. Then she too followed the rocks into the forest and back again, maintaining her gaze on the large rock formation.
Braon and Eammon were starting to feel uneasy now. Clearly the three of them saw something, but Braon and Eammon couldn’t see it. Eammon began to chuckle again when he suddenly stopped and took in a sharp breath. Then he too just stared at the rocks.
Braon watched as all the members in his group became entranced in something he couldn’t see. Following the gaze of the others he stopped and stared at the rocks, wondering what it was he couldn’t see, hoping he would somehow see it.
“Can you see it?” asked Tureis, still staring at the rocks.
“Uh huh,” said Seth.
“Yeah,” said Ailish
“Whoa! Sure do,” exclaimed Eammon.
“Sure,” said Braon, not sure exactly what he was supposed to be seeing other than rocks.
“I guess we have our answer,” said Tureis as he looked away from the rock formation.
“Our answer?” asked Braon.
“Tureis, you said we were looking for an arrow pointing toward the path to the Oracle, but that’s the biggest arrow I’ve ever seen,” said Seth. “How is it that everyone passing through here doesn’t see it?”
“Yeah,” said Ailish. “With a sign like that it’s a wonder everyone doesn’t turn here to go visit the Oracle.”
The rock formation extended upward forming a sheer rock wall fifty feet high. There were no trees or vegetation of any kind growing from the rock face. The rock formation was grey and the rock face very smooth. Sitting in the middle of this large grey rock face was an arrangement of red rocks that formed a nearly perfect arrow that pointed down the rock formation and into the forest.
Tureis eased his horse forward very slowly, scanning the sides of the road for any path extending into the forest. When he got to the base of the rock formation under the giant arrow, he turned his horse and began moving into the forest in the direction the arrow pointed. The others followed close behind. Braon took up the rear. He wondered where they were going, for when he looked up he saw no arrow and when he looked down he saw no visible trail.
They continued their journey in silence for an hour, constantly following the large rock formation. Tureis was still leading, with Braon now following right behind. “Tureis, Seth asked before why everyone couldn’t see the arrow,” said Braon. “I would ask the same question. If the arrow is so large and visible, why doesn’t everyone just follow it into the forest?”
Tureis thought for a moment before responding, “The simple answer is they can’t see it. Not everyone can.”
“What do you mean?” asked Braon.
“Well,” continued Tureis, “The Oracle chooses who comes to see her. Remember, no one can search for the Oracle. She must invite you to visit her. The arrow is only visible to those she chooses to see it.”
Braon fell silent as he thought about that answer. He was beginning to feel concerned, since he hadn’t actually seen the arrow and he wondered what would happen when they arrived at the Oracle. Would they simply lock him out, would they turn him away, or would they let him in anyway? Finally he asked, “Why did we see the arrow? Like you said, the Oracle couldn’t be searched for.”
“My question as well,” replied Tureis. “This whole journey I’ve been worried we’d never find her. We were asked by the King to seek the Oracle for Seth, but the Oracle is not sought. She invites you to her, not the other way around. I’ve worried we’d never find her because she didn’t want us to meet her. I’m happy to have seen the arrow and to know that we’ve been invited to meet her.”
Tureis was looking forward to meeting the Oracle. As he read the book he was given by the old lady in Kurith, he had come to understand more about her than he’d ever known. The more he learned about her the more he wanted to meet her. There were questions he longed to ask her and knowledge he’d hoped to gain.
“Although, just because we’re on the trail doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed to meet the Oracle,” said Tureis.
“What do you mean?” asked Ailish. The rest of the group had ridden up close behind Tueris to hear what he was saying.
“If what I’ve learned is true, when we get there we’ll be greeted by a servant,” continued Tureis. “We’ll be led to a place to rest and our horses will be cared for. After settling in we’ll have a meal. Either after the meal or the next day at some point the servant will come get us individually to meet with the Oracle. Only those invited will meet the Oracle. We may all meet her or only Seth. We won’t know until we get there.”
Again, they fell silent as they continued riding deeper into the forest. It was nearing the end of the day when they emerged from the forest and the rock wall, that was their guide, abruptly turned.
Looking around it appeared as though they had traveled to the top of a mountain. All around them were high snow covered mountain peaks. At the base of the mountains were large valleys filled with the most beautiful purple flowers as far as the eye could see. The spring air had a crispness that felt refreshing. This was in stark contrast to the road they began their journey on.
They continued on their way following the rocks in the new direction. It was approaching night fall as they rode along following the base of the rocks. Off in the distance they could see a small town come into view. As they got closer they saw fires coming alive and the smell of cooking was in the air.
“Is that where we’re going?” asked Eammon. He chuckled and continued, “I hope so. It smells really good.”
“It would appear this is our stop for the night,” said Tureis. “Let’s see what they have to offer us. Maybe we can find a place to eat and sleep for the night.”
They rode into town and dismounted their horses. No sooner had their feet touched the ground when a short thin man dressed in a long brown robe with a brown leather belt around the middle approached. He strode with purpose over to Seth and bowed. “Welcome young Prince,” the man said. He stood up straight opening his arms and gesturing to the rest of the group and said, “Welcome weary travelers.”
“Thank you?” Seth said as more of a question. He looked around at his companions somewhat uncomfortable with the extra attention. He looked back to the short man and asked, “May I ask sir, where are we exactly?”
The gentleman turned his head somewhat confused. He opened his arms in a welcoming gesture and said, “Why Saxon of course.”
Tureis’ eyes widened at the mention of Saxon. Seth looked around still unsure and replied, “Saxon?”
The gentleman chuckled and said, “Yes. Welcome. My name is Luram. We’ve been waiting for you and have anticipated your arrival. Your quarters are ready with a hot bath. After your bath, you will find a clean set of clothes on your beds. Dress and meet in the dining room for dinner. I will join you.” Luram gestured as several others approached. “These young men will take your horses and care for them. They will make sure all your bags arrive in your room this evening. Follow me.”
Three boys of about ten or eleven years stood behind Luram. They walked forward and took the lead ropes attached to all the horses and led them away toward the stables. When they looked back, after watching their horses depart, Luram was already walking toward a building in the distance. The group quickly followed.
The place they had been given to stay was the second floor of what appeared to be a hotel. Seth, Tureis, Braon and Eammon had one room and Ailish had the room next door. There was an adjoining room that contained large copper bathtubs separated by privacy screens. The
tubs sat in trays full of hot coals to keep the water hot.
After bathing and dressing, Tureis sat on his bed looking through his new book again. Seth emerged from the tub dressed in his new clothes and sat down on a bed across from Tureis. “I don’t know how long I was in there but it felt amazing,” Seth said with a large grin. “I really needed that.”
Tureis laid down his book smiling at Seth. “Yeah. It felt really nice,” he agreed.
Seth looked at Tureis with a serious expression. He looked around and didn’t see either Braon or Eammon. In a hushed voice he asked, “Do you know where we are? That guy...Luram or whatever his name is, seemed to think we should know where we are.”
Tureis smiled and patted the book on the bed. “We’re in Saxon,” he said.
“And...where is Saxon?” he asked, still not understanding.
“Not where, but more of a what,” said Tureis.
“Ok. What is Saxon?” Seth asked.
“If I’m correct from what I’ve learned from this book. The ancient language uses the term Saxon to mean large rock,” replied Tureis. He let Seth think about this for a minute. Suddenly Seth’s face widened into a smile. “So, do you understand?” asked Tureis.
“I think so. Does that mean we’re…,” Seth began to ask.
Just then Braon and Eammon entered the room. Eammon chuckled and asked, “I don’t want to be stupid or anything, but where exactly are we?”
Tureis smiled at Seth. “Saxon,” said Tureis as if it was obvious.
“I don’t recognize the name of the city,” said Braon. “Which kingdom are we in?”
“Actually,” said Tureis. “We’re not in any kingdom.”
“Uh, ok,” said Eammon as he chuckled.
Seth interrupted and explained, “This is the city of the Oracle. In the ancient language, Saxon means rock. We are officially in the City of Rocks.”
Chapter 18
- Saxon -
As they entered the dining room together, servants immediately moved into action. Each member of the group was shown a place to sit along the sides of a table set for five. As they were seated, servants brought around cheeses and breads and placed them on the table. As they ate, a tall man with long black hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a long dark robe entered, stepped to the head of the table and bowed. He spoke in a low monotone voice and said, “Luram will be with you after your meal. Please enjoy his hospitality. He will join you following desert.” He bowed again, turned and left the room.
Tureis looked at Ailish and shared a knowing look. Tureis pointed toward the door the man had come from and mouthed the words, “Was that…” Ailish nodded slightly, looking at Tureis perplexed.
Tray after tray, the food kept coming. They didn’t talk much, but instead focused on eating the delicious foods offered by Luram. After considerable time and multiple courses, they sat enjoying a lemon custard for dessert.
“That was quite possibly one of the finest meals I’ve ever had,” said Eammon as he sat back rubbing his large stomach. He pulled a small toothpick from his pocket and began to work it through his teeth. Braon sighed and sat back as well, satisfied with the meal.
“That was truly amazing,” said Ailish. “I can’t remember eating a meal with so much wonderful food.” She looked over at Seth, who was eating a second bowl of custard and shook her head in disbelief. “Where are you putting it all? I can’t believe how much food you ate,” she said, looking at all the empty dishes around Seth.
A door opened and Luram entered followed by two servants carrying trays with large silver teapots on them. They set the trays down on a table in the corner of the room and proceeded to serve everyone a rich purple tea. When the tea was served, Luram sat down at the head of the table, picked up his cup and sipped the hot tea. “Oh that is good. And on a cold night like tonight, it’s doubly good,” he said.
Each member of the group watched as Luram continued to sip the tea, unsure if they should try it themselves. To Tureis, it didn’t look like any tea he’d ever seen. Feeling suddenly alone in his enjoyment of the tea, Luram looked up, chuckled and said, “Please enjoy the tea. Here in Saxon we drink tea after dinner. It warms us as we prepare for the cold night. This is Laviscus Tea. it’s made from the Laviscus flower that grows near here. You can’t find this tea anywhere else in the surrounding kingdoms.”
Tureis picked up the tea and smelled it. He couldn’t place the fragrance but it had a very inviting smell. He tasted it and instantly felt warm all over inside. It had a sweet taste with a hint of some kind of berry. “This is delicious,” Tureis said sipping the tea. “Is there a berry in this as well or something sweet?”
Luram smiled, “The flavor is only that of the Laviscus flower and the flower is naturally sweet. We add nothing to the tea.”
“It’s delicious. Thank you,” said Ailish. “And thank you for your hospitality and the delicious meal.”
“It is entirely my pleasure,” said Luram.
“What do we owe you for staying the night?” asked Braon.
“Why nothing. You are my guests and you can stay as long as is needed,” replied Luram.
They all bowed their heads and said, “Thank you.”
“How long will we be staying?” asked Tureis.
“Ah,” said Luram with a smile. “You will stay as long as needed, then you will go. You are in Saxon, which in the ancient language means large rock or mountain. It is an ancient city. A city that is not present on any map and cannot be found. You can only arrive in Saxon if you’re invited. We are in the top of the mountain; a mountain that is only seen by those allowed to see it.”
Luram paused briefly allowing the information to sink in before he continued, “I’d like to reintroduce myself now that you understand more of where you are. I am Luram, servant to Sepi Neavitt, the Oracle. You are staying in Saxon, the City of Rocks. Everyone here works for and helps the Oracle. This area has been set up especially for you to stay as long as you need.”
Everyone sat up at the mention of the Oracle. They looked at each other in disbelief. They had actually found the Oracle, the legendary person that oversees the Matya.
“Tonight,” Luram continued, “You will rest. Tomorrow after the meal at mid-day the Oracle will meet you. She will only meet you as individuals at this time, but at some future time she may meet you together as a group. As the Oracle is the overseer of all the Matya, she will only meet with those of you whose Matya is awakened. This is not to say she won’t meet with those without an awakened Matya, that may occur at a future time. Take this evening and tomorrow morning to prepare to meet the Oracle and rest well.” After speaking, Luram stood and exited the room before any questions could be asked.
Servants entered the room and led the group back to their quarters for the evening. Before retiring for the night, they met in a common sitting room between both sleeping quarters. “So I guess we made it...to the Oracle, I mean,” said Seth.
“I honestly can’t believe we found it,” said Tureis. “I was beginning to worry if we’d find the arrow leading to the City of Rocks.”
“This is the actual place then? The Oracle is actually here?” asked Eammon.
“Yeah. I guess so,” replied Ailish.
“Luram said to prepare to meet her tomorrow. What does that actually mean?” asked Seth.
They all looked at Tureis. He cleared his throat and replied, “Well, I’m not completely sure. From what I’ve read, it’s not normal for the Oracle to meet with everyone in the party…”
“She’s not,” interrupted Braon. “I don’t have an activated Matya. She’s not meeting with me.” At this comment a feeling came over Tureis, an uneasy feeling he sensed a couple times before when around Braon. He still wondered what it meant.
As Tureis reached out with his Matya to connect to Bra
on he could sense...nothing. That was odd. Every time Tureis would reach out to get a sense of Braon’s Matya, he could never feel anything. Everyone had Matya inside of them, whether it was activated or not. And everyone’s Matya gave off a feeling that Tureis and others could sense. Why was Tureis unable to feel any Matya from Braon? Could it be that Braon actually had no Matya at all? That didn’t seem possible. Tureis couldn’t imagine the feeling he had was anything but his own uncertainty and lack of knowledge.
“Really?” Ailish said surprised. “As well as you fight, I always thought your Matya had been activated for sure.” Braon just shook his head. “So if you don’t have any Matya, what about you Eammon?” asked Ailish.
Eammon nodded his head, a little embarrassed. “A little,” he said. “Tureis’ father said that’s the reason I see things the way I do. It’s the Matya opening my mind to possibilities. Other than that, I can’t do much more.”
“I think what you can do is amazing,” said Seth. “I have an ability to figure out locks and some things mechanical, but I’m nowhere near as amazing as you are.” Eammon chuckled at the complement and turned away, uneasy with the attention.
Tureis interrupted the discussion to get back to the topic at hand. “As I was saying, the preparation is individual. When you meet with the Oracle, she will discuss your talents and gifts with you and you will have the opportunity to ask her questions and gain her advice and guidance as to how to better yourself with the Matya.” Tureis paused organizing his thoughts. “I don’t know how to suggest preparation, but I would suggest some time alone reflecting on what you may want to talk to her about. The Matya can guide you if you listen to it; it will help you know what to ask.”