by Jared Stone
The masked man’s last remark was dripping with sarcasm. Turning his head back with one final look of contempt, Zagan strode from the room, down the hallway, and out into the crisp dawn.
I shall make him pay for his insolence. One day…, thought the demon to himself.
5 - Wisdom
Friday, October 3rd
Lucian could hear his footsteps echoing off of the walls as he walked through the tremendous hall of stone. His path down the aisle was leading him to some kind of altar, and he dreaded every step he took; yet he also could not stop. A deep sense of foreboding and powerlessness grew inside of him. Inevitably drawn toward the marble slab, he tried to struggle against his fate, but tendrils of darkness immediately shot out from the ground and wrapped themselves around him. As he writhed and cried out in vain, his sheer determination and willpower only seemed to make the darkness stronger and stronger. The overwhelming force enveloped him, and Lucian finally surrendered himself to its power. At this moment of his defeat, rays of brilliant light burst forth and sliced through the darkness, cleaving the tendrils and obliterating the sense of dread in Lucian’s heart. A warm feeling filled his body, and Lucian found himself floating, weightless, in a state of blissful nothingness….
* * *
As Lucian’s mind slowly shed the fog of sleep and returned to this plane of consciousness, he could hear the chirping of birds outside. Most of their kind had already escaped the approaching cold by flying elsewhere for the winter, but the few that remained were very vocal on this autumn day. As light poured down on him from the window beside the bed, Lucian rolled onto his back and slung his arm over his eyes to try and capture the last vestige of sleep as it left his weary body. As the pain in his limbs and aching in his back from the events of earlier that morning flooded over him again, Lucian began to gradually assemble an image of reality that he hoped was just another very vivid dream.
Removing his arm from his face and letting his eyes first adjust to the light raining down on him, Lucian cautiously turned his head to the side, hoping that the bed next to his would still be empty and that he could return to his previously safe, uneventful life. Instead, Gus sat there on the side of the mattress, grinning and staring right at Lucian.
“Morning!” Gus greeted cheerfully and a little too loudly for Lucian’s comfort in his current exhausted state.
“Ugghhh,” mumbled Lucian in disappointment and exasperation. He then paused for a moment before adding, “Were you watching me sleep?”
“Not for long,” responded Gus without the slightest hint of remorse. “Now, get up! It’s time to go!”
Lucian hated morning people. They were always so perky and cheerful, and it invariably coincided with when he felt the worst. His mom had always been extra vivacious in the morning, laughing and sing-ing as she made him breakfast. Lucian could never resent her for it, especially when she was cooking for him, but it also made his head feel like it was about to explode. He glared at Gus just sitting there gleefully, and he seriously contemplated hurling one of his textbooks at the man…, if only it didn’t involve getting out of bed….
“What time is it?” asked Lucian groggily.
“Almost noon,” replied Gus. “We should get going soon; I don’t want it to be too late in the day when we meet up with my friend.”
“Well, what time did you tell him we would meet him?” Lucian inquired as he slid his body toward the head of his bed and sat up, using his pillow for support against the wall.
“Oh, my friend doesn’t like planning things for the future,” Gus replied with a chuckle. “He’ll just meet us when we arrive.”
Lucian had always been the type of person who wanted to plan things. Scheduling an exact time and date for an event was crucially important in his mind, and, if a time had been set, he was terribly distraught at the proposition that he might be late. Gus’ laissez-faire approach to scheduling seemed very disrespectful to him.
“Fine…,” grumbled Lucian as he scratched his head through his unkempt hair and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Just give me a little while to get ready.”
“Don’t take too long!” Gus cautioned as Lucian walked over to get his shampoo and body soap to take to the bathroom. “I didn’t bring my car with me this morning, so we’ll have to take the train in.”
Up to this point, Lucian had never really given any thought to Gus’ mode of travel, but somehow the mention of a car surprised him. He reasoned that it was probably because Gus seemed more the type to wander aimlessly through the world, hopping un-expectedly on trains or hitchhiking to get around. The notion that Gus owned a car intrigued Lucian, so he asked, “What kind of car do you have?”
“I don’t know. It’s black and it’s fast,” responded Gus without care. “I didn’t buy it myself; it was just given to me by a friend.”
Great, he’s a car thief, too…, thought Lucian as he silently grabbed his things and left the room.
* * *
After Lucian had showered and dressed, he and Gus left the dorm and walked toward the aboveground transit line to ride it downtown, just as Lucian had done by himself two weeks prior. As the two of them traveled, Lucian looked up at the clear blue sky and was thankful that, even though the whole situation was completely odd and irregular, they had at least been granted a beautiful day to embark on this journey. The early afternoon sun cast long rays of light through the trees, and the moderately warm air rustled through the leaves and sent the familiar sweet, crisp smell of Fall wafting into their nostrils. It was Lucian’s favorite kind of day in his favorite season, and this cast him into such a positive mood that he was ready for any sort of craziness they might encounter.
They soon boarded the train, with Lucian in a pair of jeans and a light jacket over a t-shirt and Gus still in the same clothes as when he and Lucian met that morning. As the transit line took them downtown, Gus peered out the window and watched the world go by, seemingly fascinated by what he saw. “You know, no matter how long I’m here, I’m always still amazed by human achievements!” he exclaimed to Lucian, who sat in the seat across from him.
“Is that so?” responded Lucian quizzically. He, too, had been glancing out the window, but he had seen nothing more than buildings, both office and home, and the occasional park with children playing. It was certainly nothing that would amaze him.
“Yeah…,” Gus absently whispered in return, his attention once again fixated on the many wonders which passed him by. As if driven by a strong sub-conscious desire, Gus reached into his coat and pulled out a bag of trail mix from his inner pocket. Without averting his eyes from the window for even a second, Gus reached into the bag and began the process of rhythmically inserting pieces of the mix into his mouth, one by one, as the train sped on.
Lucian took the opportunity of a lull in the sporadic conversation to call his mom at work and let her know that he would not be able to come home that night for the weekend. Although she was clearly trying to be supportive and claimed that it was no problem at all, Lucian could still hear the poorly-veiled disappointment in her voice. He then sat in silence for the remainder of the trip, feeling guilty for neglecting his filial obligations, and he was very relieved when their stop was announced. Gus quick-ly snapped out of his daze and exclaimed, “We’re here!” They had traveled a few stops farther than when Lucian had journeyed to the city alone, and he had never been to this particular section of the line before. Exiting the train, he was amazed by a large expanse of grass and trees where he had expected to see city blocks of brick and concrete.
“Wow!” exclaimed Lucian as he took in the scenery around him. The downtown park area seemed to stretch out for a mile before him, and, in the grass, families with children frolicked and played while young lovers sat on picnic blankets and spoke softly to each other on this uncharacteristically warm day. There was a stream which cut through the center of the grassy field, and over this stream stood a tiny stone bridge. The park was lined with trees on either side, and, th
ough one could still see the buildings towering high out of the city center, it felt as if they had slipped into a separate universe. The park was positioned just far enough away from the heart of downtown that the buildings would not block the afternoon sun, and bright beams radiated down and illuminated the entire spectacle.
“Pretty neat, huh?” Gus inquired with a smile beam-ing brightly on his face. “This is Deer Park. The city built it several years ago for a sustainability thing and neighborhood cleanup project. It’s actually far enough away from the noise of the city that, at night, you can sometimes see deer here!”
“It’s amazing,” Lucian affirmed as he continued to observe the breathtaking scenery around him.
“Come on,” said Gus emphatically with a wave of his hand. “My friend should be waiting somewhere over there.” He pointed toward a large tree near the back corner of the park. Though Gus had said that the park had only been built several years ago, the tree appeared to be hundreds of years old, with a thick, well established trunk and long arching limbs which cast shade in a wide swath beneath it. It reminded Lucian of a video game he had played as a child, where the great tree of Gaia held the spirit force of the world.
The two of them began a leisurely walk through the grass toward the tree. Lucian continued to look around him, taking in the beautiful scenery and the positive energy of the vivacious souls scattered throughout the park. The warm weather, coupled with smiling faces and joyful laughter, filled Lucian with a contentment that was wholly different from anything he had felt since he arrived on campus a month ago. Coming to a stop beneath the towering canopy, Lucian looked around for a sign of Gus’ friend but saw nothing more than dirt and grass growing up around the massive trunk. “So, where’s this friend of yours?” he asked, turning toward Gus doubtfully.
“Oh, don’t you worry,” responded Gus with a smile. “He’ll be here.”
Almost immediately after Gus had said this, Lucian heard a soft voice from behind him: “You are here.”
Turning around, Lucian saw below him two bushy eyebrows and a big crooked grin. The tiny musician from Lucian’s last adventure into the city gazed up at him jovially. The long, twisting wooden staff which stood as tall as Lucian was gripped by his shriveled little hand, and Lucian once again smelled the unusual aroma of wildflowers in a breeze.
“Oh… Hello…,” responded Lucian, forcing a smile. “So nice to run into you again,” he added, so as not to offend the strange little man. Lucian suddenly felt self-conscious standing there with this peculiar acquaintance, and he wanted to convince the old man to leave before Gus’ friend showed up. The eccentric musician was very kind and friendly, but Lucian didn’t want to be associated with crazies as a first impression.
As Lucian racked his brain for a tactful maneuver, Gus cried out, “Panhavant!” and quickly strode over to where Lucian and the little man stood.
“Excuse me?” snapped Lucian harshly, whipping up his head to stare at Gus.
“Lucian, this is my friend, Panhavant,” Gus stated, holding his hand out to indicate the tiny musician. “And it looks like you two already met!”
Lucian looked at the old man, then back at Gus, then back at the old man, then turned to Gus and exclaimed, “Are you joking?” All the while, the ancient individual continued grinning up at Lucian disconcertingly.
“No, I’m serious,” retorted Gus, the grin dropping from his face. “Panhavant is a very highly realized being. He’ll be able to help you with your powers.”
Pausing for a moment to take it all in, it suddenly made perfect sense to Lucian: they were both nuts.
Lucian threw his hands up in the air and shouted, “That’s it. I’m out!” He turned away from the old man and began striding forcefully through the grass to escape from this leafy-roofed madhouse.
“Lucian, wait!” called out Gus as he followed along after him. “Just hear me out!”
Whirling around, Lucian glared back at the Kílán with fiery rage in his eyes. “No!” he countered forcefully. “No more of this nonsense! I thought I was coming to meet some great sage or something. Not THIS guy! He’s crazy as an ass!”
At this, the tiny musician began walking around the tree and braying like a donkey. Lucian paused for a moment, dumbfounded. All he could do was hold his hand out toward this spectacle, with his mouth agape, staring a hole into Gus.
“Listen, I know he’s… unorthodox,” said Gus as he stepped closer to Lucian. “But I promise you that he’s the wisest person I’ve ever known. He’ll have the answers for you and will help you train your powers if you have patience and an open mind.” He placed his hand on Lucian’s shoulder and looked the boy straight in the eye. “Please, Lucian. Just stay for today. If you think it’s all a joke after that, we never have to come again.”
Gus said this with such pleading earnestness that Lucian felt his resolve start to melt away. He hated how Gus had some kind of skill at doing that. Additionally, Lucian found he also had a soft spot in his heart for the crazy little old man. Panhavant’s seemingly endless joy and spontaneity were some-what refreshing…, albeit a bit disarming.
“Fine,” said Lucian reluctantly. “But, if this is all some kind of hoax, then I’m outta here, and I don’t want you bothering me ever again.”
“Thanks,” said Gus seriously as he held out his arm to shake. Lucian grasped his hand and sealed their verbal agreement. “Now, come on,” Gus added with a motion of his arm back toward the tree. “Let’s start off with some tea to calm the nerves.”
“Alright…,” mumbled Lucian as the two of them walked back toward the smiling old man. Gus paused for a moment on the way and turned to face Lucian again.
“Oh, and Panhavant has a way of being… cryptic,” Gus said with a smirk. “So I’m gonna be here with you the whole time to try and explain what he means when I can. It’ll make the training a little less impactful, but it’ll also be a lot less time consuming and painful.” He chuckled, and once again Lucian felt that he was missing out on an inside joke.
“Well, if you understand it all, why can’t you just instruct me, then?” Lucian asked, hopeful that he might not have to deal with the eccentric old man after all.
“Oh, I only understand intellectually, through study and many years of contemplation,” responded Gus almost sorrowfully. “Panhavant understands every-thing on an experiential level that I can’t even begin to match. His mind works entirely differently from ours. Even though he’s difficult for us to understand, it becomes easier with time, and, if you’re able to get even a fraction of his experience, you’ll be so much better off!”
Lucian still found himself doubting this assertion, but he decided that it would be best to keep that sentiment to himself for the time being. Nodding as if in agreement, the boy followed Gus back toward the tree. As Lucian once again approached the little man, he began to feel ashamed of his behavior just moments before. Casting his gaze to the ground, Lucian mumbled an “I’m sorry about that…,” as he reached up and scratched his head awkwardly.
“Tea!” exclaimed Panhavant in return. Lucian was taken aback by the abruptness, but an unperturbed Gus excitedly came and knelt down in the grass by the tiny musician’s feet. Lucian followed Gus’ lead and took a place beside him in a similar fashion. Panhavant then reached into his ragged garments and pulled out three tiny stone cups. The old sage gently placed the wooden staff on the ground and squatted in front of his visitors with his legs bent out before him in the same manner as when Lucian first saw him downtown. He placed one cup in front of each person at this little gathering, which elicited a disgusted response from Lucian, who was put off by these cups that the homeless man had carried around inside his dirty clothing. But Gus hadn’t even flinched, and Lucian didn’t want to speak up and make more of a scene than he already had.
Reaching into his soiled layers again, Panhavant withdrew a tiny teapot. The little old man set the teapot on the ground in the middle of the three cups. Lucian stared in disbelief and reservation
, hoping desperately that he wouldn’t be expected to drink whatever cold, dirty coat-water Panhavant had been carrying around with him all day. Suddenly looking up at the boy, the tiny musician seemed to sense Lucian’s hesitation as he smiled broadly and raised his eyebrows.
Looking back down at the arrangement in front of him, Panhavant took his hand and slowly passed it over the top of the teapot in one fluid motion. As he did so, Lucian saw steam begin to rise up out of the spout. Almost immediately, he breathed in the frag-rant aroma of jasmine wafting from the pot.
“How did he…?” began Lucian, turning to Gus, bewildered. Gus simply smiled back in return as the old man chuckled heartily. In his state of shock, Lucian completely lost sight of the unappealing aspects of the whole situation, and he felt a novel sense of faith in some of what Gus was telling him. Willing to suspend his disbelief for the moment, Lucian turned back toward the tiny sage.
Lifting the teapot with both of his hands, Panhavant looked up and made eye contact with Lucian. Smiling at the boy and nodding his head toward the boy’s cup, the tiny sage said “This is you.” He reached over to Lucian’s cup and began pouring out the steaming liquid. Lucian was once again over-whelmed with the scent of jasmine filling his nostrils as the little old man served him. But, as the liquid reached the brim of the shallow cup, it appeared that Panhavant was not going to stop. The tea completely filled the vessel, then flowed over the sides, turning the dry earth beneath it into a dark pool of mud. Lucian watched as the little sage continued to pour and soak the ground with spilled tea, thinking to himself how very sad it must be to grow old like this. When the pouring ceased, Lucian looked up at Panhavant and said, “Thanks…,” with a polite smile so the old man wouldn’t feel bad about his mistake.