The Awakening

by Gary Alan Wassner

  “I suppose that you have earned this meal after all. In fact, I am rather hungry myself,” she realized, having not rested since she left the Wizard and his strange friend so many hours ago.

  She dismounted, opened her satchel and retrieved a piece of cheese that the sisters were so famous for. Breaking off a great big piece of the hard bread she brought with her, she began to eat. After the first bite, it occurred to her just how famished she really was, and she sat down on the soft grass beside the hedge and ate.

  As she chewed on the bread and cheese, she heard a rustling sound behind her. Quickly, she turned her head to see what it was, but nothing was there. Hector meanwhile, had wandered about fifteen yards away, following a line of the greenest and sweetest of the grasses he was so readily gorging himself upon.

  I must have imagined it, she thought to herself, and she continued to eat.

  Again she heard a noise, and it sounded as if the wind was blowing through the trees, disturbing the leaves and branches. This time as she turned around to look, she practically fell over herself in her rush to stand up. She dropped the big piece of cheese she had partially eaten along with the bread, and the crumbs which had accumulated on her skirts went flying in the air as she rose, showering both Tamara and Liam with the remnants of her repast.

  “I am sorry to have startled you, Sister,” the Chosen said in a voice so soothing that Tamara almost swooned.

  Stammering for words, she tried to formulate a response, but her mouth was still full and all that would come out was a jumble of unintelligible sounds. She raised her hand and gestured, signaling silently for a moment’s time to swallow. Embarrassed as she was, Liam’s warm smile settled her pounding heart immediately.

  “You must be very hungry after your long trip. Please do not interrupt your dinner on my behalf,” he said to her.

  After clearing her throat, Tamara finally was finally able to say something that could be understood.

  “I have not eaten in a while, my Lord,” she practically shouted her explanation, while hastily smoothing her skirts and brushing off the crumbs that had settled upon her ample chest. “This is not the way I had anticipated greeting you,” she said to him, her white skin blushing red as a winter beet as she spoke.

  “You have no need to apologize to me Sister. I too eat once in a while,” he replied, still grinning. “And please, I am no one’s Lord. Call me Liam, if you would,” he said softly.

  Liam’s well shaped head was covered in a mass of soft, black curls and his upper lip was barely visible beneath the drooping mustache that hung down on either side, almost to his chin. His green eyes sparkled from beneath bushy eyebrows. His nose looked as if it had been chiseled out of stone, it was so manly and well-formed, neither large nor small, but distinguished beyond measure. He was quite tall, perhaps six and one half feet, Tamara guessed. His clothing was that of a woodsman; rawhides and leathers, with sturdy boots on his feet, that reached well up over his knees. He carried no weapons that she could see and his clothing was unadorned. Even his cape, which he had casually thrown over his left shoulder, was tied with a simple piece of cord. The only ornament he wore was an earring in his left earlobe. It appeared to her to be a black stone, though it sparkled in various hues when the last rays of the sun caught it.

  “I am Tamara of Parth, my Lor… Liam,” she corrected herself, smiling into her hand. “I am here to converse with you and Oleander about some important matters that affect the Tower,” she said quite seriously.

  “Yes I know, Sister. We have been expecting you,” he replied.

  Tamara was taken a bit off guard by his response, though it should not have surprised her that the Lalas and its Chosen knew she was coming. After all, he was not at all disturbed to find her reclining in his very own woods.

  “I was delayed for some time a little while earlier,” she started to explain. “Do you know that too?” she asked, unsure of how much she needed to reveal.

  “We knew that you were coming and we knew that you would arrive. More than that, we did not need to know,” he answered, still smiling fondly.

  Tamara realized that he really did not answer her question, although she supposed that what he said was sufficient.

  “I would have gotten here before dark if I had not been waylaid on the path,” she continued, while looking at him curiously in order to see just how interested he was in hearing the details.

  “Really?” he responded, feigning surprise. “But you managed to get here nonetheless. I hope that whoever detained you, did not harm you in any way?” he inquired.

  Tamara made it clear that she wished so badly to relate her experiences to him, that he graciously opened the door for her.

  “Well, I could have been hurt,” she said, smoothing her sleeves one at a time. “But, I was able to scare them off eventually,” she said, her chest puffed out.

  “All by yourself sister?” he asked, sounding astonished.

  “Not exactly,” she responded, head bent. “A powerful Wizard and his companion came to my rescue, although I was defending myself quite well. But Hector, my pony…” she pointed to her mount happily munching away in the distance, “…would have been killed and fed to the guards if not for them.”

  “You are a brave woman,” Liam replied respectfully. “Many would have run and left their animals to fend for themselves.”

  “I would never leave Hector,” she said, astonished by his remark. “Besides, to be perfectly honest, I was outnumbered and my situation was not really so favorable. I did manage to use my power to delay them though.”

  “Ah. So you are a Chosen of the earth too?” he asked, arching his bushy eyebrows high.

  “Am I?” she asked, then she realized what she had just said. “Oh, I am. But only recently. I mean, I have only discovered recently that I…”

  “That you what, Sister?” he asked, eyes wide.

  “That I can do things that I never knew I could before,” she replied, as if becoming aware of this for the first time herself.

  “Such as?” the Chosen inquired, staring closely at her

  Tamara tilted her head slightly to the side, befuddled.

  “I moved the leaves and branches without touching them,” she related to Liam. “It just happened. When the dark haired woman threatened to feed Hector to her troops and I felt endangered myself, I am not certain just how, but I raised my arms and everything started to swirl around me,” she recounted, having a strange urge to explain herself to this man.

  “You became one with the life force in these woods. It responded to your need,” Liam said, as if in explanation.

  “I suppose so,” Tamara replied. “It felt so natural though, yet it was totally unexpected.”

  “The first time always is,” he responded. “But you will not be surprised a second time, Sister,” he commented like a teacher would.

  Liam turned toward the trees behind them and beckoned Tamara to follow him.

  “We will have time to talk more about this later. Oleander awaits us,” he concluded, and he headed for the woods. Glancing back at her, he seemed to read her mind. “Hector will be fine. Do not fret over him. Come,” he invited her.

  The moment Tamara stepped through the thick hedge, the very air around her changed. She could not put her finger on it exactly, but the odor alone was absolutely delicious. The chill was gone, and a warm, moist breeze rustled her hair and clothing. The ground beneath her feet felt like a sponge it was so soft, and she could swear that there was a distinct rhythm to the clicking branches and blowing leaves, the sound was so melodious and soothing.

  Tamara had never seen a Lalas in person before and the sight which unfolded before her eyes literally took her breath away. She stepped past a well-shaped bush, and then found herself staring up at the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. In her wildest dreams, she could not have imagined anything so lovely. It was huge, reaching high into the sky, and the leaves were bright green and edged in silver. It was so dense and lush that
she could barely make out the heavy branches that stretched out in all directions. The mere symmetry of the Lalas soothed her senses immediately. It was so perfectly shaped that gazing upon it just felt right in some unspoken way. As the wind blew, a cacophony of sounds reached her ears, tuneful and joyous. She thought she heard the sound of bells rising and falling with the breeze.

  She was so consumed by the vision before her that she barely noticed Liam standing right by her side. He placed his hand upon her arm and startled her out of her spellbound stasis.

  “Have you never seen one of the great trees before?”

  “No,” she replied, still staring wide eyed at the Lalas before her. “I never imagined it could be so incredible. Everything about it, even the odor,” Tamara said, short of breath.

  As she stood and contemplated the tree, she watched awestruck as the canopy of heavy leaves in front of her parted, as if welcoming her, and she felt the urge to walk forward.

  “Go,” Liam said, as if reading her thoughts again. “You are most surely welcome here, Sister.”

  Tamara walked a few paces until she was engulfed by the tree, swallowed up by its majesty and surrounded by its fragrance. Once underneath the thick foliage, she felt as if she had been transported to a different world, or another dimension. Then, the most amazing thing of all occurred; it spoke to her.

  I have not had the pleasure of a visit from one of the Sisters in a hundred tiels, she heard from within her head. Salutations, my good woman. I am sorry that you encountered so much difficulty on your journey. I trust you are well now? the Lalas inquired.

  Tamara was not certain how to respond. Oleander was in her very thoughts, and it seemed so incongruous to her to speak aloud.

  “Yes, I am quite well, thank you,” she stammered. “This is all so unusual for me, I do not know what I am supposed to do,” she said with her usual candor, not even certain where on the tree to focus her attention.

  The fabric weaves of its own will. There is nothing you “should” do now. Your presence here alone will suffice for the moment, Oleander said. Words are your strength, Tamara. Speak your mind.

  She needed no more urging, as was her way. Verbalizing her thoughts made her comfortable, so she began to converse with Oleander without thinking too long or too hard. Her spontaneous chatter was what made her so unique among the Sisters of Parth, and once she began, the drizzle of words soon became a deluge.

  “I was talking to the Sisters one evening and I suggested that perhaps our purpose, you know, the reason why the Sisters are in the tower in the first place, had changed. We always guarded the map, but the Tomes have a passage that Bethany, the eldest of the other Sisters, said was important now. That passage also hinted that our purpose may have changed or may change, or something like that. Everyone thought that what I said was so meaningful, that they wanted me to come here and ask you about it myself. So, here I am.”

  By now, Tamara had relaxed completely. The words just continued to pour from her lips. “And someone did not want me to get here at all. The more I think about it, the less I believe it was chance that led me to the confrontation I had in the woods outside of your forest. Have you ever seen that woman here before?” she asked, without even hesitating between her sentences so that Oleander could respond. “I also was able to defend myself somewhat,” she said, barely stopping even to breathe. “Liam says that I was in touch with the earth, and that I will be able to do it again. What do you think?” she said, with her chin in the air, as she looked around her for the Chosen whose presence she had completely forgotten about. “Well anyway, a wizard came to my aid, and he had a friend with him that you would not believe…”

  Tamara would have gone on forever at this point had Oleander not gently interrupted her discourse. You have related so much to me already, Sister. Perhaps I should attempt to answer some of your questions before you continue any further?

  “Oh,” she said, realizing just how long she had gone on without stopping. “I am so sorry. When I get started, it is often difficult for me to recognize that I am even talking.” She blushed.

  You need not apologize to me, Sister. That is one of your virtues. You reveal so much that might otherwise not surface so easily, Oleander said, putting Tamara immediately at ease once more.

  She had quickly grown accustomed to ‘hearing’ the Lalas speak to her without any audible sound reaching her ears, and she found it comforting and exceedingly personal. The feeling of intimacy made her even more relaxed in his presence, as he proceeded to enlighten her without any further hesitation regarding her reason for journeying here .

  You have been chosen, Sister. And having you now before me, I am confident that the choice was as it should have been, he said seriously, causing Tamara to redden again. Nevertheless, it is not an easy charge that I must now issue to you, despite the certitude I have in your ability to execute it, Oleander continued. You must remove the map from the Tower and then transport it a great distance, across difficult and barren terrain, to a place that no living creature has visited in countless tiels.

  You must locate the Well at the End of the World, in the dead city of Odelot on the far western coast of your land. Once there, you shall cast the scroll down the well, he said. It must not remain in Parth any longer.

  Tamara was dumbstruck. Liam’s strong hand remained upon her forearm, and had it not been there, she feared she may have swooned and fallen to the ground. His touch comforted her and she maintained her stance, though her knees wobbled and she could feel her entire body shaking. She could do nothing but stammer in response to Oleander’s words.

  I understand your concern, Sister. This is no trivial matter that you must now deal with, and certainly one that you did not anticipate when you courageously agreed to come see me. But the fabric weaves of its own will as we so often say, and it is your turn to insert your own unique thread into the cloth, the Lalas continued. The possibility of discovery has become too real. Parth must never become a beacon for those whom wickedness has led inexorably astray. Even now, it draws the attention of the Lord of Darkness whilst the scroll still resides within its tower. The urgency is upon you, Sister.

  Tamara took a deep breath, as was her way when she needed to settle herself under difficult circumstances. She straightened her sleeves and pulled her cape around her shoulders. Standing up as tall as she could, she raised her chin and looked at Oleander. Suddenly, she realized just how truly magnificent he was, and the aura that enveloped him and encompassed her in its wake was indescribable. For a brief moment, she believed that she was capable of doing what he asked of her.

  The journey will be a difficult one, and it will require stamina and steadfastness on your part. You have proven not only to your Sisters in Parth but also to yourself as well that you are a truly adept woman. Your strengths are many. They will serve you well in the days to come.

  She gathered her courage in order to respond to this incredible request. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke.

  “I am honored that you have so much confidence in me. Honestly, I am terribly surprised that it is me to whom you have assigned this task. My life has been such a simple one so far, it is almost beyond my comprehension to envision the role I have been ascribed.”

  Tamara stopped briefly, pursed her lips, and pinched the bridge or her nose with her fingers.

  “What will become of the Sisters after I have gone off with the scroll? The Tomes indicated that their purpose may have changed. This though, would leave them with no purpose at all. Is it possible after all these tiels, that they have merely harbored the map only in order to see it destroyed?” she asked. “To what shall the Tower now turn to for meaning?”

  It is not for us to determine what patterns will emerge from this change, Oleander said rather abruptly in response.

  Something nagged at Tamara. She could not put her finger upon it, but she sensed ever so slightly, that the Lalas was annoyed that she asked those questions. She also had this strong feeling that woul
d not pass, that Oleander was keeping something from her. Proving over and over again that she had been the perfect choice for this journey, she boldly continued to question the tree and to suppress her own fears in that regard.

  “There is more that I am not being told,” she said, staring into the lush branches before her. “What is it that you fear to tell me? You have deemed me qualified to carry out your directives, yet you do not afford me with all that you could. Why?” she asked.

  I choose to divulge only what I feel that I must. Knowledge does not always provide the comfort that you might hope it would, he answered sharply.

  Tamara glanced to her right, and she noticed that during this interaction, Liam stood by her side. He neither moved nor spoke, but the look upon his face was not serene as it had been since she had met him. He too grimaced at Oleander’s words.

  Parth is a place of great power. It was built upon a convergence of pathways. For tiels, information passed freely across them and the network remained intact, allowing all the trees to communicate freely and for the Tower to act as a conduit. The residue of potency remains ingrained within the very stones themselves.

  Oleander paused briefly before he began to communicate with her again, and a solemn hush settled instantly upon the shielded area in the absence of his dialogue. It seemed to Tamara as if time itself had ceased to pass.

  We are no longer able to interact as we once had, he said mournfully. So many of my brothers and sisters have departed of late. It has become harder and harder to continue uninterrupted the stream that has always sustained us all and made us as one, he stated. But, the energy that passes through there remains strong within the very foundations of the Tower, and will for all time. It is secure and will always be so. It is also a place of great magic. The Sisters will learn of their abilities in time, as have you, Tamara. The others do not reside there by coincidence, Oleander said. One cannot live in such a hallowed and potent place without being touched by the power, though they may not yet know it, the Lalas explained. Such revelations must be exposed gently. Use your discretion when you return, he advised. Parth’s new role will emerge in time. The patterns are changing. The Tower will receive many visitors in the days to come, and some of them will help to define its new purpose, he said, pausing momentarily.