Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom

by Barbara Underwood

  Sunshine on the Mountain only shook his head in disbelief, but Rumble in the Earth mumbled a few words and looked at the third man.

  “You arrive alone? With this girl?” Rumble in the Earth muttered.

  “I am the sole survivor from my pilot ship,” answered Tozar, speaking quickly and urgently. “The moment we stepped ashore, we were set upon by the Zao villagers led by Fahuna Metti. They murdered all seven of my shipmates using hand-stones and shell-knives, while I escaped and have remained safely concealed thus far. Our colleagues have been informed by means of the Gazing of the Waters, and the remainder of the fleet approaches quickly to remove us from this land.”

  “Bless me!” stammered Sunshine on the Mountain.

  Rumble of the Earth looked even darker, while the third Master turned a shade whiter.

  “Now the Zao pursue this innocent child due to her association with us, and I fear for her safety as well as for our own lives this very night. She shall accompany us when our ships arrive at daybreak,” continued Tozar.

  All three men remained stunned, but showed their agreement and obedience to Tozar.

  “We are in mortal danger!” spluttered Sunshine on the Mountain. “How did this come about?”

  “You are not aware of your decline into Darkness, My Friend,” Tozar said to him. “We have observed your deeds by means of the Gazing of the Waters, and therefore I am here. However, I underestimated the danger, else I could have prevented the massacre of my shipmates.”

  “Thank the Stars that your life was preserved, Harbinger of Solace!” said Rumble in the Earth in a loud and desperate whisper. “Let us find a safe haven near the landing beach to await our friends!” he continued as he motioned everyone to move quickly.

  “Tozar, what did he just call you,” asked Rhuna, once they were briskly walking along the path by the moonlight.

  “Harbinger of Solace. That is my name. But you and my closest ones may call me Tozar,” he explained quickly.

  Before long, they reached the small beach that was sheltered at each end by high, rocky cliffs. The sand felt very soft beneath Rhuna’s feet, and the thunder of crashing waves on nearby rocks rippled through the night air. Moonlight danced on the moving water.

  “There is a protective rock ledge near here,” said Rumble in the Earth, leading the way. They huddled together in silence between the rock walls to await the ships. Rhuna wanted to speak, but all she could do was cling tightly to Tozar’s hand and robe. He gently held her head against his chest.

  It was the worst night of Rhuna’s entire life due to the words she heard Tozar say. She struggled to accept that the people she had grown up with were murderers who wanted to kill both her and the Masters. She knew that Sunshine on the Mountain was almost as terrified as she was, but Tozar emitted a strong and silent calm that slowly swept away her terror each time it welled up inside her. She stared into the night’s darkness, watching the shifting shadows of the moonlight, looking for any fire torches or movement on the beach, her legs ready to run at the merest hint of anyone coming to find them.

  “It is time,” said Rumble in the Earth after what seemed to Rhuna was an eternity of anguishing silence. “I perceive the first hint of daybreak.” They silently followed him to the water’s edge on the beach where the soft moist sand engulfed their feet. “There!” he said.

  Rhuna saw a giant dark shadow approaching them, but it was unlike any ship she had ever seen. In the dim light, she thought it looked like a sea monster suddenly coming ashore to engulf them. She felt Tozar’s hand grip her more tightly. Her feet remained heavy and unmovable in the sand.

  “We may embark,” said Rumble in the Earth, who had gone ahead and was already knee-high in the lapping waves. In that instant, Rhuna was lifted off her feet and carried like a baby towards the big, dark hulk drifting silently on the waves. She had begun to sob silently, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

  “Take her,” she heard Tozar say, and Rhuna felt herself being lifted up above Tozar’s head. She smelled unfamiliar scents and felt the presence of tall strangers. Her arms flailed out to find Tozar, who soon found her again and took her with him a few steps on board the ship. As they sat down on soft, thick blankets, she felt a thud and heard a loud crash. She let out a short yelp.

  “It is merely the waves of the shore, only the waves,” Tozar assured her. Three more bumps and thuds jarred her nervous body, and then the ship began to glide smoothly with only a gentle rocking motion. Suddenly there was silence, and Rhuna stopped crying. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a solid black mass against the pale lilac of the dawn sky. It was her island home, already a long swim away, and quickly shrinking in size.

  “It is time to rest now,” said Tozar. “Let us lie and be comfortable.” In the pale dawn light, she recognized the three other men in the same room with her and Tozar. Their faces looked haggard but expressed relief when bowls of water were given to each one by two people from the ship. After a drink of refreshing clean water, and a warm blanket to cover her, Rhuna fell asleep from exhaustion almost immediately.

  Rhuna awoke when bright sunshine streamed across her face. She let her eyes wander around to take in her strange new surroundings. The walls of the small cabin were made of a yellow-tan reed, sealed with a creamy resin. She had seen Uncle Metti use it to waterproof his canoe. She was lying on colourful blankets made of fabrics she had never seen before. Around her, the four men who had taken her to safety on board the ship sat in a circle on low cushion-like seats, holding plates of food. They stopped eating and looked at Rhuna as she slowly sat up.

  “Are you well rested?” Tozar asked. He looked different in the strange yellow light reflected by the reed walls. Above his head, Rhuna could look out a window and see the bright blue sky.

  “We are safe, there is no further reason to fear, “ he assured her as she jumped to her feet.

  “Where are we?” she asked looking out above Tozar through the window. She saw the moving mass of dark blue water below the bright sky, and it reminded her of a giant animal heaving as it breathed, while the ship was riding on its back.

  “We are with friends, all of us,” Tozar answered and let her sit down again. The three men sitting opposite them looked intently at her.

  “Is she…” began Sunshine on the Mountain. “I mean, are you…”

  “She has Atlan heritage, “ stated Tozar bluntly. “Then her father would be…?” began Rumble in the Earth, but was silenced by Tozar’s quick hand gesture. The three men made eye contact with each other, then looked at Rhuna with sadness, mingled with pity.

  “We’re not going back to my land, are we?” she asked apprehensively, looking at Tozar.

  Tozar shook his head. “We are journeying to a peaceful Atlan colony in the Great Ocean which shall be your new home, if you so desire. Your new home is much greener, with a large lagoon to wash and swim, stone houses and pyramids…” Rhuna felt tears well up in her eyes.

  “You… you shall be happy living with us, you shall!” added Sunshine on the Mountain reassuringly, and regaining some of his chirpiness. “We are your people, you know,” he said nodding eagerly and grinned at her.

  “You shall have beautiful clothes and enjoy delicious food!” added Rumble in the Earth, attempting a smile.

  “You may learn all the arts!” piped up the statue-maker. She looked at them through moist eyes and saw their genuine sympathy and desire to cheer her.

  Rhuna ate her first chicken thigh and bread with cheese. She thought the chicken tasted like chewy light fish, but much better. The cheese was not to her liking at first because it tasted sour, like old breadfruit. But together with light brown bread made of many grains, she enjoyed eating the whole meal on her plate and then washed it down with clean water. She felt much better afterwards.

  Outside the cabin, she heard voices of others who were moving about and doing things, and she realized their ship was much larger than she first thought. A warm breeze had begun to blow through the window,
and combined with the satisfying meal, a sweet drowsiness came over her. She leaned back on the comfortable cushions and watched the men in her cabin who appeared far less relaxed.

  Tozar cleared his throat and looked intensely at each one of them.

  “Have we brought this catastrophe upon ourselves, Harbinger of Solace,” asked Sunshine on the Mountain in a very sombre tone. “Are these the consequences of our negligence?”

  “It may well be so,” answered Tozar gloomily. “However, there have been reports of uprising in native peoples without any cause or negligence on our part.” Then Tozar looked at the third man who Rhuna had watched making the statue.

  “However, this situation has not arisen completely without cause,” Tozar said to him.

  “The statues?” the man asked bluntly. His complexion was still very pale, and his arms looked thin where they protruded from his robe.

  “You made them in the image of the Dark One,” Tozar said sternly. “Why?”

  “It was a new and challenging expression in the arts when my family and I left Atlán … I... I saw no harm in it,” he said lowering his eyes and looking distressed.

  “A challenging new artistic expression?” repeated Tozar emphatically. “Your family left Atlán before these issues were resolved by the High Council, was it not so, Revealer of Souls?” The fair man nodded quickly. “You carved so many…”

  “His is compulsive-obsessive!” snapped Rumble in the Earth. “He could not refrain from his artistic expression. We merely calculated the size and placement of the standing stones.”

  “Merely so? Did you not foresee the amount of damage to the island’s earth energy systems this excessive harnessing of cosmic energies would cause? And did you not calculate the immense energy you would harness with so many large stones? What was the reason? Did you err in your calculations by tenfold?” Rhuna noticed that Tozar spoke very differently to the men, with authority and control.

  “We… we wanted to do other things besides,” nodded Sunshine on the Mountain, unsure of himself. Rhuna looked at each man as he spoke, intently alert despite her drowsiness.

  “You would be overstepping the boundaries of your role, should that be the case,” said Tozar sternly. “Is it the Dark One who misled you from your good and chosen path? Were the other things you intended to do in imitation of the Dark One’s work?”

  “Why no, n-never may that be!” stammered Sunshine on the Mountain with quivering fat lips.

  “It was not always completely black,” added Revealer of Souls, “but also new and fresh thought that could enlighten…”

  Tozar shook his head. “Did you not comprehend what was discussed at length and breadth by the High Council over many lunar cycles, explaining the dangerous subtle nature of such thought? Were you not also advised to make a diligent effort to quash any so-called new and challenging ways of thought and works, lest the ways of the Dark One should re-emerge in the world? It is a serious matter, Friends, and my only consolation amidst this dire state of affairs is the hope that these consequences have served to adequately discipline and admonish you. All three of you have been compromised during your long absence from the homeland. These matters shall be thoroughly discussed in the High Council in the proper manner when the time approaches,” said Tozar firmly and forcefully. The three men nodded once and solemnly hung their heads.

  Turning to Rhuna and using a very different tone, Tozar asked if she would like to see the rest of the ship. Her curiosity overruled her tiredness, and soon she was standing at the cabin door feeling the sea spray on her skin and tasting the salt water on her lips.

  “Always hold the guiding rope when walking around the vessel,” said Tozar guiding her to the front of the large ship. There were two other cabins like the one she had been in, and below the floors of each room were large barrels and containers. “Food, water and other necessities for the voyage,” explained Tozar. Then he suddenly pointed out across the endless blue water.

  “Behold, the beautiful dolphins! They accompany us once again!” he exclaimed happily.

  Rhuna counted seven large grey dolphins jumping almost in unison in a rhythmic pace alongside the ship. She was thrilled. Then she saw two more ships further in the distance.

  “Ships like ours, also accompanying us to your new home, Rhuna,” said Tozar gently. “We shall arrive in less than one lunar cycle.” Then he pointed to the water and the ships’ course. “Behold the earth’s many currents which we ride and maneuver upon to reach our destination.”

  Then he guided Rhuna to the rear of the boat where large wooden panels shifted into the water at different angles. He explained to her that these boards touch the currents and direct the boat while also serving to propel it forward. Other times, the large sail was rolled down and used to catch the wind. “At this point in the solar cycle, the currents and winds are most opportune, and shall quicken our voyage.”

  “Is the new place just for white people?” asked Rhuna.

  “No, no!” said Tozar, looking at her with concern. “Do not be fearful, Rhuna. Your new home is inhabited by Atlans and Zao, and both people live in harmony with each other. “I shall show you the island when we arrive,” he added, giving Rhuna another reassuring smile.

  Rhuna felt slightly anxious about the foreign place that awaited her, but the thought of Tozar showing her the new land comforted her.

  “Are you angry with those other three men in there?” Rhuna asked a while later.

  “Not angry,” answered Tozar quietly. “Disappointed, even grieved. I… we in Atlán … had hoped the last remnants of the Dark One’s influence had vanished completely from the Atlan Empire,” he said solemnly. Rhuna looked at him as he turned to watch the horizon. “However, it is as I feared. His works are not easily forgotten.”

  Part Two

  (Medíz)

  Rhuna was disappointed when she saw a low strip of green land on the horizon.

  “Where are the hills and cliffs?” She turned to Tozar who had been close by her side almost the entire sea voyage. She saw a smile spread across his face.

  “This land has no variations of such nature as you are accustomed, Rhuna.”

  She grappled with the thought that other places were different from her home.

  “Many exciting discoveries lie ahead of you,” Tozar continued. “This new land is a mere taste of many things in the world which await you.” Rhuna once again found comfort in his words, and her disappointment turned to curiosity, then excitement.

  “Is this place like your home?” she asked, remembering his fascinating descriptions.

  “No. My homeland is vastly different from these islands.”

  The air had become hot and sticky during the last half of their sea voyage, and not even the ocean spray and winds could make Rhuna feel comfortable. Tozar had explained to her the reason for the climate change by showing her a coconut and saying that it represents the world. He had drawn a line around it using a soft yellowish piece of stone that he called chalk, and had shown her how this line around the widest part of the coconut was naturally closer to the sun than the rest of the coconut. And as they came closer to this yellow line, they therefore felt the heat of the sun even more. She had looked up at the sky and wondered how it would feel to be close enough to reach up and touch the sun. She imagined it would burn her fingers, like the flames of a torch.

  “Is your home still far away?” she asked Tozar as they watched the land on the horizon grow.

  “My home is several lunar cycles sea voyage from here,” he said solemnly. “This land is merely one of the many district centers of the Atlan Empire.” He looked to see Rhuna’s wide and curious eyes and continued.

  “Large fleets of ships arrive here directly from Atlán bringing food supplies and other important goods, and from this center one may journey to other lands in this part of the world; like your home, for instance. And should there be any necessity…” He looked down to see if Rhuna was satisfied with his explanation to that poi
nt. She nodded.

  Rhuna watched as the flat green mass approached quickly. The wind had pushed the boats directly towards the land, but now the large white sails were being rolled down quickly while four men moved the steering boards alongside the boat. She had watched them in use, being plunged into the water at different depths to each other to steer the boat. Then she had looked down into the deep water looking for the currents Tozar had told her about, but saw only some fish and the changing colours of the water.

  When the boats had slowed down enough that Rhuna could recognize individual trees, she glimpsed houses and villages between the foliage. The homes looked bigger and more solid than those of her home. Soon she began to see people walking about between the houses, and naked children running along the narrow strip of beach in front of the homes and trees. This scene reminded her of her home, and it comforted her.

  “We are entering the harbour now, Rhuna,” said Tozar as he pointed towards the front of their boat. “It is a large lagoon and thereby a perfectly sheltered harbour for our fleet,” he added. The boats had slowed down and the four steering-board-men had left their boards and put the long oars in the water. It was the second time she had seen these large oars that were so much longer and flatter than the ones the fishermen of her home used. The first time she had seen them was on a very calm day half-way through their journey. Tozar had explained that it was necessary to use them because the winds and currents had died. She wondered why they died and where they came from.

  Once inside the harbour, the water changed to an opaque dark green colour, and when the boat made a turn, a large clearing came into view that made Rhuna gasp in amazement. She saw two large buildings unlike anything she had ever seen before, and higher than any of the statues of her homeland. She thought it looked as if parts of the sun had fallen down onto the roofs of the structures.