“Yes.”
“What did the last one mean? Who caused the rock to split in half?” asked Rhuna.
“Your father’s own concentrated thought energies emanating from his distressed state, beyond his control,” he said somberly.
“Is that what happened to him later? He lost control over his thought energies?”
“At times of emotional upset,” said Seer of Worlds bitterly.
Rhuna thought about the last vision again. “He was leaving Chinza to follow the Dark Master in that last vision, wasn’t he?”
“It appears so. He was in no competent condition to undertake such a feat,” said Seer of Worlds, “and his intensely concentrated thought energies repelled anyone who came near him to reason with him. Perhaps your mother was the only exception… for a time.”
“She looked so different before,” said Rhuna. “I never knew her like that.”
“A cause lies behind every change in personality,” said Seer of Worlds thoughtfully. “No doubt she expected your father to remain with her, however, his obsession to pursue the Dark One compelled him to leave her, despite…” he broke off and then paced a few steps.
“That’s why she became so bitter and angry all the time,” said Rhuna sadly.
“She allowed emotional pain to fester and spread poison in her,” said Seer of Worlds. “It is a condition not foreign to me,” he said quietly, almost to himself.
“I understand that now. I’m glad I know what happened,” said Rhuna, thanking her teacher for letting her summon these visions about her father.
“It serves significant benefit to me, also,” he said. “No doubt you shall give Harbinger of Solace a complete account of these visions, without delay?”
Rhuna said of course she would tell Tozar immediately, and shortly thereafter she already left the school to find him. When the High Council hall was almost empty, she realized Tozar would have returned home if there were no further important matters to discuss that day, so she hurried to their home and found him sitting on their bed examining a complex wood and metal puzzle. He raised his eyebrows when she entered their home and he listened expectantly.
Rhuna rushed to the side of the bed and excitedly told him what she had seen in the visions after Seer of Worlds had summoned them first to ensure they wouldn’t cause her any harm when she summoned them herself. She watched Tozar’s face change from surprise and bewilderment to disappointment.
“I recall this incident on the roadway,” he said tensely. “The other matters I assumed and imagined.”
“So we can be sure my father went after the Dark Master for all the right reasons, and others who doubted him can know the truth about it now. And I understand my mother much better,” said Rhuna feeling a great weight lift from her.
“It is therefore a most fortuitous occurrence for you…however, you could have discussed your intentions to summon these matters with me prior to asking Seer of Worlds, could you not?” asked Tozar.
“Of course I would have, but I didn’t plan to ask him today. It was on an impulse.”
“I see.”
“I’ve hurt you,” said Rhuna.
Tozar shook his head and reached out to embrace her.
In the following days, Rhuna’s young teacher of transforming and general lessons told her that she had progressed to the stage where she could expand in her practical work of transforming, either participating in a building project somewhere in the city, or under other supervision where certain stones or metals were required. He also told her that more intensive Inside Focussing would be required to transform large or dense objects, and that as a further aid, he would soon instruct her in the more complex techniques of harnessing lunar, solar and earth energies to further expand her transforming capabilities. Rhuna was thrilled at the prospect, but she was reminded of Mikkel’s story about his people’s High Priest calling on the sun and moon and demanding they sing and dance on those occasions. It disturbed her that the Dark Master had misused these occasions of harnessing lunar or solar energy to deceive and dominate those people.
Every morning and evening, Rhuna made an effort to intensify her Inside Focussing sessions in order to be more competent in her upcoming transformation projects. She had inquired about a site where she could participate, and was eagerly welcomed to join a team building stronger stone walls along parts of the Great Lake. She looked forward to this exciting challenge, and hoped her abilities would be good enough.
Shortly after awakening one day, Rhuna asked Tozar once more to where the special mission parties had progressed after almost three lunar cycles, and he showed her the area on the soft metal chart. She asked Tozar if he had ever been there, and what it was like, so he described his memories of a visit to the port where the parties’ walking journey had begun, and how he imagined the remainder of the terrain there to be. Then he went to the room of the Gazing of the Waters to summon messages and once again check on the progress of those and other special mission parties to outlying regions. Rhuna stayed seated on their bed and began her usual morning Inside Focussing session.
The vibration in her head had intensified since she practiced Inside Focussing longer and more often, but she no longer felt disturbed by it. The usual dark silence engulfed her senses, and she felt the vibration in her head honing her ability to focus more intently. As she sat quietly, a loud humming sound suddenly interrupted the usual vibration, and in that moment Rhuna received a vision. She saw an unfamiliar landscape, though similar to Tozar’s description of the terrain leading to the Xoratán territory. Making their way through tall grass and medium-thick shrubbery was one of the special mission parties. Rhuna was surprised to see such a vivid picture, as clear as an image summoned by means of the Gazing of the Waters.
Rhuna stayed still and let the vision continue. She saw the shrubby terrain ahead of the Atlans, and then a thick, heavy cloud sinking low on the land. Then the vision gave her another image from a different angle, and in it Rhuna recognized that the dark cloud was smoke from a fire, and in the foreground she saw a tall thin man in dark garments turn his back on the fire and move quickly away from it.
Rhuna snapped open her eyes and called Tozar. He came immediately with a startled expression.
“The Dark Master,” said Rhuna breathing heavily a few times, still in her sitting pose. “He started a fire directly in the path of one of the special parties!”
“An ambush. As I expected!” said Tozar with a determined look. “We must warn them at once!” He made to turn and leave, then quickly returned his attention to Rhuna. “Are you distressed? What is your condition?” he asked as he placed his hand on the side of her face.
“I’m startled, that’s all,” she said.
“Quickly. A warning message, and then to inform the High Council members!” said Tozar and rushed out of their bedroom.
When Rhuna had put on her dress and quickly combed her hair, Tozar had finished speaking an urgent message to both special mission groups. He grabbed Rhuna’s hand as they hurried out the door. On the level below their rooms, facing the opposite direction, were the rooms of Revealer of Brightness. He opened his door hastily after Tozar rapped solidly on its metal panel.
“A vision of the Dark One!” announced Tozar, and Revealer of Brightness widened his eyes in alarm. He ushered them inside and asked Rhuna to describe what she had seen. After some more agitated discussion, they left to inform the other High Council members, and Tozar told Rhuna that there was nothing more they could do, only wait until the party summoned the Gazing of the Waters to receive their urgent warning messages. Rhuna said she didn’t know how close the fire was, nor how big or which of the two parties was in danger. Revealer of Brightness responded by explaining that a common place vision by means of the Gazing of the Waters might not reveal much further information, since the impediment extended to the Dark Master’s actions and surroundings. Tozar and some of the other High Council members therefore assured Rhuna that her vision would be of great value,
regardless of the outcome.
Along with the remaining High Council members, Seer of Worlds was also informed of Rhuna’s vision due to his expertise with the Gazing of the Waters and knowledge of the issue. He strode briskly into the small chamber where Rhuna and the High Council had been sitting to discuss the matter.
“It is as expected,” said Seer of Worlds as he stooped over the seated group. “It is not possible to summon any vision of the fire, however, I have seen the parties and one of them is walking in the terrain described by Adopted by the Rain.” He looked at Rhuna. “Should they receive our warning and retreat to a safe area in short time, their lives shall be spared.”
Silence and deep breaths followed as everyone in the small room realized they were unable to act any further, and could only wait until the parties stopped somewhere to summon the Gazing of the Waters, if only a small puddle of water along the unpaved track. They had been instructed to summon messages at every opportunity due to the dangerous mission they were on, and Tozar said he had high hopes that they would receive the warning in time. Rhuna felt unsettled in her stomach as she left the chamber with Tozar to have a meal and return home to await further news.
When the sun was half-way along its descent, Rhuna heard an urgent tapping on their door. Revealer of Brightness spoke quickly and breathlessly.
“Their lives have been spared! Our warning was summoned at the sun’s high point, and when the parties hastily changed course, it became evident that one of the groups had been walking directly into an enormous grass fire!” He looked at Rhuna. “They found shelter among rocky outcrops where an underground water table shall serve to refresh them until the fire dies.”
“What good fortune!” exclaimed Tozar with a happy sigh of relief. Rhuna also felt much lighter, and squeezed Tozar’s arm.
“Should there have been no vision…” said Revealer of Brightness as he gave Rhuna a serious glance and left the thought unspoken. “My expectation has been well met. You shall be a great asset to us.”
Rhuna felt Tozar’s arm twitch. “What further instructions for the parties? Shall they return?” he asked Revealer of Brightness.
The grey-bearded man nodded quickly. “Certainly, there is too much danger! Our question has been answered beyond doubt,” he said looking at Rhuna once more.
During the following lunar cycles, the High Council set in motion more thorough investigatory expeditions into outlying territories of the Atlan Empire, particularly around the Xoratán region, to ascertain whether any other people had been displaced or otherwise affected by the Dark Master as the Zitán inhabitants had experienced. The High Council also asked Seer of Worlds for his assistance in summoning various far-reaching territories to gather any other valuable information, and on several occasions he allowed Rhuna to watch and learn the procedures. Although her teacher summoned many various place images and information on people within Atlan Empire borders, every image appeared normal and there was no impediment in the Gazing of the Waters. Even the common place visions of the unknown land beyond the Xoratán territory appeared normal, although uninhabited. Seer of Worlds explained that this was not unusual, because the Dark Master used the impediment with great cunning to mislead them, often by allowing a normal image to appear, but no further information relating to the same area which might arouse suspicion.
Seer of Worlds told Rhuna with deep despondency that while the Dark Master could impede the summoning of any information concerning him, his actions and surroundings, the Atlan Empire could be compared to a blind and helpless hatchling lying in its mother’s nest as a predator snake approached.
This vivid simile shook Rhuna deeply, and she began to wonder if her receptiveness to visions could help them further where the Gazing of the Waters failed. She told Tozar these thoughts, and he became restless in his seat on the floor cushions of their home.
“Should you receive the visions unexpectedly when practicing Inside Focussing… however to stimulate or even prompt any!” Rhuna shook her head and told him she didn’t know how to do any of those things, and that she only wanted to keep focussing intently so that she remained receptive to any more visions.
“It is the same,” he grumbled, and then told her never to push herself beyond the limit of comfort when concentrating, to which she readily agreed.
Thereafter, Rhuna continued her practice of Inside Focussing as usual, and began attending the construction site on the lake’s edge, where she and several other students were instructed and supervised in the transformation and moving of large stone blocks. As the newest addition to the team, Rhuna was instructed to transform coarse sandstone rocks into a dense granite-like stone. The soft sandstone or other too-porous stones were first shaped into the required block shape by two young men using appropriate metal tools such as saws or chisels. When Rhuna had transformed them into the proper dense stone required, she was instructed to examine them for consistency of transformed denseness, and she noticed that several blocks needed slightly more transforming. She realized that each stone needed a different measure of time to arrive at the desired result, and that her own concentrated thought energies had to remain at a constant level. This realization made her value the practice of Inside Focussing more, because it trained her mind to focus intensely for a continuous period without a change in the level of concentration.
Rhuna’s supervisor was satisfied with her transformed stones, and instructed more advanced students to proceed with the next stage of making the stone blocks much lighter in weight so that they could easily be transported and moved into position. The elderly Master who supervised her team repeatedly reminded all of them to rest often and never exert their mental energies beyond a comfortable limit.
When one lunar cycle had passed and the wall along the lake’s shore began to take shape, Tozar arrived at the site to observe Rhuna’s progress. At first she wondered if there was any news regarding the Dark Master or reports from the parties sent to other remote areas, but he said that nothing had happened and that he decided a leisurely stroll along the lake front would be a pleasant distraction from the daily routine. Tozar held her hand securely as they walked along the green foreshore of the lake, enjoying the sun’s warmth and clear, fresh air. As they walked, Rhuna wondered whether she had worried unnecessarily about the Dark Master, and that his presence in such a faraway area would not directly affect Atlán or most people in the Atlan Empire. She expressed this thought to Tozar who responded with a squeeze of her hand and a glance to show her that he also felt content.
That evening, the setting sun filled their rooms with a warm glow as they watched the changing colours of the evening sky from their soft seating cushions.
“I’ve composed my first song for the vuda,” said Rhuna softly. “You once told me to sing about what was dearest to my heart, remember?”
Tozar nodded and raised his eyebrows with curiosity. Rhuna gently left the comfortable cushions to get her instrument, then she sat opposite Tozar and began to pluck the vuda’s strings. She had learned to use four fingers to pluck the strings, either one at a time, or sometimes two or more at the same time to produce harmonious sounds. The clear soft chimes blended perfectly with the colours in the room as the sun began its final descent.
Rhuna began to sing.
“As the sun gives light and warmth and life
to everything alive and blossoming,
So do you nurture and fulfill your wife
like a growing flower in your care.
As the lakes and rivers and waters flow
to caress and sustain the land,
So do your words and touch gently show
your deep and inner guiding strength.
As a fresh blossom in the dew
seeking water, sun and air,
so does my life depend on you.”
Tozar looked at her with amazement.
“This expresses your feelings for me?” he asked wide-eyed. Rhuna smiled and nestled back alongside him on the soft cushions.
Several more lunar cycles passed without event or reports from outlying areas to arouse concern or suspicion, and the High Council members agreed to continue keeping their knowledge of the Dark Master’s activity within their ranks and among certain parties sent to investigate the matter. The two reports received from the territory of Zitán also allayed any fears of discord Rhuna and Tozar had discussed, namely concerning the brew-drinking men who were prone to violence and rebellion. Although the habit still persisted in some villages, many Zitán inhabitants had begun to imitate the Atlans in sowing food plants and making solid stone homes, as well as making blankets or rugs. Those who remained suspicious kept their distance but watched the blossoming communities led by the Atlans.
Rhuna felt at peace with herself and her surroundings, and this inner balance led to heightened awareness when summoning the Gazing of the Waters and when concentrating her thought energies in transforming elements. She quickly progressed to more advanced stages in the building process at the lake, and looked forward to her forthcoming lessons of harnessing lunar electro-magnetic energies.
One evening, after discussing this pending lesson on lunar energies with Tozar, Rhuna sat on their bed to practice her Inside Focussing as usual. She plunged into the familiar dark depths of her inner mind and suddenly hit upon a striking vision. A full moon shone its eerie light, and below stood chanting people raising their arms towards a stone platform. In the dark of night, Rhuna thought they were praising a stone statue, but when the moonlight shone across the stones, she recognized the dark face.
She gasped and bolted upright. Tozar stood in the room looking at her as she opened her eyes. His expression told her that he already knew what had happened.
“People chanting to the moon, to the Dark Master!” she said, and then described the images as clearly as possible. Tozar sat on the bed and listened. Then he touched her forearm and asked how she felt.
Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom Page 20