This subject harmonised with Rhuna’s second study of Solar Light Healing because it was also important to find the most suitable site for harnessing and collecting solar energy, then extracting the required light and colours from it. She enjoyed her lessons with both teachers immensely, each for a different reason. She felt at ease with Flower of the Field, and they often fell into more personal conversations during the lesson. Tamer of the Storm, in contrast, was always professional and direct to the point, but Rhuna was fascinated by the importance of light and colour, and how it affected mental and emotional wellbeing.
After several lunar cycles, Rhuna was already able to evaluate mental and emotional wellbeing by the use of colours, and began to acquire many different coloured rugs, tapestries and textiles for their home. She asked Tozar which ones appealed to him most, and he chose only the green ones. Rhuna was puzzled.
“This means you experience anxiety,” she told him, and asked him the cause of his distress.
“I am in an anxious state over you,” he stated simply. “It is the nature of things.”
Rhuna told him that when she had mastered the art of Solar Light Healing, she would heal him of his anxiety, and then warmly embraced him. He returned her affections, and then told her that some reports from Xoratán had been received by the High Council that day. The group of men who returned to their homeland beyond Xoratán had succeeded in convincing the remainder of their people of a better, more peaceful life in Atlan territory, and several hundreds of them had begun the long walking journey westwards. The Atlans in the newly established settlement reported that they were too few in number to assist such a large crowd, and requested urgent direction.
“The High Council has decided to direct these people south-westwards, where several new settlements are planned,” explained Tozar. “It is an exciting, yet difficult time to receive a large crowd of foreign people whose ways are yet unknown to us.”
“Do they have beliefs and customs like the inhabitants of Zitn?” asked Rhuna.
“Many more uncommon customs, and they are faring poorly,” said Tozar. “Hence the special need and urgent planning. Several Low Council members have commenced investigating suitable locations for settlements along their route, while another party has departed to meet this large gathering of people to direct them.”
“The Dark Master let them go, so easily?” said Rhuna apprehensively.
“We have yet to hear this people’s account of events of their homeland,” said Tozar thoughtfully. “It is difficult to control a mass of excited people that has become disenchanted.”
Rhuna thought for a while. “Several hundred people. Could there be many more like them in those uncharted parts of the land?”
“It is possible.”
“I’d like to see the ones who left,” said Rhuna as she headed for the room of the Gazing of the Waters. Tozar made to stop her, and then just cautioned her about summoning anything remotely connected to the Dark Master. Rhuna said she had learned that lesson, and would be careful. She had already summoned various other visions by means of the Gazing of the Waters without Tozar’s presence, and had regained her confidence.
Rhuna began to summon the Gazing of the Waters with an incantation, but without the use of powder, and Tozar approached behind her to watch. An image of craggy hills and medium-thick forests appeared, and spread over a large area was a moving mass of dark people. Rhuna thought they resembled the Zao people, only darker and somewhat smaller. Many of them were almost naked, and none carried any possessions apart from a blanket or a hunting spear. Some of them walked silently with determination, while others clung together to talk or help sick or elderly ones.
“They look sick,” observed Rhuna when the image had faded.
“It is to be expected,” said Tozar bitterly. “Had we known of these people and their suffering…”
“But the Dark One’s impediment…” said Rhuna. “He kept us from seeing any people in those distant parts.” Then Rhuna remembered the horrible simile Seer of Worlds had spoken. “It’s as if he’s a snake in the grass sneaking up on a blind and helpless little animal.”
Tozar forced a quick laugh. “It is not quite so, My Beloved,” he said reassuringly. “Perhaps a cunning snake, although he cannot prey on the entire Atlan Empire, despite our blindness to his location and activity.”
“Maybe it’ll be necessary for me to call on some visions again…”
Tozar lifted his finger to her lips and told her not to even think of it. “The welfare of the Empire lies not alone in your hands,” he reminded her, and although she nodded, she was still torn by a feeling of obligation. She reminded herself that although she had resumed her normal practice of Inside Focussing, no interfering visions had come to her since the night she successfully called on them to save the Atlan party from the Dark Master’s warriors.
Rhuna continued to enjoy her lessons with both female teachers, and once again made fast progress. Within a few more lunar cycles, she had mastered the art of healing by means of diet, which was for general health and first stages of ailments. She had learned how a strict diet of particular foods over a measured time period stimulated certain organs and produced an overall balance in the body. Other foods in high amounts served specific purposes, such as avocado with lemon to reduce fatty deposits caused by eating too much meat. She also learned about special diets to accompany other therapies, or for convalescence and emotional stress. When Rhuna summarised this knowledge, Flower of the Field expressed her delight and told Rhuna they could proceed to the next subject of herbs, including a visit to the apothecary rooms.
“The apothecary rooms?” Rhuna asked as a slight chill passed over her.
“You have seen them?” asked Flower of the Field.
“No…I’ve heard about them, but…I don’t really want to go there,” she said faltering.
Flower of the Field looked puzzled, then asked for an explanation, and Rhuna reluctantly told her what she had heard about the Dark Master’s work before he changed.
“It is known by all, however that one perished many solar cycles past!” chirped Flower of the Field. “His later course has no bearing on the fine work he accomplished, nor on the apothecaries who prepare and dispense tinctures there!”
Rhuna held herself back from saying that the Dark Master still lived, and then reluctantly agreed to visit the apothecary rooms whenever Flower of the Field would take her. The teacher then began instructing Rhuna in the various groups of herbs which could be identified either by the colour of their flowers, by the texture of the leaves and stems, as well as by the environment in which they grew. They were identified as being one of three healing groups; hot, cold and neutral. Herbs in the cold group remedied ailments categorised as hot, while herbs in the hot group remedied cold ailments. A common inflammation was a hot ailment, and was therefore treated with the appropriate herb of the cold group. Rhuna also learnt that herbal tinctures worked far more potently than food, and had to be given in small dosages so that the body could assimilate them and benefit from the remedy. Most of the common herbs were for purifying the blood, which served to cleanse and heal minor problems in the organs, skin and hair.
When Rhuna had quickly grasped these main principles, Flower of the Field said that she was ready for practical work, such as visiting the apothecary rooms and going out into the field to identify and gather herbs. The apothecary rooms were situated on the outer border of the city of Atlán, and Flower of the Field guided Rhuna through several city streets she had not previously walked along. They approached a wide, single-level stone building that gleamed like most of the other majestic structures in Atlán, only it boasted no precious metals. Its walls were of solid and polished stone blocks of equal sizes, neatly joined by the method Rhuna recognised as the use of concentrated solar energy. The building had a flat rooftop and its rooms opened out into a large enclosed garden behind, where Rhuna saw many herbal plants being nurtured. Inside, the first few rooms Rhuna saw were li
ght and airy, slightly scented and very clean. Glass, metal and earthenware containers of all sizes stood on many shelves with small metal plates etched with one or two symbols to indicate the herbal groups on each shelf.
“Are you still experiencing apprehension?” asked Flower of the Fields.
“No,” replied Rhuna, “it’s not how I imagined.”
“These rooms serve only to benefit,” said Flower of the Field reassuringly. “However, there is a room at the end of this hallway…” she said as she guided Rhuna along, “where…he… experimented to discover various other forms of tinctures.”
Rhuna stepped inside the small room which looked as if it had not been used recently. On the large stone slab table stood various heating instruments, glass containers of various forms, and other dishes and equipment. The room was quiet and had a pleasant light, and Rhuna found it comfortable. She chided herself for expecting these rooms to be dark and frightening.
Flower of the Field also stood quietly inside the small room and looked at the items on the wide table.
“I believe these instruments are his own inventions,” she said airily. “It is said, he attempted to transform some herbs by means of concentrated thought energies, in order to concoct a certain mixture…”
“An elixir for immortality?” asked Rhuna. Flower of the Field looked up in surprise.
“I believe this is the story, yes,” she nodded. “You have heard certain stories, hence your apprehension about these rooms. There is nothing to fear, Keeper of Wisdom, he is long since gone!” she said as she touched Rhuna’s arm.
“What if he succeeded in making this elixir? Could he have become immortal and still be living somewhere outside the Atlan Empire?” asked Rhuna, as she looked at the empty glass containers on the table.
Flower of the Field gave Rhuna a concerned look. “It is most unlikely!” she said, still cheerful. “Do not allow the stories to take root and disturb you! Come, let us observe the processing room, and then the gardens,” she said as she ushered Rhuna out of the room.
They entered a spacious room in which Rhuna saw several large vats and dishes containing herbs and liquids. Solar energy and glass disks were used to heat some liquids or dry certain herbs, while other herbs soaked in potent solutions. Flower of the Field showed Rhuna some of these solutions which they had discussed in previous lessons, and then they approached one of the apothecaries tending the soaking herbs. He was a bald man with a big soft nose, and he reminded Rhuna of Sunshine on the Mountain, only his manner was very rigid and serious. He pointed out the various herbs he was preparing and used very technical language. Then he led them to the other side of the room.
“This is a most important section,” said the serious apothecary. “These herbs possess visual twins, and can only be identified correctly by chemical breakdown. If the look-alike herb is used in therapy, it is almost always fatal.”
Rhuna was shocked. “Have there been such accidental deaths?” she asked the serious man.
“Yes. Even an experienced apothecary may mistake one such herb for its visual twin,” he nodded firmly. Then he showed them another section of shelves with different containers of glass and metal. “This section requires equal alertness due to the intense potency and risk of fatality when misused only slightly. However, these potent herbs are rarely used, thus minimising the risk of such tragic error. These,” he said pointing to the top shelf, “are for severe heart ailments, and must only be given in minute dosages at the precise moment of acute illness, else the herb acts as an immediate and certain poison.”
Rhuna felt daunted by the seriousness of the apothecary’s task, and gave her teacher a reluctant look.
“Be not disturbed, Keeper of Wisdom! Every student believes to falter at this moment, however the rewards of healing greatly outweigh such rare occurrences of precise dosages and correct identification!” Rhuna was grateful for Flower of the Field’s constant cheery outlook, and managed to shake off her own heavy mood as they entered the gardens.
Flower of the Field explained to Rhuna that many important herbs did not grow naturally in the Atlán area, and were therefore grown in the gardens, some under shelter from the elements, depending on their natural requirements. Then her teacher asked Rhuna to begin identifying as many herbs as possible, and she was able to name almost all of them.
That evening, Rhuna once again told Tozar about her lessons and the apothecary rooms as they relaxed on their bed, and Tozar said that he would not need to attend school to learn the healing arts because her daily accounts were always so thorough. Then Rhuna asked him if he thought it was possible that the Dark Master made an elixir of immortality. Tozar shook his head.
“Perhaps to prolong life for a time…however, only his own! He pursued this goal with the motive of self-glorification, not to benefit humankind,” said Tozar. “Perhaps he now seeks immortality by other means, namely establishing himself as a High Priest over an ignorant people and misleading them with grand performances of his powers.”
Rhuna thought about Tozar’s words and remembered the visions she had of people chanting to the Dark Master at a full moon, and of wild men screaming in a frenzy as the Dark Master broke a stone with his concentrated thought energies. Then Tozar told her that in several days a hearing of gathered reports and information about the refugees from beyond Xoratán would take place in the High Council, and he suggested Rhuna might like to attend. She eagerly agreed and looked forward to it with great interest.
When various representatives had gathered in the Low Council seating segments, and Rhuna had found her place in the audience, one of the High Council members announced the commencement of the hearing. A member of the Low Council stepped into the inner circle and began his presentation.
“The group of people numbering almost five hundred is currently resting near a freshwater spring while our parties are caring for their needs,” he said to the entire High and Low Council members. “They require rest and refreshment after their arduous walking journey out of the Xoratán region, and many of them suffer various ailments and demonstrate deep emotional disturbances.” This statement caught Rhuna’s attention in particular, and she wondered what these people had experienced at the hands of the Dark Master. “They call themselves Arawana, and henceforth we shall refer to them by this name. The Arawana are of small to medium build with dark hair and dark brown skin, and may be distantly related to the Zao. They are accustomed to eating animal flesh and root vegetables, and use plant materials for protective clothing and other necessities.” Rhuna listened even more attentively.
“After one lunar cycle with the guiding Atlan party, the Arawana unanimously express a desire to live in Atlan society, in particular to be freed from various superstitions and traditions which were forced upon them in their previous home. Although they no longer perform these particular rituals, they appear to be burdened by false beliefs and fears concerning the obeying of these rites, and therefore it is expected that a length of time may be necessary to re-educate the Arawana and restore them to a peaceful and content existence. Various physical, mental and emotional health matters are also of serious concern, as is their ability to govern themselves independently, due to the manner of suppression to which they have become accustomed. Regarding a suitable or desirable home, the Arawana showed great interest when learning of our capital on a lake at a high altitude, and expressed the desire to live in such high mountain peaks. They believe they shall be safe at such a high altitude,” he added, then gave his conclusion.
When the man left the circle, a few comments and questions came from various members in the Low and High Council circles.
“Is there not a proposed site for a new settlement at a high altitude not many days walking journey from Atlán in the north-easterly direction?” asked Tozar.
Another Low Council member stood up to answer. “It is precisely eight days walking journey through difficult mountainous terrain, however our Plant and Earth Harmony observations deem this locati
on to be most propitious.”
“Very well,” responded Tozar. “Perhaps further specific studies may reveal the suitability of this location to the Arawana?”
Rhuna was excited at the prospect of a new settlement especially for the poor Arawana people, and after the meeting she told Tozar that she hoped they could all make the journey and settle peacefully there.
“It is yet a long walking journey for them, perhaps of several lunar cycles,” he answered. “The new settlement is not yet constructed, merely planned, and the Arawana require immediate attention at their present temporary location.”
That evening, Rhuna summoned the Gazing of the Waters to view the Arawana people camped near the freshwater springs, being helped and directed by an Atlan party of only fifty men and women. The Atlans had laid some simple stonework foundations for temporary shelters made of wood and plant material, and Rhuna could see that they were introducing the Arawana to various foods such as nuts and berries that they had gathered along their walking journey. Most of the Atlans were either sitting and talking with Arawana families, or walking around to check on the scattered groups. Many of the Arawana people sat motionless with an empty gaze, while others appeared weary or even anxious in their manner. Rhuna hoped that they were safe from the Dark Master.
Rhuna commenced her lessons on healing by means of earth energies using stone and metal conductors, and she walked out of the city of Atlán with Flower of the Field early one morning to visit a site regularly used for such healing. Along the way, Rhuna told her teacher about the incident with Beacon of the Night when he led her out of the city to another site, and Flower of the Field was shocked. She stopped in her tracks and finished listening to Rhuna’s account of the incident, then said she had heard of other similar incidences. Flower of the Field added that she had wondered about the young teacher’s abrupt departure from the school, but explained that only people directly concerned with the incident would have been informed by the Counsellors.
Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom Page 26