“After leaving Chinza, your father pursued the Dark One to a small island group currently under the jurisdiction of Medíz,” Seer of Worlds began. “Your father used his ability to receive visions by mere Inside Focussing to locate the Dark One, and when he had found that one in a remote part of the small island, where there was no further escape…your father attempted to approach the Dark One with a weapon.” Seer of Worlds paused a moment and recalled the image he had seen. “On a short strip of shoreline the two of them neared each other, both projecting their concentrated thought energies to conquer the other. Your father resisted many efforts by the Dark One to repel him and remove the weapon from his hands, however… that one was too strong, and by means of his projected concentrated thoughts, he killed your father.” Seer of Worlds sighed and hung his head. “It was a long and agonizing death,” he said shaking his head slowly, “and the Dark One…grimaced in delight during the entire process, as your father writhed in anguish.”
Rhuna and Seer of Worlds sat in silence a while, until the old teacher raised his head again.
“I had imagined that’s how it happened,” said Rhuna quietly.
“I, also.”
“And you believe the Dark One wanted me to see this vision of my father’s death? To scare me?” asked Rhuna.
“It is my personal opinion,” answered Seer of Worlds. Then he stood up and paced slowly. “There is yet another theory. When I first discovered a partial removal of the impediment, I assumed he intended to impede the summoning of further matters. It is impossible for one man to interfere with the entire scope of information available by means of the Gazing of the Waters. Hence my opinion his action could be two-fold; that he also moved the impediment to another subject, while releasing information about your father.”
“Another subject? What would that be?” asked Rhuna.
“I have attempted to ascertain this, however it is most difficult to search for an unknown matter in an unknown location. However, your visions reveal that he is journeying. Perhaps his destination bears relevance to the change of impediment. It is my theory.”
“I value and respect your opinions,” said Rhuna. “I intend to keep summoning visions by Inside Focussing so that the High Council can be informed of the Dark One’s actions. I’ll also let you know about my visions while I’m in Chipka.”
“Very well,” said Seer of Worlds nodding. “However, I would be most thrilled to receive accounts of your activities and your personal observations in Chipka additionally.”
Rhuna said she would do so, and then thanked the stooping teacher for telling her about her father’s death. She reassured him that she wouldn’t summon the incident of her father’s death, nor anything else that would be distressing. They shook hands warmly, and then Rhuna left the school building.
As soon as Rhuna returned home and found Tozar already there, she told him about her meeting with Seer of Worlds. Tozar sat rigidly on his seating cushion while Rhuna repeated the description Seer of Worlds had given her of the visions he had summoned, then slowly nodded when Rhuna said she had imagined her father’s death this way.
“That explains what Mala Mahuni said about all his people having so many stories about the Dark Master. He was there on nearby islands!” said Rhuna.
“Yes, such reports travel very rapidly among certain people,” Tozar agreed.
Then Rhuna continued to tell Tozar about the theories Seer of Worlds had expressed, and she saw Tozar’s gaze fall to the floor. She asked him if he agreed with the theory that the Dark Master wanted to impede summoning about another matter, and therefore had to remove the impediment from certain other things because his energy to impede had its limits.
“It is possible,” he said gloomily, still looking down. Then he clenched his fists and Rhuna saw sparks in his eyes. “However, that the Dark One removed the impediment in order to reveal shocking and threatening visions to you!”
Rhuna was alarmed by his sudden reaction, and asked him whether he believed it.
“I strongly wish not to believe it!” he said vehemently.
“I don’t like it when you’re like this,” said Rhuna as she moved to put her arms around his neck. Tozar responded with a tight embrace.
“Forgive me, My Precious,” he said more calmly. “I desired and expected a peaceful and happy life for you and me together. The unpleasant matters that befall and affect you distress me deeply.”
Rhuna said that she understood this and was also distressed by his unhappiness, but then assured him she was very happy despite some unpleasant moments. Tozar squeezed her tightly, and suggested a pleasant, restful evening because the following morning a difficult eight day walking journey would commence.
When the party of sixty-two Atlan men and women was ready to depart for Chipka, Rhuna counted one hundred and three laden donkeys and an additional large pack for each person to carry. Most of Rhuna’s personal effects such as comb, bathing soap and oils fitted neatly in the inner pockets of her Master’s robe, but she had chosen several colourful textiles and tapestries to assist in diagnosing and healing by colours, and had rolled them in a bundle to carry easily over one shoulder. In a separate bag, Rhuna also carried some of the herbal tinctures she had chosen and packed for the new Chipka settlement.
Their course took them along new roads along hill crests, and for the first two nights they slept in newly constructed visitors’ inns, the second one not yet entirely completed. At first, the terrain for their journey was open and almost barren at the higher altitudes, but by the third day, thicker vegetation and deeper forests in the valleys came into view. By the third day, the paved road had ended, and only stone markers and a general walking track remained, but several Masters with surveying staffs and transforming skills were already stationed along this path to construct a completely paved road between the city of Atlán and the new settlement of Chipka.
On the third night, only a clearing dotted with marking stones for the planned visitors’ inn greeted them in the evening, and Rhuna began to wonder under what conditions they would live in Chipka for the proposed four to five lunar cycles.
“We shall build our own house!” said Tozar cheerfully. Only a supply house and large hall to shelter the Arawana exist, while other necessary buildings are under construction. However, our sojourn in Chipka may not have the comforts of our home.”
Rhuna said that she expected this, and that she didn’t mind. Tozar agreed and said that he often enjoyed such expeditions to new settlements or outlying areas.
“That’s how you came to be on my island, Chinza,” said Rhuna happily, “and found me!”
“Yes, and what good fortune indeed!”
Water had been sparse along the road for the first four days, but enough waterproofed sacks of water were also bundled onto the pack animals, and each evening a small basin was filled and used for summoning messages by means of the Gazing of the Waters. The Atlan party expected rainy conditions higher in the forested mountain tops, so waterproofed materials were also packed, along with narrow thick blankets for sleeping. These blankets were easily unpacked from several donkeys, and orderly laid out in the clearing. Light and cooking fires were lit as the sun set quickly behind rising mountain peaks, and the smell of roasting food gave everyone good cheer. Rhuna had felt uncomfortable about the lack of privacy in this open sleeping arrangement, but the merry mood and cooking aromas dispelled those qualms. After a hearty meal, there was lively conversation and even songs and riddles, followed by an unspoken and unanimous decision by everyone to retire. Those who wore Maters’ robes were always at a comfortable temperature, so that only those wearing ordinary clothing required extra blankets for the night.
After the long day’s walk, Rhuna slept soundly and only awoke to Tozar’s gentle prodding when the sun had already risen completely above the horizon. Before long, the invigorating scent of the morning meal had aroused everyone, and Rhuna looked forward to the next five days of the walking journey. By the fifth day, however
, the walking pace had slowed considerably, and there were several more rest stops between meals.
“The higher altitude and steep grade of ascent cause discomfort,” explained Tozar. “Breathe steadily and walk at a comfortable pace.” Rhuna said she felt some stiffness in her legs, but otherwise she felt happy and excited. The fresh green surroundings stimulated her senses, and she breathed in the different fragrances. It had also begun to drizzle very slightly, and in the mornings a mist shrouded their path, making the journey feel even more enchanting to Rhuna.
“Should this road be on flat terrain, we would reach Chipka in merely four days!” grumbled a man behind her and Tozar.
“You are in discomfort?” Tozar asked the man behind them.
“Somewhat,” he said with a frown.
“My wife has learned the healing arts. Perhaps she may relieve you,” said Tozar. Rhuna felt slightly alarmed because she had not treated a patient by herself, only in the company of Flower of the Field and other healers. “Let us discuss the matter at the next rest stop,” said Tozar.
The rest stop was another clearing made by the pioneering and surveying Atlans, and it served the large party well because it was almost level and featured a small pond of water. The donkeys were led to the drinking water, while others merely sat a while. The man in discomfort was a Master not much older than Tozar, but with darker hair graying evenly throughout.
“I am Discerner of Works,” the man introduced himself. “My function with this party is to supervise stone and construction work.” Both Rhuna and Tozar introduced themselves properly as well, and then found a place to sit comfortably on fallen leaves. Rhuna asked Discerner of Works to describe his discomfort.
“It is a general unwellness and weakness of body and mind,” he answered. “At times I experience a sensation of lightness or heaviness in my head, and during the last night my breathing was laboured,” he said as he lifted his hand to his chest. This gesture gave Rhuna the idea to examine his circulation because a lack of fresh blood to the head caused the sensations the man described. She asked him to lie down so that she could feel various pulses along his body. Only slight pressure with her fingertip on the man’s temple, wrist and forearm sufficed for Rhuna to notice the abnormality.
“The energy pulses circulating in your body are changed,” Rhuna said. “This means your vital organs are unbalanced and could break down in their function if the energy flows aren’t corrected soon.”
“What causes this? I have always experienced good health, even in high altitudes such as this,” said Discerner of Works. Rhuna thought for a moment, then asked to look closely at the man’s eyes.
“Your heart is the main problem,” said Rhuna as she sat upright again. “Your pupils show distress, and there are too many small blood vessels visible in the eyes. The energy blocks I found in your body are affecting your circulation and heart function quite badly.”
Discerner of Works slowly sat up from his lying position and looked at Rhuna and Tozar. “What must I do?” he asked bewildered. Tozar turned his head to Rhuna.
“I can’t treat you here, during this walking journey. You have to rest quietly for nearly one lunar cycle while taking the herbal tinctures for your condition. This is the only treatment for you right now,” said Rhuna.
“You should return to Atlán at once, with an escort,” said Tozar decisively. Discerner of Works still looked bewildered.
“You’ll feel better walking downhill,” said Rhuna as she placed her hand on his arm. “But see a healer and take treatment as soon as you’re back in Atlán.”
The man nodded, then thanked Rhuna. Tozar stood up and looked around for someone to escort Discerner of Works on the return journey. When these matters had been quickly settled, Tozar smiled at Rhuna.
“The execution of your diagnosis was very impressive,” he said to her. “You radiated confidence and ability. It is reassuring to the patient.”
Rhuna said that at first she was very nervous, but suddenly she responded to the situation without thinking.
“Perhaps this is your most natural ability, your gift,” said Tozar.
A few more damp days and nights were spent at open spaces in the thickening forest, until the party could finally see the summit of the mountain range they had been ascending. The sheltering forest ended abruptly where earlier parties had already prepared a large clearing on the protruding end of the range’s summit, and suddenly Rhuna felt overwhelmed by bright sunshine and blue sky. She stopped at the track’s edge and looked across the deep valleys which seemed to plummet endlessly below her. The steep mountainsides filled her with awe, and even though some of the mountain peaks across the valleys appeared to be even higher than their summit, Rhuna told Tozar that she felt she was on top of the world.
“It is indeed a most glorious sight!” he exclaimed and stood beside her to take in the view.
“I can understand why the Arawana wanted a place like this,” said Rhuna. “It makes you feel like a bird that no one can catch!”
“Let us meet the inhabitants of Chipka,” said Tozar, as the rest of the party also moved on after a brief stop to admire its surroundings. After only a few paces, a young Atlan man wearing a Master’s robe hurriedly approached the party with a warm and welcoming smile. Tozar stepped ahead and introduced himself as a member of the High Council, saying that any problems or other important matters should be addressed to him. Then he introduced Rhuna, saying that she had studied the healing arts. Rhuna noticed mild surprise in the young man’s face when she was introduced, but his open and friendly face won her confidence in him.
“We are most honored to receive a member of the High Council,” said the man who had introduced himself as Shelter of the Forest. “May you first be rested and refreshed before discussions concerning the construction of Chipka and its residents,” he said moving his arm to guide Tozar and Rhuna towards a group of stone houses on a nearby rise. The rest of the party was welcomed and guided by other Atlan men and women already residing in Chipka. Rhuna heard their excited greetings and delighted remarks as they examined the arriving supplies.
“Where are the Arawana?” Rhuna asked as she walked with Tozar and Shelter of the Forest towards the houses.
“They prefer to rest on a tier below, where we have cleared and levelled the land,” answered Shelter of the Forest. Rhuna looked in that direction, and when they had reached the top of the mound, she could see them. The sight made her heart jump in her chest. The Arawana people sat or lay in small groups in the open, between shrubs and small trees, either resting or talking quietly among their groups and families. They wore very basic clothing that the Atlans had hastily made for them, and they held onto their rugs and blankets which had also been recently supplied by the Atlans. The scene reminded Rhuna of a field of grazing sheep.
Shelter of the Forest led them past the large storehouse building and told them that the Atlans slept inside, as there were not many supplies stored there yet. Then he stopped in front of a small stone house next to the large storehouse. “This house was completed yesterday. Let us enter,” said Shelter of the Forest. They walked through the wooden door frame, and inside Rhuna noticed the bright sunlight streaming through large glass windows. The floor had been decked in wood, and there were many rugs and cushions spread over the large, single room.
“Perhaps, Most Eminent,” began the young Master as he addressed Tozar, “you and your wife may wish to take temporary residence in this house, while other buildings are under construction.”
“It is not necessary to address me thus,” responded Tozar quickly, “however, my wife and I would gratefully accept the offer of this residence.”
Rhuna and Tozar placed their bags inside the comfortable room, and shortly thereafter received water and a bowl of nuts and dried fruit from another young man who had followed them.
“Fortunately, water is plentiful here due to the morning dew and frequent rains brought by numerous clouds that gather along this range,” explai
ned Shelter of the Forest. “Outside you shall find the large reservoir that was constructed by us upon our arrival. It shall serve for drinking, washing and transforming to construction stones.” Then both men excused themselves to leave Tozar and Rhuna to rest a while before viewing the settlement and discussing plans.
As soon as the wooden door closed behind the men, Tozar took Rhuna in his arms and kissed her. She was grateful for the privacy they had been given, and for their small stone cottage which overlooked a section of Chipka and the towering rugged mountains across the valley.
After the refreshments, Shelter of the Forest guided Tozar and Rhuna around the settlement and outlined the plans concerning houses for the Arawana, land for planting and sowing, as well as water irrigation and drainage. As they were walking around, Rhuna often glanced over to the Arawana people and saw them gathering in a place where they could observe the Atlans unloading the supplies and storing them in the large storehouse near the cottage that was Rhuna’s temporary home. She thought they looked like timid animals, curious but afraid to approach.
“They act as if they’re afraid of us,” said Rhuna.
“It is so,” replied Shelter of the Forest. “Despite the several lunar cycles under our care, the Arawana behave with fear and caution towards us.”
Then the Master pointed to the wooden shelters they had temporarily erected for the Arawana. Simple wooden pillars held low roofs of plant material for shelter from sun and rain. “This is the manner of living to which they are accustomed, however we shall build stone houses for them and allow them to choose their homes. A channel from the reservoir leads to a separate washing area below for their use,” said Shelter of the Forest. Then he turned to Rhuna and continued: “We have been unable to converse with them sufficiently to establish their specific health needs and ailments. Therefore, it may be necessary to approach them with patience and delicacy.”
Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom Page 29