Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom

by Barbara Underwood

  As Rhuna’s reputation as a healer continued to grow, she received messages requesting her to visit ailing ones at their homes, and on two occasions she was escorted to a small settlement outside Atlán, one morning’s walking journey away. Her days were full and rewarding, and she awoke each morning looking forward to the day’s activity. When she wasn’t busy treating sick ones or associating with her former healing arts teachers, Rhuna enjoyed peaceful strolls along the lake with Tozar, and occasionally they attended a musical performance in the capital city.

  Several times each lunar cycle, Rhuna had free time to attend the High Council, where she always listened with deep interest to the matters being discussed. One late morning on a dim and wet day, several representatives of a journeying party, sitting in one of the Low Council outer circle segments, prepared their report for the High Council. A solid man with a full and brown beard entered the inner circle and began his account of his surveying party which had spent the previous solar cycle in the northern colonies.

  “As we commenced our journey southwards to the port, we passed the new colony of Piruquán and rested with the Atlans in residence there. After partaking of a meal with them, they proceeded to speak in a strange manner to us.” The man’s tone changed as he recalled the event and sought the best words to express it to the High Council. “They proceeded to discuss the recent High Council decision concerning troublesome individuals in the Zitán territory, and argued the reasonableness of such judgments and actions. Furthermore, they compared these inhabitants of the Zitán territory with the dark-skinned race residing in their colony, saying they were like a herd of field animals that must be led and skillfully controlled.”

  Revealer of Brightness sprang to his feet. “You should have informed the High Council immediately!” he exploded.

  The large dark-bearded man shrunk back in surprise and stuttered. “We…we boarded our ship immediately thereafter, and it was less than a lunar…”

  “Yes, yes!” said Revealer of Brightness, restless on his feet. “You could not have comprehended the significance of such talk,” he said waving a hand to dismiss his earlier outburst. “Is there more?” he asked with a tremulous voice.

  The dark-bearded man answered no, and then Revealer of Brightness ordered a suspension of discussions concerning the surveying party from the north, and that a closed meeting of High Council members take place immediately. Tozar looked over to Rhuna who sat in the audience with a racing heartbeat. She assumed that she was meant to attend the closed meeting also, and made her way towards the small door in the corner of the large hall. Various people stood up to leave, while others began to talk among themselves.

  Rhuna and the High Council members silently took their places on seating cushions placed in a circle, then looked at Revealer of Brightness expectantly. The old man tugged at his long beard.

  “A message to Seer of Worlds!” he commanded. “The entire area of Piruquán and its residents, particularly the overseeing Atlans!” One of the members stood up quickly and scurried out the door.

  “You suspect…” began Tozar.

  “Is it not highly probable?” retorted Revealer of Brightness. “Would this subversive talk occur in any other part of the Atlan Empire, I would not be so alarmed!” Then he turned and looked sharply at Rhuna.

  “At which times of day and night do you routinely summon your visions of the Dark One?” he asked her.

  Rhuna answered mornings and evenings, because during the day she was always busy attending sick ones or pursuing other activities related to the healing arts.

  “Interrupt your schedule several times each day to summon visions,” he directed firmly.

  “What is the meaning of this?” asked Tozar.

  “We shall see, we shall see!” said Revealer of Brightness, still in a very agitated state. “Attempt it at this very moment, Keeper of Wisdom!”

  Rhuna was taken aback, but then readily obeyed the old man. She took a more comfortable seat outside the seating circle, and began her Inside Focussing practice. When an image appeared, Rhuna thought she had failed in her summoning because she didn’t see the Dark Master. She saw a group of Atlan men, some dressed in Master’s robes, seated and eating a meal of chicken meat and side dishes. Rhuna remained calm and continued concentrating, and then began to hear parts of their conversation.

  “…and if they obey unquestioningly, these long and complicated deliberations by the High Council become superfluous!” said one of the men, while the others nodded and commented in agreement. In that moment, Rhuna recognized the man who had spoken. She opened her eyes and let out a gasp of surprise.

  All eyes fixed on Rhuna’s startled expression. “I didn’t recognize him!” she gasped. “He was dressed normally and his hair and face looked different!” Then she described the scene of the six Atlan men seated with him, and the short comment she had heard spoken by the Dark Master.

  “Curse the weeds of the field!” spluttered Revealer of Brightness vehemently. All heads turned to him in surprise. “He has tricked us yet again!” he said, shaking his clenched fist. “We should have diligently forethought the entire matter and attempted to predict his strategy! He has observed the daily routine of Keeper of Wisdom, and appeared idle at his residence each morning and evening, while subverting an entire colony during the day!” spat the old man.

  “I am to blame! I told her not to attempt the summoning more than what is comfortable for her!” Tozar shot back.

  “I hold no one responsible,” said Revealer of Brightness firmly. “Ignore my angry tone. It is not directed at anyone present,” he grumbled.

  “How is it possible to subvert an entire colony in only a few lunar cycles?” asked the stout woman of the High Council members. “Perhaps only the few leading Masters mentioned in this morning’s report have succumbed to the Dark One’s devices.”

  “May it be so,” grumbled Revealer of Brightness, roughly stroking his beard.

  After a short moment of somber silence in the small chamber, Seer of Worlds hastily entered and stooped over them, catching his breath.

  “I have summoned the Piruquán colony, and although I saw nothing suspicious in the images, I experienced a brief moment of irregularity as the vision presented its images,” he said breathlessly. “It is my expert opinion that this was caused by the impediment.”

  “Be seated, Seer of Worlds,” said Revealer of Brightness. “We may conclude that the Dark One is actively subverting Atlan leaders of the Piruquán colony,” he said, and then went on to explain the vision that Rhuna had just summoned, as well as the details of the report given in the High Council by the travelling survey party.

  “What must I do?” said Seer of Worlds determinedly.

  “Continue to summon as much information as possible, particularly the people! Both of you!” said Revealer of Brightness to Rhuna and her former teacher.

  Tozar frowned and gave Revealer of Brightness a sharp look of displeasure. The old man responded by telling Tozar to gather other information of the Piruquán colony and surrounding area, and that everyone should report their findings to him at a closed meeting of the High Council early the following morning. Tozar nodded reluctantly, then held out his hand to Rhuna. They left the small chamber silently and watched as Seer of Worlds walked briskly back to his rooms with his eyes fixed to the ground ahead of him.

  “I think I could summon more visions better if I use the pyramid to re-energize my concentration powers,” Rhuna said to Tozar as they left the High Council building.

  Tozar wanted to object, but pressed his lips together tightly as they continued walking. “Very well,” he said finally. “I shall accompany you to the pyramid.”

  They walked quickly and silently out of the city to the site of the pyramid that Beacon of the Night had once shown Rhuna, and when they arrived, she asked Tozar how serious this development was. He replied that it was as serious as it was over twenty-five solar cycles past, then cautioned her against staying atop the pyra
mid too long.

  Rhuna felt re-energized by various cosmic and earth energies that flowed through the land and that gathered at the pyramid, then quickly stepped down to return home with Tozar. As soon as they stepped inside, Rhuna sat down and tried to summon another vision.

  This time, Rhuna saw the Dark Master, in normal light-coloured clothing, chatting pleasantly with a larger gathering of Atlan men and women, and once again she barely recognized him. There was nothing wrong with the conversation he was having, and the image seemed insignificant, so Rhuna tried to summon an image of the surrounding area instead. She felt her energized concentration powers cause longer, clearer visions, and a faster response to her summoning thoughts. In her visions of the surrounding area, Rhuna saw impressive pyramidal buildings still under construction, and several teams of Atlans were working on transforming stones or otherwise occupied in the building process. There were two large structures already completed, which reminded Rhuna of the center of the city of Atlán, and a large paved courtyard was also under construction. Behind these majestic tall structures, Rhuna saw only a small settlement of residential houses, crop and food plant fields, and lush green forests.

  She opened her eyes and described the scene vividly to Tozar. His face remained stony, and when she had finished, he told her she had done extremely well, and that she should rest a while before attempting it once more in the early afternoon. She promised to do so, and then kissed him as he opened the door to leave for his own gathering of information. Alone on the big bed, Rhuna thought about what she had seen, and how very different the Dark Master had appeared in her daytime visions. She felt cheated by his slyness, and she determined to summon visions of him at every opportunity during each day from then on.

  Early the following morning, Rhuna was awoken at the break of dawn by Tozar’s restlessness, and they began to prepare themselves for the High Council meeting. It was still a dismal grey day, and the air felt heavy around Rhuna’s shoulders as they walked across the empty paved courtyard to the High Council building. Without the usual sunlight, the splendid building looked lifeless and heavy.

  When all the High Council members and Seer of Worlds had gathered in the small chamber, Revealer of Brightness turned to Rhuna and asked her to first describe in detail all her further visions of the previous day. She described the first vision of the Dark Master chatting nicely with many others, then the surrounding building works, and then explained that the following two visions that afternoon were similar, only each time the Dark Master was speaking to another group of Atlans.

  “Surely he bears a different name among them!” said one of the members in the circle.

  “Of course!” said Revealer of Brightness. “He is like the chameleon, adapting his appearance and manner to those around him who he wishes to corrupt.”

  Seer of Worlds jerked. “My summoning of the area has revealed that the construction site seen by Keeper of Wisdom is an isolated area reserved for those ones reproved by the Counsellors!” he said loudly.

  “Curse the weeds of the field!” said Revealer of Brightness as he raised his eyes to the ceiling. “A cunning fox seeks out the weakest prey!”

  “And attacks the large prey at its weakest part!” exclaimed another voice from the circle.

  “Therefore the entire Atlan Empire is under attack!” said a woman sitting near Rhuna.

  “If a wild animal causes a wound in a person,” said Rhuna, “I would treat the patient with various herbal tinctures to prevent poison from spreading throughout the body, and if the wound is bad, I’d cut out the damaged flesh.”

  “An excellent simile, Keeper of Wisdom,” said Revealer of Brightness. “What information do you present, Harbinger of Solace?”

  Tozar responded quickly and told the High Council that the three neighbouring colonies were at least half a lunar cycle walking journey distant, and that two parties were currently travelling in the vicinity of Piruquán. He then explained that the entire land of the northern colonies was home to a branch of the brown-skinned race, and that those living near established Altan cities had welcomed them and adapted well to Atlan society. Many other groups of these people lived scattered throughout the dense forest, and several small tribes inhabited the immediate surroundings of Piruquán.

  “This information you gathered from travelling representatives?” asked Revealer of Brightness. Tozar said yes, and the old man nodded approvingly.

  “I propose a message be addressed to both journeying parties in the vicinity to inform them of a serious problem in the Piruquán colony… saying only that it concerns a rebellion of the reproved individuals sent to work there under supervision. They should carefully observe and investigate the situation, and be wary of any individual who appears unusually conversational.”

  “Is this not dangerous? Recall the perilous situation of the last two parties sent to investigate his activities!” said Tozar.

  “We shall warn them of a certain danger,” replied Revealer of Brightness. “You have another proposal?” he asked Tozar.

  “I’ll keep summoning visions to make sure they’re not in any danger,” suggested Rhuna. “No one is able to view the entire picture, particularly when it concerns the Dark One,” said the stout woman from the circle of members. “I also fear for the safety of these two parties travelling in the vicinity.”

  “The Dark One is in disguise and attempts to undermine the Atlan Empire by beguiling talk and corruptive reasoning. An outright attack on a visiting party would destroy his carefully devised scheme. Tell the parties to remain in constant company of their hosts in Piruquán. An attack on them by the Dark One shall be unlikely under such circumstances.” Revealer of Brightness looked at all the faces of the High Council when he had finished speaking.

  “It is a sound and wise evaluation of the situation, though not entirely without risk,” said Tozar. “I have no other proposal, however.”

  “Nor I,” spoke another voice with reluctance.

  “Then let it be so,” said Revealer of Brightness, moving to stand up and end the meeting.

  Shortly after everyone had left the small chamber, Rhuna told Tozar that she wanted to summon a vision right away, so she returned to the room and sat down. Tozar followed her quietly and sat opposite her as she began her concentration. The vision showed a bright sunny morning which the Dark Master and two other Atlan men enjoyed as they stood outside having a discussion. Rhuna thought that one of the two other men looked familiar. She continued focussing and heard parts of their conversation. She realized that they were talking about making large stone statues for the nearby brown-skinned people, and that the statues were to represent the Atlans. All three men seemed to be in agreement and at ease with each other. The Dark Master had tied his long unruly hair behind his head, and his garments were tan and yellow with a burgundy trim. Before the vision ended, Rhuna took note of the other familiar face, and examined him more accurately as well.

  Rhuna opened her eyes and described her vision to Tozar, telling her what the Dark One was wearing, and that one of the two men looked familiar. As she tried to describe the thin man with the very fair complexion, she suddenly remembered where she had once before seen his long slender arms.

  “On the boat from Chinza! The one who made the statues there!” exclaimed Rhuna.

  “Revealer of Souls?” asked Tozar with a frown. “He was severely reproved and sent to work under supervision, although I do not recall where…”

  “But wouldn’t he have recognized the Dark One?” asked Rhuna, remembering that he had carved the statues on her home island in the Dark Master’s image.

  “No. He is young and believed that one to have perished more than twenty-five solar cycles past,” said Tozar, still frowning. “He was misguided in his early youth due to the Dark One’s influence in various parts of the Empire, hence the ease with which he is once again corrupted.”

  Tozar stood up and took Rhuna’s hand, then told her to go about her usual activity until he met her
again in the early afternoon. She reached up to kiss him, and he responded with a quick and reassuring embrace.

  At home, Rhuna struggled to pay attention to the two patients who came to visit her that day, and scolded herself for being so distracted because she always feared that a slight oversight in diagnosis might result in the patient’s death. Therefore, she asked each patient to remain a little longer while she repeated the diagnosis procedure in order to be certain of her course of treatment for each one. The first patient was a woman over fifty solar cycles in age who had constant digestive problems, but showed no signs of severe blockages of energy flows in the body. Rhuna gave her a strong herbal tincture to stimulate liver function, and told her to return in one lunar cycle unless symptoms became worse, in which case she should call on her immediately.

  The second patient was an elderly man with pain and stiffness in his knees and wrists. Rhuna checked all the energy flow pulses on his body and looked into his eyes, but found no serious signs overall. She prepared a tincture of various cold herbs to treat the hot ailment of joint inflammation, and set him a food diet to complement the herbal treatment. This patient also left satisfied, and Rhuna reminded herself that she had not overlooked any serious underlying conditions in either patient.

  Shortly thereafter, Tozar entered the door and found Rhuna resting on some cushions. She told him about her patients, and he advised her to rest in the afternoon because he recognized an anxious and strained condition developing in her. Then she prepared to summon another vision while Tozar also sat down to rest a while.

  The vision Rhuna summoned in the early afternoon showed the Dark Master with the same two men of the morning amongst bright green vegetation with a group of dark-skinned people in the background. She watched and listened to the three men who were discussing dolls and comparing them to the statues. When she gained a clearer view of the group of brown people behind them, she saw that they were examining objects out of wood and cloth that resembled a person. She opened her eyes with alarm.