The Elder's Path

by J. D. Caldwell

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  Lyn spent much more time with the caravan under Zhiva’s tutelage than she had expected. But not just Zhiva; in the company of the guards and their nightly entertainment she learned the game of dice and art of drinking. The art, they insisted, was not so much in the drinking as the keeping it down the next day. After Lyn’s first few experiences, she had to agree.

  She also spent some time with Yusef, learning of the merchant routes and lay of the land. He suggested to her some of the best routes, and those to avoid. He also provided her with a map, and how to read it. The more she learned, the more she realized how underprepared she had been, and what a challenge the journey would be. She wondered at the lack of preparation; was it always so, that every Elder before her left the forest with such little knowledge and skill? Or had the decline of their culture and the lack of Elders thinned out their knowledge and ability to better prepare? She did not know, but one thing was becoming abundantly clear, and that was she had much to share once she returned to the woodland.

  By the time she was ready to go her separate way, she had spent over a whole lunar cycle in the company of the merchant caravan. She found that she was incredibly sad to leave them; in her time training with Zhiva she had found him to be a surprisingly patient and calm individual, and an excellent teacher. In the time she had spent training, she had grown exponentially and now had a solid foundation to work from. Alir had even taken a liking to Zhiva, and Zhiva had gotten much satisfaction from watching the great bird hunt and soar. Something about the majesty and primal grace of the raptor spoke to his soul, too, and Lyn had enjoyed sharing her companion with him.

  Yusef had taken her under his wing and had quickly begun to treat her like his own daughter, and she was loathe to leave him as well. As she prepared for her departure, he peppered her with questions regarding her preparation, her food supply, her directions, her equipment, and everything else under the sun. She smiled and assured him over and over again that she was fine and ready as she was going to be.

  “Well alright lass,” he said, “If you’re sure. You remember the pass I told you to avoid, right? Make sure you go east as soon as you see the chasm. And you’ll watch for bandits, won’t you? And make sure to bundle up at night; devilishly cold it is.”

  Lyn chuckled to herself and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll be fine, Yusef. Thank you so much for all you’ve done. For everything you have all done.”

  She waved to the other caravan drivers and guards, and smiled in fond farewell. A chorus of goodbyes and well-wishes met her and she turned away. Zhiva stood apart from the rest of the group, hands behind his back, patiently waiting for her beside a path leading up the foot of the mountain. The caravan’s way had not been direct to where she was going, but they had come steadily closer to the great mountains she would now be traveling through. Now that she was ready to make her way up the mountain, she felt a pang of nerves strike her. She was not sure why the mountains in particular felt more daunting than even her first city visit had been, but each step closer she came to leaving now-familiar ground felt heavier.

  She met Zhiva’s eyes and what she saw there gave her heart, understanding, and confidence. She remembered his words, that as long as she believed in herself and what she did, she would be fine. During a discussion on this topic one evening, Zhiva had brought up an invaluable point; despite all her trepidations, Lyn had been chosen for this. She may not understand exactly why, but she had been singled out, her alone, to accomplish this task. Moreover, her village had supported her and had not contended the decision to send her out into the world. Her people believed in her, and now that she had met some friends, she found they believed in her too.

  Zhiva nodded to her and turned the corner of his mouth into a small smile. Lyn smiled in return, putting all she had in to it so she would believe it herself. The large swordsman looked her over, made sure her gear was in place and secured. He checked her knife edge to make sure it was keen, and pulled her bowstring to make sure it was taut.

  Evidently satisfied with the state of her, he put a friendly hand on her shoulder and said, “Remember what I said, Lyn. No matter what happens, or who you meet, believe in who you are and what you do. Some may not like it, but all will respect it.”

  Overcome by a momentary surge of emotion, Lyn stepped forward and embraced him. Zhiva started, but returned her embrace and patted her on the head. “You can do this. The world is scary, yes, but it is also a wide and wonderful place to search for glory and purpose. To be called to such an honorable venture is something you must take pride in.” Lyn nodded, but had no words to say.

  It was different out here, meeting and befriending people. Somehow, back home, she had still taken things for granted: the support of her mother and her mentor Nana, her home among her familiar folk, the great forest that ever provided for them. Out here, nothing was a given, and she felt acutely aware of the nature of her responsibility. The friends she made, even if just for a short time, felt more real and intensely dear to her than she would have ever thought. Lyn felt a tear start in her eye, and she blinked fiercely, trying not to let Zhiva see. From above, Alir let out a cry and circled down, landing on a near-by stone and eyeing them.

  The swordsman chuckled and procured a piece of dried meat. “No, friend, I have not forgotten to give my farewell to you, too.” The hawk took the treat and flapped his great wings in thanks. “Watch over her for us, friend.” And with a final smile and nod, Zhiva set Lyn on her way.

  Chapter 4

  20th day, 9th lunar cycle, 700th age of Arc

  “How diverse the world can be. My foray outside the wood began with hills and fields bereft of the dense trees I was used to. Now I make my way through stone and wind to a mountain range shrouded in mist. And it is not only the shape of the world that varies so, but those that occupy it. I have a hard time believing my own self how close one can become to people in such a short time, or conversely be so disillusioned by them in such short time. What a chaotic place this is indeed, to have such drastic fluctuations of emotions and lifestyle and surroundings. It lacks the constancy and stability of my familiar home, and while I miss the now-utopian sounding isolation and steadfast nature of my sheltered life in concept, I find I cannot go back to the simplicity of before. Life would seem less rich without the variance and unpredictability I have now been exposed to. Everything seems so much more vibrant and genuine when there is mystery about it. It is as if I had been living in a dream before, and now I am waking up. I just wish reality wasn’t nearly as chilly…”

  It did not take Lyn long to realize she had made a very big mistake indeed. That mistake came in the form of her decided lack of winter clothing. She had better blankets, thanks to Yusef, but she had definitely underestimated how cold this mountain would be. Snowfall was incredibly rare everywhere else in Arc, and it didn’t fall at all in the Southern Province. As such, overall preparedness for such inclement weather was low. The fog had thickened exponentially as she walked the path Zhiva had left her on, and visibility was low indeed until she broke through a layer of it and could finally see up the mountain.

  What she saw took her breath away. The mountain range was huge, encompassing all she could see. It seemed the entire range was enclosed in the fog like a shell; within it she could see the mountain as far as the falling snow would allow, but there was no seeing back where she had come from, or out to the horizon. It gave the impression of being in a completely separate world, much like her forest in that regard.

  The thought both comforted and alarmed her; while she was safe and familiar with her forest and the isolation it provided, this seclusion was different and unfamiliar. The harsh wind blew and the bouts of snow caught her amidst their movement. She was used to the sounds of the forest, and the small silences therein, but here she experienced a strange new sensation of complete silence, a silence so profound it felt as if the world was holding its breath. Then the wind would howl through the stone and snow, swallowing the silence whol
e and overwhelming Lyn with its rushing sound. This part of the world felt primeval, untouched, and fierce. She wondered at the kind of people who would make this place their home. Alir seemed to be sharing her overall sentiment as he was huddled as small as he could get, pressed into her as much as he would go. To Lyn’s surprise, the snow that whirled around them did not seem to be sticking to the ground much, so despite Alir’s additional weight and the frigid air, Lyn made much more progress than she would have expected.

  As darkness began to fall, Lyn found a large outcropping of rock that braced against the howling wind.

  “This is as good a spot we’ll find as any, Alir. May as well stick it out, hey?” She talked softly to her companion as she laid out the makeshift camp. In her focused attempt to make progress throughout the day, she had forgotten to gather wood for a fire. So accustomed was she to the availability of fuel for the fire that she had taken for granted its availability now, but she was mistaken; there was no substantial amount to be had anywhere that Lyn could see nearby, and she was too cold and tired to go back out to seek some. Alir had a perch in the utmost recess of the rock formation, away from the wind. Lyn was jealous of his security against the weather, and stuck out her tongue at him. Unmoved, Alir merely blinked at her and tucked his head under his wing. Lyn tucked herself as deeply into her blankets as she could and curled up. She stared at the blank stone above her and wondered how long she would be in this place, alone in the cold.

  She did not remember falling asleep, but she certainly remembered waking up. A snort and the sound of heavy breathing brought her to alertness and she sat up quickly, knife in hand. Close by her shelter, she spied a large moose and a calf. Her movement caught their attention, and they turned to look at her. Alir watched them soundlessly, no doubt hungry for fresh meat but understanding these were far too large for prey. Lyn was thinking similarly, but her concern faded as the pair languidly turned about and continued on their way. Lyn wasn’t sure what other wildlife awaited her in this harsh place, but she was glad to see that in this case at least, it was not something that wished to consume her.

  This was usually not a concern that crossed the young Druid’s thoughts. While the forest was rife with wildlife, some of which was predatory, she was just as much a part of the forest as they. Her people had a history of symbiotic relationships with the forest, which is one reason they were commonly referred to as Druids. But this was not her forest, and she did not know if her connection with the animals would keep her out of trouble here.

  While Lyn prepared to move on, she felt something nagging in the back of her mind. She stopped to think and tried to put her finger on what it was. After a moment, she realized that the wind was gone, and the nagging feeling was the vast silence. Without the wind to interrupt these silences, it felt very quiet and secluded indeed. Even the forest had its bird calls and creaks of the trees. Such silence made Lyn uncomfortable; unaccustomed to the terrain as she was, her movement caused an inordinate amount of noise which gave her a distinct disadvantage.

  Alir seemed to sense her unease, and shifted uneasily. Lyn glanced at him and sighed.

  “It won’t do either of us any good to linger on the negative, will it friend?” Lyn said, her voice sounding loud and intrusive against the silence. Alir responded with a small cry, and ruffled his feathers. Lyn smiled, glad for the company, and finished packing her bedding.

  Shouldering her pack once more, Lyn jerked her head away from the outcropping and motioned for Alir to follow her. Alir spread his wings and took flight, coming out from under the stone and earth and taking to the sky. Lyn’s eyes followed him as he circled above, and her heart went with him. Even against the dreary grey sky, her companion seemed so majestic and free. She thought back to her first meeting with him, which now seemed like a lifetime ago. How simple and different her life seemed back then. How worried she had been about not be able to connect with anything or anyone. She smiled at the thought, looking at the hawk flying high above her and thinking of her friends in the caravan, and even the ostentatious bandit. For being more alone than she had ever been in her life, she sure had some good company.

  Overcome by a youthful spurt of energy, Lyn’s smile turned to a grin and she spread her arms like wings. Laughing and calling to Alir, she took off full speed up the barely-visible trail she traveled upon, and ran to and fro as if she were flying. Alir responded to her exuberance by diving and circling above her, calling out all the while. This was it, Lyn thought, this was her adventure; all of it, every moment, was hers. She felt lighter than she had ever felt in her entire life, as if the sky was coming to meet her.

  Then she realized the sky was indeed coming to meet her, and she felt a moment of vertigo. After a moment, she realized the sky wasn’t coming down, but rather she was going up. Her view changed and she saw she was looking down on the world, and with a moment of panic she saw herself down below. Her panic quickly turned to exhilaration as she recognized that she was again seeing the world through Alir’s eyes. She let herself be lost to the feeling of freedom and lightness, and was swept away by the moment. After a time she found herself back on the ground, exhausted but blissful.

  Lyn did not make as much progress that day as the day previous, but she did have the presence of mind to gather firewood and once again found a shelter amidst a rock formation. Big rocks, that was one thing the mountain had no shortage of. While the fuel for a fire was sparse, over time she collected enough for a small fire, at least enough to warm themselves by. With shelter secured and fuel for a fire, Lyn decided to use the remaining daylight to try and find some game. She and Alir had become quite the team at hunting, and after a time they procured a brace of rabbits. Lyn made faces as Alir took his meal.

  “You may be content to have that raw,” she said, “but I will wait until I can put some fire to mine.” Alir ignored her and continued about his business. Scoffing, Lyn prepared her fire and bedding. She spoke softly to her companion for a while, easing the silence and making them both more comfortable.

  That night, as she lay awake with the last remnants of her fire, she wondered to herself at the events of the day. How had she suddenly been able to share Alir’s eyes when she could not before? Granted, it had been some time since she had tried, but this time she hadn’t tried at all, it had just happened. Lyn compared her experiences in her mind, and suddenly it hit her with a warm feeling; when she had tried to purposefully enter her companion’s mind, she had used her own mind and determination to do so, trying to force a merge of their consciousness. But their minds were not where they shared their bond. Rather, it was a bond between their hearts and spirits. And the first time Lyn had felt the exuberance and freedom when they first left the forest, she had a moment where their hearts united. The same was true for this last time. She felt the same way she had felt when they had first left the forest together, and she had felt her heart unite with his. An immeasurable feeling of love came over her as she realized how deep and intimate their bond was, realized that in truth she shared her heart entirely with another being. She had been doing it all wrong, trying to force and quantify what had already existed in the very core of her being.

  She looked over to where Alir was perched, and saw that he looked passively back at her. She almost thought she could see the satisfaction on his face. She smiled and reached out with her heart, and for a moment her vision doubled as she simultaneously saw her companion, and herself. Returning fully to herself once more, she again felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She could feel Alir’s love for her as close as she could feel her own for him, and the completeness of their bond washed over her. Alir emitted a small noise, tucking himself away for sleep.

  As Lyn’s eyes slowly closed and the fire died down to embers, she slipped into peaceful sleep. Her last conscious thought was of contentment. For the first time, Lyn felt like she truly belonged in her own life.

  Much to Lyn's chagrin, the next day was characterized largely by a raging snowstorm. She had never before
experienced a storm of this nature, and she found herself unable to enjoy the novelty of it. Unlike the previous terrain, the more she progressed the more the snow stuck to the ground. In another circumstance involving the correct preparation and gear, such an obstruction would be in fact little obstruction at all. Unfortunately for Lyn, this circumstance involved in large part a notable lack of such preparation, and Lyn was indeed hindered. Moreover, she was miserably cold. The wind cut a chill path directly through her, carrying with it more of the infernal snow that continued to pile up. The more the storm went on, the slower Lyn and Alir were able to progress, and the more miserable they each became.

  To make matters worse, what little sunlight that did come through the mountain's foggy barrier was drastically lessened by the storm; it was not long before Lyn found she was unable to determine which direction she was going or from which she had come. This was compounded when Lyn hit a patch of ice underneath a bank of fresh snow and tumbled fiercely down a small path for some distance.

  Coming to a halt, Lyn rose and checked to see that she was all present and accounted for. Satisfied that she remained relatively intact, she checked her surroundings bleakly and sighed. A rustle from a nearby tree caught her attention and she turned to see Alir preening himself on a low branch.

  Lyn shook her head and said aloud, "It's not funny, you know. I could really have been hurt. We are both lucky that isn't the case. After all, how would you find yourself a way off this Gods-forsaken icicle?" At this, Alir stopped his vanity chore and cocked his head at her. She gave a half smile and brushed herself off once more.