Souls Adrift

My home is so beautiful at sunrise. The land is at peace. The entire forest, adjacent to the town I’m from, is littered with songs of the birds as the sun's rays pierce through the trees. Most of the animals hide throughout the night & rejoice once they can frolic. Deers, bears, mountain lions, foxes, & all sorts of game live in this beautiful place. The forest is also home to an ancient creature my people have fought for thousands of years. The creature stands about 20 feet tall, has massive wings, & breathes out fire at will. My people, due to living close to this creature, over the centuries became a warrior clan.

For thousands of years, my people built weapons, learned dark arts, & learned to fight! All to defend themselves from the numerous creatures that plagued the forest area! My people grew into an army of warriors over the generations. We have a hierarchy of warriors, and we train rigorously starting at very young ages. My grandfather & father are very respected warriors in my clan. My grandfather once led an assault on one of these creatures, killing it in the process. No doubt my family is legendary in the town. At first, my people only meant to defend themselves from the beast, but then as time progressed, we became more advanced than the creatures. My people start to lead many assaults on the creatures throughout the centuries. Over my people's recorded history, which is over 8,700 years, the creature’s numbers have dwindled to just one now. Over my lifetime (12 years at this time) the creature has only been seen haunting around at night. It rarely comes near our town. It is said that the monster hasn't been seen in the daytime for over 50 years. This is due to my grandfather’s squad killing the one so easily. My father wants me to be more assertive in becoming a respected warrior. I love my father dearly and understand what he & my grandfather mean to the clan, but I long for something more!

My dreams get weirder and weirder every night. I awoke this morning sweating as if I was doing the event I just dreamed about! Ok, here’s how it started! A bonfire was blazed in the middle of the forest next to my town. Three beautiful women were dancing around a fire they built. I’ve never seen these women. It’s the dead of night. There’s not a sound of wildlife, just the cracking of the fire, & the women's footsteps. As the women pranced around, I emerged from the fire. As I walk out of the flames the trees start to rustle. The creature then burst out of the forest to the clearing where this ritual was being performed. I walked right up to the creature & we looked each other in the eyes. Face to face! Then I heard a voice say, “ He is I & I am him.” Then I woke up. Weird right? As I stated before, my people dwelled in the dark arts. There is an order, as old as the town, that the shaman or “wiseones” established called the Pendo. I have always taken a liking to everything there is about a mystic! For two years now I have been sneaking lessons from my mentor, a well-respected wiseone named Master Tyken.

Master Tyken is the liaison between the warriors and wiseones. Master Tyken & my father were very close friends. This is why I felt comfortable revealing to Master Tyken my various dreams. We would try to decrypt them. Find meaning in them. After a while, he started giving me exercises to work on my spiritual talents. I was no mystic but I was “in the vision” as they (the Pendo) would say. Master Tyken seemed puzzled by my latest dream of the fire. He almost seemed troubled. He asked me to accompany him to the Pendo’s temple. I was honored! No one but wiseones can enter the doors of the temple. This was like a dream come true. I thought to myself maybe I should ask my father but I swear I could hear my grandfather clearly say, “ A man never asks for permission to live his destiny, he just walks the path. Walk son WALK!” My grandfather was the only other person besides Master Tyken I told about my dreams. Grandfather knew I wanted to join the Pendo order. I think he would be proud if I just went now without asking my dad. I looked towards my home then towards the temple and said, “Lead the way, master.”

The doors of the temple stood taller than the beast! The foyer was massive! There were eight pillars around the foyer. Each of them had a craving for the creatures wrapped around them. The artwork of the creatures was on display all around the temple. This was interesting to me. It didn’t feel as if they (the creatures) were depicted as monsters. Yet they seem like beautiful animals in these paintings. Once we walk through the foyer, we enter a door into a room full of statues. We walk into the room passing many of these detailed sculptures until the master stops and says, “Does she look familiar?” Master Tyken pointed to his left. I turned my head to see one of the statues was one of the women dancing in my dream! I was in awe at what I was seeing. I walked up closer to the sculpture & touched its feet & suddenly I was in darkness. I was alone in nothingness. I heard wings flapping & an owl's hoot. I turned to see a white-faced barn owl perched on nothing. I walked toward the bird only to be crippled by an attack on my cerebellum! It seems that the owl transmitted a message directly to my brain, “the wise old owl sat on the oak. The more he sat the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can’t I be like that wise old bird!” As I fell to my knees, I was suddenly back in the hall of statues in the temple again. Master Tyken said emphatically, “Are you, ok son? Can you hear me?” I gathered myself and said, “Yes master. My apologies, it felt as if I wasn’t in this room just now.” Master Tyken looked concerned & said, “Were you? In this room? Tell me.” So, I described what I saw to the wiseone and he sat there for a few minutes in silence. Master Tyken looked at me & said, “We’re going to have a long day tomorrow, so go get some rest Ahnu. You are one of us now so say nothing of what we discussed. In the morning let your parents know I wish to speak with them. We shall go from there.” I couldn’t believe what I heard. I was going to be brought into the order of the Pendo. I left the temple with a sense of purpose I never felt before. My path never seemed so clear. It was freeing.

My mother and I set the table up for dinner every night, while my father lit candles on an altar for my grandfather. It’s been almost a year since he passed. We all missed him very much. My people are very respectful of the dead. This evening was different for me but I tried my hardest to keep my composure. I couldn’t help but stare at my grandfather’s altar thinking he’d be proud of me. My father asked me if something was on my mind I wanted to discuss, but I scrubbed the gesture. I shook my head no & said, “Nothing at all, Father. I do need to pass along a message. Master Tyken said he would be here in the morning.” My father nodded. We all finished our dinner. I asked to be excused to retire for the night and was granted my request. I got up from the table, kissed my mother, and said good night to my parents. I almost couldn’t contain my excitement as I climbed into bed. Somehow, I calmed myself, closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

The wind pushed across my face as my eyes opened. I was high above the clouds riding the creature of the forest. On the creature’s head sits the owl from my other dream. The owl turns to me & we lock eyes. Once again, my brain is bombarded with the quote, “The wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he sat the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can’t I be like that wise old bird.” The owl then flies off & the creature's nose dives towards the forest & I awoke. Covered in sweat, I jumped up to see my parents and Master Tyken looking concerned. I asked, “Is everything ok?” My father says, “We tried to wake you, but you wouldn’t respond. Then Master Tyken came & we started talking.” I said, “I had another dream.” My father walked out of my room. My mother looked at me, smiled, and followed behind my father. Master Tyken sat down & said, “Go on son, what happened?” I tell the wiseone what I saw. He nodded and said, “Well your father said it’s your decision as far as joining the order.” I asked, “He wasn’t happy about the news, was he?” Master Tyken said, “No, but I doubt he isn’t proud of you.” I said, “I just never felt as if he loved me for me. I don’t understand how he feels about me. But I adore him. Maybe this is for the best for both of us.” Master Tyken sighs and says, “I had all the signs very early in my life. You know, highly intelligent, athletic, heightened senses.” As Master Tyken shrugs his shoulders he continues, “So my parents gave me to the temple at the age of six. They figured I’d have a better life as a mystic than a farmer. Funny how I still love them so much. I’ve learned so much in my many years as a mystic. I’ve forgotten them. You know, who they were. Yet I can’t logically explain why they are anchored to my heart. The emotional spectrum is of immense energy and understanding it is something I still haven’t mastered son.” I nodded and started packing my things. Me & Master Tyken walked into the living room where I & my parents would say our goodbyes. My mother never held me as tight as she did as she whispered in my ear, that she was so proud of me. My father grabbed my shoulders and said, “Be great my boy. I know you will bring honor to your family.” I couldn’t help but cry. My father was a tough guy who didn’t show emotion. Needless to say, what he said caught me off guard. I hugged my parents farewell, but before I left with the master, I stopped at my grandfather’s altar, bowed, & thought about the start of my path thank you for believing in my grandfather.

It’s been four years since I joined the order, saw my parents, & met my destiny. And like my master told me of his parents, I barely remember mine. I can’t believe the contradictions I grew up learning. These creatures my people feared & hunted are mentally linked to certain mystics. A bind that can help reach other planes of existence. The woman I saw in my dream a while back was a mystic who found underground caves and tunnels that stretch across the planet. She left the order to help the creatures navigate the tunnels. Many wiseones eventually leave the order & journey to the center of the earth. The order protects this knowledge because of the non-control we as humans have with our emotions. Fear would drive people to wage war with this information. Meanwhile, the order has made peace by keeping the creatures underground except for one. Now that I’m a wiseone I’m privy to the fact the creatures & humans could benefit each other. The creature’s blood helps extend our life. The creatures can live for thousands of years. There are about 50 of them. We call them Pendo Dragons. Once a wiseone links mentally with a Pendo Dragon, both beings can tap into the Astral realm. Through the Astral realm, many dimensions can be accessed. With this gift, the order has retained a vast amount of knowledge. It’s an honor to know what I know but now I understand why I’m here. I understand why my path was laid upon my feet. So, later on, that night I went deep into the forest until I reached a clearing. I built a fire & sat in full lotus in front of it. I cleared my mind and just listened. Not a sound could be heard. Then a hoot echoed as the trees rustled around me. The Pendo Dragon peeked its head into the clearing. I thought come closer my friend & the creature came closer! The creature thought so you are the descendant of the one who killed my brother? I didn’t know how to respond to that. I thought I apologize for my people’s fears. I wish to control mine to inspire others to control theirs. The creature walked up to me and leaned its head down for me to mount it. I got up on the creature’s head and sat down. The Pendo Dragon flapped its wing & took off for the skies! Let us fly to the temple. The creature then flew in the direction of the town towards the temple. The town’s border defense alerted the soldiers of the creature’s impending breach. Archers readied their bows and fired at the creature. The Pendo Dragon dodged the arrows and landed in front of the temple. I thought open the doors & the creature did so. Once we were in the temple, the warriors led by my father gathered on the front steps. The wiseones of the order all came to the foyer to marvel at the Pendo Dragon. I walked out of the temple and approached my father. He looked so surprised & said, “Son, are you ok?” I smiled and said, “Father, leave. Take your soldiers and leave.” My father said, “I must protect my people, son.” I said, “No one has committed any acts of violence or disruption but your soldiers. I bought the creature here. It is dying. It has lived for as long as time has been kept. It watched countless assaults. Seen many of its kind die. But ask yourself father how many humans die by these creatures’ hands? Are our people’s warrior mentality based on fear? Walk away, father. The creature wishes to tell us things of virtue & give us his body.” My father nodded his head, gestured his hands, & turned to leave. As my father signaled his hand his soldiers dispersed. The town was a little uneasy the following morning. Yet surprisingly my father led the campaign to assure the town that the order had the situation under control. Funny how things change.

Over the next couple of months, I and the Pendo Dragon shared many conversations in our minds. I learned a great deal about his kind. I feel we became close, maybe even friends. When it passed its eyes turned into a diamond-type crystal. Its skin was used as armor. Over time the skin became hard as steel yet was still lightweight. Its organs were studied by us wiseones & helped us unlock medicine, plant foods, & advances in technology. Last but not least, it's blood. We used its blood to kinda unlock the biggest mystery of them all, immortality! Which was only privy to a few. I was one of the first to drink my friend, the Pendo Dragon’s blood. Once it entered my veins I could feel its effects. My heart started to sing as my soul stretched to the cosmos. It was as if I had broken out of a shell. My soul felt as if it were reaching outside of this reality. I calmed my heart. I steadied my heartbeat. Slower…slower…there it goes. Once I focused my sight, I noticed everyone else in the room was dead. It was me, Master Tyken, and two other elders. I couldn’t believe what I saw. The chemist of the wiseones made this elixir of the creature’s blood. They assured us that the cut was not deadly. I exit the meditation room to the company of the rest of the order. I explained what happened to me. After the autopsies, the elder wiseones were confirmed to have died by poison. No other wiseone decided to take the elixir. That was, I wanna say, about 100 years ago. Give or take a hundred. Time becomes irrelevant when you’ve lived as long as you have or seen the things I’ve seen. I saw rivers of lava that led to the center of the earth. I’ve seen a family of Dragons bow at my feet. I’ve traveled to the realm of the dead to speak to the spirits of my father, mother, grandfather, & master. All to learn one thing. Peace is in the eye of the beholder.

The End