Sunlit Grove

 

The little clearing was lit with bright sunbeams that filtered through the spruce canopy. The golden light illuminated mossy terrain and small rock outcroppings. It dappled the simple cairn at the side of the clearing, itself grown over with reaching lichens. Caught in their finite world of the beams were dancing mites, barely there but for movement. A pair of large yellow butterflies lazily flapped their way across the open woods, to all appearances aimless in their flight. There, on the gently-warmed rock and moss, Telon and his apprentice sat in meditation. The day had proved clear and beautiful, if not as hot as might be expected for such bright sun. The two traveling scholars felt totally refreshed, having left the manipulations of Angelica well behind.

They had paid thanks to their driver near the summit of Mt. Etan, as he had business in the local township and planned to remain in the summitlands for the day. The larger glen township of Mont-Clair was near enough, and Telon figured they could hire passage onward from there, so they took a moment to sit and regroup. The two had still not had a chance to talk properly since reuniting, and Ayleah could tell Telon had something important to share with her. They found a quiet open space on the north peak and sat in the pleasant air to discuss more details of their separate adventures. Ayleah told Telon of the attack at the trailhead and her interaction with the man in black and his mirrors. She told him about Kae-ri and the various strange occurrences in her life over the past eight or ten moons. Telon listened with great interest, and told her in his turn of what he had been practicing at Burnt Rock. He spoke of how he had been transported there, and what he had gotten out of being able to study in such a power-saturated place. He seemed to start to say something else, but then suggested they both meditate for a short while and regather their energies.

-

Ayleah was the first to break the silence.

“What made you first take an interest in me?” she asked the blue-robed one across the rock from her.

Telon's mind flashed back to the marketplace at Silver Shores. He thought of how Davai had seemed to already know much of this would happen. “We shared a dream the night after I arrived at your village. We saw each other in the market square, and I think marked each other at that time. There is an innate automatic power people have in their gaze, and when two who have heightened sensibilities make contact...”

“But I wasn't very aware of all that at the time, I only learned most of the energetic stuff at the Sanctuary.” Ayleah cut in. “What is it about me that makes people see me as special?”

Telon glanced away, and looked back again with a faint smile. “You're exceptionally well-connected to, and perceptive of the energetic realm.”

Ayleah looked skeptical. “There are scholars that are far more in tune than I am though. Just by their capabilities, if nothing else. Whatever 'prodigious' power I might have, it still pales in comparison to someone like you or the head sages at the Dome. I've never been to the Queen Cities, but I'm sure there are powerful people there as well.”

“There is a difference.” the blue-robed scholar explained. “I am skilled, yes, at working with the world. I, and many of my colleagues are very good at working with reality, and knowing how to flow alongside and through its patterns. You though, are more powerful than I think you realize. In your efforts to understand and work with reality, you are actually actively shaping it to fit your energies.” He paused here for a breath, and began again with a new tone. “Remember a through-line in all your teachings: we are not separate from the world, but an integral piece of it. It is important for the scholars to understand that we are a part of reality so that we can direct and steer our intentions harmoniously. For us, learning to work with reality is like learning to control a boat on a river. You though, act as a nexus upon that river, pulling the surrounding currents in to support your direction. It's actually quite incredible, and I have yet to meet another with that innate sort of connection and power.”

“What are you saying? I'm not an elemental, like Kae-ri though. I'm...human...-solid-whatever!”

Telon's voice became gentle, but his faint smile had returned. “True, true, but you're not not an elemental.”

Ayleah had the strange sensation of her world collapsing into the space of her consciousness and at the same time her awareness expanding to fill the whole world. It was a fragile but strangely liberating feeling.

“How...how have I been shaping my reality?” she asked, when she was finally able.

“Have you ever heard of the literary device called the Hero's Journey?” Telon replied. “It can be found in uncountable works of mythology and fiction as a basic framework for the story. Some main character embarks on a journey of symbolic self-discovery. Along the way they meet with a mentor, they engage in a series of ordeals in a special world, or one different from their own. Eventually, they gain a certain mastery and ascend back into their “ordinary world” as a sort of glorious homecoming. The story has roots in reality, but it is not intended to perfectly mirror reality. Real lives do not work out as tidily as those of our fictional stories.

Ayleah had the sense of a burgeoning realization. An idea was just now sparked by Telon's description of the literary device. “Wait, do you mean you think I've been creating my own destiny?” she asked.

“Well, we all create our own destiny,” Telon said, “but you seem to do so in a more literal sense. It is subtle, but so are all the ways of energy until they come down right upon our heads. I, Jaen, and most of the others in your life have unwittingly played a role in your story. Your energy is powerful enough that it has pulled their flows around yours at key moments for the service of the destiny you sought. Whether or not you knew it consciously, you placed yourself on this path and the world complied. Your power Ayleah, is in your story. It is an overlooked fact that stories are life; stories create life. Your curiosity has given birth to a story which has actually shaped a bit of the world. That is a direct power that the scholars of the Queen Cities would do anything to possess.”

The feelings of destruction and expansion increased in Ayleah. The more she wrapped her mind around the concept, the more incredible it seemed, and yet it explained every decision she had made since she could remember. Times when she had acted seemingly against the character of her being, times when she had acted impulsively, with no thought except a feeling that the action needed doing. She struggled with the idea that her life could be so pre-programmed and yet be decided by her own intentions. How could she be free and as powerful as he was saying if she was tied to a destiny that pulled everyone else in to its current? She felt pulled and pushed at the same time, boxed in and exploded all over the mountainside. Everything felt resolved, but dispersed into chaos at the same time. She felt lost, and a tear wet the top of her cheek. She blinked, and shook her head slightly. “It doesn't...make sense.” she managed.

Telon's reply held the utmost compassion. “The most profound parts of life often remain paradoxes even when we reach a full understanding of them. I tell you these things only so that you have a fair chance. Knowing the truth of how you are is the only way of having a chance to decide differently. I believe in you Ayleah, especially after what you've told me about your travels. I believe you can use your power for whatever destiny you want. And if you see this story out to the end, I think you'll do well too.”

Ayleah looked back at him, feeling bolstered by the peacefulness of her surroundings. Telon continued: “The question put before you now, before us, is this: What do we wish to do, now that we have this knowledge?”

Ayleah shut her eyes, listening to the forest and the sounds of the mountain township wafting through the trees. She felt the breeze, and noted for not the first time its curious lack of warmth. A minute passed in silence, maybe more, but when she opened her eyes she saw Telon had been meditating as well. She looked at him and he opened his eyes. “There's somewhere I have to be, some moment I'm needed for, isn't there?”

Telon softly nodded.

After the two had left the clearing and begun their way down the mountain to the village glen, a large yellow butterfly landed on the mossy cairn. It slowly waved its wings a couple times before taking off and continuing on its way. The golden sunlight shone on the cairn and its lichen as it had for many days since, and as it would for many days to come.

Escape

 

Ayleah woke with a start from swiftly-fading dreams. Dawn had not come yet; the room was still dark, but something else had brought her up her awareness. For a moment her mind strayed half in the remembrances of the dream that had been there before and half in the concrete reality. Telon was leaning over her, urging quiet, and for her to get up and dressed. It took a second for her to figure out that this was part of the concrete and not a reclaiming of sleep and its images.

“Quickly now, I don't know what alerts she may have put about the cottages.” His whispered voice cut through her stupor, and suddenly her memory was vivid with the threat from the previous afternoon. As she heard Telon's steps leave the room, she sprung into action, but found her traveling clothes at the ready, and the rest of her belongings already packed and neatly by the door. In the dark room, Ayleah moved with a quietude of mind and body. She knew haste was needed, but also that she should be careful with her energy. A person such as Angelica had sensitivities. Not only would she know if someone nearby had awakened, but Ayleah thought she could probably sense it from anywhere on this summit. One had to pull one's own energy close about their person, releasing it in a measured way through their actions. Normally, a person's energy vibrated out in all directions, with concentrations only based on their intentions and movements. To remain more covert, one had to control that energy, limit it to the skin level, and release the excess in targeted places where it could be absorbed softly and without notice. It felt a bit like holding your breath, and required a subtlety of bearing and self-awareness. Ayleah considered it quite fortunate that the practice had come up in the course of her previous education.

When she stepped outside, closing the door gently behind her, Telon was immediately by her side. He shone softly in the darkness like a door of indigo among the shadows, his hood up and nearly covering any sight of his eyes. He gestured to Ayleah that she should stay silent and keep very close to him. As they made their way through the night-cloaked village, Ayleah sharpened her senses. The houses and ruins were quiet, and it seemed too still for as nice a night as it was. No moon lit the sky, but the stars glowed brilliantly, winking around the dark shapes of the fir trees. It would have almost made her breathe easier if there were some mysterious rustling in the bushes or movement in the black branches. It was only when they had fully left the old burn-scarred clearings that something did scurry away from their path.

The two of them walked for the rest of the night, keeping to their agreed-upon silence. Ayleah worked to keep up with Telon's long strides, which seemed to carry them along faster than she would have thought. An upcoming landmark on the road that looked to be at least twenty steps away would be reached in no more than five. Ayleah had noticed before how things often looked different at night. Colors faded to gray-scale with the lack of light, but distance, and speed also felt funny. Moving through a landscape at night always felt faster than in the day. She wondered if perhaps it had to do with a loss of proper distance perception. Without the play of shadows and color she could not tell as well how far away things were. Telon did naturally take long steps though, and when they finally stopped to rest a bit her legs were glad of the pause.

Telon didn't dare stop though until the two of them had passed beyond the immediate bubble of Angelica's peak-bound aura. At a small seep that divided the land, as the sky was barely beginning to light, they took a break. As Ayleah watched Telon set about recovering his energies from the effort, she thought about the relation scholars had to the land. There were plenty of people who lived right with the land, and engaged in practices that were more nitty-gritty and druidic in nature. True druids did live in these mountains as well, and any number of hermetic witches and farmers with a family background of spellcraft in one form or another. The scholars like Telon though pointed to a deeper sort of work, and a deeper truth to the matter. The scholars engaged with the land through theory and esoteric ritual. They communed with the land's energies without fully immersing themselves in its rawness. It was as if they sought inner knowledge of the world, of which those druidic powers of the dirt were too close to perceive. Ayleah watched as Telon took water from the spring. He took some and filtered it for their use, but then also placed a drop on his forehead and one on his heart. He took dry dirt from the forest floor and let it drop in the light breeze, then smudged the wet spot off his forehead with one finger. To work with the land is to also work with oneself, she thought. To respect the land is to understand that we are a part of it as well. If we want to use or tie to its energies we must understand and respect our own. We must think about how our energies come together, where their intentions lie, and how that combined intentional power will affect and mix with those of the natural kinds. Land-craft is just as much a kind of “self-craft” as any of the other scholarly disciplines, despite its outwardly focused nature. The truth was this: that all people worked and lived in this relationship, not just the scholars, witches, and hermits. Ayleah could see that everyone had a connection to land, even if just to the small plot on which they live. The land supports everyone, and gives energy to everyone through resistance and growth. In this way all people are engaged in the magical relationship, whether they know it or not.

Once the sun had risen, the two scholars were able to hitch a ride further north with a driver bound for Mt. Etan. He was out early, and had frankly just been glad to hear they had no business down the southward road. In the back of his work-truck there was an air of security, and Ayleah found herself able to get in some of her missing hours of sleep. Telon remained on a passive alert, but inwardly was glad of the chance to relax. He let out a sigh as they climbed the next hill, fully immersed now in the energy of a different mountain. Outside, a pretty spruce forest passed, intermingled with the yellow-green tops of birches and maple against a thinly-clouded sky.

The Woman in White

 

It was morning again, and Ayleah woke from another restful night in her quaint stone cottage. The dawn was clouded, with damp mist clinging to the inn-village. Breakfast, though cozy and comforting, was a fairly quiet affair. Jaen and the brothers Ravael were still in their rooms, and Ayleah sat at the table with Meral, meditating on the curls of steam that rose gently from the cups between them. Ayleah couldn't say she particularly liked the taste of the tea, but it did have a wakening effect on her mind. She wondered what they would do today, and if she would get any time alone with Telon. They had not really had a chance to talk at all the previous day, busy as they were with Angelica and the group.

“Why did we stay here another night?” The soft question from Meral brought her out of her thoughts.

“Hm? I thought you said yesterday: you enjoyed the extra time hanging out with the larger group, and you all seemed happy to help out with the gardening. I enjoyed it myself, it was good to be back working with plants.”

“Yeah, that's all true, for sure. But, Ayleah, we never do this. My brothers always like to stay on their schedule and keep moving, unless something's broken or we're so tired that we really need the break. Also, there was nothing urgent about that gardening. When you think back on it, it almost seems like Angelica had to find things for us to do.” her tone had turned curious, almost conspiratorial. Their host had not been seen yet that morning, but Meral glanced around just to be sure. “What do you think about her Ayleah? You seem to have a good read on people.”

Ayleah knew exactly what Meral was talking about, and had just opened her mouth to say so when the woman in question entered the room. She was wearing the white flowing clothes that she usually seemed to wear during casual times of the day, and greeted the two at the table with a soft warmth. Soon after Telon and the others joined them, and conversation turned to superficial matters.

The morning flew by quickly, and Ayleah could not get a moment alone with Telon. Sometime after breakfast though, Jaen managed to get a moment with her.

“Ayleah, I've come to say that I'll be leaving today with the Ravaels. I wanted to see through your quest, but now that you've reunited with your mentor you certainly won't need me around. If I don't get a chance before we leave, let me say that it has been great to know you, and I hope to see you again among these mountains.”

She looked at him, touched by the moment and his simple sincerity. “Oh Jaen, thank you for everything you've done to help me get here. I do hope we meet again someday.” She hoped he could tell from her gaze that she did mean the words as she spoke them.

Come midday, the Ravael siblings had their transport ready and insisted on taking their lunches for the road. They said that they had had a lovely time, and thanked Angelica for all her hospitality, but also that they were already behind schedule and needed to make a certain distance by nightfall. Their midday departure with Jaen had been decided beforehand, but Angelica still seemed mildly disappointed that they were not staying to eat as a group. Nevertheless, she waved them goodbye with a smile as their van trundled out of the clearing.

-

After lunch, Angelica finally made her case to Ayleah. Telon had gone off somewhere, and it was quiet about the inn in the energetic lull after the van's departure.

“Telon's told me that you were a very promising apprentice in your time together. I hear that you're quite adept at sensing natural energies.”

Ayleah felt wary by the conversation opener, but answered frankly. “I've learned a lot from Telon, and I hope to continue to do so. I enjoyed my classes at the Sanctuary, but he always brought a different perspective to the ideas. He's actually quite wise for his age.”

“Well so are you,” Angelica countered, “You're even younger than him, and I can tell you have even more potential to shape this world.”

Ayleah was confused now. The turn had come so suddenly that she didn't even know if her defenses should be raised. “What do you mean by that?” she said.

Perhaps she realized the error, but Angelica paused and then softened her tone. “You should stay for a while and learn with me!” She said it almost as a lark; a sudden joyful realization. “Oh, but we could be so amazing together! I know so much about these mountain energies, and you have such an innate talent for them as well. If we worked together we could help to shape them and grow their power. We could use our combined power to influence this whole region for the good! I've been working with Telon, but he's so...different from me, and our energies don't blend as well. They were right though, you are a spark!”

Ayleah didn't even think to ask who she meant in her efforts and excuses to leave. The energy in the room had shifted dramatically in a short time and she felt suddenly coiled upon. “Thank you, but no.” she said, reaching for the door. “I think I-I know where I should be.” As she left the house she could hear the last thing Angelica said to her back. “You say you know many things, but you don't even know the potential there is right here, between us.”

-

A short while later, as she was writing in her journal, Ayleah's mind still rung with the words of the woman in white. “Don't you want to be a true witch of reality?” the words said. “Don't you want to live up here in paradise shaping the world beyond?” Angelica had power, but not enough to do what she really wanted, which was...what? She said she wanted to shape lives for the better; to shape the energies of the world for the benefit of all. Ayleah did not want that weight on her shoulders. It was maybe for no other reason that she had rejected Angelica's offer. It was that 'maybe' that scared her a little bit.

Telon found her there, on the edge of a ruined patio. Ayleah had gone a good distance out from the village center, seeking privacy for her reflections. She did not mind the blue-robed scholar's presence though. She had been thinking of him anyway.

“Ho there my friend, may I join you?” he said, casting a look over the old foundation and weed-choked stones. Ayleah looked up and closed the book. “I had just finished.” She stood up, and a small bird somewhere announced the motion. “Wait, is it actually just the two of us finally? I feel like I've been in a whirlwind the past day and a half.”

Telon chuckled. “Yeah, same. It's almost as if someone wants to keep us busy.”

She joined Telon and they began walking down an overgrown side road. Ayleah told her mentor about Angelica's proposal, and about how she had turned it down. She had begun to tell him about her experiences with Kae-ri as well, when they saw Angelica approaching from the opposite direction. She was walking casually, holding a large basket into which she seemed to be gathering herbs and tree-parts for her various concoctions. Ayleah noted though that she was wearing her closer-fitting work clothes, as if ready for more serious efforts.

“Well met, good hostess.” Telon said when they did so on the path. Due to her familiarity though, Ayleah heard the note of defense behind his voice; the scholar was on edge by her chance appearance. He wasted no time in cutting to the unspoken point, but outwardly his tone was the essence of lightheartedness. “Do I hear correctly that you've been trying to steal my apprentice away?”

There was no way the question came as a shock to Angelica, but she blinked, almost looking offended. “No, of course not sir, I merely offered that we could do a lot of good together, if she wishes.”

The feeling in the grove had become oppressive. The light that shone through the branches was weirdly stale, and the birdsong had quieted. It was Ayleah's turn. “I've already told you, I am satisfied with the mentor I have now. I have no wish to leave his practice, and no wish for the power you offer.”

Angelica's voice was deadly calm. “I could keep you here you know, if I wanted. It would be more amenable if you wanted to stay of your own will, but I'm sure you would eventually learn to love this place anyway as much as I have.”

The exposed bedrock about the roadsides pulsed softly with light. The oppression closed in and Ayleah felt as if there were no outside world anymore. Everything beyond this rocky peak could very well be a myth. She knew it was only a show of force and tried to keep her focus.

Angelica continued: “I don't know who that other was, that black-cloaked figure who tried to capture you before, but I can assure you I am a much greater power than he, especially on my rocks.”

“They are not wholly yours at the moment though, my lady.” Telon had stepped forward with a commanding air. At his word the light of the rocks dimmed, and even the sky seemed cloudier. “I have learned much from you, white Angelica, and now I say that you will not challenge me, even here. I know your energies better than you should have let me know them. You will not succeed in keeping us here, and you will not take Ayleah from my tutelage.”

Angelica let her energy fall, and the birdsong began again. “We shall see, we shall see in time my blue one.” She walked past them as if nothing had happened. “I do insist you at least stay for tonight though: it is too late in the day to begin traveling. We will...revisit the topic in the morning.”