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Dream

You’re gonna sleep sometime, when you do you will have this dream.

You’re back home sleeping on a pile of pillows and camel hair blankets. A cool breeze blows through your tent and the desert night beckons. You sneak out and gaze in awe at the star-filled sky. So bright and detailed. Water(blue object that moves in sky) is high over head and Flame(red object that moves in sky) has just risen from behind the mountains. The air is fresh and tingly. There will be a storm and rain the morrow. You glimpse a pair of eyes glowing with starlight in the darkness, a fox? [Hmmmmm, you’ve had this dream before, when you were a young boy, but this is not that dream, here you are a man.] Again chasing after the fox falling into ditches and scratching your legs on scrub. Never quite catching him. He has led you far from camp before you realize you are lost. Tired you find a water plant to quench your thirst, and a slimy root that spread on your legs numbs the pain of your wounds. You also spot the sacred Abbas flower which blooms only at night and which the elders eat to commune with nature and our ancestors. You really shouldn’t, but doesn’t everyone say that you are the most prommising Thukir Druid in a generation? Moments after chewing and swallowing the delicate flowers you suffer gut wrenching pains and passout.

You awake to a hi-pitched chirping sound. A giant desert bat as white as death is perched on a nearby cactus. As it chirps you can “see” the echos bounce back. Circled all around you are every sort of creature, lion, fox, camel, dog, griffon, eagle, and on. Hundreds of them. All looking at you. Not sure why but you climb onto the back of the bat which immeadiately takes to the air, white, luminous, heatless flames streaming from its wings and body. Together you soar high into the mountains where you see the light of a small fire. Diving closer you see that six men are seated around the fire. The bat dives steeper and steeper directly at the fire. Grabbing its coarse hair tight and despite your best effort are forced to burry your head rather than watch your life end in flames. Instead of firey death are thrown from the bat and tumble gently onto the rocky ground. Feeling the fire at your back you slowly open your eyes to meet the gentle gaze of Abdul-Bari eldest of the Elders. Your father sits to his right, trying to look stern, but failing and beaming with pride instead. Arranged around the fire are the other four elders. Some with looks quite apart from pride.

Mean Elder, “This is an outrage, he is too young, he must leave.” Nice Elder, “Have you not seen his arrival?” Father, “He has found his way here, he has a right to stay.” Mean Elder, “No, he’s been led here. His mind, can’t…” Abdul-Bari, “Do you question the Great Spirits? Have you wisdom beyond theirs?” Mean Elder, “But…

[No, that happened last time, this time is different. Abdul-Bari passed on before you went on walk about, Abdul-Sabur is the eldest now and he addresses you.]

Abdul-Sabur, “Qazir, you left us to return a man, and a man you have become. But, we fear that you will not return or rather there will be nothing to return to. So, instead we have come to you.” The Mean Elder sneers.

“The Thukir elders have long had the ability to shape the world, to create that which did not previoiusly exist. It is how the oasis survive and how new ones are”found” when and where needed. It is also the source of Thukir’s duty to protect and honor the world. Like a father, we are responsible for the well-being of our creations. This power is how our gift has found its way to you. I hope you find it suitable. We will send the other pieces of the Hero’s Rainment as we are able. Make good use of them, they are likely the only aide the Thukir can offer.”

“The K’jore also know the secrets of this power and have much greater skill with it as well. They create powerful weapons and vast armies with it. But, ultimately their goal is non-existance. Not destruction for even destruction leaves pieces of the destroyed behind. The K’jore desire the elimination of reality. And are achieving it. We have seen, deep within their territory lands long since conquored and tainted are no more. The world ends and nothing but chaos and madness lies beyond.”

“After lenghtly journies and delibertion with the Great Spirits The Elders have concluded the K’jore will ultimately succed. We can only see a short ways into our future and believe that is because the Dune Seas and all of Babrem will soon be overrun and tainted. The peoples of the known world and even beyond have stirred to action but the forces arrayed against them are too great, too powerful. They will slow end’s arrival not stop it.”

“Slowing the end so that you have time to complete the journey you have found yourself on. A journey we fail to comprehend and one that even the Great Spirits are at a loss to explain. We feel that your journey’s destination is not saving Dirt, which is beyond saving. Whatever it may be, rebirth, saving others, or even simple revenge on the K’jore it and your party are the last great purpose worth supporting.”

“One last thing, we are suppose to,” (the eldest looks uncomfortably around to the other elders) “suppose to give you this message ‘The K’jore Demons come from outside. They are foriegn to this system and must be purged.’ We have no explanation for what this means although we do know the K’jore Demons originate from around Flame which is a sister to our sun.”

[fading back to last time, when you were young.]

Abdul-Bari, “And Qazir, chew but do not swallow the Abbas flower.” You next remember awaking on a pile of pillows and camel hair blankets in your families tent. The following weeks of pain, vommiting and diahrea drove Abdul-Bari’s lesson home. “Try, but not blindly.”