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«It is hard to believe. Tell us something else,» the listeners asked.
«Those cold lands are infested by fantastic beasts,» Pharoum continued. «According to the story of this man, his father once came face to face with a huge cat. It was a mountain lion. It had huge paws, sword-like claws, a strong club-like tail, and a massive jaw. And his fangs were as big as my thumb,» the men were open-mouthed with astonishment. «It was a very strong and fast beast. There was no escape from it!»
«But how on earth did the man survive?!» the men of the settlement were excited to learn the outcome.
«The mountain lion roared and bared its fangs like this,» Pharoum imitated the roar and fangs, which scared the gathered men. «No man with bare hands would ever stand a chance against the beast. That man’s father had no choice but to try and placate the wild cat in spite of his fear. He talked to it gently and tried not to move.»
The listeners didn’t dare to move or make a sound, in anticipation of the attack. The most impatient ones asked: «Did it attack him all the same?»
«The brave man kept on talking to it. Slowly, the mountain lion closed its mouth and headed towards him.»
«That’s it! It’s going to attack him! That’s for sure!» the listeners tried to shout one another down.
«That man’s father held onto the hope. The mountain lion was slowly approaching him,» Pharoum’s voice fell to a whisper.
«That’s it! It’s over!» someone let out a desperate scream.
«You will never guess what it did!» Pharoum said in a teasing way.
«What?! What did it do? Get on with it!» the shouts came from all directions.
«It began licking his hand, purring loudly,» all the men were amazed at such a development. «And that man’s father took it home, tamed it, and they lived together ever since. The puma even protected him from other predators,» Pharoum said self-contentedly. «Do you believe it?»
«No!» a wave of indignation rippled through the gathered men. «You can’t tame a predator! And they can’t purr!»
In the meantime, while the men were shouting, trying to figure out whether the story was true, a small group of strangers was energetically approaching the settlement, using the cover of darkness. They had heard the voices and were now following them.
«It’s the truth!» Pharoum kept saying but no one believed him.
«I’ve also heard a story about taming wild cats and it’s even more improbable!» they heard the loud jolly voice of Etan, a young man with raven-black curly hair that reached his shoulders. He was one of the two Pharaon’s close friends. «Somewhere in the hot lands, people managed not only to tame cheetahs but also to turn them into their hounds.»
«What is that supposed to mean?» someone asked.
«It means that those cheetahs were taught to hunt on command of a man and give their kill away instead of eating it themselves,» Etan said so proudly as if he was the one who tamed the cheetahs.
«That’s impossible! A predator that gives away its kill to a man?! That will never happen!»
A ripple of laughter ran through the men.
«Shush!» Pharaon suddenly said, stretching out his hand and showing everyone his broad palm.
That got everyone’s attention.
«What’s going on?» someone asked after a while.
«It seems we are not alone,» Pharaon replied quietly.
All the men could hear was silence, however, it did not last long. The next instant they were attacked by robbers who were screaming and waving their clubs. There was a fight. The attackers were well-trained and, a few minutes later, most of the men of the settlement were lying on the ground, unable to move.
«You shall not go any further!» Pharaon yelled to his opponent in a dreadful voice. He was punched in the stomach pretty hard but bounced back quickly and hit the robber over his head with enough force to knock him off his feet.
Pharaon came rushing up to his friend, Etan, who was holding one of the attackers back with his last bit of strength. Together they knocked the enemy out with hard and swift blows.
Pharoum and Noumat were trying to hold off several strangers at once. Noumat was the other one of Pharaon’s two close friends and the same age as he was.
Suddenly, something flashed in the darkness. The robbers’ faces were wreathed in smirks: They were holding knives in their hands. There remaining attackers turned out twice as numerous as the men of the settlement. Before Pharoum, Pharaon, Etan, and Noumat knew it, the robbers threw the knives at them. The faces of the men froze with terror. Time seemed to stop. They did not have a chance to survive and protect their women and children.
At that very moment, something inexplicable happened. Pharaon’s desire to fight back got so strong and filled his heart with such a powerful energy that he let out a horrendous shriek, unable to contain the energy inside.
The next instant, all the strangers with their knives were thrown away for about a hundred meters as if knocked out by an air blast. The landing was hard, many of the robbers suffered various fractures. Silence fell. Everyone who witnessed the entire thing was appalled. The strangers quickly came to their senses and ran away like mad with cries of horror.
Pharoum, Pharaon, Etan, and Noumat rushed to the aid of their friends.
On the following day, Pharoum, the head of the settlement, addressed his people with a speech. He devolved his powers upon his son who proved it in the fight of the previous day that he was mature enough and ready to replace his aging father for the benefit of the people.
Pharaon took his new position very seriously and began to think about the future of their small settlement.
Since no one could explain what had happened to the strangers, the entire story was soon forgotten. Our memory has a tendency for order and gets rid of all things that are out of whack with our traditional views of the world, incendiary or discomfiting.
However, Pharaon would secretly think back to that night again and again. Somehow, he felt that it was he who released the power that threw the strangers back. From that moment on, Pharaon began wondering who he really was.
«I clearly remember the overwhelming feeling of the energy burning inside me,» Pharaon would contemplate each night before going to bed. «It made me shout.
And then that energy seemed to splash out of me and I saw something. I saw a wave that was sort of powdered with glittering colorful dust. It swooped down to those villains. I could have sworn I’ve already seen something like this. But what actually happened? What else don’t I know about myself? Will I be able to do it again?»
After that fateful day, Pharaon’s eyes, iridescent just like colored pieces of glass in a kaleidoscope, began glowing even brighter from under his thick prominent brows. His dark oval face with a chiseled jaw and strong neck made the effect quite striking. He had a blatantly masculine face and build, his movements were steady and precise, he spoke coherently and rather bluntly. Pharaon usually pulled back his black long hair, shining in the sun, into a tail to keep it out of his face and eyes.
Back in those early days, people had relatively short lives, no one had a full understanding of illnesses, there were no medicines. Death rates in the settlement exceeded birth rates. Pharaon wanted to increase the population of the settlement but the number of his people was not his only concern.
Pharaon chose Etan and Noumat, men of strong build and great fighters, who were almost identical, both in appearance and in character, for a journey. Only Pharaon’s closest friends could be entrusted with such a difficult mission.
«My dear friends,» Pharaon began in a firm, naturally tuned voice. «Our life is a constant struggle. We barely have enough food, our clothes wear out too quickly, our shoes that protect our feet from the burning sand are too uncomfortable, we have nowhere to sleep.
We can’t go on like this. Living every new day, granted to us by the gods, in the same way as the one before, not striving for more. Go to the nearest lands. You are likely to meet people who lead lives much different from ours. Bring the best of them with you to help us change our way of life. I know in my gut that we miss something big, something important. We have to get a hold of it.»
«Pharaon,» Noumat said, without hesitating, his large hands clenched. «We promise you that we will find such people, learn their customs, and bring their masters to you. No matter what it takes and how difficult it may be.»
«Yes!» Etan nodded, swinging his curly hair. His eyes shone with determination. «We will do it. We want a better life for our people. So be it!»
Chapter Two. Meeting with the Unknown
After saying goodbye to their parents and friends, Etan and Noumat set out on their way. They stayed close to the river, the source of life in the desert. They walked for a day, two days, a week and still didn’t meet anybody.
The men couldn’t say how many times the sun went up and down since the beginning of their journey when they suddenly saw some silhouettes over the horizon.
«Etan, I can see something in the way,» Noumat said carefully.
«It’s people,» Etan confirmed the suspicions of his friend.
Etan and Noumat were brave. They walked on, void of fear.
A man came forth from amongst the group of people and headed toward the brave travelers. The stranger was tall, lean, and oddly dressed.
«Who are you?» the man shouted, scowling.
«We come in peace,» Noumat shouted back with his ringing voice. «Our names are Etan and Noumat. We went off on this journey by order of Pharaon, the head of our settlement. We are here to learn. We will be your apprentices.»
The tall man eyed them with suspicion but he believed that Noumat had told the truth. After some thought, he said: «Follow me. I will introduce you to the chief of our brotherhood. My name is Verum.»
Etan and Noumat followed Verum straight away.
«Come over here. I know who you are,» a man, standing in front of the others, said rather huskily. Neither Noumat nor Etan had ever seen such an old man. «Yes, I remember your manly faces very well. I’ve seen you in my dream. My name is Laurus. They also call me Dream Seer. We’ve come from faraway lands, rich with lush meadows and thick forests, the lands that are nothing like this barren ground, in order to meet you. Pharaon’s desire (yes, I know who he is) was so strong that I could see him and so I set on a journey towards you together with my faithful friends and companions.»
Etan and Noumat’s amazement gradually turned into fear of the unknown power. They were in awe of the astounding knowledge of the old man. But they didn’t undertake such a long journey just to yield upon meeting the unknown they were looking for. Moreover, the young men did not want to let down the people of their settlement, who needed help and support from the outside.
«There is no need for you to beware anything or anyone here,» Laurus said. «We’ve brought two spare camels with us. For you. So let us not waste any time and set forward, to the lands that will captivate you. You will be given special knowledge and your people will be able to multiply and replenish.»
Etan and Noumat had never seen camels before since their lives were so poor and meager. The friends of Laurus helped them get on the bizarre beasts and walked by their side, making them safe from a fall.
«You know why I love the desert?» Laurus spoke again, sitting on the back of a leisurely walking camel. «You are alone with your thoughts here. There’s nothing to distract you from yourself, your inner voice. I like meditating here. But first things first.»
The desert was indeed lovely, especially now, embraced by the late sunlight. The sandhills imitated the wild waves of a vast ocean as if they had frozen motionless only to offer the travelers a chance to get an eyeful of their magnificence. It was easy to lose the way in the endless desert, as their tracks were immediately covered with wind-blown sand. But the travelers moved with confidence, easily navigating the peculiar waters.
It got absolutely dark. The sky dressed up in its best apparel, sprinkling stars, shiny like diamonds, over travelers’ heads. They rode in silence and only the quiet conversation between the wind and sand could be heard.
«I wonder,» Noumat thought, «what do the sand and wind know? What are they talking about?»
He remembered what his father had told him when he had been a child: «You can confide your secrets in the sand and wind, they will never betray you. If you wish for something, ask them for it and they will help you get it. Before a man was born into this world, the sands and wind had already been inseparable. They know the secret of eternal life and undying love.»
Lost in his thoughts, Noumat was swayed by the powers of the dream world and sank into a deep sleep. Etan fell asleep too. The camels kept walking, leisurely carrying their heavy bodies.
But Laurus’s people didn’t have time for rest. Laurus raised his hand, barely visible in the darkness, and then all the travelers stopped and dismounted. Only Noumat and Etan were still sleeping right on the backs of their camels. It didn’t seem to bother anyone.
Laurus and his companions sat on the sand, forming a wide circle, reached for the sky, and closed their eyes. The night was far advanced. Suddenly, Laurus began whispering quietly. If you listened closely, you could make out words of gratitude.
«Almighty World around us and within us,» Laurus said in a low voice, «we thank you for the travelers you have sent us in response to our prayers. We took the Great Path and we won’t wander from it. We can feel your support.»
The rest of the words got lost in the murmur of wind that was carrying the sand from one hill to another. But one thing was clear: As Laurus uttered those words, he looked happy and pleased, and his companions did too. For a little while, they kept nodding their heads rhythmically, then opened their eyes, stood up, and continued on their journey.
The next morning, when Etan and Noumat woke up from their deep sleep, they thought their eyes were deceiving them. The sands were gone. The mountains around them were buried in verdure. The air was thick with the chatter of birds and the soft rustle of waterfalls.
«What a fertile land!» Etan said in bewilderment as he dismounted his camel. Noumat stood agape, trying to get a good view of the surroundings, and couldn’t say a word.
There was a clap of thunder and it suddenly began raining hard. All the travelers hid under the crown of an enormous tree: Only rare drops of the rain could get there.
«My dear companions and new friends,» Laurus said in a calm voice. «Let’s sit down. Many of you are marveling at the metamorphosis of the surroundings. You keep asking yourselves about the sources of these phenomena.»
His wrinkled face betrayed a good-natured man: The deepest lines had to be caused by laughter. His stately body was wrapped in something like a dark, shabby long-sleeved robe. Silver curls framed his face with bright green eyes; surprisingly good teeth and full lips were hidden behind his mustache and beard. You could say that Laurus was handsome, confident, and composed. Everything around him seemed to give him real pleasure.
There was a nice chill and freshness in the air. Ants were running around tirelessly, engaged in some very important and urgent work. The whole world around them was moving, full of joy. The whole world welcomed the rain.
«Close your eyes. Take a deep breath,» Laurus said with deliberation. «Listen to nature.»
Etan could not stop looking at the beautiful, abundant landscape. He did not want to miss the rave of colors around him. However, he paid attention to Laurus’s advice and concentrated his mind on his breath. He felt in harmony. He was merging with nature. It was amazing.
Noumat could not concentrate. A swarm of midges was flying around his face and he couldn’t get comfortable on the hard ground, no matter how hard he tried.
Laurus kept on with his speech: «Everything in the world is connected: The sky, earth, stars, you, and me. Everything is just a thought at the beginning. But this thought is persistent, familiar, a thought of conviction, a thought of truth, your truth. Everything we see around us is this thought, already «ripe’, «begotten’. Poor thoughts build a poor world, thoughts about plenteousness build a world of plenty. But nothing in the world is unwanted. Nothing is wrong. All its parts complement each other. One thought leads to another. We feel each and every thought deep in our bones; each thought is the energy we feel within us. But you already know that. A thought of the terrifying will make your breath quicken, your palms sweat, or it may even turn your hair gray. A long-lasting thought of the horrible will cause ghastly diseases, set the wheels of destruction in motion. And by contrast, a happy thought will bring out the most pleasant emotions, a state of euphoria. Long-lasting happy thoughts will heal your bodies, attract happy events.
Everything around you and you, yourselves, are the ripe thoughts, fit for consumption right here and now, just like a fruit fallen from a tree. The good news is that nothing is static; things change.
Our friends came from the lands where soils are not as fertile as here. But if they choose to turn things around, it can be done. Now open your eyes. It’s time for us to go to the cave for the meeting we all longed for.»
No one wanted Laurus to stop. His speech was soothing, mesmerizing like the sounds of a wondrous instrument. The listeners’ bodies seemed to become as light as feathers, and they felt as if they were soaring.
Everything Laurus had said was bizarre for Pharaon’s friends but the old man seemed to know what he was talking about. Etan and Noumat decided to put themselves in his hands and followed him into the cave. They were growing more and more curious.
They saw an amazing sight. The rain had already stopped. The sun was shining bright, clouds were floating in the sky, constantly altering their peculiar shapes, reminding of a playful cat.
Laurus’s companions, Noumat, and Etan slowly headed towards the highest mountain. They passed by luxuriant growths of vegetation; the soil under their feet was alive with millions of living things running around and bustling, stirred by human footsteps. Finally, they reached a clearing and the mountain appeared before them in all its grandeur.
«My dear friends,» Laurus addressed the travelers, «follow me and have no fear.»
There is no way to describe the beauty of that mountain. Blanketed with broad-leaved trees, it looked soft and cuddly despite its monumental size. As the travelers came closer, they saw a small opening at its foot.
Laurus entered the cave first, followed by the rest of the travelers. He took something out of his pocket and the mysterious object lit up the dark cave.
The travelers went further down and, still not too far from the entrance, found themselves in a spacious cave. The walls were covered with inscriptions but no one could read them. Laurus placed the shining object into the center of the cave and sat down on the floor. The others sat down too.
Then, something unimaginable happened. Laurus closed his eyes, whispering quietly. His head was moving oddly and then froze. As he woke out of trance, he gave the travelers a strange look. Something changed in it.
«What is shining over there?» Noumat whispered into Etan’s ear.
«I have no idea,» Etan said, equally baffled.
«This is a stone that accumulates sunlight and then glows in the dark,» Verum, who was sitting next to Noumat and Etan, said calmly and quietly.
«My word!» Etan and Noumat said in unison, trying not to make too much noise.
«I’ll tell you what. I didn’t even think that learning can be so exciting and enjoyable!» Etan said.
«I know, right? And this is just the beginning!» Noumat said eagerly.
«I am glad to be here with you,» Laurus said in a strange voice. «It is good to see you. I welcome Etan and Noumat who came from far away. I know why you are here. Your land can be fertile too. You will manage to go far since Pharaon possesses the great power which he will discover soon.
He is the chosen one. Take these seeds and young plants and put them into your sands. Have faith, there will be a heavy crop.»
The faces of all the people sitting around Laurus expressed astonishment. His voice died down and there was silence. No one who was there had ever witnessed anything like that.
