The Mountain of the Immortals - Part 4

Evelyn had lost track of time as they meandered through the forest. The more they walked, the more apparent it became that Songhai had no idea where they were going. He was walking in front, confidently holding the reins of Azha (that was the name Songhai had given to the takin), trying to at least appear calm and composed. But it was obvious the boy was getting increasingly more confused as they went. 

Evelyn had kept quiet and gone along with him, not out of great confidence in his ability, but out of necessity. She had already committed to this and didn’t have much else to keep her going. 

She had tried to help, of course. On more than one occasion, she had consulted her compass. The device worked on imagination. Typically, all Evelyn had to do was visualise an object or destination, and the needle would point her in the right direction. It’s how she had gotten to Kantor in the first place. But this close to the mountain, she couldn’t get a clear reading. The needle had started spinning aimlessly some time ago. As far as she could tell, the compass was now useless. 

It was becoming clear to her that her magic was faltering. She wondered how long she had before her language spell failed as well. Not that Songhai was the greatest company right now, but having to gesticulate to get her point across wasn’t high on Evelyn’s list of worthwhile activities. 

Her rational mind refused to believe Songhai’s talk about the “outlander curse”. As far as she was concerned, it was pure nonsense. And yet a part of her wanted to believe him, if only to explain their current situation. But Seekers weren’t tempted by easy explanations, Evelyn had to remind herself. Knowledge isn’t something that comes easily, ever. There is always a price to pay. And right now, she wished she’d spent more time studying forests in the libraries of Sanctum. 

Although she was no expert, she could have sworn there would be more sounds in a first. Birds singing, flies buzzing, critters scurrying across fallen leaves - all of that was absent. The only sound that broke the silence was the crunching of leaves beneath their feet. And even that was quickly smothered by the trees around them. It was as if the forest was trying to conceal any trace of them ever being here. As they walked on, branches shifted behind them, like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey. Evelyin had rarely felt more uncomfortable in her life. 

“Don’t you think we should stop and rest for the evening?” she asked Songhai, as softly as she could. Since they had entered the forest, she had watched him change. Gone was the youthful grin and the bright cheer in his eyes. He had turned solemn almost as quickly as he had agreed to this trip the previous day. She could read the guilt in his furrowed brow. He felt responsible for their situation. He was the guide, after all, and he had let them down. The more Evelyn tried to alleviate his worries, the more he closed in on himself. 

“Not yet,” he snapped. “I prefer to stop where I know the terrain. If we just follow along here for a while longer… I remember there was a small opening in the trees.” 

“Do you really remember this path, Songhai? Or are you hoping you do?” 

“I’ve been here so many times! I know my way around. It’s just–” he didn’t finish the sentence. 

It’s just I’m here with you, Evelyn read through his tone. The “outlander curse”. As absurd as it may have sounded at first, she was starting to think there was something to it.

The forest was getting under her skin and threatening to dig deeper still. What if my training fails me? What if I’m wrong about what’s happening here? She quickly chased the thoughts away. 

Stand firm and endure, she repeated the Seekers' mantra in her mind and tried to focus on the scenery around them. 

“What about that place there?” she asked, pointing through the trees. Under the bright patch of sunlit greenery, Evelyn could just about make out a pile of rocks, a remnant of a time long gone. It could serve as a decent shelter for the night, she thought. 

“Ah, yes!” Soinghai hurried his pace. The trees around them opened to reveal a part of the azure sky above. Proof that they were still in the real world. At the base of the ancient building, a man sat cross-legged on the ground, humming along to some merry tune Evelyn did not recognise. 

Even from a distance, Evelyn could tell the man was of humble origin. His skin tone was much lighter than that of most Yunari she’d met. The blue was almost nonexistent. His once brown robe had faded to a dirty off-white colour. In some places, it was coming apart at the seams and barely covered his ankles. His frazzled hair pointed in all directions. Evelyn couldn’t tell where the hair ended and his beard began.

“Who do you think that is?” Evelyn asked. 

“I don’t know, and maybe we should not find out,” Songhai answered, his stance defensive, clutching at the reins of the takin. 

“We need to ask for directions, and he doesn’t seem like a threat. Let’s see if he can help us.” 

“You do the talking,” Songai said reluctantly. 

Evelyn nodded as she took a deep breath and walked towards the stranger. It didn’t seem like the man paid them any attention. Evelyn wasn’t even sure he had heard or seen them yet. She could now make out more details on his face. His honest, round face carried the scars of time – deep wrinkles marked it. 

“Hello there,” she greeted with the softest tone she could manage. The man raised his head toward them, but didn’t respond. His eyes were completely clouded, milky white. As far as Evelyn could tell, he could see perfectly fine. He examined each of the newcomers. First he looked at her. She she felt uncomfortable, like his gaze was piercing through to her core. Something in his cloudy eyes left an impression on her. He then looked at Songhai and nodded to himself quickly. Ah, yes, his face seemed to say. Finally, his gaze turned to Azha and he greeted her with a toothless, childish grin. He made a clicking sound with his mouth to get the takin’s attention. 

 The animal turned to him and approached, as if by some strange command which Evelyn nor Songhai understood. 

“My name is Evelyn, and this here is my friend Songhai.” The man didn’t acknowledge what she was saying. Or at least he didn’t show it. He was too busy plucking blades of grass and feeding them to Azha. 

“We’re looking for passage to Thalor temple,” Evelyin continued, determined not to let his reaction deter her. “Are we far off? Can you help get us there?” 

No response. The only noise that broke the awkward silence was Azha’s chewing. Evelyn looked at Songhai who shrugged and tilted his head to one side. Let’s go. Evelyn nodded reluctantly and went for Azha’s reins. 

“Giving up so soon?” The man asked. “I expected more of you, seeker.” 

“How do you know about the seekers?” Evelyn started. 

“I know a great many things, seeker Evelyn. But that’s not important right now.” 

“Do you know where Thalor temple is?” Evelyn asked impatiently. There was something off about this whole thing. She didn’t want to stay here a moment longer than she had to. “Will you help us get there?” 

“The question is, can you help yourself, seeker Evelyn. A long journey you have been on, a long journey awaits you still. The mountain beckons you. Will you answer the call?” 

“Have other seekers been here?” Evelyn spat out in a raspy voice.

“Others come, others go. The mountain remains. It has taken you some time, seeker. but you found your way at last. Are you ready to learn?” He looked at her again, as if weighing her with his eyes. “Too soon to tell,” he shook his head. 

“We don’t have time for riddles,” Evelyn felt a strange mix of anxiety and intrigue. But there was also something dangerous in this man’s ramblings. She couldn’t quite put a finger on it. “All we ask for are simple directions to Thalor. Do we go left or right along this path?” 

“Wherever you wish,” the man said, still petting Ahza as she ate. 

“This isn’t getting us anywhere,” Songhai starts to become restless. “Come on, we can find the way on our own.” 

“And where do you want to go, Songhai?” the man tilted his head with a curious smile, one tooth sticking out to the side. “The mountain’s not for you, I’m sure of it. You belong at sea!” He stuck his arm out, his palm facing towards Songhai. 

Evelyn watched as Songhai’s face sladkened, his tense posture softer now, he looked off into the distance with glazed over eyes – as if transporthed to another place. She touched his shoulder, trying to bring him back to the moment. He did not react. 

“What are you doing to him?” she demanded. 

“I’m helping him see,” the man said calmly, still petting Azha with one hand. “As you, seeker Evelyn have already seen.”

“What do you know of what I have already seen?” 

“I know a great many things, Evelyn. And you should know one – the mountain doesn’t show without purpose. The choice has been made.”

“I don’t care for your riddles, old man! Let go of him,” she shouted as she tried desperately to shake Songai out of his stupor. 

The man laughed. It was a sincere laugh, without malice, that soothed Evelyn’s anger. Somehow, she felt more at ease. Somehow, she knew that was wrong. 

“It seems, you have much to learn still, seeker Evelyn,” he said as he raised his hand palm-up towards her. “Let me show you again.” 

Evelyn’s boddy stiffened. She tried to step back, but couldn’t, her feet rooted to the forest floor. Suddenly, all the images from her dream the night before rushed into her head at an impossible speed. 

She saw the storm and the muddled figures therein. She saw the mountain peak, the rainbow lake underneath her as she tumbled towards it. Her body hit the lake again, and this time the impact hurt – like a thousand daggers entering her body from all sides. Evely’s vision blurred and darkened as the pain seeped through to her bones. 

She sank deeper and deeper into the water, and the light above her became a distant afterthought. The water was cold, growing thicker and colder still. It was no longer liquid, no longer water, but… Sky. A dark, glimmering, starry sky. Her body was now hurtling among the stars as they moved in and out of focus. Then came the silhouettes of the ancestors. Colossal and ancient, they stood before her, watching. Their voices echoed in her head. Incoherent whispers stormed her mind. 

And then the pain came. A white-hot spike founds its way through her temples as the stars around her grew brighter. She screamed, or tried to, but no sound came. 

Everything ruptured.

Darkness took her.