Age of Endeavors Part 2 By: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: All characters in this story are fictional. They are my creation and intellectual property. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely a coincidence. They are not many to resemble anyone else's characters. This piece contains underaged characters. Some details have been fictionalized for simplicity sakes. You have been warned.
“Journey and you will find replacements
to the ones you left behind.”
-Arabic Proverb.
The vast sands await the wandering soul. A sea of streaming dreams carried by winds rolling in from the seaside. If one is fortunate enough they might even catch the scent of salt in the air. The sun burns overhead, blazing its eternal gaze onto the desert below. Naught but the clay of the earth as far as the eyes could see. Miraj gazed forward, placing his paw over his eyes to see the ever eternal landscape that was the Arabian desert.
The pooka looked back and saw that Najwa was approaching him. The fennec held in her paws a small black cloth with golden stitching. The symbol of the oracle emblazoned on the front of the folded fabric. She held it out with him with open paws, offering for him to take it. The teen padded back towards her and slowly took the cloth from her hands. Underneath was a small leather canteen made of leather.
“You will surely need these things for your journey. The nearest oasis is many leagues away. You will also need a bag to carry your weapon.” She unfastened her belt and handed it to him.
The bunny took it eagerly and knelt. “Thank you milady. I will not fail you.”
“Make haste! Time is of the essence. The leaves have only a short time to live after being plucked.” She pointed into the beyond with no particular direction in mind.
Miraj nodded and fastened the belt around his shoulder, angling it diagonally. It had a single loop which was used to hold up his mace. He hoisted his mace and picked up the shield before fastening the weapon over his back and allowing it to settle just above his neckline. The shield's strap was elastic and easily slide over the weapon as if it were a backpack. The pooka went over to one of the flowing streams and filled his canteen with water. He stood up and felt as if he were ready for his journey.
He began to tread towards the end of the ziggurat. Looking back he made one last wave back at Najwa who returned the gesture. Now it was time to leave. Miraj ventured down the stairs that led down the back of the structure. It was much more imposing descending the building than it was ascending it. Eventually, he was able to make it to ground level. His ears popped as it adjusted to the change in air pressure.
The sand picked up around him as he wrapped the fabric around his face, covering himself in the traditional litham fashion. Now he was protected from sand and dust should the wind pick up again as it had done earlier. He began walking away from the Ziggurat with no destination in mind. Miraj had no idea where he was going and figured it was best to just figure it out as he went along. The warmth of the environment was overbearing and he tried to make do without overexerting himself.
After all, he had grown up in the environment, so he was rather used to dealing with it. Miraj continued to tread into the distance, hoping that eventually, he'd find some signs of the oasis in which he had been tasked to find. The pooka figured that if he listened hard enough, maybe he could hear water running. What he didn't realize was that Oasis water usually was stagnant. Still, it was the basis of a plan and one in which he acted.
Sometime later, Miraj looked back and realized he had covered some distance. The gardens could no longer be seen as easily in the distance. Sure, it's figure could be seen to some degree but it was just a black frame of its former self. Those who were familiar with it might think of it to be something else entirely. The wind was picking up now and the rabbit had to cover his face more entirely to make sure he didn't get sand burn.
The bunny decided to take a short break and knelt down on the sand. It shifted around him as it cascaded along with the wind. Looking around it didn't appear like there was much around except for an occasional cactus and the shaded figure of the gardens at his rear. He took a swig from his canteen and considered throwing some water on himself to cool off but decided to save the water for later. He hoped to find the oasis sooner rather than later so he could take a nice dip in the pond that awaited him.
As he was taking a load off, he could have sworn some of the earthen soil around him began to shift. Surely it was the sand moving along with the wind, he thought to himself. He allowed himself to arch himself backward and sprawled out in the desert, despite how hot it was. Soon he felt a slight trembling beneath him. It was not a phenomenon he had experienced before and it roused him from his restful state rather abruptly.
Miraj looked around him, suspecting some sort of mischief. Only the sound of the wind could be heard as he gazed back and forward expecting an attack. A moment later a mound of the earth began to coil around him. The bulge in the dirt was rather obvious as the pooka quickly moved from within it and watched as it tried to coil around his former position. The lump soon dissipated and the rabbit didn't make a single movement, expecting whatever it was to go away.
The only disturbance in the ground was evident was the sand that had shifted around. Eventually, the wind resettled it down in its proper place. The pooka wondered what it could have been. He began walking once again and shrugged it off as nothing. Suddenly the ground began to rumble once again. This time much more aggressively than the last so much that it caused the rabbit to lose his balance and Miraj fell flat on his bottom.
The Pooka looked around now expecting the worse. Soon the bulges in the ground reappeared around him. It was close enough to him that started to physically raise his form off the ground. Miraj knew that couldn't be good and rolled away allowing himself to ball up and tumble away from the spot where the eruption was arising. The rumbling was now audible enough to actually hear from where he was sitting.
The sandy soil erupted before long. It exploded with an explosion of dirt and dust that spilled out from the sides. Miraj covered his eyes to protect himself from the clay that spewed around him. Soon a roar was heard and once the Pooka removed his makeshift paw visor, he could now make out just what it was. Sure enough, a large sandworm peered at him with crimson eyes that glistened against the sun.
Its body was scaly and brown much like the earthen crust below it. It's scales spiked out from its serpentine body. It rose far above Miraj's point of vision as the rabbit looked up at it in awe. He had heard of the beasts in legend but thought them to be a myth. The Pooka unsheathed his mace and shield and prepared himself for what he assumed would be a battle. The worm grumbled, making a rather pathetic attempt at a roar.
The monster lurched forward at Miraj, opening its large jaws as if intent on making the rabbit a snack. The rabbit easily bounced back as it's mouth bit into the dirt. Recoiling backward the snake spat out some of the dirt it had ingested and hissing a bit at its own failure. It didn't deter the beast as it snapped out once again. The pooka brandishing forward his shield, holding it with all his might against the brute force of the creature.
Miraj buckled it forward in an effort to stun it, the beast didn't budge even a single bit as it's razor-like fangs closed in around the small shield. For a moment the Pooka thought the defensive equipment might buckle but it seemed to be holding up well enough. Miraj let go of the shield and hopped forward over it. The rabbit staggered a bit and fell flat on his belly as the fiend reared it's head forward, still trying to break the shield.
The bunny lifted his mace and tried to regain his balance. It was difficult to maintain himself since the beast's head wasn't exactly flat but the Pooka was able to ground himself a bit. He cleaved down his mace in a single fell swipe. The spikes of the ball on the top of the mace breaking into the skin of the critters head. The sandworm letting out a groan as its head slumped to the floor, spitting out Miraj's shield on the floor, laying their lifeless for a moment.
The Pooka knew it couldn't have been a fatal blow and quickly dismounted from the head of the creature. Grabbing his shield, he wiped it on the sand below and looked back at the field he had just felled. Its eyes were still wide opened but had a starry look to them as if it were dazed. Miraj wondered if he should finish it off but decided to just leave it be. Reholstering his mace and shield, he made his way ever onward towards his destination.
He still had no idea where he was going. All he knew is that he needed to get away from the sandworm so that when it awoke it would not attack him once again. He continued to walk in the opposite direction of it. After walking a while Miraj looked back to see if he could see it. Sure enough, the thing was gone, though he wasn't sure if it had recovered or if he had walked out of range to see it. It wasn't something he was going to ponder long.
The Pooka continued to walk, glad that the wind had died down. He uncovered his face and allowed what breeze there was to cool him down. He grabbed his canteen and took a swig of water from it while continuing to tread forward. Once he finished and put it away, he looked forward and could swear he saw a figure in the distance. He wasn't sure what it could be but thought it to be promising enough to be worth an investigation.
As he walked in the direction of the silhouette, it became more distinguishable. It didn't seem overly large and seemed to be more squarish in shape until he got close enough to it to make it out. It seemed to be moving adjacent to his own position. Miraj had to walk at an angle in an attempt to make sure it didn't outdistance him. He was walking much quicker than he had throughout his journey so far. Eventually, he could make out that it seemed to be a caravan of some sorts.
The group seemed to have stopped for now which allowed Miraj to close in the distance a little bit. As he got closer he could make out two camels and a single guide. Each of the beasts was carrying a howdah, which was nothing more than a wooden platform with a bed of supplies under a tented fabric. At the front of the camels was a pitch-black scorpion holding the reins of the animals, who currently seemed to be at rest after the long squall.
Miraj wasn't used to approaching strangers but today was different. He was lost and had no idea where he was going. Slowly he approached the bug, who looked over at him amongst the opening in its kaffiyeh. The bug reached for its side, Miraj stopping short thinking it to be going for its weapon.
“Assalamu alaikum, please hold your weapon.” The rabbit held out his arms to show he was not holding his own weapon.
(Peace be with you.)
The scorpion halted and left its arms to its sides. Its tail was still raised defensively. “Masa Alkhayr
.”
(Good Afternoon.)
The Pooka made a slow approach as to cause not any reason for alarm. He continued to hold his arms out but slowly dropped them to his sides.
Eventually, Miraj was close enough to make out the being's full getup. It was wearing a tan kaftan with its feet wrapped inside of sandals. Its entire body was clothed and only its tail and parts of its face were visible.
“I am Miraj, a traveler from Persia. I'm a bit lost. Do you know where we are?” The rabbit scratched his head, showing he was a tad confused.
The scorpion finally relaxed it's tail. “Well, yes. I am a Merchant from Egypt. I travel to these lands often. What are you looking for?”
“I am looking for an Oasis. I must collect some leaves.” The pooka shrugged in uncertainty.
The bug hummed for a second. “I see. Well, there isn't one far from here. Do you have a compass?”
“No, I don't. Do you have one I can purchase?” Miraj sighed dejectedly.
The critter reached behind him into a sack on the side of one of the camels pulling out a small compass. “Here. No charge. Just promise you will pay it forward. You can find an Oasis to the Southwest of here.”
“Most certainly. Thank you. From where do you hail, traveler?” The bunny reached and delicately took the compass from the scorpion.
The scorpion bowed. “I am called Ta-Nehisi, but you may call me Tah and I hail from the Kingdom of Egypt and you are?”
“I am Miraj, nice to meet you. Thank you for your assistance.”Masalama.”
(Goodbye)
The scorpion windmilled it's left arm. “Fi aman Kephri”
(Go with Kephri's protection.)
Miraj rewrapped his face once again before beginning to walk away from the scorpion. When he looked back, expecting to see the arachnid walking away he was gone. The pooka blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, figuring some trick was being played on him. He held up the compass in his paw, the little arrow jilted a little bit as he moved his hand. The wooden material gave off a strange aura of luminescing as he held it.
The rabbit turned it around in his paw to further examine it. On the rear was the well-known insignia of Kephri, the same god who had just been mentioned only moments ago. Had Miraj been visited by a messenger of the deity? He couldn’t be sure but the idea resonated in his mind as he shuffled the little compass back to an upright position. He decided to let the issue be and began walking to the southwest as indicated by the arrow on the mechanism in his paw.
Before long he passed into an area that was ripe in desert vegetation. There was the occasional sprouting of sprigs of grass underneath. Saguaro trees were visible and each of them bent over just a little bit as if they were keeping an eye on the foliage below. The Pooka walked through the somewhat grassy area. The foliage was tall enough that it almost brushed against the top of his boots. Miraj continued to walk forward in the same direction.
Eventually, he could see the reflection of the sun on what seemed to be water. His face brimmed with happiness. The pooka relished inside thinking the first part of his journey was over. He began to run towards it, unhindered by the more bulky portions of his travel garments. Soon he was close enough to see it. The water in front of him was still and without a single ripple on its surface. In the center of it, a single sproutling ejected from the water.
Miraj began to look around searching for the so-called leaves that he needed to collect. Each tree that he spotted didn’t exactly have any evident brush on its branches. He looked ahead again in front of him seeing the juvenile plant before him. It’s single branch leaned over as if it were drinking from the very body of water it was entrenched inside. The rabbit squinted a bit and could have thought he saw the resemblance of a leaf towards its tip.
The rabbit sat down immediately and began to take his shoes and socks off. His paws were rather sore from being stuck inside the footwear all day, so he gave them a quick rub when his sock-clad feet were free. Before long he was barefoot and rolled up the bottom of his trousers so that they hung against the thickest part of his knee. He stood up once again after stashing his boots and socks to the side.
Slowly he began to walk in the water. The small pond was warm to be sure. The water rippled around him as he made deliberate strides towards the tiny plant at its center. It wasn’t a far distance and within seconds he was within arm’s reach of the sproutling. Miraj looked the small thing over. Despite being small, it was full of vibrant green color. He could even make out the veins of the leaves which were quite evident on its surface.
Miraj reached out to touch it. The moment he did, it’s green hue seemed to grow even darker, turning to a darker tone of its formerly bright color. The rabbit allowed it to dangle in his paw. It had a strange cold feeling to it despite being surrounded by utter warmth but the longer he held onto it the warmer it got. A few seconds passed by and he finally worked up the stomach to pluck the thing from its tiny vine-like base.
A moment later and the green sapling withered away into the water. The leaf in the Pooka’s paw became so incredibly hot that he had to drop it. The little leaf cascaded back and forth before landing on the surface of the water. The spot where it landed began to pulsate and small ripples appeared on the formerly quiet water surface. Miraj began to back away slowly towards the shore out of fear that some fell magic had been triggered.
Once he tried moving, he found his paw had been tangled in the murky water below. No matter how much he struggled something was keeping him from budging too far. The Pooka started to panic and write in the water. He considered grabbing his weapon but didn’t think it was the best choice for freeing himself in this situation. Soon his whole body shifted, the ground beneath him trembled and quaked.
Looking below at the water, proved it to be the same green hue as the leaf at its center. The ripples surrounding it maintaining the same shape as the fallen foliage. A shadow was now evident within the confines of the water. Miraj could feel his body moving despite still not having the ability to free himself. A few seconds later, he could see his soggy paws emerge from the water. His feet completely shackled by bright vines.
The plantlike rope kept its tight grip around him as it wriggled in place, it’s snaring opening on one of its ends opening before consuming the leaf very near Miraj’s own feet. The bunny watched in terror as the floor beneath him emerged from the water and gave rise to something else entirely. Little did he know that a creature had awakened beneath him. Once the rumbling settled, the unknown entity let out a muffled groan.
Miraj tried to loosen himself again, now afraid that the creature was sure to snatch him away. This time he bent over and tried to muscle his way through the vine. Finally, the thing gave way and the rabbit tumbled down the curved back of the critter. His body rolled down and the creature reared its head, causing the Pooka to roll even more aggressively. Eventually, the teen reached the end of its back and careened onto the floor below.
The bunny took a moment to recover from a moment of being stunned. He slowly reared up so that he was sitting upright. His vision was blurry but returned to normal before long. When it did, Miraj couldn’t help but gasp. In front of him was a giant green scarab battle. The things mandibles clearly on display as it dark brown eyes gazed down on him with an unhinged gaze. Each time it breathed some water escaped from its mouth.
The insect appeared to be riddled with moss and its entire body was covered with vines similar to the ones that had confined Miraj only moments ago.
“Ch-Ch-Chah.” The bug's mouth seemed to try to utter something but Miraj struggled to understand it.
A moment later a deep voice beckoned in his mind. “Greetings Mortal. Why have you disturbed me?”
The rabbit looked around expecting some other being speaking to him but the area around him was completely barren of life other than himself and the giant beetle.
“Chah! Speak Mortal!” The insect's mouth opened wide revealing tibial teeth scattered throughout its orifice. As it breathed, Miraj had to turn his head for the smell of its breath was quite strong as if it had ingested a great deal of flora over its life.
Miraj hesitated before finally speaking. “I have come for the leaf of life. My travels have brought me to this place.”
“Chu…chu…I see and you thought my precious was this leaf you seek?” The beetle's eyes glowed red and were bloodshot with anger.
The rabbit backed away slowly but before he could get away, the insect almost stomped right on him. The sudden step caused the floor surrounding it to tremble. Some water slipped from the thing's mouth, making it resemble a slobbering dog.
“Csss….Answer me now.” The scarab angled its head so that the tip of its angled jaw was directly in front of the crestfallen Pooka.
Miraj cleared his throat. “Yes. There were no other leaves around or so it appeared.”
“Hmph! Your eyes lie to you. You know not what you seek.” The beetled stepped back for a second and raised its head.
A moment later it closed its eyes and began to make a buzzing sound. The forest of vines on its back came to life. Coiling and snaking around its body seeming to be under the control of the mystical being. The serpent-like beings soon dug into the ground. Miraj watched as the ground around him rumbled. The dusty landscape of the oasis grew unsettled as it shook. Before long little sprigs of grass appeared and made the area even lusher.
Another few seconds passed and the formerly bowing trees stood upright. Their bodies took new life as if they had been infused with the water of the gods. Some buds popped up in various places before sprouting and revealing pink and white flowers all over them. The formerly sparsely populated area was now flourishing with life. Miraj’s mouth stood agape as he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Rubbing his eyes proved that he was not dreaming.
The scarab stopped buzzing before long. Its eyes opened back up, now spiraling in color before settling back on their crimson red hue. The vines on its back began to recoil to their former position and fell dormant once again. The two shared a moment of awkward silence before it was broken.
“Well? What do you have to say, Pooka?” The insect approached Miraj once again though maintained more of a distance this time.
Miraj gawk grew even larger at the creature’s premonition. “I’m sorry?…”
“And…chh…” Its eye’s red color seemed to dissipate back into a less aggressive brown color.
The rabbit semi got up in order to kneel. “I beg forgiveness…”
“And….CH!” The thing seemed to be shining light from it’s figure now.
The Pooka opened its paw to reveal the compass. “I humbly offer this trinket as a token of my failure.”
The beetle's eyes grew wide when it saw the little mechanism in the rabbit's hands. Gently the scarab lurched forward and snatched the thing with its mandibles. Miraj couldn’t help but flinch but the creature didn’t even pinch him.
The Pooka watched as the critter reared its head. The little compass was thrown into the air. Within seconds the beast consumed the compass and its light only grew even further. The brightness emanating from it was blinding enough that Miraj had to shield his eyes. An immense warmth pulsated through the area, already warm enough from the beating sun above. The flash didn’t last long as perceptual darkness followed soon after.
When Miraj returned his gaze forward, the beetle was no longer the same. The thing was now standing on two upright hand legs. Spurs and pointed spikes dominated its limbs as the vines had rescinded to block its nether regions. Its torso was clearly visible with a black exoskeleton that shone against the son. Looking up, the thing's head very much resembled a smaller version of the upper portion of the beetle complete with horn and mandibles.
“I shall accept this trophy as your penance. Thank you for releasing me from my mortal chains.” With those words uttered another flash of blinding light emanated from the being.
Miraj was blinded for a moment before recovering. Fortunately, the light didn’t seem to cause him any harm. When the ordeal was over, the Pooka sat there dumbfounded for a moment. He wasn’t too sure what had just happened. It had seemed he had been visited by the Beetle god himself. Looking around the environment seemed to have returned to normal. The lake in the center of the oasis seeming just as settled and unbothered as moments before.
The teen opened his paws and found a black leaf. The insignia of Kephri emblazoned on it by the vines that coursed through its body. A strange heat emanated from the thin leaf in his hands. Miraj stuck the thing in his satchel and wondered if it would be enough for the task he had been afforded. He saw no other leaves around and figured this would have to do. So the Pooka got back his socks and shoes before dousing his face in the water to refresh himself.
Miraj thought a second about which way he should go. He no longer had the compass and couldn’t be certain about his return home. Instead, he decided to camp here for the night since at least the oasis wasn’t quite as harsh as the rest of the desert. He reached into his bag for the pop-up tent he had brought with him. Assembling it was an easy task. All he had to do was assemble the frame and then attach the fabric over top. It took only a mere minute to assemble.
Once he had done the sun was beginning to set and the temperature was beginning to drop. Miraj began to gather some of the shrubberies and collected them near his campsite in order to create a fire. After all, it got rather cold at night and he also wanted to guard against wayward animals that might otherwise wander into his area. The Pooka again searched through his things for a belonging. He had fortunately brought enough supplies for the trip and fished out the grilled Halloumi he had made for the journey.
He pulled a small stick and fixated his meal over the flame while waiting for it to warm up. Miraj looked over at the small pond in the oasis and crawled over it in order to fill his canteen with water. He dropped it inside before fetching it out. The rabbit pulled back and put the thing over the open fire for a while in order to boil it and kill whatever bacteria festered inside. He could smell the aroma of his meal and grabbed it from his makeshift kabob.
Miraj wasted no time in eating the food. It wasn’t much but it hit the spot while curing the rumbling in his stomach he’d been experiencing for a while. He fetched his water and sipped on it a bit before taking some of the nearby shrubs in order to create himself a more cushioned surface to sleep on. His body was tired and achy from the long walk. Once again he kicked off his shoes laying flat on his back looking into the star.
The largest spot in the sky twinkling at him. Several others followed in suit and as Miraj followed the pattern he didn’t see any particular rhyme to it. His thoughts were still racing from his encounter but eventually stargazing caused him to doze. His mind wandered and he started to yawn. Sleep overtook him and the young Pooka took to sleep, eager for another day of adventure. Ready to return home and report his success to Najwa.
