Friday, January 25, 2008

Chapter 28: Unexplainable Trust

~ "Väinämöinen?" asked Jaden.

"Yes, young one?"

"What exactly do you mean when you say to look beyond the senses?" he asked.

"I don't mean anything exactly when I say that."

Jaden thought about that for a long minute.

"Do you mean that you didn't mean anything by saying it or that it isn't something exact?" he asked.

"Which do you think?" responded Väinämöinen.

"The latter."

"Then you are correct."

Jaden thought that over.

"How does one touch what is beyond the senses Väinämöinen?"

"That is not something that I am able to tell you."

"Is it something that I have to discover for myself?" Jaden made air quotes around the last three words, even though no one could see him do it.

"Yes it is, young one. Close your eyes." Jaden stared at the glowing ball that indicated to him where Väinämöinen was. He must be insane.

"If I close my eyes, I'll lose him and never find my way out of these woods. Fat chance!" his mind scoffed at the wizard. He closed his eyes. He immediately stumbled into a tree branch, scraping his neck painfully.

"Reach out with your spirit, young one," Väinämöinen whispered into his ear. "Follow what you feel."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" he thought. And then he did it. He felt something. It was not definite. He thought that he was probably imagining it. A faint warmth. The diffuse glow of an aura. He moved towards it.

"Very good, young one," murmured Väinämöinen from far off to his right. He continued to walk towards the aura. Without expressly meaning to do it, he stepped to the side, around an obstacle. He reached out a hand as he passed and felt rough bark. He allowed his mind to drift, concentrated on nothing. His body seemed to move of its own accord. With his mind Jaden reached out and touched that which surrounded him. The forest, wild. Andrew, stable. Takyle, constrained passion. Väinämöinen, a closed and mysterious energy.

The wizard's voice broke in, tugging at him.

"We have reached our destination, young one."

With reluctance, Jaden slipped back into his own body, and opened his eyes. For a moment he blinked, once again blind in the darkness. He took a step forward, disappointed by the heaviness of his own limbs, once more bound to flesh and blood. ~

No comments: