Everflame (23 page)

“That’s not how it happened,” interrupted Riverpaw.

“Don’t interrupt,” said the Padre sternly. “Now where was I? Oh, yes. And thusly, they had created man. Yet, something was wrong. The body of man could not interact with the world around it. A body made of fire and wind was terrible to gaze upon and the other creatures of the world fled from man. And rightly so, as man’s very touch would burn and rip their flesh. Even the vegetation of earth could not withstand man’s touch. Everything man came in contact with perished before him. He was a cursed and damned creature, forced into isolation by his very nature. The Ancients had failed in their first combined attempt. Man, as they had created him, was not fit for the earth.

“
So, the Ancients discussed their failure, long and hard, and finally, sadly, they agreed to destroy it. They killed their creation and buried it at the bottom of the deepest chasm they could find, in the deepest abyss, in the deepest sea, to forget about it forever.

“
The Ancients, unable to deal with their failure, tried again to create man. On only their second attempt, they were successful. Earth and water made a much more pleasant exterior. Man was their pride and glory and the world existed harmoniously for quite some time. Unfortunately, there was one thing that the four Ancients had not accounted for, or should I say
someone
they had not accounted for.

“
No one knows when time began and no one knows how many ancient beings there are or how many worlds there are across the scope of existence. But on that day that the four Ancients created man, they forgot to include one specifically important ancient being, quite possibly the most important ancient being of all, Earth.”

“You mean to tell us that the very ground that we walk upon is an ancient being?” asked Ben.

“Sort of,” answered the Padre. “I assume that you know Densa was the Ancient who controlled the element of earth. But if you will, imagine that the trees and rocks and dirt are but the outer covering of the ancient being that
is
the Earth; the core. And it has all the thoughts, feelings and jealousies of any other being. And jealous Earth was. Tenturo, Bahknar, Densa and Chera had done much creating without consideration for Earth. That was their greatest folly.

“
In Earth’s jealousy, it retrieved the body of the fallen creation and again, gave it life. Not only did Earth reanimate the creature, but also bestowed upon it a power only known to Earth itself. Thusly, the Great Tyrant was unleashed upon the world. The four Ancients were no match for the Tyrant’s new power, and subsequently, were forced away. I assume that you know the rest.”

The group was stunned. The Earth itself was an ancient being. How was this possible?

“You’ll have to excuse me, Padre Esteban,” began Ben. “I’m finding this a little difficult to swallow. Do you have any proof to back this story up?”

“I don’t need proof, my boy. That’s the funny thing about truth. Give it enough time and it’ll see its own way through.”

“Our quest is futile then. If we are to believe you,” said Whiteclaw. “If what you are telling us is that the very earth that sustains our life willed the Great Tyrant forward. How can we fight that?
Should
we even fight that?”

“Don’t be so negative,” chided Padre Esteban. “We don’t know what the Earth intended, and we don’t know how the Earth feels now. Sometimes our actions
can be quite like an avalanche, one little action can create an unstoppable force that we never intended. Who’s to say that the Great Tyrant is not just something that got out of control? The Earth could be on our side, for all that we know.”

“So what should we do?” asked Ben.

“Don’t know,” shrugged Esteban. “But I’m sure Tenturo has an idea.”

“So you’ll take us to him?” asked Whiteclaw.

“If one of you can pass the test.”

“Just one of us?”

“Just one.”

“Then let us begin this test, Padre Esteban.” Ben stood up from the table. “I believe we are all eager to know what it is.”

“It’s very simple,” began Esteban. “You are all to go back into the room where you entered my home and wait. I will call you out, one by one, and administer the test.”

“But what will we be doing?” asked Tomas.

“You’ll see,” smiled the squat, little man.

So the group walked into the room in which they had first entered Padre Esteban’s home
, and waited underneath the hole in the roof. Riverpaw was the first to be called out and Padre Esteban led him down the hallway, past the kitchen where they had eaten, into a small room at the far end of the hallway. The room was lit well with candles and there were benches along the wall. Riverpaw and the Padre sat down on the floor, in the middle of the room, facing each other.

“What is this place?” asked Riverpaw.

“Merely where I come to gather my thoughts,” said the Padre. “Now, Riverpaw, I will ask you one question. You will answer it as honestly as you can. That is the test. Are you ready?”

Riverpaw shifted uncomfortably. “Uh. I think so.”

“Who is your leader?”

That’s it?
thought Riverpaw. It seemed like such a simple question. There must be more to it. However, maybe that was the trick.
Don’t overthink
, he said to himself,
just be honest.

“My father, Whiteclaw.”

“Good. Thank you. Please go into the kitchen and wait for the others.”

“Did I pass?”

“I will reveal that after all of the answers.”

Riverpaw made his way to the kitchen and Padre Esteban retrieved Tomas from the room.

“Well, honestly. I think Evercloud is probably the leader,” began Tomas. “I mean, he’s the reason why my brother and I are on a quest with a couple of bears. He’s sort of the bridge.”

“Thank you. Please go into the kitchen and wait for the others.”

Then it was Ben’s turn.

“I don’t mean to sound conceited, but I’m the leader. We wouldn’t be trekking through this desert if it weren’t for my actions. My brother is the only other one who knows the desert and I am the elder. So, yes, I would have to say that I am the leader.”

Next came Whiteclaw and the answer was quick.

“I follow the King of Gray Mountain, Eveneye.”

“Thank you,” said Esteban.

Finally, it was Evercloud’s turn. As he followed the Padre down the hall, he looked into the kitchen and saw the others. Riverpaw shrugged at him, signaling that they yet knew nothing. Evercloud swa
llowed hard and continued to walk.

“Who is your leader?”

The first thing Evercloud thought to say was Whiteclaw.
That’s too simple,
he thought.
There must be a trick, a deeper meaning to the question. Maybe the answer is the Ancients. No, anyone would say that. It must be specific to our group so that no one could cheat.
Whiteclaw was the strongest and eldest, but Ben and Tomas knew the desert. They wouldn’t have gotten this far without them. However, the party never would have met them if it weren’t for Evercloud.
Could I be the answer?
he wondered.
To be fair, Riverpaw had done his share as well. Hadn’t it been his idea and action that had dealt the final blow to the giant crab, ultimately opening the hole to Padre Esteban. It could be any of us, really,
he realized.

“I need an answer, Evercloud.”

I hope one of the others gave the right answer
. Evercloud grimaced and sighed.

“Well,” he began. “I guess if I’m being forced to name a leader…I would have to say…Whiteclaw…and Riverpaw, and Ben, and Tomas, and also myself…is that all right to answer the question that way?”

“It is your answer, Evercloud. You may give it in whatever way you like. Now, let us join the others.”

Padre Esteban and Evercloud made their way into the kitchen and joined the group. Once again, everyone sat around the table. All eyes were on the Padre now, waiting expectant
ly for the results of the test.

“I received some interesting answers to my question,” began the Padre. “Very interesting indeed. None of which were ultimately wrong,” he paused and the expectant eyes around him began to twinkle with hope, “and none of which were ultimately correct.” The twinkle left the eyes of the travelers and they began to hang their heads, unable to believe that they had all failed. “However, for the purposes of this specific test, one of you gave an acceptable answer.”

“You mean we passed?” said Evercloud brightly.

“Yes, you passed the test.”

The group jumped from their seats and began to celebrate, throwing their arms into the air and congratulating each other. Riverpaw grabbed Evercloud in his arms and rubbed his shaved head like a proud older brother.

“Wait,” said Tomas, “who was it? Who gave the right answer?”

Padre Esteban looked around at all of them. “Do you all wish to know who it was?” The group nodded collectively. “Evercloud. It was Evercloud who gave the acceptable answer.”

The group turned to Evercloud and began to cheer him. He couldn’t believe that his answer had been right, or acceptable, as Padre Esteban had put it.

“What answer did you give?” asked Riverpaw.

“I-I said all of us. All five of us.”

“Well done, Evercloud,” beamed Whiteclaw.

The travelers continued to praise Evercloud and celebrate their victory, when the Padre interrupted.

“So, I expect that you would like to be on your way then? Or would you like to rest here a while?”

“On our way?” asked Ben absently.

“To see Tenturo,” added Esteban. The group’s eyes widened as they remembered what prize they had won. They gathered themselves and answered yes, enthusiastically. “Then follow me.”

Esteban led them back into the room with the hole in the roof.

“We should fix the hole before we leave,” said Whiteclaw, gesturing toward the roof.

“What hole?” asked Padre Esteban. The group, confused, turned their gaze up to where the hole in the roof had been
, just a second before, and found that it was gone. They looked back at the Padre with a new reverence. “Well, don’t look at me like that,” said the Padre. “I’m not the one seeing holes that don’t exist.” The Padre shook his head and walked over to the mural on the wall in which Tenturo was being chased by the black beasts. He then took, from around his neck, a chain that had a small, white stone hanging from it and pressed the stone against the mural. All at once, the mural seemed to melt away from the wall and a passageway opened up. “Follow this passage and it will lead you to Tenturo.”

The group thanked Padre Esteban and moved their way into the dark passageway. Evercloud was the last to enter the passageway and before he did, he stopp
ed to ask the Padre a question.

“Padre, you said my answer was acceptable, but not ultimately correct. What did you mean?”

“My boy, your answer was acceptable because it mirrored the sentiment of the true answer. The truth is that every creature in this world leads itself. Or should I say, every creature in this world
should
lead itself. Remember that, Evercloud.”

“Thank you, Padre.”

And with that, Evercloud disappeared into the darkness.

WATER

Chapter 21: Between the Earth and the Sky

There was absolutely no light inside of the passageway, so travel was slow. It proved especially difficult for Whiteclaw. He had not yet become adept at navigating with only one eye. The small, dark space he was in made the weakness glaring. He found himself bumping into the wall of the passageway. On one occasion, he stumbled to the floor. Evercloud had been walking behind Whiteclaw and moved in front of him as the bear picked himself back up.

“Follow my lead, Uncle.”

Evercloud stayed directly in front of the bear as they continued down the passageway, walking close enough that Whiteclaw could sense him.

“Thank you, Evercloud. I guess I haven’t gotten my bearings back just yet.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle, you will. The darkness makes it difficult for even those of us with both eyes. Once we get back into the light, everything will be better.”

“I’ve always admired your optimism. It’s a good thing to have on these long journeys.”

“Well, I’ll take what I can, I suppose.”

“You know, Evercloud, sometimes we bears don’t always say the things we are thinking, even if we have thought it many times before. Sadly, it’s usually the good things that are left unsaid. I’m saying this now because I want you to know that you have succeeded. Whether by the standards of man or by the standards of bear, you have become a good person. You are just and kind and brave and you should be proud of that. I am proud of you…and if your father could see you now, I know that he would be too. I just want you to know that.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”