The Andurin

Teng P.O.V.

“There is one God, there is one truth. There is no fear, within you there is peace. Life of all lives, shroud me with your presence, lift me up with your hand. Reveal my destiny and let me see. God of Zur hear my plea!”

As I repeated the psalm within me and meditated on the twelve decrees I felt empowered.

Slowly but surely I feel the energies inside of me and around me vibrate. I could feel more.

Hours passed.

Repeating the psalms, I entered a state of single focus.

I am a simple man and cannot word things like others, but I can feel them.

I think this is what this new word used by Ikrei called intuition means.

I kept repeating the meditation cycle including the twelve decrees.

Hours passed again.

In a moment I felt a surge of energy inside of me and around me. I sensed a sudden increase of power of some kind. I felt my fingers and my body tingling all over but at the same time they were not. The entire process is strange.

I could feel the passage of time and then I could not.

“What is happening?”

The Argon of Zur says nothing of such things happening. Maybe Ikrei’s concoction with drops of orgon is a step too far.

Hours passed once more.

Within my daze, I saw light, immense pure bright light then darkness and the light being swallowed by the darkness.

Then through the darkness, surging again the light pierced the darkness like a sword.

Screams, people screaming, thousands upon thousands of people filled with agony, pain, suffering.

Then nothing. Just Silence like in a black hole yet not a black hole. Like a sandy white beach yet not a sandy white beach. Both things are and then they are not.

I don’t understand.

All I could feel is the absence of anything but me. Silence absolute silence.

I refocused and used the psalms again. Blocking all other thoughts.

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

I repeated this over and over until I felt calm wash over me like a river.

Screams, even more screams like in the vision.

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

Screams, they feel closer, like they are outside of me.

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

Screams, it felt like a single soul crashing down.

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

Screams, I can feel it, the pain, somehow the pain is connected to me. This is definitively not part of the standard ritual.

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

Screams, I push through the pain and recite the twelve decrees and the psalm at the same time. The feeling of extreme perspiration envelops me.

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

Screams, it takes everything within me to keep focus as my mind is rapt in the scriptures. Endure! Once more!

“God of Zur hear my plea, reveal my destiny and let me see.”

“ERIEL!” A word resounds within me and in the cave.

A surge of light comes from inside my mind and spreads all over me. I can see it even though my eyes are closed.

I feel weightless yet powerful, alive yet almost dead.

I can feel all the energy gathering in my mind. I see a sword of light shoot out upwards out of the cave and towards the sky. Through the rocks and unto the heavens but it doesn’t destroy or break the rocks.

I cannot explain it but I feel it. No, I know it.

I have awakened.

I opened my eyes and just breathed out.

My hands felt tingly, full of life. I am stronger, somehow I know that is the truth.

I took a look around and I noticed Ikrei’s body lying on the floor, unmoving.

I sprang up so fast from where I was that I could not tell when I had embraced my friend’s body. Checking for signs of his state.

I don’t know much about healing arts, but I could tell he was breathing, his face wasn’t blue or had blue veins. Color seemed normal. There was blood, it was on the floor and over his clothes, his mouth was bloodstained.

“What do I do?”

“Think you gorgon dong, think!”

I searched the haversack to get the orgonid charge we had brought. I had heard from the merchant that this one was peculiar. That is why it was so expensive. Unless it hit something really hard it wouldn’t blow.

Leaving my friend behind, I ran up to the top corner of the fallen rocks that had sealed the entrance. I placed the orgonid charge in that corner, then made my way back to one of the haversacks and my friend.

I strapped the haversack firmly to my back and grabbed a rock nearby. I was going to force open a hole in the rocks by throwing it straight at the explosive orgonid. I had to get ready to make a speed run through the forest down a mountain while evading beasts and a very angry bear.

“Crazy absolutely crazy!”

“I have awakened; I can do this!” I reminded myself putting dark ideas behind.

Double checking everything, I had the haversack, our two blades on my belt and my friend in my arms.

“Let’s see what it is to be blessed by God.”

I concentrated on the nearby rock I had chosen and kicked it directly to where the orgonid charge was.

BOOOM!

A perfect strike!

“Guess your senses do work differently don’t they?!” I yelled delighted.

A portion of the sealing rocks were blown apart and a hole just wide enough for us to squeeze through appeared.

With no other thought, I ran up the rocks and through the hole. I felt like I could carry three more haversacks.

“This is good, let’s make a run for it brother.” I worded some comfort to the unconscious Ikrei.

I ran down the mountain as fast as I could without losing my feet. A few shadow wolves saw me but they never approached me.

“At this pace I can make it.”

Coming down from the mountain took three hours instead of a full hike. The awakened truly live unique lives. Human yet no longer human, as the people say.

I saw the road we had taken to the foot of the mountain and sprinted to it.

Before I knew what was happening I was sent flying to one side just as I reached the road.

I barely managed to somewhat cradle Ikrei from the impact but we were both bleeding from the sudden collision.

We crashed unto the forest road.

GRAAAAWL!!!!

I knew it without needing to see. The musky beast was hunting.

We were the prey.

I had known that this could happen but I had to try and safe my friend.

“I don’t have the strength to fight this thing.” I thought frantically.

“That is unless I do another absolutely crazy thing.” I muttered as I looked at Ikrei.

He was sprawled on the ground a few cubits away covered in blood.

“In blood?” I thought again, but then so was I.

I need to make an oath, an oath to survive. An oath to save my friend and I. If I don’t Ikrei is certainly going to die.

“Should I runaway?”

“No, no I cannot. I will be a hero!” a shouted within me.

I stood up, from my belt the orgonid blades were drawn and I pointed them at the musky bear.

Every Awakened can make one oath during his or her lifetime. Also, the common people can make an oath to become awakened. This is common knowledge in the continents and beyond.

The difference in the power between an unawakened and an awakened oath is like a massive gulf that cannot be crossed.

One that is untrained in the ancient arts believes in the spiritual realm and the synergy of life. The one that has attained a core, that is, the energy that flows through the body from the connection of the spirit and mind and existence, knows these things.

Believing and knowing are vastly different things.

An awakened oath is unbreakable, if there is fate then this oath is a seal on that lifetime’s fate.

I knew these things from the tales of the common tongue among the people. Tales of destined heroes throughout the ages. I have always wanted to be like them.

This was, is and forever will be, my choice.

I recited the legendary oath of the prince of Zur when Luz was founded just like it is written in the Argon and in the psalms.

“As gold tried in fire fourteen times, grant me light that I may be your blade. For Zur, I swear.” I shouted as I charged at the bear with everything I had.

“ZUUURAAA”