12,234.. 12,235.. 12,236.. 12,237.. N-85 was lost in thought, reminiscing about their conversation with Aiōn, when the sounds of huge flocks of birds made them look up. They had been walking for quite some time through a quiet prairie filled with waist tall green grass and colorful wildflowers of all shapes and sizes. The smell was overpowering. Every breath was better than the last. It was warm in the middle of the grassy plain. It wasn’t hot - just noticeably warmer than it had been in the forest with Aiōn. Slowly, they gazed about trying to discern where the cacophony of birds were coming from. Then they spotted it. On the horizon was a massive solitary tree.  “That must be where the birds are,” they mused out loud. Then there was a booming peel of thunder behind them and they spun around. Dark and brooding storm clouds stretched so far into the sky they could hardly see the tops. From the storm-front emanated a near-constant barrage of lightning. “Well, that looks terrible. Perhaps I should find a place to shelter from the storm?” they yelped in surprise. They were in the midst of a gently rolling endless expanse of prairie and the only place that seemed to offer shelter from the impending storm was the massive tree. Quickly they turned and began running towards it. As they drew nearer, the birds grew quiet, and the wind from the storm picked up. The trunk of the tree was enormous. _If there were twenty of me holding hands I don’t think we could wrap around the trunk!_ N-85 thought to themself as they began to walk around it dragging one hand across the rough and featured bark as they went. On the second trip around the tree, they noticed a large hollow high above them where an old branch must have broken off an age ago. “That looks big enough for me to fit inside of,” they said aloud in an effort to pluck up the courage to begin the harrowing climb. Taking a deep breath they started climbing, using the rough bark, as hand and foot holds. After a tenuous ascent they made it to the hollow and stepped inside as the first rain drops began to fall. They took one step forward into the darkness and promptly plunged into a void.  They fell for quite some time but they didn’t experience fear nor concern. The only way they could perceive they were falling was the air rushing past them. It was too dark to see. Then, as suddenly as the fall had begun, it abruptly ended when, with a mighty splash, they landed in a very deep and warm body of water. Their long fall had generated quite a bit of velocity and as such it took several seconds for them to bob back to the surface. When they did they gasped for air. In the darkness they treaded water, slowly turning around in an effort to decide which way they should swim. It was very quiet surrounded by the pitch black. Save for the echo of their breath and the sound of water dripping into the pool there wasn’t a sound. The air they were breathing was humid and tasted of wet stone. Slowly they began to perceive spots of dull light all around them. At first, it was nearly imperceptible, but as they continued treading water, the lights grew brighter and brighter. Then they noticed the spots of lights were thousands of luminous mushrooms growing all around them on the walls of a huge cavern. Like the wildflowers in the plains, which they surmised were now far far above them, they were glowing in all manner of hues from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink.  “How absolutely extraordinary!” they gasped as they peered about gazing at the light show. It was then that they noticed the mushrooms were pulsing in rhythm to the dripping water.  _Are they dancing?_ N-85 thought. Then a drop of water fell on their head and disturbed the rhythm. Suddenly, the mushrooms stopped ‘dancing’, and out of the darkness a soft voice called out “Who goes there?” “Umm…” they stammered. “Aiōn calls me N-85. He sent me on a quest to find the great conflict out east. I fell in here while trying to find shelter from a huge storm out on the prairie.” “Oh, I see,” the gentle sounding voice replied. ”Well, if Aiōn sent you, then you are a friend. Please come get dry and I will prepare a meal.” “I would like that very much.” N-85 began, “… but I don’t know where you are.” “Oh, silly me, I forgot to turn on the lights… One second.” Suddenly, the cavern was lit up as bright as day. N-85 blinked and rubbed their eyes before gazing around at a huge cavern filled with water. In front of them, was a lush green island. Everywhere else, though as far as they could see, was just water with stone above. On the island stood a woman who was wearing a lovely rainbow tunic. She smiled and motioned for N-85 to come out of the water and join her on the beach. Eagerly they swam towards her. They didn’t have to swim far before they were able to stand. Once they were on the beach, the woman handed them a fine linen blanket. “It’s so soft!” N-85 exclaimed. “Aiōn made it for me from the wool of his flock,” the woman said as she turned to walk towards a massive stone grotto in the center of the island. From above the grotto a waterfall poured noiselessly out of the roof of the cavern. The torrent of falling water rained down over the grotto before weaving and winding its way across the grassy island then into the massive lake which they had fallen into.  “A silent waterfall!?” N-85 whispered to themself in wonder.  “That was many ages ago, after I climbed the mountain and met King Vishnayam.” the woman continued. “Have you climbed the mountain yet?” “No, I haven’t - I don’t know my name,” N-85 replied with a hint of wistfulness. “Do you know your name?” “My name is Ruth. Sister of Aiōn and daughter of King Vishnayam.” “Wow! You’re related?!” N-85 said, wondering if it was customary to bow in this land for royalty. Ruth smiled, curtsied, and ducked inside the grotto. N-85 hesitated for a moment then followed her into the grotto. To his surprise it was cozy and well appointed with paintings covering the walls and exquisite and exotic furniture decorating the interior. Upon reflection N-85 was not sure what they were expecting, but the warmly lit and quaintly decorated interior did not match the grey stone exterior of the grotto. Then again, as they pondered exactly where they were - deep underground after falling through a tree while trying to escape a huge storm - N-85 decided that trying to make sense of anything was an exercise in futility. “What a lovely home you have,” N-85 walked towards the fireplace to dry off from their unexpected swim. “Thank you. After I climbed the mountain, King Vishnayam gave it to me. I love it. It’s the perfect place for me. The mushrooms are my favorite, and you’d be surprised at how many visitors I get. Once someone finds this place, they tend to return quite often. Which is fine by me.” Ruth replied as she set a kettle over the fire to boil water for tea. “Besides Aiōn, you are the first person I have seen here. Where do all these visitors come from?” N-85 asked as they wandered through the living room, gazing at the various paintings and sculptures decorating the room. “Well, many choose to live in the great city on the mountain. However, the more adventurous explore the surrounding countryside. It’s really quite big. I had one visitor inform me it took him 10,000 cycles walking and sailing west before he came back to where he had started. Then there is the universe…” Ruth’s voice trailed off as the tea kettle let out a loud shriek signifying the water was ready for tea. “That’s amazing! I’d love to explore one day…” their voice trailed off. “Aiōn told me I’m needed at the great conflict out east though. So, I don’t have the time right now. I do want to discover my name. So, I can climb the great mountain and see this great city you speak of.” Ruth smiled at N-85 and handed them a cup of cloudy sweet smelling tea. “Please have a seat.” Ruth motioned to N-85 to have a seat on the sofa beside the fireplace. “You know, I may be able to help you in discovering your name. Many of my friends come to me repeatedly, because I’m a seer.” “Oh I see…” N-85, set the tea on the coaster and turned towards Ruth. They were very interested in discovering their name. Her offer to help them was quite intriguing. “How do you do that exactly?” “Well, I put a drop of this in your tea.” Ruth said, holding up a small vial. “It’s an extract from the mushrooms growing in my cave. They help to clear your mind and show you what you must do. However, I must warn you I cannot control what you will see. It may make sense, or it may make no sense at all.” N-85 sipped their tea and sat quietly in thought for a moment before replying. “Well, what do I have to lose? If I can learn something — anything which can help me in my quest, then I should seize the opportunity.” ![[asi-ii-ruth.jpg]] “The forest, if you could call it that, was silent. Not an eerie silence, but rather a feeling of all sound being absorbed—even the sound of my own steps was muted by the cool, spongy moss on the "forest" floor. The trees looked like enormous stalks of kale, a faint purplish green, and the smell was divine. I was standing next to a boulder dripping with dew when suddenly I was overcome with the desire to taste the kale-leaf-looking fronds of this forest.” N-85 paused, licking their lips at the memory, making their stomach growl. “Here, have some more stew.” Ruth offered taking N-85’s bowl. Once she had filled it and they had taken a bite they continued with their story “So, I bit one, and to my surprise, it tasted sweet and savory with a hint of melon. Then, the world around me came alive with a kaleidoscope of colors and light. Was it in my mind or actually real? I couldn’t tell. To be honest, I didn’t care. All that mattered was the feeling of well being, peace, and love which was so strong I wanted to simultaneously leap for joy and escape from it. Then I heard a voice say — ‘He sent you here while on a conquest for exceptionalism and national consumption—under the calling of a religion based on false superiority and imperialism. You will discover your name when you balance the scales and set in motion events which will bring him back here—for just like you, he is needed.’” N-85 paused and looked at Ruth, as if asking for permission to go on. Ruth nodded, encouraging them to continue.  "Then, in a rush, I was back here in the grotto with you," N-85 set his bowl of stew down.  "Intriguing… I’ve been in the forest you saw. It’s high on the side of the mountain and surrounds the great city. As far as I know, you’re the first to have been shown the mountain in a vision before they were able to ascend it. Most everyone sees where they must go to discover themselves. However, I guess you already know where you are needed—the great conflict out east.” Ruth took the empty cup from N-85. “So, it would have been pointless for you to be shown that…” "Who do you think the voice was referring to? The thing that ‘sent me here while on a conquest for exceptionalism and national consumption’?” N-85 mused aloud, hoping Ruth had an answer.  "Well, there are many worlds and universes. More than anyone can count—except maybe King Vishnayam. Beings such as yourself eventually end up here, sometimes their world is done with them. Other times, they must wait to return to their world and hopefully learn from the consequences they both suffered and caused. In the end, though, we all complete our journey in this realm. How you were sent, I don’t know. Apparently, it was the doing of someone or something—and you’re the vessel which is supposed to bring them, or it, here."  "How am I supposed to do that exactly? If this thing is in another universe… I don’t understand.” N-85 asked, more confused than before.  "Again, I don’t know—but if I had to guess, I’d say the only way to figure it out is by making haste to where Aiōn is sending you. Out east," Ruth replied with a slight smile. Although it had been ages since she arrived, she could still remember, with great fondness, her first moments in this realm. She was enamored with wanting to take time for every sight, sound, and smell but afraid she wouldn’t have time enough to experience it all. Over time, she realized she would have precisely the time she needed. Once this realization settled in, she slowed down and took time to savor each moment without feeling the need to rush on to the next.  "Why are you smiling?" N-85 quipped. They were feeling rather flustered at absorbing all the new information, sites, sounds, smells and tastes — and Ruth’s cavalier attitude was beginning to cause them discomfort.  "Because I remember being just like you—full of questions and uncertainty. This will pass—trust me. In the meantime, I think you’d better be going. Follow the mushrooms—they’ll guide you to the door. From there, a Great Griffin, whom I have summoned, will take you to the conflict. It’ll be much faster with her than on foot," Ruth stood and motioned towards a window in the back of the room. N-85 turned to look in the direction Ruth had pointed. At first, all they saw was the dark cavern, then in a blink of an eye, a path illuminated by mushrooms appeared leading far off into the distance.  "How’d you do that!?" N-85 mouth agape in surprise as they turned to look at Ruth —but she was gone. "Well, isn’t that just typical of this place. How is it that everyone seems to disappear so quickly and decisively?” With a shrug they stood, walked out the back door, and followed the glowing mushrooms, which were dancing to the drips of water falling from the roof of the cavern. ### Next Chapter: [[15 - Reunited 🍷]] ### Previous Chapter: [[13 - The Visitors ☃️]]