The Wanderer - Part Two

(PART ONE, click here)

PART TWO
He awoke to the sound of straw rustling on the other side of the room. The shrine was now filled with the cool dawn light. Illuminated, the Priestess continued her cleaning rituals, but this morning contentment occupied her thoughts. Her smile seemed impossible to contain as the morning air swirled around her. The Wanderer groggily sat up in the bed and placed his feet on the cold stone ground. The Priestess smiled and walked out of the room as the Wanderer lifted his frayed kimono from where it rested in a folded stack with the rest of his clothes and belongings.

Fully dressed, the Wanderer stepped out of the shrine’s opening, sheath in hand, and looked for his kindly hostess. Buckling down the sheath as he walked out into the temple courtyard, he found the Priestess working in a small vegetable garden.

“Beautiful garden,” complimented the Wanderer.

“Of all the things you could find beautiful, you pick my garden?” she asked in a playfully affronted tone.

“Praising the beauty of one’s garden is far less offensive than complimenting one directly.”

“Compliments,” she said, lifting the basket of vegetables, “Can only offend in their absence.”

“Of course.” He replied, disguising his limp by lifting the basket of vegetables at the edge of the garden. “I never thought I could sleep that well, is there any way I can repay your kindness?”

“One does not commit acts of kindness to be repaid.” She edified, only to take a far more coy tone. “But, one doesn’t turn down an offer to do chores either.”

With parcels in hand the two lone occupants of the temple returned to the shrine. The Priestess set down her basket, then quickly took his. A momentary brush of hands sent a hot flash across the Priestess’ cheeks. With a quick turn, the blushing Priestess retrieved a bucket from beneath the table. A very intentional brushing of hands took place as he took the bucket and walked out of the room.

Out of sight of the priestess, the Wanderer’s limp returned as he made his way to the shrine entrance. On his way he stopped to admire a great door consuming nearly an entire wall of the shrine. He had slept an entire night by the enormous door, but never noticed it until that moment. Curiosity gave way to any forethought as he grasped the handle to the door and began to pull, but the door would not budge. The Wanderer looked at the solid steel lock and marveled at its craftsmanship.

“You’re definitely intended to keep someone out,” the Wanderer said to the lock.

“That’s what locks are for.”, replied the Priestess on behalf of the lock.

Startled, the Wanderer fumbled with the bucket in his hands, barely keeping it from dropping to the floor.

“So what’s beyond this door?” he asked, stepping back from the door, his eyes never straying.

“The future,” She said, placing her hand softly on the door. “But I can’t just open this door for anyone.”

“I understand,” he replied, returning his focus from the door to the Priestess, who proceeded to remove the lock.

“These sacred crystals must remain untouched by darkness until they are ready,” she sighed. “And while it may take an entire lifetime for them to mature, their protection is my sole responsibility. I will show them to you, but you must not come any closer than you are.”

“Of course,” he replied, bowing his head to her.

Slowly creaking open, an azure glow slowly slipped through the door’s opening. The glow continued to grow as the door opened; there the source of the aura was revealed. Resting on a modest altar, two crystals, one green, one blue, continued to radiate a glow so amazing, it was the only thing the Wanderer could imagine to be as beautiful as the Priestess herself. The Wanderer looked away from the glowing crystals to realize that the combined light nearly matched the color of her eyes. Unwittingly, the Wanderer stepped past the threshold causing the blue crystal to dim slightly. The Priestess’ hand darted out in front of the Wanderer indicating that he should step back.

“What did I do?” the Wanderer asked, fearing his offense.

“This is why I cannot allow anyone past that door.” She warned.

“I’ve never seen anything like this, what are they?”

“The green one is the Emerald of Wisdom, the blue is the Jewel of Innocence.” She said walking close and waving her had above them both. “They are the greatest of treasures, and must be protected at all costs.”

The Jewel of Innocence began glowing brightly again as her hand passed over it. She then turned back to the Wanderer and walked him out of the room. Clutching the bucket tightly, the Wanderer walked into the courtyard leaving the Priestess to secure the shrine. There in the middle of the temple courtyard the old decrepit well stood, weathered and neglected. When he reached the well he rested his weight against the rim, dislodging a small stone that went plummeting into the darkness. The ominous sound of the stone colliding with the dry bottom of the well implied that his chore would be far more effort than he originally thought. With quiet reserve the Wanderer adjusted his sheath buckle and limped out into the clearing surrounding the temple. He remembered a small stream beyond the path that brought him to the shrine. He felt himself actually looking forward to the walk, now that he actually had a place to return to.

PART THREE


Exile

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