O Saga: Part Three: Book of War

Chapter Five: Ulu

It hadn't taken long to journey over to Ulu Island, but it was long enough for Oren to feel seasick. Shipwreck's small vessel was easily tossed around in the surf and Oren felt every wave.
Laurin and the Masters didn't seemed as bothered by it. It struck Oren that Laurin was impossibly cheerful no matter the circumstances. He reminded Oren of his friends in the caravan that he encountered while on his own.
They were people who hadn't been fortunate in life but some people's measure but they were high in character and compassion. They had helped Oren even under perilous circumstances and never asked to be rewarded nor did they ever look for blame. They were a humble group that Oren missed and hoped had returned to their families.
It was obvious to Oren since they met Laurin that he didn't have much in worldly wealth but he had already offered much in in worldly knowledge. The kind that you attain through experience and not affluence. Oren realized he didn't know anything about his new friend and rescuer.
Shipwreck had found a cove to anchor in that they could easily wade into shore. Master Hiawatha gave Shipwreck the money promised to him.
"If you want to make more, you can give you a place to wait for us in case we need to escape again. I know a place to get you some more money." Hiawatha bargained with Shipwreck.
"How long do I wait?" Shipwrecked probed as he peaked with interest.
"I can't say, but you can pretty much name your price if you do. Besides, there will be soldiers looking for your ship for a while. I'd say, two to three weeks."
"And where do I get supplies to stay that long?"
"The same place I can get you your reward, also has supplies. I can send Tonk and Mead back with some provisions and a downpayment. Agreed?" Hiawatha negotiated.
"Agreed," Shipwreck said, reluctantly. "I don't really have much choice. Laurin, you staying with me?"
Laurin looked indecisive.
"Have you anything to go back to?" Oren asked Laurin.
"If you mean a home and family, I'm afraid not."
"You should come with us. The soldiers may be looking for you. It wouldn't be the first time the Imperata would torture someone to find me."
"Whatever you say, young Master, is fine by me." Laurin said.
Master Hiawatha gave Shipwreck directions on a place he wanted him to wait, and they set off to climb the windswept hills that sloped away from the ocean.
It wasn't long before they found a good path, and Master Hiawatha seemed to know the trails here well.
The trail led to a small river that gently glided down the hills to the sea. The island was covered in grasslands that provided perfect pastures for livestock, but they only saw old animal tracks in some dried mud. Hiawatha had said a few shepherds lived on the small remote island.
It didn't take very long before the river path led them to the headwaters. A chain of lakes sat in a valley and Oren could see some large ornate buildings at the end of a peninsula.
"I thought you said the temple floated on the lake and was small. Those buildings are huge." Oren commented.
"This isn't the lake monastery I was speaking of. This is where the supplies and money will be found." Hiawatha said.
"What are these buildings?" Oren asked curiously.
"This is an abandoned monastery. The Order of the Heron used to have an art colony here for centuries. In the recent past, they abandoned it. I don't know why. It's a bit of a ghost town. They left everything as is. They left centuries-old statues, frescos, paintings, needlework, and every other kind of art behind. Nature has reclaimed some small parts, but it looks almost the same as the day the left."
"Odd ducks. I wonder what the hurry was?" Laurin pondered.
"There was some mention of a cult leader, but I've never heard the full story. Now the Order of the Heron has a peaceful art colony in Eladoer." Hiawatha said.
"How come there is money and supplies here? Wouldn't that have been taken with? It's not all of their stuff; surely they took something?" Laurin probed.
"It's all of their stuff. As I said, many Masters from our monastery come to this island for isolation, but it's not this place. Some Masters thought this was a good place to hide supplies and money as a backup. They pay the local shepherds to bring food and supplies here every once in a while. They hid money here as well. All of this was because some Masters had bad visions of the future. Only a few people were ever told about any of this. Not even the monks who came here to meditate." Hiawatha explained.
"It's a good thing they did." Oren said relieved.
Oren thought the monastery was on a peninsula but he could clearly see that it was in fact and island near the shore. A bridge of some magnificence connected it. It wasn't the size of the bridge, it was the incredible craftsmanship that covered every inch of it.
Oren was walking slowly across and studying every detail he could manage without getting too far behind. The railings, ballisters and walkway were painted white with light green accent. Every section of the bridge had intricate artwork. At the end was a domed gatehouse. A small domed pavilion led to a dock on the water. Domed temples and buildings stood high above tall aged trees.
All the buildings were white with green domes. Every inch of every building was tailored with beautiful artistry. It was clear that artists had shaped and lived here.
Cobblestone walkways, gardens, and fountains fit for Kings remained frozen in time in the middle of nowhere. Oren thought it was an incredibly beautiful place, but it was also an eerie one.
Why would the Order of the Heron just leave everything behind? All of this talent and history was wasted. The shepherds were the only ones who got to appreciate this miraculous city, but there was no sign of them here either. Shepherds go where their flocks go, and sheep have little concern for anything here but the grass.
Master Hiawatha left the group to locate the supplies and money he needed. He didn't want to reveal their exact location. Laurin had found a bench to rest on, and Oren sat next to him.
"When we first met, you seemed to know who I am. Have we met before?" Oren got to the point.
"Sort of. I tried to see you once and wasn't able." Laurin tried to explain.
"How come you weren't able? I don't understand."
"Perhaps I should go back further." Laurin started, but he looked reluctant to state all of the details. "I'm not originally from Lusa Island. I come from across the Bay of Alasie to the mainland of Viracocha. I had a farm not far from the Ohanzee River."
"You're a farmer? Something must have happened to bring you this way." Oren interrupted.
"You don't know how right that is. It started when I helped out a neighbor farmer. His farm wasn't doing well, and there was a chance he might lose it. He came to me asking me if I'd but some livestock off him, said it would be enough to keep his farm going. My wife thought it was a bad idea, and I should have listened to her. She had a better intuition for these things."
"You have a wife? Where is she now?" Oren interrupted again.
Laurin gulped hard and looked uncomfortable, "A wife and a family. Three kids, to be exact. That's part of the reason I have regrets about taking in my neighbor's livestock. I didn't have a lot of extra credit with the landlord myself, and it stretched me pretty thin. I just thought if I were in trouble, I'd want someone to help me, so I did. I bought the livestock. It wasn't long before the animals started to get sick. I had already mixed the animals I bought with my own. Soon, hassock and my stock were all developing illnesses. I didn't know what it was. Tried all kinds of stuff. Asked all kinds of people, but it didn't make them better."
"How did this affect your family?"
"My middle child and only daughter got a cough that turned into a fever, that turned into something worse. It spread to my youngest boy and eldest son. Soon, even my wife was sick. I didn't know what to do. For some reason, I was the only one not to get sick. I almost gave up hope. Then some people traveling through spread rumors of a child on Lusa Island that could heal people, perform miracles."
"And you came looking for me?"
"Yes, but by the time I finally got a chance to bring my family to you, the locals had chased you off. They were full of fear after you brought that child back from the dead."
"And your family died, didn't they?" Oren said, devastated.
Laurin was starting to well up, which was making Oren start to cry as well.
"Yes," Laurin said through a soft sobbing voice. "The journey across the bay and the sea was not good for them. They died on the journey back, one by one, in my arms. I buried them on my farm."
"What brought you back to Lusa, that we encountered you?" Oren tried to ask delicately.
"As you can imagine, my livestock didn't fare much better. My Landlord came to collect, and I didn't have the money. He seized my land and sold off all of the remaining animals for meat or God knows what else. I had nothing."
"I'm sorry, truly I am." Oren apologized.
"So am I."
"What do you mean? It wasn't your fault."
"I'm sorry about what I did to you," Laurin said, looking ashamed.
"To me, you didn't do anything to me."
"The Landlord didn't just take my land. He was going to have me arrested as a debtor. I was mad at you because I needed to be mad at someone. I thought you could have saved my family, and this mess would have been different. Of course, I knew it wasn't your fault. You knew nothing about me. But when the soldiers were going to put me in jail, I knew they had been asking questions about your location. So I gave it to them, or what I knew about it. So I'm responsible for all this." Laurin confessed.
"My friend, it's not your fault. If it wasn't you, there were already lots of people who were fueling the rumors about me. It was my fault. mine alone. I knew the risks of helping people. You saved my life. I wish I could have saved your families."
"Can your powers bring them back to life even now?" Laurin pleaded.
"No. I'm sorry, but I can't." Oren and Laurin both wept.
"Am I missing something?" Master Hiawatha asked.
"I'll tell you later," Oren said.
"I sent Mead and Tonk to take some supplies and some of the money to Shipwreck, and they'll camp there; we'll meet up with them later," Hiawatha explained. "I sent Master Nokomis ahead of us to make sure the lake monastery is safe. I also left some messages here in case any of the other Masters come here."
"Won't that also help Imperata Lakoma's men know where we are?" Oren asked.
"Yes, but if they arrive on the island, it really won't matter. I have a backup plan for that." Hiawatha defended.
It was just the three of them now. Once more, people were leaving these beautiful domed buildings behind. Master Hiawatha led the way back over more green grassed hills as Oren and Laurin continued their conversation.
"Can I ask you how you got your powers to heal people and all of that?" Laurin queried.
"I don't really understand myself, to be honest. Guess it's a bit like how you got to be a farmer; just happened." Oren tried but couldn't explain.
"I actually didn't want to be a farmer."
"Really, then how come you became one, if I can ask?"
"I grew up on a family farm, not the one I lost. I was young and going to leave to see the world, maybe even become a Knight. I was just a teenager and full of all kinds of dreams. I was even set to leave, but my father died. I had no choice but to stay and help. But that's life. Just when I'm feeling happy, the winds of the world change and lock me down. Now I have all the freedom to go but no desire." Laurin said. "Why do we suffer so?"
"I wish I knew," Oren said.
"Me too," Master Hiawatha added. Oren didn't know he had been listening.
"Not that it means much right now, but you are free to stay with us. If you choose to leave, I'll do what I can to see that it's with enough money to get you a good start. As long as I am around, you'll have a friend in me if you'll have me."
"Thanks, I could use a friend."
"What about Shipwreck? You guys seemed to get along."
"He and his boat brought my family back and forth when we came looking for you. He felt bad for me and helped me a little after. I'm not worthy of his friendship or yours."
"That's not true. Since I've known you, all I hear are stories of you sacrificing and trying to help others. Your life is worth more than anything in that fancy place we just left. It looks great, but what use is it really? Not even the sheep here think much of it. But you, I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Your neighbor would have lost his farm. Your parents' farm would have been lost if you didn't stay. This world needs more people like you and less ornate palaces."
It was almost as if hearing the words pained Laurin. Sometimes, self-loathing can become a crutch. We feel guilty, and so we want to punish ourselves continually. We self-sabotage and wallow in self-pity. Laurin needed someone to believe in him.
"Young Master, do you need a servant?" Laurin asked
"No, you don't need to be my servant," Oren said reflexively. "And it's just Oren. You don't have to call me Master. I don't even think I qualify as one yet."
"You don't," Master Hiawatha teased from ahead of them.
"It's just. Losing my family made me feel like I had no purpose left. I see you and the Masters; you have it. You're trying to better the world, and that's why evil men wish to stop you. Am I right?" Laurin asked with a new sparkle in his eyes.
"I suppose you are," Oren admitted.
"Well, as you said, I don't have any special powers. I don't know much about soldiering, so I offer little to your cause other than the desire to be a part of the fight. You said I can choose to leave, but I choose to stay. But I don't wish to be a burden. Let me serve you. I can carry heavy packs, cook meals, ride horses, forage for food, whatever needs to be done. If that's the only thing I can do to help, I beg you Young Master, let me serve you."
Oren didn't know what to make of this. He looked to Master Hiawatha to see if he could pick up on his body language, but Oren found nothing that helped.
"I invited you to stay as a friend and would prefer it remained that way. But if you think it helps give you purpose, I can't deny you that. You're not obligated to it. You're free to decide if you wish to put your life at risk. I feel as if I should be your servant as I owe you the life debt."
"You owe me nothing. There must be a reason you were given such greatness. I just want to fight for your noble cause, Young Master. By the way, what is your cause?" Laurin asked, genuinely stumped.
"At the moment, survival." Oren said, not really knowing himself if he had a cause to fight for.
"How about the defeat of evil." Master Hiawatha said.
"That is a noble quest." Laurin said.
"Is that even possible Master? Most evil lies in everyone's hearts. Can't really get rid of it. Never in the past, present of future." Oren challenged.
"True enough, true enough." Hiawatha agreed.
"See, Young Master is wise." Laurin said.
"Just Oren." Oren corrected.
"Yes, whatever you say, Young Master." Laurin said to make it clear he wouldn't call him Oren.
"Young Master," Hiawatha said in a slightly mocking tone, "Does it stand to reason that, yes, we may never get rid of evil, but there are some that perpetrate an evil so large that it unbalances the whole? What if our cause is simply to restore the balance to a healthy place?"
"See Laurin, your Master is still just a student." Oren tried to point out.
"Student." Hiawatha interrupted, "If I can interrupt, but we're there."
Oren was a bit disappointed as the lake was quite small. It was isolated though. Oren saw a number of small rafts floating on the water with small housing.
"This is the hideaway for everyone?" Oren said, dissenting.
Master Hiawatha didn't respond to his protests. One of the rafts was moving to them. Master Nokomis was guiding it.
The raft had a long rope and pulley system that connected to the shore. Nokomis was pulling the rope to bring to them. The other end of the pulley was on a small dock, and they walked out to greet the other Master.
"Any signs?" Hiawatha queried.
"You're the first people I've seen," Nokomis admitted. "I wonder what happened to the other Masters?"
"Let's not assume the worst. We'll hang around here for a few weeks in case the others arrive." Hiawatha instructed.
"I can forage for some food. I do know growing things well." Laurin offered.
"It's not a bad idea to get familiar with the area. I'm going out on the lake to meditate. Hopefully, some clarity of mind will guide me." Hiawatha said.
The lake was small but clear. It pooled at the bottom of a depression in the hills, which provided ample cover. The individual rafts drifted around the lake, blown by the prevailing winds. They'd crash into each other every once in a while, but they were moving so slowly that no harm was committed.
Oren felt like they all could take a collective breath and turn their concerns to others. Oren would meditate and pray for their safe passage to meet them. Deep down, Oren knew this sense of peace wouldn't last.