The Pole Shift

Sassafras and The Wizard

It took many heart beats for The Wizard to turn to Sassafras. It seemed like he was a shell, and his attention was elsewhere, even his lips moved as if speaking to unseen ears. Then, his eyes cleared and widened in anger, or fear - misery?

"Girl?"

"Sassafras."

"Yes, I named, no, remembered your name. What are you doing here, I must fleet!" It seemed The Wizard was distracted, again his eyes traveled and his hands made motions which caused the air to tingle. Small people appeared on the floor and Sassafras drew her breath, the tiny teenage hairs on her arms prickling. She watched in fascination as the pictures depicted Son. Her eyes softened at his form, she gasped as Son spoke words that rebounded off the cavern walls. Great love was confirmed for her, even as the scene was sped forward to reveal a terrible man, a man that stones fell away from, a man who repelled her. His white body limped about, then..The Wizard was watching her.

"Tell me what you see Sassafras."

"Son and the Captains!" She nodded in confirmation that she had finished.

"What else?" Sassafras was a girl that pushed darkness out, she didn't want to mention the white monster she had seen. She replied:

"Shadow."

"You saw Sean. Sean is a man, with great power and a man of your last age. He could teach you much if you would love him?" Sassafras's face turned down and she looked to the floor. The Wizard continued:

"No matter, he destroyed your fathers, smashed them with rock and water. Your rockets, your great grand daddy's drones, he hammered away with basalt arms. He trampled war ships and tanks and absorbed kinetic energy weapons. He and Jimmy the Boy destroyed you all, you elites, your best were smashed. You are right to hate him." Sassafras thought with pursed fuchsia lips then muttered:

"The Giant?" Her eyes engaged with The Wizard's.

"Oh yes, The Giant." Sassafras tried to piece together her stories, she nodded and moved further into the cavern. The Wizard watched her, wondering what she might say. At length Sassafras spoke:

"Another was there that day, The Witch Woman. She stole the hounds. I want to find her." The Wizard flushed with emotions. He too paced into the middle of the cavern saying:

"Mnemosyne. She is of the animal kingdom, and also a relic of the last age. What of her?"

"The hounds, we need the hounds to catch the wild sheep. That is the quest I set." The Wizard let moment's pass before saying:

"I will help you Sassafras, but you must make me a promise. The Witch Woman holds and item precious to me, a bone carving of a wolf. It is called Little Lo. It is something that was lost to me, will you collect it?"

"I will ask."

"That is not what I said. I know where the Witch Woman sleeps, promise to retrieve Little Lo and I will tell you." Sassafras sensed clouded intent from The Wizard, yet her desire to return the hounds to her people eclipsed her fret. She agreed, saying:

"Wizard, I promise. Tell me where The Witch Woman sleeps."

+++

The two spoke at length. Perez taught the girl direction through a rhyme:

At dawn steer to bright star

At thumb-sun let a current take you

At hand-sun steer away

At night steer to red star

At second morn watch for land

They both sang in simple tune until Sassafras could sing on her own. The Wizard smirked at her seriousness, he would make sure she got there whatever way she steered. Yet he knew the importance of future myth.

+++

As the girl turned to leave, their eyes met in a kismet way. Perez felt as if he may have missed something, so engaging was her expression. Her chestnut hair was like copper in the lit cavern, hair with curls not unlike his own, looser, yet unmistakably his own lineage. He sat for many moments wondering what secret she kept until he huffed, rose his arms, muttered then brought his hands together. Intense orange bloomed. A sphere was born. Perez stepped into it and guided the vehicle into the underground river and away.