The Test

"Take heart! Do not fear lad! Have I not told you? I will neither leave you nor forsake you! Do not be dismayed."

Grabans words shouted to me from below. I tried to keep going but me legs won't go! Soon I would be out of hearing distance of him.

"I'm right here Netri!", I felt Garbans grumbly voice inside of me now. It came up from the place inside I never knew before I knew him. The place at the bottom of my feelings. It called a surge of strength into me.

Legs...wobbly...move. Feebly one leg shuffled forward.

Losing ...balance.

The wooden bridge swayed in the wind. Every little movement I made magnified by the feeble swingin bridge.

The cliff face was creeping up to get me. It wanted to rip me from me perch and hurl me to my doom!

A demon lurker came closer and closer. It came out of the cave toward me, reachin for me! It's gnarled hand reached out for me. The arm behind the hand stretched closer and closer. The hand growing larger and larger. This vision engulfed me.

"Blow through lad." Graban inside.

I pushed forward through the hand.

Graban and I talked about this before we attempted the feat. He told me to trust my feelings. He told me to trust what I know, not what I see.

---

Earlier:

We ate breakfast outside with our Rockies. The pit smoked swine so delectable. A banquet of fruit, eggs, bread and juice lay before the freshman class on the long slate table. I sat listening to Magistrate Faustian tellin us about the test today. Should we choose to accept it. Every test be a choice. We do not attempt unless we want to. Being here is totally by choice. We progress further if we choose. (I suppose, if it takes a really long time for a student to choose a test they would have a talk with the Magistrate of Students about staying here. We could just pick up and leave with our Rockies if we choose. Everyone is here because they want to be.

The Rockies all sit in a row facing the long slate table full of breakfast and crockery. I sat on the end because I accidentally slept in and ran down here when I woke up only to find there was one spot left; right next to the Magistrate of Students. I ate slowly. Listening to the speech Faustian was making about today's test. I just got to the school nine suns ago. I don't think I should be takin a test yet. I be curious to what it is though.

Faustian explained the test. Magistrate Faustian be a short fellow with a tubby tummy that slips over his belt. I can barely see the belt in front because his belly covers it. He's wearin a blue robe with beautiful stitchery on the sleeves and bottom. On the back be a tree stitched in black on the blue background. It's very beautiful. He's wearin pants made of beast hide, and a cotton tunic under the robe. His hair is reddish-blonde and be cut short.

The Test:

We have to go up to the tall mountain. The one in the middle of the three mountains. It's called 'The Bones.' There be a cave up there. We have to go without our Rockies. They stay below and cheer us on. Inside this cave be somethin sinister. Dream Weavers!!! These demon lurkers put visions in yer head and make you think it's real. They can strike fear in a heart and ya have to overcome it to get the prize. I do not fear. I may be able to do this. I don't have fear in me heart. Mayhap I could do this. No... scratch that, I can do this.

So these dream weavers be in the cave. They will do everything they can to stop you from yer prize. They will make you believe anything. They can get into yer head and know yer worst fears! Ha! I fear nothing. I can go. Before I knew it, me hand was in the air volunteerin fer the test. Everyone looked at me with awe in their faces. Some laughed quietly. They know I'm the late-comer to school. I be the youngest and smallest of anyone here. They must be thinkin, 'How could I be ready fer this?' The Magistrate of Students gave me a wink. That was surprising.

When I first came to the Callan Compound, I was late by about ten suns past the grace period even. The Magistrate of Students let me enroll anyway. Because of the Phoenix. The Phoenix flew ahead of me and told the Magistrate of Students to let me in because I am a True Heart. That doesn't mean I'm too big fer me britches. It means I have strength, Voxendo inside me so big, I don't even know how big. It's not widely talked about back home. The AnClann think it's a myth. Except fer my Uncail Anwan who's a Faith Giver. He told me when I was 5 season old that I be a True Heart. That was when he gave me my birth gift. 'Too bad I lost it.' He said he would help me to discover it, the Voxendo inside me. Over the years, me Uncail Anwan has been my mentor. He has nurtured and encouraged me. He's the one who told me about Callan Compound. I have wanted to come to this school my whole life!

Ok, So we have to climb this cliff face just to get up the mountain. No problem, I'm a skilled climber. Then we have to cross a swingin wooden bridge that is ever-so wobbly. Then we enter the cave with the Dream Weavers. Magistrate Faustian warned that they will make a fear so big inside that many may not be able to overcome it. The things you see in there will be different for everyone because they look inside you and know what scares you the most!

I heard Graban's words inside me when I raised me hand. He asked If I be sure of it. I Whispered back, "Yes." I just knew I could do it. Some things you just know inside.

The prize for accomplishing this goal be a stone from inside the mountain. Deep inside there's a wall filled with them. This stone be a very rare stone, The Red Diamond! Once it's yours you can craft it into anything you choose and wear it proudly for all to see that you accomplished this test. I have never even heard of a red diamond before. I love red, it's my favorite color! That's why me Mamo made me my vest died wit the red Songla berry. I love my vest.

After breakfast we headed up to the mountain. We climbed on our Rockies shoulders and they had us there lickety-split! By human foot the walk would take all day, but travelin by Rocky is a wonderful perk! They be so fast!

The mountain I had to scale was rouph, but it had a lot of hand-holds. It took some doin but I made it up in second place. Some of those older guys are slow. Good thing I be small and limber! This fellow, I don't know made it up first. He be a small fellow too. Us small fellows be quick, and sprite I guess.

I didn't realize the wind would be so strong up here. That be what got me tripped up at first. It almost blew me off the mountain! That's when the fear came on me. Once it jumped on me it was so strong! I did't expect that!

The hand began reaching for me. Reachin, reaching. I saw it growin and it sent a surge of fear through me like lightnin. My head knows this fear be fake. Tell that to me heart! My heart started beatin so, so hard and fast! I thought it would leap right out of me chest!

"Blow through lad." Graban's voice echoed inside. The bond reached out to me from Graban to me. I felt it giving me strength. I took a deep breath and blew it out of my pursed lips slowly. My heart slowed. I took a feeble step onto the wobbly bridge. Whoah! Every movement be makin the bridge move. The wind wasn't helpin either! I put both arms out for balance and walked across quickly. Whew! I looked through the hand to the dark cave and blew through it. It dissipated in a puff of smoke. Ha! I walked into the dark cave opening. I shouted loudly at the walls. "I do not fear! I do not fear! Leave me be!" My Uncail taught me that you have to speak to fear and tell it to go. I waited ... nothing. My eyes adjusted to the light. I Heard another student just reached the top of the mountain, he started hollerin. Probably at the hand. I better get movin. So I walk into the dark.

Inside the cave the air felt moist. I could hear the student ahead of me hollerin as well as the one behind. Foolhearty, yellin just gives into the fear. Nothin came to get me so I just started walkin forward. I did expect another assault. But then, I did just tell it to leave me be. Eh, ok, nothin doin. So now there be a cliff inside that goes straight down with nothin but a narrow bridge to walk accross. Actually it's not even a bridge. It's just a log. I could do it but... I looked around. Oh my, there's a walkway around it. I could barely see it in the shadows. It's tucked away behind a pile of rocks next to the wall. Wow, this is easy. So I walk around the pit. Screams are now all around me. It's very echoey in here. The screamin of the other students is becoming deafening. I push forward.

I walk into the dark. It be so pitch black in here! I can barely make out the long dark tunnel. I felt the wall wit my right hand for assurance while I slowly walked forward. The screams got quieter. Thank you Cara Mor! I was growing weary of the shreaking. Now silence. It's as if I walked into another realm or spirit world. It felt like I walked into another room and closed the door behind me. That's how abrupt the screams stopped. Now all I here is drippin noises that echo in the chamber ahead.

Comin out of the tunnel I see somethin...somethin I didn't expect. A Demon Lurker named Beasty! Oh, I have seen this one before. It's a bull beast! When I was younger I saw this one on a man. It scared me so! My family and I were at a Highland Gatherin of the AnClann. There were a lot of people there. These gatherings are really big. I don't hardly know a sole there except for the people from my own clan; The Shist Clan. The lurker's muscle arms were wrapped around a man. Squeezing him and blowin out blue smoke from his nostrils. This blue smoke, the man was breathin in. People can't see Lurkers. They be of the spirit realm. I have had visions since I be little. I can sometimes see a lurker on someone but they can't. They don't know it's on them. Lurkers feast on a person's Voxendo. They will corrupt it and they sometimes can control a person by their feelings.

Now I face this Lurker inside this mountain cave. He faced me and snorted blue smoke out of his nostrils. The smoke filled the cave. I couldn't help but breath it in because it be so thick. A feeling of hopelessness came over me. Tears welled up in me eyes and my heart sank. I choked on sobs. Then I felt Graban inside me. The bond reached out to me and enveloped me. I felt the peace of the guardians, my guardian, Graban filled me with calm, peace and love. I opened my eyes and looked at the Bull Lurker with determination. He snorted again. The blue smoke has no effect on me now. Not with the bond protecting me. He scraped a hooved foot on the rock floor challenging me. I sized him up. He must be about twenty heads taller than I. His evil smile was taunting. His hand held a rock in one hand. He was threatening to throw it at me. Oh, he wants to throw stones does he!

I be very good at stone throwin! With that, I picked up a stone in each hand and leapt onto a boulder that stood to my right. I threw the one in my right hand. Nailed him right in the forehead! Unfortunately he's a spirit so it flew right through his head. Oh darn. He threw his stone and I ducked just in time before it went through my head! The stone crashed against the wall behind me. He may be spirit, but the stones...they be real! I threw the stone in my other hand and jumped off the boulder in the same motion. There were more stones on the floor by my feet, but I don't pick them up. I realize somethin. I can't harm him with stones. I will have to be quick to get around him. So I start runnin for the other side of the cave where there was another tunnel behind him. He stepped in my way and I dodged his swing. I switched directions and tried to run around him again but he jumped in front of me again. He be very quick too! I backflipped away. He threw some more stones at me like rapid fire. I dodged them all. I ended up back at the boulder where I started and jumped up onto it. The effort made me breathe hard. I stood there breathin heavily, my chest heaving. He threw a stone at my feet. I jumped over it. He threw a stone at my head again, I ducked under it. What am I supposed to do? He threw a stone at my chest and I dove off the boulder. What do I do? There is a way, I know it. He threw a stone at my head and I ducked. He snorted filled his lungs and his chest swelled. Then he breathed out his blue smoke at me.

That reminded me what I'm supposed to do. I closed my eyes and reached out to the the bond. I 'felt' Graban inside. He whispered to me, 'You already know what you have to do Lad.'

I know...yes...I know. I had to jump to avoid another stone.

I faced the demon lurker and started walkin toward him pushing the fear and sorrow down that he was tryin to put in me with his blue smoke. I looked him squarely in the face and said, "I do NOT fear you. Be gone Beasty! I bind you and command you to leave me in the name of the Great Friend, Cara Mor!" He looked at me and scraped his hoof on the floor again. Why didn't it work? He picked up another stone and before he threw it I yelled the words at him again. "I DO NOT FEAR YOU! BE GONE BEASTY! I BIND YOU AND COMMAND YOU TO LEAVE ME IN THE NAME OF THE GREAT FRIEND, CARA MOR!" This time I really meant it. With that, he dropped the stone on the ground then turned and walked away in a dejected huff. It was almost as a child who's fun has been ruined because his parents just told him to go to bed. He walked off with his shoulders low and his head hangin down. He walked right into the wall and evaporated in a puff of blue smoke. Then I was alone. A gentle breeze blew into the cave and back out again. Bringing with it all the blue smoke. Thank you Cara Mor. I 'felt' Graban smile. I smiled too. Then I walked to the tunnel in the back of the cave.

Through the tunnel I met more dark. I am not afraid of the dark. Reachin out I touched the walls and galloped to my prize. The tunnel opened to a small cave. A torch be lit on the far wall. Brilliant red diamonds reflected the torch light! It wasn't as bright at ya might think. The light didn't penetrate the whole dark of the cave. It's brilliant red light shone just in front of the wall. The light couldn't be seen anywhere else but here. I didn't even see it when I was in the tunnel. Puzzling. I surveyed the beautiful red diamonds and picked a big one. It was almost the size of my palm. I looked into it and it seemed so clear even though it be red. I put the beautiful prize into my britches pocket and skipped out of the mountain. Nothing accosted me on the way out. Just darkness. I was careful not to fall into the pit that the log was laying across. and went to the narrow walkway on the wall again. Joy unspeakable rose inside me.

Outside I carefully navigated the bridge and descended the mountain.

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Good job kids! You just read your 20 minutes for the day!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed Netri's test. I was able to add my drawings using my cell phone this weeks since I don't know how to fix that filter thing that's happening on the camera. If you saw my post last week, the drawings were yellow. I'm glad I was able to use my Wix app on my phone. There's more than one way to get a job done!

If this is your first visit to my blog, go ahead and check out the other blogs on here. The story of Netri is starting to take shape. The Featured post is a good one to start. It tells about Netri and who he is.

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Syd Murray

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