While walking and observing the clear blue sky, Aquien though. He couldn't remember anything; anything besides his name. He knew there were memories, just not what they were. He passed the uncomfortable feeling off as being simple paranoia; he was just too tired. He needed a drink. Get some water to his head. Help him think clearly... Then he would try to remember. He pushed on, trodding on all the fours of a wolf.
Aquien walked that entire day, not finding a single source of water.
And all of that night.
He had tried to howl once that night, hoping anything else would reply. He found his voice raw and cracked. It sounded more of a yelp, something that should never have come from his throat.
Later, he had tried again. He tasted blood.
He never found water.
Until the next day.
The next day, he also found a snake.
The ground was packed, perfect for burrowing, yet he found no life; no birds, reptiles, or anything he could eat. Dismayed, he pressed on through the heat. As he walked, something hissed at him from his right. Looking at the source, he saw a hole in the ground he was certain hadn't been there moments before. Sitting in the entrance of this hole was a snake. Not especially large, diamond patterning its back the length of it for what he could see. It hissed again, showing its forked tongue. Aquien stared blankly at it, not remembering having ever seen such a thing. He didn't know what he was doing, but he thought to it, 'Can I eat you?'
'I suppose you could try, but I'd strike at you. Not that I particularily want to, it's just what instinct dictates,' it said.
Aquien stared, confused. Instinct... He remembered that according to instinct, he should have leapt at the snake for a kill on sight. He needed to nourish himself and here was food. Something was wrong.
'Instinct said I should have eaten you on sight.'
'Instinct tells you to find water. You're not beyond instinct, so don't pretend to be.'
Aquien thought a moment, realizing what he said was true. Instinct was to survive at any level.
'There's water back the way you came from, back only three miles. I guess you passed the oasis. If you need to survive, that's where you should go.'
Aquien was perplexed. He knew now he was being called North. He had come from the South. Going back would be turning away from where he was called, and going North was what he had to do no matter what.
'Thanks,' Aquien replied, pressing North.
'You'll die that way. Your body needs water.'
~~~~~~~~~~~
The ground was packed, perfect for burrowing, yet he found no life; no birds, reptiles, or anything he could eat. Dismayed, he pressed on through the heat.
Aquien paused a moment to reflect. Why did he need water? Why did he need food? His body needed it, that's why. His body needed these things to maintain itself, to carry out its functions.
Something was different though. He didn't need food or water, even though his body demanded it. It wasn't engraved in his mind to drink and eat for survival; it was a conscious process. He knew exactly how much he needed and what amounts of this nutrition would do what. He knew where water dispersed in his body, carrying nutrients to appendages and how much each needed.
Most of all, he could influence them to produce the effects he wanted.
Aquien walked across the desert, thirst quenched.
He forgot Instinct.
Aquien's legs were numb. So was his whole body for that matter... He had walked for several days, and had drunk little water and had eaten almost no food. He was feeling fine, but only physically. Low shrubs sat on the horizon and drafts of warm air brought the scent of leaves, but no matter how far he walked, he never reached them.
After several hours of frustration, something caught the corner of his eye on the rise. Aquien followed quickly to examine. Not smelling or seeing anything, he continued walking into the low valley. At the bottom, he heard a small rustle. Looking quickly, he saw a brown rabbit on the top of mound infront of him. It returned his gaze intently, ears stiff.
'What are you?' Aquien asked.
'What do I look like?' it replied.
'You don't have a name?'
'I suppose, but it doesn't matter.'
'Why wouldn't it?'
'Whether we're human, wolf, rabbit, or snake, we're all promised to the same demise. Live and cease to exist, abruptly and cruelly. Life has no point.'
Aquien snorted sourly. 'Life is entirely meaning.'
'Don't be stupid. The evidence is all around you. There's no point!' it snarled.
'The meaning isn't the point,' Aquien said pressing North. Within minutes, he was walking on rolling green hills of herb.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Aquien's legs were numb. So was his whole body for that matter... He had walked for several days, and had drunk little water and had eaten almost no food. He was feeling fine.
More than fine, in fact. Looking around, he saw everything for what it was, and was grateful. Aquien found himself able to feel and know exactly what was above the next rise, what was in his surroundings, even the indiavidual lives of the plants. He could sense them all, and nothing surprised him while he walked, content with everything he came across.
For a good while.
He forgot Attatchment.
Aquien's legs were numb. So was his whole body for that matter... He had walked for several days, and had drunk little water and had eaten almost no food. He was feeling fine, but only physically. Low shrubs sat on the horizon and drafts of warm air brought the scent of leaves, but no matter how far he walked, he never reached them.
After several hours of frustration, something caught the corner of his eye on the rise. Aquien followed quickly to examine. Not smelling or seeing anything, he continued walking into the low valley. At the bottom, he heard a small rustle. Looking quickly, he saw a brown rabbit on the top of mound infront of him. It returned his gaze intently, ears stiff.
'What are you?' Aquien asked.
'What do I look like?' it replied.
'You don't have a name?'
'I suppose, but it doesn't matter.'
'Why wouldn't it?'
'Whether we're human, wolf, rabbit, or snake, we're all promised to the same demise. Live and cease to exist, abruptly and cruelly. Life has no point.'
Aquien snorted sourly. 'Life is entirely meaning.'
'Don't be stupid. The evidence is all around you. There's no point!' it snarled.
'The meaning isn't the point,' Aquien said pressing North. Within minutes, he was walking on rolling green hills of herb.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Aquien's legs were numb. So was his whole body for that matter... He had walked for several days, and had drunk little water and had eaten almost no food. He was feeling fine.
More than fine, in fact. Looking around, he saw everything for what it was, and was grateful. Aquien found himself able to feel and know exactly what was above the next rise, what was in his surroundings, even the indiavidual lives of the plants. He could sense them all, and nothing surprised him while he walked, content with everything he came across.
For a good while.
He forgot Attatchment.
The scent of leaves, trees, and forest mulch had him running forewards. Rise after rise he ran, until he finally saw the forest. It was only ahead, a few rises away. He ran through tall grass, dodging the occasion shrub or bush, accelerating all the while.
The sun set and he was almost there. A bright moon rose high, lighting his path to the woods. Whithin meters of the first tree, he heard a call. He slowed to a stop. At first he though it was a wolf's until he heard it again. Looking up in the branches, he saw a large owl, looking at him through huge yellow eyes.
'Whoo! What is it you seek?'
'The truth of this place!' Aquien growled in reply.
'This is truth!' The owl cried once more, and flew to the next branch into the forest. 'This is the way you seek, whooo! Follow!'
Aquien followed the owl to the North. He was on edge; he couldn't sense or smell this creature, but he saw it clearly. Ahead, he saw the owl land on a branch.
'Who-hooo! Look ahead! There is your truth, young one,' it said, guesturing forewards.
Aquien followed the guesture into a small clearing. The moon was high, full and shining into the clearing. In the center of the clearing lay the corpse of a wolf, half eaten, sitting rancid. The corpse buzzed with life. He looked back to find the owl gone. He walked around the clearing, heading North everstill. The eyes of the corpse were intact, gleaming yellow and vacant.
In the woods on the other side of the clearing, he met the owl again.
'Did you see truth?'
'I saw life.'
'Who! How unwise. What could be nobler than dying for a cause?'
'Living humbly for one.'
'You chastise me!' The owl cried, lunging for Aquien's face.
Aquien bit hard around the owl's head and felt it dissolve into water. It soaked him, and he felt it sizzle on his skin. He howled out in pain, skin disintegrating.
And he kept walking, breathing heavily.
He forgot to Believe.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The scent of the North had him walking forewards. His skin was healing exceptionally fast. The woods were a relief, but he still had to press onwards North. He found himself able to speak to the trees, speak to the ground, speak to his own muscles even. He felt, smelled, and even saw the emotions and memories of everything around him and found that everything was asleep in a fashion, from Mawkrin's world, to his own, to others. He learned wisdom from everything, and respect for it all.
And Aquien forgot Indulgence.
Aquien was able to run again. Darting along through trees, under shrubs, and over small rivers, he soon found himself belly-deep in snow. Around him stood tall pine trees, still green in the winter. The heat of the run kept him warm, even though he didn't feel the cold of the winter. The scent of the North was strong, and only becoming stronger.
Finally, Aquien burst from the trees. He found himself looking out to a wide expanse of stars, snow, a full moon, and mountains. This was Aquien's home; his desstination. He began to howl...
... and abruptly stopped. Infront of him appeared another wolf; himself, growling madly, eyes glinting the same yellow, fur giving off the same sheen.
'Why did you come here?' it growled.
'I don't know,' Aquien replied.
'Was it freedom?'
'This place is as good as any.'
'How about power? Did you come here to steal power!?'
'Where is here?'
'I see. You come here for a challenge. Well I'll give it to you!' And with that, Aquien's double lunged for his throat.
Aquien reacted quickly, gnashing at his hamstring as a counter. His opponent moved to quickly though, and they ended up facing each other, growling maliciously.
The two wolves clashed several times; in the beginning, nothing happening, each dodging each other's attacks. After a bit of fatigue set in, they began exchanging blows, a small cut here, a good clamp there. No major wounds were dealt.
...
Aquien bled deep red. The other bled black. Aquien had a deep gash across his shoulder and chest. The other limped from possibly fractured leg. Each had a large assortment of other more minor injuries, and Aquien looked as if he had gotten the short end of the stick. The fight wouldn't last much longer.
The other wolf charged.
Aquien saw a daring opening.
Aquien had come from below the other wolf's guard. He had twisted right and snapped upwards at the neck. Aquien bit hard and clamped his jaw. Dark blood oozed thickly from the other wolf's throat, and he moved no more.
And Aquien forgot.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Aquien limped up the mountain, soon finding himself at its summit. He didn't remember the trip, and everything was a blur. He smiled inwardly to himself. He understood the snow around him, the rock under him, the life surrounding him, and most of all, the fire inside of him. He fell to the snow, content with what he had accomplished, knowing he had made it North. This was where he wanted to be and where he belonged.
Laying there, Aquien reflected. So who was he?
He had wandered far, therefore he was a wanderer.
But he had been looking for something, therefore he was an explorer.
Had he found it? He didn't think so. Therefore he was lost.
...
He had found other things though, therefore he was a finder.
He had fought for them too, therefore he was a fighter.
Where did that leave him?
He had followed a feeling, therefore he was a dreamer.
A dream...
He was, therefore he was Aquien.
But this wasn't Aquien's home. He still had a future to find. Lifting himself slowly, Aquien continued North several days more until first his bones gave out. Then his muscles. Until finally he collapsed, passing out.
