The Cave Part 10

"The path to knowledge is a high road seldom taken without purpose," said the old man as we approached the small waterfall behind his home. I had watched its mingled frothing streams of white and gray cascading from somewhere higher in the mountain face, never considering it more than a life source to the pool of fish. Yet now as we came to its curtain of shimmering glass, Tharkin extended his hand with a yellow glow of light surrounding his fingers.

"But knowledge without understanding can lead to many consequences unintended. That is where wisdom enters the door by way of experience and looking outward, not inwardly."

The curtain of water parted into matching pillars to either side of another cave beyond which had been completely hidden. I followed as the old man led the way, noting that not a single drop of water landed on our clothes or skin. Each swirling stream obeyed its course with perfect union, feeding the pool continually as it had done for who knew how long.

"One can be too hasty to come to an understanding of a subject as well," he continued, leading the way, not bothering to light a torch, but extending his hand yet again. All along the tunnel before us, numerous glittering stones of many colors sprang to life with light, a kaleidoscope of blues, reds, greens and every shade between. This dazzling display was like nothing I had seen in the hermit's sanctuary before and I was speechless, following quietly where he led.

"If we only seek the answers we want, or those that suit our purpose best, we more than do discredit to the subject. We find ourselves falling into the pit of blindness, never having considered every possible explanation or logical implication. Almost it could be said that it were better to never have stepped a foot into the pool of understanding, if we cannot dive into the lake of reason beyond."

The tunnel of many glittering stones took a turn to the left, and we climbed a series of stairs that had been carved into the rock. I counted at least thirty of these before we turned back to the right around a corner, and daylight could be seen in the distance. We had come through the cave back out into the sunlight higher up, where only an eagle or other flying creature could have seen the hidden path. Still we followed stairs leading straight before us towards the mountain's heart, a diamond shaped notch below the peak some hundred spans above us. Not for the first time did I wonder why there was never snow on this mountain, but reasoned I was here in summer and had not seen the changing of the seasons.

"Some secrets should be shared, until they have become the common currency of the people, but others must be locked away lest they harm life when there is no one who can constrain the temptations of greed and pride."

"And what secrets do you speak of?" I asked. "Are you to share some of them with me? What if I do not want to know them?"

"Do you wish to know who the woman you shared a dream with was?" he asked, somewhat stepping around my question. "Do you want to understand the purpose of that dream?"

"Well of course I do," I replied, a little sharply. The dialogue about knowledge and wisdom was interesting, but I felt it was needlessly obvious.

"Then you will need to turn over the stones to find the answers," he replied with the hint of a smile.

I did not bother to ask him what he meant by stones. We were approaching the mountain face, and there a deep green lake spread out before us. The water did not leave the basin, but seemed to soak up the sunlight, feeding the aquatic life within it. I wondered at the shimmering waters. I felt no trepidation of evil or danger about it, but something pulsing within its depths, like a heart pounding the blood of a great creature. No fish jumped from it, no birds alighted upon it. Alive, yet the water was still. What was this?

Tharkin stood with hands raised above his head, and began to speak softly in a language I did not understand and could barely hear. His voice was a whisper, and yet there was absolute command and power in the voice. Perhaps in that one moment, I finally realized I knew almost nothing about the man. Who he really was, or where he came from.

There was a hush, then movement came over the waters. I held myself still in almost terror, as the green body of liquid climbed and clawed its way from the basin, gathering in upon itself in rippling muscles and form. A large head with eyes only distinguished by their deeper green darkness, looked at me with serious consideration, then the body of a creature whose shape would not stay still but flowed with capricious indifference parted. I was looking at a creature whose visage stared down at the path of dry rock that had been opened before us, huge arms or paws lining the way with vivid hues of green life. A stair led down towards a massive pair of doors that had been hidden in the depths beneath the creature.

"Come, Cairandawyn," said Tharkin, leading us onward again. "Fear not the Calmara, my old friend and faithful guardian."

Trembling slightly in spite of the old man's words, I could not help but cast a look up at the creature who had withdrawn its neck into its body, leaving only the head that vaguely resembled the face of a lion. I say vaguely on purpose, because it did not seem able to make up its mind, the very skin and texture, the watery pulsating description of change in constant motion. What else could one say? More simply, it never stopped moving even as it stood still.

"Behold the library," said Tharkin, bringing my attention back to the great wooden doors that stood fast before us, bound with iron and yet undamaged by the liquid form of the Calmara. Above them was an arch with engraving, words written with gold that seemed to glow from the grooves in the stone. What they said I could not read, and the old man did not explain. Maybe I would have asked, but at that moment he reached out and gently pushed on the doors. So finely balanced where they, or perhaps it was the magic I could sense about them as I approached, they swung noiselessly inwards, and I gasped in amazement. I had not been prepared for this.