The medicine man got a distantlook in his eyes, as if seeing the future. Onlyyou and the woman can break the chain of evil surrounding your lives.The web that attempts to ensnare you is a strongly built, finelywoven thread. There will be no peace until the web is destroyed. Lookfor the key. The answer is there before the question is even asked.Nothing is as it seems. Beware of illusions.The native fell silent.
Thankyou for the warning. Another matter needs attention as well. One manin our group was wounded and needs help.
The medicine man didn’t replyat first and Michio knew he was looking inwardly for guidance.Finally he said, Ilive to serve my people. It served them to keep the white conquerorsfrom our camp. Now I will treat the wounded man because the wind hastold me he will help my people and others. He follows an importantpath in this life.
The medicine man stood andcarried some firewood to the teepee. Michio followed, moving quietlyso as not to awaken anyone. The medicine man placed a few pieces ofwood on the dwindling fire. It flared up as he began chanting. Michiomoved into a trancelike state as he watched smoke rise from the fire,disappearing out the hole at the top of the teepee.
When the medicine man finishedchanting, he said inwardly, I’llprepare a poultice for your injured friend.
As he left the teepee, Erlingrolled over and asked in a groggy voice, “What’s going on?”
“The village medicine man ishelping Jake. Go back to sleep.”
The medicine man returned with abowl and large leaves. The bowl contained a clay-based mixture thathe put it on Jake’s shoulder wound and head injury. Jake mumbled inhis sleep as the medicine man placed leaves over the clay. When hefinished, he covered Jake with the furs.
Thefire will sweat out evil spirits,the medicine man said. Itis a gift from the Great Spirit of Light.
Michio slid out of his body andfound himself in the Inner Worlds with the medicine man and MasterBakka, whose skin tone had changed to blue. Michio realized theMaster appeared this way so the medicine man would accept him as aholy man.
TheAncient One appears,the medicine man said. Hecomes to give my people hope. We are a dying race, but the laughingriver will lead us to the Ocean of Love. Michio, you are also theLight. You will carry the torch someday and sing the sweet music ofGod for my people to hear.
Time disappeared for Michio. Hewas physically in the teepee, but as Soul he traveled in fullconsciousness in the Inner Worlds. He saw the laughing river andfloated on its upward current to a huge swirling ball of Light,brighter than a thousand suns. Once there he stood beside MasterBakka, unable to go any closer to the source of Light.
When the experience was over,Michio floated on a wave of Light back into his physical body. Whenhe opened his eyes, he felt uplifted and refreshed. The medicine manwas gone and sunlight shone through the small opening at the top ofthe teepee.
The fire had died down to glowingembers, so Michio put more wood on. Afterwards he touched Jake’sforehead and was relieved to find his fever had broken.
Michio shivered when he steppedout of the teepee into the cold air. In the early morning light, hesaw a series of teepees spread out among the trees. The camp guardswere the only two warriors awake. One handed Michio a clay jug andpointed to the woods. Michio went in the direction the guard pointedand soon heard running water. He arrived at a stream bank and drankthe cool water from his cupped hands. Catching sight of hisreflection, he realized he looked as ragged as the natives with hisdirty clothes, unkempt wavy, brown hair and start of a beard. For allhis intelligence, education and knowledge, he was less equipped tolive in the wilderness than these people. He also knew this tribe’sspiritual beliefs were more closely aligned to the Truth than manygreat civilizations he’d visited.
Michio stripped and stepped intothe clear, cold stream. Mud from the bottom oozed between his toes,bringing back childhood memories of playing in the stream near hishome. Tensing in anticipation, he waded out further, then made ashallow dive into the clear water. Chilled, he scrambled back ashoreand quickly dressed.
He filled the jug before headingback to the village where a native handed him a cloth and a jug.“Should I remove the clay from Jake’s wound with this?” Michioasked. The native smiled, revealing a nearly toothless grin. “Iunderstand. Thank you.”
The man said something else andhanded him a pile of clothes. Examining them more closely, Michio sawleather clothes for all of them. “Thank you,” Michio said again,smiling. The man smiled back and pointed to the center fire, then tothe warm clothes.
“You mean, they are warm likethe fire.”
The man nodded.
Michio returned to the teepee andfound everyone still sleeping. He threw another log on the fire andset the jug beside it to heat the water. Then he undressed andcrawled into the furs beside Toemeka. His body went to sleep, but hestepped out of it in full consciousness.
Instantly he was with themedicine man, looking at a mirage. Hundreds of Owayan people stood atthe edge of a river. One by one they stepped into it and swam towarda glowing Light.
Master Bakka stood close by. Theend of a people; a new cycle begins.
Michio awoke several hours laterto feel Toemeka’s kisses on his ear. Her small body was entwinedwith his. “Wake up,” she whispered. He ran his hand through herhair and down her back, feeling a stirring in his loins. Aware ofwhere they were, he took a deep breath and removed his hand. He layback and closed his eyes.
Toemeka moved on top of him, herbreasts pressed against his chest. “Don’t go back to sleep,”she said softly.
“It wasn’t sleep I wasthinking of.” He slid his hands onto her buttocks and drew her hipsagainst his, knowing she could feel his desire for her.
She kissed him. “Too bad we’renot
