The Journal of Dreams (The Tales of Tahana - Book One)

Chapter 4: A Promise Made

19-2-2-4012 DM, Arang, Telama, Hilaraya

The bells in the tower of the Garalahi had just announced the coming of twentieth hour of light. The sun was almost behind the trees and the western sky glowed in hues of gold and scarlet. In two hours, the sun would finally rest behind the forest of Lemat to the west. Aron Latharen sat in a wooden chair at the southern end of the corridor of the east wing of the Garalahi. His feet rested on a low darkwood footstool and his walking staff was propped up on the wall to his right. He had just come back from the market and his feet were very sore from walking. He regarded the view of the golden rice fields in the south and quietly contemplated on Rami's peculiar revelation about Dari's living day.

How could a haradu be given the wrong gift? It was impossible. Rami told him that Dari was born on the first minute of the first hour of the first day of spring, therefore, by the laws of the Pura na Haradesi, or the Cycle of Gifts, Dari should have received the Gift of the Waters. How then was he given the Gift of the Winds? Nothing could explain what had happened.

"Surely this has happened before..." Aron thought, trying to make sense of it all. Someone at the Garalahi in Kanay would surely be able to tell him that what happened to Dari was not unprecedented. That was normal. But was if it wasn't? What would that mean?

Aron was starting to feel pain on his temples so he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the comforting scent of the yellow evenblossom flowers that grew in the courtyard. He relaxed his hands on the arms of his chair for a few minutes and was starting to doze off when he suddenly heard a voice to his right.

"Begging your pardon, Periji." It was Rami's troubled voice.

"Ah, Rami. How is Dari?"

"Good, I think. He's still sleeping. I left him in the room with Asha."

"That's good. He needs rest after what happened today," Aron said as he took his feet off the footstool and sat up straight to face Rami. He quickly rubbed his eyes to rid himself of the haze that obstructed his vision. Slowly, his eyesight cleared and he saw Rami's worried face more clearly. He gestured for Rami to sit in the other chair to his left.

"Now, tell me what concerns you, my child."

Rami let out a long sigh. "You told me not to worry, Periji, but I couldn't stop myself. Asha and I don't know how to take care of a haradu. We don't even know what he needs now."

"First and foremost, what he needs now is the love, support, and strength from his parents. Secondly, being new to his gift, he would need someone to teach him how to control his power and how to use it to help maintain Santara."

"Santara? Forgive me, Periji, but I didn't have the chance to study at the Garpanji when I was young. I'm afraid I don't know anything about such things," Rami said as he lowered his gaze and started to study the polished redstone floor.

"That's quite alright, Rami. I will explain."

Rami looked up towards Aron with eyes filled with worry and anxiety.

"Santara is the great force that holds the Eternal Universe of the Suraya together. It is a delicate balance between kegarabara, or the forces of darkness, and chayabara, or the forces of light. Darkness covers much of the Suraya, so in order to prevent the it from collapsing into chaos and destruction, the chayabara has to maintain Santara by keeping their strength in the realms that the Creator made at the beginning of time."

"But what does that have to do with my son, Periji?"

"All harani, like the diwani, have control over the elements and can restore balance where there is chaos and destruction caused by the asuwani, the dark elements of kegarabara. The harani and diwani work together to maintain Santara here on Tahana." Aron stopped and looked at Rami, searching for understanding.