Beyond

"Gowen! Gaiya!!”

“Sorry Kamali!” called two little voices in unison. A pair of small figures emerged from behind a covered wagon, part of a caravan of travelers that had stopped for a brief rest in the middle of a quiet dirt road.

Kamali's hand found his tall wandering staff nestled beside him on the wagon seat, and with a fluid motion, he rose and descended to the ground. As he approached the two younglings, there was an almost ethereal quality to his movement, as if he glided effortlessly. Every step he took exuded grace and poise, each movement deliberate and calculated. The staff in his hand, far more than a mere tool for support, symbolized not just the fact that he was an Elder, but also his unwavering presence and commitment to the road.

“You know, the edges of the road are no place to be playing alone, especially for such little ones as yourselves”.

“Yes Kamli,” replied Gaiya.

Kamali never dared to approach the road’s edges. Its expansive width beckoned him forward endlessly and he chose to remain tethered to the safety of its center.

Kamali directed his gaze at Gowen, “We must not risk falling from the road,” he cautioned. "We have gained much wisdom from our ancestors and through our own journeys as well, but beyond the edges of the road lie perils unknown even to us."

“But the most beautiful creature just flew past us and we wanted to see it better,” said Gaiya in defense.

“It was glowing!” cut in Gowen, his excitement far from hidden. “It was glowing! It had a tail with long stringy feathers made of tiny crystals that dangled and blew in the wind when it flew. Small drops of light fell from its tail too!”

“Oh?” said Kamali gently. A subtle frown tugged at the corners of his lips. “Are you sure this is what you saw?”

“Yes Kamali, it was very pretty,” said Gaiya.

“I see,” replied Kamali.

Gaiya fiddled at the hem of her plain green youngling robe, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Have you seen one before?" she asked, her voice tinged with enthusiasm.

“I have not,” said Kamali, then with hesitation he continued, “But I believe you may have caught a glimpse of a Teechew.”

“A Teechew?” asked Gaiya.

“Yes,” said Kamali. He tried to feign a slight smile, but his face seemed to be weighted with a sense of worry.

“What’s a Teechew?” said Gowen

Kamali stepped a few of his graceful steps, a long and immaculate ashen colored robe flowed against his legs, gently swaying as if under the waves of a peaceful tide.

“A Teechew is an ancient creature,” he said, “Some believe more ancient than the very road that we travel. We do not fully understand what they are, but it is said that they come from beyond the edges. But only few see them and those that do…”

He trailed off and stared into the skyline of the road ahead, unsure whether or not to continue.

“Those that do what, Kamali?” asked Gaiya.

Kamali glanced down at her and opened his mouth to respond.

“Maybe we can catch one!” exclaimed Gowen before Kamali’s words had a chance to leave his lips.

“This would not be wise,” replied Kamali.

“Why not?” asked Gowen as he kicked a rock to the edge of the road. The road was bordered as far as the eye could see with a rippling shroud reminiscent of water, yet swirling slowly and freely like a dense fog on a cold autumn morning. The rock eventually lost its balance and tumbled off the edge, briefly disturbing the shroud and causing a faster, larger ripple as it descended, but it made no sound and showed no sign of reaching a destination below.

Kamali looked fixedly at where the rock had wavered just moments ago, then came to focus on the little ones again.

“A Teechew may indeed look to be a beautiful thing, but they are also dangerous,” he said.

Gowen and Gaiya just stood staring at him.

Kamali knelt down to meet the two at eye level, placing his walking stick horizontally across his knees. Their eyes followed his gaze as he knelt.

“If you see another, it is important that you let it be. Let it be and come find me or another Elder right away.”

There was a brief silence among them and then the wagon ahead of theirs began to jostle to life.

“It seems it’s time to continue” said Kamali

Travelers emerged from surrounding wagons, packing up their belongings. Some began dismantling their camps nestled in alcoves along the road, cautious not to stray too close to the swirling shrouded edges just beyond their chosen resting spots.

Another Elder gently guided a few straggling younglings back to the main road, their robes miraculously untouched by the twirling dust as they ran and skipped along. They caught up with Gowen and Gaiya, laughter trailing off as they all jumped into a wagon together as it slowly began to roll.

The Elder approached Kamali walking slowly and with a grace to rival his own.

“Hello Alo,” said Kamali, “Did you rest well?”

“Yes,” replied Alo, “And you my friend? I sense a worry within you.”

With her hands clasped, she matched her step with Kamali’s and together they walked side by side keeping pace with the leisurely rolling of the wagons.

“Do you know of a time when a Teechew has ever sought a youngling?” asked Kamali.

“The histories do not teach of this and therefore it is not so,” said Alo.

“Yes, this I know. But Gowen and Gaiya have told me they just saw a creature and I believe it to have been a Teechew.”

Alo let out a delicate laugh.

"This cannot be," she said. "Only Elders have vanished after the sighting of a Teechew. We are the only ones unlucky enough to encounter them, not the younglings."

Alo waved her hand dismissively.

"You know this. Little ones can let their imaginations run wild. Best not let yours run away with you too, Kamali."

“Yes,” said Kamali, tucking his wandering staff under his arm, “You may be right.”

The two continued to walk together in silence, the road behind them becoming obscured as they moved forward and eventually disappearing into a blackness as if it never had existed at all.

As the caravan pressed forward, they drew near a quaint village nestled within a secluded alcove.

Here, amidst the absence of Elders, a gathering of Seekers awaited, eager souls poised on the cusp of wisdom, awaiting encounters with the Elders to glean knowledge from the road's past, aspiring to one day step into the revered role of traveling Elders themselves, as the road ahead would not reveal itself to a simple Seeker alone.

"Welcome, Travelers," greeted one of the Seekers with a hint of reverence. "It's been whispered among us that you'd be finding your way here soon, bearing the gift of wisdom. We are deeply honored by your visit. May we offer to replenish your supplies or clear a space for you to set camp and rest?”

Kamali stepped forward from the caravan. “Thank you,” he said with a bow of his head. “I believe we shall rest a bit, then the other Elders and I may share teachings with those of you who are ready to hear them.”

The Seeker returned a bow and directed the others in his village to assist in setting up camp for the travelers.

Kamali placed his wandering staff at the seat of his wagon and began helping the little ones settle into camp.

After a short respite, the Elders and Seekers gathered inside of a humble stone structure adorned with weathered carvings, simple tapestries, and shelves of well-loved tomes.

Alo, embodying the serene wisdom of an Elder, was the first to speak.

"Kamali," she began with a tranquil tone, "would you be so gracious as to bestow your wisdom upon these Seekers?"

Turning her gaze to the eager listeners, she continued, "Kamali is esteemed among us, a revered Elder whose unwavering dedication, compassionate care for all, and extensive travels along the road exemplify his profound wisdom."

Kamali gracefully rose from his seat, offering a respectful bow to the gathered Seekers. With a voice that carried the weight of wisdom earned through countless travels, he began to unravel the mysteries of their journey.

He spoke of the unyielding path ahead, reminding them that while Elders forge ever onward, the road they leave behind fades for them into the realm of the inaccessible. He spoke of the veiled unknowns that lingered beyond the edges and beneath the shroud. Yet, Kamali's focus remained steadfast on their shared purpose: the imperative to persist in their journey. For in the relentless passage of time, the road unfurls only as long as travelers persist to venture forth, their existence intricately bound to its ever-unfolding path.

It was soon time for Kamali and his caravan to resume their journey, welcoming a few Seekers from the village to join them as they embarked on the path to becoming Elders themselves.

As Kamali emerged from the small building where they had gathered, he caught sight of Gowen waiting just outside the door. The boy held Kamali's wandering staff, his face etched with apprehension. Approaching him, Kamali noticed tears glistening in Gowen's eyes.

"Gowen?" Kamali's voice was gentle, filled with concern. "Is everything alright?"

With a shy nod, Gowen lowered his gaze and extended the broken staff.

"I'm sorry, Kamali," he sniffled. "I was playing with the others and accidentally broke it."

Kamali looked down at the staff and swept his hand across the length of it. It had splintered in the middle, but was still intact.

“Oh, this old thing?” he said with a softhearted smile. “It’s just a stick really. Besides, I think it’s still usable this way.”

Gowen wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe. “I’m sorry Kamali.”

Kamali patted Gowen gently on the hand. “It’s ok. I believe it’s almost time to continue forward. Can you gather your things and let Gaiya know as well?”

Gowen nodded, still wiping his eyes as he hastened away to find Gaiya.

The Seekers helped break down the temporary camp as the Elders loaded the last of their belongings into their wagons.

Alo bid farewell to the Seekers and then ushered several younglings back to the road.

"Forward!" echoed a commanding voice from the front of the caravan, the signal for their journey to resume.

“Ready?” Alo's serene voice broke the silence, inviting Kamali to join her in the next leg of their walk.

“Did you spot Gowen and Gaiya heading back to the wagon?” Kamali inquired, scanning the area.

“I have not seen them,” Alo replied with a furrowed brow.

“I asked Gowen to find Gaiya and gather their belongings,” Kamali explained.

“It seems those two have a talent for distracting each other from their duties,” Alo remarked with a chuckle.

Kamali let out a resigned sigh. “I must go find them. We'll catch up with you shortly.”

With a nod of understanding, Alo turned to follow the caravan's path.

Kamali returned to the village, asking a Seeker if they had seen the two younglings. He pointed at a clearing behind the small building where they had gathered earlier.

“I saw a couple of little ones wander off that way a bit earlier,” he said, “but I assumed they were gathered up by Elder Alo with the rest of them.”

Kamali expressed his gratitude to the Seeker and made his way toward the clearing, a disquieting sensation crept over him, unsettling his normally steady composure. The air around him grew unnaturally cold, devoid of the sounds of laughter and banter where younglings might be playing. A sense of unease gripped him tightly and he quickened his pace in hopes of finding the little ones.

As Kamali rounded the small gathering building, he spotted two figures in the distance, wandering perilously close to the edge of the road. Yet, this time, it wasn't just the edge that concerned him.

"Gowen! Gaiya!" Kamali called out, his voice trembling with concern.

The two younglings turned towards Kamali's voice, their eyes alight with excitement.

"Kamali, look!" exclaimed Gaiya, pointing just beyond the border of the road.

Kamali's heart sank as he followed Gaiya's gaze. There, unmistakable in its ethereal presence, a Teechew fluttered back and forth in front of the young ones, leaving behind streaks of dissipating light in its wake.

Kamali thrust his wandering staff into the air and raced toward the young ones with a speed he had never known before. All semblance of his usual grace and poise vanished in the urgency of the moment.

As he reached the children, the Teechew swirled around them, its intentions unclear. Kamali swung his staff blindly, hoping to drive the Teechew away or at least startle it enough for the children to escape back to the safety of the caravan.

In the blink of an eye, the Teechew vanished, leaving behind a glowing cloud of dust. Kamali clung to the end of his staff, using it to steady himself for the first time. His hands trembled, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Relief flooded through him as he saw Gowen and Gaiya standing unharmed beside him. Slowly, the weight of dread lifted from his shoulders. Then, with a sudden realization, he noticed where he stood – at the very edge of the road, a place he had never dared to venture before.

“We’re sorry,” said Gaiya, feeling ashamed.

“What did I tell you two about playing so close to…”

Kamali’s words were cut off by a loud cracking sound. His shoulder dipped as his wandering staff split in half where Gowen had accidentally splintered it. Struggling to regain his balance, Kamali found himself unable to find stable footing and toppled backward. Kamali heard two small voices scream his name together as one. And caught a glimpse of two little faces, eyes filled with horror as he plummeted over the edge of the road, a rippling veil consuming him.

Swirling tendrils of dense fog enveloped Kamali's body, cloaking him in a shroud of mist that seemed to twist and writhe with a life of its own. The ethereal haze danced and coiled around him, weaving an intricate tapestry of shifting shapes and forms. And amidst this enigmatic fog, a small, glowing figure flitted gracefully, casting an otherworldly luminescence that illuminated the murky depths with an eerie glow. The Teechew. He had not scared it away at all. He had done exactly as it wanted him to. And now it had him, here, beyond the veil.

Kamali felt his mind becoming clouded. His memories and wisdom of the road fading. Gowen, Gaiya, Alo and the others. He tried hard to remember.

Who was he? Where was he?

A radiant glow approached him. It was mesmerizing. He reached out, and the glow pulsed brighter, bathing him in a comforting warmth. As the luminous energy spread through his body, melding with his essence, a tranquil calm washed over him.

Then, all faded to black.

In a sudden burst of blinding light, Kamali's eyes were flooded with brightness, accompanied by a whirlwind of strange noises and frantic voices swirling around him.

Struggling to focus, he attempted to open his eyes, but his surroundings remained a blurry haze. When he tried to speak, his voice emerged weak and muffled, failing to form any real words at all. A shiver ran through him as he felt a rush of coldness, his skin exposed and naked. Someone wrapped a blanket around him and he felt as though he was being carried away.

Strange beeping noises added to his confusions, his body heavy with exhaustion and fatigue, beckoning him to surrender to sleep. But before he succumbed to the urge to drift away once more, he caught the gentle whisper of a tender voice in his ear, murmuring, "Nice to finally meet you, little one. Mommy loves you."