The Cave Part 7

"I would like to ask some questions," I finally responded after a long moment of hesitation. I could feel the being that occupied the black cave. Now that I was no longer starved and delirious as I was the last time I was here, I could reach out with my senses into the darkness and picture something in my mind's eye. A great shape in the cave, vast in its size just as the voice had said of itself before. Yet, there was a terrible stillness about the creature. I say creature, because it was impossible to feel that presence was truly a person as I or any other humanoid.

"And what are those questions, little one?" asked the voice, its deep tone reverberating with power, and echoing off the cave walls in a formidable way that made me feel as if I might be struck dead if it spoke much louder.

"Please sir," I stammered, not really sure how to address this being. "Did I come into this mountain with seven other companions?"

"Yes you did, little one," replied the great other, without emotion.

"Do you know why they were here? Did you eat them?"

There was a great shifting of weight in the darkness, as if something even more massive than I could imagine in that space was adjusting its weight to get a better look at me. That or preparing to strike out and end my existence. It was not a comforting feeling, and my legs felt so weak underneath me in fear, I thought I would fall, but nothing happened. The other had stopped its movement, and I could feel eyes of intense focus on me. I half wished it would reveal itself, and the other half dreaded it.

"Those others were indeed with you, or you with them," came the reply after a few moments of terrible silence. "They came to steal from me. They thought I was dead, or else they never would have come. No, I did not eat them."

"What happened?" I asked, realizing with terror that I had sought to steal from this being, and followed others in our mutual ignorance. It was shocking that I had got away the first time, and yet I knew in the pit of my stomach I had not simply walked away without this creature's complete benevolence.

"Two of them tried to cast an attack of sorcery," replied the steady voice as before, neither filled with anger or any other discernible emotion. "Their best attempts broke like water when it hit the stone of my own power. You were hit by the recoil and injured, passing out. The others fled, and I gave them no chase. They will be wiser in the future, or they will die. It lies with them to decide their own fates."

"I'm sorry," I stammered, the weight of this revelation heavy on my heart. "I must have chosen to steal from you in the past, or I would not have chosen to go with those others I still do not remember. Thank you for not killing them, or myself. Why did you spare me? They clearly abandoned me."

"That is an answer for another time," replied the voice, a softness now to it, and just the hint of warmth. "For now, I command you to no longer steal as you did in your past days. From now on you will give back to this world, an undoing of theft."

I knelt at those words, hardly sure if it was the right thing to do, but it felt like the proper response. What kind of creature could deflect sorcery from two of my companions? It was true that I had only the word of the still cloaked voice from the shadows, but whether or not it was being honest with me, I knew in my heart that it could kill but had spared me. Somewhere down deep, I had been wrestling with the memories that I was a thief, and quite probably had harmed others or perhaps even killed to get what I had wanted. Any number of people could come up with reasons to justify such behavior, but at my core I knew these things were wrong, even if I had grown up poor and hungry on some city street. Further, I was now living as a guest with Tharkin in his mountain sanctuary, with food to eat and a place to stay. There was no need for thievery anymore, and it felt like a complete shrugging off of a heavy burden I had never really wanted on my shoulders.

"Thank you for this second chance, sir," I responded, bowing my head to whatever loomed partially above me. "I will do as you have said."

"That is as it should be," was the solid response.

"Please sir, did you hear my name spoken by any of the others when they were here?" I asked. "I would like to know who I am, but the memories still have not returned."

"No, I did not hear your name spoken by your former companions," it answered. "You will remember it all in time, but now I will give you a new name. I will call you Cairandawyn. It means the Burning Flame, in the tongue of my people."

"Thank you I stammered," surprised to get something I had not asked for. "Would it be acceptable if I shortened it to Cair among other people? Cairandawyn is such a long name."

After asking it I felt immediately ashamed that I had proposed this with such foolishness. Almost certainly I had offended the voice in the darkness. However, I heard a soft vibration that somewhat reminded me of the purring of a cat, however it was magnified a thousand fold. It was then that I realized the voice was chuckling softly. That hit me with a surge of relief.

"If you wish, that would not disturb me," said the voice, and I heard the undertone of mirth in it. "Cair means flame, and a flame you shall be to others. Now I have a new command for you."

"Yes sir?" I replied, rising to my feet without being bidden too.

"I wish you to take this."

A glow of pale blue light shimmered to life to the right of me. It was not as painful as I expected in the darkness, because it grew softly, until I could see that it emanated from a long staff of what appeared wood leaning against the wall of the cave. This staff resembled a sturdy young sapling turned upside down, with the former roots twirled together at the top into a sort of cylindrical shape that could have been a cage for a very small creature. These roots then wove together to a point at the staff's tip. I could see now that the wood itself was a pale blue and white color, and was from no tree that I had every seen before to my knowledge.

"This is the Staff of Aquinian, a very powerful seer many ages ago. I give to you this treasure now, with instructions. You shall return to Tharkin, and ask him to reveal to you the secret library of knowledge he keeps. He will teach you to read the ancient languages, and you will gain the understanding of many things. Then, you will return to me when it is time."

"Time for what, sir?" I asked.

"Time for your next task," was all the answer I received.

I moved silently then to pick up the staff, and found it was slightly warm to the touch. Instantly a flickering flame of blue sprang up in the hollow of woven roots I had observed, and this light was calming and reassuring. I felt, somehow knew, that I had been accepted. The staff was a thing of power and possible sentience. At this point I was in no position to question anything. Too much had been revealed to shock and surprise me. Turning back to where the voice resided in the darkness, I was a little disappointed and yet relieved when the blue flame's light did not illuminate the creature.

"Now go Cairandawyn, Burning Flame. Seek new knowledge, and begin your life anew."