The woman turned to her left, stunned at the sudden intrusion.
‘Let her tell her stories, go bother someone else!’
Ardim had joined the audience and was now looking threateningly at Jaden.
‘Shouldn’t you be scaring children to sleep or something?’ asked Jaden, bending down then to those sitting in the front row and whispering, ‘Run, children, the Ardim is coming!’
‘It seems I shall have to continue this another time,’ said the woman, getting up. ‘A pleasant day to all of you.’
She bade them goodbye as Ardim continued to stare at Jaden.
‘Shouldn’t you be bleeding?’ he yelled.
‘Doubt it,’ Jaden said to him, and then turned to the children again. ‘Quick,’ he whispered loudly, ‘now’s your chance! I have it distracted!’
Ardim stuttered, once, then twice and almost a third time before he yelled, ‘You want to get hurt, runt?’
Instantly he was dashing around the crowd to reach Jaden. Jaden laughed and hopped back a few steps before sprinting a few yards away from him. He stopped as he heard Ardim fall heavily to the ground, a young man bigger than even Ardim standing over him.
‘Don’t get up!’ said the young man holding Ardim down.
Jaden laughed even more, ‘Look, your brother has come to save you … isn’t that nice?’
‘You! Get out of here,’ said Ardim’s brother strongly.
Jaden nodded and turned to leave, but not without giving one last laugh to Ardim before he did. Ardim responded with an aggressive, hate-filled look, mouthing the words, ‘You’re dead.’
Jaden couldn’t stop laughing as he wandered away casually, a victorious smile on his lips. He then strolled contentedly through the village, now feeling satisfied. He had always enjoyed querying travellers on the truth of their stories, but seeing Ardim become furious to the point of choking was a pleasure that would not soon be bettered. It was as close as he could get to revenge for all the trouble Ardim had caused. He didn’t like to fight with people, he often wished he could relax the tensions between the social clans, but knew from the wisdom of the elders it was best to keep it. It forced them to remain strong in the face of danger, to challenge their wits and their ability to keep their minds on track no matter how many emotional distractions there were. It was as it had been for centuries, and there was nothing to suggest it might change anytime soon.
As he neared the waterfall’s edge, the adrenaline in his veins subsided and his pleasant mood faded almost immediately. Memories of what had occurred on his last visit were coming back to him, all that he had felt, all that he had seen … and the dream; the harshness of the fields of grass, the burning in the sky, the military movement far below, and the boy.
That boy.
So innocent and so evil—what was his purpose? Why did he seem so real? Jaden didn’t understand how a dream could have had such an effect on him, or why he asked questions about it at all. He felt strangely drawn to it as if it were something more than it was … something he had to keep, to remember above all else. It was as if it had actual importance. He then recalled the feelings again, those he had felt while he was in the dream and while here at the waterfall. It had felt the same. How? What was happening to him? Was he going crazy?
As if in response to his questions, the feelings began to build again, swirling and darting around as they had before. He almost lost consciousness as the air was seemingly sucked from his lungs and claw-like grips wrapped around his ankles, increasing their pressure until the point of agonising pain. And then he heard a voice, far away at first, then right next to him.
‘Water is interesting. I too could stand here and watch it all day, though I think I’d rather watch this green stuff behind me grow. Most amazing! Look at that…’
Jaden withdrew out of his thoughts.
‘Grandfather,’ he said, turning to where he had heard the voice.
‘Hush, hush! I’m busy,’ said Vennoss, waving Jaden away as his gaze was set firmly over his shoulder at the ground behind him, where it seemed he really was looking at the grass.
Jaden shook his head, finally grasping where he was. Gone were the feelings of foreign movements. Only the light of day was presently in his mind, and the vision of his grandfather standing next to him—the old yet somehow youthful appearance of the man who had helped him so much in life. His shoulder-length white hair and short beard matched his robe, except that the robe was lined with purple that glittered in the sun. All of these things had become a welcomed sight to Jaden. No matter what had happened throughout the day, it would put him in a state of calm, the mere notion of Vennoss being near able to remind him of the greater purposes in life.