Aethan received his strength from a fierce love for all, and his devotion to the people was strong. It was in his love of the people he found comfort in not knowing the name of the Unmarked Ones. But Aethan's heart told him that it was not the names of the Unmarked Ones he should want to know, but their essences. He prayed and he asked and he wandered. One night in a dream, his heart told him that a part of the Unmarked Ones was inside of him, and that he had been given a special gift. It was his destiny to be a part of the Unmarked Ones, and to share love, hope and faith to all. Aethan and his people made a town. In that town he labored to make the first House of the Saans. They built homes for themselves next to the Houses and grew healthy crops. Their strength was abundant, their passions were focused. They praised the stars and the heavens for they were powerful and mysterious. It was for the Aether that Aethan was named.
Reas was gifted with intellect and a mind that could create and solve. Reas thought about the great flood, the loss of the Unmarked Ones, and the power of the elements. Reas and his people, ingenuous and bright as they were, found a pure spring rising out of a great rocky hill. Reas prayed to the waters, for guidance from the elements and the return of the Unmarked Ones. Many nights he spent in deep meditation, many days he spent in council with his people. Build a great city, they said. When the people said it, the waters surged as if to say it too. Knowing it to be a sign, Reas began to build. His city grew and grew and the people worshipped the water for it was the pure element of Reas's namesake and it contained the Unmarked Ones. It was the water’s power that separated the humans to begin, it was water that deserved respect.
Obith was very loved and the most able of the brothers. Obith was wont only to help others and to do as they bid. His namesake was fire, and his love for others he carried proudly like a torch. Obith walked the hills in search of the Unmarked Ones, he went into the mountains, he braved the oceans. Obith searched for them for his people, and for himself. He knew the anguishes of his people, their pains and their hungers, were his burden. His search was to help his people find joy and solace from their hurts. Obith sacrified himself, giving all of his time, his energy and his possessions to others so that in the absence of the Unmarked Ones, they might find comfort. Like him, his people had little but were always giving. Obith and his people traveled with animals, walking the lands to pray over all the living and unliving, such that the Unmarked Ones might offer protection and silent guidance. They praised the Fire, for Fire could make life and keep them warm, or Fire could destroy them in their beds. Obith had chosen his name because it was the element of Fire. It was the greatness of his spirit that kindled faith in the Unmarked Ones in all he encountered.
Terro was the quietest of all of the humans, and he listened to the sounds of the winds. They are still here, he spoke of the Unmarked Ones, they have just slipped into the shadows and they live with and as the Elements. Terro knew of the power and the violence of the Elements, they could be vengeful and unpredictable. He knew that the Unmarked Ones might help tame the Elements, so he and his people began their silent prayers to as the Unmarked Ones to forgive them, to watch over them and to please protect them from the Elements. Across the seas they traveled, searching for the Unmarked Ones, praising the Wind, for it was Wind that gave them power to travel and it was Wind for which Terro was named. They searched for people that were lost, for the faithless, for those who needed hope.
Kote was the oldest and the wisest of the human brothers, and did not seek out the Unmarked Ones. He understood that they would return when it was time. Kote did not ask the Unmarked Ones to help, to save, or to forgive. Kote wandered with his people in the desert, seeking not to know the divine plan of the Unmarked Ones, but simply to trust in them. Kote and his kin made their homes in the fiery canyons, bright in color, fierce in heat. They praised the Earth, for life came from Earth and food was borne in its soil. Kote had chosen his name for Earth. But Kote and his kin did not forget the other Elements, as every element was equally important to the people, and every element held parts of the Unmarked Ones and should not be ignored.
Chapter 27
Aneh
Although I was haggard and tired as I approached the outskirts of Saansanti, my desire to persevere was stronger than anything else. I was relieved thinking that Olei was somewhere in the city that lay ahead of me.
The land I was passing through was dotted with livestock tended by small people. Their skin was fair yet well worn from the sun. Most didn’t lift their heads to look at me. Some would squint as if to see me better, then shake their heads as they returned to their business. If I was nothing extraordinary to these people, all the better.
Sheep scat littered the road that became wider and more even as I continued towards the unmistakable city. A few hills rose in the distance, crowned with tall peaked buildings and dark trees. Beyond the dirty city haze was the outline of a small mountain, upon which towered the distinct shapes of enormous edifices. Frightened by the sheer vastness I stopped running, only for a moment, and inhaled deeply.
I ran on into Saansanti.
The city itself was thick with moving bodies of all different colors and sizes. It was overwhelming, yet exciting to be so stimulated. Some people were dressed in fine linens in colors I had only seen at sunset, bright reds and purples embroidered with orange and blues. Most people seemed to be dressed as drably as myself, they were the ones pushing and trying to sell their wares. Their faces were relaxed though they spoke loudly, their speech as dynamic as their gesturing bodies. Their accents clung to their words in the same funny ways that Rhys’ did. The thought gave me a tiny bit of comfort, but it was fleeting. I had no plan, nothing to trade and one daunting goal.
I spied a portly woman standing to the side of a wagon filled with summer squashes and young gourds in various colors. Her rosy cheeks and toothy smile inspired me to be brave.
“Hello,” I said.
“You want a squash? Seven for two?” She asked.
“No. No thank you. I was wondering where I can find the Saans?” She squinted at me then turned an ear towards my face, “Say that again. You speak funny.”
“Where are the Saans?” I spoke as loudly and clearly as I could.
“You want to find a House? There’re dozens. The big one is up on the hill there,” she pointed to a set of tiered buildings at the top of the hill, “Good luck gettin’ inside, a poor traveler like you. There’s a House just ‘cross the street from here,” she pointed in the opposite direction, to a white walled building two stories in height, “You’re better off getting in that one.”
“Thank you,” I nodded and turned towards the House. The street was littered with rubbish and smelled like waste—both human and animal—so much so I covered by nose with my sleeve. As I crossed I was mindful of where I stepped and where I was going. Squinting in the afternoon sun at the House, I hoped that this was where I would find Olei.
For a moment I was held captive by the sight of the House—its strange blue and purple translucent windows inlaid in the white walls, the decorative X’s printed on the door— and could ignore the people gently bumping me as they went by. The door opened and group of people walked out, looking at the ground. One man, robed in blue, remained at the door. He was short with white hair and white wrinkled skin. His sparkling eyes met mine and he smiled. I averted my eyes awkwardly and squinted in another direction. When I turned back he was there still, smiling. He looked both ways then approached me. I felt bewildered, but kept my expression calm.
"I bet you've not seen something like this place before," he said, his voice friendly.
"I've not. Your building is quite beautiful," I was careful to speak politely. By the way he lifted his eyebrows, I knew my accent must have seemed unusual to him.
"Well it's even more beautiful on the inside—almost as beautiful as the readings of the Saans." He gestured for me to follow him. I thought about Rhys's cautionary words and wondered if I was stupid to want to go inside with
the little man. But I was intensely curious about those fragile walls and the meaning of the “X” symbols.
"Welcome to a House of the Saans," he began as we walked through the dim hall to a darkened vault of room, "Protectors of the Unmarked Ones, preservers and tamers of the Elements. If you’re not one of us yet, you will want to be.” He stopped and looked up. I followed his gaze. Natural light streamed through the windows, casting water-like purple and blue swirls on the earthen floor. I had never even imagined such manmade beauty could exist. In the background I could hear the echo of flowing water and the whispers of people in the shadows. Here I was in the shelter of the Saans and for a moment I was free of all the doubts I had had about them in my journey to the city.
As if this wasn’t enough to grasp, the man turned around, mouth slightly agape, "And this, well… This will put anyone in a place of wonder."
I turned around to see a thousand little lights spread over the ceiling. There was something strange about these lights. They were not from a candle or the sun, it was as if they were glowing from within.
"I don't suppose you know the stories of the Saans, my dear, do you?"
"I know a little, mostly stories of creation." I couldn't tear my eyes off of the ceiling. It was like they had taken the stars and brought them inside.
"You look like you've traveled a long way. Care to kneel down and I'll tell you a little about what us Saans know to be true? No one on this earth should be ignorant of truths of this life.”
I nodded, deeply curious about all of the secrets of the Saans, "That would be lovely."
A Reading from the Great Reunion
After two hundred and fifty years the son of Aethan had a vision. In the vision a soft spirit came to him, but would not tell Aethan's son its name. Where its face would have been was the entire world, and at times, his own face too. It is time to find my father's brothers, he told his people. I must go to the city, I am called. The people cried and wailed, for Aethan's son was wise and just. His strength of mind and heart had led them into their happiest times, and they feared seeing him go. Some followed him, others remained to tend to their families, their flocks, and their crops. They promised they would send their foods to the city every full moon, such that Aethan's son and his kin would know of their origins and maintain their strength.
Aethan’s son and his people combed the land for a half a hundred years, finding his father's brothers and telling them of his vision. At the end of their journey, they came to the city that Reas had built. Reas' son cried in his relief, praising the Unmarked Ones for returning his kin to him.
The Sons vowed to combine their wisdoms and forsake their names and worship wholeheartedly the Unmarked Ones so that they one day might return. They would pick a name that would represent the sacrifices they were making, reminding themselves daily of what they had forsaken. Their names would tell the story of their people and pay homage to the elements that they most closely obeyed and praised. They vowed to educate and lead the people of the world to finding selflessness, loyally and peacefully worshiping the Unmarked Ones. The Unmarked Ones who had still not returned were embodied best by the Sons, who took the names of their fathers, SaanAethan, SaanTerro, SaanObith, SaanReas, and SaanKote. Together they were the Saans, the sacrificers. They called their great city of worship SaanSanti.
Chapter 28
Aneh
After my legs had gone numb from kneeling, the old Saan Errmann finished his readings and slowly closed a book.
"So the great X, it represents all five elements and all five Saans?" I asked tentatively.
"Yes, yes. We greet each other by crossing our arms over our chests. It mimics the X, and also the sign the Unmarked Ones gave when Aethan first approached them."
"Do all Houses of the Saans represent the Elements like this?"
"Yes, they do. They are all modeled after the first house that Aethan built. The flowing water, the raw dirt, the prayers of the people inside...all parts of this house are sacred. All pay homage to the Unmarked Ones. I do believe they will return still, but that is a topic for another day."
Errmann began to get up from kneeling and I abruptly rose to help him stand. He jumped back, reviled by my touch, making a horrified face as he backed up into his chair, nearly stumbling. I was shocked more than anything. He seemed to share my astonishment, as he took a second to catch his breath and shake out his arms.
"Thank you for your hospitality," I found my voice, though I felt that all the air had left my lungs. "I think it's time I left."
"Forgive me," Errmann sighed, “Long ago I gave up a woman's touch…all of us Saans do. I forgot how little you know about us, I know you meant no harm. We do not house women here either, else I would ask you to stay. There is an inn right west from here, you'll know it by the sign hanging over the door – it has the stars cut into it. Please come back tomorrow in the daytime and continue to learn more. I can see there is a strength and a wisdom in you uncommon to many. Come out of your ignorance my Dear and worship the Saans, the Unmarked Ones and the Elements.”
"Yes, I will try to return,” I picked up my bag, wary that this nice old man was trying to convert me. Though I was impressed by the Saans, I wasn’t convinced their practices and beliefs were best for me.
“Thank you Errmann, for introducing me to the city,” I added politely. With that he nodded and smiled, crossed his arms in front of his chest in emulation of the embracing symbol, and I left.
Seconds later I was sprinting alongside a grubby child that had dipped into my pack and stolen my knife. “You won’t catch ‘em Missy!” I heard a man call at me. The child shifted down a small street, so deftly I almost did not notice. I spun and turned at the last second. Without the pressing crowd I caught up in a few strides and gripped a filthy wrist.
“Oi! That’s not yours! Give it back.” I spoke roughly.
The child looked at me with great watery eyes and a wet nose. My heart almost caved in to its pathetic appearance but my head resisted. This was a clever thief child, and I wasn’t going to let this city get the best of me already.
I wrenched its arm. The child looked my hand dwarfing its wrist and whimpered softly. I was at least four times the size of the urchin, whose shoulder length hair was caught loosely in knots that remained stiff in the slight city breeze.
The child's expression shifted when we made eye contact.
"Are you a clown?" it asked, suddenly quizzical. I squatted down, still gripping, to look directly at it.
"No," I said, still breathing heavily from the chase.
"Well, what are you?"
"A foreigner," I said.
"Are you a woman?"
"Yes. Are you a boy or a girl?"
"I'm a boy, you stupid woman. You shouldn't carry your stuff around with you. I'll take it, or someone else will. Leave it at home."
"Well right now boy, I don't have a home, my pack is my home. Now give me my knife back." I shook his arm for emphasis.
"Fine. You need it more than I do," He paused. "You're the biggest woman I ever seen," the boy remarked and reluctantly handed over my knife.
"I'm normal where I come from," I said, putting the knife in my pack and adjusting the straps a little tighter.
"Where's that?"
"Koyote."
He thought for a moment, "Is it far?"
"Too far to go back any time soon. Can you tell me boy, where I go to find the inn?"
"Oh, it's way a ways back that way. You have do go down the big street, then you walk and go this way and then walk…um…more to the that way and you'll get there." He accompanied his directions with snake like hand movements, impossible to understand.
"I can take you there if you give me something," he offered. I was skeptical, but had no alternative.
"I have food."
"What kind?"
"Rabbit, dry bread, goat cheese, dates."
"Mmm, maybe. I might get hungry on the way. Come on, and don't be stupid this
time."
Senses heightened, I followed the child, but had to be careful and quick. I was at least a head taller than most of the people in the streets and the kid wormed his way through obstacles lightening fast. Eventually the tiered buildings of the city center came into view.
“Hey!” I yelled at the child, “What are those buildings up top there?”
“The big one in front is the Keep. That’s where the King and Queen are. The bigger one in back is where the Saans is. That’s the Citadel,” he squeaked. Through the dust and heat of the late summer air stood the silhouette of the Citadel. That must be where he is, I thought.
"Raini, child! I told you not to leave the house. Not to leave your bed, not to do anything!" A man came out from an alleyway and grabbed the child sternly with blackened hands and stains on his clothes. He looked up at me, his face was clean.
"What's this?" He asked the child without breaking line of sight with me.
"I found it! She's a coyotie! I was taking her to the inn because she asked and," his little voice turned to a whisper, "She doesn't have a home and I think she's stupid."
I raised my eyebrows as the man stood.
"I'm Aneh, and this child tried to steal from me earlier. We made a bargain." We both looked down at the child. The older man shook his head.
"Aneh, I'm sorry. I'm Rhyan, this little one is Raini. He is learning not to steal,” he broke eye contact with me to give his son a reprimanding glare. "Coyotie, is what we call villagers or farm people from far away. Have you been traveling long?”
“Months. I came from the South East.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“My village was called Koyote…it sounds a lot like ‘coyotie'.”
"Interesting," he chewed his lip for a second, putting pieces of some unknown puzzle together in his mind, "Would you like some food? You've traveled far, I know of Koyote and I think we owe it to you, for your trouble with my son."