General Zhen laughed, “Did you hear that, my men?” He glanced back, and the soldiers chimed in with laughter.
The hairband on Johannan’s head freed itself, snatched by the invisible hand of the draft. The roots of his hair began to transform, to house the flickering jolts of blue-white colours only seen in a leaping spark.
There was an awaking sound of many gasps and whispers, a wall of intimidation behind the general, closing in and surrounding him.
“The gods have abandoned us!”
“So it is true, the white-haired demon does exist.”
“I always thought it was a myth made up by those cowardly peasants.”
Zhen’s horse whinnied.
“Shut up!” said the general, turning back to face his men. “Can’t you see this is a trick, you dammed fools! How embarrassing.”
Johannan’s eyes burned into a blue-violet shimmer. “General, I can assure you, this is no trick.” He thrust his arms into the heavens, and a whirling vacuum materialised high above them, sucking the clouds into a colossal black hole. It was a sight of splendour and dread. The grass and shrubs of the field fluttered, and volumes of dust dispersed as agitated horses trotted on the spot. The others took the behaviour of an untamed horse and galloped away with their riders. The men held on to their belongings. The updraft that manifested from the ground surged towards the black hole.
A silent tinge of silver and grey glazed the atmosphere with a message of impending doom. Dislodged helmets flew around and collided with each other. The cowardly villagers watched from afar; they were not coming any closer.
A mighty and terrible tone echoed from the depths of the black hole.
“Johannan!”
Johannan fixed his gaze on the hole. “Master, I am here.”
A dancing star descended. A spasm of stretched beams of energy pierced the heavens. Seven multi-coloured stars orbited the main star in a way that made the sparkling assembly resemble the movement of an atom. The soldiers focused upward and saw something different: instead of a star, they saw the Soburin. He was floating, toes pointed toward the earth, his arms folded, his bluish robes rippling like a wind-beaten sail. Broken colours of ash and slate swirled high above him. The men had seen something—it wasn’t a god, but it was the majesty of something the small words of a man could never describe.
“Woe unto you, if you can behold the terror and might of my image. I will deliver to you death and sudden calamity. When the hand of my Judge falls, your homes and your vast people will be destroyed, and all the works that you have accomplished under the sun will be undone!”
Everyone had heard the words of the Soburin detonating from the ether. The men displayed a fear that possessed their bodies, and they jumped from their horses and fell to their knees. General Zhen pleaded with Johannan; he was humbled but still tried to show a form of courage.
“Boy, keep that hand up! I will leave and never come back!”
The image of the Soburin waited, not moving, not saying anything. A shining glory, like a midday sun.
“Please, boy! You hear me, please! My men . . . they have families!”
Johannan’s face expressed painful stress. Trickles of sweat had assembled on his forehead.
“I-I can’t hold my hand up much longer, General. Help me!” shouted Johannan, his arm felt so weak that even a soft breeze would have thrown it down. “I’m getting tired, my hand is about to drop.”
General Zhen raced over to Johannan and supported his arm, a handful of men saw what happened and rushed over to assist. Seeing the general behave in such manner was no different from a god becoming a mortal.
“I knew I should have been a farmer. I can’t believe I’m here,” said one of the soldiers.
“We need you to stop this thing. How long do we have to support your hands, boy?” asked the general. Ignoring the complaints from his soldier was something he’d never tolerate under normal circumstances, but he had no choice; he had to dismiss it.
“I don’t know, General. Wait until the Master is gone,” shouted Johannan above the thrusts of air. Almost three hours passed before the image of the Soburin faded away. The men thought they were all going to die, but when the Soburin had disappeared, they all ran in separate ways back to their homes to check on their families and loved ones.
“Thank you! I will leave this village in peace, and I will never return. That is a promise.” The general nodded. It was the type of nod and facial expression that gave a guarantee.
“Make sure you remember that promise. You have been very fortunate today because it was the Soburin who appeared. If it had been the Muhandae, you all would have perished. Go in peace and don’t return.”
Not long after, General Zhen departed from the field. The vision in the sky had stopped.
“That image doesn’t act anything like me, Aneo. This can’t be true.” said Johannan.
“This is a vision of the distant future, Son of Nepal. It is to reveal to you the type of man you will become.”
Johannan held his head down; he was in doubt. The confidence the image portrayed in the Master’s power was something he could not get familiar with.
CHAPTER 28
My Ayushi
“There is another vision of the future the Master wishes to share with you.”
The sky above illuminated a picture of his home from the view of a soaring falcon. Wisps of smoke billowed from the ovens into the sky. He could hear and see the river running. Comet, the goat, was bleating away.
Johannan’s chest pounded. “That’s my home, Aneo—my home.” He touched his chest. What is the Master showing me? The racing beat of his heart, the feeling of warmth rushing to his head . . . Is he trying to torment me? With a flick of his hand, he turned away and sobbed, his body becoming limp with sorrow and emotional pain. Aneo held his shoulder and hoisted him up, with an arm around his waist.
“Son of Nepal. You must look. It is important.”
Johannan shook his head. “Aneo, I c-can’t, I have tried so hard to forget that place,” he said, covering his eyes.
The sorrow in Johannan’s heart was deep. To manifest at such a level in the Everplanes was something even Aneo found surprising. Aneo smiled, he seemed happy. Johannan wondered, Why? Why is he so joyful?
“This will give you much needed rest, for you are weary. Please look, and do not be afraid. The Master has charged me to protect you from any harm.” Aneo patted him on his back. “Do you remember when you were a captive in Pema’s village? Do you remember the cage, the rain falling late in the night, and the warmth you felt, even though the fellow prisoners were wet?”
Johannan nodded, downcast in spirit, his head still facing the earth.
“It was I who sheltered you, from the Everplanes, and kept you warm.” Behind the imprisonment of a sad face, Aneo could see a smile fighting to escape. He thought he’d encourage Johannan further to set that smile free.
“Do you remember the desert? And the man on the camel who appeared to give you water?”
“Was that y-you as well?” said Johannan.
“No, it was the Master. He was testing you.”
Johannan flicked his head as a jolt went through his system. “That was the Master? The Soburin Master who has brought us here now? That old man on the camel who laughed at me when I said I was searching for the Great Spirit?” It was hard for Johannan to imagine the Master being this humorous old man.
“Yes, Son of Nepal.” Aneo beamed with delight as he watched the shock on Johannan’s face. “We have been here all along, protecting you from death and harm.”
Johannan felt a slight lift in his spirit.
“Now look up, Son of Nepal. I, myself, have waited for you to see this as it pleases me when you are happy.”
Johannan stared up into the sky, and the vision revealed Ayushi. She was very well dressed, as Mama always made it a point to show off Ayushi with the fine clothes she made. She sat down by the tree next to the river.
/> Johannan felt his heart beating quickly again. “My Ayushi, Aneo—that’s her!” He clapped his hands. He instantly noticed her body had matured, she was not the same girl he’d left at home. She was curvier, fuller in the hips. He took in a sharp breath. Something about her was different. “She looks like a grown woman, Aneo.”
The vision continued to play. Johannan saw the image of himself walking along the river to where she was. When he saw her sitting on the grass next to the tree, a panic gripped his upper body. Humbled by the sight of his beloved, it became harder to breathe and challenging to move. He scrunched the chest area of his clothing and fell one knee to the floor.
“It has been so long,” he muttered, “I cannot even look her in the face with the strength to stand.”
He wiped away a tear and proceeded towards her. He could smell the enchanting wafts of rose oils that Mama rubbed into her hair. He could feel his body trembling like an old horse cart about to give way. It was home again, a happiness he had longed for and something he felt he would never let go again. Let me see if she still remembers me after so long. Let me see if she still loves me.
“H-hello,” he stuttered. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, just listening to the waters,” A rich but polite womanly voice replied. Johannan could feel a wave of heat flowing through his body; she sounded different. She didn’t seem to recognise his voice. Has it been that long? wondered Johannan. He wasn’t aware that his own voice had deepened over the years. He removed the hat from his head, and went to sit beside her on the ground.
“H-have you forgotten me, Ayushi?” he stuttered.
Her head dipped and turned to the side, “Who are you?” It didn’t seem to be a voice that she was familiar with. “You don’t sound like you are from around here, and I don’t know anyone from outside the village.”
Placed on the ground close to her, he could see the flute he made for her as a child. Johannan dipped his chin. A soft sigh followed, “I’m sorry, so very sorry, Ayushi.”
There was a building confusion in Ayushi’s mind. It was bizarre that a stranger would come apologising. “What are you sorry for, traveller? You have done nothing wrong.”
“Years ago, I left my home. I was just a foolish boy. I left my mother and the woman I cherished more than anything.”
Ayushi’s head quivered. She reached out to grab the air in front of her. “Is that my Johannan? Is that you?”
She remembers, she still loves me! Johannan smiled, taking her hand into his. “It is, my love. I am back to stay.”
Ayushi trembled, tears began to roll down her face. “My heart, my love, my Johannan, you have come back from the dead? I love you so much.”
The image of Johannan turned to the side. He noticed the river was running uphill. He is here!
Further down the river, villagers rushed about, alerting the others to the amazing phenomenon that was taking place. Johannan could hear their expressions of awe. Some of the villagers were even frightened to go near the waters and wouldn’t let their children near it. Johannan knew what it meant. The Master was present.
“We must go and see Mama,” said Ayushi.
“Wait! It is not time yet.” He held both her hands. “I know you won’t understand me, but please do this—for me.”
“What is it?”
“Close your eyes,” said Johannan.
The people further down the river turned to see the glowing white-haired man who was holding onto Ayushi’s hands. You could hear their voices as they spoke without discretion amongst themselves.
“Is it him? The wandering hero of China? Are the stories true?” said one villager.
“It is him! It has to be. Look at his hair, no one has hair like that.” replied Nanda, a dear childhood friend of Johannan.
Ayushi closed her eyes. “M-my eyes are tingling.”
“I have travelled over the whole of China, wandered the Gobi desert, and faced many trials, all for this moment.” Johannan released his hand. “Open your eyes, my love.”
Ayushi gingerly opened her eyes. “What is this?” She stepped back, looking into her hands. “W-what? I can see different colours. And moving things. I can see my hands.” She reached out to feel Johannan’s face. “I can see you, Johannan. I can see you!”
Remembering all the pain and sorrow he had endured, Johannan felt the finger of weakness poking at the joints in his knees. He fell down and wept. The vision faded away.
CHAPTER 29
The old traveller returns
“Aneo, I don’t know what to say.”
Aneo continued smiling. He had waited a long time to see Johannan happy. “There is more, Son of Nepal. I also see you will gain another Majestic.”
Johannan’s eyes opened wide with surprise. “More to see?” He looked down to search his thoughts. “What more happiness can the Master have in store for me?”
“Let us look. Here comes the last vision, and then we must return.”
The sky lit up again to reveal his home. The children were running with colourful ribbons that set the village alight in a joyful splendour. There were the sounds of music and laughter from the older couples dancing. A great crowd surrounded two people, Johannan and Ayushi.
Johannan grabbed onto Aneo. “That’s a wedding. It’s my wedding! I’m marrying Ayushi.”
The vision continued to show them both in each other’s arms. The villagers cheered as they threw flowers and petals over the young couple. Mama cried, no one had ever recalled seeing her that happy.
Then all of a sudden, the people stopped cheering. Johannan’s hair began to change colour. It hadn’t happened for weeks. Johannan even wondered if the Soburin and the Muhandae had departed from him, now that their agreement had been fulfilled. The villagers knew why his hair could change colour, through all the stories he had told them of his travels. The heavens opened to release feather-light clusters of snow that glided on the welcoming breezes of Nepal.
“Your Master is here, Johannan. He’s here!” said Ketan, pointing at Johannan’s hair.
“I can’t believe it! The Great Spirit has attended the wedding. What an honour. What an amazing honour,” said Raman, clasping his hands and bowing.
Johannan saw the geese circling above them. “Yes, he is up there.”
He began to wave, the children followed, and before you knew it, everyone in the village was waving towards the sky.
Through the crowd, Mama spotted someone she hadn’t seen in a very long time. It was the old traveller, who had given her the two children. What is he doing here? she thought. She struggled through the crowd, leaving Johannan and Ayushi behind. She searched the village for him, but didn’t see his ambling movements until she approached the river.
“You again!” she said, raising her voice so the traveller could hear her further upstream. The traveller turned around and saluted her.
With rapid movements of her hand, she beckoned him, “Come, so I can talk with you. I have plenty to tell you.”
“I cannot, I must be on my way. It was just a flying visit, after all.” He paused, stroking his long beard. “How are the children treating you?”
“They are all grown up now. I want to thank you for them. I want to thank you for bringing them to me. They are my everything. I wanted to thank you for the kindness you have shown.”
The old traveller laughed heartily, “Did I not tell you that they were special? That they were made for each other.”
“Yes, you did, old traveller, and you were right. Please, if you must go, at least do us the honour and come and stay with us for a meal before you travel again.”
“Ahh . . . honour,” he rubbed the sides of his cheek and nodded. “I like that!” he finished and stretched to the heavens to release a yawn. “The thing is, and you may not understand when I say this, but I have been with you all the time, and you have treated me most well indeed. But the time has come for me to move on. Your boy, Johannan, he’s quite something, aye?” He
dipped his head in the form of a courteous bow. “Send my regards to him and his beautiful bride.”
Mama sobbed, placing her hands over her heart. “He’s my mischievous boy, and I love him with all my heart.”
The traveller laughed again, “Ahh yes, love . . . Well, that’s that then. I have a feeling we will see each other again, but until then, farewell.” He pivoted and began to walk away.
“How do you know that, old traveller? It has been years since I saw you last.”
He paused in his steps, his cloak swirled to chase an abrupt turn. He thrust his index finger against the sky. A notable gust of wind made its presence known in the trees. “It is the will of the heavens,” he said, raising his tone.
He took his hat off to expose his long, majestic powder-white hair and waved goodbye as he revolved to face the upstream. Mama began to walk towards the village. She wanted to get one last glimpse at the old man who had bought her such happiness, but he was long gone—disappeared. Very quick for an old man, she thought.
The vision stopped. Johannan was astonished and lost for words, but he felt a joy he had thought he would never feel again.
“We must leave now, Son of Nepal, the morning approaches. We must return to Pema and Rinzen.”
CHAPTER 30
Back on the mountain
“Johannan! Arise and go to the Kweilin.” The audible voice of the Soburin slashed through the sheet of silence.
Hundreds of bar-headed geese were scattered around him. Three years had passed since he was the boy who left home, and he desired deeply to return now as a man. The resounding commands of the Soburin were a frequent occurrence in his adventures.
His hair glinted with brilliance as the Master descended from the heavens. A lingering draft only strong enough to blow a few strands of his hair grew into a powerful orbiting gale. Johannan got up and stretched his arms to yawn. “Lead the way Master. I will always follow you.”
The surrounding geese took off and began to ride the currents of the Himalayan glory that orbited him. A whirling cyclone of birds surrounded his body to form a column that stretched from earth to heaven. Moving quilts of mist a few feet down from the summit began to climb the grounds.