Eighth Fire (29 page)

“That’s okay, it’s just that students usually
pick a general area to sit and eat with the same group of people.
By the way, I like the new voice.”

“Jamal’s idea; I think I like it too. I’ve been
checking out different groups to find one I really like. I’ll be
with this group every Saturday night until they say otherwise.”

David nodded and smiled at the group before
leaving.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Kitchen

Mark wondered if he’d ever get used to starting
class while he was just waking up. It seemed so wrong. Mr.
Fairbanks started the class by saying, “Everyone form back up into
your groups and make sure you are touching the person next to
you.”

Mark laid down with Chenoa on his left and LeOmi
on his right. As soon as he closed his eyes, Lester, the group’s
instructor, said, “Hi Mark. We’ll start the same way we did last
time. Pick a comfortable place and then call your group into your
dream, one at a time.”

This time Mark chose the corral fence they
usually sat on during flags matches. Lester said, “I never played
flags, but I’ve been to quite a few matches. This is an interesting
perspective.”

Mark heard his friends’ voices searching for him
and he called them into the dream one by one; and one by one they
paid homage to their host by expressing their innermost feelings
toward him. When they were all seated Lester asked, “Did everyone
complete their homework assignment?”

Nick said, “I found a class on quantum
mechanics. Very interesting stuff.”

“I found a class on medicinal herbs,” said
Jamal.

LeOmi said, “Russian martial arts.”

“I didn’t go to any of the classes,” said
Chenoa, “but I did walk the Trail of Tears as an old man.”

Lester stood and walked in front of the group.
“An experiential dream, very good. Every dream everyone has ever
had exists forever on that particular level. If you wanted to, you
could experience any dream anyone has ever had, say Cleopatra for
example. Trouble is in finding what you want; there’s just so many.
How did you find this particular dream?”

“Well, I think I found it because I had been
wondering about what ancient life was like for my people right
before I went to bed.”

“So your ancestors walked the Trail of
Tears?”

“They did, but there is no oral history about
what they experienced.”

“You’re likely absolutely right about why you
found that dream and it is a good example for what your next
homework assignment is.

“Helping a person in need is a primary goal of a
Magi. People at The Seventh Mountain very seldom need help outside
of what the teachers and staff provide routinely. Finding someone
you can help at the school is nigh impossible. So your homework
assignment is going to be to find someone you can help through
dream casting.

“The traditional method of teaching this has
been to give the assignment and let students stumble along trying
to figure out exactly how to do it and then give them instructions
based on their difficulties. This year Mr. Fairbanks wants to try a
different approach; he wants the different steps explained before
you begin.

“First you locate someone that has a similar
situation or problem that you have recently experienced and are
about to overcome or recently solved. Think a lot about the problem
before you go to bed, right before you go to bed. Chenoa’s
experience is a good example of what you can expect to happen. You
will likely experience someone else’s dream about it. Because
you’ve recently solved or are about to solve a similar situation
you will have a good grasp on what needs to be done to help that
person. The trouble is in most circumstances you won’t know who
this person is.

“Second is you need to get this person to trust
that you have their answer. That’s pretty easy to do. What happened
with Chenoa is the answer. She experienced the Trail of Tears
because that is what her spirit was seeking. Whatever someone’s
spirit is seeking is what they will find. Now, if the situation has
never been dreamt with the answer then the spirit will find those
dreams that most closely fit the topic of what it’s seeking. Of the
answers that
have
been dreamt the spirit will find those
that most closely relate to it personally. For example: There have
probably been millions of dreams created to answer first time
students’ questions about the Seven Mountains. Why did your spirit
key in on the one meant specifically for you or your group? First,
your dream caster, your counselor, already knew you and your group.
They cast a dream specifically for you to answer specifically
your
questions. This particular dream was the one that most
closely related to your personal quest of finding out about the
school. That’s why you didn’t experience the one intended for say,
Marco Polo or someone else.

“To get someone to experience your dream answer
all you have to do is create the dream answer. By making it as
specific as you can to the answer being sought is how you get the
person’s spirit to find your dream answer. You’ll already know the
specifics of what’s being sought from the first step. Use that to
create the dream answer. All you have to do is dream it as a
specific answer to that specific situation or problem.”

Nick said, “Sort of like creating a web page
about how to do something.”

Lester thought about it a moment and said,
“Similar, but there’s no inherent trust for web page information
and dreams aren’t trying to sell you something.” He looked at the
rest to see if they wanted to comment. None did.

“The owner of a web page doesn’t check back with
you to see if you were helped so the third thing is you need to
identify the person you helped so you can follow up. Almost
everyone never identifies themselves to themselves in a dream. Why
should they? They already know who they are. This is the step most
students have the most trouble with. Anyone have any idea how to go
about identifying the person?”

Nick answered, “I would imagine that you do it
the same way you would in the real world, just ask.”

Lester said, “It’s interesting that you should
refer to physical existence as the real world. The spirit world is
real. You just asking them something like, ‘What’s your name?’ is
not the answer, but it does work on occasion. Most often it puts up
a barrier of distrust. Anyone else have a guess?”

Jamal said, “I was dreaming about what school
would be like here when I saw a man I thought would have the
answers. His figure was silhouetted against a bright background. I
asked him who he was and he told me his name. He stepped forward
and I could see his face; it was Tim, I mean Mr. Fairbanks. I think
I called him into my dream. So we have to get called into the
person’s dream to identify them.”

“That’s almost correct, but when you experience
another person’s dream unbidden you do it as that person, so that
person doesn’t experience you in the dream. How do you get them to
experience you? Jamal almost had the answer.”

No one had any more guesses. “I think the point
you’re missing here is that your counselor wasn’t visiting your
dream; you were visiting his. He called you into his dream just
like you were called into this one. Each one of you recognized who
your host was instinctively and felt compelled to express your
innermost feelings toward him. You don’t remember doing this
yourself, but you remember everyone else doing it in this dream.
When your counselor introduced himself in the dream about this
school you felt compelled to introduce yourself back to him. When
you call someone into your dream is when they can sense you. When
you experience someone else’s dream without being called in then
you experience the dream as them.”

Mark asked, “How long does it usually take for
the spirit to find the answer?”

“Interesting question as there is no time in the
spirit world. An answer could be devised a hundred, a thousand, a
million years in the future, or the past for that matter and the
seeking spirit would still get it after it started seeking it. In
that case, a solution offset from the present is often impractical
as the answer may be too advanced or archaic for the person to
understand. How would a person a hundred years ago understand the
use of jet travel, nuclear power or microwave ovens and how it
related to them and the answer they are seeking? Why would you
today use a blacksmith to fix a wheel?”

Nick asked, “Time travel by remanifesting; is
that possible?”

Lester smiled, “Tactical sight is a prerequisite
for remanifesting and it’s possible to see in both directions with
your spirit’s eyes, but the farther removed it is from the present
the more indistinct it is. It’s very difficult; six days either way
is the record I believe. Remanifesting always happens in the
present moment. There are many theories, but in the end no one
really understands why. Anymore questions?” No one said anything.
“Well then, your ongoing homework assignment it to find someone to
help through dream casting and then to actually help them. Write a
report in your notebooks about what you were able to accomplish and
I’ll see you next week.”

Mark was walking with the group toward the table
they had used last Saturday night in The Oasis and saw Salina there
with about a dozen other people. They were pushing different color
tables together to form one long table. When they approached and
Salina saw them she said in a normal voice, “I hope you don’t mind;
I told some people what you said about anyone being able to join
you for dinner.”

Mark knew they were all Seventh Mountain
students and they had obviously heard of him, but they were from
different tribes. He felt that maybe formal greetings were in
order. He extended his arm in salute and said, “Hello everyone. I’m
Mark Young, first level sophomore at The Seventh Mountain, Emerald
Tribe, bearer of the staff which is the key to
the labyrinth
, pre-chosen by The General, lead horse
for all The Seventh Mountain. I stand against Benrah and quest for
his defeat.”

Everyone looked puzzled. Nick whispered to Mark,
“What was that all about?”

Mark looked the crowd over and felt slightly
embarrassed. “That was a formal Magi greeting for people that
you’ve never met before. For me it became sort of automatic when I
helped rescue the people trapped in the other labyrinths. I think
it would be a good idea if we all introduced ourselves, formally or
not so formally.”

Nick nodded and extended his arm in salute, “I’m
Nikola Poparov, first level sophomore of The Seventh Mountain,
Emerald Tribe, pre-chosen by an Emerald Tribe equestrian captain,
friend and protector of Mark Young. I seek to aid him in his quest
and I stand against Benrah.”

The formal introductions continued until
everyone had spoken. Mark noted that everyone ended their
introduction with words to the effect that they wished to aid him
in his quest and that they each made the formal declaration that
they stood against Benrah. Mark said, “I project my thoughts into
people’s minds that are close by. I just want to know that you are
making a formal declaration against Benrah yourself; that my
thoughts aren’t influencing you.”

Salina said, “I feel your concern about Benrah
maybe destroying us if you don’t destroy what you find. I’m pretty
sure everyone here feels it.” She looked around and everyone nodded
and murmured their agreement. “Your thoughts didn’t influence my
statement. I want to help you defeat Benrah. Everyone else chimed
in with, “Me too.”

Jamal said, “Let’s eat.”

Everyone grabbed a chair on either side of the
table before Mark had a chance to pick one. The only chair left was
at the head of the table. He felt awkward sitting in that
position.

Kenneth, a third level sophomore, Sardius Tribe,
obviously reading Mark’s thoughts said, “Humility is a trait to be
admired. You didn’t choose to be in this position. You were
pre-chosen by God; The General just told you...and us about it. You
lead this group and are supported by the other pre-chosen and their
gifts. They didn’t have a choice in this...I do, and I am honored
to be a part of it. I choose: my sword, my skills and my life serve
you and your quest to defeat Benrah.” He stood, removed his sword
from Aaron’s Grasp and laid it on the table. Immediately and in
unison every one of the newcomers stood, laid their sword on the
table and repeated Kenneth’s oath, “I choose: my sword, my skills
and my life serve you and your quest to defeat Benrah.”

Mark didn’t notice Shana standing behind him and
when she spoke it startled him a little, “Hello everyone.” She
removed an electronic reader from Aaron’s Grasp and pushed a few
buttons before beginning to read. “In the days before the last
battle of dominion there shall come an army to stand against the
evil one: of Ruby seven thousand, of Topaz seven thousand, of
Turquoise seven thousand, of Emerald seven thousand, of Sapphire
seven thousand, of Diamond seven thousand, of Jacinth seven
thousand, of Agate seven thousand, of Amethyst seven thousand, of
Beryl seven thousand, of Onyx seven thousand, and of Jasper seven
thousand And the army shall swear an oath to their leader,
I
choose: my sword, my skills and my life serve you and your quest to
defeat the son of evil
.” She held the reader down and addressed
the group. “That prophecy was dated 1213 A.D. and given by an
Oracle at The First Mountain.”