THE BARRIER
" We have around 45 minutes left until we leave the village then it's another two hours until we get to the descension point," Says Tenjin. "One thing I don't miss. The long-ass carriage rides." My father responds jokingly. " Muraba, there's something I have to tell you."
" Go on." my father replies. " Pharoah Ankunanton will be meeting us at our descent." " W-what? Why?" "A Pharoah coming down from his thrown for something as trivial as a resource expedition?"
Tenjin goes on to describe to my father the political and economic situation of the nation-state and the diplomatic relations between other nations. Essentially, certain minerals and resources we can not generate ourselves due to specific agriculture so we import those crops in exchange for currency. However, the system of currency is now being changed to a different one supported by minerals from the great land of Kemite. Basically making our money essentially useless so all of our import relations are now on shaky grounds.
At the time I couldn't quite fully understand what was being said all I was really focused on was the fact that I was going to see the Pharoah. In-person. Pharaohs are chosen leaders through elected on their talents and competency in many fields. They must have complete mastery of Geb (the earth), Shu ( the Air), and Tefnut ( Water/life force). Only by having full control of one's prana, can one fully control all of these aspects. I have heard stories that Pharoah Ankunanton is over 700 years old.
My Father and Tenjin continue to talk as I slowly drift to sleep. Only to be woken three hours later by the fact we stopped moving. A man stood at the very edge Pharaonic crown on his head. Golden white with a golden white robe covering his body. He was extremely tall. He looked down even at Tenjin who was over 7ft. My eyes were transfixed on him. His presence was almost mystical. The air even seemed to bend at the site of him. "Hello, there he spoke." All of the men lined up to bow and kneel to the Pharoah. "HERU!" I was still paralyzed by just the sight of him. I forgot to kneel. Dropping to my knees at my father's request.
He walked from the edge over to the carriages and pet the horses. Take these off undoing the horse's binds for all 10 of them with a wave of his hand. "They need to stretch their wings." He said. " Enough with the formalities, you all can stand no need to act so uptightly around me. I'm far too old for all of that." " Yes, sir." said my father. "Aye, call me Anku." he replied. His skin was very dark hair of wool. Dreadlocs but the cleanest and fullest dreads I have ever seen. He was like a lion with a giant Maine.
Tenjin singled to the earth sages to begin to create moving pillars for our descension. An elevating ledge to take us to the ground level. Pharoah Ankunanton waves his hand. " No, need for all of that. I will take you down myself." He said with a smile. He, my father, and Tenjin all stepped to the side to discuss an important matter. My father was once a high-ranking expedition officer who even got medals for defeating a high-ranking spirit that threatened a platoon of men. That's why he was requested by the council to join this group led by his former crewmate Tenjin. Who has filled his position in years of absence. I tried to focus my prana to listen in to their conversation. Normally I can hear something even if they are 100 feet away from me. But for some reason it was silence. " Trying to eavesdrop on the Pharoah isn't a good idea." said one of the soldiers. I bet he can tell exactly what you're doing and is blocking you out right now. Lemme guess all you hear is wind."
He was exactly right. After he finished talking with my father Tenjin yelled to the rest of the men we are starting our descent. The pharaoh clasps his hands together and all the horses we're geared up again except one. "This one is you're riding Home." my father pointed to this black horse. "You can actually get on him now. " I mounted the winged hours and felt the ground shake as it moved down into the earth beneath us. Descalating our group onto the ground. " 15 minutes," Pharoah Anku said.
The surface. Immediately as I got to the ground level. I felt it. The air was so thick. It was harder to breathe. It was open fields like grasslands then into a line of trees. With one Giant tree sticking out from the line. That tree was humongous. Our group traveled forward in our carriages and the Pharoah in his that floating beside us. Still could hardly believe where I was. Put of me was afraid this was so unfamiliar even the atmosphere of being down here. We traveled the open fields of farmland and agriculture until coming upon the giant tree. That stood immeasurably taller than the others but still small from the height of the plateau. The tree had a symbol on it. The same symbol that the Pharoah wore on his necklace and held in his hand.
Beyond this tree is beyond the Barrier. The Pharoah takes the golden Ank that matches the symbol on the tree and places it on it sticking it like a magnet. A doorway opens through the semi-translucent barrier. Allowing the men to begin passing through. My father turns to me.
" You be good now, you're old enough to take care of yourself. Oh, yea hold on tight " He hugs me and then commands the horse to take me home. " The horse sprouts his wings and like that, I was soaring through the air. Scaling the trees then finally the big tree. Still below halfway up to the plateau. I hold onto the horse as tight as I could I was able to stop screaming. We came speeding up the plateau reaching the top in only 3 minutes. We continued to fly even high way up into the sky as we traversed back. " at this speed we'll be back in like 10 minutes." " fifteen actually." says the pharaoh from his flying golden carriage. How'd he catch up to me so fast? Well, he's the pharaoh what could I expect?
He waves to me and smiles wishing me safe travels. As his carriage speeds up beaming past beyond my horse leaving a golden streak of light in his wake. He was out of site. No one is gonna believe me when I tell them about my night. I thought to myself.