Nigkala Tales Pt. 17: The Emperor’s Clothes

As I didn't expect to see anyone, I skipped dressing, and just walked away from the house and found a place to relax. I would then sit and meditate to clear my head. When I felt I had done what I could, I reached out with my spiritual senses to see the lay of the land. People were easy to spot as they were small, tight spots. Towns and cities were great aggregations of spots. But I was looking for widespread soft power. It was three weeks before I felt something. I noted its direction, and the next night walked that way nearly two miles. I could barely feel it closer, so I knew it was a fair distance away.

The next night, rather than walking, I drove. I used a GPS unit to get me twenty miles in that direction. I must have driven twenty-five to get there, before looking for a suitable place to meditate. Definitely closer, so I made several stops that night, until I felt the direction change. I had passed it. I then selected a point to the side about a mile, and tried there. Using its direction, I triangulated where it must be. Looking at the GPS, I realized it was somewhere in the golf club I was a member of. Arriving in the middle of the night would not work, so I went back home, and decided to play a round of golf and see exactly where it was while I was there.

I got there a bit late, but I managed to join a twosome who came late and desired a slow game. At each stop, I quickly meditated to see where it was. I was surprised to learn it was near the same bunker I held my first ritual at. After going to the clubhouse for an hour, I went back out on the course. First, I told the staff I wanted to spend some time meditating on the course, and expected to be there a while. The staffer offered to drive me there and said if I didn't mind walking back, I could stay as late as I wanted. The gate to the parking lot always lets people out. I thanked him, and had him drop me off at the bunker. I waited a few minutes before going into it and meditating.

I was right. The bunker was the source. But why? I let my senses wander within it, to see if it had currents. Suddenly, I clearly sensed it. I then learned several things. The first was that it was small. Not quite as small as the bunker, but still much smaller than Hugeng's lake. The next was that the currents seemed to be carried in the air. I soon realized it was the Santa Ana winds. The last thing that I learned was that its awareness was barely there. I sent some of my chi into it, and it seemed to disappear, but then I noticed the sand about me rose into a small cloud, or dust devil. As I watched it, I noticed the chi-laden air seemed to be drawn to it, enriching it and sending the chi into the ground. This lasted for a few minutes before the cloud fell. I realized this place, while interesting, was not very powerful, and unlikely to suit my needs. So I got up and began to climb out. That's when I noticed the sand seemed to support my weight without moving. I looked back and saw no sign of my climb up. Eventually I was back on the grass. There was no sign of my exiting the bunker.

I walked a distance from it before I spoke. "Queen Inanna, I have found... something. It is too weak, and lacks a strong identity. It is the place where An's talisman was reformed for me. Have you comments?"

"Strange indeed. Let me see... you are right. This isn't much. I suspect it was the power of your ritual that created it. May I see your memories?" I showed her both the ritual; and my experience tonight. "I am certain of it now. The way it reacted to your power, I think, proves it. But it is very weak. The small amount of chi you gave it drew in more, and also will influence it to become more like you. But it takes centuries to become even a minor power, and likewise being served for centuries to gain a true moral stance. This place might well support you in magical ways, but it will not be able to cleanse you for at least a thousand years."

"I don't think I'll wait. I guess I'll continue looking."

"He-he. Good plan."

"Thank you." I then felt her attention wander. When I looked at the time, I was surprised to learn it was after midnight. I drove home, and the next day decided I needed to rest before continuing my search. I also decided to see if any local 'holy' sites were really holy for my purposes. The internet knows all, or so it says on the label. I located dozens of places claiming to be holy, but most seemed too interested in tourists, and too close to lots of people. I narrowed my list down to seven. I drove to each place, and spent time seeking the spiritual sense of the site.

I found it in a national park. It was a waterfall. It noticed me rather quickly.

"Who approaches?"

I was rather surprised, but I was able to stay in meditation and talk. "I am Becky Sue."

"Who is Becky Sue?"

"I am a warrior, a priestess, and a storyteller."

"You are three? Curious. Why do you seek me?"

"I seek not you in particular, but for any. I found a holy lake, and made a connection with it. Perhaps even became a friend. I do not know, as it never spoke. But it chose to cleanse my spirit, and I found great clarity of thought and skill afterwards. I sense within myself my spirit becoming dirty, and I am losing that clarity. I seek for a way to be so cleansed again."

"Enter my waters so that I may look at you."

I got up, opened my eyes, and looked for a way to do that. I also saw two rangers. I walked up to one, and read his name tag.

"Ranger Higgins, I need to enter the water. Please help me do it without a fuss." I also whammied him to obey quietly.

"Come with me, ma'am." He led me to the station, and pulled out a ranger shirt and shorts. "Put these on." So I undressed, and did so. I couldn't button up the shirt, but I could barely get in the shorts.

"Do you have anything larger?"

"Sorry, ma'am, I don't. Leave your stuff here, and follow me."

I decided to leave my shoes off as well, so I used some of the mountain's power to harden my feet. And then I followed him.

He led me to a stairway that led to the outflow of the waterfall's lake.

"Here you go. You can enter the water here." He then turned away and returned to his post.

Looking around, I realized the people above could not see me here. I also noticed the outflow was deep enough, I could barely swim. It would be easier to walk, but I felt staying hidden would be better. I also felt that I should leave behind the use of power for my feet, and the clothes as well. I can just see them shrinking while I dry off. So I got naked, placing the folded clothes on the bottom step, held down by a rock. Then I entered the water and swam upstream. I did my best to remain hidden. When I finally entered the pool, I swam underwater to the center. When I broke the surface, I did so as quietly as I could. I was fairly sure no one would spot me in all the moving water and splashes.

Keeping my place, I opened my senses, and spoke, "I am here."

I felt an intense pressure as it examined me. It wasn't purposely hurtful, just very strong. I endured silently. The intensity suddenly went away, but I felt the current drag me into the falling water at the base of the falls. It said, "You are an artisan. You create beauty. You appreciate it also. This is good. I shall grant your desire. Open yourself to me."

Here inside the base of the falling water, it felt painful having it hit me. I was even considering using the mountain's power to protect myself. I decided to wait a bit and try to endure a bit more. Opening my mind to it, and I decided I needed to open my mouth and eyes. I angled my head slightly so that my eyes were a little more protected from a direct impact, and waited. I again felt that intensity of power, but I also felt the water of the falls bend a little so that everything was touched by the falling water, even my eyes. I wanted to close them, but even as I thought about it, I noticed the impact was across the eyes, not into them. Water did enter my mouth, and I swallowed again and again, yet I was able to breath. Soon I felt the chi of the falls concentrate about and within me. I also felt a great need to pee. I realized the falls were trying to flow through me, so I cut loose. The pee didn't stop, but it quickly became clear.

Time seemed to slow, and I seemed to enter a timeless state. I no longer swallowed, but my throat was wide open, allowing water to enter continuously. The pain lessened until it disappeared. While I didn't connect with the waterfall, I began to sense the life all about us, likely for miles. I sensed their movement, their patterns, and more. Eventually, things reverted back, mostly. I was still at the base of the falls, with water entering my mouth and being expelled a bit later. I barely felt the water hitting my upturned face.

"It is done." I felt myself dismissed. So I carefully walked into the lake. Curiously, the slippery stones were not slippery to me. When I was out from the falls, I was able to close my mouth. When I could see, I realized it was night. I still chose to keep a low profile, so I took a deep breath and swam underwater. I thought I would have to surface one or twice before I got to the outflow, but I didn't. In fact, I was able to get a fair ways down before I needed to surface. I decided that this late, I no longer would be seen from here on, so I stood up and walked downstream. When I got to the stairs, the clothes were gone, and the rock was back where I had picked it up.

"The clothes have been returned."

I looked up and saw someone sitting and waiting at the landing above. "Who are you?"

"I should be asking you that, warrior, priestess, and storyteller."

"... Are you the guardian?"

"Yes, and you slipped right by. I don't know how you knew it was my day off, or how you got Frank to lend you the outfit, but the falls told me you were here."

"They told you more than that."

"They did. I am rather surprised they accepted you."

"I openly stated my desire, and complied with its commands. It decided to grant me my desire."

"What was that?"

"Some years ago, I encountered a holy lake, and became spiritually cleansed. I gained clarity of spirit and skill. Lately, I had noticed a fair bit of that clarity was gone, so I sought out a place of power like that holy lake."

"This place is not holy in the sense of good and evil, but it is pure. Seeking to purify yourself is something it would find desirable. Openly speaking to it would also be seen in a good light. I now understand why. Did it say anything else?"

"It called me an artisan, who creates beauty, and appreciates it."

"A kindred spirit, even if its definition of beauty is not ours. You are quite the mystery, Ms. Tate."

"You know my name?"

"Yes. I am a ranger here as well, and I was the one who allowed your car to stay overnight three days ago."

"I've been out three days? I am not hungry, or tired."

"The falls sustained you. I remember the first time the falls cleansed me. I was out a week, before I returned. My tribe was worried, but the shaman said I was protected. When I came out, I was a changed man. But that was nearly three centuries ago."

"You... have aged well."

"He-he. I am not surprised you believe me. I can sense the power in you, even as you can likely sense power within me. Speaking of that, I can also sense some kind of draconic magic about you. Are you fully human? This close to the falls we are hidden by the power of the falls. But there are others in the area that desire power, and they would attack ones they thought could bring them power. If they sense you and choose to use force, they will find you are more powerful than they thought. They will likely also find themselves severely outmatched unless they check your info in the law databases. You are listed as a lethally-trained martial artist. If they do, they will more likely shoot you with a tranquilizer dart."

I smiled, "I am fully human, and I have a few tricks up my sleeves, even if I'm naked."

He looked hard at me, and then said, "I believe you. I've had decades to learn, but I think you just might be able to take me."

"How can you tell?"

"As the current guardian, I was given truth-sense. I know when others are lying, and you were not. You also have the easy assurance of a warrior who knows the risks but will fight anyway, knowing your own skill."

Just then I realized I had been peeing the whole time, since at that moment it quit. I saw he noticed, but chose not to say anything.

"It is time for you to return to civilization. Come with me." I followed him, and we went back into the ranger's building, and he led me to the locker room, and opened a locker. Inside was my stuff. I dressed. I followed him out.

"Your car is at my place. Too many questions if it remained here. Be glad the weather has been good recently, otherwise the roof would be on." I looked and saw a Jeep, without a top, in the parking lot. I entered the passenger side, and he drove half an hour to a cabin elsewhere in the park. He was silent the whole way. When we arrived, he just pointed me to his guest bedroom, and said we would talk in the morning.

"Queen Inanna, I have found a place and been cleansed. I have met the guardian. He has told me of others who seek to prey on such as us. If he is concerned, then I should be. Can you aid me against such enemies? Or teach me how to protect myself?"

"Physically, you are already a match for any mortal enemy. Adding in your enhanced powers of the mountain and sky, you can possibly defeat a dragon. There is little I can do for you there. On the field of magic and will, I think you are already rather potent in will, what with the self-hypnotism you used to become who you are. My strengthening of your will, adds to that potency. So a frontal assault is unlikely to succeed. Trickery, however, is harder to protect against. Vigilance is the best protection there. Magic is where you are weakest, yet even so, you are no weakling. Perhaps the best protection is awareness, and knowing how to recognize them."

I woke up the next morning at dawn, knowing she had taught me, but I could remember nothing of it. I went outside on the porch, and watched the sun rising. My host didn't stir for another hour. Eventually, he came out with a pot of coffee, and some cups, offering me some. He also gave me his card, where I learned his name was Mato Hatathli.

As I sat sipping, he said, "You are not like the papers said, at least in some ways. Nor do you present yourself as one about whom the world should revolve. Who are you, in truth?"

"I am many things: warrior, priestess, actress, artisan, teacher, student, explorer, and perhaps more. As to the papers, the scandal sheets see what they want to see. Much of it is an act, put on for their benefit. And because I flaunt it so, they don't seek me out in private. I cherish that. What they say about my sex life is inaccurate in detail, but likely not as complete as they think. My financial empire is hidden from them, so far. My patronage of charities is real, as is the volunteer work I put in. My family is dear to me, and there is little I wouldn't do to protect them. For my close friends, I would do almost as much."

"You are indeed a woman of many talents. I know of your skill at arms, from the description in the law database. Your skill as an actress can be seen just with a simple search online. I saw your strength as a priestess when we met. Tell me of your artistry."

"I have been involved with cosplay since high school. I fabricated my own costumes to appear as assorted characters from the movies, television, comic books, and more. Such costumes usually needed detail work to be deemed better than average, and I have won several such competitions. Sometimes, the detail work is in the props. I have made swords for warriors, a plasma gun for a space alien, and other things. Sometimes, the detail work is jewelry. I don't do it for a living, but I am licensed as such. I have also sold licenses to some jewelry I designed. Perhaps my artistry is best expressed in the clothes I have created for assorted roles I have played. I am respected enough, that I am even a member in good standing of the costumers' union. The parts I play often use clothing to bring out the over-the-top character of my role. Yet, I have been nominated for several awards for the outfits I have made."

"I see why you say you are both artist and artisan. I saw images of the outfits you wore in a number of movies. They were quite skilled, and had unusual levels of detail. If you made them, you are truly skilled."

"You have been asking me many questions, Mato. Will you tell me of yourself? And perhaps your guardianship? I have only met one other such guardian."

"As you may have guessed, I am of American Indian stock. I am not from a well-known tribe, so I doubt you have heard of us. I studied under the previous shaman, and I have apprentices who will take my place when I die. My long life has meant that I have trained several such. My tribe has guarded the waterfall for countless generations. In this day and age, we guard it by allowing the park rangers to keep people from messing it up. But we do more they do not know about.

"I, too, am an artist. I learned the art of sand painting. While I do it mostly for religious reasons, it has tourist appeal, and I demonstrate it each year as part of our cultural heritage. The art came from some Navajo who joined our tribe centuries ago. I also carve. You may have seen some of my work about the cabin."

"I have never seen sand painting done. Would you be willing to show me?"

"I cannot. I have a jar for each color of sand. Some of the jars are empty or nearly so. I have a shipment due before the tourist season, but it may not last."

"The sand you use. Are they pure minerals?"

"Yes why?"

"I may be able to help you. Can you show me your supplies?"

He again looked at me carefully, and I realized he was testing my truth. "Follow me." he led me out behind the cabin, where a second building stood. It was clearly a workshop, as it had little insulation. We went in, and he had me sit down while he got out several jars of sand, some of which had only a few grains.

"Can you hand me one of those nearly empty jars?"

"Here." He was clearly curious as to what I would do.

I opened it, and emptied the few grains into my open palm. I then concentrated on it, using my rock sense, to learn what it was. I then placed my palm of my other hand over the jar, and concentrated, this time, to duplicate what I was holding. I stopped when the jar was full.

"Is this the sand you need from this jar?"

He poured a small amount into his hand, and let it fall into his other hand, before returning it to the jar. "How?"

"I have found favor of a being of immense power, whose domain is earth; I have been given a splinter of that power and have learned to summon forth some earth. Is one jar enough?"

"I can make do with it."

I stood and walked to the far wall, which was clearly being used for storage. I then summoned a granite urn, which could hold several cubic feet of sand. I then filled it nearly to the top. Lastly, I summoned forth a lid with a lip to hold it on top of the urn. Since the jar was marked with a unique symbol, I added that symbol to the urn's lid.

"There. Plenty to work with. What of your other jars of sand?"

He handed me another jar that was nearly empty. I created a second granite urn and filled it. Each time he handed me a jar, I created an urn and filled it. When he had no more jars to make a supply of sand for, he refilled his jars. Collecting them, he said, "You shall have your sand painting."

He placed the jars into their carrying case, and I followed him outside. We walked a quarter mile to a clearing. In the center was a flat rock nearly seventeen feet in diameter. "Please be silent. I shall be performing a sacred ritual, now that I have the sand, and as you made this possible, I desire that you watch. If you tire of watching, please go back to the cabin silently."