" Welcome back, childe, " Brahans said. " I hope your little trip was everything you hoped for and more even! "

  Haunted by the vivid scenes from just moments before, David felt as if the world around him had become suspended in time. It was as if he were a solitary boat, aimlessly drifting and spinning through the murky depths of a turbulent sea, lost among powerful, unseen undercurrents that pulled him deeper into darkness.

  " It sure was entertaining in its own way. " David replied, unsure.

  " Good, good; I had hoped you'd see many new things and experience the highs and lows. But this begs the question, did you encounter any rock-on-rock violence? " Brahan asked.

  Rock-on-rock violence? David realized that Brahan must be talking about the previous conversation they had. He mused about all the violence he saw and was a part of in the recent adventure he held, but why rock on rock?

  Was he hinting at something more profound that David could not understand? David knew rocks were important to earth mages, especially for Brahan, but was he missing the core message?

  What were rocks, David mused? He knew somehow he could draw power from them to heal wounds; they were hard and brittle. They felt rough when held and there were all kinds of different rocks. Of course different weight, hardness, and color was another aspect.

  Wait, color. David glanced around; just beyond the bubbling stream lay two smaller rocks. Something clicked in David's mind as he studied them intently. One appeared to be the same color as his skin, while the other was a storm gray but with a tip of black at the top.

  Naturally, David felt this was symbolic. As his thoughts ran deeper, he had an idea of what the old man was trying to tell him.

  " Yes, sir, some rock-on-rock violence was definitely involved. " David sounded out, not convinced that he had handled the hidden message appropriately.

  Brahan gently patted him on the back, and in that simple, reassuring gesture, David felt the weight of his tension begin to dissolve, as if a heavy fog was lifting from his shoulders.

  " I'm content to hear, childe. Rock-on-rock violence is a terrible thing you see. Some rocks are sparkly geodes in disguise, as they want to live life to achieve their greatest potential while helping others. They are rocks with a sparkling and beautiful core! But sadly, some rocks can't stand that and are too jealous for their own good. Anxieties drive those jealous rocks forward, afraid they will never compare to the geode's brilliant interior. "

  Brahan pointed his cane at the two stones in the distance. The dark rock shattered into debris while its partner split down the middle to reveal its marvelous interior.

  David was lost in thought at the revelations and began to explore his feelings on the incident. But he knew it would take some time for him to come to terms with the events that had transpired.

  " What did you think about the architecural design of your venture? " Brahan questioned.

  Architectural design? David was jolted from his absorbed thoughts by the new question. Was Brahan referencing the layout of his trial, or did it convey a deeper meaning that David couldn't grasp?

  " You see, someone must have arranged the halls, planned the placement of columns, and even organized all the crystals in the walls, right? What did you think of it? Wasn't it a perfect place to discover the intricacies of the design? "

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  Architectural design? David was jolted from his absorbed thoughts by the new question. Was Brahan referencing the layout of his trial, or did it convey a deeper meaning that David couldn't grasp?

  Brahan seemed to hint that this excursion had been premeditated. Was David truly dancing to another's tune? Was he just a puppet in a grand scheme involving this bizarre folk he had become part of?

  " It was terrible, Brahan. I hope i'll never experience something like that again. " David spat out, his hands balled tight and shoulders squared.

  " Ohho, you've dropped the sir now. Good, childe, there was no need for all the decorum to begin with. But I agree, you'll face many similar things, trying to calm down existential crises, mediating rock-on-rock skirmishes, and offering your expert opinion on whether that new garden gnome needs a tiny top hat. " Brahan rambled on.

  " Talking about tiny top hats, I really ought to give the old bat a gift she will never forget. "

  At the words, Brahan seemed to morph into something bigger than his old appearance suggested. Dangerous light faded as quickly as it had begun.

  " Oh, I forgot my manners. Now a golden kind of rock whispered to me that you still haven't heard the Songs touch upon your ears. As your oraculi, I can't stand it. We will rectify this at once! "

  And so David began the grueling training of feeling the earth. He had to lift boulders three times his size, to make their acquaintance as Brahan had called it.

  David had even begun sleeping on the tiniest but sharpest pebbles he could find to strengthen his connection with the earth beneath his feet.

  Brahan had insisted that he carry a special kind of rock, one of Brahan's " closest friends", in his pocket at all times. At first glance, the round and palm-sized pebble seemed like any other stone in a river bed. But this was just the first glance. It was a dark stone inlaid with purple light.

  David stared at the stone presented to him, his brow furrowed in confusion, much like his expression during previous exercises. Yet, as he held the weighty artifact in his hand, its cool surface and intricate markings began to stir a sense of curiosity within him. Unbeknownst to him, the true significance of this seemingly ordinary stone would soon unveil itself, revealing layers of meaning that would challenge his understanding and spark a profound journey of discovery.

  As David deepened his connection to Gaia, hours turned to days and days to weeks. He had even begun to enjoy the mad exercises as Brahan's enthusiasm was infectious.

  " Good, childe, " Brahan began. " Finally, you know what it means to be a rock lover. Don't confuse this with tree-lovers. Dagger-eared fiends, I swear. Don't ever have dealings with those feathery haired, fire-crazed bottom feeders, or you will bring shame to me as your Oraculi! The old bat would never let me hear the end of it! "

  Once again, a torrent of incomprehensible words spilled from Brahan’s lips, his frantic speech swirling like a chaotic storm. David, weary of the nonsensical mutterings that had transformed into mere background noise, resolutely tuned him out, focusing instead on the calm that surrounded him in stark contrast to Brahan’s madness.

  " Yes, Brahan. No dealing with those things. " David appeased the old man.

  " But if you do, " Brahan said. " Do not ever let them take advantage of you. Who does the old bat think she is, telling my Filius that he can't associate with the dagger eared sort? In fact, I should tell her right now what she can and can't do! "

  With the promise of violence, Brahan raised his hand up high and balled it into a fist. David had become accustomed to the Song Brahan had used repeatedly; he had even become enlightened about certain aspects of it the Song. But the Song Brahan now intoned was different.

  A celestial hymn surged forth, its echoes reverberating through the air with a thrilling intensity—never had such a phenomenon occurred before. The very walls of the cave trembled in harmony with the melody, which resonated with themes of transformation, liberation, and immense power.

  Brahan, as the catalyst for this reaction, walked unhurriedly towards the dark shadows, unbothered by the inky blackness; he seemed to embrace it instead.

  The darkness seemed to swallow him whole, but the Song hadn't seized. Echoes of it reached David from the shadows as the Song reached its climax.

  The reverberating roars of powerful lungs drowned out the once-angelic melody, creating a cacophony that sent shivers through the air. A blazing luminescence ignited in a profound shade of lilac, emanating from the very spot where Brahan had vanished, casting eerie shadows that danced around the space.

  A wave of fear washed over David as he stood captivated by the spectacle before him. The thunderous roars reverberated off the ancient stone walls, creating a haunting symphony that sent shivers down his spine. Yet, it was the dark purple that truly unsettled him; it seemed to pulse with an eerie life of its own.

  A flickering flame writhed and twisted in the shadows, dancing to an unearthly rhythm, each movement deliberate and almost sentient as it swayed—sometimes veering left, at other times curving to the right, leaving a trail of shimmering uncertainty in its wake.

  David had convinced himself that the flame was part of something bigger, a more majestic being than he could comprehend, and a secret no one had bothered to include him in.

  A sudden, exhilarating gust of wind surged through the air, snatching up an unseen object with the sudden force of mighty bellows stoking a majestical fire. The ensuing roar, loud and powerful, swept David off his feet, propelling him into a rush of excitement and wonder, as if the very essence of adventure had collided with him in that electrifying moment!

  Terror-stricken, but also filled with the cuiosity to explore the unknown, he landed far away from his initial spot, as a familiar belly full of laughter soon rang through the mystical ruins. David ran after the laughter, but just as he was about to reach its origin it sped off.