The Mountain in the Clouds, Part 4

This entry is part 4 of 49 in the series The Mountain in the Clouds

EA#03:

The Mountain in the Clouds, Part Four

“
The labyrinthine hedge maze loomed before me.

I walked towards it.

The gate launched itself so resolutely and with such magnitude that I thought the gods themselves must be holding it up. The two tall pillars of marble, spiraled with vines and leaves, reached such a pinnacle high above that I had to crane my neck to see it. An arch was placed there connecting the tops of the pillars. There appeared to be the shape of something fashioned into the metalwork of the arch. Perhaps it was a pair of wings.

I stepped through the massive portal and was transported to another world.

Ahead of me was an opening between two rows of hedges. Maybe five meters in was a wall of green. To the left I saw an endless looking path into the depths of the maze. To the right I saw the exact same thing.

I could see already how a place like this could easily drive one mad, if nothing else. Just to imagine walking aimlessly down one of two equally viable routes only to find it may lead nowhere? Or perhaps to something lethal?

If I focused my eyes in a particular way, I could almost make out some changes in the seeming endless length of bushes that made those impenetrable living walls. I could almost spot places where there might even be openings in the hedges. Almost. It was very hard to decipher amidst the leaves and branches so neatly trimmed.

It left me wondering, who trimmed the place? That’s some task.

Ah, yes, gods and magic and all that. Said I believed in that, right? I do. Just musing a bit.

So which way?

To be honest, something about the left path was calling me. I can’t say what it was. Like a little whisper, not so much in my ear, or even in my inner ear. More like in my gut.

Go left.

Ok, ok. I go left. I will go left.

Why?

I immediately questioned it as I began walking. The walls stretched on with no break. A hundred meters, two, three, four, five.

When I felt as though I’d been walking for some miles, I had to stop.

Here I am, I thought. If I return the way I came, that’s more time and effort and no promise that it gets me anywhere. But right now, I can’t see how this path gets me anywhere, either. It could go miles and still get me nowhere. I have no idea. I have nothing to go on here.

Ok, relax. What can I do?

I couldn’t think of anything. And my feet were already sore. The ground was rough and rocky. The hedges may be carefully tended, but the path seemed not to be. Every step I risked twisting my ankle.

I laughed to myself to think of the first man’s father making it only this far just to break his leg on a random rock. Or the farmer himself, who may have been lying and could in truth have been the one to break his leg in here. Hard to say. But damned if I will go out like that.

I took my shoes off and massaged my feet. I could feel callouses already building. Please understand that I am not one who is inactive, or unable to be on my feet for long walks. This rough ground was just taking its toll.

Ah, relief. And some respite for my mind. Maybe if I were to pause and breathe, I would get some insight as to what to do here. It’s worked for me in the past.

I sat calmly there with my shoes off, in the rough dirt and coarse grass by the side of that incredible hedge wall. I closed my eyes, took some deep breaths, and tried to focus on nothing. Sometimes just by emptying my mind, the inspiration comes to me.

I listened. And I listened.

And I heard something.

It was a rustling sound. It sounded like a small animal shifting in a bush across the path from me. No, a large animal. No, something very large.

And then it was there before me. A strange bird creature. It stood taller than me on long, thick legs that ended in massive claws. It’s body was round like a ball, with tufts of feather coming off from its sides and rear, where a huge single feather jutted off its back end. An orange, sturdy neck lifted into a pointed head with a menacing face. A jagged crest mounted its skull like a row of horns.

‘Caw!’ it called shrilly.

“Easy there,” I said instinctively, raising my hands in a calming way, palms facing the creature.

The gigantic bird seemed to back down a little, but still held itself as if it were ready to clamp its beak onto my neck at any moment.

“That’s alright,” I continued. “I’m not here to hurt you. I just sat down to rest my feet.”

The animal lowered its guard even more. It cooed softly and crinkled these peculiar head flaps on the sides of its face ever so slightly. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it were showing me some sympathy.

“Yea, I’m having a go at this maze here. I’m sure you must be familiar with it, you seem to be at home here.”

Then it struck me. It did seem to be at home there. In fact, what the hell was this thing? It just came out of the hedges without leaving a mark in the plants. No hole or opening was there where it had appeared. And why did it present itself before me. Was it a guardian of the maze, or something else?

“Ok, whatever, uh, whoever you may be… I’ve got to figure out what I’m doing here. I’ve got to find my way to the center of the… Ah, why am I talking to a big bird anyways?”

The creature blared a couple loud chirps that sounded ancient, if that makes any sense. It clawed the dirt below it with one foot and bent its head down a couple times as if in a bow.

In the next moment it was off, dashing madly down the corridor ahead of me. A few moments later it slid to a halt in a cloud of dirt, then turned to me and chirped a couple more times. Then it vanished back into the hedges off the path.

Great, I thought. Just when I might have a lead there and it’s gone. What was that all about?

Then my inner voice took over again and said to follow the animal. Just for the sake of curiosity.

I put my shoes back on and hustled down the path after it, following the heavy claw prints the bird left in its wake.

When I reached the end of the marks in the ground, I turned. There was the bird creature, standing before me. It had led me straight to an opening that went deeper in the maze.

What luck. I had found a companion, a guide. At least I hoped he was guiding me to a good end.

I didn’t have much more time to ponder it as the beast was off again, tramping along ahead of me. I immediately bolted after it this time as it wound its way here and there, this way and that, around this corner and that one.

I’m not out of shape but this run was hard. The creature was fast and it was bigger than me. My muscles burned and my feet got more sore. But I kept running after the bird, hoping that it was actually helping me progress through my challenge. And really hoping it wasn’t leading me to its hungry babies.

Again it bleated its loud noises, stomping deep into the ground with each pounding clawed foot. It began to slow down and become more deliberate. At last it pittered down to a resting place, where it turned towards me expectantly.

I was tired, I was panting, my muscles ached. I looked up at the beast, then at my surroundings.

Great, all that running and it brought me to nowhere. There a small circle in the hedges around which several paths led off from the center. But they all stopped dead into a wall of green, except for the way that the creature and I had entered.

Yup, here’s where I’m eaten. Small, oversized baby bird beaks will crush me to bits right here.

But nothing happened. No little birds, no eating. Not even a chirp or bleat from the big bird before me.

Nothing happened. Nothing at all.

“Ok, bird, you’ve run me ragged to guide me here. Now what? It’s a dead end. Or a bunch of dead ends.”

It started to feel like this whole challenge was a long series of dead ends. The three people’s stories and advice, even the answers to their questions. The winged woman who brought me here and her request to complete seven trials. And the large bird that led me to a circle of hedge walls in the middle of the maze. A series of dead ends.

“Well?” I pressed the beast. Well, what did I expect the bird to do? Answer me?

The bird sat down then… nestled up nicely in a bed of grass in the middle of the circle.

I sat down, too. Again. I did need the rest, but I was not so confident that sitting still would produce another spirit animal to continue guiding me through the maze.

Apparently I didn’t need a spirit animal.

A sound could be made out faintly. It was like shifting stone. Like two large slabs of stones sliding against each other.

And a voice followed.

“Well, come on, boy,” called a man’s voice. “Haven’t you sat enough?”

I was stunned and didn’t react.

“My cockatrice has led you to me, so come on, what are you waiting for?”

Now I could see him. An old man in haggard brown robes standing in a doorway no open down one of the previously closed paths. He leaned on a long staff and held a lamp of some sort over head.

“Your cockatrice?” was all I could muster.

“Well, she ain’t exactly chained to me, but she’s been a good friend for some time. Now come along,” the old man barked at me.

I got up and gingerly passed the cockatrice, who simply watched me. The man in the brown robes was gesturing with his head to follow him, so I did.

He led me down another path, deeper into the labyrinth. He was quiet for a time, only glancing back at me once in a while. Then he spoke.

“So, you’re trying to reach the center of the labyrinth?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Who are you?”

“Ah, I am the heart of this place.”

How can that be? I thought.

The old man saw the perplexed look on my face.

“Yea, I know. I’ve seen the look before. Only a couple others have met me. Most of the unfortunate challengers started the whole thing wrong. Went to the right. Poor fools…” he muttered.

“At the beginning?” I asked. He confirmed with a sad nod. So I was right to go left when I began. Thank the gods.

“What happened to them?”

“I’d better not say,” was all he said.

“So, how are you the heart of the maze? What does that mean?”

“You tell me. You found me. You were supposed to find the heart of the maze, right? The winged one told you that, right? Well, here I am. What will you do with me? Take me back to your challenger? You don’t even know who I am.”

That was true, I thought. I certainly don’t know anything about him. Or what he meant by saying that he was the heart of the maze. I only knew that what I saw next began to confirm something.

As I followed the old man around the next turn, I heard the sound of water trickling. There before me was the square pool that had been foretold to me by the farmer outside the labyrinth gate.

So it did exist! Maybe the man was on to something. Maybe this was the pool. So somewhere around here there should be a tunnel that leads directly to the center of the maze.

But what did that matter to me now? The old man said he was the heart of the maze?

What am I meant to do?
“