Legend has it that “The Excalibur” has been protected by an ancient owl, a barn owl at that. It is said to be 30,000 years old. Thousands have sought after the sword for many ages. Many have challenged this myth with hopes to obtain the saber, but no one has returned. The Excalibur is located in the mysterious Mountain of Destiny, where the sun never shines, and the clouds never rain. The totality of darkness and weather conditions alone has scared off many to even dare challenge the legend. But could it really be that hard to defeat a barn owl? My name is Yogen which means “Child of Prophecy” I am from the Catawba Clan. The Elders of the tribe have constantly warned the villagers to stay away from the mountain, unless they too wanted to perish. Obtaining The Excalibur has been a dream of mine since I was a child. I was often teased and mocked for even thinking that it was attainable for me, but my faith never waivered. Time after time I watched the toughest of men go to the Mountain of Destiny. I’ve also watched their families grieve because they never made it back to the village. But still the sword was calling me, and it was my time to prove exactly who I was. I had to claim what was mine!
The night before I set out on my journey I was up all night tossing and turning. So I decided to go look upon the stars to relax my mind. When I finally went to bed and dozed off I had a consecutive streak of about 10 random dreams, but I only remember one with specifics. I remember vividly an owl came to me and said “Your destiny awaits”. This was strange, I had never dreamed about an owl before today. This owl had to be 5x the size of an average man! But nonetheless, this was confirmation that I was meant to bring The Excalibur back to the village, with respect and honor.
The day of the conquest my family was begging and pleading that I reconsider my idea of going on this journey. I guess the village heard about it and wanted to reason with me. I told them that my decision was final. The Elders shook their heads in disappointment when they heard this proclamation. My mother had prepared a ceremonial feast. To embrace and enjoy each other’s company in case I never returned. I ate this meal gracefully, as if it would be my last, then I began to embark on my journey.
The Mountain of Destiny had claimed the lives of thousands of men. “What made me so different?” “Did The Excalibur actually belong to me this entire time?” “Did I make the wrong decision by going on this quest?”. These questions would plague my mind for the remainder of the journey. Arriving to the mountain the scenery was pitch black, with crisp cold air. No one to communicate with and no signs of life. I remained observant as I started to climb towards the pinnacle. I climbed for about 4 hours until I came across a cave at the top of the mountain. At the entrance of the cave there was a sign that depicted a haiku, that read:
“MANY WANT THE SWORD THE PRICE OF LIFE YOU AFFORD TRAVELLING THIS COURSE”
Disregarding the sign I entered the cave. The further I walked the more I noticed the temperature went from below freezing, to being muggy, and warm. As if the moment could feel the pressure and tension as well. Along with me I brought my bow and arrow, a torch, and a napsack filled with 3 days worth of bread and water. The torch was my only source of light in this cave, it was given to me from my father. He said “Once the torch is lit, the flames will never diminish”. I shook my head in confirmation to agree, but had no idea what he meant.
Traveling deeper, I started to notice an aurora of lights in the distance. Slowly moving forward I began to ready myself for battle, not knowing what to expect. Entering this column of the cave was a beautiful display of colors reflecting on a small body of water. But I couldn’t be in awe for too long before I noticed “The Excalibur” forged in between the stalactites. I immediately started panicking and looked around for the owl of legend. And there he was, staring directly at me, not a movement, not a sound. I approached the owl with my bow and arrow, trying my best not to visibly tremble. Before I could say anything, he says “Your destiny awaits”.
About the Creator
Edwin White Jr
LIFE IS ART AND YOUR WORDS ARE THE COLOURS...
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RESET
If you are reading this then we are now living in the year of 2022. Making it this far in life is an accomplishment in itself. I honestly thought we would have flying cars and hoverboards by now. The pandemic has brought all of us an opportunity to look within, rather than looking at the world for answers. It’s given us an opportunity to look more in the mirror, reflecting with our reflections. We all have goals and it’s very important to dream, but it’s also just as important to rest and release the pressures that consume us on a daily basis. You can only dream if you sleep ironically. Recharge, reposition and have patience with yourself. I like to see the beginning of the year as a reset button. Nothing that happened last year matters. Imagine if you treated everyday like this, especially the rough ones. Nothing that happened yesterday matters, all that matters is that you try your best and love what you put out into the world. Do what makes you happy, because all the money in the world won’t fill your void if you are not at peace within. My plans this year are to commit to my growth, and emitting positive energy regardless of what trials come my way. I’m choosing to relax and let everything that is supposed to happen find it’s way to me. Journaling is a form of release for me because I am often overthinking and imagining the worse scenarios. In those intimate moments of writing I am free, abundant, and honest. No one to say that this is wrong or that is right. I look at the pen as my paintbrush, allowing me to be authentic and as imaginative as a child. Storytelling is a fine art and craft that I admire and take pride in. We all have a story, and each of them is important. You are the main character in the storyline. You choose when this page turns. The daily routine of your life creates habits that you want and others you despise. I committed to my daily routine to make sure I feel comfortable in my own skin. I look at our bodies as our true homes. We should all want our house to be nice and neat. Clear that mental trash that’s in your head, recycle your efforts and put it towards doing something productive. It could be riding a bike, giving old clothes to the less fortunate, or even reading a book. Life is an experience that you have a opportunity to do something new every day. Where we can create just as we have been created. I make sure to love myself and the person who I see in the mirror. There use to be times when self love was not a priority on my to-do list. Then I realized it makes a difference in my day to day life. Discipline is needed in this life to reach goals, but if you burn out all your fuel before you reach the goal you’ll never make it there. On the journey pit stops are effective, not only is it a place of rest, its also a point to see how far you came even if you haven’t reached your destination yet. I am open to explore and to adventure, digging deeper into my self discovery journey. Certain things that are within you make you who you are, but it’s also things about you that may surprise and peak your interest. Find those things and share them with the world. The success you seek is right outside your comfort zone!
By Edwin White Jr2 years ago in Earth
The Road to Nowhere
Trigger warnings: Violence, Death. "May the Sun burn your tongue out, woman," Fredrick's father screamed the curse into his mother's ear as their elegant little carriage rumbled along, its polished wood and gilded trim glinting in the torchlight. They had just left the small village of Saffron and were on an unnamed road to the capital for the Royal wedding. Fredrick leaned back in his plush velvet seat to escape into the passing landscape, but across from him sat the servant boy, a scrappy lad named Jack. Jack's eyes held a mixture of awe and fear, the kind that only a commoner could feel in the presence of nobility. Jack looked up and caught Fredrick's gaze, offering him a sad little smile before reaching into his pocket and retrieving a little caramel treat. This candy was no doubt stolen from the kitchen treat cupboard; if he was caught with it, he would be locked in the box as punishment.
By Frank English7 days ago in Fiction
The problem with being a nice person
Who would have thought that being a nice person could be problematic. The majority of people would tell you that’s what they want to be or at least want those around them to be, but as it turns out, what we want and what we say we want are worlds apart. I won't stress or ramble on about how I would like things to be, but I’ll just analyze why this is, I am not sure either if a solution is even possible.
By real Jema2 days ago in Confessions
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