The Mountain and The Wizard

***READ IN OLD FAIRY TALE TONE***

There once was a village that stood in the center of a valley. The village was prosperous and peaceful, yet small and simple. Life for everyone who lived there was easy and effortless but also unexciting and eventless. Massive mountains surrounded the valley on all four sides, the largest of which was to the North. On the Great Northern Mountain there was said to live a Wizard who watched over the village from afar. The villagers praised the Wizard for his protection and providence.

However over the centuries some of them had come to question the existence of the Wizard and whether or not there was anything beyond the mountains. Few even dared to venture out in search of answers but even the bravest would either return in defeat or never be seen again. The mountain was too treacherous and unpredictable according to the men who returned. It was nothing like the routine and reliable environment in the village. There were dangers at every turn; anyone who didn't come back was thought to be lost to the perils of the peaks.

None of this stopped young Eli from spending his afternoons daydreaming about finally being the one who finds the Wizard. He wasn't sure if he really believed the Wizard was real, or if he would even still be alive if he were. He just knew there was something bigger than this little village he called home. Something spectacular behind the way it all worked so seamlessly. What he wanted most was to be the one who found it.

Eli loved unraveling the mechanics of the world around him. At ten he understood every piece of simple machinery used with the village. He could help his father repair the windmill or assist his mother in working the loom. Any time he came across something he didn't thoroughly understand he would ask question after question until he gained the comprehension he craved. The same was true for his curiosity about the Wizard.

His parents were no help at all and told him everything is the way it is because the Wizard knew what was best and made it so. They discouraged his curiosity and instructed him to put the issue to rest. For years he tried to ignore the inquisition and how it ignited his heart with wonder and excitement. At fifteen he could fight it no more. He decided he would go into the mountains to find the Wizard and ask him all the questions himself.

"Mother," he said with compassion in his voice. "I have spent the past two years preparing for this journey. I am more ready than anyone who has ever attempted the expedition." She was concerned for his safety and ultimately inconsolable.

"She worries for you son. Not only does she fear that you may never return, she fears that you will be a disgrace should you return defeated by the mountain. Neither is something a Mother wants for her child." His father explained later as he walked Eli to the stables.

"I will return Father. And I will have answers when I do. I can promise you I will not be defeated by the mountain. Have you known me to be defeated by anything?" He was young, determined and full of confidence.

"No my boy, which is why I am no longer trying to detour you from this. All I can do is hope that he watches over you and sends you home safely." They embraced warmly and with a strong pat on the back his father sent him on his way.

As Eli made his way through the village, he could feel everyone's eyes on him. He was glad he couldn't hear any of their whispers and rode with his eyes straight ahead focused on the Great Northern Mountain. At the edge of the main square, just before the village gates, Eli's friend Jacob stood waiting for him

"I had to be sure I was the last to speak to you before you left. I wanted for the last words spoken to you to be uplifting and encouraging."

"Thank you Jacob. You are amongst the few things I will miss from here." Eli dismounted and faced his friend. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. But honestly that's also what has me so excited. Not knowing what to expect and the challenge of conquering the mountain."

"Conquering the mountain? What about finding the Wizard?" Jacob looked a little confused. "That's what this is about right? Finding him to answer all your questions."

"From talking to the only three men alive who have been before I have come to the conclusion they just gave up too early. It came down to them not being able to overcome a particular obstacle." Eli explained "The man I spoke with only lasted a few months until the frost came. He wasn't prepared for winter. While talking he admitted he thought it would be quick and easy." Eli showed Jacob his pouch of leathers for warmth and simple tools to build shelter. "I have that covered. Plus I'm leaving now at the beginning of spring giving me ample time to get set up before the cold comes."
"The second guy was a couple of years younger than your grandfather and said he lasted slightly over a year. But he got lost and went weeks without water in the middle of Summer. He had to make his way down the mountain or die of dehydration." Eli showed his friend how his warming leathers were stitched to act like wine skins. "Clever no? I can only carry one while full but I can always stash the others around the mountain. Each one will last me nearly a week." He modeled how the pouch would be worn almost like a cape before tucking it away.
"The third guy was the oldest person I've ever met. He is the father of Old Lady Eileen, the woman with all the preserves at market. He lasted nearly three years, learned the mountain better than anyone ever had before." From the bag he wore over his shoulder Eli pulled out piles of parchment. "He gave me maps of the mountainside, showing where to find water and few caves suitable for shelter. There's also a list of what plants he knew to be edible and which to avoid. Even instructions on how to build game traps and what to do if I encounter a bear or wolf. I plan to use it and add to it as I go." Eli tucked it all safely back into his satchel.

"Well if he had it all figured out why did he come back?" Jacob asked

"He nearly lost his mind of loneliness. My plan against that is to write to you anytime I feel alone and tell you all about my adventures. I've brought some parchment of my own for that. I am sure it will be a fun read for you upon my return." Eli smiled at his friend who he knew he would miss the moment he mounted his horse.

"I can't wait to read it." Jacob smiled back and held out his hand for a formal shake. "Good luck my friend. Take care of yourself."

"I will." Eli shook his hand and then pulled him in from a brotherly hug "Thank you."suspiciously



The first part of Eli's journey happened almost exactly how he had imagined it would. He followed the Old man's maps to the largest water source and constructed a small but sturdy shelter and stable. It wasn't the prettiest but it was enough to protect him and his horse from the elements. His makeshift cabin was at the edge of a meadow full of marigolds, only a short walk from an amazing waterfall. It was the most breathtakingly beautiful sight Eli had ever seen. Crystal clear water cascading down, crashing against rocks and splashing into the River. A mist rose from the falls and filled the air with a rainbow of water.

When he first arrived at the falls he sat, still saddled just sobbing. He cried tears of relief since he had been riding a whole month before reaching somewhere he could settle. There were also tears of satisfaction and vindication for having made it this far, for the old man's maps being true and for every other little aspect of his life that brought him to that moment. He sobbed from an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and appreciation for being one of only a possible handful of people to ever lay eyes on such a sight. The most powerful feeling he felt though was sheer awe at the beauty before him, never could he have even imagined such a scene.

Over the next six months he explored every trail on the old man's maps adding more detail as he went. He felt such a sense of pride every time he sat down to write Jacob a letter. He'd brag about how much he had mapped out and how so far every instance he had planned and prepared for. He had crops planted around his cabin and traps set should predators get too close. The mountain would be conquered and he'd find the Wizard by next year he was sure.

Unfortunately just before his fall harvest he awoke one morning to a herd of deer helping themselves to his crops. After his counts he would barely have enough to make it through winter if he stayed safe, still and warm in his cabin. Shortly after that a terrible thunderstorm came through and destroyed his stables. This forced him to send his horse home before winter came. With every misfortune Eli questioned his conviction but would only have to walk to the falls to be filled with certainty once again. He would tell himself nothing that intricately incredible could exist without there being something behind it. The determination to decipher it all would take hold of his heart again.

Eli resolved to make the best out of every misfortune and not give up until he has found his answers. He would use this time to slow down and observe the world around him better. Maybe there were clues as to where the Wizard may be hiding. Perhaps there was a purpose to all his problems, lessons he could learn in the struggle. Nothing would stop him from asking his questions, not even himself.

Watching winter approach he realized there was a pattern and timing to everything he hadn't noticed before when he himself was constantly moving. Once he stopped and took notice he saw magic everywhere around him. There was suddenly a whole new level of knowledge to be gained. His letters to Jacob became his notes on the forest and all it's activity. As the seasons changed it became clear to Eli that nothing existed separately. Everything was interdependent on the other, not unlike the way his village worked. Each person, doing their part to move the process along. Each animal and plant doing the same.

Something as simple as a bee buzzing busily at a blossom affected the entire forest. The leaves falling to the ground in autumn were part of the rebirth in spring. It was a ballet of balance. It entranced and mesmerized him drawing him deeper into understanding. For every micro miracle he noticed he wondered to himself more and more,
"Could the mountain be the Wizard? This whole time has the Wizard been the mountain?"

Nothing would stop Eli from finding out.