Just beneath the surface

A stride of faith

More and more nightmares plague his nights, and soon, he could no longer handle it. He realized that the city he would always see in his dream was Atlantis, and he realized that it might be long enough a wait. His dreams probably were set to remind him of his mission. At dinner that night, they all ate together.

"You've been a good boy lately, Andres, and I hope you keep it up", his mother said.

"I'm sorry if I was too harsh on you before, I just don't want you to leave", she continued. Andres looked down, and began to question himself. Was it worth it to betray his mother's trust? What if it was all some cheap trick that could destroy the relationship in their family.

"Thanks for the food", Andres said, and went up to his room

"Santiago, please watch over your brother. Make sure that he never gets his hands on that book", his mother instructed.

"I'm pretty sure that stopping him from travelling isn't the only reason why you prevent him from touching that book. Come on, I'm your son too. Besides, you're entrusting this to me, so it's best if I know what is really going on", Santiago replied.

"One time, I tried to sell the book thinking it was a blank journal for sale. Suddenly, an elderly man approached me and told me not to sell it. He then proceeded to unveil the book's true purpose", his mother explained.

"And that is?" Santiago asked.

"That book is one of three great books, keys that can both seal and unseal great evil. Though I do not believe what he said, I have a hunch that something sinister is in play", his mother replied.

"Why would father entrust something as devious as this to Andres?" Santiago asked.

"Perhaps the treasure is indeed true, but what stems from the treasure could be evil. Greed, malice, corruption, name it all, they all stem from richness", his mother replied.

"My presumptions may be wrong, but I just want to prevent Andres from whatever sinister lurks", his mother replied. Andres heard everything, from a hole in the wooden flooring above.

The next day, Andres sat on the fields tending to his sheep. The cool breeze rolled over the pasture as the brazen sun shone over the plains. The hooded man appeared and sat beside Andres.

"Why the troubled face boy, still haven't gotten your hands on the book?" He asked.

"If I intended to, I would have had that book in my hands since yesterday. It's just that I don't know who to believe now. You seem so knowledgeable and convincing, but it is my obligation to follow my mother's orders. Plus, the fact that you don't show your face makes it more devious", Andres replied.

"Your mother, your brother, your father, and I, we are merely signposts placed along the road you travel called life. If you're in a crossroads, the signs don't force you to go in a certain path don't they. It's you who decides the path you choose to go to. Same thing applies here. We are just giving you options, but it's up to you to decide whether to follow or not", the hooded man said.

"The real question is, what is your true goal in life? What do you dream of doing?" The hooded man asked.

"To continue what my father set out to do, to explore the world and see what lies beyond my line of sight. I don't want to be cooped up in this region, as from what I've heard from my father's enthralling tales, there is more to this world than one's eye can see, and that I aim to see for myself", Andres replied.

"There it is, words so pure, full of conviction, however, no matter how pure they are they will lose their conviction if they are not acted upon. Do what your heart tells you to", the hooded man said.

"Don't misunderstand me, as I'm not forcing you to go. Listen to your heart. Yes, it's a mantra said throughout the ages and in every land the word of mouth spreads, to listen to your heart", he continued.

"And if I decide to go, where do I go?" Andres asked.

"If you decide to go, meet me at the Chichen Itza. There I will discuss to you the path that lies ahead, and make sure you weather your decisions right", the hooded man replied and left, vanishing into thin air. A sickle of wind swept across the plain, and the grass rolled over as the cottontails bounced in the symphony of the cool breeze. It was calm and relaxing, and in the moment of respite, Andres thought that he was hallucinating but "No" he exclaimed he really talked to someone. He made his next move. As for timing, it was the best he could ask for. Santiago has left for the coast to do business with their uncle, a Spanish sailor whom they haven't met in years, so only Andres and his mother remained. He couldn't ask for any better moments. He decided to go, his heart steadfast to find what he sought. He knew that if he returned home a fortuner, his mother would forgive him for his disobedience. But then he stopped in his thoughts. What if he were to fail? If what the hooded man said was a lie, what pride would he have left to face his mother upon returning empty handed? He froze in thought, and began to doubt the hooded man even again. But then the hooded man had the same standpoint as his father, and his father did want him to go and get the book to finish what he couldn't achieve, so what was stopping him now?

"DAMN ALL OF YOU!" Andres exclaimed, his voice echoing through the plains to the hillside. He had decided, he knew he had to decide, but he just didn't know what to decide. He didn't even know the way to the Chichen Itza! The pressure of the people around him daunted his very idea of being free. He took a deep breath, then stood up. He then herded the goats back to their own, and went home. He found his mother sleeping, probably dazed from the hot, humid air. She slept by the kitchen, so he immediately snuck into his mother's bedroom and took the book from behind the closet. For the first time, he held the notebook, and he felt a sense of accomplishment. On it's worn out leather cover, a green crystal was somehow embedded in it. On the first page, there was a map. It was quite unfinished however, and it could be anyone's guess to know what it was for. The rest were glyphs and symbols, symbols, ones he couldn't understand at all. None of what was in the book had any clue to Chichen Itza's location. He began to question his decision once more, unsure of his route. He shook it off, and began to pack his things. He had a strong feeling that he would somehow find his way on the road. He checked his mother downstairs and found out how she was still asleep.

"When she finds out I left, she would surely know why. I just hope she understands", Andres thought. As he passed his mother lying peacefully on the couch, he felt the tension in the air around him.

"So you really are going, I guess I couldn't stop you then", his mother said, her eyes still closed.

"Mother I-"

"Don't explain. Just remember that no one places signposts and reminders for no reason. There is always caution in every warning, which is why we pay heed to the signs or omens the world shows us. You can simply ignore the warnings I gave you, but I'm sure that along the way you will realise what I meant", she continued. Tears began to fall down from Andres eyes.

"Don't cry, strength is needed for you to accomplish what you set out to do. It's too late for regrets. Now go, I will always be praying for you", his mother said. Andres wipes the tears off his eyes and holds his chin high. Never had he felt so strong.

"Thank you",

"I will return."