Oracle stones

“I stand before thee, my lords,” said the Elder, “To ask your advice. My people are in need.”

The boy stood there, weary-eyed, expecting silence. He physically jumped up when a voice rumbled through the cave.

”Your people are in need. Ask.”

The voice was powerful but warm, not at all unpleasant. It seemed to be coming from somewhere between the oracle stones.

”We have journeyed far to meet you, my lords. We traversed the mountains and evaded many dangers. But we are here, because it is a time of need."

"A time of need, you say. Your journey was long and dangerous. Speak your questions, our son."

"Drought, my lords. The weather has been destroying our crops. We rely on those to survive, and our reserves are depleted."

"You rely on your crops to survive,” said the voice, “Yet your reserves are depleted. It is the weather, the drought."

"Yes, my lords. We have nothing while our neighbors have plentiful resources. We will die unless we do something."

"Your neighbors have the resources that you need,” said the voice softly.

The Elder bowed down all the way to the ground. “Thank you, my lords. Now I know what we must do,” and he made the sign of the sword in traditional preparation for war.

On their way back, they set up camp. By the fire, the boy asked: “Master, where did these oracle stones come from? Where does their power come from?"

"They have been here for ages. They harken back to a time when our ancestors had mastery over magic and technology. They commanded the weather, and they could fly through the air like iron birds. You know the stories, don’t you, boy?"

"I do, master. I wonder whether our ancestors owed their mastery of magic to oracle stones. Or maybe the stones were created with magic and technology."

"I do not know, boy. Perhaps it was both."

"Both? How could it be both?"

"The ways of our ancestors were mysterious, my boy,” said the elder. The boy frowned for a second, but then bowed low in apology. From his humble position, he asked:

“Master, do you think the voice only repeated what you said?”

The Elder thought about it for a long while, and then said wistfully: “Perhaps the answer was in me all along, my boy.”

Posted by: Paweł Kowaluk