Blog Post

Shifting Sands: Part 2

August 23, 2020

My younger cousin seeks glory in battle and in being apart of the patrol that protects the Haven. That is the future he desires. Every lesson proves he was an excellent fighter. I have realized though he is too eager to jump into a fight, everyone’s fighting style is different and I must allow for that in my perception of his nature. Mine is too close to my nature, for example, to observe the world around me before acting. I also enjoyed sparing but disliked battle with a real enemy. 

As my favorite author has put it, though poorly summarized in my own words, I don’t care for the fight.

I do not care for the loss of lives, of blood, of the brutal killing of one another.

Human or magical being.

I did not care for all that, but I care and respect what we protect. What we defend by fighting. All the lives we fight to guard, to save, to give a sense of normalcy. If such a thing is possible.

The desert offers no relief in our constant fight. Our Haven has always been more of a warzone than the otherwise seemingly peaceful forests of the other Havens where patrols had places to hide. Those without the particular abilities to hide, such as Changing, Merage Forming, or Camoflaughing were left vulnerable to the moon’s brilliant light. 

Tonight we are patrolling far from the Haven in case we are spotted. Which can be often. And the Human’s hatred knows no empathy. No concern for our kind. Their perspective is one-sided. They heard the lore of what a few ancestors had done and placed the tarnished record on all of us. Many of us who fight to defend rather than to destroy. 

We did or rather most of us do, not see them in the same distorted light that they see us. For those of magic origin, we understand variety that can be found. That there are those who are good and bad. The beauty that can come from understanding the differences and learning from another. Because as magic beings we exist with such variety we had to learn to adapt and understand, and in that, we have learned to understand humans. Not only as the organization that tries to destroy us but also as they should be seen, with empathy and grace extended. 

I hope Farid can come to understand this one day. To extend thought to another before presuming that he should know everything about them. Though I am sure that will come with maturity. I am already so proud of the progress he has made in his studies and in his skill. He will become a great warrior, hopefully I impart some wisdom into that thick skull of his in the time I have to mentor him.

“Basir put your journal away. We are here on patrol. Particularly because the organization was spotted close to our borders. If you can not stay alert I can have you reassigned to another position that better suits your desire to read and write.” Neo I could tell was only partially serious. 

As patrol leader, he gave orders, as my best friend he could not help but give me a difficult time for my nose being ever-present in a book.

“Of course. I apologize. Merely writing my thoughts for future research and evaluation. I will of course now focus on the ever-important task at hand.” I remarked sarcastically before asking, “How close did the earlier patrol spot them?”

“In this region. Which is why I need you alert. We might have a fight tonight.” 

“Neo, don’t tell me your nervous? Or maybe just a little scared?”

“Of course not. Now especially since I am not the only one keeping watch.”

“I was watching.” I protested.

“You were not. When you are in your books you are in an entirely different world. Nothing else exists. And in that logic, I was keeping watch entirely on my own.”

“Aren’t we generally ordered to stay quiet? I was only following orders.” I slyly remarked looking out in the sands. 

“Ha! You obey one by breaking another!” Neo laughed and became still.

I sat listening for what he heard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I practiced my abilities, knowing any progress I made would make my cousin proud.

“Farid, come to the healers.”

“Why? What has happened?”

“Basir. He was injured on patrol.”