Chapter Text
I climbed up the carved steps, looking up in awe at The Final Tree. I felt very honored to be here, before the last full sized tree. I stared up at the yellow blooms, the color of our country's flag, among the duller green leaves. The tree my ancestors nurtured for over a hundred years, the tree The Great Mother Eagle grew for us when she led us to this new land, to this mountainous area to the north, a large island of what could have once been the east side of the US, before the tsunami hit.
My ancestors were from all walks of life, but many of them came from the reservations that were overrun. Navajo, Cherokee, even the remaining Sioux. Them, combined with a large amount of people from all over Earth who believed in saving the planet, came together after hearing the Eagle's cry in the skies.
Together, with all their cultures, all their beliefs, they founded The United Life of The Eagle. T.U.L.T.E., as the country is known as for short.
Here we are, a hundred years later, and we proudly follow in their footsteps. There is no technology in our country, everything is man made and created to work with no power, no electricity and nothing harmful to our land. We work together as our ancestors did, and shared what we have.
But, while paintings of old show this large valley as a once green and lush place, humanity's poison outside our country spreads even over our country, dullening the color of the grass and leaving large patches missing on a once lush valley. The skies are cleaner here than anywhere you would find on Earth, often clear and grey blue, and at night you may see some stars. Though I have heard stories of bright blue skies and orange hued sunsets, of millions of stars like a river in the sky and the moon luminous and bright. But, the world outside is killing itself, and thus, slowly killing our home's once beautiful land. This land, as it is now, is all I have ever known in my life.
Our country produces most of the oxygen Earth needs through our large plankton farms just off our coasts. My father worked at one, before being called to aide in protecting our land from the greedy outside our natural walls of the mountains and our large separated island home. The greedy who want our land, not for gold, but for the cleaner air and better foods.
I never saw him again, and I was only six. I still remember him kissing my forehead before stepping outside the hut door, to never return.
My mother grew ill a year later, the pollution in the air coated her lungs and, as our country is not the richest in the world, nor do we use the modern technology, there were few doctors to aide my mother. We use older medicinal ways, but none have worked so far on such a deadly problem for our people.
She passed, after a healing elder gave her a plant mix to make her death painless. I remember holding her hand as she faded away, tears running down my cheeks.
I was a lost child, a pained child, when the Elder Council, the guiding torch of our country, took me in. Why, may you ask?
My people have one strong belief above everything else. Spirit Quests are The Great Mother Eagle's guiding words to those she believes to be strong. Very few in our country dream of a Spirit Quest, very few ever step outside our country for anything more than war. No one but soldiers can step back in again, unless their Spirit Quest has been fulfilled.
Which has only happened once before.
It is just the way of our people. While each hold different beliefs, we all share one similar belief, in that of The Great Mother Eagle. While old beliefs of the different cultures we all came from in the past still play a part in our lives, every one of us here in T.U.L.T.E. believe in the guardian of nature and life, The Great Mother Eagle.
I had a Spirit Dream when I was five. I can recall it as clear as day, and the Elder's treated me well due to the fact that there have been none, that they know of, who has received a Spirit Dream at such a young age. Nor has there been a Spirit Dream for a decade by any T.U.L.T.E. resident.
And, never, has a Spirit Dream called the Dreamer away from our world. I am the hope of my people, and I refuse to let them down.
I climbed up the last step, staring in awe at the rich dark brown bark covering The Final Tree, seven stone made chairs are carved out of the rock of the stone platform before the tree, each holding an Elder of each different part of TULTE. The Council of The Final Tree.
I stopped on a raised, smooth rock, as I had practiced for this moment, excitement filling me down to my bones. This is my moment.
"Hettie Bayars. You stand before The Final Tree and The Council of The Final Tree, to ask permission to step outside our walls and into the dangerous world of humanity's greed, to fulfill your Spirit Quest." The Elder of the Plankton Plantations said from his seat, as is his duty, I am one of the citizen's under his care, having been born to a Plankton Plantation family.
"I do, I wish to go beyond the walls." I said, hardly able to contain my excitement to prove myself.
"Announce your spirit quest for all Elders to hear, for The Great Mother Eagle to approve." The Elder continued, staring at me with pride as I took a slow, calming breath, so eager to prove myself to The Great Mother Eagle.
"My Spirit Dream showed my quest to be a long one, one where I must step farther away than beyond these natural walls. My quest, my dream, showed to me that I must journey across the stars to the distant planet of Pandora. I must learn from them, the one's known as Na'vi, learn their way of nurturing the land, and return to spread what I have learned among humanity. My Final Task, the end of my Spirit Quest, is to plant and grow a field of sunflowers on a green rolling hill. The Great Mother Eagle's cry calls me!" I said proudly, loudly to the Elders and to The Final Tree so The Great Mother Eagle may hear my cry.
Silence fell for a moment. The Elder of the Country's Warriors stood and moved in front of the tree, a few things held in his weathered hands as I watched, my heart racing with excitement at this finally happening.
"I approve of this Spirit Quest." He said, as I forced myself not to fidget out of excitement, as he placed the items on the dais I could not see from here. Offerings to me for my Spirit Quest.
Slowly, each Elder stood, placing on item on the dais before The Final Tree before moving to sit once more, each approving of my Spirit Quest.
"I approve of this Spirit Quest." The final Elder, the Elder that helped train me the most for my Quest, the Elder of The Plant Life said. He placed a closed and tightly sealed case with an adjustable string onto the dais.
He turned and looked up at the tree, raising his weathered hands to the flowers and leaves overhead. I clenched my hands into fists and relaxed them, knowing this is the moment The Great Mother Eagle will approve or not approve of my Quest.
"Now, we ask your approval, The Great Mother Eagle. Do you approve this most noble Spirit Quest?" He called up to the tree as the Elders all closed their eyes and held their hands up to the tree as well.
I held out my hands nervously, excitedly, and cupped together. I closed my eyes as I was trained to for this moment, so eager to know what The Great Mother Eagle will choose...
Silence fell, all I could hear is my shaky breathing from nervousness, from excitement, adrenaline pumping as I waited...
Then, I felt a soft blossom land in my hand and opened my eyes to stare with wide eyes at one of The Final Tree's Blossom's in my hands, a brilliant beautiful yellow flower. I heard gasps from The Elders as more fell around me, some landing on my shoulders, some in my hair, some more in my hands. More than The Great Mother Eagle has ever given to any she has chosen for a Spirit Quest. I was awed as I gently collected blossom's off of my shoulders and arms, protecting and cherishing them.
The Elder of The Plant Life stepped forward, beaming with awe and pride in my being chosen, and The Great Mother Eagle very much stating her opinion on my Spirit Quest.
"The Great Mother Eagle has spoken loudly and clearly, more than she has in a hundred years. Hettie Bayars must go beyond our walls, her Spirit Quest is of utmost importance to The Great Eagle Mother! Rejoice! For we have much to prepare her for!" He called to the citizens silently watching from behind in the fields, turning from me to the other Elders as they all stood.
"To The Great Mother Eagle's Wishes!" They all called out, raising a hand to The Final Tree, the citizens behind me echoing that cry.
"To The Great Mother Eagle's Wishes." I said softer as I looked at all of the blossoms in my hands. Holding all of them closer to my chest, relief and awe and hope all filling me. I closed my eyes and smiled up at The Final Tree.
My Spirit Quest has begun.
This after message was old, so I am replacing it. You may notice minor changes each chapter. I plan to edit, minorly, for grammar mistakes and to make the story more easy and enjoyable to read. As my most popular story, I want it to have the TLC it deserves, so I will be editing chapters, there might be some I edit more than others but nothing drastic, just to make it more emotional and enjoyable, I have improved much on writing with emotion into my stories since I wrote this story. Also, can you believe it's been two and a half years since I wrote this chapter?!?! Like, WHAT?!
Also, this is an X OC, like my many other stories, but I am keeping the who to myself, makes the story more enjoyable Muhahahaha .
Enjoy, My Amazing Readers!