Chapter Six

The Enlightenment

Patxi lived in a village on the coast. He was one of eight brothers and the only Nagusi in the family. He lived with his wife and an only daughter, aged fourteen. It took Inaki ten days to reach the village. After finding Patxi and explaining who he was and who had sent him, Patxi asked him into his house. Inaki found it easy to talk to him, and said much more than he intended. Patxi was a great listener and made few interruptions to the tale that unfolded from the young man.

When he had finished, he asked Inaki, “You mentioned Aguirre. What do you know of Aguirre Aguirre?”

“Only what I have told you,” Inaki replied.

“Didn’t you know he came from this village?”

“No. I didn’t.”

“We have not seen him for many years, not since the accident.”

“What accident?” asked Inaki, full of curiosity.

“Has he not spoken of it?”

“No.”

“Well that doesn’t surprise me,” replied Patxi, “his whole family died.”

“How did that happen?”

“This is a fishing village. In September the boats go after the Albakera, the tuna fish, which is much prized. Aguirre had gone out in his family boat with his brothers and father. The sea at this time is very dangerous, sudden storms can come without warning. To guard against this the boats go out in force, as many as a dozen at a time. They had been fishing for two days, when a freak storm hit them. A giant wave overturned Aguirre’s boat. His dog, Roka, saved him by swimming and towing him to the nearest boat. Unfortunately, the crew could only save Aguirre, as they drew him into the boat; the next wave swept the dog away from them. It drowned, as did his father and brothers. His mother died shortly afterwards of a broken heart. Roka was the father of the two bitches you met. He took the dogs and has not been seen since. I think that the village holds too many painful memories for him. He probably blames himself for the loss of his brothers and father, but there was nothing he could have done. It also explains his total devotion to animals. Roka gave his life to save Aguirre.”

“I never knew,” Inaki said.

“Now let us get down to the business at hand. You have the calling?”

“Yes,” Inaki said thoughtfully.

“Good. Do you believe in our Gods?”

Inaki looked at the ground. “They have not spoken to me.”

“You insolent pup! The Gods speak only to a chosen few. Why should they speak to you? Still it is good to have doubts, in time you will find your Gods,” said Patxi. “You will need a guardian. You cannot use the mushroom without a guardian. Do you trust your dog?”

“With my life.”

“Good, his spirit will be your guardian, but you must tell him.”

“How?” said a bewildered Inaki.

“You must talk to him.” Patxi laughed. “Have you never talked to your dog?”

“I give him commands and he obeys.”

“That’s not talking,” Patxi said smiling.

“Are you serious? I mean about talking to him?” Inaki looked at Storm and back to Patxi, totally confused.

“Of course.”

“What language must I learn to talk to him?”

Patxi smiled.

“Dogs don’t have a language they’re dumb. Like you, stone head!”

And so was he, Inaki thought.

“All right you’ve had your joke!” he said angrily.

“They talk in pictures, you can talk to his spirit in your dreams,” said Patxi, gently, “and I see that you are easily offended.”

The simplicity of the statement struck Inaki full in the face. It was true. In his dreams, Storm often spoke in pictures to Inaki.

“The next time you speak to him ask him to be your guardian until the true guardian makes himself known to you,” Patxi said.

“When will that happen?”

“You will know when it happens.” Patxi turned and shouted: “Olatz, bring us food! There are two hungry men here and a dog.”

After a few moments a young girl appeared, with three bowls full of the most delicious rabbit stew. She set the bowls before the men and put one on the floor. She left and returned with bread and wine. Noticing that the dog had not touched his food, she asked: “Isn’t your dog hungry?”

“Eat!” Inaki said without looking up. Storm dived into his food.

“That’s cruel,” the girl said.

Inaki looked up, for the first time, about to respond gruffly. What he beheld took his breath away. She was, without doubt, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He stared, mouth open full of food, unable to speak.

“Well?” Olatz said smiling.

“He’s trained…” Inaki could not finish the sentence.

“I can see that, but why?”

“So he can’t be poisoned.” Inaki could not compose himself, his eyes wandering helplessly over her body.

Anger appeared on the girl’s face. “You think I would poison him?”

“No!” Inaki exclaimed, spluttering his food all over the table.

“Just as well!” The girl turned sharply and left.

“Got her mother’s temper that one has,” Patxi said.

“Come on, finish your food. We have work to do.”

Inaki ate in silence, trying hard to analyse his feelings. That night Inaki could not get Olatz out of his mind.

Life in the village was a never-ending series of surprises for Inaki. First there was the food. For someone who had been brought up on a limited diet of oats, bread, cheese and mutton, the food was a revelation. He had eaten salted cod, but the variety of fish that was placed before him seemed endless, and then there was the shellfish as well: steaming wooden platters of crab, lobster, prawns, clams and mussels. Every meal was a new experience and a delight to the palate. Second, their homes were not as fortified as the villages in the mountains. If danger threatened, they just took to their boats.

Every morning he would hunt with Storm, bringing home a rabbit or two, sometimes a deer or a wild boar, seldom empty-handed. In the evenings he practiced the hidden arts with Patxi. Lessons had started slowly and deliberately. First, a process of cleansing. This took place in a conical building of stone with no windows. A fire would be lit in the middle of the round building, into which Patxi would throw herbs. Both men would take off their garments and would sit opposite each other naked until the sweat poured from them.

Then came a process of meditation and learning to make the mind blank, thereby inducing a trance like state of complete peacefulness. What was more surprising was that in this state, he could not feel pain. Patxi would poke him with glowing sticks from the fire and he would feel nothing. Some months after he had learnt this, Patxi drew two circles around them and filled the space between the circles with runes and symbols.

“This is for our protection,” he explained.

“We are about to enter a world that is both ruthless and dangerous. Don’t be frightened, I will protect you together with Storm. Whatever you do you must not panic. Are you ready for this?”

“Yes,” Inaki said in a low voice, little uncertain of what he was letting himself for.

“The first thing we have to do is find your true guardian,” Patxi said. “Sit perfectly still and on no account leave the circle.”

Patxi closed his eyes and chanted for a few moments, and then he took one of the reeds that covered the floor. He blew down it to make sure it was clear and put some powder into it. He took the reed and holding Inaki’s head back, blew the contents of the reed into his nose. Inaki’s head exploded and he lost consciousness. His mind began to drift and suddenly he was out of his body but back in the circle. A great billowing cloud rose towards the top of the building and began to take shape. Slowly the smoke formed itself into a giant Octopus, continuously changing colour, until it changed from a grey into bright red with purple spots. At that moment all the legs came together, pointing at Inaki’s chest and the animal slowly descended disappearing into his body.

Patxi slowly raised his arms and gave two very deliberate claps with his hands.

“There!” he said. “Your guardian is within you.”

Inaki sat in astonishment. Eventually, when he could speak, he was full of questions.

“Why did the Sacred Octopus choose me? What does it mean? Who is your guardian?”

“Steady,” Patxi, said gently. “I will answer your questions but give me time to reply!”

Inaki nodded.

“First, I don’t know why the Octopus God chose you, but He is extremely powerful, as you will see. My guardian is the Sacred Oak. Now sit still and watch!”

Slowly, Patxi raised his arms above his head and brought his palms together. He bowed his head and muttered a few words. For some moments nothing happened. Then slowly the building was filled with a mist in the middle of which stood a giant oak tree. Then after a while the tree disappeared.

“Can I do that?” Inaki gasped.

“No, but you now have other powers. Make your mind a blank and call on your God to protect you.”

Inaki closed his eyes and concentrated. Nothing happened.

“You’re not trying hard enough,” he heard Patxi say. “Concentrate and open your mind. Open your mouth and breathe out slowly.”

Inaki renewed his efforts and somewhere between his eyes the Octopus emerged. He breathed out slowly and deliberately.

“Open your eyes,” Patxi ordered.

A black inky substance was filling the building with darkness.

“See, you have the power of concealment, just like the Octopus God.”

Inaki abruptly shut his mouth. The substance disappeared.

“Good,” said Patxi.

“Now that we are prepared, we will teach you the art of the sacred mushrooms, but first we will rest. We have done enough for one day.”

Late that evening Inaki was sitting outside Patxi’s house on a rough bench hewed from the trunk of a tree. He was watching the stars; Storm lay peacefully at his feet. The doorway suddenly filled with the delicious form of Olatz.

“Would you like something to drink?” Asked the girl.

“No.”

“How about a swim?”

“I can’t swim.” Inaki blushed.

“Then I shall teach you.” The girl put out her hand.

Storm growled.

“I’m not going to harm your precious master, Storm!” said the girl with a wicked smile which seemed to charm even the dog, and he wagged his tail at her words or perhaps it was the tone of her voice.

Inaki took her hand and they walked down through the meadows to the beach where they walked along to a place where the stream entered the sea.

“The sea is shallow and warm here,” said Olatz, “and it is where I learnt to swim. Take off your clothes.”

Inaki stood there in total confusion. He had never exposed himself to a girl before. Without another word she took off her tunic and dropped her long black skirt to the sand. She stood there naked. Her body was deeply tanned and the moonlight gave her dark olive skin a lustre that made her whole body glow. Inaki stared at the firm breasts with the dark round nipples. She was beautiful beyond anything he had ever seen. He stood there, opened mouthed and in total confusion, his blood racing.

“Oh, come on,” said Olatz impatiently.

Inaki took off his tunic and stopped.

“What’s the matter?”

Inaki looked at the ground blushing.

“Oh!” said Olatz, noting his discomfort and embarrassment. She giggled.

“So you like what you see, do you? Have you never seen a naked girl? I’m sure you have many times,” she teased. “Never mind, the cold water will soon restore you.”

She let out a peal of laughter and turning, ran into the river, followed by Storm and then Inaki, still with his pants held on firmly. Over the next few weeks Inaki and Olatz would often go down to the beach together. Inaki soon learnt to swim and he had fallen in love. Unbeknown to him, Olatz had chosen him from the moment she had set her eyes on him. From that time, she had decided to be his and that he would be hers.

Sometime, months later, when they were all sat round the table Patxi, turned to his wife and said, “Mother, I think it’s time we had a union in this family.”

Inaki and Olatz looked at each other and smiled, then broke into laughter.

“The sooner the better,” Olatz said to her father with a smile.

“It is the custom for a father to receive a gift for his daughter.”

Inaki looked stunned. “I have nothing to give unless you accept my working for you?”

“No, that is not acceptable.”

“Father! How could you be so cruel?” Olatz exclaimed.

Patxi had held up his hand and silenced her. “There will come a time when I shall ask something of you. Will you grant my wish without question?”

Inaki nodded.

“I have your oath,” said Patxi.

“You have my oath,” said Inaki solemnly.

“So be it, you may have my daughter,” her father said, returning to his food.

Inaki wondered what Patxi had seen to make him take such an oath. It had to be something serious or he would not have asked, but what could it be? He could not think of anything and anyway, the thought of wedlock with Olatz filled him with happiness and any unease that he felt was soon banished from his thoughts.

The next day preparations began. The pagan wedding would take place on Midsummer’s Eve. The messages were sent and over the coming weeks the guests began arriving. The first to arrive were Inaki’s mother and uncle. There followed many members of Olatz’s family: her seven uncles and their wives and children. Grandparents, aunts and friends. Finally, Aguirre Aguirre who none had seen for so many years in the village. With him he brought a dog, nearly sixteen months old, and as black as a moonless night. He had called it Roka.

“You left me with a present when you had gone,” he said to Inaki. “Or to be more correct, Storm had.”

Inaki looked at the dog. There could be no denying it. It was the spitting image of his father.

“How many puppies did she have?” asked Inaki.

“Five, three bitches and two dogs. I sold the bitches and kept the dogs for some reason. He’s just about trained.” Aguirre’s face shone with pride.

The young dog had gone over to his father and licked his face. Storm stood stiffly and sniffed the dog.

“Well, seems to recognise his offspring. Otherwise he would have killed it,” Aguirre observed.

Olatz came over to Inaki and took his arm. Inaki looked into the dark eyes, like forest pools. She spoke.

“I think Storm gave Aguirre something greater than anything he could have wished for.”

“So do I,” Inaki said pressing her arm. “Roka the second, is a very fine dog.”

On Midsummer’s Eve in the year 775 AD, the pagan wedding of Inaki and Olatz took place. Inaki was sixteen, Olatz just fourteen. The wedding feast that followed lasted two days, by which time many of the guests could hardly stand. The whole village had turned out for the wedding. Over the following months, the villagers helped Inaki build his own house in the tradition of their own houses. The bottom half was of stone, with stables for cattle and sheep, the living quarters were on the second floor and on top a slopping roof made of wooden beams and planks, topped with earth and grass. For the first time in his life he felt he had found a place were he was truly accepted. The following year was the happiest of his life.

There passed two years in absolute happiness and tranquillity. Then on a May morning of 777 AD, Inaki was in the hills hunting. The air was full of the scents of summer and the hunting had been good. Dog and man were in high spirits as they made their way back to the village, four rabbits and some partridge all tied with a piece of leather and hung over his shoulder. They passed through a small wood of cork oaks. Storm was moving steadily, quartering the ground ahead of his master, lingering to smell the ground or a tree as an interesting scent caught his attention. Suddenly he stopped, head upright and alert. For a moment Inaki thought that he had seen something for him to shoot with his bow. For a time neither of them moved. Inaki searched the area ahead of him, trying to identify the animal or bird that had caught the dog’s attention. He could see nothing. Slowly, the sound of two drawn-out whistles penetrated his consciousness. From somewhere in the mountains the message was being passed on and on. ‘Zutik! Zutik!’ Each time it was clearer and more urgent. Inaki put his fingers in his mouth and turned towards the village. He blew hard and long, repeating the signal. He broke into a run with Storm ahead of him. In the distance, when they could see the village, he could just make out people running in all directions. Beyond the village he could see the sea. The boats were making their way home after hearing drums. Soon the whole village would be gathered under the village oak.