Part Six: The Prophecy of Shimbala

I woke up late today.  Last night working on that book report it took me a long time to decipher Val’s notes.  I don’t remember dreaming at all last night, probably cause I was so exhausted.  I’ll get dressed and meet Val outside soon.  Today we’re going to pay our new neighbors a visit.

Back on the Binyamin’s doorstep, Val rang the bell and Mrs. Binyamin answered.  She’s so happy to see us.  Mrs. Binyamin’s just great.  She’s always so cheery and glad to see you.  She sees us to the living room and goes to get Mr. Binyamin although it would have been nice if she’d actually gone get him instead of shouting from the bottom of the stairs.  The Binyamin’s, we’re learning, are a loud family.

“So dears, what would you like before Avi comes down?  Some cookies?  How about a sandwich?”

“It’s okay Mrs. Binyamin. We’re fine!” Val politely replied.  But Mrs. B. kept on trying to feed us.  I think she either had too much food in the house or she thinks we’re too skinny.  Before we knew it though there are chicken sandwiches and Cokes in our hands!

“Oh, the young scholars!” Mr. Binyamin bellows coming into the room.  “And what can I do for you two today?”  Then shouting to Mrs. B. in the kitchen he yells, “Erm! Bring them some potato salad.  And pickles.”

“Coming!” she yells back.  Ugh.  I don’t know how much more I can eat! Val turns to me with a look of panic that only I can recognize.  

Two sandwiches, potato salad, chips and a weird fish thing later we finally start our conversation with Mr. Binyamin.  Mrs. B. has left to go pick up their two boys.

“Mr. Binyamin,” I start, “First of all I’m really sorry for what happened at your party the other night.  I must have been over tired or something.”

“No no, Markus, it’s quite alright.  I’m just glad you’re okay.  But you should eat more protein!  This would give you energy for the day and help keep up your stamina.” 

Again with the food!  “Well thanks Mr. Binyamin, I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Val, cutting to the chase, chimes in, “Actually we’d like to ask you more about the painting there and the Shimbala Legend,” she says. 

“Ah, two inquisitive minds,” Mr. Binyamin says with an eager smile.  “That’s a nice attribute to see in young people such as yourselves.  So tell me, what is it that you want to know?”

“Everything!!” I said.  “Tell us whatever you can about Shimbala and Amir and Ariana and . . . ”

“Okay okay, Markus, slow down.  I can see you’re keen on learning.  That’s a good thing.  You remind me of myself when I was younger.  I always wanted to learn about everything.  But I loved listening to stories most of all.  That’s why I combined my two favorite things and came to study mythologies.”

Very nice Mr. B., I’m thinking, but tell us about Shimbala.

Val again goes right to the point.  “So Mr. Binyamin.  We’d love to hear that all you know about the legend, so please tell us everything.”

“Well, Valery, I told you the other evening most of what I know of the legend. What else exactly are you interested in?”

“Is there anything more to the legend?” I ask.  “I mean any more to the story other then what you told us?”

“Well, yes Markus, I think so.  It’s a complex legend really.  Other than the story I told you there is also a prophecy.”

“A prophecy?” Val asks restraining her impatient curiosity. 

“Yes, the prophecy of Shimbala says that the guardians of Gaia and Hilious will one day find Amir the traveler and also the Lima Ariana.  And when they find them the guardians will separate them forever.  This is to be their punishment for going against the teachings.  Other than the prophecy there’s nothing more that I know of the legend.”

“What do you mean nothing else?” I ask.  “Isn’t there anything more to the prophecy?”

“Well Markus, this is a very old legend that was passed on orally as stories before it was ever written down.  There could be more to it.  But I don’t know that anyone has ever found more.”

That’s it?  This is not what I needed to hear.  This is so frustrating.

“Okay Mr. Binyamin,” I said. “But can you tell me about the Limas? And can you tell me about Ariana?   Do you know why she was chosen to be a Lima?” I hoped some specific questions might coax more information out of him. 

“Well you see Limas are considered by the Somarans to be the purest of souls.  They are believed to be full of innocence and joy and they bring happiness to the kingdoms they are sent to.  And when a Lima falls in love they give the purest love in return.”

“But wait,” Val cut in.  “Didn’t you just say that the Somarans sacrificed the Limas?” 

 “Yes and they did.  You see the civilizations before Somarans, the even more ancient ones, in fact did not sacrifice the Lima.  But the Somarans believed that love corrupted the Limas by polluting the pureness of their souls.  If a Lima became corrupted by love then it turned into a Katia, which was a monster that did nothing but wreak havoc on the world bringing death and destruction to Hicious.  To prevent this from happening, the Somarans sacrificially killed the Lima at the age of light before it had a chance to be corrupted.  In doing so they also believed that Gaia or Hilious would then favor the Somarans and usher in an era of peace and prosperity.  The ancient scrolls of the story are old and many parts are missing.  It is possible, and I would say probable, that some aspects of the story might have been lost to us.”

“Wow,” Val said mesmerized.  “Mr. Binyamin could you tell us more about the Somaran beliefs like more about the three realms and the guardians?”

“Surely Valery.  Like I told you before, the ancient Somarans believed in the existence of three realms – Gaia, a sort of heaven; Hilious, which we might think of as hell; and Hicious, which is Earth where the Somarans lived.  They believed that when souls are born they were sent first to Gaia for a transitional period.  There the souls chose their parents as well as the place and time they want to be born in Hicious.  Once born, if the soul, or person, chose to live according to the teachings of Gaia then after death his soul would return to Gaia.  But if he chose to follow the wicked ways of Hilious then his soul was taken to Hilious to be enslaved for eternity by the silver-tongued devil of Hilious.  The whole Somaran belief system was based on a delicate balance of those forces – the light of Gaia and the darkness and Hilious.  The Somarans on Hicious lived between these realms.  Interestingly, the Somarans didn’t necessarily judge either realm as good or evil.  They viewed each as necessary to achieve balance in the universe.  And each opposing side of this delicate balance had a guardian.  For Gaia it was Magaia, the mother angel of Gaia.  For Hilious it was Eiden, the silver-tongued devil who torments humans and strikes deals with them.”

After hearing that name, Eiden, I am in shock.  A very bad feeling comes over me, like I’d drunk poison and just realized it.  I really don’t feel so good right now.

“Mr. Binyamin,” I said getting up.  “Thank you very much for seeing us and telling us the story of the prophecy.  But we have to go now.  And thanks again so much.”

All I know right now is that I have to get out of here.  I just have to leave.

“Oh, okay,” Mr. Binyamin said a little surprised.  “Leaving so soon?  It’s almost lunch time.  Wouldn’t you like to stay and have a bite?”

“It’s okay Mr. Binyamin.  We’ll definitely be coming back to hear some more about the ancient Somarans,” I said.

“Val let’s go,” I said giving her the look which means NOW!  I grab her arm and we head for the door. 

“Markus! Markus! Did you hear that?” she says as we get outside.

I think Val knows what I’m feeling.  If what Mr. Binyamin told us in there is true, then while waiting outside the principal’s office I sold my soul to the silver-tongued devil. 

End