Advanced Beings and a Fork in the Road of Evolution. Fidess

their lives were so poor and meager. The friends of Laurus helped them get on the bizarre beasts and walked by their side, making them safe from a fall.

      «You know why I love the desert?» Laurus spoke again, sitting on the back of a leisurely walking camel. «You are alone with your thoughts here. There’s nothing to distract you from yourself, your inner voice. I like meditating here. But first things first.»

      The desert was indeed lovely, especially now, embraced by the late sunlight. The sandhills imitated the wild waves of a vast ocean as if they had frozen motionless only to offer the travelers a chance to get an eyeful of their magnificence. It was easy to lose the way in the endless desert, as their tracks were immediately covered with wind-blown sand. But the travelers moved with confidence, easily navigating the peculiar waters.

      It got absolutely dark. The sky dressed up in its best apparel, sprinkling stars, shiny like diamonds, over travelers’ heads. They rode in silence and only the quiet conversation between the wind and sand could be heard.

      «I wonder,» Noumat thought, «what do the sand and wind know? What are they talking about?»

      He remembered what his father had told him when he had been a child: «You can confide your secrets in the sand and wind, they will never betray you. If you wish for something, ask them for it and they will help you get it. Before a man was born into this world, the sands and wind had already been inseparable. They know the secret of eternal life and undying love.»

      Lost in his thoughts, Noumat was swayed by the powers of the dream world and sank into a deep sleep. Etan fell asleep too. The camels kept walking, leisurely carrying their heavy bodies.

      But Laurus’s people didn’t have time for rest. Laurus raised his hand, barely visible in the darkness, and then all the travelers stopped and dismounted. Only Noumat and Etan were still sleeping right on the backs of their camels. It didn’t seem to bother anyone.

      Laurus and his companions sat on the sand, forming a wide circle, reached for the sky, and closed their eyes. The night was far advanced. Suddenly, Laurus began whispering quietly. If you listened closely, you could make out words of gratitude.

      «Almighty World around us and within us,» Laurus said in a low voice, «we thank you for the travelers you have sent us in response to our prayers. We took the Great Path and we won’t wander from it. We can feel your support.»

      The rest of the words got lost in the murmur of wind that was carrying the sand from one hill to another. But one thing was clear: As Laurus uttered those words, he looked happy and pleased, and his companions did too. For a little while, they kept nodding their heads rhythmically, then opened their eyes, stood up, and continued on their journey.

      The next morning, when Etan and Noumat woke up from their deep sleep, they thought their eyes were deceiving them. The sands were gone. The mountains around them were buried in verdure. The air was thick with the chatter of birds and the soft rustle of waterfalls.

      «What a fertile land!» Etan said in bewilderment as he dismounted his camel. Noumat stood agape, trying to get a good view of the surroundings, and couldn’t say a word.

      There was a clap of thunder and it suddenly began raining hard. All the travelers hid under the crown of an enormous tree: Only rare drops of the rain could get there.

      «My dear companions and new friends,» Laurus said in a calm voice. «Let’s sit down. Many of you are marveling at the metamorphosis of the surroundings. You keep asking yourselves about the sources of these phenomena.»

      His wrinkled face betrayed a good-natured man: The deepest lines had to be caused by laughter. His stately body was wrapped in something like a dark, shabby long-sleeved robe. Silver curls framed his face with bright green eyes; surprisingly good teeth and full lips were hidden behind his mustache and beard. You could say that Laurus was handsome, confident, and composed. Everything around him seemed to give him real pleasure.

      There was a nice chill and freshness in the air. Ants were running around tirelessly, engaged in some very important and urgent work. The whole world around them was moving, full of joy. The whole world welcomed the rain.

      «Close your eyes. Take a deep breath,» Laurus said with deliberation. «Listen to nature.»

      Etan could not stop looking at the beautiful, abundant landscape. He did not want to miss the rave of colors around him. However, he paid attention to Laurus’s advice and concentrated his mind on his breath. He felt in harmony. He was merging with nature. It was amazing.

      Noumat could not concentrate. A swarm of midges was flying around his face and he couldn’t get comfortable on the hard ground, no matter how hard he tried.

      Laurus kept on with his speech: «Everything in the world is connected: The sky, earth, stars, you, and me. Everything is just a thought at the beginning. But this thought is persistent, familiar, a thought of conviction, a thought of truth, your truth. Everything we see around us is this thought, already «ripe’, «begotten’. Poor thoughts build a poor world, thoughts about plenteousness build a world of plenty. But nothing in the world is unwanted. Nothing is wrong. All its parts complement each other. One thought leads to another. We feel each and every thought deep in our bones; each thought is the energy we feel within us. But you already know that. A thought of the terrifying will make your breath quicken, your palms sweat, or it may even turn your hair gray. A long-lasting thought of the horrible will cause ghastly diseases, set the wheels of destruction in motion. And by contrast, a happy thought will bring out the most pleasant emotions, a state of euphoria. Long-lasting happy thoughts will heal your bodies, attract happy events.

      Everything around you and you, yourselves, are the ripe thoughts, fit for consumption right here and now, just like a fruit fallen from a tree. The good news is that nothing is static; things change.

      Our friends came from the lands where soils are not as fertile as here. But if they choose to turn things around, it can be done. Now open your eyes. It’s time for us to go to the cave for the meeting we all longed for.»

      No one wanted Laurus to stop. His speech was soothing, mesmerizing like the sounds of a wondrous instrument. The listeners’ bodies seemed to become as light as feathers, and they felt as if they were soaring.

      Everything Laurus had said was bizarre for Pharaon’s friends but the old man seemed to know what he was talking about. Etan and Noumat decided to put themselves in his hands and followed him into the cave. They were growing more and more curious.

      They saw an amazing sight. The rain had already stopped. The sun was shining bright, clouds were floating in the sky, constantly altering their peculiar shapes, reminding of a playful cat.

      Laurus’s companions, Noumat, and Etan slowly headed towards the highest mountain. They passed by luxuriant growths of vegetation; the soil under their feet was alive with millions of living things running around and bustling, stirred by human footsteps. Finally, they reached a clearing and the mountain appeared before them in all its grandeur.

      «My dear friends,» Laurus addressed the travelers, «follow me and have no fear.»

      There is no way to describe the beauty of that mountain. Blanketed with broad-leaved trees, it looked soft and cuddly despite its monumental size. As the travelers came closer, they saw a small opening at its foot.

      Laurus entered the cave first, followed by the rest of the travelers. He took something out of his pocket and the mysterious object lit up the dark cave.

      The travelers went further down and, still not too far from the entrance, found themselves in a spacious cave. The walls were covered with inscriptions but no one could read them. Laurus placed the shining object into the center of the cave and sat down on the floor. The others sat down too.

      Then, something unimaginable happened. Laurus closed his eyes, whispering quietly. His head was moving oddly and then froze. As he woke out of trance, he gave the travelers a strange look. Something