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

is a stone that accumulates sunlight and then glows in the dark,» Verum, who was sitting next to Noumat and Etan, said calmly and quietly.

      «My word!» Etan and Noumat said in unison, trying not to make too much noise.

      «I’ll tell you what. I didn’t even think that learning can be so exciting and enjoyable!» Etan said.

      «I know, right? And this is just the beginning!» Noumat said eagerly.

      «I am glad to be here with you,» Laurus said in a strange voice. «It is good to see you. I welcome Etan and Noumat who came from far away. I know why you are here. Your land can be fertile too. You will manage to go far since Pharaon possesses the great power which he will discover soon.

      He is the chosen one. Take these seeds and young plants and put them into your sands. Have faith, there will be a heavy crop.»

      The faces of all the people sitting around Laurus expressed astonishment. His voice died down and there was silence. No one who was there had ever witnessed anything like that.

      They left the cave and followed Laurus again. The old man was walking alone, at some distance from the others. When Etan and Noumat approached him, he said: «A long time ago I dreamt that two men would come and learn something in the cave. Something that would be precious for them and all humanity,» the eyes of the old man twinkled mysteriously. «And now let’s get to the nearby village, have a meal, and ask for seeds and young plants.»

      «Tell us, Laurus,» Noumat said as they were walking towards the village, «who was it, talking through you?»

      «It is hard to say,» Laurus said broodingly. «It has never happened to me before. But those were not my thoughts. I marveled at the words I was saying. But one thing is certain: I felt really good as if happiness spilled into my body. I felt like I was flying. That thing, it was not evil. It is good, peaceful, and even loving energy. It wants the best for us.»

      «Laurus,» Etan said. «Where do you live? Do you have a family?»

      «I have children but I am mostly wandering the world. My friends follow me everywhere, they have been a second family to me. We give knowledge to those who seek it. In that, we find joy and purpose of the earthly life.»

      «Where do you get this knowledge from?» Etan asked. «It was so interesting and unusual what you said about our thoughts. I sometimes ponder over it myself: What do I have so many thoughts for? What good are they doing to me? Where do they come from and where do they run? Or are they stored somewhere, motionless? But it turned out, our thoughts are what gives birth to the things around us. How marvelous!»

      «I get my ideas from my dreams,» Laurus replied. «Or, when meditating.»

      «Laurus, what do you think a dream is?» Noumat asked.

      «A dream is a reality of another world, another dimension,» Laurus replied, without a moment’s hesitation.

      «I am not sure I understand,» Noumat muttered.

      «Then you will, later,» Laurus gave him an encouraging smile and patted his shoulder.

      «After we get everything we need for the crop,» Noumat turned the conversation to the matter he understood better, «we will have to go back as soon as possible. I think our people are waiting for us. Laurus, can we take some of your men to help us in Pharaon’s settlement and maybe stay and live with us? Our people are kind, they will give your men a warm welcome. Our home will be their home too.»

      «We will all go to the settlement with you and spend some time there,» Laurus said. «Relying on today’s revelation in the cave, there will be great changes. Those who want to stay and live with you will stay.»

      «Laurus is quite hopeful, that’s for sure,» Noumat said to Etan quietly. «I doubt anyone would want to stay and live in a desert after they’ve seen such an abundant land.»

      «Yes, the chances are slim,» Etan said.

      Deep in conversation, they came to the village. They asked the first people they saw for what they needed and it was not long before they received a generous gift. Two pretty young women helped put woven sacks on the backs of Etan and Noumat. The sacks were not large and did not prevent them from walking properly.

      «What are your names?» Noumat asked the women.

      «I am Ichel,» the one Noumat took a liking to said.

      «And I’m Dune,» the one who charmed Etan said humbly.

      «Would you come with us to our settlement? It will become your home, and Etan and I will become your family. We will take care of you, love you, and protect you.»

      The young women happily accepted the proposal. They had been longing for a family for a long time and they liked Etan and Noumat who were well-built and kind.

      Laurus kept smiling while watching them. He remembered how he had first met the mother of his children.

      They had been both just as young and happy, eager to see life in all its shapes and sizes.

      «Laurus,» Noumat broke the thread of his happy thoughts. «Laurus, we are ready to head back to our native land.»

      «Right,» Laurus said quickly. «I will tell my companions.»

      About twenty people agreed to come, those who were most excited about Laurus’s thoughts on the world order. They felt that his words were true. Laurus never imposed his ideas on them. Listeners came to him willingly, aching to look at the world from a completely different perspective. Laurus used to say that where is a ready learner, there is a teacher. All the people of like minds were looking for the answers to their questions. It was them who would find Laurus rather than the other way round. Some of the listeners accompanied him on his journeys to learn as much as possible about this new peculiar vision Laurus shared with them.

      Before leaving, Ichel and Dune wined and dined the travelers, serving the best local dishes. The travelers were absolutely happy.

      And so, Noumat, Etan, Ichel, Dune, Laurus, and his followers started their journey back to the desert where Pharaon’s settlement lay. They were all riding camels since there was a long way ahead of them. However, the travelers were elated. Some of them were going home, others were euphoric at the thought of starting a family of their own, while others were in anticipation of wondrous events.

      The camels walked slowly, swaying remarkably. Every now and then, someone would get sick from this swaying. This forced them to take breaks from riding and walk on foot by the camels in order to clear their heads at least a little.

      Etan and Noumat were riding side by side.

      «You know,» Noumat said, squinting in the sun, «I am so glad it shaped so well. We fulfilled the mission Pharaon had entrusted us with: We are bringing him new knowledge, new people, and you and I even managed to find the loves of our lives. It’s marvelous!»

      «Yes, it is,» Etan agreed. «We were incredibly lucky to meet Dream Seer. Remember he said he had been waiting for us? I can’t imagine how it is even possible. Every minute spent with him seems to be filled with light. It feels so good just being around him. Now I see clearly why there are people who willingly leave their settled lifestyles behind in exchange for constant wanderings. They get the chance to feel his incredible energy and listen to his wise words.»

      There was a buzz of conversation around the group of travelers. The companions did not mind talking to each other as well, breaking the monotony of the journey. Some were talking about the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, others were sharing their plans for the future, still others were fantasizing about sharing the knowledge they had been given by Laurus with other people so that they better understood the world around them.

      All the companions came from different places, were completely different from each other in their looks but they all shared one common feature. They looked