Shura’s Honour
The Pyrenees rose before his eyes as Shura simply admired them in silence. The hidden place where he was standing was the same place where the traditions of old were still kept.
It was in this place, that the order of the Arthurian Knights had finally found their place. The time of the quest and chivalry was nothing now but a fading memory in the hearts of many, yet, time seemed to have stopped in the high Spanish mountains. It was also there that the secrets behind Excalibur were guarded from the eyes of outsiders.
And Shura loved all the magic and the mystery unveiling only for him.
For many a day and a month, he had been training in the place, far from those he called his comrades and so close to what he would call home, his homeland; his companions, all Knights of Arthur, loyal to Athena and her fight for peace, had given him the strength to endure the hardships of the way before him and still fight for what he believed in. His truth grew within his heart, his righteousness and courage, proving him worthy to the eyes of those who protected the temple where he was.
“It’s time, Shura.” Gwidion, a man of the fairy people, as they would be called once, embraced Shura from behind, just enough as to remove the cloak from the man’s shoulders. Shura somewhat belonged to Athena, yes, however, the old traditions were still held, whether they belonged to the land of the North, the green isles or to Greece. The Capricorn apprentice, on the other hand, stood up, showing his height and might, while his eyes hid the fact that he was still just a teenager.
“Afraid?” Asked Gwidion in a lower voice.
“Petrified.” Shura answered, for his trial was not easy at all.
“Trust the Goddess, mate. She will lead your way.”
“My Goddess, Gwidion…”
“Is the same as mine, she just has a different name. I thought you’d understood that already.” The British man grinned, giving Shura a trusting look. The latter nodded, turning to look at the path before them, just a few seconds before starting to walk it.
“This is not supposed to be happening, right Gwidion?”
“The sacred grove awaits you, my friend. The old oaks, witnesses all of the Goddess, are waiting for you to come to them and speak to them.”
The man had wanted to ask one more thing. Maybe two. After all that time in the Pyrenees, in his beloved Spain, he had not yet been able to understand the secrets of those who served Athena by serving Arthur. They all spoke of a Goddess he knew nothing about, while he spoke of one, they did not know themselves. After all those many years, they seemed to believe in different things, though, he had never thought it folly.
“Go on, Shura, and be certain that the Goddess is with you.” Shura then took his final step and entered the sacred place. With every other step, the man took; he knew his reality had been changing, for he was entering now the realm of the spirit. Of the Goddess.
“What is it that you seek?” A feminine voice asked him, the questioning tone piercing his heart.
“Why are you here?”
“I live here…I am here…”
“Athena?”
“The more names you give me, the more you divide me, Shura.”
“Who are you?”
“When will you truly see me, my faithful one? When will you believe the voce that speaks to you? When will you listen to those who tell you the truth?”
“My Lady…”
But the voice stopped. And Shura lost track of time.
The Saint wandered in the sacred grove, walking the sacred maze, following the path, his senses telling him to follow them. However, the man closed his eyes, and breathed deeply, allowing his cosmos to shine and become one with the place surrounding him, was when Shura understood. The eyes of his soul opened and his soul itself awakened to let him see what he needed to see. The labyrinth’s path became clearer and the voice spoke to him once again. No matter the name, Shura finally understood in his heart, the Goddess was still the Goddess and her sense of justice was beyond the name itself, beyond that place and all men.
Athena had blessed him, for his cosmos and that of the place merged and he saw himself kneeling before her, receiving the precious gift from her hands. Excalibur now shone in all its might and Shura with it. Yet, once he opened his eyes, there was nothing around him, but those same old oaks he so dread at first and right ahead of him, the exit of the same path were Gwidion was waiting for him, his body being covered by the Capricorn Armour.
“The Goddess has blessed you, Shura of Capricorn. May Nemui-Athena forever guide you and give you strength.”
Ariadne, April 29, 2006