Zadek was getting acquainted with the ways of the tribe and the more that he perceived, the more he admired them. He understood that they had one God, and that many Beings interceded between realms and assisted the created on their evolutionary path. He also sensed their deep regard for M'alala, the Planet-Being they existed as part of, and relished sensing they perceived Time as something eternal, beyond grasp, yet created as well. They, too, knew an aspect of Omiran.

But now, as he was musing about the past few days, Omiran told him, Behold – you've found a place among brothers you did not know you had. Now do you wish to carry on and journey forward, or do you wish to linger still?

The choice-ribbon his elder self had mentioned. The opportunity to find Lera, curious as he was as to who that might be, confronted with another curiosity, deeper still: that of moving forward.

How do I choose? he asked inside a thought. How do I know what's right?

The answer came. He who seeks shall find, haven't you figured that one yet? And who's to say, but you yourself, what stirs your heart? One moment, you might go this way and choose to stop. In other instances, you carry on. You have the gift of choice.

Indeed, I do, thought Zadek. And still I ask, how do I choose what's best?

What longing's in your heart, and why? Be level-headed, and you shall find.

Zadek pondered. Had his elder self not mentioned Lera, he would not have given this much thought before replying a clear yes to moving further and discovering more of this wonderful Planet.

Two pathways lay before him, and each led separate ways.

"I choose to move forward," he said.

Are you sure? Omiran asked.

I cannot seek answers in the dark, Zadek replied. I need to know more of the truth with every chance I've got.

Very well, son. Hee'Taa will come.

Zadek nodded. Thank you, Omiran.

It wasn't long before the tribe leader came in sight: tall, blue of skin, his dark mane gathered in several knots along his back, his gaze part firm and part serene. Looking at Zadek.

He knows, he thought.

No answer came from Omiran.

"A-ya," Hee'Taa called, beckoning with a gesture, inviting Zadek to follow him as he walked towards a path that led deeper still into Seremna. "Há'li," he said as Zadek reached him, and covered his eyes with the palm of his hand.

Zadek remembered what Hee'Taa had taught him about their union with life, how it flows through them from sky into earth and from earth into sky.

"Har," Zadek said.

Hee'Taa smiled – was he, again, amused of how he could never pronounce it right?

"Har," said Hee'Taa, gently hitting his chest with his fist, and producing a sound so deep as if his whole being was pronouncing it.

Zadek nodded.

Next Hee'Taa pointed out the trail at their feet. He had become serious again and drew his elbows up, rolling his shoulders, then indicated the trail again.

Zadek could perceive a circle in the gestures, something connecting the trail with the motion of Hee'Taa's arms. He pondered. He saw Hee'Taa gesture it again and felt what he meant: something within him must connect to the road.

Hee'Taa nodded and began to chant, at times dancing, always on the trail, indicating it to Zadek time and again, and again rolling his shoulders as if his entire being was merging with the soil and the dance.

As if flowing on waves of sound, Zadek felt closer to the meaning Hee'Taa implied; and the more that he did so, the louder, deeper, wider did Hee'Taa's chant become.

He paid attention to his guide, to the sounds of his voice, his rolling arms, his walking feet, the soil – the trail he reached and watched up close, though he was still walking upright, and in a moment, Hee'Taa lifted his arm to point him forward: he was propelled.

Deeper into the forest he was, by the margin of a body of water, a waterfall ahead. It took Zadek some moments to adjust. He'd been transported, he knew that. How, it remained a mystery.

Perceive, transmitted Omiran.

He felt around with all his being. He sensed the peace and the vitality that was all around. His surroundings were like circuits of current materialized.

"A higher vibration," he said.

There came no answer.

A sound emerged: a half swirl, half splash. Water moving. Molecules merged in dynamic shape approached. Coordinated motion. His golden, clock-wheels irises watched the undulating block of water draw closer.

Perceive, he recalled.

So he perceived his own reaction, too: he was alert, but not afraid.

The being – if being it was – stopped in front of him. Its height surpassed Zadek's by half his own and its width was thrice that of his. It seemed to be observing Zadek quietly for a while. A barely distinguishable sound of gentle waves could be heard from deep within the water-being. Zadek loved the ocean, thus the sound was a murmuring melody to his ears.

The sound heightened as the water-being widened and spread upward in a gesture that made Zadek think of lifting one's arms. Waves were rolling beyond sight, and Zadek felt so near the being's chest, so near the sound within – then he remembered Hee'Taa's teachings, and in his heart, he bowed to the essence of Life before him, within, and all around.

Shades of blue like that of icebergs, like that of ice, purity and renewal, all amassed as one being of perpetual water motion stood before him – and the ground at their feet felt like rich soil, a soil with a heart, with veins of life pouring through it, and though feeble, they formed unbreakable formations with all the veins of life across the Planet – he could feel it in his feet and in the space underneath his soles, what an incredible connection of all life spread everywhere, connecting all.

He lifted his eyes to the water-being.

Massive, it was, and encompassing him, as it were. Perhaps it had drawn closer: it certainly felt so. It was growing exponentially, it seemed, according to its breath.

Zadek's heart stirred: the water mass before him was breathing. What a discovery!

He went on seeking through his higher senses, as Omiran had asked him, and after a while longer, he intuitively knew that the being before him had at least three vertical levels. Was the upper one its mind, its collective, water particle memory? It clearly was sentient, why not intelligent as well?

Another stir within, waves rolling underneath the surface; but these waves sounded much like water through a crevice or a cave. Had this being come from the waterfall? Did it live inside a cave in the rocks nearby?

He listened keenly, and then he heard: a steady rhythm, almost like the beating of a drum, should there be drums that are made of water – was it its heart, beating gently?

By all that's mighty! Zadek thought, and in his own heart he felt another stirring, a deeper reverence, and he once more bowed his head to the life in front of him.

A deeper splash was heard: perhaps the being was allowing him to perceive more of its inner world – oh, how it honoured him, a mere Omirion, with vastly more still left to learn!

The splash went on, it rolled and spiralled deeper into an essence that it'd chosen to reveal: the water-being had become his guide.

He inclined his head and pointed to his heart; the drum-splash rhythm, the being's beating heart was more clearly heard. Zadek listened to hear his own – his own heart was to him less known within these moments than was this being's, his guide's heart.

His guide became expansive, and Zadek breathed in, to centre himself, to remain steady, and keep his senses sharp and focused upon this most honouring revealing.

The water-being illuminated him, lights like fluid beacons undulating underneath the surface, mingling with shades of blue, clear as the sky; they rolled in cleansing motions, and Zadek felt his own mind coming at ease.

He listened; he inquired more through the very act of being willing to hear, and in his mind a cleansing melody was formed. Thoughts became pervaded with the purifying sound of that which is a building-block of life.

That being had a mind. It had a soul as well. It was connected to all of life – deeply aware of it – and in a gesture, it extended arms like water ribbons spiralling around him; Zadek relaxed in the midst of the embrace. It went around his mind, cleansing it, spiralling in purifying motion down through his being, deeply through his heart, through his emotions, quieting his inner world, washing away all burdens and all residue, pushing them down through his feet into the ground below, where they were welcomed and dissolved by the ethereal waterways of Life.

And from the midst of those waterways emerged within him a feeling of renewal and of power, and Zadek bowed to them in gratitude, and felt liberated and propelled higher; he became aware of the deep sky, the motion of the spirals now reaching up, it seemed, and clearer white-bluish lights amassed inside of that embrace and poured down into him, soaking his being, bringing the gift of heights to mind and soul.

Zadek spread his arms, lifting them up, and reached out from his heart to all that was around him.

Gradually, the water-being retreated its swirling arms, and stood before him quietly. Only a barely perceptible sound of waves reaching cave wall came from within it.

Soaking wet, yet peaceful, Zadek opened his eyes. He bowed low. "Thank you, my friend," he murmured, and found the essence of his gratitude, expressing it as he had learned in the village.

The beautiful water-being, still undulating quietly, mostly within itself, waited patiently for Zadek to reveal his heart. Then with a gesture of an extending water-arm, it greeted him goodbye; it turned and left.

It took Zadek a while to regroup his awareness to the level around him, and when he did, he noticed Hee'Taa standing behind him at some distance. He bowed to him.

Hee'Taa inclined his head, turned, and faded from sight.