The Quest of Aura: A Mediterranean Adventure

The sea breeze in the air instilled a sense of freedom and a sense of adventure. I could smell the salt in the air mixed with the fresh herbs that grew on the hillsides near by, it was very relaxing. The sun beaming down on my back felt so good as I lay there, looking out at the endless ocean. It was hard to believe that I had been here for a week but I knew it would not be long before I had to continue my journey.

A woman's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Aura?" I heard her again and looked over to see an older woman walking towards me holding two pails full of water and a basket of fruit, she was yelling my name again. She placed the buckets down on the ground next to me, placing them side by side.

"You are going to get heat stroke if you don't move out of this sun." She said while sitting down on one of the buckets next to me taking off her hat and fanning herself with it.

"I know you have been here for a week now but it is time for you to leave soon." She said in her thick accent, which I was slowly learning to understand.

"I know mother." I responded "If we don't continue then we will never find him." It was mother who told me about my mission. How I had to find the one true king who would bring peace and prosperity back to this land once more like he did long ago before everything fell apart.

As we sat there resting from our journey we could hear a horse approaching us from up ahead. We turned around and saw someone riding towards us atop his horse, he had seen us and kept riding towards us until he reached us stopping his horse right in front of us where we were seated on our buckets. The man dismounted his horse, took off his hat revealing his face which was covered in mud, dirt and sweat from his travels through these lands looking for any sign of king whoever he may be or where he may be hiding. He walked over to us introducing himself as we stood there trying to clean ourselves off before shaking hands with each other. He introduced himself as Martin as he shook hands with mother first then with me lastly introducing himself as well. After introductions were made Martin told us how happy he was that he found us here and that he has been searching for a long time now for someone who could give him some direction because all signs had led him here only nothing seemed clear about what he was supposed to do or where he was supposed to go next after finding us in this spot today.

[b]Mother:[/b] "I am sorry dear boy but neither myself nor my daughter can help you find what you are looking for because just like you we are also lost ourselves..." Martin interrupted her...

[b]Martin:[/b] "Lost? You can't be serious! We've all been lost for a long time here but it has always felt like someone else has been leading me here like they want me to find something or someone..." Mother looked down sadly and said nothing further while continuing to stare at her feet in deep thought...Martin continued... [b]Martin: [/b] "Well then what brings you both out here this far away from home?" He asked curiously...

[b]Mother:[/b] "We are too old now my dear boy..." Martin stopped her again before she could finish... [b]Martin:[/b] "Don't say that! You look pretty young yourself!" Mother laughed lightly at this comment while wiping tears away from her eyes... [b]Mother:[/b] "No no no..you misunderstand my boy..We are not young anymore in age..I mean we are too old now..too old in spirit..we have lived too long already and have decided that our time is coming soon enough..we need not live longer than necessary." Martin looked at both of us puzzled ... [em]Aura: [/em] "What is it that keeps you going? What makes you hold on?" Mother looked at me with a smile then at Martin when she answered.. [em]Mother: [/em] "Our faith dear boy..our faith keeps us going strong each day knowing that god is watching over us at all times keeping us safe from harm even though this world seems so dark and evil sometimes..there is still light glowing within humanity's soul somewhere deep inside their hearts reminding them of their greatness once more..reminding them of their purpose here on earth." She finished speaking those words then stood there smiling peacefully at both of us reassuringly telling us everything will work out fine in the end although she didn't know when that end would be but she believed it would be soon enough for all of them who believed in god's love for humanity....they would see it happen before they left this world...she smiled again then walked away helping Martin clean up his clothes while Aura continued staring at the horizon longing for something greater than herself someday...something beyond herself...beyond even god's power to change things overnight....she knew what she had to do even though she wasn't quite sure how she would do it exactly...she knew it would require sacrifice but she always believed that sacrifices made were worth making when they were done out of love instead of greed or selfishness...they were worth making because they helped people grow....and most importantly they were worth doing because they were fulfilling your destiny....her destiny....as a messenger bringing back light into this world once more after its fall into darkness many years ago....a darkness caused by greed and selfishness....a fall caused by pride and self-love above all else instead of love for others first above all else.....it was finally time.......Aura slowly got up from where she sat wiping off any sand residue left behind on her dress after laying on the ground for so long..then turned around facing mother, Martin and whatever fate awaited her ......she took one step......then another step......then another step........She could see the light shining brightly from afar.....it shone brighter than anything else in this world could ever shine.....she walked towards it......taking steps closer and closer until she reached that place where it shined brightest.........the source called forth all her strength left within her body......energy flowed through her body as if every cell was awakened bringing life back into each cell as it healed itself activating itself again.....she felt stronger than ever before......she opened her eyes once more....she saw again ....and realized what she must do next........all along.........the rest is history........