The Quest

The Desert was breathtakingly magnificent that evening. The deep red glow of the sun cast its velvet blanket upon the entire landscape. Usually the fading light made the desert look powerful and menacing. But today was different. Today the patterns of sand on the dunes were like the smooth designs on a flowing texture of silk. The desert seemed endlessly full and generous, and instilled a sense of trust that was unquestionable. The deceptively stationary dunes were opening their arms in a welcome embrace.

Hassan sat on the sand and took it all in. He was acutely aware of himself alone in that wide span of emptiness. But he knew deep down that he was a part of the desert, inseparably connected to it. The red blood that flowed in him was not so different from the red sand that filled the desert. And that connection gave him a sense of security he could not fully explain. All the fear in him seemed like a mere pebble that did not belong and did not matter in that soothing vastness. He trusted the desert implicitly. He always had. He had been trained to.

The Dune Sailors were a strange tribe. They were fierce, they were fearless, and they were completely free. Their traditions were centered around the absence of desire and want, which filled their journeys with great peace and contentment. They were masters in the art of survival, and loved the Desert more than anything or anyone. And when they traveled across the Desert, none could match their endurance and speed, which was why they were called the Dune Sailors.

Hassan held the soft sand in his palm. He had a task to perform, a quest to complete. It was an honor to be chosen for the quest, and it was also a test. "Go forth my son, ", the Eldest had said. "Go forth and find that which lies in the center of the Desert." Hassan had a look of confusion on his face. "But what should I look for?", he had asked. The Eldest had stared intensely into the distance, as if he could see what lay there, or as if he had seen it in some long forgotten age. "If I told you, you would not find it.", he said. It hadn't made sense then. But Hassan was beginning to understand now. The only way he would find what he was looking for, was by letting go of the desire to find it.

The Desert wind whispered in his ear: "Follow the Mirages, but don't let them lead you."