Welcome to Gaia! ::

Concentrate…. Empty the mind…. Breath in…. Breath out…. Breath in…. Breath out…. Block out the sounds of the world; the crickets, the gentle breeze, the sound of the leaves fluttering, even the sleepy chirping of birds. Block out the sounds of the city; the distant siren, the revving of a motorcycle, a car backfiring. Block them out and concentrate. Focus on the beating of your heart. Focus on the breaths you take. Quiet your mind. Picture the air entering your nose, swirling down, down, down. Building in your diaphragm. Filling you. Giving you life. Giving positivity and gathering the darkness inside. Then you release the darkness. A solid and steady stream flowing from your mouth. In from the nose, out from the mouth…. In from the nose... out from the mouth…. Focus… Concentrate...



The first thing Havasu noticed before his stomach returned from its trip to his feet, even before he opened his eyes, was the lack of sound. Or rather the lack of the roaring from the falls. His eyes popped open quickly followed by his mouth as he took in his wonder. Every time he had been before the place was full of greenery popping against the bright red canyon walls, blue sky echoing off the turquoise water of the river, pools of water, and the falls themselves. What greeted his shocked eyes this time was none of that.

What plants were left were brown and shriveled, dieing on the trees and bushes that had previously flourished. The red rock, the almost glowing stone that made up the canyon was dull and faded. Dusty almost. Like a dried up husk. And his falls, his very name sake, was but a trickle. It still flowed down from the 130 foot drop above but it was more like a sink tap then the torrent it had been the last time he had visited. The pools it helped to create were more like puddles, murky and shallow. Swimming would be ill advised, mud wallowing was more likely to happen.

He took a hesitant step forward in an effort to discover what happened when someone… or something… slapped him hard accross the face, sending his hat flying. Raising his hands and arms to block any further attacks he only got an impression of the person standing in front of him. Red hair, pale skin, boobs…. “For christ sake Rae!” His indignant shout echoed across the eerily quiet canyon before Hav realized something very important. Rae, his childhood friend, was not a knight and he had traveled here alone. So who the hell was it that just slapped him six ways to sunday?

Leary of getting hit again the young man cautiously lowered first one arm then the next until he saw her clearly. Wild curly red hair, white blouse a worked leather vest that hugged her curves and gave the ‘girls’ some time in the sun, gray pants hidden by chaps the detailing echoing the vest, arms cocked on hips and snapping green eyes. He knew who she was! He had seen her portrait before! Her picture had been hung on the walls of the code camber along with all the other knights of Havasu. This was the first time he had actually seen her though, his ancestor.

“You stupid boy! You stupid, stupid boy!” Her harsh words snapped him out of his awestruck moment but it didn’t help him catch up mentally. All Hav could do was gape at her as she continued to call him names. Everything from stupid to much more colorful phrases like ‘unable to teach a hen to cluck’ or ‘had a ten dollar Stetson on a five-cent head’. That last one helped him shake off his confusion as he reached down and grabbed his hat.

“Excuse you!” He interrupted his ancestor, he never did read the plaque under her picture so he had no idea what her name was. “What the hell was that for? And why are you calling me every name in the damn book?” He questioned the redhead as he dusted off his hat and shoved it back on his head.

“Because you fool,” She practically hissed out, leaning so close to him that he took an involuntary step backwards. “You nearly killed yourself and destroyed this place as at the same damn time!” When Hav didn’t retort, he actually just stood there and gaped at her announcement, she just tisked and sneered before spinning on her boots and marching away. All the while muttering, “Stupid boy. If all his brains were dynamite, there wouldn’t be enough to blow his damn nose.”

“Hey!” Havasu called after her but when she didn’t turn around he started to chase after her. “Hey! Wait a minute! What did you mean?”


The young knight chased after his ancestor trying to get her to explain or at least stop but she was like a force of nature; uncaring and unstoppable. He scrambled to keep up with her as she passed through doors that required he actually open them. She just phased through them like a ghost even though she seemed to be solid enough, at least she was when she slapped him silly when he first appeared on his wonder. She looked a lot more transparent now in the artificial light cast by the brass lamps that illuminated the carved stone walls of the interior of his wonder. The longer this demented game of chase lasted the more tired he became. His legs were burning, his lungs heaving, it felt like he could collapse at any moment but he still pushed on. To think, a few months ago such a chase, such a challenge, would not have resulted in this feeble response but after months of ignoring his training, only rarely powering up to patrol, or even going outside to see the sun… it was all coming back to bite him in the a** big time. He would need a serious crash course in fighting before he could start patrolling again if he had any hope in surviving his first encounter. But that would be for later, first he needed to actually catch up to the redhead. Boy, did that thought sound familiar.

Finally, after chasing his ancestor, he didn’t even know her name, through what felt like every hall, room, and space hidden within the red rock walls of the canyon that formed his wonder it seemed like the chase was done. The redheaded previous knight paused in front of a random alcove containing a rather well rendered painting of the falls. She glanced back at him almost like she was making sure he was watching before passing through the painting and disappearing from sight. What. The. Hell?

What was that about? Why? Why did she have him chase her from kingdom come and back only to just go poof. Why did she slap him? How was the current condition of the falls his fault? Why this picture? There were literally hundreds if not thousands of paintings, sculptures, busts, and other artistic crap scattered throughout what he jokingly called ‘the spa’. Besides the knight quarters that were hidden and sealed from the ‘public’ rooms the whole place gave the vibe of some kind of spa or hotel. A place for travelers to rest and relax before continuing on their way. From the rooms that practically screamed hotel to the decor and the various open rooms like the baths, the library, and the dining hall. Everything was set up for large groups except the series of spaces that were clearly for his use alone.

So why this picture? Why? When there were so many others that depicted the falls as well.

Still trying to catch his breath Havasu walked up to the painting and studied it. He was no master, or even student, of art but he thought it was beautifully done. The colors were vibrant and he felt as if the thunder of the falls themselves could be heard as the painted water flew over the painted cliffs to splash into the painted pool. The brush strokes mimicking the flow of the water, the harsh edges of the rock, the softness of the plants that flourished in the protected canyon. It was fascinating. But it was still just a painting. Why this one?


Moss green eyes roved the canvas again, this time searching for something out of place. There had to be a reason his ancestor lead him here. There just had to be. It took a hell of a longer than it should have before he spotted it. In the painted trees, hidden by the sweep of the brushstrokes was his symbol. The symbol on his ring. Every time that symbol appeared in his wonder it indicated something, something hidden. Something that only the knights of Havasu Fall’s have access too. His signet ring was required to open doors and secret passages, every time indicated by this simple symbol. Could there be a door behind this painting? Could it be a secret stash? A hidden book? Something to explain what crawled up his ancestor’s a**?

None of it mattered really if he couldn’t figure out where he was meant to use his ring because every other time he had to actually use his ring as the ‘key’ to unlocking whatever secrets his wonder held. That search took even longer because the symbol, beyond the painted one which he tried anyway, wasn’t in the painting but in the simple yet complicated frame of the painting. Carved wood shaped like branches twining around the painting, cradling it in its ‘arms’, the leaves used to hold the painting as the branches flowed around the picture. It was in the shadow of the leaves that he found the engraving of his symbol. Nearly hidden from view completely. Finally able to release the mechanism Havasu quickly triggered it then quickly stepped back to wait… and wait… and wait.

With a frown of confusion, most of the times the door, if it was a door, opened soundlessly and on its own when he unlocked it. But nothing happened. No door opened, the painting didn’t even pop open like it was hiding a wall safe behind it. Bupkis. Nada. Nelch. Not a damn thing. Inserting his ring into the carving once more he pushed, maybe he hadn’t done so enough the first time, only to have the entire wall give way. The painting, its frame, even the stone wall it was hung on swung silently inward to reveal a dark stairwell leading upwards as far as he could tell since the darkness swallowed anything beyond the first few steps. His brows rose in surprise and curiosity at the sight infront of him. Beyond the odd step here or there there were no actual ‘stairs’ in his wonder, nothing like this at least. No where near anything like this. It was also dark, no lamps illuminated the area, nothing automatically came on to light up the path. Definitely different from the rest.

Stranger and stranger. With his curiosity tugging on him Havasu stepped into the darkness, careful to leave the ‘door’ open and started up the steps. It didn’t take long for him to realize that the staircase was a spiral staircase and even in the darkness he was able to carefully navigate them one step at a time.


The first hint that his journey in the darkened stairwell was light. It was almost impossible to notice, if Hav hadn’t realized that he could actually see the step his toes were searching for he wouldn’t have. Once he realized this his trip went much faster, not that he was even sure how long he had been climbing the stairs. It felt like forever but since he wasn’t overly winded it couldn’t have been. He was still tired and his legs still burned but that was likely still from chasing his ancestor through the wonder not the climb. Still, Havasu was glad when he finally reached a landing with a archway spilling light into the dark stairwell.

It was golden but muted, however after the blackness of the stairs it felt like he was stepping into broad daylight as he stepped through the arch. It was such a shocking difference that he just stood there for a few moments blinking, unable to see squat while his eyes adjusted. Not that there was really anything to see, he looked around once he was able and saw that he was standing in a empty room. Nothing in it except eight lamps interspersed on the walls. The only thing of interest in the whole room was the room itself, it was round. There wasn’t a corner in the place. From where he was standing it seemed that it was perfectly round with the lamps set at even intervals on the wall, even they were round oddly enough. Definitely a deviation to the lamps that provided light for the rest of the ‘living’ spaces. The golden frosted glass of the lamps diffused the light, casting the whole space in a dim but clear light. The walls weren’t polished like the ones ‘downstairs’ which was a shame since the really was a beautiful stone; a mix of colors and flashes of sparkly stone, all polished to a dull shine. If it was polished like the rest was even this empty room would be spectacular, especially with the light.

The room was interesting in its dull way but it was the figure standing in the center of the room that really drew his attention; his ancestor. She was looking right at him, her arms crossed which gave her chest even more lift, not that it needed it, and a curiously empty expression on her face. She had been so pissed before when she slapped him, seeing the change now was a bit startling.

“Why did you slap me? What did you mean? What happened to the falls? How is it my fault?” His questions shot out, echoing in the room but she didn’t react. She didn’t do anything more than just blink at him and stand there. Annoyed the young knight started to stalk to her only to be stopped when she held up a hand.

“Take the path.”

“What?”

“Take the path you stupid boy.” Rather than the stoic face from a moment ago, this time amusement was plain as she insulted him. She also helpfully pointed at the floor, drawing his attention to it. To the pattern that seemed to be inlaid on the floor. His eyes traced the lighter stone and realized that it was one of those meditation maze things, where it's one long continuous path.

“You want me to walk it?” His response was no response, just a raised brow and arms crossing once more. “Alright then.” Hav shrugged and started to walk. His first few steps were were rapid but that soon stopped when the hard soles of his shoe cracked against the stone. He took care to make as little sound as possible as he continued not realizing that as he did so his mind had slowly started to calm as well.


When he was finally standing in the center of the pattern, facing his ancestor, Hav just stood there silently. The urge to toss recriminations or questions was gone, along with much of his anger and annoyance at the slap and subsequent chase through the wonder. He was tired, confused, and more than ready to go home but there were still questions to ask and answers to get. So he just stood there. Waiting. “Sit child,” Her order was said softly and with care, aching and fatigued he did as she requested. Normally he wouldn’t have, orders still really grated on his nerves, but he honestly was ready for a nap so sitting aligned perfectly with his desires.

“How do you feel?”

“Tired. Sore. A bit annoyed.” He answered her truthfully his gaze drifting from her to the floor. “Confused,” he added as his interest peaked slightly when he noticed his symbol, in a perfect brass circle, inset into the ground much like the labyrinth he just walked. It was just at the right point to stare at when sitting in the center of the pattern. A point to focus on.

“What else?”

“Floaty? Like I can feel my body but it doesn’t feel like my body.” Hav tried to understand, tried to mentally explain. The closest he could come to describing it was being drunk, the floor not quite stable and the brain not connecting to the body. Or how it felt after walking off a spinning ride after going several times in a row. A frown marred his brow until she shushed him, quieting his thoughts, telling him to focus on the symbol. Her voice was very relaxing and he once more started to mentally drift. She continued talking, walking behind him so he didn’t even have the distraction of her shoes to keep him from focusing on that medallion of stone set into the floor. After a little while Havasu realized that she had stopped talking and he felt much more aware of his surroundings then he had when he first entered this particular room. Blinking he turned his attention away from the medallion and started to look around, twisting in his seated position until he spotted his ancestor sitting on the floor, leaning against the archway’s door jam.

She didn’t get up but asked once more, “now how do you feel?”

“Um… better?” It was more of a question then an answer because he didn’t even believe it himself. He was still tired but oddly energized, sore but not in a bad way. More like the warm soreness one felt after a seriously productive day at the gym. “Better.” He answered again, this time a statement not a question. “Although my a** is now numb.” Hav wouldn’t have been Hav if he didn’t interject some crassness into the conversation. And for the first time in a while he didn’t wince, mentally or otherwise, at said crassness.

“Yes well, that is to be expected.” His redheaded ancestor climbed to her feet and walked to him, completely ignoring the pattern she had told him to follow earlier. At his pointed glance at her feet the previous knight of Havasu Falls just grinned and continued until she was once more standing in front of him. “You asked why I hit you. I hit you because you are tied to this place. You are Havasu Falls for all intents and purposes. You were slowly killing yourself, first by alcohol, sex, and fighting then by overworking. Your actions on Earth cause reactions here,” she indicated the entire wonder with her arms. Waving them at the walls of the room. “You are connected to everything and everything is connected to you.”

“Circle of life?” He asked, more or less joking since that last line sounded more like it belonged in a Disney movie then coming out of the mouth of a mystical being who had been dead for thousands of years.

She did not take it as a joke, instead nodded as if he meant it. “Yes. Exactly. Your everyday trials and tribulations have very little effect but when your health began to really deteriorate, beyond a common cold, it caused what you saw.” She stared down at the young knight, her voice might have been hard and commanding but the look in her eyes was concern and compassion. “Your actions not only affected you but it has a much further reach than you even suspected.”

“If I’m ‘connected’ why run me through the entire space? Why tire me out getting me here? Where is here anyway?” His questions came flowing back as they conversed, or rather she lectured. The zen he had achieved was still there to some extent, it felt like he was clearheaded for the first time in a while. So now was the time to get answers.

“You needed to feel how this space feels. Tired, run down, ‘achy’ as you put it. You need to understand just how your actions affected this place. What can you hear?”

The question was a strange segway and it threw him for a moment. It took him a bit longer to respond then it probably should have. “Nothing.”

“And that's the problem. This chamber. This meditation chamber is situated right behind the falls at the cliff edge.” She pointed to the wall behind her, the one right in front of Havasu. “The river flows above us and deep below is the code. River above, code below, and you right between.” The look on her face was indecipherable. “We shouldn’t be able to have a conversation right now. The roar of the falls should be creating a muffling roar in this chamber that would assist in meditation. Where is that sound? Gone, thats where. Gone because of you?”

“I didn’t know,” Hav glanced away. Like the day he woke up after passing out and was chewed out by Rae, it felt like he was socked in the gut. Forced to face the damage he had done by his actions. “It never occurred to me.”

His ancestor sighed and crouched down until her moss green eyes could meet his moss green eyes. Eyes so similar and yet so different. “I know. But you realize it now so fix it.”

“How?”

“Live.” At his confused look the redhead could only chuckle and settle down on top of the medallion, her legs crossed beneath her, facing him. “Live your life stupid boy,” It was less of an insult now and more of a pet name if the tone of her voice was any indication. “Don’t get hung up on the little things like work. Live. Experience all that life has to offer but remember that you have responsibilities too. This place will heal in time as long as you don't regress. Internal and external, yin and yang, light and dark. Life is balance. You need to find yours.”

He was confused and didn’t really get what she was meant. Hav understood the concept but not really the execution. How could he ‘experience life’ and yet be responsible too? That's what he had been trying to do and apparently failing at it. Not entirely sure what to say all he could do was nod even as his mind tried to figure out what his ancestor ment.

“You will understand. Eventually,” She shrugged and settled further into a meditative stance. “Now I do believe it's past time you head back.”

He was being dismissed, no two ways about it. “Oh. Um, yeah ok.” He closed his eyes got ready to head back to earth when her ‘not here stupid!’ had him blinking in surprise. “Oh… Ok. Sure.” Apparently she did not appreciate any overt magic in the special little room. If he wanted to leave he would have to do it elsewhere in the wonder. Honestly that was cool with him. He wasn’t entirely sure where that painting that marked the doorway was anyway. At least not when it came to potentially finding this spot again. Climbing to his feet Havasu skipped following the path and headed right for the archway only to pause right before he exited. Turning back to his ancestor he asked one more question, “What do I call you? I can’t exactly refer to you as ‘hey you’.”

“Valerie works just fine Mr. smarty pants. Now get out of here.” Her eyes had closed when he had gotten up to leave but now one was open and glaring at him. Even that drifted closed as she lazily flapped a hand at him shooing him from her sanctuary. “You might want to snag a cushion next time. Don’t want your a** falling asleep now do we.” Her last little quip was said just as he started down the steps, her laughter echoing in the stairwell.

“Well I’m glad someone finds me funny.” Hav muttered as he carefully navigated down the dark steps, already making notes on what he needed to do to fix this place. It really had been a shock to see such damage done to his wonder. It was worse because he was the one who caused it if Valerie was right.