Seeking by Foot

There are some ancient places that the spirits won't let you enter in spirit while you are still alive. I found a cluster of these located near the back end of Canyon of the Ancients.. So I decided to trek up there, as it wasn't too far away. I thought I'd get these sites out of the way, make a base camp nearby, and resume my search by spirit walking.

I spent the last few hours of yesterday and all of this morning checking the sites in the cluster by foot. There were no signs of human activity in or around any of them. The last person to come visit could have been 200 years ago, for all I know. The kivas were empty of prints, the dwellings free of disturbances, the ground itself seemed untouched by anything.

And then, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. By chance, or by fate, I will never know.

I glimpsed the two-story structure off to the left, beneath a  deep natural overhang. The sun touched one of the corners, reflecting off of some sort of strange purple rock set there. My breath caught. This...this was an ancient holy site. A temple ((though that is only part of it)) of sorts, to the greatest of the Spirits. The Greatest Spirit, our Creator.. I climbed down to the base, staring up in awe. Of all the great places I have seen or heard tell of, strangely nothing compared to this simply built structure honoring The One Who Is.

Time gets lost in these places. The One Who Is is a timeless being, unlike his creation who was made to mind the seasons. He was the one who gave us the sun, the moon, the seasons of the year..All to keep us from losing our sense of time, and going mad.
But here, so close to this place, time seemed to lose its grip..Maybe it really does go by without entering. All I know for certain, is that the next time I blinked my eyes, it was close to nightfall.

And I was not alone. There was a fire burning not 20 feet away, and a man in his mid-twenties sitting on the other side watching me.
~"I wondered when you would be coming out of your little trance, there. Don't worry, it happened to me, too, the first time I came here. If your spirit is caught at unawares, you'll get caught up in the Timelessness. You're lucky, though. I stood there for two days. Call me Running Bear~I lost my true name when I lost my village."
~~"I'm Zia, Running Bear. I hate to be a bad guest of your fire, but I have to ask you, why you are following me?"
~"Following you? I'm not. I've been here in this spot for four days. I saw you wandering the ancient site above, searching for something. I thought you would stay above, but instead you saw the sun catch the amethyst on the roof. Lucky again, there aren't too many people alive who have seen that."
~~"I'm sorry for invading your space, then. I'm awestruck at this place."
~"Don't be sorry. You are welcome here, as is anyone who comes here with no ill intentions."
~~"How do you know my intentions? For all you know, I could be after anything."
~"You're looking for someone. I was looking for her too, but I think I know where she is now."
~~"You found her! Wait...How do you know about her? And how do you know where she is???"
~"She's my mother, Zia. I'm her eldest son. I watched her slip away from herself at home, and I watched her leave in a madness."
~~"Your father said he sent her away to purify herself."
~"He's just trying to save his honor as much as he can. You must know that symbol is blasphemy, Zia. The truth is, she ran away in the dead of night, after he caught her drawing that symbol in their bedchamber."
~~"He told me the last part. Running Bear, I am so sorry. Where did you find her?"
~"Oh, I haven't found any proof, other than a strong urge to vomit and run whenever I attempt to visit the underground portion of the temple."
~~"Would you mind if I tried to go in, tomorrow? There is something I have been following, and I think that maybe your mother is connected to it."
~"The Faceless Death. I know a very little about it. My mother was not killed by the Faceless Death, Zia. It's just a story that was taken too far, and blamed on some deaths a long time ago. My mother probably just killed herself to get away from my father, which I wouldn't blame her for, really. It would explain why I want to throw up whenever I go near though. I've always had a strong reaction to untimely deaths. But I don't mind if you try going in tomorrow. Until then, why don't you sleep here by the fire. I'd like the company, and I'm sure you have more questions."
 
I agreed. Running Bear and I have been talking on and off about things both serious and not. Right now, he's cooking a snake that he found close by. I admit, it has been a while since I have actually enjoyed simple conversation that may or may not mean anything. A night to relax before a potentially unpleasant day. I don't care what others of the people may say, I believe The One Who Is intervenes with us sometimes.