“I came to you on my own,” said the Student. “I pursued this Journey on my own. I ventured the land and journeyed farther. I came for answers and you gave me tasks! And still I have no answer!”

The Bard smiled. “Perhaps you should take your question to The Moon.”

The Student left. Frustrated. Angry. The thought of quitting and going back to his village occurred to him. But then, he looked to the path that lay to the North, beyond the Mountain Cave and higher still. 

The Student pondered. 

The Moon? 

Would the Moon truly know? 

The Day was spent as the Student pondered. The Desire to be a great teacher burned hot in his chest. Darkness fell, and the Moon shone bright. 

The Student, resolved, started for the Moon. 

He walked all night. He climbed higher and farther, back up the mountain, far past the Sage’s Cave. To the highest peak… He ventured higher and higher. 

And just as he was chilled to the bone, he came to a clearing of bluest grass, ancient trees, and a calm pool all of which invited him in. A gentle mist wafted through the clearing and here, there was much less chill in the air.

He dropped himself to the ground and rested.

A moment later, The Student turned to look back to see how far he had come when he saw it. 

The Jungle. The Sage. The Bard. Back and Forth the Students walked. Each student, much like the Pilgrim, the Pauper, the Noble, The Astronomer… each seeking their own answers. 

The Jungle. The Bard. and The Sage.

Like silent, Non-Player Characters, living outside of a game, asking questions to spark the curiosity of each that leads to the next question.

Each question guiding the quest along to each Non-Player Character, neither influencing. Not inspiring. Not guiding. Just Igniting, like a Catalyst in the next chain reaction, to keep the Student going, on track toward their own goal. Each question steering the Student through their Journey. 

“I didn’t even know where I was going,” said the Student. “Only that I desired to know.”

“There is nothing a Teacher does, that I don’t already do,” said the Nature who had come to sit beside the Student. “They taught you how to learn just as a student Learns,” said the Nature.  

“Learning is The Journey,” said the Student. “There is no Teaching that is possible by any other than the Passage through The Learning Journey. No one can motivate you, push you, drive you, make you… All I needed was my Dream, my Desire, and my Question.” 

“But before that, you needed to know who you are,” the Nature said.

“So why do we learn?” asked the Student.

“You wished to become a Teacher,” The Nature said. “Why do we learn?”

_____