50 The girl's voice spoke from behind him. "No, if you had had twice the fighting men you would have still been attacked. Just that many more would have been killed. Not one here blames you for their deaths, so do not think of it again."
51 The Old Fox turned and looked at her. "I thought you were a Spirit," he said. "How can you be here in the day?"
52 "For many, many years we have waited," she told him, "we have stored energy for this task. I am here because your mind perceives I am here, because we use that power. But come, we must leave here. The danger is still great There are those among the bandits that will return, even for these burned rags and poles. We must take you to a place of safety. It will be night soon, and you must reach your place of refuge before sunrise."
53 The Old Fox looked to the sun. It was already low in the eastern sky. "How long did I sleep?" he asked.
54 "Long enough," the girl told him "Come!" Without another word The Old Fox followed her across the burning sand. The sun was very low in the sky when they came to a great cliff of rock, rising high into the sky. At a certain spot the girl stopped. "You are thirsty," she said, "dig here. You will find water."
55 The Old Fox fell to his knees and began to dig. After some time the dry sand became damp, and then wet. When he stopped digging, the hole filled with water. He drank slowly, letting his dry body gently absorb the moisture. He sat in the shade of the cliff, resting. "Tell me," he asked the girl, "who is this Teacher coming to help me, and when will he come?"
56 "Soon," the girl answered him, "wait and see. You will be pleased with Their choice."
57 "Who are you?" asked The Old Fox. "You seem familiar, yet I do not know you."
58 "You know me!" the girl answered, "I was the first one to put a doubt in your mind, the first one to have you question the gods. Long ago I made a mistake....a mistake that hurt my people. Now, forever, I must work to remedy that error, for I will always be like this. Never will my soul go on. Never will I reach Ultimacy. But enough of me," she continued. "That is unimportant. Come. A place of shelter is ready, and I must take you there."
59 As they walked across the desert The Old Fox tried to remember. After some time they came to two great rocks, standing in the middle of the desert. A large, flat rock lay on top of them, so they resembled a giant table. "Crawl in here," the girl ordered, "and sleep. In the evening your Teacher will come. I must now bid you farewell."
60 As she turned to walk away, The Old Fox looked at her. "The Princess Of The Morning!" he cried, "The willing sacrifice! I have seen your statue in the temple of The One."
61 "Now you understand," she answered.
62 "But I do not," said The Old Fox. "I remember thinking when I read the story, what good the sacrifice of this innocent child? What good did it accomplish? Did it really please the gods? Did it really make a difference?"
63 "You understand." the girl answered, "you understand fully. It made no difference. And how many have followed my example? How many gave their lives for nothing, to appease a god that cannot be appeased? Stop them! Wherever you can, any way you can, stop the blood. It is the only way you can stop my tears."
64 A great sorrow came over The Old Fox as she turned and walked away. "I will!" he cried, "I will!"
65 She walked into the shadows, and was gone. The Princess Of The Morning leaving The Old Fox at the cave entrance.
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