Work Text:
“The Hermit stands alone on the top of a mountain. The snow-capped range symbolizes his spiritual mastery, growth, and accomplishment. He has chosen this path of self-discovery and, as a result, has reached a heightened state of awareness.
In his right hand, he holds a lantern with a six-pointed star inside; it is the Seal of Solomon, a symbol of wisdom. As The Hermit walks his path, the lamp lights his way – but it only illuminates his next few steps rather than the full journey. He must step forward to see where to go next, knowing that not everything will be revealed at once. In his left hand, the side of the subconscious mind, The Hermit holds a long staff (a sign of his power and authority), which he uses to guide and balance him.
Upright: Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance"
“When you take risks, make sure that you have a Plan B to fall back on. Always.” Elliott’s ‘Investment Strategies’ professor’s voice echoed in his head. Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance wasn't really his choice; he preferred reading fiction to sales reports, writing poetry to spreadsheets. At the time, he felt like he had no choice but to do what his family thought was best for him. He buried himself so deep during those years that he almost believed that that was the best he could do. His passions and ambitions didn't matter in a room full of high-ranking business and finance people.
One night, after a particularly draining charity event, he looked at himself in the mirror and just stared at his reflection. His face looked drawn-out, his eyes were dull; he couldn't (or wouldn't) recognise himself. He had a comfortable life, an apartment downtown that he never bothered to decorate (other than arranging his books on the shelf), nice clothes and a padded savings account; yet he felt more miserable than ever. What more do you want? Elliott has asked his reflection, looking more hopeless by the second.
With a sigh, he turned away from the mirror, knowing in the back of his mind that he would have to find the answer inside, not the outside. Outside pressure was what landed him here in the first place; it was not the best guide. He walked to his bookshelf, touching the spine of each book, until his eyes stopped on one: The Odyssey. An epic about fighting with all of your strength for one goal: to go home. A lightbulb went off in Elliott’s mind; he finally understood what he was feeling. He felt homesick. Homesick for a place he never been to. He shook his head. This was plain cruelty. How did Yoba expect him to find his ‘home’ if he didn't know where it was? Maybe it didn't even exist.
But in his heart, he knew that that wasn’t the whole truth. His job allowed him to work from wherever; spreadsheets looked the same in an office and in a castle. And he knew that if he ever found the place his soul could call home, he would still hate it there because of what he was doing. He stared at the books, reading each author and title on the spines, slowly in his mind's eyes, the author’s name transformed to his own, like a vision.
Elliott closed his eyes with a defeated sigh. He was made to believe that it was just a childhood dream, the kind that people grow out of when they experience the ’Real World’. But he couldnt ignore the way his heart was beating at the thought of writing and publishing a book. Seeing his work in bookstores, connecting with people in a way that transcends time and space.
Quitting his job and moving away to become an author is definitely not going to fly with his family. But he couldn’t give up now, not when he finally got an answer to his emotions.
So he turned on his laptop that sat on the coffee table in his livingroom and started searching. For what? He didn't know, but he had faith that he would find something.
An hour and two glasses of wine later, he came across an advertisement; someone was selling their boathouse in Pleican Town. The ‘house’ looked more like a pile of firewood held up by the grace of Yoba, but it was cheap, and Elliott had the resources to renovate it.
He searched for pictures of Pelican Town, and he wished he could be there. The beach (where he would live) was marvellous, based on the pictures and a map he found, it was far away from everything else, a perfect place to focus on writing. The forest and the mountain range made the town look like it was ripped out of a storybook. He felt inspired already.
It was way too late to make a phone call right there and then, but he scribbled down the number of ‘Willy’ to contact him in a reasonable time. He also wanted to set a reminder on his phone (‘just in case’), and it had dawned on him that it was Saturday. Saturdays meant brunch with his parents, which was the last thing he needed right now. They would discourage him, giving him a million reasons why this was a bad idea. He had to find the strength in himself to stand up for his dreams because no one else would. This wasn't the life he wanted; he didn't choose this.
After all these years, Elliott had found an open door into the unknown; all he had to do was step through it, with no Plan B to fall back on.