A powerful warrior claps the shaman on the back and grins mightily. "Our friends, the bison will have gladdened hearts because of your words Black Elk. I will call the women and together we will gather the meat, the skins and the bones of our brothers so that we may live".
Black Elk smiles back at the warrior and says, "Crazy Horse you always know how to gladden the hearts of all who hear your voice".
I dismount from my horse, mouth agape. I must be dreaming. Black Elk was one of my heroes when I was in college. His words had gone to my heart like no other and I had fervently wished I had been able to meet him and speak with him before he had died. I find I have nearly run into Black Elk as he is planting a red hoop into the Earth and is making a wide circle on the plain as he dances around, lost in prayer. I ask myself how I got here.
He stops dancing and looks on at me with a piercing gaze. He begins to speak to me, "Mr. Archer, dreams are wiser than waking. You are here because you need to be here. The spirit realm is the real realm, and only from here can you hope to help your people".
I reverently kneel before the shaman and with tears in my eyes say, "I am sorry for what the white man has done to your people. I am so sorry for what we have done to all native Americans. It seems my people are barbarians, incapable of love, incapable of honor, unable to respect nature. Your people should have wiped us out when we first arrived on your shores as a warning so that no more white people would dare to follow the first explorers".
Black Elk looks down at me, "Mr. Archer, The Great White Father in Washington promised that these lands would be ours as long as the grass grows and the river flows. He also rubbed us out, men, women, the old, the children because he still wanted our lands. We were happy to share with him and invited him to our dances and asked him to make peace with us and to have pity upon his poor red children. He had no pity. Now the Great White Father in Washington seeks to rub out his other children as well. I swear to you we are brothers, but there can be no peace among nations until you find true peace in your own heart".
I nearly fall over staggered. "But Black Elk, my very existence is based upon resisting peace. I am revenant. I am revenge for the evils that The Great White Father in Washington has committed against his children. If I come to terms with my rage, if I forget the shame I have for the wrongs I have committed, I will cease to exist".
Black Elk laughs from deep down in his belly. "Mr. Archer, we do not cease to exist, we simply move between the realms of men and the true realm. Finding peace will give you more power, not less. You will still remember all of your deeds but they will cease to own your heart. How could we speak if this were not true?"
With the words of Black Elk echoing in my mind I notice a young child in buckskins approaching me. Dimly I recognize her as the child I accidentally shot when my bullet ricocheted off the Abrams tank during my fruitless attempt to gain revenge against Cooper for killing my dog. I flush with shame. "Don't be sad Mr. Archer. It's not your fault. My mommy told me not to play out by the street. You were trying to kill the bad man. I wanted to see. You are my hero Mr. Archer!"
The child hugs me fiercely as I choke back tears. "What...what is your name child? I never even got to know your name". I say trembling.
The little girl smiles warmly, "My name is Dawn sir. Don't tell my mommy I was out where I promised not to go and I won't tell anyone you are a terrible shot!"
Her infectious smile brings a half smile to my own face, "I promise to do better Dawn. Thank you for believing in me".
I look up again and Black Elk is the only Lakota who still remains nearby. Black Elk speaks, "Grown men can learn from very little children for the hearts of little children are pure. Therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss".
I smile at the shaman and it is as if the power of lightening flows through my veins. "I must break the circle of war and aggression and return the sacred hoop of nations to the Earth. I will remind our brothers how we are intended to live. No longer will I be the flaming weapon of revenge. I have become a tool to teach the Great White Father to treat his children with the kind words of peace".
Black Elk clasps my hand and says, "Mr. Archer, you will still need to use your gifts to aid the children of the Earth, but now you have performed your vision quest and can see clearly the path that was blocked by large rocks before."
Slowly my eyes open. I am in a cell. I do not know how much time has passed. A quartz crystal bracelet is on my right arm. My thoughts a blur, I am dully aware of the sound of my wife's voice from the adjoining cell, shouting obscenities at someone. As my vision clears, I realize that my form has taken solid flesh. I take a deep breath and can smell the scent of overly-filtered air. Attempting to stand I fall back dizzily. I take another deep breath and more cautiously get to my feet. I see my friend Joe sitting on a stool outside my cell and his flesh is as solid as my own. I walk toward Joe and am jolted by a strong bolt of energy that distorts as my flesh contacts it.
Joe says, "It's a force field dude. Just temporary until we can make assurances that the two of you aren't going to go on a berserk rampage".
Remembering my vision, I smile wickedly and say, "Well my old friend, we have much to discuss." I look down at my arm and understand that the crystal band controls my form and will it away through the force of my thoughts. As the crystal arm band falls off of my wrist and I lose mortal form, I slip through the force field effortlessly and go to embrace my friend.