by M J Webb
3rd September - Outside Te’oull City - Siatol
“Knesh, if we can’t save King Artrex, there must be something really important you have to say? What is it you want us to do?” asked Jake, as soon as they reached the spirit of the fallen Gerada.
Knesh could see the anguish in their eyes. He answered without delay, and there was a great deal of urgency in his voice. “Quickly, take out the box of stones and open it, now!” the ghost replied, motioning to Jake’s bag with his head.
“What good will that do, against such a wizard? It is not yet fixed, and the stones will not work,” stated Tien, unable to see how the gems could possibly help in their current state of disrepair. Privately, the wizard also believed that, if he did not have the answers, Knesh certainly would not.
The spirit of the Ruddite warrior shook his head. “Their condition is irrelevant, trust me. I was given one final instruction by Sereq, and I mean to see it through. It is all he told me before he and the Heynai left, for there was no time to explain. Even I do not know what is about to happen. The only thing I am certain of is that, this is what must take place. These were my instructions. He was very clear that they had to be followed!”
Jake took the box from the bag and passed his hand over the crest. It opened very slowly to reveal the five stones. None of them lit up this time and a disappointed and concerned Jake looked over at Tien, before shrugging his shoulders and placing the box down on the ground. “What are you gonna do?” he asked of Knesh.
“Yeah, what’s the plan?” added Ben, his eyes now wide with anticipation.
Knesh Corian chuckled slightly at the youngster he had come to like enormously in so short a time. “My plan, Ben? I am glad you ask. For perhaps the very first time in my life, and in my death if it comes to it, I do not have one. I am following your example, and trusting my instincts. It does not come easily to one such as I but I am throwing caution to the wind, and hoping that I am doing the right thing. I must leave you now, for good. I go to join with the spirits, in the afterlife. The fire which keeps me here is the only thing that will help you all. I know that now. Sereq needed no words to convince me. He simply stated that I would know what to do when the time came… And I do. I would stay with you if I could, to see Princess Zephany safe from harm and victory won. But, you need this. You cannot win without it.”
“But…!”
The instinctive reaction, the strong objection that was about to be voiced, lodged itself firmly in Ben’s throat. Despite his sudden and intense desire to air his true feelings, it almost choked him and it would not budge. Unusually for often impetuous youth, he made no sound. He desperately wanted to say more, to beg Knesh to reconsider, but he knew they were out of time and he did not believe that the soldier would wait long enough for him to speak.
As if to prove him correct, the giant warrior nodded a quick farewell and thank you gesture at the same time. Then, before anyone could say or do anything else, he threw his body head first at the box of stones!
His ghostly image diminished and narrowed rapidly as he neared the box. In a flash, he had disappeared inside. The very instant he was gone, everything on the battlefield and in the city froze. The incessant noise of battle ceased abruptly, as thousands of warriors, creatures and dragons suddenly became living statues. Time now stood still on the whole of Estia. No one and nothing moved on the entire continent, and probably beyond. Nothing, except for Jake West.
The young Keeper’s body was as rigid as all the others and yet, unlike them, he was fully conscious. He tried his hardest to move but he could not budge an inch. Only his mind and his eyes seemed to be working. He realised immediately the opportunity that this unexpected development presented. He tried again with all his might to walk, hoping to free his limbs so that he might attack King Vantrax while he was defenceless and unable to defend himself. He had been handed a golden opportunity to do something to save King Artrex and win this war, and he was determined to make the most of it. But, apart from being able to see and think clearly, the young guardian of the stones was as powerless as everyone else to act.
Frustrated beyond belief, he tried his hardest to fathom out what was happening. ‘Why have you done this, Knesh?’ he thought. ‘How is this going to help? Or was it you, Sereq? Have you come back to help me, despite your last goodbye? Either way, what’s the point, if you’re not gonna let me kill him?! Come on, let me go? I can end this fight here and now!”
All of a sudden, a bright image appeared before him. It took Jake completely by surprise and he would have jumped out of his skin, if only he was able to move. Instead, once the light had faded, he was astonished to find that an exceedingly beautiful woman wearing the simple dress of a peasant was standing in front of him, not six feet away. Her dress was tattered and torn, faded almost to rags, but it did not detract from her striking beauty, and her kind, caring face. She looked around the land with sympathetic eyes, staring at the countryside for several minutes in complete silence. Jake could do absolutely nothing but watch her, for she ignored all his attempts to engage in conversation, as if she were closed to his mind and in no hurry to speak. He soon realised that she would do so in her own good time and his stopped trying. He looked her closely up and down, trying his hardest to figure out who she was in the meantime. Her eyes were now full of tears. Her heart appeared to be breaking. It was a sight which almost moved Jake to tears himself. He had never seen such a display of raw emotion, of abject sorrow and pain.
Then, for no apparent reason, Jake suddenly felt his jaw loosen. Though the remainder of his body remained stiff and rigid, he found himself able to speak, and he knew instinctively that he was actually being invited to say something. “Who… Who are you? What is happening?” the youngster asked.
Her eyes fell upon his slowly. “It falls upon you, Jake West, to save this world and many others. The time has come for you to act. The war of wars is here.”
Jake was thinking something along the lines of, ‘Duh! Tell me something I don’t know!’ But, he realised that his particular brand of cheeky humour might not be appreciated at this moment in time, by the spectre before him he did not know, the seemingly all-powerful being who had somehow suspended time itself. He decided quickly not to risk upsetting her, and toned it down a little.
“Err… I’m sorry. I’d normally have a witty remark or two for that one. I mean, it is kinda stating the obvious, isn’t it? I know I’m needed here, supposed to be here to help win this war. What I don’t know, is what I’m supposed to do to bring that about? How am I going to help these people?”
The mysterious spirit smiled a little. She glided closer to Jake as she replied. “I understand your doubts, Keeper. Though, which of us is ever certain about the path we should take? When faced with uncertainty and choice, the right selection is rarely the obvious one, and it is often hidden from us. We have our instincts to guide us, but we are never really sure which way to travel, whether we are doing the right thing, until we take that first step, are we? If we are lucky we are shown the way, as you were. I sent four guides to help you, Jake. They were there to help all those who fought against evil in this land. Some called them the Heynai. In their wisdom they chose to enlist the help of a mortal. At their bidding, Tien, the wizard, also helped to keep you from harm, until such time as you were ready for what you have to do. And more recently, Knesh Corian was returned to you from the beyond the realm of life.”
“You? You sent them all? But I thought…?! Well, I suppose I should be saying thank you then? But who are you? Please, I have to know?”
“Why, Jake? Why must you know? What purpose would it serve? Would you decline this helping hand I offer to you now, for lack of response?”
“Eh? Of course not. I just think I should know, that’s all?”
“Then, if that is all, I shall answer. I am the mother of all you see. I am the one who gave birth to this land and all of its children.”
“So… So you’re a God, or something?” replied Jake, wi
de-eyed.
“A God? Yes, if you please. That is your word but it is perhaps the best way for you to understand. Some here call me Aballas, to others I am Suferra, the Wind Maiden, or Theon, the Bringer of Light… I have many names and many forms to those who believe in me. But, perhaps Nittrii-Hebul is the one you will have heard?”
“Nittrii…? Yes, Princess Zephany and others have mentioned you. Then, you can help us? You can free me, and let me kill King Vantrax? Hey! You can restore the stones for us and…!” began Jake, suddenly growing wild with excitement at the thought of the endless possibilities if he had a Goddess on his side.
“No!” interrupted Nittrii-Hebul, forcefully. “Understand now, that I can do none of those things. It is forbidden.”
“What?! Why?” fumed Jake.
“I have made that mistake already, and I am afraid that you may soon have to pay for it. I… I sent the Heynai here to help. It was wrong of me to do so, and it broke every law we have. Direct intervention is strictly forbidden. These are all our children, good and bad, do you not understand? No Jake, it is not as simple as you appear to think. I cannot take sides in this war, I must not. This long struggle has to be…”
“But that’s rubbish! I’m sorry,” interrupted Jake, vigorously. His confidence was growing once again, for no apparent reason other than the stones. “…That makes no sense to me at all. You’ve already interfered, haven’t you? You chose your allegiance, and you have made it known.”
“Yes, I am afraid you are correct. Though, as wrong as it was, all I did was try to even the scales. I had managed it once before and was not discovered, when I handed the prophecies to our people at the beginning of this war. So, I foolishly believed that I could do it again. I gave them hope when they needed it most. It is hard for you to understand I suppose, why I would do such a thing? But, King Vantrax and his evil magic had grown far too strong. They were about to defeat everything put before them, to destroy this world I love. Watching from afar I could not let that happen and do nothing. I tried to help in the smallest of ways, thought I could, without anyone knowing. The Heynai spirits were not supposed to meddle with fate. No one was supposed to know of their existence. They were merely there to provide guidance, to support those who needed it, and ensure they were equipped to fight on equal terms with the wizard. I expressly forbade direct involvement. They could not fight!”
“I see… I think. But, I’m not used to ‘God’s’ who make mistakes. That’s gonna take a bit of getting used to. But, let’s get this straight…? You went too far. You never meant to, but you overstepped your boundaries? Something went wrong, didn’t it? Someone found out who was not supposed to know? Okay, I get that but… Well, why are you here now? What can you do for us?” asked Jake, trying to take everything in. He was unsure how long he might have.
The mystical Goddess looked thoughtfully at him as she decided how to respond. “I did not want to come, Jake. I should not be here. I underestimated Sereq and the lengths he was prepared to go to for his people. He knew I would not stand idly by as all my spirit guides deserted you, that I would not leave you at the mercy of the wizard and his armies. I think he may love this land almost as much as I? He and the spirits have gone to the next life, it is now…
Yah! I cannot watch from afar. You have no chance now of winning this war. Now that Knesh has left you also, you are all doomed to die. You have no hope of victory… Not without my assistance. Estia will be lost if I do not act. It will be plunged into a thousand more years of darkness, of despair and misery.
Jake, I risk more than you will ever know by coming here. You were right. The others like me have discovered what I have done, sending the spirits. They are enraged, and they are demanding action to redress the mistakes I have made.”
“Oh. That don’t sound good? But… Good ol’ Sereq! I’m sorry, again. I heard your warning, but I must say I’m a little relieved that you came to help. And it sounds as though I have Sereq to thank for that? So, it’s not over yet, there’s still a chance and you’re here to help. What happens now?”
Nittrii-Hebul looked him straight in the eye as she took one step closer to his frozen form, until they were almost touching. “Listen to me. The battle in the city does not go well. Despite her bravery at Dassilliak, Princess Zephany will have to prove herself all over again if they are to survive. They all will. King Artrex will fight this duel with his brother, and he will lose. He will knowingly and willingly lay down his life for his people, for the land he loves. I can do nothing to stop that now. King Vantrax is unique amongst the Estian wizards the Heynai have faced. With the reolite he possesses, he is far more powerful than anything we have seen since the box of stones was formed. You have to take his stone away from him to complete the restoration. There is no other way.”
“Yes, I know! Let me go now and I’ll do it!” pleaded Jake.
“Tah! As tempting as that is, you would not get close. Not now. He is wary of attack and he would have seen your approach on those horses. He would use his magic to defeat you. I would have to undo what I have done, for to free you alone and let you act individually, would be to defy the rules by which we live. I would bring down such wrath upon you and I, on all this land. No Jake, the others like me, they would find out and never permit such an act.”
“Then, what can we do?” asked the frustrated youngster.
“The sacrifice made freely by Knesh has empowered the centre stone. For how long I cannot tell, but he was strong, his energy is also. You have a fully working reolite stone to use again, Keeper. Be warned though, it is not powerful enough to defeat the wizard. For that, you will need the other stones and the box restored.”
Jake’s eyes widened a little. “Tien! He has the others with him. We can mend the box here and now!” he cried with excitement.
“You have a sharp mind. But no, you will not have time. As soon as you activate the stone on this world, everything will return to normal. The attack on the city will recommence and you will be defeated before you can complete the restoration. Replacing any of the stones in that box will result in the same outcome.”
“Oh for…! This is ridiculous!” Jake screamed in disappointment. He wracked his brains to think of another solution. “Okay… Answer me this; with this one stone alone, is there anything I can do to give me the power to defeat him?”
“No. It would take three or four Keepers to combat his evil now.”
Jake’s lips suddenly began to curl upwards as an idea straight out of left field formed in his mind. “Tell me, if I used the stone to go back to my home world, would I be able to return? I mean, if the stone’s power held for long enough, and I was quick? And would it start things again here? Would they all come to life and start fighting again?”
Nittrii-Hebul turned her back to him and began to walk slowly away. Her image started to fade. Jake called after her in desperation several times, but she would not stop walking.
“…Stop! Wait! I need to…!”
It was no use. Within seconds the spirit was gone. Jake’s body immediately relaxed and he found that he was once again free to move. His first instinct was to test what he had been told, to attack King Vantrax and try to end his life. He knew it was wrong, that it was not the chivalrous behaviour of a hero, but the stakes were so high now that he ignored his doubts and turned around, drawing his sword.
One step further towards the wizard and he walked straight into an invisible shield, an impenetrable wall through which there was no possible route to get at him. Jake realised immediately that he was being prevented from taking action. Feeling slightly guilty for having even tried, he sheathed his sword, before throwing his arms upwards in a flamboyant gesture and shouting at the sky above. “Okay, okay… It was worth a try?”
He was also a little disappointed with himself for behaving in such a fashion, but he immediately stepped up to the box.
“Cashlesh it veruq nicch leshtuq semin aresturn,
nach valiq Harry!”
A
white light shot out of the centre stone and raced up to the sky in a fraction of a second. Jake took one more deep breath, looked at the frozen figure of his best friend and muttered to him. “I know this phrase has been done to death pal, but like a Terminator, I’ll be back, I promise!”
He stepped into the light, picking up the box of stones as his body disappeared.
Chapter 18
3rd September - Inside the Light
The multitude of differing sounds and images which greeted him were at first just a haze to Jake, nothing more than blurred shadows which lined on both sides a tunnel that appeared to have no end. Nevertheless, they brought with them a strange kind of familiarity, a soothing feeling of hope and optimism, which comforted the youngster almost to the point of bliss. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be so happy and it felt wonderful. As he continued to hurtle through the vortex at tremendous speed, the images suddenly slowed down without warning, until they were keeping pace with him almost and he could see them clearly as they passed by. Though he was looking at them through a kind of wave effect which distorted his view a little, he was able to make out what was happening and even pick out individuals. Unlike his previous experiences, this time he was completely in control and the journey home appeared to take far longer to complete. It lasted a good few minutes at least, during which time he stared with fascination and wonder at the images which surrounded him. Through the unclear air he saw battles, weird and wonderful lands he did not know, as well as hideous creatures, warriors of all shapes and sizes, and beings existing somewhere between life and death. With intense curiosity he noticed that in every single picture there was a human being, just like him.
