by Richard Wood
Directly behind Shama, the gravelly, grotesque growls of Quygon are heard, yet Shama’s heart and mind are still locked in the powerful, silent, unending Sounds of Elamor. The angry jaws of fear have fallen helpless before him. Shama’s heart and soul are hanging somewhere beyond the mortal bridge that all Terra-Covians must eventually cross.
Deep in the Caverns of Ness, Quygon screams out a vicious, murderous rage of cursing. The choir member directly behind Shama raises his shirt and exposes the handle of an object tucked into his pants. His face takes on a twisted, destructive appearance. Suddenly, Quygon screams out from the man. The choir member raise his arm and in his hand is a fourteen inch blacksmith’s punch. The man plunges the metal punch into the right ear of Shama and the bloody point exits his left ear. Shama’s body instantly goes limp and he falls to the ground. The choir member turns and bolts into the crowd and disappears.
At a distance, the Emissary watches with amazement. As a twelve year old boy defeats the beast. He watches the boy create a communication with Shama that went beyond spoken words. He watched as words of profound wisdom were spoken by the boy, totally disarming the spirit of fear on the Ancient. The boy did it without hesitation, the Son of Eli acted more like a Warrior Giant than that of a blacksmith’s apprentice.
Looking down on Shama, Jesse watched from the wagon as the color faded from the Ancients face. Then he looked upward toward the crowd, who have all moved away from Shama and are all now staring at Jesse with an almost lifeless gaze. None of them dared to speak to the boy, not one villager has the faith of an Ancient. If talking to this boy got the Ancients killed, then none of them would even dare to utter a phrase. On the outside of the crowd there is a couple of whispers. Villagers quietly asked one another, “Who is this boy, and how do we get him out of our village?”
As Jesse reads the crowd, he can sense fear and anger. The wisdom of their Ancients have made their village renowned in Paradore and Jesse’s presence is destroying that fame. Unless something happens to change the direction of the path Jesse finds himself on, two more Ancients are going to die. Who knows if the villagers could try to rise up and try to kill Jesse and Pala. As Jesse looks over to Pala, he sees that Pala seems to be questioning his decision to ride alone with him in his wagon. Pala wants to jump from the wagon and run but a silent destiny compels him to stay, reminding him that Jesse is his only chance to escape a life of shame and poverty. So Pala stays seated, ready for whatever comes his way. Live or die, Pala is going to do what it takes to reach for a better life. Pala breathes in deeply and asks Jesse, “What do we do now?” With a determined spirit Jesse replies, “My father sent me here to deliver an order of supplies for the Elders and that is exactly what I’m going to do”. Pala is amazed. Three very powerful Ancients have died before him but still Jesse is determined to complete the mission his father gave him. Jesse looks forward, whips the reins, and the wagon again lunges forward.
CHAPTER 4
Final Ancients Fall
As the wagon rolls forward, Jesse takes another look into the crowd. Most of them are staring at him with accusing eyes but Jesse accepts no responsibility for the death of the Ancients. It was Quygon who killed them. The crowd may never understand that and even if they do, Jesse will never accept their stares of accusing guilt.
Jesse looks over to Pala and asks, “Pala, do you know where I can find the village Elders?” Pala replies, “I have never personally met them, even though I’m from the village. But I do know they meet at the big council building. It’s at the other end of the village, I’ve never been in it but they say it’s very nice inside”. “Ok, thank you Pala”, Jesse replies with a smile. Pala smiles back, thinking to himself, “I don’t know how this boy became so powerful, but he is not like the other leaders. He’s kind and honest”. Being with Jesse gives him a feeling of finally being honored. As the wagon rolls down the narrow street, Pala straightens up his back and sticks out his chest. Being chosen by someone with so much destiny in his life gives Pala a deep sense of personal pride. Something he hasn’t felt in years. In honor of his acceptance by Jesse, Pala decides that he will also do his best to live like one of the chosen. He will spend the rest of his life learning to be his best.
As Jesse rides along, he sees a disturbing sight. A villager will move forward passing others then touch another, whose body would jerk. Then the villager doing the touching would fall to the ground totally still. The villager touched would then take on an evil appearance and walk along the road until he touches someone else. The event would continue to repeat. Jesse shakes his head. Pala looks over to him and asks, “Jesse, what’s wrong?” Jesse replies, Quygon is on the move and villagers are paying with their lives. These villagers are caught in a war between light and dark Pala”. As Jesse hears the cries of villagers who find their family members dead, he knows this is the most chaotic day in this village’s history.
As Jesse looks back over the events of his time in Duesburg, he begins to realize that each Ancient’s life seemed to point to a sense of the body. The first Ancient’s life seemed to focus on smell, the next one taste, and the last one was hearing. The next two Ancients must represent sight and touch. As the wagon rocks from side to side, Jesse tries to adjust to a comfortable position. If he is going to meet another Ancient today, he wants to be comfortable enough to focus only on them.
As the wagon passes Duesburg’s well, a hush begins to come over the villagers. Jesse begins to feel a chill in the air and a shiver goes over his body. He begins to feel a numbness in his hands and the tingle of tiny pin pricks covers his scalp. As a cool breeze blows against his face, Pala turns to him and asks, “Did you touch me?” All through the crowd, Jesse hears the common phrase, “Don’t touch me, or I can feel that”. Jesse thinks to himself…. “Touch”. People keep talking about touch, and feeling something. The Ancient of touch must be coming.
Jesse looks to his left and sees a divide forming in the crowd. Making her way through the villagers is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. As she made her way through the crowd, she would touch the person in front of her. Her soft hand comes with a touch that marks pleasure in the faces of all who receive it. As the villager touched turns, they see her behind them and they politely step aside. As she moves forward, her hands and arms graze villagers whose expressions soften. Finally reaching Jesse’s wagon, the beautiful woman raises her arm and places her hand on Jesse’s horse’s back. Walking closer to where Jesse sat, her fingers slid along the horse’s crest and rested on its rump. She puts her other hand on Jesse’s foot and says, “Please wait here young Jesse”. As she turns, her other hand rests on the horse’s crest. Walking forward, the tips of her fingers ride the tips of the horse’s hair. As she reaches the bottom of the horse’s neck, she places her hand between the neck and mane continuing forward toward the horse’s head. The woman’s hand creates a wave in the horse’s mane. Standing in front of the horse, she places both palms of her hands on its forehead then slowly slides them downward and beneath the animals jaws. Moving her face closer to the animals, she puts her lips on the horse’s forehead and places a kiss there. Looking back at Jesse, she raises the palm of her right hand into the air and says with her feminine voice, “Please wait”. The beautiful woman walks back through the crowd. As she passes villagers, her arms and hands again graze the bodies of people she passes, causing an expression of pleasant satisfaction to come over their faces. As the woman returns, she is followed by a tall, thin, very old man. His hand lays on her shoulder causing him to follow her every move. “Another blind Ancient”, Jesse thinks to himself. A villager close to the wagon whispers to another local, “Look, its Naga. Let’s see if his wisdom will touch the boy’s mind”.
Reaching the wagon, Naga’s beautiful servant again places her hand on Jesse’s horse. As she touches the horse’s back, the animal instantly relaxes. The woman looks up at Jesse and as their eyes meet, Jesse feels a stir in his body which indicates a deep, intimate experience. As she begins to
speak, Jesse’s skin starts to tingle. “This is Master Naga”, she says. “He is the greatest of all our Ancients”. As she speaks, there is a softness that accompanies her words. When her words are heard by Jesse, her soft spirit is felt on his skin. Instantly, the words given by the Lights of Elamor flood his mind. “Never accept the touch of the woman who stirs your body or controls the gaze of your eyes”. As the woman finishes the introduction, the Ancient Naga speaks, “Hello noble Jesse, my servant girl tells me you have the eyes of a man with a kind and gentle touch”. “Thank you Master Naga”, Jesse replies. Jesse will do his very best to respond and act with skill and caution. The wrong actions and Quygon will fly into a murderous rage. “Noble Jesse”, Naga speaks up. “Please allow my servant girl to touch your face and body”. She will then express to me the degree of man you are and I will address you with the proper respect according to your personal standing. “Master Naga”, Jesse replies. “I can see clearly that you are a man of great wisdom and profound words. In the life experiences that you possess, I believe that you have many times come to the simple understanding that the true value of a man lies with the things that are in him, instead of the things that can be seen and felt without. A man of your depth is never swayed of the things he touches, but rather by the unseen talent than only a man of your stature could possess. The touch of your servant girl, great Naga, would never truly define the value of your friend Jesse”. Naga replies politely, “Then please noble Jesse, reach out and touch my beautiful servant girl, you will find a woman of grace and substance. You will feel that her hair is soft as a whisper and as light as a feather. As the wind blows, you will feel her hair rise sweetly like blue smoke caught in a breeze. And as her hair falls, her golden locks will slide over your skin like a butterfly landing on a flower. It is a most pleasant experience, noble Jesse. As your hands touch her face, you will feel skin as soft and as smooth as a rabbit’s fur. As she blinks, you will feel her silky eyelashes brush the palms of your hands. Noble Jesse, you will feel the subtle point of her feminine nose, her soft lips will hold your attention and slow your touch. Once you have explored my servant girl Barbar, you will find her to be a soft and pleasant woman. You will never regret your time spent with her”.
“Thank you Master Naga”, Jesse replies. “You have an amazing touch. Your ability to feel your way through life has left you with many wonderful experiences. You have spoken so clearly about the touch of your servant girl that I have no need for her touch. My life and friends have taught me over my years that the ability to touch the heart is greater than the ability to touch the skin. I have learned, Master Naga, that if I see the rose and smell it, I will never be a victim of its thorns. The thorns of a picked rose always draws blood. Life has taught me that seeing the snake only is much safer than seeing it, and then reaching to possess it. My great friends have always told me that the wise man warms himself by the fire, but the foolish man tries to carry it home”.
“Your great friends are truly wise noble Jesse”, Naga replies. “But tell me noble Jesse, have your friends told you of the touch of a soft woman? One whose heart belongs only to you? Have they explained the great compassion you feel as a lifelong friend places a warm bowl of soup into your hands on a cold day? Do your friends know the touch of a baby’s hand on their faces as the child lays in their arms?” “No Master Naga”, Jesse replies. “My friends have always explained to me that the value of my life is not weighed by the deeds others do for me, but rather by the good deeds I do for them. Great Naga, it has been my personal experience that true, lasting life comes from touching those that can live beyond the mortal. Reaching for the invisible and touching it fills my mind in a forever way. It’s those experiences that touch my life and shape my destiny”.
Naga’s servant Barbar quits stroking Jesse’s horse. Her beautiful face begins to take on an angry, bitter expression. She plucks a tuft of fur from the horse’s rump. The horse’s backside jerks downward, reacting from the pain. Jesse knows the frustration of Naga is being expressed through his servant.
From above, Jesse sees the invisible image of one of his childhood Guardians. The Guardian was lowered right next to the Ancient Naga. Its invisible body mingled with the body of the villagers also standing next to the Ancient. Jesse glances into the face of the Guardian who is focusing in on Naga and his servant. Jesse doesn’t know why the Guardian has arrived but does know this is a very serious moment. The Guardian is obligated by orders from the King of Elamor to protect Jesse. If past experiences have proven anything to Jesse about these Guardians, it’s that they are totally committed to the mission of their King.
Jesse decides to change the subject of their conversation. In an attempt to reduce the amount of tension, Jesse turns his gaze from the invisible Guardian back to Naga. “Master Naga”, he says. “Your village is full of many wonderful people. In some ways they remind me of the members of my village. We are more like a big family than separate groups of unrelated neighbors. Are any of these wonderful people your personal descendants?” Master Naga takes on a more pleasant attitude. Shaking his head yes, he forms a very pleasant smile. The Ancient is beginning to form a verbal yes with his mouth when his face takes on a bitter, angry appearance. The animalist, gravelly voice of Quygon comes rolling from the Ancient. “I’m going to kill you boy!” Quygon bursts open the eyes of Naga, exposing milky, light blue hollow lenses. Next to the Ancient is one of the villages many tying posts. The Ancient reaches for the post and plucks it from the ground leaving a three foot deep hole. With a hellish scream, he hurls the post like a spear toward Jesse. The instant the post leaves the Ancient’s hand, the Guardian touches the Ancient with the tip of his finger on one of his ribs just below his armpit. Naga’s mouth opens wide, as if trying to scream out but no sound came. Jesse looks closely at the Ancient, the skin covering his body begins to shimmer with movement. A second later, burrowing insects begin pouring out of thousands of tiny holes they have made in his skin. Maggots, aunts, worms, and beetles cover his body like a pulsating carpet of tiny creatures. Naga falls to the ground backwards. In seconds, his skull and bones are polished clean. The post that the Ancient threw, hung in the air inches from Jesse’s chest. Another unseen Guardian stands in front of the wagon with his hand grasping the post. The post is suddenly flown through the air and lands well past the village border.
The people of the village have all fallen to the ground. Paralyzed with fear, they refuse to even look up. They have lost any feeling of security in their village. Their Ancient’s have died, their borders are unsecured. As their bodies still clutter the ground; no hut, home, or hideout offers them a decent cover from the unseen.
Jesse looks down on the polished bones of the Ancient Naga and slowly shakes his head mournfully. Then looking over the huddled crowd he shouts in a frustrated voice, “Does anyone know where I can find the village Elders? If I can deliver this load of supplies my father and I prepared for them, I will be willing to leave your village at once”.
From somewhere behind him, Jesse here’s a strangely familiar voice. As Jesse turns to see who it is, the voice continues, “There is only one Elder left in this village Son of Eli”. Back and to his left, beyond the cowering villagers stood the Emissary. The Emissary begins making his way through the villagers toward Jesse. As he walks carefully, not to step on any locals, he shouts out to Jesse. “It’s easier if I come to you”. The villagers are all afraid of Jesse but the Emissary knows that on the wagon with Jesse is the safest place in the village. The boy Jesse is the one person that Quygon’s evil seems to have no hold on.
As the Emissary reaches the wagon he says to Jesse, “I will ride with you Jesse, Son of Eli”. Pala rises from his place next to Jesse. Making his way over the seat he finds a place in the wagon bed with the supplies. As the Emissary climbs upon the wagon, he takes his place there next to Jesse. Shifting until he finds a comfortable position he looks over to Jesse and says, “Now young man, if you don’t mind I’m just going to call you Jesse i
nstead of Jesse, Son of Eli. Is that OK?” “Yes”, Jesse replies. The Emissary smiles back and says, “Good!”
The Emissary looks over the villagers, bowed down like scared children. He breathes deeply and says, “These poor people are so broken, they really have no idea who their friends and their enemies are”. Bringing his mind back to Jesse’s question about the Elders, the Emissary nods his head and says, “OK, regarding the Elders of Duesburg”. Putting his hands together he looks straight ahead and begins to explain, “Jesse, each village has its own way of doing things, kind of like having their own personality. Each village’s leaders are chosen for their ability to serve its people. The Elders of this village have served here for many years. The Ancients of the village are also the Elders”. Jesse looks over to the Emissary with a look of stunned amazement. “Oh no”, he says. Jesse looks at the Emissary for second and asks, “Why do you think Quygon attacks me over supplies?” “These battles are not about supplies Jesse, they are about control over the people and of all Terra-Cova”. Jesse looks back at the Emissary and says confidently, “Yes, you’re completely right sir but I needed to see if you understood it. Tell me sir, where do I find the last Elder? I would like to deliver the supplies and leave this village before any other people die”. “Don’t worry Jesse, the Emissary replies. “I will take you to the last Elder myself. This Elder isn’t like the others Jesse, this Elder can easily stand alone. I have never seen him cower before an enemy or difficult issue. This Elder needs only himself. When you see him, you will understand why. His name is Ra’ah and he is a Forseean, a man from the Giant clan. He is a very powerful warrior who has been in this village longer than anyone else alive. Over a century ago, a savage tribe from the mountains tried to capture this village. The Forseean Ra’ah Saul right away how to defeat them and did so quickly”. Jesse looked up into the eyes of the Emissary and asked, “What did Ra’ah do?” “He fought his way through the battle to the top of the hill. There, the king of the savages stood watching the battle. When Ra’ah reached the foot of the hill he flung his spear. That spear pierced the skull of the king, who died on the spot. The savages instantly lost their courage. The Forseean then ran up the hill, cut the heart out of the king and ate it while it was still warm. The savages then ran from the dry lands and have never been back”. Jesse sat motionless, staring at the Emissary then said with a slight smile, “All that meat and no potatoes!” The Emissary giggles, shakes his head and says, “Yeah!”
