by Richard Wood
Then in the next instant, Jesse’s mind goes back to the bitterness of Dreadston. Questioning the Guardian he asks, “Why did I have to beat be so ruthlessly? And why was I accused of killing my father? I wanted those people to kill me, death would’ve been a relief. Why Guardian, why did that have to happen?” The Guardian smiles earnestly and replies, “Master Zel-Elcon, our world trembled as we watched the hate of Dreadston but our King trusted you and that give us all strength. You were innocent, but suffered agony. Yet there are those in your world, Master Zel-Elcon, who have suffered greater than you and they were innocent too. In your world, Master Zel-Elcon, the strong rule cruelly over the weak. Many innocent cries have shaken the foundation of your world but your pain in Dreadston shook our world. Your cry, Master Zel-Elcon, was heard beyond your time”. The Guardian pauses then states, “Master Zel-Elcon, our King once again has a question”. Again Jesse listens intently. “Our King wants to know, Master Zel-Elcon, now that you know the brutality of Dreadston, will you protect the innocent of your world?” Shaking his head slowly Jesse replies, “Yes Guardian, I will protect the innocent of my world”. Jesse begins to see the crimson thread that runs through the Guardians statements. Jesse’s world needs a protector, guardian, and a warrior and the Guardian is asking that warrior to be Jesse. A flash of panic runs through his soul, but Jesse pushes it away. Then a deep sense of responsibility takes its place. Before Jesse goes any further, he has one more question about the horrors of his journey. As the Guardian waits patiently, Jesse once again refers to his journey. Looking trustingly into the face of the Guardian, Jesse asks, “The dead valley, how did I get from the top of the cliffs onto the valley floor and back?” The Guardian smiles and answers politely, “You did that Master Zel-Elcon. No one else in your world has this ability. In the near future, Master Zel-Elcon, you will find that you have many abilities that others do not have. Those abilities will not appear, though, until you are at a point that your natural abilities are unable to complete the tasks you are given. But one day, Master Zel-Elcon, those abilities will come to their end. When they do, your time here will be over”. Jesse looks down to the ground and whispers, “Everything begins and ends”. Looking back to the Guardian, Jesse says eagerly, “I have a few more questions about the dead valley, Guardian. Why did the Horde torture those people in the valley? And please tell me, Guardian, why did I enjoy the sounds of their torture? It was almost like they gave me comfort, like the feeling of a child when he wakes and knows his parents are in the next room waiting to greet him”. Putting his hands on his knees, the Guardian replies, “Master Zel-Elcon, there is much you don’t know about the Horde of Quygon. They are the result of his addiction to the blood and souls of man. The Horde, Master Zel-Elcon, were as Terra-Covian as you are. They live in villages, they had families and personal lives but the beast captured them and held them within himself. There they were tortured and reduced to what you see now. They have no memory of their former lives and believe they were born of Quygon. They lived in death for almost a thousand years. In that time, all they knew where the sounds of torture and it’s for that reason that they torture. The sounds remind them of what they conceive at home. It’s their only remedy for their emptiness. As for the reason you were captured by their screams of torture, it was important for you to understand the twisted chains that they are bound in. You know their living death and have been given insight to their only relief. They can be Terra-Covian again, Master Zel-Elcon, and you will make that possible for them”. Looking confused, Jesse asks, “But how will I do that?” The Guardian replies, “Your hands, Master Zel-Elcon, will fashion a weapon of death that will give them life. Your compassion for the Horde will compel you to not only free them, but also protect them and prepare villages as well”.
Jesse continues for several hours, asking questions and listening intently. The Secret Guardian is patient and generously answering every one of them. When the last question is answered, the Guardian’s voice is gone. Instantly, Jesse and Dararro are again alone, still in view of his father’s grave. Looking to the sky, Jesse realizes that it is still midmorning. He had spent hours with the Guardians but it was as if time had stood still.
Rising from his sitting position on the ground, he mounts Dararro and turns toward his father’s grave. Arriving at the grave mound, Jesse dismounts and kneels next to the grave. As he looks down to the loose dirt of the mound, he places both hands over his heart. He begins to speak out trying desperately to reach out to the heart of his father. With humility in his voice, it echoes through the dry lands. ”Father, when you died, life poured out of me and I didn’t think that I would ever get it back again. Even now I don’t feel the same”. Looking down to the mound again he continues, “Father, mother has lost everything. She doesn’t talk, she looks at me but never sees me. Pala is heartbroken and blames himself. Our village has an empty sadness that never seems to go away. Father, I feel like I have failed everyone. How can I help them in getting over your loss if I can’t even help myself? I do make an oath, father, I will never do to another family what has been done to mine. I will never kill, father, no family will suffer loss by my hand. This I promise father!” Breathing deeply, Jesse rises. As he exhales and mounts Dararro, he is unaware that this very oath will one day take his own life. Turning Dararro, he heads in the direction of his village and the comfort of his home.
CHAPTER 8
A Witches Turning
Jesse’s ride back to the village was a very somber one. The messages that the Secret Guardian gave left him with a responsibility that a multitude of men couldn’t bear. The Guardians explanation of his father’s death, the answers concerning the dead valley, it all left him feeling inadequate for the duties he was given. Almost as though the weight of his world was placed on his shoulders but with the knowledge that he was helpless to carry it. The resounding phrase keeps echoing in his mind, “Our King trusted in you and that gave us all strength”. It all pointed to one impossible end. Jesse’s world needs a great warrior and he is the one that Elamor has chosen.
Minute by minute and hour by hour, Jesse relives his conversation with the Secret Guardian and as he looks up to survey the area, he sees that he has ridden well past his village. He and Dararro are now in unfamiliar land, full of plateaus and valleys. Pulling on the steering hoop, Jesse gives Dararro an order, “Dararro stop”. Somehow deep in thought, Jesse had ridden Dararro many miles east of their village and now stands atop a plateau. As Jesse pats Dararro on the shoulder, he notices a lake further east in a grassy plain. Putting a hand above his eyes to shade him from the sun, Jesse whispers, “Oh yeah, that must be Lake Revel”. Thinking back to conversations with his father, he remembers him saying that the people of Revel all keep to themselves and not many visitors find it welcoming there. Turning Dararro around, Jesse heads west of back to his own village. As Jesse enters his village border, he notices the villager’s awkward and frightful stares. They are still very much afraid of Dararro. As he strolls through the village streets, adults point while talking among themselves, children hide behind their parents, and doors slam on huts. As Jesse watches the people of his village, he realizes that a meeting with the Elders must take place. He will request that they and the villagers all meet together. There he will introduce Dararro to his village family and the villagers can better understand their new village friend.
Arriving home, Jesse dismounts and stands Dararro against the wall. “Dararro down”, he orders. The Peace Cat, fully obedient, takes a long stretch and then lays comfortably on the ground and against the wall. Villagers watch in amazement as the Peace Cat lays silent, licking his paws and sniffing the air. Jesse nods, smiles and waves to them then walks into his house.
Entering the center room, Jesse sees a large wooden box sitting not far from his mother’s bedroom door. “I’m home”, he shouts. Valcor steps in from the main room then points at the box. Valcor says briskly, “This is what I had hidden away in the dry lands Jesse, you’ll want to see this. I
’m sure you have never seen metal like this before”. “Ok”, Jesse replies, “But wait a second”. Sticking his head back out of the front door, there lies Dararro drifting off to sleep. Jesse laughs and turns back to Valcor, who has already lifted the lid to the box. As Jesse walks toward Valcor, he sees a slight blue shine coming from the box. Pointing into the box, Valcor says excitedly, “What do you think of this Jesse?” Looking into the box, Jesse is surprised by what he sees. Two large pieces of metal, both shapeless, but very smooth with an almost polished appearance. Most striking of all, was the metals color. The same royal blue as the lightning that struck him at his father’s grave. Valcor, looking at Jesse, explains excitedly, “Wait till you touch these things Jesse!” Turning from the box to Valcor, Jesse asks, “Why, what do they feel like?” Valcor answers back quickly, “Jesse, these things hum!” Looking astonished, Jesse remarks, “What? What do you mean it hums?” Pointing into the box, Valcor replies, “These things hum but they don’t make any noise”. Looking confused, Jesse reaches into the box and places the palm of his hand on one of the metal pieces. Instantly a forceful vibration flows through his hand and into his bones. His whole body felt the force, even his eyes began to shimmer. Jerking his hand back, Valcor shouts excitedly, “See, I told you those things hum!” Then after a quiet pause, Valcor asked, “What kind of metal do you think that is Jesse?” Straightening up, Jesse asked firmly, “Where did you get these Valcor?” Waving his finger at Jesse, Valcor answers, “I was supervising at the king’s mine when a worker asked that I follow him because he found something and needed my advice. We went deep into the mine and there stood a small group of men looking into a perfectly round hole in the mine wall. When I arrived, they all stepped away from the wall. Jesse, I don’t know how I perfectly round hole that was glass smooth got into solid rock, but there it was. At the bottom of the whole were these two pieces of metal. I took these two pieces of metal myself then swore those men to royal secrecy. I have been holding the metal ever since but now I’m giving them to you. You’re a blacksmith, you’ll know what to do with them”. As Jesse’s mind begins to search for possible uses for the metal pieces, his mind goes back to his conversation with the Secret Guardian and the ability to bring the Horde back to life. The Guardian said, “Your hands will fashion a weapon of death that will give them life”. Nodding his head, he looks at Valcor and replies, “Yes Valcor, I think I do know what to do with them”.
As Jesse closes the boxes lid, he asks Valcor, “Could you watch Dararro for a minute? I want to take this box to the shop”. As Jesse makes his way through the front door, he yells back at Valcor, “I’ll be back soon Valcor”. Glancing over to Dararro, Jesse sees that his Peace Cat is still fast asleep and quietly walks on to the Blacksmith shop. As Jesse passes the threshold of the shop, he slows down, walking carefully as his eyes adjust to the darker room. Dropping the box against the wall next to the entrance, he sees Pala sitting on a chair sadly looking down on the dirt floor. Still very much shamed by what he believes is a failure to protect his family, he stirs the dirt with his feet than looks up to Jesse and says, “Hello, what are you going to do today? I don’t have my orders to fill, so I’m just waiting for someone to come by and request work to be done”. Jesse walks over to his brother and pats him on the shoulder. Looking down to his brother, he smiles and says kindly, “You know what? I never would’ve thought of putting flowers on father’s grave. What made you think of that?” Pala looks up to him and replies, “Father’s life always sang to me. Everything he did, he did with an open heart. People just trusted him. Even his work in the shop seemed to sing. I wanted his death to sing too so I planted flowers. I planted lavenders because of mother and yellow orange flowers because father was golden. I let the flowers sing for him”. Jesse squeezed his shoulder and remarked, “You not only watched over father’s grave, you made it sing too!” Still looking up to Jesse, Pala’s face takes on a sunny smile. Nodding his head, his eyes light up and he replies joyfully, “Thank you!” As Pala stands, Jesse gives him a strong pat on the back saying, “Thank you Pala. I wasn’t here to do any of those things, I didn’t even think of flowers. You did well while I was gone”.
Both now smiling, Jesse turns and points to the box by the door. “Pala”, he says, “You’ve got to see this. I’ve never seen anything like it before!” As they walk toward the box, Jesse explains, “I want you to melt these down and pour them into molds. I have something special in mind for them when you’re done”. “Ok”, Pala replies. Jesse slides the box into the open doorway allowing the light to shine in on it. As Jesse raises the lid, Pala excitedly looks into the box. Then stepping back, Pala asks, “Where did you get these Jesse. Those things don’t look like metal to me”. Waving his hand, Jesse replies, “They really are metal, I got them from Valcor. He had them hidden away”. Then pointing into the box, Jesse says, “Go ahead touch them”. Reaching into the box, Pala touches one of the polished blue objects and instantly pulls his hand back. Looking frantic, he shouts, “What the?” Then backing up from the box, Pala shouts loudly, “Jesse, I’m not touching those things. That’s secret metal from the Forseean cry out”. “The what?” Jesse asked abruptly. “The Forseean cry out”, Pala replied. “What’s that?” Jesse asked. “I don’t really know for sure. The Ancients from Duesburg talked about the great Forseean cry out and all the things it created. That metal is blue and alive like the Ancient said and I’m not touching it!” “Ok”, Jesse replied, raising the palms of his hands toward Pala. “I will do it myself. It’s been awhile since I’ve worked in the shop. It would be good to wrap my hands around a tool”.
As Pala leaves the shop, Jesse grabs a melting pot. After placing it over the fire, he grabs a pair of long tongs. Reaching into the box, he grabs one of the pieces of blue metal. Still vibrating, Jesse barely makes it to the pot and drops the object in. Jesse shakes his hands, trying to relieve that ache that the vibrations left in his bones. Then reaching over to the billows, Jesse begins to stroke the flames. Flames shoot up, bursting against the bottom of the pot and soon an amber glow develops at its base. After working the billows for some time, Jesse checks the melting pot. The inside bottom of the pot is a glowing orange but the blue metal has not yet begun to melt. Jesse again works the billows but this time faster and more forceful. Time passes and again he looks into the pot. The melting pot is hotter than ever but still the blue metal looks untouched. Shaking his head, Jesse looks at the pot then grabs the tongs and draws it from the fire. Then tipping the pot, he allows the blue metal to drop to the dirt floor. As the object hits the floor, Jesse expects to smell the scent of scalded dirt but there is none. He drops the tongs and pulls a piece of wood from the pile. Touching the wood to the object, he should see smoke rise as the wood smolders, but no smoke rises. Bewildered, Jesse spits on the metal object but there is no sizzle. Stepping back for a moment, Jesse considers the danger of touching the object but decides to try. Lowering his hand little by little, he draws closer and closer to the blue metal. Then his fingertips touch the surface and he jerks his hand back.
He doesn’t understand, there is vibration but no heat. He backs up to the woodpile and plops down. Sitting for a while, he considers all the possibilities on how to work this unusual piece of metal. He realizes that if he breaks it into smaller pieces, it would be easier to melt. Walking to the north wall, he pulls a large sledgehammer hanging from the wall and returns to the blue metal. Taking a safe stance, Jesse raises the sledgehammer above his head and takes a powerful swing. The hammer strikes the object then bounces back in and out of Jesse’s hands. Stunned for a moment, Jesse looks down at the metal piece. The area he struck is flawless but the object itself had somehow shifted in shape. It was flatter and longer. Jesse finds the hammer and again takes a safe stance and swings. This time with half the strength. As he watches, again the blue metal object shifts in shape. Replacing the large hammer, Jesse reaches for a smaller one. He reaches down, picks up the blue metal that has reduced in vibration and pl
aces it on at his anvil. Raising the smaller hammer, he strikes the object being held with his other hand. Another swing and the blue metal seems to take an almost sword like shape. Then, as he holds the blue metal up into the light, Jesse notices two things. One, the vibration is gone, and two, the sword like shaped metal is taking on a razor sharp edge. Eagerly, he places the object back onto the anvil. Several more strikes from Jesse’s hammer and a perfectly shaped, highly polished, royal blue sword lays across his anvil.
The blade is the length of his arm, three fingers deep and it comes to a pointed end. Looking down at the anvil, Jesse is totally amazed. As his eyes move along the full length of the sword, he whispers, “A Master’s sword. A weapon of death fashioned by my own hands that will bring life!” The blade is complete but still needs a handle. Jesse remembers a very large deer antler he prized as a child. He hung it above the shop doors, a trophy to show off to his father. Taking it down, he spends time carefully shaping and tooling it until it was a perfect fit. Then fastening it to the sword, he grabs the now handle to his sword and raises his weapon in the air. Walking to the light of the opened doors, Jesse stares in amazement as the blade takes on a frosty royal blue haze. He swings the blade downward. The movement makes an unexpected change as it moves through the air. It becomes a highly polished, crystal clear, royal blue blade sharp enough to separate the future from the past. Then holding the sword straight out, Jesse whispers, “A living sword! You must have an equally beautiful sheath!”
