The Silver Arrow

by Larry Itejere

  “One of the things very few people know about the battle at Ambacer,” Gabram said “is why the rulers of the south and east came to the aid of the king in the west. In those days, it was not known for a king to leave his Kingdom to aid another in a war that wasn’t his own.

  “The story does not tell of the true hero behind the victory: an Anamerian called Ryzin. He told the kings where the battle was and why their Kingdoms needed to be involved, breaking the old tradition of kings defending just their own land without assistance, because of the age-old saying that a king is not fit to rule if he cannot protect his own Kingdom.

  “Iseac is the Anamerian,” Gabram said, trying to help Samuel understand the magnitude of what he was going to tell him next, “and like those before him, his purpose was to find you.

  “Two others are like you, and there is someone who knows that the three of you will be a danger to him and his plans, if each of you comes to know your true self.”

  Samuel remembered Mosley saying something about a person knowing his true self. Now it makes sense. “No wonder I felt something different about him…a connection, even.”

  “But why me?” Samuel asked. “I’m the son of a farmer and no threat to anyone.”

  “We are all more than we appear. We only allow the things around us to define what we become.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Have you had something happen to you, or done something you could not explain?” Gabram asked.

  “Yes,” Samuel replied.

  “Those things you can’t explain are instances when our mind brushes against the fabric of our true self.”

  Samuel remembered then what happened to him in Chartum-Valley. He had seen Iseac’s face in his mind before he met him, and Gabram’s transformation in the middle of the street.

  “I’m sure you’ve already figured it out, but the people who are holding your family cannot be defeated by mere strength of arms. You are important; they destroyed your town just to find you, and Iseac sent you to me to find out what you are. I hope you are ready for what I’m going to show you.”

  “How did Gabram know my town was destroyed and because of me?” he thought. It couldn’t be true.

  “You are more of a threat to this being than you think, and he will stop at nothing until you and the others are dead,” Gabram said. “For now, think of our time as a respite from what lies ahead and focus your thoughts on what you will be learning.”

  They walked through the trees along a steady slope that opened up into a patchy meadow. The landscape slowly changed along the way until only rocks could be seen, as they were close to the base of a mountain.

  Samuel followed Gabram along a path that only he could see as they made the steady climb up. They stopped at an open area on the mountainside; it had taken them all of that morning.

  On their way to the top, it was becoming harder to breathe. Samuel had to take deeper breaths that even then did not seem to be enough.

  “The air is thinner because of how high we’ve come,” Gabram said, noticing the color on Samuel’s face. “It takes getting used to, but your body will adjust soon enough.”

  Standing in an alcove high on the mountain, Samuel looked over the trees at the vast landscape. On the south side was the magnificent city of Bremah, with its great wall and reddish buildings that looked like an ant mound in the distance.

  “This place frees the mind from things that hold it down there,” Gabram said, referring to what Samuel was looking at. “Come…sit!” When Samuel was seated, he tossed him a water skin. Gabram appeared unruffled from their hike, from what Samuel could see as he drank.

  “I know you may feel, so far, that circumstances have directed your path, leaving you with no choice,” Gabram said. “But right now I want you to know that you do have a choice. You can take this opportunity to rebuild a new life for yourself here in Bremah, or I can help prepare you for what is known as the ‘unlocking.’ It will change your life permanently and give you power in return. You will be anew, unbound by the memories of your old life.

  “Think on it and let me know what you choose,” he said before going to sit at the ledge, staring into the distance. Samuel sat there deep in thought, remembering the aroma from his mother’s kitchen, his father walking in from the fields with his older brother, Faray. He’d always looked up to Faray and still remembered the day he was given his first bow. He remembered how he and Elye got into trouble tying a burning branch to Miss Reonna’s hog, their running in the woods by the lake, and many other memories he cherished. “What wouldn’t I be willing to sacrifice for my family,” he thought, knowing that they could already be dead.

  The sun rested on the horizon when Samuel walked over to Gabram. He had made his decision.

  “I will do anything for my family,” he said in a tone that left no doubt, “and will stop at nothing to find them.”

  “Good,” Gabram said, pleased with his decision. “Lowman will work on getting you physically ready, and he will be waiting for you in the morning.”

  Gabram began his instructions as the sun slowly slip below the horizon.

  “The mind is like a spider’s web, and everyone’s web is different. At the core of each web is what is known as your true self. Accessing the core brings back locked knowledge and abilities long forgotten. It allows you to see beyond regular sight−you may hear and even understand the language of the earth and many other things hidden from men. A few know how to command the elements. Once the core is awakened, it cannot be changed; and for a person not fully prepared, it could drive them to madness or even kill them. This is the choice we all have to make.

  “Now, there are three things you need to know and remember before we begin. First, everything around us is alive and connected. Second, and this lends itself to the first, every living thing has knowledge in its own sphere. This means you can seek or use their help; an example of this was when I called you at the port. I had my call whispered in your ear by the wind.”

  Samuel remembered the feeling, hearing Gabram whisper in his ears several yards away.

  “The third and final thing you need to understand about the unlocking,” Gabram said, his tone emphasizing its importance, “is this process does not only awaken things in your mind, but it also, over time, severs ties to things and people you love. This process can be accelerated by how much you use this gift.”

  Gabram paused to let the information sink in before continuing with his instruction. This, you could say, was the beginning or the turning point in what would become Samuel’s new life.

  They arrived back at the cottage later that evening. Samuel was exhausted both mentally and physically, and he fell into bed without remembering to disrobe.

  Chapter 23

  The Awakening

  Samuel was woken up before sunrise the next morning by Gabram, who didn’t say how early his meeting with Lowman was going to be.

  Still exhausted from the night before, Samuel dragged himself out of bed, got dressed, and made his way to meet Lowman, a man of average build with narrow eyes and jet-black hair tied in a knot behind his head. After several painful mistakes, it didn’t take long for Samuel to become more alert, as Lowman showed him different self-defense techniques, including proper posturing and motion. He showed Samuel the proper way to cover a blind spot and how to use an opponent’s strength to his advantage.

  “Remember, flow with their force and let their strength become your energy,” he reminded Samuel again and again in his instructions.

  Samuel learned about the different pressure points in the human body and how to balance properly on a horse with a weapon, while Gabram instructed him, in between his physical training, on the current rulers of the four Kingdoms and their various customs.

  In addition to all this, Samuel was instructed on the different Patrons that would be gathering soon to meet him and what each would contribute to the process of connecting the web that would reveal his true self.

  He spent
long hours learning and practicing how to survive different terrains using only material that would be available in each setting. Lowman taught him the tricks to hiding in almost plain sight and how to quickly set up a trap and create a deadly weapon. He learned how the wind affects velocity and the proper positioning of one’s self, on and off a horse, when using a weapon such as his bow. While the first few weeks were overwhelming and exhausting, Samuel quickly picked up on this training and soon was up almost as early as Lowman, who was always ready to begin his next lesson.

  He’d grown an additional three inches since he first arrived.

  “They are here,” Gabram said as Samuel turned to face him. He knew, seeing Gabram in his silk blue Patron’s robe, that this day was going to be different. “Could it be?” he thought.

  “Get your things together,” Gabram instructed. “We have a long ride ahead of us today.”

  So Samuel returned to his room and changed into clothes suitable for riding.

  “One more thing,” Gabram said when Samuel came back to the main room. “I was asked to give this to you.” He stretched out his hand, which held a small wooden case.

  As Samuel extended his hand to receive it, his eyes caught the ring on Gabram’s finger. The ring seemed to pulsate with flashes of lightning. He’d never seen Gabram wearing the ring before around the house. As soon as the case rested on his palm, it made a clicking sound, which caused Samuel to flinch, almost dropping it.

  “What is it?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.

  “That is for you to share,” Gabram replied.

  Samuel opened the unlocked box, revealing a silver necklace with a black centerpiece that rested perfectly inside the case. The rectangular-shaped piece was intricately designed, with a single arrow encircling it like a serpent.

  Samuel thought there was something familiar about it, like a lost memory he should remember.

  “Iseac wanted you to have it,” Gabram said. “Go ahead, put it on.”

  So Samuel did, placing it around his neck with the centerpiece resting on his chest.

  “We’d better get going, then,” Gabram said, walking past Samuel, who followed.

  They rode from dawn until the sun was past its zenith when Mount Va’lenna came into view between the trees. As they trotted up the spiraling mountainside, Samuel placed his hand over his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun.

  As they got higher, Samuel could see four large pillars that supported a larger piece overhead. Each pillar had a symbol on it, but he couldn’t make out what they were because of the angle of the glaring sun. They soon arrived at the magnificent structure on top of the mountain. A side gate led into a courtyard, with the main entrance to the building on their left.

  Everyone, from the moment they rode in, greeted Gabram as he passed by, and he courteously nodded his head in response.

  They made their way from the stable to a massive double door that dwarfed those close to it. When the door closed behind them, it seemed to shut them off from the world. Gabram took off his shoes, as did Samuel, and they were handed damp towels by two young men standing at the entrance to an open room off the main hallway. The young men stood there, waiting to take away their towels when they were finished.

  Once done, they made their way along the hallway. Samuel started feeling nervous, not sure if he was ready for what was going to happen next. As if sensing Samuel’s tension from the way he was looking around, like a bird ready to take flight, Gabram began to speak.

  “We are heading to the Council room, which is going to be on our right.”

  “The place is amazing,” Samuel thought as he continued to admire the tranquil beauty of the building. It had a tan marble floor that was an extension to the one on the wall that rose to his shoulder, covering every passageway. The rest of the wall from his shoulder up was midnight blue, like the sky without any clouds. Fire crystals like starlight were set several feet apart along the way.

  “Remember, the Patrons are here for you,” Gabram said. He led Samuel to a double door that was intricately designed.

  “Wait here until you are summoned. Don’t worry, you will be fine,” Gabram said before going in.

  * * * * *

  In the circle of Patrons, Thorlak, the chief Patron asked, “Is he ready?”

  “Yes, he is ready,” Gabram replied.

  “Everyone needs at least two years to prepare,” Buldric said. “We all know this could kill him.”

  “Yes, it could,” Gabram said. “But there is a reason he was chosen by the Anamerian. I do not know why, but I feel he can do it.”

  Some of the Patrons were concerned and, to a degree, shared Buldric’s view, even though they said nothing. No one had ever been presented in such a short period of time before, but they all accepted Gabram’s judgment, nodding their heads to show their willingness to proceed.

  “Very well,” Thorlak said. “Since there are no objections, let us proceed.” A voice whispered in Samuel’s ear as he stood outside the chamber waiting. It wasn’t a familiar voice, but he knew that was his cue. He took in a deep breath just before he pushed the doors open and walked inside.

  The door closed behind him as he made his way to the center of the circular dome-like room. The room was so quiet that he heard the sound of his own heartbeat. He saw the Patrons sitting on straight-backed marble chairs that rose over their heads. Each chair was built from the ground up with white marble that made each Patron appear dreamlike as he sat waiting.

  He felt their eyes on him as he stopped in the middle of the circle facing the chief Patron, as he was instructed by Gabram.

  The room, like the rest of the building, was cool and crisp. When the chief Patron spoke, his voice filled the Great Hall. “The Anamerian has found the first, and Gabram has set his path,” he said ritualistically.

  “‘We have come united to unseal, that heart and mind out of the darkness might see, the truth once known to all revealed.

  “And I so freely offer,” the chief Patron concluded.

  “And I so freely offer,” Gabram said, as did each person in the room.

  Cyriac was the last Patron to join in agreement, and when he was done, Samuel responded, “I accept the gift so freely given.” And then there was silence.

  The light in the room slowly became dim, and Samuel suddenly felt alone. A surge of energy like a drop of rain before a storm started building around him. His body drew on the source of the energy; he had no control of it as it ran through every part of his being. The energy settled in his head with an intensity that could only be compared to a plum smashed against a rock.

  Samuel felt his mind being seared like silk in a furnace, unlocking unknown chambers in his mind. He screamed and dropped down to his knees while grabbing onto his head and trembling uncontrollably. His heart pounded as if it were going to rip out of his chest. His eyes were shut, squeezed from pain, but underneath the pain, a sweeter sensation followed of equal intensity.

  Memories once part of him flooded his mind like a tidal wave as a new fabric began to weave itself inside his mind, with old ones burning away.

  Samuel continued to tremble as the physical manifestations of the changes going on inside his mind started to appear externally. Each hair on his head, beginning at the roots, slowly began to change into silver as if he was being cleansed from inside. When he opened his eyes again, they glowed like the moon, as they too had changed.

  The arrow around the centerpiece on his necklace unlaced itself to reveal a sky-blue crystal, and the single arrow split into two straight ones resting on opposite sides of a now pure silver frame.

  Samuel slowly rose from the floor, but it was a different person looking around the room. He had a slight smile on his face as if waking from a dream. He had a silvery aura around him like the moon in the shape of his adult self. When he spoke, it was the sound of a thousand men held within the bounds of a young man’s voice, but it carried the strength of one not bound by mortality. His lips did not move as he addre
ssed the Patrons, staring into their eyes.

  The Samuel that now stood in front of them could see in their faces the energy he’d had to pull from them for his awakening, but the Patrons all held themselves up, their faces hiding the strain he could feel from them.

  “I can sense an inbalance, and it is all around us,” the thing inside Samuel said. “The Anamerian is alive, even though my sense of him is fading due to his wavering link; it makes it difficult to tell where he’s being held. What does the Council know about the shift?”

  “Bollan, Nor, Tylan, and Kathleen, protected by the marble seal, have vanished, and one of them has taken the Anamerian,” the chief Patron said.

  “I will find him and my brothers,” referring to the two others like him, and he began walking to the door.

  “Great Lord of the Moon,” the chief Patron spoke with the reverence of a servant, stopping Samuel in his tracks. He turned to look at Thorlak with his eyes shining bright.

  “My Lord, if I may so freely speak, I do not think the people are ready. You might want to keep it on the crystal,” Thorlak said. “And your men will be waiting to follow when you are ready.”

  Samuel had forgotten he was still glowing and would have drawn the attention of everyone in the building.

  “Tora fanarum,” he said and the glow around him faded, leaving only his dim silver eyes. He walked out the room with the Patrons staring at a true Ackalan, endowed with the power contained within the scrolls of creation.

  At that point, they remembered the third record from the prophecies of Ryham: ‘They shall again return on that day when men shall lose all hope, scarred from the whips of bondage and death. On their backs will they carry the wings of freedom for all men.’ They all knew that day was truly upon them.