by W. C. Peever
It was Bailey who jumped in this time. “Wait, alternative dimensions must have been around before the Manserian?”
Joelle began to lick herself. “No they were invented by us Manserian, or rather as a result of our great minds.”
“You said that there were nine worlds?” began Bailey, but she was abruptly cut off.
“Well, yes there are.” Joelle replied, twitching her tail in irritation at being interrupted once again. “There are the two worlds of the Gods, then their children, the elves of light and the elves of dark. The Giants and Trolls have their own world, as do the Dwarves. Then there is the High Heaven and the two levels of the underworld.”
Joelle flicked her tale angrily from side to side. “Now, are you quite through with the interruptions? Not only are they quite tiresome, but you are getting me so far off topic that I have forgotten the question I was answering.”
“You were telling us about the beginning of the Order and the Vanari,” Mick reminded her.
“Ah…well, the Gods thought they would return before the extra long life they had imbued in the Druids came to an end, but it appears the war went on longer than they expected. At least that’s how the story goes…” She paused for a moment, as if to stay something else and then abruptly stopped. “In any case, no one has had word from them for millennia. Eventually turmoil and strife ensued. The Druids broke into two groups. Those who followed the Vanaheim Gods and wanted to use their powers to benefit themselves moved to the Middle East and Northern Africa. Those who were loyal to Odin went to Greece. Separate, isolated colonies also arose in the Americas, mostly worshiping the Alf Heim.
“Now the Druids had children, some of whom inherited their Gods-given abilities. This was the case with your great-great-great-and-so-on grandfather, Merlin Caledonensis. Merlin was a Druid born sometime around 1700 B.C., the son of a Druid king who maintained the ways of the Gods. Merlin was magnificent and powerful. He discovered that he alone had the ability to manipulate time and slip between dimensions, using the sacred crystals of Stonehenge to focus his energy and arrive in the future. By the time Merlin was twenty he sat at the head of the Order of Druids.
“It was during this time that a Seer, one of the prognosticators of the newly established council, prophesized that the Order would fall if a Guardian did not emerge to protect them. At that time the Druids did not have a single member who had the courage and fortitude to raise the courage of man and lead them into battle. So Merlin bravely went into the future, not knowing if he would be able to return to his family, in order to witness the birth of the guardian of prophesy, a boy being born to a great leader – Uther Pendragon. The boy’s name was to be Arthur.”
“King Arthur?” Charlie’s voice cracked with excitement. “He really lived? He was my hero!”
“Who are you kidding, Charlie?” Bailey interjected. “He still is!” Mick stifled a laugh.
“King?” Spat the werecat. “Well, he liked to think of himself as such, later in life. No, he was merely a boy born with a powerful gift. He was the most powerful Guardian to ever live. No one really knows why or how he was chosen by the Seers, but soon after his sixteenth birthday the soldiers from Rome left Britain and Arthur kept the peace.
“After Britain was secure, Merlin knew that it would be up to him to recreate the Order that had been scattered during the Roman occupation. It took him and Arthur some years, but they began seeking out people with the abilities of the Gods and brought them together to this exact spot where we now stand. He built a colossal castle for this new council, and called it Camelot.
“He and the others used their powers to fight back the monsters of the nine worlds that had invaded Midgard since the order of Druids had been disbanded by Roman Soldiers. It soon became apparent, by the number of assassination attempts on Merlin’s life that the group of Manserian that broke from the ranks of Druids during the dawn of their powers had survived. Merlin immediately saw the need to create a government for the new Order to ensure that it would continue to thrive in the event of his death. He named the new council the Order, after the original Order of Asgard, and charged them to seek out and find others to counteract the Vanari. The Guardians, led by Arthur, travelled all over the world to establish the power base needed to protect humanity and Midgard. They were collectively known as The Knights of the Round Table.”
“Humanity was changed for the better, and, as a result of their labor, Britain entered a state of peace and prosperity. That is until a Telecon named Guinevere the Glorious poisoned Arthur’s mind, convincing him that a person with his powers should not be a servant to the ungifted. Why should he, a hero with the power of a God, keep the peace for mere humans when he could rule them all? With the help of an unnamed Influencearian, Guinevere and the Vanari convinced Arthur to eventually betray the Order and dominate the people of Britain.
“Arthur dispatched the Vanari leader, took command of their council, and with Guinevere at his side mounted an assault on Camelot. Hundreds of Order members were slaughtered in their beds before Arthur reached the council chambers, where the eldest and most powerful members of the Order had gathered to resist the onslaught.
“The council was desperate. You must understand what happens to our powers when we die. When one of us dies, our ability must go somewhere. It can either be willed to another person, usually the firstborn child, or if we are murdered, it can be taken from us by force.
“Arthur’s men had killed hundreds of the gifted to get to Merlin, and tried to steal their abilities. However, the majority of the murdered Order members willed their powers to Merlin just before dying. The Vanari’s concentrated onslaught caused these powers to enter Merlin all at once, making him the most powerful person that ever existed, powerful enough to take down his old protégé, Arthur, and the entire Vanari army. Too much power corrupts even the most pure of heart. Merlin knew this. To protect humanity and the living council members, he destroyed the castle, with Arthur and followers trapped inside, and then warped the council to another dimension.
“Once his council was safe, Merlin returned to the ruins of the castle and extracted the giant crystal the council had used to focus their combined energies while working together. Merlin then entombed the powers he had been willed by the dying defenders of Camelot within the crystal and broke it into eight pieces, placing each piece in an ordinary object. It is unclear why he used the sacred crystal to do this task; perhaps it was the only crystal in the castle large enough to hold such energy. Or maybe, as some have suggested, Merlin had a more obscure purpose. Whatever his reasoning was, the truth remained that Merlin had destroyed the Asgard Crystal, the one object entrusted to the Druids by the Gods, with strict orders to protect it at all costs. Most scholars have assumed he died. I suspect that he hid himself away in some remote dimension, to place his own personal power well beyond anyone’s reach.
“These events became story, then a legend, and finally myth. The Church of the time commissioned writers to tell a different version of the story, with Arthur as the hero and Merlin a footnote. The crystals were all but forgotten until around thirty years ago, when an Order member by the name of Freyr Vali took control of our World Jumper, your grandfather. How he discovered which dimension to go to, we don’t know, as to the best of our knowledge Merlin never left a map to where he took the crystals, but the fact is Vali was able to find one of the shards of Asgard. He absorbed the power contained, and became the most powerful Manserian since Arthur.
“He left the Order, killed the leader of the Vanari, and seduced by his own power, took command of them. Your grandfather killed himself to ensure that Vali could not obtain a second crystal, but not before sending his son his object and his power. The object was an amethyst ring that had been smelted by Merlin himself and passed down from generation to generation. This ring is your inheritance and the reason that I know that your father is alive. Had he died, the ring would have passed directly to you.” The werecat flicked her tail, circled twice around
her cushion, and sat down.
“My father? Alive?” Charlie felt numb with shock. “Do I have the same power as the rest of my family? Am I a World Jumper? If he is still alive how could I have his ability? Where is my father?”
“All very good questions,” Joelle said, blinking her slit eyes. As for your ability, some of our Order have inherited their abilities genetically. It is not a rule that they must be willed to us. There is a good chance that you inherited your father’s rather rare ability, simply by being born. That was the reason that the Headmaster went to retrieve you himself. It is also the reason that Vali would be after you. He needs a World Jumper and your father has skillfully eluded him. How exactly, I am not sure. I believe that answers your other questions, as well. No one knows where he is, but he is alive, and you can take solace in that.”
“And my father?” asked Bailey.
“Throughout their lives the two of them were never apart. I suspect that wherever they are, they are still together,” said the werecat.
Charlie and Bailey looked at each other in a way they never had before. So much information had been shared with them in such a short amount of time. Charlie walked over and slumped down in a couch in front of the hearth, looking up at Bailey as she walked over to join him. “So now we wait, eh, Bailey?” Charlie said, reaching out to take her hand. “Joelle, can you tell us anything about the trials and what to expect?”
Joelle raised her head from her plush cushion. “It is a test; a test of will, strength and courage. It is a test of honor, and finally of ability. That is the most important thing to remember. You will each find your ability in the test, but it is the last thing that will tested. The council will be watching closely at how you act in terms of will, strength, courage, and honor. These human qualities can be more important than your abilities, as they indicate how you will most likely use them. More than that, I dare not say. I don’t want to hurt you by giving you too much confidence. That is one thing you must not enter the trials with. Be on your guard and stay on your guard.
“Now it is getting late, and I am old and weary. Off to bed with you. Give me some peace.”
Each thanked the werecat and retired to their respective bed chambers to get some rest for the weekend ahead, and their trials looming before them.
Chapter Five
A Weekend to Gather the Past
Dawn came too early for Charlie, when Bailey shook him from a vivid dream about a gang of dusty Egyptian mummies that had come to life.
“Come on, Charlie, get up,” she whispered looking quickly around the dormitory at the rows and rows of sleeping boys. “We’re going home to visit, remember? We need to get ready.” It occurred to Charlie that the life that they shared together, their innocence, their very childhood, was in one sense over now. The morning on the pond had only been a few days ago, yet it felt like years. The situation was upsetting. “Charlie, come on! I want to see my mom. I’m sure your mom can’t wait to see you, either.” Charlie grabbed the sheets out of Bailey’s hands, squinted at her, and then looked out the window and back again at Bailey.
“Are you aware that the sun isn’t up yet? What time is it, five in the morning?” Charlie said.
Bailey responded by stuffing clothes into Charlie’s still unpacked bag. “Did you forget we were leaving today? My God, Charlie, what would you do without me?” A chill ran the length of Charlie’s body. The thought of ever losing Bailey was far too intense for Charlie to bear. “So will it be red or blue boxers today?” She giggled. Having her handle his underwear was one thing Charlie just couldn’t stand.
He jumped out of bed and yanked his undergarments from Bailey. “Hands off my undies! And now, if you don’t mind, you need to go and I need to change.”
“Oh, stop being such a baby and get ready. My God, we used to take baths together.”
“That was a very, very long time ago Bailey!”
Bailey shrugged nonchalantly, and headed out of the boys’ dormitory. “And don’t be late for breakfast. I really don’t want to deal with you on an empty stomach. You’re not exactly pleasant in the early morning, you know,” she shouted over her shoulder, as she exited the dormitory, closing the door with a bang.
Mick shot up and glared at Charlie. “Geez, mate, do ya have to be so loud on a Saturday morning?” He looked out the window. “The bloody sun isn’t even out yet. What’s going on?”
“Bailey and I are going home this weekend for a bit. I thought we told you. We really didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to our parents the night we left. It was all kinda sudden. We’re going today with some Order members.”
“Order members? What, like bodyguards?” Mick eyed him quizzically while he scratched at his wild hair.
“Yeah, I guess. Didn’t they do that for you?”
“No one I know of has ever gotten a personal guard. Ever. The Headmaster must think you’re very important.” Mick swung his legs over the side of his bed and landed in his slippers. “And if he is that concerned, then I’m going with you. I mean, look at you. How would you ever fight off an attack? You need someone to keep you out of trouble, and Bailey here will just get you into it!” Mick quickly began packing his own bag. “Oh and by the way, I’d lose the red boxers. Gives the wrong impression.”
The dormitory door creaked open, and the Headmaster stepped in. “Charlie, I did not believe Bailey when she told me you were not yet up. I now find an apology to her is in order. I am not accustomed to being wrong.” He smiled warmly. “I assumed, as did she, that you would want to make the most of your time with your mother, or at the very least enjoy a brief breakfast with me before departing. Now I am fearful that if we delay much more Bailey may well eat all of those raspberry tartlets I do so enjoy. Are you packed and ready?”
“Bailey packed for me. Most of my clothes are still at home.” Charlie straightened up. “I’m ready Professor.”
“Very well, Charlie…”
“Excuse me, sir,” interrupted Mick.
“Yes Mick, how may I be of assistance?”
“Professor, Charlie is my mate. It sounds to me like he’s going to be in some danger. I want to go with him and Bailey. I might not do much against the Vanari, but I want to go all the same. I feel like I’m supposed to… somehow.”
“I already assumed you would be going. Joelle informed me of your chat last night, and she felt sure that you would make this request. I would never presume to stand between friends. Pack your things, boys, and meet me in my study. And please do get a move on if you wish to have a raspberry tartlet. They disappear as we speak.” He swooped out of the room, nimbly for an old man, his gray robes billowing behind him.
“Blimey, I really didn’t think he was going to go for it.”
“Well, I’m glad he did. Thanks for volunteering. Let’s go. He wasn’t kidding about Bailey.” The two boys shouldered their bags, and hustled down to Professor Grayson’s study.
They arrived at the great wooden doors out of breath. The Headmaster and Bailey were waiting outside. “It seems that we have finished the morning spread without you. However, I have phoned your mothers and they are preparing a marvelous breakfast for you three, so no need to worry. Both your parents are very excited to see you again.” Three men and a woman appeared, heavy steel toe boots clanking loudly on the stone floor of the hall. “Your guard has arrived,” Grayson said, pointing. “This rather large specimen on the right is Marley. He is a captain in the Manserian Guard. He normally watches over the council.” The man stood seven feet tall, and was built like one of those horses from the beer commercials, from his feet to the long mane-like hair tied behind his head. His bulging muscles seemed to move independently of their owner. A long scar snaked from his left temple to the right corner of his lip. He nodded to the children and spoke in a deep, rough and baleful voice.
“Pleasure.” The words he spoke were pleasant enough, but his tone spoke of a warrior who was pulled from the battle field to babysit some kids. “These two fellows are Simo
n and Silace, the telepathic twins. They tend to talk to each other and forget that the rest of us can’t hear them. And this young woman with the very long, non-regulation hair is Pricilla. She…”
“Celli, if you don’t mind.” Charlie and Mick melted. Her liquid voice entranced them. Her long blond hair, small, perfect features and deep brown eyes left Mick visibly drooling.
” That, ” said Marley , “is why I prefer you not speak. And in my company it is Pricilla. I want no repeats of what happened last time. Look at those two! A single phrase from you and they’re babbling idiots.” He smacked Mick and Charlie in the back of the head. “Pricilla is a mind changer, an Influencearian, but she also was born with the same rare gift that Helen of Troy had. Her very presence makes weak men do her bidding. Are you weak?”
Both boys looked like a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown on them. “No sir,” replied Mick. “We are not. It won’t happen again, sir.”
“See that it doesn’t. And Pricilla, I will not baby-sit two mindless idiots all weekend. We are here to protect you, but we are also here to protect our world. No breaches of the Security Act. Do not make my job any harder than it is. Understood? Good. Now, if the twins are ready, they will take us to your parents. Simon will take the children. Silace, you take the guard.”
“You are in good hands here,” whispered the Headmaster. “Marley is the best Guardian we have, we are very lucky that he still owes me for a prank he pulled during his time at Thornfield. Keep safe and good luck.” The Headmaster turned abruptly back into his study in search of any remaining pastries.
“Very well, let’s do this.” Simon said. “The Guard will go first. Silace, if you will,” Simon said, adjusting a gold watch on his wrist to match that on Silace’s. An electric blue bubble encircled the group, and with a pop, the three guards disappeared.
