by Hoyt, Joshua
He saw a man off in the distance. His smile broadened as he neared the man. The man was even brighter than the room that was around him. Tom began to jog as he recognized the man who held open his arms in front of him. Tom embraced the man with all of his strength and he felt the man do the same.
Tom began to feel anxious as he stood in the arms of the man.
“What about my friends?” he asked.
The man looked down into Tom’s face. “They will continue,” he said.
Tom released the embrace and looked up into the man’s face. “But will they be well?”
A tear began to fall from the man’s eye. “Tom, we all influence those around us and affect the things that happen to one another. If you were to stay and not go back that will affect your friends.”
“But what will happen to them?” Tom asked. Again the anxiety grew stronger.
The man paused for a moment. “A storm is beginning in your land. One that is bigger than has ever touched its surface before. Your friends will be in that storm; I can not tell you how you affect that storm or what will happen to your friends in that storm.”
The man pulled from under his robes a glass rose. “To some the rose represents the ultimate sacrifice. It is a delicate flower and must be watched over if it is to show its true beauty.”
The man slowly played with the glass rose in his hand, the dark red color standing out against the white all around them.
“The plant is nourished and pruned tirelessly to create the perfect bloom,” he said.
“The real question you need to be asking Tom is whether or not you have what it takes to be the rose?” the man spoke softly.
The anxiety was at a climax within Tom’s body. His mind began to race and the peace that he felt had gone away. He looked up at the man again. “I...I don’t want to hurt any more. I’m tired of hurting, I’m tired of losing loved ones, I’m tired.”
Tom slowly sank to his knees and the man placed his hand on his shoulder. “I know Tom, which is why it is you who must choose. It is given to you to make the choice of staying or going.”
The anxiety in Tom’s stomach began to be replaced with a different kind of peace. He felt as if he had a renewal of strength that came from much deeper inside him than he had experienced when coming to this new place. He slowly raised his head up and looked into the man’s eyes. “I’m ready now.”
The man smiled, warmly raising Tom up from the ground. “Tom, remember that when we have lost all hope and we can’t go on it is at those times we are able to show our real worth. The road will be long and hard but I believe in you.”
The man passed his hand across Tom’s eyes and Tom closed his eyes.
Chapter 25:
“Aaaaah,” Tom screamed.
The sudden shift from no pain to extreme pain was so severe that Tom’s face went white with agony and he nearly passed out again on top of the rubble. He clenched his jaw and pushed himself up from the pile. The noise of the battling all around him was deafening. Tom wiped his face trying to remove some of the blood.
Concentrating on the pile of rubble, he felt a new force that was now in him. It was fueled by the hope and determination that he brought with him from the white room he had just come from. Tom raised his hands and the rocks slowly began to follow suite.Tom moved the pile away from the two forms lying beneath it.
“Aithnea,” Tom said softly.
Aithnea and Kristiana were both lying still on the ground. When Tom reached Aithnea’s side he gasped in shock and relief. There were no signs that she had been smashed by the pile of rocks and rubble. Her chest rose slowly as she breathed in and out. Tom knelt down next to her, touching her softly on the shoulder and shaking her gently.
“Tom, are you ok?” Cody asked.
Tom turned and saw that John and Cody were pulling Caspin in his human form toward him.
“I’m fine,” Tom said quietly as he turned back to Aithnea.
“Tom do you know where…” John started.
John rushed to Tom and began to check on Kristiana. “They’re still alive,” he said.
“Yes they are,” Tom said.
“We really need to be going now,” Tanya said as she ran up to the group.
“Kristiana and Aithnea are down,” Cody said.
John looked at Tom. “What happened?”
Tom grabbed Aithnea’s hand and held it tight. “I don’t know what happened. The building began to fall on them and I forced energy toward them hoping to block it. Then I... I moved the pile of rubble off and this is how I found them.”
John picked Kristiana up gently and held her in his arms. Tom lovingly picked Aithnea up into his arms holding her close. I can’t lose you. I came back for you.
John turned to Cody and Tanya, “Can you two manage Caspin?”
Cody had already begun lifting the big man and Tanya stepped into help. “I think we can manage,” Cody said.
Tom looked around at the courtyard and saw that only bodies of men and elves remained. “What happened?” he asked.
John followed Tom’s gaze. “There was some sort of explosion.... somewhere. I’m not quite sure what happened. We were surrounded, and then the explosion, and then there was chaos everywhere. Cody, Tanya and I cleared the courtyard easily.” John looked around the courtyard.
“I don’t think that they’ll stay away for long though, we should go to the library to see if it is still standing,” Tanya said. “We need to be going.”
John started walking, picking his way through the fallen debris and the bodies that were strewn across the courtyard. Tom started after him grunting slightly from the weight of Aithnea and the fatigue that had returned. Tanya led the way through the streets toward the library the whole time avoiding pockets of fighting. Tom was surprised to see that many of the men were not only fighting Tanya’s people but the dark elves as well. There were also dark elves fighting each other and to Tom’s greatest surprise Tanya’s people were also fighting one another.
Tanya stopped. “I’m not sure who we’re fighting any more. It’s as if they have all been bewitched and they don’t care who they are killing,” she said sorrowfully.
Cody put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry Tanya. I wish that we could help them somehow. This must be very difficult for you.”
Tanya watched another elf fall and looked away. “I... I don’t understand what has happened…” Tanya brushed a tear away, “… My mother must be dead.”
Cody squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll find out what has happened and correct this.”
Tanya looked at Cody and gave him a weak smile. “Thank you, that would mean a lot to me. I thank you all for your companionship. I have felt so alone for so long and now I feel as if I have a family once again.” Tanya held their gazes for a short moment and then they continued across a street to a large building. The building had taken some damage from the quake but still appeared to be safe enough to enter.
Tanya hurried up the stairs to the building. “It’s still standing. This is the library of the white tree. I hope that we find the answers that you are seeking here.”
The companions hurried into the building, stepping over debris that had fallen from upper stories and the ceiling. Tom’s jaw went slack as he looked at all of the books. The books were strewn across the floor where many of the free standing shelves had fallen to the ground. It looked as if a giant tornado had ripped through the building, destroying much of the furniture and books.
Aithnea murmured slightly as Tom tried to balance her in his arms and climb over the debris at the same time.
Tanya continued to lead the group through the building until they reached a small door that was closed. “This is where all of the oldest and most sacred books are kept,” she said pointing at the door. “I’m not sure how we’ll get through though, it’s locked with great magic and can only be opened by the guiding mother,” her voice faltered when mentioning her mother.
John turned and looked at Tom. “Is the
re anything you can do?”
Tom gently sat Aithnea on the ground and leaned her back against the wall. She’s so beautiful “I can’t do this on my own Aithnea,” he whispered loud enough for her only. He looked at her with a tear forming in the corner of his eye. He lowered his head feeling the overwhelming pressure and strain of responsibility.
An image began to make its way into his mind as he knelt next to her. He was back at the cabin where the morning rays where beginning to first push back the darkness. Aithnea was there, enveloped within his embrace. He could feel her warm breath on his chest and her hair tickling his nose.
He smiled realizing where his true strength lied. He stood and walked toward the small door and began to visualize a single red rose. He put his hand out toward the door and it began to glow softly. The door slowly swung open and a rush of air swept past the companions.
Tom’s jaw dropped in surprise as he looked into the room. At the head of a table sat an old man with long white hair. He was wearing simple black robes. Around his neck hung a necklace with a red rose attached to it. The man was smiling as he looked back at Tom.
Epilogue:
As the tears rolled down the cheeks of the old man the sun started to set, its protecting light slowly fading off his leathery skin. He was on all fours as he slowly crawled from the house. He had little strength left, barely able to hold himself up. As he listened to the raspy breath that escaped his lips he was reminded of what he had become. This can’t be the end he thought, as he slowly wiped the tears and blood from his face. He fell, too weak to go on. His face drained of color because of the loss of blood. “This can’t be the end,” he gasped.
As the last of the protective rays of sun retreated behind the hills, a young looking man stepped out of the doorway. The dim light that remained reflected off the dark blood that he slowly licked from his lips.
The old man, barely breathing, fell the remainder of the way to the ground in a heap. The sound of his breathing was raspy and ragged. “Pharos,” the man gasped.
Pharos bent down closer to the man wiping the remainder of the blood from his mouth. “Yes, old man?” he said dryly.
Lifting his head slightly the old man said, “You’re too late. The process has already begun.”
Pharos’s smile faded as he studied the limp lifeless body of the old man. Turning he looked into the dark doorway. “Alerio, you must act quickly before it’s too late.”
About The Author
Joshua Hoyt is currently working as a School Psychologist in Arizona. He has four children and has been married for 14 years. He has a Masters in Counseling and an ED. S. in School Psychology. Josh enjoys gaming, camping, gardening, salt water fish, writing and most of all spending time with his family.
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