“’Do you like dogs?’ she asked me. ‘Personally, I think they’re better than people. More loyal. Certainly smarter.’
“I just stood there, staring like an idiot. Here before me was the great Oracle of Manisalia. People spoke of her wisdom all over the world. Kings and lords bowed to her will. In fact, she was the very reason I was now a lord instead of wasting away back at the Temple of Saraf. The woman had the ear of the entire known world, and here she was, barefoot on the floor, playing with a mongrel puppy. It wasn’t exactly inspiring.”
Gewey grinned, trying to imagine the scene.
“She looked at me and smiled. Her skin was flawless, as if age could not touch her; but if the stories about her were true, then she must have been very old. Her jet-black hair was tied back in a loose braid, showing no hint of gray. Her eyes were sky blue and twinkled in the dim light. When she met my gaze, I felt small and insignificant- as though she had turned me into a child.
“’I take it I’m not what you expected,’ she said. ‘Would you feel better if I have my assistant come in and chant in an ancient language? She knows one. She’s a very bright young girl.’ Clearly, the Oracle was having fun with me. ‘I guess you want to know what I told poor Dauvis about you.’
“I sat in front of her on one of the pillows and told her my story. She listened patiently, but I had the feeling that she knew what I was going to say before I said it. Still, it felt good to tell someone. When I finished, she stood up and got a bowl of figs from the corner and we sat in silence and ate. When we finished eating, she reached over and put her hand on my cheek.
“’So young, yet so strong,’ she said, her voice soft and melodic. ‘You’ve been through a lot, but there is much more to come. First it’s time you knew who you are, and why I told Dauvis to care for you.’
“I remember how nervous I was, but I thought I was ready to hear it.
“’You are the son of Saraf, God of the Sea,’ she told me.
“I was speechless. I couldn’t believe what she was saying. I refused to. I wanted to leave, but the Oracle leaned forward and grabbed my wrist. Her strength was surprising.
“’I know it’s hard to understand,’ she said, ‘but it’s true. Saraf seduced your mother eighteen years ago. How it happened and why he did it, I don’t know. Perhaps one day, if you see your mother again, she can tell you. But that part of the story hasn’t been revealed to me.’
“She released me and picked up the puppy that had been lying quietly beside her. ‘One day you will be given a great treasure, and you will have to leave your whole life behind to protect this treasure. If you refuse, or if you fail, darkness will consume the world. You have been chosen because of who and what you are. Your courage and wisdom will be put to the test, but if you face the challenge, you can save us all. What the treasure is, I do not know; but once you touch it for the first time, you will have no doubts, and you will know what to do. The only question will be if you’re willing to do it. The cost will be great, and once paid, your life will never be the same. Until then, you must train your mind and body. As the son of Saraf, you can achieve things far beyond the abilities of normal men. You have power you’ve never dreamed of, and the time is coming when you’ll need it.’
“She lowered her eyes and stroked the sleeping puppy. I expected her to say something else, but she just sat there silently.
“‘Is that it?’ I asked, but she just continued petting that bloody puppy. Finally, I got up and left the pavilion, not sure what to believe. None of it made sense to me.
“For the next few years I tried to forget about what she told me, and lived the life of a Hazrahinian lord. But the more I tried to forget, the more miserable I became. I renewed the search for my mother, but once again came up empty-handed. I thought if I found her, she could tell me it was all lies, and I could feel normal again. Eventually I decided it was time to begin training for what was to come, even though I had no idea what exactly that was.
“It turned out that the Oracle was right. As I trained, I discovered that I was stronger and faster than other men. It took me mere weeks to learn new sword techniques that took other people years to master. My eyesight was sharper and my hearing keener. The more I trained, the more I came to believe the Oracle; but it wasn’t until I first saw you that I knew for a fact she had told me the truth.”
Lee stood up and stretched his legs. He walked over to where he had tied his horse, and stroked its mane.
“My father said you first saw me when I was a baby,” said Gewey. “He said you came down to buy horses, though he really didn’t believe that. He also said he thought I was the reason you moved to Sharpstone.”
Lee laughed softly. “Harman always was a bright one,” he said. “And he was right. Looking back, I wish I had confided in him more. But at the time, it seemed safer to keep him in the dark.” He walked back to the blanket and knelt down. “The truth is it was I that had Millet bring you to your father. I knew I couldn’t keep you safe. A lord showing up out of nowhere with a child…it would draw too much attention. Millet disguised himself as a merchant, and told your father he had found you in the wreckage of a raided caravan. I knew your father’s heart, and was sure he’d take you in.”
“If all this is true, then how did you end up with me in the first place?” asked Gewey. “How did my father come into this? And why has it all been such a secret?”
“I was just getting to that,” he replied. “Be patient and I’ll tell you.”
Gewey sighed and motioned for Lee to continue.
“I trained for years, preparing myself,” said Lee. “But for what, I still didn’t know. By the time I was twenty-eight I had learned everything the local masters had to teach, so I ventured out in search of anyone who could train me. It was on one of those trips that I met your father.
“He had left Sharpstone in search of his fortune. He was courting your mother at the time. Your grandfather had left him little in the way of a living, so he left home hoping to find work as a man at arms. With what he saved, he hoped to buy a farm and earn the right to marry your mother. I think she would have married him regardless, but Harman was a proud man, and he couldn’t imagine taking a wife without the means to support her.
“When I first encountered your father, I was making my way around the eastern end of the Razor Edge Mountains, on my way back to Hazrah. I had just finished studying under a sword master in Vallhavin, and had stopped for the night in a small village. What I didn’t know was that this particular village was home to a band of raiders and cutthroats that had been wreaking havoc in every town and village for a hundred miles. I was sitting in the common room of the inn, sharing a bottle of wine with Millet. He always came with me on these trips-he’s convinced that I can’t take care of myself-and to tell the truth, there were times I would have gone mad but for his company. Earlier I had heard talk of a sword-master and battle strategist somewhere in the northwest near the steppes; I was trying to decide whether to cancel my trip home and seek him out, when I noticed two men huddled in the corner staring at me.
“At once I knew their intentions. One of the abilities I had discovered was that I can sense when someone means harm. Sometimes, I can almost hear their thoughts. I immediately told Millet to go to our room and wait for me there.
“I didn’t have to wait long. As soon as Millet headed for the room, one of the men got up and followed him. I wasn’t wearing my sword and, for all his accomplishments, Millet is no warrior. I stood up and pretended not to notice that the other man still watched me as I walked towards the bar. As fast as I could, I grabbed a mug off a table and flung it at the man in the corner. It hit him squarely in the throat and he fell over gasping. I ran upstairs and saw the other man drawing a knife as he knocked at my door. I charged in, trying to get to him before Millet could answer, but the man saw me coming and ran down the hall to the back steps. Foolishly, I chased after him.
“By the time I caught up to him he had made it out the back ent
rance and was headed across the street to a nearby house. I reached out to grab for him when I felt a pain shoot through my left shoulder. It took a second for me to realize I’d been struck by an arrow. Three more men-one carrying a bow-jumped out from around the side of the house. I was unarmed, wounded, and out-numbered, and all I could think was that the bloody Oracle was wrong after all.
“I thought I was about to die right there in the street, but suddenly, out of nowhere, your father stepped in front of me, swinging his sword wildly. I think it was the sheer ferocity of his attack that saved us, being that his skills with a blade were crude at best. Later, he told me his father had served the King as a soldier and had taught him basic sword fighting when he was a boy, but he had never learned much beyond that. The men turned and ran, and your father, being a much wiser man than I, did not chase after them. Instead, he helped me back to the inn where he and Millet tended my wounds. The innkeeper warned us about the raiders, saying that they would definitely return and that we should leave as soon possible. Millet fussed and complained about me traveling wounded, but there was no choice. Your father came with us, and I hired him as a bodyguard. I introduced myself to him as Lee Starfinder-not Nal’Thain. In those days I never traveled under the name of my crest.
“I decided not to return to Hazrah, and headed west to seek out the sword master. As it turned out, the attack did me some good. The wound took only two weeks to heal. I kept this from your father, of course, but it was more proof of my heritage.
“I eventually found the sword master and studied under him for a year. When my studies were done, your father told me he wanted to go home. He had saved enough money to buy a small farm and take his bride. He feared if he waited any longer that she might marry another. I’m sure your father told you, but she was quite beautiful; even so, I don’t think she would have married anyone else even if he’d stayed away ten years. She truly loved him. I was sorry to see him go, but I knew from the look in his eyes that he was determined. I didn’t see him again for many years.
“I eventually returned home for good, or so I thought. I continued training myself, as there were no more masters left to teach me. Life went on as normal, and I found myself becoming forgetful of what the oracle had told me.
“It was the night of a massive blizzard when Millet woke me and told me a messenger from the Oracle was waiting in my study to see me. I went downstairs and, to my surprise, found the young girl who had once led me to the pavilion all those years ago. Though she was no longer a young girl, I recognized her right away. She looked frightened and was shivering from the cold. In her arms, she held a baby wrapped in linen.
“‘It’s time,’ she said.
“‘What do you mean?’ I asked, knowing perfectly well what she meant.
“She didn’t say another word. She just walked up, placed you in my arms, and ran out, disappearing into the storm.”
Gewey’s jaw tightened. “Let me get this straight,” he said. “I was dumped off in a storm in the middle of the night, and you decided I was the treasure, just like that. You then left me with my father, and moved hundreds of miles to Sharpstone to watch over me. And now, for whatever bizarre reason, some evil being is on our trail. Have I missed anything?”
“Don’t make light of this,” Lee scolded. “I have sacrificed much, and you will listen to what I have to say.”
“Fine,” said Gewey, raising no objection.
Lee continued. “Like I said, when the girl handed you to me I had no idea what was happening. I looked down at you sleeping in my arms, and remembered what the Oracle said: when the time came, I would know what to do. Well, I didn’t, at least not until I pulled back the blanket you were wrapped in and touched your face with my finger. It was then that I understood why you are so important. The second I touched your skin, I knew what you really are.” Lee paused and leaned in, “You are a god, Gewey,” he said, “In fact, you are the only child ever born from the union of two gods.”
Gewey burst into laughter. “You’re crazy,” he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “And to think I was starting to believe you! I actually left my farm trusting that you might know something.”
Lee frowned. “There is one way to show you,” he said. He walked over to Gewey, and reached out his hand.
“What’s this?” asked Gewey, clearly amused.
“Take my hand,” said Lee.
Gewey hesitated.
“Just do it,” said Lee. “If this doesn’t make you believe me, you can go home and forget everything I’ve said.”
Gewey shrugged. “Fine,” he said, taking Lee’s hand.
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. Time stood still, and Gewey felt as if the whole universe had opened up. He could see straight into Lee’s mind, and in that moment he knew everything Lee had told him was true. He let go of Lee’s hand, shaking from the experience.
“The first time is the worst,” Lee said. “After a while, you’ll learn to control it. It’s how those of us carrying the blood of a god can recognize one another. There are others like me-half man, half god. I’ve met a few of them. But you’re different. You’re full blooded. One of a kind.”
Gewey still couldn’t speak. The idea was more than he could handle, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. He awoke with Lee kneeling over him, smiling broadly.
“Boy, if you’re going to be any kind of god, we can’t have you passing out,” said Lee, and he began laughing uncontrollably.
Gewey managed to sit up, still feeling lightheaded and a bit embarrassed.
“How can this be?” asked Gewey. “I haven’t got the power of a god. I bleed, I sleep, and I eat; what kind of god does all that?”
“One who’s bound to the earth,” answered Lee. “I don’t have all the answers, but I have learned much. I’ve searched books all across the land, looking for answers to the very questions you ask. Some I’ve found, but others are still a mystery. Like me, you’re stronger and faster than normal men; and like me, you can see and hear better. But I’m only half god. Some things I can teach you, but discovering your true power is something you’re going to have to do on your own.”
Gewey got to his feet. “Let’s say I believe you,” he said. “Why are we running? The voice in my dream…if I’m a god, why should I fear it?”
Lee’s eyes narrowed. “What do you know about the Dark Knight of Angraal?” he asked in an ominous tone.
Gewey shrugged and said, “Rumors mostly. I’ve heard he’s a thousand years old, that he slays children in the night. To be honest, I’ve always ignored them. I figured they were just stories meant to frighten children.”
“As far as being a thousand years old, I doubt it,” said Lee. “As far as killing children, I daresay he would without hesitation. Whatever you’ve heard, remember this: he is real. He’s the reason we’ve been brought together.” Lee looked at the sky. It was two
hours past sunrise. “We need to rest. I’ll tell you more once we set out this evening. In the meantime, sleep close to me. I should be able to stop the Dark Knight from entering your dreams.”
With that, Lee lay on his blanket and closed his eyes. Gewey’s head was buzzing with questions, but he tried to follow Lee’s example. He began to feel fatigue seeping into his bones, and- God or no God-he needed rest like anyone else. He was about to ask Lee one final question, but heard him breathing deeply and steadily. Gewey couldn’t imagine how he could fall asleep so fast, especially with all this excitement. It took him more than two hours before sleep came, and thankfully, the dream didn’t return.
Chapter 4
Gewey awoke an hour before sunset. Lee was nearly finished breaking camp. Gewey packed his own gear and ate the rest of the bread he had brought. When they were ready to leave, Lee mounted his horse and motioned for Gewey to do the same.
“There’s a hunting trail a mile west of here that will lead us to the crossing,” Lee said. “We should get there just after dark.”
“I thought you were goi
ng to tell me about the Dark Knight,” said Gewey.
“We can talk along the way,” Lee replied. “I don’t want to be caught sitting in the open too long. It could be dangerous.”
Gewey nodded and mounted his horse. The forest had thinned, enabling them once again to ride, and it wasn’t long before they found the trail.
“You said you’d heard of the Dark Knight of Angraal,” Lee began. “That’s good. It’s because of him we’re doing this. He’s the reason darkness has spread throughout the land. You’re old enough to remember the Long Freeze.”
“I remember,” answered Gewey. “I almost starved.”
“It was a sign of the Dark Knight’s power growing,” Lee continued. “I don’t know much about him, unfortunately, but I know that he’s stolen the Sword of Truth. With it, he’s locked the door to heaven; and as he masters the use of his power, his corrupting influence changes the world.”
“The Sword of Truth?” said Gewey. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“I’m not surprised,” Lee replied. “Knowledge of the sword has been a closely guarded secret for thousands of years. Only a few people-members of certain temples, and perhaps a handful of scholars-know of its existence. I only stumbled upon it by accident, studying from a collection of rare books that Lord Dauvis had left me. Apparently, the sword was forged at the time of creation. It was meant to be a key to the door between heaven and earth. Why the gods would make such a thing, I don’t know. But whoever possesses it acquires great and terrible power-a power not meant for mortal men.”
“How did he get it?” asked Gewey. “You would think a thing like that would be protected.”
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