Alac landed at a prudent distance from the dragon and aimed his spear at it. “Who are you and why are you here? Speak, or I will have to attack you with my spear. I am the God of Light, Alac—”
“—Arc Ángelo,” the beast finished in a metallic voice that ringed like the sound of a sword unsheathed with speed. “I know, dear one, I know. You are here by the grace of those who protect you, and they will help you get out. This is no ordinary dimension, nor is it a false world; you are in nothing less than Tempus Frontus, the Frontier of Time. You were brought here after they prevented the being who sought to murder you from kidnapping you. If it had not been for the Naevas Aedán warrior who accompanies you, you would be dead.”
Alac felt clumsy. He had threatened a divine being. The spear, the shield, and the armor vanished. Dressed once again in his rags, he gathered his wings behind him. He readied himself to listen to whatever else the dragon had to tell him. He changed his behavior and willingly submitted like a student would to a master he respects.
“It was thanks to the Naevas Aedán that the beings of the Celestial Divinity could find you and bring you here so that you could complete your metamorphosis.” The dragon paused to let its words sink in.
“You are unique, Alac, the only one of your kind. Those of the Celestial Divinity deciphered the formula to create you and have not paused until they brought you back. Had it not been for your experiences as a child, when you were Manchego, you would not be the charismatic being you are now. You would have the greatest fault of the Gods: they neither feel love nor have the capacity for it.”
The dragon swallowed. Metallic scales moved like small knives. It put out its forked tongue to lick its muzzle. “Evil advances every day,” the divine creature went on, “and there are evil agents who have tried to get in here to eliminate you once and for all. But you are well protected by me. I am your servant: Nordost.”
The dragon bowed its head and long neck in reverence, showing its spiky back. A servant? Alac was dumbstruck. How could such a threatening dragon with metallic spiky scales serve him and not the other way around? There was much to learn, many mysteries to unravel to fully comprehend the scope of the dragon’s words.
Alac was stunned. “Wait a minute. You know too much about me. Who are you? And secondly: who are these beings of the Celestial Divinity?” Of all the questions he had, these are the first two he considered were of the highest priority. There were many more to ask. For example, why did Ramancia have the nut that became Teitú?
Nordost gave two clear guffaws of laughter. “We have been watching you, protecting you, looking after you for your entire life. From the moment of your birth, we left you in the care of a being of excellence: Eromes the Perpetuator. If only he had not died. He would have been an excellent grandfather but we did not think evil would find him. His death was a price we were ready to pay as long as you were safe. He gave himself up.”
There was a silence of mourning. “Thanks to him and Lulita, who looked after you like a mother, you survived. Your biological mother died at the hands of evil. Perhaps one day you will find out more about her. I am not the one chosen to reveal the details of your origin. Whatever the case, son of good fortune, we have taken care of you ever since you were born. You are the most precious being and the hope that will defeat the Darkness. We need you.”
Alac was still confused. “Me? Wait. But then, all this time I’ve been part of a higher plan?”
“That is so,” Nordost replied. “For thousands of years, we have watched the activities of evil. Ever since the Times of Chaos, our enemies have been trying to come back, and they have managed to do so through one of their servants. That is why we have formulated a plan to stop them.”
Alac was not satisfied. His emotions were beginning to override his reason. “You’ve always manipulated me. I’m a toy in the hands of—of some superior beings I don’t even know. I only wanted to be a normal child, to play with my friends, and be with my loved ones. I miss them all: Lulita, Luchy, my animals. I miss being on the farm and living like the teenager I could never be.
“You’ve taken away everything that belonged to me so that some enlightened beings could fulfill their grand plans. It’s not fair!” Alac clenched his fists. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Nordost remained respectfully silent before replying. “You are right, Alac. All the same, you must understand that without you, all those people and places you love would be lost. The destruction of the Meridian is imminent, and afterward, our enemies will continue with the rest of the universe. We must stop them at once, or else we will all be in deep trouble.”
“But—”
“But nothing!” the dragon snapped with sternness both in its voice and its expression. The scales like knives stood up on end like an angry cat, only a thousand times worse.
Manchego took a step back, ashamed.
“You must make a decision,” Nordost went on more calmly, “and at this very moment. If you reject the mission we have entrusted to you, you will remain in Tempus Frontus without protection. But if you wish to get out of here, you must do so with the promise to fight for the universe. I know that in your heart, there is a place for the love of your life, that girl you still love, and that grandmother who suffers for her lost grandson. To help them is to help yourself, do you understand? It is the only way to save the world, Alac. A man can only save the world if he saves himself first. Never forget that.
“Come now! May your will burn with the desire to right your wrongs! You have suffered more than anyone, and it is time now to regain what is yours.”
Alac was impressed. He imagined Luchy suffering in a world devastated by the spells of evil; he imagined his granny staring blankly, trying to decipher what on earth had become of her grandson; he imagined all those women, all those men who grieved day and night for the loss of their loved ones. Something burst inside him, he felt a new surge of enthusiasm. The words of the dragon were very wise.
“I’ve made my decision: I’ll fight. But wait, I have so many more questions to ask before I leave this place! You seem to know a lot. You could help me.”
Nordost smiled. “Your questions will have to wait, young one. Even though time does not pass here, it still does in the rest of the universe, which means evil spreads as we speak. We must be swift! You must leave at once.”
Alac shifted in his feet. As he did so, he suddenly felt like Manchego again. The young boy came forward, scared and insecure. He looked at Teitú, and found in him the resolve he needed. Alac, the god within the young boy, sprung forward and took control again. The blend of both personalities was seamless.
“I will go. Show me the way out,” said Alac with precision.
“There you are. I perceive the passion that burns in you. It is that fire that will carry you in the most difficult times—and those moments will come. Do not forget the child within you, Manchego, as his sensitive soul will be of vital use during trying times when emotions are much needed. You will meet people and beings who will try to make you stray from your path, but you must never give up and never lose the enthusiasm which now moves you. Remember: you are the God of Light, act as such. Well now, to get out of here, you need intelligence rather than strength.”
The dragon looked around and went on to explain that world. “We are in Tempus Frontus, or the Frontier of Time, which is an artificial world between dimensions created by the Beings of the Celestial Divinity. They created this place after the Times of Chaos with one purpose: to create a shelter away from the goings-on of the universe. It is not immune. But it is thus far unreached by the enemy. There are few ways of gaining access to this world and anyone who reaches it without an invitation will have to deal with me. I am the protector of this wonderful, secret space.
“The portal you see beyond,” he said, indicating an arch over the platform, “is the vortex that spins without weakening within the arch. It is a portal that connects to another world. There are thousands like this one scattered throughout
the universe. Each portal has a specific destination. Portals are powerful and magical creations, used by beings with the power to move rapidly through spacetime.
“Most portals exist in a dimension called the Interim. That is not a tangible dimension, nor is it habitable for living creatures. It is, so to speak, an intermediary between the material and the immaterial, where doomed spirits dwell. The Interim is accessible to beings of high power who can move through dimensions.
“There are thousands of portals, as many as there are galaxies and planets, moons, and artificial worlds like this one. There are portals all over the universe that were created by arcane beings to generate a network of avenues and pathways between planets and galaxies. Most of the existing portals are considered permanent. That is, when they were created thousands of years ago, it was intended that they should remain open for all eternity. A portal can be destroyed, or closed, only with the same amount of energy that was used to create it.
“Mages, sorcerers of high power, gods, and all the dragons possess the ability to create a portal. Doing so entails the use of a great deal of energy, so much so that most of us prefer to create a momentary portal which closes after being used to save energy.”
“I can create a portal?” Alac asked.
Nordost smiled tenderly. “Someday, perhaps. No more questions. The moment has come for you to leave. Go carefully and trust your Naevas Aedán. When you cross the portal, you will come out in a place you already know.”
“Where?” Alac was surprised. He had grown up on the farm of his supposed grandparents and had never left San San-Tera. It had to be someplace close to home.
“I mean, the place where you planted the nut and your Naevas Aedán warrior germinated. Those dark caverns where you found Ramancia when she gave you a healing potion, where Eromes found you when you were a newborn baby. You will go back to that very place. The place is called Kanumorsus.”
“What are you saying? I never saw the portals! Wow, what a strange name! What does Kanumorsus mean?”
Nordost explained. “You did not see the portals because you were a young boy in the tangible dimension. Now you are in the Interim, you will be able to appreciate its vastness. As for the origin of Kanumorsus, I cannot reveal that to you. It is not the right moment, dear one.”
Alac was not satisfied. His questions only seemed to bring more mysteries in their train. “But this place, this Kanumorsus, emanated evil energy. How can I be going to an evil place after being here?”
“We had agreed you would leave immediately,” the dragon sighed. “I understand your pain and confusion. I will answer as I sense your soul requires some comforting. But understand, I cannot unravel everything all at once, for I fear it may break you. Listen, please understand.” The dragon grew weary. “One day you will know. For the moment, it is enough to know that Kanumorsus is in the world you grew up in. Go, do not tarry any longer, there is no time to lose, or else we will lose more than a war.”
Alac swallowed and turned to see Teitú, who was shining with a hesitant, sky-blue light.
“Am I going home?”
“You will appear in the Interim, Alac. You will be in the spirit dimension. You will be able to see living beings, but they will not be able to see you.”
“I am a spirit,” the young semi-god reasoned in puzzlement.
“That is so, Alac. For the moment, you are not tangible,” he snapped. The dragon was growing desperate.
“Then I’ll see all kinds of spirits who haven’t been absolved by the Goddess of Night, is that right?”
“You are indeed a curious one! A well-chosen warrior, but you tarry too long! Your assumption is correct. Accursed spirits, or those who have not been admitted to the Deep Azure of the Heavens, wander that place without protection,” the dragon said.
It all sounded too strange for the boy, but he could not lose himself in reflection. He would have time to think later on.
“Are you ready?” Alac asked his faithful follower.
I think so.
Alac took a deep breath. “Thank you for everything,” he said to Nordost. “I would love to see you again. You are an inspiration to me. Perhaps one day you might be able to visit us in our world?”
“I do not move from here, Alac. I am Nordost, the Watcher of Tempus Frontus. But you may come back whenever you wish.”
Alac made his way toward the portal within the great arch, but his mouth was full of questions and he could not leave without attempting to resolve them. “Excuse me. I know I have to leave and that the universe in part depends on me, but there are too many riddles I don’t understand. Are there any more dragons like you?” he asked without having been granted permission to speak.
“One day you will find out,” the dragon replied wearily.
“And will I ever be a normal person again?”
“Normal? You are a demigod.”
“I mean, will I be tangible again?” Alac explained.
“That depends on you, dear one. You are a spirit that has barely regained consciousness. To be tangible once again and go back to being a complete entity, you will have to find yourself.”
“What does finding myself mean? Here, I am … I’m who I am.”
The dragon was growing annoyed. It said, “And now you understand why I said those were enough questions. Many answers will be found in the course of the long and difficult path you must take. The day will come when a great challenge will need solving and that, perhaps, will give you more clues to tell you how to return to the tangible world. Now go, do not linger here any longer!”
“One more thing,” Alac asked nervously. “Will I ever meet the beings of the Celestial Divinity, the ones who reserved this destiny for me?”
“Maybe,” Nordost replied with a smile.
Alac returned the gesture. The dragon kept many secrets it could not tell. Without wasting more time, he took the first step toward the arch. He reached out his hand and remembered when he had dreamed about Mowriz all those years ago. He decided not to think anymore, and threw himself forward.
The arch swallowed him up.
Epilogue
Her eyes, green as emeralds, were admiring the sunset. On the edge of the horizon, she tried to find the trace of that teenager with whom she had shared so many moments of light. She was sad when the sun finished hiding. It was as if hope had vanished once again.
Three years had gone by since his disappearance. In this time, the girl had accepted certain things, such as the fact that she was in love with her best friend and that she would never forget his face with those inquisitive eyes and that shy smile. What a special boy.
If she had known he would vanish forever, she might have had the sense to have kissed him on the lips to feel his love, even if it were just once. But it was useless to keep going over that unsuccessful romance, it only caused her more pain. And yet, she could not help it.
Gone. She kissed the wind. Open lips meeting the vacancy of her love’s absence. The kiss flew, fluttering and tossed around by the wind.
“Oh, my dear girl,” Lulita said when she arrived at the Observatory. She kissed her on the forehead. “The pain will pass, you’ll see. In this life, you suffer so much that you learn to arm yourself with thick leather. Give yourself time.” But the grandmother knew there were things in life which time did not heal. You don’t heal. You never get over it. You get used to it, thought the grandmother.
“I have the feeling that he’s still alive,” Luchy muttered. “I feel it in my veins, in my heart.”
Lulita smiled weakly. A tear ran down her cheek. “I hope your hunch turns out to be right.”
The lady and the teenager stayed on the hill, sharing memories of the one they loved so dearly.
The End
Shepherd’s Awakening
(Fallen Gods Book 3)
Chapter I – The Truce of a Taciturn Man
Mother had called him to the Great Mesh: a dense and magical forest within the territory of the Wild Men of Dev
nóngaron. In these sacred lands, Mother trained her sons for the Sacred Battle, submitting them to the most difficult tests.
The battle-hardened youth received a powerful impression when he set foot on that land of plants, which were as much alive as snakes and voracious predators lurking in every corner. His training began here, with this first step, and would end when he either died or defeated the dominant alpha male of the clan.
Mother wasted no time in sending him the first test: loneliness. He learned to flow with the wildness and the earth, to be one among the predators, to gain consciousness of the forest of the Great Mesh, and to interpret the divine language of the wind, the sun, and the moon. When the young man felt that within him there dwelt a whole spirit, Mother presented him with the next test.
He went further into the Great Mesh. He climbed vines, scaled stone walls, walked through arid canyons. He saw a wyvern. Was this his next test? Had Mother presented him with a wyvern to slay to prove himself? If this was so, he was not ready. He needed the appropriate weapon to defeat it. He calmed his nerves down and concentrated on how to defeat such a powerful beast. He built his weapon. From a cedar, he cut a long sturdy branch, which he set to dry for several weeks. During the passing of the weeks, he studied the animal and learned its daily habits, saw it hunt, and thought he figured out the beast’s weaknesses. Soon, he would find out if he was right.
After the weeks of drying out in the sun, he carved and peeled the bark and created a solid and crafty spear. It turned out to be light and easy to handle. He tried it, piercing the air with rapid thrusts. He had passed Mother’s second test—which he figured was creating the weapon. Now, he needed to prove whether he had truly created an efficient spear and kill the red-scaled wyvern to feed himself and make himself some armor. This would mean passing the third test—killing the beast—and the fourth test—creating armor from its hide.
Shepherd’s Awakening (Books 1-3) Page 34
