Forging Truth (The Truth Saga)

by Raymond Masters

  “Meaning your vision, or lack of a vision, or whatever?”

  He laughed and looked me in the eye. “These old bones have grown tired. I’m afraid the tour took a lot out of me. How ‘bout I show you to your room? You’ll be staying in one of the old monk quarters down the hall from my chamber. Tomorrow morning, we shall begin your memory retrieval in earnest. What do you say, boy?”

  “I say it sounds like a plan. If you hear me screaming tonight, think nothing about it. It’ll just be my subconscious digesting the day’s events.”

  INVASION

  1

  “We’ve been at this over a week – a week – and nothing; this is so stupid! It’s pointless!”

  “Calm, calm, calm, calm, calm! Now then, one of the first things I noted about you is your utter lack of patience.” Aesculapus held up a hand to stifle any further outbursts. “To illustrate: you have been without memory for weeks, you suffered through something so strenuous to your soul, as to inflict amnesia, yet, now … now, you think I can simply go inside you and flick a switch, tweak a few controls, and presto-change-o, you’re good as new. Is that it?” He leaned back in his chair and let loose with a hoarse cackle that only served to further piss me off.

  “Why would you laugh at that? Of course, that’s what I thought would happen! Ever since I stepped foot in this funhouse world you guys live in, I’ve seen and done things no one in their right mind could, or would, believe. Thus, when Caduceus said you were the man for the job, I naturally jumped onboard. Are you saying you aren’t that man? That you can’t do all he said? Because if you’re not and you can’t, then I fully suggest you tell me, before we go any further!”

  “My boy,” Aesculapus began. “I assure you I am that man and much more.”

  “Would you stop? What is it with you ancient guys referring to me as ‘boy’ or ‘my boy’, or ‘lad’, or ‘kid?’ I am a man, not some child, ok?”

  “So you say. Now, if you would, please, shut the hell up, and start acting like one.”

  I reacted as though he had slapped me, “What did you … How dare you talk to me that way?”

  “How dare I? I am almost a century your elder; I shall dare to do anything I damn well please, do you understand? I am doing you the favor, not the other way around. You come into my house and expect me to ‘fix’ you, yet you criticize my every action? How impetuous! You proclaim yourself to be a man, yet all I hear from you is the whining and moaning of a child. ‘Oh, why is this taking so long? Woe, woe is me. Boohoohoo.”

  “Look, I’m sorry if that’s the way I sound, but it just seems so futile. For days, all you’ve done is examine me, run tests on me, and shine your stupid light into my ears, eyes, mouth, nose, and any other orifice you see fit. It just feels like I’m wasting both of our time. I guess …” I wondered if I should continue.

  “Yes,” he prompted.

  “I was just going to say … I was just going to say that your powers must have faded over time, that’s all. I don’t mean to insult you or hurt your feelings; I just haven’t felt even a nibble of my old life. Maybe we should call it quits?”

  Without warning, Aesculapus shot forth from his chair and grabbed me by the collar. Twisting my shirt around his fist, he pulled me to within centimeters of his face, his dragon’s breath melting my eyes. “You, sir, do not know of what you speak. You believe my powers have faded? You have not yet seen power. One would certainly be wise to temper one’s biases of the elderly. You do not wish me to judge you based on your youth? You do not judge me upon my being – how did you put it – oh yes, ancient.” When he was finished, he threw me effortlessly into the corner. I sat there speechless, trying to process his eruption and the deceptive nature of his aged appearance. With the same speed and agility as before, he was on top of me once more, hunkering over my balled form.

  Taking my head in his palms, he said solicitously, “What we have been engaged in this past week, is the equivalent of foreplay. Don’t you understand the need for a little mental lubrication? Perhaps, you would prefer I do you and get it over with, hmm?” I recoiled from both his actions and his choice of metaphor, but he didn’t seem to notice or to care. “How about some of this, then,” He crooned as he dug his fingernails deep into my scalp. As he broke through the skin, I could feel the energy unleash from him. I couldn’t help but think of it in the same terms he had used. As it turned out, I really could have used some more mental lube – maybe another couple of weeks’ worth. I had just enough time to let out an electrifying scream before the first wave of memories hit.

  2

  “Would you like to dismiss us from class,” the woman asked. She seemed to radiate a light all her own.

  The boy adjusted his lesson plan and closed both his eyes and his King James Bible. He bowed his head, and began: “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hollowed be thy name.”

  Suddenly, he stopped and turned toward the big window in the Sunday school classroom. “Something’s different,” he says in a small voice.

  “What’s different, dear? It’s the exact same prayer we always pray at this time. It is only your memories, after all. Go ahead, dear, finish it.”

  He looked away from her. The light in the room was growing dimmer. Something was happening. He stood and walked to the window. Looking out, he saw, not the freshly mowed field behind the church, but a radiant stream of rainbow waters. Beside the stream, were two of the most beautiful deer he had ever seen in his young life.

  “That’s Gregor and Isis,” he said, “I know them.”

  “Don’t be silly,” said the woman as she came over to stand next to him. They’re only deer, dear.”

  The world turned inside out, and …

  3

  The Statue of Liberty materialized on the opposite bank of the stream. She towered over the two deer and the church below, a silent sentinel banishing all sin, from within the glow of her shining light. Except … except she seemed to have missed a spot. The boy looked on helplessly as, high atop her crown, a man clad in a brown robe walked to the nearest spike and began to strip.

  “Dear, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. In His eyes, we will always be bound by His love.”

  “No matter what?”

  “Darling, God will always love you and be there for you. And so will I.”

  “I love you, Mama.”

  “I do you, too, Kade,” she said throwing in a conspiratorial wink. “Now, join the others for the youth choir.”

  The boy, Kade, nodded obediently, but stopped to take one last look at the nude man. He had taken a small scrap of cloth or paper from his robes. Paper. From his distance, he wasn’t able to see what he was about to do, but he knew nonetheless. One word thundered through his mind on an endless loop.

  Repent.

  4

  The jumbled images had washed over and through me in an infinite heartbeat of confusion. I’m not sure what, if any, useful information I was to glean from them. My heart was about to thud through my chest, if I didn’t calm myself. “What?” I tried to communicate, but my mouth was very dry. I licked my lips and tried again. “What just happened? What did you do?”

  The old man looked even frailer. He sat propped against the far wall, studying me. His breathing was jagged. He looked confused and concerned. Finally, Aesculapus shook his head and said, “I wasn’t expecting that. It was like something – some force – was protecting you – shielding you – from my probes. Could you feel the reverberations? Could you feel the polar expulsion of my mind from yours at the end? I have never known such will in all my days. Amazing. Astounding. I want to try again.”

  The truth was, I had felt the push he described. It was pretty subtle on my part, but it had obviously made quite an impact on him. “Oh, no, I don’t think …”

  “Please.” He interrupted, practically begging with his rheumy eyes.

  “I really don’t think that’s a good idea, Mr. Aesculapus. Honestly, you kinda scare me, a little.”

  “Me? A fri
ghtener? A scary? Me? Nonsense, my bo – sir. I am just an old man, a scientist that has seen a chance for one last experiment.” He continued his wide-eyed stare. “Let’s not forget: it is why you’re here, after all.”

  “I guess so,” I admitted wearily. “But … is there any way you might can slow it down this time? Help me to make any sense of it at all.”

  Aesculapus gave an eager nod, “I promise to be the utmost gentleman this go ‘round.”

  5

  We made three more attempts at memory retrieval that day. Each subsequent attempt proved to be less and less productive. On top of that, Aesculapus’ battery seemed to be running down with every trial. Finally, I said, “Aesc, I really think we’re getting nowhere. What do you say we give it up for the night? We’ll try again tomorrow, when we’re a little more rested, okay?”

  “No! It’s not okay!” He was oblivious to his exhausted pitch. As he continued, his voice began to crack, “There is … something blocking my passage. It has to have ties to those abilities, my brother told me of. I’m sure of it. I do not know the answer, but if we give up now …”

  Obviously, he wanted me to fill in the blank; he wanted me to say that if we gave up all would be lost. The truth was, I just wasn’t feeling it. I was tired, sleepy, hungry, cold and violated. In other words, I was ready to get some rest. I caught his stare and shook my head.

  This time, he took the hint. I nodded, thankful for the sacrifice he was making in his mind. “Very well. Tomorrow morning. First thing.”

  “Breakfast first. Fingers in my noggin’ second.”

  “Food.” He gave a contemptuous snicker. “My brother’s spoiled you something awful, I’m afraid. Yes, feed your face and then we purge your mind.” He took a step and faltered. If I hadn’t been there to catch him above the elbow, he, absolutely, would have gone crashing to the ground. “Okay, I concede, we both could use some downtime to raise our strengths. I will see you in the morning.”

  6

  When I returned to my room, I was so overwhelmed with exhaustion I almost went straight to bed without taking off my clothes, or anything. In the end, I thought better of it. I’d better get as comfortable as I can, and get as much rest in as I can, before Dr. Feelgood gets his mitts back on me. I wonder if C knows his brother’s a whack job. I disrobed and put my day clothes in the wash basket. Don’t forget to make sure your bladder is comfortable, too, my boy. My mind did a rather eerie mimic of my host; of course, my mind and his had been quite intimate, as of late. “Can you catch crazy, like an STD,” I wondered to my empty room. I guess, in this case, it’s more like an MTD – Mentally Transmitted Disease. I shuddered and headed for the bathroom.

  Passing the mirror above the sink, I noticed the stone I wore around my neck had begun to pulsate. I watched it for a moment and then held my breath, convinced I could make out a slight humming noise. I shook my head. Yessir, this’ere boy’s done gone and caught himself a rather serious case of the MTD. Laughing, I removed my necklace and set it on the neat bookcase beside the bathroom door. Time to put my naked self to bed, I thought, blowing my bedside flame to smoke.

  7

  I didn’t feel like I had been asleep for very long, but I could tell some time had passed. I felt groggy, for one thing. For another, the room was a lot darker than when I had blown out my candle. The moonlight illuminated my room just enough so I could barely make out the outlines of the bookcase and dresser. Man! I was supposed to be resting through the night. Is that too much to ask, I thought, agitated. I rolled onto my back to get comfortable once more.

  That’s when I heard the slightest noise at the foot of my bed: Click. I froze and listened. As weird as it seemed, it felt as though the room responded in kind. We stayed that way, my room and I, for a few beats of my heart, before I decided it was the creakiness of the old place that was giving me fits.

  The old place with its mass murders, etc. Oh, the hell with that line of thinking. I squeezed my eyes – and mind – shut tight. I had already made it over a week, without catching the heebie-jeebies; I wasn’t about to start now.

  I decided, instead, to focus on the day’s memory flood. See if I could unravel some of what I had ‘witnessed.’ There was a church. I remember a church and some deer, and …

  Click-creak.

  “Who’s there,” I called.

  I struck one of the long, slender matches, and relit my candle. Holding it up, I scanned the room. “Seriously,” I said. “I’ve got powers, and I’m not afraid to use them.” I’ve got powers, and I’m not afraid to use them?

  A sudden breeze, and some quiet laughter, tore by my side.

  Oh, that’s it! Time to power up. I reached for my necklace … and slapped bare chest. The bookcase! Of course! I’m so stupid.

  I began to jump up, when something unseen placed its hands on either of my shoulders, forcing me back onto the mattress. Those hands were small, but forceful, as I struggled against them. Finally, the apparition gave up the ghost – pun definitely intended – and broke the silence, with another quiet laugh. The laughter was markedly female. Familiar, somehow. “You are very, very cute, you know? When you’re frightened, I mean … and naked.”

  “Mao?” I gasped, pulling the sheets to my chin.

  This made her giggle, once more. “Modesty will get you nowhere.” She sighed, and my eyes began to make out the shape of a young woman. When Mao un-faded, she was sitting next to me, wearing only slightly more than I was myself. Her skimpy lingerie left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The few places it did cover were see-through. In fact, the only thing covering any part of her was the feather boa, strategically draped around her shoulders and down her small breasts. The bulk of the boa was pooled even more conveniently in her lap.

  “This is not happening,” I said, as I, um, adjusted myself through the cover. I was very aware of how thin my sheets were at the moment. Following her gaze, I could tell she, too, had noticed.

  “Hmm, I was hoping you would be … excited … to see me.” She leaned over and kissed me softly, but powerfully, on the mouth. Very sweet. Very innocent. Especially, considering how she had appeared, and how she was dressed. “I know I missed you, and couldn’t stop thinking about you these past few days. Caduceus suggested I take some time away from vengeance and training and come see how you were doing.”

  “I’m fine.” I thought my face was going to melt off, so I looked away. “A little shocked, but fine.”

  “Why do you look away? I have worn this special gift for you. Would you prefer I were invisible?” She disappeared again. I felt her move against me, leaning down to whisper in my ear: “Is this better? I’ve never used my ability like this before, but I have to admit, it does hold a sort of fetish attraction for me. What would I see should I look down? Would I be able to see you, through me? Would I be able to watch, as you were inside of me?”

  “Would you stop it, already?” I pulled away, afraid I might spontaneously combust a nut. “What is this?”

  “Like I said, handsome, I missed you. Now c’mere and show me you missed me.” She pulled my face to hers and I followed with, admittedly, little resistance. This time, it was deep and passionate.

  I could feel her body pressing mine, through our thin coverings. She was very warm and welcoming. I had no choice but to give in. She was driving me nuts, and I had felt such a strong pull towards her when we first met. I lifted the sheet for her to climb beneath. She backed up to me, pulling my arms around her waist to spoon with me. Now, the only thing separating us was the tissue-thin material of her nightie. I began placing kisses along her neckline, slowly at first. Multitasking, I undid the bows that held the fasteners and she pushed the top down to her hips. Rolling over, she took the opportunity to completely shed her clothing. I had moved from her shoulders to her breasts, nervously caressing and kissing her soft skin. Finally, she pushed my hands away and climbed on top of me.

  The sex that followed was so powerful and so overwhelming I truly didn’t want it to
end. Unfortunately, as any guy can tell you, there comes a time when that decision is taken out of your hands entirely. Mao apparently was going through very similar struggles, as it turned out. Minutes later, she finally relented and fell against me.

  I lay there, spent and content, until I was about to nod off. Mao had rolled over and backed against me. And though she was still naked, her interests were a little more innocent in nature. When she was comfortable, I allowed myself to drift off, curious what the ‘morning after’ would bring.

  8

  Again, I didn’t feel like I had been asleep for long, but I felt even groggier. The moonlight in the room had shifted slightly. Even after all that, I can’t make it through the night? I rolled onto my elbow to check on Mao. She was sound asleep. I bent to place a soft kiss in her long blonde hair and froze. Blonde? But Mao’s hair was black. What is going on here? I pulled my arm violently back from under the stranger’s head. The blonde crashed into the pillow, filling the void created from my arm’s hasty retreat.

  “What is it, Kade? What’s the matter?” When she sat up, a part of me realized she was wearing the same lingerie Mao had removed moments ago. It was obvious the stranger was just as startled as I was; and it took me a few seconds to process the fact that she had just said –.

  “Did you just call me Kade,” I asked her. Then, quieter, to myself: “Kade. I’ve heard that recently. In this morning’s session. I guess it was yesterday morning, but, yeah.”

  “Honey? Stoppit. You’re freaking me out a little, okay? Now, tell me what’s up. Why did you throw me down; and why are you acting this way? Was it the dreams again?”

  “The dreams,” I asked. Why am I even lying here talking to her? Then, I answered my own question. Well, what else would you do with a hot, blonde-haired, blue-eyed stranger you just woke up next to?