by P. G. Thomas
Lauren realized that ignoring Zack would not make him leave, as he had years of experience with people ignoring him, figured it would be quicker to feed his desire to be acknowledged, as only then, would he grow bored and wander off, “First, the Earth Mother is dying.”
“Happens all of the time. Old people croak. I would imagine she had a good life, right? Crap, it’s not like she is related to you. You barely freaking know her. Next problem.”
Lauren closed her eyes and shook her head.
“Still here Lauren, what is the next problem?”
“They want me to guide them.”
“Cool, where are we going. This place is getting a bit stale.”
“The Earth Mother wants me to guide all of them. To find the people, so they can raise an army, but she probably means Eric.”
“Freaking cool. John, could you imagine handing in a paper like that at school. What I did on my Spring break: How I raised an army and fought an invasion. Bound to get an A+. Though you might be really old before you get home and hand it in. Saving people is cool, righteous, you might even say. When do we start?”
“Zack, are you trying to be an idiot?”
“No trying involved, perfected it years ago. Honestly, this is not my idiot act. John tell me if I am right. Some cosmic force on this weird little planet, realizes it has a really big problem, and from the sounds of it, we are talking catastrophic. Extinction level. For some crazy, most likely stoned reason, they reach out, and grab our school bus.”
John shook his head, “Stoned? Zack, don’t you think that is pushing it a little?”
“Not really. There are tons of examples of medicine men, voodoo doctors, hell, even generals taking stimulants and going on vision quests. Got to admit, all natural, growing from the mother earth. You know, Mother?” Zack was on a roll, and John just wanted to see where this crazy ride was heading, as it was a pleasant change being the passenger instead of the one starting and stopping the ride. Zack set down his mug, “So these cosmic dudes got a problem. For some freaky reason, they grab our school bus. Seriously, think about it, what are the odds? Grabbing a handful of kids and one of them is big enough to use that sword, and fit that armor. Admit it, let’s face it, Eric is freakishly big. Must be like a gazillion to one. And this cosmic force likes little girls. No, wait, that doesn’t sound right. You got this Mother figure, who only has eyes for the ladies. No, that still sounds bad. This cosmic Dudette, she only talks to other Dudettes, yeah, that sounds better. Lauren would get her attention. Strong, driven, passionate, but she does suck at science. That’s why she was probably happy to see John on the bus. Somebody who could do the math, knew about science, was book smart. For some strange, screwed-up reason, they need you, and Lauren right now, no bullshit, need is a pretty neat feeling. So this Mother Dudette needs you, as do the people. Freaking embrace it, because the other side of the coin, it sucks a lot worse. You’ve been chosen. Find a peak, climb to the top of it, and announce it to the effing world. They want and need you. You fight against this because they chose you, but you think aren’t worthy. You want to fight something, fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. Fight for those who are afraid to stand up against the unknown.” Zack’s voice became energized, “But damn it Lauren, something here believes in you and it’s bigger than we will ever know. I’ve seen some of the freaky things you’ve been doing. Somebody or something here likes you, believes in you, so embrace it. Lauren you might have doubts, but straight up, need and belief, man those are incredible forces. They conquered the highest peaks, scoured the ocean depths, hell they even put a man on the moon. Need and belief, they build nations, overthrow governments, cure illness, create life and much more.” Lauren and John were silent as Zack stood, drained his mug, “Believe in the need. Need the belief.” Then Zack turned and left the dining hall.
John looked at Zack’s empty mug, wondering what was in it, “I thought he was doing pretty well, until the last sentence.”
Lauren just shook her head in disbelief, “That stupid bastard.”
John pulled his head back, not expecting that reaction from Lauren. He actually thought Zack had made some good arguments, “What do you mean?”
“Where the hell did that come from? Was that Zack? First, did I just see passion, and emotion from the Zombie? What the hell are they putting in that beer? No offense John, but he made sense. His delivery was sort of brutal, but I think he is right. Am I wrong?”
John shrugged his shoulders, “Next time you need advice, let’s get buzzed first, and see if it helps my delivery. So now that Zack is gone, what’s bugging you?”
“That emotionless shadow called Zack, he’s right John. The situation sucks, and I don’t have the experience to guide, don’t even know what we are up against. But innocent people are dying, and something here seems to have embraced me, so maybe I should embrace it? I need some time to think.” Lauren got up and headed to her room. John watched Lauren leave, I need to hang around Zack more often. Maybe start drinking more. What the f…
Chapter 20
Alron found Mirtza down in one of the lower armories, where he watched as Eric was having the final adjustments made to the armor. Alron was impressed with what he saw, as the light dancing on the black armor looked threatening, even without the sword. “It does seem that thou two were meant for each other. Does it be heavy?”
Fodu walked over to Alron, “Odd it be, all ore special made it is. Before never seen have I. Ore special usually mixed, not pure forged. Armor light and strong. Ore special, only reserved for dwarf armor and weapons. Odd it be, forge they did.”
“Does it be odder than thine sword that thou did forge,” asked Alron?
Fodu just shook his head, “Odd both be.”
“This is pretty cool,” Eric said, grinning from ear to ear, “Alron, watch this.” He smacked the back of his hands together, spikes extended from the knuckles on his metal gauntlets, and when he smacked them a second time, the spikes retracted. Then he flexed his shoulders, spikes emerged from the shoulder mantle, and a second shoulder flex made them withdraw back to their hiding places. Eric quickly raised his left arm, as if he was trying to punch the ceiling. As he did, several pieces of metal, abandoned the sheath that hid them, extending out ten inches. An unknown mechanism made them spread out, creating a small buckler shield twenty inches in diameter. When Eric did a downward punch, the mechanisms reversed their actions, and found the hidden sheath they called home.
“Impressive is thine armor. Dwarf made, naught does be finer, and serve thou well it shalt. Thou should show Earth Daughter thine armor, it wilt please her. Mirtza, a word with thou please.” As Eric and the dwarves went up to show everybody the armor, Mirtza looked at Alron, unsure of what he wanted to talk about. Alron continued, “On our trip, thine tricks, though I does think that does be word wrong, useful they does be, thine bats a great boon. I does ask Earth Daughter what other tricks thou does know.” Mirtza just nodded his head, uncertain of the conversation's direction. Alron continued, “Earth Daughter does tell of beast in thine pockets, wagons as well. Empty chests that does be filled with food, and more.”
“Alron, I know the Earth Mothers do not trust my talent. I did not want to impose my abilities into your world. I am sorry if I have displeased you.” When unsure, apologize.
“No friend Mirtza. I does naught be upset. Earth Mother does hear Mother’s call, and I does plan her trip to meet Mother. But our recent trip hath made it clear that threats great does be present. It does be thine help that I does seek. Earth Mother, she does be unable to ride, thine wagon does we require. Thine beasts fast and slow, great help would they be. Empty chests, food full, also would make mine trip easier. Would thou consider to lend thine help for mine task?”
Of all the things that Mirtza ever expected to hear, an elf asking an Impure Trickster for help was at the top of his list. The other students will never believe this. His thought ran into a wall. … If I ever find them, “Alron, it would be my
greatest pleasure to assist you and the Earth Mother. When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow, time does be short, and threats does be closing. Important this does be. Wait too long, fail I wilt, and that shalt naught happen.”
“How far away do we have to travel?”
“Four days east. We does leave at sunrise first.”
“I will be ready and waiting for you in the stables tomorrow morning. Alron, I can have us there in two days if you like?”
“This I does know, but displease Earth Mother it would. Slow to her tree does be fine. Now others I does hath to gather.”
*******
Fodu approached Bor and Aaro before the last meal of the day, “Dwarf armor, dwarf weapon. Ore special all made from, dwarf reserved for only. Tradition, know this both you do.”
Aaro looked at Bor, “Others find out should they, demand the same they will. Brother right he does be, tradition broken, let this happen we cannot.”
“Dwarf forged, dwarf metal, both may be. That size no dwarf be. Eric only, his size does be,” replied Bor.
Aaro rolled his head to the side, looking down at the ground, “Mammy, one more son, want always did she. Adopt?”
Bor was puzzled, “Eric adopt, into Ironhouse, how do that?”
“In the past, one family battle killed be. Offspring orphaned, clan adopted would be. Eric here, orphan he is.”
“Orphan he may be, dwarf he is not,” replied Bor.
Aaro shrugged his shoulders, “Tradition, of orphans only it does speak. Age, sex, size. Mentioned these are not. Nowhere dwarf mentioned be, only orphan.”
“Dwarves other, crazy they call us.” Bor paused, “Already call us that they do, reason one more, why not?”
Aaro smiled, “Crazy, call us still they will. Eric Ironhouse, those words, not will he hear, to his face not.”
“Tradition be tradition, tradition saves tradition. Elf logic, to me it seems. Work it will,” advised Bor, “Aaro, Mammy go make her proud.”
Just as the meal was about to start, Aaro went over beside Eric, pulled up a chair and stood on it. As he looked straight into Eric’s chest, he shook his head, and then climbed up onto the table. Once there, he looked into Eric’s blue eyes, “Color wondered always, what they were.” Aaro then turned to face everybody, “Friends. Dwarf tradition, important it is, broken it cannot be. Eric, giant sized he be. Dwarf sword and armor, both dwarf forged, both ore special. Dwarf meant for only. Today, Eric dwarf you be, brother you be. I Aaro Ironhouse, call Eric brother, call Eric dwarf.”
Eric looked at Aaro, was unclear what to say, or do, “What is going on?”
“Tradition brother, bigger than you, tradition. Explain later we will.”
*******
After the meal, John and Logan had gone up to the terrace to talk, and the confusion on Logan’s face was obvious, “What do you mean Sister touched?”
“This is the last time I am explaining it.” John shook his head, maybe I should get buzzed first, that might help. “I talked with Alron, and the Earth Mother is not feeling well. She already talked to him, and she called you ‘Sister touched.’ Now before you start again, Mother apparently is the ground, and everything that grows or walks on it. Sister wraps herself around Mother. Alron said something about water and air, but I think she is really oxygen, that is why you can also affect fires. And before you start again, yes oxygen is in water, just like in a fire. And no, I don’t know if you can breathe under water. So just as Mother extends special powers to the ground we walk on, Sister does something similar to the air. Whatever happened in that forest somehow made a connection between you and Sister, and that is why you have those strange feather tattoos on your arms.”
“So what am I supposed to do?”
John shrugged his shoulders, “Beats the crap out of me, ask Sister.”
“Guess I lost the bet. So if Lauren, Eric, and I are now on the mother ship, as Zack said, what is the story with you there? Why did they bring you, Ryan and Zack?”
“Maybe we’re just collateral damage? In the wrong place at the wrong time?”
“That sucks.”
“Yes, it does.” Before John had completed his sentence, they both saw Alron walking towards them, looking as if though he was on a mission.
“Friend Logan, I does hath a favor to ask of thou. Tomorrow we does take Earth Mother to Mother. I does think it does be best if thou does join us on mine trip. We does leave at first sunrise, please does be ready.” And then he left without another word.
Logan waited until Alron was out of earshot, though with his deer ears, he was uncertain what that range was, “Why Alron, I would be glad to join you. John, what the hell?”
“Go talk to Sister.”
“What can Lauren do about… Oh, funny John! Sister, not Lauren. Very funny.”
*******
It was pitch black when John heard the gentle knock on his door. He rolled over to look at his alarm clock—the absence of the large red glowing numbers penetrating the darkness, reminded him that he slept in a world where science, logic, and even time had abandoned him. He looked over to the open door, where a candle lit image of Alron filled the void that once secured his sleep.
“Friend John, Earth Mother does wish to talk with thou.”
John was undecided if it was a command or a request that he should not turn down. The only thing he knew for certain, interruptions this late at night or early in the morning, they never ended well. He rolled to the edge of the bed, picked his clothes up off the floor, and quickly pulled them on. As he approached the door curiously, rubbing the warm sleep from his eyes, he noticed the hallway was now dark, and wondered if he had dreamt the intrusion. As he peered into the hall, a candle lit silhouette of Alron was heading in the direction of the Earth Mother’s room, avoiding both John’s questions and annoyed looks. When he arrived, Alron, still silent, held the door open, where John saw the Earth Mother sitting up in her bed. He wasn’t sure what it felt like to be called to the principal’s office, but right now, his stomach was a mosh pit of butterflies. Very large, angry butterflies with metal tipped wings. He walked over to the bed, and sat down on the chair facing the Earth Mother, and before he could ask, she started talking.
“Friend John, sorry I does be for interrupting thine sleep, but wait this could naught. Mother, this night does talk to me. Of thou, Mother does talk much. What I wilt now tell thou, hard to believe thou will find it. So before thou does interrupt, listen to all.” John simply nodded his head. “Imagine river large, from mountain, small it does start, moves forward, grows, and joins with other waters. But always moving forward. Banks erode, its course does change, but still it does move forward. A river does be like time, events does happen, but forward it does advance. We does know that something may river alter, but we also does know, river flow it canst naught stop. It does naught matter how many changes its course does make, sea it still does find, destination unaltered. The same does be true with time. Events does cause the path to alter, but destination, future, it still does arrive.” Again, John nodded. “So if thou does jump into a boat, thine forward movement, thine path does be set. Alter thou destination, thou cannot. Thine course may change, different than thou does expect, but similar to thine path thou does anticipate.” She paused, “Tomorrow does arrive, to stop it, does naught be possible. Does thou agree?”
“Yes,” John replied. But for a bedridden old lady, she seemed to be doing more dancing with words than he had expected.
“Mother does know thou John. She does be sorry and glad that thou were with Earth Daughter. Mother does also know that thine capacity to understand, unravel, resolve, it does be great. Thou above all others must understand, that which will happen before I does return to Mother. For in thine capacity to mystery solve, thou can future alter, as already thou hath proven thine ability. Plague naught, invasion does be truth.” Again, John nodded. “Friend John, this night Mother does talk much, more than I does expect. The future she does show me, but naught
future, but futures.” Before John could ask, she held up her hand, “Thou does remember river I does talk about, its course does change, sea it does arrive at. The future, it does be like that. If I does tell thou, in thine boat, thou wilt naught meet with sea, alter thine course I does, as thou does naught head out. If instead I does tell thou, thine trip wilt challenge thou, difficult it shalt be, thou may or may naught head out. Or if I does say, thine trip, easy will it be, even though I does naught know that to be true, again thine course I does change. All three does be true, yet three different futures does be possible. In each case, thou would stand on river edge, but before you unseen, three different possibilities. Mine words could deflect, halt, or encourage thine choice. One starting point, yet thou does hath outcomes of three.”
The thought of the Earth Mother comprehending a multi-universe sent a chill down John’s back.
“Mother does give me messages for many, messages that I does hath to deliver. Does one be told to thou, thou might only see one future, naught all. In truth, friend John future does naught be known. Both Mother and I does know that, and she does know that thou does know that as well. But future, shaped with words, more than possible it does be. That is what Mother does want, to bend river in her direction, naught let other events course change. Her messages, if all does happen as Mother does see, then true they does be. If some courses does be altered, half-true instead they does be. If mountains collapse into river flow, dams does be made, catastrophic events transpire against thine path, then Mother’s words does be a lie. But a fourth possibility does exist. If events transpire against path, yet words from Mother does alter course back to route, thine destination remains unchanged. Mother does seek to future shape with words. Does thou understand?”
