The New Guard (Crossroads Book 1)

by Matthew M. Johns

  “You keep saying we were called forth,” Mel said, “but we were attacked. Who, what were those things? Was that part of a greater plan to bring us here?”

  David leaned forward, placing both of his hands on the blade which rested in his lap. “First and foremost, God does not propagate evil and chaos to show his power and fulfill his purposes. Creation has been broken, and He has given us all the gift of freewill; our abuse of this gift is the thing that produce evil and chaos. However, even though God does not perpetrate these acts, He will use evil and chaos to shape heroes and inspire great, good deeds.

  “Next, you must understand that I was always destined to return to the Crossroads. There have been few cases of those who have visited the Crossroads, returned to their planet of origin, and not returned to the Way World at some later date. I also bore the Sword of Truth, which is a weapon not long left out of the war of good and evil. This is one of the greatest battle grounds in the struggle of the light versus the darkness. I have only recently suspected that my entire family would return with me.

  “Those who attacked us were agents of the Void. They were Dark Riders, sentient beings and animals linked directly to and powered by the Void. They somehow found a way to use the crossings to get to Earth and precipitate an attack. This is unusual; the Void prefers to work through Satan to perform attacks on the outlying worlds, and the Void Riders are unique to this place.”

  “Perhaps it is best for us to go back to what your father spoke of earlier: the beginning.” The Beagle put its forepaws on the table so as to get a better look at everyone while it talked. “God is Light and Life; the Void is Absolute Darkness and Death. When God called forth the Light, the Void was beaten back. God created suns to watch over the day and moons, which reflect the sunlight, to guard the night and thus severely limit the Void’s Darkness. He also gave us the Word to break Death. Those of the Void rebelled against the creation. Lucifer, who had succumb to the lure of power of the Void, in turn deceived the progenitors of all the races. God cast out the Devil and those amongst the Host that sided with the Void. The Fallen Host became demons with powers of their own, separate from the Void. However, the Deceiver and the Void work with joint purposes against God and the Word.

  “Though the Crossroads mirrors the habitable planets it is attached to, the Void found it easy to get a foothold here. The battles between the Word and the Void are fought openly here, as well as subtly. While God uses angels as his main force, the twelve saved races are also enlisted to fight for creation. By calling forth champions from the twelve races, God has been able to stabilize the Crossroads by placing in the Void’s way the various challenges that people of freewill can create. Over the years, those champions have created a unique society that blends together all the various races, which have not met outside the Crossroads.

  “You, as a family, were to be brought here to add to this society and strengthen it against the Void’s ambitions. The Void sent forces to intercept you, but the Word’s forces are watchful and were able to act in order to bring you safely over.”

  “I don’t get it,” Eve blurted out. “You’ve had all this information, knew all this existed, carried ‘the Sword of Truth’, yet failed to tell any of us about this!”

  David grimaced. He’d been expecting a reaction like this from at least one of them. Given her personality, he was not surprised that it was Eve. David sighed, but before he could address Eve’s comment she fired off one more biting remark.

  “Isn’t an omission of the facts just a dressed up lie? How many times have I been called out for smaller infractions?”

  Those words had been spoken by him many times in disciplining and guiding the children. Eve, his most rebellious child, had heard them plenty of times. The Beagle spoke before David could.

  “Your father has been truthful with you all of his life. As a bearer of the Sword of Truth, he cannot dismiss or alter the truth. He cannot lie. Thus, God placed a compulsion upon your father and commanded him not to speak of the Way World, the Sword of Truth, or the duties laid upon him as the wielder of that sword. Your father could not speak of these things until now, when he returned to the Here Between.”

  Suddenly, there was a loud bang at the door followed by a bright flash and a roaring crack of thunder that shook the house. David was up quickly, the Sword of Truth already out of its sheath by the time his feet were carrying him across the room. The Beagle beat him to the door and turned to face David. Before it could speak, however, two other voices shouted, “Stop!”

  David turned to see Brother Oswald and one of the russet guests moving toward him.

  “It was the threshold, Brother David,” Oswald quickly blurted out.

  “Don’t open the door; you’ll put us all at risk,” the russet man spoke firmly.

  “What’s going on, Dad?” This came from Mel, who was helping Deborah, Nic, Eve, and Silas group everybody together.

  David shook his head and lowered his blade. “Sorry, it’s been a while,” he said to Brother Oswald, the Beagle, and the other guests. To his children he called, “Something has tried to force through the threshold protecting the Oswalds’ home.”

  Brother Oswald turned to the children. “Nobody, powered by the Void or members of the Fallen Host, may cross the threshold established by the faithful building and maintaining of this house. Should they attempt to break through, they become forcefully discharged. Others, thralls of demons, have the ability to cross the threshold, but often become violently sick.

  “Many generations ago, my ancestors built this house and dedicated it to the work of the Lord of Creation. Legend also tells that my ancestors offered shelter, at risk to their own lives, to some travelers who turned out to be angels. When they left, they strengthened our threshold twenty-fold for as long as we offer sanctuary and honor the Word.”

  The russet man beside Oswald spoke, “For the threshold to act that drastically, it had to be something in service to the Void which threw power at it.”

  As he finished speaking, a voice from the other side of the door called out. “We seek the Sword Bearer and his kin. Surrender them and we will leave you in peace.”

  The russet man tossed back his head and laughed loudly. “Hollow words,” he bellowed, “servant of the Deep Darkness. Leave now, before my Coterie brothers and I hunt you down and strip you of your false life.”

  Silence reigned for several minutes before an answer came. “Sword Bearer, you will have to leave this sanctuary sooner or later. When you do, the Void Riders will come after you.”

  As if to enforce these words, a hound bayed a deep, haunting howl. Horses’ hooves beat against the road signaling the riders’ departure. Soon the sound of the hounds and hooves disappeared into the distance.

  David looked into the russet man’s eyes. “Thank you,” he began, but the man interrupted him by thrusting his arm out.

  “I am First Thunder of Clan Kear’ou.”

  “Thank you, First Thunder,” David said, grasping him by the forearm and squeezing firmly. First Thunder returned the traditional greeting of the Coterie. David spoke with great humility in his voice, “Your words have caused those fiends to rethink their tactics this night. My name is David.”

  First Thunder released his grip on David and pointed to the door. “The Dark Rider spoke truthfully, David. Those creatures will be waiting for you to leave the safety of this sanctuary. Perhaps my brothers and I can help. Where are you and your band headed?”

  “I have to get my family to the Central Kingdom.”

  “My brothers and I are not riding as far as Great Hall, but we are bringing horses to Council Rock in the Seventh Kingdom. We can get you to South Road and a sanctuary house there before we leave you.”

  “You honor me, First Thunder,” David said as he placed his fist on his forehead and bowed his head in a traditional Coterie salute. First Thunder responded in kind before going back to his traveling companions.

  Brother Oswald, the Beagle, and David went back
to the children, who had only slightly relaxed. Brother Oswald was the first to speak. “It is alright, children. We are safe here. The Oswald Farm has had a strong threshold for many generations. It will protect you while you rest.”

  David responded, “We should probably get to our rooms. I want us to leave at dawn’s first light.”

  “Dad,” Mel spoke up. “Who was that man at the door with you?”

  “His name is First Thunder, and in answer to your next question, he is a Coterie member. The Coterie are another of the twelve chosen races. They are all reddish in skin color, but with a multitude of differences in tone and shading. You probably didn’t notice from back here, but they have hard ridges above their eyes instead of eyebrows. Similar ridges are found on their knuckles, down their spines, and (for some) their temples. They are a fierce race that spent a great deal of time fighting against God instead of for Him. Their Bible makes the human Bible look like a series of picnic outings. The Deceiver nearly destroyed their whole world before the Coterie gained enough enlightenment to humble themselves and work toward God’s purpose.

  “We can talk more about that later, though; for now you should know that First Thunder has offered to ride with us as far as the next sanctuary.”

  Sister Oswald, who had joined the group as David was explaining about the Coterie, suddenly cleared her throat loudly to get everyone’s attention. “Enough talking! I’ve been told that there are enough differences in the Crossroads to keep a non-native asking questions all their days. You must all rest. I’ve laid some night clothes out in your rooms. In the morning, we will have supplies for your journey.”

  Brother Oswald nodded and ushered David and his family up the curved staircase that led to the second floor; then they continued to a secluded stairwell at the end of the gallery of rooms on that floor. Upon topping the stairs, Brother Oswald showed the family a washroom and three adjoining rooms, with several beds in each one.

  David and the children thanked the Oswalds, then set about getting ready for bed. Once everybody was washed and changed, David called for them one last time.

  “We are safe here and therefore don’t need to set a watch. However, the older children will soon learn how to watch the camp during the night, as there is not always a sanctuary within a day’s travel. I know there is a great deal of strangeness yet to experience, and I will do my best to keep you informed as we go along. However, our survival will often depend on quick action, more so than at home, and I expect to be obeyed first; then when the time is opportune, I can address questions and concerns.

  “You all must be very tired,” David said, motioning toward Dinah and Mary, who were already nodding off. “Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  With that, David picked up the littlest two and tucked them into the same bed. They became alert enough to ask of water and nightly prayers. David knelt next to their bed and prayed with them, asking for protection over the family. Dinah thanked God for talking dogs, while Mary asked for Mommy and the baby to be with them. When the prayer ended, she grabbed David’s hands, and with desperate eyes she asked him when they would be back with Mommy.

  David sighed. “Soon, I hope, soon.”

  With that, the girls snuggled close together and nearly instantly drifted off to sleep. David left the room only to come face to face with Esther in the hallway. She, too, had a longing, desperate look in her eyes. When she spoke, David could tell she was nearly on the verge of tears.

  “Do you know when we’ll meet up with Mom, or were you just trying to comfort Mary and Dinah?”

  With a gentle movement David pulled the young girl to him. She clamped onto him as if seeking to bury herself as far into him as possible. When he spoke his voice rumbled her body.

  “I hope, Esther; I hope we will all be together soon. I don’t know the time or place; only God knows that. We can only hope and pray.”

  She didn’t let go. In a few moments, she looked up at him, tear tracks on her face. “What about home; is it true we’ll never go back?”

  David looked into her eyes, but on the periphery, he saw most of the other children standing around or peeking out. When he spoke, he spoke to them all. “No, going home isn’t even remotely likely. On Earth, there are people who have travelled to the Way World and returned, though it is rare they linger on Earth for long. We have been brought here for a purpose that has yet to be revealed. We must trust in God, and in time He will reveal it.”

  “So what about our house?” This came from Ruth, a tinge of anger washing away her sadness. David looked up as she continued. “What about our stuff? What about the friends we left behind?”

  Before the words came out of his mouth, a sadness washed over him that each of the children could plainly see. Esther dropped her embrace but stayed near, unwilling to fully part from his comfort.

  “All that was, is gone. Those things are behind us now, only found in the memories of our past. We have to. . .”

  David did not get to finish as Ruth ran crying from the hallway. He took a step forward, but Esther’s soft hand upon his chest stopped him. She silently shook her head, shedding some of the tears slowly rolling down her face. Then, still mute, she followed after her sister.

  “Dad, I’ll be the first to say I don’t mind leaving school and most things behind, but home. . .” Silas was trying to sound nonchalant, though some emotion was slipping into his voice.

  David simply shook his head. “We left behind a house and personal belongings, not home. Look around you; think. You all spent more time in those woods than in the house. Your home is with each other. As long as we have one another, we have home. This is why it is important now, more than ever, that we put aside our disagreements and work together.”

  Silas held David’s gaze. Then from off to the side Eve asked, “What about when we’ve done what needs to be done here; can we go back then?”

  “Please,” David implored. “Understand this one fact; we will never be going back to Earth. The truth is that whatever we’ve been brought here to do, it will be permanent. I wish I could say that once we were done, we could go back, but I can’t.”

  With a quick glance at the sword still hanging on David’s belt, both Eve and Nic stalked off. Silas, however, still had a longing in his eyes. David sighed yet again. “We need to get some rest. We have to get moving at first light. I’m sorry I couldn’t better prepare you all for being here. Get some rest and perhaps things will look different to you tomorrow.”

  Doubtful of David’s words, the rest of the Koen children found beds. With varying degrees of success, they all tried to calm their minds and make peace with their situation. However, it would be a long time before any of them truly was able to cope with all that they faced in this new world. The coming day would indeed change their perspective, but it would not alleviate their fears, their longings, or the disappointment of unrealized dreams.

  David paced the halls alone and did not seek a bed for himself until most of them were already asleep. He prayed ceaselessly for each of his children and his missing wife. He asked God passionately for a quick reunion. All the while, he tried to suppress his understanding of why his family had been called to the Crossroads.

  Chapter 6

  Caliban woke when the last rays of the sun disappeared out of the sky. The other Dark Riders rose likewise. They all went to see to their horses, knowing the hounds would only venture out of their lair when full darkness was assured.

  Caliban stood watching the progress of the other Riders and the darkness. He wore his cloak, though his hood was down. Even so, his dark skin and the black clothes he wore helped him to blend in with the twilight. Barely visible in the waning light, his hairless head and face showed signs of burns, mostly around the back of his head and up his right side. He was plainly missing part of his right ear. The top half was shriveled by the burn pattern; however, the lower section missing all together, clearly cut off as it matched up with a scar that extended from that spot to just
below his right eye. Several other smaller scars mapped his bald head and the left side of his face. As he put together the rest of his plan for what was to happen next, he traced intersecting scars on his chin.

  Once the horses were fed and watered, Caliban began organizing his band. “I am determined to find out what went wrong and why our backup never came through to help us with the children. These new twelve are also in the Way World, and this is not acceptable to the plan of the Void. We will break up into three teams.”

  Caliban turned to a rail thin Void Rider covered in a tattered cloak. The Rider’s face was a map of deep gouges and puffy scars that led to two large, deep set eyes. It was hard to tell that he was an elf, as his telltale pointed ears were shriveled, burnt scabs on the side of his head. Long, thin strands of greasy hair barely covered his head.

  “Ferreter,” Caliban began, “you’ll take a hound and a horse and track down the one child that was missing from the group. I’m sure it is here, since its brothers and sisters have been brought over. Track it down and kill it.”

  “Caliban,” Ferreter spoke with uncertainty in his reedy voice, “we were to take the children alive.”

  “Look where that plan got us,” responded Caliban. “These children are the new twelve. We do not want the stability they can bring to the Way World. The elven lords are falling to the powers of the Void. The Way World is slipping into chaos. Once the Void has full control here, it is a simple matter to take out the other habitable realms.

  “Kill the child. Make the Light Bringer waste time organizing and calling forth a new twelve. Meanwhile, our forces will continue to overtake the Light Bringer’s current Twelve and bring down His order.”

  Ferreter bowed his head, acknowledging his acceptance of Caliban’s plan. Caliban then turned back to the other Riders.

  “Maraud,” he said, pointing to a still hooded rider, “you and I will take our mounts and uncover our wayward allies. We will bind them and bring them to the Void to face punishment for failure. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I feel the failure of this enterprise lies in the arrogance of our former leader and the minor demon who disappeared when its services were in need.”