Sentinels of Creation: A Tale of Two Gardens (Sentinel's of Creation Book 2)

by Robert Ross

  “It’s so soft and fine.” Kellan said as he continued to trace his fingers through the lush green blades, “Almost. Almost as if it were made of silk.” His companions shared a knowing look but said nothing and Kellan regained his feet then headed away from the second gate.

  The grassy entrance to Eden quickly gave way to groves of fruited trees that spread out before him to either side as he continued deeper into the garden. It was unlike anything the young Sentinel had ever seen. There seemed no organization to the trees in that they neither clustered together by kind, nor were each distinctly different. Rather, each tree’s placement seemed random, yet in some way, purposeful. Kellan pondered the seeming inconsistency of his perception as he plucked a perfectly ripe apple from the nearest tree. He rubbed it absently on his shirt and brought it to his mouth, then paused, peering over it at Focalor who watched him smiling.

  “What?” began Kellan pulling down the apple and staring at the fruit intently. He looked to Kali and the demon smirked at him. “Well screw both of you,” said Kellan taking a forceful bite. “It’s just an apple.”

  “Is it now,” asked Focalor with a chuckle in his voice.

  “Yes, and it’s delicious,” mumbled Kellan around one mouthful before swallowing and taking another. He pushed further into the garden looking over his shoulder and asking, “I assume I’m headed in the right direction?”

  “The others are not far ahead,” answered Kali. “They are waiting for us in Eve’s bosom.”

  Kellan stopped and turned. “Eve’s bosom? Really? What is that?”

  Kali spread her hands, “Just a name, Sentinel. At the center of the garden is a spring fed glade that spreads out into several small streams. The trees there form a natural canopy over a broad circular area. Legend had it that it was there that Eve and Adam lived until their expulsion.”

  “Uh huh,” said Kellan resuming his slow progress forward, weaving in and out among the trees while taking note of the various fruits and nuts belonging to each. He added, “You realize that two people wouldn’t be able to populate the earth simply because genetic abnormalities would cause a deformation cascade within three or four generations.”

  The demon increased her pace coming along side Kellan and glanced over to him, “I am not here to debate theology or biblical history with you, Sentinel of Order. Believe as you wish. I was not there and was simply providing the background for its name. That said, I warn you not to rely overmuch on your human science especially given that your mere existence is a violation of natural laws.”

  “I always found Genesis to be more metaphorical,” offered Focalor helpfully. “Although, I must admit, the thought of having a garden full of naked women does sound appealing.”

  Kali gave a snort of derision. “Your reputation precedes you, djinn, and clearly you did not read very carefully. The garden had but one woman in it.”

  “One?” cried Focalor in mock horror, “Well, no wonder the poor chap got himself expelled; the sheer monotony of it all.”

  Kellan simply shook his head, “Don’t the two of you have something better to do than shadow me. How much trouble could I get into? It’s Eden. I don’t think I’m likely to get eaten by lions or—“

  Kellan paused and Focalor bumped into him, not paying attention, then backed up staring at the Sentinel quizzically as the young Sentinel looked around, then said, “Where are the animals?”

  Kali laughed, “You are as unobservant as our research has led us to believe. You just now have noticed that?”

  Kellan scowled, “I have other things on my mind. So?”

  “So? What?” asked Focalor.

  “The animals? What happened to them. Are they hiding or are they gone?”

  “Oh, they’ve been gone almost forever. At least as long as I’ve been coming here. I suspect they left when the guardian arrived and erected the second gate. Native animals couldn’t survive the garden’s stasis, so either they left or they died at the end of its first cycle.”

  Kellan stared blankly at the djinn. “What the hell are you talking about, Genie. Stasis? Cycles?”

  “No,” interjected Kali. “We are not going to get into that now. Focalor, try not to talk. Kellan, the council will answer all your questions. I promise that the characteristics of this place, its static nature, and the cycles with which it operates present no danger to you. However, we have been charged with conveying you directly to the Council itself and that is exactly what I intend to do.” She then extended an arm in the direction they had been heading. “Please, we are almost there.”

  Kellan sighed, “Fine, but I’m not going to forget to ask about this.”

  “I’m sure you won’t she grumbled softly as they began walking again.”

  True to her word the trees began to thin a few minutes later and opened up to a broad circular glade. In its center was a large placid lake from which several small streams flowed. Just in front of them bubbled a spring that seemed to feed directly into the lake. Kellan knelt down and placed his lips to the gurgling fountain and drank deeply. It was ice cold and sweet like he imagined the purest mountain water must taste. He stood up and smiled at both Kali and Focalor. “Have you guys tried this? It’s amazing. I wish I could take some of that with me.”

  The djinn’s face registered immediate shock and distress, “Of course, I’ve never tried that. It’s poison!”

  “What!” cried Kellan, his mind immediately starting to run though hundreds of remedies, then he spied Kali slowly shaking her head as she stared at Focalor with a disapproving look. The Sentinel narrowed his eyes at the djinn, “You are an asshole,” at which point Focalor burst out laughing and pointed to Kellan.

  “Have you guys tried this?” he asked mocking Kellan’s earlier question. “Ha! You should have seen the expression on your face.”

  Kellan gave the djinn his best death look and and mumbled something unintelligible about finding a bottle and corking him. The Sentinel stood and peered into the distance, scanning the fullness of the glade, then turned to Kali. “You said the Council would be here to meet me. I don’t see anyone, or is this not the place?”

  The demon nodded toward a specific area of the glade and said, “No, we will be meeting over there. You can’t see it from here, but there’s a small outcropping to our right where the stream branches off from the lake. We’ll go there and once you complete the binding ritual, they will come.”

  Kellan sighed, “Binding ritual?”

  “Oh, did we forget to mention that,” said Focalor with feigned innocence. Kellan glared at him and was about to respond when Kali stepped between them.

  “It is a minor thing, Sentinel of Order, but none will come without it having been done. All of us have done it. There is an artifact preserved in a reliquary. You place your hand within and repeat an oath of non-aggression toward members of the Council. The combined words and action binds the artifact to you and restrains all overtly aggressive acts.”

  “I’m not doing that,” snorted Kellan, “Leave myself defenseless around a group of powerful unnatural creatures including demons. He looked to Kali, “No offense.”

  Kali showed her teeth, “Non taken, young Sentinel. However you were not listening. I said it restrains aggressive action, not defensive. Should you be in danger from any within the Council you would be free to protect yourself.”

  Kellan wasn’t convinced but started walking to the area Kali indicated, glancing at her as he passed, “I’ll think about it.”

  A few minutes later, Kellan found himself staring at an ornate wooden box with numerous enochian runes carved into its surface. Interestingly, the box was levitating several feet above the ground, coming up to Kellan’s chest as he stood before it. On the side facing them, there seemed a recessed panel, but Kellan couldn’t tell if was a means to open the box or simply decorative. He turned to his two companions. “Now what?”

  Focalor opened his mouth to respond, but Kellan held up a hand. “Not you. I can’t believe I’m saying t
his, but I don’t believe you and think Kali here, the embodiment of all that is evil, is far more trustworthy.” He locked eyes with the demon who simply stared back at Kellan, dark eyes revealing nothing. “What do I need to do, exactly.”

  Kali smiled, “It is really quite simple. Just reach into the box, rest your hand on what’s within, and say, ‘I bind my soul to the purpose of peace and will take no aggressive action against the Council of Havilah.’”

  Kellan nodded. “Seems simple enough.”

  Both demon and djinn nodded, then looked anxious as Kellan stepped aside. He smiled and said, “You guys go first.”

  They exchanged glances and Kali said, “We have both performed the binding ritual centuries ago.”

  “Well,” Kellan began, “then it shouldn’t be a big deal to do it again, right?”

  Kali growled menacingly but shouldered Kellan farther out of the way, then moved her right hand toward the recessed panel. Kellan noted with intense curiosity that the wood seemed to fuzz and mist as her hand appeared to pass through it until she had buried her hand up to its wrist. She glared at Kellan and but repeated the phrase.

  Nothing happened and she removed her hand then rounded on the Sentinel, eyes beginning to glow red, “You see, I told you. I have already done this thing.”

  For his part Kellan simply turned to Focalor and made an exaggerated sweeping gesture toward the box. The djinn snickered, but immediately strode forward, placed his hand in the box and repeated the same oath with an identical result. “Disappointed?” Focalor asked with a grin. “You really aren’t very trusting?”

  Kellan squinted at him, “Yeah, I wonder why that is?”

  “Well?” asked Kali.

  “I’m going,” said Kellan as he moved to again stand before the levitating box. He stretched out his right arm making a windmilling motion and then jiggled it rapidly by his side. With a final distrustful glance to his two companions Kellan slowly reached into the box. It seemed lined with a quilted fabric of some kind and was exceptional soft. In its center, Kellan could feel a slight hollow on which rested an object of some kind. He couldn’t quite make it out, but it, too, was soft and felt like a small animal or bird. With his hand loosely grasping the object, Kellan repeated the words. “I bind my soul to the purpose of peace and will take no aggressive action against the Council of Havilah.” As the last word faded, Kellan began to pull his hand free but found he could not. He tugged a bit harder but his hand remained firmly captured by the box that, itself, did not move even though nothing anchored it to the ground. Anger filled the young Sentinel and he began to call to his power. Before it could answer, his world seemed to splinter like a mirror being shattered from behind. Shards of his reality spun about like reflective motes to finally puff away entirely and Kellan’s new reality exerted itself.

  He immediately recognized where he was even though it was much different than it had been when he was there. Before him, and to his left, a rough hewn throne grew from the stony earth. Kellan could see that someone lounged upon it but standing behind it as he was, the Sentinel could only see loosely curling dirty blonde hair that framed a man’s head. Beyond him, and facing slightly away from Kellan, stood a tall figure who seemed to glow with an inner light. He wore a loose fitting robe that likewise seemed to sparkle in its own iridescent fashion. Shoulder length brown hair framed a somewhat long face that seemed incredibly gentle and loving to Kellan. The man held something in his outstretched hands but the Sentinel was fixed on this man’s eyes. They glowed brilliantly but not with either the green of Order nor with the Red of Chaos, but rather with an intense violet that seemed to pulse with life. The man lifted his hands, gently releasing a small figure that immediately spread white wings which beat against the still air. It rose as all three stared after it.

  “What was that?” asked the man on the throne, his voice betraying a sense of awe.

  “A dove,” began the second, “It will come to represent peace, love, tranquility, and many such things. I felt it right to create such a thing here, in the shadow of our enmity.”

  Kellan cried out in surprise and recognition. Instantly, the violet eyes locked on to his and a knowing smile tugged at the Creator’s lips then the scene shattered bringing Kellan back to glade.

  The young Sentinel found himself kneeling on the soft grass with the box hovering slightly above him. Focalor reached out to help him up, but Kellan shrugged him off.

  “We each have seen and experienced what now you have as well, Sentinel of Order,” the djinn began sounding serious for the first time since Kellan met him. “The binding shows all of us the same illusion at the moment our oath takes hold.”

  Kellan was shaking slightly as he reached out to touch the box, running his finger along the place where its lid should be. There were no seams. No hinges. Focalor continued as he watched Kellan, “It cannot be opened, Sentinel of Order, that is not its nature. It exists to—“ The djinn broke off as Kellan’s eyes flared to life and he gently lifted the lid with both hands causing both Kali and Focalor to gasp as it slid upward on nonexistent hinges. A golden glow bathed Kellan’s face as he smiled, looking into the box and feeling his companions curiosity as they gathered close.

  Three pairs of eyes washed over the quilted interior of the box where rested a beautifully preserved white dove, its feet curled beneath and eyes closed as if asleep. Kellan whispered, “This was the first. I saw him. I saw God create this Dove and He looked at me when He released it.”

  “Ridiculous,” said Focalor, but he sounded shaken.

  “Not so,” said Kali who, for herself, sounded deeply sad, “Not so at all. The Creator exists outside time and can be where he wills. Perhaps he sees us all when we bind ourselves to His peace, but simply does not acknowledge us. Were I he and I knew all we have done, I know I would not.” The demon glanced up to Kellan as he gently closed the box, his eyes losing their heat. “Did he say anything to you, Kellan? Anything at all?”

  The young Sentinel shook his head. “No and I could have imagined the whole thing, Kali. It just seemed like he turned to me when I cried out in surprise. He looked right at me and I felt—” Kellan paused not know exactly what to say, “—Felt something when our eyes met.”

  “You cried out?” Asked Kali. “Perhaps it was what you said. We each only get the vision once when we first bind ourselves to the Peace of Havilah, but we could share your words with the next who does so. What did you say, Sentinel of Order to gain the attention of the Creator.”

  Kellan looked away and shuffled his feet.

  “He won’t tell us, Kali,” said Focalor sounding bitter. “The Sentinel wishes to keep his secrets.”

  “No,” said Kellan looking back to them both, “It’s not that, honestly, it really isn’t. It’s just that I’m pretty sure my words were not the key.”

  “Then you should have no issue sharing them with us,” said Kali as she crossed her arms defiantly.

  Kellan sighed, “Ok, if you insist. When He released the dove and I realized who He was and that it was Lucifer on the throne, I said,” Kellan paused again.

  “Yes…” asked both demon and djinn, leaning in.

  “Holy Shit!” Completed Kellan looking sheepish.

  The two stared at him dumfounded for a moment and then Focalor tilted his head back and laughed uncontrollably.

  Chapter 8

  The Council of Havilah

  Movement caught Kellan’s attention and he turned towards it. Figures began to emerge from the closest tree line and the Sentinel felt their eyes upon him. He saw Ah’Anon among them and raised a hand in greeting then opened his mouth to call out. The ancient vampire shook his head in a barely perceptible fashion. Kellan took his meaning, lowering his hand and affected a more sober demeanor. Moments later, seven of them were gathered around him while both Kali and Focalor left Kellan’s side to join their fellows.

  “Welcome, Sentinel of Order,” began one of the newcomers, a tall woman with skin as pale as milk. She wor
e a tight fitted bodice colored a dark garnet red and trimmed in gold. Long loose black curls spilled out of a hooded cape that gracefully draped her shoulders and ran down her amply curved body to where it nearly brushed the ground. “He has completed the binding,” she stated more than asked, but both Kali and Focalor nodded. “Excellent,” she continued, shifting her gaze to the young Sentinel and causing butterflies to dance in Kellan’s stomach. Sharp eyebrows framed almond shaped eyes of a deep, almost iridescent, brown. Her lips were full and almost as red as her cloak and Kellan noted how it quirked up in a sardonic smile. She took a deep breath and Kellan’s eyes were drawn to the pale half moons of her breasts as they rose from her bodice.

  Ah’Anon cleared his throat and Kellan started, shaking his head to clear the glamor, his eyes again meeting hers, but this time with suspicion.

  The woman chuckled, “Do not blame me, Sentinel of Order, for being as I am. Had you held your power, my glamor would not have touched you. It is fortunate for you that we all have bound ourselves to peace even as you have.”

  Kellan reached inward and felt his power flow, but the woman reached out imploringly, “Wait, please.” Kellan did, looking at her questioningly as she continued, “Before we part, you may view us with the eyes of a Sentinel, but for now, I ask that you simply see us as we are.” She paused again, “As we see ourselves.”

  Kellan understood and nodded garnering him another smile. “Excellent,” she said, “My thanks for that. And now, introductions are in order.” She gave a half curtsey and said, “I am Countess Mircalla Karnstein and it is my very great pleasure to make your acquaintance Kellan Thorne.”

  Kellan inclined his head. “Countess Karnstein. Might you also be known by another name?” asked Kellan while trying to infuse his tone with as much diplomacy as he could manage.