“But I don’t even know what my mission is,” Robby said.
“You know that you have been given a mission,” said the Glimpse, “and that is enough. The choice is whether you will fulfill that mission or return to your world in the hope of bringing your family to the point of turning. Some good will come of either deci-sion, but you must choose tonight.”
Robby nodded miserably. “It’s… it’s hard,” he said.
The old Glimpse stood. “You demonstrated your trust,” he said quietly, “when you entered The Door Within. The only thing you must decide is whether you will continue to trust.”
Robby watched as the Glimpse walked slowly to the path that led through the evergreens. He turned and looked one last time at Robby, and he smiled. Then he vanished into the trees.
Robby buried his head in his hands and wept.
Not a moment later, someone put a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Robby?” came a deep voice. “Are you all right?”
Robby looked up and there was Mallik, leaning on his immense hammer. “Nock told me you had probably come this way. But you are distraught. Has something happened?”
“I’m okay,” Robby said, standing and wiping the last of his tears away. “It’s just that I kind of lost it when I was talking to the old knight about my family.”
“Old knight?” Mallik looked confused.
“Yeah,” Robby replied, pointing to the path. “I mean, he looked old-still real strong-but old. You must have passed him on the path.”
“I passed no one on the path,” Mallik said.
“But you must’ve.”
Mallik shook his head. They stood in awkward silence for some time.
“Come, Master Robby,” Mallik said at last. “I cannot solve this mystery you have suggested. But perhaps Kaliam can. Now we should go. Many have gathered in your honor. I came to bring you to the main hall on time.”
“The ceremony?”
“Yes,” Mallik replied. “The very one.”
They turned to leave, but Mallik stumbled over a pumpkin-sized gray stone. “That smarts!” Mallik said, laughing at his own clumsi-ness. “But I suppose it could have been much worse. That stone could have just now fallen from up high and hit me in the head!”
Robby laughed so hard it hurt.
“Hey,” Mallik said, with a mischievous wink of the eye. “Before we go, would you like to see something?”
Robby nodded vigorously.
“Right, now stand aside,” Mallik said, a grin widening on his face. He snatched up his hammer to a great height. “Now watch the stone. You will see sparks for sure!”
Robby watched the stone just as he was told. Mallik flexed his massive arms and swung his great hammer down. There was a sound that reminded Robby of the icemaker on his fridge at home, and the stone exploded in a shower of green and yellow sparks!
“That was incredible!” Robby exclaimed. “Your hammer can break rocks?”
“The head of this weapon was forged of murynstil,” Mallik replied. “And my grandsire found a way to flash-temper it to a hard-ness beyond any stone in The Realm.”
“Cool!”
“Well, almost any stone,” Mallik corrected himself. “It takes me several swings to break the blue granite of my homeland, but it eventually shatters.”
“Can you do it again?” Robby asked.
“We really ought to get back,” Mallik said, grinning.
“Please!” Robby said. “C’mon, Mallik. Just one more time.”
“All right,” Mallik conceded at last.
Robby grinned and stood a few paces back as Mallik went over to the large white stone upon which the old Glimpse had been sit-ting. “Now this should please your desires!” Mallik said, and again he hoisted his hammer high. With great strength and terrible force, Mallik slammed the hammer down upon the white stone.
There was a thunderous sound that echoed off the face of Pennath Ador. But this time the stone did not shatter. Mallik’s ham-mer bounced and fell out of his hands. He ran in a tight circle, clutching his hands as if burned.
“GREAT MOONRASCALS!!!” Mallik howled.
“Are you okay?” Robby asked.
“Aye, lad!” Mallik replied, picking up his hammer. “I just must have missed the center with my stroke. It does that sometimes. Now stand back.”
Mallik took a deep breath and brought his hammer crashing down upon the white stone. And again the hammer bounced without so much as a tiny spark. Mallik dropped his hammer and screamed at the mountain. Then he ran back and picked up his hammer for a third try. This time when he lifted his hammer, he brought the head so far back that it almost touched the ground behind him. Mallik’s eyes bulged as he wrenched his body and swung the hammer in a huge arc.
The hammer’s head struck the stone a mighty blow. A sound like a cannon shot bounced off the mountain, and a small chip of white shot into the woods. There had been no spark, but a small lick of fire sprouted on the white stone and danced there for a moment before flickering and going out. Suddenly the top of a small pine tree top-pled over and fell-exactly where the chip of stone had gone.
“Did you see that?” Robby asked.
“Aye, I saw it,” Mallik replied. “I saw it, but I do not believe it!”
“The old Glimpse who was here said this mountain was the very first mountain, that the white stone is powerful.”
“No doubt about that,” Mallik said. He whistled. “Why, this rock here is harder than the blue granite from my…”
Mallik’s voice trailed off, and he stared up suddenly at the mas-sive face of gray, and among that, the huge fields of white stone.
“What?” Robby asked, looking from the white stone by his feet and back to the mountain.
Mallik grabbed Robby by the collar of his tunic. “Hurry! We need to get back to the castle!” And Mallik lumbered off into the pines.
“What?” Robby asked, stumbling after him. “What’s going on?”
“Well-done, Robby!” came Mallik’s voice from up ahead. “You may have just saved the Kingdom of Alleble!”
26
THE GOOD CONFESSION
W hile rushing up the passage from his chamber, Robby turned a corner and ran smack into a young Glimpse maiden. They tum-bled awkwardly to the ground. Clad in his armor, Robby had landed on his back and looked like a turtle.
“Oooh, I knew I should have worn my armor!” the Glimpse said, and she was on her feet immediately, brushing the dust off a long emerald-green gown.
“I’m real sorry about that,” Robby said. “It’s just that I don’t know my way around the castle and-” But when he finally got to his feet and saw her, he forgot what he was about to say. She had extremely long straight black hair that fell in dark locks behind her neck and back. And some draped on either side of her ears.
“Well?” she said, her raven dark eyes smoldering. “Where were you going in such a-” And then it was her turn to be suddenly awestruck. “You, you are not Glimpse-kind,” she said, regaining some composure. “But I feel I have met you be-” She took in a sharp breath and put her hands to her mouth. “Kearn!” she exclaimed with sudden recognition. “Nay, but Kearn’s twin from the Mirror Realm!”
Robby blushed. “That’s me. My name is Robby Pierson.” But then he felt obligated to say, “But I’m not like that Kearn guy.”
“I daresay you are not!” She laughed. “You are a warrior of Alleble now. Well-met, I say! I am Trenna Swiftfoot.” She held out her hand demurely, expecting Robby to kiss it in the manner of a chivalrous knight. Robby took her hand in his and shook it vigor-ously instead.
Trenna drew her hand back and smiled. “And from what I have heard,” she continued, “you are to join me in the ceremony tonight.”
“I am?” Robby looked at her questioningly.
She nodded.
“Oh, righ-ight,” he said.
There was an awkward silent moment. “Do you know the way to the Great Hall? See, that’s why I ran into you-I was lookin’ for i
t, but got kinda lost.”
“I will lead you,” she said. “Keep up with me, if you can.”
“That shouldn’t be too hard,” Robby replied.
“Oh, really?” Trenna raised an eyebrow, and before Robby knew it, she was gone.
She beat him to the Great Hall-beat him soundly. It was all Robby could do just to keep from losing sight of her and getting lost again. When Robby finally made it to the Great Hall, he was drenched with sweat. Trenna, on the other hand, looked dry and cool. A few Glimpse knights and maidens snickered as they passed by Robby and entered the crowded hall.
“I hope you fight better than you run,” said Nock, who had watched the last leg of their race.
“It’s hard running in all this armor,” Robby said, tugging at the collar of his tunic.
“Oh, making excuses now, are we?” Trenna asked.
“No!” Robby replied curtly. “Well… yeah, I guess I am. I want a rematch.”
“Anytime,” she said, smiling sweetly.
“You two know each other?” Nock asked suspiciously.
“No!” they replied together as if horrified by the notion.
“We, uh, just ran into each other tonight,” Trenna clarified.
Nock’s intense blue eyes scanned them both.
“Robby Pierson, Trenna Swiftfoot, come forward!” Kaliam commanded from inside the hall. The crowd inside became sud-denly quiet. Robby and Trenna walked slowly in, feeling very self-conscious with all eyes trained on them. They met Kaliam in the front of the vast arched room. Robby saw Mallik, Elspeth, Kindle, Lady Merewen, and several other prominent-looking Glimpses-all dressed in shining bright armor.
Kaliam smiled at Robby and Trenna and then turned to the crowd. “Knights and ladies of Alleble, friends from Yewland, Mithegard, and Acacia… we gather here tonight to witness the good confession of not one but two who would join our ranks!”
“Hear, hear!” the crowd cheered.
“Huzzah!” Mallik shouted.
“Ordinarily,” Kaliam went on, turning back to Robby and Trenna, “this ceremony comes at the end of many years of training and education. But now, by King Eliam’s decree in time of war, we perform this with all confidence and surety.”
More cheers.
“And ordinarily, this ceremony is for one warrior at a time. But tonight you both have come. For both of you have been released from a kind of bondage: Trenna, the chains of iron you wore in Baen-Edge; Robby, the invisible chains you wore in the Mirror Realm. But both in bondage manufactured by The Betrayer. On this glorious night we welcome you into an entirely different world where you are free to choose whom you will serve.”
Kaliam then turned and Kindle came forward bearing a tray upon which lay two gleaming swords. One was short, thin, and beautifully curved. The other was a broadsword with a wide blade and a dragonwing crossguard.
Kaliam picked up the short sword and said, “Trenna, Robby, kneel before me.”
The large room became entirely quiet. Kaliam glanced at Lady Merewen. She smiled.
“Trenna Swiftfoot,” Kaliam began. “Steadfast huntress of Yewland, you are not called tonight to abandon all loyalties to your home-land. Nay, serve your queen faithfully. But by your declaration, you have already become a full servant of Alleble by making a confession of allegiance in the presence of Lady Antoinette. So this night, we make public that which you have already declared in private.
“Do you, Trenna, confess allegiance and absolute loyalty to the one true King, the provider of all that is just and good? Even were the hordes of darkness to assail you in hopeless demand of your life-even then do you swear devotion forever to the King? Trenna, say ‘aye’ only if this is the sincerest wish of your heart.”
Trenna looked up, her eyes glinted blue, and she said, “Aye!”
“Huzzah!!” Mallik bellowed. Kaliam glared at his hammer-wielding friend as if to say, “We are not finished yet!”
Kaliam took the sword and lightly tapped it on each of Trenna’s shoulders. “Then by the heartfelt confession of your lips, I dub thee Lady Trenna, swordmaiden and defender of Alleble!”
The room erupted in cheers-and huzzahs! And, crying tears of joy, Trenna accepted her sword from Kaliam’s hands. Kaliam then turned to Robby. At first, Robby avoided the Sentinel’s gaze.
Trenna decided so easily! he thought. The whole time Kaliam had been speaking with Trenna, Robby had been silently debating. The strange encounter with the old Glimpse in the mountains kept replaying itself over and over in his mind. “The choice is whether you will fulfill that mission or return to your world in the hope of bringing your family to the point of turning. Some good will come of either deci-sion, but you must choose tonight.”
Kaliam took the second blade from Kindle and turned to Robby. “Robby,” he said, “you responded to King Eliam’s invitation and entered The Door Within. You traveled the narrow path and have come now to make the good confession. This sword…” Kaliam held the blade aloft for all to see. “This sword was crafted long ago for a doughty knight who fought for Alleble in the Cold River Battles. It is a fearsome, heavy blade, emblazoned with the image of a dragon. And you have come to Alleble with the ferocity and the passion of such a beast.
“And already, in just a short time, you have struck a blow against the enemy that he will find hard to endure.”
Mallik came within an inch of shouting out another HUZZAH, but Nock elbowed him in the ribs.
“And you have shown yourself courageous in battle,” Kaliam continued. “Your skills warrant knighthood, so I now require of you. .. the good confession.”
Robby shifted uncomfortably on his knees. He wanted desper-ately to become a knight and serve King Eliam, but he felt another kind of desperation as well… and he wasn’t sure which would win out.
“Do you, Robby, confess allegiance and absolute loyalty to the one true King, the provider of all that is just and good? Even were the hordes of darkness to assail you in hopeless demand of your life-even then do you swear devotion forever to the King?”
In that moment Robby’s field of vision clouded. And he saw his mother, smiling and happy as she often was when they lived in Florida. She was flattening dough with a rolling pin and looking up expectantly. Then he saw his sister Jill, but she was younger… wearing pigtails like she used to before makeup and high school. She was just grinning like she knew the world’s greatest secret. Finally, Robby saw his father. They were at the marina in Panama City. He was wearing that Hawaiian shirt Robby had given him for his birthday. He was showing Robby how to cast the fishing rod. Robby couldn’t help but think how contented they both looked-father and son. But then the vision changed horribly. The faces, except his, were all still there. But they were grief-stricken, anguished, and fearful. There seemed to be dark water all around them-are they drowning? But wait! No, it was not water. It was oil… dark oil, and his mother, father, and sister were in the fountain. Suddenly, fire ringed the fountain and engulfed them!
“Noooo!” Robby screamed. The crowd gathered in the Great Hall gasped.
“Robby?” Kaliam said. “Robby, what is wrong?”
Robby put his head in his hands. “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know,” he cried.
“I do.” And suddenly Lady Merewen was there. She went to Robby and put her hand on his wet cheek. “You are torn,” she whispered.
“I just can’t let them die!” he said, looking up at her with des-perate eyes.
“Who, Robby?” Lady Merewen asked.
“Mom, Dad… Jill-they’ll die if I don’t go back!” Robby closed his eyes and began to shake.
“Robby, look at me!” she said, and she lifted his chin. And slowly, Robby looked up at her. “Now,” she said, “who told you they would all die?”
“He did.”
Lady Merewen tilted her head and restrained the anger she was feeling. “Paragor is a liar, Robby!” she said forcefully. “For the longest time, he ruled you by his lies, and now that he has lost you, h
e wants only one thing: to render you powerless.”
“But my family… if I don’t go back, who will tell them?”
Lady Merewen smiled and put her hand on Robby’s shoulder. “King Eliam the Everlasting has many servants,” she said. And sud-denly, Robby felt another hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and there was Trenna, grinning like a schoolgirl. Yet another hand, a big one, landed on Robby’s other shoulder. Robby smiled, for there was Mallik. Nock came next, then Kindle, and another… and another. And still many more after that until Robby was surrounded by Glimpses. Their hands chased away the chill, and Robby pictured the eyes of the old Glimpse from the mountain.
“The only thing you must decide is whether you will continue to trust.”
“Robby, I offer to you now the good confession,” Kaliam said. “Think deeply on this, for you are free to choose. Only answer ‘aye’ if it is the deepest longing of your heart.”
Robby looked up at the glad loving eyes of his new friends, but no, they were somehow more than friends. They were family. I will trust you, Robby said in his mind. But out loud he yelled at the top of his lungs, “Aye!”
“Then by the heartfelt confession of your lips,” Kaliam announced, tapping the sword blade lightly on his shoulders, “I dub thee Sir Robby, Twelfth Knight of Alleble and servant forever of King Eliam the Everlasting!”
The roar that escaped the Great Hall in that moment could be heard even by those who passed by the castle on the road. The cel-ebration ensued, but for Kaliam, Robby, and many of the warriors gathered there, they could not enjoy much of it, for they had impor-tant matters to discuss.
“Can they do it?” Kaliam asked. He stood beside a roaring fire in Guard’s Keep.
“My people are masters of mountain and stone,” Mallik replied proudly. “If there are any fissures in the tough white rock of Pennath Ador, we will exploit them. Still, it will take an army, and we need to begin now, before my kinsmen arrive.”
“What must we do?” asked Farix, and he pulled a rolled parch-ment and a quill pen from his wide sleeves.
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