The Maiden Medallions: Beastkeeper

by Edward Shawn

  The lights were close enough to confirm the accuracy of the owl’s description. They were indeed horses, just not the kind many had seen before. The owl, however, neglected to mention that one carried a rider. Or maybe it had, but due to their communication breakdown, Falconer missed that bit of information. As the Mist horses broke through the trees and entered the clearing, it hardly mattered anymore.

  Like a living embodiment of a nightmare, the horses towered over him, plumes of mist rising from their featureless heads. Falconer gazed at the man sitting on one of the spectral beasts. “Thanks for coming, Galen.”

  Dismounting, the old man dropped to the ground with ease. “You are hurt,” he said, a crow shooting out of the darkness and landing on his shoulder.

  “Yeah, but I’ll be fine.” Falconer noticed a horizontal scar across the width of Galen’s throat. Extending past his ears, the partially healed gash vanished beneath the old man’s lengthy hair. “What happened to your neck?”

  Galen traced the rough mark on his throat with a finger. “I...I did not know this was here.”

  “Are you kidding? How do you suffer an injury like that without knowing?” Falconer stared at the scar on Galen’s neck. “It looks painful.”

  “It is not.”

  “You know, I’d love to discuss your mysterious injury further, but we don’t have time for talk–we need to leave right now.”

  The horses wandered over to the other side of the fire. Discovering Castle’s body, they snorted even without the benefit of nostrils, the dog’s image reflecting off their glistening black eyes.

  Galen joined the horses, Falconer following him to the lifeless body. The old man sat down by Castle’s head. “I know this animal,” he said. Gazing at the crow on his shoulder, the black bird cawed before flying off into the surrounding forest. Removing his pointed hat, Galen placed it on the ground nearby.

  “He was a friend of James,” Falconer replied. “Probably his best friend in the entire world. We really should go. The woman could return and I doubt she’ll come alone this time.”

  Galen glared up at Falconer. “Woman?” A woman was here?” His usually placid features were racked with pain.

  “Uh, yes,” Falconer responded cautiously. The old man’s reaction concerned him. Had he met this woman before? “Are you okay?”

  He didn’t receive an answer. Caressing the healing scar along his throat, Galen’s face returned to its stoic disposition as he turned his attention back to the dog.

  “You know this woman?” Falconer’s curiosity wouldn’t let the matter go now; he had to know if Galen knew who she was.

  “It is all so unclear to me.”

  “Try to remember! It could be important! Finding out a woman was here–that she caused all this...it definitely spooked you.”

  “She injured you?” Galen asked.

  “I hate to admit it, but yeah, she got the better of me.”

  “Come. Sit. I will tend to your injuries.”

  But Falconer didn’t move. “We shouldn’t stay here any longer than we have to.”

  Galen stared at the dog lying before him.

  Falconer’s patience was slipping away but he held his tongue in check. He watched the old man place his hands on Castle’s head, then close his eyes and mumble to himself.

  “Galen, please. Do we really have time for this?”

  Stopping his chant, he gazed up at the impatient man. “This animal’s spirit still dwells within. It is lost and cannot find its way.” Starting up once again, his voice increased in power.

  Knowing he wasn’t the one in control, Falconer had little choice but to wait for Galen to finish.

  The old man’s wrinkled face tensed up, his eyes squirming under trembling eyelids. His fingers were splayed and extended as they hovered over Castle’s head. Falconer thought it looked as if he was trying to draw something forth from the corpse. He mentioned a lost spirit. Was he attempting to retrieve it?

  Castle’s body began to shake. Floating up off the ground, the dog shuddered violently as a brilliant emerald beam shot out of its mouth and eyes and into the sky with enough force to send Galen rolling backwards several feet. A strong wind tore through the campsite and pushed Falconer back a few steps. As the gale died away, the body settled back to the ground.

  “What just happened?” Falconer asked.

  Galen got up and looked around. “The animal’s spirit could not find its way. I guided it free of its mortal shell.” Spotting his hat lying nearby, he went over and picked it up. “Come, I will help you return his body to the earth.”

  Walking over to the fire, the old man reached into his hat. Tossing a substance onto the flames, it roared and flared with renewed vigor.

  Falconer understood the meaning of Galen’s act. Castle would be cremated here tonight, his physical form reduced to its most basic components, his ashes scattered throughout the great forest by the mournful wind.

  23

  James didn’t know what to expect as he left his world behind. He did know he just placed his trust, perhaps his life as well, into the hands of a man he only recently met. He would find out soon enough if he had made a mistake.

  The shimmering violet portal seemed to be nothing more than a doorway. James didn’t experience any sense of movement as he stepped through the gateway and found himself standing somewhere entirely unfamiliar.

  Letting go of the shaman’s hand, he gazed around at the white beach he stood upon. The sand was perfectly smooth–untrampled by man or animal–excluding the footprints left by Micah and James.

  Gazing out over the vastness of water stretching beyond his sight, he noticed the absence of waves and tides, the water smooth and still along the beach it was next to. He didn’t see anything against the horizon, not a boat or sail or a distant land mass. As flat as a sheet of glass, James imagined this ocean of stillness might support his weight if he walked out onto it. “Where are we?”

  “We are in the void between worlds.”

  “Looks like a beach to me.” The pristine white sand beneath his feet followed the contours of the terrain before disappearing far ahead around a gradual bend in the grass covered landscape. The only feature James found of any real interest was the tower of rock protruding into the sky. It looked a long ways off from his spot on the beach.

  Staring past the massive pillar, James gazed into the cloudless sky. The day reminded him of summer even though the sun didn’t seem to be anywhere above. There was ample light, although the source of it remained hidden from view.

  “This way,” Micah said as he turned from the shoreline and started heading inland.

  James glanced behind in search of the portal he’d just come through, but it was nowhere in sight. Putting his faith in Micah once again, he trailed behind his mentor as they ventured through a field of tall grass stretching to the pillar of stone.

  “Hey, Micah, we should bring a lawnmower next time we come this way.”

  Micah turned and smiled at the youth. “A fine suggestion. After our business is over and the medallions secured, I’ll leave you here to become caretaker of the grassy fields.”

  James grinned knowing he was just kidding around. Up past his knees, each blade of grass was uniform in shape and the same shade of green. Looking back the way they came, the grass they trampled upon had sprung back into position and each broken blade somehow repaired. Even though The Void seemed familiar with beach, grass and water, James felt the nuances of this place telling him that he was very far from home.

  It was silent as could be. He didn’t hear or see any birds, animals or people anywhere around. The sound of the surf was also absent, which was hardly surprising considering the water didn’t move, if it indeed was water. The noise of machinery or any kind of technology was also missing. James was almost sure he and Micah were the only life in the void.

  Something else struck him as alien in nature; the air was absolutely still. Since his arrival, he had yet to feel great gusts of wind or even a ge
ntle breeze. It was almost as if he was sealed within an enclosure masquerading as the outdoors. It was as good a theory as any to explain the manufactured feel of this place.

  Micah led the way towards the sheer, ivory-colored pillar. James thought it resembled a giant forearm bursting through the ground only to become frozen in place as it reached for the sky. The top of it even resembled a fist. A series of caves dotted the base of the stone tower; one of them had to be their destination.

  “This place–you said it’s between worlds so this isn’t where you live, am I right?”

  A slight smile passed across Micah’s lips. “You are. We have to enter a second portal to reach my home.”

  “Glad to hear it because this place sucks.” James nodded at the oddly shaped tower looming ahead. “I guess the other portal is in there.”

  “You guess right.”

  “So, nobody lives here?”

  “Nothing lives here...but there is something, a force, perhaps a spirit that maintains order within the void. It makes sure all who pass through do just that. It isn’t wise to stay here for very long.”

  James couldn’t agree more. He didn’t want to be here any longer than necessary. It may look like an ideal setting, but he found the place unsettling. “Have you seen this spirit?”

  “No, I haven’t. I always pass through without delay,” Micah answered, “but I know someone that did. I don’t think its nature is of any particular alignment, it’s just here to urge travelers to continue on with their journey.”

  “Who would want to stay here?”

  “No one.” Micah paused before continuing. “But there have been trespassers in the past–those who found their way here by accident or by some other means. Their fate is always the same.”

  In an effort to put those ominous words behind him, James counted the entrances lining the base of the pillar. There were five dug into the rock in exactly the same size; nothing else distinguished one from the next besides positioning.

  “Do you think Castle will be okay?” James asked during a quiet moment crossing through the field. “I feel awful having to leave him. If only Danny was there, I know he’d look after him.”

  “If Danny was there, he would also have been in danger. I am sure Falconer will look after your dog.”

  “I hope so, but that woman with the gun might not give him the chance. Do you know her?”

  Micah shook his head as he transferred his staff to his other hand. “No, I don’t, but her intent was clear. She was there for the medallion you carry.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I am.”

  “Well, she can’t get her hands on it now,” James said, patting the pocket the medallion rested in. “God, I hope she didn’t shoot him.”

  “Falconer is a resourceful man. It’s my hope for you to attain what he has been able to achieve.”

  James didn’t understand his meaning but would have to ask for clarification at another time; they had arrived at the base of the pillar.

  Wide steps extended up to all of the cave entrances. James followed Micah into the first gloomy opening from the left. Proceeding deeper inside, they walked out into a large circular chamber with a high ceiling and smooth walls. Orbs of spinning light floated above, bathing the room in a cascading dance of color. Counting nine orbs in total, each was a different size and emitted a distinct shade of light. One orb in particular–a shimmering globe of orange and yellow and the brightest one of all–was suspended in the middle, the remainder revolving around it at varying speeds and distance. Mesmerized by the display, James recalled seeing this particular arrangement before: it was a depiction of the solar system.

  Losing interest in the orbs, he noticed the totem poles spaced around the chamber wall. All facing the center of the round room, they stood over eight feet tall and resembled each other for the most part, though there were subtle differences in their design.

  But James didn’t have time to absorb the finer details of their construction. Micah stood in front of one of the poles and James wanted to be near him. With all the portal hopping, he needed to make sure there was no chance he could be left behind. He didn’t know the intricacies of how the portals actually worked, and if for some reason the two of them became separated, he knew he would never find his way home.

  “These totem poles trigger the portals between worlds,” Micah said. “From here, we can travel to different parts of Earth, to my world or even other realms you wouldn’t care to visit. There are more rooms like this one inside the pillar. You saw the other entrances.”

  James nodded, his imagination producing vile creatures roaming alien landscapes.

  “The poles on your world are quite different from these ones,” Micah continued. “On Earth, the poles mark the location of the portals. Those portals lead only to the void, nowhere else. Think of it as a security measure. Only those with an understanding and the necessary tools to move beyond The Void should be here–those able to move from world to world will survive. All others will remain trapped here, and as I mentioned before, staying here for too long is an unwise decision.” Micah smiled at James. “But I’ve said more than you care to hear.” He pointed his staff at the totem pole. “This one will activate the portal to my home.”

  “Can’t wait,” James said. “I don’t like this place.”

  “You’ve mentioned that.” Removing a black feather from the tip of his staff, Micah placed it into his hand, then whispered an incantation. The feather stiffened, its suppleness gone. Inserting the feather into a groove above the third face on the totem pole, he turned it clockwise before pulling it from the slot.

  The pole began to glow with a purplish tinged light as the feather crumbled to dust.

  The ornamental carving at the top of the pole depicted the head of a bear. Its jaws open and large teeth on display, James couldn’t suppress the shiver running through him as he recalled his own encounter with one not long ago. He hadn’t known it then, but that moment was the start of all this; it was the point when his life slipped out of his control.

  The light swam up the pole, gathering within the eyes of the large bear head. Twin beams of radiance shot out striking the ground before Micah’s feet. Permeating the floor, the light seemed to liquefy and then something started rising from the shimmering puddle of purple light.

  An oval window framed by tightly coiled tree branches rose out of the sparkling pool. Infused with sparks of violet energy running along the wooden framework, James was thrilled to see massive tree trunks in the window. As it continued to rise, he eventually saw treetops and then the sky above them. Wind played with the leaves; it seemed as if they waved at him in greeting. Sunlight streaming through the openings in the canopy, the light broke up the shadows huddled along the forest floor.

  The energy crackling along the frame abruptly ceased as the portal into Micah’s world finished ascending from the light puddle. James looked forward to leaving The Void behind and stepping out into a world more familiar.

  “That is my home,” Micah said, gazing at the portal. “That is Nilvanya.”

  “Looks just like Earth. Can we go through now?”

  “Yes. Just step over to the–”

  Before Micah could finish delivering his instructions, James entered the portal, then strolled out onto a hilltop. Turning around, he waved at Micah standing on the other side. Looming behind the portal he just came through was a duplicate of the totem pole Micah activated in the chamber. Gazing up at the bear head, it wasn’t nearly as intimidating seen in the light.

  “It looks like we’re back where we started–that we’re back on my world,” James said as Micah stepped through.

  “We are not back where we started. Our worlds may look similar, but listen also. What do you hear?”

  Doing as his companion asked, James heard birds chirping and the wind rustling the treetops. There wasn’t anything remarkable about that. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “I know. It’s quiet here, isn’t
it?”

  James didn’t understand the point he was trying to make but agreed with the shaman’s premise. It was, without a doubt, extremely quiet. He found it quite unnatural, but considering the way he arrived here and visiting places like the void, he shrugged his shoulders and just accepted it.

  “So you see,” Micah began, “we are not on your world any longer. We are in my home, my world, the beautiful land we call Nilvanya.” He breathed in deeply savoring the air of his native land. “That, my young friend, is air that is truly fresh.”

  James could hardly believe it. With the stress of the past few days, moving from moment to moment with barely an instant for clarity or reflection, he hadn’t been afforded an opportunity to truly understand the significance of where his supposed destiny may lead. Now, as he stood next to Micah, he wondered if he might truly be the first person ever to set foot on another world. “Are we really on another planet?”

  “Not exactly. Nilvanya is an alternate plane of reality connected to Earth through the portals.” Picking some blueberries off a nearby bush, Micah tossed them at James.

  Catching the tiny globes of fruit, his stomach rumbled in anticipation. Putting some into his mouth, he enjoyed the burst of flavor provided by each. “Man, these are so good!” He couldn’t remember loving blueberries as much as he did right then.

  Micah laughed at the expression on the young man’s face. “There are many bushes along the way, so eat as much as you like. Just try to keep up if you decide to stop,” he said as he reached the edge of the hilltop. “Come. We still have a ways to travel. We should make it to my village before nightfall if we move at a good pace.” Stepping onto a well traveled path, he began descending the tree covered hillside.

  James kept him in sight as he plucked more berries. Satisfied he had enough, he ran down the hill, stumbling here and there until catching up.

  Micah whistled a tune James was unfamiliar with. Melodic and upbeat, he sounded happy to be home again. Dining on more berries, James took in the breathtaking view beginning to emerge the further down they went.

  The trees thinned out revealing a majestic panorama. A long distance away to his right was a mountain range with snowcapped peaks. Most were below the cloud cover; only a few penetrated the clouds hanging over the entire range. Midway up the highest peak, a frothing white waterfall plummeted down the side, its destination hidden by the mountains before it. A rainbow arced across the falling water adding a swath of color against the white and gray of the mountainside. James imagined it was quite an undertaking just to get there.