Andronicus smiled at Andrew and said, “You ask the machine.”
Andrew turned back to the box and said, “Computing machine, please narrow the list of poisonings to those that exhibit these symptoms: an unquenchable thirst with no fever, then terrible bruising followed by vomiting, then bleeding from the mouth and ears, and finally death.”
“One moment,” the computing machine said.
Then a new list appeared on the screen.
The keeper motioned to Rebekka and Raven to follow him, saying, “Andrew and Lorriel can deal with the cure to the plague. We will talk, for I know you have many questions.”
They followed the keeper outside into the beautifully kept grounds, went over to some trees and sat on a bench.
Then turning, he spoke first to Rebekka, “You possess the ability that some of your ancestors had to hear the thoughts of others. On very rare occasions, one has been able to speak to other minds as well. Before we go on, let me tell you of the grave responsibility of this gift. It is wrong or immoral to listen to a person’s thoughts without a very compelling reason. You should never do so to find out what others think of you or to test people’s loyalty. Every person has thoughts that float through their minds temporarily that they will never act on in reality.”
Then looking very tenderly at Rebekka he said, “Have not you ever had a thought and were upset that you had even thought it? What if you were to hear a fleeting thought such as this in a person’s mind? It may not represent fully what that person really believes or thinks, but it would influence your opinion of them.”
Rebekka now understood the gravity of the gift she had, “I do not want this any longer. It is a curse and too dangerous,” she said to Andronicus.
“I am sorry,” Andronicus said. “Whether you want it or not, it is a part of you. It is better you learn its potential so you can guide and control it.”
Rebekka nodded and then asked, “How did you send the dreams? Do you have this gift?”
Andronicus smiled, “I am enhanced to project my mind in a small way, though not nearly as strong as you can. That is why I could only send dreams. In the dream state, the subconscious is more receptive so I could send images and pictures of this place to all four of you as you slept. But you, Rebekka, are very sensitive. I could have spoken to you as I did earlier. Now you try to speak to me.”
“I don’t know how,” Rebekka stated.
“Focus all your thoughts toward the mind you want to touch. Each mind is unique and you will know who you want to speak to. Follow your thoughts into that person’s mind and then tell them what you want them to hear.”
Rebekka looked at Andronicus and began focusing her thoughts, “Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” came back the reply from Andronicus.
Then Rebekka again spoke, “I shall take a walk to contemplate what has happened.”
Andronicus only nodded and said, “Tell Raven.”
Rebekka turned her mind toward Raven and focusing, spoke to his thoughts, “Raven, I need some time alone to understand what this means for me. I will take a walk.”
Raven looked at Rebekka and said, “Go ahead, I need to talk to the keeper about some things.
And then he realized what Rebekka had done. “You spoke to my mind,” Raven said, amazed. “I can see how this would be unsettling for you.”
Rebekka nodded, stood, and walked away. Raven, watching her go, knew she had to sort this out on her own.
Now Raven and the keeper were alone, so Raven began, “I know I have unusual reflexes and coordination. On the day of the battle I realized it as I fought, but that is not what I want to know about.”
Andronicus nodded, “You want to know about the ancients, do you not?”
“Yes,” Raven said, “how they came here and why they did not pass on the knowledge that was surely thousands of years ahead of us.”
“This is the very reason the ancients left me here, to tell you about them and explain why they could not pass on their technology to their children,” explained Andronicus. “To help you fully understand, I must tell you the whole story.
“Many thousands of years from now into a future you cannot conceive of, your ancestors, the ancients, were born. I know this because I was there as well in the ancient family of the Brickens. Only they were not called Brickens then, they were the Hansens. In fact, all the families changed their names when they came to this place. In all, about forty people came from the future to your past and began the kingdom of Glenfair.”
“Why,” Raven asked, “did our forefathers come to this place from the future?”
“That,” Andronicus stated, “is the most important question of all to understand. In the distant future, there will be no kingdom of Glenfair. What you know as the Wickshield kingdom and Glenfair are one and the same.”
Raven interrupted here, “You mean the Wickshield kingdom finally does conquer ours?”
“No, my dear Raven,” the keeper said smiling, “in the future they have wagons that fly so the passes that now separate the two kingdoms are no longer a barrier. The two kingdoms will make peace someday and become one larger kingdom. This went well for many centuries until a very brilliant military leader took over everything. At first, all things went along as usual, but as he received more power, the more he craved until finally he was too strong for anyone to stop him. In the beginning, he was not an evil man, but power corrupted him and made him afraid of anyone who had even a little power. To maintain control, he made laws that controlled almost every aspect of people’s lives. The people he wanted to control the most were his own military leaders as well as anyone with wisdom in science and mathematics or medicine. If he suspected any subversion or disloyalty, he would have the people executed.”
Raven shook his head knowingly, having had first-hand experience with the destruction of mistrust and suspicion.
The keeper continued, “There was a military leader, some of his men, and some schooled in math and science who wanted to flee his control. The only problem was there was no place left on earth to flee to where he could not find them. So they devised a plan to flee back in time and hide from their enemy, a place where he could not find them. You see, Raven, that is why they gave up all their advanced learning and lived a simple life. If the enemy searched the histories for any unusual advancement, a place or kingdom far ahead of everyone else, he would know where to look. The beautiful part of this plan was that the enemy could not conceive anyone willing to give up the advancement, luxuries, and way of life they were all used to. So he would be looking for unusual advancement, and that is why he never found where your ancestors had gone and why they changed their names. When they arrived here, they used the knowledge and machines they had to build this place and the five castles. There were very few inhabitants in the valley at that time so word did not spread far of their arrival or the use of their machines. Once the castles and pass gates were completed, they put away the machines and lived as anyone else in the world lived at that time. They called themselves dukes and chose one to be king even though they all were equal in the beginning. This they did to fit into the times about them. They did not even tell the next generation of what they knew or how they got here. Everything was shrouded in riddles, staying unsolved until the four of you came here. That is why you cannot let the rest of the kingdom know what is up here above the falls. It is not yet time for this place to be openly revealed. In fact, it will not be time for another two thousand years or more.”
Raven was perplexed at this and asked, “Then why tell us about this knowledge. Why not keep it from us as the ancients did from their children?”
“Because,” Andronicus said, “they do not want the knowledge forgotten completely, just not revealed too early. I know you cherish Glenfair and would do nothing to harm it by letting the enemy know even what place the ancients fled to, so I know you and the others can be trusted. You must, at some time, pass on the knowledge of this place
to a select few of the next generation so they, too, can come here and learn of the histories and why they cannot reveal anything to the general public until the time is right. Do you understand what I have told you?”
Raven spoke slowly and said, “Not all of it, but most of it. I would not have believed it at all true except for this place and you, a machine that looks and acts like a person. By the way, why do you look so old if you do not age like us?”
Andronicus smiled and said. “The ancients made me look this way so when you finally came I would not look threatening, for what harm can an old man do?”
“A lot,” replied Raven, “if your bones are made of the same metal as my sword.”
“That reminds me,” Andronicus said. “The swords can cut through any other metal, but if brought against each other they will shatter. The ancients designed them this way so no duke or king would bring the sword against another.”
“Keeper,” Raven asked, “there are still things that bother me about the enemy. Why after this small group fled would he pursue them to this degree? Would he not be glad of their absence?”
Andronicus answered. “The enemy was in love with one of the women who fled here. She did not love him and knew he would have her if she stayed. After they arrived here she married your ancestor and began the Kallestor line of dukes. The enemy wanted her more than anything, not just for love but for the power she possessed. For that reason, he would pursue them if he could.”
“One last thing,” Raven wanted to know. “How were they able to travel through time to this place?”
“The woman I spoke of,” Andronicus answered, “was the one who enabled them to travel through time. It is a rare ability that came about in the far future. Only three people are known to have ever possessed the ability to travel in time, and then it was limited to, at most, fifteen years forward or back. There were those who studied the knowledge of how this worked and secretly made some crystals that would multiply the power a person had to travel in time to include others and a lot more things with them, how far, no one knew. They only guessed. The enemy did not know about the crystals until your ancestors disappeared to this place. Whether or not he has made his own crystals and found another time traveler, we will never know. But one thing we know, we do not want to take the chance and find out.”
“Where did our ancestors come from?” Raven asked.
“From here,” Andronicus answered.
“No,” Raven said, “what I want to know is where geographically on the earth did they come from?”
“From here and from the Wickshield kingdom,” Andronicus answered again.
Raven shook his head, “You mean our ancestors are our descendants?”
The keeper pondered that for a moment and then said, “I had never thought of that, but yes, in a manner of speaking they are, partially, for other blood has and will mix in over the millennia.”
“What if the ancient enemy comes here? How will we know?” asked Raven.
“I will let you know,” said Andronicus. “There is equipment here that will sense a shift in time.”
Just then Raven heard Rebekka call out to him, “Help me, Raven, there is a Twainlar Serpent right in front of me. I cannot move.”
Raven sprang to his feet and the keeper asked, “What is wrong?”
“Rebekka is in trouble,” Raven said, “but I do not know where she is.”
Raven concentrated with all his thoughts, “Where are you, Rebekka?” The answer came to his mind almost immediately, “I am down by the river where the bridge goes across.”
“She is by the bridge,” was all Raven said before he dashed off, thinking to leave the old keeper behind.
But to Raven’s surprise, the keeper passed him and Raven was the one behind now. It was faster this way for the keeper knew every inch and shortcut in this small valley, and soon they could see Rebekka standing like a statue by the bridge. They slowed to a walk and Raven caught sight of the serpent eyeing Rebekka. All of a sudden, the serpent saw their movement and immediately headed for them. Raven drew his sword and readied it for the approaching Twainlar Serpent, but the keeper pushed his arm down and stepped forward. Raven almost yelled as the keeper casually grabbed the snake and it latched onto his arm with both heads, but then he realized the Twainlar Serpent’s poison could not harm the keeper because he was a machine. The keeper simply walked over to the river, pulled the serpent free, tied him into a couple of knots and tossed him into the river. He then turned and apologized profusely for his inadequate surveillance of the grounds before their arrival. Rebekka was shaken but fine once the serpent was tossed into the river.
Raven threw his arms around her and said, “This mind talk can come in handy.”
Rebekka laid her head on Raven’s shoulder and sighed, “I did not know if I could do it, but I could not yell out or move. The serpent would have bit me.”
“You did the right thing,” Raven said, “calling to me like that. It was so clear, like you were next to me.”
“It was desperation,” Rebekka said.
“Well, now you know we can talk in this special way,” Raven said.
Andronicus looked at them both and said, “If I need you, I will speak directly to you, Rebekka, and if you need me, just speak with your mind and I will answer.”
They headed back to the glass building and upon entering, Lorriel and Andrew met them with faces beaming.
“We found out what has been causing the plague. It is a poisoning from certain metals in the water people or animals drink. The remedy is to eat blackened burnt bread and drink milk with this ingredient.” With that he handed the keeper a list with the ingredient on it, “Do you have any of this here?”
“Yes,” the keeper said and left to retrieve the item.
Andrew looked at Raven and Rebekka and said, “This is quite a place, is it not?” He then quickly added, “I also have developed a test with a fluid I found in the same room. One drop of this liquid in water will tell if it is the source of the poison or not.”
Raven was amazed at how well Andrew had done in finding a cure plus a test to find the offending water. It seemed he was very adept at handling this new knowledge.
Andrew went on, “I cannot believe how much I have learned from half a day with the computing machine. I bet I could analyze the metallurgic compounds in our swords now.”
Raven just shook his head in disbelief. None of them would ever be the same after today. Knowledge is a powerful thing and doors had been opened to all of them...except Lorriel. His mind immediately went back to what Andronicus had said about her, that a greater power than any of them had perhaps resided in her. Raven knew that Andronicus had hinted of a hidden talent in Lorriel, and perhaps some day he would understand it. Andronicus returned with the needed compound Andrew had requested and gave it to him.
“We must be going,” Lorriel said. “There are people who need us.”
Andronicus nodded and walked with them down the path toward the doorway that led to the bottom of the falls.
When they reached the doorway, Andronicus bid them farewell and said, “Come here any time to visit or rest. There is food and the garden to enjoy, and I promise next time no Twainlar Serpents.” As they turned to go he added, “The elevator is now programed to work with either one of your rings from now on, farewell.”
As the door came open, Lorriel turned and asked Andronicus, “Do you ever get lonely up here all by yourself?”
“I am a machine,” the keeper answered. “Machines do not get lonely.”
As the four entered the metal room and the door closed upon them, Andronicus knew it was not the whole truth. Sometimes it was lonely up here. As he stood there contemplating the departure of four very special people, a hooded figure came from a concealed place in the garden to stand next to him. Feminine hands reached up and pulled back the hood to reveal the face of Joanna Kallestor.
“Are they gone?” she asked with tears in
her eyes.
“Yes,” Andronicus said turning to her, “but they will return soon and then your daughter will need you very badly.”
“Why,” Joanna asked him, “would you not let me see them this time? You know how it broke my heart to know they were here.”
“It was your own daughter’s request that no one know today that you were alive. She felt it would be too much for them in one day, especially for her.”
“I do not understand, Keeper,” Joanna replied.
He took her hand and they sat down gently on a bench, “Your daughter is a time shifter. She inherited it from your ancestor who brought the first king and dukes to Glenfair as I told you before. Only she does not know it yet. Nor does she know you are yet alive. If you revealed yourself today, it would only bring questions. Lorriel did not want to know about her time shifting abilities before she found out on her own, seeing you would reveal what she did not wish to know now.”
“Is that how I came to be here?” Joanna asked.
“Yes,” Andronicus said, “your daughter came to me in the past and asked me to rescue you and give you the antidote she now knows exists. I was to bring you here and let people think you had died by burning a decoy the morning of your supposed death, just like it would have happened days later.”
“Why did she not give me the antidote herself?” Joanna asked.
“Many things happened after your supposed death that were cruel and harsh: the war, Edward and the king’s death, and things I can not tell you. She wished to spare you the pain she endured that tore her and Raven’s heart in two. And she wished to be reunited at a time where there is joy and not sadness. Because of this, though, you can never return to the valley because the people think you are dead.”
“I know,” Joanna said rising. “You told me that part before.”
She walked to the place where the falls spilled over the edge and she could see into the valley below, Andronicus at her side.
The King's Folly Page 28
