by Lee Magnus
“You mean like quantum theory? It only exists if I intentionally observe it?”
“No reason to make things so complicated. They are merely disguised.”
“I see something but only if I indirectly look at it. Sort of a shadowy thing out of the corner of my eye. What are they?”
“I think it’s best you didn’t know.”
“No really. Tell me. I’m curious.”
“They are a manifestation of the Keeper. It’s how he keeps surveillance on the forest. He can manifest hundreds of them.”
“They’re just images of him? That’s not scary.”
“You don’t understand, The Keeper is from the Etherios. He escaped thousands of years ago. Each of the wraiths have his ability to consume the essence from a living body just as if it were the Keeper himself. That’s how he is able to stay in this world.”
“The Keeper is a demon?”
“Something like that.”
“How’d he escape?”
“No one knows.”
Trey wiggled a finger. In his excitement, he nearly allowed Simon to sense the accomplishment.
“What is it that you are keeping from me?” said Simon.
“I don’t know what you mean. You’re in my head. I can’t keep anything from you.”
The lie seemed to pacify Simon for the moment.
Now a toe. Trey began to sense the remainder of his muscles coming under his control. He continued to keep his progress from Simon.
A rock archway passed above that narrowed into what looked like the roof of a wide tunnel.
“Is this the burrow?”
“The entrance.”
The passageway was lit but Trey could see nothing straight above. He made a significant effort to resist turning his head to look around.
Unlike Simon’s cavern tunnel with rough shaped stalactites and stalagmites, this was solid stone. Not a crack or uneven surface. It seemed completely smooth.
Trey admired the mostly glossy black and grey ceiling that contained veins of greens, golds and silvers. In a different setting, he thought, it would have made handsome countertops. Trey’s stomach churned as they continued deeper into the gloomy passageway.
The tunnel twisted and turned. Trey could not determine if they were in the original tunnel or made turns into others. Mentally noting each change was increasingly arduous as his mind became cloudy and dim. A penetrating fog overcame his thoughts. He felt he no longer had control over his awareness. He fought harder to contain his sanity.
The tunnel opened into a wide cavern. A geometrically symmetrical convex ceiling glittered as they came to a stop near the center. A roaring fire burned to the far left. The room smelled like cinnamon and apples. A tremendous urge to vomit nearly overwhelmed him. His mind blurred. He wasn’t sure where he was – disorientation added to the lack of cognizance.
A strong voice with a hint of a Scottish accent said, “Trey Roberts! How nice of Simon to bring you to my burrow.”
Trey felt the demon probing his murky mind.
He is so much stronger than Simon, Trey thought.
Trey was unable to completely block the Keeper but felt confident he effectively hid the fact that he could move and possibly that he was in possession of the disk.
“Let’s make you more comfortable, shall we?” said the Keeper.
Trey made his body as lifeless as possible has he prepared to be moved. He rose gently into the air.
He must be using telekinesis or something, Trey thought.
His head flopped limply to the side then faced down. He would have received a Tony for the outstanding performance. He felt a forceful pressure on his forehead slowly raise his head. He hovered upright for just a moment in front of a man with a clean-shaven face dressed in a casual grey suit wearing a D.C. United cap.
Trey did all he could to hide a surprised expression at the demon’s appearance.
This is a demon? Not at all what I was expecting. He even has a DCU cap. Clearly, he wants to befriend me.
The Keeper raised his hand, the sword followed off from Trey’s back.
“Very interesting. The sword wasn’t entrusted to you? Which dead person did you steal it from? Or did you commit murder? No. Of course that’s not you. Either way you won’t be needing it any longer,” said the Keeper as the sword floated away.
Trey was placed in a sitting position in a large chair. He faked a limp lean to the side of the chair, resting on a narrow sloping armrest and for more effect he angled his head in an awkward upward facing position.
“Bumble berries,” interrupted Simon.
“You have strong control over your mind, much like your grandfather.” The Keeper said telepathically to Trey. “But I think I got what I needed before you closed me out. Ah ha, Marcus. He is close to you. And yes. She is lovely? Is Sarah your girlfriend?”
“You leave them alone! They aren’t important to you!”
“All information is important to me, boy.”
“You knew my grandfather?”
“He and I had a brief dealing. He brought me something in return for a favor.”
It can’t be. I hoped Simon was lying. Grandpa would never deal with a demon. He wouldn’t. Would he? Maybe that’s why he never visited? Maybe Grandpa is one of the bad guys?
Returning his attention to the Keeper Trey asked, “A favor? What type of favor? What did he bring you?”
The Keeper’s mental tentacles searched out more information.
Argg! It feels like long needles stabbing my brain. I think I am keeping him out. How are they (the Keeper and Simon) getting into my mind? I wonder what he thinks I know.
“You struggle so much. Why fight me? This doesn’t have to be so difficult,” the Keeper said in a soft inviting voice. “Continue to struggle and it will get much more painful,” he said.
“I….I don’t know anything,” Trey said fighting off the pain.
“We will see. As for your question, Patrick brought me a very special stone,” the Keeper resumed.
No! Grandpa! He did do it. Simon was telling the truth. He probably thinks I’m the same. That’s probably why he brought me here. Lyza was close to him. She’s probably been lying to me all along. Damnit! I can’t trust anyone!
“That’s right, Trey. You can’t trust anyone,” the keeper whispered in his mind.
Trey was disheartened and got caught off guard. He closed his mind as thoughts ricocheted around his brain. He felt like he should pay for his Grandpa’s offence - or avenge his actions.
I have to get free. I have to do what I can to help. I can’t believe my own family is one of them. At least he keeps talking – I’m sure hoping I will loosen my thoughts again.
“So, Grandpa was able to get to and from here because you let him pass? He didn’t have the sword. How did he get here?”
“I let him through. Only the sword and I can unlock the portal.”
“Why was the stone so important to you?”
“Let’s say it helps me see things I wouldn’t see otherwise. It as well as the sword will serve as payment for good favor in the new world after the Great King rises.”
“The Great King, you say?” Trey said sounding indifferent. “This deal you had with Grandpa, how did you know he would beat Simon?”
“My, you are full of uninteresting questions. Simon is a very cunning creature but simple-minded.”
Trey felt a sense of anger rush over him.
That wasn’t me I’m not angry. Was that Simon? I must be feeling his anger. The Keeper must have struck a nerve with him.
Trey didn’t notice a reaction from either, leading him to the assumption that he effectively hid the thought from both the Keeper and Simon.
Trey paused for a minute. He had an idea – the first of a string of unwise impulsive ideas.
“Simple-minded? How?” Trey replied to the Keepers comment about Simon.
The Keeper paused a few seconds – silently regarding Trey. Trey thought for an instant that
the demon perceived his plan. A growing uncertainty budded in Trey’s confidence. The Keeper then replied, “I knew his focus would be to escape imprisonment. I knew his challenge would be a weak attempt at deception at best. Much like with you.”
Trey felt a pull to the disk in his pocket. He felt like he should be holding it.
Not now. I can’t give up my advantage just yet.
“Bugs like him are easy to read and control,” derided the Keeper.
Trey wearing an inner smile thought to himself, More anger. That’s it Simon. You’re almost there.
The Keeper continued, “And to think, he brought you here thinking I would grant him a favor. He should have known better.”
A sense of panic overcame Trey – but again, it wasn’t Trey’s panic. That’s it, Simon. Hang on just a little longer, He thought to himself.
“Plus, none of this matters any longer,” The Keeper said triumphantly. Commerand has grown more powerful than the beast guarding the eye. It will kneel at his feet. He will use the eye to gather all the relics. Once that happens Khaitu will be freed. You must choose your side wisely, boy. But yes. I sense you have already done so. Oh,” he projected laughing, “and your brave teacher, Nick Hampton, is about to die in a little desert town.”
Shaken Trey said, “What! What do you mean about to die!”
The cap wearing demon twisted his face as he pushed deeper into Trey’s mind.
“Tell me what you are hiding!” he said.
The pull from the disk was now almost unbearable. Trey continued to fight the urge as the Keeper approached.
“Tell me, boy, what are you hiding!”
Oh god he’s growing. No. He’s getting longer and growing!
The grey suit faded into a translucent core with a light in its center.
The stone! It’s inside him!
The Keeper’s head bulged, and a third eye emerged from within. A lanky tail whipped from behind as the Keeper took the shape of a three eyed serpent that curled in front of the chair Trey was flopped in. It’s head, facing downward, stared Trey in the eyes. The stone dimly shone before him through the opaque form.
“Youuuuu will teeeeell me what you knooooww,” he said in a nasty whisper.
“Simon! You filthy bug! Now!” Trey screamed in Simon’s mind.
Simon rolled, then instantly grew into a ball nearly as tall as the room. He raced toward the milky snake.
Startled, the Keeper looked up. He flattened Simon against the wall with a whip of his head. Spindly legs raced for traction. Undulating tendons urged to contract in hopes of folding an impenetrable shell around it’s frail underbelly. Simon seemed to be stuck, unable to move. That’s all the time Trey needed.
Trey seized the disk, then thrust it into the serpent as if spooning through a thick pie.
“The disk! That’s what you were hiding!” screamed the Keeper.
Not quite reaching far enough inside, the stone moved, attaching to the disk as if it were magnetized, momentarily emitting a magnificent light upon the connection. A surge of energy rushed through Trey.
Ripping the disk from the astonished Keeper, Trey rolled out of the chair away from the globulus fiend. The Keeper flailed on the ground but quickly regained himself. Trey leapt surprisingly high and further than expected off a small table only to be stopped in mid-air.
“That was a sneaky trick. You will pay dearly. I intended to kill you and your bug friend quickly but now I believe I will make it last for as long as possible. Yesssss. I will feed for days from your near lifeless body.”
The snake tossed Trey into the wall. He rose to his knees just before he was whipped back down by its enormous tail.
“We shall get to know each other very well while you suffer a grindingly gruesome death.”
Lifting him up telekinetically, the slimy snake brought him close. The beast’s nostrils just inches from Trey’s face. He lashed a forked tongue across Trey’s forehead. Trey winced in disgust and fear.
Pop, Snap, Pop sounded – both were startled. A ball of electricity quickly formed adjacent to Trey’s right shoulder. Trey’s heart jumped with joy. Just before a blinding bolt of electricity exploded from the object, the Keeper recoiled toward the flash enveloping Sparky in an impenetrable energy field causing the blast to be contained within a small radius surrounding a tiny blue creature.
“Sparky!” Trey said excitedly.
Electricity sizzled inside and around the invisible sphere but not outside of it. Sparky looked confused. Golden eyes bulged – then saddened at the failure of his attack. Tiny little bunny feet pressed against the imperceptible surface as he floated helplessly next to Trey.
“Well, Trey. Aren’t you full of surprises? With his mind the Keeper crushed the sphere and its contents. He then made a tossing move which propelled a tiny misshapen blue object across the room.
“Sparky! No!” He reached out for his friend as if a touch would bring him back.
“He was such a brave little guy,” the Keeper mocked.
“No, no, no. Sparky.” The words were barely perceptible as he wept.
“Now it’s your turn,” the Keeper snarled.
Copious tears rained from Trey’s eyes as shadowy apparitions poured into the cave. They rushed onto him from all sides. Trey felt life leaving with each wretched attack. He almost welcomed death in his depressed state.
“Yes! You have much to give, boy! Just like your dear old grandpa before I sent him to a place from which he will never return.”
“What? You killed Grandpa?” Trey said weakly.
“You stupid boy. I merely sent him to where he asked to go.”
A shadow plunged into Trey’s mouth momentarily choking him before it escaped from the top of his head. He could barely comprehend what the Keeper was saying.
Staring at Trey through a wicked yellowish orange eye he scowled, “You will not die today, but I will feed. Yes! I will feed! Ha Ha Ha!”
Bloody and bruised, bearing ruthless assaults from demonic phantoms, mournful of the loss of his innocent friend who he promised to protect – Trey felt he couldn’t take much more. He gave up.
The disk urged him, but he ignored it. It urged again. It’s too painful. I don’t have anything left. Just let me die. It urged him again, and again. A cold wraith sailed through him – sucking away precious life. He wearily looked in the direction of the pull. The one useful eye brightened. With the last of his will he raised the disk forward. The sword shot across the room finding Trey’s hand. The disk sunk into the pommel.
Trey instantly burst into raging flames.
Western Oasis
“We must get far from this car,” said Lyza.
“I get us to safe place,” replied Alex.
He led them toward the City Lake, snuck down several streets, then moved through more than one building.
Wait, Alex signaled with his hand. He motioned for them to get down. Jessie’s men seemed to be everywhere. They waited for a group to pass before turning down a dusty dirt road heading out of the main area of town. He directed them north through a palm grove to a tiny structure on the edge of the parcel.
“We safe here. This friend grove. He away on holiday,” said Alex as he sat heavily in the only chair.
“Give Seth a call to let him know where we are,” Nick said to Alex.
Nick pulled Lyza forcefully by the arm then said, “Why is Trey here?”
“I was informed he was in possession of an artifact entrusted to his grandfather. I went to see if it was true. We were attacked and now we’re here tracking down the remaining pieces to ensure their and his security.”
“Attacked? By who? Who would want to attack Trey regardless of what he possessed?”
“Hey lady, just tell him. He already knows most of the story,” Clievan butted in.
“He knows about Khaitu?”
“Yeah, Seth told him right before I showed up.”
“Yes. Before you showed up,” she said giving Clievan a cunning look. �
�You and your flying partner are the ones that interfered with my recovery of the stone from England, aren’t you? He was dressed differently, disguised, but you, not much reason to disguise someone who can disappear.”
“Yea about that. I owe you one for my eye,” he replied. “I couldn’t see straight for days. Is that how you repay us for saving your life?”
“I’m confused,” Nick said. “Flying partner? Disappearing? What are you talking about?”
“Yes. Clievan can disappear and Seth can fly. Now let’s get on with it,” she said curtly.
Clievan gave him a lazy nod while he peeled a fruit.
She continued, “My life wasn’t the one saved that night. Had you left with the stone, you would have been dead within hours. I’ve been protecting it for ages. Khaitu desperately wants the weapon complete and back at his side.”
“Weapon? What do you mean? Seth said Khaitu was trapped elsewhere and wasn’t able to escape,” said Nick.
“That is partly true,” she replied. “He was partially trapped in the relic, but the ceremony wasn’t complete. He must have maintained the ability to communicate with Commerand. That’s how he’s able to control the roggletts. He’s using them to gather the relics as well as other artifacts such as Andressen’s Sword and the Eye of Kartho. Trey has one of the pieces to the sword, Olerand’s Disk. The stone is protected, but we lost the sword years ago.”
“Sword? Is it about four feet long with an open pommel and some sort of inscription on the cross guard?” said Nick.
She nearly fell down by the surprising fact that he knew about the sword, “Yes! How do you know?”
“Seth has it in the trunk of his car.”
Her tone lowered and spoke emphatically, “If it’s here, the pieces are too close together. We must get them as far away as possible. We cannot let them unite.”
“And the Eye. What’s that?”
“I feel I should be asking you that question?” she replied.
Taken aback Nick replied, “What do you mean? I’ve never heard of it.”
“But isn’t that the reason you’re here? To retrieve the Eye so you can complete the portal?”