The Keeper of the Stones

by M J Webb

  He flung his arms around him in complete ecstasy. June jumped up startled, awoken from her deep sleep, she took a split second to realise what was happening and then burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably with the relief of seeing her son alive and, reeling with shock and delight, she found that she was unable to move. Jake led his father over to her and they all hugged each other and cried openly. It was several minutes before any of them were able to speak. But eventually, Jake broke the silence.

  “Granddad, how’s granddad? He’s gonna be alright, isn’t he? What are the doctors saying?” he asked.

  “We don’t know, Jay.” replied Graham. “It’s touch and go. He’s lost a lot of blood. They couldn’t save his arm, the doctors said they were amazed he survived the attack. What happened, Jake? You were there, weren’t you? They said it looks like a sword wound, because it’s so clean? How? Wh... Where have you been, Jake? It’s been six days. Six days! We’ve been worried sick. What... Whose blood is that on you? What’s going on? And who’s ‘Sawgon?’ Dad was delirious at first, before he lapsed into this coma. He was calling out your name, and saying something about a ‘Sawgon?’ Is he...?”

  “Stop it! Not now, Graham!” interrupted June. “I don’t care where he’s been! Not right now. I’m just glad to have him back.” she said, as she hugged son once more. “Ben. Where’s Ben?” she asked, after a moment or two, realising that her son’s perpetual shadow was missing.

  Jake swallowed hard and looked her in the eye. “He’s hurt too, mum. He’s in a bad way. He’s...”

  “What??” snapped Graham. “What the hell...?”

  “Dad! Stop! Please? I will explain, I promise. Okay, I suppose this is the time to do it. Ohh geez this is hard! I… Right, I’m not sure I’m really doing the right thing, but we may not have much time. Well, okay listen... This family has been through way too much pain ‘cos of the secrets we’ve kept from each other.” he said, noticing immediately their confused and concerned expressions.

  “I think now that it’s time to... That is, I think we owe it to ourselves to be completely honest with each other from now on. No more secrets. No more lies. Okay? Only the truth. We have to learn to trust each other. I’m gonna start that from today. Mum, dad… I promise you, that from this moment on, I will always tell you the truth. And I’ll keep nothing from you both. Okay, are you both ready? This is what I have to say. This is what has happened to me, to us. It’s the truth, I swear.

  Granddad and Ben are both now fighting for their lives. They could die! And they’re both here, because of me. Because I foolishly chose to unlock secrets that had been buried for years. Buried, with good reason. Because I was arrogant and naive enough to believe that I could change the way of the world. Huh, the ways of different worlds. Oh mum, I’ve made mistakes that have cost others dear. I should never have... I-I really thought I could prove to everyone that I was worthy of my legacy, that I deserved the tremendous honour that had been bestowed upon me by those who aided my ancestors. I…”

  “Jake!” interrupted a bewildered Graham. “What the hell are you talk...”

  “Please dad! Let me finish? I have to say this!” replied Jake firmly.

  Graham could see the determination in his son’s face. He nodded once at him and sat down in his chair, inviting him to continue, as June did the same.

  “I know how all of this sounds. But I’m not the boy I was, dad. I’ve changed in the past six days. I’ve had to! I have a story to tell you that’ll blow you both away. But hear me out, please. I’m not mad. And I swear to you, it’s all true. You’ll both have to be strong. From this moment on, all our lives will never be the same again. Dad... Above all else, you have to know this; Grandad really loves you! He always has. He’s sacrificed more for you than you’ll ever know. He placed the future of this world, and countless others, at risk, to protect you! And you never even knew it. He’s never told you, because he loves you, and he didn’t want to endanger your life. I know that the scars run deep in our family, that it’s very painful to talk about what’s happened, but if by some miracle he survives, you have to forgive each other and move on!” Jake stated, staring directly into his father’s eyes.

  was now fighting back tears of his own. “We already have, Jay.” he said, nodding gently to his son and feeling like their roles had been reversed somehow; that Jake was talking to him, as his own father might.

  Jake turned to look at his mother. “Mum, oh mum... You’ve always been my main source of inspiration. You’ve always been there for me, and I don’t think I’ve ever told you how much I love you for that. I’m going to need you now, more than ever. You have to promise me, that Ben will have a place in our home if he survives, for as long as he needs it.”

  June looked lovingly at her son through her tears. “Jake, you’re talking in riddles. I’ve never heard you talk this way before. I’m sure I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m hoping you’re going to tell us? But you didn’t have to ask that of me, of course Ben is welcome in our house, for as long as he wants. He practically lives there now anyway.” she answered, smiling slightly in an attempt to relieve the tension.

  Jake looked around the hospital room. Everything seemed so strange to him now, the bed, the furniture, the wires and monitors attached to Harry. It was all too... Modern. It was almost as if he didn’t belong there. Despite the deep love that he felt for his parents, he knew deep down, right there and then, that he would soon have to say goodbye to them again. He knew that this time, he wasn’t going to stay at home for too long, he was going to keep his word and return to Estia, as soon as he had news of how Ben was doing. He felt an irresistible pull to return to Rhuaddan, and finish what he’d begun. He knew the risks, but he accepted them willingly, there were thousands, millions of people depending on him, people he cared about, people who trusted him, and people to whom he’d made a promise.

  ‘I have to go back. I just have to! The entire population of Estia are looking to me to change their lives for the better.’ he thought to himself, as he stared into his parent’s loving eyes. ‘Nobody else can do it. I’m the one who’s been chosen to protect them. The Spirits and Tien have placed their trust in me. I know I’m just an ordinary teenager from Lichfield, and that this whole thing is unreal. I’m nothing special, and I’m not even sure I’m up to the task. But... Well, I have to try, I’m not just a young boy in their world, I’m respected, I’m important. I’m... The Keeper!’

  Jake took a deep breath as he thought of how he was going to begin his explanation of everything that had happened. He coughed slightly to clear his throat.

  “Okay,” he said, “mum, dad. Here it is.....