Sedgwick agreed. “Its... a strange realm. Any sane person would find madness, trapped in here for a long period of time; especially if you’re claustrophobic...”
The journey was tiring. We strolled through many twists and turns that gave us the impression of walking in circles. The short time traveller kept reassuring me, to keep going and to calm my mental state; the ticking was even louder, except the rhythm, which was way out. It almost sounded like there were more than one tick and tock; the noise mimicked a group of birds, flapping in the wind.
We found the source in the centre of the labyrinth. It was incredibly surreal, and we’d found signs of life. It was equivalent to a scene from one of Salvador Dali's paintings. The clock shaped birds who confusingly collided against each other were the cause of the noise.
The birds were made from the same white stone that surrounded the structured maze. It made me wonder how something that was created from marble could fly?
Surely the weight would defy the rules of gravity, but nothing was so simple back then. Especially the giant animals with extremely long Giraffe legs, who could have easily passed as an ornament; if only they were the size of my foot. They had the build and features of the animal kingdom, yet their heads were giant clocks.
“Have you ever seen anything so bizarre?” I asked.
“I've seen worse; trust me,” replied Sedgwick. “I believe these creatures are called timekeepers. Their purpose is a simple task, to keep time flowing in their designated realm. Every world has at least one of them.”
“Even Eve?” I asked and the Gnome nodded. I continued with the thought of past events: “Eve's time-zones were incredibly strange. I was gone for days, but when I returned to Earth, it had only been a few hours; everything prior to the events, were erased. Like my servant being arrested, and my two months in an orphanage, gone. I was supposedly poisoned by the plant that hid the ley-line to Eve, and I was part of a hallucination. Was any of it really true?”
“The earth's timekeeper adjusted the timeline to its rightful state. Anyone who was involved in those lost months will not remember, I'm surprised you still do. Any kind of anomaly would be erased. I think the Light still protects you, Lucius.”
I was surprised too, not even my grandfather remembered his adventure and the Turnside's were completely oblivious to their involvement. Those things had the power to collaborate with the universe and were installed to stop the many realms from being affected by the rot of just one because all worlds are connected.
The balance of light and darkness had been disrupted, but time itself had been cracked from Dante's antics. I had a sudden feeling of sympathy towards Ullpli, whose task in Eve seemed even greater than I first thought, and his magic alone wouldn’t be enough to correct things. I realised, Eve's timekeeper must have been devoured with the realms, which is why Thea had turned up six years ahead of me, instead of mere hours.
My understanding of what happened all those years ago was finally answered.
That talk had given me a new direction and meaning to my journey. Sedgwick had mentioned, Ullpli needed the animals to return and help correct the worlds, but time would still be obscured in Eve, without its timekeeper.
I questioned, “Could we ask one of these for help? Let the animals of Eve return with a timekeeper.”
“It could fix part of the issue and help with the balance between light and darkness.”
We agreed to approach the strange creatures, who stopped to observe us. I was a bit hesitant, to be in the company of something so powerful, although they had the persona of a gentle animal.
The one shaped like a long-legged elephant came forth; its face ticked and tocked from every second that passed. We stated our case and pleaded for help, but they said nothing and stayed still.
The marble stoned birds above had taken a perch on the high walls and on the necks of the largest timekeepers.
“What is your answer? Will you help us? Will you help the world?” asked Sedgwick, and I sensed the desperation in his voice. He had an eagerness to restore things to the way they were. I admired him for that because it would have been easy for the time traveller, to just, disappear and turn a blind eye.
There was a strange humming, coming from the creatures. It reminded me of the church organ from my old school, their voices were musically peaceful. The discussion between the timekeepers created a soothing song that even the best composers would’ve been envious of. Everything was forgotten at that moment and I felt sleepy with happiness.
Their orchestrated piece of bliss came to an end and the eerie silence swept through the labyrinth. They separated and made way for a majestic shaped timekeeper, who had the appearance of a stallion. It galloped with grace and stopped in front of me and Sedgwick. The white and black marbled horse bowed with acceptance.
We received our answer from their leader and out of the bland sky came a coloured bird; the first cool colour of the marbled realm. It was a blue parakeet who displayed an incredibly small clock for a head.
It came forward with a hop and analysed me, before flying up onto my shoulder; it called out with a happy beep. The stallion bowed again, with its head tilted to the floor. I replicated the gesture and accepted the small bird as a new addition to our team and hoped the little parakeet could rectify the cracks of time within Eve.
“Right. We should get moving Lucius. Keep a good eye on the bird and hopefully, we won't have a problem,” advised the Gnome.
The mysterious creatures returned to their strange dance of bumping into each other and recreated their glass symphony. Sedgwick led the way and the sounds from the timekeepers faded in the distance; the Parakeet's clock ticked away on my shoulder. The Timekeeper felt surprisingly nimble and I'd only noticed its brass feet. It flapped to reveal a secret. Under the birds’ wings was see-through, like a skeleton watch; the cogs inside its belly turned with every movement.
“They're mechanical!?”
The Gnome had a closer look with his 18th-century monocle and was flabbergasted. “I've never seen such craftsmanship; who would have thought it, ha!”
I don't think I'd ever seen Sedgwick so excited; he had a fascination with all things mechanical and especially pocket watches. His interest in the Parakeet was certainly obvious and his obsession came to the point of naming the bird; Iobar. An odd name for an odd pair.
After hours of constant walking, we’d finally came to the end of the maze. There was a pentagram that matched with Sedgwick’s staff and during the walk, he had time to tell me the significance of his walking stick. It was in fact, another key, which was bestowed upon him to travel and protect the earth's energy. He can choose a location by thought and the key responds. He also revealed it had similarities between the Key, I sought after, but it couldn’t open a doorway, it hadn't used before. So, my wishful thinking of travelling back to Eve's ley-line within the bark had been dashed within seconds. I still had William Frankfurt's journal in my possession and kept it close; I hadn't a need to reveal the journal since meeting the Gnome, his knowledge alone caused it to be surplus to requirements, for the time being...
Sedge held his key towards the ley-line, and it opened with a flicker of light.
Iobar gave off a vibrant noise and I felt his voice vibrate through me, and through the white walls. His friends called from in the distance, as the timekeepers said their goodbyes to their little blue comrade. We entered the ley-line and arrived in an unknown century.
Chapter Seven - Northern Village
We climbed out of a damp black cave and into the moonlit sky. The stars were bright and heavenly, I could see the full moon in all its glory amongst the dark canvas. It was incredibly easy to find constellations and I matched the dots to create Hercules, the Greek demi-god of strength and heroism.
Iobar fluttered in the wind and his shape and colour had taken the form of a little white bird. His clock face was gone, and his marbled blue form had transitioned to a real Parakeet.
“Iobar! My little
friend; you’ve changed with the dimension! No wonder you timekeepers are hard to spot... very ingenious,” admired the Gnome.
Sedgwick let the little bird into his inside pocket and Iobar snuggled in the warmth, which made me envy his comfort. It was cold, my breath was as visible as the condensation that smoked off the frosted fields, and I shook from the northern winds.
“Where are we, Sedgwick?”
“North... far north. The earth's energy is worse than I first thought. This is all wrong.”
A white owl passed us by and flew low across the grassy lands. The county spread far and wide. The huge mountains in the east wore snowy hats and there were small rivers between the flat fields. Valley fog settled in the hollows and basins amongst the far away terrain.
The untouched landscape had a certain Scottish vibe and reminded me of my short breaks from the military. At first, I was stationed in a training camp near Edinburgh and some of our drills were practised in the highlands. Our days off were spent travelling through the wilderness to find the local pubs and taverns.
We agreed to find shelter and something warmer to wear; my French attire had been singed from flame and I had holes in my trousers. The Gnome looked quite worse for wear, especially his once greybeard was now black as coal and much shorter. There was a potent smell of burnt hair, which followed us through the maze, and it lingered around Sedgwick's beard.
In the dark valley below, we discovered a small village, lit by candlelight in the mist. Smoke poured from out of the chimney's and we felt the warmth by just imagining the raging fire inside.
“Come, Lucius, we must be sly and try to be invisible. I'm not sure what era we're in, but we should be cautious,” warned the small guardian. “Anyone who can survive in such a place could be a danger to us.”
We ventured into the valley and slid down the steep hills on our bums. My shoes got coated in mud within minutes and the damp ground soaked my socks. It was almost pitch black, but I could see the silhouette of the Gnome who travelled beside me. Sedgwick's beads around his wrists and beard slightly jingled with every step; he pulled them off and safely placed them in his pocket.
The village was close and there were shadows moving inside the wooden houses. The closer we’d got; the detail of the settlement gave us some indication of our location. Turf had been used for the rooftops, which was an ancient Nordic technique in insulation and the foundation of stone was structured beneath the buildings. The houses gave the illusion of forming into the landscape; it was beautiful.
A barn was close by and we chose to trespass and join the smelly livestock. It was too risky to ask for help and we were sure the long-haired cows wouldn't have minded three guests.
Straw and hay were gathered in the back corner and we hid behind a bale; it was big enough to conceal us. I heard laughter and loud bellows on the wind, and it travelled through the holes in the stone. Sedgwick snooped through one of the holes and described a huge hall, situated in the middle of the village. It had the same structure as the other houses, yet, it was twice the size. Big wooden beams stuck out of the structured roof and strange creatures were carved on the ends.
“Vikings...” whispered Sedge.
The damaged ley-line had caused us to travel in the complete opposite direction and my frustrations were clear to see. We were in Iceland and in the company of a Nordic cattle. This worried both of us; I remember my history lessons, and this was a time of superstition, rituals, old gods, and wars between clans. It was a way of life and I witnessed it first-hand...
The hall doors creaked open and the light-flooded through our snooping hole. Sedgwick watched two people strike a giant fire within the centre of the settlement. They wore long tatty grey robes and had a spiritual aura about them. They prepped a platform that would have resembled a stage in our time, but there was a pagan taste for what they were preparing.
The female Nord decorated five poles, which surrounded the circle. She used the essence of the forest; pinecones, leaves, wild berries and flowers.
A crowd started to gather from out of the hall and into the cold winds. The breeze dowsed the warmth of the fire. Flowers of intense reddish colour were dropped onto the floor to create a path; it led towards the platform with two woven chairs. Drums sounded with a soft bang and a gentle rhythm. A group of Vikings slowly strolled out of the hall and kept their timing with each stride. The two young girls at the front wore bells around their wrists and shook them after each loud beat.
Situated in the middle was a couple. We guessed they were the bride and groom; this was a Norse wedding.
The couple sat down on the two chairs and faced the crowd, with the two gothi (who I believed to be priests) stood behind; by this time, I was intriguingly peering through a separate hole in the wall. There was a silence of respect and excitement between the Vikings and the robed women spoke. Their ancient language of Iceland resonated a wondrous beauty and strength; although I had no idea what she preached.
Sedgwick rustled through his pockets and seemed distracted from the ceremony.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“Trying to find something... we're witnessing history here, and I would like to know, what she is saying.”
The Gnome pulled out a strange colourful object, which illuminated within the shadows. It was some sort of device, one I'm sure he'd swiped from the future. He tapped on the glass screen and it unusually vibrated. “Done. Now then, let's see what she says next...”
The bride was handed a strange object that depicted a hammer and it was placed onto her lap. The robed women spoke again, and I looked to Sedgwick's item. Somehow it translated Icelandic to English.
Þá talaði hátt Thrym, leiðtogi risastórann: “Komdu í hamarinn að helga brúðurina; Á hné hjúkrunarinnar láttu Mjölnir liggja, Það er okkur bæði höndin Vor geta blessað.”
Then Thrym, the leader of the giant, spoke: “Come to the hammer to sanctify the bride: On the knees of the nursery let Mjölnir lie, we are both the hands, Spring can bless.”
The bride and groom's hands were then bound in rope, as they knelt and looked into each other’s eyes. Their marriage was recognised and bonded by the witnesses of two houses.
There was movement from the circle and a Viking walked towards the barn. The gothi prepped a wooden bowl and two goblets in front of the kneeling pair. The Norse man came into the barn and we held our breath; kept extremely still, but Iobar had a moment.
The little timekeeper had found his voice in his new form and seemed pleased with his progress; unfortunate for me and Sedgwick.
The Gnome managed to creep around a gap between the wall and hay bale, whilst he left me to deal with the encroaching Nord. I quickly hid underneath the hay and watched a dark figure appear over me. He observed the corner where I laid hidden and suddenly spotted my shoe, which stuck out like a sore thumb.
Before the Viking could react, Sedge whacked him across the back of his head, using his key, and it snapped in two. The Northman was out cold.
My short friend checked his walking stick and looked incredibly anxious.
“What is wrong?” I asked.
“My key...” said Sedgwick; the key flashed like a dying lamp. “It cannot guide us to a ley-line.”
“So, how are we going to get out of here?”
We were panicking beyond reason and the wedding ceremony had stalled. They waited for the man to return, for he was to lead an animal to the platform; for a sacrifice to the gods of Valhalla.
The gothi impatiently shouted and the crowd was restless...
The Viking returned to the ceremony and led a cow through the two families and up the ramp. He hid his face beneath a horned helmet because that Viking was I. Our choices were limited, and we decided to continue with the unconscious Nord’s actions, to minimalize the change in time. I was just the right height and build to pull it off.
Sedgwick was sure our slight disturbance would have affected something in the future and hoped it wasn't anythin
g too drastic.
I nervously handed the robed women the reigns and she stared with suspicion. I casually turned around and returned to the crowd. A large and built up Northman slapped me on my back with pride; I just wanted to leave and return to my mission.
What came next was brutality and quite sadistic; I wouldn't want to talk of such things, only that the cow didn't survive and the feast to be, was beef.
The ceremony was complete, but the festivities had just begun. The Nord’s cheered and bustled back into the hall. The smell of food wafted through the huge wooden doors. It was very inviting and incredibly intoxicating.
I tried to escape and back out of the crowd, but my evasive skills needed some work. The man who slapped me on my back grabbed my arm and a young lady clutched my other. I met her eyes under my helmet, and she smiled; I felt my legs move without command and I came into a huge open space. The great hall was fit for such events and the smell of food intertwined with the decorated furniture. Wildflowers and ivy scented washbowls were handed around.
Luckily, I wasn't the only one who wore a helmet, so I didn't stick out like a sore thumb.
I was seated next to the young blonde girl, who was no older than myself; she was beautiful and elegant with her movements, but she was not Thea.
I snapped out of my trance and focused on my next move. The Vikings had opened the beer and they drank heavily and happily sang to the gods.
Within half an hour, every single person in the hall was falling over each other. That was my chance to leave and slip out, back to the barn where Sedgwick and Iobar waited patiently with the Nord.
As I was leaving, there was a picture, carved into a bit of fine wood. It depicted a spring, where water ran down the hills and created a waterfall. Their gods played and bathed in the water. I thought a sacred place could be hiding something much more valuable. Sedgwick's key was damaged and would have failed in any attempts to find the next ley-line; although this was a long shot, I trusted my own judgement.
Lucius's World Page 5