by Gary Foshee
know more.”
Galamus turned back toward Miaphas and in a low tone
exclaimed, “The war is coming.”
* * * * * * *
The Augur flew through the mountain pass and gently landed by
The Redmadafa. He placed Caboose at the trunk of the Titan—it
was the biggest tree on the circle. Its age was from times past and nothing on the circle compared with its splendor. Its roots ran
under Thunder Juice Town sustaining life for all its residents. Its branches were like strong beams of iron bracing the sky from
falling. Their leafy boughs spread over the river and meadow
providing a lush green canopy that sheltered all who took refuge underneath.
Standing before Caboose was a mighty warrior. An eagle…
and not just any eagle, he was the most magnificent creature in
all the universe. His wings from tip-to-tip were over 100 feet
long. Dark, seamed feathers and a full plumage of varied col-
ors adorned his back and chest. Thick sharp talons dug into the
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ground. And two golden eyes, crowned with milky white feath-
ers, looked over a long-curled acorn colored beak.
Caboose felt safe and secure just being in his presence.
Somehow, he knew everything was going to be all right. As
Caboose stared at the eagle, something magnificent happened.
Although he saw a powerful almighty warrior eagle, his eyes saw, within the eagle, another form.
Caboose rubbed his eyes and thought for sure they were
playing tricks on him. But they weren’t. He looked at the eagle
and saw seven golden lights and a man standing in the midst
of them. The man was dressed in a robe dipped in blood and a
golden belt brandished his chest. His head and hair were white
like snow, as white as a glacier, and his eyes…his eyes were flaming, like fire, and his feet where fine brass and burned like molten lava in the depths of a magma chamber.
Caboose stumbled backwards against the Titan at the sight
of him. He was confused. I must have hit my head hard in the
garden, he thought, or…oh no, I must be dreaming. Yes. I must
have fallen asleep in the death cel s.
“Koby, I heard the prayers of those who love you,” spoke the
voice from within.
Prayers? Love me? He thought to himself. Why would any-
one pray for me? Papa…!
“My Papa loved me and you left him in the pit to die,”
responded Caboose, with anger in his voice wondering how he
knew his real name.
“That is a lie,” said the voice, loudly.
Caboose took two steps back. He was puzzled at his voice. It
sounded like rushing water from a roaring river. His face glowed like the sun in the brilliance of midday. In his right hand he held seven stars and written on him was a name that only he knew.
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The man walked toward Caboose.
As he did, the ground beneath his feet came to life. Grass and
flowers sprouted and bloomed. Trees grew to full height around
him and draped with fruits, berries, and nuts.
“Koby, be free!”
Caboose fell back on the ground as if he were dead. He
stood up and looked around like he didn’t know where he was.
Something was different, but he didn’t know what.
He looked at himself.
He looked at the man.
It was at that moment, that his mind was opened to the truth.
In complete awe, Caboose gasp, “You’re him! You’re him!”
“I am…Justice, but most people around here call me ‘The
Augur.’”
“You came for me, but why? And why didn’t you save my
Papa? The scroll says you save all who call out your name. Why
didn’t you save my Papa? He called out your name. He called out
your name.”
In a gentle loving tone, The Augur replied, “You’re Papa
called out my name…for you.”
Caboose froze.
A blank gaze bore deep in his eyes.
His face dropped.
“I didn’t call out your name. I didn’t call out your name.”
Caboose looked up.
“Then why? Why did you save me?”
“Love covers over a multitude of sins. You will see your Papa
again. Do you trust me?” asked The Augur.
Trust you, thought Caboose. The last time I trusted someone
I ended up in a valley of bones and death. Confused, yet calm,
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Caboose replied, “Yes, I mean Yes Sir. I know I will see him again at the resurrection.”
“I am the resurrection. No one comes to His Majesty except
by me. You now know the truth and that truth will set you and
others free. In a few days things will happen that you will not
understand. I need you to trust in me with all your heart. Then and only then will your path be made straight. Do you believe this?”
“Yes sir.”
Urium flew through the mountain pass and landed beside
Caboose, who was wondering where he had been. He walked
over and stood before The Augur.
“Urium guard him when the wal s come down. Wait for my
signal before you sound the attack.”
Urium knelt before him. “Yes, your Majesty. I will await your
command.”
The Augur opened his wings and with one beat he was gone.
The sun softly dwindled behind the mountains. Silver virga wisps streamed quietly from the clouds. The leaves of the Titan rustled gently in the wind. A facade of burgundy dappled with apricot
tenderly rippled down The Redmadafa. Grass, flowers, bushes,
and trees continued to carpet the meadow from The Augur’s
presence. Cattle and wild animals grazing in the meadow jumped
energetical y with joy; their hooves tickled by the new sprouts
jostling underneath. Guards posted around the wall motioned to
their friends to see the miracle transposing before them. Guards looked out widows and scaled the stairs while large crowds exited the gates to witness the life germinating across the land.
Travelers along the road stopped. They twisted around, mar-
veled by their new surroundings.
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Caboose watched The Augur fly away. His encounter had
just changed everything. He had a new purpose, a renewed
vision of life and purpose on the circle. His mind was opened to the truth—a truth that transcends understanding; a truth that,
though one may walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
they need not fear the evil that stalks them.
He gathered his thoughts before speaking.
“Where have you been?” asked Caboose. “A monster swal-
lowed me whole and took me to the bottom of the sea…”
He paused.
“You! You pushed me!”
“I fought gogs and trol s. Serpents attacked me. All kinds of
beasts tried to kill me in the arena,” he said, throwing his hands up in the air.
He walked over and stood face-to-face with Urium.
“I watched my Papa die in my arms. I thought you were
always there. You said you were always there…‘Beside me, over
me, leading me.’ Just when I needed you most, you were gone.”
“I couldn’t break through the Southern Celestial Forces.
There were too many of them. And besid
es, the Sea Throne is
absolutely off limits to us. It is forbidden to intervene. Remember when I said death has a rightful claim on all who enter the valley?”
Caboose listened but didn’t respond.
Urium continued. “Wel , The Augur is the only one, and I
mean the “Only” one, that rescues from the colosseum.”
“Urium, my Papa’s dead. He died in the colosseum. I saw it
with my own eyes. Now his soul will be trapped forever in the pit and the river of fire. Why didn’t The Augur save him?”
Urium stood speechless. He careful y searched his thoughts.
“Did he call out his name?”
“Yes, but when The Augur came, he took me instead.”
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“Did The Augur say why he did this?”
“Yes. Wel , he said my Papa called out his name…for me. He
also said I would see my Papa again. That’s it.”
“All I know is there are some strange things going on, things
even I don’t understand. I know The Augur has something real y
big planned. We need to wait patiently for him.”
Urium placed his hand on Caboose’s shoulder.
“Now, why don’t you go home and see your mother and
sister.”
“Home,” said Caboose. He looked around. “I’m home?
I’m home!”
* * * * * * *
They flew nonstop to the Quazy galaxy. Entering the Caelum
Constel ation, Galamus and Atrokus arrived at the headquarters
of the Western front, which resided inside a billowing tower of
gas and dust cloud called the Eagle Nebula. Inside the Nebula,
lightning bolt stairs sparked outward and spiraled into a tower
camouflaged by a Quasar.
At the top, hal ways were packed with thousands of Celestial
Guards from all across the solar system. Voices resonated loudly down the stairs making it difficult to hear anything with all the anxious commotion. Angles and delegates scrambled from one
room to the other zipping across the hall like prairie grazers
crossing a crocodile-infested river.
Atrokus and Galamus reached the top and rounded the cor-
ner. They squeezed past a group of delegates debating over what
looked like some sort of a map. Atrokus gave a quick once-over
and was struck in the left shoulder by someone passing by.
“I’m sorry,” he responded, embarrassed by the careless glance.
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A medium-sized creature wearing a hooded gray cloak
made from leafhopper silk, lowered dark-green bloodshot eyes
toward him.
Without looking back, it twisted its chin to its shoulder and
nodded.
Atrokus stopped.
He looked back but the creature disappeared in the crowd.
That’s strange he thought, sensing the same presence he felt
back at the Omega Galaxy.
“Why are so many guards here?” he asked.
“My premonitions must have been right. We only gather
like this when war is inevitable,” said Galamus, with butterflies mounting in his stomach.
“War. It’s been a long time coming.”
“Yes…Yes it has,” replied Galamus.
They turned another corner and approached the war cham-
ber. They entered and quietly watched from a distance. Galamus
observed the crowd gathered around Zoma, which was filled
with numerous earth delegations he hadn’t seen in years: Rock,
tree, water, sky, plant, insect, bird, animal, fish, and beast delegates surrounded Zoma, voicing their concerns.
Zoma stood off to the side talking. He was used to war. Being
that he was earth’s delegate, he had seen war ravish his planet
for centuries. His mind was sharp and his experience highly
acclaimed.
A loud, gargled voice spoke from the crowd commanding an
abrupt silence in the room.
“Zoma, what about the seas? Shall I maintain their bound-
aries, the boundaries in which The Augur said ‘ To this line you may come but no further? ’ Or, can I birth upon him, the fury of the storm, breaking forth the womb from which it is chained…
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he won’t be expecting that,” said Hydromus, his tall massive body waving around like a crystal sea even as he stood stil .
“No,” said Ironwood speaking out, his body full of knobs,
twists, and limbs, all giving strength and support to his branches and tender sprig shoots. “Let me march against him. I can ambush him at the mouth of the mountains. I’ll have his slimy slithering tongue licking dirt before he knows what hit him. Once we have
that winking snake caught in a pickle, Nitrocon can set us ablaze.
We will gladly sacrifice ourselves to destroy that traitor.”
Nitro’s eyes burned in agreement. He shook his head and
fired, “Let’s do it. Let’s do it right now.”
“Please, everyone listen,” said Zoma reestablishing order. “I
know you want your vengeance, especial y after what he did to
us. The Augur and The Augur alone will execute his punishment.”
Galamus and Atrokus slipped through the crowd.
Zoma spotted them and waved them over.
“I trust your journey went wel . I was starting to think that
you had been diverted. I’ve received several reports of spies lurking in the outer realm and beyond. Do you have it?”
Galamus pulled out the plumb line and handed it to him.
He took it in his hands and signaled for the doors to be closed.
He rose off the ground several feet and dropped the plumb; it
uncoiled rapidly from a tangled ball in the middle of his hand
and then snapped tight causing the plumb to swing back and
forth. All eyes focused on the shiny golden sparkle dangling
before them and then looked up at Zoma.
“This is the judgment of Thunder Juice Town. The Augur has
spoken and it cannot be undone. Every stone will lay in haste.
Every tower will bow. Wait for his signal and stand your ground.
Protect the remnant!”
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He grasped the plumb in his hands and twisted the top,
middle, and lower section. The plumb “Clicked” and opened.
He reached inside and pulled out a small cream parchment. He
looked at the delegates, unrolled the small parchment and read:
“Death to life,
Life from death.
When you see white,
His head, we shal smite!”
* * * * * * *
The wind from his wings swept across town spinning windmil s
and weathervanes out of control. Rooftops shook as he soared by
bl.owing wooden shingles and straw into the street. Over the university and mil , down the square to the temple, he landed in the outer courtyard. Mushrooms drummed and grasses strummed
franticly. The garden bowed in his presence—The Augur had
returned.
He knelt down and drank from the cool life-giving waters
of The Redmadafa. The water foamed around his beak and then
down again. He majestical y walked through the garden and up
the stairs on his approach to the temple; the doors opened standing at attention, tall and straight for his entrance. He walked down the silent deserted aisles—the ceilings and windows reported
what had happened and the blasphemy that took place on the
holy altar. He ascended the steps of the
altar and turned around.
Standing at the entrance, Onuka stood gazing upon his splendor.
Onuka ran down the aisle and fell prostrate before him.
“Majesty, your Majesty, you’ve heard our cries and returned.
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I’ve failed you. I too, was deceived by his beauty. I let him walk right in here…”
“Onuka,” interrupted The Augur, “I let him walk in here. But,
what he does not realize is that he is walking right into my trap.”
Onuka stood up speechless. He was unaware of The Augur’s
plans and would have never dreamed that it was The Augur who
let him walk in and desecrate the temple.
“Your Majesty, the people and even most of the elders, they’re
gone. They followed him and his cunning tongue.”
“Zeal without knowledge is not good, and he that is hasty
with his feet will miss the way. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. They honored me with their lips only. They removed
their hearts from me long ago, Onuka.”
“But I don’t understand; how could the elders so quickly turn
from your teachings of truth to follow hollow deceptive lies?”
“The foolishness of man ruins his life, nonetheless his heart
storms against me. A few will return. When they do, they will
need you Onuka.”
“I fear I can no longer help them, Your Majesty. My heart
burns with anger at the mention of their names.”
“Wisdom gives a man patience; it is to his credit to forgive a
transgression,” said The Augur. “Onuka, when the time is right, I need you to stand by them once again.”
“I will need your strength, Your Majesty. I will need… your
strength.”
“And you shall have it.”
“What about him? Will he be allowed to get away with this?”
“A false witness will be punished, and he who speaks lies will
not escape. Onuka, Chesty’s son is back. I want you to visit him.
Keep him by your side.”
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The Augur walked down the aisle and stood over the thresh-
old. He bowed his head and looked through the crystal floor at
the cleft in the rock. “Do you see this rock Onuka from which
The Redmadafa’s headwaters flow? In a few days it will run dry.
Not one stone will be standing in the proud wal s of this temple.
My judgment is at hand.”
“Your Majesty,” Onuka exclaimed in disbelief. “But how… how