by M J Webb
Zephany silenced the crowd when she saw the figures approaching. They were all as white as the driven snow. The young Princess smiled with delight when she realised that it was Sereq and the rest of the Heynai. Then, her smile grew even wider and her heart leapt for joy when she saw that they were accompanied by a far more youthful spirit, the ghost of her friend and teacher, Gerada Knesh Corian.
“Srr… I have quickly become accustomed to making speeches, it goes with the territory I suppose. But, on this occasion, words fail me. I can only say what I feel… We owe you our lives. We will be eternally in your debt,” Zephany began, speaking to them all, but looking straight at Sereq. “We shall never forget this day. Neither shall we forget those who came to our aid.”
Sereq bowed his head once as a sign of respect. “You seem to have found your voice as easily as you found your courage, and your calling? All of Estia should be grateful for it,” he replied. Then he raised his voice so loud that the entire city could hear his words. “Princess Zephany… You and your warriors are responsible for the victory won here today, not we! Our world is safe again because of you. All of you!”
His words were greeted by thousands of cheers and the jubilant Estians celebrated once more. Once the incredible noise had finally subsided, Sereq spoke again. “This is a time like no other. We are in uncharted waters, uncertain of our own future, and with no one to guide us. Those who reigned in the afterlife were moved by your actions, Zephany, just as we were moved by you, and compelled to save your life. Your courage, your faith, has inspired us all. And beyond this realm, where the dead live on, one among many is all it took. One solitary soul who decided to ignore the constraints imposed by others and obey her conscience, despite the dangers and the incredible risks she knew she was taking. Nittrii-Hebul,” he stated, pointing to the statue of the Goddess which stood in the centre of the square, “fought for us all. She is the sole reason we have been allowed to live among you, to come to this place now. This will never happen again. However, be under no illusion, we stand victorious on this hallowed ground only because of your deeds.”
“Me? I… I do not understand?” said Zephany, humbled and shocked to hear such praise.
“Yes. You… First, the Keeper appeared and moved us to greater things. He upset the laws of existence, threw this world and the next into turmoil. That is what needed to happen and it is what was written, the climax to the war of wars. Then, one supreme being, acting on her own, out of nothing more than a sense of injustice, risking everything to protect the mortals of this land, released the forces of evil and set in motion the events which followed. Without you and your army, they would have won an easy victory here. And if Te’oull had fallen…?
Your strong leadership and resolute defence of this place meant that others had to act. We spirits had already given all we had. We were done, and in no position to help. We stood at the gates of the afterlife seeking entry to the hereafter, fated never to return. But, when it became clear what was needed, she called out to us and offered us a reprieve. In their determination to defeat the dark ones, the rulers of the realm beyond reached out to others, to us! An army of spirits was raised and…”
“We… We kicked ass, as Ben might say,” interrupted Knesh, rudely. He was looking straight at the youngster and smiling.
Sereq cast a very stern glance in his direction and Knesh stepped obediently back into line. “Srr… Do forgive the young one, please? He has a lot to learn still, but he will, in time. Though, I suppose that turn of phrase will do. After all, it is what the Keeper might say?”
Tien was watching and listening intently. He took a step closer to the spirit leader, before asking the question which was on the tip of his tongue, burning his lips. “Sereq, what happens now? Is it over? Have we won?”
“Yes, wizard, it is over. The final war spoken of in legend has ended in victory, and Estia is once again free to chart her own course. Her future belongs to Princess Zephany and her descendants now. We spirits must leave once again for the afterlife. But, we depart safe in the knowledge that our enemies are vanquished, that the armies of zsorcraum have been brought to battle, and they have been defeated. It will take hundreds of years to replace what they have lost. They will not plague this land again for a very, very long time. You, my friend, have earned your rest. You have shouldered your burden heroically and you are welcome to join us?”
Tien was overwhelmed by the sudden and unexpected invitation. The old wizard was exceedingly tired all of a sudden, feeling every one of his three hundred plus years. He gazed over at his friends. Harry and Ben nodded to him, letting him know that they understood, and that he had their permission and approval to go, even though they knew very well that he did not need it.
“Thank you,” whispered the old wizard. “Please say goodbye to Jake for me? There is so much I wanted to tell him, about the prophecies and all he will become and achieve.”
“I will,” answered Ben, with a tear in his eye and a very large lump in his throat. “Take care of yourself… Hey! If you’re ever haunting Lichfield or summin’, pop in for a cup of tea and say hello?”
Tien laughed a little at his young friend, only then beginning to realise just how much he would miss the teenager and his ways. Then, he stepped forward to stand beside Sereq. As he reached him and turned around, his body suddenly dropped and fell to the floor. The lifeless corpse remained there for a few seconds. Then, a white spirit rose from within and Tien took his place alongside the rest of the spirit army. The spectres began to fade, slowly.
Before they had disappeared completely, Gerada Knesh Corian suddenly yelled out one last time. “Zephany! I can see your father! He is with us now and he is going to be alright. Remember child, we will love you until the end of time!”
Chapter 28
3rd September - The City of Te’oull - Siatol
Jake West flew into the main square at Te’oull on the back of a magnificent, battle-scarred dragon and over the heads of thousands of exuberant and triumphant warriors, who greeted his arrival with unparalleled joy and wild excitement. The full extent of the many wounds Resus bore only became apparent when the young Keeper dismounted and turned to thank his new ally. Everyone was horrified when they saw the rips, gashes and tears in his flesh, none more so than Jake, who thought it a miracle that he was still flying. They covered his entire body. In fact, Resus had sustained so much damage that Jake realised even the mighty dragon had to be close to collapse. Tears of extreme gratitude filled his eyes and the impact of such an awful sight tore straight at his heart. He immediately began apologising for not seeing it earlier, and for asking so much of the splendid creature. Resus assured him that he would be fine and stated it was his duty to help the Keeper, but his words did little to diminish the guilt Jake felt. The youngster hugged his neck in appreciation and the massed crowds of hushed onlookers erupted once again into thunderous cheers of delight.
Once the great noise had eventually died down a little, the rest of the leaders approached and Princess Zephany silenced the crowd. Jake then addressed the dragon officially in the loudest voice he had, speaking in his capacity as a Keeper, and for the benefit of all.
“Together, we have defeated our common enemy. Together, we have stood firm and proud, made stronger by the friendship we have forged. The threat posed by King Vantrax and his armies has gone. Thank you, Resus. From the hearts of everyone here, thank you for everything you have done for us! There is no way we would have defeated anyone without you and your dragons. I want you to know that I know that, and I will not forget it. We all know it.”
More resounding shouts and screams of delight followed. Resus bowed his head slightly to acknowledge Jake’s gratitude and the cheers of the Estian warriors. Princess Zephany then stepped forward as Leader of the Alliance and everyone fell silent once more to hear her words.
“Hear ye all… We would like to add our sincere gratitude and appreciation to those of the Keeper. Resus, let it be known throughout this realm that
you and your noble kind are welcome anywhere, at any time! You need no invitation. Please, say that you will return to Estia and live among us? Share our lives once again? Help us to rebuild what we have lost, our cities, and the bonds of comradeship we once treasured above all? Help us to make this land a better place for our children? Teach us your values, those you have demonstrated so readily these past few days; your honour and integrity, your loyalty and courage? For henceforth, I swear that for the rest of my years we shall be the very best of friends.”
The crowd was heaving now and it exploded with howls of approval. Resus once again bowed his head in gratitude, before letting the cheers subside and replying to the Princess and Jake in his deep, gentle voice.
“Thank you, both. Thank you all. The courage you have shown here has justified our decision to stand with you. I must leave you now to go and tend to my dragons. We have many wounded and we will need time to recover. Though, I believe I can speak for them all when I say that we accept your invitation to return gladly. It means more than you will ever know. Estia is our home. It is the land of our ancestors. We have proven we can co-exist and thrive. I look forward now to the future, with renewed hope and confidence. We will be strong. And we will use that strength to ensure that we live in peace and harmony.”
As the crowd roared their approval for the umpteenth time, Resus suddenly unfurled his wings and soared high into the sky. He left the Estians behind to find his dragons, with their resounding cheers and cries ringing loudly in his ears.
Jake watched him leave and then immediately rushed over to his family. He hugged his father like there was no tomorrow. Then, he embraced Harry as best he could, given his wounds, before doing the same to Ben.
“Hey! Steady on, mate. There’s people watching, ya know,” joked Ben, feeling more like his old self again.
“Yeah, but you know what, Ace? I couldn’t give a…!” replied Jake, deliberately stopping short of finishing his sentence. Ben knew exactly what he meant nevertheless. “…Ha ha! We did it, brother! We actually did it! I never thought we would you know, not really. To be honest, I didn’t think we had it in us.”
Ben was suddenly overcome with emotion. He had kept himself pretty much together so far, but when Jake referred to him as a ‘brother’, something inside of him just snapped, and the tears began to flow. He knew in that instant, right there and then, that the family he longed for, the family he had always dreamed of, was right in front of him… Or at least most of it was. And he realised all of a sudden that, even if he did not share their name, it always had been.
As he hugged Jake again, he looked over the Keeper’s shoulder and stared at the West family members before him. ‘Hmmnn… We’re an odd looking bunch,’ he thought, as he looked Jean, Harry, Graham and Melissa up and down. ‘We’re not really Joe Public, are we? But then, I’m no oil painting myself? I suppose I am a little rough around the edges? Nah, we’re not gonna win any beauty pageant, that’s for sure… Well, actually, Melissa probably could? Ha ha… You know what? I don’t care. They’re mine, all mine!’
Jake pushed Ben gently away and then embraced his grandmother tightly, saying a few heartfelt words to her before staring with shock and surprise at the Sebantan warrior he had hardly noticed in all the commotion. Melissa was still holding Jean’s hand. She had not let go of it since the battle was won. She said nothing as Jake eyed her up and down, uncertain as to how the Keeper would react to seeing her, and too ashamed of her past deeds to speak.
Rather surprisingly perhaps, it was Jake’s father who broke the awkward silence. “Err… Yeah, I see you’ve spotted our new addition? That is going to take some explaining, I’m afraid. We need to talk, son. But, the short version is that she’s on our side now. She’s one of us. It’s going to take a while for you to understand. But then, we have all the time in the world now, don’t we?”
Jake was still confused but he smiled. Then he laughed a little, more out of relief than anything else. The others joined in with him and the laughter spread, but Ben interrupted them all, as he suddenly realised something.
“Hey! Wait a minute! Stop! ‘All the time in the world.’ Jake, the box is fixed! We can finally go home!”
Jake took the box out of his bag immediately and placed it down on the ground. “Yes mate, I suppose you’re right. We’ve been waiting for this, so no time like the present. Time to go,” he said, as he stood upright.
He walked up to Princess Zephany and gave her a big hug, followed by a tender kiss on the cheek. “What can I say to you, after everything we’ve been through together? It’s never going to be enough I know, but thanks for all you have done. You’ve been… Awesome! I couldn’t have done any of this without you or your father. We would have been nothing without your people and the astonishing valour they’ve shown.”
Princess Zephany shook her head firmly. “Jake, your words are like my sword I think; they cut both ways. You have proven to be much more than a protector of worlds, Keeper. You have powers in you that defy all logic. You have been a trusted ally and friend. I hope we shall see you again, from time to time? You have achieved the impossible here and restored the stones, so it is now within your power to go wherever you wish to go.”
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it? I’d like that,” Jake answered, smiling warmly.
He moved on quickly to say farewell to Queen Bressial, Lord Caro, Nytig and the rest, before his eyes suddenly fell upon a much larger figure standing out in the crowd. “Verastus!” he cried, overjoyed to see his friend alive.
Jake ran over to where the giant Falorian stood. The crowd parted as he ran and he was soon joined by Ben, with the others not far behind. “Big Man, you’re alright!” Ben yelled, as they reached him.
Verastus smiled weakly and shook his head. “My friends, it is so very good to see you free from harm. I am sorry to bear such news on a day like this, but I am not, ‘alright’, Ben. I am afraid I am dying. I can feel it. My strength is failing and I can barely stand. I just wanted to say goodbye to you both, and thank you for restoring my honour. Please, shed no tears for me when I am gone, for I would not have missed this whole fantastic adventure for… Uuurgh… Apologies. The wound will not stop bleeding,” he stated, looking down at his stomach as a tremendous, searing pain interrupted his farewell.
Everyone gasped in horror at the sight of such a horrendous injury, but Jake suddenly felt the blood tingle in his veins. The faint voice of a woman sounded in his head once again. He could not hear her clearly over the sound of the crowd, but somehow he knew immediately that he could help.
Without delay, he placed his hand over the wound and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were lit up brightly by a white light that was locked within. Then, the light travelled through his body and exploded out of his hand, entering Verastus and seeping through the gaps in Jake’s fingers, so that everyone around could see. The Falorian’s wound healed in a matter of seconds. The surrounding warriors took a sharp intake of breath, amazed to behold such a miracle. They were joined by Ben.
“Jake! What the hell?!” cried the youngster. “…Oh yes! Get in there! I don’t believe it. You’re like Jesus or summin’ now?! This is just getting way too weird. You can’t be. You’ll be walking on water next… Err… You’re not going to, are ya? What’s happened to you? You’re my…? Ah, whatever! Just do your thang!
Hang… Hang on, this is fantastic! I… Err… I think you’ve got your work cut out? There’s plenty more where Verastus came from, and you can help them all. The dragons for a start, not to mention the wounded here, and in the streets, on the wall…?”
Jake looked up, staring around him at the shocked and stunned faces. Then, he nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right for a change. Oh… I can’t really say that to you now, can I? I mean, being right is beginning to become a habit for you, isn’t it? Cleverclogs! We’re gonna have to think of a new way of taking the Mickey out of each other. It’s your fault you know. You’ve upset the natural way of th
ings, so you only have yourself to blame.
Look, I’d better get started, healing so many is gonna take some time, and there’s shed loads of ‘em. So… I suppose we’d better get you guys home first? And then I’ll get to work, eh?”
Despite the fact that he would be leaving Jake behind, Ben did not object. Now that there was finally a realistic chance of actually returning, he was missing home, more than he ever thought he would in fact. For a fleeting moment he’d considered staying on Estia, reasoning that he had nothing to go back to. But, he knew deep down that this was not his world, and something inside the youngster told him that Jake would need his help.
Ben looked over at Verastus as he realised that, ‘this was it.’ In such a short space of time the Falorian had captured his heart to become one of his dearest friends. They had shared in so much together, and he had saved Ben’s life on more than one occasion. “I suppose we’d better go?” the teenager said with mixed feelings, as he offered his hand in friendship.