by Lee Magnus
He pushed himself to an upright position against the crooked tree. Holding his head, he looked around to find himself in a valley surrounded by steep bluffs. A mucky stream set off to his right. He reached for his pack producing another round of intense dread.
“My pack! Oh god. I lost my pack! I don’t know where I am. I’m lost,” he said comprehending his plight. He tossed his head into his folded arms. “How will I ever get out of here without the map?” He gently wept.
A groan in the distance rocketed him to attention. Another groan followed by resounding footsteps spiked his body into alert mode. Something big was approaching. His eyes widened as he peeked around the tree. Just on the other side of the stream strolled a massive dark grey bear the size of a short-bus.
“That thing looks like it eats hippos for breakfast!” Trey whispered to himself.
It held a large black nose in the air as it walked a deliberate zigzag pattern.
It must have my scent, Trey thought. “I need to find a way out of here,” he continued quietly.
Trey looked around for something to fend off the bear’s possible attack. He analyzed the tree of which he was under, noting its impressive height and crooked trunk. He then quickly filled his pockets with large stones and prayed the bear would leave him alone.
The bear waded across the thin stream as if on an intercept course with Trey. Trey peeked around the corner again noting it was nearly twenty feet away which looked to Trey to be about as long as the bear itself.
“That’s way too close to be coincidence. It’s definitely coming for me.”
Trey looked up, took a deep breath then scurried up the tree. He rapidly grabbed branches and placed feet in crooked crevices. A penetrating roar came from the monstrosity. Fifteen feet up Trey saw the bear leap the distance between him and the tree. Twenty feet up the bear raised on its hind legs and nearly swatted him out of the tree as it easily snapped several branches Trey previously used as steps. Twenty-five feet up was just enough to remain out of reach. He continued to climb, nearly to the top only to stop as a branch broke beneath his feet, nearly sending him plummeting to his death.
Black razor teeth the size of his hand chomped at the air in anticipation of a new and interesting lunch. It smacked the tree nearly shaking out the scared boy.
“Now’s not the time to panic,” he said gathering his balance. “Hey buddy!” Somehow talking to it made him feel better about the situation. “Why all the fuss? I haven’t bathed in days, I’m sure I taste horrible!”
The bear pounded the tree. Trey held on tight as the quake diminished.
Trey’s face lit up as another stupid idea came to mind. “The force times the trajectory of the base along with the current angle of its lean will put me approximately there,” he mumbled while looking at the nearest bluff.
He yelled, ”Do you think you could move to your right just a bit?”
He threw a rock from his pocket. It bounced off the bear’s head. The bear howled then swatted again at Trey, shaking the tree violently.
Trey continued to throw stones, aiming specifically at the left side of the great animal. The bear began to flinch at each toss and gradually shifted its position in response.
“That’s it, little buddy. You’re almost there.”
He threw another stone, issuing another shift by his increasingly angry opponent resulting in a long-lasting shaking by the great beast. Trey nearly lost his grip in the midst of the quake.
Trey looked just below at the ridge of the bluff of which he fell then threw another rock that pelted the bear in the left eye. It howled and fell onto all fours. It wiped at its painful eye with a shaggy paw, shifted slightly to the right then looked into the tree.
“That’s it. You’re there,” he said confidently.
It bellowed an ear shattering roar that vibrated Trey’s insides. It then raised onto hind legs.
“That’s it!” Trey said breathlessly. Fear and excitement blended into a feeling of euphoria. Trey grasped nearby branches and yelled just as the bear slammed into the tree with a tremendous force, “I hope this works!”
The base of the tree snapped sending Trey down. Just at the right moment, he leaped from his position onto the ridge of the bluff. He rolled to reduce the force of the impact found his feet and started running. The tree smashed onto the bluff and rolled down the incline. A ferocious roar rumbled but seemed distant to Trey as he sprinted in the opposite direction.
“My pack!” he yelled as he grabbed it in mid-stride. He ran several minutes more until a trip forced him to take a breather.
“Holy crap that was close!” he said between heaving breaths. “I can’t believe that worked!”
He rolled onto his back huffing frantically. He stared up into the clear blue sky peeking through the dreary trees, wearily yearning to be back home with his mom and her fried chicken.
“Dang, I’m hungry – and I don’t even have any bars left. Stupid imps,” he said scornfully.
He looked upward from his lying position on the ground to find himself on the edge of a vast stretch of cardis flowers. “The flower!” he said sitting up. “The orange dust is the last thing I remember before the bear. What else is out to get me?” he said exasperated. “Don’t stay in one place too long,” he remembered Karl saying.
He rose studying the dreadful field. “I can’t go around. I have to go through.”
He took a calming breath, cinched the rain hood around his face then carefully tip-toed into the wild meadow. Large bulbs of dull green rested precariously upon lanky stalks. Each swayed independently as if dancing to a slow rhythm.
Trey arched backward, barely scraping by one that drifted too close.
“This would be easy If they’d just quit moving,” he said upon stopping to reassess his course.
A bird flittered above as he watched a wafting butterfly pirouette among the deathly petals.
He moved into a small circular open space – the flowers seemed to all look his way as they quietly bobbled left and right.
He stepped over a short one then dodged two edging his path. He then continued the monotonous pace, zig-zagging his way toward safety. He felt confident near the end of the patch but maintained extreme vigilance. However, he failed to notice another short one when his head was turned. He caught a glimpse of his clumsy boot through the corner of his eye as it lightly grazed the bulb. As if in slow motion, the petals twisted slightly open to release a tiny orange stream that rose toward the tired boy.
He panicked as the rising orange snake circled his leg. He covered his face the best he could and ran.
Bursts of orange exploded as he pounded through the remainder of the field. Trey kept his head down and eyes closed – hoping he could stay in front of the psychoactive cloud.
He guessed he was near the end when he opened his eyes. Swiftly avoiding a tree, he continued to dart through the woods at full speed. Moments later he skidded onto the mushy trail, relieved to not see any signs of orange on or around him.
After a huge sigh of relief and the heavy breathing subsided, he thought, this would be a good time to put on the waders.
He unrolled the map, setting it aside, then removed the waders from the sack. He pulled them over his pants, then sat back against the tree. He closed his eyes a few seconds before looking down to find a mantis resting on the map.
“What in the world? These things must be everywhere.”
He watched it watching him.
“Are you following me, little guy?”
It didn’t move.
“You sure seem to be.”
The mantis continued to look in Trey’s direction.
It slowly spun in place reorienting toward Trey.
Trey gave it a suspicious look.
It jumped, then hovered a few inches.
Trey continued to observe the insect.
It jumped and hovered again.
Just before it settled back in its previous position, Trey caught an image on the map. H
e leaned in to take a closer look. The mantis shifted to the top edge of the map as if in response to Trey’s movements.
“It can’t be,” Trey said in disbelief. “This isn’t a map at all.”
He glanced at the mantis then to the map, then said out loud, “The depiction of the trail on the map, the one I thought I was walking, along with these shadings that I seemed to have mistook for representations of topography of the swamp…highly resemble the shape of a mantis.”
He paused amid deep thought then said while looking blankly ahead, “I’m not following a map, I’m looking for a guide!” He looked back down at the tiny bug, “And my guide…is a mantis? You have to be kidding me.”
At that moment, the mantis leapt away flying several yards to rest on a log far off the trail.
“Well, I guess it can’t be crazier than all the other stuff I’ve seen recently,” he said to himself. “So, I’m following a bug? Big deal. It’s not the first time.”
Trey tossed the map into the bag before setting out after the insect guide. When he reached the log, the mantis took flight again, this time soaring four times as far. Trey squished on the wet ground to catch up.
The mantis leaped onto the trunk of a tree, then began proceeding from tree to tree through a thin forest. It stopped just short of a murky bog stretching the distance of a basketball court and as wide as Trey could see.
He approached the mantis, looked out onto the stagnant pool and said, “No way. I’m not going into that.” He thought about what Karl said regarding the boggers worm. He had a brief image of slimy ribbed worms burrowing into his skin.
He shook off the gross image when the mantis launched over the bog. Trey couldn’t see where it landed but was sure it made it to the other side.
He desperately looked for another way to cross but the bog was too wide. “This point, actually, looks like the narrowest.” He decided to test the water.
He eased a rubber booted foot into the bog. It sank a little but remained mostly above the water as it found semi-solid ground. He stepped a little further out sinking just a little more. Then another, continuing the gradually declining pattern as he eased across the foul water.
He became accustomed to the slow presumptuous pace. He continued wading as water rose to the top of his boots when suddenly he sunk to his waist. He let out a startled yelp. He thrusted his hands into the air to prevent them from submerging in the water. He nearly lost his balance. He teetered on one leg for a moment. He looked down to find the chest high waders seemed to be keeping him dry. He regained his composure then began swishing again slowly through the water – ensuring each step was solid. His boot slipped off something hard. He lost his balance. Just before his hand submerged, he caught himself. He slipped only one more time afterward.
The water continued to rise above his waste and into a middle mesh pocket built into the stomach portion of the outfit. He was about halfway when he stopped, unsure if he should continue. He looked back from where he came. The shoreline seemed so remote, but he was sure he could get back safely. He looked toward the mantis, which he still couldn’t see, only to feel dread and terror.
He took two steps back toward probable safety then stopped. He closed his eyes and said, “I can do hard things.” He then turned back toward his guide and continued across the bog with only one additional slip after which he remained dry.
He slogged onto the shore after the perilous crossing, confident he wouldn’t have to down the sickening medicine to prevent the boggers.
He caught a glimpse of the mantis flying through a thinly treed area. He took a deep breath of relief to be across the bog, then followed.
He came upon a trail, hidden within a span of tall bushes. The mantis launched to the right on the trail. When Trey caught up, it jumped onto his shoulder.
“I suppose you’re just along for the ride now, huh?” he said looking at the tiny green passenger.
He walked the trail for only thirty minutes before approaching a body of musty water just larger than a pond but smaller than a lake. When he reached the edge of the water the mantis sailed off to the left to land on the first of a series of stones shadowed by a wide treetop. It hopped each stone before settling on the last and largest of the group.
“You want me to go onto the stones? In the water?”
The guide remained motionless on the last stone.
“Ok. Fine,” he said remembering Karl’s warning and shaking off the fresh feeling of crossing the bog.
When Trey reached the final stone, he looked down at the mantis and said, “Now what?”
The mantis seemed to slightly bow before flying away.
“But wait! What do I do now! Argg! Stupid bug!”
Trey sat on the rock and reviewed the map again.
“There’s nothing here but sit, don’t believe and rock. Ok. I’m on a rock. Check. I’m sitting. Check. What the heck does ‘don’t believe’ mean?”
“Don’t believe. Don’t Believe. What’s it mean? Don’t believe. Unbelieve. Non-believer. Does it have something to do with religion? Think, Trey. Religion. Believe. Trust. Think. Believe. Imagine. I’m sitting on a rock believing I’m an idiot. Ok, focus. There has to be something to this. Don’t imagine? Don’t think. Don’t think? Sit on the rock and don’t think? That’s not it.”
But he couldn’t get the notion out of his mind.
“Don’t think.”
Trey sat still on the rock. He tried to clear his mind. Thoughts of his mom wondering where he was, of whether he would lose his position on the soccer team again, if he would be able to get home all streamed through his head.
Slowly, each passing thought faded. The wind rustling the water and the bugs chirping in the trees diminished. A distant call from a falcon echoed into nothingness. Even the soft footfalls of the beastly creatures closing in evaded his senses until there was only himself but not his self.
His whole body vibrated as if he touched a live low voltage wire. His brain tingled while his skin pricked with a comfortable warm sensation. He gradually felt as if he were falling – no – sinking into the stone. He became minimally aware of light passing into darkness. He settled into the subconscious. He no longer felt physical senses. He thought it was much like the Etherios but not quite – the thought faded.
Dream-like images passed within his mind’s eye: a shadowy congregation of people, Leslie’s kiss, a dragon with golden tipped wings flying through clouds. Darkness prevailed as he continued to sink further and further into nothingness.
A dim ruby colored light shone in the distance growing in luminescence as he floated toward it. No thoughts raced through his mind. Only quiet – and the light.
He drew closer until he could make out its ring-like shape.
Yes. It is a ring.
He reached for the object, cautious but not afraid. His slightly bent outstretched finger slowly drifted within a couple centimeters before he paused. The ring pulsed white and ruby light. The synchronous pattern increased in intensity as his finger neared until a final flash of light burst when the connection was made.
“Hello Trey. I am Master Olerand,” the trim bearded man in an aged but clear voice said from across the silver ring. “Do not release the relic.”
Only his head and chest appeared as if looking through a window.
“It’s you!” Trey gasped.
“We are connected through time by Moridon’s relic. We will remain in near physical contact as long as we are both touching the ring. However, I fear you do not have long and are in grave danger.”
“Danger?”
“Yes. We must speak with haste.”
“Time in the sense that you know is not linear. It may be easier to consider that time happens all at once. The ring allows us to open a window to various occurrences.”
“Whoa, that’s really deep.”
“I summoned you here for selfish reasons – a wish, so to speak. However, if you succeed you may preserve your life as well as the lives of your a
ncestors.”
“That’s what you showed me in the dream, isn’t it? That I have to face Khaitu or die?”
“You saw what you needed to see. I am merely the conduit for you to access the memory. I am not aware of what you are destined to do but I do, however, believe it does involve you facing his fury.”
“So that city was real? He really burned it and everyone there?”
“Yes.”
“Just like NamJai.”
“Yes.”
“How do I stop him?
“That knowledge, hopefully, will come to you prior to your confrontation.”
“That’s all the advice you have for me?”
“Yes.”
“Ok. Did you lead Mr. Hampton to find the key and build the portal?”
“Yes. I have been working diligently in secret to prepare you two for this moment.”
“Why go through all the trouble? Why not just save them yourself?”
“I cannot interfere with the deeds of Khaitu. If I do, I will become an undead slave, unable to bind him in the upcoming ceremony.”
“Oh yeah. The curse.”
“So, you can’t prevent Commerand from falling either?”
“No. Commerand will be an unfortunate casualty. We can only hope you will also free our brother. I’m afraid that my actions or inactions at this point will lead to the event happening. Do you understand?”
“I think so.”
“You are my descendant’s and your ancestors only hope.”
“Descendants? Ancestors? What?”
“Before you go you must know the time ring facilitates viewing of the past and present but only what the heart desires which is how I saw my family’s destruction as well as Commerand’s fall. You must hold it in your palm, enter a quiet state and focus on your heart.
“It also allows communication through time which is what we are doing now.
“Finally, it allows travel through time for imminently important means. You must sit in a relaxed position with the ring placed on your right index finger. Upon entering a deep meditative state focusing on exactly when you want to be, you will circle the ring over your head and pull yourself into the adjacent instance of time. It must not be used for personal gain.”