The Awakening

by Gary Alan Wassner

  Chapter Nineteen

  Thomas took the lead, as the group of three young companions wove their way through the woods surrounding the lake that formerly harbored the magical Lady of the Island, Calista. Her presence was keenly felt by them all during their foray into her lands. She gave her life to prevent the collapse of Pardatha only recently, and the evidence of her existence lingered everywhere.

  “I have not visited this area since her final days,” Tomas said somberly as they rode slowly across the ridge above the newly formed river.

  “It is a very beautiful place,” Preston commented.

  “Remarkably beautiful,” Elion reiterated.

  “Calista was a remarkable woman. Do you see the stone in the middle of the lake?” he asked his friends.

  “Even in the night, it radiates,” Elion noticed, a smile upon his lips.

  “The moon is barely out, yet the crystal shines as if it was full,” Preston noted.

  “It does not merely reflect, Preston,” Tomas explained. “It draws its power from the earth itself and spews it forth regardless of the time.”

  “All things are connected, Preston. What reaches into the earth, what sits upon it and that which flies above it are all part of the same. We all share the power and the light,” Elion remarked.

  “What then, could turn people away from it?” the young dwarf questioned. “It is so beautiful, why would anyone deny it?”

  “People can be misled. They are not perfect. The Dark Lord possesses a power that does not emanate from the earth. He engulfs the souls of those who choose his path, until they forget entirely what bound them to the earth before. His vision is so different. For those who are dissatisfied, humbled, poor, rejected, starved for power, envious or devious he seems to satisfy their needs. One with a full and healthy soul would not easily succumb to his caresses,” Elion tried to explain.

  They had crossed the ridge above the city of Pardatha by this time, and the travelers were headed for the eastern shore of the lake. Tomas seemed to know where he was going, and the others followed and trusted in his decisions.

  “Colton is the opposite of all that we are, Preston. He is the very antithesis of us. His desires are hard to comprehend. He believes in hate as we do in love, and he despises himself for it. It is that emotion which propels him forward, and he wishes all life to end so that these awful feelings within him will end as well. He is beyond hope, and therefor he wishes only for his own suffering to terminate,” Tomas said.

  He spoke with such deep emotion, it appeared to Elion as if Tomas actually felt the horrible feelings that he attributed to the Dark One.

  “I do not understand how anyone could fail to see the beauty in life. Surely we all suffer. But, I cannot imagine how great his suffering must be in order for him to believe that all must perish in order for it to abate,” Elion commented.

  “He is a fount of great power. But that power is negative. It draws rather than bestows. It mimics the void itself. To him, death is the equivalent of birth for us. So, he sees salvation in the death and demise of everything, as we see hope in the birth of new life. Each blade of grass that sprouts from the soil hurts him, even as it causes us joy,” Tomas explained.

  “I feel sorry for him, even,” Preston said.

  “Do not, my friend,” Elion replied sharply. “That would be dangerous. Besides, you are being too generous with him. He was not always thusly.”

  “He had a choice at one time, Preston. But he could not make the right decision. It seemed as if his very soul was being torn asunder. Perhaps it was fate after all. The fabric weaves of its own will,” Tomas said solemnly.

  “You speak as if you were there when this all happened, Tomas,” Elion remarked.

  “In a way, all of the Chosen were. At least through our trees. You see Elion, Ormachon was present in one form or another, and through him, I have gained an insight into the Dark Lord. That information has probably been the hardest of all for me to live with. The corruption of his essence is so complete that the understanding of it even causes me pain. Since communication with a Lalas is through an unspoken language, in order to comprehend and learn, one must feel rather than hear. I have felt much that I would not want to share with a friend,” the boy responded, his eyes gazing off into the distance.

  His face seemed troubled by the conversation and Elion noticed the change in him immediately.

  “This night is a fine one, is it not Preston?” Elion inquired of the dwarf if only to change the subject.

  “Yes, it is. I love being out under the stars,” he replied, looking up at the evening sky. “I always felt close to the heavens when I was in the Thorndars. I do miss the smell of the mountain air though.”

  “Well my friend, you may have the opportunity to breath it once again shortly. At least soon enough,” Tomas commented. “We may need to visit your uncle, Elion. Bristar of the mountains? Is that not what they call him?”

  “Yes, it is. He is a good man. I spent a long time with him and his people. In fact, it was on my way home from Crispen that I stumbled upon your brother,” Elion replied.

  “Stumbled? Is that how you describe it?” Tomas asked, the shadow of darkness having left his brow.

  “I can think of no other explanation. As you say Tomas, the fabric weaves of its own will.”

  “I suppose he stumbled upon Davmiran just as you stumbled upon me?” Preston inquired smiling.

  The three companions to laughed heartily, a welcome break in the tension that had consumed them all for quite some time now.

  “Why are we heading to Crispen? What is it you hope to find in the north?” Elion asked.

  “I am not sure. I believe that we need to go there. Our purpose will reveal itself to us in time. First, though, we need to go north to Parth. It is on the way. At least, it is not in the opposite direction,” he corrected himself. “Perhaps the Sisters can help us to understand what we must do next. I have premonitions and visions, but I cannot tell exactly what we seek, or where exactly we must search. I know that Crispen holds some of the answers, as does the tower of Parth.”

  Tomas seemed a bit perplexed, though it did not appear to cause him any concern at all. His confidence never abated, and that steadfastness helped the other two to maintain their own. They allowed him to lead the way, despite the fact that he admitted he did not know exactly why they were going where they were going.

  In the hours that they had traveled, they hugged the side of the lake and stayed concealed in the thick woods that framed it to the east. Once past the forest, they would need to journey through a more populated area, and it would be more difficult to veil their whereabouts from the villagers and country folk. A dwarf, an elf and a human boy traveling together would certainly draw the attention of whomever they encountered. None of them wanted news of their location to filter back either to their former companions or to any of Colton’s confederates. They did not wish their journey to be hampered by anyone. Although they were unsure of what information they sought, all felt inspired by each other’’s company and enlivened by the idea the design would unveil itself as the weave grew tighter and more focused.

  As they approached the very end of the lake itself, comprised of a small rivulet of water that jutted out into the woods like a pointing finger from a large hand, a strange glow illuminated the sky all around them. It grew in intensity very quickly, and it soon caused the very air to shimmer and shift. At first, Preston began to thrash the sky with his hands, thinking it was glow-bugs that swarmed before his eyes. Elion’s senses tingled, but he was absolutely certain that no imminent danger accompanied this phenomenon. It caused him no fear or concern even for a moment. Rather, he found himself laughing and admiring the light as it grew brighter and brighter, while the rapid streaks shot randomly.

  Tomas lifted his chin into the air, now blindingly radiant and constantly in motion, and he too smiled and then began to giggle like a child. Preston was also laughing by this time and turning his head from left
to right, shifting in his saddle, trying to follow the streaks as they shot from side to side. Elion raised his hand in an attempt to catch one as it darted by, but his action was to no avail. It deftly avoided contact with him and swerved around his outstretched palm, only to disappear into the distance.

  As they sat upon their horses and watched this display, it seemed to take on a more organized form. The random streaks began to align themselves with one another and what at first appeared to have no order, began to coalesce. The light was so blindingly bright, as the many disparate points joined together, that all three of the travelers had to shield their eyes in order to continue to observe it. A woven cocoon of sorts was spinning all around them now, enveloping them in its glow. Each of them felt a comforting warmth, and whatever apprehension they may have begun to possess, dissipated as the radiance increased.

  The soil beneath their feet lost its definition. It was as if they were standing upon the very clouds themselves. And like children, the three companions laughed, shifting in their saddles, looking upward and downwards, sideways and back and forth, mesmerized by the joyous lights.

  Soon, they could barely see anything any longer other than the light itself. Where they had been, the trees and the path and even the sky, were obstructed now by the bursts and brightness. Elion regained his composure first and realized that although he felt safe, perhaps it had been long enough since they had come upon this phenomenon, and that it was time to gain control once again of themselves and the circumstances. He opened his mouth to speak to his friends, to alert them to his feelings, when a soft and beautiful voice reached his ears as if it floated to him upon the quills of a feather. It sailed in, gentle and caressing, reaching his ears and warming his body all over.

  He slowly dismounted from his horse and took a few steps in Tomas’ direction. The blonde haired boy had already slid from his saddle on to the shifting soil beneath them. They grabbed each other’s hands and held on to each other tightly as if to gain some perspective, some equilibrium. Preston, too, placed his broad palm atop the others, and the three of them stood together, and gazed all around them.

  At first, the words they heard had no meaning. The voice was sweet and sonorous, but the words were unintelligible, some loud, some quiet, but all indistinguishable. The volume rose and fell, and it echoed back and forth within the confines of the space the light had created. Elion believed that it was surely a woman’s voice, but at times it was deep and at others, high pitched. It shifted in tone with the bursts and sparkles in the air.

  Tomas dropped the hands of his friends and raised his palms to the sky. He seemed to be pushing upon the air, trying to lift something. His fingers were spread wide, and he bent his head back and closed his glimmering green eyes. The voice responded to him in some way, and the sounds appeared to focus upon the Chosen. As if words were tangible things, they hovered over him, and they could all hear them now, as they randomly reached their ears. It was as if a small door in the air opened each time, allowing one sound to escape and then shutting tight, followed by another and then another. Elion and Preston imitated Tomas, extending their hands as well, and curving their heads back. Tiny portals would open, and words would break out, reaching their ears, yet still making no sense.

  Elion concentrated all his mental might and finally spoke, afraid at first to disturb the atmosphere.

  “Someone is trying to talk to us, but I believe something is attempting to prevent the communication,” he said as a small tempest lifted and carried him a few yards away from the others.

  “Yes,” Tomas yelled, “I think so too.” He planted his feet firmly on the surface below him, although it no longer resembled the soil and grass of the forest floor. Soon though, he too was lifted a few feet off of the shifting ground and quickly deposited at the opposite side of the enclosure.

  “We must assist it,” Elion knew as he spoke, though he was struggling against the strong gusts of wind now while trying to make his way back to his friends.

  They felt as if they had to shout in order to be heard. Although they were encased inside the cocoon of light, they were presently being whipped back and forth by the powerful zephyrs and spirals, the sources of which they could not determine. Preston struggled to make his way to Tomas’ side once more, and Elion too joined them though with much difficulty. They held on to each other’’s arms in order not to be lifted up and blown around, even though the surface upon which they stood did not feel as if it had the stability it had only moments before.

  The light began to congeal, to coalesce, and to form a more solid barrier on all sides. It was pliable nevertheless, and now all three of the travelers could see things pushing against the rubber-like surface, trying to penetrate it and reach them within. The shapes of faces impressed themselves in the barrier and they could make out noses and eyes sockets. Legs and arms pressed sharply against it as well, outlining countless bodies. But none could break through. They all remained outside the partition, thrusting and pushing against it. By now the noise, the wind and the persistent attempts at intrusion were taking their toll on the group. Even Tomas seemed not to understand what was happening. His eyes were not clear and sharp, but rather tired and concerned. They were all growing weary from the effort to stand in one place, and yet they could not walk without being lifted and carried by the winds.

  “We have to help them,” he yelled. “They are trying to reach us and they cannot.”

  “What can we do?” Preston responded. “I can barely stand up myself.”

  Although not knowing what possessed him to do so, Elion reached out with his left arm, while retaining his hold on Tomas with his right. He was close enough to the expanding and contracting skin around them to touch it. As soon as he did, it adhered to his hand like some sort of sticky sap, and when he withdrew his fingers he pulled the barrier with him, taut like the string on a bow. He was afraid that he would not be able to detach himself from it and he abruptly and violently began to shake his hand. The protruding portion snapped back sharply and as soon as it did, they all heard a high pitched, shattering sound. A crack formed in the wall right where Elion had grabbed it and it immediately radiated outward from that one spot, sundering the entire enclosure as it spread. Tiny, web-like cracks appeared everywhere, as if it was the frozen surface of a small pond upon which a boulder was dropped from a great height.

  Elion put both his arms protectively over the two boys and then pushed them sharply down on the ground. Crouching between them, he covered them with his cape as best as he could while the entire structure came tumbling down on top of them all. Sparkling flakes of shifting light settled like snow upon their backs. The air was thick with the tiny pieces, all of which were bright and glittering as they gracefully fell to the ground. They could barely see through the dense veil of particles that cascaded down everywhere, though none of them were hurting them in any way. They were practically weightless as they descended, and they formed luminescent piles on the surface everywhere.

  When the air cleared and they were able to look around once again, they found themselves standing on a narrow piece of land, a peninsula, that jutted out into a lake of the deepest blue. The air was warm and the breeze was refreshing and mild. The sun hung heavily on the western horizon in a totally cloudless sky. The water lapped against the narrow shoreline in rhythmic waves, almost reaching their feet, then retreating, while leaving behind effervescent particles on the stark, white sand each time.

  “Where are we?” Preston asked, eyes wide.

  “I do not know,” Elion responded, “But it is definitely not the outskirts of Pardatha.”

  “We are in another dimension, a world between worlds,” Tomas said, staring at the surroundings. “It is what remains after Calista departed,” he commented, knowingly.

  “Why are we here?” Preston inquired again. “And how do we get back?”

  “Someone wants to tell or show us something. It is not coincidence that has brought us here,” Elion observed.


  “Where did all the people go whose faces were pressing against the walls before?” Preston inquired.

  “They were not real people, Preston. They were spirits; histories, they are called. The histories are fragments of what once was. They take on the shapes of things that lived, but they do not live. They form and break up, and reform again, much as the random patterns of sand form recognizable images with the shifting waters. The spirit and the energy that is life does not die. It changes from one form to another, and here it abounds,” Tomas explained.

  “You are correct,” a voice boomed seemingly from all directions at once. “Life is not something that can be stilled so easily. It is eternally mutable, ebbing and flowing, expanding and contracting, but never diminishing.”

  They all looked around searching for the source of the sound, but nothing revealed itself.

  “He grabs but he does not grasp. He takes but he does not ask.”

  “Who?” Elion dared to question. “Who are you speaking of?”

  “He wishes to terminate the cycles, to free his spirit from becoming part of that which will return. He wants to reduce that which is constant, to diminish that which remains the same. He is so tormented that he craves dissolution and total annihilation. That darkness alone will end our world. When the Gem’s light is blocked forever, life will cease.”

  “Caeltin? You speak of Caeltin?” Elion asked again.

  “The Great Destroyer, the Evil One,” it said sadly. “Yes, I speak of Colton dar Agonthea.”

  “Who are you?” Elion asked.

  “I am not one. I am many. I am past and present. I am alive and I am dead. Come. Come and you will understand.”

  Suddenly they felt like a great suction was pulling them upward by the tops of their heads. The human, the elf and the dwarf were each lifted into the air. But amazingly their bodies remained behind, below them and separate. What portion of them ascended into this world of in between they could not tell, but their awareness never abated. They watched as they left their bodies still and unmoving below.