"It is not a matter of what I want, but rather what I can offer you. You see, I know about you Peter Calender. I know where you have come from, your family, your troubles and how you came to be here and I want to help you. I can return you to your home of Lightholm and all you have to do is ask."
"Why would you do that?"
"I am often misunderstood, Peter, but I know ways that few do. The world of Demeter is but one of the realities and it is not your home. I am happy to help you return. There are many that would demand much from you. I suppose the girl, Nightjar, has told you that you are the Moonchild? Yes? I thought so. She is trying to trap you, to make you do her bidding and she and the trekker Ravensort, are in league. I am sure she has told you things about Demeter and the forces that control this world. I am sure that she has told you that it is all the work of Fell Craven, but how do you know this is the truth?"
Peter frowned and Gorn took this as a signal to continue.
"Demeter is a wild world, Peter. It is not like your world. Law and order are not dominant here. Survival of the fittest rules this world. Are you ready for that? Men die here Peter . Ahh? I see that you know this. Men like Ravenscort kill to survive. Have you killed, Peter? I see from your expression that you have not. I can send you home. This world is not for you. You do not owe this world anything. Leave the fight to others. I don't blame you. This is not your doing. No one else will ever know. Return to your home and your past life."
"I want to go home."
"Good boy! I can help you."
"I want to go home, but I don't have a home to go to. There is nothing left for me in Lightholm. Everyone I knew is dead. I am being sent to Birmingham to live with a family I don't know and that don't know me. Unless you can bring my family back from death, then there is nothing to return to."
"The passage to the afterlife is an easier road to take and few ever return. I can not offer you that boy. Stay here and you may well join your family. Be warned, Peter Calender, your life will be in jeopardy when you leave the Gill. Constant can protect you here, but not beyond the grounds."
Brother Gorn's voice had risen and he no longer seemed to have the self control he had before. The owl at his shoulder raised itself on its perch and a look of malevolence filled its eyes. Its wings opened as if it would launch itself at Peter and he flinched and raised his sword. Gorn seemed to regain control,
"Quiet, Selena! The boy has the right to choose. I repeat, Peter Calender, I can return you home. All that is required is that all things you have from Demeter are left behind, and I can show you the doorway to take you home. The door is here in the Gill. You are only a few steps away from your old life. Can I say fairer than that? No?"
"As I have said, there is no home for me to go to. Nightjar and Ravenscort offer danger, maybe death, but also companionship and purpose. I know nothing of what is before me in this world, but I do know what is before me back in my old life. Emptiness. That's what is there for me. Thank you, but no thank you for the offer!"
Gorn stood and his height seemed to grow and he towered over him, but Peter would not be cowed.
"Give it to me!"
"Give what to you?"
"Don't fool with me boy. Give me the Moonstone!"
"So that is what you want! Is that why you were outside my room. You weren't there for me, you wanted the stone. You thought it was still in my pocket when I put my clothes out. It was. If I had been a moment longer remembering it, you would have had it. Why? What do you want the stone for?"
"The Moonstone should be mine! I am the rightful carrier. Give it to me!"
Gorn advanced from the desk and the cowl fell back a little, revealing more of his face. Peter saw a swirling cloud of darkness and two pinpricks of red fire burned where his eyes should have been. The cloud cleared slightly and a fleeting glimpse of a death mask showed and then faded like the mist in the morning sun.
Peter jumped to his feet and brought the sword into play a mere inch from Gorn's chest.
"Get back! You promised I was safe in the Gill! Are your words lies? Get back!"
Peter waved the tip of the sword enough to demonstrate intent, if pushed. Gorn retreated and regained his seat. He reached out to Selena and she climbed onto his arm and then his shoulder. The cowled man, who was clearly no longer human, began to stroke the great bird, and both bird and man calmed and settled.
"My words were not lies! I can not harm you or force you to give me the stone, but I can warn you. Peter Calender, you will rue the day that you refused my offer! You are safe here, but you have not won. We will meet again, and the next time I will not be so restrained. What I offered is no longer available. I will take the stone and, I promise you, you will regret refusing me. You will beg to be returned home before I am finished with you. Until the next time!"
The man and bird lost solidity, became swirling smoke and then vanished. Peter stood transfixed, breathing heavily, but somehow elated. He felt he had won a battle, even if he didn't know how or what he had been fighting.
He strode out of the room and down the staircase. Somehow the way to his bedroom seemed clear and, within moments, he saw the doorway to his room before him, open as he had left it. Walking in, he was surprised to see that someone was standing by the bay window.
"Welcome back, Peter!"
For a moment he thought Gorn was back to have another go, but then he realised that it was Constant that addressed him.
"I hope that you don't mind me waiting for you. I wanted to speak with you, but clearly you have been busy. Since you are back, I assume that you resolved any issues."
Peter was taken aback, but relieved that it was Constant and not Gorn.
"I have."
He didn't want to say more as he did not know who, if anyone he could trust. Constant did seem trustworthy, but he could be deceived and he decided to keep his own council. Constant just looked at him.
"Well, that is good. I will ask no more. I came to see you as I feel that you are owed some explanation. It was I that brought you to Demeter, Peter. I opened the way when you were in the garden at Lightholm."
"Why? What did you want me for? How did you send me here?"
"Patience, Peter for just a few more moments. I chose you because it was foretold in the ancient prophecies. Your lineage is well known and you have been observed. For many years, Fell Craven has sought you and your family. He has searched for the Calenders across the worlds. We have attempted to keep you hidden, but five years ago your location was discovered and Craven sought to kill you all. He made a mistake, but your parents died."
"My parents died in a car accident!"
"They did not Peter. Fell Craven's agents instigated the accident and caused their death. They thought you were all together, but you weren't with them."
"No! I was at home. I wasn't well and I had the next door neighbour babysitting. You're telling me they were murdered!"
"That is right, Peter. Fell Craven failed because of luck, or fate, but he will not stop hunting for you. With the death of your grandmother, you are the last of the Calender line, and Craven must kill you to defy the prophecy."
At this Constant spoke as if reciting a text,
"When all is lost and evil rules the land
Hope will come in a stranger's hand.
The seasons change, as they always will
But time stands guard within the Gill.
Demeter's fate is held by one alone
And he will bring the Moonstone.
Which way the balance?
Who will hinder?
The future is in the hand of a Calender!
A rhyme sung by children and passed down through the ages. Unfortunately, there are not many children on Demeter any more. The rhyme is a translation of the ancient prophecy, but the meaning still holds true. Evil is truly ruling the land, Peter. I know you have witnessed some of it. As the last Calender, you are the hope that holds the balance.
I don't know where the Moonstone is, but I can on
ly assume that you will either have it, or will obtain it."
Peter decided he could trust Constant and in a rush he blurted out,
"I have the stone! It was given to me, but I don't know what to do. Maybe I should give it to you. You would know what to do!"
Constant recoiled. He seemed to grow in stature and his face contorted as he seemed to be fighting a personal battle.
"You have it? You have it here? You would give it to me? You would freely give it up to me?"
Constant seemed shocked and began to speak to himself,
"He would give me the power. No! It is not right! Noooooo!" he wailed. "I must not. I can't wield it!"
He turned to Peter and he had regained control when he spoke.
"You know not what you suggest boy! The Moonstone is a most terrible and powerful relic. Or are you testing me? If so, you take great risk. I am Constant. I watch through time. I am an observer, not a player. If I took the Moonstone, then the balance would be broken and I fear the outcome would not be good. Oh, I could smite Fell Craven and destroy all his forces, but what would I put in place. I would be more terrible than even he can imagine. With good intentions I would bring doom to all the worlds. Balance means good and evil. I would destroy evil and by doing so bring the end to all life."
Almost sobbing, Constant looked at Peter anew. There was wonder in his face.
"It seems that there is more about me than I dared to hope. I have often dreamed of owning the Moonstone and using it to bring salvation, but I knew the consequences. The power is a lure and I felt it might be too much. I cannot carry the stone. I know that, and I thank you for the test, but I decline the offer. You are the stone bearer, Peter Calender. I sought to test you, but it is you that has tested me. I grieve for the stone. I must leave you now."
Constant almost staggered out of the room. Peter just stood there, shocked and puzzled. Gorn wanted the stone, but Peter wouldn't give him it, but when he offered it to Constant, he refused it. He reached into his pocket and he could feel the cold of the stone and sensed a gentle pulse as if it were a living thing. He had seen it light the cavern and destroy some of the Fell, but he didn't know how to control it and it didn't feel powerful to him.
He suddenly felt fatigued and decided he needed to sleep on it all. With that, he lay down, shut his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 10 - Show Time
With the coming of dawn, the travellers awoke, each with very different memories and experiences from the night before. Nightjar and Ravenscort discovered their clothing, cleaned and repaired outside their doors and Peter found new apparel waiting for him. The trousers and jerkin were leather and the shirt of strong linen. The boots were a good fit, soft calfskin with a thick sole, ideal for hiking through rough land. His cloak was returned, clean and repaired.
The three dressed and emerged from their rooms at the same time. This surprised them in some ways, but nothing about the Gill really surprised any of them. They went down the staircase to the room where they had eaten the evening before. Breakfast was waiting for them, but as there was no one about, they waited before starting. After a while, their hunger got the better of them and they decided to eat. There was no conversation and they all seemed lost in their own private thoughts. When they had sated their hunger and thirst, they looked at each other and it was Peter who broke the silence.
"I suppose we will have to decide what we are going to do. Do you have any ideas?"
"I thought I would stick with you. Clearly you need someone to look after you, but I don't know what we are to do. We can't stay here. One night in the Gill is as much as I can face." said Ravenscort.
"I agree, but I am at a loss as to what to do next. What do you think, Peter? You have the stone and it is written that you will destroy Fell Craven, but nothing says how you are to do it! I don't want to lead you, Peter, I don't want that responsibility."
At this moment, Constant entered the room and sat at the table. His face was stern and serious, and there seemed to be dark rings under his eyes, that told of a sleepless night.
"Welcome to the new day, my friends! I hope that you are rested. I know that you will have been challenged and enlightened by your time here and I believe that what you have learnt will help you in the days ahead. I have spent the night thinking about how to assist you to accomplish the prophecy. In some ways, I had hoped to lift the burden from you, but that is not to be. My part is, as it has always been, to observe and to offer guidance when I can. Peter Calender is the Moonchild! He carries the stone by right. It is he who must take the burden of defeating Fell Craven, but your role is to support him in this task. The future of Demeter and the seven worlds is his to win or lose in the attempt. I have looked into the prophecies and this is the time. The balance of the world hinges on the stones and the actions you take. Time is of importance and Fell Craven knows this. He hunts you now and he desires the Moonstone and the death of the bearer. Only when he has both will he feel truly in command of Demeter and then he will set his sights on the other worlds. Craven has lost all vestige of compassion. He finds it difficult to comprehend what sentient beings can do in the service of others. He only knows power and his pursuit of power is overwhelming. He assumes that the bearer of the Moonstone will similarly wish to use its power. This shows how little he knows about you, Peter Calender. You have taught me that power is not the answer. Using power corrupts and becomes a means to an end. You have used the stone and it has not tainted you. Strength is in the wisdom of avoiding using power. Remember this, Peter.
You will know if and when to use the stone, but be aware that use of it will be like a beacon to Fell Craven and his creatures. Your path from here must be your choice, but I would offer this advice; it would be better that the Moonstone is destroyed than it falls into the hands of Craven. Possession of any of the stones of power would allow Craven to move to the other of the seven worlds and so it must never become his. Its destruction may doom Demeter, but it would save the others from his devastation and dominance. Also, be aware that there are others who would take the Moonstone. They seek its power and would destroy Craven, but they would just replace him. They too will hunt you down."
"Can't we just stay here?"
"No, Nightjar! You know that is not an option. The stone cannot remain here. Inaction will doom Demeter and the seven worlds eventually, and, all the while, Craven will extend his powers."
"So I have two choices!" Peter stated in a quiet, but firm voice.
He had listened to Constant and rather than being cowed by the reality, he felt that he must take the fight forward.
"Either I destroy Craven or I destroy the Moonstone! I am being hunted by Fell Craven and his creatures, but there are others also hunting me. I do not know how to use the stone, so I am not sure that destroying Craven is possible. How could I destroy the Moonstone?"
Nightjar was the first to speak, "The Moonstone was found at the base of the Malkan Glacier in the Winterfold Mire, but I can't see how that would help us to destroy it. There has been no mention of destroying the stone in any of the prophecies. It is said that the Moonstone is part of the Moondial. The dial is made up of stones of power and with their loss, the law of the worlds was broken".
"That is true, but there is one place where the stone can be destroyed, and that is if it is taken to Celeste Horn. There stands the Moondial and it is there that it can be destroyed or the dial restored. I don't know how, but it can be done there and only there!" stated Constant.
Ravenscort had been unusually silent whilst this conversation had been going on, but at this point he interjected,
"So if I am right, these are the choices; we can destroy the stone, we can attack Fell Craven, or return the stone to the Moondial. I have heard of Celeste Horn, but I have never heard of the Moondial and we don't know how to restore it. The second is easy; we just use the power of the Moonstone and Craven and his creatures will come to us and then Peter can destroy them!"
"But I don't kno
w how to utilise the stone, nor if it has the power to destroy Craven." Retorted Peter. "Neither way seems to be a solution. I need time to think. I am going out into the grounds. I need to be alone a while."
He left the room and went out into the grounds, leaving behind a group that became lost in their own thoughts. They knew that they couldn't help him make the choice, but they would support him in whatever choice he made.
Peter needed time to think. What should he do? How would he know what the right choice was? He had never made any real decisions in his life. Things just happened to him.
He was dazed and confused as he walked out into the grounds of the Gill. With grass under his feet and away from the others, he just wandered. The air was warm and there was the smell of newly mown grass. A bee buzzed past on its journey, planned as part of the dance. Peter felt that he was part of someone else's dance and he wondered if the bee ever wondered what to do, or whether it was happy just following orders.
As he puzzled over what course to follow, he wandered around the corner of the building and entered a knot garden. Low box hedges edged the geometric flower beds. Some beds held roses, some perennials and others herbs or vegetables. There were gravel paths separating the sections of the knot and at the centre was a round pool with a column standing like a remonstrating finger. Peter was immersed in thought, and although something at the edge of his consciousness suggested familiarity, he paid it no heed.
He crunched along the pathway and reached the pool and stared into its midst. Within its dark waters there were flashes of gold and silver as fish darted through the plants and under the lily pads. He was struck by how they lived in their own world, oblivious of the outside. Unless something entered and interfered in theirs, they knew only their pool. He realised he had been in his own world, before he had been scooped out and dropped onto Demeter. He sat on the low stone wall that framed the pool and, head in hands, worried what should he do. Should he destroy the Moonstone, save the other worlds, but doom Demeter, or should he attempt to destroy Fell Craven?
The Moonchild (The Moondial Book 1) Page 7