Do the Gods Give Us Hope?

by Jeff Henrikson

  With the decision made, most of the companions turned southwest with Evisar and started walking through the grassland toward the Ice River. Mestel remained still and watched the second star long after everyone else had continued on. An increased sense of foreboding filled his soul. Something important was going to happen soon. He didn’t know what, but he needed to be ready for anything.

  Eventually Ellen asked, “Is something the matter, my love?”

  Mestel nodded his head and said, “Whatever that star is, it’s headed for us. And when it gets here, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

  Ellen said, “How do you know that? We don’t have any idea what that thing is.”

  “It’s just a feeling. This isn’t going to end well for us.” Mestel reached out and took Ellen’s hand. He shook it to convey confidence. He nudged his horse to a walk and moved to catch up with the others.

  The real sun continued to rise as mid-day approached. The companions continued southwest across the grassland and finally saw the river come into view. Mestel looked behind him every so often and saw the second sun hanging in the sky. There was no doubt that it was getting slowly larger as time went by, and that worried Mestel to no end.

  Another problem presented itself as the companions pulled up to the river. Mestel forced himself to stop worrying about the sky and focused his ranger skills on a way to cross the massive river directly in their path. The hope had been that as the companions moved west, toward the Long Drop Mountains, that the Ice River would narrow to a point where it would be crossable on horseback. Those hopes were dashed against the river’s smooth rocks when Mestel saw that the river was still more than a hundred feet across. Just to be sure, Mestel took his horse out into the water as a test and could barely control the animal in the mighty current. As he came back to shore and climbed onto dry land, he looked up at the second sun with fear and trepidation.

  “Here it comes,” Mestel said to the others.

  Everyone knew exactly what he was talking about, and everyone turned around to look. The object was close enough now that it streaked across the sky. He had seen meteors before, but this was so much closer that he felt a part of the experience rather than some distant observer. The star shot across the sky and set down in a blaze of fire and light a hundred feet away. The radiance faded away, giving Mestel his first look at the creature before him. The gods themselves had sent an object down from the heavens, but for what purpose?

  What he saw was an angelic-looking human male who stood eighteen feet high. The angelic man’s physique was perfectly developed, and he appeared to be wearing only a cloth that covered him from the waist down. The aura surrounding the huge man, combined with his perfect figure, reminded Mestel of his god’s divinity. The creature in front of them must have crossed through the Plane of Chaos and emerged onto Tellus. But was this enormous human an agent of good or evil?

  No one said anything as the companions stood there with weapons drawn. The angelic being, for his part, stood perfectly still without saying anything either. His face seemed frozen in chiseled stone. Time passed and no one moved.

  Evisar finally broke the silence. “Any ideas? We can’t just stand here.”

  Mestel didn’t know what the angelic creature was, but he got the distinct impression that if he wanted to kill all of the companions there was nothing any of them could do to stop him. The creature had not mindlessly attacked them right away, and that was something. Knowing the creature was not evil, Mestel decided it was better to be bold than to sit back and see what happened. He unnocked the arrow on his bow and placed it back in his quiver. He slung his new compound bow back over his shoulder and walked confidently forward.

  He heard Evisar whisper questioningly behind him. Mestel didn’t answer nor did he turn around. He just kept walking confidently toward the angelic being.

  Evisar spoke loudly, with more force. “Mestel, what are you doing?”

  Mestel still didn’t answer. He would not be deterred. He served the Faithful Falcon. Self-sufficiency was the way to enlightenment. Mestel walked right up to the angelic human and stopped a mere ten feet away. He put a smile on his face and held his hands out, palms up, as a gesture of peace. The angelic being towered over him as everyone collectively held his breath.

  The angelic human suddenly smiled as big as any smile Mestel had ever seen and bent down to pick him up. Mestel let the angel lift him up with both hands and draw him in for a heartfelt hug.

  Mestel’s relief was so total that he said, “Thank Martel.” The angel held him in a bear hug for a long time before setting him gently back onto the ground.

  “You are all in grave danger,” the angel said. “I was traveling through the Plane of Chaos when I felt the undeniable pull of the ring on his finger.” The angel pointed directly at Valihorn’s hand. “I can still feel it. Even now, all I want to do is take the ring back to my Lord in the heavens.”

  Mestel couldn’t resist learning a bit more about the heavens. “And who is the god you serve?”

  The angel smiled broadly at the question. “I am surprised you cannot tell, having been touched by the gods yourself.” Mestel nodded his head in an all-knowing way, wondering all the while how the angel could see his connection to Martel. “I serve Tia, the god of justice and truth.” The angel looked up into the sky and recited what Mestel thought were his god’s words. “May you always receive what you deserve and have the wisdom to see the truth.” The angel looked back down at Mestel and the rest of the companions.

  Again, Mestel could not resist. “And what task were you performing for your god?”

  The angel smiled again and said, “You will find out when you serve your god in your own way.” Then the angel’s smile disappeared. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as if he were forcing himself to take on a more serious tone. “I know where you are headed, and you need to move more quickly. The forces of evil are marshalling their strength. They are drawn to the ring just as I am. They will find you just as easily as I did and take the ring for themselves. You have to move faster.”

  Evisar said, “Can you travel with us as a protector? With you by our side, we would have no problem reaching Jewlian.”

  The angel shook his large head from side to side and said, “I cannot come with you. I have more important matters to attend to for my Lord.”

  Evisar continued, “More important than ensuring a ring this powerful doesn’t fall into the hands of an evil god?”

  The angel looked at Evisar as though the answer were obvious. “Yes.”

  Mestel found the angel’s statement somewhat difficult to believe as well, but having seen his god’s kingdom first hand, he vaguely understood the battles that took place in the heavens. If this was Tia’s most powerful servant, then he had responsibilities that went far beyond the ring Valihorn was carrying.

  The angel continued by saying, “It is also an unfortunate truth that for me to appear and stay on Tellus takes an enormous amount of my Lord’s power. Not to make what you are doing seem insignificant, but my Lord’s power is best used elsewhere. After all, Tia does have to represent justice and truth throughout all of Tellus.”

  Evisar lowered his head and said, “I understand.”

  “It is also a simple truth that the most trusted servant of a goddess, and the goddess herself, may not appear on Tellus. It is against the rules.”

  Valihorn added in a thoughtful manner. “So you are breaking the rules just by being here now?”

  Mestel thought Valihorn’s question was a little naive, but valid none the less.

  The angel responded by saying, “My being here is against the rules, and I can feel the wrongness of my decision even now. But these are exceptional circumstances. I felt the call of the ring and it would have been wrong to refuse that call. The portal made it possible for me to more easily pass from the Plane of Chaos into Tellus. Ordinarily there would be consequences for what I have done, but not this time.”

  “I am sorry my fooli
sh choices have caused you difficulty,” Valihorn said.

  The angel smiled broadly once again. “Your kindness touches me, but do not despair for me. Instead, despair for yourself. Evil is approaching.” He stretched out his hands as a giving gesture and said, “Now, I am here. What can I help with? Is there anything I can do for you before I depart?”

  Xander answered immediately, “Yes. We have been riding for five days straight. We are all falling asleep in our saddles. Even our horses are not able to keep up their usual pace. Can you take away our fatigue or make us feel better in some way?”

  The angel looked at Xander with a questioning eye. “I judge you to be an extremely selfish individual, half-elf. Nevertheless, I am happy to grant your request and then some.”

  The angel waved his hand, said three divine words that echoed off the surrounding landscape, and pointed at each of the companions in turn. When the angel pointed at Mestel, he felt the weariness from the last six days melt away. It was amazing; Mestel felt as though he had just gotten up from the most restful sleep he had ever known. Not only that, but Mestel’s belly was full. Mestel felt completely satisfied, as if he had just eaten a nutritious meal. Mestel looked at all of the companions, and he could see that they all felt the same. Even the horses looked refreshed and eager to continue their journey. The angel’s power was incredible. Mestel had never even heard stories about a spell like that.

  Evisar looked up with a smile. “Thank you very much. You have made a world of difference.” The angel nodded his head in acceptance of the compliment and said no more. Evisar continued, “Would it be possible for me to ask one final request of you?”

  “Of course, that is why I am here. What do you require?”

  “Can you possibly speed us on our way to Jewlian?”

  The angel smiled and said, “I can. I can cast a spell that will take you all the way to Jewlian. Are you prepared to go now?”

  Evisar looked around at everyone and said, “Yes, I believe we are. Thank you.”

  Urgency rose up inside of Mestel. He hated to interrupt the angel’s good will, but he had to act quickly. “Excuse me, sir. May I have a moment to talk with my brother?”

  The angel’s smile disappeared, but he still seemed in good cheer. “You may have a moment.”

  Mestel turned around and quickly walked over to his brother, who met him halfway. He did not look happy.

  Evisar whispered low enough so only the two of them could hear. “What are you doing? If he can take us all the way to Jewlian, then let’s take advantage of that offer.”

  “What about Faye?”

  Evisar looked irritated now. “What about Faye?”

  “She is Ellen’s daughter, and she is wrongly being held captive. If we go all the way to Jewlian, we may miss her captor and never see Faye again.”

  “I feel your pain, brother, I really do. But Faye is one person. The ring is a danger to all of Tellus. We have to get it to Jewlian as soon as possible or Tellus may never be the same again. I’m sorry you’re not willing to see the big picture, but we may have to let Faye go in order to serve the greater good.”

  Desperation welled up inside of Mestel. He twirled around and asked loudly, “Sir, is it possible to transport Ellen and I to Locus, and then transport everyone else to Jewlian?”

  The angel frowned for the first time. “No. It is not possible. I can send all of you to one place. I advise you to make up your mind quickly. Time grows short and I have other responsibilities.”

  Mestel felt his brother grab him hard by the shoulder and twirl him around. He looked incensed. “Why are you risking everything to save one human girl? We have all of Tellus and Armena to defend.”

  “I serve Martel, and Martel demands that I free those who have been wrongly imprisoned. I don’t have a choice.”

  Evisar shook his fists and looked like he was ready to explode. “There are four of us that want to travel directly to Jewlian. Only the two of you want to go to Locus. You handed me our father’s sword back in the Old Shetley Fortress and told me to lead. You pledged to follow my sword. Now is the time to keep your word. The angel will take us past the swamp and two rivers that hinder our way. He will take us past the Kentarian border patrols and put us in the heart of the kingdom. You can always backtrack to Locus once the spell is complete.”

  These last arguments finally convinced Mestel to go along. He nodded his head at Evisar in acceptance.

  Evisar looked up at the angel and said, “We are terribly sorry for the delay. Can you possibly transport us to the north side of Jewlian?”

  The angel looked intensely serious as he spoke. “I sense greatness in your blood. You are meant to accomplish great deeds, but not if you battle among yourselves. The conflict is made much worse when the two leaders are brothers. You must work out your differences, or you will fail. A house divided cannot stand.” The angel smiled broadly once again and spread his arms wide. “But that is not for me to decide. I can help you now, and I am happy to be of service.”

  The angel waved his hands and spoke divine magic that echoed across the landscape. Mestel heard a popping sound behind him; he turned around to see what looked like a ten-foot diameter portal behind the companions. The portal was an opaque off white with lightning surrounding its edges. Occasionally a bolt of lightning would cut across the portal from one side to the other, or even lash out a few feet in front. Mestel looked back at the eighteen-foot-tall angel with awe at the power this being commanded.

  The angel said, “Walk into the portal and it will take you to Jewlian. Go quickly now.”

  Evisar bowed low and said, “Thank you for your help. It has made all the difference.”

  Evisar quickly got back on his horse and urged Mestel to do the same. As Mestel mounted his horse, he heard another popping sound emanate from behind the angel. He looked up in time to see a long blade punch through the angel’s chest. The angel fell to his knees in agony. As he fell, a portal opened only a few feet behind the angel. Out stepped a cloaked figure holding the black blade impaling the angel. Mestel immediately recognized the figure as the same skeletal lich that attacked the companions on the river. Mestel did not know how that was possible, since Nero had decapitated the being on the deck of the raft.

  The cloaked figure laughed with an evil that stood counter to the goodness of the angel. The cloaked figure twisted the blade in the angel’s chest and the angel convulsed in pain. “Tia’s greatest servant, brought down by my sword. How does it feel to know you will die on Tellus and be able to serve your master no more?”

  Evisar turned his horse around and moved forward to help this great being of justice and truth.

  The angel looked up at the companions and said, “Run! Run for the portal now!”

  The portal through which the cloaked figure had come grew to be over two hundred feet in diameter. The portal then receded backward, and as it did so, thousands of skeletons immerged. The army of animated remains surged forward. Mestel realized in a heartbeat that they did not have a prayer of a chance against this force of evil.

  The angel lunged forward into a summersault. He came smoothly back up on his two feet and drew a flaming white two-handed sword. The angel looked badly hurt, but he also looked ready to fight the evil in front of him.

  The cloaked figure pointed a finger at the angel and said, “Kill him.”

  With the order given, the skeletons rushed forward as one. Mestel stood mesmerized by the raw power to which he was bearing witness. The angel swung his sword in a broad, sweeping ark that killed the first twenty skeletons that moved into range. Then the angel swung his sword again and again with more and more speed. He killed dozens of skeletons with each cut of his blade, but it was not enough.

  The angel turned his head to the companions one last time and screamed, “Run!!”

  This was enough to snap Mestel out of his trance. He kicked his horse in the side and sprinted for the portal. Mestel was the last one to go through, and as he did, he saw the skel
etons swamp the angel.

  The scene disappeared as Mestel crossed the threshold. His horse continued sprinting ahead, and with each step huge swaths of land passed beneath Mestel’s feet. The landscape rushed by in a barely discernable blur. He passed over the Ice River and left the Long Drop Mountains behind. He approached a large fortified guard tower marking the northern border of Kentar, where an entire army seemed to be gathered, and then he came out of the spell all of a sudden on the edge of a marsh.

  All of the companions were there, mystified as to what had just happened. No one said anything for a long time.

  Evisar finally said, “I could be wrong, but I don’t think we are anywhere near the city of Jewlian.”

  Nero said, “We’re not. If you look to the northwest, you can see the famous Guard Tower of Kentar marking the northern border.”

  Xander, as questioning as ever said, “How can you possibly know that?”

  “I have worked a few times in Kentar, remember. And I certainly recognize one of the most famous landmarks in all of Tellus.”

  Xander seemed to accept Nero’s explanation. Evisar asked, “Does anyone know why we are near the Guard Tower rather than outside the city of Jewlian?” As Evisar finished his question he looked directly at Mestel, expecting him to answer.

  Mestel said, “Don’t look at me. I didn’t do anything.”

  “Is that a fact?” Evisar asked in a sarcastic manner.

  Mestel quickly retorted, “It is. The last thing I saw was the angel fighting for his life against the skeletons. I saw the skeletons overtake the angel as I went through the portal.”

  “Then the angel may be dead,” Nero said dispassionately.

  Valihorn spoke up. “Not so fast. It takes a great deal of concentration to cast a spell and then hold it. It may just be that the angel lost his concentration on the spell as the skeletons moved in on him.”

  Mestel said, “He was an angel from the heavens, and they are nearly impossible to kill.”

  Evisar moved his horse a few paces closer to Mestel. He pointed a finger right at Mestel’s chest and said, “You wanted this to happen, didn’t you?”