“When I finished, he said, ‘So, not only a different realm, but different temporal norms. Fascinating. The books, Caduceus. It was all in there. And you simply tripped into one of these energy nexuses. Amazing.’ He shook his head. ‘How long have you been living here?’
“‘By the outside calendar? Seven months.’
“‘Seven months, living here? Just entering and exiting through our barn?’
“‘I found the ‘doorway’ in the woods past where we once played. When I got ready to return home, I was worried I had trapped myself. I closed my eyes and focused on home, on dad, working in the field. There was a sort of popping sound. When I looked up, everything looked the same. Then I heard old Benny.’ Benny was what dad named every lead rooster we ever owned. ‘I couldn’t believe it. I made my way across my living room and cracked open the door to reveal a sliver of freshly tilled dirt. Off to the left, perched atop his favorite stump, was Benny. I had made it back home, indeed.’”
11
“The next day, I asked again for Aesculapus to tell me of about his time away. He told me of his first awkward days at med school. ‘They were imbeciles. Because of our experiments and nights spent devouring old texts, I knew more than even their alumni. Can you imagine how it enraged me that I was expected to sit through that humiliation, just to get a scrap of paper, declaring me capable of helping people? It was horrible. So, I left.’
“‘The only good thing I got out of the whole experience, was befriending a boy named Sullivan. He had recently joined an enlightenment group. This was a place where likeminded individuals could come and get away from ‘the establishment’ and all expectations the world heaped upon their shoulders. It was truly refreshing and inspiring to see what these kids could, and did, accomplish, removed of any burdens or inhibitions.
“‘Unfortunately, that, too, was short-lived. The group was growing stagnant, you see. Complacent. It became less about doing what they could do, and more about hanging out and talking about it. It was truly maddening to see such wasted potential, brother. I finally addressed them, saying, “What a sad lot you are. Such glorious fruits spoiling on the vine. I thank you for the time and friendship you have offered these past weeks, but I’m afraid I am off to make my mark on this world and the next. If this sounds good to any of you, you may come along. If not? It’s your wasted life.’ A few – Sullivan for one – took their leave as well. Together, we established the commune.’
“‘What do you do there,’ I wanted to know.’
“He locked my gaze and said, ‘Why, anything we can get away with. We study and perform the most taboo of magics. And it’s catching, becoming less taboo as time passes. I have personally trained healers, politicians, and spiritual leaders from over thirty nations. If my calculations are correct – and we both know that’s a figure of speech – our little seminary will have received over a thousand pilgrims by the end of the year. Solely by virtue of word of mouth. I have been blessed to have such a following. You know, I preach they do not need me, it is in them. However, I know I can confide in you, dear brother, that while it is in them, they still need me. Without my constant tutelage, the complacency would kick in again.
“‘I was hesitant to take this very break. Listen: through our books and experiences, we both know the world is full of old magics waiting to be rediscovered. This place alone … The earth was once filled to the brim with such places. The stories we’ve read about talismans and wise mystics, they were not fictions, but rather rich historical texts. Then came technology, which begat ease of life. Ease of life in turn begat slothfulness. Slothfulness begat complacency. And complacency begat forgetfulness. Thus is the nature of our enemy. It is the one we fend off daily. I am not a teacher, per se, I am a vigilant guard and a re-awakener of the spirit.’”
12
“Days passed. We were following alongside the stream when, quite suddenly and unprovoked, Aesculapus announced grimly, ‘I did it, you know,’ He had been lost in thought, and his outburst caught me by surprise. He sighed. ‘I did what I said I would do, with or without your aid.’ I stared at him half remembering a conversation we had had years ago. ‘Returned a man from the dead.’
“‘I-I don’t know what to say. Dead, dead? That kind of dead? As in officially pronounced? That’s phenomenal. Is-isn’t it?’
“He turned to me with this grim expression on his face, ‘Isn’t it, though?’
“‘I don’t understand. Why do you look at me as if something has left a foul taste in your mouth? It is what you wanted, after all. Besides, what a benefit this could bring the human race.’
“‘He shook his head. ‘Oh, my fickle, fickle brother. What a difference a few short years have made. Don’t you recall the “Think of the consequences” speech you gave me, hmm? Don’t you remember warning me about messing around with forces of nature and playing God? Well, you were right. It was not pretty. Some died again, almost instantly. The others … the others live on and on and on. But it is not living; it is existing. Nothing more.’ He stopped and took in his surroundings, as if for the first time. He offered me a warm smile. “Enough of this. What wonders did you wish to show me here?’
“I took him to the waterfall and we dove over the edge. On the banks of the same shoreline where you recently trained, I told him the true nature of the stream – and the pool, in particular. As you no doubt noticed, the pool is a place of converging energies. Toward the back of the beach lies a cove, where waters of time gather in on themselves. A seeing pool. We had each read about them so long ago. These pools had always seemed like a fairytale, even considering all the fantastic feats we could perform. But they were real, and I had built my house not a mile from one.
“Of course, he wanted to go right away to it. He was eager to find out if it was true what they said about scrying the future or viewing the past. I warned him, reminding him of the dangers, just as I had about raising the dead. ‘Thou shalt not eat of the tree of knowledge or the tree of life,’ he mocked. ‘You’re so original, Caduceus. Wherever do you find your pearls of wisdom? Fine. If you say it’s dangerous, then I shall not go. It is simply a waste to have the access and not take advantage.’
“‘And what if you could see the future,’ I answered. “What if it wasn’t so pleasing?’
“‘Well, so what? At least you could change it. Make it better. That’s what a surgeon does. He sees something threatening in the body and cleaves it out before harm can be done. As I say, though, if it makes you happy, I will think no more on it.’
“In the end, however, the temptation proved too much.”
13
“The entire next week went along fairly normal. We would take turns teasing one another, reminiscing about the past, arguing over who had been the biggest troublemaker and instigator. We laughed and cut up something fierce. It was a grand thing to have the brothers reunited. We talked about our old library and spells and such, but that’s when things would begin to get heated. Every time something would come up along that vein, Aesculapus would turn the conversation to the hidden cove. What exactly could be gleaned from it? What were its limits? Could a man choose a specific point in time, could he control it? I assured him that knowledge is not for men such as us.
“‘Why not,” he practically whined. ‘If we had access to such visions, could we not rule the world?’
“‘Rule the world? Are ye mad? Lookit those who’ve tried before, and tell me it’s not madness.’
“‘You are too set in the old ways, Caduceus. Too stubborn for our own good. The reason others have failed is because they were tyrants. Deluded with power. We have each other to keep us grounded. Think about it. We could set up a global seat of power, right here, in the nexus. Set up governments and have world rulers answering to us. We would wield the power, but it would be the people who would reap the benefits. If we could see any evils coming down the line, we could stay them or, at the very least, veer around them. The world would be a glorious place, brother. No more warrin
g factions. No need for it! No more empty, preventable deaths.’ Everything always came back to his brother.
“We didn’t speak of the cove at all the next few days. Then, it happened. He caved to his curiosity and pigheadedness. It was during his second week with me. I was busy preparing the night’s meal, and I suddenly had this feeling I can’t exactly describe. It was perhaps two-parts heartache and one-part migraine, and very intense. My head fogged. I had to sit a spell, and I did so in my customary spot at my breakfast nook. Holding my head in my palms, I called out for Aesculapus to tend to me. He did not answer. At first, I thought nothing of it. It was normal for him to excuse himself while I cooked. As you’ve no doubt noticed, anyone else in my kitchen is just in the way. I stayed a minute longer, before calling out again. When he still didn’t show on the third chorus, I went looking for him. I stumbled from room to room, getting weaker and weaker. Finally, I lost my footing and collapsed in the hallway, slamming my head into the wall on the way down. Blood pooled around me from the gash the collision had made. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t hold my eyes open at all.
“When I came to, Aesculapus had moved me to my bed and cleaned my laceration. I blinked away the last of the fogginess and fought my way through the migraine to a sitting position. Looking around, I couldn’t see any of my brother’s belongings, though he had been using my room as his own the past two weeks. I got to my feet and, again, searched for him. When I came across him, he was in the living room, piling his things in the corner. ‘Going so soon,’ I asked. ‘I thought you were here until I got tired of you, brother.’
“He didn’t acknowledge me, only bent to his satchels. I walked over, placing a gentle hand upon his shoulder. ‘Brother?’
“He pulled violently away, snaring me in an accusing gaze. ‘You are no brother of mine, Caduceus. I was a fool to ever think your love could be as pure as a true brother’s.’
“‘You are wrong, brother, you are my heart.’
“‘Your heart?’ He issued a cruel laugh, utterly devoid of humor. “Your heart is a vile swamp, filled with treachery and hate, not kinship. I am leaving. You will see me never again. Understand this: we are dead to one another. For your own sake, you will not follow, nor try to find me. I vow to you, ‘brother,’ I would rather spill your blood, than gaze upon your loathsome face for a second longer.’ And he turned his back on me, in every conceivable way, and was out the door and out of my life.”
14
“You’ve haven’t seen or talked to him since?” I couldn’t believe how harsh and unexpected things had ended. “Now, you’re just going to show up on this guy’s doorstep, eight decades down the line, and say, ‘Here, we brought you some of these freaky chocolate meatballs that you like. Can you fix my friend’s head?’ And all will be forgiven?”
“Have I seen or heard from him since he left? Yes and no. The day of da’s funeral, I found this note in the guest book.” Caduceus handed it to me.
You let a great man die. You held the answers, yet refused to act. It is clear you are not the wise man to wield such power, as you have said. I have already taken my half of da’s books and left you the easier to swallow and more friendly ones. If you ever tire of your self-absorbed ways, if you ever decide to join me in the land of the real, you are more than welcome to leave word for me at either of our old places. Do so, only if you are ready for the consequences, ‘Dear Brother.’
“It’s signed with a drawing of what looks kind of like your tattoo, Ducie.”
“It is the rod of Asclepius (also known as the rod of Asklepios, rod of Aesculapius or Asklepian), his sigul, if you will. It is an ancient Greek symbol associated with astrology and healing. You can see the serpent, entwined around the staff. It has long been confused with the sign of the caduceus, which has two snakes and wings. There are several stories, each extremely long and boring, intertwining our families, since the days of ancient Greece. Don’t ask.”
“Not to worry. You’ve already volunteered more than I cared to know. So tell me, what exactly do we need to …”
Before I could finish my thought, Caduceus turned sharply, reaching out with both arms and bear-hugging the air adjacent to him. Before my eyes, my friend began to convulse and spasm wildly. “What are you doing? Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m bloody excellent, thank you. Now, get over here and help me hold her, she’s not getting away.” I was about to ask if he had added any special herbs to those meatballs, when the air inside his grasp began to shimmer and take form. There really had been a woman, or girl following us, all this time. I tightly wrapped my arms around her. She gave up the fight and completely solidified. Before us stood the most beautiful Asian girl I had ever laid eyes on. Well, that I could remember.
15
“Meow Fang, how long had you planned on going undetected,” Caduceus demanded.
“I am sorry. There was no other way to be sure I could trust your friend.”
“Me,” I asked.
“A lot has happened since you and I last spoke,” she said, turning her gaze from me to Caduceus.
“For starters, the fact that you can speak better English than I? How about how you can, all of a sudden, become invisible.” He chuffed.
“Caduceus, please, forgive the deceit. You must listen to me. Father is dead.”
“What? Julinn?” We had come to rest in front of a large iron gate that Caduceus used to steady himself. “But how? He was fine weeks ago at the statue.”
“As I said, things have happened. Things have changed. They found out father knew the truth.”
“The truth?”
“That Davenport had not manufactured those weapons. Father and I were on work detail inside the platform. He found something, what they have begun calling ‘jump bombs.’ This one had not detonated. On it’s side was the abominable logo: VPI Weapons Technologies.”
“Not Davenport, but Van Parson. I knew it.” He gritted his teeth.
“So what happened to your dad,” I asked in a hushed tone.
She bowed her head. “The next day, he warned me to stay put at the mainland camp. Said he was going to expose what he knew to that news lady that kept hanging around. I pleaded with him not to go. It was too dangerous, after the murder and your own disappearing act. He was insistent, however. Said his honor demanded he not cower behind the shadows cast by such evil men. I told him I would stay put, but once he was out of sight, I went clear and followed him. He never met the reporter. Van Parson’s goons saw to that.
“They intercepted him, somehow alerted to his find. The big one beat him into submission, while I looked on, horrified. Enraged, I snapped to and rushed them, still cloaked. ‘Father,’ I screamed, knocking the big man off balance. He could not believe his ears, his daughter’s words from out of nowhere. I allowed myself to materialize and earned the attention of his would-be murderers. The bodyguard grabbed me and held me tight. I went clear and slipped his grasp. But it was too late. While I had been busy with the other man, the lawyer had pulled a device from his coat pocket. With a push of a button, the jump bomb teleported into the bay, taking my dad with it. The explosion was the last thing I saw, before fleeing for the docks. I couldn’t even let myself cry, for they would have heard.”
“I’m sorry,” I offered.
“Aye, he was a good man, your father. Caduceus placed a meaty palm on her fragile shoulder. He folded her in his arms, saying, “It is safe to cry here.”
Meow Fang slumped in his arms and let the dam burst, her sobs racking her entire frame, till I thought she might break. Then, just as quickly as her tears had come, she stifled them. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to turn,” she said. “You were so kind at the statue. I knew of your powers, and always suspected there must have been foul play involved to make you disappear so abruptly.”
“You know … about my powers?”
“Please, don’t be angered. Remember the day you stayed behind after finding the mass grave? I, too, stayed but … invisible.
I couldn’t bear to think of those poor, poor children trapped and unmourned. So I decided to sit with them until the next shift came. How amazed I was when you came over and began … began teleporting rubble, bodies, whatever, out of the way, to make less work for the rest. You are a good and special man. After my father’s death, I knew I must track you and beg your help in making these men pay for what they have done to him and this country.”
She examined me once more. I flushed under her gaze. “Who’s your quiet, but cute, friend?”
“Well, I-I …” I stammered smoothly.
“He’s … my guardian angel.” He gave a smile and wink.
She nodded but then looked alarmed, “Caduceus, your hand!”
He held his left hand in front of us. His tattoo was glowing so bright it looked like his hand was about to combust. “It appears we have arrived at our destination, my friends.”
“The gate,” I said. He took a step back to where I stood on the sidewalk and turned to the gate. It was a dual-fold gate that formed a large, stylized ‘A’, where the two pieces came together. In the middle of the A, was the same symbol I had just seen at the bottom of the note Aesculapus had left for Caduceus.
MEETING AESCULAPUS
1
“There’s no intercom, no speaker box, no monitor, nothing,” said Meow Fang. “There’s not even a doorbell or buzzer. Do we just walk up the drive, unannounced?”
It was indeed a long and winding driveway; and even though we had reached our journey’s end, I wasn’t looking forward to these last few steps, in the least.
“Rest assured, he knows we’re here. Be still. Can you feel it?”
Meow and I exchanged a questioning glance. “If you say so, old man.” I reached for the gate’s handle and froze as the tumblers in its locks began to turn on their own. There was a rusted clunk, as long neglected pieces moved into place. The gate swung open a few inches, accompanied by the requisite, eerie creaking sound. “Oh, this is fun. Like a Stephen King novel.”
Forging Truth (The Truth Saga) Page 12