At first, they’d looked at him as if he were crazy, especially after he had passed out cold on them the night before. After he repeated himself a few times, though, they began to ask him about it.
He told them, at the time, to prepare for the day instead. And, of course, they had looked at him as if he were in fact a lunatic. He explained calmly once they heard his plan, they would want to get moving immediately. They could not do so when they still had to pee, wash-up and eat, and put things away. With so many of them living in relative close quarters, they had to keep things neat, and clean.
They had all stared at each other for a second or two. The cave was suddenly such a raucous cacophony of noise Joaquin envisioned himself in a train station instead of underground, in their rocky sanctuary.
Thus, he did his best at washing up, brushing his teeth, scrubbing at his face (which ached mildly now) and combing his short hair. He wished, after he’d finished, he had a change of clothes or at least a fresh pair of socks and underwear, but Vons didn’t carried such items in its’ inventory, so he would have to make do for the time being. They would all have too.
At least, they had some disinfecting wipes and deodorant to keep their bodies semi-clean. Otherwise, things would’ve been a little toastier around the campfire this morning than the last. He wasn’t thinking about it being warm either. He knew eventually they’d have to do something about their hygiene, especially the girls. He knew how important it was for them to remain sanitary. Hopefully, they could think of something to remedy the situation… hopefully. They still had a few days before things would get desperate in that regard.
After, he had eaten some long, thick strips of ham Anthony and Sophie had warmed over the fire along with a chuck of heavy bread. It wasn’t a bad breakfast all things considered. It had filled his belly nicely all the same.
Later, he’d helped with the chores: cleaning up, stoking the fire, gathering more snow and packing it in between, and on top of, the goods they needed to keep cold. Lastly, he grabbed a seat atop one of the logs about the fire pit and waited for the rest of the group to finish up. When they were all finished, then he would begin to regurgitate what had happened to him the night before.
Over time, in groups of two’s and three’s, his companions meandered by to sit around him, until all of his newfound friends joined him. Last was Garfield, who had given their surroundings outside a quick once over before returning to the cave to announce the “way was clear”. The cat promptly sat down upon the floor and began licking at his substantial claws, giving Joaquin the impression he could’ve cared less about what was about to be said.
“So, Joaquin,” began Anthony somewhat anxiously, “you said you have a plan…”
Joaquin smiled at the dude. Ok, Kring-Hël, let’s get things rolling, he thought as he grinned, a kind of respect he hadn’t felt the night before beginning to take a hold of him as he peered back at Anthony through the flames of the fire. “Well, you guys all remember when Mikalah had said that the reason why we were stolen from our world. She had explained rather simply, we’d been placed on this new world, because we have some sort of power within us that could oppose the Lord of the Storm. You all remember that right?” He got nods all around. “Yeah, well, she was right. I think some of you, especially Elena, knew this to be true already.” There were a few chuckles and giggles, but he didn’t stop. “Ok, so I will start with myself and maybe that’ll help explain my behavior lately.” He paused to chuckle into a fist. “You guys aren’t going to believe what I’m about to say …” Then, almost to himself, “I hope I can at least make you understand.”
“So what are you saying, Joaquin?” joked Andrew still bundled in four or five throw blankets. He’d cut holes in each, so his head could fit through, making him look like some Mexican peasant dressed in a whole bunch of thin serapes.
“I’m saying, last night, I found out what my power was…”
“Oh good Joaquin and what is your power!” asked Elena with clear excitement in her voice, sounding like a bird piping through its’ morning song.
“Knowledge,” he replied with a broad grin.
Anthony put his hand over his mouth and then pulled it down as if he were wiping the bottom half of his face clean. He pulled at his chin before his hand felt back into his lap. “Dude that totally explains why you knew the names of all of crap I was talking about last night!”
At his side, Sophie gasped. She peered back at Joaquin with an astonished smile on her face. “Oh my god, I get it…!” She paused uncertain, her face wrinkled cutely. “So what does that mean exactly, Joaquin?”
“It means, last night I was able to figure out a lot about why things have been happening the way they have been. And, I think there are some things we can do to make it better,” he answered, but immediately waved off the multitude of questions assaulting him. “Let me tell you, ok?”
His friends nodded, exchanging anxious glances.
The members of the Fist never took their eyes from the boy, staying silent, listening intently.
“Ok, ok, umm… like I said my power is Knowledge, but not like I know everything and can predict everything like some Albert Einstein dude with good hair.” A few giggles abounded. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. My power works on a need-to-know basis. So, when I see something or someone says something or does something, my power kinda kicks in and fills in the gaps. That’s why I knew what Anthony was talking about last night. That’s why my head was hurting like an anvil in a blacksmith’s shop, too. I was fighting it instead of accepting it like Elena has been able to do. I think Elena has already surrendered to her power on some basic level. That’s why she can call it. She has accepted the reality of what’s within her. She can dive into the even-keeled place within herself, make it her own and tell it what to do. You guys understanding this?”
“Totally!”, “I think…”, “Ok”, said a few of them at the same time.
The animals continued to watch in silence.
“Good, so here it goes… I’m gonna get down to it.” He raised his eyebrows imploring each of them to pay attention, his gaze sweeping among them. “Last night, I got a message from the Nöhreg.” He held up a hand fast. “Now before you ask, I will tell you, they are the cousins of the Swüreg, who we are all familiar with. Instead, these dudes are on the side of the Lord of the Light, and therefore, they can be trusted… I hope,” he added with a crooked smile. “They told me some pretty amazing things.
“Apparently, this back and forth struggle, we are currently involved in has been going on for a long, long time. The Lord of the Storm has been fighting the Lord of the Light for thousands and thousands of years. All of this time, there were always strict rules and guidelines that had to be followed, so everything was pretty much a quid pro quo. Not much changed despite the waging of this war over millennia until now.
“For some reason, there have always been a group of twelve people, kids really, under the age of eighteen, that, in a given time or place, were chosen to directly oppose the schemes of the Lord of the Storm on Earth. It is usually when he or one of his many minions have strength enough to ‘will’ themselves into our world. Once there, they’d begin to cause problems. When they’ve encountered these Guardians, they have always been cast out of our world.
“These Twelve, as I said already, are bestowed powers, immense abilities normal humans would pay billions of dollars to possess. From what I learned last night, nine of these powers are corporeal to some degree, because they involve control of some of the tactile aspects of the world around us. I think it even might include control on a molecular level, but I ‘m not completely sure yet.
“Anyway, these nine worldly or tangible powers are Weather, Strength, Transparency, Mind, Air, Speed, Health, Light and the Elements. I think we know who possesses Speed and Light. That would Mikalah and Elena respectively. But, as for the others, I couldn’t tell you, because even I don’t know who possess what, and neither did the Nöhreg.”
/>
There were a few frown-filled looks between them, but the silence remained – thick, brooding.
“Now, there are two powers that are a little different. They involve concepts, not elements. These powers seem to connect with time and space as related to a given need.” Joaquin received some confused looks at that. He cleared his throat, quieting the forthcoming questions before anyone had a chance to voice them. “What I’m trying to say is, these powers manifest themselves when the need arises, for example, when I hear a word or see an action that impacts us all, my power kicks in. Suddenly, I know what it means. I can explain it. It is no longer the unknown, unvoiced mystery it had been before. Get it?”
They all gave understanding smiles and nods. A few glances back and forth, but for the most part, they seemed to understand Joaquin and were content for him to continue.
“Good!” he exclaimed in mild relief. “So, these powers are Knowledge and Chance, which you all know I have the first one within me, but, again, I have no idea what the second one even means, let alone who might possess such an obscure sounding ability.”
His companions gazed about themselves wondering at Joaquin’s words, trying to figure out who might be the one to have Chance at their beckon call.
There was really no way they could discern who though, not yet.
Joaquin forged on. “Finally, you guys, we come to the last and most potent of the powers, which is even more bizarre and radical than the last two. This Gift - as the Nöhreg call them - is the Spirit of the Light, possessed by the one who can augment each of the other eleven powers to an even higher degree of strength. The one who possesses this Gift can create a great binding of force even the Lord of the Storm fears. This Gift lies within the person who is titled, the Kring-Hël, the Bringer of Truth…”
“I’ve heard that before. I know I have,” mentioned Andrew, glancing about, a deep scowl creasing his brow.
Joaquin nodded, letting the quiet stretch for a bit.
“I suspect some of you already know who this person is among our group.”
Puzzlement, uncertainty passed like wildfire through the cave.
“For those of you who don’t, The Kring-Hël, this time around, is Anthony.”
All heads turned toward the teenager.
Sophie grabbed one of his hands and gave it a quick squeeze.
Anthony blushed under their scrutinizing looks, squirmed a little, giving off a nervous grin.
“So, what does that –?” began Andrew, but was cut off by Joaquin.
“Wait, dude, there’s more,” interrupted Joaquin gently.
Andrew sat back, his look disconcerted.
“Every time in the past, when the Chosen Twelve were bestowed their Gifts and set against the forces of the Storm, the secondary power of the Kring-Hël had always been sufficient to combat the evil into submission. Everything eventually turned back to normal. The evil had always been banished. The Twelve were always victorious, though at times, they’d been tested to the very brink of their grit and determination.”
“But this time, it’s different, right?” bemoaned Anthony, his shoulders slumping as if he already knew what Joaquin was going to say next.
“Yeah, dude, it is waaaay different this time,” replied Joaquin, wishing he could say anything other than the truth. He was unable.
“How, Joaquin? How is it different?” inquired Sophie, more than a little concern underlying her tone, gripping Anthony’s hand. She seemed afraid to let go of him.
“Well, Sophie,” he smiled, hoping he could placate some of her unease, “this time, the Lord of the Storm, who is also known as, Metohkangmi, has kinda written a whole new set of rules. This time he has placed almost all of the advantage on his side of the balance. He has taken the Twelve Guardians – us - and some natural aspects from our world and put them here in what we are becoming to understand as the Melded World. At the same time, though, he has also paved a way onto this plane of existence for himself, which he could never do in the World of Man. He intends to come here and deal with us personally, thus leaving our world with all we know and love, defenseless. With us out of the picture, he can begin to conquer it… almost at his leisure.”
“What do you mean by ‘dealing’ with us?” Louis asked meekly, a trace of fear about his face. He was eating a granola bar with nervous agitation, even after the fact he’d ravaged two bowls of cereal fifteen minutes prior.
“He means, child, the Lord of the Storm intends to do all of us harm,” replied Kodiak for Joaquin, somehow her deep, motherly voice easing the harsh reality facing them.
Although, Louis still blanched at the thought. “Oh,” murmured the boy, stricken.
Elena let out small squeaky whine.
Mugzy was quick to console the girl, beckoning for her to come over to him.
The girl obeyed, sitting in his lap as she now liked to do.
“Yes, that is correct, the Lord of the Storm intends to hurt us all, real bad,” ventured Joaquin in a quieter voice. “It was his hope to gather those of us posing the greatest threat to him, keep us under strict guard and slowly round up the others, until he had us all. Then, his plan was to take us before the Jüle Throne, which actually turns out to be a rather unholy place. Once there, we are to be sacrificed, one by one, in the face of the sanctity of the Lord of the Light. This act will open The Way for him to leave his evil plane of existence and enter the Melded World. From here, he will begin his conquest in earnest.”
Heads dropped, shoulders drooped. This was far worse than any of them had envisioned. The burden of it was nearly crushing.
“However, what Metohkangmi didn’t account for was the Fingers of the Light, the Five Familiars of the Kring-Hël – the Fist - whose ties to this plane superseded even Fenris and his vile gang of monsters.
“You see, by sending Kenai at a time when the very first dimensions of this place were being formed, the Lord of the Light and his Nöhreg opened a tiny gateway into the Melded World for the transplanting of the four remaining behind on our world. Thus, at that moment of the Rending, they too would be shifted here along with the rest of us. It was this small bit of help, these wonderful animals that have tipped the balance backward a tiny fraction. It is by no means a level playing field, but it is a little less severe in favor of the Storm… and let me tell you that is a good thing, a very good thing.” Joaquin rueful tone was near mocking.
“Why sound so disdainful about it?” asked Kenai, tilting her head. Her look was equally hard.
Joaquin breathed a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound that way.” He thought for a while. “Well, maybe I did, but that’s not important right now. What is important is after my little visitation last night, there will be no more help from the Lord of the Light or the Nöhreg or anyone else for that matter. Metohkangmi has constructed this Melded place so we would beyond the reach of aide, any whatsoever.”
“Oh my god, are you serious?” exhaled Andrew. As he spoke, anger and frustration soaked through his voice. He began hitting his fist against his knee.
“I know, dude, it sucks big-time,” agreed Joaquin.
“How the hell are we going to be able to stand up to an entire nation of evil? I mean, the Lord of the Storm must have millions has at his beckon call?!?” This time is was Jason who shouted his question. His voiced echoed painfully throughout the cave. He stood, running his hands through his hair. He seemed on the verge of tears. He mouthed a four-letter word, walking off a few paces, hoping to cool his indignation.
Joaquin let them vent for a time.
Elena turned to sob in the crook of Mugzy’s arm.
Mikalah climbed onto Sophie’s lap. She put her tiny hand upon the still interwoven hands of her brother and the teenage girl sitting next to him.
Anthony just glared up at the ceiling as if he was asking why him, why now.
Mr. Pata’s ears drooped to the point where they almost folded entirely onto themselves.
Kodiak, the mightiest of
the animals, shook her giant head in disbelief and let it drop to her legs where she was resting them upon the ground.
“I know it sounds hopeless, you guys. Believe me. It took me half of the night before I stopped crying like a bitch. It took a long time before I could think straight. After I’d been told there would be no more help, I think I lost it for a time.” There was emotion now in Joaquin’s voice, raw, unfettered. He had hoped to keep it out of his undertones, because he didn’t want to weep in front of all of them. He forced himself to breathe it all back, to swallow it before it got out of hand.
“After a while,” he croaked through a throat still chalked full of despair and dread, “when I finally did stop crying, I remembered the last words that the Nöhreg told me.”
The older kids turned, at differing times, to stared back at him.
“I remembered… the Legacy of Truth. Suddenly, I knew. Everything they’d told me fell into place. It made sense. I think I even dreamed of where it is or maybe I was awake. I couldn’t tell if I was or wasn’t.”
“You knew what? Joaquin, what fell into place?” questioned Anthony, letting go of the hands clutching his own. He turned to face Joaquin in a more directly.
“Remember when I said in the past only the secondary powers of the Kring-Hël were needed and that time around things would be different?”
Anthony leaned even closer toward him. “Yes, go on.”
“Well, I didn’t mean all was lost. Even though everything seems bad, and it probably is, we do have at our disposal a way to unlock the primary Gift of the Kring-Hël. I’m talking about the primary power locked within you, Anthony, the true potential of the Kring-Hël, realized and in full strength,” retorted Joaquin with a tired smile broadening the features of his face.
“How? How do we unlock this primary thing you’re talking about?” demanded Anthony, his eyes like daggers boring into Joaquin with such intensity, the larger boy sat up straight, blinking rapidly. He was stunned by the dramatic change in the other. He nervously cleared his throat. “Well, ok, it’s like – dude, could you stop looking at me like that?”
The Unwanted Winter - Volume One of the Saga of the Twelves Page 53