The First Pillar

by Roy Huff

  It became very clear to me that I needed to know more about this. If I were going to have a fighting chance against Them and The Other In Between, I would need to understand how to control these connections that Avery spoke of. This was also the first real piece of evidence I found to support the recent events, and it was also the first piece of hope in fighting this unknown force.

  I wanted to jump in right away and start learning as much as I could, but I didn’t want to speak for Anika and Dante without discussing things with them first. I had a feeling, though, that they were thinking the same thing.

  After talking it over for a while, we all agreed that joining the Echo Club made a lot of sense. Avery put us on the list so we could see for ourselves if everything he told us were indeed true.

  We walked out the door and started walking back to the dorms. It was unusually cold for August, and the periodic gusts of wind did not help the situation. The overcast sky blocked the moonlight and made the already under-lit streets even darker. All of this talk of Everville and The Other In Between was starting to get to me. The sense of fear and uncertainty slowly crept over me. Before long, it was hard to breathe. A feeling of dread had completely taken over.

  Instantly, I was transported into The Keeper’s Workshop. For Anika and Dante, time stood still. The Keeper had sensed my emotions and brought me to Everville.

  I looked up and noticed the familiar scene: massive bookshelves that seemed to stretch into infinity, filled with every type of book imaginable. There were thousands upon thousands of them, dusty and old with thick wrinkly covers. Despite a certain similarity, each book seemed to have its own charm with a unique title that appeared hand written in slightly faded gold leaf.

  The bookshelves represented a mass storehouse of knowledge. This very thought started to put my mind a little more at ease. The Keeper also exuded an air of wisdom that was unmistakable. Every word, every sentence, every thought seemed to have meaning and importance. He surrounded himself with knowledge and seemed intent on making sure he was aware of everything. At this very moment, he knew exactly what I was thinking and feeling. It was obvious.

  “Them will try to stop you from restoring balance,” The Keeper said in a deep and stern tone.

  “Them have sensed that you stumbled upon a truth that will help you in achieving victory. Them will try to use fear to weaken your resolve and to make you doubt yourself.”

  I’ve always believed that truth is found by using logic and reason to sort through the facts and eliminate the contradictions. I guess the question then becomes, what do you do when you don’t have all the facts? That question was bothering me. I’ve always found comfort in believing that one can expect a certain result if they take a specific action.

  Growing up with no father and a single mom made me independent and responsible at a younger age than most. It was challenging, but I always had hope that if I worked hard and tried my best, things would eventually work out. I knew life was not that perfectly simple and luck was involved, but it was undeniable that hard work paid dividends and being lazy was not generally a good idea. I also believed that having hope and a general sense of optimism made one more likely to be aware of opportunities and take advantage of those opportunities when they existed. After all, a serial pessimist would have no reason to take a risk if he thought failure was the likely outcome.

  What I was facing, however, was something novel. I did not know the facts. I wasn’t sure if I could know all the facts. What I was facing required instinct and faith. Faith and hope may seem the same, but there is a subtle yet important distinction between the two. Hope requires desire founded in evidence; faith does not. In the absence of evidence, I was flying blind. I had to rely on gut instinct alone, which was quite unnerving. The Keeper had sensed my frustration and had brought me to Everville.

  EVERVILLE CHAPTER 12

  TIME AND AGAIN

  Owen. You need to understand that while I can show you my thoughts, only you can develop the discipline and wisdom you need to defeat the forces of The Other In Between.”

  The Keeper took out the Learner Device, which had now become more familiar to me. As he did, I felt relieved and almost excited to see a glimpse of his thoughts. My hand made contact with its smooth cold surface. I was frozen in place, not able to move a single muscle. I was not scared. I knew what to expect, but it was stronger this time. I wondered if there was a limit to how many times I could do this. I felt my consciousness slipping away and being transported into the mind of The Keeper. I had been transported to the time of The Keeper’s youth when he was a Fron known as Carywn.

  Suddenly, I was filled with terror. I knew what The Keeper had felt in the Deep Woods, but I didn’t know the eventual outcome. I could sense the fear in the village, which the Fron were partially able to conceal through their good spirits. There was something else, though. I could feel the darkness creeping into Everville. I felt it most from Dagda. The little creature did not have the sensibilities of the Fron; it was more instinctive and sensitive to small changes.

  I could see and feel the rumbling in the Deep Woods. There was something happening within these woods that was disturbing. Then, my mind flashed to The Other In Between and the eight lands that surrounded it. Each of the eight lands was unique and held a special purpose. One of these lands was the Dark Forest. The Dark Forest was not controlled by Them or The Keepers, but there was an evil present. Whatever was happening within the Deep Woods was connected to the Dark Forest. I felt as if an insidious presence were lurking within the Deep Woods, hidden from view but ready to strike.

  I knew at that point The Keeper had faced something similar to what I’m facing now. I did not see the solution, but I felt the severity of the problem. It also became clear that the situation regarding the current breach was indeed very grim. Whatever The Keeper had done to stop the breach then might not be enough to stop it now.

  What had he done to stop Them? Was the current breach so difficult that he thought even he could not repeat what he did before? What else needed to be done? The thought of this was very troubling. I felt I wasn’t ready to take on this monumental task. I had no idea where to begin! I needed training, discipline, practice, and probably a significant amount of luck. More importantly, I needed my friends, now more than ever.

  The learner device released its hold. My mind was back in The Keeper’s Workshop. The Keeper decided it was time for me to meet with some of the villagers.

  The Keeper bent down nearly halfway to fit below the entrance of his workshop as we exited. I followed closely behind. He seemed to be walking very quickly, but it was just that his legs were so long that they covered a great distance even when walking at a normal pace. I looked around. I was being watched. I saw many Fron. I saw furry little marmooks scurrying across the floor with great agility. There were other friendly but curious creatures and figures that I did not recognize. In the distance, was a gathering in one of the corridors with dozens of Fron and another Keeper.

  This was the first time I had seen another Keeper. For a while, I wasn’t sure if The Keeper I knew was the only one left. We approached the corridor and walked into a large hall that was a common gathering place. The room seemed like a living organism. It expanded when the crowd grew larger, and it shrank when the crowd grew smaller. The walls pulsated in and out imperceptibly, like a pair of breathing lungs. If you didn’t pay close attention, it was easy to miss. The walls extended so far up, disappearing into the darkness, that I wasn’t certain if there was actually a ceiling. Like The Keeper’s Workshop, the large hall possessed spatial properties that allowed it to be much larger from the inside than it appeared from the outside. This, I suppose, was one of the many strange oddities of Everville. Existing somewhere between here and there in space and time allowed for a lot of flexibility.

  One by one, each of the Fron introduced themselves to me. They all seemed eager to meet me yet were visibly concerned about the current situation. Eventually, we all sat down at the lo
ng wooden table in the center of the large hall. Each of the Fron began telling different stories of how Them had attempted to gain a foothold in Everville. Most of the stories seemed pretty similar. The stories would start with some uncharacteristic event within Everville, such as some type of damage to the land or an injury to one of Everville’s inhabitants. Sometimes, it was strange weather or scary noises that alerted the villagers to something being out of balance. Each time, the weird events would continue and escalate until The Keepers were able to stop the breach, drive out the influence of Them, and return balance back to Everville.

  The stories continued for what seemed like hours before the Fron settled down and The Keeper began to speak.

  “Them have gained the largest hold on Everville in the past and the future. We will not be able to fully restore balance to Everville, at least, not all at once. We must, however, prevent Them from gaining even more influence and take back as much control as possible. If not, I fear Everville will be lost forever and with it the world!

  “Owen Sage must begin his training with the Echo Club. He must learn to control his thoughts and his emotions. The darkness in The Other In Between is spreading quickly. It has nearly engulfed the eight worlds surrounding it and has started to seep into Everville. We don’t have much time. The Fron must stay vigilant and we Keepers must cooperate our efforts.”

  The Keeper had sent me back with Anika and Dante. Time had been restored, and I nearly lost my footing. It appeared that I had tripped on a crack in the cobblestone sidewalk. Anika and Dante began to chuckle, but they were none the wiser for what had just happened to me.

  EVERVILLE CHAPTER 13

  THE FIRST DAY

  The big day had finally come. Throughout much of high school, I could think of nothing better than starting college. It was a combination of finally being freed from the restrictions of home, school and the desire to really start being the successful person I felt I should be. College was supposed to be a fresh start. Money and friends did not matter. It only mattered how much I applied myself. The burden of Everville had been thrust upon me at the moment I was supposed to shine, but right now I was trying not to think of Everville. I wanted only to think of this moment and the hard work that had led up to this point. I wanted to feel as if I were at the beginning of a bright future with no one able to stop me.

  Like clockwork, Anika and Owen appeared at my door at 7:30 sharp. We had gotten used to meeting up and heading to the cafeteria for breakfast. I had gotten so used to it, in fact, that I had already gained a few pounds. I never used to eat breakfast in high school.

  “I’m so excited,” Dante said gleefully. Anika was a bit more reserved.

  “I guess it’s cool we’re going to have our first college class together,” Anika said with a smile.

  “Yeah. I’m really looking forward to Art History. It seems intriguing.”

  We ate quicker than usual, scarfing down each bite of food in eager anticipation of our first class. Not that it would make much of a difference. We were already going to be early, so finishing sooner would only prolong the wait.

  We emptied our trays, grabbed our bags, and headed out the door.

  Once again, I found myself amazed by the architecture of the campus. It really was a marvel to behold. Each brick in the walls of the campus buildings looked meticulously hand carved. The masonry and craftsmanship were impeccable. If there were any faults, I couldn’t find them.

  The sun was shining. It was warm, and the gusty cold wind that had arrived unseasonably early left as quickly as it came. This seemed to make me a bit happier, and for the moment it helped me suppress any thought of Them and The Other In Between. All I was thinking about at this instant was my first class.

  Students crowded the sidewalks and entranceways making it a little tricky to navigate at times. The first day of each semester was always the busiest. Students usually didn’t start skipping classes until at least a few weeks later, or so I was told. This made the trip to each class slightly longer than normal, but still manageable.

  We easily made it to our class with plenty of time to spare. The extra time gave us a chance to scope out the best seats in the auditorium hall. We sat down a little closer than halfway in the center of the room between the podium and the back exit. The seats were unusually nice for such a large lecture hall. Typically the seats were almost identical to those found in a high school classroom and even slightly more worn. This class, however, was apparently a campus favorite and the recipient of some very plush furnishings.

  It was a rather large lecture hall, as most entry-level classes are to accommodate the college freshmen. It was really noisy with lots of chatter, almost to the point where my ears were slightly uncomfortable. I could overhear some conversations about the class and how it was highly recommended by numerous people. The auditorium had been designed to have the acoustics amplify the sound near the podium. It also seemed to amplify the noise of the rather rambunctious students, which had finally started to hurt my ears.

  Professor Samil walked up to the podium, unnoticed for a brief moment. Whatever the reason for his popularity, it certainly was not for his sense of fashion. This is the third time I had seen the professor, and it was the third time he wore clothes that could have easily caused him to be mistaken for a homeless person.

  “Hello, everyone.”

  The professor turned the screen on and the lights off. The room quieted down.

  “I’m going to dispense with the pleasantries. That’s for your other professors. You should all have your syllabi, and if you don’t you can talk to my TA. For now, let’s jump right in.”

  A couple of his aides assisted him in hoisting up an unwieldy piece of artwork upon a mounted display. The large screen projection behind him allowed the entire class to see the painting at what had to be 20 times the actual size.

  “Who can tell me who painted this?”

  For about ten seconds no one volunteered an answer. Then, one by one, a few people raised their hands.

  “Van Gogh.”

  “Sorry. No.”

  “You, in the red shirt.”

  “Da Vinci.”

  “Nope. Wrong again.”

  One after the other, students offered answers only to be shot down by the professor. Finally, Professor Samil dispensed with the charade.

  “Alright, this piece belongs to a large collection by a previously unknown artist in the late 19th century. These pieces were donated by a rather generous benefactor to the university and have just recently been discovered to be unidentified art by none other than one of the founders of this very institution.”

  This piqued my interest. By the looks of it, it intrigued a lot of other students as well. I took a closer look at the painting. I must admit that it was quite captivating and drew me in. The painting had lots of deep blues, purples, and blacks. It was not truly modern, but not strictly traditional either. It had a mystical quality, an otherworldly peculiarity.

  Professor Samil had a few more pieces staged, displaying four pieces in all.

  “Okay, for your first assignment I’m going to have you compare these pieces to the artist of your choice. You can do either a two-page essay or a representative set of sketches in the medium of your choice characterizing the differences and what they mean to you.”

  A line started to form around the podium and students began making closer inspections of the paintings. Before long, the entire lecture hall had lined up behind it, waiting to get the chance to more closely inspect each piece.

  Anika, Dante, and I finally got the opportunity to inspect each painting. My eyes were drawn to the first piece that was displayed. The colors had a magnetic quality that captivated my eyes. I became fixated on the piece and stood motionless staring at it for an annoyingly long period of time. Finally, Anika grabbed a hold of my wrist and gently pulled me along. The other pieces were interesting, as well, but did not have the same appeal as the first piece.

  Briefly, I thought this could be
one of the objects spoken of by Avery in the Echo Club. I decided to dismiss the idea for now. I did not want my mind tricking me into wondering if every single object has some special power or influence. For now, I would just appreciate the art. I truly was enjoying this piece. I especially liked the purple, which was my favorite color.

  Shortly thereafter, the class ended and we headed off to our own separate classes.

  EVERVILLE CHAPTER 14

  THE MEETING.

  I had thoroughly enjoyed my first day of classes, but I was also somewhat relieved. There were no unexpected events and I felt pretty confident that I could handle the material rather easily. So far, at least, college seemed to be much easier than high school. We didn’t spend nearly as much time in class, and most of the courses had little homework. The day was not over, though, as we still had the meeting with the Echo Club.

  We came together as we usually did and sat down in the back. There were about 15 or so students who attended the meeting along with the prior club leader, one elder, and Avery.

  “Well, I’m glad to see everyone is here.”

  Avery, shut the door and said

  “Many of you are probably wondering: What exactly is the Echo Club and what do we do? Some of you may already have a few ideas. Let me start off by saying that it is no accident that you are here. You are all special. Something or someone in your past, present, or future has drawn you to this club. That is the way that it’s always been and always will be. You might not know it now, but in the near or distant future your time here will be put to good use.

  “We live in a world that is surrounded by distractions. Our job here is to help you navigate those distractions and reach your full potential, but there is more. We want to teach you how to notice things that might otherwise be easily missed. Call it focus, intuition, instinct, or whatever you like; but this is a necessary step to finding yourself and maximizing your future.”