The New Guard (Crossroads Book 1)

by Matthew M. Johns

  Rebekah began to cry and hated herself for it. “Stop; this is too much. Every answer starts more questions. I just want my family. . .”

  The Fox was suddenly at her side. It guided her to a stump near the side of the road. Then it turned to the Owl and growled. The Owl landed on the road and heaved a sigh.

  “I’m sorry for your discomfort. Rest a moment and listen. I’ll tell you as much as I can.”

  The Owl hopped closer to Rebekah and then began. “Your husband had been here before; he crossed over into the Way World in his youth. During that time he came into possession of the sword. He was sent back to Earth to serve there and given strict orders to be silent about the sword and his bearing it, as well as the Crossroads.

  “God had a purpose for sending him back. You and he were made for each other and it was safer that you two live, marry, and raise a family upon Earth. Now, however, you are being called to serve here. Unfortunately, the Way you took is fractured due to decay in the creation and chaos here. David and your children are being watched over by an angel just as you are. In fact, your family has always been watched over by this angel. You know it as the Beagle.”

  Rebekah looked up and locked eyes with the Owl. “Why didn’t David. . .”

  The Owl snapped its beak forcefully. “Would you have believed him? Those that have seen this place are rarely believed. If they become adamant about their experiences, they are often committed to asylums. David was never sure why he returned to Earth, and it is only in recent years that he has begun to suspect what is to be asked of him and his family.

  “I will remind you that he was commanded to silence. It was not his place to reveal this information, just as it is not my place to tell you the whole reason you are here. God commands our allegiance and footsteps. Trust that he has you in His hands.”

  The Fox came up to Rebekah and rubbed itself against her legs. A wave of coolness washed over her, followed quickly by a slow, tingling warmth. As the warmth reached her head, she realized the pains she had been feeling were gone and she was full of renewed energy. She looked down at the grinning Fox and smiled herself.

  “Thank you,” she said in amazement. The Fox yipped in reply. Suddenly puzzled, Rebekah asked the Fox, “Why don’t you speak?”

  The Owl answered, “Not all of us are given permission to speak. It really depends on our calling or the needs of our mission.”

  Rebekah turned to the Owl. “Missions I understand, but I didn’t think angels had specific callings.”

  “Angels are all created to praise and serve God. Only the Deceiver and his followers broke from this. There are four main callings for angels: guardian, herald, reaper, and warrior. In the end times, we will all become reapers and warriors. Until then, we find ourselves moved to serve in many different ways. The Fox is your guardian angel and I am a herald. While I will one day leave you, the Fox will not. Your angel will guard your soul until the last of your mortal shell fails.”

  Rebekah knelt and reached out for the Fox. The angel allowed itself to be picked up and kissed on the forehead by her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  The Owl quietly replied, “The Fox is an expression of God’s undying love for your soul. Not many people get a chance to see their guardian angel, but it is there.”

  The Fox gently licked Rebekah’s tears from her cheeks. After a few moments the Owl continued.

  “We must get moving again. David and the angel are moving your children toward the Central Kingdom. In due course, you will meet up with him there. First, however, we need to get you to the safety of Haven. Those that hunt your husband and children are being kept at bay. Eventually though, they will discover you and try for you all again. We must have more allies before then. Please, let us go.”

  Rebekah nodded, set the Fox down, and they set off down the road once more.

  *

  The Second Kingdom is comprised primarily of wooded lands hosting a wide assortment of firs and deciduous trees. As Rebekah walked along a junction of the Northern Road she was kept in cool shade by the tall giants. Had she arrived in the Second Kingdom ten to twenty miles to the east or west, she would have appeared in large orchards of hearty fruit and nut trees. These crops and wood are the primary resource that the Second Kingdom has to offer the other eleven kingdoms.

  Over the next two and a half hours Rebekah walked among the grand trees towering over the roadway. As she walked, the Fox followed behind her and the Owl flew above and before her. The road was devoid of people. Through the woods were filled with the sounds of animals, Rebekah never saw any. Every now and then she would see a small trail lead off from the main road and wind into the deep forest. There were even times that she smelled wood smoke or heard the distant sound of axes hitting wood, but there was no visible sign of human life. The solitude gave Rebekah abundant opportunities to talk to and learn from the Owl.

  They talked further of the twelve created races, only eleven of which were to be found in the Crossroads. The Owl was free with information about them and how they made up the twelve kingdoms of the Way World. Rebekah was amazed to learn that nothing here was native. Everything had been transplanted in one way or another from the worlds which connected to the Here Between.

  By the time the sun was arching toward late afternoon, Rebekah became aware of the trees thinning and becoming smaller. Within ten minutes the road broke free of the forest and became surrounded by tall grassy meadows. Once free of the trees, Rebekah saw her first sign of Haven. A large spire broke from the horizon and gleamed in the light of the sun. As she moved closer, the spire seemed to grow in height and the light hitting it fractured, creating small dancing rainbows all about the structure. Rebekah was so captivated by the complex beauty of the spire that she did not notice the Owl’s change of flight pattern so that it was gliding beside her.

  “It is the Spire of Heavenly Glory. The local artisans refined crystals and other minerals that reflect and refract the light of the sun. All throughout the day, a third material absorbs light so that even at night it glows brightly. Only during periods of long rain, cloudiness, and during the longest winter nights, does its radiance fail. It is during these times the warriors of Haven become most vigilant.”

  “It’s wonderful! I never knew something like this was possible.”

  “With God all things are possible. It took generations to create and has stood sentinel for hundreds of years. We will find you sanctuary at the base of the spire.”

  “The spire is part of a church?”

  “Yes, it is the church’s property used for worship, a mission base, and a house of sanctuary.” Before Rebekah could comment or ask more the Owl spoke again. “Come; we are almost there and the day is coming to an end.”

  The rest of the trip into Haven was uneventful. As Rebekah got closer more rooftops became visible, but the spire towered over them all. Soon, Rebekah saw that the town of Haven was surrounded by a formidable wall at least eighteen feet high and half as thick. The ground close to the wall was cleared of any trees or the sprawling meadow she was currently walking through. Rebekah could see sentries roaming the wall top, and ahead of her two of them were guarding a massive gate.

  Unsure of the protocol of entering so heavily fortified a town and receiving no instruction from the Owl, Rebekah stopped in front of the guards. The Fox sat next to her and the Owl soared overhead. Rebekah stated her name and requested sanctuary at the temple. The two guards studied her for a moment, so she took this opportunity to study them. One of them was a weald; the other, a Coterie (two of the alien races the Owl had told her about). Before she should focus too closely on the features the Owl had used to describe those races, the two guards bowed their heads and motioned for her to enter.

  The main road led right up to the temple. Rebekah was focused on the elaborate design of the temple and thus did not take the time to look at the rest of the town around her. She did not see the very different people around her as she studied the images etched into the stone surfac
e or the elegant scenes displayed in the stain glass windows. Even the broad double doors, were carved with wondrous art. As she entered through the open double doors she was taken aback by the fairly plain interior. There were the half a dozen stained glass windows on either side of the church and tall carved pillars of dark wood, but this was the main decoration inside the structure. Other than several large candle stands, each holding seven thick candles, there was no other decoration.

  Rebekah had walked into a room no doubt designed for corporate worship. She stood in the middle of a main aisle with two more merging into it, one on either side of the church. The side aisles were smaller, only allowing enough space for two people to walking abreast. The main one, however, could easily fit four people shoulder to shoulder. Between either of the two outside aisles and the central one there were banisters, where Rebekah supposed worshipers would stand or kneel during the service. There were only six benches on which people could sit. Two small benches on either side were placed toward the front where the three aisles came together. Then there was one large bench on either side at the back of the church right inside the door.

  Rebekah kept walking forward until the three aisles merged. In front of her were three broad stairs leading up to a large stage. On either side of the stage was a massive carved column. Between each of these columns and the exterior walls were small carved double doors similar to the ones she had entered the temple through. However, Rebekah’s attention was drawn back toward the stage. At the back, one of the two small doors opened and a man had emerged.

  Though the man wore a long robe, it could not conceal his muscular build. He was bald, so it was easy to see that his ears did not protrude from his head. Rebekah noted this fairly quickly and found herself staring at them trying to determine if they were just not poking out, or truly flat against his skull. She would later come to understand that the latter was true. As he came closer she also noticed his eyes were dark all around, except at the very center. She was so taken by these oddities that at first she did not realize he was speaking to her.

  When she recognized she’d been staring, Rebekah blushed. As she began to listen more closely, she realized he was not speaking English. There was something familiar about his speech, but nonetheless she couldn’t understand it. Before she could speak herself, the Owl swooped in and landed on a banister near her. It extended a wing and touched her. She stared at the Owl as it folded back its wing and closed its eyes.

  “Oh, don’t go to sleep now, I need help here. I don’t understand this man.” Rebekah hated the exasperation clearly lacing her words, but she was getting a bit tired of all the mysterious ways and strangeness and just wanted to rest and process for a while.

  The man placed a hand on Rebekah’s arm to get her attention and said, “But madam, I understand you.”

  Rebekah looked up to the man and almost instantly began gazing at the odd color reversal in his eyes. While the Owl had told her this was key identifier for the gaeder, Rebekah had not expected their eyes to be so captivating. She quickly shook free of her trance and began to ask, “How . . ? I couldn’t understand you . . .” However, she stopped with a large sigh and a sideways glance at the Owl. She began once again. “My name is Rebekah and I’ve come from far away. I’ve been told you can help me.”

  It was the man’s turn to stare now. His stare alternated between Rebekah and the Owl. He did not seem to notice the Fox. After several heartbeats, he nodded.

  “Of course you must have just crossed over,” he stated. Before Rebekah could do more than nod her head he continued. “Yes, we can offer help in several ways. Perhaps a place to rest and some warm food to start. In the morning, we can talk of what else you might need. My name is Brother Carefrin and the sanctuary is at your service.”

  Rebekah smiled and whispered a thank you as Carefrin bowed and led her through one of the carved doors at the top of the stage.

  Chapter 5

  The sun was nearing the tops of the tallest trees when the Koens broke out of the woods. In front of them they found a dusty road wide enough for them to walk four abreast. Before they went any further, though, the Beagle came trotting down the road carrying a bulging sack. David set Dinah down and Nic, who had been carrying Mary, set her down. David took the sack from the Beagle and opened it. Inside were a few water skins and some hard packed bread squares. Looking up from the sack he thanked the Beagle before motioning for everybody to sit. Most of them had already done so.

  David passed out the bread, one square to each of the children. He then divided the water skins, telling them that two would have to share each one. Those holding the water skins quickly partnered up and took a long drink, trying hard to gauge how much half was. Several of the other children looked concerned, but were surprised when they received a full water skin. Jeremiah, who was sharing with Mel, was about to try an experiment when David called out.

  “Just because it seems endless, don’t waste it.” David then looked at each of them. “Whenever you are blessed, don’t squander it or assume it is endless.”

  For many of them this was not the first time they had heard something like this from their father. Now, however, it seemed to carry extra meaning. Slowly everybody started in on the bread and were astounded by the sweet taste of fruit and honey each bite. Many of the children started staring at the Beagle as they ate and continued to drink.

  Finally, with his mouth half full, Jeremiah (unable to keep any more questions to himself) asked, “How’d you do this?”

  The Beagle shrugged its shoulders and smiled. David answered, “It was needed, God provided.”

  Becoming annoyed by David’s mysterious nature and sensing an opportunity Eve spoke up. “I know you said you would explain things when we got somewhere safer, but the Beagle said. . .” Here Eve faltered, realizing the words she had just spoken.

  Before she could fully recover her thoughts, her father asked, “What is your question, Eve?”

  Eve held tightly to her resolve and began again. “It’s obvious that those woods back there were not our woods. We seem to be in a completely new place, yet we’ve only been traveling by foot. Where are we?”

  “The Way World, also known as the Crossroads or the Here Between.”

  Before he could say any more Jeremiah perked up, “Between what?”

  The Beagle answered. “Between Earth and the other home worlds of the other sentient races.”

  “Are we ever going to get a straight answer out of either of you?” Eve’s irritation was mounting and, being who she was, she didn’t care if everybody else knew.

  David gave her a sharp look and then answered. “From what I’ve come to know, there are twelve home worlds for twelve different sentient species created by God. Each of them has a Way or portal that leads here. In the beginning, no humans or other sentient races lived here; this place was only a crossroads, a bastille. However, the creation was broken and this place changed, like all other places. Demons soon learned how to linger here. They began waylaying angels, and the war between Heaven and Hell was soon fought openly here. God saw the Void’s ultimate goal of holding the Crossroads and destroying all creation. So He opened the Ways to his chosen tribes. The Tribe of Man was called through Jacob when he saw the gateway open at the place he would call Bethel. However, it would be several generations before any human entered into this realm.”

  David looked at Eve, who was dumbfounded. The he said, “That is perhaps the best explanation I can give you.”

  Everybody was trying to digest this information when Deborah asked, “Different species . . . are you talking about aliens?”

  “Alien to what you know, yes,” the Beagle replied. “Though each of these species bear many differences and similarities, they share one common factor: they were created in the Way of God like humans. They have also been endowed with freewill, and can choose to follow their Creator or not.”

  Before any more could be said, David interrupted. “Now you have more to think about. An
y more questions will have to wait. We have a few more miles to cover before we lose the light. Those things after us move in the night, and we need to be inside before they get moving again.”

  Though the children were tired and still had questions, they needed no more motivation to get moving again than the reminder of the riders who had trapped them the day before. With renewed eyes they began looking around as they traveled up the road after their father. For the first time, they studied the bordering woods and began to see species of trees they weren’t able to identify. A few sharp eyes even spotted birds not of Earth. The fact that they were not home started to sink in. They mulled over the fact that they were being thrust into some place beyond anything they had ever known or dreamed of.

  The late afternoon shadows were creating a deepening darkness on the dirt path the Koens had been traveling for many hours. Several of the older kids had the smallest ones clinging to their backs or riding on their shoulders. They were all getting tired, but a creeping fear of the coming night kept them all quietly trudging along.

  Jeremiah was the first to smell the wood smoke. He whispered to Mel, who was carrying him on his back, “Do you smell food?” Mel stopped, took in a deep breath, and caught the faint scent of burning wood.

  “We are close now.” Mel jumped at the sound of his father’s voice so close at hand. He readjusted Jeremiah, who had nearly fallen off his back. Mel looked at his father in surprise; he had not even heard him approaching.

  David smiled at Mel, “You’ll pick-up the skill of observation and stealth quickly enough. I did at your age.” David then turned to the rest of the children who had gathered around. “Oswald’s Farm is a way station for travelers and a meeting hall for the area farmers. It is the largest place for days in any direction and marks the beginning of the Sixth Kingdom’s vast farm lands. We can put up there tonight, eat, talk, and rest. In the morning, we can gather supplies for the next leg of our journey. I’m proud of all of you for not complaining and trusting me even under these strange circumstances. I wish I could tell you it would get easier from here, but I’ve always been honest with you and I don’t want to give you false hope. Now come on; refreshing drinks and hearty food are specialties of Oswald’s Farm.”