The next thing I knew, Carl was gently settling me down onto the couch thing in April's home. April and Cindy were both in tears, and I heard the old man say, "He saved my life! I ain't leavin till I know he's gonna be alright!"
"I just need some rest!" I managed to gasp out.
The next thing I heard was the old man saying, "My name is Sam Underwood! I live two blocks over. I'll be back tomorrow to check on him! Okay?"
Carl said, "Here is my business card. My cell number is on it. Call, and we'll talk." I heard the door click shut, and I fell back asleep.
When I woke up, I could her April and Cindy quietly talking. I moaned, and could barely open my eyes. April stepped over, sat on the edge of the couch, and touched my wrist. She looked very frightened, and said, "Can you hear me Kaltar?"
Her touch felt warm and soft. I quietly said, "You are very beautiful!"
A large smile spread across her face, and she said, "You are so freaking me out! What the hell happened to you?"
"I don't know," I responded. "I was trying to help the old man. His pain was so horrible, I just wanted to help... so I took his pain."
"So you took his pain," Cindy quietly said. She sat there for a moment, then she got up and left the room.
"You can't do that Kaltar!" said April. "It might have killed you!"
"I had to help him!" I responded. "He was going to die!"
April reached out and took my hand gently in hers. She said, "You could have died Kaltar! You have a great gift. The Rock said you must learn to manage that gift. I didn't understand what he meant before. I see it know. You are too important to die saving just one human life." She stopped talking, and looked away confused.
"I would die for you, April," I said.
It was the wrong thing to say. She was in tears at once. She stood up, and took several steps away. Then, she stood with her back to me, and said, "I don't know if I can keep doing this Kaltar! I'm way to... attached to you. I don't want to see you die!"
"The Rock said I could die of a broken heart," I responded quietly.
April spun around and said, "Are you trying to freak me out! I love you, and I don't want to see you get hurt! Is that so hard for you to understand?"
"You love me?" I mumbled in confusion. I had questioned if she even liked me. I was mixed up before, and this came as a real shock.
I closed my eyes, and heard April say, "Hey! Don't you pass out on me again! How can I get ahold of the Rock?"
"Can't," I replied. "The war is beginning, and he has gone to scout the area. He will return as soon as he can!"
April said what I believe to be a dirty word under her breath. Then she said "Fine! Go back to sleep!"
So I did.
Chapter 9
A Miracle
I awoke the next day with light streaming in the window. I felt much better, till I sat up. In that moment, I realized I was still in a great deal of pain. A loud groan of pain escaped my lips.
Across the room from me, sitting upright, asleep in a chair, April suddenly bolted awake herself. Her eyes flung open, and she loudly said, "You're awake!"
I flinched slightly at the loud noise, but as I sat there for a second, I decided I did feel better. I said, "I need to clean up."
April led me through her home to the place she called a shower. Water ran from a device placed on the wall. It washed across you to remove all forms of dirt. She explained the operation of the shower, and gave me cloth she called towels to dry with. I was told to undress, and shower. Then April left the room.
I undressed, and stood within the shower. The water was very warm, and felt good. I ached all over, but the warm water seemed to wash away the pain, as well as the dirt. I stood there for a very long time, letting the water run over my body.
When I exited the shower, my clothes were gone, and clothes such as Carl wears were waiting for me. I dressed as best I could, and went out to find April sitting on the side of the bed, waiting on me.
"You look so much better," she said with a large smile.
My clothes felt too tight, but I decided I just wasn't used to how they fit. I said, "Thank you for the clothes!"
There was a tap out at the front door, and April led me back through the house to the room she lives in. There, we opened the door to find both Carl and Sam waiting for us. Carl smiled broadly, and said, "See! He's up and getting around! No problem!"
Sam seemed a little stressed. He looked at me and said, "Can I speak to you for a minute?"
Curious, I said, "Sure."
We were just standing in the doorway. Sam said, "I just got out of my doctor's office. He says a miracle has occurred, and my cancer is gone."
April turned a little pale, and said, "Why don't we all go in and sit down?"
We all soon had seats, with April sitting next to me on the couch. Sam looked at me oddly for a moment. Then he said, "I broke my arm once in four places. All signs of the old breaks are gone in my MRI and X-rays. I was badly beaten, and went home without a scratch." He looked at me closely, and said, "I want to know who you are, and what happened to me!"
"My name is Kaltar Farsara. I am here visiting from South of America," I replied, "You were hurt, and I just wanted to help."
"Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?" asked Carl. He looked slightly agitated. He glanced at Sam, and said, "Don't worry Sam! As soon as we leave here, I'll explain!"
I wondered what Carl had in mind, but I didn't scan him, or ask any questions. A few minutes later, Sam was leaving with Carl, and I was alone with April again.
After a few moments, I said, "Perhaps I should return to Remaca."
"You're just going to go off and leave me here?" April questioned.
That had been my thought, but I could see that was going to make April very unhappy. I slowly said, "It would probably be better for me to wait here. The Rock will look for me here."
That seemed to calm April slightly. After a short while, she said, "Our country is considered a major military power. Do you think we should tell somebody what's happening?"
"That really wouldn't help," I replied.
There was a loud tap at the door. April opened the door, and the Rock stepped in. He took one look at me and said, "What have you been up to, boy?" He scanned me for a moment. Then he said, "You had good intentions, but remember our talks about over extending yourself. If five people lie dying, you can't kill yourself saving one or two. Then all shall parish. As you grow stronger, and learn to channel power better, you'll have far more power. For now. You must be careful."
"He really can heal people!" stated April.
"So it would appear," agreed the Rock.
"And it was dangerous for him, and could have harmed him!" continued April.
"Could have killed him," stated my Master. He paused for a moment, and then said, "We should return to Remaca, Kaltar."
"Please don't go," begged April. "Or take me with you!"
"Absolutely not!" barked the Rock. He looked directly at me, and said, "The council has been destroyed. The knights and the assorted Guardian fleets have already massed, and had several skirmishes. The war has begun, and there is no more time for school young student. We must attend to the war, and hope you can learn enough as we go to stay alive."
"What shall we do?" I asked. "I have no clue where to start!"
"For every task, there is a first step," stated the Rock, in a matter of fact voice. "You took that step, and started down this road some time ago. Just keep moving forward."
"Right off the cliff," mumbled April under her breath.
"That is not helpful, young Earther!" snapped the Rock.
"He's a sweet kid!" April snapped back. "He's sure the hell not ready for any war!"
"We have no choice!" bellowed the Rock. "Entire planets have been wiped out!" He caught himself, and lowered his voice. "Our sources had talked of activity in this area for the last few years. We just recently started watching Earth more closely." He stopped for a moment, and looke
d at each of us in turn. Then he said, "I fear the Darkness has taken a great interest in this world. I am still unsure what this may mean."
"It means we're all going to die!" April practically whispered. The fear was evident in her face.
"That's not what it means!" the Rock snapped.
Slightly calmer now, April said, "How many planets did you say were destroyed?"
"Several!" said the Rock. "We are still trying to get an accurate count."
"So, there are so many, you can't count them all," April said.
This was getting out of hand. "Perhaps we should return to Signey Octurus." I said. "If we speak to the knights, they may help us."
"It will do no good to return to Signey Octurus," said the Rock. "They've already dispersed. Besides, I wish to follow events for a short while longer before I step in. Madias is controlling the flow of power within this time line. I wish to know why he has pushed forward so quickly. I had warned him to not pursue this course of action!"
My teacher stopped speaking. I could see he was very upset. He took a deep breath, and then said, "I believe that Madias has started us all down a road that leads to a direct confrontation with the Darkness. I just don't understand why. He isn't a fool. Why would he do this?"
"Why don't you ask him?" asked April.
The Rock cringed, and said, "I spoke harshly to Madias long ago, and we haven't spoken since."
"How long ago?" asked April.
The Rock looked down at his feet, and after a moment, he quietly said, "It was many centuries ago!"
"Centuries ago!" exclaimed April. "Don't you think this might be a good time to let him know you're ready to back him up?"
"Madias will call upon me when he is ready," stated the Rock. "He is doing this for a reason. I know not what it is. I just know that he is doing this in a deliberate fashion. And his actions may bring about our doom."
"You talk about me being negative," said April. She paused, and didn't say anything else.
After a few seconds, I asked, "What should I do? How can I prepare to fight this thing? If it is a war that is coming, how can I fight smarter?"
The Rock said, "I would leave you here, but you clearly can't be left unattended."
"Leave him here!" April blurted out. "I know what to do."
The Rock hesitated a moment, and then said, "I'm afraid to ask what you have in mind."
"Kaltar needs to learn tactics and warfare,” April said. “Carl programs war game simulations for the internet. He can teach Kaltar all he needs to know."
The Rock stood there looking at me for a full minute. I could tell he was trying to make a decision, and was tempted to scan him. Then, he abruptly said, "Very well!" a few seconds passed, and then he said, "Just remember Kaltar. The war you'll be in is not a game, or a simulation. Real life forms will be dying. I will be back all too soon. Prepare yourself for my return as best you can, young Magi!"
I nodded agreement, and the Rock folded space, disappearing.
Immediately, April said, "He freaks me out every time he does that!"
"I need to talk to Carl right away!" I observed. "It's kind of urgent!"
"C'mon! We're going to see him right now!" she said as she opened the door to her apartment.
Chapter 10
Computer Simulations
I was still moving pretty slowly. By the time I got to Carl's apartment door, he was already swinging the door open. He took one look at me and said, "Oh! Oh!"
At first, I thought he was going to shut the door on us. Instead, he asked, "What do you need April?"
"I want to put him in your warfare simulator!" I could tell she wasn't giving him much choice.
"I don’t know if that's a good idea April!" said Carl. "This stuff is expensive and... well, it messes with your head."
"He needs to know about warfare Carl!" she pleaded. "It's important!"
"Alright!" he conceded. "Get in here!" Pulling us into his home, he shut the door behind us. There were two tables with electronic devices on them. Carl pointed to a chair, and told me to sit down. I complied, and he placed something over my eyes.
He said, "I'm starting the system on level one," a light came on and I felt like I was flying. Then I heard Carl say, "Here are the headphones for sound," Suddenly, I could hear the wind roaring past me as I flew over the ground far below.
Carl's voice was suddenly very clear in my ear. He said, "I was testing a flight program. Why don't you try it out?"
I began to learn to fly.
I quickly learned how birds fly. Then various forms of planes, and not long after that, I was learning about spaceflight. At least, as humans understood it. I began to go through other simulations, and soon was operating a system marked, "War of the Worlds!" on the control select module.
After a short while, the headphones were pulled off of me. I could smell something burning, and Carl yelled out, "Stop it! You're burning up my router!"
I pulled the viewing device from my head, and I could see Carl trying to put out a fire on one of the tables. Seconds later the fire was out, and April asked, "What happened?"
"Your boyfriend just burned up my best wireless router, and two standalone computer hard drives," growled Carl. "You owe me!"
April took what I now knew to be money, out of her clothing. She handed it to Carl, and said, "Is that enough?"
"Five times too much!" said Carl. "But I get the idea. Come back tomorrow, and I'll be ready for you."
We started toward the door. As we stepped out, Carl said, "About Sam! That was pretty cool! If I can help you, I will!"
"Thanks Carl," April said. We walked back up the stairs to her home.
Just as we got to her door, Cindy stepped out. She stepped close to April, and asked, "Can I talk to you?"
April opened her door, and said, "I'll be right in!" I went in, and sat down.
A few minutes passed, and April opened the door, came in, and sat down next to me. She sat there quietly for a minute, and then said, "Cindy is very worried about you. So is Sam. You've got a lot of new friends here. They all want to help you. Is there anything we can do?"
I was beginning to get tired. So much was happening. I said, "I should return to Remaca. I have invaded your privacy long enough. I'll return when I'm rested."
April cringed, and said, "I have something to show you." She took my hand, and led me to the door, and out into the hall. We walked down the hall to the next doorway, and found it standing open. The home was devoid of furniture, and April said, "The apartment came open, so I rented it in your name. I have some more furniture coming this afternoon. We have a bed in the back, and a couch coming later today. We can get you more stuff later."
I was shocked. I said, "Why would you do this?"
"It wasn't just me!" said April. "Everybody helped. Carl processed the paperwork for the landlord on the computer. He works part time around here for the property management company. Cindy arranged the furniture and filled the fridge. We used Sam's truck to move the bed." She hesitated, and then said, "We wanted it to be a surprise."
We stepped in the door, and she said, "I used some of the money I got from the stone Rock gave me. I could retire on what I have left." She looked up at me and said, "You're not mad, are you?"
I was delighted, and said. "A nice new home with nice neighbors. I am very grateful for all you've done." We walked through the home, and I could see it was a duplicate of April's. I got to the back room, and there was a huge bed, all made up with covers. I laid out upon it, and relished the way I sank into its soft surface.
I heard April say, "Take a nap! I'll wake you in a few hours!" It seemed like very good advice. I fell asleep at once.
I awoke to the smell of something cooking. It was a wondrous smell, such as I had never enjoyed before. I went out to what April called a kitchen. There, I found her hard at work cooking food.
She looked up, and said, "Oh! You're awake! I'm fixing pancakes!" She smiled up at me and said, "No dead animals in pancakes
!"
A table, couch, and several various chairs had appeared while I slept. One chair was very tall. I sat on it, and April said, "I could only get one barstool at the second hand store. We can get more, later."
I realized what she meant, and when she turned around again, I had produced three more barstools to match the first. She stood looking at me for a moment, and then said, "Okay! How did you do that?"
"I created them," I said. "The Rock said we are a creator species!"
Aprils face flushed for a moment, and then she said, "You're good at creation, huh! I guess I should have seen that one coming."
I was tempted to scan April. It was obvious she was deep in thought. She finally said, "Kaltar! Do people have children where you come from?"
"Of course," I replied. "I had a very happy childhood."
"Do you folks procreate as humans do?" she asked.
I thought back over all I had seen in the scans of the humans I had met. I slowly said, "I believe our species replicate in identical fashions. Ours is much more natural, with no use of a hospital. But otherwise, we are much alike."
At that point, April brought me a plate of something called pancake, covered in something called syrup. I had never experienced such food before, and was soon making animal like noises as I practically inhaled the meal.
April watched me for a short while, and then said, "Wow! You really were hungry!" I nodded as I finished, and she shoved another plate of pancakes in front of me. I slowed, and ate these in a more healthy fashion. As I finished the second plate, I asked, "Aren't you eating?"
"Too late! You ate them all!" she noted with a smile.
I felt like a fool for being so rude. "I don't know how to repay all your kindness!" I said.
"It's the other way around," said April. "It's us who wish to say thank you!" She paused, collecting her thoughts. Then she said, "I don't think you realize how much you're affecting all of us." Her words trailed off. We both just sat there for a minute, and then she said, "I should go home, and let you get some rest. Carl stopped in while you were taking a nap. He said to stop by tomorrow after lunch, and he would be ready for you."
The Books of Kaltar Farsara Boxed Set - Books 1 through 3 (The Kingdom Kaltar Farsara Built) Page 7