by J. D. Netto
“Are you sure this Devin is trustworthy, Isaac?” Demetre asked me once again.
I sighed.
“What choice do we have, but to trust him?” I whispered.
Demetre grabbed my arm and dragged me away so we were out of hearing distance. He led me behind an old tree trunk.
“Isaac, he is one of them,” he whispered. “He is a Nephilin, a son of the Fallen. You heard Cyro—his kind is also against us, evil runs in his veins. Why would he be protecting us? He has the Diary with him right now and he has us—two boys who are completely dependent on him.”
“I guess you will have to trust me and I will have to trust myself,” I replied as I made my way back to where Devin and the four horsemen were.
“Isaac!” Devin shouted. “Come here. I’d like you to meet a couple of old friends.”
I took another look at those men. Their armor alone would frighten any ordinary human. As I got closer I could see them better. Their armor did not have a single scratch. I could easily see my own reflection on them.
“This is Dantes.” He pointed to the one in the middle. He had grayish hair, seemed to be in his mid-forties.
“This is Aleen.” He pointed to the one that stood to Dantes’ right. He looked younger; his flaming red hair glistened, his eyes greener than the greenest spring leaves.
“This one is Alestin.” He was blond, skin almost as pale as Devin’s. He was the one that stood on the far right.
“And this,” he pointed to the one that stood to my far left. “This is the chief and commander, Vladmir.”
“It is a pleasure,” Vladmir said. The others bowed their heads as soon as he was done speaking. Vladmir seemed to be a very experienced warrior. He had a scar that started right above his right eye and went all the way down to his chin.
“And who is this other young man?” Vladmir asked. I did not even notice that Demetre was standing a bit far behind me.
“Demetre Aliward, sir,” he replied.
“Well, you all seem like great young boys. The Council is ready to receive all of you. Come, the borderline is not far from here.” He spoke with softness in his voice, but the authority in his tone could not be masked. As soon as he took his first step, the other men followed.
“Oh! Where is your horse, Devin?” he asked with a grin on his face.
“We lost her when the Shadows attacked our carriage,” he replied.
“Not a problem. We have spare horses that we brought along.” He turned to Demetre. “Can you ride?” he asked.
Demetre nodded his head. “Of course I can.”
“Very well—you and Isaac will ride one and Devin will take the other. Now let us go. We must leave this forest.”
He climbed on his horse and led the way.
IV
Demetre and I rode in silence. Devin and the other riders were ahead of us, chatting. Demetre glanced over at me occasionally, checking to see how I was doing.
“We are here!” I heard Vladmir shout as he and the others brought their horses to a halt. A vast field of grass dressed with colorful fruit-laden trees appeared before us. I searched the landscape, dazzled by its splendid view.
We slowly rode to the clearing. A thick mist formed around us as the air grew moist and damp.
“What is going on?” Demetre asked. “Is this the Council?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I have been here before,” I responded, mesmerized at the sight.
The mist followed us as we walked. I stretched forth my hand, trying to touch the white cloud of vapor, but I couldn’t. The mist shrunk back, avoiding my grasp. As I pulled my hand toward me, the mist returned again. I curiously looked down, realizing the ground we treaded on had been hidden by the fog.
Slowly, the mist began to dissipate, losing its power; it then evaporated altogether revealing a majestic paradise. To my surprise, I was now standing before a gate which opened onto a luxurious garden under a canopy of bright blue skies. With every step, I could see strange and colorful creatures leisurely roaming the grounds. Some resembled ordinary rodents such as squirrels and raccoons, but their vivid colors captured my attention. The sweet smell of what seemed to be lilac permeated the air. Birds sang all around us in a concert of perfect harmony. It seemed as if they had rehearsed their peaceful melodies. Their bodies were covered with feathers that glistened in a prism of colors under the sun.
Ahead of me I saw a colossal castle surrounded by a river. The monument was breathtaking, unlike anything I had ever laid eyes on.
“You thought you had lost me, right?” Devin asked as he and the other horsemen approached me.
“Can’t really say what was going through my mind right now…” I fell short on words as I gazed at the azure blue sky. I closed my eyes and was immediately lost under the rays of the sun.
“What is this place, Devin?” Demetre asked.
“This is Justicia. It is not part of Elysium, even though the only way to get here is through one of the invisible gates. We just crossed over one of the borderlines into the Fourth Dimension.”
I raised an eyebrow with a concerned look. I believed he immediately got the message.
“This is the realm where the Creator lives. This place is located in the northern part of Tristar. The Creator, his kingdom and servants are located in the middle—the Heart of Tristar; a place forbidden to the living. The Heart of Tristar is secluded from all others. Only those who died with knowledge can enter there.”
I once again turned my attention to the castle and, gazing in awe, I marveled at this exquisite beauty. No creature in Elysium could’ve built something so majestic. White stones made up the walls, precisely placed throughout the three monumental towers. The middle tower stood higher than the others, with a golden lion statue mounted at the very top. There was a moat to be crossed before we reached its massive gates.
As we approached the moat, a man walked out to meet us. The closer he came, I was able to catch a better glimpse at his appearance. He wore a black tunic with a multicolor cloak over a beige linen shirt and a pair of black knee-high boots.
“Welcome to Justicia!” he said, greeting us with a cheerful voice.
“Vladmir, take your men now and go back to your posts. There is much to be done on this momentous day.”
Vladmir turned around; the other three men were at his heels.
“Devin.” The man approached Devin’s horse. Devin alighted from his horse and met the man with a hug. “It has been so long. Where have you been? You don’t come to visit,” the man said with a cheerful smile.
“Time has been my worst enemy lately,” Devin happily replied. The man turned his gaze to me. “Oh, these young ones must be Isaac Khan and Demetre Aliward. Am I right?”
“Yes, sir,” I replied.
“Well, my name is Athalas—lord of the Council here in Justicia. Come down and give me a hug, young ones. Your parents are very dear to us all here.”
We dismounted from our horses and hugged him. This was the most comfortable I had felt in the past couple of hours. Athalas gave me such comfort the moment he mentioned our parents.
“Let us go inside. The moon is about to take its place in the sky and we have something very special prepared for you on this night,” he spoke with great expectation.
As we made our way inside the castle, my eyes could not quite believe what they gazed upon. White marble was used to build the floors; tall white columns rose up to the ceiling. A gigantic glass dome stood majestically above us. Ahead, a staircase; it swayed as though suspended in midair, glistening beautifully.
We were led up the staircase into an immense hallway. To our right was a glass window with a magnificent view of the front garden and the moat. Draped along the window was a gorgeous satin curtain. Statues were scattered along the hall; many canvases with decorative hand-painted landscapes hung on the walls.
“Did you sculpt these?” Demetre asked Athalas, closely examining the statues.
“Well, yes—some of them.
We have many fine artists here.” Athalas’ right hand lovingly touched one of the statues as he answered.
“They are incredible,” Demetre whispered as his eyes drank in the indescribable glory of this place.
“I am just glad we are safe and sound,” I said, resting my left hand on Demetre’s shoulder. “And that you are alive and well.”
We finally came to the grand wooden door that stood at the end of the hallway. When Athalas opened the door, we caught a glimpse of a massive room artfully decorated with black and satin artifacts.
“Here are your accommodations, young ones. Inside are two separate bedrooms so you may each have some privacy. Don’t forget, dinner is at seven. I will send someone to personally escort you both to the dining hall,” Athalas said cheerfully.
“Thank you very much,” I replied. “This is the safest we have felt since we left home. We really appreciate it.”
“You are in a safe haven, young ones—many out there know your names. Many have been waiting for this very day. Know that here you will find security and peace. You have done well—bringing the Diary here.” His lips curved into a gentle smile. He then made his way out of the room.
“How are you holding up?” I asked Demetre the moment the door closed. After all we had gone through, I wanted to make sure all was well with him.
Casually, he strolled over to one of the three windows. “I am alright. This is all confusing to me still. I can’t hide that I am sickly worried about our parents.”
The haunting reality had once again settled in. Despite all the things we had discovered on this day, the location of our parents was still unknown.
“What about the pain?” I inquired. Every word seemed to be followed by a strong urge to weep. With great restraint, I held it in. I needed to be strong right now.
He sighed. “I’m scared that it might come back. If you ask me what that pain was, I still don’t know.”
I rested on the settee that was placed next to the window. “What did the pain feel like?”
“Like something was crawling inside of me, desperately trying to get out.” His eyes widened as he spoke. “It was as if someone was alive in me.” He pressed his right hand on his chest.
The thought of witnessing Demetre suffer such pain enraged me. Ever since we were kids, I always looked after him. His dad was never one to mess with. His short temper caused Demetre to grow farther from him as the years passed. He was often alone and never one to blend in with the other boys in Agalmath.
“Remember, I am here for you. Despite all those that we meet, let’s make sure our friendship is untouched. Our trust goes beyond the darkness,” I affirmed.
“Yeah, I know.” He nodded; a smile spread softly across his face.
After we freshened up and were dressed in clothes that seemed to have been tailored to fit us perfectly, there was a knock on the door.
Demetre reluctantly answered. Although this was supposed to be a safe haven, we were not entirely sure whether our new acquaintances could be trusted.
“Athalas is calling you all to come down for dinner. Are you ready?” It was a beautiful woman. Her beauty was enchanting; her physique was statuesque and her presence breathtaking. She spoke in a sensual tone, soft and mellow. Wavy golden hair cascaded down her back. Completely enamored by her beauty, I could not take my eyes off of hers. They were a deep blue color. I recognized these eyes; Devin had these very same eyes.
“Umm…Yeah—we…umm…we will be right down,” I replied, barely able to speak.
She gave me a halfhearted smile. “Well, come on then. I have to show you where the dining hall is.” Another smile followed.
“Right…” Demetre nodded in agreement. I could not help but notice her lovely garments. She wore a thin silver tiara on her head with a small red rose in the middle, a marvelous red wool coat that hung down to her knees, revealing a blouse underneath that was embellished with precious jewels, and heeled boots.
She waited politely at the door as we passed by her. She quickened her pace ahead of us, leading the way. The only sound that I could hear was her boots clicking against the marble floor. She made no attempt to make conversation whatsoever.
“Do you think Athalas really sculpted all of these statues?” Demetre whispered as we once again crossed the hall.
“I believe so. Well…that is what he said,” I answered with a whisper.
She stopped suddenly.
“Well…most of them.” She turned around. “I am sorry to be so impolite and not introducing myself. My mind is off somewhere else. My name is Adawnas—I am part of this Council. Forgive me if I disappoint you, but Athalas did not sculpt all these statues.”
“Re-really…were you one of the sculptors?” Demetre inquired with a timid voice. Her beauty was so entrancing, it intimidated us.
She chuckled.
“No, young one, I am afraid those are not one of my accomplishments.” Her eyes closely surveyed the scattered statues throughout the hall. “There are a couple of statues here that I don’t recognize.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, surprised at what she said.
“I do not often come to this side of the castle, but a couple of days ago, I noticed Athalas had been out for quite a long time. The members of the Council cannot stay out for too long. They must constantly keep watch over the Gates of the Fourth Dimension for any activity. Well, Athalas was out for two days, and then Timothy came to me and filled me with questions.” She sighed. “He claimed that he saw new statues in this hall that appeared out of nowhere.” She was silent for a moment, measuring each word carefully. “As I came to escort you to dinner, I also wanted to check on the new statues. I was stunned by so many new ones appearing so fast.”
I could sense doubt behind her words. She seemed reluctant and I sensed that she was hiding something.
“So nobody knows where they came from?” Demetre asked, creasing his forehead in a sign of confusion.
She laughed softly. “This dinner tonight will be very special for you. Now let us keep on going. We cannot be late.”
We continued walking, but my mind remained focused on the fact that no one knew the origin of these new statues.
“Might I ask you a question?”
She glanced over her shoulder.
“Of course…” She nodded.
“Are you also a Nephilin like Devin?” I choked as soon as the words drifted from my mouth. She gave me a melancholic stare and continued walking.
We came to another large wooden door. Intricate designs covered it from top to bottom. From all the beautiful ornaments, the two golden knobs stood out the most. Adawnas did not knock, but simply opened the door and walked right in. We followed. She bowed her head, greeting the other seven who were also here. They all bowed their heads in return. Devin was also present, dressed in similar attire as to the Council members.
There were two seats reserved for us in the far left side of the table. Adawnas sat next to Devin. There was something about Adawnas’ behavior that seemed incredibly mysterious to me. I could see anxiety stamped on her face.
The door opened and everyone rose to their feet. It was Athalas. He was dressed in a regal black robe that covered his entire body.
“I must say, I love having a full house!” he exclaimed, spreading his arms to greet us two newcomers. He sat in the first chair at the head of the table.
We were respectfully silent for a while when he suddenly clapped his hands and shouted,
“Bring in the food!”
The doors of the dining hall immediately burst wide open and servants entered carrying enormous platters. At least the servants appeared to be ordinary humans. The platters were lavishly layered with a variety of meats, vegetables, fruits, desserts and pastries.
“Is this elaborate dinner all because of us?” Demetre whispered, looking at me from the corner of his eyes.
I looked around at the table and simply smiled. “I don’t know, but I must say…I really don’t mind.” A
soft laugh followed my answer.
To our surprise, a very merry tune started to play. To my left, there were two masters of music dressed in very colorful costumes. Their hands used a bow to skillfully play their instruments, which were etched with floral patterns and inlaid with precious gems.
“It is an honor to meet you both, Isaac and Demetre,” a raspy deep voice spoke from behind. “Allow me to introduce myself to you both. My name is Ely. Are you finding our accommodations suitable?”
“Yes, very much!” Demetre replied with a mouth full of pork and chicken. I shook my head and scoffed.
“Yes, thank you very much for your concern. Where are you from, sir?” I asked him, taking a nibble from the pork.
“I have been everywhere. I am one of the very men chosen by the Creator to guard the Diary from the beginning of all things. It’s amazing to observe how the world is starting to change so radically because of a wee little book.”
“Little?” I asked, incredulous. “From what I have seen today, this book is anything but little.”
“Little to those who have more power than others. Trust me when I say this—once you encounter true power, the big things grow strangely dim before your eyes.”
“Who are you talking to, Isaac?” Devin asked from the other side of the table.
“To this gentleman, of course!” Demetre replied.
Devin was perplexed.
“What is wrong?” I asked, looking around.
“There is no one here…no one here but us,” Devin replied with a confused look. Adawnas shot Devin a cold stare and bowed her head.
I looked again and there was nobody.
“I am sure someone was here.” I stared at Demetre, confounded.
“I saw him, Isaac…with my own two eyes. I know there was someone here!” Demetre affirmed.
“Attention!” Athalas shouted as he clapped his hands. “It is a delight as always to have dinner with all of you here tonight; members of this Council who since the dawn of days have been guarding the Diary and those who keep it. Tonight, we have three very special guests with us. I would like the Council to personally meet Isaac Khan and Demetre Aliward, and to greet once again our old son, Devin.” They all applauded.